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2015 Release Candidates: NFC North

July 10th, 2015 at 7:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Most clubs have fairly set rosters at this point, as OTA, minicamp, and preseason performances won’t do much to alter roster composition. The majority of key releases came in March, but there are still several scenarios where certain contributors could lose their roster spot in the coming months. For the most part, we’ll focus on situations where the cap savings would be in excess of $1MM.

Because free agency has already passed, financial ramifications won’t play a huge role in these decisions; there aren’t a ton of high-profile free agents on which to spend that saved money, so these calls will mostly be made based on performance. However, any cap space saved through these potential releases could be rolled over into 2016, so that’s something clubs have to consider.

We’ve already looked at the AFC East, NFC East, and AFC North, so let’s dive into the NFC North…

Chicago Bears:

  • Jermon Bushrod, T: There’s no disputing that Bushrod an improvement over what the Bears were running out at left tackle in the years preceding his arrival in the Windy City — but that doesn’t mean that he’s been worth the five-year, nearly $36MM contract he signed with Chicago prior to the 2013 season. He’s actually been well below-average, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required), which ranked Bushrod as the 55th- and 57th-best left tackle in the league in 2013 and 2014, respectively. $1MM of his $5MM base salary became fully guaranteed earlier this year, however, so if the Bears were going to cut him they already would’ve (and it’s not as as though there a litany of left tackle options lying around the free agent market, anyway). But given that we’ve passed the June 1 cutoff, Chicago could save $4.85MM by releasing the 30-year-old Bushrod now; if he falters again in ’15, I suspect the club might part ways with him next season (when they could save $4.3MM before June 1 and $6.5MM after said date). Prediction: not released.
  • Matt Slauson, G: The only other Bear who is even remotely a candidate for release is another offensive lineman, left guard Matt Slauson. The 29-year-old played in only five contests last year, missing a few weeks at the beginning of the season due to a high ankle sprain before being placed on injured reserve after tearing his pectoral in Week 8. Similar to their situation at left tacke, the Bears don’t have any viable replacements were they to release Slauson, as Michael Ola was thoroughly unimpressive while filling in on the interior last season, and free agent signee Vlad Ducasse has never lived up to his second-round billing. Additionally, Slauson was quite good in 2013 after coming over from the Jets, and just signed a four-year deal last January, so there’s no reason Chicago won’t give him a chance to get healthy and prove his worth. Prediction: not released.

Detroit Lions:

  • Ryan Broyles, WR: Broyles was only nine months removed from a torn ACL when he entered the league in 2012, and he suffered another ACL injury (opposite knee) during his rookie season. Midway through his sophomore season in 2013, he was dealt another blow as he ruptured his Achilles. Broyles was largely healthy during the 2014 campaign, but still didn’t play much — he’s totaled just 21 games during his three-year career. Thought to be an explosive slot weapon coming out of Oklahoma, it seems like injuries have sapped much of Broyles’ athleticism, and though the Lions would save less than $900K by cutting him, he seems like a long shot to earn a spot on Detroit’s roster, let alone make his first significant NFL contribution at age 27. Prediction: waived.
  • Jason Jones, DE: The 29-year-old Jones is entering the final season of a three-year deal, and is scheduled to count nearly $4MM against Detroit’s cap. His first season with the Lions — 2013 — was a wash, as he played in just three games before suffering a season-ending injury. Jones played in (and started) all 16 games last season, but wasn’t very effective, ranking as the just the 47th 4-3 defensive end among 59 qualifiers, according to PFF. Digging into the numbers a little deeper gives a better overall impression, as Jones ranked in the top half the league against the run and total pressures, but he finished only 36th in pass rush productivity. The Lions lost both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley to free agency, so they need all the help they can get along the defensive line — it’s just not clear if Jones is all that helpful. In his early Lions 53-man roster projection, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com noted that Detroit likes that fact that Jones can play both end and tackle, surmising that that versatility could keep him on the roster (for the record, Rothstein did list Jones among his projected final 53). For now, Jones is probably safe, but if a backup shows something in training camp, or a high-quality option can be found via the waiver wire, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Jones out of a job. Prediction: not released.
  • Stephen Tulloch, LB: Tulloch’s season was (somewhat embarrassingly) cut short when he tore his ACL while celebrating a sack during a Week 3 contest against the Packers. There a quite a few factors working against Tulloch’s return to Detroit: his recovery from his injury; his $5.8MM cap figure, $4.3MM of of which would be wiped out if he’s released; and the presence of fourth-year pro Tahir Whitehead, who filled in admirably at middle linebacker in Whitehead’s absence. However, Tulloch ranked as the second-best inside linebacker in the league as recently as 2013 (per PFF), and Tulloch indicated through an Instagram post earlier this year that he’d be back in Detroit for 2015. That post doesn’t mean his return is official, obviously, but it might indicate that Lions management told him he’d be retained. Prediction: not released.

Green Bay Packers:

  • Mike Neal, LB: As I wrote earlier this year in the Packers Offseason Outlook post, Neal’s production simply doesn’t match his production. Signed to a two-year, $8MM deal prior to last season, the 28-year-old Neal went on to rank as the worst 3-4 outside linebacker in the league according to PFF, finishing as the worst pass-rusher at his position by a considerable margin. In May, however, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com noted that Neal had been paid a roster bonus — which Over the Cap pegs at $1.3MM — so if Green Bay had wanted to release Neal, they obviously wouldn’t have shelled out that cash. Prediction: not released.
  • Julius Peppers, LB: Peppers is only listed here due to the combination of his age (35) and the large bump in his cap figure from 2014 ($3.5MM) to 2015 ($12MM). Neither his ’15 nor ’16 base salaries are guaranteed, so the Packers could clear all but the remaining $5MM in bonus money left on his deal. But Peppers was simply too valuable during his first year in Green Bay to let go, although the Packers could approach him about a restructure. Prediction: not released.
  • Nick Perry, LB: Only three other 2012 first-round picks have accumulated fewer snaps than Perry during their first three seasons in the NFL: Dre Kirkpatrick, who was buried on the Bengals’ CB depth chart until the end of last season; David Wilson, who is now retired due to injuries; and A.J. Jenkins, perhaps the most obvious first-round bust from that ’12 draft. Perry doesn’t have much special teams value, either, although his ST snap percentage has risen from less than 4% his rookie year to 16.5% in 2014. The Packers already declined Perry’s 2016 option, and even with Clay Matthews moving to the inside, there’s no reason to pay Perry his full 2015 cap charge when the club could save nearly $1.5MM by cutting him. Between fourth-rounder Jake Ryan, and the several UDFAs Green Bay signed after the draft, the team should be able to rely on players making minimum salary to fill in its linebacking unit. Prediction: waived.
  • Andrew Quarless, TE: The Packers reportedly don’t plan to release Quarless in the wake of his recent arrest, and while that could obviously change, it’s much too soon (and the situation too bereft of facts) to render a prediction.

Minnesota Vikings:

  • Casey Matthews, LB: Matthews doesn’t fit our criteria of offering cap savings of $1MM+, but I included him here both because he played a semi-prominent role in Philadelphia last year after DeMeco Ryans suffered an injury, and because some expected him to possibly start for the Vikings following the departure of Jasper Brinkley. Minnesota selected UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks in the second round of this year’s draft, however, and that combined with the presence of Audie Cole means that Matthews wouldn’t have a shot at much playing time. Prediction: released.
  • Brian Robison, DE: Robison has been the Vikings’ full-time starter at left end four four seasons, and 2014 was his first truly sub-par season, as he graded as the league’s No. 52 4-3 defensive end among 59 qualifiers per PFF. He’d been above average in the years prior, especially excelling at pass rushing. Robison is signed for three more years, and Minnesota would actually save a good deal of cap space ($4.65MM) by releasing him, but given that he was still productive just two seasons ago, I’d expect him to be retained, especially given that the Vikings don’t have much in the way of defensive end depth. Prediction: not released.
  • LB Chad Greenway accepted a pay cut earlier this offseason or he would have likely been released.

Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: AFC West

July 10th, 2015 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Before NFL training camps get underway later this month, we’re taking a closer look at the top 2015 cap hits for teams around the league. We began our series in June by focusing on the NFC East and AFC East divisions, before looking at the NFC North, AFC North, and NFC South last week. Earlier this week, we recapped the AFC South and NFC West, and today we’ll wrap up our series by concluding with the AFC West.

Listed below are the top 10 cap hits for the coming season for each of the four AFC West franchises, accompanied by some observations on the spending habits of those clubs. Let’s dive in….

Denver Broncos:

  1. Peyton Manning, QB: $17,500,000
  2. Demaryius Thomas, WR: $12,823,000
  3. Von Miller, OLB: $9,754,000
  4. DeMarcus Ware, OLB: $8,666,666
  5. T.J. Ward, S: $7,750,000
  6. Aqib Talib, CB: $6,968,750
  7. Louis Vasquez, G: $6,250,000
  8. Emmanuel Sanders, WR: $5,850,000
  9. Britton Colquitt, P: $3,750,000
  10. Chris Harris, CB: $3,000,000
    Total: $82,312,416

The top three contracts on the Broncos’ list are all ones worth keeping an eye on. Manning’s cap number for 2015 was adjusted earlier in the offseason, bringing it down from $21.5MM, while Thomas and Miller are both candidates for extensions. Thomas’ figure is based on the franchise tag and Miller’s is based on the fifth-year option — presumably, the team would like to lock up at least one of those two players to a long-term contract this offseason to avoid having to decide between them for the franchise tag in 2016.

Elsewhere on the list, Sanders and Harris look like two of the NFL’s best bargains. Harris’ cap hit will jump to $9MM in 2016, but based on what Byron Maxwell received on the open market this winter, that still looks like a very fair price for one of the top cornerbacks in the league. As for Sanders, his cap charge continues to be very affordable next year, at just $6MM.

One name that jumps out on this list is Colquitt, who is a solid but unspectacular punter, ranking 23rd in net average last year. It looks like the team will probably carry him this year, but when his cap hit increases to $4MM in 2016, with just $750K in dead money, it may be time to bring in some legitimate competition at the position.

Kansas City Chiefs:

  1. Alex Smith, QB: $15,600,000
  2. Justin Houston, OLB: $13,195,000
  3. Dwayne Bowe, WR: $8,894,118 (dead money)
  4. Eric Berry, S: $8,357,700
  5. Jamaal Charles, RB: $7,970,835
  6. Sean Smith, CB: $7,750,000
  7. Eric Fisher, LT: $6,051,954
  8. Derrick Johnson, LB: $5,250,000
  9. Tamba Hali, OLB: $4,964,706
  10. Chase Daniel, QB: $4,800,000
    Total: $82,834,313

Like the Broncos, the Chiefs have a franchise player near the top of their list of cap numbers, so if Houston reaches a long-term agreement with the club within the next few days, his number could be reduced.

Still, there are some unexpected names here for Kansas City — Bowe, for instance, will be playing in Cleveland this season while he continues to count for nearly $9MM against the Chiefs’ cap. It’s also not clear if Berry will be able to return to the field in 2015, though obviously his recovery from lymphoma is more important than any cap considerations.

When I looked at the NFC West earlier this week, I observed that the Cardinals were one of the league’s only teams with two quarterbacks amongst their top 10 cap charges. Kansas City is the other club to have that honor, and it’s somewhat surprising that Daniel’s contract hasn’t been addressed. The Chiefs clearly value him highly, having made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid backups, despite the fact that he has only thrown 75 passes in his career.

Oakland Raiders:

  1. Rodney Hudson, C: $13,000,000
  2. Dan Williams, DT: $8,000,000
  3. Nate Allen, S: $7,000,000
  4. Tyvon Branch, S: $6,671,000 (dead money)
  5. Curtis Lofton, LB: $6,500,000
  6. Austin Howard, RT: $6,400,000
  7. Donald Penn, LT: $5,400,000
  8. Justin Tuck, DE: $4,968,750
  9. Khalil Mack, OLB: $4,244,773
  10. Charles Woodson, S: $4,200,000
    Total: $66,384,523

The Raiders entered the offseason with a boatload of cap room to use, and they took advantage by lavishing lucrative contracts onto a handful of free agents who may not have been entirely deserving of such big annual salaries.

Still, it’s worth pointing out that the figures here for Hudson, Williams, Allen, and Lofton aren’t quite representative of their per-year salaries — all four players will see their cap numbers decrease in future seasons, with Hudson dipping most drastically between 2015 and 2016, from $13MM to $7.7MM. The contracts themselves may not turn out to be smart investments, but Oakland was smart to allocate larger cap hits to 2015, when the team had cap space to burn.

The Raiders, like a handful of other teams we’ve examined so far, benefit from not having to spend big yet on their young quarterback, but the club’s spending habits at other positions are a little unusual. While most teams would invest most heavily in players on the outside – left tackles, edge rushers, wide receivers, and cornerbacks – the Raiders’ top 2015 cap hits are all for up-the-middle players, including a center, defensive tackle, safety, and inside linebacker.

San Diego Chargers:

  1. Philip Rivers, QB: $17,416,668
  2. Eric Weddle, S: $10,100,000
  3. Antonio Gates, TE: $9,762,500
  4. Corey Liuget, DT: $7,977,000
  5. Donald Butler, LB: $5,480,000
  6. Malcom Floyd, WR: $4,716,668
  7. Orlando Franklin, G: $4,400,000
  8. Mike Scifres, P: $4,347,500
  9. Brandon Flowers, CB: $4,250,000
  10. King Dunlap, LT: $4,125,000
    Total: $72,575,336

The Chargers’ top 10 cap numbers for 2015 are made up nearly entirely of players who are entering the final year of their respective contracts and players who just signed new contracts with the club this offseason. Only Butler, who signed an extension in 2014, and Scifres, who is under contract for 2016, don’t meet this criteria.

Of the longtime Chargers entering the final year of their contracts, Rivers appears to have the best chance of reaching a long-term extension that would affect his cap number for 2015. Talks between the Chargers and Weddle haven’t gone well, Gates is facing a four-game suspension, and Floyd has talked about the possibility of retiring after the coming season.

As for the recently signed players, Liuget, Flowers, and Dunlap re-upped with San Diego this offseason, with Flowers and Dunlap narrowly avoiding reaching the open market, while Franklin was poached from the division-rival Broncos. All four players will see their cap numbers rise after this season, going from a combined $20.752 in 2015 to a total of $33.275 in 2016.

Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.

Community Tailgate: 7/10/15

July 10th, 2015 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re still about two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we’ll focus on the afternoon’s big news and take a closer look at the reduction of Greg Hardy‘s suspension. After initially being banned for 10 games, the Cowboys defensive end had his suspension cut to four games today by arbitrator Harold Henderson, who said in a statement that 10 games was “simply too much of an increase over prior cases.”

Taking into account the details of Hardy’s domestic violence case, a mere four-game suspension sounds awfully light, especially considering Tom Brady is currently facing the same penalty for his possible involvement in DeflateGate, a case which lacked the sort of hard evidence available against Hardy. Of course, the two cases are wildly different, but it still isn’t a good look for the NFL that the two players are facing equal penalties.

On the other hand, Hardy’s domestic incident took place while the league’s old personal conduct policy was still in effect, and that policy called for a two-game suspension for this sort of violation. Throw in the fact that Hardy was forced out of action for 15 games in 2014, spending time on the commissioner’s exempt list while the legal process played out, and you could make a case that the four-game ban is still too much. Agent Drew Rosenhaus left the door open today for Hardy to continue to fight the suspension in court in an effort to reduce it to two games, though Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) says that’s unlikely to happen.

What do you think? Is a four-game suspension fair for Hardy? Should he and his camp drop their fight and accept the reduced penalty? And, on a somewhat related note, does today’s ruling alter your view of Brady’s appeal, and how Roger Goodell might rule in that case? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts and opinions and the subject. We’re looking forward to hearing what you have to say!

Offseason In Review: New England Patriots

July 9th, 2015 at 9:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots made headlines all winter and spring long thanks to the DeflateGate scandal. Their actual football moves, however, didn’t garner as much ink. It remains to be seen how the Pats will actually fare in 2015, but right now this offseason appears to be more about what they lost than what they gained.

Notable signings:

The Patriots were always said to be in the driver’s seat when it came to safety Devin McCourty and they struck agreement with the Pro Bowler days before the opening of free agency. The new pact is worth $47.5MM over five years and McCourty reportedy turned down more lucrative offers to stay in New England. It also doesn’t hurt that the deal includes $28.5MM in guaranteed cash for the Rutgers product. The Jaguars, Eagles, and Giants all made hard pushes to sign the play making free safety, but it sounds like McCourty didn’t have much interest in signing elsewhere.

Jabaal Sheard saw his sack count decrease in each of his NFL seasons, from 8.5 in 2011 to just 2.0 in 2014. The Browns also took him out of the starting lineup this past season, reducing his snap count to 690. However, Sheard played very well in the new role — out of all the league’s 3-4 outside linebackers, only Terrell Suggs had a better grade against the run, per PFF. If the Patriots can keep him off the field in passing situations, Sheard can do some serious damage for them either as a linebacker or a defensive end.

Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski signed his one-year franchise contract tender in early March, giving him a salary of $4.6MM for the upcoming season. The 31-year-old has led the NFL in field goals in each of the last two seasons, making 73 of his 78 total attempts during that stretch, for a 93.6% mark. Gostkowski has also made all 95 of his extra point tries over the last two years. That success prompted the Pats to designate him as their franchise player, rather than using the tag on McCourty.

In January, the Pats signed safety Patrick Chung to a three-year extension worth up to $8.2MM, with $3.4MM guaranteed. The advanced statistics suggest that Chung was one of the best safeties in the league in 2014, as Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the 12th-best at his position. Chung will now be sticking with the organization that selected him in the second round of the 2009 draft. Chung signed a one-year deal with the Eagles two years ago, but a mediocre 2013 season prompted his release.

Shortly after extending Chung, the Pats reached agreement on a new pact with cornerback Brandon Bolden. Bolden was set to hit restricted free agency this offseason, but the 24-year-old is now signed to be a part of the Pats’ backfield through 2016. Bolden joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2012, and the former Mississippi standout quickly made a name for himself. In only his third career game, the running back rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown against the Bills. Since then, he hasn’t produced much on the ground, and he only compiled 28 carries for 98 yards and a score in 2014.

Tight end Scott Chandler was released by the Bills in March but quickly found a new home in the AFC East. The 6’7″ athlete hauled in 47 catches for 497 yards and three touchdowns in 2014. Chandler was something of a late bloomer in the league, as he did not see any time on an NFL field between his debut in 2007 with the Chargers and his return in 2010 with the Bills. In Buffalo, he asserted himself as a real NFL talent and not just a taxi squad filler.

Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Bradley Fletcher as the 92nd best cornerback last season out of 108 qualified players at the position. He was much better in 2013, however, having been ranked 44th out of 110 players at the position. The Pats are hoping that they can get Fletcher to revert to his old form and they weren’t the only team with that idea in mind. The veteran also drew interest from the Vikings before the official start of free agency.

After losing Shane Vereen, the Patriots signed former Saints back Travaris Cadet to fill a similar role. Cadet, 26, saw his first significant action for the Saints in 2014, hauling in 38 passes on 51 targets, totaling 296 yards and a touchdown on those receptions. Although he was listed as a running back and generally lined up in the backfield, the Appalachian State product only had 10 carries for 32 yards.

Notable losses:

The Patriots decided not to pick up the 2015 option on star cornerback Darrelle Revis, not because they didn’t want him, but because the $25MM cap hit would have been too much to bear. Now, the Pats will have to deal with seeing him multiple times each season now that he’s back with the Jets, but they’re probably not envious of the price Gang Green paid to get him. The 29-year-old appeared in all 19 of the Patriots’ games in 2014 (playoffs included) and ranked as the fourth-best cornerback in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus’ grading system (subscription required). He also earned his sixth Pro Bowl nod and fourth First-Team All-Pro selection.

Revis’ secondary partner Brandon Browner was also shown the door. The veteran corner, who turns 31 in August, appeared in nine regular season games for New England in his suspension-shortened season. He recorded 32 total tackles, seven pass deflections, and one interception during that time. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) wasn’t wowed by Browner’s performance in 2014, ranking him No. 79 out of 108 qualified cornerbacks.

In May, the Pats decided that they might as well get rid of all of their top CBs when they released Kyle Arrington. Arrington had two years left on his deal at non-guaranteed salaries of $3MM in 2015 and $3.5MM in 2016 and while a reunion at a reduced rate was thought to be possible, he wound up signing with the Ravens.

Two notable running backs – Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley – made their exit from New England this offseason. Vereen joined up with the Giants on a deal with an AAV of ~$4MM. The 26-year-old ran for 391 yards off of 96 carries in 2014, good for an average of 4.1 yards per attempt. He was also heavily involved in the Pats’ passing game for the second year in a row, recording 52 catches for 447 yards. Pro Football Focus (sub. req’d) placed him as the 28th best tailback out of 57 qualified players last season with a slightly below average grade of -1.0. Ridley, meanwhile, has joined the rival Jets. Ridley was once one of the brightest young running backs in the league, but he couldn’t hang on to the ball in 2013 and his season was cut short by injury in 2014.

The Pats elected not to exercise their option on Vince Wilfork in early March, making him a free agent. The veteran spent all 11 years of his career with the Patriots, playing 158 regular season games for the club, and starting 148 of those. An anchor in the middle of the defensive line in New England for the last decade, Wilfork looked like he may be leaving the team a year ago, before the two sides worked out a new deal to keep him around for the club’s Super Bowl 2014 season. This time, he’s gone for real.

Tim Wright, who came to the Patriots last year as a part of the Logan Mankins deal with the Buccaneers, was released in June. The move was somewhat surprising, but the Pats likely felt that Wright’s role on the team can be filled by offseason pickup Scott Chandler.

Extensions and restructures:

Jerod Mayo’s previous contract with the Pats called for a $6.25MM base salary in 2015, and cap numbers averaging about $10MM for the next three years, through 2017. Now, the new pact is a one-year contract that includes $4.5MM in guaranteed money. That amount is equivalent to the injury guarantee New England would have owed the 29-year-old if the club had cut him before he was deemed healthy.

Danny Amendola‘s new deal is a bit more reasonable for the Pats given his production and overall health. Last year, Amendola caught 27 passes for 200 yards with one touchdown. The advanced stats at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) gave Amendola an overall grade of -7.0, ranking him 93rd out of 110 qualified wide receivers.

 

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 111; G Tre Jackson), a fifth-round pick (No. 147), and a sixth-round pick (No. 202; TE A.J. Derby) from the Browns in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick (No. 96; DT Xavier Cooper) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 219; ILB Hayes Pullard).
  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 166; LS Joe Cardona) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 247; CB Darryl Roberts) from the Packers in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 147; QB Brett Hundley).

Draft picks:

  • 1-32: Malcom Brown, DT (Texas): Signed
  • 2-64: Jordan Richards, DB (Stanford): Signed
  • 3-97: Geneo Grissom, DE (Oklahoma): Signed
  • 4-101: Trey Flowers, DE (Arkansas): Signed
  • 4-111: Tre’ Jackson, G (Florida State): Signed
  • 4-131: Shaq Mason, OL (Georgia Tech): Signed
  • 5-166: Joe Cardona, LS (Navy): Signed
  • 6-178: Matthew Wells, OLB (Mississippi State): Signed
  • 6-202: A.J. Derby, TE (Arkansas): Signed
  • 7-247: Darryl Roberts, CB (Marshall): Signed
  • 7-253: Xzavier Dickson, DE (Alabama): Signed

With their first-round pick, the Pats plucked Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown, ostensibly as a replacement for Vince Wilfork. Brown broke out in 2014 with 6.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss and he became the first defensive tackle to lead Texas in both categories in 30 years. If Brown can attract double teams the way that Wilfork did, the Pats might not miss the veteran all that much in 2015.

Other:

Brady is still awaiting word on his appeal but as we learned Thursday, we could be getting closer to a ruling.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Tom Brady, QB: $14,000,000
  2. Rob Gronkowski, TE: $8,650,000
  3. Nate Solder, LT: $7,438,000
  4. Sebastian Vollmer, RT: $7,020,833
  5. Jerod Mayo, LB: $6,100,000
  6. Devin McCourty, S: $6,000,000
  7. Darrelle Revis, CB: $5,000,000 (dead money)
  8. Rob Ninkovich, DE: $4,750,000
  9. Julian Edelman, WR: $4,656,250
  10. Stephen Gostkowski, K: $4,590,000

The Patriots had enough question marks this offseason with so many familiar faces out of the picture. Now, the prospect of being without Brady for the first month of the season looms over them. You can never count the Patriots out, but the AFC East now seems more wide open than ever.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Community Tailgate: 7/9/15

July 9th, 2015 at 5:27pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still more than two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we’ll be gauging your gut feeling on the Tom Brady appeal. The appeal hearing for Brady’s four-game suspension took place more than two weeks ago and, finally, it sounds like we’re on the verge of a ruling. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who also acted as the arbitrator in Tom Brady‘s appeal hearing last month, said today that he expects to announce a decision on the case soon, perhaps as early as next week.

Even weeks later, the NFL’s decision to suspend the Patriots QB for four games comes as something of a shock, not necessarily because he didn’t deserve it, but because he has become the NFL’s foremost star. Now that the league office has had some additional time to cool off, it’s conceivable that Goodell will be a little bit more lax this time around. There is also precedent for the lowering of suspensions following major scandals. Saints defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove was one example – he was suspended eight games for his obstruction in Bountygate, but he later had that penalty reduced to two games. Then again – despite the league’s claims that Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent was the one who handed down the penalty – Goodell unquestionably had a major role in the suspension. Would he be willing to essentially admit to a wrong judgement in the DeflateGate scandal?

In a May poll, more than 62% of you said that Brady would get his suspension slashed from four games to something less harsh. Now that we’re (potentially) days away from a verdict, where do you stand? Will Brady have his suspension reduced, or will he serve the full four games? Let us know in the comment section below!

Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: NFC West

July 9th, 2015 at 4:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Before NFL training camps get underway later this month, we’ll be taking a closer look at the top 2015 cap hits for teams around the league. We began our series in June by focusing on the NFC East and AFC East divisions, before looking at the NFC North, AFC North, and NFC South last week. Earlier this week, we recapped the AFC South, and today we’ll head back to the NFC to examine the West division.

Listed below are the top 10 cap hits for the coming season for each of the four NFC West franchises, accompanied by some observations on the spending habits of those clubs. Let’s dive in….

Arizona Cardinals:

  1. Patrick Peterson, CB: $14,791,491
  2. Calais Campbell, DL: $14,750,000
  3. Larry Fitzgerald, WR: $10,850,000
  4. Jared Veldheer, LT: $8,500,000
  5. Carson Palmer, QB: $7,375,000
  6. Mike Iupati, G: $6,700,000
  7. Daryl Washington, LB: $6,500,000
  8. Jerraud Powers, CB: $5,350,000
  9. Jonathan Cooper, G: $3,967,909
  10. Drew Stanton, QB: $3,866,668
    Total: $82,651,068

Nearly every team in the NFL has one quarterback amongst their top 10 cap hits, but not many have two. The fact that Stanton sneaks into the top 10 shows how much the Cardinals value Palmer’s backup, who held his own when forced into action last season. Of course, by season’s end, neither Palmer nor Stanton was healthy.

While Arizona hopes to get more bang from its buck from its top quarterback in 2015, the team is also waiting to see if it will get anything from Washington, who has yet to be reinstated after being suspended for the entire 2014 season. At $6.5MM, Washington’s cap number is substantial, but it’s not clear yet whether he remains in the club’s plans.

One longtime Cardinal had his contract restructured this season to stay with the team — had he not reworked his deal, Fitzgerald would’ve easily had the highest cap charge on this list, since he initially counted for more than $23MM against the cap. The new figure, less than half that, is much more manageable for Arizona.

San Francisco 49ers:

  1. Colin Kaepernick, QB: $15,265,753
  2. NaVorro Bowman, LB: $7,654,000
  3. Joe Staley, LT: $7,600,000
  4. Ahmad Brooks, OLB: $7,055,000
  5. Vernon Davis, TE: $6,967,920
  6. Anquan Boldin, WR: $6,909,000
  7. Aldon Smith, OLB: $4,854,875
  8. Antoine Bethea, S: $4,750,000
  9. Ray McDonald, DT: $4,609,971 (dead money)
  10. Phil Dawson, K: $4,134,000
    Total: $69,800,519

The one silver lining of all the unexpected retirements that dominated the Niners’ offseason? Many of those players were very well-compensated, so the team’s books look a little cleaner without significant cap charges for veterans like Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, and Anthony Davis.

While those players were removed from San Francisco’s cap, Kaepernick shot up to the top of the list, with his cap hit jumping from $3.767MM in 2014 to $15.266MM this year. The 49ers quarterback has a contract that’s considered very team-friendly, but as long as he remains on the roster, those charges will continue to increase — he’ll be up over $19MM by 2017.

Meanwhile, most teams around the NFL didn’t touch the contracts for players with fifth-year options in 2015, but the Niners took advantage of the fact that those fifth-year salaries weren’t guaranteed by reworking Aldon Smith’s deal. Smith can still earn up to the $9.754MM he was initially set to make, but to maximize his payday he’ll have to stay on the field, earning roster bonuses and incentives.

Seattle Seahawks:

  1. Richard Sherman, CB: $12,200,000
  2. Marshawn Lynch, RB: $8,500,000
  3. Cliff Avril, DE: $8,000,000
  4. Michael Bennett, DE: $8,000,000
  5. Jimmy Graham, TE: $8,000,000
  6. Earl Thomas, S: $7,400,000
  7. Russell Okung, LT: $7,280,000
  8. Percy Harvin, WR: $7,200,000 (dead money)
  9. Brandon Mebane, DT: $5,700,000
  10. Kam Chancellor, S: $5,650,000
    Total: $77,930,000

A look at the names on the Seahawks’ top-10 list shows why the franchise has been one of the league’s most successful in recent years. Many of the players here are Pro Bowlers, while virtually all of them are above-average contributors at their respective positions. And, with a cap hit under $1.7MM, the team’s two-time Pro Bowl quarterback – Russell Wilson – doesn’t even come close to making the cut here.

Even the Seahawks make mistakes though, as the presence of Harvin on this list suggests. The extension he got from the club after being acquired from Minnesota was one of GM John Schneider‘s few missteps, and even after sending the injury-plagued wideout to the Jets, the Seahawks still have to stomach his leftover cap charges for one more year.

As well as the Seahawks have managed their cap, it’s also easy to see why a huge deal for Wilson would upset the balance. With so many players in the $7-8MM range, adding a cap number in the neighborhood of $20MM would make the club’s cap very top-heavy and compromise its flexibility, which makes those extension negotiations even more fascinating.

St. Louis Rams:

  1. Robert Quinn, DE: $16,744,110
  2. Chris Long, DE: $12,500,000
  3. Jared Cook, TE: $8,300,441
  4. Rodger Saffold, G: $8,250,000
  5. Lance Kendricks, TE: $5,600,000
  6. Greg Robinson, LT: $4,837,295
  7. Nick Fairley, DT: $4,750,000
  8. William Hayes, DE: $4,480,000
  9. Kenny Britt, WR: $4,300,000
  10. James Laurinaitis, LB: $4,275,000
    Total: $74,036,846

When discussing the Cardinals above, I noted that Arizona is the rare team with two quarterbacks amongst its top 10 cap hits. The Rams achieve a feat that may be even more unusual, with a pair of tight ends in their top five cap charges. Kendricks’ deal is frontloaded, but it’s still an odd usage of cap room — the guaranteed money on Cook’s deal runs out this year, so I wonder if 2015 will be his last season in St. Louis.

Elsewhere, the Rams’ dedication to their defensive line is obvious here. Besides Quinn and Long at the top, Fairley and Hayes also earn spots on this list, and it’s only a matter of time until Defensive Rookie of the Year Aaron Donald earns a massive deal of his own — of course, by that point, Long, Fairley, and Hayes may no longer be in the picture.

The other name here that jumps out at me is Saffold. When the Rams signed him to a lucrative five-year contract last year, I expected him to be used at tackle, but he’s settled in at left guard instead. An $8.25MM cap charge is extravagant for a guard, especially one like Saffold, who probably won’t be earning a Pro Bowl spot anytime soon. But since St. Louis has opted not to spend heavily elsewhere on the line, turning to young, inexpensive players instead, it’s a hit the team can afford.

Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Dallas Cowboys

July 8th, 2015 at 9:05pm CST by Zachary Links

After years of building up the unit, the Cowboys’ offensive line helped propel them to the top of the NFC East. Tony Romo, who has had his ups and downs in recent years, finished the year as the No. 6 quarterback in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). DeMarco Murray took advantage of those truck-sized holes created by the o-line and rushed his way to a career year. Dez Bryant cemented himself as one of the very best (if not the best) receivers in the NFL, lighting up opposing cornerbacks on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, the defense went from last in the league in 2013 to 19th overall in 2014 – not exactly the 1985 Bears, but a step up from being the “-Allas” Cowboys.

Now, the Cowboys will look to take a step forward in 2015 without the services of 2014’s top rusher.

Notable signings:

It wouldn’t be a true Cowboys offseason with at least one splashy move and Dallas checked that box in March with the signing of former Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy. Hardy, who had 15 sacks in 2013 for the Panthers before missing most of the 2014 season, is currently slated to serve a whopping 10-game suspension. The 26-year-old made the Pro Bowl in 2013 after he compiled a career-high 15 sacks, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the second-best overall defensive end in the league. He signed a $13.1MM deal for the 2014 season and wound up playing in just one game for that entire campaign. Now, he’ll earn a base of $3.218MM and the rest of his possible cash is heavily tied to incentives.

A day after losing Murray to Philly, the Cowboys agreed to terms on a two-year deal for former Raiders running back Darren McFadden. Outside of a 2010 campaign in which he posted 1,157 rushing yards and added another 507 yards through the air, the 27-year-old has never been able to stay healthy and put it all together for a full season. 2014 was the first year in which he played all 16 games for Oakland, but he was underwhelming, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, his third straight season with a mark of 3.4 or lower. After accepting his original-round RFA tender, Lance Dunbar will also be on the depth chart at RB.

This time last year, no one knew what to expect out of Rolando McClain. The 25-year-old went on to record 87 tackles and a sack to go along with two interceptions in 13 games for the Cowboys in 2014. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the former first-round pick eighth out of 60 qualified inside linebackers, and he excelled in every aspect of the game — PFF’s grades placed him eighth as a pass rusher, seventh as a cover man, and 11th as a run defender, among inside linebackers. Now, he’s back on a new deal, but he’s off to a bad start already with a four-game suspension looming. In addition to retaining McClain, the Cowboys added three notable free agent linebackers in Keith Rivers, Jasper Brinkley, and Andrew Gachkar.

Doug Free was set to become of the top offensive lineman available on the open market in 2015 but the Cowboys struck a deal with him in early March to keep him in Dallas. By re-signing Free, the Cowboys held together an offensive line widely regarded as the league’s best. The 31-year-old missed some time due to an ankle injury in 2014, snapping a streak of consecutive games played that had dated back to the 2009 season. The veteran has manned the right tackle spot in Dallas since 2012, when Smith first made the switch to the left side. Last season, he ranked 21st out of 84 qualified tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), performing particularly well as a run blocker for Murray.

Cole Beasley, 26, has developed into one of Tony Romo‘s more reliable targets over the last couple seasons and it was no surprise to see Dallas lock him up. In 2014, the SMU product set career highs with 420 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while totaling 37 receptions.

Notable losses:

DeMarco Murray had the best season of his career in 2014 but the Cowboys didn’t put up much of a fight to keep him in Dallas. Murray, who has struggled with injuries in years past, put it all together in 2014 for his best campaign yet. The 26-year-old ran for 1,845 yards and 13 scores with 2,261 all-purpose yards. The advanced numbers also showed that Murray was also at the top of the heap last season. Pro Football Focus‘ numbers (subscription required) resulted in an overall score of 15.2, placing him fifth amongst all tailbacks in 2014. His lack of meaningful production in the passing game, fumbles, and below average blocking were his only real demerits. The Cowboys will still get to see plenty of him in 2015 when he leads the way for the Eagles.

Bruce Carter, a former second-round choice, didn’t really live up to expectations in Dallas, but he was still a desirable free agent thanks to his freakish athleticism. Despite his underwhelming body of work, he still managed to land a four-year, $17MM deal from the Bucs this offseason. Carter was given a negative grade by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2014 and ranked as just the 34th best outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme out of 40 qualified players. In 13 games (with eight starts), the 27-year-old recorded 82 total tackles with an eye-popping five interceptions and one sack.

Fellow linebacker Justin Durant left in free agency to join new coach Dan Quinn in Atlanta. Durant spent 2014 with the Cowboys and missed 10 games with a torn bicep, amassing 49 tackles in six contests. Durant finished 17th out of 40 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus’ 4-3 OLB rankings. The Cowboys “hoped” to retain the 29-year-old, but he wound up joining the fourth team in his career.

Defensive tackle Henry Melton joined the Cowboys in 2014 and played well in part-time action, recording five sacks. However, the team decided not to pick up his pricey option for 2015 and beyond, making him a free agent in March. Melton, a former fourth-round pick, broke onto the scene with the Bears in 2010, when he finished with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. His best season in Chicago came in 2012, when he compiled 32 tackles and six sacks, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl and a top-six spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings (subscription required) of defensive tackles.

Free started eleven games at right tackle for the Cowboys in 2014, but Parnell started seven, including the two playoff games while Free was out with injuries. In February, PFR’s Luke Adams looked at the market for prospective free agent offensive tackles and while Parnell didn’t land in the first tier with the likes of Free, Bryan Bulaga, King Dunlap, and Byron Bell, Parnell was in the second tier of attractive options thanks to his solid play in limited time as a starter. He wound up inking a five-year deal with the Jaguars.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 246; TE Geoff Swaim) from the 49ers in exchange for a 2016 sixth-round pick.

Extensions and restructures:

Scandrick still had four years remaining on his previous contract, but wasn’t happy with the terms of that deal, which called for him to make just $1.5MM in base salary in 2015. After initially not reporting to the Cowboys’ voluntary offseason workouts, the 28-year-old showed up in Dallas in May as a sign of good faith as the two sides negotiated a new contract. Scandrick ranked as the 10th-best cornerback in the NFL in 2014 out of 108 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).

In order to accommodate the re-signing McClain and additional forthcoming moves, the Cowboys created some extra cap space by restructuring Tony Romo‘s contract. The move saved the team nearly $13MM in cap space. Romo, 35, had been slated to count for $27.773MM against the cap in 2015, including a $17MM base salary. Tyron Smith also helped the Cowboys out by restructuring his deal. $10MM of his pay was converted to a signing bonus.f

Draft picks:

  • 1-27: Byron Jones, CB (Connecticut): Signed
  • 2-60: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB (Nebraska): Signed
  • 3-91: Chaz Green, T (Florida): Signed
  • 4-127: Damien Wilson, ILB (Minnesota): Signed
  • 5-163: Ryan Russell, DE (Purdue): Signed
  • 7-236: Mark Nzeocha, OLB (Wyoming): Signed
  • 7-243: Laurence Gibson, T (Virginia Tech): Signed
  • 7-246: Geoff Swaim, TE (Texas): Signed

Byron Jones was the Cowboys’ first pick of the draft but it was Randy Gregory who was the biggest name in Dallas’ haul this year. The Nebraska defensive end was widely pegged as a first-round pick, possibly even as a top 10 pick heading into the draft. However, after failing the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine drug test for marijuana, he fell to the backend of the second round where the Cowboys happily picked him up.

Other:

The Cowboys and Dez Bryant continue to wrangle over a new contract, but in the interim the wide receiver is scheduled to play out the 2015 season on a ~$12.8MM deal.

Collins had been viewed as a likely first-round pick before he was connected to a murder investigation. He and his camp had asked if he could enter the supplemental draft instead, but that request was turned down by the NFL. Multiple reports also suggested that Collins would sit out a year if he was selected on day three in the draft, opting to re-enter the draft pool in 2016, in the hopes of being picked much higher. Ultimately, since he went undrafted, Collins’ options were limited. Shortly after visiting Jerry Jones, he agreed to join the Cowboys.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Tony Romo, QB: $14,973,000
  2. Dez Bryant, WR: $12,823,000
  3. Brandon Carr, CB: $12,717,000
  4. Jason Witten, TE: $8,512,000
  5. Sean Lee, LB: $5,450,000
  6. Morris Claiborne, CB: $5,175,069
  7. Miles Austin, WR: $5,106,200 (dead money)
  8. Tyron Smith, LT: $5,039,000
  9. Orlando Scandrick, CB: $4,382,271
  10. Doug Free, RT: $3,980,000 (dead money). Free also has a separate $3MM cap hit for his current contract.

The Cowboys didn’t have the most eventful offseason in the NFL but, then again, they really didn’t need to. The Cowboys look primed to make another run at the NFC East crown in 2015 and they’ll be extra scary if Hardy gets his suspension cut down in the coming weeks.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Community Tailgate: Who Will Win AFC North?

July 8th, 2015 at 5:00pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still more than two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

In yesterday’s Community Tailgate, we asked you to weigh in on who you think will win the NFC East. Today, we’ll be looking at the AFC North. In 2014, the Steelers came away with the AFC North crown thanks in large part to one of the league’s very best offenses. Antonio Brown was posted career highs in receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698) while running back Le’Veon Bell enjoyed a breakout season in the backfield. However, it’s fair to question whether Big Ben & Co. will be able to move the chains with ease once again in 2015. Bell will serve a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy to start the year and while DeAngelo Williams is a solid Plan B, he’s certainly not the dominating back that Bell is. On defense, the Steelers are without defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and we’ll now see what his former understudy Keith Butler can do as DC. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention the Steelers’ brutal schedule for 2015.

This offseason, the Ravens lost deep threat Torrey Smith to the 49ers, but they’re hoping that UCF’s Breshad Perriman can replace his production. They did, however, retain tailback Justin Forsett after his breakout season, and that was a major question mark for them heading into the offseason. On the opposite side of the ball, the Ravens locked up Jimmy Smith long-term while adding Kyle Arrington, who was cut loose by the Patriots. One mainstay who is gone, however, is nose tackle Haloti Ngata, who now has the unenviable task of replacing Ndamukong Suh in Detroit.

After finishing 10-5-1 last season, it’s fair to wonder whether the Bengals did enough this offseason to take a step forward. Yes, having former Ohio State star A.J. Hawk come home is a feel-good move and Michael Johnson could get back on track with his old team in 2015, but the offseason was largely uneventful for Cincy. One positive is that the Bengals used their first two picks (Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher) to bolster the offensive line, something they absolutely needed.

All last year, Browns fans wondered whether it would be Johnny Manziel or Brian Hoyer as the main guy under center in 2015. Turns out, the answer is probably neither. Hoyer wound up signing with the Texans in free agency while the Browns brought in battle-tested veteran Josh McCown after his forgettable stint in Tampa Bay. The Browns brought in one notable wide receiver in Dwayne Bowe but their own star – Josh Gordon – has been banned for the 2015 season. Cleveland lost Buster Skrine to the Jets in March but free agent pickup Tramon Williams could be an adequate replacement with Randy Starks beefing up the defensive line.

Who will win the AFC North crown in 2015? Let us know in the comment section below!

Offseason In Review: Washington

July 7th, 2015 at 6:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Washington’s secondary was rather dreadful in 2014 and it was no secret that they’d be going hard after corners on the open market. A few days after the start of free agency, Washington reached agreement with ex-49ers corner Chris Culliver on a four-year deal that features $16MM in guaranteed cash. When Luke Adams listed PFR’s top 50 free agents in March, he ranked Culliver 24th overall and fourth among cornerbacks, behind Byron Maxwell, Brandon Flowers, and Kareem Jackson. Culliver will help shore up a secondary whose cornerbacks got burned on a regular basis in 2014. Bashaud Breeland, E.J. Biggers, and David Amerson saw the majority of the snaps at the position for the team, and all three corners ranked inPro Football Focus’ bottom 10 at the position. Culliver limited opposing quarterbacks to a completion percentage of 50.7% and a 66.5 passer rating when they threw into his coverage, according to PFF (subscription required). PFF’s grades placed Culliver as the 14th-best cornerback out of 108 qualified players. Elsewhere in the secondary, Washington picked up former Seahawk Jeron Johnson. Johnson was Seattle’s No. 3 safety behind the league’s best tandem, but now he’ll have a chance to make his own mark with a new team – likely as a starter.

Not content with just beefing up the secondary, Washington invested a great deal of money in improving their defensive line. Their biggest free agent D-Line deal went to noteworthy defensive tackle Stephen Paea. Only Suh and Kyle Williams had more quarterback pressures from the defensive tackle position in 2014 than Paea’s 47, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required). Now in a 3-4 system, Paea figures to see time at both nose tackle and at defensive end.

Ricky Jean-Francois was released by the Colts in February for cap reasons and Washington was delighted to pick him up soon after. Jean-Francois, 28, parlayed a part-time role with the 2012 NFC champion 49ers into a four-year, $22MM pact with the Colts, who made him a starter and increased his playing time. Jean-Francois held his own in the increased role, ranking 26th out of 47 qualified 3-4 defensive ends in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). He also set new career highs last season with 34 tackles and three sacks.

It’s always hard to peg how much free agents will get once they hit the open market but few expected Terrance Knighton‘s personal market to collapse the way it did. The man known as Pot Roast ranked 16th on our top 50 free agents list early in the offseason but wound up having to settle for a one-year, $4.45MM pact with $2.95MM guaranteed. One can speculate that Knighton’s physical conditioning scared off some teams, but whatever the reason, Washington appears to have come away with one of the best free agent values of the offseason. The six-year veteran was an integral part of a Broncos team that had the league’s second-best run defense in 2014, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Knighton 12th among 81 qualifying D-tackles last season.

On the other side of the ball, Washington retained Niles Paul with a three-year deal before he could reach free agency. The 25-year-old saw just 28 total targets during his first three seasons in the NFL, primarily serving as a blocker and a special-teamer in Washington. However, when Jordan Reed was sidelined early in the 2014 campaign, Paul got an extended look as a pass-catcher, and took advantage by setting new career highs in receptions (39) and receiving yards (507).

After the start of free agency, Washington struck a deal to retain backup quarterback Colt McCoy. While McCoy will be behind Robert Griffin III on the depth chart to start the year, either he or Kirk Cousins could get the nod if RGIII struggles.

Notable losses:

Brian Orakpo signed with the Titans after a disappointing 2014 season that ended after just seven games when he tore his pectoral muscle and was placed on IR. Still, despite the fact that he logged just 0.5 sacks last year, the former first-round pick was viewed as one of the top free agent players a year ago, when he was coming off a 10.5-sack season and earned a franchise tag from Washington. Orakpo was ranked as the NFL’s fourth-best 3-4 outside linebacker in 2013 by Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). Per PFF, Orakpo racked up an impressive 51 total quarterback pressures in ’13.

Safety Ryan Clark indicated that he wanted to keep playing back in December, but he had a change of heart in the New Year. After a career in which he played 177 games (152 starts), racking up 928 total tackles, 55 passes defended, and 16 interceptions, Clark signed a one-day deal with Pittsburgh so that he could retire as a member of the Steelers.

Running back Roy Helu rushed for only 216 yards in Washington last year, but was a focal point of the club’s passing attack, catching 42 balls for nearly 500 yards. He drew interest from several teams around the league before ultimately putting pen to paper with Oakland.

Chris Chester, 32, signed a five-year, $20MM deal with Washington before the 2011 season, and started every game the team has played since then, at right guard. While Chester hasn’t been consistently above-average at the position, he hasn’t been a major liability either and it was somewhat surprising to see him let go. In 2014, he played the eighth-most offensive snaps among guards (1,091), and ranked 33rd among 78 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required).

Right after siging Jean-Francois, Washington released veteran defensive tackle Barry Cofield. Cofield, 31, suffered his first major injury in 2014, as he missed about half the season after an ankle injury forced him onto the injured reserve list with the designation to return. While the veteran lineman returned to action in November, he only started three of eight games for the season, marking the first time since 2007 that he appeared in a game he didn’t start.

Santana Moss says that he still wants to play in the NFL, but he might have to settle for an off-field role. Washington owner Daniel Snyder has already spoken with the veteran about a potential job, so it sounds likely that he’ll still be in the nation’s capital in 2015.

Veteran cornerback Tracy Porter had one year left on his deal but Washington opted to let him hit the open market early. Porter, 28, was a full-time starter at cornerback for the Raiders in 2013, and signed a two-year, $6MM deal in free agency last year with Washington, but saw his role reduced significantly in 2014. Before he landed on the injured reserve list in November, ending his season, Porter only played 89 snaps for Washington, finding himself buried on the depth chart behind Bashaud Breeland, E.J. Biggers, David Amerson, and others for a good chunk of 2014.

Biggers, of course, is also gone. The 28-year-old spent his five-year NFL career in Tampa Bay and Washington, playing 76 overall regular season games before signing on with the Eagles this year. Although he has experience at both cornerback and safety, Biggers primarily played corner in 2014, recording 32 tackles and four passes defended in 465 defensive snaps. He also occasionally contributed on special teams.

Tyler Polumbus was Washington’s primary right tackle for the last three seasons, but his services were no longer needed in D.C. this year with a top draft pick taking over the position. Polumbus signed on with Atlanta in May.

Extensions and restructures:

After signing a four-year extension worth $17MM in February of last year, cornerbackDeAngelo Hall played in only three games before tearing his Achilles and being placed on injured reserve. He later re-tore the Achilles in October, leaving his future even further in doubt. With that in mind, Hall agreed to a contract restructure that will eliminate his 2015 salary guarantees. Hall, in all likelihood, probably would have been shown the door if he didn’t agree to the move.

Trades:

  • Acquired S Dashon Goldson and a 2016 seventh-round pick from the Buccaneers in exchange for a 2016 sixth-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 third-round pick (No. 95; RB Matt Jones), a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 112; G Arie Kouandjio), a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 167), and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 181; S Kyshoen Jarrett) from the Seahawks in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick (No. 69; WR Tyler Lockett).
  • Acquired a a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 187; WR Evan Spencer) and a 2016 sixth-round pick from the Saints in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 167; CB Damian Swann).

NewWashington GM Scot McCloughan was a member of the 49ers’ front office when the team drafted Dashon Goldson back in 2007 and he decided to orchestrate a reunion this year. Goldson signed a lucrative five-year contract with the Bucs after coming off an All-Pro season in San Francisco. However, his production has slipped a little over the last two seasons, as he has battled injuries. In 2014, among 87 qualified safeties, only the aforementioned Ryan Clark performed worse than Goldson, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Goldson’s -14.5 pass coverage grade was dead last among safeties — per PFF, he allowed a 69.7% completion percentage and a 127.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage. Goldson is hopeful that a change of scenery will allow him to return to his prior form.

Draft picks:

  • 1-5: Brandon Scherff, OL (Iowa): Signed
  • 2-38: Preston Smith, DE/OLB (Mississippi State): Signed
  • 3-95: Matt Jones, RB (Florida): Signed
  • 4-105: Jamison Crowder, WR (Duke): Signed
  • 4-112: Arie Kouandjio, G (Alabama): Signed
  • 5-141: Martrell Spaight, OLB (Arkansas): Signed
  • 6-181: Kyshoen Jarrett, S (Virginia Tech): Signed
  • 6-182: Tevin Mitchel, CB (Arkansas): Signed
  • 6-187: Evan Spencer, WR (Ohio State): Signed
  • 7-222: Austin Reiter, C (South Florida): Signed

A number of teams in need of offensive line help had their eye on Iowa’s Brandon Scherff. Washington wound up taking him at No. 5, which surprised some since Washington was believed to be looking at pass rushers. Scherff is expected to start his NFL career at the right tackle position, across from Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams.

In the fourth round, McCloughan stayed local and chose DeMatha star Arie Kouandjio.

Other:

Fans have been clamoring for a GM change for years now and they finally got their wish when Scot McCloughan took over Bruce Allen‘s former title. The former 49ers general manager also discussed positions with the Jets and Raiders, but in hindsight it now looks like those talks were more about leverage than anything else. McCloughan will report to Allen, but will have final say over the club’s 53-man roster.

Washington looked hard at former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for their own DC job, but he wound up choosing the Bears. After that, Washington opted to hire Joe Barry. Barry will be tasked with turning around a unit that finished 27th in DVOA in 2014, including 32nd against the pass. The team also allowed 27.4 points per game this season, tied for the third-worst mark in the NFL. Barry has one previous stint as a DC under his belt, with the Lions from 2007 to 2008. Of course, Barry left that position at a low point, following the club’s 0-16 campaign in ’08. Barry’s run in Detroit is perhaps best remembered for prompting one reporter to ask his father-in-law, head coach Rod Marinelli, if he wished his daughter had “married a better defensive coordinator.”

There was some question as to whether Washington would exercise it’s 2016 option for Robert Griffin III given his struggles and injury history. Ultimately, they decided to trigger the fifth-year option worth $16.155MM. It’s a significant investment for a player who doesn’t even have the starting quarterback job locked up, but the salary doesn’t become fully guaranteed until the first day of the 2016 league year.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Trent Williams, LT: $14,230,393
  2. Pierre Garcon, WR: $9,700,000
  3. Desean Jackson, WR: $9,250,000
  4. Ryan Kerrigan, OLB: $7,038,000
  5. Robert Griffin III, QB: $6,719,713
  6. Jason Hatcher, DT: $5,203,125
  7. DeAngelo Hall, CB: $4,812,500
  8. Kory Lichtensteiger, C: $4,300,000
  9. Chris Culliver, CB: $4,250,000
  10. Stephen Paea, DT: $4,250,000

In January of 2014, Washington hired Jay Gruden to be the team’s next head coach after Mike Shanahan was let go. Almost a year later, many wondered if he’d get a second season. Ultimately, Gruden was assured his job after a convincing Week 16 victory over the Eagles. If Washington struggles again in 2015, it’s far from an automatic that Gruden will get a third year to try and right the ship.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: AFC South

July 7th, 2015 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Before NFL training camps get underway later this month, we’ll be taking a closer look at the top 2015 cap hits for teams around the league. We began our series in June by focusing on the NFC East and AFC East divisions, and last week we looked at the NFC North, AFC North, and NFC South. Today, we’ll head back to the AFC to examine the South division.

Listed below are the top 10 cap hits for the coming season for each of the four AFC South franchises, accompanied by some observations on the spending habits of those clubs. Let’s dive in….

Houston Texans:

  1. J.J. Watt, DL: $13,969,000
  2. Johnathan Joseph, CB: $11,750,000
  3. Duane Brown, LT: $9,500,000
  4. Arian Foster, RB: $8,706,250
  5. Brian Cushing, LB: $7,891,250
  6. Kareem Jackson, CB: $7,453,125
  7. Andre Johnson, WR: $7,319,585 (dead money)
  8. Brian Hoyer, QB: $5,218,750
  9. Jadeveon Clowney, DE/OLB: $5,062,045
  10. Derek Newton, RT: $4,500,000
    Total: $81,370,005

Not many players have an interior defensive lineman atop their list of cap hits, but no other team has an interior defensive lineman that has the same impact on the field that Watt does. Without a top quarterback to pay, the Texans are able to devote a significant chunk of cap space to defensive players like Watt. Of course, the All-Pro had originally been slated to have an even higher cap number in 2015 before a restructure reduced that figure by $8MM.

Joseph, Cushing, and Jackson are the notable defenders besides Watt taking up sizable pieces of cap room, and their performances will go a long way to determining how the Houston defense performs this season, and what sort of value the Texans are getting out of their top 10 cap hits.

Cushing stayed mostly healthy in 2014 after missing more games than he played in 2012 and 2013, but it wasn’t one of his better seasons. Joseph, meanwhile, has been effective but perhaps overpriced — an extension this offseason added two seasons to his contract at a rate of $7MM per year, which is a more reasonable rate. As for Jackson, he re-upped with the Texans in the offseason, so this will be the first year of his new deal with the team.

Indianapolis Colts:

  1. Vontae Davis, CB: $11,250,000
  2. Andre Johnson, WR: $7,500,000
  3. Robert Mathis, OLB: $7,470,586
  4. Anthony Castonzo, LT: $7,438,000
  5. Arthur Jones, DL: $7,100,000
  6. Andrew Luck, QB: $7,034,363
  7. Trent Cole, OLB: $6,953,125
  8. Gosder Cherilus, RT: $6,900,000
  9. Greg Toler, CB: $5,833,334
  10. D’Qwell Jackson, LB: $5,750,000
    Total: $73,229,408

With only one player on the roster whose cap hit exceeds $7.5MM, the Colts have loaded up on players in that $5MM-7.5MM range — everyone but Davis on this list is separated by a mere $1.75MM. Of course, some of those players will likely eventually have to take pay cuts or be released when Luck’s big payday arrives, but for now, the fact that the former No. 1 pick remains on his rookie contract allows the Colts to surround him with several mid-level investments.

Of course, one reason the Colts were able to add several of these players at reasonable prices is that many are likely past their primes. Mathis is 34, Cole will turn 33 in October, and Jackson will turn 32 in September. Those veterans are expected to be key contributors on defense, and if their performances don’t match up to their salaries, we could see them become release candidates a year from now.

The other noteworthy veteran on this list is Johnson, who shows up on two separate top-10 lists in the AFC South, since he’s still counting for over $7MM in dead money on the Texans’ cap. The standout receiver will turn 34 later this week. However, taking into account the numbers he has posted in recent years in Houston while playing with mediocre quarterbacks, it’s not hard to see why the Colts were willing to commit a decent portion of cap room to him this year to see what he can do with Luck.

Jacksonville Jaguars:

  1. Julius Thomas, TE: $10,300,000
  2. Jared Odrick, DL: $9,000,000
  3. Jermey Parnell, RT: $8,000,000
  4. Paul Posluszny, LB: $6,885,416
  5. Davon House, CB: $6,500,000
  6. Luke Joeckel, LT: $5,782,254
  7. Sen’Derrick Marks, DT: $5,425,000
  8. Zane Beadles, G: $5,000,000
  9. Chris Clemons, DE: $5,000,000
  10. Blake Bortles, QB: $4,694,273
    Total: $66,586,943

The first few names on the Jaguars’ list of top 10 cap hits reads like a who’s-who of the team’s offseason free agent signings. Thomas, Odrick, Parnell, and House all headed to Jacksonville as free agents in March, while Posluszny reworked his deal with the club.

Most of the time, cap numbers for newly-signed players start small before increasing in the later years of their contracts, but the huge amount of cap room Jacksonville held heading into the offseason allowed the team to frontload those deals — the 2015 cap numbers for those four free agent signees all exceed the annual values of their contracts. In 2016, their combined cap hits will total $27.8MM, as opposed to $33.8MM this year.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Jaguars’ free agent class performs in 2015, since players like Parnell and House weren’t even starters for their old teams. But, like every other team in the AFC South, Jacksonville isn’t currently devoting big bucks to its quarterback, which gives the club the flexibility to roll the dice on these players with upside. If they don’t pan out, they’ll be gone long before Bortles reaches his second contract.

Tennessee Titans:

  1. Jason McCourty, CB: $8,600,000
  2. Andy Levitre, G: $8,600,000
  3. Michael Griffin, S: $8,100,000
  4. Jurrell Casey, DL: $6,720,000
  5. Delanie Walker, TE: $5,275,000
  6. Sammie Lee Hill, DT: $4,666,668
  7. Brian Orakpo, OLB: $4,468,750
  8. Derrick Morgan, OLB: $4,000,000
  9. Da’Norris Searcy, S: $3,625,000
  10. Ropati Pitoitua, DL: $3,612,500
    Total: $57,667,918

No team that we’ve examined in our series so far has a smaller No. 1 cap charge than the Titans, whose $8.6MM figures for McCourty and Levitre pale in comparison to some other cap hits around the league — you could triple that number and still not match Drew Brees‘ $26.4MM, for instance. The lack of an eight-digit cap hit for any player ensures that the Titans’ top 10 players count for only about $57.67MM overall against the cap, which is also easily the lowest figure we’ve encountered so far.

With nearly $26MM in cap room still remaining, the Titans have more space than every other NFL team except the Jaguars, and it’s a little curious that the Titans didn’t emulate their division rivals when it comes to structuring free agent contracts. Orakpo, Morgan, and Searcy all signed free agent deals with Tennessee this spring, but those contracts aren’t nearly as frontloaded as Jacksonville’s. That trio will count for $20.785MM against the Titans’ 2016 cap, nearly doubling their combined total for 2015.

Of course, there’s one notable name missing from this list, as first-round pick Marcus Mariota has yet to sign his rookie deal with the Titans. As the second overall pick, Mariota will be in line for a 2015 cap number of $4,402,541 when he eventually signs his contract, which would place him eighth on this list, bumping off Pitoitua.

Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.

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