HEADLINES

AFC Notes: Ginn, Titans, Jaguars, Dunlap

March 3rd, 2015 at 10:11pm CST by Zachary Links

A quick look at the AFC, which will now include star running back LeSean McCoy..

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

North Notes: Webb, Peterson, Langford

March 3rd, 2015 at 9:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The question was never whether the Ravens would approach Lardarius Webb about a pay reduction, it was whether he would take one, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. Hensley runs through the different compromises the two sides could reach and ultimately concludes that the Ravens’ best outcome will be for the two sides to find some middle ground. Even if Webb agrees to a pay cut, however, his contract will be an issue next offseason. Baltimore can gain $6MM of cap room by releasing the cornerback in 2016. More from the North divisions..

  • Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is scheduled to fly to Houston on Wednesday to meet with Adrian Peterson to discuss the embattled superstar’s future with the team, two people with knowledge of the plan told Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Vikings GM Rick Spielman is also expected to make the trip to participate in what would be the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in months.
  • Kendall Langford‘s visit with the Lions went well but he’ll continue visiting other teams, according to Nick Wagoner of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). The former Rams defensive lineman will visit the Jets next, followed by the Saints. Langford, who turned 29 last month, inked a four-year, $22MM deal with the Rams in 2012 but was cut late last month.
  • Vikings linemen Tom Johnson and Joe Berger both played for the minimum salary last season and both are seeking raises this offseason, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Johnson’s agent says that the Vikings are his client’s first choice, but he’ll be seeking a three- or four-year deal in “the right situation and right system.” Johnson, 30, finished second on the team last season with 6.5 sacks.

Reactions To LeSean McCoy Trade

March 3rd, 2015 at 8:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Eagles coach Chip Kelly liked Kiko Alonso in the 2013 draft and had a chance to take him in the second round, Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Kelly had a tough call on his hands but ultimately selected tight end Zach Ertz instead. It took a while, but Kelly got his man on Tuesday night when he shipped LeSean McCoy to the Bills for the linebacker. Here’s a look at the latest on the blockbuster deal…

  • LaDainian Tomlinson said on NFL Network that McCoy told him a few weeks ago that he didn’t think he’d be back with the Eagles, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets.
  • The deal came together in a matter of minutes from start to finish, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
  • The Bills pulled the trigger on the deal in part because they knew C.J. Spiller wasn’t coming back to them, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. The Bills called Spiller soon after news of the McCoy deal got out to thank him for his time in Buffalo.
  • David Moore of The Dallas Morning News wonders if the Eagles dealing McCoy reflects current thought around the league on running backs and, in turn, if it’s a bad sign for pending free agent DeMarco Murray.
  • A source close to McCoy told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that the running back’s camp was surprised to learn that he had been traded. “Honestly we were under the impression the whole time, that eventually at some point, Chip was going to ask LeSean to restructure his contract–not a pay cut, but convert some of his signing bonus,” the source said.
  • When asked if McCoy might make things difficult for the Bills, that person told Anderson (link): “It’ll be interesting to see how this process plays itself out because he’s an interesting individual. In your mind, when you think of Buffalo you think of cold and losing games. It’s not like it’s the Philadelphia market where you’re always on TV and you’re playing for the division title…It was unexpected. I’ll tell you that much.” The source added that McCoy, who has played the majority of his football at every level in the state Pennsylvania, is not happy to be going to Buffalo (link).
  • The Bills’ acquisition of McCoy will create ripples throughout the AFC East, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes. Free agent linebacker David Harris immediately comes out as a winner because the Bills will presumably target him to replace Alonso. Meanwhile, with the prospect of facing McCoy twice per season, the Jets need Harris more than ever which will only help his leverage.
  • McCoy chafed at some of Kelly’s new-age ways, including practicing on Saturdays before games, Jim Corbett of USA Today writes. Now, Corbett wonders if Kelly’s next bold move will be making a play for Marcus Mariota.

NFC South Notes: Ingram, Hardy, Winston

March 3rd, 2015 at 8:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints coach Sean Payton is making no secret of the fact that he wants to retain running back Mark Ingram, as Nick Underhill of The Advocate writes. “I spoke with him [on Monday],” Payton told Jennifer Hale of FOX Sports during Monday night’s broadcast of the Pelicans-Mavs game. “The good thing about Mark is that we’re real close with his agent. We work a lot with Joel [Segal]. Mickey will talk with him quite a bit. Obviously he’s someone that we want to keep. Hopefully we can do that.” Here’s more from the NFC South..

  • With his unrestricted free agency looming, Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy is scheduled to meet with NFL officials on Wednesday to discuss his domestic violence case, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Although formal charges against Hardy were dropped, the NFL has been conducting its own investigation into the alleged incident, and may still issue a suspension.
  • League officials have requested that Hardy give them all relevant information from his domestic violence case, including photos showing the crime scene and the injuries to his former girlfriend, as Christine Brennan of USA Today writes.
  • Florida State star Jameis Winston is in Tampa today to visit with the Buccaneers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The visit will be “Glazer-centric” and involve a lot of conversation between the quarterback and the team’s owners. The meeting might be unprecedented as potential No. 1 picks never visit with the team holding the top pick this early, Schefter adds (link). Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter) adds that it is a one day visit for Winston and not a three-day trip as previously reported.
  • Tight end Niles Paul will be on the Falcons‘ radar, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. Paul has played in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and would represent a solid addition at tight end without breaking the bank like Julius Thomas would. Former teammate Rex Grossman offered nothing but praise for Paul, who turns 26 in August. “He’s as tough as s—,” Grossman said of Paul. “He’s like the one guy in the locker room you do not want to pick a fight with. He’s just a tough wide receiver/tight end who shows up on special teams all the time.”

Minor Moves: Tuesday

March 3rd, 2015 at 7:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves..

  • The Toronto Argonauts of the CFL announced that they have signed running back Bernard Scott. Scott spent the bulk of his NFL career with the Bengals but also spent a couple of games with the Ravens in 2013. Over parts of five years in the league, Scott ran the ball 259 times for 1,049 yards and four touchdowns.
  • The Falcons announced that they have signed linebacker Nate Stupar to a contract extension. The specials teams ace, originally selected by the Raiders in the seventh round of the 2012 draft, was claimed off waivers by the Falcons in August of lsat year. In 2014, he appeared in 15 games and finished the season ranked second on the team with nine (seven solo) special teams tackles. Stupar had been eligible for exclusive rights free agency, and will receive a minimum salary for 2015.
  • The Jaguars signed first-year kicker Jason Myers from Marist College, as John Oehser of Jaguars.com tweets. Myers connected on 24 of 38 field goal attempts in his collegiate career and also saw some time as a punter. In 2014, Myers spent some time in the Arena Football League.
  • The Colts signed free agent defensive end Earl Okine, according to team Assistant Director of Communications Matt Conti (via Twitter). Okine, a University of Florida product, signed with the Texans 2013 and has also had stints in the CFL, AFL, and FXFL.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Hartline, Johnson

March 3rd, 2015 at 7:05pm CST by Luke Adams

While there are more notable wide receivers scheduled to hit free agency next week, former Dolphin Brian Hartline may be the best player currently available at the position. Hartline is getting a head start on the rest of the receiver market, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, who writes that the veteran wideout is visiting the Browns today. Cleveland certainly makes sense as a fit for Hartline — he’s from Canton and played his college ball at Ohio State, while the Browns will be without Josh Gordon for the 2015 season, and have pass catchers like Miles Austin and Jordan Cameron facing free agency.

As we wait to see if anything comes of Hartline’s meeting with the Browns, let’s check in on a few more items from across the AFC North….

  • A league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group that the Browns are comfortable heading into the season with Josh McCown as their bridge quarterback until they find their man of the future. For his part, McCown would not divulge what Cleveland told him about the club’s plans.
  • Even though they have $50MM+ in cap room at their disposal, the Browns aren’t expected to be major players in free agency this month, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
  • Veteran edge defender Jarret Johnson, who announced his retirement from the NFL last month, will officially do so as a Raven, after signing a one-day contract with the club, tweets Brett Hollander of WBAL Radio. Johnson, who was officially released by San Diego last week, spent the first nine years of his career with the Ravens before joining the Chargers in 2012.

Offseason Outlook: San Diego Chargers

March 3rd, 2015 at 5:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Pending free agents:

Top 10 2015 cap hits*:

  1. Philip Rivers, QB: $17,416,668
  2. Eric Weddle, S: $10,100,000
  3. Antonio Gates, TE: $9,762,500
  4. Corey Liuget, DL: $6,969,000
  5. Donald Butler, ILB: $5,480,000
  6. Malcom Floyd, WR: $4,716,668
  7. Mike Scifres, P: $4,347,500
  8. Chad Rinehart, G: $4,250,000
  9. Donald Brown, RB: $4,083,333
  10. D.J. Fluker, T: $3,109,772

* King Dunlap‘s new contract will likely place him in the Chargers’ top 10, but exact cap figures aren’t yet known.

Notable coaching changes:

  • Hired 2014 Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan as linebackers coach.

Draft:

  • No. 17 overall pick
  • Owe seventh-round pick to Cowboys for Sean Lissemore.

Other:

Overview:

After starting the year at 5-1, many had the Chargers pegged as Super Bowl contenders. Unfortunately, things unraveled quickly after the injury bug bit Philip Rivers and much of their offensive line. A mid-season resurgence thrust them back into the playoff picture, but the Chargers wound up losing three of their four final games, ending their season on December 28th.Philip Rivers

The Chargers are ready to put their disappointing and frustrating 2014 behind them, but they’ll have to take care of a few holes if they want to go for the AFC West crown and more in 2015.

Key Free Agents:

Chargers GM Tom Telesco recently said that the Chargers are “a different team” when Ryan Mathews is healthy and on the field. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old (28 in May) spent half of 2014 on the sidelines. To date, 2013 represents Mathews’ only full 16-game season. In that campaign, Pro Football Focus (sub. req’d) rated Mathews as the 29th best halfback out of 55 qualified players with an overall grade of +1.6, marking him as just above average. The traditional stats have that year pegged as arguably his best season ever as he ran for over 1,200 yards off of averaged 4.4 yards per carry. I’d expect the Bolts to try and work something out with the former No. 12 overall pick, but with a hard limit on how far they’ll go based on his health, age, and overall production. Ronnie Brown is also scheduled to hit the open market and there should be some conversation between the two sides after the 33-year-old showed some flashes late in the 2014 season.

As Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) show, 2013 was a pretty rough year for Brandon Flowers as he finished 85th out of 110 qualified corners. PFF rated Flowers as a top-seven corner in both 2011 and 2012, but the Chiefs could no longer justify his salary at that point and cut him, leading him to sign a one-year pillow contract with the Chargers. Now, his value is back up after a solid 2014 season that put him as the 15th best corner in the league, per PFF. Flowers is on the right side of 30 and playing good football once again, but he’d also be jumping in with a deep class of cornerbacks if he doesn’t re-sign. His payday could be capped by his competition, though teams like the Dolphins are already licking their chops at the prospect of landing him.

Less heralded cornerback Shareece Wright is also set to hit free agency. The former third-round choice started a career-high 14 games last season and finished third on the team with 54 tackles while breaking up six passes. He could be a good insurance policy for Jason Verrett and his surgically-repaired shoulder, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see another team offer him more money. Strong safety Marcus Gilchrist is in a similar position and another team could give him a chance to start.

Despite recording only 3.5 sacks in 2014, Dwight Freeney recorded 53 overall quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), and figures to receive a lot of calls come March 10th. The 35-year-old saw only four games of action in 2013 thanks to a quadriceps injury but saw time in all 16 games last season.

The Chargers kept left tackle King Dunlap from hitting the open market with a four-year, $28MM extension in late February. The 30-year-old graded out as the 23rd-best tackle in the league out of 84 qualifiers last season, per PFF, and while he’s not in the elite tier at his position, the Chargers did not want to have to tough things out in free agency where it’s a seller’s market for tackles.

Eddie Royal never saw a consistently high number of targets in the Chargers’ offense, but then again that’s pretty much the case for every receiver in San Diego. The soon-to-be 29-year-old had 62 catches for 778 yards and seven touchdowns in 2014, his best season statistically in some time.

Positions Of Need:

The Chargers failed to produce on the ground in 2014 and that’ll be one of their top needs looking ahead to 2015. Most don’t see Branden Oliver, last year’s fantasy darling, as a guy who would be able to take care of the full workload and their need for a back will only increase if Mathews is not retained. The free agent market, of course, has some intriguing options, headlined by 2014’s Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray. Murray’s odometer was cranked up pretty high last season, but he’s one of the very best in the league when he’s on the field. Going a little bit cheaper, Saints tailback Mark Ingram is coming off a career year and could make a lot of sense. Adrian Peterson is restless (to put it mildly) in Minnesota and while everyone is connecting AD to Dallas, the cash-flush Chargers might do their due diligence on him. While we’re discussing big names, former USC star Reggie Bush is also available. In the draft, the Chargers could look into some of this year’s top tailbacks like Melvin Gordon and Tevin Coleman. Then again, the Chargers aren’t necessarily looking for a guy to carry the ball 20 times per game, so a mid-tier veteran free agent like Frank Gore could be a solid addition to the depth chart alongside Oliver, Donald Brown, and Danny Woodhead.

Without a solid offensive line in San Diego, it won’t matter much who is carrying the ball. The Bolts have multiple holes to fill after the offseason retirements of veterans Nick Hardwick and Jeromey Clary. Hardwick, 33, had served as San Diego’s starting center since being selected by the Chargers in the third round of the 2004 draft, the same year that the team added Rivers. Clary, meanwhile, was with the Chargers since 2006 and started 93 of the 103 games he played for the team during his career. They have work to do on the o-line, but thanks to their newly-minted extension with Dunlap, they won’t have to pick through the shallow pool of available left tackles.

After the retirement of Jarret Johnson, the Chargers will also seek out a pass rusher this offseason. Fortunately for them, the need might not be as dire since Freeney has decided to continue playing. Of course, he’s also scheduled to hit the open market so he isn’t a lock to return. If linebacker Jason Worilds hits the open market on March 10th as expected, he would represent a major boost to the Bolts’ front seven. The Steelers standout won’t come cheap, so someone like defensive lineman Darnell Dockett could be a less pricey option if the Cardinals don’t work out a new deal with him. In the draft, super athletic defensive end Arik Armstead could be available at No. 17, though there’s no guarantee of that if he continues to impress.

Extension Candidates/Contract Issues:

Rivers is entering final year of a deal that will pay him $15.75MM in base salary and count more than $17MM against the salary cap. Telesco said earlier this year he wants Rivers to be a Charger for life but at last check the two sides have yet to have discussions about restructuring his contract. For his part, Rivers says that the team’s potential relocation won’t affect his decision to stay on board one way or the other. Rivers has been willing to adjust his deal in the past to help accommodate the team. In the fall of 2013, he agreed to drop his $12MM base to $7MM while receiving a $5MM signing bonus. That adjustment gave the Bolts an additional $6.7MM in 2013 cap space. A new deal this time, of course, would probably involve additional years.

Corey Liuget is another key player who could leave after 2015. The durable defensive end is set to earn $6.9MM after the team triggered his fifth-year option, but another strong season could make him extra pricey on the open market. PFF pegged him as an above-average 3-4 defensive end in 2014 and the Chargers would probably like to keep the aggressive lineman beyond this upcoming season. An extension for Eric Weddle, who celebrated his 30th birthday in January, is also under consideration.

When Antonio Gates‘ time is through, the Bolts can turn to a very promising heir in Ladarius Green. At 6’6″ and 237 pounds, Green has displayed the agility of a wide receiver with all of the power you’d expect to see from a guy his size. Many thought that 2014 would be Green’s breakout year, but Gates decided to silence the naysayers and maintain his spot as one of the Chargers’ top ball-catchers once again. Still, Gates can only outlast Father Time for so long and San Diego won’t want to risk losing Green after the 2015 season. He’ll earn a base of just $660K this year but a new deal will cost quite a bit more.

The Chargers’ offensive line was hit hard by injuries and only one player appeared in every offensive snap: left guard Chad Rinehart. Thanks to playing more than 85% of the club’s snaps, Rinehart will now earn a base salary of $3.15MM in 2015, up from $2.25MM. The question now is whether they’ll allow him to play out his walk year. Rinehart, 28, never started more than 12 games in any of his five NFL seasons when he re-signed with the club last offseason, but he now has a full season as a starter under his belt. However, the advanced numbers (via Pro Football Focus) are not impressed by his performance last season, rating him as one of the worst guards in the NFL.

With a cap hit of $4MM+, the Chargers could sit down with “Dammit” Donald Brown to see if he’d be willing to give them a bit of a break. They won’t cut him, however, according to comments made by Telesco earlier this offseason.

Overall Outlook:

Given the Broncos’ myriad issues, the AFC West doesn’t look nearly as scary as it once did. The Chargers have some tuning up to do, sure, but with $30MM of cap space and one of the league’s best quarterbacks, there’s no reason to think that they can’t put themselves back on top in short order.

Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Titans Claim Jonathan Massaquoi Off Waivers

March 3rd, 2015 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 4:35pm: The Titans have claimed Massaquoi off waivers from the Falcons, assuming the remainder of his contract, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

FRIDAY, 4:26pm: Having already cut a pair of long-tenured players today, the Falcons have announced another roster move, according to Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com, who tweets that the team has waived Jonathan Massaquoi. The move comes on the heels of the Falcons also cutting wide receiver Harry Douglas and guard Justin Blalock.

Massaquoi, 26, was selected by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, and has since played 40 games for the team, starting seven of them. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) that the edge defender was in the doghouse last year with the club’s old coaching staff for skipping treatments on his foot, and was upset about his playing time. While Dan Quinn‘s arrival might have meant a clean slate for Massaquoi, it seems the team will instead move on, cutting him a year before his contract was set to expire.

Because he only has three years of experience, Massaquoi will have to clear waivers before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. As for the Falcons, their cap savings will be very limited — the Troy product had a cap number of just $702K for the coming year.

Raiders Release Tyvon Branch

March 3rd, 2015 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 3: The Raiders have officially announced the release of Branch (Twitter link).

FEBRUARY 26: The Raiders will release safety Tyvon Branch, according to CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).

At 28, Branch has been with the Raiders for seven seasons, although the strong safety missed all but five games in the past two years with injuries after starting all 62 of a possible 64 games in the previous four years. Branch, however, carried by far the highest cap number on the Raiders’ roster at $9.7MM this season, likely leading to his venture onto the free agent market.

The Raiders, who already possessed more than $54MM worth of salary cap space, will only save $2.9MM by making this move as Branch’s deal carried nearly $7MM in dead money, per OverTheCap. The league’s 11th-highest-paid safety had three more seasons left on his second contract with the team. Behind only the Jaguars, the Raiders have the second-most cap space in the league.

Branch will enter a modest safety market that houses Devin McCourty, assuming the Patriots don’t franchise him, along with Rahim Moore and Da’Norris Searcy.

Giants Considering Run At Ndamukong Suh

March 3rd, 2015 at 3:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Although it seems “improbable” on the surface, the Giants are believed to be considering a run at Ndamukong Suh, assuming he reaches the open market next week, sources tell Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.

The Lions elected not to place the franchise tag on Suh yesterday, and his potential suitors are starting to come out of the woodwork — Washington is said to have interest, while the Dolphins have been identified as a possible wild card candidate. As I noted while discussing Washington’s interest, there aren’t many teams in the NFL that wouldn’t love to add Suh to the mix on the defensive line, so a ton of times will likely kick the tires on him if given the opportunity.

For the Giants, defensive line isn’t necessarily a top priority, since the team used its own franchise tag on Jason Pierre-Paul yesterday, and has Johnathan Hankins as an anchor on the interior. However, adding Suh to the mix to complement JPP, Hankins, and pass rusher Robert Ayers would give New York one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL.

Of course, cap space would be a concern for the Giants. At the moment, the club has about $13MM in room, which could be enough to accommodate Suh, depending on how a contract is structured and what other moves are forthcoming. However, it wouldn’t leave much flexibility to address other areas of need — a team source tells Vacchiano that New York is unlikely to engage in a bidding war. On top of that, if the team hopes to work out a longer-term arrangement with Pierre-Paul, investing so heavily on two defensive lineman could come back to haunt the team down the road.

While there may ultimately be too many roadblocks for the Giants to get serious about pursuing Suh, the team’s reported interest is another sign that the star defender will have more than just a handful of suitors as he nears unrestricted free agency.

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