East Notes: RGIII, Eagles, Cutler
It was not long ago that the respective futures of Robert Griffin III and Jay Gruden in Washington were in doubt. After one strong game against the Eagles on Saturday night, that no longer seems to be the case. Following a last-minute, 27-24 victory over their playoff-hopeful division rivals, Washington’s head coach and quarterback are set to return for 2015.
As Jason Reid of the Washington Post wrote just hours after the team’s victory, “Jay Gruden and Robert Griffin III are expected to return next season.” Reid went on to note that Washington’s reliance on the on the run game and DeSean Jackson allowed Griffin to be more comfortable in the pocket than he has been all season, which could have created a blueprint for the team’s success moving forward.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds that there was never any real doubt among the Washington administration that Griffin would be back, as the team continues to hope that he can be the franchise quarterback it once anticipated. So, as Florio writes, “the only remaining question is whether they pick up his eight-figure option for 2016 by May 3. If the goal is to support him, they either need to exercise the option or extend his contract.”
Now for some more noes from the league’s east divisions:
- In the wake of the Eagles‘ embarrassing loss to Washington, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the team needs a quarterback, and while Mark Sanchez has clearly demonstrated he is not the answer, McLane believes that Nick Foles is not the long-term solution either. Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com agrees with that assessment.
- Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News writes that the Giants should bring back Jason Pierre-Paul and Antrel Rolle after their strong late-season performances.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes that the Dolphins‘ performance against Minnesota this afternoon is a life-or-death matter for head coach Joe Philbin.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that the quarterback-desperate Jets, unless they have a foolproof plan to trade up for Marcus Mariota or strongly believe in Jameis Winston, should consider making a deal for embattled Bears signal-caller Jay Cutler. As Cimini writes, a long-time personnel executive who has extensive knowledge of Cutler has said, “I’d rather deal with [Cutler’s] issues than deal with a guy with no talent.”
NFC Links: Gore, Cutler, Griffin, Sanchez
49ers‘ running back Frank Gore has seen a decline in his play this season, and his future in San Francisco is in question. Aside from his rookie season and injury-shortened 2010, Gore is on pace to post career lows in yards, attempts, touchdowns, yards per carry, and longest run. He has also been phased out of the passing game, with career lows in targets, catches, and receiving yards.
Gore will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and spoke to Eric Branch of SFGate.com regarding his future with the team. “If they want to bring me back, they will,” Gore said. “They’ll come to me in a respectful way. We’ll sit down, see what they want me to do. See what my role is and if I like it, I’ll sign. If I don’t, I’ll try to see what other teams think of me.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- Joel Corry of the National Football Post takes a look at the financial implications that would take place if the Bears decided to trade Jay Cutler. Because of his contract, he writes the Bears would be unlikely to get much in return for the embattled quarterback, but writes that the Titans, Jets, Buccaneers, Rams and Texans could all have at least some interest in acquiring Cutler at the right price.
- Despite some rumors that Washington would fire head coach Jay Gruden after only one season, the former Bengals’ offensive coordinator is confident that he will get a second season with the team, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com. “I feel good about my chances of coming back next year,” Gruden said. “I feel good about some of the core group of guys we have here and building a football team, and I think we can get this thing turned around a lot sooner than later if given the opportunity.”
- Gruden returning is not a given, but after that the biggest question of Washington’s offseason is at the quarterback position. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com would not be surprised to see Robert Griffin III back in Washington next season, noting that his salary is fully guaranteed for 2015 (via Twitter). He writes that Gruden wants to win, and Griffin could be his best option at quarterback (via Twitter).
- With Nick Foles closer to being healthy each week and the Eagles still in the thick of the playoff race, Mark Sanchez needs to be better, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While he writes that Sanchez is not concerned about his own stock, the team’s playoff chances are directly related to how well Sanchez plays. Whether Sanchez’s top priority is making the playoffs or getting a starting job in 2015, he needs to be better over these next two games.
- The Panthers will not activate defensive end Frank Alexander for this weekend’s game against the Browns, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox sports 1 (via Twitter). Alexander came off of his suspension this week, after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Garafolo writes that the team is expected to activate him on Monday.
NFC East Notes: Graham, Carr, Dez, RG3
It’s looking increasingly likely that the Cowboys will be the only team from the NFC East to earn a postseason berth. Dallas, at 10-4, is only a game ahead of the Eagles at 9-5, but Football Outsiders’ playoff odds paint a more disparate picture. The Cowboys are 86% likely to make the playofsf, while Philadelphia’s chances sit at just 35.3% — for perspective, the Birds’ odds were at roughly 79% before Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys. Dallas will face the Colts and Washington over the final two weeks of the season, while the Eagles will also take on Washington, and close out with the Giants. Here’s more from the division…
- Though reports recently indicated that the Eagles have opened extension talks with edge-rusher Brandon Graham, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer doesn’t believe it makes sense for Graham to re-sign with the Birds before free agency begins. Graham, 26, currently plays as a 3-4 OLB in the Eagles defensive scheme, but could have more value to a club that employs a 4-3 front, where Graham could play defensive end. Some insiders have cited Everson Griffen‘s five-year, $42.5MM extension with the Vikings as a comparable mark for Graham, and McLane suggests that the pass-rusher could maximize his earnings by hitting the open market.
- In terms of total guarantee, the Cowboys’ Brandon Carr is the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, but as Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News writes, Carr hasn’t played to that level. In fact, his lack of production could lead to Dallas asking him to face a pay cut, or be released. “I think that one of the things that create a challenge for him is it’s like the same one that a No. 1 draft pick has. The expectation of what he’s supposed to bring to the table is one that is really very difficult to meet,” said owner/GM Jerry Jones. “Now, has he played at a Pro Bowl level? No, he has not. And therein lies the issue.”
- Carr is just one piece of the Cowboys’ roster that will be in flux this offseason, as the club also has decisions to make on Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray. Field Yates of ESPN.com lays out the scenarios in which the duo could return to Dallas, arguing that it’s a near lock that Bryant will remain a Cowboy.
- Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com runs through the financial implications of the moves that Washington could make with regards to Robert Griffin III, noting that while the third-year quarterback is likely to be on the roster in 2015, the club probably won’t exercise its fifth-year option on RG3.
Eagles, Brandon Graham Discussing Extension
As his rookie contract neared its end, Brandon Graham‘s name surfaced in a couple trade rumors over the offseason, but Philadelphia is no longer thinking about parting ways with the outside linebacker. In fact, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com, the team has actually approached Graham about the possibility of completing a contract extension.
Mosher reports that discussions on a new deal for Graham got underway a few weeks ago, with the team proposing a four-year extension. However, the two sides aren’t close to anything at this point. Per Mosher, the contract structure has been a sticking point, and the possibility that Graham could land more money and longer-term security on the open market is complicating talks.
Graham, 26, had been up and down during his first four years with the Eagles, but the former first-round pick is enjoying the best season of his career in 2014. Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required) place Graham fourth among 3-4 outside linebackers, despite his relative lack of playing time (423 defensive snaps). Graham has already matched his career high with 5.5 sacks, and has 44 overall quarterback pressures, per PFF. He’ll be in line for his first start of the season this weekend, with Trent Cole sidelined.
Graham’s strong season has certainly increased his value, so it will be interesting to see if the Eagles have the flexibility to keep him in the mix while Cole and Connor Barwin remain under contract. The team is currently projected to have a combined cap hit of nearly $18MM for those two players in 2015, so adding another few million for Graham would mean committing a decent chunk of the cap to one position. Of course, Cole’s future with the team isn’t necessarily guaranteed, considering his cap number balloons to $11MM+ for 2015.
Injury Updates: Monday
With just two weeks left in the NFL regular season, injuries that may not have been long-term problems earlier in the year could now end a player’s season. We’ll keep tabs right here on the latest updates on the ailments that could prompt roster moves or significantly alter a team’s plans:
- While several players will be placed on injured reserve lists this week, ending their seasons, one player will come off IR — Bills running back C.J. Spiller is expected to be activated from IR-DTR, though it’s not clear how much of a role he’ll have for Buffalo in Week 16, or if he’ll even play (Twitter link).
- A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall suffered a mid-foot sprain, and Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that Marshall is expected to miss a week or two with the injury. While Marshall should return this season, fellow Denver linebacker Danny Trevathan won’t, according to Klis, who says Trevathan dislocated his left kneecap and will have to undergo surgery.
- Lions right tackle LaAdrian Waddle partially tore his ACL yesterday and will miss the rest of the season, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- Eagles outside linebacker Trent Cole has a broken hand, and his status for the rest of the season is uncertain, a source tells Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
- Cowboys executive Stephen Jones said today on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that running back DeMarco Murray will have surgery on a broken bone in his hand (Twitter link via SiriusXM NFL Radio). Providing specifics on the injury, Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com notes (via Twitter) that Emmitt Smith once missed a game after undergoing a similar surgery. It sounds as if Murray will be questionable for Week 16, but shouldn’t miss much – if any – time.
- Key 49ers special teamer Kassim Osgood also broke a bone in his hand and likely won’t play in the club’s final two games, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
- Chargers linebacker Donald Butler dislocated his left elbow and is a candidate for IR, according to head coach Mike McCoy, who says the club is exploring its options (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune).
Sunday Roundup: Suh, Tannehill, Manning
With Ndamukong Suh‘s free agency rapidly approaching, there is a general belief that he could be playing his last games in a Lions uniform. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, though, believes that Detroit would be foolish to let Suh leave. Birkett writes that although J.J. Watt is clearly the best defensive player in the game, Suh is not far behind him, and the Lions should pay him accordingly.
Birkett goes on to note that the Lions want to pay Suh like a dominant defensive tackle, whereas Suh’s camp believes Suh’s talent transcends positional descriptions and is therefore worthy of its own spot on the pay scale. The Lions chose to table extension discussions earlier this year, and although there was a wide gap between what Suh was demanding and what Detroit was offering at that time, Birkett believes it is not a gap that cannot be bridged (which is especially true given what Suh means to this talented Lions defense). If the Lions have to pony up a deal resembling Watt’s six-year, $100MM extension, Birkett believes the Lions should pull the trigger. Even if Detroit has to slap a $26.9MM franchise tag on Suh to preserve its exclusive negotiating rights until July 2015, he believes the team should not hesitate to do so.
With a salary cap that many project to increase by leaps and bounds in the near future, Birkett tweets that there will be room for mega-deals for both Suh and Calvin Johnson, and he adds (via Twitter) that the Lions not only should re-sign Suh, but that they will re-sign him. For what it’s worth, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that he is not convinced Suh will leave in free agency. He adds that the Lions are “very much in the mix.”
Now let’s look at a few more notes from around the league:
- Citing an AFC source, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that the Dolphins have no choice but to pick up Ryan Tannehill‘s fifth-year option for about $15MM. Former NFL agent Joel Corry adds (via Twitter) that there is very little risk in exercising that option, as it does not become fully guaranteed until the first day of the 2016 league year.
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (subscription required) provides a list of the top 10 front office executives most likely to be promoted to general manager, and current Eagles VP of Player Personnel Tom Gamble is at the top of the list.
- Citing ESPN’s draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr., Adam Teicher of ESPN.com writes that the Chiefs should draft at least three wide receivers in the 2015 draft. Given that the team has several receivers near or at the end of their careers and a few unproven younger players on the roster, it is difficult to argue with Kiper’s assessment, though Teicher himself believes Kansas City should have addressed that void this year.
- In a mailbag piece, Teicher writes that the Chiefs also need to address the offensive line, but unlike the wide receiver position, Kansas City has some internal options to improve the O-line.
- We learned earlier today that the Broncos, even after the recent extension handed out to Chris Harris, will have enough cap room to retain both Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas.
- Darren Wolfson of KSTP.com tweets that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is expected to file a federal lawsuit against the NFL tomorrow.
NFC Links: Quinn, Colston, Sanchez, Warner
With the resurgence of the Seahawks‘ defense, the team’s defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has re-emerged as a top head coaching candidate this offseason, according to Chris Wesseling of NFL.com.
Here are some other links from around the NFC:
- The Saints are looking at salary cap hell in the coming seasons, which could lead the team to move on from some veterans. According to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, the Saints could release Brodrick Bunkley, David Hawthorne, and Marques Colston this offseason due to their high salaries.
- The Falcons are 5-8 but in first place in the dismal NFC South. Despite looking at a playoff berth, the team has already started preparing for the 2015 NFL Draft. Their biggest need is at pass rusher, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. He writes that the team will also look closely at receivers, a receiving tight end, and linebackers.
- Eagles‘ quarterback Mark Sanchez has played well in starter Nick Foles‘ absence, but has looked bad against the Seahawks and Packers. He will likely need to impress during these next three games in order to keep Foles from usurping the starting job for the playoff run, if they even stay in contention with Sanchez, writes Jeff McClaine of the Philadelphia Inquirer. With the Eagles likely to only keep one of the two going forward into 2015, Sanchez could also be auditioning for next season.
- With the Cardinals‘ quarterback situation potentially in ruins after losing Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton to injuries, thoughts of Kurt Warner returning to save the 10-3 Cardinals from an early playoff exit have been floated. Those hoping for Warner to save them shouldn’t hold their breath, according to Bob McManaman of AZCentral.com. He writes that while Warner may have thought about it, the idea of him stepping in after not playing for five years is unrealistic.
- Giants‘ quarterback Eli Manning has not been spectacular the last few seasons, but it isn’t time to look for his replacement, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. The team has more pressing needs along the offensive line, at pass rusher, safety, and even possibly receiver, according to Vacchiano.
- As the problems in Washington continue, Bill Simmons of ESPN and Grantland posed in interesting question to Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post: Would the fans be willing to give up the team to another city and go without NFL football for three years, with the promise of getting an expansion team (retaining the rights to the colors and name if they want it) along with a new ownership group? Definitely a loaded question, but Steinberg initially thought 75% of fans would make that trade, and based on response from fans, he thinks he may have underestimated that number.
East Notes: Eagles, Mariota, Philbin, Cowboys
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer wonders if the Eagles should take a shot at Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. There’s uncertainty at the position with Mark Sanchez hitting the open market and coach Chip Kelly obviously has an affinity for Oregon players. Even if Philadelphia takes a liking to Mariota, however, the asking price to move up in the draft could be high, ala the ill-fated Robert Griffin III trade. More from the East divisions..
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter) feels that Dolphins coach Joe Philbin is coaching for his job over the next few weeks. Philbin, he notes, is 10-11 in games decided by 6 points or less, so things could be very different for the Miami coach with a few breaks going his way.
- It’s time for the Cowboys‘ major investment in the offensive line to pay off, writes Jarrett Bell of USA Today Sports. Dallas has invested three first-round picks within the last five years on this offensive line and for much of the season it has shown. Recently, though, they’ve hit some road blocks, and Bell says it’s time for them to turn it back on.
- The Giants need help on the offensive line and finding that help in the draft could be tougher than most expect, writes Jordan Raanan of the Newark Star-Ledger. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. is not high on this year’s crop and Raanan notes that of the nine lineman drafted in the top 11 of the past two drafts, only two (Lane Johnson of the Eagles and Taylor Lewan of the Titans) have positive Pro Football Focus grades this year. The good news, however, is that Big Blue will basically be adding veteran guard Geoff Schwartz again next year after he barely played in 2014.
- Jets linebacker Calvin Pace doesn’t seem to think that Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, or anyone else at the top of the 2015 draft can be a savior for the team, writes Seth Walder of the Daily News. “One draft pick isn’t going to change things,” Pace said. “If you end up with a high draft pick, that guy still has to get seasoned and become a pro. Very few times you see guys come in and change a franchise with one guy.”
NFC East Notes: Sanchez, JPP, Giants
It was once unthinkable, but Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez will be the top free agent at his position this offseason, as Jason Fitzgerald of The Sporting News writes. Sanchez, who was uncerimoneously booted from New York, is still young and some teams will still see the upside that made him a high draft pick in 2009. He also boasts a history of playoff success, having won four of six games. The team that signs Sanchez might not be doing cartwheels afterwards, but the free agent pool gets rather beak after the USC product. More out of the NFC East..
- When the Giants let Justin Tuck walk last offseason, they proved that they won’t let emotion lead them to an irresponsible financial decision. This time around, Jordan Raanaan of the Newark Star-Ledger expects more of the same when it comes to Jason Pierre-Paul. JPP is younger, of course, but Big Blue will only go so far to keep him if the bidding gets out of hand. Right now, it’s hard to say how much he’ll collect. He was a star in the making in 2011 when he had 16.5 sacks, but he hasn’t replicated that since. “He’s not that guy right now,” said former NFL agent and current salary cap expert Joel Corry. “I just don’t see him breaking the bank in free agency.”
- Washington worked out Michael Hill, Justin Jackson, and Loucheiz Purifoy, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter).
- The Cowboys tried out outside linebacker Lawrence Sidbury, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
Minor Moves: Wednesday
As NFL teams get their 53-man rosters in order for Week 15’s slate of games, we’ll round up Wednesday’s minor transactions in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Seahawks have signed defensive end David King from the Bengals practice squad, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. The defensive end, who was drafted by the Eagles in the seventh round of the 2013 draft, was signed by Cincinnati in August.
Earlier updates:
- The Cowboys continue to shuffle pieces to and from their roster and practice squad, with team executive Stephen Jones indicating that defensive end Kenneth Boatright is the latest taxi squad player to receive a promotion, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Dallas now has a full 53-man squad.
- The Panthers have released quarterback Matt Blanchard from their injured reserve list, now that he’s been deemed healthy, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. As Person adds in a second tweet, Blanchard sustained a severe concussion during a preseason game and wasn’t cleared for more than two months.
- Having waived defensive back Roc Carmichael yesterday, the Eagles filled the opening on their roster today by adding another player to their secondary. The team announced (via Twitter) that it has signed safety Jerome Couplin from off the Lions‘ practice squad. Couplin originally signed with Detroit back in May as an undrafted free agent out of William and Mary.
- Like the Eagles, the Vikings have also poached a player from another club’s practice squad, plucking offensive tackle Carter Bykowski away from the 49ers, per a team release. To make room for the incoming signee, Minnesota has placed linebacker Michael Mauti on the injured reserve list.
- Washington completed a series of roster moves on Tuesday that left the team with an open spot on its 53-man roster, and the club has now signed cornerback Justin Rogers to once again max out the squad (Twitter link). Rogers was one of several players to work out for Washington earlier this week.