AFC Notes: Ngata, Bills, Spiller, Chargers
Speaking to Luke Jones of WNST.net, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expressed plenty of confidence that Baltimore will get a new deal worked out with defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. In all likelihood, the two sides will come to an agreement that reduces Ngata’s $16MM cap number for 2015, and extends his contract beyond the coming season. Of course, the two sides were also working on a new deal last offseason but those talks did not prove to be fruitful. More from the AFC..
- Appearing today on WGR 550, Bills general manager Doug Whaley said the team has sent a proposal to Jerry Hughes‘ representatives, who countered with a proposal of their own (link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak). There’s an “open line of communication” between the two sides, according to Whaley, who said he’s meeting with Bills VP of football administration Jim Overdof today to determine if the club is close to anything with Hughes.
- Whaley will meet with C.J. Spiller‘s representatives in Indianapolis to try and hammer out a new deal with the Bills, Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com writes. The rival Jets have been heavily connected to the tailback.
- Whaley indicated that if linebacker Brandon Spikes wants an every-down role, it probably won’t happen with the Bills. “So that one’s going to be more of, ‘Hey, do you want to come back and be a one-, two-down player, or do you want to try to go out there and see if you can [be] an every-down player?” Whaley said of Spikes in an interview with John Murphy of BuffaloBills.com (audio link).
- As expected, the Chargers won’t use their franchise tag on anyone this offseason, general manager Tom Telesco said today, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). King Dunlap and Brandon Flowers had been the most viable candidates, but as I wrote last month, a franchise-tag salary would be an overpay for either player.
- If Raiders owner Mark Davis has to move the team to the NFC to make the move to Los Angeles happen, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) doesn’t see that being a deterrent. On Thursday, the Raiders and Chargers announced a plan to build a shared stadium in the Los Angeles area.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Chargers, Raiders Propose Shared Stadium
9:23pm: The teams issued a joint statement to the public (via Chargers.com).
9:09pm: If the Jets and Giants can co-exist in the same building, then maybe the Raiders and Chargers can as well. That’s what the two teams are hoping as they are moving forward on a plan to build a shared $1.7 billion NFL stadium in Carson, California, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.
Both teams will continue to seek public subsidies for new stadiums in their home markets, but they are developing a detailed proposal for a privately financed Los Angeles-area venue in the event they can’t get deals done in their respective cities. Carson is roughly 20 miles from downtown L.A. The two teams issued a joint statement to the Los Angeles Times regarding the plan on Thursday:
“We are pursuing this stadium option in Carson for one straightforward reason: If we cannot find a permanent solution in our home markets, we have no alternative but to preserve other options to guarantee the future economic viability of our franchises,” the statement read.
The Bolts have been moving with purpose ever since Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced his plan to build an 80,000-seat stadium on the land that used to be Hollywood Park. The Raiders, meanwhile, feel the need to join up with the Chargers since they are among the league’s most financially challenged teams. The NFL has long held that L.A. is a two-team market, and it’s almost inconceivable that the league would allow three teams in such close proximity, so this plan could effectively spoil the Rams’ plans if it comes to fruition.
Raiders Notes: Rogers, Brown, Branch
On Wednesday, Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie sat down with reporters for a 30 minute chat. He told the press on hand, including Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter) that the Raiders will let both Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown hit the open market as they look to go younger at cornerback. Here are some of the highlights from McKenzie’s chat..
- Safety Tyvon Branch has an uncertain future with the Raiders. McKenzie says that he plans to speak with his agent soon to discuss different possibilities, Bair tweets. Branch, under contract through 2017, is due a $1MM roster bonus in March. He has missed almost two entire years thanks to injury.
- Even with a starter’s salary, McKenzie said it isn’t out of the question for Matt Schaub to return as a backup, Jerry McDonald of The Oakland Tribune tweets. Schaub is scheduled to earn a $5.5MM base salary and Derek Carr in place as the team’s starter. It seems likely that he could get let go if he was unwilling to restructure.
- Talks are ongoing with center Stefen Wisniewski but McKenzie wouldn’t make promises either way, Williamson tweets.
- Coach Jack Del Rio told reporters that Austin Howard, who struggled at guard in 2014, will compete with third-year player Menelik Watson at right tackle, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. That could mean that Oakland will be shopping for a guard this offseason.
- In no particular order, it seems like McKenzie will be looking at running back, wide receiver, guard, defensive end, defensive tackle, and middle linebacker, Williamson tweets.
- The GM said that the Raiders could sign multiple starter quality players, Williamson tweets.
Extra Points: Fairley, Tamme, Broncos
A company that is gunning to build an NFL stadium in Los Angeles has given $118K in campaign contributions to officials in the city, according to The Associated Press. San Francisco-based Hollywood Park Land Co., the company developing the proposed 80,000-seat stadium, has claimed Rams owner Stan Kroenke as a partner in the company since last year. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- A source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Lions defensive tackle and potential free agent Nick Fairley “just wants to be in the most comfortable situation possible.” The status of Ndamukong Suh could go a long way toward determining whether or not that situation is in Detroit.
- Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that he expects to hit the free agent market. Still, he says he’d “love the chance to be back in Denver.” Tamme went on to say that his skill set would work well in Denver’s new offense (link).
- Whether Peyton Manning returns or not, the Broncos can say goodbye to any chance of returning to their second Super Bowl in three seasons without a reconfigured offensive line, Troy Renck of The Denver Post writes. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the Baltimore Ravens, for whom Kubiak served as offensive coordinator last season, posted a 41.4 run-blocking score. The Broncos checked in at minus 4.1.
- In a chat with Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter), Buccaneers center Evan Dietrich-Smith compared the Buccaneers 2014 offense to trying to assemble something without directions because of the coaching issues. The Bucs hope that they have fixed their offensive issues with new coordinator Dirk Koetter.
- The idea of Ndamukong Suh joining the Raiders has been a well-documented scenario for weeks, but there are plenty more fish in the sea, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com writes. More affordable options on the open market include Terrance Knighton, Henry Melton, Nick Fairley, and Jared Odrick. Knighton, he argues, would make the most sense of anyone in the group. Pot Roast played for new coach Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville and Denver and has expressed his desire for a reunion.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
West Notes: Manning, Knighton, Tomsula
Peyton Manning faded down the stretch in 2014, and many may have forgotten that he threw for over 4.700 yards and 39 touchdowns, leading a 12-4 Broncos team to a first round bye. Granted, I won’t argue that he was spectacular at season’s end, but he certainly represents the team’s best chance of success in 2015. Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post writes that while Manning needs to come back, he also needs to take a pay cut. Even carving $5MM off of his cap number would give the team the flexibility to invest in the offensive line, which could be worth more to Manning than the money at this point.
Here are some other notes from our two West divisions:
- Demaryius Thomas would like to come to an agreement with the Broncos on a long-term contract, but it is more likely that he has the franchise tag placed on him, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
- The Raiders are bereft of talent, but new coach Jack Del Rio could look to bring an important piece to the middle of the defense, as the team is expected to pursue defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, according to CSNBayArea.com. Del Rio drafted Knighton when he was with the Jaguars, and the pair traveled to Denver together when Del Rio received the defensive coordinator job with the Broncos.
- The 49ers were reportedly close to hiring former Broncos offensive coordinator and current Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase. However, Gase turned down the job after he was told he would have to promote defensive line coach Jim Tomsula to defensive coordinator, according to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Gase turned down the offer, and Tomsula was hired shortly after.
- 49ers running back Frank Gore is looking for a commitment from the team as free agency looms, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Barrows writes that while Gore is committed to returning, he is unsure of his future with the team with Carlos Hyde emerging as a playmaking running back.
- Inglewood mayor James T. Butts is confident that football will return to Los Angeles, writes Josh Peter of USA Today. “Let me put it to you this way, buddy: It’s going down,” says Butts. “This is a happening thing. As far as everybody being all in, everybody’s all in.”
NFC Notes: Rams, LA, Free, Bucs, Hardy, Lions
Rams owner Stan Kroenke is intent on moving his club to Los Angeles, but the city of St. Louis is just as keen on retaining the Rams. St. Louis’ stadium task force has been impressive its quest to build and fund a new stadium, and if they’re successful, the NFL could be faced with a public relations nightmare, with Kroenke leaving for a major market in LA even though St. Louis rose to the challenge presented by the league.
Presenting an alternate theory, Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers two scenarios that would seemingly please both entities involved. In one, Kroenke could purchase the Rams from Mark Davis and move the team to LA, leaving the Rams in St. Louis. In the second (and more likely, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk) scenario, Kroenke and the Rams would move to Los Angeles, but Davis and the Raiders would move to St. Louis and a new stadium. As Florio writes, Miklasz’s “theory” sounds like a detailed account, as though he might have heard it from an off-the-record source but isn’t allowed to actually “report” the news, so it will be interesting to see if any more comes of this.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Cowboys tackle Doug Free‘s 2015 and 2016 contract years voided today, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Dallas will carry $3.98MM in dead money on its books in 2015 as a result. The 31-year-old Free, meanwhile, should be one of the top free agent tackles on the market, and reports have indicated that the Cowboy will only sign one of him or Jermey Parnell.
- Longtime Jaguars defensive end Paul Spicer is interviewing for the Buccaneers assistant D-line coaching job, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. As Marvez notes, Spicer played under current Tampa defensive line coach Joe Cullen while the two were in Jacksonville.
- Even though the domestic violence charges against Greg Hardy were dismissed, the league will take a hardline stance on the Panthers defensive end, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. The NFL has asked to unseal the court documents from Hardy’s case and could look to suspend him for up to six games. If the league does so, the NFLPA will surely file a grievance, adds Person.
- The Lions are likely to lose either Ndamukong Suh or Nick Fairley to the open market, and backups C.J. Mosley and Andre Fluellen are pending free agents, as well. But defensive end Darryl Tapp (also a FA-to-be) is confident that Detriots’s management will bring back a defensive line full of contributors. “I have no reason to think it wouldn’t be the same situation going into next year as far the guys they would bring in who would buy completely into the system and do things the right way,” Tapp told Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Raiders, Colts, Jags
It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start off the day with some whispers from the AFC…
- Looking at the list of Chiefs free agents, Adam Teicher believes the team should prioritize re-signing linebacker Justin Houston, followed by guard Rodney Hudson. When it comes to linebacker Josh Mauga and defensive back Ron Parker, the writer says the two players are replaceable.
- Adrian Peterson would make some sense for the Raiders should be become a free agent, says Bill Williamson. Meanwhile, a reunion with linebacker Rolando McClain seems less reasonable to the writer.
- Mike Wells expects Vick Ballard, Dan Herron and Zurlon Tipton to be at Colts training camp, and he wouldn’t be surprised if the team re-signs Ahmad Bradshaw. However, the writer has little faith in the team bringing back embattled running back Trent Richardson.
- Michael DiRocco is of the opinion that it would be a waste of money for the Jaguars to pursue defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in free agency. After all, the team has “more pressing needs,” and the money the team would have to invest in the All-Pro defender could instead be used on multiple players.
AFC Notes: Steelers, Manning, Forsett
Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wonders if time is running out for third-string Steelers quarterback Landry Jones. Jones has been inactive for every game since being drafted in 2013 and hasn’t advanced enough to beat out veteran Bruce Gradkowski as Roethlisberger’s backup. Meanwhile, GM Kevin Colbert isn’t sure Jones ever will. “Has he progressed to the point where he beat out Bruce as the No. 2? No,” Colbert said. “Maybe he will, maybe he won’t. I think when you have young guys, at least they have that chance to grow.” More from the AFC..
- Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning met with GM John Elway at the team’s Dove Valley headquarters Thursday afternoon, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post. Broncos president Joe Ellis boarded owner Pat Bowlen’s plane Thursday morning and flew to New Orleans to pick up Manning, who had been spending time in his hometown. Still, the soon-to-be 39-year-old is not ready to announce whether he’ll play in 2015.
- Free agent running back Justin Forsett told SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link) that he definitely wants to be back with the Ravens, but he’s also looking for a significant commitment. Forsett, 29, had a breakout year in 2014, rushing for 1,266 yards.
- In his chat on Thursday afternoon with local reporters, new Raiders coach Jack Del Rio was non-committal when discussing Maurice Jones-Drew, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. Del Rio obviously goes way back with MJD, but Del Rio sounded skeptical when discussing the veteran’s explosiveness, or lack thereof.
- It’ll be interesting to see how Del Rio and Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie‘s approaches mesh and what they agree and disagree on, Jerry McDonald of Bay Area Newspaper Group tweets. Del Rio is known for having a strong personality so it’s not a given that he can click with just anyone.
Jack Del Rio On MJD, Carr, Draft
Earlier today, new Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio sat down with local beat writers to discuss a number of topics. Here’s a look at some of the highlights, courtesy of Raiders.com:
What’s your biggest need right now?
I think the biggest thing is for us as a football team to develop the mentality. I don’t know if I would get into a specific position that you would say, ‘Hey we need to address this position.’ We’ll clearly increase the talent level, look to add to the talent level, but I think it’s important we develop the players that are here. We want to create a competitive environment where guys enjoy coming to work, coming to work with great energy and compete their tails off every day. I think with that, the mentality that we’re looking for will be developed and built and this football team will change, will transform.
On whether old friend Maurice Jones-Drew still has something left in the tank:
He thinks he does. We talked about it. We need to find that out. It’s something we need to find out. If he feels healthy – I think the first thing would be to make sure that he keeps his weight where it needs to be. He understands that, so he can be explosive again. We need to find out if he can be explosive again.
On getting a veteran quarterback to mentor Derek Carr:
It’s ideal to have that, and if works and that is the case then that would be good. It’s not something that has to be. It’s something that would be ideal for a young player to have, to have a veteran guy there that can help him as he prepares as a younger player, and really it’s good to have a room that’s strong and understands what it is to prepare every day. Everyone in the room approaches it like they’re the guy and everybody works really hard at the process.
On the idea of having to go out-of-house to get a No.1 receiver for Carr:
I quit trying to ‘number’ the receivers quite a while ago. We’re going to have good players. I talked about when I was in Dallas in ’89, Kenny [Norton] and I were together, and the offensive line was just ridiculed all the time. They can’t block anybody, this and that, and then when you look at who won the Super Bowl a couple of years later, a lot of those same guys were playing on the offensive line, so we’ll see. We’re going to work to develop our guys, the receivers, everybody that we have here, we’re going to work to develop them to their fullest. We will add talent. We will create competition and we’ll see, there might be a surprise or two where somebody becomes maybe more than people outside of our building feel he could be.
Jets, Raiders Expected To Target Top WRs
As I noted this morning when I examined the free agent market for wide receivers, the players at the very top of this year’s board likely won’t be available when free agency begins on March 10. Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas are both strong candidates for the franchise tag, and Jeremy Maclin and Randall Cobb could get tagged as well, if they don’t work out long-term extensions with their current teams.
However, that doesn’t mean that this year’s receiver market will be weak. Even without those four wideouts on the board, players like Torrey Smith, Michael Crabtree, Cecil Shorts, and Kenny Britt may be available, and Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suggests that a handful of players currently under contract could join them. Cole identifies Percy Harvin (Jets), Mike Wallace (Dolphins), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), and Brandon Marshall (Bears) as a few veteran receivers who could hit the open market if they decline to take pay cuts or rework their contracts.
While the top-tier free agent receivers figure to draw interest from around the NFL, Cole suggests that the Jets and Raiders will be the most aggressive teams in trying to secure one of those top options. As Over The Cap’s data shows, Oakland and New York should both rank among the top five clubs in terms of available cap room this offseason, with approximately $50MM in flexibility.
That cap space will increase for the Jets if they release Harvin, and such a move would probably have them in the market for two new receivers, either in free agency or the draft. The Raiders, meanwhile, have Denarius Moore, Vincent Brown, Rod Streater, and Andre Holmes all eligible for either unrestricted or restricted free agency, and will be looking for an impact wideout to complement James Jones in order to help advance Derek Carr‘s development.
Although it will become irrelevant if the Broncos use their franchise tag on Thomas, it’s worth noting that Decker has been pushing hard to try to convince his former teammate to join him in New York.