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Raiders Re-Sign Charles Woodson

February 2nd, 2015 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 2, 1:09pm: According to former agent Joel Corry (via Twitter), Woodson’s one-year deal has a base value of $3.2MM, including a $1.4MM signing bonus. However, it will count for $4.2MM against the Raiders’ cap after taking into account the likely-to-be-earned incentives.

JANUARY 26, 3:25pm: Agent Carl Poston tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Woodson signed a one-year contract similar to the $1.8MM deal he agreed to a year ago. Over the Cap has Woodson’s previous pact listed as a one-year, $2.5MM base deal, with $1MM in likely-to-be-earned incentives, so if it’s similar to that one, it should be worth more than just $1.8MM.

2:52pm: Charles Woodson will be back for at least one more season in Oakland in 2015, according to the Raiders, who announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve re-signed the veteran defensive back. While details of the agreement aren’t yet known, it appears it’ll be another one-year deal for the 17-year pro.

Woodson, who turned 38 in October, signed a one-year, $3.5MM contract with the Raiders last March and started all 16 games for the club, grabbing four interceptions to go along with a career-high 111 tackles. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) didn’t love his performance, ranking him 68th out of 87 qualified safeties, due in part to the 355 yards after catch he allowed, a figure that was highest among safeties.

Still, PFF’s grades were significantly kinder to Woodson in 2013, and even as he enters his age-39 season, the former fourth overall pick still appears capable of logging major time in the secondary. Woodson has averaged more than 1,100 defensive snaps in his last two seasons in Oakland, placing him within the top 10 for safeties in both 2013 and 2014.

Woodson was one of the team’s only safeties who managed to stay healthy for the entire 2014 season, as Oakland saw both Tyvon Branch and Usama Young head to injured reserve within the first few weeks of the year. Brandian Ross started for much of the season alongside Woodson, but either Branch or Young should return to the starting lineup in 2015. The club will have to make a decision on Branch, whose ’15 cap hit is currently $9.657MM.

Ravens Release Terrence Cody

February 2nd, 2015 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 2, 1:08pm: The Ravens have officially released Cody, the team announced today (via Twitter).

JANUARY 23, 1:00pm: Peter Schaffer, Cody’s agent, says his client’s dog died due to worms and “there was no animal cruelty” involved, per Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (TwitLonger link).

“If this affects at all my client’s ability to get a job, I’m going to do everything in my legal power to protect his rights,” Schaffer said. The agent also spoke to Aaron Wilson about the issue, suggesting that the league has created an “atmosphere of hysteria that tramples on due process rights” and that the state attorney should be focusing on “real issues” (all Twitter links).

11:25am: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun provides the likely motive for the Ravens’ decision to cut ties with Cody rather than waiting for his contract to expire. According to Wilson, the defensive tackle is under investigation for animal cruelty, and the case is being discussed with the Baltimore County State attorney’s office. The Ravens are aware of the allegations against Cody, who has yet to be charged with a crime, says Wilson.

10:48am: The Ravens will terminate the contract of defensive tackle Terrence Cody following the Super Bowl, the team announced today (via Twitter). The move will allow Cody to hit the open market, making him free to sign a new deal with any of the league’s 32 teams.

After starting all 16 regular season games for the Ravens in 2011, Cody played a part-time role for the club over the next two seasons, then barely saw the field at all in 2014 while he recovered from hip surgery. Cody began the season on the physically unable to perform list, and though he was activated in early November, the 26-year-old just appeared in one game for Baltimore, playing nine defensive snaps in Week 14 against Miami.

Assuming Cody doesn’t re-sign with the Ravens, it’s a disappointing end to a stint that began when he was selected by the club in the second round of the 2010 draft. It’s also a slightly premature end — having been on a one-year contract, Cody would have been eligible for free agency in March anyway. By releasing him from his contract early, the Ravens will allow the veteran defensive lineman to get a headstart on finding a new job.

AFC West Notes: Manning, Raiders, Broncos

February 2nd, 2015 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Broncos have made changes at head coach and offensive coordinator since the end of their season, and their star quarterback has considered retirement, but Las Vegas still likes the team’s chances for 2015. Betting site Bovada.lv gives Denver 10/1 odds to win next year’s Super Bowl, with only the Seahawks, Patriots, and Packers ahead of the Broncos. On the other end of the spectrum, no club has longer odds at a championship than the Raiders, who are tied with the Jaguars at 200/1 odds.

Here’s the latest out of the AFC West:

Gil Brandt of NFL.com is the latest to report that Peyton Manning is likely to return for another season in 2015, indicating in a tweet that he’s hearing the Broncos quarterback will “almost certainly” be back. Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com wrote yesterday that Manning could announce his return at some point this week, after Woody Paige of the Denver Post reported a couple weeks ago that the veteran signal-caller was leaning toward continuing his career.
Providing an update on the Raiders‘ hunt for a defensive coordinator, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle says that it still doesn’t seem as if the team is any rush to make a decision. According to Tafur (all Twitter links), Seahawks linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. remains a candidate, and Oakland could also dip into the college ranks — with National Signing Day coming up this week, a coach could wait until after that to take the Raiders job. As for Mike Smith, who has been considered Jack Del Rio‘s top choice all along, the former Falcons head coach would like to take a year off, and hasn’t changed his mind on that yet, per Tafur.
The Broncos have hired Fred Pagac as their outside linebackers coach, a source tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Pagac, a former defensive coordinator for the Vikings, worked with the Bills’ linebackers in 2014.

Pro Football Rumors On Social Media, RSS

February 2nd, 2015 at 11:39am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s 2014/15 season is officially in the books, ending in dramatic fashion last night when the Patriots took advantage of a questionable Seahawks play-call to prevent a touchdown and secure a 28-24 victory. While the season’s last game has been played, that means the fun at Pro Football Rumors is just getting started, as we start counting down the days until free agency and the draft.

Over the next several weeks and months, there will be plenty of notable stories to track on PFR, and you don’t necessarily have to keep refreshing our site to keep tabs on them. There are a handful of different ways you can follow us to get the latest updates on NFL news and rumors all year.

You can like us on Facebook, and receive headlines and links for all our posts via your Facebook account. You can also follow us on Twitter to have all our posts and updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. Meanwhile, our Google+ page is located here, and if you’d like to follow us using your RSS reader of choice, you can find our RSS feed right here.

If you prefer to receive updates only on roster moves such as signings, cuts, and trades, you can follow our transactions-only feeds via RSS and Twitter.

Johnny Manziel Enters Rehab Program

February 2nd, 2015 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

After a disappointing rookie season during which his off-field behavior was placed under the microscope, Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has voluntarily entered rehab, reports Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Brad Beckworth, a friend and advisor to Manziel and his family, confirmed today that the signal-caller had checked into a treatment facility.

“Johnny knows there are areas in which he needs to improve in order to be a better family member, friend and teammate and he thought the off-season was the right time to take this step,” Beckworth said in a statement (TwitLonger link via Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports). “On behalf of Johnny and his family, we’re asking for privacy until he rejoins the team in Cleveland.”

With Brian Hoyer eligible for free agency this winter, Manziel currently has the inside track on the Browns’ starting QB job for the 2015 season, but the club is expected to bring in some competition at the position, possibly by re-signing Hoyer. If there were concerns about Manziel’s off-field behavior within the organization, the fact that he’s being proactive about seeking help should be an encouraging sign for the Browns.

“We respect Johnny’s initiative in this decision and will fully support him throughout this process,” Browns GM Ray Farmer said in a statement of his own (TwitLonger link via Garafolo). “Our players’ health and well-being will always be of the utmost importance to the Cleveland Browns. We continually strive to create a supportive environment and provide the appropriate resources, with our foremost focus being on the individual and not just the football player. Johnny’s privacy will be respected by us during this very important period and we hope that others will do the same.”

Lance Moore Seeks Release From Steelers

February 2nd, 2015 at 9:43am CST by Luke Adams

For the first time in his NFL career, Lance Moore played for a team besides the Saints in 2014, joining the Steelers as a free agent. After a single season in black and gold, however, Moore has asked the club to release him from his contract, according to Adam Schefter and Scott Brown of ESPN.com.

Moore, 31, caught just 14 balls for the Steelers this past season, matching his lowest total since his rookie season. While Moore was never the focal point of New Orleans’ pass game, he had three seasons of 65+ receptions with the Saints, but saw his usage decline significantly in Pittsburgh. With Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton all ahead of him on the team’s depth chart, Moore played just 264 offensive snaps in 2014. As the ESPN.com report notes, the veteran wideout hinted at season’s end that he’d like to join a club that would give him more playing time.

“I just want to play … whether that’s here or somewhere else,” Moore said after Pittsburgh’s Wild Card loss. “I’d love to be here, I’d love to be a part of this offense, but I think those are decisions that have to be made down the line.”

If the Steelers were to release Moore, he would count for about $323K on their 2015 cap, with the club wiping his $1.5MM base salary off the books.

Patriots Win Super Bowl XLIX

February 1st, 2015 at 10:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots overcame a national scandal and a ten point deficit in the fourth quarter to top the Seahawks 28-24 and capture yet another Vince Lombardi trophy. Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns, including the go-ahead score to Julian Edelman, to secure his fourth Super Bowl ring. The Seahawks nearly retook the game on a wild drive, assisted by Jermaine Kearse‘s unbelievably fortunate catch. However, at the 1 yard line, the Seahawks opted to throw and Pats corner Malcolm Butler came away with Russell Wilson‘s errant pass. The Seahawks bid to repeat came up just short while the Patriots made it clear that their dynasty is far from done.

When the Patriots are done washing off the champagne and sleeping off their hangovers, they’ll turn their attention to a most pivotal offseason. The Pats hold a whopping $20MM option on cornerback Darrelle Revis that would carry a $25MM cap hit, so they’ll likely try and work out a new long-term deal with him instead. Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and wide receiver Danny Amendola could become cap casualties in order to carve out significant cap room. Safety Devin McCourty is a possible franchise tag candidate and the Pats can also be expected to look into an extension for him.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, will start their offseason by finding a replacement for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is hours away from being named as the next head coach of the Falcons. Seattle has already made a “huge” extension offer to Marshawn Lynch that would allow him to plow through defenders as a member of the Seahawks for the rest of his career. Meanwhile, long-term extension talks with Wilson are expected to take place right away now that the Super Bowl is in the books. Wilson is expected to become the highest-paid player in NFL history, with Aaron Rodgers‘ $22MM AAV serving as the starting point in negotiations. Aside from those offensive stars, the Seahawks will have other high-priority players on the agenda, including cornerback Byron Maxwell, who is set to hit the open market.

After the completion of a most memorable Super Bowl, it is now officially the offseason for all 32 NFL teams. Let the madness begin.

Extra Points: Fitzgerald, Revis, Jets

February 1st, 2015 at 8:16pm CST by Zachary Links

A look around the league, as the Seahawks look to protect their lead in the fourth quarter..

After winning the inaugural Art Rooney Award at the NFL Honors, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was asked if he would be playing in Super Bowl 50 next season with the Cardinals should they make it. “In terms of next year, I have no idea what’s going to happen,” Fitzgerald said, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “That’s still to come. But I love Arizona, I love playing for the Cardinals and I love working for the Bidwill family.” Fitzgerald is scheduled to earn $16.25MM next season, with $8MM coming as a roster bonus in early March. Fitzgerald’s cap number in 2015 will be $23.6MM, currently 16% of the Cardinals’ cap for next season.
A lot has changed in two years and Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes the Jets are serious about bringing Darrelle Revis back. Owner Woody Johnson recently said that he’d love to bring the star cornerback back to New York and it was reported that they’re expected to pursue him if he hits the open market. Johnson, Cimini writes, has likely realized that fans are fed up with cautious offseasons and therefore is feeling pressure to make a splash.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has more details on the investigation into the Patriots‘ deflated footballs. Some of Rapoport’s information seems to vindicate Bill Belichick and Tom Brady of wrongdoing.

Rob Sims Wants To Return To Lions

February 1st, 2015 at 6:33pm CST by Zachary Links

For years, the Lions had a revolving door at the left guard position. Then, in 2010, the Lions traded for Rob Sims and finally found stability at that spot. Now, Sims is eligible for free agency and he says that he wants to stay put, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com writes.

“This is our home,” Sims said of Detroit. “My children were born here. Me and my wife have built our family here and bought businesses here. Detroit is never ever going to leave me. My heart and my charity work will always be here. But yeah, I would love to stay here, love to.”

Sims, 31, struggled early on in 2014 as he continued to recover from offseason injuries. He allowed two sacks against the Bills in Week 5 and garnered a negative grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in half of the Lions’ first ten games. But once his injuries started to get behind him, Sims played well down the stretch. Starting in Week 11 against the Cardinals Sims earned a positive grade from PFF in every game.

The Lions have already begun making changes to their o-line after it struggled badly as a whole in 2014. They’ve informed long-time center Dominic Raiola they don’t plan on bringing him back in 2015. They are expected to bring in another offensive lineman, possibly a guard, via free agency or the draft, but they might want to maintain some stability and keep the experienced Sims. The Lions don’t have a ton of depth on the roster at guard after Sims and Larry Warford, which could help Sims earn a role in 2015.

NFC East Notes: Dez, Cowboys, Eagles, McCoy

February 1st, 2015 at 4:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Speaking at a charity basketball game yesterday, Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant seemed confident that he and his representatives could work out a new deal with Dallas. “It’s business. I am a free agent,” said the impending free agent, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m very confident that something is going to happen, something is going to get done, and have these Cowboys fans excited for a long time.” Bryant is presumably looking for a deal with a $12-14MM AAV, but he’s also a strong candidate for the franchise tag.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Running back Ryan Williams signed a two-year extension with the Cowboys that guaranteed him $240K, but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock for next year’s 53-man roster even if DeMarco Murray leaves via free agency, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Williams was “caught in a numbers game” last year, and the same thing could happen in 2015, adds Archer.
There’s no room in the Eagles’ front office for Howie Roseman, opines Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. Roseman was technically promoted in Philadelphia’s recent FO shakeup, but he was stripped of his power in personnel matters. Now that Ed Marynowitz has been given more control over personnel decisions, there’s no need for Roseman, and his $1.7MM salary to stick around, per Frank.
Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com assesses the Eagles’ salary cap situation, and outlines that the club should have the room to keep both LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin. McCoy recently indicated he would not be willing to accept a pay cut, while Maclin, like Kulp, believes Philly can keep both him and Shady.