HEADLINES

PFR Originals News & Rumors

Impact Rookies: Washington Redskins

August 5th, 2016 at 11:04am CST by Zachary Links

The old adage that defense wins championships may or may not be true, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a title-winning team that didn’t build heavily through the draft. Rookie classes, naturally, are evaluated on the perceived upside of the NFL newcomers, but which rookies are ready to contribute right out of the gate? And, how do they fit in with their new team schematically?

To help us forecast the immediate future of these NFL neophytes, we enlisted the help of draft guru Dave-Te Thomas who has served as a scouting personnel consultant to NFL teams for multiple decades.

First Round – Josh Doctson, WR (TCU, No. 22 overall)

Washington knew it was their defensive unit that needed the most immediate help, but in the opening round, finding a precise route runner like Josh Doctson still available was just too good for the team to pass up. While most analysts felt the Redskins would go for secondary help with the 22nd overall selection, the arrival of the TCU standout could make the 2016 season the final one for either Pierre Garson or DeSean Jackson – or both. The selection of Doctson broke the hearts of Minnesota and Cincinnati, picking right after Washington. Both teams did not make it a secret that they both coveted the services of the Horned Frog. Josh Doctson

Doctson saw injuries sideline him at the end of the year, as he underwent wrist surgery. He sat out the final two regular season contests vs. Oklahoma and Baylor before returning briefly in the Alamo Bowl, but he was a non-factor vs. Oregon. Ultimately, he was one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver) and garnered first-team All-American honors.

Doctson eased his way into the Horned Frogs lineup for six games in 2013, as he managed to pull in 36 balls for a 12.2-yard average. Based on that debut, few could have imagined that he would begin his two-year tear through the school record books. Perhaps due to league politics, Texas Christian officials were just as puzzled as our staff was when it was announced in 2014 that Doctson was only named to the league’s second-team postseason squad.

Doctson has a rangy, angular build with long arms and legs. Has a frame built for quickness – split high, lean and well-defined with big hands. He might lack the bulk desired from today’s flankers, but he shows good upper body muscle tone, tight waist and hips, good arm length and hand width, tapered thighs and calves, along with a good bubble.

He lacks outstanding speed, but Doctson is a smooth route runner with the ability to stretch the field and separate, along with the natural hands needed to make the difficult catches. He displays above average balance and crisp change of direction agility to gain valid yardage after the catch and has the ability to extend while tip-toeing along the sidelines for the soft pluck. He does a good job of gaining separation off the snap due to his initial quick step. The thing you see on the field is his natural feel for making adjustments on the move, displaying good fakes and a bit of con in him to set up defensive backs in attempts to get open. He does a very nice job of sitting down and uncovering, allowing with showing good boundary awareness to keep his feet working along the sidelines. He also shows very good vision to separate after the catch. While he’ll have some adjusting to do at the next level, Doctson offers certain tools and instincts that you wouldn’t typically expect to see out of a rookie.

Continue reading about the Redskins’ rookie class..

Read more

Offseason In Review: Seattle Seahawks

August 4th, 2016 at 5:27pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 2015 Seahawks won the fewest regular-season games of the four-year Russell Wilson era (10) and were unable to extend their streak of consecutive Super Bowl appearances to three, but they still made the playoffs for the fourth straight time and were among the the final four NFC teams standing. They also racked up top-five finishes in total offense, defense and point differential, and ranked first in Football Outsiders’ regular-season DVOA metric. All things considered, then, general manager John Schneider didn’t need to do anything drastic during the offseason to keep the Seahawks’ window of contention open.

Notable signings:

As has been typical in recent years, the Seahawks were stingy versus opposing quarterbacks last season, finishing first in the league in touchdown tosses allowed (14), second in aerial yardage surrendered, and third in both QB rating against (78.1) and Football Outsiders’ pass defense rankings. Seattle was especially strong down the stretch, which was thanks in part to the return of cornerback Jeremy Lane. After missing the first 10 games of the year because of a broken arm and torn ACL he sustained on an interception return in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLIX loss to the Patriots the previous February, Lane recorded the first two regular-season INTs of his career. Overall, Lane’s performance earned him a respectable 51st-place ranking out of 111 qualifying corners at Pro Football Focus.

Since the Seahawks selected him in the sixth round of the 2012 draft, Lane has missed 23 of 64 regular-season games and made just six starts, but the club saw enough positives when he played to bet on the 26-year-old going forward. Lane was the Seahawks’ largest expenditure in free agency, receiving a four-year, $23MM commitment and $11MM in guarantees, and figures to start opposite Richard Sherman on the outside this season. Given his experience as a nickelback, Lane is also likely to spend time inside defending the slot.

Jeremy Lane (Vertical)

Helping Lane and the rest of the Seahawks’ defensive backs could be free agent pickup Brandon Browner, who thrived in Seattle from 2011-13 as a member of the Legion of Boom before spending the previous two seasons in New England and New Orleans. Last year was unexpectedly ugly for Browner, who rated as PFF’s worst qualifying corner (113th overall) and set the league’s single-season penalty record. That led the Saints to release Browner less than a year after signing him to a $15MM contract that was supposed to last through the 2017 campaign. The Seahawks then took an ultra-cheap flyer on Browner for $760K and will try to revitalize the 32-year-old, though he’ll play safety instead of corner. The Seahawks have arguably the preeminent safety tandem in the league in Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but that won’t necessarily limit Browner’s impact. In fact, head coach Pete Carroll said in May that Browner will have a “really unique role.”

If Browner makes the Seahawks’ roster, they’ll deploy him in a run-stopping capacity on rushing downs and match him up against opposing tight ends in passing situations. Football Outsiders ranked the Seahawks’ pass defense a bottom-of-the-barrel 26th versus tight ends in 2015, so having the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Browner in the fold could serve the club well this year.

Continue reading about the Seahawks’ offseason…

Read more

Impact Rookies: Dallas Cowboys

August 3rd, 2016 at 1:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The old adage that defense wins championships may or may not be true, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a title-winning team that didn’t build heavily through the draft. Rookie classes, naturally, are evaluated on the perceived upside of the NFL newcomers, but which rookies are ready to contribute right out of the gate? And, how do they fit in with their new team schematically?

To help us forecast the immediate future of these NFL neophytes, we enlisted the help of draft guru Dave-Te Thomas who has served as a scouting personnel consultant to NFL teams for multiple decades.

The Cowboys hope that their 2016 draft cache performs as well as their 2015 draft version, rather than resemble the motley crew they selected in the 2014 phase. The 2015 draft class saw each of their six choices contribute, with first rounder Byron Jones looking like the long-range solution at free safety and fourth rounder, Damien Wilson, a wild card to take home first-team honors either at the weak-side (Sean Lee injury history) or in the middle (where Andrew Gachkar resides and where Rolando McClain was expected to patrol).

The team might need to recruit a drug czar, as they will see McClain, 2015 second-round rush end Randy Gregory, and 2014 second-round defender Demarcus Lawrence all having extended vacations this year due to their endeavors off the field. The 2014 draft did produce two quality starters in All-Pro guard Zack Martin and strong-side linebacker, Anthony Hutchins, but they have nothing of note to show for their other seven selections that year.

Star running back Ezekiel Elliott is expected to make Cowboys fans remember the glory days of Emmitt Smith, but he also has a dark cloud hanging over him after arriving in camp amid domestic abuse allegations. If Elliott gets cleared of alleged charges, the backfield could have a whole new look, as the staff is quietly touting sixth round Eastern Michigan tailback Darius Jackson as someone who will at least make “some noise” for the special team units.

It would have been nice if the team had taken a wide receiver, particularly the one the staff wanted in Ohio State’s Jalin Marshall. From early talk out of Jets camp, it appears Marshall could be the Green Nation’s biggest find in camp. Still, they did add some much-needed youth at quarterback late in the draft. Here’s a closer look at the two rookies I really like out of Dallas’ class this year:

First Round – Ezekiel Elliott, RB (Ohio State, No. 4 overall)

While Derrick Henry captured the 2015 Heisman Trophy, it was unanimous within the scouting industry that no tailback would be selected before Elliott in the draft. In fact, most scouts felt that the Buckeyes standout was the only running back worthy of first round consideration. In three seasons at the university, the football legacy has proven to be one of the best playmakers in the game. Ezekiel Elliott

After beginning his Ohio State career as a reserve, Elliott became an immediate crowd pleaser once he stepped into the starting lineup two years ago. During his two seasons with the first unit, he amassed 3,699 yards on 562 carries (6.58 ypc) that included 41 touchdowns, adding 426 yards via 55 receptions (7.75 ypc). He would record 22 100-yard rushing performances, which rank second in school history behind Archie Griffin’s 34 such performances (1972-75). Among those 22 successful century-yard games, he gained at least 200 yards five times, tying the Ohio State record first set by Eddie George (1994-95).

While those numbers are impressive, Elliott also excelled at moving the chains. On 510 non-touch-down carries since he became a starter, it took multiple defenders to bring him down on 125 of those attempts (24.51%). He recorded 90 successful runs that were downed inside the red zone, including 37 within five yards of the goal line. In addition to his 41 touchdown runs, he had crucial carries that helped set up 25 other touchdown drives and four possessions that resulted in field goals.

Unlike most college ball carriers, Elliott has excellent receiving ability. Putting his 4.47 speed and natural hands to good use, he caught 55-of-59 targeted passes (leads the draft’s running backs with a 93.22% success rate) for 426 yards, setting up four touchdown drives and one field goal. Eighteen of his receptions gained at least ten yards and he recorded nineteen first downs as a receiver, including converting eight third-down tosses and another on a fourth-down play.

Elliott is a downhill runner, but he also has very loose hips, quick change of direction, and good power that he combines with nimble feet and excellent running balance. He shows superb agility with his pick-and-slide and the hip flexibility to easily redirect to the cutback lanes. He has impressive acceleration into the second level and unlike most big backs, do not label him as a one-cut runner, as he is quite capable of eluding or running through tackles.

The Ohio State product has very good leg drive and initial quickness for his position. He shows very good vision ability and does a nice job of sliding through the hole. He is a strong runner that can break arm tackles. He also shows he can break free for a big gain, though he lacks that second gear/home run speed. With an explosive stride, he shows that instant acceleration once he clears the line of scrimmage (see 2015 Virginia Tech, Indiana, Michigan and Notre Dame contests). Behind this stellar Dallas line, Elliott can be a real star for Dallas right away.

Click here to continue reading about the Cowboys’ rookies..

Read more

Offseason In Review: Atlanta Falcons

August 2nd, 2016 at 9:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 2015 Falcons started off hot under new head coach Dan Quinn, posting a 5-0 record and looking like a playoff contender as late as November. But a six-game losing streak exposed the club on both offense and defense, forcing Atlanta to make changes on both sides of the ball this offseason.

Notable signings:

Atlanta’s offensive line responded exceptionally well to offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan‘s implementation of a zone-blocking scheme, with nearly every player up front earning positive grades from Pro Football Focus. The one exception was center Michael Person, who started 14 games at the pivot after having spent most of his career at guard, so the Falcons turned to a veteran who had some prior experience in Shanahan’s system — former Browns center Alex Mack.Alex Mack (Vertical)

Mack, 30, only played in five games during Shanahan’s year as Cleveland’s play-caller, but he spent the entire summer of 2014 preparing to enter a zone-blocking scheme, and his athleticism and ability to move in the running game makes him a perfect fit for the zone approach. The Falcons made Mack the highest-paid center in the league, handing him $9MM per year after the Browns, Chargers, and Rams all expressed varying levels of interest once Mack opted out of his deal with Cleveland.

After being designated as the Browns’ transition player during the 2014 offseason, Mack played the free agent game correctly, inking an offer sheet with the Jaguars that paid him $8.5MM annually, $18MM guaranteed over the first two years of the deal, and contained that aforementioned opt-out clause. Cleveland matched that offer, and when Mack withdrew two years later, he was able to land a contract that will pay him even more per year and includes another $20MM in guarantees. Like Darrelle Revis, Mack has worked the free agent system to his benefit in order to secure every dollar he’s worth.

Chris Chester, meanwhile, will return to Atlanta after playing every offensive snap for the club last year, but he’ll be expected to compete for his starting job, with Person, rookie Wes Schweizter, and free agent addition Tom Compton serving as Chester’s main obstacles to playing time at right guard. Chester is now 33 years old and coming off January shoulder surgery, but he played so well in 2015 that he should be the favorite to handle the majority of snaps. Right tackle Ryan Schraeder, a revelation last year (PFF’s No. 5 tackle), will also return after signing his second-round restricted free agent tender, and the Falcons could look to sign him to an extension over the next few months.

While Atlanta’s pass-blocking was tremendous, the Falcons’ passing offense as a whole was not, as the club ranked 23rd in passing DVOA, with Julio Jones and his 136/1,871/8 receiving line essentially acting as a one-man passing offense. Tight end Jacob Tamme posted a nice season, racking up 59 passes for nearly 700 yards, but the rest of Atlanta’s pass-catchers — including Roddy White, Leonard Hankerson, and Justin Hardy — left a lot to be desired. But instead of finding an affordable complement to play opposite Jones, the Falcons overspent in a weak free agent market, signing former Bengals wideout Mohamed Sanu to a five-year deal.Mohamed Sanu (Vertical)

Even among an uninspiring crop of free agent pass-catchers, Sanu only placed seventh among his position in PFR’s free agent rankings, but the 26-year-old will be earning more annually than every other free agent receiver except former Bengals teammate Marvin Jones. Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Anquan Boldin, and Jermaine Kearse will earn $6MM or less on their new contracts, and the Eagles and Lions were able to land Randle and Boldin, respectively, on one-year pacts.

Sanu, who failed top 400 yards receiving last year, somehow managed to score a better deal than Golden Tate received from the Lions during the 2014 offseason. Cincinnati didn’t trust Sanu enough to allow him to play a larger role in their offense, and he struggled when asked to step up amid a rash of injuries during the 2014 campaign. Clearly, the Falcons needed to add another complementary weapon to their offense, but Sanu is unlikely to live up to his contract.

Atlanta’s only other notable addition on offense was at quarterback, and like Mack, Matt Schaub has a history with Shanahan, having spent time with the play-caller in Houston. Schaub, of course, also has a past with the Falcons (he was a former third-round pick of the club), and though his career has fallen apart in the past few seasons, he probably won’t be asked to play much in Atlanta. Starter Matt Ryan hasn’t missed a game since 2009, having started 99 straight contests since his last missed game.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons surprisingly didn’t target any high-profile pass-rushers after failing to get after opposing quarterbacks with any level of consistency in 2016. Not only did the club rank dead last in sacks with only 19 (the lowest total for any team in the league since 2009), but it also finished 32nd in adjusted sack rate. Atlanta decided to play in the middle of the market, however, inking former Dolphins defensive end Derrick Shelby and re-signing their own Adrian Clayborn.Derrick Shelby (Vertical)

Shelby, 27, is an interesting case of scouting the stat line versus watching the tape. While he’s only posted nine sacks in his career, Shelby graded out as the league’s No. 23 edge defender last season, according to PFF. It’s fair to wonder if Shelby’s increased production was partly a result of playing next to All Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and it could be concerning that Miami didn’t seriously attempt to retain Shelby, instead opting for external options such as Mario Williams, Andre Branch, and Jason Jones.

While Shelby landed a four-year contract, the Falcons were able to bring back Clayborn on a shorter pact, locking up the edge defender for two more seasons. Clayborn isn’t much of a run defender, so after seeing some time at tackle in 2015, he figures to play exclusively at end during the upcoming season, and given the makeup of Atlanta’s front seven, it’s possible Clayborn is used primarily in sub packages.

Earlier today, the Falcons finally consummated a long-rumored deal with free agent pass rusher Dwight Freeney, inking the veteran after he also drew interest from the Bengals. Now 36 years old, Freeney was still productive last season, managing eight sacks for the Cardinals in only 255 defensive snaps. And though he didn’t get to the quarterback as much in the year prior, Freeney was still solid for the Chargers in 2014, forcing 40 quarterback hurries and posting nine QB hits. He’ll play as rotational end for Atlanta, and shouldn’t be asked to play more than 30 snaps per game.Courtney Upshaw (Vertical)

Clayborn and Freeney will see competition for snaps from free agent addition Courtney Upshaw, the former Ravens second-round pick that only netted a one-year deal from the Falcons. The 26-year-old Upshaw never became the edge rushing force in Baltimore that many had projected, but he’s very solid against the run, and could conceivably be used in a variety of roles in Dan Quinn‘s defense. Upshaw will likely see snaps at both defensive end and linebacker in Atlanta, with his duty being heavily influenced by the situation.

While Upshaw could shift between multiple positions, Sean Weatherspoon and Philip Wheeler are linebackers in the most strict sense, and both could see a hefty amount of snaps next seeason. Weatherspoon returns to the Falcons after a one-year stint with the Cardinals, and given his history of injuries, Atlanta will probably try to specify his role in the defense. Given his movement and coverage skills, Weatherspoon will likely be on the field in the Falcons’ nickel defense. Wheeler, meanwhile, will have to compete with fourth-round rookie De’Vondre Campbell for playing time at outside ‘backer.

Read more about the Falcons’ offseason…

Read more

Impact Rookies: Oakland Raiders

August 1st, 2016 at 1:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The old adage that defense wins championships may or may not be true, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a title-winning team that didn’t build heavily through the draft. Rookie classes, naturally, are evaluated on the perceived upside of the NFL newcomers, but which rookies are ready to contribute right out of the gate? And, how do they fit in with their new team schematically?

To help us forecast the immediate future of these NFL neophytes, we enlisted the help of draft guru Dave-Te Thomas who has served as a scouting personnel consultant to NFL teams for multiple decades.

Today, we continue PFR’s Impact Rookie series with his insight on the Oakland Raiders’ draft class:

Oakland or Las Vegas? Wherever the Raiders end up playing, both their offensive and defensive foundations are well on their way to being established, as quarterback Derek Carr and left defensive end Khalil Mack were efficient and sensational, respectively, during their second campaign in the league last year.

This is a young team on the rise, a team that returns all but three of the players who started for them in 2015. The front office opened their wallets and brought in help for the secondary, pass rush and offensive line that should see the organization increase their playoff chances. Established pass protector Kelechi Osemele left Baltimore to provide the Raiders with a drastic upgrade at the left guard spot manned by departed J’Marcus Webb (Seattle) last year. With Webb, the front wall yielded 38 sacks and saw their ground attack limp to 91.1 yards per game last season, the fifth lowest average in the league.

[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Oakland Raiders]

Even with future Hall of Fame safety Charles Woodson in charge, the defense gave up 258.3 aerial yards per game, the 25th-highest total in the NFL. They tied for 13th with just fourteen interceptions, but replace Woodson with Cincinnati’s Reggie Nelson, who tied for the league title with eight pass thefts last year, along with finishing sixth in the NFL with 22 passes defended and ranked second on the Bengals squad with 77 tackles. Nelson is also a great veteran mentor for first round safety, Karl Joseph, who should be ready to start by the season opener after an injury-marred 2015 campaign at West Virginia.

First Round – Karl Joseph, SS (West Virginia, No. 14 overall)

The team’s first-round draft pick is still working hard trying to get his surgically repaired right knee ready for the rigors of training camp. Hurt in a non-contact drill in early October, the slight-framed strong safety compensates for his lack of ideal size and bulk with tremendous force behind his hits. While those bone-rattling tackles will excite the fan base, it will also alert the refs, as Joseph’s penchant for getting too aggressive have led to the flags being thrown on a regular basis. While penalties in bunches were the norm for the Raiders in the past, the defense “wised up” last year, ranking 23rd in the league with just 104 penalties for the unit. Karl Joseph

At the time of his injury, Joseph was leading the major college ranks with an average of 1.3 interceptions per game and paced the Big Twelve Conference with an average of 1.5 passes defended per contest. He had a career-high three interceptions vs. Georgia Southern last year, the first Mountaineer to accomplish that feat since 1994.

Joseph graduated in December with academic honors and was the team’s “valedictorian” on the gridiron, where he had started 42-of-44 games during his career. He recorded eight interceptions while deflecting twelve passes, delivering 284 tackles (209 solos) with a pair of sacks and 15.5 stops-for-loss. His hard-hitting style caused eight fumbles, which he recovered six of them.

Despite lacking great bulk, Joseph possesses good upper body thickness, large, natural hands (9 ¾-inches) and room to carry at least another ten pounds of bulk for a potential move to strong safety at the next level. He lacks blazing quickness (4.59 in the 40-yard dash), which will limit his position duties to the strong-side slot. While he has good range, there is a bit of stiffness in his hips when he attempts to transition (note-prior to his injury in 2015, Joseph was working on how to compensate for some hip stiffness with a short stride to help him open his hips quicker in transition), but he shows good ability to plant-&-drive, coming out of his breaks cleanly. He seems to play better when making plays in front of him, as he lacks the second gear to recover when trying to stay with the speedy receivers on deep routes.

Joseph is an emotional team leader who takes well to hard coaching. He has the field awareness to easily break down plays and locate the ball, doing a very good job of staying low in his pads and taking proper angles to close on and make the play. His field vision when playing in the shallow zone allows him to fill the rush lanes in an instant while breaking sharply on the ball in underneath passing situations. As a strong safety, he has shown that despite size issues, he can mirror the tight ends on underneath routes and shows good anticipation skills and awareness dropping back in the zone. Those fumbles caused are evident that he has a nose for the ball and the interception figures highlight his natural hands to make the interception.

Click here to read more about the Raiders’ rookie class..

Read more

Offseason In Review: Oakland Raiders

August 1st, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Sam Robinson

This wasn’t the first time in recent years the Raiders entered an offseason with plenty of money to spend. However, the franchise’s effort in convincing marquee free agents to accept its offers unfolded in exponentially better fashion, creating the Raiders’ best roster since their 2002 AFC champion effort. This one also features more key players in their prime. The Raiders haven’t possessed this kind of team – one with a core featuring players in their prime or on the way to their prime – in decades.

Expectations exist in Oakland for the first time in ages. But the team has not even produced a winning season since 2002 and only two of its seven victories in 2015 came against teams that didn’t end up possessing top-six draft picks. With Mark Davis openly pursuing Las Vegas, 2016 promises to be a complex year for the Raiders. Their rejuvenation effort is impossible to deny, though, especially when compared to so many forgettable offseasons in the recent past.

Notable signings:

Oakland saw Derek Carr throw 32 touchdown passes and Amari Cooper become the first Raider since Randy Moss in 2005 to surpass the 1,000-yard receiving barrier. Latavius Murray also became the franchise’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2010. That talent remains in place, but the Raiders did not supplement it with much defensively last season. A defense lacking much depth to supplement Khalil Mack or Charles Woodson ranked 22nd in yards allowed and 26th against the pass. Their free agency effort focused on this problem.

Mack’s All-Pro breakout season included 15 sacks, but the team featured no other edge player who recorded more than four. The hybrid linebacker/defensive end will now have Irvin complementing him as a pass-rusher. The Seahawks ended up keeping several players from their landmark 2012 class — Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner chief among them — and didn’t have room to retain their own hybrid linebacker.

Seattle’s 2012 first-round pick has experience lining up as a defensive end and linebacker for full-season stays, which should benefit him in a Ken Norton Jr.-coordinated Raiders attack that will use both 4-3 and 3-4 concepts as it did a year ago. Norton coached Irvin in Seattle, and that will benefit the fifth-year player as well.

The Raiders have now equipped Mack with several ancillary pass-rushers to take pressure off of him, a group that includes the still-suspended Aldon Smith. But Irvin will be the primary player tasked with doing so. He has 22 sacks in four seasons, with his most (eight) coming as a rookie when the Seahawks opted to line him up primarily as a defensive end. On passing downs, Irvin figures to drop down and rush quarterbacks opposite Mack. His seasoning at both end and non-rush ‘backer makes him an ideal signing since the Raiders were also thin on their second level.

Going into last season, Oakland’s cornerback corps carried several homegrown talents that have not yet shown they’re capable NFL defenders. That D.J. Hayden-fronted contingent will now vie for nickel responsibilities after Oakland solidified this position by signing not only Sean Smith but extending 2015 waiver claim David Amerson.

The former profiles as a rangy man corner, which Norton prefers. Smith served as the Chiefs’ most consistent corner from 2013-15 and played a key part in Kansas City trotting out three straight strong pass defenses. Defensive rookie of the year Marcus Peters led the NFL in passes thrown his way in 2015, with Smith being the player opposing offenses wanted to test least when facing the Chiefs. The 6-foot-3 outside stopper became the rare high-end starter to sign a third contract before turning 30, and he and 2015 surprise Amerson give the secondary a vital talent infusion. Hayden, T.J. Carrie and Neiko Thorpe functioning in the Nos. 3-5 roles at corner instead of as the team’s top trio should fit the holdovers’ skill sets better.

Woodson did not see his production tail off to the degree most 39-year-old talents’ have, and the Raiders are going to miss the future Hall of Famer. Nelson was one of the few players involved in more turnovers than Woodson last season. En route to Pro Bowl acclaim, the 32-year-old Nelson tied Peters by intercepting an NFL-high eight passes, and the former Jaguars first-rounder recovered two fumbles.

No one will confuse Nelson of matching his free safety predecessor’s instincts, especially after Woodson snared five INTs and recovered four fumbles at 39. But the Raiders needed a veteran presence on their back line since Nate Allen‘s standing within the organization plummeted after an injury-marred 2015 and a subsequent release/re-signing. Nelson’s two-year deal seems reasonable for a talented player who will be 34 at its conclusion.

It’s debatable Aldon Smith will play for the Raiders in 2016, but the team clearly felt confident he’d return to some semblance of his All-Pro form. The former first-round pick and first-team All-Pro could conceivably be a difference-making presence down the stretch for a Raiders team that’s enhanced its pass rush. Mack, Irvin, and Smith could form a NASCAR package-style look of their own in select sequences, providing Smith’s reinstatement — set for Nov. 17 at the earliest (Week 10) — unfolds smoothly. That’s no lock, as Josh Gordon and several others can attest.

The Raiders allocated most of their prime resources to defensive upgrades but made their biggest financial commitment to Osemele. With Gabe Jackson already in the fold, Oakland’s need at guard didn’t match the ones that existed on defense. But the Raiders had more than $70MM in cap space to start the offseason. This signing should make their offensive line one of the game’s best. Oakland saw four of its five linemen receive quality grades from Pro Football Focus, with J’Marcus Webb at right guard being the only outlier.

The franchise immediately signed Osemele to fix a weak spot and made the fifth-year player by far the highest-paid guard in the league. The former second-round pick is basically on his own tier as far as guards go, with his $11.7MM-per-year deal nearly $4MM clear of the second-highest-paid guard, the Eagles’ Brandon Brooks ($8MM), in terms of AAV. The Raiders’ cap situation allowed them to frontload Osemele’s contract, and his $13.2MM 2016 cap number sits north of every other offensive linemen by at least $1MM.

Osemele, 27, will return to what has been his best NFL position, left guard, relocating Jackson to the right side for the first time as a pro. The Ravens used Osemele at left tackle down the stretch last season and likely inflated his value. One of the best run-blockers in the league will help Murray attempt to replicate his quality 2015 season, but for a bit in March it wasn’t yet known which position Osemele would play.

Donald Penn‘s decision to re-sign in Oakland, where he’d played well on a below-market contract the past two years to earn a rare raise at age 33, made sure Osemele would begin his Raiders tenure as a guard. Penn increased his value after two solid years with the Raiders but didn’t end up signing for that much more than he did when he inked a two-year, $9.6MM accord in 2014. So, the Raiders will be paying for the final years of the left tackle’s career in all likelihood but had the money to retain their only notable expiring contract.

The Raiders’ O-line now consists of four veteran contracts (Penn, Osemele, Rodney Hudson, and Austin Howard), with three of those representing top-10 money at their respective positions. Oakland’s payroll now houses an incredible imbalance between homegrown draftees and outside hires. The top nine figures on the Raiders’ 2016 cap sheet are allotted payments to hired guns acquired in the past three years, with Cooper and Mack’s coming in at 10th and 11th, respectively. This became possible due to poor drafting for several years in the late 2000s and early 2010s and several UFAs leaving in that span, Jared Veldheer and Lamarr Houston among them.

This spring’s spending spree gave the Raiders a nucleus that will be tethered to their plans for the next few years, and while the commitment proved extensive, their starting lineup can now measure up with the Broncos’ and Chiefs’ first units as the franchise hopes to compete with its top rivals.

Click here to read more about the Raiders’ offseason..

Read more

The Beat: Adam Teicher On The Chiefs

August 1st, 2016 at 9:36am CST by Zachary Links

With the season fast approaching, we’re chatting with beat writers from around the league to gain insight on each team’s offseason and how those moves will impact the season ahead.

Now, we continue the series by discussing the Chiefs with Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. You can follow Adam on Twitter @adamteicher and check out his stories here.

Zach Links: Heading into the offseason, I think a lot of people were expecting Eric Berry and the Chiefs to hammer out an extension before the July 15 deadline. Were you surprised when no deal was struck?

Adam Teicher: Many people assumed that the Chiefs and Berry would come to a last-minute agreement because that’s what happened last year with franchise player Justin Houston. But the Chiefs weren’t as motivated to get a long-term deal done with Berry as they were with Houston. While they feel Berry is a good player and has many intangible qualities that make them a better team, they don’t feel he is indispensable, as they thought with Houston. So, in that light, no is the answer to the question. The Chiefs weren’t going to meet Berry’s price, but they did with Houston. Eric Berry

Zach Links: Berry rightly views himself as one of the league’s very best safeties, but the two sides were said to be miles apart on terms. Do you think Berry is taking any of this personally?

Adam Teicher: It’s hard to know what Berry is thinking because he’s kept to himself publicly through the whole process. The fact he has yet to accept the Chiefs’ mandatory one-year contract offer, his only option at this point to play for them this season, would indicate he’s not happy with his predicament.

Zach Links: Ultimately, do you think Berry will sign a long-term deal to stay in Kansas City?

Adam Teicher: It’s difficult to see that at this point. If the Chiefs weren’t willing to satisfy him with a long-term offer this year, why would they do it next year? Perhaps things will change in that regard this season but I don’t think they will.

Click here to continue reading about the Chiefs..

Read more

PFR Originals: 7/24/16 – 7/21/16

July 31st, 2016 at 3:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced the PFR staff during the past week:

The Beat: Vic Carucci On The Bills

July 29th, 2016 at 3:31pm CST by Zachary Links

With the season fast approaching, we’re chatting with beat writers from around the league to gain insight on each team’s offseason and how those moves will impact the season ahead.

Now, we continue the series by discussing the Bills with Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News. You can follow Vic on Twitter @viccarucci and check out his stories here.

Tyrod Taylor (vertical)Zach Links: As you reported this week, the Bills and Tyrod Taylor‘s agent have been in frequent contact with regards to a long-term deal. Taylor is a unique case because while he had a strong 2015, he doesn’t have a long track record of success. What sort of deal do you think would make sense for both sides?

Vic Carucci: I could see something that provides Taylor with enough guaranteed money to satisfy him (and, remember, you’re talking about a player who played under sixth-round contract for most of his career as a backup in Baltimore) but also includes enough reasonable incentives to give him a good chance to move into the pay range he desires ($18MM or so) while also protecting the Bills. The biggest concern, for both parties, is the injury risk from Taylor’s inclination to run, so I think that will be a factor as well in how the contract is structured.

Zach Links: To date, the Bills have not been willing to offer Stephon Gilmore the kind of monster long-term deal that he is after. However, a Gilmore extension would probably give Buffalo enough room to extend Taylor. Do you see the Bills and Gilmore working out an extension sometime soon?

Vic Carucci: I don’t. I think he’s locked into the idea of getting a Josh Norman-like deal, and the Bills aren’t going to give him that. The Bills are compensating him fairly for this season, anticipating the scenario of him potentially playing into the final year of his rookie contract. They will see where they stand cap-wise at midseason, and perhaps they could resume what to date have been stalled talks. As far as the impact on Taylor, I think the Bills view it as a separate situation and, depending on how/if it works out with Taylor, there would likely be other contracts adjusted/restructured to accommodate whatever its resolved with the QB, if it’s resolved.

Zach Links: Do you think the Bills made the right pick when they selected Shaq Lawson No. 19 overall? Does his shoulder issue concern you at all in the long run? Shaq Lawson (vertical)

[RELATED – Impact Rookies: Buffalo Bills]

Vic Carucci: I liked the pick. The health risk was always on the table, and by having the surgery done in the offseason, it at least creates the possibility of having Lawson available for half the season. Although his absence could adversely impact the hopes of Rex Ryan of an immediately dramatic turnaround for his defense, I think you need to take a longer-term view with Lawson. When healthy, he should be a difference-making pass-rusher for many seasons.

Click here to continue reading about the Bills..

Read more

The Beat: Armando Salguero On The Dolphins

July 28th, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Zachary Links

With the season fast approaching, we’re chatting with beat writers from around the league to gain insight on each team’s offseason and how those moves will impact the season ahead.

Today, we continue the series by discussing the Dolphins with Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. You can follow Armando on Twitter @ArmandoSalguero and check out his stories here.

Zach Links: What’s the latest on Dion Jordan? How do you see things playing out in the end? Dion Jordan (vertical)

Armando Salguero: I reported today that the roster bonus to Dion Jordan on the fifth day of camp is a non-issue because he owes them more money than they owe him. He has to return over $3MM in signing bonus which he lost rights to when he was suspended. The Dolphins have to pay Jordan $1.69 million in that roster bonus. So Jordan isn’t getting any money from the Dolphins and he will be with the team during training camp, assuming he is reinstated. How will it play out beyond that? If he wins a spot, he’s on the team. If he doesn’t … He’ll be like all the other players in August that don’t earn a roster spot in training camp. He’ll be looking elsewhere.
Zach Links: Do you think new addition Arian Foster still has some good football left in the tank? Was the Foster signing an indication that the team is less-than-thrilled with Jay Ajayi and Kenyan Drake?

Arian Foster (vertical)Armando Salguero: I am told the Dolphins like Ajayi and Drake just fine. But, the team also likes the idea of having a veteran who has shown he’s a quality back when he’s healthy. I see this Dolphins backfield situation as Miami playing the odds. All three players — Foster, Ajayi, Drake — have had injury issues during their careers. The team is hopeful at least a couple of them can remain healthy in 2016. If one of those is Foster, he might be the best bargain, back-of-free agency addition in the division. But, again, only if he casts aside his recent history for being injured and unavailable.

Zach Links: Do you believe that new coach Adam Gase will elevate Ryan Tannehill‘s level of play? What kind of year do you think Tannehill will have in 2016?

Click here to read more about the Dolphins..<
Read more

Load More Posts