HEADLINES

2015 Franchise Tag Candidates: AFC South

January 29th, 2015 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The deadline for assigning a franchise or transition tag on a 2015 free-agent-to-be is less than five weeks away, and we’re in the process of taking a look at players who are candidates to be tagged this year. On Tuesday, we examined the AFC East, and yesterday, we turned our attention to the AFC North, where the Ravens and the Steelers look like the teams most likely to make use of a tag. Today, we’ll shift our focus south, breaking down the franchise and transition tag candidates for the Texans, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans….

Houston Texans:

  • Candidates: Kareem Jackson
  • Odds of being used: Unlikely
  • Jackson, who has been a starter at cornerback in Houston since being selected in the first round of the 2010 draft, is an underrated asset for the team. Still, a year ago, corners like Vontae Davis, Sam Shields, and Aqib Talib went untagged, so it’s hard to imagine the Texans franchising Jackson. Linebacker Brooks Reed and right tackle Derek Newton are among the other solid contributors Houston should look into re-signing, but like Jackson, neither player is worth an eight-digit salary for 2015.

Indianapolis Colts:

  • Candidates: None
  • Odds of being used: Zero
  • The Colts, like the Texans, have useful players eligible for unrestricted free agency — safety Mike Adams, defensive lineman Cory Redding, and longtime Indianapolis wideout Reggie Wayne will need to sign new contracts if they intend to continue their careers. But none of the team’s top impact players are free-agents-to-be, which is great news for a club with $30MM+ in projected cap room.

Jacksonville Jaguars:

  • Candidates: None
  • Odds of being used: Very unlikely
  • No team projects to have more cap space this offseason than the Jaguars, who could have upwards of $63MM in spending room. That’s one reason we shouldn’t rule out the possibility of a franchise tag — the team could easily afford it. However, for the tag to make sense, there needs to be a viable candidate, and it’s hard to find one on Jacksonville’s list of pending free agents. Linebacker Geno Hayes and defensive back Alan Ball are probably the Jags’ best UFA-eligible performers, but both players only appeared in about half the club’s defensive snaps, so it’s hard to make a case for them as franchise tag candidates. And it’s even harder to make a case for players like wideout Cecil Shorts and defensive end Tyson Alualu.

Tennessee Titans:

  • Candidates: Derrick Morgan, Brett Kern
  • Odds of being used: Possible, but unlikely
  • The Titans have a number of starters eligible for free agency, including Morgan, Kern, Michael Roos, and Ryan Succop. And like the Jaguars, they project to be among the top five teams this offseason in terms of cap space, giving them the flexibility to use the franchise tag if needed. Roos may be headed for retirement, and tagging either of the two special-teamers – punter Kern and kicker Succop – would likely be a last resort. That’s especially true of Succop, who had a down year in 2014. Morgan is the club’s strongest candidate. He has thrived in recent years as an edge rusher in 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, and despite modest sack totals, he recorded 49 total quarterback pressures last year and ranked among the league’s top 10 3-4 outside linebackers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Those perennially average sack numbers, along with a perception that he hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing, should keep Morgan’s price down enough that the Titans won’t have to tag him, but he and Kern (a top-10 punter, per PFF) are the most viable options in Tennessee.

NFC West Notes: Dwyer, Seahawks, 49ers

January 29th, 2015 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

After pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been sentenced to 18 months of probation and community service, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Dwyer had been charged back in September after an alleged domestic violence incident, prompting the Cards to place him on their reserve/non-football illness list, citing concerns about his mental health. Although his legal case has concluded, Dwyer’s NFL future remains murky, as he could face a suspension, and isn’t under contract for the 2015 season.

Here’s more from around the NFC West:

  • Former NFL player agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes an in-depth look at what a new contract for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson would look like, concluding from his data that an extension averaging around $24MM per year with about $65MM in guarantees would make sense. Corry’s whole piece is definitely worth reading for a thorough explanation of how he arrived at those figures.
  • Seahawks GM John Schneider indicated earlier this week that he hopes to retain cornerback Byron Maxwell for 2015 and beyond, but Maxwell said today that he intends to “look at every option for me and my family,” per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (via Twitter). One potential suitor for Maxwell could be the Saints — Mike Triplett of ESPN.com identifies the cornerback as a player worth watching for New Orleans.
  • According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the 49ers players he has spoken to aren’t impressed with the team’s hiring of Geep Chryst as offensive coordinator, viewing the move as a byproduct of management’s desire to pinch pennies.
  • Speaking of 49ers management, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com spoke to general manager Trent Baalke about the team’s “three-year plan” when it comes to managing the roster and the salary cap.
  • David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an update on the next step in the city of St. Louis’ efforts to build a new downtown NFL stadium for the Rams.

Schefter, Caplan On Suh, Bucs, Peterson, QBs

January 29th, 2015 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

While most reporters continue to focus on the Super Bowl, which is now just three days away, NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan turn their attention to the offseason in a pair of stories for ESPN.com today, providing a handful of interesting tidbits about coaches, free agency, and the draft. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights from Schefter and Caplan….

  • Many of Schefter’s sources around the league don’t expect the Lions to assign the franchise tag to Ndamukong Suh, since the price ($26.87MM) would simply be too high for one player. Per Schefter, those who know Suh think that the idea of playing in a big market like New York, Chicago, or Dallas has always appealed to him. The Jets, Giants, Bears, and Cowboys could all certainly use a player like Suh, though you could say that about nearly every team in the NFL.
  • There’s a “real sense” that the Buccaneers have their sights set on Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota as the No. 1 pick in April, says Schefter, though he cautions that many NFL execs and scouts consider Jameis Winston the best QB prospect in the draft. We still have three months until draft night, so plenty can – and will – change in between now and then.
  • While the Vikings seem comfortable with the idea of bringing back Adrian Peterson, the veteran running back may not want to return to Minnesota. According to Schefter, at least six teams have already done background work on Peterson to prepare for the possibility that he becomes available.
  • Multiple executives told Caplan at the Senior Bowl that Washington‘s Kirk Cousins and Mike Glennon of the Buccaneers are viable trade candidates, especially for teams looking for stopgap starters for the 2015 season. One NFC team exec said he thought both Cousins and Glennon would be worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick in a trade.
  • Although former Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is coming off a successful season in Buffalo, he’s no lock to coach anywhere in 2015, says Caplan. We’ve heard all along that Schwartz will be patient when it comes to picking his next job, and Caplan notes that there’s still $6MM left on his deal with the Bills, which gives him the flexibility to take his time.
  • Caplan identifies six free-agents-to-be who may fly under the radar this offseason but could really help a team, including running back Roy Helu, linebacker Dan Skuta, and safety Jeron Johnson.

NFC Notes: Saints, Benson, Rams, Eagles

January 29th, 2015 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams

Saints officials say that owner Tom Benson has maintained an active role in running the team, Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune writes.

“I talk to him every day, just as I have for 15 years,” GM Mickey Loomis said. “He talks to me about the same subject matter: The status of the team. And after the season: What are the issues? How are we going to fix the issues? Nothing’s changed here.”

Benson’s involvement with the team, as well as his overall health, came into question after the latest claims made by his ousted granddaughter. Here’s more on the Saints’ ownership situation, as well as a few more notes from across the NFC:

  • Team officials told Duncan that an anecdote in which Benson could not identify the president of the United States was misrepresented by his estranged relatives. The Saints owner was given a concussion protocol test after he fell and hit his head at the NFL owners meetings last May in Atlanta. However, daughter Renee Benson and grandchildren Rita Benson LeBlanc and Ryan LeBlanc tried to portray the incident as something different. Benson’s relatives want the owner to undergo a psychological evaluation, as Andy Grimm of The Times-Picayune details. The would-be heirs are challenging the 87-year-old’s mental fitness.
  • With Nathaniel Hackett no longer in the running for the Rams‘ offensive coordinator position, an in-house candidate landing the job is “all but a certainty” at this point, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Tight ends coach Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti are the top contenders, and Thomas thinks Boras probably has the edge.
  • Running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin were the Eagles‘ two most effective offensive weapons in 2014, but it remains to be seen whether the team will be able to bring both players back for the 2015 season, says Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News.
  • Washington has announced the hiring of Matt Cavanaugh as quarterbacks coach (via Twitter). Cavanaugh, who served in the same position for Chicago the last two seasons, will be charged with jump-starting Washington’s troubled quarterback situation.
  • If he were running the Cowboys, Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News would make it a top priority to retain DeMarco Murray this offseason.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Eagles Promote Ed Marynowitz

January 29th, 2015 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

After what has been nearly a month-long search for a new personnel executive to join the team’s front office, the Eagles have promoted a candidate who has been with the team all along. The Eagles have named assistant director of player personnel Ed Marynowitz the team’s vice president of player personnel, signing him to a new three-year contract, according to a press release. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk first reported (via Twitter) that an announcement was expected to come as early as today.

“Ed is someone who has really impressed me going back to my interview process with the Eagles two years ago,” head coach Chip Kelly said in a statement. “He’s very bright, detailed, organized and his vision was aligned with what we want to accomplish. I spoke with a lot of people outside of our organization over the past few weeks and in the end, Ed was the most impressive.”

The Eagles shook up their front office structure shortly after the regular season ended, parting ways with personnel exec Tom Gamble and giving Kelly the final say on the 53-man roster, the draft, and all personnel decisions. Former general manager Howie Roseman received an extension and a new title, though his involvement in football decisions was reduced. That left room for Kelly to bring on a new exec in a personnel role.

Still, Philadelphia seemed to have some trouble finding viable candidates for the job. Multiple candidates seemed uninterested or unwilling to leave their positions with other clubs to join the Eagles, since the Philadelphia role meant not having the final call on the draft or the roster. In some cases, that meant that it wouldn’t necessarily be a promotion.

Most recently, Packers director of college scouting Brian Gutekunst and Ravens director of college scouting Joe Hortiz did not interview for the job, according to Florio — their teams either denied requests for permission or the candidates declined the opportunity. Chris Grier (Dolphins), Chris Polian (Jaguars), and Brian Gaine (Texans) were among the other Eagles’ targets throughout the process.

Although the Eagles spoke to several outside candidates and primarily targeted executives with more experience than the 30-year-old Marynowitz, the club sounds pleased to have him in his new role.

“I can’t tell you how well thought of Ed is in the scouting business,” Kelly said. “What many people in the football community told me matched exactly what I thought of him from Day One. When you work with him and meet with him regularly – which I have done over the last two years – you appreciate how smart and thoughtful he is.”

AFC East Notes: Bills, Cromartie, Jets, Pats

January 29th, 2015 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

ESPN’s Bill Polian, formerly a general manager for the Bills, Panthers, and Colts, turned down the opportunity to return to Buffalo in a senior advisory role earlier this offseason, but that didn’t end the Bills‘ search for a new addition to their front office, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. Carucci reports that the Bills are still “very much in the market” to hire someone as an advisor for football decisions, and are targeting an exec with the experience necessary to provide guidance for GM Doug Whaley when it comes to evaluating talent.

According to Carucci, one potential target on Buffalo’s radar is Browns senior player-personnel associate Ron Hill. Hill comes highly recommended by the league, which has been providing counsel to new Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula, and Cleveland likely wouldn’t stand in his way since the job in Buffalo would be a promotion.

Here are a few more Thursday morning notes from around the AFC East:

  • Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie will be eligible for free agency once again this offseason, and the veteran appears very willing to entertain the idea of a return to New York after leaving the Jets a year ago, as Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. “My door is always open to returning,” Cromartie said. “Everybody knows I didn’t want to leave. I’m going to keep my door open and see what happens.”
  • Appearing on ESPN Radio in New York on Wednesday, Jets owner Woody Johnson told Mike Lupica that he would “never tell the general manager not to spend money,” shifting the blame for the team’s lack of spending to former GM John Idzik. As Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com points out, those comments don’t quite line up with what Johnson said earlier in the 2014 season, but they do suggest he’s ready to get back to being aggressive in free agency.
  • As the Patriots prepare to play in their sixth Super Bowl this century, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines how the franchise goes about building a roster that can sustain success over an extended period of time.

West Notes: Rams, Schofield, Broncos

January 28th, 2015 at 10:43pm CST by Zachary Links

A glance at the AFC and NFC West..

  • Keeping the Rams in St. Louis would require a “spectacular effort,” Andrew Leonard, chairman of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission said, according to David Hunn of The Post-Dispatch. “There’s no question about it, they’d rather be in Los Angeles, in my mind,” Leonard said. The Rams notified the commission earlier this week that they will shift to a year-to-year lease agreement for their use of the Edward Jones Dome.
  • Seattle linebacker O’Brien Schofield insists that he’s no longer dwelling on the way things ended with the Cardinals, as Kent Somers and Zach Buchanan of The Arizona Republic write. “That used to drive me crazy thinking about it,” Schofield said, “because I felt I had done enough for the organization that I would have got more decency of how they let me go. But it’s whatever. I’m a Super Bowl champ. They had to see me twice here. They didn’t want to speak to me the first year and I was fine with that.”
  • The Broncos have hired Joe Woods as their new defensive backs coach, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post (on Twitter). Woods previously served as the defensive backs coach of the Raiders, Vikings, and Buccaneers.
  • The Raiders are expected to hire Stetson offensive line coach Tim Holt as their assistant offensive line coach, a source told Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Holt worked with Oakland offensive line coach Mike Tice previously.

North Notes: Briggs, Bears, Taylor

January 28th, 2015 at 9:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Veteran linebacker Lance Briggs wants to continue playing for the Bears, but he’s not 100% sure that he’ll continue playing football. “It’d be nice,” Briggs said, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “But as much as I don’t know, I’m excited no matter avenue that I go. If I get to play football, it’s going to be great. That’s priority No. 1. But if I don’t, there’s plenty of avenues for me afterwards. There’s plenty of things that I want to do.” Briggs also said that he’s happy about the arrival of new head coach John Fox while being very careful not to bash former coach Marc Trestman. More from the North divisions..

  • Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor was toying with retirement, but he tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he’s training as if he’ll be playing in 2015 and he’d like to go another two or three more years. He’d have interest in following former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to a new team and he’d also be open to playing safety, if it means continuing his playing career.
  • Opinions are split on whether the Lions should give Ndamukong Suh a whopping payday, whether on a record-smashing long-term deal or via the super expensive franchise tag, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. “The talent speaks for itself,” O’Hara said. “I think he’s a phenomenal defensive lineman, very strong, very active. I think the big question, if I’m looking at it big picturewise and I’m running a team, (is) the amount of money that he’s going to command, can I afford it?“
  • Browns cornerback Joe Haden wants people to stop slamming Josh Gordon and he hopes that the wide receiver remains with the team, as Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer writes. “JG is a good kid,” Haden, said. “It’s time for people to stop bashing Josh Gordon. Before they start talking about him, they’ve got to figure out what’s really going on.”
  • The Browns chatted with Kevin O’Connell today about their quarterbacks coach vacancy and they scheduled an interview with ex-Florida offensive coordinator Kurt Roper for tomorrow, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). O’Connell worked with Johnny Manziel before he was drafted last year.
  • It sounds like changes could be on the way when it comes to the Packers‘ special teams coaching unit. “It’s important to evaluate,” said head coach Mike McCarthy, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “I obviously haven’t had that opportunity. So we’ll look at everything. We’ll look at every job description, every job responsibility, performance – mine included – and we’ll look to make changes.” All the assistant coaches, including embattled special-teams coordinator Shawn Slocum, were given this week off.

AFC East Notes: Revis, Pats, Cromartie, Jets

January 28th, 2015 at 9:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Darrelle Revis has had a heck of a year with the Patriots, and it took a strange set of circumstances to bring it all together. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com lays out the entire story, including how Darrelle Revis found clarity on a Vespa scooter. “I just wanted something to get away and clear my mind and do something else to keep me busy instead of having stress or pressure on me,” Revis said. “So that’s how I spent my days. And I think that’s how we always handle my situations. When I was a rookie and had to hold out I was on the beach with (agent) Jonathan (Feinsod) in the Hamptons. And this is how we always approach it: Just get your mind off of it so it doesn’t drive you crazy.” Before you dive into La Canfora’s entertaining and informative read, check out the latest from the AFC East..

  • Free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via SiriusXM NFL Radio on Twitter) that “the door is open” for a return to the Jets. The veteran added that he still has a home in the New Jersey area. Cromartie appeared to struggle during the end of his Jets tenure but it’s possible that the new regime will have faith in what he can do.
  • James Walker of ESPN.com profiled pending Dolphins free agent Samson Satele. Satele, who started all 16 games at center for Miami, was a solid late signing following Mike Pouncey‘s hip surgery. However, Satele will be an unrestricted free agent in March and doesn’t appear to be a fit with Pouncey going back to center. Even if his future isn’t in Miami, Satele figures to be a solid center for someone in 2015.
  • Revis bet on himself with Patriots and it could pay off with a fat new contract after the Super Bowl, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes.

Broncos To Hire Wade Phillips As DC

January 28th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Zachary Links

8:30pm: It’s a two-year deal, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post.

7:23pm: Wade Phillips is back in football. The Broncos have hired Phillips to be Gary Kubiak‘s defensive coordinator, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Phillips held the same job on Kubiak’s staff when the two were with the Texans a few years ago. Phillips ultimately wound up with two stints as interim head coach in his final year in 2013. The first came when Kubiak collapsed in the middle of a November game. The next stint came one month later when Houston relieved Kubiak of his duties and handed the reins to Phillips.

The 67-year-old also has a history with the Broncos as he coached the team way back when John Elway and Gary Kubiak were players. Phillips served as the Broncos’ defensive coordinator from 1989 through 1992 and as the head coach in 1993 and 1994, before being let go. Phillips had an even .500 record (16-16) during his time at the helm in Denver.

Phillips joins a team with five Pro Bowlers from this past season. As we learned earlier today, the Broncos seem likely to transition from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4. Fortunately, Denver already has a pair of very good edge rushers in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware to help ease the transition.

It would appear that Phillips was not the first choice in Denver. The Broncos hired the coaching veteran after they were unable to land Bengals assistant Vance Joseph, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

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