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AFC East Notes: Bills, Hughes, Dolphins, Jets

February 4th, 2015 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

During the Bills‘ sale process last year, several intriguing names surfaced as potential bidders, but no group ever emerged as a serious threat to Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula, who ultimately assumed control of the franchise. Months later, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News adds one more noteworthy name to the list of one-time suitors for the team. According to Graham, former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter explored the possibility of investing in the Bills while playing his final MLB season. Presumably, Jeter would have been a part of a larger group, considering the final sale price for the franchise was $1.4 billion.

While we try to wrap our heads around the idea of Jeter as a Bills shareholder, let’s check in on several more items from across the AFC East….

  • The Bills will have to think long and hard about whether or not edge defender Jerry Hughes is a good fit in Rex Ryan‘s defensive system, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN. If the free-agent-to-be, coming off consecutive seasons of 10+ sacks, is looking to be paid like a top-10 defensive end, that would mean an annual salary of $8.3MM+ and/or $20MM+ in guaranteed money. That seems a little too pricey if Hughes is relegated to a part-time pass rusher under Ryan.
  • Responding to a piece by his colleague Dave Hyde, Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel explores how difficult it would be to replace a handful of Dolphins starters if the team decides to cut them for cap purposes.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates takes a look at some good and bad cap situations around the NFL, identifying the Jets as a club with one of the most favorable outlooks.
  • If the Patriots cheated by deflating footballs in the AFC’s championships game, they’re hardly alone, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who details a number of rules violations committed by other NFL teams over the years. Per Florio, the NFL is currently investigating four cases of game-integrity violations — Deflategate, the Browns’ sideline texting incident, the Falcons’ artificial crowd noise, and one unknown issue.

2015 Salaries Become Guaranteed For Brees, Graham, Others

February 4th, 2015 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

Saints quarterback Drew Brees and tight end Jimmy Graham are among the players whose 2015 base salaries become fully guaranteed today, according to former player agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. The contracts for Brees, Graham, Browns cornerback Joe Haden, and Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy all call for guarantees on the third day of the 2015 waiver period, which is today.

For Brees, that means that his $18.75MM base salary for 2015 is now fully guaranteed (Twitter link). Combined with a $7.4MM prorated signing bonus charge and a $250K workout bonus, Brees now counts for $26.4MM against the Saints’ cap, though that number could be reduced if the veteran signal-caller restructures or extends his deal. As for Graham, his $2.9MM base salary for 2015 becomes guaranteed along with his $5MM roster bonus for this year (Twitter link). After counting for just $4MM against New Orleans’ cap in 2014, the tight end’s cap number jumps to $11MM for the coming year.

Like Brees, Haden will simply see his 2015 base salary ($8.3MM) guaranteed today, without any additional bonuses (Twitter link). That locks him in for an $11.7MM cap hit on the Browns’ books, which is actually a step down from 2014’s $12.13MM figure.

Finally, McCoy’s contract sees the most activity — not only will his $5MM base salary and $6.5MM roster bonus for 2015 become guaranteed, but he’ll also have his 2016 base salary ($6MM) guaranteed, ensuring that he secures $17.5MM in total guarantees today (Twitter links). The standout defensive lineman is on the books for a $14.595MM cap number for the coming season.

2015 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates: NFC North

February 4th, 2015 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

The deadline for assigning a franchise or transition tag on a 2015 free-agent-to-be is less than a month away, and we’re in the process of taking a look at players who are candidates to be tagged this year. Last week, we examined all four AFC divisions, covering the East, North, South, and West. This week, we’re shifting our focus to the NFC — we kicked things off on Tuesday with the East and we’ll tackle the North today. Here’s a breakdown of the franchise and transition tag candidates for the Bears, Lions, Packers, and Vikings:

Chicago Bears:

  • Candidates: Stephen Paea
  • Odds of being used: Unlikely
  • The Bears have a ton of pending free agents, but most of them are either non-core players, or longtime contributors who are no longer realistic candidates to be tagged, such as Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs. I don’t expect Chicago to use either of its tags, but if there’s one option out there, it’s probably Paea, whose impressive 2014 campaign may have been overlooked by many due to the defense’s poor overall performance. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded Paea as the league’s 11th-best defensive tackle, marking him down for 47 overall quarterback pressures, a lofty total for an interior lineman — among DTs, only Ndamukong Suh (57) and Kyle Williams (49) had more. It probably won’t take a franchise tag to retain Paea, but he should be a priority for the Bears if they have a spot for him in Vic Fangio‘s new defensive scheme.

Detroit Lions:

  • Candidates: Ndamukong Suh, Matt Prater
  • Odds of being used: Possible
  • You could make a case for Suh as the league’s top free-agent-to-be this offseason, which would normally mean the franchise tag makes a ton of sense. In Suh’s case though, his 2014 salary was so high that the cost of a franchise tag would be astronomical — nearly $27MM. As such, a long-term extension will be the Lions’ preference, but tagging Suh could be a last resort. If the star defender isn’t tagged, Prater may be considered, since he made 87% of his field goals for the club after a shaky debut. Still, considering they picked him up off the scrap heap just a few months ago, the Lions likely won’t have to tag the kicker to bring him back. Nick Fairley and Rashean Mathis are other regulars who may be briefly considered, but neither appears to be a viable option.

Green Bay Packers:

  • Candidates: Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga
  • Odds of being used: Possible
  • Cobb and Bulaga are players Green Bay would almost certainly like to have around for the 2015 season, and the wideout is the stronger candidate for a franchise tag than the offensive lineman. Although Bulaga has developed into a reliable right tackle for the Packers, the position just isn’t one that gets big money — as Over the Cap’s data shows, the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL (Gosder Cherilus) averages just $7MM per year, and a franchise salary would be significantly higher than that. Cobb, on the other hand, is coming off a season in which he recorded 91 receptions, 1,287 receiving yards, and 12 TDs. Those are No. 1 WR numbers, and Cobb is just 24 years old, so the Packers may be willing to pay him like one of the league’s best wideouts for a year while they try to work out a longer-term deal that’s worth a little less annually. Cornerback Tramon Williams is another solid contributor who might warrant fleeting consideration for a tag.

Minnesota Vikings:

  • Candidates: None
  • Odds of being used: Very unlikely
  • Defensive regulars Jasper Brinkley and Tom Johnson are among the club’s contributors eligible for free agency this offseason, but Minnesota doesn’t have a key free agent worth an eight-digit salary for 2015.

Extra Points: Tannehill, Foles, Bryant

February 3rd, 2015 at 10:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Creative Artists Agency employee Ben Dogra is now the co-CEO of the football division at Relativity Sports, as Darren Heitner of Forbes.com writes. As of September 26, Dogra was on record as representing 39 players signed to NFL deals, but it’s not clear how many he’ll be taking over with him. Dogra will share duties with contract advisor Eugene Parker, an interesting twist since the two men were bitter rivals for nearly two decades in the business. More from around the NFL..

  • There is a lot of work for the Dolphins to do this offseason, but their biggest decision might be how to handle the contract situation of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, James Walker of ESPN.com writes. Miami could trigger Tannehill’s expensive fifth-year team option at $15MM, work out a long-term extension, or roll the dice and wait it out with the QB. The $15MM option is obviously steep, but Miami could theoretically justify it by contrasting it to Tannehill’s $2.117MM salary for 2015. Averaged out, that’s just $8.5MM per year.
  • Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine looked at the Eagles‘ quarterback spot. There has been buzz that the Eagles will replace quarterback Nick Foles with Marcus Mariota, but it seems like a longshot that they can move up to No. 1 to grab the Oregon product. Instead, Kapadia sees Foles staying while the Eagles bring in a new backup to replace Mark Sanchez and a developmental prospect to replace Matt Barkley.
  • Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News is optimistic when it comes to the Cowboys‘ chances of keeping their two star free agents. He’s about 100% certain that Dez Bryant will be back in Dallas and 70-75% on DeMarco Murray.
  • The Patriots announced that special teams coordinator Scott O’Brien is retiring and assistant coach Joe Judge has been elevated to his role, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter).
  • The Eagles announced (on Twitter) that Matthew Harper will be the team’s new assistant defensive backs coach while Michael Clay will be the new assistant special teams coach. The Eagles (link) also hired Princeton’s inside linebackers coach Stephen Thomas to be the team’s defensive quality control coach.
  • Alabama Director of Football Operations, Joe Pannunzio, is also headed to the Eagles, according to Aaron Suttles of The Tuscaloosa News (on Twitter).

South Notes: Jones, Blackmon, LeBeau

February 3rd, 2015 at 9:37pm CST by Zachary Links

News out of the AFC and NFC South..

  • Some have concluded that since Julio Jones has one year left on his contract and is on the verge of getting a lucrative extension that new Falcons coach Dan Quinn would prefer to trade him for extra draft picks. However, his comments during a Tuesday news conference indicate that Jones is a part of Quinn’s gameplan going forward. “Absolutely — I can’t wait (to meet him). Just a chance to go through the process with him. … We love great players. We’re trying to celebrate all the good guys. We’re trying to collect more great players, not the other way around,” Quinn said, according to Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  • The odds are against guys like Josh Gordon and Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon making it back to the NFL, opines Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Both have lots of work ahead of them in the league substance abuse program and have spent a good deal of time away from the team structure.
  • Dick LeBeau might have several former players who could be available to join him with the Titans, as Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. Safety Troy Polamalu, defensive end Brett Keisel, linebacker James Harrison, and cornerback Ike Taylor could all be available and interested in a reunion with the 77-year-old coach. Polamalu currently has two years left on his deal with Pittsburgh but it’s conceivable that they could part ways. Taylor was considering retirement but recently decided that he would return to football.
  • Panthers coach Ron Rivera reassigned special teams coordinator Richard Rodgers, sources told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Carolina’s special teams finished at or near the bottom in a number of major special teams categories this past season. Rivera will promote Rodgers’ assistant Bruce DeHaven to fill that role.

North Notes: Felton, Webb, Branch

February 3rd, 2015 at 9:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Mike Zimmer led the Vikings to a 7-9 record in his first season despite a long list of personnel issues, including the loss of Adrian Peterson. Some folks might have been surprised, but not Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. “I thought he did an outstanding job, a fine job,” Lewis said of his longtime defensive coordinator, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “I know they’re excited for next year (in Minnesota).” More from the North divisions..

  • Fullback Jerome Felton, who has decided to opt out of the final year of his deal with the Vikings, told Ben Goessling of ESPN.com that he was frustrated by the absence of Peterson in 2014. “Once Adrian went down, it changed things,” Felton said. “For a while there, my numbers went back up and I started playing well. But when you have the best running back in the world, that changes the offense. (Offensive coordinator) Norv (Turner) and (running backs coach) Kirby (Wilson) were always great communicating with me. The team supported me in what I was doing. It was a tough year from the standpoint of wanting to do more, but I felt like I grew as a leader this year. I didn’t let those things turn me into a negative influence in the locker room. I tried to keep supporting my guys.”
  • Lardarius Webb’s contract is an offseason issue the Ravens will likely have to address, Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com writes. Webb still has three years remaining on a contract due to pay him $8MM in base salary next season. The Ravens could use a more cap-friendly deal, because even if they cut him, they would only save $2MM in cap room. Webb should be open to some sort of adjustment because he probably wouldn’t get more than $8MM on the open market.
  • Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that the Browns expressed interest in signing him in October. However, he liked the defense in New England and wanted to play alongside Vince Wilfork.

West Notes: Parker, Chiefs, Wilson

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Chiefs defensive back Ron Parker, who had a breakout season in which he contributed at both safety and cornerback, looks poised to hit the open market, and is expected to be seeking a four- or five-year deal worth $6MM annually, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Though he only had one interception, Parker kept receivers from burning the Chiefs deep. All in all, KC went from the 25th ranked pass defense in 2013 to the second best in 2014. More from the AFC and NFC West..

  • Meanwhile, Paylor (on Twitter) says that he can’t see Rodney Hudson getting less than $5MM per year. The Chiefs center, ranked third at his position last year by Pro Football Focus (subscription required), could be headed for upwards of $7MM per year.
  • So much for playing hard-to-get. On Tuesday, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson reiterated his desire to stay in Seattle for the remainder of his career, as Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. “To be honest with you, I haven’t really thought anything about it. You know, I obviously want to play in Seattle forever. That’s my goal, and I want to be with this organization. I love this organization. I love this city. I love these fans, and I love winning here,” Wilson said. Wilson was also asked about the idea of being the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, but he doesn’t “worry” about having that mantle.
  • Dick LeBeau turned down an offer to become the associate head coach of the Cardinals because it was too far from his home in Cincinnati, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter). The Titans, meanwhile, are only a four-hour car ride away in Nashville.

Titans To Hire Dick LeBeau As Assistant

February 3rd, 2015 at 7:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is expected to be named the assistant head coach of the Titans, sources tell Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (on Twitter). LeBeau, 77, parted ways with Pittsburgh after a ten year stint with the team.

LeBeau was honored by the city of Pittsburgh earlier today and played coy when asked about what was next for him, as Bob Bauder of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. LeBeau said he “talked to some people” about coaching again, but would not offer specifics after he was given the key to the city. The Hall of Famer helped guide the Steelers to two Super Bowl trophies during his time there.

After leaving the Steelers, LeBeau had multiple suitors calling him, including the Cardinals. Arizona was set to make him a linebackers coach, but things fell apart for undisclosed reasons. At one point it was said that LeBeau would only seek defensive coordinator openings, but he had a change of heart as he has taken a different staff job with the Titans for 2015.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

February 3rd, 2015 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s waiver period for 2015 officially opened this week after the Super Bowl, which means we should see an uptick in transactions over the next few weeks, even before free agency opens on March 10. Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the league:

  • The Colts announced today that they have agreed to terms with guard Ben Heenan. Heenan, 6’4″, 316 pounds, spent the last three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. In 2014, he started all 21 games for the Roughriders, released Heenan from his CFL deal this week to allow him to pursue NFL opportunities. Heenan had offers from five NFL teams, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • The Bills have claimed wide receiver Justin Brown off waivers from the Steelers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). The Steelers waived Brown back in December to make room for the addition of Ben Tate. Brown, a sixth-round choice in 2013, caught 12 passes for 94 yards during his time in Pittsburgh.
  • While Brown didn’t clear waivers, several other players who were cut since the end of the regular season made it through, tweets Wilson. Safety Jakar Hamilton (Cowboys), offensive lineman Darren Keyton (Lions), and tight end Steve Maneri (Patriots) all went unclaimed.
  • After signing a reserve/futures contract with the Lions at the end of the regular season, tight end Ifeanyi Momah was cut today by the team due to a failure to disclose a physical condition, tweets Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Momah spent time on the Lions’ and Browns’ practice squads in 2014.
  • The Saints formally terminated the contract of linebacker Cheta Ozougwu today, says Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune (Twitter links). Ozougwu spent the entire 2014 season on New Orleans’ reserve-PUP list.
  • Fullback Greg Jones, who announced his retirement last month, has officially been moved to the reserve/retired list by the Jaguars, per Wilson (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Josh Gordon Suspended For At Least One Year

February 3rd, 2015 at 5:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

FEBRUARY 3RD, 5:42pm: Browns GM Ray Farmer released a statement regarding Gordon.

“As we have conveyed, we are disappointed to once again be at this point with Josh,” Farmer said, according to ESPN.com. “Throughout his career we have tried to assist him in getting support like we would with any member of our organization. Unfortunately our efforts have not resonated with him. It is evident that Josh needs to make some substantial strides to live up to the positive culture we are trying to build this football team upon. Our hope is that this suspension affords Josh the opportunity to gain some clarity in determining what he wants to accomplish moving forward and if he wants a career in the Nation Football League. We will have no further comment on Josh as he will not be permitted in our facility for the duration of his suspension.”

5:05pm: The NFL announced that it has officially suspended Gordon without pay for at least one year, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter).

JANUARY 25TH: 3:50pm: Due to his suspension, Gordon will be under contract with the Browns through the 2016 season, at which point he will only become a restricted free agent, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

2:50pm: Browns receiver Josh Gordon has failed another substance abuse test and will be subject to a one-year suspension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Unlike his past bans, which were marijuana-related, Gordon reportedly tested positive for alcohol, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). Gordon will presumably miss the entire 2015 season."<strong

Gordon will be able to appeal the decision, but given his history of transgressions, it seems unlikely that the league will reverse course. Indeed, a source tells Florio (via Twitter) that a successful appeal is improbable, and that the one-year ban is a “done deal.” An NFL player being suspended, or even being tested for, alcohol use, seems odd on its face, but Florio tweets that Gordon was being screened for alcohol due to his DUI arrest last year. The NFL’s drug policy is clear on the issue: “Alcohol is prohibited only if a player’s treatment plan explicitly prohibits alcohol,” according to the agreement, which lists more than .06 grams per deciliter as a failed test, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Since his entry into the league in 2012, Gordon’s NFL career has been tumultuous to say the least. He missed the first two games of the 2013 season following a drug suspension, but then went on to lead the NFL in receiving yards, finishing with 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. Hopes were high for the 2014 season, but Gordon’s off-the-field issues arose again, as he was first arrested for DUI, and then suspended for one year after again violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. He was eventually reinstated after only 10 games as part of the NFL and the players’ union agreeing to a new drug policy, which reduced the sentences for some players-in-limbo. The Browns subsequently suspended Gordon for the final contest of the season after he reportedly violated team rules.

This latest development could be the final nail in the coffin for Gordon’s tenure in Cleveland. Trade rumors have surrounded the 23-year-old dating back to the 2012 season, as Browns coaches and management were reportedly growing increasingly frustrated with his actions. A trade is almost inconceivable now, as no club would part with draft pick compensation to acquire a player who will miss the entirety of the upcoming season. But a release seems like very real possibility, especially if Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who reportedly blocked a Gordon-to-San Francisco trade, is fed up with his receiver’s struggles.

Gordon was set to count $1.68MM against Cleveland’s cap in 2015. About $565K of that total was due to signing bonus proration, money that the Browns could look to recoup following this suspension. Additionally, Gordon’s contract will now toll for another season, making it unclear when he’ll be a free agent. Because he wasn’t active for six games in 2014, there was speculation that he did not accrue a season towards free agency. Gordon and his representatives had planned to appeal that decision or take legal action, but that point now appears moot, at least for the time being.

For the Browns, this latest development will mean ever more fluctuation for an offense that lost its coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, to Atlanta following reports of friction between the coaching staff and the front office. Not only will Gordon be absent more the 2015 season, but the club’s other offensive playmaker, tight end Jordan Cameron, is a pending free agent, so it’s possible he won’t return. Quarterback Brian Hoyer is also an FA, while Johnny Manziel, last year’s first-round pick, didn’t show much in his limited playing time. It’s fair to wonder if Cleveland will select a receiver in the draft, or perhaps target someone like Randall Cobb or Jeremy Maclin in free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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