Latest On Broncos’ Quarterbacks
Brock Osweiler‘s received a substantial offer from the Broncos, James Palmer of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
Previously stating they’d wait to negotiate with arguably the top free agent quarterback left on the market, the Broncos’ talks with the 2012 second-round pick have heated up in recent days, with Peyton Manning still undecided on whether or not he wants to continue playing.
However, Osweiler and the Broncos remain far apart on terms, according to the Denver Post’s Troy Renck (via Twitter). Renck adds that the team wants the fifth-year quarterback to return to Denver.
Although terms of Denver’s offer to Osweiler aren’t known, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report hears (video link) the Broncos aren’t willing to hit the $16MM-per-year benchmark that’s become the floor for veteran quarterbacks. Twenty such signal-callers average that per year, with the majority of the starters that don’t being on their rookie contracts.
Per Cole, the Broncos aren’t planning to commit that kind of money annually to Osweiler at this point, even if it’s on a short-term deal like the one the Eagles gave Sam Bradford.
An unrestricted free agent, Osweiler can begin talking to other teams March 7 as part of the legal tampering period. The Broncos don’t believe, according to Cole, that there’s a monster offer awaiting Osweiler on the market and that their sales pitch of quarterbacking a defending Super Bowl champion, with a historically dominant defense as a safety net, will be enough.
Cole also points out the Broncos are high on third-stringer Trevor Siemian and view him as a starter down the road. Of course, the seventh-round pick’s thrown just one NFL pass.
Despite reports of Manning’s retirement announcement being imminent, the soon-to-be-40-year-old passer hasn’t notified the Broncos of his intentions yet. Manning has a $19MM base salary that can be converted into cap space for the Broncos if he retires, or Denver is forced to release him. That $19MM salary becomes guaranteed March 9.
Manning, though, still has a physical looming as part of the five-year contract he signed with the Broncos in 2012. Manning doesn’t have to take it by Friday, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), only to notify the team he’s available for it on that date.
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NFC East Notes: Eagles, Morris, Coughlin
Having signed Sam Bradford to a two-year contract extension, the Eagles don’t necessarily plan to put the quarterback position on the back-burner for the rest of the offseason. Head coach Doug Pederson acknowledged today that he and the Eagles will look into drafting a signal-caller, though he added it would probably be later in the draft, rather than with the No. 13 overall pick (Twitter links via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- Eagles general manager Howie Roseman on whether the offensive line will be a priority for the club this offseason: “It’s a priority today. It’s a priority tomorrow. It’s a priority next week. It’s a priority in April” (Twitter link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer). It sounds like that’s a yes.
- Admitting that he doesn’t know what to expect as his first opportunity at free agency approaches, running back Alfred Morris says he’d be open to returning to Washington, but will have “no hard feelings” if the team doesn’t bring him back. Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com has the details and the quotes from Morris.
- Former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is sending an odd message by hanging around the team’s facility and using the gym twice a week, writes Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. Myers hear that Coughlin’s “hard feelings for the Giants came through loud and clear” during his head coaching interview with the Eagles in January, and adds that it’s time for the veteran coach to move on.
- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will undergo surgery on his collarbone next week, sources tell David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Romo is believed to have made his decision on what kind of procedure he’ll have, but it’s yet known which direction he’s going.
NFLPA Grilled In Latest Deflategate Appeal
NFLPA attorney Jeffery Kessler was grilled by the three-judge panel presiding over the latest step in the Deflategate saga, according to Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today.
The two sides were presenting arguments in front of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, and judges Robert Katzmann, Barrington Parker, Jr. and Denny Chin appeared to reverse course from Judge Richard Berman’s language by directing more scrutiny toward Kessler rather than NFL attorney Paul Clement.
Neither Tom Brady nor 
were present at the NFL’s appellate hearing.
Goodell originally suspended the Patriots quarterback for four games to start last season before Berman’s ruling vacated that ban. Should two out of these three judges determine New England’s 17-year veteran was part of a scheme to have tampered with footballs during the 2014 season, Brady would be suspended for the first four games of this season, per Tom Curran of CSNNE.com.
If this ruling goes against Brady, he can appeal again as well, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter).
Reyes describes the questioning directed toward Clement paled in comparison to the inquiries subsequently aimed at Kessler. Parker and Chin, per Reyes, took issue with Brady destroying his cellphone.
“You all had notice with the cell phone issue. Anybody within 100 yards of this case would have known that the cell phone issue elevates this merely from deflated balls to a serious issue of obstruction,” Parker said during the 1-hour, 16-minute session.
Parker also shot down Kessler’s argument for Brady’s privacy-related concerns for destroying the phone by countering, “With all due respect, Mr. Brady’s explanation made no sense whatsoever.”
The three judges will meet for a voting conference, and Katzmann, the panel’s senior judge, will appoint one to be the opinion’s author.
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Texans Cut Arian Foster
4:21pm: Foster was cut with a failed physical designation, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. As Wilson observes, that’s not a surprise, since the veteran back is still recovering from his torn Achilles.
9:47am: The Texans have officially released Foster, the team announced (via Twitter).
8:50am: Arian Foster‘s seven-year run in Houston will come to an end this offseason, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the running back has been informed the Texans are releasing him. Agent Mike McCartney confirmed the decision in a statement on Twitter.
“What a great RUN @ArianFoster had with the @HoustonTexans!” McCartney tweeted. “Thanks to the Texans & I’m personally excited what lies ahead for Arian!”
Foster, 29, accumulated 6,472 rushing yards during his seven years as a Texan, and that figure would have been even higher if injuries had not slowed him down over the course of the last three seasons. After earning three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2010 to 2012, averaging about 1,900 all purpose yards and 16 touchdowns in those seasons, Foster has been limited to 25 regular-season games from 2013 to 2015.
In 2015, Foster was slowed by a groin injury in training camp and the preseason, and later suffered a torn Achilles, landing him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. When he played, he was at his least productive, averaging only 2.6 yards per carry on 63 attempts. Still, if he recovers well from the Achilles injury, the Tennessee alum could have something left in the tank — he was a Pro Bowler in 2014, piling up 1,246 rushing yards in just 13 contests.
From a cap perspective, Foster’s release will create $6.625MM in savings for the Texans, leaving just $2.3MM in dead money on the team’s cap for 2016. At the scouting combine in Indianapolis though, general manager Rick Smith indicated that if the Texans were to cut their longtime running back, it wouldn’t be because of his salary.
“As it relates to all the free agent conversations, I’m never really going to tell you one way or the other what we are doing, but I will tell you this: his salary is not a reason why we would cut Arian,” Smith said last week.
Assuming Foster is healthy and continues his playing career, there are several teams that could be fits. Two that come to mind are the Broncos – who employ former Texans head coach Gary Kubiak – and the Jets, who have multiple running backs facing free agency and whose GM is former Houston executive Mike Maccagnan.
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Ravens Won’t Pick Up Chris Canty’s Option
The Ravens have let veteran defensive end Chris Canty know that they won’t be exercising their option to pick up the second year of his contract, according to the team’s official website. The move will ensure that Canty becomes an unrestricted free agent.
[RELATED: Ravens cut LB Daryl Smith]
“I called Chris to thank him for what he has done for the Ravens,” general manager Ozzie Newsome said in a statement. “He has been an impactful player for us on and off the field.”
By parting ways with Canty, the Ravens avoid paying him a $150K roster bonus next week, and will clear his $2MM base salary for 2016 from their books. In total, the move creates $2.15MM in cap savings, reducing his cap charge from $2.915MM to $765K. Having reworked Joe Flacco‘s contract and released linebacker Daryl Smith, Baltimore continues to carve out small chunks of cap room.
Canty, a 10-year veteran, joined the Ravens prior to the 2013 season, after spending his first eight years in the NFC East with the Cowboys and Giants. In three years with Baltimore, Canty started 23 of 35 games he played, registering 84 total tackles and 3.5 sacks. While his impact on the field wasn’t necessarily significant, the 33-year-old was a solid rotation player and a good presence in the locker room.
While Canty appears likely to sign elsewhere, it’s worth noting that last offseason, the Ravens cut the defensive lineman in February, only to re-sign him a few weeks later in March. As Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets, Canty isn’t ready for retirement and wants to continue his career, so we’ll see what his market looks like.
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North Rumors: Harris, Newman, D. Smith, Ravens
Vikings guard Mike Harris is eligible to hit the open market next week, but he would prefer to get something done before Monday’s legal tampering period begins so that he can remain in Minnesota, as he tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
“My agent is working really hard right now, and I’m hoping I can get a deal before Monday,” Harris said. “I see myself in Minnesota for the rest of my career. That’s where I want to be. So hopefully we get the contract ready this weekend. I’m excited. It’s going to be a great season for the Vikings, and I want to be a part of it.”
Harris expects the Vikings to put a formal offer on the table soon, and a source tells Tomasson that it will likely be a two-year contract worth in the ballpark of $5MM. If Minnesota can get a deal like that finalized, it would be a great value for the team — Harris shifted over from tackle last season to become a full-time guard for the Vikes, and was ranked 23rd out of 81 qualified players by Pro Football Focus.
Here’s more out of the NFL’s North divisions, including one more Vikings-related item:
- Terence Newman is set to become the NFL’s oldest defensive back. Newman, who will turn 38 this year, wants to play another season, and all signs points to there being mutual interest between the veteran cornerback and the Vikings, Tomasson writes for the Pioneer Press.
- Although the Ravens released linebacker Daryl Smith today, the team hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing him back after he gauges his value on the open market, GM Ozzie Newsome said in a statement. “We are not closing the door on the possibility of him returning to the Ravens,” Newsome said. “He deserves an opportunity to see his market value at this time.”
- As Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com details, safety Sean Richardson‘s future with the Packers – and in the NFL – remains unclear due to his neck injury. While Richardson is scheduled to become a free agent next week, his situation is unlikely to be resolved, since he still hasn’t been medically cleared to return.
- Whlie it would be great for the Browns if they can re-sign center Alex Mack, who opted out of his contract this week, the team shouldn’t devote a ton of resources to Mack if it means losing right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, writes Tom Reed of Cleveland.com. Of course, Reed notes that the ideal scenario would involve retaining both players.
Jaguars Release Chris Clemons
After releasing guard Zane Beadles earlier this afternoon, the Jaguars have also confirmed the release of a veteran player on the other side of the ball. According to a team release, Jacksonville has parted ways with defensive end Chris Clemons.
[RELATED: Jaguars release Zane Beadles]
Clemons will turn 35 in October and wasn’t productive in 2015, making him a logical candidate to be released this offseason. His three sacks were his lowest total since he became a starter in 2010, and a major step down from the eight he recorded in his first year in Jacksonville. Pro Football Focus ranked Clemons dead last among 110 qualified edge defenders.
Like Beadles, Clemons had no dead money left on his contract, so the Jaguars will clear his entire $4MM cap number for 2016 from their books. Between the two players, Jacksonville creates another $9.5MM in cap savings, adding to the team’s league-high cap room. The Jags now have a staggering $85MM or so in projected cap space, with the new league year around the corner.
While the Jaguars have maintained that they don’t expected to go wild in free agency, the team certainly has the flexibility to be serious contenders for virtually any player on the market. Bruce Irvin, Alex Mack, and Olivier Vernon are a few of the top-tier free agents who would be nice fits in Jacksonville.
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Jaguars Release Zane Beadles
The team with the most cap room in the NFL will pick up a little more, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars are releasing veteran guard Zane Beadles. John Oehser of Jaguars.com has confirmed the move (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Jaguars re-sign Chad Henne]
Over the Cap currently projects the Jaguars to have more than $75MM in cap room, so it’s not as if the club needs to create additional flexibility. Still, Beadles looked like one of the clearest release candidates on the roster, since the Jaguars can clear his entire $5.5MM cap hit for 2016 from their books by releasing him. The transaction should increase the club’s projected cap room to $80MM+.
Beadles, 29, inked a lucrative five-year contract with the Jaguars two offseasons ago, and has started all 32 of the team’s games at left guard since then. However, the former Pro Bowler hasn’t been overly effective since heading to Jacksonville from the Broncos. In 2015, Pro Football Focus ranked him 64th out of 81 qualified guards.
As Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets, the Jaguars are high on guards A.J. Cann and Brandon Linder going forward. Of course, armed with all their cap room, the Jags can also address the interior of their offensive line next week in free agency.
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Dolphins, Koa Misi Agree To New Deal
2:00pm: Misi and the Dolphins have now finalized an agreement on a restructured contract, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. According to Cole (via Twitter), the new deal won’t tack on any extra years beyond 2017.
11:55am: The Dolphins are nearing an agreement with Koa Misi on a restructured contract for the 2016 season, reports Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. The terms of the new deal aren’t yet known.
Misi, 29, played nearly 750 defensive snaps for the Dolphins in 2015, the most of any of the club’s linebackers. In 13 games, the former second-round pick recorded 77 tackles and one pass defended, and while his traditional stats weren’t overly impressive, he was viewed as a strong run defender by Pro Football Focus’ grades. PFF ranked Misi 22nd out of 97 qualified linebackers.
Still, Misi’s lack of playmaking ability (he had no sacks, interceptions, or forced fumbles in 2015), and his inability to stay healthy for a full season (he has missed eight games over the last two seasons) made him a candidate to be released this winter as the Dolphins explore potential upgrades at linebacker.
Misi had been in line for a $4.275MM base salary to go along with a $4.878MM cap hit for the coming season, so a restructured contract with the Dolphins would likely reduce both of those figures, while guaranteeing him a modest chunk of money up front.
Even if Misi returns to Miami on a new deal, the Dolphins are expected to bring in a couple new linebackers this offseason to compete for starting roles and to challenge Misi and Jelani Jenkins for playing time.
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Chargers Cut Donald Brown, Kavell Conner
The Chargers have issued a press release announcing that the team has cut four players from its roster. In addition to confirming the release of veteran linebacker Donald Butler, the Chargers have also parted ways with running back Donald Brown, linebacker Kavell Conner, and linebacker Chi Chi Ariguzo.
[RELATED: Chargers release Donald Butler]
Brown, who turns 29 next month, had been set to enter the final season of the three-year contract he signed with the Chargers back in 2014. However, he had long been considered a probable cap casualty. If the Chargers had kept Brown on their roster, the team would have owed him a $500K roster bonus next week, plus a $3MM base salary in the fall. By cutting him, they wipe that entire $3.5MM from their cap.
Although he made a handful of starts for the Chargers in his two years in San Diego, particularly when the club’s backfield was hit hard by injuries, Brown never made a significant impact. In total, he accumulated 452 rushing yards on 144 attempts (3.1 ypc), and added 299 receiving yards on 37 catches. With Melvin Gordon, Danny Woodhead, and Branden Oliver in the mix, Brown likely would have been buried on the depth chart if he had returned in 2016.
Conner, who just turned 29, started seven games for the Chargers in 2014, but saw his role cut back in 2015. After picking up 70 tackles and a sack in his first year with the Chargers, Cavell logged just 15 tackles last season. His release will clear his $950K base salary from San Diego’s books.
Ariguzo, who has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game, spent the 2015 season on IR. He’ll hit waivers and his release won’t create any cap room for the Chargers.
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