AFC West Notes: L.A., Broncos, Crabtree
There’s a new coach in Oakland and a new vibe in Raiders camp, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. “It’s very intense,” defensive end Justin Tuck said. “That’s fine. We need some intensity around here.” Del Rio’s staff has been demanding from the get-go of the team’s voluntary program in hopes of turning things around for one of the league’s worst teams in 2014. Here’s more from the AFC West..
- Two months after unveiling plans and renderings for a stadium in Carson, California, the Chargers and Raiders have completely overhauled their design for the $1.7-billion project, as Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times write. Although the original renderings were created with input from only the Chargers, the new design is the result of almost two months of collaboration between the franchises. The revised plans, detailed in the article, show a futuristic open-air venue with a peristyle intentionally reminiscent of the one at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
- Tight end no longer exists as a top priority for the Broncos after re-signing Virgil Green and obtaining free agents Owen Daniels and James Casey. However, Denver could still take a long look at University of Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams, Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post writes. ESPN analyst Todd McShay told Renck that Williams could very well be the first tight end off the board in this year’s draft.
- Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree is glad to be wanted and needed in Oakland and “can’t wait to go play,” Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group writes. Crabtree signed for a lot less than he envisioned this offseason but he says he’s eager to show what he’s capable of and wants to shed the diva reputation that has followed him for some time.
West Notes: D. Thomas, Cards, Foote, Floyd
Demaryius Thomas, like other franchised players who have yet to sign their one-year tenders, didn’t report to his team’s voluntary spring workout this week. That had been expected, but Broncos GM John Elway still didn’t sound all that thrilled about it when he spoke to reporters today.
“We’d like to get [a long-term contract] done,” Elway said, per Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. “But by him being away from here, there is zero value, not only to us, (but) to him. To me it makes no sense. That actually has no effect to anything we’re talking about, trying to get a contract done with him, because that’s ultimately what we’d like to do. But for him not to be here it has zero effect.”
As we wait to see whether Thomas and the Broncos can work out an agreement, here are a few more items from across the NFL’s two West divisions….
- The Cardinals added Larry Foote to their coaching staff earlier in the offseason, intending to sign him to their roster later in the summer if he decides he wants to continue his playing career. So far, however, he remains undecided. According to Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals (via Twitter), the veteran linebacker said he’s 50/50 between playing and coaching — the draft, his health, and Daryl Washington‘s situation are among the factors Foote is considering.
- The Cardinals haven’t yet decided whether to pick up the fifth-year option on receiver Michael Floyd, and figure to make that call after the draft, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910. Like fellow wideout Kendall Wright, whose 2016 option the Titans plan to exercise, Floyd would be in line for a salary of $7.32MM.
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Terrance Knighton, who ultimately signed with Washington, admitted he was surprised that the Raiders didn’t make a stronger push to sign him (Twitter link). New Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio had previously coached Pot Roast in both Denver and Jacksonville.
- Sean McGrath, who is attempting an NFL comeback after retiring last summer, was cut by the Chiefs, but that had nothing to do with the tight end’s football ability, according to head coach Andy Reid. As Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star details, Reid and the Chiefs simply wanted to give McGrath the opportunity to get a fresh start elsewhere, if he so chooses.
- The one-year deal that center Lemuel Jeanpierre signed with the Seahawks is a minimum salary benefit contract with an $80K signing bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Pauline’s Latest: Mariota, Saints, Mannion
Earlier this week, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that a three-way trade between the Browns, the Eagles, and a team in the top five could be mutually beneficial, with Cleveland landing Sam Bradford, Philadelphia getting Marcus Mariota, and the third team stockpiling extra draft picks.
The piece sounded like informed speculation, but Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net hears that both the Eagles and Chargers have explored the possibility of moving up for Mariota through the Browns, and have had conversations about the idea. A league source tells Pauline that if the Titans decide to deal that No. 2 overall pick, Cleveland is in the best spot, since the Browns hold two top-20 picks, and could either move up for Mariota themselves or get involved in another team’s deal.
Here’s more from Pauline, with the draft just one week away:
- According to Pauline, the Saints (the other team with two first-round picks), will consider trading up if they feel like they have a chance to land pass rusher Vic Beasley, whose potential DC Rob Ryan loves.
- Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion, who recently worked out for the Rams and Cowboys, ranks as the third-best quarterback available on more than a dozen teams’ boards, per Pauline.
- Pauline hears that the Seahawks would “love to grab” wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham if he’s available at No. 63, but the team expects him to come off the board in the first round, or within the first 15 picks of round two.
- Michigan State’s Marcus Rush will be drafted earlier than originally predicted, having “blown teams away” during the interview process, says Pauline, adding that the defensive end could be a fifth-round pick.
- Speaking of Michigan State players, a number of teams view former Spartans outside linebacker Taiwan Jones as a potential “gem,” and grade him as a third-round pick, according to Pauline.
- The Raiders, Chiefs, and Patriots are expressing interest in Villanova offensive lineman Vince Kowalski, who could be a late-round gamble or an undrafted free agent, tweets Pauline.
Latest On Los Angeles Stadium Talks
Earlier this week, the Carson City Council unanimously approved a proposal to move forward with a privately funded NFL stadium in the city. While that decision doesn’t represent a major development, it’s another step forward in the process, as the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders vie for a potential spot in the Los Angeles area. Here are the latest updates on the saga:
- Representatives of NFL stadium plans for Inglewood, Carson, and St. Louis met with the Committe on Los Angeles Opportunities in New York on Wednesday, and made presentations to the committe, writes Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. Those in attendance included commissioner Roger Goodell, Steelers owner Art Rooney II, and the five other owners who make up the Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities.
- As Farmer outlines, the St. Louis group went first, giving a half-hour presentation. Rams owner Stan Kroenke then made an hour-long presentation on the Inglewood proposal, and Chargers owner Dean Spanos and Raiders owner Mark Davis followed that by presenting for an hour about the Carson plan.
- The Raiders and Chargers issued a joint statement following their presentation, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. The statement read, in part: “The goal of the presentation was to update the owners on the LA stadium site in Carson, which was fully entitled on Tuesday night. In addition, we presented a new stadium design for LA that is the result of two months of close collaboration between the teams. Goldman Sachs representatives were at the meeting to answer questions about the financing plan. And, finally, both teams updated the owners on the situation in our home markets.”
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), Goldman Sachs reps reiterated during the Carson presentation that the proposed stadium could be done with one team — it doesn’t necessarily hinge on both the Chargers and Raiders relocating.
- Rams COO Kevin Demoff was also at the meeting, with the St. Louis Stadium Task Force, sources tell Andy Banker of FOX2 St. Louis. Banker adds that the St. Louis presentation was described as very detailed and very impressive.
- The various stadium proposal groups are expected to give similar presentations to a larger group of owners during the NFL meetings in San Francisco next month, according to Farmer and Bair.
Maurice Jones-Drew Announces Retirement
APRIL 23: Jones-Drew will be in Jacksonville next Tuesday to officially retire as a member of the Jaguars, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
MARCH 5: Maurice Jones-Drew will not return to the Raiders or any other NFL team for the 2015 season. The veteran running back confirmed today (via Twitter) that he has decided to end his playing career, announcing his retirement.
“After much discussion with my family and business team during this offseason, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League,” Drew wrote in his statement. “Football has been a central part of my life for the past 24 years. But, now I’m excited about and looking forward to the next chapter of my life.”
Although he played his final year in Oakland, most of Jones-Drew’s nine-year career was spent in Jacksonville with the Jaguars, and he’ll leave the game as the franchise’s second-leading rusher, behind Fred Taylor. While he didn’t mention the possibility in his statement today, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the 29-year-old signed a one-day contract with the team to formally retire as a Jaguar.
In 126 total regular season games, MJD racked up 8,167 rushing yards to go along with another 2,944 yards through the air — he finishes with a very neat 11,111 yards from scrimmage for his career. Jones-Drew’s best season came in 2011, when he was named to the NFL’s All-Pro First Team after leading the league with 1,606 rushing yards.
Although the Raiders signed Jones-Drew to a three-year, $7.5MM contract last March, the odds were slim that the team would have brought him back for the 2015 season, considering he had a $2.5MM cap hit and no dead money let on his contract. Already armed with well over $50MM in cap room, the team will create a little flexibility by removing MJD from its books.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC Notes: S. Brown, Texans, Pats, Titans
Free agent safety Stevie Brown, who is said to be close to deciding on where to sign, visited the Texans yesterday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Houston already signed one free agent safety this offseason, adding Rahim Moore, so we’ll see if the club makes a play for Brown, who may prefer the Giants if everything is equal.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Georgia running back Todd Gurley is in New England today to meet with the Patriots, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Gurley is widely considered a strong bet to come off the board in the first round, so he may not last until the Pats’ pick at the very end of the first.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk doesn’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that the Titans would draft a wide receiver with the second overall pick next Thursday.
- The Broncos are hosting Florida offensive lineman D.J. Humphries and Oklahoma defensive tackle Jordan Phillips on pre-draft visits today, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
- Offensive lineman Chris Hairston got a $25K bonus on his new minimum salary deal with the Chargers, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Taiwan Jones, who started his career with the Raiders as a running back before moving to cornerback in 2013, will return to running back this year, according to Oakland’s official site. Whether he’s listed on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, Jones contributes primarily as a special teamer.
- Intriguing Hobart guard Ali Marpet is visiting the Browns today, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
Carson City Council OK’s Stadium Project
Following in the footsteps of Inglewood, the Carson City Council unanimously approved a proposal for a privately funded NFL stadium on Tuesday night, according to Tim Logan and Nathan Feeno of the Los Angeles Times. Whereas the Inglewood stadium project centers on the Rams, the Carson proposal was put forth by the Raiders and Chargers.
Like Inglewood, Carson received the signatures necessary to avoid scheduling a public vote for later in the summer, and will also be able to skip lengthy environmental reviews. City Council voted 3-0 in favor of the project. However, while the $1.7 billion stadium proposal now has local approval, that’s just one early step in what will be a long process.
As the Times piece outlines, the 26-page initiative petition related to the project pledged that no tax dollars will be used, but provided very few specific details about the stadium’s construction. In addition to the L.A. stadium proposals for Inglewood and Carson, the cities of St. Louis, San Diego, and Oakland are also working to keep their franchises with new stadiums.
While there has been some optimism about one or two NFL franchises moving to the Los Angeles area as soon as the 2016 season, neither the Inglewood nor the Carson stadium would be ready for several years, so any team moving to L.A. would need a temporary home in the interim.
AFC West Notes: Brown, Chargers, Raiders
Coach Jack Del Rio says Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree is eager “to create a role” for himself with his new club, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. Crabtree had a down year in 2014, but still recorded 68 catches for 698 yards and four touchdowns. Now, after hanging around on the shelf for a while, he’ll look to rebuild his value in Oakland. Here’s more from the AFC West..
- Free agent running back Ronnie Brown told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that he hasn’t heard from the Chargers about a potential reunion. “I haven’t talked to the Chargers about a return. They have a bunch of running backs and are looking for a running back in the draft,” Brown said.
- Brown went on to say (link) that he doesn’t get the sense that quarterback Philip Rivers is headed elsewhere. When considering the production that Rivers provides and San Diego’s young offense, Brown doesn’t see the signal caller leaving the Chargers.
- The Raiders shifted around their depth chart a bit, sliding Taiwan Jones from cornerback back to his native position of running back, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. Former coach Dennis Allen put Jones on defense in 2013 and the results were mixed. While he succeeded on special teams thanks to his speed, he never really got the grasp of the cornerback position. Still, with running backs Latavius Murray, Trent Richardson, Roy Helu Jr. and Marcel Reece also on the depth chart, Jones figures to be more of a special teams contributor again this year.
Adrian Peterson Rumors: Tuesday
Adrian Peterson has been PFR’s most-mentioned player since the 2014 regular season began, but now that he’s been reinstated – and with the draft only nine days away – we could finally be headed toward some sort of resolution in his saga with the Vikings. Here are Tuesday’s updates and rumors on the former MVP:
- Yesterday, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that if the Vikings don’t trade Peterson before or during next week’s draft, a deal isn’t expected to happen. Today, Tomasson updated his report to note that his source named six potential suitors in the mix for the running back: The Cardinals, Falcons, Cowboys, Jaguars, Chargers, and Buccaneers. The Raiders, who are said to have some interest, weren’t on the list.
- The Cowboys have been cited as the most likely Peterson suitor since trade rumors first began surfacing, but EVP/COO Stephen Jones told 105.3 FM in Dallas today that he doesn’t envision the club “using any picks to trade for veteran players” (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).
- Asked today about Peterson, Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said he and GM David Caldwell haven’t had a serious conversation about making a play for the Vikings back (Twitter link via John Oehser of Jaguars.com).
Latest On Adrian Peterson
9:54pm: A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of PFT that a recent report that the Vikings want a first-round pick and a starting cornerback isn’t accurate, which suggests it would take even more than that to even get them to consider dealing Peterson.
6:39pm: The Adrian Peterson saga continues and while many are speculating that No. 28 will be donning a different uniform this season, that isn’t necessarily the case. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears that Peterson would be just as happy to play out his three-year contract with the Vikings, provided that they are willing to guarantee most of it. Peterson still doesn’t trust team COO Kevin Warren, but, as Cole says, that’s something that can be repaired.
Meanwhile, a source close to the situation believes that if the disgruntled running back isn’t traded before or during next week’s draft, the Vikings wouldn’t deal him to another team before the 2015 season, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes.
“If he’s not traded next week, they’re going to keep him,” the source said.
The source’s reasoning was that if the Vikings want to trade Peterson, they never will have more leverage than during the draft. Minnesota, he posited, could be able to entice a team once top backs Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley are off the board. Interestingly, the source did not believe that the Raiders were truly in the mix for AD, despite reports indicating that they are.
Peterson’s deal calls for cap numbers of $15.4MM in 2015, $15MM in 2016, and $17MM in 2017. With assurance that a good chunk of his $40MM+ deal will be guaranteed, it sounds like the running back could change his tune about staying in Minnesota.