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PFR Originals: 7/27/14 – 8/3/14

August 3rd, 2014 at 1:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

  • We continued our Offseason in Review series, as Zach Links looked at the Buccaneers, Saints, Rams, and Cardinals, and I examined the Falcons.
  • Luke Adams asked who would win the NFC South: the Saints received about 44% of the vote, while the Falcons finished second at just over 25%.
  • As part of our Free Agent Stock Watch series, I profiled former Jets/Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma.
  • In the first Extension Candidate entry regarding a head coach, Rory Parks evaluated the potential negotiations between Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers.

Extension Candidate: Jim Harbaugh

August 3rd, 2014 at 11:14am CST by Rory Parks

The 49ers, a team with an eminently talented roster and legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, find themselves in a fairly enviable position heading into the 2014 campaign. They are not, however, worry-free. There is the drama surrounding Aldon Smith, a suddenly fragile collection of running backs, and then there is head coach Jim Harbaugh‘s uncertain contract situation.

MLB: St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants

The 49ers made an extension offer to Harbaugh early last month, but Harbaugh did not immediately respond to it and contract talks reached an impasse shortly thereafter. As we learned earlier this week, the parties ultimately decided to table those talks until after the 2014 season. Harbaugh’s contract does run through 2015, but there are some sources who believe that, if a new deal is not consummated next offseason, the team will either trade Harbaugh or will simply allow his contract to expire.

Harbaugh has all the leverage in these negotiations (depending, to some extent, on the team’s performance in 2014). Over the course of his collegiate and professional coaching career, he has proven himself as someone who can quickly establish a strong foundation and a winning culture. If his contract is not renewed before the end of the 2015 season, Harbaugh will be besieged with lucrative offers from one of a handful of teams that will inevitably be looking for a new head coach at that point. If he is traded, the acquiring team will also be quick to give him a handsome deal (remember, the Browns reportedly tried to trade for him in January of this year). And, if the 49ers bring home the Lombardi Trophy this season after coming tantalizingly close to it in Harbaugh’s first three seasons with San Francisco, CEO Jed York might just hand him a blank check.

While Harbaugh has said all the right things regarding his relationship with the 49ers front office and his focus on the upcoming season, it is not easy to forget reports of the alleged tension between the head coach and the San Francisco brass. While the parties would almost certainly set aside any negative feelings they may harbor on a personal level if the team’s on-field success continues, that tension may create a bit of an obstacle when contract talks begin anew.

Although it is somewhat difficult to predict what teams will want to trade assets for a new head coach after the upcoming season, and even more difficult to predict which clubs will be in the market for a new head man following the 2015 season, there is no question that Harbaugh’s next contract–whether it is with the 49ers or someone else–will pay him a salary that rivals or surpasses those of the highest-paid coaches in the league. Sean Payton of the Saints currently tops the list with an $8MM annual salary, and the Patriots’ Bill Belichick, the Chiefs’ Andy Reid, and the Ravens’ John Harbaugh, Jim’s older brother, are not far behind.

But for a team searching for an established coach with a proven track record of quick success–Harbaugh took over a 49ers team that went 6-10 in 2010, guided them to a 13-3 record in 2011, and has compiled a 36-11-1 record over three seasons–that price tag will be worth it. And if Harbaugh delivers a sixth Super Bowl title to San Fransisco, the 49ers will really have no choice but to match or beat whatever offers he gets and to decline whatever trade offers come their way.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

 

Free Agent Stock Watch: Jonathan Vilma

August 1st, 2014 at 10:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today noted last month, the 2014 offseason has not been kind to linebackers. Sean Lee, Kiko Alonso, Sean Weatherspoon, Daryl Washington, and Robert Mathis are among the LBs who have been lost to either injury or suspension. While allowing that linebacker is one of football’s most fungible positions (excluding 3-4 outside pass-rushers), teams still need to deploy competent defensive players in the middle of the field. As training camp gets underway, more LBs will inevitably suffer injuries, forcing teams to inquire on available free agents. Among defensive players, veteran inside ‘backer Jonathan Vilma is perhaps the most intriguing name who is still out of a job.Jonathan Vilma

Vilma, 32, entered the league with the Jets in 2004 as the 12th overall pick out of Miami. After four largely successful seasons in New York, during which he was selected Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the Pro Bowl, he was traded to the Saints. During seven years with New Orleans, Vilma was again named a Pro Bowler (twice) and won a Super Bowl. He was, however, engaged in the Saints’ “bounty scandal”; after a suspension, appeals, and courtroom action, Vilma was somewhat exonerated, but only played in 11 games in 2012. He underwent a knee scope before the 2013 season, and ultimately made it on the field for just 12 defensive snaps. Vilma was not re-signed by New Orleans in March 2014.

Besides Vilma’s play, the obvious concern for teams would be his health. He was originally placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list following his knee injury last summer. When he returned midseason, he barely lasted a series’ worth of snaps before being placed back on I.R. The immediacy with which the Saints’ medical staff determined Vilma was unfit to play is certainly concerning, especially for a 32-year-old. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported on June 18 that Vilma’s knee received a “thumbs-up” medically, so perhaps his injury concerns are lessened for the time being.

Many teams could use help at linebacker, but it’s always important to consider scheme fit when discussing LBs. When Vilma was traded by the Jets, the prevailing opinion around the league was that he was a poor match for Eric Mangini’s 3-4 look. The Saints mixed in some 3-4 fronts while Gregg Williams was the defensive coordinator, and Vilma did struggle — during Williams’ final two seasons in New Orleans, Vilma ranked as the worst and third-worst LB in the league, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). At 230 pounds, Vilma is generally considered too small to flourish as a 3-4 “Mike” linebacker. However, when the Saints brought in Rob Ryan and his 3-4 defense in 2013, there was some optimism that Vilma could fit as the weakside linebacker. Additionally, 3-4 LBs aren’t expected to cover nearly that ground that 4-3 ‘backers do, so perhaps a 3-4 look could benefit an aging Vilma.

All of which is to note that Vilma doesn’t lack for options when searching for a potential match with a team. PFR’s pages show that Vilma has been linked to teams such as the Falcons and the Cowboys (each of whom lost a key linebacker), while Vilma himself reached out to the Dolphins, who were not interested in his services. I think the Cardinals would make some sense, as they are relying on an inexperienced Kevin Minter and an older Larry Foote in the wake of Washington’s suspension. The Broncos and Giants are also asking marginal players to contribute in the middle, and could be viable landing spots. The Vikings could be interested, as well, but Vilma might not want to play for a team that probably won’t contend in 2014.

At this point in his career, Vilma won’t be handed anything but a one-year deal. A contract for the minimum salary benefit, with a modest signing bonus, is a real possibility, especially considering his injury history. A team could potentially get desperate later in training camp, and offer Vilma a slightly larger deal, perhaps laden with performance-based incentives and/or gameday active roster bonuses. Ultimately, he’ll have to decide how badly he wants to return to the league, and if he lands with the right team and the right defensive front, he could end up being something of a bargain.

Offseason In Review: Atlanta Falcons

August 1st, 2014 at 6:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 168) from the Vikings in exchange for a sixth-round pick (No. 182) and a seventh-round pick (No. 220).
  • Acquired T.J. Yates from the Texans in exchange for Akeem Dent.

Draft picks:

  • Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M (1.6): Signed
  • Ra’Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota (2.37): Signed
  • Dezmen Southward, S, Wisconsin (3.68): Signed
  • Devonta Freeman, RB, Florida State (4.103): Signed
  • Prince Shembo, OLB, Notre Dame (4.139): Signed
  • Ricardo Allen, CB, Purdue (5.147): Signed
  • Marquis Spruill, LB, Syracuse (5.168): Signed
  • Yawin Smallwood, LB, Connecticut (7.253): Signed
  • Tyler Starr, LB, South Dakota (7.255): Signed

Other:

Expectations were high for the Falcons last year — after a 2012 season that saw the team go 13-3 and narrowly miss a Super Bowl appearance, many assumed the NFC South would once again be Atlanta’s for the taking. However, injuries and ineffectiveness took their toll, and the Falcons collapsed, finishing 2013 with a 4-12 record. Ownership, realizing that a solid staff is in place, did not overreact to the lost season, and in fact extended both general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith, the two figures who lead Atlanta’s offseason reboot.Jake Matthews

The first item on Dimitroff and Smith’s to-do list was to revamp a defense that struggled immensely in 2013. In addition to giving up the second-most rushing yards per game, the Falcons finished 29th in the league in sacks, and were ranked dead last in pass-rushing per Football Outsiders’ advanced metrics. Atlanta used a lot of 3-4 looks last season, but will make the complete transition to coordinator Mike Nolan’s favored defensive scheme in 2014. With that in mind, the team made several additions to strengthen its front seven.

Along the line, the Falcons brought in former Dolphin Paul Soliai on five-year, $32MM deal to handle nose tackle duties, and signed Tyson Jackson, who has played 3-4 end his entire career, to a five-year pact worth $25MM. Atlanta re-signed both Jonathan Babineaux and Corey Peters, and drafted the gargantuan Ra’Shede Hageman, who can probably play at either tackle or end, in the second round. Each of these moves was designed to add size, strength, and versatility to a line that, quite frankly, was manhandled last year.

The Falcons’ linebacking unit withstood a devastating blow before training camp even got underway, as veteran Sean Weatherspoon suffered a torn ACL, which will cause him to miss the 2014 season. Veterans Omar Gaither and Stephen Nicholas won’t be returning next year, but Atlanta replaced them with Tim Dobbins and Pat Angerer. Fourth-rounder Prince Shembo is a player to watch, as he experienced life in a 3-4 defense while at Notre Dame. Fellow rookies Marquis Spruill, Yawin Smallwood, and Tyler Starr could all contribute to a unit that is fairly shallow.

Atlanta’s secondary saw the release of veterans Thomas DeCoud and Asante Samuel, two players who are on the downside of their respective careers. Josh Wilson and Javier Arenas, each of whom has special team prowess, were brought in on cheap deals, but the most intriguing addition is probably the team’s third-round pick, safety Dezmen Southward. The Wisconsin product will compete with another new signee, Dwight Lowery, for the right to play next to stalwart William Moore.

The offensive unit (which rated 14th in terms of DVOA) wasn’t the nightmare that was the defense in Atlanta, but Dimitroff and Co. obviously wanted to add bulk to the front five. Guard Jon Asamoah, formerly of the Chiefs, was signed to a five-year, $22.5MM pact, and Jake Matthews was drafted with the sixth overall pick. Matthews figures to start the year playing right tackle, but don’t be shocked if he takes over Matt Ryan‘s blindside (currently manned by the subpar Sam Baker) by the end of 2014. Center Joe Hawley (re-signed for two years, $6MM) will start at center, and former first-rounder Gabe Carimi (one year, $840K) will serve as depth.

The offensive skill positions didn’t see much overhaul, as the team is mostly banking on the healthy return of fourth-year receiver Julio Jones, who missed much of last season (but did have his fifth-year option exercised). Jones’ running mate, 32-year-old Roddy White, was extended on a deal that could contain as much as $10MM guaranteed. Longtime Bear and special teams ace Devin Hester was signed to a three-year, $9MM contract to handle kick and punt returns.

At running back, fourth-rounder Devonta Freeman will compete for snaps with Steven Jackson and Jacquizz Rodgers. Future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez retired (and figures to stay that way), and no draftee was added, meaning tight end will be left to second-year player Levine Toilolo. Quarterback depth was bolstered, as T.J. Yates was added via trade, and figures to serves as Ryan’s primary backup.

The Falcons are a team ripe for positive regression. Bill Barnwell of Grantland recently laid out the case for a bouceback season by Atlanta, estimating the Falcons will win 10 games and claim a playoff spot. With improved line play, continued development by Desmond Trufant and the rest of the secondary, and less injuries, 9-10 wins sounds right. The NFC South is a tough division, however, and another good season by the Saints or the Panthers, or a rebound by the Buccaneers, could leave the Falcons outside the playoff picture.

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

Offseason In Review: Arizona Cardinals

August 1st, 2014 at 1:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a first-round pick (No. 27) and a third-round pick (No. 91) from the Saints in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 20).

Draft picks:

  • Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State (1.27): Signed
  • Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame (2.52): Signed
  • Kareem Martin, DE, North Carolina (3.84): Signed
  • John Brown, WR, Pittsburg State (3.91): Signed
  • Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech (4.120): Signed
  • Ed Stinson, DE, Alabama (5.160): Signed
  • Walter Powell, WR, Murray State (6.196): Signed

Other:

There was a time when the NFC West wasn’t all that menacing. That’s not quite the case anymore. The Cardinals’ 10-6 mark earned them nothing more than a bronze medal thanks to being in the same group as the 49ers and the Super Bowl champion Seahawks. Arizona made a handful of moves this offseason that could give them a better chance in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions.

The Cardinals’ offensive line left something to be desired in 2013 and it was no surprise that Jared Veldheer turned out to be their biggest offseason expenditure. Former first-round pick Levi Brown was the club’s starting left tackle to kick off the season but the club couldn’t withstand him poor play any longer and shipped him to the Steelers in October. Bradley Sowell stepped into the role in his place, but didn’t do much better. Enter Veldheer. The Raiders didn’t see the 26-year-old as a top shelf left tackle but Arizona certainly did and they were delighted to land him with a five-year, $35MM deal. Veldheer missed eleven games last season thanks to a triceps injury but he looked just fine in his partial season and could prove to be quite the value for the Cards. At the very least, he’ll be a noticeable upgrade over the matador that was Brown.NFL: Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers

Wide receiver Andre Roberts left to sign with the Redskins where he expected to see more targets before the club added DeSean Jackson, but they added wide receiver and return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. to a three-year deal. The 28-year-old was back for 26 punt returns and 25 kickoff returns for Carolina last season but he also enjoyed his best season as a WR, hauling in 36 catches and 556 receiving yards with five TDs, showing that he’s more than a strong return man. The Giants, Bucs, and others had interest in adding Ginn and it’s not hard to see why. The Cards also added a pair of tight ends in former Viking John Carlson and rookie Troy Niklas. Carlson, who was also drawing interest from the Jets and Packers, recorded a total of 40 receptions for 387 yards in his two seasons with the Vikings as the team’s second tight end behind Kyle Rudolph.

One of the Cardinals’ most notable offseason moves came just days ago when they signed cornerback Patrick Peterson to a brand-new five-year, $70.05MM extension. Typically, we’d round that number down, but the extra $50K elevates Peterson above Seahawks star Richard Sherman as the league’s highest-paid cornerback in terms of average annual value. While Sherman and Joe Haden (and scores of fans) might have a bone to pick with Peterson holding that mantle, there’s no denying that Peterson is a true shutdown cornerback and his age (24) is no small factor in his value. Peterson became the first 2011 first-round pick to ink a contract extension and after setting the table for Cowboys lineman Tyron Smith, he’ll probably open up the flood gates for others in the coming weeks.

When opposing quarterbacks find their top receiver smothered by Peterson, they won’t have an easy time completing a pass elsewhere thanks to rookie safety Deone Bucannon and free agent pickup Antonio Cromartie. Last year was the fifth straight season in which the 29-year-old recorded at least three interceptions, though he wasn’t as strong in coverage as usual, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). After ranking 16th among cornerbacks in 2012, he placed in the bottom 10 in 2013, with receivers averaging 19.1 YPC on their 49 receptions against him. If Cromartie gets back to his old self, however, the one-year, $4MM make-good contract will be a major bargain. The Cardinals traded back from No. 20 to the No. 27 pick and some were surprised when they used that selection to grab Bucannon. However, Arizona knew they needed a heavy hitter in the secondary and the Washington State product certainly fits the bill. Bucannon should serve as a nice compliment to speedy safety Tyrann Mathieu.

While the secondary improved, one has to wonder about the state of the front seven and the linebacking corps in particular. Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, who career year with 112 tackles, 6.0 sacks and four interceptions, left to sign with the Browns. Daryl Washington, who could have capably stepped into his shoes, was suspended for the 2014 season thanks to his latest substance-abuse policy violation. Free agent pickup Larry Foote will be expected to help fill the void, but it’s hard to say what kind of impact he can have coming off of a season in which he missed all but one game. Also, while he started 16 games at ILB in 2012, he ranked just 46th of 53 qualified inside linebackers, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Rising sophomore Larry Minter will also see some more playing time, but it’s hard to see that duo replicating the kind of production that Dansby and/or Washington would have brought.

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

Offseason In Review: St. Louis Rams

July 31st, 2014 at 6:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

  • Scott Wells (C): Restructured contract. Reduced 2014 base salary from $5.5MM to $1MM. Reduced 2015 base salary from $5.5MM to $2MM. Received $1.65MM roster bonus for 2014, as well as additional roster bonuses and incentives that can be earned for 2014 and 2015.

Trades:

  • Acquired second-round pick (No. 41) from the Bills in exchange for second-round pick (No. 44) and fifth-round pick (No. 153).

Draft picks:

  • Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn (1.2): Signed
  • Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh (1.13): Signed
  • Lamarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State (2.41): Signed
  • Tre Mason, RB, Auburn (3.75): Signed
  • Maurice Alexander, S, Utah State (4.110): Signed
  • E.J. Gaines, CB, Missouri (6.188): Signed
  • Garrett Gilbert, QB, SMU (6.214): Signed
  • Mitchell Van Dyk, OT, Portland State (7.226): Signed
  • Christian Bryant, S, Ohio State (7.241): Signed
  • Michael Sam, DE/OLB, Missouri (7.249): Signed
  • Demetrius Rhaney, C, Tennessee State (7.250): Signed

Other:

  • Hired Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator.
  • Exercised Robert Quinn‘s fifth-year option for 2015 ($6.969MM).
  • Received three compensatory draft picks.
  • Signed 15 rookie free agents after the draft.

The Rams warned us early in the offseason that they wouldn’t be tremendously active in free agency and they stuck to that promise. The bulk of the club’s changes came through the draft and they hope those reinforcements, coupled with a few additions from the open market, will be enough to help them be competitive in the NFC West.

In a draft where much of the talk centered around speedy wide receiver Sammy Watkins and the dynamic Johnny Manziel, the Rams avoided flashiness with their two first-round choices. At No. 2, a pick the Rams received from the Redskins in the Robert Griffin III deal, they plucked Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson. While the big 6-5″ 332 pound tackle won’t be among the league leaders in jersey sales, he should, in time, give the Rams an imposing force on the offensive line. However, he might not have the kind of immediate impact that some were expecting just a few months ago. At the time of the draft, it was expected that Robinson would start his NFL journey as a right tackle before eventually making his way over to left tackle. Now, it sounds like Robinson will be playing guard in 2014.

“It’s frustrating that I’m not up to pace right now because the playbook is more intense and things are changing but once I get back to where I’m comfortable, things will calm down and I can be myself out there,” Robinson said in June, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.

Robinson hasn’t played on the inside of the offensive line since high school, so the growing pains are understandable. But for the long term, it’s understandable if Rams fans have some concern about Robinson’s upside. Of course, plenty of top left tackles start out in the league playing elsewhere on the offensive line. The Cowboys first used Tyron Smith, who inked a mammoth eight-year, $98MM extension yesterday, as a right tackle before entrusting him to protect Tony Romo‘s blind side.

Robinson will also get to pick the brains of veteran offensive lineman like Jake Long, Scott Wells, and Rodger Saffold. Of course, Saffold appeared to be heading elsewhere in March before circling back to the Rams. Saffold and Oakland reached agreement on a five-year, $42.5MM deal before a physical exam revealed a shoulder issue. While it was enough to scare off the Raiders, the Rams’ doctors had no issue with it, though the ordeal potentially cost Saffold some significant coin as the veteran’s new deal is worth $31.7MM overall with $11MM guaranteed.

To improve their situation on the other side of the ball, the Rams drafted Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald with their pick at No. 13. Donald At 6’0″, 280 pounds, Donald isn’t really your prototypical interior defensive lineman, but he has a knack for getting past blocks and into the backfield. As Sports Illustrated’s Joan Niesen noted earier today, Donald is about 30 pounds lighter than your average defensive tackle in the past decade of the NFL. And, in the past quarter-century, only one DT at 6’0″ or shorter has made a Pro Bowl. Still, the Rams, and a lot of other draft pundits, are banking on Donald breaking the mold and defying the odds.

The Donald pick was surprising for a couple of reasons. One, while the Giants, Bears, Cowboys, and other teams in the middle of the first round were linked to him, there wasn’t much buzz around the Rams drafting Donald. Secondly, many expected St. Louis to use that pick to bolster their shaky secondary. They wound up addressing that with their second-round pick, Florida State cornerback/safety Lamarcus Joyner. Joyner seems likely to spend a lot of time at slot corner this year, and possibly even start there, but he won’t be pigeonholed into one spot as he was drafted in part for his versatility. Look for Joyner to spend time at multiple positions in 2014 and beyond for St. Louis.

While there wasn’t a ton of money spent on the open market, the signing of Kenny Britt to a one-year, $1.4MM could potentially be a needle-mover for this Rams offense. The deal reunites the troubled Rutgers product with former coach Jeff Fisher and if he’s able to replicate the production from early on in his career, he can be a very dangerous weapon for Sam Bradford alongside Tavon Austin, Chris Givens, Austin Pettis, and Brian Quick. Injury troubles and legal problems aside, Britt has the natural talent to extend the field for the Rams.

The Rams didn’t have as much turnover as other teams this offseason, but it’s possible that they can disrupt the 49ers and Seahawks if quarterback Sam Bradford stays healthy and their two top draft picks can adapt quickly to the pace of the NFL.

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

Offseason In Review: New Orleans Saints

July 30th, 2014 at 6:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 169) from the Eagles in exchange for Darren Sproles.
  • Acquired a first-round pick (No. 20) from the Cardinals in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 27) and a third-round pick (No. 91).

Draft picks:

  • Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State (1.20): Signed
  • Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, Nebraska (2.58): Signed
  • Khairi Fortt, OLB, California (4.126): Signed
  • Vinnie Sunseri, S, Alabama (5.167): Signed
  • Ronald Powell, OLB, Florida (5.169): Signed
  • Tavon Rooks, OT, Kansas State (6.202): Signed

Other:

An 11-5 season doesn’t signal a need for big change for most teams, but the bar is set pretty high in New Orleans and the Saints refused to stand pat this offseason. With big upgrades on both sides of the ball, the Saints look to be one of the strongest teams in the NFC.

There were a lot of high-quality safeties available on the open market this offseason but the Saints wanted the very best of the bunch. Jairus Byrd, who ranked No. 3 on Luke Adams’ Top 25 Free Agents list, New Orleans didn’t have a ton of cap room heading into the offseason, but they managed to carve out the space to give Byrd a six-year, $54MM contract. The 27-year-old missed a good chunk of the season with injury but he still wound up with 37 tackles and four interceptions across eleven games and still ranks as one of the league’s premier playmakers at his position. On the flipside, not everyone is applauding the signing, especially since Byrd underwent back surgery to repair a disc issue after inking his deal. Still, if he stays healthy, he figures to give the Saints’ secondary a major punch.Jairus Byrd

Even though the Saints signed one of the offseason’s very best free agents, the last few months have been dominated by talk about star tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham was franchised by the Saints in late February and was the only player who received the tag and didn’t quickly accept the one-year tender or work out a longer-term deal. That’s because, in part, Graham received the ~$7MM franchise tag for tight ends rather than the $12MM+ he would have earned if he had instead been tagged as a wide receiver. Graham, who lined up split out from the offensive line on two-thirds of his snaps in 2013, went to the mat with his team to get the deal he felt he deserved. He would up losing the case despite the help of the players’ union and strong public support, but in the end he got a deal that makes him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history and should keep him in gold and black for years to come.

Getting back to the secondary, the Saints retained restricted free agent safety Rafael Bush, added cornerback Champ Bailey, and used a second-round pick on corner Stanley Jean-Baptiste. Longtime Saints safety Roman Harper and cornerback Jabari Greer, meanwhile, were shown the door in an effort to clear cap room and beef up elsewhere. Bush, 26, inked an offer sheet with the rival Falcons but a two-year, $4.5MM deal wasn’t enough to scare them off. Bush would have been a shoe-in to start with the Falcons and reportedly wanted the opportunity prove himself in a larger role but he projects to come off the bench for the Saints behind Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro. Bailey, meanwhile, was picked up a two-year deal with just $500K guaranteed. While he boasts one of the most impressive resumes of any cornerback in the NFL, he appeared in just five games last season for the Broncos due to a foot injury and has lost a step or three. Greg A. Bedard of MMQB recently wrote that it wouldn’t be a shock if Bailey didn’t break camp with the Saints and the club rolled with one of their talented young DBs like undrafted free agent Pierre Warren instead. Bailey was signed to start for this team but he might wind up plying his craft elsewhere by the time Week 1 rolls around.

Looking at the front seven, familiar faces Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma are no longer with the team. Nose tackle Brodrick Bunkley was also a candidate to change uniforms, but he restructured his contract instead in order to stay aboard. His salary this year went from $4.5MM to $1.65MM, creating $2.85MM in cap space. The 30-year-old’s new deal helped to create room for some of the club’s free agent pickups.

On the other side of the ball, the Saints used their first-round pick to add talented receiver Brandin Cooks. What the 5’10 Oregon State product lacks in bulk he more than makes up for with the ability to change direction and eek out extra yards after the catch. While he’s a different kind of receiver, he’ll see a lot of the targets that would have gone to Lance Moore, who is now a member of the Steelers. He should also get some extra looks now that pass-catching tailback Darren Sproles is out of the picture. It was a surprise to some when he was shipped to the Eagles for a fifth-round selection and while it helped ease a glut in the backfield, it does mean that there is one less dangerous weapon in the arsenal for Drew Brees to work with.

Pass-blocking fullback Erik Lorig was added on a four-year, ~$5MM deal which should help Brees gain a bit of extra time in the pocket. More central to Brees’ success will be the continued presence of Zach Strief, who was re-signed to a five-year pact. The 30-year-old has spent the first eight years of his NFL career in New Orleans, including the last three as the club’s starting right tackle. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), the former seventh-round pick enjoyed his best season in 2013, ranking as the league’s best right tackle and grading especially well as a pass blocker.

The Saints have placed increased emphasis on their secondary in recent years and they continued that push heading into the 2014 season. Assuming Byrd stays healthy, it’s hard not to like this Saints team in the NFC South.

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

Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

July 29th, 2014 at 8:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Ravens in exchange for Jeremy Zuttah.
  • Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 185) from the Bills in exchange for Mike Williams.
  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 149) from the Bills in exchange for a seventh-round pick (No. 221) and a 2015 fifth-round pick.

Draft picks:

  • Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (1.7): Signed
  • Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington (2.38): Signed
  • Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia (3.69): Signed
  • Kadeem Edwards, G, Tennessee State (5.143): Signed
  • Kevin Pamphile, OT, Purdue (5.149): Signed
  • Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming (6.185): Signed

Other:

Things got weird in Tampa Bay last year. Real weird. Former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano kicked off the season with what many perceived as a campaign against his own starting quarterback. Josh Freeman wasn’t voted as a team captain for the first time since his 2009 rookie season, but when teammates huddled up to discuss the election process, they came away with the conclusion that it was rigged and Freeman rightfully should have had a C on his jersey, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Weeks later, word came out that Freeman had to enroll in the league’s drug program for abusing Adderall and the NFLPA filed a grievance on the matter for breach of confidentiality. There was speculation that Schiano was the one who stripped Freeman of his captaincy and the one who leaked news of the drug problem to the press. When you couple that with an 0-8 start that ended in a 4-12 record for 2013, the Bucs had no choice but to bounce the discipline-loving, cliched sound bite-giving coach. Now, the Bucs will be guided by former Bears coach Lovie Smith who is set to bring the Tampa 2 back to Tampa and, hopefully, foster a healthier environment in the locker room.NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Minicamp

After the Bucs demoted Freeman (and later cut him), rookie quarterback Mike Glennon was thrust into the starting role and performed about as well as you’d expect most rookie signal callers to perform. Glennon produced an cumulative -6.1 rating from Pro Football Focus, placing him 33rd amongst all eligible QBs in their rankings. Taking his spot on the depth chart will be free agent pickup Josh McCown, who ranked 9th in PFF’s QB rankings. The veteran journeyman started for the Bears in place of Jay Cutler last season after he was lost to injury and filled in admirably, The 35-year-old ended the 2013 season completing 66.8 of his passes for 1,829 yards with 13 touchdowns, one interception and a 109.0 passer rating, the third highest behind Peyton Manning and Nick Foles. In fact, McCown left such a strong impression in Chicago that many fans wondered why the Bears didn’t re-sign him rather than giving an expensive long-term deal to Cutler. Some might wonder if the veteran can replicate his play from last season, but he would appear to be a nice upgrade over the rising sophomore Glennon, who can still be groomed as the club’s QB of the future.

McCown will have the pleasure of throwing to three-time Pro Bowler Vincent Jackson and No. 7 overall pick Mike Evans. The Texas A&M product rocketed up draft charts across the NFL in the weeks leading up to the draft and firmly established himself as the best wide receiver in the class behind Clemson’s Sammy Watkins. In Evans, the Bucs are getting a big 6’5″ target who is hard to take down and can eke out extra yards after a catch that many WRs wouldn’t be able to. Evans doesn’t offer the blazing speed of Watkins or Odell Beckham Jr., the third WR to come off the board in the draft, but he offers serious upside in his own right and appears to be rather NFL-ready. Meanwhile, Mike Williams, who spent the first four years of his career with the Bucs, was shipped to the Bills for a sixth-round choice.

As if that wasn’t enough to help McCown in his first year with Tampa Bay, the Bucs also drafted Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the second round and signed former Raiders and Giants tight end Brandon Myers to a two-year deal. Seferian-Jenkins, like many of the league’s top tight ends, comes from a basketball background and that shows with his high-end athleticism. The 6’5″ athlete has very strong agility and soft hands for a player of his size and is also a decent blocker. Heading into the draft, some teams were wary of the 21-year-old’s perceived character flaws thanks to a 2013 DUI arrest. However, the Bucs interviewed the youngster extensively and walked away without concern.

In March, left tackle Anthony Collins was brought aboard to help protect the starting backfield of McCown and Doug Martin. Collins got a five-year, $30MM deal ($9MM guaranteed) from Tampa Bay even though he never had an extended run as a starter during his six seasons with the Bengals. Still, in his 673 offensive snaps last season, Collins never recorded a negative grade in a game, according to PFF (subscription required). If he can bring that kind of production as a starter, then the Bucs will look pretty smart in the long run.

Also new to the Bucs’ starting o-line is former Packers center Evan Dietrich-Smith. Dietrich-Smith also doesn’t have a ton of starting experience, having started just nine games during his first three seasons in Green Bay before starting in all 16 games for the Packers in 2013. Still, PFF (subscription required) ranked him No. 8 out of 35 qualified centers and he graded particularly well as a pass blocker. Off the bench, the Bucs added guard Oniel Cousins and retained OG Jamon Meredith with a two-year deal. Jeremy Zuttah, a former Rutgers notable who was a holdover from the Schiano era, was sent to the Ravens for a fifth-round choice (fellow RU alums Brian Leonard and Tiquan Underwood were also released).

Tampa Bay’s biggest financial commitment of the offseason came on the other side of the ball when they inked defensive end Michael Johnson to a five-year contract worth $43.75MM with $24MM in guaranteed cash. The Bengals free agent was this year’s fifth-best free agent according to our own Luke Adams and graded out as one of the best 4-3 defensive ends last season in stopping the run. Johnson’s 3.5 sacks in 2013 pale in comparison to his 11.5 sacks from 2012, but he’s still a dominant force that should help disrupt opposing offenses. Along with with defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who was the statistical leader amongst DTs in stopping the run, the Bucs should have a fearsome defensive line to help anchor Smith’s defense. Former Seahawks defensive tackle Clinton McDonald was also brought aboard on a four-year, $12MM deal and he’s expected to sit behind McCoy and Akeem Spence on the depth chart.

The Bucs said goodbye to Darrelle Revis this offseason in order to get out from under his $16MM annual cap hit. While he’ll look to hold his position as one of the league’s top cornerbacks in New England, Tampa Bay brought in Alterraun Verner to take his place. Verner, widely regarded as the second-best free agent cornerback on the open market behind Aqib Talib (excluding Revis, of course, who did not become an FA until he was released by Tampa Bay), signed a rather team-friendly deal considering what he brings to the table. Verner isn’t a truly elite corner like Revis, but since entering the league in 2010, Verner has never placed outside the top 25 in Pro Football Focus’ cornerback rankings. Verner will help anchor a secondary that has some question marks, including starting strong safety Mark Barron. Barron missed most of the Bucs’ OTAs and minicamp with what was thought to be hamstring issue, but he actually underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in January.

The Bucs got a lot done over the offseason, but they’d still like to hammer out a new deal with McCoy and keep him in the fold for the long term. In the short-term, it’s a new era in Tampa Bay and while they might not look the part of Super Bowl contenders, it’s certainly a step up from where they were last season under their old regime.

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

PFR Originals: 7/20/14 – 7/27/14

July 27th, 2014 at 6:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

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

  • We continued our Offseason in Review series, as Ben Levine covered the Eagles, David Kipke covered the 49ers, and Zach Links evaluated the Giants and the Cowboys.
  • As we finished up our Offseason in Review series in the NFC East and NFC West, PFR took to the polls to see who our readers thought would win each division. The Eagles took a good lead in the East and the Seahawks barely edged out the 49ers in the West.
  • Our Extension Candidate series plugged along, as Dallas Robinson examined the case for 49ers guard Mike Iupati.

Offseason In Review: Dallas Cowboys

July 24th, 2014 at 7:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 34) from the Redskins in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 47) and third-round pick (No. 78).
  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 146) from the Lions in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 158) and a seventh-round pick (No. 229).
  • Acquired Rolando McClain and a conditional seventh-round pick from the Ravens in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick. Conditions for the traded picks, which also could turn into a swap of seventh-rounders, can be found within the linked story.

Draft picks:

  • Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame (1.16): Signed
  • Demarcus Lawrence, DE/OLB, Boise State (2.34): Signed
  • Anthony Hitchens, LB, Iowa (4.119): Signed
  • Devin Street, WR, Pittsburgh (5.146): Signed
  • Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford (7.231): Signed
  • Will Smith, LB, Texas Tech (7.238): Signed
  • Ahmad Dixon, S, Baylor (7.248): Signed
  • Ken Bishop, DT, Northern Illinois (7.251): Signed
  • Terrance Mitchell, CB, Oregon (7.254): Signed

Other:

AT&T Stadium is an everlasting reminder that Jerry Jones isn’t a fan of the understated. That’s why it was rather surprising to see the Cowboys have a relatively quiet offseason in 2014.

The Cowboys made a major upgrade on their defensive line when they inked tackle Henry Melton. The Bears opted not to extend an offer to the 27-year-old before the start of free agency and had hoped to re-sign him after they figured out how much room they had to work with. Chicago never got the chance as Melton signed on with the Cowboys on a multiyear deal. The deal makes a lot of sense for both sides. Melton can earn nearly $28MM over four seasons if everything works out in 2014 and the Cowboys pick him up for another three seasons. If he struggles to stay on the field, as he did in 2013, the Cowboys can simply decline their club option and move on. Melton, who only played in three games last season, was said to be seeking a one-year, make-good contract, but he came away with the potential for a longer commitment. Even though 2013 didn’t work out as Melton had hoped, he made 14 starts and racked up a career high 31 tackles with six sacks en route to his first Pro Bowl in the season prior. He’ll look to get back to that level this season.NFL: Pro Bowl-NFC Media Day

Melton will be filling the space left by the departure of Jason Hatcher and it’s hard not to like that trade-off for the Cowboys. Despite the time missed in 2013, Melton is younger and probably better suited for Dallas’ defensive scheme. That’s not to say there won’t be challenges for this Cowboys front seven. Hatcher has joined up with the rival Redskins, longtime Dallas mainstay DeMarcus Ware is with the Broncos, and linebacker Sean Lee is done for the season after suffering an injury during OTA’s. On the defensive line, the Cowboys are expected to trot out a front four of George Selvie, Melton, Nick Hayden, and free agent pickup Jeremy Mincey. The Cowboys dropped Ware because of his $16MM cap number for 2014 and Mincey comes in at a much more reasonable $3MM over two years with just $500K guaranteed. Further down the depth chart, the Cowboys added former Texans defensive tackle Terrell McClain on a three-year deal, re-signed pass rusher Anthony Spencer to a one-year deal, and defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, a former No. 10 overall pick.

In the wake of Lee’s injury, the speculation starting coming in fast and furious as to which high-profile linebacker the Cowboys would sign. Would it be former Bears star Brian Urlacher? Would they coax London Fletcher out of retirement? Or how about Jonathan Vilma who was coming off of a 2013 knee injury? The answer: none of the above. Justin Durant will man the middle linebacker position, Kyle Wilber and Bruce Carter will likely be on either side, and rookies DeMarcus Lawrence and Anthony Hitchens will be among those in support.

On the other side of the ball, the conversation is more about who won’t be there in 2014 rather than the additions. New Jersey native Miles Austin, who enjoyed a breakout season with the Cowboys in 2009, has been plagued by a pesky hamstring in recent years and hasn’t been the same player. Not many would have guessed that backup quarterback Kyle Orton would be the center of attention in Dallas throughout the spring and summer, but that’s exactly what happened. After a standoff where Orton intimated that he wouldn’t suit up for the Cowboys and Dallas badly wanted him to play, the Cowboys wound up cutting the bearded QB loose earlier this month. Now, it turns out Orton doesn’t plan on retiring at all and will look to play elsewhere while still enjoying his signing bonus money. It’s a crummy situation for the Cowboys who are without a strong backup behind starter Tony Romo, but on the bright side, they have a little additional cap flexibility this year which could help facilitate extensions for Dez Bryant or Tyron Smith.

The Cowboys didn’t make massive changes this offseason but then again, in a wide open NFC East after an 8-8 season, they didn’t necessarily have to.

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

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