Bills Prioritizing Stephon Gilmore Extension
The Bills will explore the possibility of extending cornerback Stephon Gilmore‘s contract this offseason, per general manager Doug Whaley. Asked by Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 SportsRadio if a new deal for Gilmore would be a priority, Whaley replied, “Absolutely.”
[RELATED: PFR previews the Bills’ offseason]
“That’s why (cap specialist Jim Overdorf) and his staff will be meeting with his representatives,” Whaley said of Gilmore. “Not only will they be meeting with the unrestricted and restricted (free agents), but other guys on the team that we might want to extend.”
Gilmore, the 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft, had another strong season in 2015, recording 36 tackles, three interceptions, and 18 passes defended. Despite only playing 12 games, the 25-year-old ranked as a top-10 cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required).
Extending Gilmore’s contract beyond 2016 would require a significant investment from the Bills, but there’s a good chance an agreement would also reduce Gilmore’s cap charge for 2016, creating some much-needed cap space. The cornerback has a cap number of $11.082MM, the amount of the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. By giving Gilmore a signing bonus up front and bringing down his base salary, the Bills could shave a few million dollars from their cap.
The Bills have already create a chunk of cap room by restructuring tight end Charles Clay‘s contract, reducing his 2016 cap hit by $7.5MM. The team could also create significant savings by cutting defensive end Mario Williams, who is currently on the books for $19.9MM in 2016 — releasing him would open up nearly $13MM in cap space.
As such, it’s possible that the Bills won’t be in any rush to extend Gilmore, since there are other ways to create cap flexibility for the team’s offseason spending. But with Cordy Glenn and Richie Incognito less than two weeks away from reaching the open market, Buffalo will want to do all it can to avoid letting those free agent offensive linemen get away. The team has also explored a possible extension for quarterback Tyrod Taylor, so every bit of cap space will help.
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Pete Carroll, Seahawks Working On Extension
With Pete Carroll‘s contract set to expire at the end of the 2016 season, the Seahawks are working on a new deal that would lock him up beyond this year, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
An extension for Carroll would avoid having him enter the 2016 campaign as a lame-duck head coach. It would also give both sides some added security — Carroll would be guaranteed a salary for a few extra years, and the Seahawks would mitigate the risk of their head coach eyeing another job.
While there has been no indication that Carroll would want to leave Seattle, one January report suggested that the former USC head coach may eventually have interest in a Los Angeles NFL job, with the Rams – and possibly Chargers – returning to L.A. An extended deal with the Seahawks would quiet those rumblings.
As Rapoport notes (via Twitter), Carroll’s current contract is believed to place him among the NFL’s top three highest-paid coaches, with an annual salary in the range of $7-8MM per year. Presumably, a new deal wouldn’t involve a pay cut of any sort, so Carroll will continue to rank near the top of the salary leaderboard for coaches if and when he signs an extension.
Since taking over as the Seahawks’ head coach in 2010, Carroll has led the team to a 60-36 regular-season record, with a 9-6 record and a Super Bowl win in the postseason. Seattle has won at least 10 games and made the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, winning at least one postseason contest every year and earning a spot in the Super Bowl twice.
Several NFC teams are believed to be working on new deals for their respective head coaches. In addition to the Seahawks and Carroll, the Panthers are discussing an extension with Ron Rivera, and Sean Payton suggested on Thursday that he’s moving closer to an extension with the Saints.
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AFC Notes: Flacco, Jaguars, Patriots, Dolphins
After reporting earlier today that the Ravens are growing increasingly optimistic about their chances of reworking Joe Flacco‘s contract, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) hears from another source that talks between the Ravens and agent Joe Linta have indeed been productive. A new deal may not be completed this week, but it’s getting closer, according to Zrebiec.
Flacco’s contract, which includes cap hits of $28MM+ in 2016 and $31MM+ in 2017, is a tricky one for the Ravens, since asking the quarterback to take a pay cut isn’t an option. In order for Baltimore to get some cap relief for more than just ’16, the team will likely need to tack on at least two years to Flacco’s deal.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- The Jaguars‘ willingness to go after older free agents this offseason shows that the team believes it’s closer to contention than it has been in past seasons, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com, who notes that 18 of the 20 free agents Dave Caldwell signed in his first three years as GM were under 30 years old. “Now that we’re at that point in time where we can compete and compete for championships I have no issue with signing guys that are 30, 31 and 32,” Caldwell said.
- As of Thursday, the Patriots remained in a holding pattern when it comes to their major offseason financial decisions, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Howe suggests that the team has engaged in the early stages of talks with free-agents-to-be Tarell Brown and LeGarrette Blount, but haven’t yet approached most veterans about pay cuts or extensions.
- The Dolphins are saying they want to keep the majority of their free agents and release candidates, but given their limited cap room and their 6-10 record in 2015, continuity across the board may not be the best option for the franchise, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- The odds of a downtown stadium plan coming together for the Chargers in San Diego are long, but not impossible, says Logan Jenkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Two Teams Have Inquired About Trading For RGIII
At least two teams have talked to Washington about trading for Robert Griffin III, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Still, the QB controls the process because he has to sign off on a new deal. 
Recently, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com identified the Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, Broncos, and Cowboys as possible suitors for Griffin. At this time, however, it’s not clear which teams called to ask about RGIII. In an interview just days ago, Washington team president Bruce Allen was asked whether Griffin would remain on the roster for the 2016 season and, as many have speculated for months, he indicated that Griffin would be elsewhere.
“I see Robert getting an opportunity with another team,” Allen said. “I think we’ve heard from some teams that are interested, and I think he’s going to have a choice of a couple teams that will let him excel in the future.”
Washington has been in no rush to release Griffin, whose $16.155MM salary for 2016 remains non-guaranteed for now. The team will have until the new league year begins to do something with RGIII, whose salary would become fully guaranteed if he’s still on the roster at that point. A trade was previously thought to be a long shot, but things have apparently changed.
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Anthony Davis To Apply For Reinstatement
As expected, veteran offensive tackle Anthony Davis will apply for reinstatement to the NFL after taking the 2015 season off, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Davis, whose rights are still held by the Niners, wants to play in 2016, per Schefter.
Davis, 26, was San Francisco’s first-round pick in 2010, coming off the board 11th overall. Since then, he has started 71 games at right tackle for the team, playing all 16 regular season contests in his first four years before being limited to seven games in 2014. Davis dealt with hamstring and knee issues, and also battled concussion problems, which may have contributed to his decision to step away from the game temporarily in 2015.
Although his decision was initially classified as another retirement announcement in a series of them for the 49ers last summer, Davis was always viewed as likely to return to the game. In early January, he tweeted that his return to San Francisco was “guaranteed.”
At the time of his temporary retirement, Davis remained under contract with the 49ers for several more seasons, with a deal that ran through the 2019 season. It remains to be seen how he’ll fit into the team’s plans moving forward — to date, GM Trent Baalke hasn’t directly addressed the issue, choosing not to discuss it until Davis is formally reinstated.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On DeMarco Murray, Eagles
Although DeMarco Murray has publicly stated that he’s committed to the Eagles, the message teams are receiving this week at the combine is that Murray is still not happy in Philadelphia, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). According to Rapoport, it will be difficult for the Eagles to accommodate a trade, but rival teams know his situation is “unsettled” and Philadelphia is willing to listen.
[RELATED: PFR previews the Eagles’ offseason]
Murray, 28, rushed for just 702 yards and six touchdowns in 2015 after establishing career-highs of 1,845 yards and 13 TDs in his final season in Dallas. The former third-round pick, who never seemed to get comfortable in Chip Kelly‘s offense during his first year in Philadelphia, averaged a career-worst 3.6 yards per carry.
A report earlier this month, also from Rapoport, indicated that the Eagles and Murray were headed for a “stare-down” regarding his future with the team. At the time, Rapoport noted that the former Cowboys running back would likely welcome the opportunity to return to Dallas, a point that the NFL.com scribe repeats today. However, in the wake of that initial report, Murray stressed that he would be content to play the 2016 season in Philadelphia.
“I’m signed there for the next four years. I don’t know where that story is coming from,” Murray said during a PFT Live appearance. “It’s a little crazy. Every week I feel like there’s something new. It’s a little weird. I can’t worry about what people are saying. I’ll just continue to work hard. I’m signed for four years and I’m committed.”
Within that interview, Murray admitted it was “hard to get comfortable” in Kelly’s scheme, but claimed that the perception of problems with the coach were “blown out of proportion” over the course of the season. Murray said at the time that he had spoken to new Eagles coach Doug Pederson and was expecting a “more conventional” offensive scheme in 2016.
Whether or not Murray is happy with the Eagles, it may not make much of a difference in the short term, since his contract makes it so hard to do anything with him. Murray’s $7MM base salary for 2016 is fully guaranteed, as is $2MM of his $7.5MM salary for 2017. The Oklahoma product also has $4MM in additional dead money on his deal that would accelerate onto the current year if he’s traded or released.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Okung, Rams, V. Miller
Offensive tackle Russell Okung, who will be representing himself in free agency, confirmed to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com that he has had some conversations with the Seahawks about a new deal. According to Okung, the two sides have been “going back and forth” and still may “figure something out” before the veteran tackle hits the open market.
“It’s very possible that I could stay here,” Okung said. “But I know my value, and I’m not going to settle for anything less than that. If it works out, great. And if it doesn’t, that’s great as well.”
Let’s check out a few more Friday updates on pending free agents around the NFL….
- The Rams have made a five-year contract offer to cornerback Janoris Jenkins, but haven’t yet formally proposed a multiyear deal to their other free agent corner, Trumaine Johnson, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the team prefers Jenkins, or won’t re-sign Johnson. Cole believes that one of the two free agent corners will get a franchise or transition tag from Los Angeles, which would allow the club to focus on negotiations with the other player.
- While the secondary remains their top priority, the Rams would also like to re-sign veteran center Tim Barnes, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. “The plan at center is, hey, I’ll give Tim Barnes credit, he’s one of those guys we’d like to get back,” GM Les Snead said. “At the end of the day, we didn’t think he was a weak link so we definitely want to get him back.”
- According to Cole (video link), the Broncos and Von Miller‘s reps are meeting at the combine, but the expectation from Miller’s side is that the team will use its franchise tag on the star pass rusher rather than getting a long-term deal done within the next few days.
- The Panthers met in Indianapolis with Josh Norman‘s agent, but didn’t make a whole lot of progress, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Still, talks are expected to continue, and Norman is a franchise tag candidate if the two sides can’t reach an agreement by March 1st.
- The Falcons met with the representatives for restricted free agent linebacker Paul Worrilow about the possibility of a contract – or at least an RFA tender – but no decisions were made, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
2016 NFL Offseason Previews By Team
Over the last few weeks, Pro Football Rumors has been taking a closer look at the 2016 offseason on a team-by-team basis. Our Offseason Outlook series focuses on each club’s key free agents, potential cap casualties, positions of need, and other issues facing teams this winter.
Just in case you missed our offseason preview for your favorite team, we’re rounding up all of our Offseason Outlook pieces in this post, which can be found anytime on our right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.” We have several more teams to examine before free agency officially gets underway on March 9th, so if your team isn’t linked below, be sure to keep a close eye on PFR — it’ll be coming soon.
Here are the links to our 2016 NFL Offseason Outlook pieces to date:
AFC East:
AFC North:
AFC South:
AFC West:
NFC East:
NFC North:
NFC South:
NFC West:
Panthers, Ron Rivera Discussing Extension
Following a season in which he led the Panthers to a 15-1 regular-season record and an appearance in the Super Bowl, head coach Ron Rivera appears to be in line for a raise. According to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, the Panthers have reached out to Rivera to start working on a contract extension.
Rivera, who succeeded John Fox as the Panthers’ head coach in 2011, has posted a sub-.500 record in three of his five seasons with the team. However, his overall regular-season mark in Carolina is 47-32-1, and the team has won the NFC South three times in a row, earning the division title in 2014 despite a 7-8-1 record.
Following a 2013 campaign that saw the Panthers finish 12-4 and earned Rivera AP Coach of the Year honors, Carolina locked up the coach to a three-year extension believed to be worth north of $4MM per season. The deal keeps Rivera under contract through 2017, but after this year’s NFC championship, the Panthers would like to extend the relationship beyond that, and give their head coach another raise.
In spite of the Panthers’ 2015 success, Rivera will benefit from keeping both his offensive and defensive coordinators for at least one more year. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott interviewed for the Browns’ and Buccaneers’ head coaching jobs, while offensive coordinator Mike Shula turned down at least one opportunity to interview for a head coaching position, a source tells Person.
Rivera is the second NFC South coach rumored this week to be working on a deal. Sean Payton suggested on Thursday that he’s moving closer to an extension with the Saints.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
QB Rumors: Manning, Flacco, Kaepernick
After repeatedly expressing since the Super Bowl that there’s no timeline for Peyton Manning to make his decision on whether or not to retire, Broncos general manager John Elway admitted during an appearance on NBCSN’s Pro Football Talk that he’ll need – and get – an answer before Manning’s 2016 salary becomes guaranteed on March 9th. Elway said on Thursday that the veteran quarterback still needs a little more time.
Here are a few more quarterback-related notes and rumors from around the NFL:
- The Ravens are growing more confident that they’ll be able to get a reworked deal done with quarterback Joe Flacco, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Zrebiec cautions that nothing is done yet, but says the outlook is improving. Any agreement between the two sides would, of course, reduce Flacco’s $28.55MM cap hit for 2016.
- Per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the 49ers view Colin Kaepernick‘s 2016 base salary ($11.9MM) as reasonable, and continue to believe that he has plenty of upside, so the team is still debating how to handle his trade request.
- With Carson Palmer set to turn 37 later this year, the Cardinals will need to identify a potential replacement for him at some point in the not-too-distant future. But as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes, that doesn’t mean the club will draft a QB this spring, since GM Steve Keim insists he doesn’t want to force a pick.
- Texans head coach Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith have no problem with owner Bob McNair publicly expressing that the team needs a solution at quarterback, says Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Both men acknowledge that McNair is right, and as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle outlines, O’Brien has a lengthy checklist for what traits he looks for in QBs.
- Generally speaking, teams lock up their starting quarterbacks before they reach unrestricted free agency, but there are several intriguing options set to become available this year, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who thinks 2016’s class could be the deepest and most interesting group of free agent QBs in years.