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Offseason In Review: New England Patriots

July 8th, 2014 at 6:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a fourth-round pick (No. 105) and a sixth-round pick (No. 179) from the Jaguars in exchange for a third-round pick (No. 93).

Draft picks:

  • Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (1.29): Signed
  • Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois (2.62): Signed
  • Bryan Stork, C, Florida State (4.105): Signed
  • James White, RB, Wisconsin (4.130): Signed
  • Cameron Fleming, OT, Stanford (4.140): Signed
  • Jon Halapio, G, Florida (6.179): Signed
  • Zach Moore, DE, Concordia-St. Paul (6.198): Signed
  • Jemea Thomas, DB, Georgia Tech (6.206): Signed
  • Jeremy Gallon, WR, Michigan (7.244): Signed

Other:

The Patriots didn’t come into this offseason with a ton of cap space but somehow they found a way to make some solid upgrades and fill holes with what little they had. Pound-for-pound, it might have been one of the best offseasons of any team in the NFL.NFL: New England Patriots-OTA

Things didn’t look so great for the Patriots when the Broncos plucked free agent cornerback Aqib Talib earlier this offseason. After all, how do you respond to losing one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL? Answer: sign a better one. New England was able to convince Darrelle Revis to come aboard on a deal that basically amounts to a franchise tender, making their secondary even stronger. Revis’ status beyond this season is anything but certain, but in the interim, Bill Belichick & Co. must be champing at the bit to get the season started. If all goes according to plan, Revis Island will reestablish itself in Foxboro before he moves on elsewhere, giving New England cap space to work with beyond this season.

The Pats also made another strong upgrade to their secondary with their signing of Brandon Browner. Yes, the cornerback will be sidelined for the first quarter of the season thanks to his suspension, but he’s a bargain on a deal that tops out at $3.46MM and will leave the Pats without any real penalty should they cut bait. If Browner stays on the straight and narrow, he could be a strong partner on the other side of the field for Revis, with veteran Kyle Arrington there to man the slot. Former Eagles safety Patrick Chung, who was signed to a $1.1MM deal, will be an asset in reserve as well as a strong special teamer. Safety Adrian Wilson, who tore achilles during preseason last year, will be seeking employment elsewhere.

There was also change in the front seven. Veteran linebacker Brandon Spikes left to join up with the Bills and the Pats will work from within to help fill the gap. Dont’a Hightower will shift back over to middle linebacker with Jerod Mayo and Jamie Collins likely joining him in the starting lineup. Hightower is a deceptively fast LB who should be able to do just fine with his increased coverage demands. Collins, who found the spotlight in last year’s playoffs, has the athleticism to keep the pressure on opposing QBs.

To bolster the d-line, the Patriots picked up talented defensive tackle Dominique Easley out of Florida. Easley was arguably the most explosive defensive lineman in the draft but fell to the Pats at No. 29 thanks to an injury history that includes two torn ACLs. If he’s healthy, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him stand as one of the best talents from the 2014 draft. If he’s not, then the Pats’ d-line will be hurting. Veteran Will Smith will also be on board to provide additional depth.

On the other side of the ball, the Patriots wisely waited out the market to get a reasonable deal done with wide receiver Julian Edelman. While Edelman looked to be an extremely hot commodity at the start of free agency, the Patriots stayed cool and signed him to a four-year, $17MM deal that has $8MM guaranteed. To strengthen things up further down the depth chart, the Pats signed longtime Panthers receiver Brandon LaFell. Often dwarfed by No. 1 target Steve Smith, LaFell has shown flashes of brilliance in Carolina and should do quite well out of the slot. A three-year, $9MM deal ($3MM guaranteed) seems like a fair deal for both sides.

There will be some change in the backfield this season after LeGarrette Blount left to join the Steelers. Blount wasn’t a central part of the gameplan last season, but he came on strong at the end of the year and showed promise as a power rusher. Fourth round pick James White out of Wisconsin could come in and fill fill his spot on the depth chart admirably, even if he’ll do it with less brute force than his predecessor.

Second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo doesn’t want to hear it, but there has been non-stop talk of the Northern Illinois signal caller becoming the heir apparent to Tom Brady. Brady isn’t going anywhere right now, so more immediately, Garoppolo is being groomed to blossom into a solid No. 2 starting in 2015 when Ryan Mallett could find himself elsewhere. The Pats were looking hard at other QBs in the draft, including Greg Schiano‘s crush Tom Savage, but ultimately they fell in love with Garoppolo and his lightning quick release.

Not much was expected out of New England this offseason give their cap situation, but they actually restocked quite well and positioned themselves as one of the AFC’s strongest teams in 2014, thanks mostly to the Revis signing. Whether it’s enough to topple the likes of the Broncos or even the boom-or-bust Jets in the AFC East, however, remains to be seen.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extension Candidate: Justin Tucker

July 8th, 2014 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

Landing a kicker may be an afterthought when you’re putting together a fantasy football team, but it’s far from that for most clubs around the NFL. Recent contracts at the position have shown that locking up a reliable kicker for several years is a priority for NFL squads — within the last year alone, Sebastian Janikowski re-upped with the Raiders for nearly $3.8MM per year, with $8MM in guaranteed money, and Robbie Gould and Dan Bailey both landed guarantees of nearly $5MM with their respective teams.Justin Tucker

Those figures may not seem significant when compared to some positions on the field, but just ask 2014’s crop of free agent running backs how good those guarantees look. No one in this year’s class of free agent backs even matched Gould’s and Bailey’s $4.9MM, let alone Janikowski’s $8MM.

The recent string of lucrative contracts for kickers bodes well for Justin Tucker of the Ravens, whose deal the club is reportedly trying to extend. As Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes today, a contract extension for Tucker seems to be in the best interests of both the team and the player. The Ravens would secure one of the league’s most reliable kickers, who led the NFL in field goals made (38) in 2013. And Tucker would receive a little more financial security after playing for the minimum salary for his first few years in the league.

While the Ravens have a few extension candidates on the roster, including wide receiver Torrey Smith and cornerback Jimmy Smith, Hensley views Tucker as the player most likely to receive a new deal before the coming season. Baltimore could put off an extension for another year and retain the kicker at an affordable rate when he hits restricted free agency in 2015, but ensuring he’s under contract for several years beyond that seems to be a priority for the team.

During his two years with the Ravens, Tucker has missed just six kicks, connecting on 68 of 74 field goal attempts (91.9%), as well as all 68 of his extra-point tries. He has also shown a knack for connecting on long kicks, missing just one of his 11 career attempts from 50+ yards and memorably making a game-winning 61-yarder in a Monday Night Football game last year against the Lions. At age 24, the former Texas Longhorn appears poised to remain among the league’s elite kickers for years to come, meaning his next contract should reflect that.

As OverTheCap.com’s data shows, the going rate for top NFL kickers is $3MM+ per year, with 10 players currently averaging above that threshold — Janikowski’s $3.775MM annual value is tops at the position. Given his 91.9% success rate on field goals so far, Tucker could make the case that his annual salary ought to rival the top earners at his position, including Janikowski (79.9% career rate), Gould (86.0%), and Josh Scobee (81.1%).

Of course, with just 74 career FG attempts, Tucker’s track record isn’t exactly extensive, so the Ravens could point to that small sample size and argue that he doesn’t quite deserve to be the league’s highest-paid kicker, but that they’re willing to put him among the league’s seven or eight highest-paid. To that end, Bailey’s recent extension with the Cowboys could provide a logical point of comparison.

Like Tucker, Bailey doesn’t have an incredibly lengthy track record of NFL success, but the Cowboys kicker has converted 89 of 98 field goal attempts (90.8%) early in his career and was just 25 when he inked his extension. While no other kicker is currently locked up beyond the 2017 season, Bailey’s deal keeps him under team control through 2020, at a rate of $3.214MM annually, with nearly $5MM in guaranteed money.

I think the Ravens would be amenable to a similar deal for Tucker, though perhaps the Baltimore kicker would prefer something shorter-term, or with a larger guarantee — Bailey’s $4.9MM in guaranteed money is tied for second most among kickers, but the extra years on the pact mean that only 21.8% of his total salary is guaranteed, which doesn’t compare favorably to other top players at the position.

With Tucker eligible for restricted, rather than unrestricted, free agency at year’s end, there isn’t quite as much urgency for the Ravens to complete a deal soon, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team announced an extension for its kicker before the 2014 season begins. In that event, I’d expect an annual salary approaching $3.5MM — the length of the deal and the size of the guarantee will be the real points of contention that the two sides figure to haggle over in the coming weeks, and perhaps longer than that.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Buffalo Bills

July 7th, 2014 at 11:06pm CST by David Kipke

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired Mike Williams from the Buccaneers in exchange for a sixth-round pick (No. 185).
  • Acquired a first-round pick (No. 4) from the Browns in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 9), a 2015 first-round pick, and a 2015 fourth-round pick.
  • Acquired a conditional 2015 fourth-round pick from the 49ers in exchange for Stevie Johnson. Pick could become a third-rounder depending on Johnson’s performance.
  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 44) and a fifth-round pick (No. 153) from the Rams in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 41).
  • Acquired Bryce Brown and a seventh-round pick (No. 237) from the Eagles in exchange for a seventh-round pick (No. 224) and an additional draft pick that will be either a 2015 fourth-rounder, a 2016 third-rounder, or a 2016 fourth-rounder, depending on conditions met by Brown’s and Stevie Johnson‘s performance.
  • Acquired a seventh-round pick (No. 221) and a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Buccaneers in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 149).

Draft picks:

  • Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson (1.4): Signed
  • Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama (2.44): Signed
  • Preston Brown, LB, Louisville (3.73): Signed
  • Ross Cockrell, CB, Duke (4.109): Signed
  • Cyril Richardson, G, Baylor (5.153): Signed
  • Randell Johnson, OLB, Florida Atlantic (7.221): Signed
  • Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami (FL) (7.237): Signed

Other:

  • Had longtime owner Ralph Wilson pass away, prompting the franchise sale process to get underway.
  • Hired Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator.
  • Learned that Kiko Alonso will be sidelined for the 2014 season with an ACL injury.
  • Exercised Marcell Dareus‘ fifth-year option for 2015 ($10.633MM).
  • Signed 10 rookie free agents after the draft.

Heading into the 2014 offseason, Bills fans were still perhaps left wondering what might have been. A once-promising 2013 campaign had sputtered after E.J. Manuel, the first quarterback taken in the 2013 NFL draft, suffered multiple knee injuries. Despite a pleasantly adequate cameo from ex-Duke Blue Devil Thad Lewis under center in Manuel’s absence, the Bills’ passing offense was among the league’s worst. On the ground, however, the Bills had the second-most prolific rushing attack in the NFL on the legs of C.J. Spiller, who provided the lightning to Fred Jackson‘s thunder in the Buffalo backfield.Sammy Watkins

The defense also experienced a considerable resurgence, as a unit led by the $100 million man Mario Williams and PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year Kiko Alonso recorded a franchise-record 57 sacks. Despite an uninspiring 6-10 finish, the Bills showed some signs of promise, so the question heading into 2014 was whether Buffalo would push to contend in the short term, or whether the front office would believe the club was still multiple successful offseasons away from becoming a serious playoff contender.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Bills’ biggest move undoubtedly occurred in the 2014 draft when they decided to trade their 2014 and 2015 first-round picks to the Browns in order to move up and draft three-time All-American receiver Sammy Watkins out of Clemson with the fourth overall pick. In order to make room in the offense for Watkins, former No. 1 wideout Steve Johnson, who registered at least 75 receptions and 1,000 yards every season from 2010-2012, was dealt within 24 hours of Watkins’ selection to the 49ers for a conditional 2015 fourth-round pick.

Highlighting the Bills’ additional skill position acquisitions were receiver Mike Williams, who arrived via trade from the Buccaneers and played for Bills’ head coach Doug Marrone during their overlapping tenures at Syracuse; and Anthony Dixon, the bruising Pittsburgh product who played in a limited hybrid halfback/fullback role for the 49ers over the past few seasons. In addition to bringing in Dixon, the Bills also traded for former Eagle Bryce Brown, who enjoyed a brief stint in the national spotlight in late 2012 while filling in for an injured LeSean McCoy, to provide further depth at running back.

Arguably the Bills’ most substantial offensive positional turnover this offseason occurred along the offensive line. The team signed Chris Williams, who will look to start at guard after establishing himself as an NFL regular with the Rams over the past four seasons. The Bills drafted former Alabama tackle Cyrus Kouandjio, whose questionable knee health caused him to fail several physicals leading up to the the draft, and added two more lineman in the draft: guard Cyril Richardson out of Baylor and Seantrel Henderson of Miami in the seventh round. Henderson is perhaps the most mercurial boom-or-bust prospect of the 2014 draft class, having failed numerous drug tests, including one at the NFL combine, after coming out of high school in 2010 as the top overall recruit in the country. While the Bills’ new-look line will have a lot to prove on the field, they will enter the 2014 season as the heaviest unit in the entire NFL by a wide margin.

Defensively, any discussion of the Bills’ offseason has to start with the departure of three-time All-Pro safety Jairus Byrd, who signed a six-year deal with the Saints. Byrd left a defense that found itself in a substantial transition period, as the unit’s leadership had been handed over from Mike Pettine, who took the Browns’ head coaching position, to former Lions’ head coach Jim Schwartz.

Much has been written about the fairly substantial tactical change from Pettine’s ‘4-3 under’ base defense to Schwartz’s patented ‘Wide 9’ formation. The transition will not be made any easier by the recent shocking season-ending injury to Alonso, who had become a playmaker and fan favorite in his accoladed rookie season. Luckily for the Bills, GM Doug Whaley decided to add substantial linebacker depth this offseason, signing both Brandon Spikes and former first-round pick Keith Rivers while also selecting Louisville standout Preston Brown in the third round of the draft. Whaley has, however, received significant criticism for making no attempt to fill the void at safety left by Byrd.

Heading into 2014, the one question on Bills’ fans minds, other than whether or not their franchise will be based in Toronto in 10 years, will be whether or not Watkins was worth two first-round picks. He is widely expected to become an NFL star, but one has to wonder whether or not it is viable for a rebuilding franchise to surrender a future first-round pick in any trade, no matter the return. The Buffalo faithful will be hoping that Watkins can help Manuel, who showed flashes of brilliance when healthy last season, continue to develop into one of the NFL’s premier young talents at quarterback. Even if everything breaks right for the Bills, a tough schedule, highlighted by an in-conference divisional pairing with the suddenly daunting AFC West, will likely prevent the team from finishing at .500 or better in 2014.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Houston Texans

July 6th, 2014 at 9:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Trades:

  • Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 181) from the Raiders in exchange for Matt Schaub.
  • Acquired a third-round pick (No. 83) from the Eagles in exchange for a fourth-round pick (No. 101) and a fifth-round pick (No. 141).
  • Acquired Akeem Dent from the Falcons in exchange for T.J. Yates.

Draft picks:

  • Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina (1.1): Signed
  • Xavier Su’a-Filo, G, UCLA (2.33): Signed
  • C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa (3.65): Signed
  • Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame (3.83): Signed
  • Tom Savage, QB, Pittsburgh (4.135): Signed
  • Jeoffrey Pagan, DE, Alabama (6.177): Signed
  • Alfred Blue, RB, LSU (6.181): Signed
  • Jay Prosch, FB, Auburn (6.211): Signed
  • Andre Hal, CB, Vanderbilt (7.216): Signed
  • Lonnie Ballentine, S, Memphis (7.256): Signed

Other:

The Texans stole many headlines this offseason, but not for the reasons you would think. The team’s key additions weren’t via free agency. Instead, the key additions were a rookie coach and a rookie defensive end. Furthermore, the team watched as a number of key players – particularly on defense – left for greener pastures. However, the average age of those “key” players was 29. The moves (and lack of moves) indicated that the front office’s offseason philosophy was to look more towards the future than 2014.

The team’s first big addition came in early January. Following the firing of Gary Kubiak, the Texans hired Bill O’Brien as their new head coach. The front office is hoping O’Brien will carry over his success from Penn State, where the coach led an embattled program to a 15-9 record over two seasons. Prior to that, O’Brien spent five years with the Patriots, including one as the offensive coordinator.

Jadeveon ClowneyThe Texans’ next big move came during the draft, when the team selected Jadeveon Clowney with the first-overall pick. The Texans decided to not rock the boat and select a quarterback. Rather, the team chose a player who has been declared by league executives as one of the best defensive prospects in more than a decade (according to NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah). Clowney had a historic career at South Carolina, where he set school records for sacks (13.0) and tackles for loss (23.5). 

Clowney will be forced to contribute immediately considering the amount of production the team lost on defense. The Texans’ departures accounted for 33 percent of the team’s defensive snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Losing Antonio Smith, Joe Mays and Darryl Sharpton will certainly hurt. Yet, it’s not surprising that a new coaching staff, including defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, will be looking to develop their own personnel. Houston did make one notable signing on the defensive side, inking safety Chris Clemons to a two-year deal. The 28-year old may be a steal for the Texans; Pro Football Focus ranks Clemons as the league’s ninth-best coverage safety among 86 qualified candidates.

On offense, the big news was more about what the team didn’t do. To start, the team still hasn’t addressed the Andre Johnson situation. The seven-time Pro Bowler wants out of Houston, but many obstacles stand in the way. The team hasn’t seemed too receptive to a trade, and they would also be hard pressed to find a team that could accommodate Johnson’s $10MM base salary.

The team also failed to definitively address their quarterback situation. Following the trade of Matt Schaub, many expected the Texans to look towards the draft. The team passed on six rookie quarterbacks before finally selecting Tom Savage in the fourth round. They also added veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who seems to be more of a temporary stopgap. The team was previously connected to Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallett, but so far it’s been all smoke and little fire.

Otherwise, the Texans didn’t do much to replace running back Ben Tate, tight end Owen Daniels and Pro Bowl offensive lineman Wade Smith. The team previously had Tate as a security blanket for starter Arian Foster; the team will now have to rely heavily on the injury-prone star. They added Andre Brown, but the veteran also battled injuries in 2013. The team re-signed tight end Garrett Graham, who finished last season with career-highs in yards (545) and touchdowns (five). The 27-year-old will likely have a larger role following Daniels’ departure. Meanwhile, rookie guard Xavier Su’a-Filo figures to get his shot at replacing Smith, who still hasn’t found a home this offseason.

Clearly, there are more question marks than answers when it comes to this squad. However, fans should remember that a rebuild is a marathon, not a sprint. With that mindset, it looks like the Texans are off to a very good start.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

PFR Originals: 6/29/14 – 7/6/14

July 6th, 2014 at 2:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

  • Our Offseason in Review series chugged along, touching on three AFC divisions: the North, the West, and the South. I scrutinized the Ravens and the Titans, David Kipke examined the Chiefs, Rory Parks looked at the Broncos and the Jaguars, Rob DiRe evaluated the Raiders, and Zach Links analyzed the Colts.
  • In our polls this week, David asked about Demaryius Thomas‘ contract situation (a majority believes he will re-sign with the Broncos sometime during the next year); Luke Adams wondered who will win the AFC West (the Broncos are the heavy favorites) and the AFC South (most think the Colts will repeat as division champs); and Zach asked if the Eagles will regret releasing DeSean Jackson (about 55% of respondents say “Yes”). Thanks for voting!
  • Luke introduced a new tracker listing each 2014 NFL trade.
  • Luke offered an update on the remaining four unsigned draft picks.
  • As part of our Extension Candidate Series, Luke profiled Broncos tight end Julius Thomas.
  • Luke ranked NFL head coaches and general managers by the length of their tenure with their current team.
  • Summer is the time for minor cap work, and in that vein, Luke looked at the largest 2014 cap hits by team.

Offseason In Review: Jacksonville Jaguars

July 6th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Rory Parks

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Trades:

  • Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 205) and a conditional 2015 pick from the 49ers in exchange for Blaine Gabbert. 2015 pick (unknown round) changes hands if Gabbert starts eight or more games for the Niners in 2014.
  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 61) from the 49ers in exchange for a third-round pick (No. 70) and a fifth-round pick (No. 150).
  • Acquired a third-round pick (No. 93) from the Patriots in exchange for a fourth-round pick (No. 105) and a sixth-round pick (No. 179).

Draft picks:

  • Blake Bortles, QB, UCF (1.3): Signed
  • Marqise Lee, WR, USC (2.39)
  • Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State (2.61): Signed
  • Brandon Linder, G, Miami (FL) (3.93): Signed
  • Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma (4.114): Signed
  • Telvin Smith, LB, Florida State (5.144): Signed
  • Chris Smith, DE, Arkansas (5.159): Signed
  • Luke Bowanko, C, Virginia (6.205): Signed
  • Storm Johnson, RB, UCF (7.222): Signed

Other:

As our Luke Adams pointed out yesterday, the Jaguars are probably at least a year or two away from making a legitimate run at the AFC South, which the Colts appear to have firmly in hand in 2014. Nonetheless, there is a positive vibe surrounding second-year head coach Gus Bradley, and the Jags acquired a number of solid veterans on both sides of the ball in free agency in an attempt to remain competitive as they continue to build for the long-term.

Blake Bortles

Former Broncos left guard Zane Beadles, who was given a lucrative five-year, $30MM deal, should add stability along the interior of the offensive line. Beadles’ best season came in 2012, when he earned a trip to the Pro Bowl after yielding just one sack and finishing 17th out of 81 eligible guards according to Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) advanced metrics (subscription required). One concern is that, outside of that 2012 campaign, Beadles has not performed especially well by PFF’s standards in any of his other three seasons in the league, and the few number of sacks he allowed in 2012 and 2013 can be attributed, at least in part, to Peyton Manning‘s quick release. However, Beadles is one of those players whose game film often belies his next-level analytics, and although Jacksonville may have overpaid for him, he represents a significant upgrade over Will Rackley, who started 11 games at left guard for the club in 2013.

In the offensive backfield, the team parted ways with Maurice Jones-Drew, one of the most dynamic playmakers in Jacksonville’s brief history, and replaced him with former Viking Toby Gerhart. Gerhart has only served as a spot starter and change-of-pace back for Minnesota, but the Jaguars apparently liked the former Heisman finalist enough to hand him a three-year, $10.5MM contract and a starting role. Gerhart certainly has talent, and it was probably time to move on from Jones-Drew, but Gerhart’s lack of a track record does create an element of unease. However, seventh-round pick Storm Johnson from the University of Central Florida is a strong runner with quick feet and could be a late-round steal for the club.

The Jaguars also targeted defensive help in free agency. Red Bryant, an accomplished run-stopper, will team with pass rushers Chris Clemons and Dekoda Watson to form a stronger front-seven. The team’s coaching staff believes that Watson has “unique pass-rushing skills” and envision him as the “Otto” linebacker in Bradley’s defensive scheme. Clemons had posted at least 11 sacks in each of his first three seasons in Seattle before dropping off last season as he recovered from a torn ACL. Even at age 32, however, a healthy Clemons should be able to get to the quarterback fairly frequently, and the team expects continued improvement from 2012 second-round pick Andre Branch. In short, then, the team’s pass rush will not make opposing signal-callers lose much sleep, but it should still be more effective than it was in recent seasons. This is not to mention the addition of former Steelers’ mainstay Ziggy Hood, who has struggled in the past several years but who still offers some limited upside.

Of course, the NFL is becoming increasingly driven by the passing game, and, to that end, the club traded former first-round pick and abject disappointment Blaine Gabbert to the 49ers and selected Blake Bortles with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. However, the club learned from its mistakes with Gabbert, and veteran Chad Henne, who has performed as well as could be expected for the Jaguars, was re-signed in order to give Bortles some time to learn without being thrown into the fire from day one.

After drafting Bortles, the Jaguars selected talented receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson with their two second-round picks. In any other year, Lee and Robinson might have been first-round selections, but with the historically deep wide receiver class this year, Jacksonville got a little lucky. Although the members of the team’s receiving corps outside of the oft-overlooked Cecil Shorts and tight end Marcedes Lewis do not have an extensive track record, they do have explosive talent. Shorts, Lee, Robinson, and Lewis will combine with Ace Sanders and Denard Robinson to form a young and intriguing unit for Henne and Bortles.

Again, the Jags will likely not compete for the playoffs this year, but the foundations are being laid properly. They have made an effort to beef up their offensive and defensive fronts, and they have surrounded their quarterback of the future with plenty of high-upside talent. There is reason to hope in Jacksonville, and this time, perhaps, that hope may eventually give way to on-field results.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Largest 2014 Cap Hits By Team

July 5th, 2014 at 6:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier in the offseason, we took a look at the largest 2014 cap hits, by offensive and defensive position, breaking down the top five highest-paid players at each spot on the field for the coming season. Today, we’ll shift our focus to the biggest cap hits by team, attempting to get some insight into which clubs are using significant cap space on their best players and which clubs’ largest cap hits are more problematic.

Despite their lack of recent success, for instance, the Browns’ top two highest cap hits for the coming season suggest the team is managing its cap reasonably well. It’s hard to argue that offensive tackle Joe Thomas and cornerback Joe Haden aren’t the most important players on offense and defense, respectively, in Cleveland — both players play key positions, and their combined cap hit of about $24.4MM doesn’t break the bank.

A team like Jacksonville, on the other hand, has more questionable cap numbers atop its 2014 books. Although he has continued to pile up tackles and made his first Pro Bowl appearance last season, Paul Posluszny has posted subpar Pro Football Focus grades for two straight seasons, ranking 37th out of 55 qualified inside linebackers in 2013, per the site’s advanced metrics (subscription required). Meanwhile, tight end Marcedes Lewis is a solid pass catcher and run blocker, but he has averaged under 40 receptions with only eight total touchdowns over the last three years, and is one of just two players at his position who shows up on the list below. While the Jags still have plenty of cap space, and Posluszny’s and Lewis’ combined cap hit of $17.75MM isn’t exorbitant, it’s not surprising that the team is expected to finish below .500 in ’14, given its lack of star power.

Here’s the full list of the NFL’s largest 2014 cap hits by team, with the second-largest cap number for each team noted in parentheses:

  1. Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT: $22.413MM (Matthew Stafford, QB: $15.82MM)
  2. New York Giants: Eli Manning, QB: $20.4MM (Antrel Rolle, S: $9.25MM)
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger, QB: $18.895MM (Lawrence Timmons, LB: $11.816MM)
  4. Buffalo Bills: Mario Williams, DE: $18.8MM (Marcell Dareus, DT: $6.493MM)
  5. Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler, QB: $18.5MM (Brandon Marshall, WR: $9.375MM)
  6. New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees, QB: $18.4MM (Jahri Evans, G: $11MM)
  7. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford, QB: $17.61MM (Chris Long, DE: $14.9MM)
  8. Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers, QB: $17.55MM (Clay Matthews, OLB: $10.944MM)
  9. Denver Broncos: Peyton Manning, QB: $17.5MM (DeMarcus Ware, DE: $9.667MM)
  10. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, QB: $17.5MM (Justin Blalock, G: $7.66MM)
  11. Miami Dolphins: Mike Wallace, WR: $17.25MM (Dannell Ellerbe, LB: $7.425MM)
  12. San Diego Chargers: Philip Rivers, QB: $16.667MM (Eric Weddle, S: $10.1MM)
  13. Carolina Panthers: Charles Johnson, DE: $16.42MM (Greg Hardy, DE: $13.116MM)
  14. Baltimore Ravens: Haloti Ngata, DL: $16MM (Joe Flacco, QB: $14.8MM)
  15. Houston Texans: Andre Johnson, WR: $15.645MM (Johnathan Joseph, CB: $11.25MM)
  16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy, DT: $15.627MM (Vincent Jackson, WR: $12.432MM)
  17. New England Patriots: Tom Brady, QB: $14.8MM (Logan Mankins, G: $10.5MM)
  18. Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson, RB: $14.4MM (Everson Griffen, DE: $8.2MM)
  19. Seattle Seahawks: Percy Harvin, WR: $13.4MM (Russell Okung, OT: $11.24MM)
  20. Cleveland Browns: Joe Thomas, OT: $12.3MM (Joe Haden, CB: $12.128MM)
  21. Dallas Cowboys: Brandon Carr, CB: $12.217MM (Tony Romo, QB: $11.773MM)
  22. Kansas City Chiefs: Dwayne Bowe, WR: $12MM (Eric Berry, S: $11.62MM)
  23. Arizona Cardinals: Carson Palmer, QB: $12MM (Calais Campbell, DL: $11.25MM)
  24. New York Jets: D’Brickashaw Ferguson, OT: $11.699MM (Nick Mangold, C: $7.227MM)
  25. Washington Redskins: Brian Orakpo, OLB: $11.455MM (Trent Williams, OT: $10.98MM)
  26. Philadelphia Eagles: LeSean McCoy, RB: $9.7MM (Jason Peters, OT: $8.292MM)
  27. Jacksonville Jaguars: Paul Posluszny, LB: $9.5MM (Marcedes Lewis, TE: $8.25MM)
  28. Cincinnati Bengals: Geno Atkins, DT: $9MM (Leon Hall, CB: $8.7MM)
  29. Indianapolis Colts: Robert Mathis, OLB: $8.75MM (Vontae Davis, CB: $6.25MM)
  30. Tennessee Titans: Andy Levitre, G: $8.6MM (Jason McCourty, CB: $8.3MM)
  31. Oakland Raiders: Matt Schaub, QB: $8MM (Tyvon Branch, S: $7.157MM)
  32. San Francisco 49ers: Anthony Davis, OT: $7.532MM (Vernon Davis, TE: $7.343MM)

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

Offseason In Review: Tennessee Titans

July 4th, 2014 at 8:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

  • Kamerion Wimbley (DE/OLB): Restructured contract. Base salaries and cap hits reduced for 2014, 2015, and 2016. Received $2.55MM in total roster bonuses and workout bonuses (not all guaranteed).
  • Craig Stevens (TE): Restructured contract. Base salary for 2014 reduced from $3.4MM to $1.6MM in exchange for $500K guaranteed and up to $100K in roster bonuses.

Trades:

  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 54) and a fourth-round pick (No. 122) from the Eagles in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 42).
  • Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 178) from the Redskins in exchange for a sixth-round pick (No. 186) and a seventh-round pick (No. 228).

Draft picks:

  • Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (1.11)
  • Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington (2.54): Signed
  • Daquan Jones, DT, Penn State (4.112): Signed
  • Marqueston Huff, CB Wyoming (4.122): Signed
  • Avery Williamson, LB, Kentucky (5.151): Signed
  • Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU (6.178): Signed

Other:

  • Hired Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt as head coach.
  • Hired Jason Michael and Ray Horton as offensive and defensive coordinators.
  • Have discussed extension for Jurrell Casey.
  • Declined Jake Locker‘s fifth-year option for 2015 ($14.666MM).
  • Signed 13 rookie free agents after the draft.

In the years following the departure of former head coach Jeff Fisher, the Titans struggled to remain relevant, finishing 9-7, 6-10, and 7-9 in three seasons with Mike Munchak at the helm. Tennessee seemed rudderless, especially on offense, and questionable personnel decisions by general manager Ruston Webster only exacerbated the team’s lack of direction. A coaching staff overhaul might be the first step towards determining a team identity, but the Titans’ offseason moves leave much to be desired, as it simply doesn’t appear the team got any better.Michael Oher

Replacing Munchak as head coach will be Ken Whisenhunt, the former Cardinals head coach, who spent 2013 as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. While he brought former San Diego tight end coach Jason Michael with him to Tennessee to serve as offensive coordinator, Whisenhunt will call the plays himself. In addition to changing the Titans’ scheme (he favors a more spread out attack than the previous regime), the 52-year-old will bring Super Bowl experience to Nashville.

Whisenhunt is known as something of a quarterback guru — he helped develop Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh, and revived the careers of Kurt Warner and Philip Rivers in Arizona and San Diego, respectively. In Tennessee, he faces perhaps his most difficult challenge in reversing the fortunes of 2011 first-rounder Jake Locker. The Titans declined their 2015 option on the fourth-year QB, meaning 2014 is perhaps his best and final chance to prove he is an NFL-caliber starter. If he fails in-season, the team can turn to backup Charlie Whitehurst, who signed a two-year, $4.25MM deal after spending last season under Whisenhunt in San Diego, or sixth-round rookie Zach Mettenberger, who fits the mold of big-bodied quarterbacks that Whisenhunt has favored over his career.

While the Titans are using 2014 as a decision-making year at the quarterback position, they acted more swiftly at the running back spot. They released longtime ball-carrier Chris Johnson, creating $6MM in cap space in the process. Tennessee selected Washington product Bishop Sankey in the second round, and will pair him with holdover Shonn Greene to form a 1-2 punch at RB. Joining them will Dexter McCluster, added on a three-year $9MM pact, who despite playing primarily receiver in his career, is expected to play the Danny Woodhead-role in Whisenhunt’s offense. If McCluster does see time at pass-catcher, he will join an impressive position group, headlined by Kendall Wright, Nate Washington, and Justin Hunter, that hasn’t seen much turnover since 2013 (Kenny Britt left for St. Louis, but he wasn’t a factor last year).

Tennessee’s most questionable roster machinations over the past few months have involved the offensive line. First, the Titans released longtime right tackle David Stewart, a reasonable move both because Stewart’s play had suffered and it cleared over $6MM off the books. However, Stewart is to be replaced in the starting lineup by free agent signee Michael Oher (four years, $20MM), who was even worse in 2013, grading out just the 68th-best tackle in the league, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Compounding that move was another head-scratcher — the drafting of Taylor Lewan at pick No. 11. With stalwart Michael Roos manning the left side, one of Oher or Lewan will have no place to play, meaning the Titans seemingly misused either $20MM or a first-round pick.

While the Titans’ offense might face a learning curve in 2014, the defense, which will also undergo a scheme change, boasts more talent, and should improve upon last season’s 22nd-ranked DVOA. New coordinator Ray Horton ostensibly runs a 3-4 look, but is a major proponent of multiple fronts, meaning versatility will be key. The most visible difference will probably be at linebacker, where Derrick Morgan (entering a contract year) and Kamerion Wimbley will be asked to switch from hand-in-the-ground ends to stand-up outside linebackers. Joining them in the LB rotation will be inside ‘backer Wesley Woodyard, who signed a four-year contract worth $15.75MM, and OLB Shaun Phillips, added from Denver on a two-year, $5MM deal.

Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey, a 2013 breakout star who finished as PFF’s fifth-best DT, will be making the switch to nose tackle in Horton’s front. In a typical 3-4 defense, a NT would be asked to fill two gaps (essentially take up space); in Horton’s modified look, however, Casey will still only be assigned one gap, meaning he will still have the freedom to do what he does best — rush the passer. To help solidify the line, Tennessee re-signed Ropati Pitoitua on a three-year deal, added Al Woods from Pittsburgh, and drafted Daquan Jones in the fourth round. Pitoitua and Woods will help at end, while Jones is more of a classic 3-4 tackle, but all three exhibit the requirement of Horton-coached player — versatility.

The secondary will see some change — while safety will continue to be a three-man rotation between Michael Griffin, Bernard Pollard (re-signed on a two-year pact), and George Wilson, the cornerback position suffered the loss of Alterraun Verner, who signed with the Buccaneers. The Titans selected CB Marqueston Huff out of Wyoming in the fourth round, but Verner’s vacated spot will be filled by the winner of a Blidi Wreh-Wilson/Coty Sensabaugh/Tommie Campbell battle; the victor will play opposite veteran Jason McCourty.

Work is left to be done in Tennessee; extensions for Casey and Morgan are possible, and the offensive line needs to be sorted out. But 2014 will be an important year for the Titans. Failure could result in wholesale changes at key positions like quarterback and offensive tackle, while success could mean a new contract for Locker and praise for Whisenhunt and his staff. A winning season isn’t necessarily expected for the Titans next season, but improvement is — how well new schemes on both sides of the ball fare will determine how much more development is needed.

Spotrac and Over the Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Longest-Tenured GMs In The NFL

July 4th, 2014 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, when we examined the list of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NFL, I observed that more than half of the league’s current coaches have only been in their positions since 2012, meaning they have two seasons or less under their belts with their respective teams. That’s not quite the case with general managers, but there has still been plenty of turnover in front offices around the league in recent years.

Although only three teams hired new GMs in 2014, seven did so in 2013, meaning nearly a third of the NFL’s general managers have no more than one season in the books with their current clubs.

Still, on the other end of the spectrum, a handful of general managers have become mainstays with their respective clubs. Among coaches, only New England’s Bill Belichick had joined his team prior to 2003, whereas six GMs fit that bill. Two of those six – Jerry Jones and Mike Brown – are outliers, since they’re team owners and serve as de facto GMs. But the Patriots, Steelers, Saints, and Ravens have all had the same general managers making their roster decisions for well over a decade.

You can find the complete list of the NFL’s longest-tenured general managers below, along with the date they took over the job. In some instances, an executive served as the head of football operations before officially being named as the general manager, so in those cases, we’ve tried to indicate the date on which he became his team’s top football exec. A few names in the group are accompanied by footnotes at the bottom of the page to further clarify their roles.

Here’s the full list:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
  4. Kevin Colbert (Pittsburgh Steelers): February 18, 2000[4]
  5. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  6. Ozzie Newsome (Baltimore Ravens): November 22, 2002
  7. Ted Thompson (Green Bay Packers): January 14, 2005
  8. Rick Spielman (Minnesota Vikings): May 30, 2006[5]
  9. Rick Smith (Houston Texans): June 5, 2006
  10. Jerry Reese (New York Giants): January 15, 2007
  11. Thomas Dimitroff (Atlanta Falcons): January 13, 2008
  12. Martin Mayhew (Detroit Lions): December 29, 2008
  13. Bruce Allen (Washington Redskins): December 17, 2009
  14. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010[6]
  15. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010
  16. Trent Baalke (San Francisco 49ers): May 20, 2010[7]
  17. John Elway (Denver Broncos): January 5, 2011[8]
  18. Reggie McKenzie (Oakland Raiders): January 5, 2012
  19. Ryan Grigson (Indianapolis Colts): January 11, 2012
  20. Ruston Webster (Tennessee Titans): January 18, 2012
  21. Phil Emery (Chicago Bears): January 29, 2012
  22. Les Snead (St. Louis Rams): February 10, 2012
  23. David Caldwell (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 8, 2013
  24. Steve Keim (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2013
  25. Tom Telesco (San Diego Chargers): January 9, 2013
  26. Dave Gettleman (Carolina Panthers): January 10, 2013
  27. John Dorsey (Kansas City Chiefs): January 13, 2013
  28. John Idzik (New York Jets): January 18, 2013
  29. Doug Whaley (Buffalo Bills): May 16, 2013
  30. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014
  31. Dennis Hickey (Miami Dolphins): January 27, 2014
  32. Ray Farmer (Cleveland Browns): February 11, 2014

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
  4. Colbert was initially hired as the team’s director of football operations and received the newly-created general manager title in 2011.
  5. Spielman was initially hired as the team’s VP of player personnel and received the GM title in 2012.
  6. While Schneider holds the title of GM, head coach Pete Carroll has the final say on roster moves for the Seahawks.
  7. Baalke held the role of the team’s VP of player personnel until he received the GM title in 2011.
  8. Elway was initially hired as the team’s executive VP of football operations and received the GM title in 2014.

Offseason In Review: Indianapolis Colts

July 3rd, 2014 at 6:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Draft picks:

  • Jack Mewhort, OL, Ohio State (2.59): Signed
  • Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss (3.90): Signed
  • Jonathan Newsome, DE, Ball State (5.166): Signed
  • Andrew Jackson, LB, Western Kentucky (6.203): Signed
  • Ulrick John, OT, Georgia State (7.232): Signed

Other:

One of the earliest entries in this year’s Pro Football Rumors’ Offseason In Review series was a look at the Browns, a team that made massive wholesale changes and the most talked about draft pick of the year. While there’s a massive personnel and culture change underway in Cleveland, that’s not the case in Indianapolis. This was an offseason of retooling for the Colts, who hope that their minor tweaks will be enough to put them atop the AFC South in 2014.

The Colts wasted little time in putting pen to paper when free agency officially started this offseason. Just hours in, the Colts reached agreement on a new deal with their top cornerback Vontae Davis. At $39MM over four years, the Colts didn’t get away cheap, but the did fortify their secondary for years to come. Indianapolis could have had a massive crater to fill this offseason had they not wrapped him up considering the premium on free agent CBs this offseason and the dearth of quality options in this year’s draft. Now, the onus is on Davis to pay the Colts back with consistent play. When he’s on, Davis is one of the better corners in the league. When he’s not, opposing quarterbacks have a much easier time in the passing game. Just $15MM of Davis’ deal is guaranteed in total, so if things go south, the Colts can move on without having their cap flexibility crippled. In the short term, the Colts are probbaly better off with a returning Davis and Greg Toler than what they could have come up with out of house.

Of course, the Colts defense as a whole isn’t exactly world class. To help boost the linebacking corps, the Colts added former Browns locker room sparkplug D’Qwell Jackson and ex-Ravens defensive end Arthur Jones. Jackson got a four-year, $22MM deal out of the Colts and they’re hoping that the investment will bring them some hard-tackles as well as real veteran leadership for the younger players. For his part, Jackson says that he’s delighted to get away from “the Cleveland situation,” so there’s every reason to believe that he’ll bust his hump for his new club. In more ways than one, Jackson will be filling the shoes of departing LB Pat Angerer.

Jones, meanwhile, hooked on with a five-year, $33MM pact ($10MM of which is guaranteed). The four-year vet, like Jackson, brings a high-intensity approach to the game and a top notch work ethic. Jones started 20 of his 46 games played with the Ravens, totaling 8.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He’ll be asked to stuff the run on early downs and rush the passer on favorable down-and-distance situations and he says that he doesn’t care whether he’s lined up as a bookend or on the inside. The athletic Jones will probably see more time at DE, but don’t be surprised to see him pitch in at tackle also.

On the other side of the ball, the Colts re-signed Ahmad Bradshaw to an extremely low-risk one-year deal. Bradshaw underwent season-ending neck surgery in October and seemed destined to head elsewhere, but a minimum salary deal will keep him in blue and white. Of course, Bradshaw won’t be the focal point of the Colts’ running game as Vick Ballard and Trent Richardson figure to take the lion’s share of carries. That reality makes Bradshaw’s decision somewhat perplexing. One would think that a veteran coming off of a serious injury would rather take his services elsewhere to a team that would showcase him more and allow him to cash in in the following year. Whether that hurts Bradshaw’s wallet remains to be seen, but it’s a definite plus for the Colts. One thing Bradshaw has going for him in the battle for playing time are the departures of Tashard Choice and former Colts backfield mainstay Donald Brown.

Another former Giant notable will be joining the Colts this season – Hakeem Nicks. The wiry wide receiver was once the toast of the town in New York but injuries last season slowed him down considerably. For the first time in his career, Nicks went an entire season without finding pay dirt even once. He might not be able to regain his All-Pro form in 2014 but, then again, the Colts don’t need him too. The former UNC star will be there to help support T.Y. Hilton and veteran Reggie Wayne (perhaps supplanting Wayne if he can’t deliver), taking the spot vacated by Darius Heyward-Bey. At one-year and just $2.25MM guaranteed, Hicks would have been a solid pickup for any club this offseason. Rookie Donte Moncrief, Da’Rick Rogers, and Griff Whalen will also be there in support of the Colts’ primary receiving trio. LaVon Brazill, who got slapped with a suspension earlier today, won’t be.

Thanks to the Richardson deal, the Colts were without their first round pick in this year’s draft. With what was left, the Colts went and filled their remaining holes the best they could. Their top pick turned out to be Ohio State lineman Jack Mewhort. Adding a rookie to the mix on the offensive line is always treacherous and it might not help that they have quite a question mark in the middle of that o-line. The Colts will be rolling with sophomore center Khaled Holmes even though some expected them to go out and get someone with a more impressive pedigree, like Browns restricted free agent Alex Mack. Phil Costa, who should have been there in support of Holmes, opted to retire.

Ultimately, the Colts are a team doubling down on what they have and they didn’t feel the need to make major changes to reassert themselves in 2014. Their conservative approach to the offseason was something of a gamble in itself, and Colts fans need to hope that it will pay off.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

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