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Charles Tillman Not Planning Retirement

February 16th, 2015 at 8:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Even after consecutive seasons cut short by injuries as he enters free agency, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman has no interest in walking away now, Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports writes. Tillman, who turns 34 next week, says that’s he’s not going to “stop [playing] ’til I’m dead.”

Tillman tore the triceps tendon in his right arm midway through the 2013 season and again in the second game of 2014. Re-signed to a one-year, $3.25MM contract last year, Tillman says he’s had only a “hi and bye” interaction with new Bears GM Ryan Pace and coach John Fox. Considering his limited talks with Chicago, it’s not immediately clear if the interest in a reunion is mutual.

“That’s the business,” Tillman said. “I’m trying to feed my kids. So, whatever team’s going to help me pay my bills and help me feed my family – let’s go.”

One NFL executive, speaking on condition of anonymity for competitive reasons, said Tillman can still play in the right scheme but will have to sign an incentive-laden, “prove it” type of deal because of his age and recent medical history. Tillman, for his part, seemed to indicate that he’d be alright with that sort of deal.

Tillman, who is hungry to win a ring, says that he’ll be looking to join a winner this offseason. When asked recently, Tillman wouldn’t rule out the possibility of jumping ship to the rival Lions.

Draft Notes: Mariota, Coleman, Winston

February 16th, 2015 at 8:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota told reporters that he is still undecided about throwing at the combine, according to Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). Mariota says that he’ll decide in the next day or two as he evaluates his sore shoulder. Meanwhile, he has kept his pre-draft routine and training regiment fairly close to the vest, so it’s unknown how much throwing he has even done to date. Here’s more draft news..

Indiana running back Tevin Coleman won’t work out at the combine, Gil Brandt of NFL.com tweets. Coleman’s foot is still in a boot from offseason surgery and he won’t be ready to go in time, but he will work out at Indiana’s pro day on April 15th.
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock expects the Buccaneers to pick Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston over Mariota because of how the former Seminole fits into the Bucs’ offense, Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times writes. He doesn’t expect an easy decision for coach Lovie Smith and GM Jason Licht, however, and he expressed concern over Winston’s predilection for interceptions.
On his conference call with NFL reporters, Mayock said that he believes this year’s class is deepest at running back and wide receiver, and thinnest at quarterback and safety (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star). Mayock also said he believes there are eight top-tier defensive tackles in the 2015 draft class, with a drop off after that (Twitter link via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer).
Just 15 quarterbacks were invited to this year’s combine, the fewest in 13 years, according to Colleen Wolfe of NFL.com (on Twitter). Of course, things aren’t much better for quarterback-hungry teams on the open market.
Off-field issues will be a major topic of conversation this year in Indy, Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports writes. More so than the on-field workouts and athletic testing, the medical evaluation and the team interviews — the stuff that isn’t shown on TV — can be the most revealing information for NFL teams.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Latest On Chargers Stadium Situation

February 16th, 2015 at 6:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani issued remarks for San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer’s Stadium Task Force and the text has been republished on the Chargers’ site. On its face, the statements don’t seem encouraging for the Chargers’ odds of staying in San Diego, but Dan McSwain of U-T San Diego sees it more as a sign that the team wants to keep things honest and transparent.

“Simply put, it would not be fair to the Chargers – a team that has worked for 14 years to find a stadium solution in San Diego County – to allow other teams that themselves abandoned the LA market to now return and gut the Chargers’ local revenue stream,” Fabiani told the Task Force in Monday’s address. In short, the Chargers are saying that if anyone is going to move to Los Angeles, it should be the Chargers and not the Rams or Raiders who have squandered their opportunities in the nation’s second-largest media market before.

The Chargers also made it known that they want concrete evidence that a new stadium is coming and not just empty promises. That stadium, they say, can not be built on the cheap. “Looking around the country, new stadium costs are coming in at $1.2 (billion) to $1.5 billion. … We have heard commentators say that the stadium could be built for $700MM, or even less,” the statements read.

The Chargers also want a significant slice of the new revenue that comes from the stadium. Furthermore, the Bolts will be extremely reliant on public funding and Fabiani clearly stated that personal seat licenses are not a viable option for the team. While Jerry Jones was able to raise $470MM off of PSLs in Dallas, the Chargers cited feasibility studies which demonstrate that they cannot raise anything close to that.

AFC North Notes: Manziel, Forsett, Steelers

February 16th, 2015 at 5:51pm CST by Zachary Links

According to the 2014 NFL rankings in offense, defense, and special teams, the Bengals begin their season by playing half of the league’s top ten teams, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com writes. The Bengals could get a break playing four new coaching staffs on the road in the Bills, Broncos, Raiders, and 49ers, but it figures to be a tough path any way you slice it. All in all, the Bengals are estimated to have the second-toughest strength of schedule in the NFL. More from the AFC North..

A Browns player admits to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that he openly wondered to a teammate what sort of shape the club would be in if Cleveland had selected Teddy Bridgewater last May instead of Johnny Manziel. Cleveland had been set to pick 26th overall before trading up to No. 22 to nab Manziel — Bridgewater eventually went 32nd overall to Minnesota.
While Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun isn’t buying chatter about Ravens running back Justin Forsett following Gary Kubiak to the Broncos, he definitely wouldn’t be surprised if tight end Owen Daniels lands in Denver this offseason.
The agent for Steelers linebacker James Harrison tells Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link) that his client will make an announcement about his future before the new league year begins on March 10. Harrison doesn’t have a contract for 2015, and could decide to call it a career — the veteran will turn 37 this May.
In his examination of the Steelers‘ offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap says that the team will have to be “very careful” with Jason Worilds, since he can be very inconsistent and isn’t an elite pass rusher. In Fitzgerald’s view, the Steelers would be overpaying Worilds if they use the transition tag on him again.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Wes Welker Plans To Play In 2015

February 16th, 2015 at 4:42pm CST by Luke Adams

A report last week indicated that Wes Welker was mulling the possibility of retiring this offseason, but it looks as if the veteran wideout will continue his NFL career for at least one more season. Welker tells Mike Klis of the Denver Post that he fully intends to return to the field for 2015.

“Just getting ready for 2015,” Welker said in a text message to Klis. Asked about last week’s report about the possibility of retirement, the receiver added: “Never ever came out of my mouth.”

Mike Garafolo’s report last Tuesday suggested that, although Welker had told friends, family, and associates that he was giving some thought to the idea of retirement, he had not yet made his decision. Now, it appears he has. Of course, even if the 33-year-old plans to return to action next season, his future is still a little uncertain. He’s not under contract with the Broncos for 2015, and Denver has a handful of key free agents to retain, including Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Terrance Knighton. Welker could be the odd man out, depending on how the team’s offseason develops.

After averaging about 106 receptions in his previous seven seasons, Welker caught just 49 passes in 2014. The dip in production coincided with increasing concerns about the veteran’s health — he suffered at least three concussions during his stint with the Broncos, prompting multiple former teammates to express some concern about his injury history.

Welker’s expiring contract with Denver was a two-year, $12MM pact. Assuming he does indeed continue his playing career, he’ll almost certainly take a paycut for the 2015 season.

Eagles Declined Gordon/Foles Trade In 2013

February 16th, 2015 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Much has been made of the rumored 2013 trade that would have sent Browns receiver Josh Gordon to the 49ers nearly two years ago — the Niners were reportedly prepared to send Cleveland at least a second-round pick, but owner Jimmy Haslam is believed to have stepped in and shut down trade discussions. It turns out that San Francisco wasn’t the only team with whom the Browns had serious talks about Gordon that year. According to Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com, the Eagles also spoke to Cleveland in 2013 about a possible Gordon deal.

Sheridan reports that the trade, which was ultimately nixed by the Eagles, would have involved quarterback Nick Foles heading to Cleveland. For context, Foles had won just one of his six career starts for Philadelphia at that point, while Gordon was facing a two-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Both players ended up having outstanding 2013 campaigns, with Gordon leading the league in receiving yards and Foles tossing 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions. Their 2014 seasons were less successful, however — Gordon missed 10 games due to another suspension, and struggled to fit into the offense upon his return, while Foles had turnover problems in the first half and was eventually sidelined for the year with a broken collarbone.

Even though this isn’t exactly a current trade rumor, it’s still entertaining to imagine what might have been. With Foles under contract, the Browns presumably wouldn’t have Johnny Manziel on their current roster, and might be deciding this winter whether or not to extend Foles. As for Gordon, perhaps he’d still be dealing with the same off-field issues in Philadelphia, but given what we’ve heard about the Browns’ organization within the last few weeks, it’s fair to wonder if a change of scenery – not to mention a spot in Chip Kelly‘s offense – might have significantly altered the young wideout’s course over the last couple years.

Heading into 2015, there’s still some uncertainty surrounding both players, with Gordon facing at least a year-long suspension, and Foles entering the final year of his contract. Of course, Gordon’s NFL future is much more up in the air than Foles’, so if this swap was indeed on the table back in 2013, the Eagles’ front office should be happy it didn’t put the trigger.

Justin Houston, Chiefs Working On Long-Term Deal

February 16th, 2015 at 3:37pm CST by Ben Levine

MONDAY, 3:37pm: So far, there’s been “zero progress” in talks between Houston and the Chiefs, a source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The two sides are hoping to move closer to an agreement at the combine this week.

SUNDAY, 4:04pm: The Chiefs won’t use the franchise tag on Houston until the two parties meet, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). Additionally, Houston’s reps haven’t made a decision on whether on not they would sign the franchise tender (link).

10:25am: Over the next couple of days, the Chiefs and Joel Segal, the agent for Justin Houston, will see if they can come to an agreement on a multi-year deal for the All-Pro linebacker, reports Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. It was only a month ago that we heard the two sides had had “zero talks” regarding a new contract, but there was continuing belief that the Chiefs wanted to retain the Pro Bowler.

As we heard previously (and as Florio reiterates in his article), Kansas City was expected to place the franchise tag on Houston. While there were questions regarding whether the player would be tagged as a linebacker or defensive end, Houston was still expected to promptly sign the contract. Both sides may still go down that path, giving them additional time to negotiate a long-term deal. Florio notes that a “new strategy” could emerge should Houston be dissatisfied with Kansas City’s offer.

Houston made his third-straight Pro Bowl in 2014, compiling career-highs in tackles (59), forced fumbles (four), and sacks (22), the latter of which broke a franchise record. Houston was far and away the highest rated 3-4 outside linebacker in Pro Football Focus’ ratings (subscription required). In fact, his 51.1 overall rating trailed only J.J. Watt, Khalil Mack and Von Miller among defenders.

South Notes: Titans, Roos, Panthers, Texans

February 16th, 2015 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Late last month, when I considered the idea of the Titans making use of their franchise tag this year, I singled out edge defender Derrick Morgan and punter Brett Kern as the likeliest candidates, but suggested that the club was unlikely to tag anyone. General manager Ruston Webster confirmed as much today, as Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com writes. “I don’t see it as in play,” Webster said of the franchise and transition tags, suggesting that if the Titans decide to bring back players like Morgan, Kern, and kicker Ryan Succop, they’ll simply negotiate new deals rather than locking them up with a tag.

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two South divisions:

Longtime Titans tackle Michael Roos still hasn’t decided whether or not he’ll play in 2015, a source tells Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link). Presumably, Tennessee is planning to move on without Roos, since there’s a good chance he retires, and he’s eligible for free agency anyway.
The Panthers have promoted secondary coach Steve Wilks, who also leads the team’s pass defense, to the position of assistant head coach, the club announced today (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that colleagues believe Wilks has a future as a head coach.
John McClain of the Houston Chronicle takes a look at a few items on the Texans‘ offseason checklist, suggesting that the team has four potential free agents it should “make every effort” to re-sign: cornerback Kareem Jackson, offensive tackle Derek Newton, outside linebacker Brooks Reed, and quarterback Ryan Mallett.
Speaking of Jackson, the Texans corner appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio (SoundCloud link) today and indicated that he and the team hope to work out a new agreement prior to the start of next month’s free agent period. Jackson added that he wouldn’t be thrilled with the idea of being franchised, since he’d prefer more long-term security, though I’d be surprised if Houston used its tag on him anyway, given the cost.

Randall Cobb Seeking $9MM Per Year?

February 16th, 2015 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

As I outlined this morning, 2015’s franchise tag period begins today, which means teams will have two weeks to assign franchise or transition tags to potential free agents. One candidate for the tag is Packers wideout Randall Cobb, but Green Bay would presumably much rather work out a longer-term arrangement with Cobb. And according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, early indications are that Cobb will be seeking about $9MM per year on a multiyear contract.

If that is indeed Cobb’s asking price, it should be within reason for the Packers. As Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com observes (via Twitter), Green Bay signed Greg Jennings to a three-year deal worth $9MM annually coming off his rookie contract, and while salaries around the league have risen since then, Jennings also was a little more consistently productive during his first four NFL seasons than Cobb has been in his.

In his first full season as a starter in 2014, Cobb put up No. 1 receiver numbers, totaling 1,287 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 91 receptions. However, those numbers likely wouldn’t look quite as good if he weren’t catching balls from 2014 MVP – and arguably the best quarterback in the NFL – Aaron Rodgers. As we saw with Eric Decker a year ago, posting huge numbers in a dynamic offense led by an MVP quarterback doesn’t always lead to a massive payday — Decker’s deal with the Jets averaged just over $7MM annually.

In Cobb’s case, the Packers also have to consider the presence of Jordy Nelson. Nelson is more of a traditional No. 1 wideout than Cobb, and he signed an extension last year for four years and $39MM. As I wrote in December, Green Bay may want to keep Cobb’s deal in line with Nelson’s or slightly lower, so a $9MM annual salary would fit that criteria.

While it doesn’t appear that talks between the Packers and Cobb’s camp have ramped up yet, the two sides will have a couple weeks before the team needs to make a decision on the franchise tag. The salary for the wide receiver tag hasn’t been set, but 2014’s figure was $12.312MM, and 2015’s will be a little higher.

Colts Release Shaun Phillips

February 16th, 2015 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Colts have parted ways with a player they picked up halfway through the 2014 season, announcing today in a press release that they’ve released veteran outside linebacker Shaun Phillips. Phillips was also cut back in November by the Titans, but didn’t reach free agency, after being claimed off waivers by Indianapolis. Because players with Phillips’ NFL experience aren’t subject to waivers during the offseason, he’ll be free to sign with any team this time.

Phillips, 33, played nine seasons for the Chargers before joining the Broncos in 2013 and then signing with the Titans last March. The veteran inked a two-year, $5MM contract with Tennessee, but wasn’t overly effective in a part-time role, recording just a pair of sacks after reaching double-digits in 2013. With the Colts, Phillips made even less of an impact, recording seven tackles and no sacks in his five regular-season contests with the team.

The Colts’ claim of Phillips came at a time when the team was struggling to mount an outside pass rush, particularly with veteran edge defender Robert Mathis out for the year. However, Phillips was always viewed as a short-term option — his $2.65MM cap number for 2015 was too high for the Colts to consider carrying him, and the club will clear a little extra cap room by parting ways with him before free agency.