Offseason Outlook: Cincinnati Bengals
Pending free agents:
- Wallace Gilberry, DE
- Leon Hall, CB
- George Iloka, S
- T.J. Johnson, C (ERFA)
- Adam Jones, CB
- Marvin Jones, WR
- Emmanuel Lamur, OLB
- Reggie Nelson, S
- Vincent Rey, OLB
- Mohamed Sanu, WR
- Pat Sims, DT
- Andre Smith, T
- Brandon Tate, WR
- Brandon Thompson, DT
- Eric Winston, T
Top 15 cap hits for 2016:
- Andy Dalton, QB: $13,100,000
- A.J. Green, WR: $13,000,000
- Geno Atkins, DT: $9,600,000
- Kevin Zeitler, G: $8,070,000
- Andrew Whitworth, T: $8,000,000
- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB: $7,507,000
- Carlos Dunlap, DE: $6,250,000
- Michael Johnson, DE: $6,125,000
- Clint Boling, G: $4,750,000
- Rey Maualuga, LB: $4,084,375
- Vontaze Burfict, LB: $3,825,000
- Domata Peko, DT: $3,725,000
- Kevin Huber, P: $3,020,000
- Tyler Eifert, TE: $2,626,909
- Darqueze Dennard, CB: $2,176,063
Notable coaching/front office moves:
- Offensive coordinator: Promoted QBs coach Ken Zampese to replace Hue Jackson, who left to become Browns HC.
- Offensive staff: Hired former Dolphins OC Bill Lazor as QBs coach to replace Ken Zampese.
- Defensive staff: Hired former Dolphins DC Kevin Coyle as secondary coach to replace Vance Joseph, who left to become Dolphins DC.
- Defensive staff: Hired former Saints HC Jim Haslett as LBs coach to replace Matt Burke.
Draft:
- No. 24 overall pick
- No traded draft picks.
Other:
- Current projected cap room (via Over the Cap): $38.99MM
- Must exercise or decline fifth-year option for 2017 for TE Tyler Eifert.
- LB Vontaze Burfict suspended three games for repeated on-field safety violations.
Overview:
Five consecutive playoff appearances. Five consecutive first round exits. The beat goes on in Cincinnati, but the 2015 postseason loss was perhaps the most painful of the bunch. After a frantic comeback led by backup quarterback A.J. McCarron, the Bengals appeared poised to win their first playoff game since 1991. But after allowing Ben Roethlisberger to drive the Steelers offense down the field, Vontaze Burfict and Adam Jones committed two astonishing personal fouls, allowing kicker Chris Boswell to set up for the game-winning field goal as time expired.
As deflating as that loss was, the Bengals’ season still has to be viewed as a success. The club posted its fourth consecutive 10-win season, and with a final mark of 12-4, the 2015 team is certainly in the running for the best Cincinnati squad in the history of the franchise (at least, in the regular season). Quarterback Andy Dalton was outstanding, completing 66% of his passes for than 3,200 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions, and may have garnered MVP consideration if not for a late-season injury. And after dipping to 14th in DVOA in 2014, the Bengals’ defense rebounded and once again finished inside the top 10.
It was a season of what-ifs in the Queen City: what if Dalton hadn’t suffered a broken thumb on a freak play? What if Burfict and/or Jones don’t commit those personal fouls? What if the team had won one more regular-season game and secured a postseason bye? Could Dalton have returned for the divisional round? And although those questions frustratingly will never be answered, the fact remains that a large portion of the NFL would instantly trade places with a franchise that has made the playoffs for five consecutive seasons and is sitting on a young core of talent.
Head coach Marvin Lewis, owner/GM Mike Brown, director of player personnel Duke Tobin, and the rest of Cincinnati’s front office have made their bones in past offseasons, combining smart free agent decisions with solid draft classes. Several key Bengals pieces are set to hit unrestricted free agency if deals aren’t reached, and while Cincinnati has plenty of cap space with which to work, the team will still have to make a few tough calls in the coming weeks.
Key Free Agents:
Most of the Bengals’ top free agents are on the defensive side of the ball, but the club does have several offensive players who are heading for the open market, including its No. 2 and No. 3 receivers — Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu. There’s no question that Jones is the more talented of the two, and while that makes it more critical that Cincinnati re-sign him, it also means that more clubs will show interest if he reaches free agency (and reports are that he plans to test the market).
In two full NFL seasons, Jones, who turns 26 in early March, has averaged 58 receptions for 764 yards and seven touchdowns — not star numbers, to be sure, but certainly productive, especially in a run-based offense that funnels targets to A.J. Green and (last season) Tyler Eifert. Jones may ask for more than $7MM annually, and while I question whether the Bengals will go that high, I still think there’s a better chance Jones is retained over Sanu.
Sanu is expected to garner interest from the Browns, Falcons, and Giants, and isn’t likely to return to Cincinnati. That isn’t surprising, as Sanu is a prime candidate to be overpaid on the free agent market. The Bengals stick to their evaluation of their players and won’t budge from their price, so there’s little chance they’ll match whatever offers Sanu is able to garner from other clubs.
Cincinnati drafted offensive tackles with each of its first two picks in last year’s draft, and the selections put the final nail in incumbent right tackle Andre Smith‘s Bengals coffin. Smith is still under 30 years old, and he’ll get paid by someone else, but there’s little chance he returns to the Queen City. 2016 first-rounder Cedric Ogbuehi is expected to take over on the right side of the offensive line.
As at wide receiver, the Bengals have a pair of free agents-to-be at the safety position, as both Reggie Nelson and George Iloka‘s contracts are expiring. Reserve Shawn Williams is ready to take over as a starter, so it’s not imperative that Cincinnati re-signs both Nelson and Iloka, and of the duo, Iloka should probably be the higher priority simply based on his youth.
The 26-year-old Iloka had another solid season in his third year as a starter, grading as a top-15 safety according to Pro Football Focus. The free agent safety market is relatively flush, so perhaps Iloka’s price gets driven down due to the sheer number of available alternatives, but I’d still expect him to target at least $7MM per season. After Jones, Iloka should be second on the Bengals’ free agent priority list.
Now entering his age-33 season, Nelson posted the best campaign of his career in 2015, earning Pro Bowl honors after leading the league in interceptions with eight. He’s clearly still a productive player even heading into his 10th NFL season, and if Iloka doesn’t return, the Bengals should look into a short-term deal with Nelson. But Cincinnati has been wary of committing to players who might be past their prime, so the team might not feel the need to overpay to keep Nelson (despite his public declaration that he’d like to stay).
Elsewhere in the secondary, Cincinnati has two veteran free agents who have very different futures with the Bengals. Adam Jones, despite the mercurial nature that was fully on display during the club’s playoff loss, is widely expected to be re-signed by the Bengals. He’s a solid cornerback even at age 30, he has been in the Bengals system for six seasons, and he shouldn’t be all that expensive, as I don’t get the sense that many other clubs would be too keen to invest in a player with his attitude problems.
Leon Hall, on the other hand, is not expected to be retained, and it’s possible that he may decide to leave the NFL altogether. Retirement is an option for any player over the age of 30, and it’s certainly on the table for someone with Hall’s injury history. The ultimate trooper, Hall has suffered two torn Achilles and dealt with a myriad of other injuries, quietly accepting his transition to slot corner, and even experimented at safety. While he may not be back for a 10th season in Cincinnati, but Hall’s contributions over the past decade shouldn’t be overlooked.
Linebacker Vincent Rey is probably the most likely of all the Bengals’ free agents to be re-signed — Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post recently reported that the club plans to make a “major push” to keep the 28-year-old, and will use Maualuga’s three-year, $15MM contract as a template for Rey’s new deal. On its face, that total might seem like an overpay, but Rey has become a stalwart in Cincinnati’s front seven, and played the most snaps of any Bengals linebacker last season, so the team isn’t going to let him get away. Fellow linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, a sub-package pass-game specialist, should also be re-signed.
Of Cincinnati’s three free agents on the defensive line — Pat Sims, Brandon Thompson, and Wallace Gilberry — Sims probably has the best chance of returning, as the 30-year-old was a valuable reserve nose tackle in his first season back in Cincinnati after two years in Oakland. Thompson, meanwhile, is recovering from a torn ACL and might not latch on with another team until the summer, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Buccaneers (who employ former Bengals DL coach Jay Hayes) show interest. Gilberry has shown an ability to play both inside and outside, and posted 14 sacks from 2012-13 as the club’s third end. Given that he has garnered only 3.5 sacks over the past two seasons though, I’d expect Cincinnati to try to get younger at the position.
One point that needs to be made: I’d guess that Hue Jackson and the Browns are going to target quite a few of the Bengals’ free agents. In fact, Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther confirmed as much on Friday, when he told reporters that he expects the former Cincinnati offensive coordinator to go after his old players. It seems obvious, but coming from the Cincinnati system, Jackson obviously values continuity, so bringing in some free agents whom he knows well would make for a good start in Cleveland. As such, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin‘s plan to be “proactive” when signing internal free agents needs to come to fruition.
Possible Cap Casualties:
After nine seasons in Green Bay, linebacker A.J. Hawk returned to his home state of Ohio on a two-year deal, but it’s doubtful that the 32-year-old will get the chance to play out the full contract. Buried on the Bengals depth chart, Hawk played on only 26.3% of the team’s defensive snaps. Cincinnati can save $1.4MM without incurring any dead money by cutting Hawk, and that’s probably the route they’ll choose.
Kicker Mike Nugent — a high school and college teammate of Hawk — doesn’t cost much in 2016, as his cap figure is just $1.55MM. However, his potential release wouldn’t be financially motivated, but rather based on performance. Nugent missed five field goals last season, including three from inside 50 yards and one from inside 40 yards. Given that he also ranked 25th in kickoff touchback percentage, I’d expect the Bengals to at least bring in kicking competition, and strongly consider making a change.
A rare whiff by the Bengals’ scouting department, defensive end Margus Hunt has failed to live up to his second-round billing in three seasons in Cincinnati. The 6’8″ Estonian hasn’t played in more than 20% of the team’s defensive snaps during any season of his career, and he was inactive for nine Cincinnati contests last season. The Bengals have seen enough of Hunt to know he isn’t the answer, and I don’t expect him to return (though his being waived would only save the club about $900K).
Two veteran defenders — linebacker Rey Maualuga and defensive tackle Domata Peko — are seemingly talked about as candidates for release nearly every offseason, but the pair has constantly survived on the roster, and have now been Bengals for a combined 17 years. Both players actually played pretty well in 2015 (Peko, notably, had been near the bottom of Pro Football Focus’ tackle grades for years), and Cincinnati coaches are always confident the duo is in the right place at the right time.
Cutting Maualuga would save the Bengals in excess of $4MM in 2016, while releasing Peko, who is entering the final year of an extension he agreed to in 2014, would bring Cincinnati $3.25MM in cap relief. Perhaps the duo’s roster spots would be in jeopardy if the club brought in younger options along the front seven, but I think each is probably safe.
Positions Of Need:
Many of the Bengals’ possible areas of focus this offseason will be determined by what happens with their internal free agents, and wide receiver is the most obvious example of that cause-and-effect. If Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu both leave via free agency, Cincinnati’s receiver depth chart behind A.J. Green would look perilously thin (and realistically, even if only one of Jones or Sanu signs elsewhere, the Bengals’ receiving corps would need outside help).
Cincinnati, somewhat surprisingly, didn’t use a high pick in last year’s draft to address the receiver position, and with a glaring list of possible defensive holes, I once again doubt they’ll sacrifice a Day 1 or 2 pick to the offensive side of the ball. So aside from re-signing their own, the Bengals’ likely route for pass-catching improvement is low-cost free agent additions. One option that might make some sense is Dolphins’ receiver Rishard Matthews, who not only would offer a different, more possession-based element than Green, but also has a relationship with former Miami OC Bill Lazor, who is now the Bengals’ quarterbacks coach.
Quarterback, running back, and tight end are all filled positions on Cincinnati’s roster, and though the Bengals used their first two picks last season on offensive lineman, it’s possible that they could target interior help in the later rounds of this year’s draft. Right guard Kevin Zeitler is only signed through 2016, while the one weak spot along the front five was center Russell Bodine. Finding a collegiate player late in the draft capable of playing both spots — as something of an insurance policy — wouldn’t be a bad idea.
On defense, the Bengals rebounded from a ghastly 2014 in which they finished last in the league with only 20 sacks — they finished 2015 ranked 12th in adjusted sack rate. But Michael Johnson is not a prototypical pass-rushing defensive end, and with Domata Peko aging, Cincinnati needs to add an infusion of youth to its defensive line, possibly in Round 1. Louisville’s Sheldon Rankins looks like a poor man’s Geno Atkins, Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson could be a replacement at nose down the line, and Baylor’s Andrew Billings — whom Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated has going to the Bengals in his latest mock draft — could play either nose or three-technique.
New Bengals defensive line coach Jacob Burney worked in Washington for the five years, and while I don’t think any of Washington’s free agent lineman would be of interest, I could see the Bengals going after Jason Hatcher if he were to be released. Cincinnati values versatility along the line, meaning Robert Ayers, George Selvie, and Tyrunn Walker are among the lineman that might intrigue the club.
If the Bengals don’t use their first-round pick on a defensive lineman, I fully expect the club to select a corner on Day 1 instead. A look at Cincinnati’s secondary from the past few years indicates how much it values pedigree in the defensive backfield — Leon Hall, Dre Kirkpatrick, Adam Jones, Darqueze Dennard, and former longtime Bengal Terence Newman were all first-round picks. If Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III or Ohio State’s Eli Apple falls to pick No. 24, Cincinnati would run to turn in its card. More likely, they’ll end up with someone like Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander (the Bengals won’t be scared off by his lack of height like other clubs will be).
Like wide receiver, safety is a position that could be on the Bengals’ radar pending the outcome of several free agent decisions. However, I fully expect the team to re-sign at least one of Reggie Nelson or George Iloka, and as noted above, Shawn Williams can start in the NFL right now. Additionally, second-year defensive back Josh Shaw can play safety, so I don’t think this is an area where Cincinnati will expend resources.
Finally, the Bengals are probably set at linebacker if Vincent Rey re-signs as expected, but Vontaze Burfict has dealt with injuries lately and will now miss the first three games of the season due to suspension, so it wouldn’t hurt to bring in some depth. Zach Brown is a former second-pick with an immense amount of athleticism who never broke out with the Titans, and Cincinnati might take a chance hoping they can bring out the best in him. Keenan Robinson could also be a fit, especially given that former Washington coordinator Jim Haslett is the new Cincinnati linebackers coach.
Extension Candidates/Contract Issues:
The Bengals hold a fifth-year option for 2017 for tight end Tyler Eifert, and the Notre Dame alum made it an easy call with a spectacular 2015 season during which he caught 52 passes for 615 yards and led all tight ends with 13 receiving touchdowns. The recent extensions handed out to fellow tight ends Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz should set a baseline for talks, as each received more than $8.5MM annually and between $10-15MM in guarantees. Both of those players were heading into the final year of their respective contracts, however, while Cincinnati controls Eifert for two more seasons, so perhaps the team can use that leverage to bring down the total outlay.
Like Eifert, running back Giovani Bernard was a member of the Bengals’ 2013 draft class, and while he hasn’t had a single standout season like Eifert’s 2015, Bernard has been extremely consistent, posting roughly 700 yards rushing and 450 yards receiving during each of his first three years in the NFL. But Bernard is the type of back that often doesn’t get paid much on the open market (as noted by Bill Barnwell in a 2014 Grantland article), so it might behoove the Bengals to let Bernard play out his rookie deal rather than trying to extend him now.
Dre Kirkpatrick and Kevin Zeitler will each play out the 2016 season under the terms of their fifth-year options, so the Bengals have roughly one calendar year to work out extensions with each player. As noted above, I’d expect Cincinnati to add another corner early in this year’s draft, so Kirkpatrick might be the odd man out. He’s been a disappointment for the most part in his four seasons with the club, and if he doesn’t show marked improvement this year, the Bengals might let him walk.
Zeitler, on the other hand, has been a revelation at right guard, and graded out as the league’s No. 11 guard in 2015, per Pro Football Focus. A report last April indicated that Cincinnati wanted to work out an extension with Zeitler (and Kirkpatrick for that matter) before making a decision on his fifth-year option, and while that obviously didn’t happen, there’s no reason a deal can’t happen now. Fellow Bengals guard Clint Boling‘s four-year, $26MM deal could be used as a guideline in negotiations.
Overall Outlook:
It would be easy for Bengals fans to get frustrated with the club’s lack of postseason success during the past five years. But Cincinnati is one of the most stable franchises in the NFL, and the club need only look north up I-71 to Cleveland to see what an organization in disrepair looks like. The Steelers are always a threat, and the Ravens may bounce back from a horrid 2015 to once again contend, but the Bengals should be the favorites in the AFC North. They probably won’t spend money or make any splashy moves this offseason, but with a roster full of talent, the Bengals are among them most enviable teams in the league.
Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Kaepernick, Draft, Flacco
Concern is growing at the scouting combine regarding injured Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, who is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL he suffered in January. Multiple NFL teams have failed Smith at the physical, while three have already declared they won’t draft him, according to Jeff Legwold and Adam Schefter of ESPN. This comes on the heels of a Friday report stating that Smith might miss all of next season.
Prior to his injury, the expectation was that Smith would be an early first-round pick, but some clubs now believe he’ll be a Day 3 selection, per Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. Smith took out an insurance policy on himself last summer, so he’ll collect a tax-free $700k if he doesn’t go in the first round and another $100k with each missed pick thereafter, tweets ESPN’s Darren Rovell. Thanks to his insurance policy, Smith could make as much as $5MM if his draft stock plummets, per Rovell.
And now for some notes on QBs:
- The fact that Colin Kaepernick wants out of San Francisco leaves the 49ers with little to no leverage in trade talks, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Potential Kaepernick suitors could now be inclined to wait until a possible release by April 1, when his $12MM salary becomes guaranteed, rather than give anything up for him. If cut, Kaepernick would likely make less per year on his next deal, but his desire to get away from the 49ers outranks his motivation to cash in, per Barrows.
- The Ravens and Joe Flacco‘s agent, Joe Linta, have made “significant progress” in their talks to rework the quarterback’s contract and are expected to have further discussions Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports (link via Jamison Hemsley of ESPN.com).
- North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz has been the most impressive signal-caller at the combine, three NFL head coaches told Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole (Twitter link).
Free Agent Rumors: Schwartz, Gipson, Texans, Fleener
The latest free agency rumors from around the NFL:
- There’s a belief at the combine that offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz will end up with a contract in the $8MM-per-year range, writes Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. That would make Schwartz the second-richest right tackle in the league in terms of annual salary. The Eagles’ Lane Johnson ranks first at $11.25MM, though he’s expected to eventually shift to left tackle (normally the more lucrative position). Since the Browns took Schwartz in the second round of the 2012 draft, he has appeared in and started 64 straight games. For his work last season, the 26-year-old ranked sixth out of 77 qualifying tackles by Pro Football Focus’ standards (subscription required).
- Safety Tashaun Gipson, who has also been with the Browns since 2012, will garner plenty of interest on the market and should cash in, according to Pauline. Gipson has amassed 14 interceptions during his four seasons, including league-leading totals in both 2013 and ’14, and gone to one Pro Bowl. As of earlier this week, Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown was hoping to lock up Gipson.
- The Texans have two important offensive linemen scheduled for free agency in center Ben Jones and guard Brandon Brooks, and they’re trying to re-sign both, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The team has met with both players’ agents at the combine, per Wilson. Jones has logged 16 starts in back-to-back years, while Brooks has combined for 44 over the last three seasons.
- The Colts aren’t in any rush to re-sign tight end Coby Fleener, per Pauline. Fleener is coming off his third straight 50-reception season, but his yards per catch dropped precipitously compared to 2014 (15.2 to 9.1), as did his touchdown total (eight to three).
AFC East Rumors: Bills, Dolphins, Jets
Three of the AFC East’s four teams are in the news. Here’s the latest:
- As free agency approaches, the Bills are working to retain their two best offensive linemen – left tackle Cordy Glenn and left guard Richie Incognito – writes CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. We learned this afternoon that the Bills intend to place the franchise tag on Glenn if he hasn’t agreed to a long-term deal by the March 1 deadline. Contrary to a report from earlier this week, the Bills aren’t currently looking to extend contract-year quarterback Tyrod Taylor, per La Canfora, who adds that they’re instead focusing on locking up cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Moreover, they’ll release defensive end Mario Williams and running back Anthony Dixon, and could restructure the contracts of safety Corey Graham, corner Leodis McKelvin, and possibly defensive lineman Kyle Williams. With some of the cap space those moves would create, La Canfora expects the Bills to pursue free agent-to-be Bilal Powell. The 27-year-old running back played under Bills head coach Rex Ryan as a member of the Jets from 2011-14. Powell averaged a career-high 4.5 yards per carry on 70 attempts last season and added a personal-best 47 receptions.
- The Dolphins want to rework the contract of defensive end Cameron Wake, according to La Canfora. The problem, he notes, is that Wake would likely match or exceed the $8.4MM he’s scheduled to make as a Dolphin next season if they release him and he reaches the open market. Thus, the 34-year-old lacks incentive to take a pay cut. Not surprisingly, then, talks between the Dolphins and Wake’s agent made no progress at the combine.
- With two ex-Jets bigwigs in Buffalo (Ryan) and Miami (executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum), representatives of pending Jets free agents said at the combine that the Bills and Dolphins could be landing spots for their clients, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. That seems to corroborate La Canfora’s report that the Bills will try to reel in Powell in free agency. Further, the Bills and Dolphins could go after Jets run-stuffing defensive tackle Damon Harrison if he hits the market, per Costello, though he notes that the teams’ lack of cap space might serve as roadblocks. Even so, Harrison could use those clubs as leverage to scare the Jets into meeting his demands.
Washington To Use Tag On Kirk Cousins?
SATURDAY: Washington initially offered Cousins $12.5MM per year on a long-term deal and then increased the number to $15MM, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Cousins, however, wants at least $19MM per annum, according to Rapoport (Twitter link).
FRIDAY, 1:43pm: A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Washington has yet to make a decision on whether to use any form of tag on Cousins. In fact, the source believes it’s currently more likely than not that Washington won’t place the franchise or transition tag on the quarterback.
Florio speculates that Schefter’s report came from a team source hoping to discourage rival suitors from putting together offers for Cousins or talking to his agent at the combine this weekend.
With conflicting reports on the table now, it looks like this situation could remain up in the air until Tuesday’s franchise-tag deadline.
12:59pm: According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Washington is keeping all of its options open on Cousins, and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of tagging him, then trading him.
12:42pm: Washington will use a tag on Kirk Cousins, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who tweets that the “only decision left” is whether to place the franchise or transition tag on the quarterback. While Schefter doesn’t mention it, the team will also have to weigh the exclusive vs. the non-exclusive franchise tag.
The transition tag, the least expensive of the three options, would allow Washington to match any other team’s offer sheet for Cousins once he reaches free agency, but the club wouldn’t receive any compensation if it declines to match that offer sheet. The non-exclusive franchise tag would also allow Cousins to sign an offer sheet elsewhere, but Washington would get two first-round picks from the signing team in that scenario. The exclusive franchise tag, the most expensive option, prevents any other team from negotiating with the quarterback.
[RELATED: PFR’s glossary entry on franchise and transition tags]
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday about Washington’s negotiations with Cousins, GM Scot McCloughan said that he has met with the quarterback’s agent face-to-face this week, describing the sit-down as “very positive,” per Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). According to McCloughan, conversations are going on “every day” between the two sides, and he remains optimistic that something will get done (Twitter link).
Still, with Cousins holding most of the leverage in contract talks, he has long been viewed as a prime candidate to be franchised, since Washington probably can’t afford to let him hit the open market, and there’s little motivation for him to take a discount on a multiyear deal.
No player in the league did more over the last four weeks of the regular season to help his stock than Cousins, who completed 74% of his passes for nearly 1,200 yards, while posting a 12:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio to go along with a 134.0 quarterback rating. For the season, Cousins thew 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, led the league in completion percentage (69.8%), and helped Washington win its first division title since 2012.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC Notes: Miller, Ware, Chargers, Steelers
Here’s the latest from around the AFC.
- The Broncos are heading toward placing the franchise tag on Von Miller, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports (on Twitter). Although the sides began exchanging proposals at the Combine, the Broncos only have until Tuesday to determine if Miller will receive the tag he’d been expecting essentially since Denver re-signed Demaryius Thomas last summer. With the league’s potential highest-paid defender probably set for the tag, Malik Jackson‘s future in Denver becomes cloudier after a report surfaced of his latest demands. Miller’s tag would cost the Broncos $14.12MM.
- Denver’s also started restructure talks with DeMarcus Ware and Ryan Clady, Mike Klis of 9News reports. Each is slated to take up than $11MM of the Broncos’ 2016 cap. Clady, the longest-tenured Broncos cog and their left tackle starter since 2008, previously agreed to discuss restructuring his deal. Going into the third and final season of his $30MM deal, the 33-year-old Ware had not. Although he missed five games last season with a bulging disc, Ware re-emerged as a dominant presence in the playoffs, which could potentially complicate this abrupt renegotiation. The 29-year-old Clady’s deal runs through 2017. He’s missed both Super Bowls and 30 regular-season games in 2013 and ’15, and although Clady suited up for all of 2014, his play dipped a bit from the previous All-Pro level.
- The Chargers are not locked into their No. 3 selection and will listen to offers to trade down, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. With needs across the roster and teams potentially clamoring about moving up to take a quarterback, trading down could make sense for the Chargers. They haven’t had the opportunity to select a player in the top five since ending up with Philip Rivers in 2004, however, both times San Diego’s held a top-five selection in the 21st century, 2001 and 2004, it traded the pick.
- The Steelers losing both Kelvin Beachum and Ramon Foster in free agency is an unlikely scenario, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Continuity-heavy Pittsburgh’s working to retain at least one of its offensive line’s starting left side, La Canfora reports.
Rams Leaning Toward Franchise-Tagging Trumaine Johnson
We heard last night that the Rams were prepared to use their franchise tag on either one of their starting cornerbacks. Los Angeles appears to be leaning toward protecting Trumaine Johnson with the tag, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter).
Johnson’s market may be accelerating over the past week and may be worth more than Janoris Jenkins. Last weekend, the fifth-year corner was being discussed as a transition tag candidate but now his stock may have climbed to a point the Rams need to exhaust their top preservation measure in order to retain the breakout performer.
Using the franchise tag on Johnson will cost the Rams $13.95MM as opposed to the transition tag’s $11.91MM charge. The latter tactic, though, wouldn’t cost a prospective team that signs Johnson to fork over two first-round picks to the Rams in exchange.
The Rams have until March 1 to decide whether or not to apply the franchise tag to the 6-foot-1 Johnson, a former third-round pick who emerged in his contract year.
Jenkins, the team’s second-round pick in 2012, would become a more coveted commodity with Johnson off the market. The 27-year-old started 58 games in his career, whereas Johnson’s started just 33. Thirteen of those starts came last season, when Johnson finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 19-rated corner.
The 5-10 Jenkins rated as the No. 26 corner on the 2015 list. If this plan comes to fruition, and the Panthers tag Josh Norman as they’re expected to, Jenkins’ asking price could go up, with pool of top-tier available corners diminishing.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
East Rumors: Vernon, Wilkerson, Cowboys
The Dolphins and Olivier Vernon‘s representatives haven’t spoken much about the possibility of a long-term deal in Miami, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports.
Recognizing the interest the 25-year-old defensive end will draw in free agency if he reaches the market, the Dolphins will entertain the possibility of tagging Vernon with the intent to then trade him, sources inform La Canfora.
The franchise tag for defensive ends is $15.7MM, and the Dolphins already employ the league’s highest-paid defender in Ndamukong Suh, who makes $19.06MM per year. Suh and Cameron Wake‘s cap numbers add up to $38.4MM in 2016 if those contracts are not restructured, making a potential Vernon extension tricky.
PFR’s Dallas Robinson rated Vernon as a top-15 free agent in this year’s class.
Here’s some more news coming out of the Eastern divisions on Combine Saturday.
- Publicly seeking a long-term deal for some time, Muhammad Wilkerson could also be a tag-and-trade candidate, La Canfora reports. The Jets and Wilkerson’s reps aren’t close on a long-term deal and haven’t discussed it much since talks broke off last year. The 25-year-old’s been the game’s second-best 3-4 defensive end over the past few seasons, and the $15.7MM Wilkerson would draw as a tagged player would make Gang Green’s auxiliary moves — like keeping Ryan Fitzpatrick — more difficult. The Jets possess $21.9MM worth of cap space. League executives told La Canfora Wilkerson is “plenty worth” the deal Marcell Dareus signed to stay in Buffalo last year (six years, $95.1MM, with a $25MM signing bonus) and would be incredibly sought-after on the open market. La Canfora lists the Giants, Raiders and Jaguars as teams who would listen in a tag-and-trade scenario.
- Jerry Jones expects Tony Romo to be the Cowboys‘ quarterback for another four or five years, he tells media, including Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Although this isn’t the first year Dallas’ owner tossed out that timetable for the soon-to-be-36-year-old quarterback, it wouldn’t mesh with Dallas drafting Romo’s successor at No. 4 overall, but either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz probably reaches the Cowboys at that spot barring a trade-up scenario.
- Romo’s leaning toward having a plate surgically inserted to stabilize his collarbone, which he injured twice last year, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports. Such a procedure would allow the 11th-year Cowboys starter to participate in offseason workouts despite suffering his latest setback on Thanksgiving Day.
- Romo’s backup could be a higher-profile player than Wentz or Goff, at least according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The veteran reporter expects Robert Griffin III to be in play for the Cowboys next month despite previous reports indicating tepid interest on Dallas’ behalf, Schefter said on a radio appearance with Cowlishaw and Mosley (via JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com).
- The lengthy legal battle between DeSean Jackson and former agent Drew Rosenhaus ended with a judge ruling the Washington wideout doesn’t have to pay back the $516K he was previously ruled to have owed Rosenhaus, Daniel Kaplan of the SportsBusiness Journal reports (on Twitter). Jackson and Rosenhaus had been mired in a legal tussle since 2013, when Jackson fired Rosenhaus in favor of Joel Segal. In April 2014, an NFLPA arbitrator ruled in Rosenhaus’ favor after the agent filed a grievance to recoup unpaid loans and agent fees.
NFC Notes: Saints, JPP, 49ers, Lions
Some assorted notes from around the NFC…
- The Saints have interest in linebacker James Laurinaitis, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The team is hoping to have the 29-year-old in for a visit next week.
- The Giants have been working to get a deal done with Jason Pierre-Paul before free agency opens, tweets ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano.
- 49ers coach Chip Kelly is Colin Kaepernick‘s best chance to “re-establish himself as a reliable NFL starter,” writes Mark Maske of The Washington Post. Therefore, the writer says the quarterback is wrong for asking for a trade, and he believes the 49ers would be wrong to consider the request.
- Lions general manager Bob Quinn is optimistic that linebacker DeAndre Levy will be ready to go for the start of the 2016 season. “I’m fairly confident,” Quinn said (via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com). “I have not seen DeAndre in the building as of yet. I’m really interested to see when he comes back for the offseason program what kind of shape he’s in and how he’s looking. But we’re confident he’s going to be ready for the season.”
Draft Notes: Ravens, Jaguars, Lions
With the NFL Draft Combine continuing today, let’s check out some assorted draft notes from around the league…
- The Ravens have prioritized taking a rookie pass rusher, leading ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley to question whether the team would opt for Ohio State’s Joey Bosa with the sixth pick. Bosa played defensive end in a 4-3 scheme in college, but he’d likely have to play linebacker in the Ravens 3-4 system.
- Meanwhile, Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com writes that Bosa is among the players being targeted by the Jaguars with the fifth pick. General manager Dave Caldwell previously said the team would use a good portion of their picks on defense, making the Ohio State standout a logical selection.
- For what it’s worth, Bosa told reporters that he’s the best player in this year’s draft (via O’Halloran): “I do believe I’m the best player in the draft. There are a lot of amazing players in this draft, and it will be up to Tennessee to make that decision. As a top player, you have to believe [you’re the best] or there’s something wrong…I think I’m the best pass rusher [and] the best defensive lineman in the country.”
- ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein wonders if the Lions could target wideout Laquon Treadwell with their first-round pick. While there are questions about whether the Ole Miss star is actually the best receiver in the draft, Rothstein believes the team should go for him if he’s there for the taking.