AFC Rumors: Pats, Osweiler, Raiders, Browns
The Patriots offered Tyrunn Walker a three-year deal as a non-tendered restricted free agent, but the defensive tackle opted to sign a one-year pact with the Lions instead. New England could have interest again, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss reports.
New Lions GM Bob Quinn, formerly the Patriots’ scouting director, knows his former team’s interest well, and Reiss wonders how much that will play into Detroit’s decision on whether to retain the fifth-year lineman. A broken leg limited Walker to four games last season.
Potentially as a result of the then-24-year-old Walker spurning their offer, the Pats used their first-round pick on Malcom Brown. They have starters Brown and 2014 first-rounder Dominique Easley under contract, with only Alan Branch looming as a free agent. A deal for Walker doesn’t seem to make as much sense for the Patriots as it did last year.
The Lions enter 2016 with more defensive tackle queries after the franchise faced major uncertainty last offseason, when Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley both bolted. Detroit’s follow-up plan included bringing in Walker from the Saints and trading for Haloti Ngata. Both are free agents now.
Walker remains in rehab mode after also dislocating his ankle in Week 4 against the Seahawks, and ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein writes that the Lions should use this as an opportunity to keep the talent entering his age-26 season on a one- or two-year deal, where he can prove he’s an elite talent.
Here’s some more from around the AFC.
- Steelers GM Kevin Colbert‘s already stated he will remain true to Pittsburgh’s build-from-within model and is eyeing a production leap from one of the Steelers’ holdover defenders, similar to how Cameron Heyward ascended in 2014 and Stephon Tuitt last season. “We talked about that last year, the progression has to outpace the regression of some of the older guys,” Colbert told media, including Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I think outside help will be important but also those young guys taking that next step.” Colbert singled out linebackers Bud Dupree and Ryan Shazier, whom the Steelers used their past two first-round picks on, as potential ascending cogs. The Steelers, however, have fortified their front seven well, housing four first-round linebackers and signing Heyward to an extension last year. Pittsburgh’s pass defense slunk from 27th to 30th last season. Kaboly identifies second-year player Senquez Golson as a prime performer to elevate the Steelers’ pass defense from in-house. The 2015 second-rounder missed the entire season due to injury.
- Given that the Browns are regularly early-first-round drafters but haven’t selected a quarterback in the top five since Tim Couch in 1999, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer doesn’t envision the Browns trading out of their No. 2 spot. While there aren’t rock-solid top-five quarterbacks in this prospect pool as there have been in recent years, the Browns have better odds at drafting this class’ best quarterback since the Titans won’t take one at No. 1. Cleveland took three QBs at No. 22 overall in the past nine years — Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden and Johnny Manziel — only for all to falter. Cabot points to the Browns’ trading down from No. 4 to No. 8 and ending up with Justin Gilbert instead of Sammy Watkins as an example that would make Cleveland hesitant to orchestrate such a maneuver with this kind of glaring need.
- The Broncos shouldn’t give in to the escalating demands of the quarterback market in assessing their potential offer to free agent Brock Osweiler, Mark Kizsla of the Denver Post writes. Using recent contracts given to Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez and Matt Cassel, Kizsla recommends Denver offer Osweiler no more than $10MM per season, as the team’s proven it can win a Super Bowl with adequate quarterback play. Troy Renck of the Denver Post counters that Foles’ three-year, $36MM deal fits for Osweiler, who went 4-2 in games he started and played throughout, and that a $10MM offer would force Denver to scramble for lower-tier options like Robert Griffin III.
- Mackensie Alexander or Eli Apple could be options for the Raiders at No. 14, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. The Raiders are thin at corner, with waiver claim David Amerson residing as their best in-house option. But Oakland’s safety situation needs work too. After Charles Woodson‘s retirement, the Raiders cut and then re-signed Nate Allen at a lower salary.
49ers To Meet With Colin Kaepernick’s Reps At Combine
One of the offseason’s most compelling storylines will be where Colin Kaepernick suits up this fall.
The 49ers will meet with Kaepernick’s representatives at the NFL Scouting Combine, which will help determine if the polarizing quarterback will stay in San Francisco, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports.
Although Barrows points out it’s unknown what will be discussed at this upcoming summit in Indianapolis, it could be a key junction point in determining whether Kaepernick and the 49ers can mend fences. Or it could further lead to the sides dissolving their relationship, one that looked irreparable when the 49ers placed Kaepernick on IR in November.
We’ve heard the 28-year-old Kaepernick could look to join the Jets, although that feeling may not be mutual, and that executives around the league are fearing what Chip Kelly’s offense would look like with Kaepernick at the controls. But the sides haven’t talked publicly about going forward together yet.
Kelly and Kaepernick met and spoke briefly at the 49ers’ Santa Clara facility once Kelly agreed to become the team’s next coach and have talked on the phone since, Barrows reports.
Entering the third year of his team-friendly contract, Kaepernick’s status in San Francisco remains tied to being on the roster on April 1, when the 49ers would owe the sixth-year quarterback his full $11.9MM base salary.
The team’s stated consistently it’s unconcerned with this deadline, Barrows notes, and merely wants Kaepernick to recover from the three surgeries (to his left shoulder, left knee and right thumb) he’s undergone since November. That’s likely not the case considering Kaepernick’s recent struggles and the sides’ turbulent relationship.
The 49ers could attempt to trade Kaepernick before that date, and as Barrows points out, the deal that ultimately sent Alex Smith to the Chiefs spawned at the combine and commenced a couple of weeks later. A lack of buzz about a Kaepernick trade could mean the 49ers haven’t sought trade partners for their signal-caller’s services just yet and that Kelly would want him in San Francisco in 2016, Barrows suggests.
Barrows notes the 49ers’ likely No. 1 item in these talks is whether Kaepernick wants to remain with the franchise that drafted him in the second round in 2011. The 49ers benched their struggling and injury-plagued starter for Blaine Gabbert last season, and Kaepernick elected to have his surgeries in Vail, Colo., and go through rehab in Colorado as well as opposed to doing so under the guidance of the 49ers’ doctors.
Kaepernick would occupy a team-high $15.89MM cap hold if on the 49ers’ roster this year. Gabbert, as of now, will take up only $2.25MM of San Francisco’s cap.
NFL Considering Combine Changes
The NFL Scouting Combine could soon be subject to adjustments geared toward modernizing the workouts and other aspects of the event, Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports.
National Football Scouting Inc., which coordinates the combine, is starting a committee comprised of coaches, league executives, trainers, scouts and other key personnel to review the event, starting with this year’s 35th annual combine.
Pelissero points out the combine’s cornerstone tests could be under siege. The 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill and shuttle run represent the universal testing portion of the event, with most of these drills being unchanged for decades. The positional workouts haven’t been altered much in this span as well, Pelissero notes.
One of the potential adjustments National Football Scouting is considering is outfitting prospects with data-recording devices, which many teams now use at their respective facilities. A functional movement screen and the Player Assessment Tool, a psychological study that complements the Wonderlic test, have been added in recent years, and the NFL could be moving toward more scientific measures.
The league will conduct its first football performance and technology symposium Wednesday, with Dr. Marcus Elliott — director of P3, which has used 3D motion analysis to measure prospects at the NBA Combine the past two years — will be one of the speakers. P3’s already collected data on about a fourth of this year’s draft pool, per Pelissero.
“Everybody wins when you do these things,” Elliott, also a former physiologist and injury prevention specialist to the Patriots, told Pelissero. “You start choosing players that are slotted more correctly based on their real physical tools, and you also have insight into injuries they’re at risk for, so you can help them prevent those injuries.”
The new committee will also evaluate medical and psychological examinations, according to Elliott. These tests have become invaluable to teams, arguably more so than the on-field work.
This year’s combine runs from Feb. 24-29.
Bucs Interested In Re-Signing Chris Conte
The Buccaneers will meet with the agent for upcoming free agent safety Chris Conte at the scouting combine this week, according to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. Conte will hit free agency on March 9 if no deal is reached.
[RELATED: PFR previews the 2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers offseason]
Conte, who turns 27 years old on Tuesday, joined Tampa Bay last offseason, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1.5MM that reunited him with former Bears head coach Lovie Smith. Smith, of course, was fired earlier this year and replaced by offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, but as Reynolds notes, Conte still has ties with the Buccaneers staff, as new Tampa secondary coach Jim Hoke coached Conte in Chicago.
In his first season with the Bucs, Conte started 13 games, and played the second-most snaps of any Tampa defensive back. He posted 59 tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles, and graded as the No. 32 safety per Pro Football Focus before suffering a knee injury in Week 15 that ultimately landed him on injured reserve.
Like Conte, many of Tampa Bay’s free agents play on the defensive side of the ball, as corner Sterling Moore, as well as defensive tackles Henry Melton and Tony McDaniel, are also projected to reach free agency. The club’s most high-profile free agent-to-be, however, is running back Doug Martin, who is said to be discussing a new deal with the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht said earlier this month that his team was wary of spending big in free agency. So perhaps re-signing a competent player like Conte — who is unlikely to cost all that much — would be one way for the Buccaneers to reduce their need to enter the free agent market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent RB Joseph Randle Arrested
Former Cowboys running back Joseph Randle was arrested in Kansas Sunday morning on three counts of aggravated battery, one count of drug possession, and one count of criminal damage, according to a TMZ report. The incident marks the fourth arrest for the 24-year-old Randle in a little over a calendar year.
While still on the Dallas roster, Randle was arrested last February after police found marijuana in his hotel room. In November, just three weeks after being waived, Randle was arrested at a Kansas casino and charged with one felony and five misdemeanors. And earlier this month, Randle was stopped and booked on a speeding charge.
Sadly, those instances don’t mark the only off-the-field trouble with which Randle has been connected. Based on his arrests, he was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Teams had had interest in possibly pursuing Randle before than ban was announced in November, and his latest string of incidents won’t help him find another job any time soon.
Additionally, Randle is also facing accusations that his release from the Cowboys due in part to his partaking in sports betting. Sources told Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News that the club believed Randle “showed signs of mental instability,” and owner Jerry Jones confirmed the Cowboys were worried about Randle’s betting, but denied any evidence showed Randle bet on NFL contest. For his part, Randle denied the charges altogether.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Lions President: Team Not For Sale
Lions owner Martha Ford is now 90 years old, and though the club hasn’t been forthcoming with its plans for a potential ownership transition, the Fords has no interest in selling the team, as team president Rod Wood told 105.1 WMGC on Thursday.
“I’m very involved in the plans to succeed Mrs. Ford within the family and the ownership, and beyond that I’d rather leave all that to those who are in the room as opposed to talk about it outside the room,” said Wood, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But I can assure the fans and the community that the Ford family’s committed to owning the Lions long term.”
[RELATED: PFR previews the 2016 Detroit Lions offseason]
The Fords have been the sole owners of the Lions franchise since Martha’s husband, William Clay Ford, bought the club in 1963 — when William passed away in 2014, Martha became the controlling partner. Per Birkett, Ford’s daughter Sheila Ford Hamp has taken on a more substantive role in the organization since William’s death, so it’s possible that she is (privately) next in line to lead the team.
The NFL expressed concern earlier this year that the Titans did not have a clear succession plan in place following the passing of Bud Adams, so it’s fair to wonder if the league will have similar worries about the Lions. But for the time being, Martha Ford’s actions in Detroit have been praised by other owners, as Colts owner Jim Irsay said Ford is “very engaged and alert” in NFL business.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
PFR Originals: 2/14/16 – 2/21/16
The original analysis and content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Luke Adams examined the 2016 franchise tag candidates, from near locks like Von Miller and Kirk Cousins, to long shots like Sam Bradford and Doug Martin.
- We continued our Offseason Outlook series, taking a team-by-team look at what lies ahead for each club during the next few months:
- Zach Links rounded up the best of the football blogs in the latest edition of Pigskin Links.
Week In Review: 2/14/16 – 2/21/16
Headlines:
- The Rams released three veterans on Thursday, cutting defensive end Chris Long, linebacker James Laurinaitis, and tight end Jared Cook.
- The 2016 NFL salary cap may exceed $155MM.
Free Agency Rumors:
- QB Kirk Cousins, Washington not close on deal (link)
- Browns C Alex Mack likely to opt out of deal (link)
- Jets likely to tag DE Muhammad Wilkerson (link)
- Bears undecided on franchise tagging WR Alshon Jeffery (link)
- DE Jason Pierre-Paul unlikely to return to Giants (link)
- Rams considering transition tag for CB Trumaine Johnson (link)
- Dolphins, DE Cameron Wake discussing extension (link)
- Chiefs prioritizing deal for S Eric Berry (link)
Retired:
- Jared Allen, DE (link)
- Rashean Mathis, CB (link)
- Jerod Mayo, LB (link)
- Heath Miller, TE (link)
Released:
- Bears – Jermon Bushrod, T (link)
- Browns – Jim Dray, TE and Randy Starks, DT (link)
- Falcons – Paul Soliai, DT (after March 9)
- Lions – Joique Bell, RB (link); Stephen Tulloch, LB (after March 9); C.J. Wilson, DT (link)
Re-Signed:
- Jaguars – Chad Henne, QB (two years, $8MM)
- Panthers – J.J. Jansen, LS (five years, $5.5MM)
- Titans – Craig Stevens, TE (one year, $2MM)
Suspended:
- Cowboys – Randy Gregory, DE (four games)
- Packers – Mike Pennel, DT (four games)
- Ravens – Nick Boyle, TE (10 games)
Sunday Roundup: T. Johnson, Long, 49ers
We recently heard the the Rams are considering using the transition tag on cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency in just over two weeks. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com discusses why a team would consider the transition tag–which does not net a team any compensation when the tagged player signs elsewhere–when a slightly more expensive franchise tag would virtually assure the team of retaining the tagged player. As Florio writes, “Some may be doing it just to see what the player’s value is, knowing that if it’s too high they’ll let him walk. Others possibly don’t want the franchise tender to lay the foundation for a long-term deal.”
Florio, citing a league source, says that if Johnson does get the transition tag, he will not sign the transition tender. Instead, he will actively seek an offer sheet from another team, just as Alex Mack did in 2014 and Charles Clay did last season.
Now let’s take a look at some more notes from around the league:
- Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com takes a look at whether the Seahawks will pursue recently-released DE Chris Long, who has 8.5 sacks in 15 career games against Seattle as a member of the division-rival Rams. Long’s age and injury history suggest that he’s probably in line for a relatively modest deal, and given that the Seahawks are always on the lookout for pass rushing help, Kapadia suggests that Long could be a fit.
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers‘ No. 1 priority this offseason is resolving the Colin Kaepernick dilemma, and he sets forth four ways in which the team could find that resolution. Right now, indications are that Kaepernick would like to resume his career elsewhere, and if San Francisco wants to move on as well, the 49ers can give Kaepernick permission to seek a trade and work out a restructured contract with another team before a trade is finalized. Alternatively, the two sides could work out a settlement in which the team releases him and is not on the hook for the $11.9MM he is owed in 2016.
- The Jaguars do not plan on filling the vacancy that was left when they promoted Todd Wash from defensive line coach to defensive coordinator, according to Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union. Instead, Wash will continue to coach the team’s defensive lineman, and head coach Gus Bradley downplayed any notion that his first-time coordinator would be stretched too thin.
- D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution provides his ranking of the Falcons‘ top 12 unrestricted free agents. Given that O’Brien Schofield tops the list, it is clear that the Falcons’ pending free agents are comprised primarily of role players and reserves.
- Jesse James, selected in the fifth round of last year’s draft, will get the first chance to replace the recently-retired Heath Miller as the Steelers‘ No. 1 tight end, as Mark Kaboly of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. After being inactive for the first eight games of the regular season, James saw limited action in the next ten, including the playoffs. The Steelers will likely add a tight end in free agency to complement James and high-upside practice squad player Xavier Grimble, even though the free agent class of tight ends is fairly weak. Ben Watson, who met with Pittsburgh during training camp a few years ago, is perhaps the best fit for the Steelers.
Latest On Panthers, Charles Johnson
Panthers DE Charles Johnson is 29, is coming off an injury-plagued 2015 season, and has not posted a double-digit sack total since 2013. He is also entering the final year of a six-year, $76MM contract he signed in 2011, and he is scheduled to count $15MM against the salary cap in 2016. Given the emergence of Kawann Short–whose contract situation must be addressed in the near future–and Kony Ealy, Carolina could release Johnson, saving a much-needed $11MM in cap space in the process, and replace him with a cheaper alternative.
[RELATED: Jared Allen Announces Retirement]
But the $15MM cap number is just unpalatable, and as Joseph Person and Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer report, Johnson will have to agree to restructure his contract and take less money or risk being cut. Person and Jones point out, though, that GM Dave Gettleman has a special affinity for pass rushers, and Johnson may find that whatever the Panthers ask him to take could still be more than what he could get on the open market.
If the two sides do end up parting ways, Jones looks at five pass rushers who could be available in the draft (the 2016 draft class has a great deal of pass rushing depth, which could make the decision to release Johnson a little easier). Although elite prospects like Joey Bosa and DeForest Buckner will certainly be gone before the Panthers’ No. 30 overall pick rolls around, players like Oklahoma State’s Emmanuel Ogbah, Michigan State’s Shilique Calhoun, and Clemson’s Kevin Dodd are worthy early-round targets.
Person and Jones also examine five potential replacements for Johnson that could be available in free agency, a group that is headlined by Jason Pierre-Paul, who was selected by the Giants when Gettleman was on New York’s staff. The Giants will reportedly attempt to re-sign JPP, but they will not put the franchise tag on him or sign him to a mega-deal, so he could end up testing the free agent waters. He will likely sign an incentive-laden deal with someone, but Person and Jones express skepticism that Carolina will be the team to give him such a contract.
Ultimately, the Panthers may be better off releasing Johnson, using some of the $11MM saved to sign a more under-the-radar free agent like William Hayes, and capitalizing on the draft’s pass rushing depth to pick up a high-upside rookie in the middle rounds. They could then put the rest of that cap space–along with the $8.5MM of room that was created when Jared Allen announced his retirement–towards the franchise tag for cornerback Josh Norman. Johnson, if he is released, should have little trouble finding a new team on the lookout for pass rushing help–which is basically every team in the league–especially since he would not count against his new club’s compensatory pick formula.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images