NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins
The latest from the NFC East…
- Todd Archer of ESPN.com answered several Cowboys questions, and a few are noteworthy (all links go to Twitter). Archer believes that Tyron Smith is more likely to receive a contract extension than Dez Bryant by the time training cam opens on July 24.
- Archer added that the Cowboys definitely expect Kyle Orton to report at some point, and that running back DeMarco Murray will eventually be re-signed.
- The Eagles have a long list of veterans who might not make the 53-man squad, but as Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com writes, defensive end Brandon Graham and cornerback Bradley Fletcher are the two players who are most likely to be cut during training camp.
- Assessing the Redskins’ right tackle situation, both Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com believe they Tyler Polumbus will remain the starter. However, 2014 third-rounder Morgan Moses will probably take over the position in 2015.
- In a piece for RealRedskins.com, Tandler writes that he has some doubt as to whether Colt McCoy will be able to stick as the Redskins’ third quarterback.
- Eli Manning regressed last season, but according to Kevin Armstrong of the New York Daily News, the 33-year-old is excited about new Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo’s scheme. “It’s re-energized me,” said Manning. “I’m trying to speed up the process of getting comfortable in the new system. I don’t have 10 years. I have a few months.”
- Connor Orr of the Star-Ledger profiles Brandon Mosley, a fourth-round pick of the Giants in 2012 who is pushing Chris Snee for the starting right guard job.
NFC East Notes: Escobar, Hankerson, Logan
Cowboys‘ tight end Gavin Escobar is poised to have a big year in 2014, but not at the expense of long time star Jason Witten, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Unless Witten is injured or removed from a blowout, Archer expects him to be on the field for almost every snap. Where Escobar could fit in is in a pass catching role, standing up in the slot where he can take advantage of his physical skills and is not asked to block as much in the running game.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:
- While Redskins‘ receiver Leonard Hankerson is recovering from knee surgery, the team is unlikely to cut him unless his injury is worse than originally thought, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. The team lacks receiver depth, and Hankerson’s size makes him a desirable asset. He replaced Josh Morgan as a starter in 2013, and was playing at a high level before his injury cost him the last six games of the season.
- Fellow Redskins‘ wideout DeSean Jackson might be happy to get out of the Philadelphia cold, as some say he failed to perform when the temperature dropped. While Keim has seen Jackson fail to perform in the playoffs, he notes that the team’s new number one receiver has only seen a slight dip in production from month to month as the season wears on.
- Eagles‘ defensive tackle Bennie Logan has come into his second season focused on getting bigger and stronger, writes Andy Jasner of ESPN.com. “It was important to add some weight and strength because of the snaps and making sure I keep my weight up and don’t wear down,” said Logan. “Our scheme requires that I get to the football and move. I can’t just dig in and stand there not go sideline to sideline. It’s been a good offseason for me. I feel like I’ve made a lot of improvement and I’m far ahead of where I was last year. Let’s get it going.”
Extra Points: Dreessen, Cutler, Ferguson
- Speaking with Vic Carucci & Dan Leberfeld on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Broncos tight end Joel Dreessen weighed in on the Jimmy Graham ruling, saying the decision struck a nerve and that he agreed with Tony Gonzalez’s take on the situation: “It’s kind of frustrating that guys who get asked to do probably the second most after the quarterback is kinda down there on the pay scale.”
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune listed 12 NFL training camp storylines to watch, including Jay Cutler‘s new deal. “The Bears signed quarterback Jay Cutler to a $126 million contract extension that is essentially a $54 million deal for the next three seasons before it goes year-to-year,” says Biggs. “It’s a huge payday that general manager Phil Emery based on future performance, as Cutler’s resume includes only one postseason victory.”
- Last year was an “uncharacteristically bad year” for Jets left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, says the New York Post’s Brian Costello, who believes 2013 will prove to be “an aberration and not a sign of decline.” However, Costello does caution: “Ferguson has the highest salary cap figure on the team at $11.7 million. After a few restructurings to help the team gain salary cap space in 2012 and ’13, the bill is now coming due for the Jets. Ferguson’s cap numbers are huge for the next four years. If Ferguson’s play slips, the Jets might have to consider releasing him before the 2016 season, when they could save $9 million in cap space by cutting him.”
- Branden Albert of the Dolphins and Jairus Byrd of the Saints topped ESPN’s list of free agents who will transform teams. The last three seasons, Albert has allowed just 4.6 pressures per 100 pass blocks, good enough for third in the league over that span. As for Byrd, he allowed a paltry 0.23 yards per coverage snap last season, third-best in the league.
- Answering questions about the Eagles’ projected roster, PhillyMag.com’s Tim McManus said he doesn’t expect many “curveballs,” i.e. surprises, when the team’s 53-man is finalized. McManus expects LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles and Chris Polk to serve as the running back trio, and he expects Brad Smith to stick as the fifth receiver. The one mild surprise could be Travis Long forcing veteran Brandon Graham out, though that would mean employing two backups at defensive end (Long and first-rounder Marcus Smith) with no NFL experience.
- Entering training camp, 49 Patriots players are “sure-fire locks” or “near locks,” in the estimation of ESPN New England’s Mike Reiss, who breaks down the projected roster.
Latest On NFL Supplemental Draft
A pair of prospects eligible for this month’s NFL supplemental draft recently held Pro Days, which were attended by a handful of teams, according to various reports. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears from agent Louis Bing that the Cowboys, Texans, Packers, Colts, Lions, Giants, Seahawks, Dolphins, and Bears were in attendance to watch SMU running back Traylon Shead work out. Meanwhile, according to NFLDraftDiamonds.com (via PFT), the Bears, Cardinals, Chiefs, Colts, Eagles, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots, Raiders, Rams, and Texans attended the workout for former Virginia-Lynchburg defensive lineman LaKendrick Ross.
As Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report wrote last month when he previewed 2014’s supplemental draft, it doesn’t project to be too exciting an affair, with Shead, Ross, and New Mexico wideout Chase Clayton among the players eligible. A year ago, none of the six players eligible for the 2013 supplemental draft were selected, and it looks like this year’s crop of players won’t warrant more than late-round picks, if they’re taken at all.
The supplemental draft is intended to accommodate players who missed the deadline for May’s NFL draft or were declared ineligible for another reason. In some cases, players eligible for the supplemental draft land there as a result of being declared academically ineligible in the NCAA, or being kicked off of a team — this helps to explain why some of the more notable players selected in recent supplemental drafts – such as Josh Brent and Josh Gordon – have had off-field concerns.
If a team wants to select a player in the supplemental draft, it must let the league know the round in which it’s willing to select that player. The club which submits the highest round will receive the player and forfeit a 2015 draft pick in that same round. For instance, when the Browns used a second-round supplemental choice on Gordon in 2012, it meant that the team lost its second-round pick for the 2013 draft.
NFC East Links: Jackson, McClain, Polk, Giants
Redskins safety Tanard Jackson, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2011 due to multiple suspensions, is fighting for a roster spot in Washington, but he’s just happy for the opportunity to compete again, writes Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune. “You can imagine somebody getting taken away from something that they love to do and having to humble themselves after doing something wrong,” said Jackson. “That was me. I had to take responsibility for it and face the consequences.’’ The Redskins have several options at safety, including the free agent signee Ryan Clark, so Jackson isn’t guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster, but it sounds as though the 28-year-old has undergone an attitude adjustment. “Going from playing football to working in a warehouse at a nine-to-five job is a humbling experience,’’ he said. “It’s taught me to never take anything in this business for granted.’’
More from the NFC East:
- Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com debate whether Pierre Garcon or DeSean Jackson will have more receiving yards for the Redskins next year; Garcon has a rapport with Robert Griffin III, but Jackson has the greater career yards per catch.
- The Cowboys acquired Rolando McClain to help fill the void left by Sean Lee‘s injury, but Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News (video link) cautions not to expect the oft-troubled linebacker to be as productive as he was with the Raiders.
- Following the Eagles’ trade of Bryce Brown, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com believes that Chris Polk will see expanded usage at the running back position. Though Philadelphia added Darren Sproles, there could be more opportunities for inexperienced players like Polk as head coach Chip Kelly aims to reduce the carries of LeSean McCoy.
- The Giants’ offensive line is a unit in flux, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, who adds that center is a position up for grabs — veteran J.D. Walton and second-round rookie Weston Richburg are the primary options.
Sunday Roundup: Smith, Broyles, Johnson
Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith entered the league out of the University of Maryland with high upside and explosive play-making ability, but he was still very raw. He struggled with drops in training camp prior to his rookie season in 2011, but he was given a chance to start against the Rams in Week 3 of that year when Lee Evans went down with an injury. In the first quarter in St. Louis, Smith recorded the first three receptions of his pro career; they all went for touchdowns.
Since then, even if Smith has not been the team’s No. 1 wideout by name, he has been the receiving threat that has garnered the most attention from opposing defenses. He has quietly become one of the premier deep threats in the game, but, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, he enters his contract season with very little fanfare. The Ravens would like to extend his contract, but no progress has been made on that front as of yet. Although new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak does not run a pure West Coast offense–which means that Joe Flacco will still have a chance to take a few deep shots per game to burners like Smith and Jacoby Jones–Smith must become a more reliable short and intermediate route runner in order to thrive and earn a contract on par with some of the better receivers in the league. As Florio notes, Smith has every reason to emerge as one of the better wideouts in the game in 2014, and, given his work ethic and the strides he has made thus far, it would be foolish to bet against him.
Now for some more notes from around the league:
- Speaking of Smith and the Ravens‘ receiving corps, Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com writes that, although the top four receivers are set–Torrey Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Marlon Brown, and Jones–the battle among the remaining wideouts will be an intense one. Seventh-round pick Michael Campanaro could emerge as a reliable slot receiver, the team has been impressed with undrafted find Jeremy Butler, and veterans like Deonte Thompson and LaQuan Williams will also have a shot.
- Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer writes that, despite losing Smith Sr. and Jordan Gross, the Panthers‘ leadership void can be adequately filled by franchise cornerstones like Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly, who have slowly developed into locker room leaders.
- Free agent offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie is not only looking for a job, but he probably needs one, writes Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Despite having made tens of millions of dollars in the league, McKinnie has not managed his money wisely and recently had his car repossessed.
- Ryan Broyles, who is attempting to secure a spot as the Lions‘ primary slot receiver, has made good progress in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, writes Carlos Monarrez of The Detroit Free Press.
- Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News takes a crack at the Lions‘ starting lineups for 2014, and he also notes that the competitions at right tackle, strongside linebacker, and kicker will be ones to watch.
- In a column for CBSSports.com, and in the wake of an arbitrator’s ruling in Jimmy Graham‘s grievance case, recently-retired tight end Tony Gonzalez argues that players should be paid based on their production rather than their position.
- The NFL announced the suspensions of Dion Jordan and Rokevious Watkins on Friday, which has left some to wonder why there has not been an official announcement regarding Eagles‘ right tackle Lane Johnson‘s suspension. Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com explains the league’s process when a player tests positive for a banned substance and posits that Johnson is still going through that process.
NFC East Links: Melton, Eagles, Skins, Giants
If new Cowboy Henry Melton can match his career high of seven sacks in 2014, the team will more than likely pick up the final three years of his contract, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com in his mailbag. Picking up the rest of the deal will guarantee Melton $9MM in 2015.
Archer also discusses whether the Cowboys keep three of four tight ends on their active roster, and picks James Hanna as the odd man out if they only keep three. Hanna is the weakest blocker of the group, and the team has not been able to take advantage of his standout athleticism in his two years in Dallas.
He also highlights Bruce Carter, Justin Durant, and Kyle Wilber as the three players most likely to start at linebacker for the Cowboys’ defense in 2014.
Here are some more links from around the NFC East:
- The Cowboys‘ have lost their players to the third most games due to injury over the last two seasons, totaling 133 games missed over that time period, writes Brandon George.of DallasNews.com. The team has employed more protective equipment during practices, and the use of two ProFlex stretching machines, two other stretching machines designed for the core and lower body, one World Cup skier’s plyometric apparatus, one Dynamic Edge skier’s machine, and a vibration machine in attempt to increase their players’ resistance to injuries.
- The Eagles are better and deeper than they have been in years past, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. The addition of Malcolm Jenkins should provide consistency, and Nate Allen improved again last year after regression in years prior. Backup Earl Wolff has been working with Jenkins, and will find his way onto the field in certain packages and situations, or to spell the two starters.
- Mosher also examined why the Eagles decided they didn’t need to get bigger on the defensive line this offseason, despite allowing success on the ground in their playoff loss to the Saints. Despite criticism of being too small, he notes that the unit was tenth in the league in rushing yards allowed, and were even better on a per carry basis, where they ranked fourth.
- Chris Chester struggled in 2013 as the Redskins‘ right guard, but he is still the frontrunner to start in 2014, writes Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. However, third-round pick Spencer Long will challenge for the starting spot, and backup Josh LeRibeus could be in the mix as well.
- The Redskins have many issues they need to improve on special teams, but maybe none more than their touchback percentage, writes Chris Russell of ESPN980.com (via Twitter). According to Russell, Kai Forbath produced a touchback on only 24.6% of his kickoffs in 2013. The league average number was 48.8%.
- There is disagreement over who will return punts for the Giants in 2014, but fortunately they have a number of promising options according to the writers at Giants.com. Michael Eisen sees the job as Rueben Randle‘s to lose, as he performed well in that role in 2013, although he is not a home run threat. John Schmeelk envisions Odell Beckham Jr. taking over as a rookie, as he displayed explosive ability to do so at LSU. Finally, Dan Salmone chose the 5’5″ Trindon Holliday to be the big play threat the Giants have been missing in their special teams.
NFC Notes: Saints, Lofton, Eagles, Packers
The staff at ESPN.com examined the key questions for the NFC South heading into 2014, and Mike Triplett writes that despite popular opinion, the Saints don’t have a salary cap emergency on their hands. While New Orleans is constantly up against the cap, it hasn’t stopped them from signing big-ticket free agents; this offseason, they were able to bring in Jairus Byrd at a $9MM AAV. General manager Mickey Loomis’ roster management means that the team can’t afford to miss in the draft, or else the Saint could end up in the Cowboys’ situation — no cap space and bereft of talent.
More from the NFC South:
- It’s been a rough offseason injury-wise for linebackers around the league, and a few NFC LBs (Sean Weatherspoon and Sean Lee among them) have been affected, according to Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today.
- Curtis Lofton comes in at No. 11 on the Times-Picayune’s Larry Holder’s ranking of the top Saints players; in 2014, Lofton led New Orleans in tackles for the second straight season.
- The Eagles will probably retain kicker Alex Henery, writes Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com, and Phildelphia special teams coach Dave Fipp highlights the difficulty in finding a versatile kicker. “If you get a guy who’s a better kicker than him kicking field goals and a better touchback guy, let me know where he is,” said Fipp. “Every team in the league wants him. There’s not a lot of those guys floating around out there. It’s going to be hard to beat him out, but he’s got to get better at a bunch of things, too.”
- 2013 first-rounder Datone Jones didn’t play many snaps last season for the Packers, but he seems insatiable regarding his future plans for success, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I won’t be satisfied until I’m the best in the league,” said Jones. “That’s the only way I’d be satisfied. Other than that, I still won’t be satisfied until I retire. No matter what year I have next year or the years to come, I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied.” Jones will likely be used in sub packages as a pass-rush specialist in 2014.
East Notes: Hanie, Cowboys, Eagles, Pace
As Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes, Brandon Weeden may have been the biggest beneficiary of Kyle Orton‘s absence from the Cowboys’ spring workouts, but it’s worked out for Caleb Hanie as well. The quarterback, who drew interest from Dallas in 2008 before he signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent, is competing for a roster spot and isn’t going to let Orton’s presence – or lack thereof – at training camp affect his approach.
“If he’s here, I’ll notice,” Hanie said. “If he’s not, I don’t worry about that. I just worry about what I can do and control and see how it goes from here.”
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- In a separate piece for ESPN.com, Archer fields readers’ questions from Twitter, providing his take on the Cowboys‘ acquisition of Rolando McClain, whether or not the team is in rebuild mode, and the long-term prospects of Zack Martin vs. Travis Frederick.
- Archer also contributes to ESPN.com’s look at burning questions for NFC East teams, exploring whether the Cowboys‘ defense can be passable following the departures of Jason Hatcher and DeMarcus Ware, as well as Sean Lee‘s season-ending injury. Within the same piece, Phil Sheridan discusses the impact free agent signee Malcolm Jenkins will have on the Eagles‘ secondary.
- While Calvin Pace is set to turn 34 this fall, the Jets were willing to re-sign him to a two-year contract in March, and we shouldn’t assume he’ll ease into a reduced role, says Brian Costello of the New York Post.
East Notes: Pats, Cowboys, Bills, Giants
The hearing for Jimmy Graham‘s franchise tag positional designation took place in June and a decision is expected from arbitrator Stephen Burbank this week, but another key arbitration hearing – for Aaron Hernandez and the Patriots – has no set date yet, according to Albert Breer of NFL Network (Twitter link).
As Breer details in a pair of tweets, the two sides are at odds over the tight end’s $12.5MM signing bonus. The Pats have already made $9.25MM in bonus payments, but didn’t pay the remaining $3.25MM this March. Hernandez’s camp figures to try to recover that last $3.25MM, which could end up going to the victims’ families, while the Pats may look to recoup a portion of the bonus that they already paid.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- After signing free agent guard Uche Nwaneri and acquiring linebacker Rolando McClain, the Cowboys may also look to add a veteran at tight end, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, who suggests the team could use a blocker behind Jason Witten.
- Since Kiko Alonso‘s ACL injury will technically be considered a non-football injury, the Bills could elect not to pay him for the 2014 season. However, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, because Alonso’s injury was sustained while he was working out, not paying him his ’14 salary could send a bad message, suggesting players are better off not working out when camp isn’t in session. As ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak notes (via Twitter), Alonso wouldn’t earn an accrued season if the Bills placed him on the non-football-injury list, meaning he’d become a restricted free agent after 2016 rather than an unrestricted free agent.
- After signing John Jerry as a free agent this offseason, the Giants would look to see the veteran guard make a run at a starting spot, writes Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger.
- Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com takes a look at the Eagles‘ depth chart on the defensive side of the ball.