Extra Points: Trump, Ravens, Manziel, Eagles, 49ers
Al Michaels spoke to Donald Trump prior to NBC’s Sunday Night Football and the commentator revealed that the business magnate made a substantial bid to purchase the Bills. How substantial?
“He said he offered $1 billion. All cash, no contingencies, immediate closing. He’d have the check in one hour,” Michaels said (via ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio). “He was a little miffed that it went out for bid again.”
We previously heard that Buffalo Sabers owner Terry Pegula bid a reported $1.3 billion while the Toronto-based group led by Jon Bon Jovi bid an estimated $1.2 billion.
With that, that’s take a look at some more NFL notes…
- The Ravens worked out free agent tight end Steve Maneri, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Wilson notes that the team auditioned Maneri as an offensive tackle.
- ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon believes that Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel “took advantage” of his opportunities during Saturday’s practice. While Brian Hoyer has been “steady and solid” in camp, McManamon opines that he hasn’t improved much since the second day. As a result, the writer believes the rookie has changed the Browns quarterback conversation.
- On Friday, Eagles cornerback Cary Williams expressed his displeasure about practicing with the Patriots during the preseason because “they are cheaters” (via CSNPhilly.com’s Geoff Mosher). On Sunday, Williams was missing from practice, but he made sure to emphasize that his absence had nothing to do with his comments. “[I]t had nothing to do with that,” Williams said (again, via Mosher). “I haven’t even discussed anything with Chip (Kelly). I don’t think he’s trying any type of. . . . I’m sure maybe we’ll have a conversation, but I don’t know.”
- Meanwhile, there were no question about 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh‘s intent when he sent a duo of starters to the locker room. As CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco writes, wideout Anquan Boldin was booted from practice on Friday following a scuffle. On Sunday, cornerback Chris Culliver was sent off the field following a rough hit on David Reed.
NFC Notes: Eagles, Lions, McCarthy, Wilson
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie sees head coach Chip Kelly being with the team for a long time, writes NFL.com’s Albert Breer. “I got the feeling he was capable of that,” Lurie said. “People will learn about themselves. Coaches will learn. Do they want to stay in the same place? Do they want to move around? You can’t control that. But he has the ability to develop a program that was already successful, and make it even better. They were successful (at Oregon). We had all that success (with Andy Reid). But we want to be better than we were, not stay the same.” More from the NFC..
- Rashean Mathis says that the Lions don’t need an upgrade to their secondary, writes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. Detroit didn’t make any significant upgrades at cornerback this offseason, despite ranking 23rd against the pass last year. In 2013, Mathis was the only Lions corner to rank among the top 90 by Pro Football Focus’ metrics.
- There has been a lot of talk that after extending GM Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy is next up on the Packers‘ agenda. However, the coach says that he’s not thinking about a new deal, writes Tyler Dunne of the Journal-Sentinel. “To me,” McCarthy said, “everybody that works here has a business part of their place here. That’s just part of it. I’m focused on training camp; there’s a process in place that will take its course. I’ve never sweated it. I love it here. I’m not worried about it.”
- In an interview on ESPN Radio, Giants owner John Mara explained that while the team is disappointed to see David Wilson suffer a neck burner in his first week back, the club was prepared for a season without him, writes Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger. “I think given what he went through, the surgery he went through, it would have been foolish not to be (prepared),” Mara said. “We signed Rashad Jennings, we drafted Andre Williams, we signed Peyton Hillis again, so we do have some depth there. We have Michael Cox there, so someone is going to have to step up and do it now.”
- Eagles running back LeSean McCoy is feeding the hype behind rookie receiver Jordan Matthews, writes Zach Berman of The Inquirer. The Eagles sure hope that McCoy is right about Matthews after an offseason in which they released DeSean Jackson.
NFC Notes: Falcons, Bryant, Finley, Nelson
In the wake of Sean Weatherspoon‘s season-ending Achilles injury, the Falcons added a pair of veteran free agent linebackers, signing Pat Angerer and Tim Dobbins to minimum salary contracts. However, the team hasn’t ruled the possibility of making further changes, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who reports that former Packer Nick Barnett remains on Atlanta’s radar.
Per McClure, the Falcons were impressed with Barnett’s workout earlier in the offseason, but opted to sign Angerer and Dobbins instead. After Angerer left Tuesday’s practice complaining of headaches though, there was concern he may have sustained a concussion, which may prompt the Falcons to turn to Barnett.
As we wait to see whether the Falcons make any roster moves, let’s check in on a few other NFC teams….
- Having extended Tyron Smith, the Cowboys will now have the franchise tag available next year for Dez Bryant, but team executive vice president Stephen Jones said today that Dallas is “totally committed” to locking up the star receiver for the long term (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Ed Werder).
- After Anthony McCoy suffered an apparent torn Achilles tendon in practice earlier this week, the Seahawks may be looking for some tight end depth, but the team won’t be revisiting the possibility of signing Jermichael Finley, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (link via PFT’s Curtis Crabtree).
- Florio also has the full breakdown of Jordy Nelson’s new extension with the Packers, suggesting that the deal should secure the wideout’s place on the roster through at least 2016.
- Insider linebacker will be a position to watch for the Eagles this year, after the club didn’t really address the position in free agency or the draft, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- A federal court hearing will take place in California this Monday to determine whether Redskins wideout DeSean Jackson will have to repay agent Drew Rosenhaus $516K+, as an NFLPA arbitrator previously ruled, reports Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
NFC East Notes: McClain, Williams, Beckham
Cowboys‘ wideout Terrance Williams is going to have a chance to improve on his 2013 campaign, writes Jon Machota of DallasNews.com. The second year receiver is looking to avoid a sophomore slump by emerging as a dependable number two receiver and the third option in the passing game after Dez Bryant and Jason Witten. Bryant is even more optimistic about Williams’ chances.
“Terrance done blew up,” Bryant said. “He’s lightning fast, outstanding hands, probably one of the best route runners I’ve ever seen. He’s going to do some big things.”
Head coach Jason Garrett said that Williams would have an increased opportunity to show off his talents.
“I think he has a little confidence based on how he played and he’s going to have a big role for our football team,” said Garrett. “He earned a bigger role on our football team last year. We’re excited to see him play.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:
- New Cowboys‘ linebacker Rolando McClain is being given every opportunity to win a starting job with middle linebacker Sean Lee out of the season, writes Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. McClain has been working mostly with the second team, but showcased his natural talent during his first practice with the team.
- If McClain does earn that spot on the Cowboys‘ defense, he will be part of a unit trying to go from worst in the NFL in 2013 to the best in 2014. At least that is the goal cornerback Morris Claiborne has set for the defensive squad, write Machota. “We were last in the league in defense and we’re trying to be No. 1,” said Claiborne. “That’s our goal. We’re not shying away from it.”
- Giants‘ head coach Tom Coughlin is frustrated with his first-round pick’s absence from training camp, as Odell Beckham Jr. is sidelined with a hamstring injury, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Coughlin said that he was disappointed not to see Beckham on the field. “It would be nice to get him back practicing,” Coughlin said. “He actually looks pretty good out there. He’s moving around, catching the ball, he doesn’t favor anything. I’m just hoping it’s a real short amount of time.”
- The Eagles have a shot to really hurt defenses in the passing game with their backfield in 2014, writes Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com. LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles are talented receivers out of the backfield, and could find some intriguing mismatches in the defense.
- The two most important statistics of training camp for the Eagles thus far are a pair zeros, zero injuries and zero interceptions, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. The team has managed to get through camp unscathed so far, and none of the four quarterbacks has turned the ball over through the air. Of course, while this is a positive for the team’s offense, the linebackers and secondary are not so happy with their part in that second zero.
East Notes: Barbre, Pryor, Colon
We learned yesterday in a series of Twitter posts that Eagles‘ offensive lineman Allen Barbre would be given the first opportunity to replace suspended right tackle Lane Johnson but that Barbre would be pushing for more playing time even if Johnson had never been suspended. Today, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com and Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer flesh out those thoughts in full articles, noting that Barbre’s strong performance as a reserve in 2013 and the three-year extension he signed last month suggest that he may remain a starter somewhere on the line–he has more experience on the left side than the right–even when Johnson returns.
Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:
- Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the only real positional battle in Eagles‘ camp this year is between Nate Allen and Earl Wolff at strong safety.
- John Keim of ESPN.com writes that former Redskins running back Tim Hightower was in attendance at Redskins practice on Saturday and would like to return to the league.
- We also learned yesterday that Jets‘ rookie Calvin Pryor suffered a head injury and possible concussion during practice. Although Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that it was a good sign that Pryor returned to the field on Saturday to watch the remainder of practice, Brian Costello of The New York Post tweets that there was no sign of him when practice began this morning. Costello also tweeted that, since the team will not hold practice tomorrow, it makes senses to give Pryor two consecutive days of rest as a precaution.
- In better news for the Jets, Costello tweets that Willie Colon is in full pads and appears to be ready to play.
- Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes that, despite all the hype that comes with every training camp, the only real goal for the Patriots this summer is to stay healthy.
- Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News writes that the battle between Chris Hairston and Kraig Urbik for the Bills’ starting right guard spot will be an intriguing one to keep an eye on as training camp unfolds.
NFC East Notes: Barbre, Randle, Carter
With Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson facing a four-game suspension, head coach Chip Kelly says Allen Barbre is next in next man up, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). CSNPhilly’s Goeff Mosher (via Twitter) says Kelly likes Barbre and that the veteran would be pushing for a more prominent role independent of Johnson’s suspension. Mosher wonders aloud if that’s a veiled message to right guard Todd Herremans.
Here’s a few more NFC East links:
- Giants third-year receiver Rueben Randle is “still something of a mystery,” writes ESPN’s Dan Graziano. “He led the Giants with six touchdown catches in 2013 but got just as much attention (if not more) for mistakes and miscommunications that helped lead to Eli Manning interceptions.” Drafted to be a deep threat in then-offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride’s system, Randle faces an adjustment to Ben McAdoo’s system, which will require receivers to create separation closer to the line of scrimmage.
- Could Larry Donnell be the Giants’ starting tight end? ESPN’s Dan Graziano said the coaches “really, really like Donnell and don’t have any clearly superior options,” and noted he was listed first at the position on the team’s first unofficial depth chart. Donnell (6-5 265) went undrafted out of Grambling in 2011, but latched on and earned his way on special teams. Now, he’s in position to overtake Adrien Robinson, who GM Jerry Reese is still high on despite the fact the 2012 fourth-rounder has yet to catch an NFL pass and let his weight balloon to nearly 290 pounds last season.
- Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter is having fun again, writes ESPNDallas.com’s Tim MacMahon, and DallasCowboys.com’s analyst Bryan Broaddus observes Carter is “playing like a player that has a much better understanding of what his responsibilities are and what technique he has to execute in order to be successful.”
- Redskins receiver Leonard Hankerson, who is recovering from a torn left ACL and MCL, has been cleared to run, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
Poll: Who Will Win The NFC East?
As is the case with most other divisions around the NFL, the team that wore the crown a year ago heads into the 2014 season as the favorite to do so again — last year, the 10-6 Eagles beat out the Cowboys and Giants for the NFC East division title, and Philadelphia is the frontrunner to take the division this year as well.
Few other divisions in football have been as balanced over the last decade than the NFC East, however. Within the last five seasons, all four teams have finished atop the East at least once, and in the last seven years, no club has won the division more than twice. While the Eagles, even without DeSean Jackson, are favored in 2014, their three challengers all have solid rosters, and could topple Philadelphia if things break right.
Last year’s runner-up – Dallas – has finished with an 8-8 record for three straight seasons, and the pressure will be on this season to improve upon that mark. The club had limited cap flexibility to make offseason upgrades, but made several signings on the defensive line, and added Zack Martin to a talented offensive line that already features multiple stars. There are question marks at a few areas on the field, particularly on the defensive side, where linebacker Sean Lee will miss the season. But the Cowboys have some upside.
So too do the Giants, who got off to a horrendous start in 2013 and couldn’t make it back to .500, as Eli Manning set a new career high in interceptions (27). With a new offensive coordinator and scheme in place, there’s optimism that Manning can limit the turnovers. And while there were plenty of veteran departures, the team was active in free agency adding replacements, including cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, running back Rashad Jennings, and guard Geoff Schwartz.
As for the Redskins, a 3-13 team a year ago, they aren’t viewed as a consensus cellar-dweller. Betting site Bovada.lv gives Washington 4:1 odds to win the East, just behind the Cowboys and Giants, and a healthy Robert Griffin III should singlehandedly boost the team’s win total. With receiving playmakers DeSean Jackson and Andre Roberts added to the mix, and a new coach and offensive coordinator on board, the Redskins’ offense could once again look like the exciting, dangerous unit we saw two years ago, during Griffin’s rookie season.
What do you think? Do any of last year’s non-playoff teams have the talent to take down the Eagles, or will Philadelphia become the NFC East’s first repeat division champion since 2004?
Which team will win the NFC East?
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Philadelphia Eagles 50% (164)
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New York Giants 25% (82)
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Dallas Cowboys 13% (44)
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Washington Redskins 11% (36)
Total votes: 326
Previously:
Who will win the AFC North?
Who will win the AFC West?
Who will win the AFC South?
Who will win the AFC East?
Who will win the NFC North?
Who will win the NFC West?
NFC Notes: Garrett, Mathis, Rudolph, Packers
After three straight 8-8 finishes, the 2014 season has been dubbed a make-or-break season for Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett by several NFL pundits, but owner Jerry Jones doesn’t think that’s necessarily the case. At least, that’s what he’s saying publicly (link via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com).
“In terms of the record of this team, this is not a make-or-break situation for Jason,” Jones said. “Members of this staff, we’ve got a job to do. We obviously are gonna see what we’re doing this afternoon and what we’re doing the next day and the next day and the next day. … We’ve put a lot of effort in training as a franchise into Jason Garrett, and I want to take advantage of that.”
Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC….
- Although Eagles offensive lineman Evan Mathis wants a new contract and was considering a holdout, he ultimately decided to report to camp, determining that was the best course of action, according to Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com (Twitter links).
- As Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets, Vikings GM Rick Spielman expressed interest again today in locking up tight end Kyle Rudolph to a contract extension. Rudolph has indicated multiple times that he’d like to remain in Minnesota long term, so there seems to be mutual interest in working something out.
- Speaking to reporters today, Packers GM Ted Thompson said his team’s three goals heading into the offseason were to re-sign as many of their own players as possible, selectively add players from other teams, and draft effectively (Twitter link via Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com). In Thompson’s view, Green Bay was able to achieve those goals.
- Panthers offensive lineman Edmund Kugbila will undergo back surgery and will miss the season, GM Dave Gettleman announced today (Twitter link).
Lane Johnson Suspended Four Games
JULY 23, 1:35 pm: The Eagles have announced that Johnson has been suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season. The team released a statement:
“We’re very disappointed to learn of his suspension. We have spoken to Lane about the details of the suspension. He understood what he did wrong and took full responsibility. The key for him, however, is to learn from that mistake and move forward with his preparation for the 2014 season.”
Johnson also addressed the suspension:
“In April while training, I mistakenly and foolishly put a prescribed medication in my body to help with a medical issue. I mistakenly failed to clear it with Eagles trainers and check the NFL list of banned substances. I am extremely sorry for this mistake and I will learn from it and be smarter in the future.
“I would like to sincerely apologize to Mr. Lurie, Howie Roseman, Coach Kelly and his staff, my teammates and our amazing Philadelphia Eagles fans. This will be very hard on me to not be battling with my teammates for four games – but I will be ready and better than ever when I return.”
JUNE 30, 3:50pm: McLane has confirmed the report. Citing NFL sources, the reporter tweets that Johnson has indeed tested positive and faces a four-game ban.
3:12pm: An NFL spokesperson would not confirm the reports, tweets Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer:
“Our office has no such information on him at this time.”
2:37pm: Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and will be suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season, sources tell Paul Domowitch of Philly.com (via Twitter). However, there has been no comment from the league spokesman, tweets NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal.
Johnson struggled at times as a rookie, but showed promise towards the end of the season. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the 46th-best tackle (about middle-of-the-road), but they also ranked him among the ten worst pass blockers. He did rank positively in run blocking, where he finished tenth among tackles.
The Eagles were expected to return their same offensive line as 2013, but those plans would obviously change if Johnson is suspended. Allen Barbre, who signed an extension with the Eagles this past offseason, would likely take Johnson’s place at right tackle. As Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com notes, it was Barbre who filled in for an injured Jason Peters last season.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com guesses that a four-game suspension would likely cost Johnson $934K in salary and forfeiture (via Twitter). He adds that a suspension could also void his guarantees (via Twitter).
If Johnson is indeed suspended, he would be joining teammate Jake Knott, who was suspended in April for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances.
Extra Points: Newton, Watt, Charles, Eagles
Many theorized that the rookie wage scale of the 2011 draft would results in holdouts down the line, but so far that theory has busted, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. No members of the 2011 draft class are poised to hold out, even though none of the first-round picks has received a second contract. First-rounders like Cam Newton, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, Julio Jones, Tyron Smith, and J.J. Watt are waiting patiently on new deals rather than resorting to holdouts. Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston is the only 2011 draft pick to take a stand this offseason. He boycotted the offseason program and a mandatory minicamp but still expected to report this week for Chiefs’ training camp. More from around the NFL..
- Watt has a big payday in his future but it’s up to the Texans when it comes to how much and when, writes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. In the view of former agent Joel Corry, Watt will have to hold out if he wants Houston to pay him market value when the club still has years of control on him. The back-to-back first-team All Pro ranks ninth on the team in salary at $3.5MM, behind 2014 No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney, cornerback Kareem Jackson, center Chris Myers, and others.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looks at Jamaal Charles‘ contract, his case for a new deal, and the Chiefs‘ salary cap. He finds that the difference in pay between Charles and his peers is startling. Four of the highest paid RBs earned $29MM or more in the first three years of their contract and all earned over $22MM. Charles earned just $18.1MM.
- More from Fitzgerald who looks at the best and worst contracts on the Eagles. Jason Kelce, one of the bright young centers in the league, is on a six-year extension that will pay him $6.25MM per season. The worst deal, meanwhile, is tight end/running back James Casey, who is earning $4MM per season on a three-year deal.
- The NFLPA has increased the annual fee for agents by $300 per year and agents are less-than-pleased, writes Florio. The union says that the increase, the first since 2000, arises from the cost of maintaining the agent regulation system and upgrades to the NFLPA website that will make it easier for agents to conduct salary research.
- The new deal between Danny Woodhead and the Chargers came together rather quickly, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Woodhead’s agent approached the Bolts earlier this year but negotiations didn’t get underway until last week. Woodhead’s new deal is slated to keep him in San Diego through the 2016 campaign.