HEADLINES

Patriots Sign Nine To Futures Deals

February 5th, 2015 at 5:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots announced that they have signed nine practice squad players to contracts for 2015, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links):

Some of the signings, like Barker, were previously reported but not officially announced until today. Back in November, the Pats elevated the salaries of Bequette and Barker to $10K a week, well over the customary salary of $6,300 per week.

Titans Release Michael Oher

February 5th, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have waived (injured) veteran offensive tackle Michael Oher, according to the team’s official website. Oher signed with the Titans last offseason after playing his first five seasons with the Ravens. He played in eleven games in 2014 before being placed on injured reserve.

It was not a surprise to see Oher exit the team after just one season. His contract was considered pricey at the time of the signing, and after the team drafted Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan with its first-round pick, the need for Oher was mitigated. With a large cap number, the Titans were able to move on from Oher to create space for incoming free agents. Oher allowed six sacks and 26 quarterback hurries in eleven games in 2014 before landing on IR.

According to OverTheCap.com, the man who inspired the a Hollywood movie has a $5MM cap number in 2015 with an increase to $6MM the following two years. However, Tennessee will save $2MM this offseason and more going forward with this move. By reducing that large cap number, the team was able to move on from Oher to create space for incoming free agents. Had Oher remained on the Titans’ roster on Friday, $3.35MM of his $4MM base salary would have been fully guaranteed.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

North Notes: Ravens, Farmer, Suh

February 5th, 2015 at 2:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Haloti Ngata‘s future is the most pressing question facing the Ravens this offseason, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Ngata, 31, is set to count $16MM against Baltimore’s cap in 2015. While he did rate as the ninth-best 3-4 defensive end among 47 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Ngata was suspended for four games after violating the league’s PED policy. Hensley also expects the Ravens to target players who get cut in free agency. He lists some names to watch, including Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, and Jets running back Chris Johnson. Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC North..

  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the latest on the TextGate controversy, reporting that Browns GM Ray Farmer actually sent messages to a non-coaching employee on the sidelines who then relayed those messages to the coaching staff. Florio also surmises that Farmer could be something of a “fall guy” for the scandal, adding that owner Jimmy Haslam could have been the one directing Farmer.
  • The Lions are expressing confidence that they’ll retain Ndamukong Suh, but that doesn’t mean much to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com since they’ve been saying the same thing for a year now. Until something is signed or announced, Rothstein cautions fans not to fully believe that Suh will be back. In theory, the Lions could also use the franchise tag to keep Suh, but that would cost them upwards of $26MM.
  • More from Rothstein, who looked at impending Lions free agent Dan Orlovsky. The 10-year veteran was signed to back up starter Matthew Stafford and, fortunately for Detroit, Stafford did not miss a snap all year. Rothstein says it wouldn’t be surprising to see Orlovsky back with Detroit when considering his experience and low cost.
  • Packers linebacker Sam Barrington broke a bit of news on Twitter today when he congratulated Ron Zook on becoming the team’s new special teams coordinator. Zook, of course, previously served as head coach at the University of Florida and the University of Illinois.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Thursday

February 5th, 2015 at 1:36pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here..

  • Offensive lineman Chris Barker has signed a one-year futures deal with the Patriots, a source tells Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald (Twitter link). Barker was waived from the Pats’ 53-man roster in late October but was quickly re-signed to their taxi squad after clearing waivers. The University of Nevada product went undrafted in 2013.

NFC South Notes: Haralson, Saints, Panthers

February 5th, 2015 at 1:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are starting to work on their free agents but there’s nothing new regarding linebacker Parys Haralson yet, according to Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter). The 31-year-old played in all 16 games in 2014 and made 12 starts. He registered 36 total tackles, 3.0 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery on the year. More from the NFC South..

  • Renee Benson testified Wednesday that her stepmother has kept her from seeing her father, Saints owner Tom Benson, Katherine Sayre of The Times-Picayune writes. Renee, Rita and Ryan Benson are waging a legal fight to have Tom Benson declared incompetent to manage his sports empire and other wealth. Last month, the 87-year-old announced that he intends to leave full ownership and control of the Saints (and the NBA’s Pelicans) to wife Gayle Benson rather than the three previous heirs.
  • Assistant wide receivers coach Carter Sheridan officially left the Saints to become the receivers coach at Tulane, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes. Sheridan was with the Saints organization for eleven years, starting out as an intern in the marketing department in 2004 before he made the transition to the coaching staff.
  • The Panthers promoted assistant Bruce DeHaven to the position of special teams coordinator and he’ll have his work cut out for him. If DeHaven and the Panthers are serious about improving in the third facet of the game, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer says they need to start by adding a veteran returner since they never properly replaced Ted Ginn last year. GM Dave Gettleman said last month he was considering bringing in players to play exclusively on special teams and Person supports that idea. The Panthers finished at or near the bottom in a number of key special teams categories under Richard Rodgers, who was moved to the defensive staff.

Saints Re-Sign Luke McCown

February 5th, 2015 at 10:45am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints have re-signed backup quarterback Luke McCown to a one-year deal worth $970K, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune. The base salary is the minimum for a ten-yer veteran. McCown received an $80K signing bonus, and $350K in guarantees, per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link).

McCown, like many backup signal-callers, is something of a journeyman, having spent time with the Browns, Buccaneers, Jaguars, and Falcons in addition to the Saints. All told, he’s attempted 317 NFL passes, completing 184 for 2,035 yards and nine touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Originally a fourth-round pick by Cleveland in 2004, the 33-year-old McCown has spent the last two seasons as New Orleans’ No. 2 behind Drew Brees, attempting just one pass during that stretch.

According to Woodbery, McCown will compete with third-year player Ryan Griffin for the backup position. The two staged a similar competition last year, which McCown won, relegating Griffin to the practice squad for much of the season. McCown will now remain in the same division as his older brother, Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown.

West Notes: Kris Richard, D. Thomas, Chiefs

February 5th, 2015 at 9:49am CST by Dallas Robinson

As we’ve heard previously, it sounds like Kris Richard is the favorite to become the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who reported last month that Richard was likely to become a DC in Seattle or Atlanta, agrees. Had Richard joined the Falcons, he would’ve followed ex-Seahawks DC Dan Quinn, whom Florio adds did in fact offer Richard a role on the Atlanta staff. But Richard, currently Seattle’s secondary coach, turned Quinn down, ostensibly because the Falcons have already hired a defensive coordinator in Richard Smith.

Here’s more from the West divisions:

  • Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas is one of two elite pass-catching options who could be available on the free agent market, writes Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News. Along with Dez Bryant, Thomas should be able to top the average annual values of Mike Wallace ($12MM) and Percy Harvin‘s ($12.9MM) contracts, but it will be tough for the duo to match the ~$16MM AAV earned by Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. Rather, Thomas and Bryant could aim to set a new second-tier of WR deals at around $14MM per year, per Fitzgerald.
  • In a piece for Over the Cap, Fitzgerald examines the offseason outlook for the Chiefs, who are currently projected at roughly $1.7MM over the cap. While labeling free agent linebacker Justin Houston a “must-sign,” Fitzgerald opines that Dwayne Bowe and Tamba Hali are candidates for pay cuts, if not outright release.
  • A new budget wrinkle proposed by President Obama could end up costing the Chargers as they attempt to build a new stadium, write Roger Showley and Lori Weisberg of U-T San Diego. Per the plan, clubs will no longer be able to use low-cost, tax-exempt municipal bonds to finance stadiums, meaning the Chargers could be forced to shoulder much of the financial burden themselves.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Mariota, Giants, JPP

February 5th, 2015 at 8:53am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles’ pass rush is in a state of flux, writes Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com, who notes that the club will have some tough personnel decisions to make this offseason. Veteran edge defender Trent Cole is a candidate for release — after accruing 6.5 sacks last season, he’s set to count $11.625MM against Philadelphia’s cap in 2015, and the Eagles could clear more than $8MM by cutting him. Fellow pass-rusher Brandon Graham is a free agent, and could earn a hefty deal on the open market from a team with a 4-3 defense. Meanwhile, 2014 first-rounder Marcus Smith is a “complete unknown,” per Kapadia, who can’t be counted on to produce next year.

Let’s check out more from the NFC East:

  • The Eagles are one of four teams who should consider trading up in the draft to select a quarterback, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required). Although the cost to move up figures to be prohibitive, reuniting Marcus Mariota with head coach Chip Kelly would be “tantalizing,” writes Yates, who lists the Jets, Bears, and Rams as other clubs that could look to trade up.
  • After a disappointing season that saw them finish 6-10, the Giants might not want to retain many of their free agents. But defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul clearly tops the list of impending FAs, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, who ranks all 21 New York free agents. Defensive backs Walter Thurmond and Antrel Rolle follow JPP at Nos. 2 and 3, per Raanan.
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com (video link) discussed the changes that new defensive coordinator Joe Barry might make in Washington as well as the gameplan of new GM Scot McCloughan.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: CFL, Draft, Jackson, Packers

February 4th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The CFL has been making major waves in the NFL in recent days, as Over The Cap’s Zack Moore writes. Chris Matthews looked like an absolute stud for the Seahawks in the Super Bowl while receiver Duron Carter and lineman Ben Heenan landed deals with the Colts. This isn’t the first time either of those two teams have gone to Canada to find talent and it’s a part of a broader trend in the NFL. The NFL is looking more and more like the CFL with its no huddle offenses, no-back sets, and shorter time between plays, making the CFL the perfect minor league. More from around the NFL..

  • Joel Corry of CBSSports.com ran down some of the key offseason dates between now and the NFL’s Annual Meeting in late March. Some of the dates have league-wide significance while others affect specific player contracts. As Corry notes, February 6th will be a key date for notable names such as Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Rob Gronkowski.
  • West Virginia’s Kevin White has leapfrogged Alabama’s Amari Cooper as the consensus top wide receiver in the 2015 draft, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link). Ultimately, though, it’s a talented class and several teams in the top ten could go for receivers. Cooper, White, and Louisville’s DeVante Parker could all go inside of the top ten picks, according to Miller. Still, he doesn’t think that this year’s top trio is quite as talented as last year’s. Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, and Odell Beckham Jr. were the first three receivers taken in 2014, so they have a tough act to follow.
  • Colts inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson was arrested Tuesday on a charge of simple assault after an altercation over a parking spot, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star writes. Jackson, considered one of the Colts’ veteran leaders, signed with the Colts last spring after his release from the Browns on a five-year, ~$22MM deal. Jackson is the third Colts player to be arrested in the past month.
  • The Packers have some big decisions to make when it comes to their defensive line, Rob Reischel of the Journal-Sentinel writes. Of course, the arrest of Letroy Guion on Tuesday night only complicates matters for Green Bay.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Gordon, Ravens

February 4th, 2015 at 8:57pm CST by Zachary Links

There are no guarantees that Manziel, even if he embraces treatment, can be the cornerstone of the Browns franchise for years to come. Still, Manziel appears to be seeking help for his problem in treatment and they need to stand behind him, Maria Ridenour of the Beacon Journal writes. More from the AFC North..

  • Wide receiver Josh Gordon hasn’t met with the Browns since the end of the season, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). That might explain the disappointment reflected in the statement released by GM Ray Farmer earlier this week. Gordon, one of the most naturally gifted receivers in the game today, will be suspended for at least a year after failing yet another substance abuse test.
  • A league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Gordon will soon be filing a grievance with the assistance of the NFLPA challenging the suspension he received for missing a walk-through practice before the Browns’ season finale. The game check itself is secondary. Gordon is looking to get credit for a sixth game in 2014 and, in turn, a year of credit toward free agency. If Gordon loses the grievance (and gets reinstated), he won’t be eligible for unrestricted free agency until after the 2017 season. If he wins the grievance, he’ll be only one season away from hitting the market.
  • The Ravens‘ brain trust is currently at owner Steve Bisciotti’s Florida home and the top item on the agenda is probably creating more cap space, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. The Ravens won’t have much cap room, if any at all, unless they make cuts, sign players to extensions, or get players to agree to pay cuts. The team could start by releasing defensive tackle Haloti Ngata ($8.5MM) and defensive end Chris Canty ($2.66MM) for a combined savings of $11.1MM. Alternatively, they could look into an extensions for Ngata, guard Marshal Yanda, punter Sam Koch, and kicker Justin Tucker (restricted free agent). Meanwhile, cornerback Lardarius Webb and wide receiver Jacoby Jones could be asked to take a pay cut.
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