Eagles Notes: Maclin, Sproles, Jackson
The time is now for Jeremy Maclin to thrive in Philadelphia, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As the team’s No. 1 receiver with the jettisoning of DeSean Jackson, it’s unclear whether Maclin will be at full strength come training camp after an ACL injury last July, according to general manager Howie Roseman: “In terms of the exact timetable, my understanding is with an ACL, when you get to this point this far along, then the process … comes in weekly increments. I think we’ll know more as it goes. Obviously we feel really good about his progress. We signed him. We were aggressive trying to bring him back.” Roseman re-signed Maclin to a one-year, $5.5MM deal at the end of last month, and a big year could turn into a big contract for the sixth-year receiver from Chesterfield, Missouri.
More news and notes from arguably the busiest franchise this offseason…
- ESPN.com’s Calvin Watkins a number questions regarding Jackson’s release, asking why the team didn’t demand more from Jackson or confront him about having supposed gang relations.
- Chip Kelly doesn’t see Darren Sproles as a replacement player for Jackson. “Totally different positions,” Kelly said, via Ed Kracz of the Burlington County Times. “Darren is a running back. DeSean a wideout, so our whole thing, and I mentioned it when we got Darren, we’re excited about him, but we’ve got a long way to go here before we play a game so let’s get him in here. Let’s go through phase one, OTA, minicamp, and all that, and find out what his strengths are and play to them, but I’m real excited with the addition and what he can give us.” Kelly’s comments came at the NFL owners’ meetings when Jackson was still on the team, but the meaning remains the same.
NFC Notes: Johnson, Eagles, Sanchez, Jackson
The Falcons have no interest in Titans running back Chris Johnson, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. On Friday, Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean tweeted that Atlanta would be a prime destination for Johnson, but a source tells Florio that this union will not come to fruition. It seemed dubious that the Falcons would want to invest in another aging running back to pair with veteran Steven Jackson, and the draft seems like a more viable way for Atlanta to infuse talent into their backfield. For his part, Johnson is widely expected to be released within the coming weeks.
More notes from the NFC:
- Following the release of DeSean Jackson, the Eagles are thin at wide receiver, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Besides Riley Cooper, Jeremy Maclin and Arrelious Benn are both coming off torn ACLs, and Damaris Johnson is unproven. Newly-acquired Darren Sproles, with his acumen in the passing game, could play a key role in the Eagles offense this season.
- The Eagles signing of Mark Sanchez doesn’t figure to start any type of quarterback controversy, but that doesn’t mean Sanchez has lost his competitive edge, notes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. “I’m always going to want to start,” said the quarterback. “It doesn’t matter where you are, you want to play. There’s nothing wrong with having that drive. I’ll keep that fire going and try to help this team the best I can.” A nice preseason, followed by competency in the case of a Nick Foles injury would the best way for Sanchez to rehabilitate his value.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com mentioned the 49ers as a team that could be in play for Jackson (podcast link). We noted earlier this week that the 49ers may not be able to fit him on their roster financially, but Fitzgerald argues that Anquan Boldin will likely be cut after this season, and that Jackson could be signed to contract with a low first-year base salary.
DeSean Jackson Rumors: Sunday
More speculation regarding the DeSean Jackson saga:
- The Chiefs “would’ve loved” to sign Jackson, but they simply don’t have the cap space available to compete with other suitors, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
- We noted earlier that the Redskins are very interested in Jackson, but Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets that cap room might be a problem in Washington, as well. The Redskins have roughly $7MM in space, while other potential bidders such as the Bills and Raiders have about $14MM available. If Washington is serious about making a legitimate offer to Jackson, a backloaded deal with a low first-year salary might make the most sense.
- In a couplet of tweets, Albert Breer of NFL.com writes that Jackson, unsurprisingly, is expected to “follow the money,” but also notes that the receiver market has been relatively modest, noting the lower-than-expected salaries of Eric Decker, Golden Tate, and others. Breer also opines that a strong receiver draft class works against Jackson’s demands.
Earlier Updates:
- Citing multiple reports, Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com writes that the Redskins intend to make a serious bid to sign Jackson during his visit tomorrow, and Jackson is excited about the prospect of playing for the ‘Skins.
- NFL Network’s Albert Breer tweets that the number of serious suitors for Jackson could be relatively small. With the Jets seemingly out and the Chiefs out, the Redskins, Raiders, and Bills would seem to comprise the current class of “serious suitors.”
- Breer also tweets that the Raiders are “still doing background work” on Jackson and realize there is a risk in bringing him to Oakland.
- Although the Redskins get the first shot at Jackson and the Raiders have plenty of cap space, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Bills should not be ruled out, and he implies that they are serious in their interest. Rapoport also tweeted that Buffalo is quietly researching and recruiting Jackson.
- Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer offers his take as to why Jackson was let go.
- Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer has a similar opinion on Jackson’s release.
- Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine offers a useful roundup of national media rumblings on the Jackson story.
Fallout From DeSean Jackson’s Release
After weeks of trade rumors, the Eagles officially parted ways with DeSean Jackson today, releasing him after they couldn’t find a satisfactory deal. In the wake of the move and a report from NJ.com that suggested the team was concerned about the receiver’s possible gang ties, Jackson has issued a statement, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter details. It reads, in part:
“I would like to make it very clear that I am not and never have been part of any gang. I am not a gang member and to speculate and assume that I am involved in such activity off the field is reckless and irresponsible.”
As Jackson works to clear his name and assuage the concerns of potential suitors, here’s a round-up of several links related to his release:
- At least four teams reached out to agent Joel Segal within a half-hour of Jackson being released, according to Schefter (via Twitter), who says talks are ongoing. Schefter added in a later tweet that the number of clubs inquiring on Jackson is now up to six and counting.
- It’s not entirely clear yet which teams are in the mix for Jackson, but several writers expressed a belief that the Seahawks will be in the mix (all Twitter links).
- Based on a conversation he had recently with a Redskins source, John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link) would be “shocked” if Washington pursued Jackson.
- Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer says not to expect the Panthers to pursue Jackson, but head coach Ron Rivera tells Jim Corbett of USA Today that his team might have some interest. “He’s an intriguing player and we’ll take a look at him,” Rivera said.
- The Chiefs don’t appear to be a serious contender for Jackson, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- Given their track record of giving players second chances, the Bills could emerge as a candidate for Jackson, suggests Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.
- According to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter), the Eagles didn’t previously know about the contents of NJ.com’s report until this week. Albert Breer of the NFL Network and Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News both suggest (Twitter links) the NJ.com story didn’t make the Eagles decide to release Jackson, but it certainly accelerated the process.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at the move from a financial perspective, estimating what sort of salary Jackson might be looking at on a new deal.
- A league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the Eagles didn’t designate Jackson as a post-June 1 cut, so it’ll be a $6MM cap hit for the team this year.
- Florio also notes that wide receiver Mike Evans said today that he’ll be visiting the Eagles soon. Evans isn’t likely to be on the board at No. 22 for Philadelphia, but the Eagles’ apparent interest shows they’ll consider drafting a receiver.
Eagles Release DeSean Jackson
The Eagles have officially informed DeSean Jackson of his release, according to the team (Twitter link). In announcing the move, the Eagles said they carefully considered the situation before deciding to part ways with the standout receiver.
The announcement comes only about an hour after the publication of a piece by Eliot Shorr-Parks and A.J. Perez of NJ.com, which attempted to ascertain why trade rumors had surrounded Jackson throughout the offseason. According to the NJ.com duo, the receiver’s “bad attitude, an inconsistent work ethic, missed meetings and a lack of chemistry with head coach Chip Kelly” are all reasons why the team wanted to part ways with him. Additionally, the Eagles were concerned about Jackson’s “continued association with reputed Los Angeles street gang members,” according to Shorr-Parks and Perez. The entire NJ.com piece is worth reading, and likely helps explain why the Eagles apparently had no luck finding a team willing to part with even a mid-round pick for the 27-year-old.
Jackson’s release also comes on the heels of his best season on the field. Catching passes from Nick Foles and playing in Kelly’s offense, Jackson hauled in 82 balls for 1,332 yards and nine receiving touchdowns — all three marks represent career highs. The former second-round pick is still in the prime of his career and his upside will tantalize plenty of teams, as will the fact that he’s no longer connected to a $10.5MM base salary. As Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com suggests (via Twitter), the lack of trade partners may have been more a result of that price tag than Jackson’s off-field question marks.
Still, taking into account today’s NJ.com report and the fact that the Eagles were concerned enough to release Jackson outright, teams will likely approach a potential signing with extreme caution. Although the 49ers, Seahawks, Jets, Raiders, Panthers, and Patriots were among the clubs identified as potential fits for the receiver over the past few weeks, many of those possible suitors sounded hesitant about acquiring Jackson even prior to this latest report.
Jackson had three years remaining on his contract, so his remaining bonus money will accelerate onto this year’s cap number for the Eagles, resulting in $6MM in dead money. The club creates $6.75MM in cap savings with the move.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Contract Notes: Staley, Wilfork, Brad Smith
A source tells Rand Gatlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) that the 49ers are mulling the possibility of reworking Joe Staley‘s current contract, which he has outplayed. Staley, who will earn a total of $3.4MM in 2014, has a deal that runs through 2017, so he doesn’t have a whole lot of leverage at this point, but Gatlin’s source suggest the Niners recognize they’d be wise to address the situation to avoid having the offensive lineman become disenchanted (Twitter link).
Here’s more on a few other contracts around the league:
- Ben Volin and Christopher Gasper of the Boston Globe pass along the details of the first year of Vince Wilfork‘s new contract with the Patriots in a pair of Twitter links. According to the Globe duo, the contract includes $2.5MM in signing bonus and base salary money, a $300K weight bonus, a $200K workout bonus, a $500K bonus for spending one game on the 53-man roster, up to $1.4MM in per-game roster bonuses, and additional incentives of about $3MM. In total, by my calculations, the team should create at least $3MM in 2014 cap savings with the move.
- The Eagles recently restructured the contract for wide receiver Brad Smith, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. According to Caplan, the agreement reduced Smith’s cap number by $350K, but assured him $450K in guaranteed money.
- E.J. Biggers‘ new one-year contract with the Redskins is a minimum salary benefit deal, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The pact includes a base salary of $730K, a signing bonus of $65K, and a cap hit of $635K.
Eagles Sign Mark Sanchez
FRIDAY, 8:04am: The Eagles have officially signed Sanchez to a one-year deal, according to the team. As Mike Garafolo first reported (via Twitter), the contract will be worth up to a max of $4MM, with a base value of about half that amount. Rich Cimini tweets that the base value is $2.25MM.
THURSDAY, 6:50pm: The deal is done, league sources tell Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets that the quarterback passed his physical. It should only be a matter of time until we learn the contract details.
12:13pm: The Eagles and Sanchez have now agreed to terms, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), so it should just be a matter of time before the deal is official.
11:21am: After several reports earlier this week indicated the Eagles were strong frontrunners to land Mark Sanchez, the ex-Jet will indeed sign with Philadelphia today, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports confirms (via Twitter) that “everything has checked out” for Sanchez, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. While Garafolo clarifies that the deal isn’t finalized yet, he says it’s just a matter of time (Twitter link).
Sanchez, a former fifth overall pick, spent four seasons as the Jets’ full-time starter before giving way to Geno Smith in 2013. While he set career-highs with a 56.7% completion percentage, 3,474 passing yards, and 26 passing TDs in 2011, Sanchez regressed in 2012, with those numbers dipping to 54.3%, 2,883, and 13, respectively. After missing the 2013 season with a shoulder injury, the 27-year-old was released by the Jets before receiving an offseason roster bonus.
Once news broke that the Jets would be cutting Sanchez, reports linked a handful of teams to the veteran signal-caller, with the Giants, Rams, Browns, and Titans among the clubs said to have some interest. However, subsequent reports downplayed the interest from many of those teams, leaving Philadelphia as the only clear-cut suitor for the former USC Trojan.
By signing with the Eagles, Sanchez will be replacing the man that replaced him in New York, taking over Michael Vick‘s role as Philadelphia’s No. 2 quarterback behind Nick Foles. Fellow USC product Matt Barkley will also be in the QB mix for the Eagles.
With Sanchez off the market, the list of quarterbacks still on the market looks fairly sparse. Josh Freeman is the most notable name in a group that also includes Matt Flynn, Rex Grossman, David Carr, and Dan Orlovsky.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Draft Notes: Manziel, Fiedorowicz, Lee, Latimer
While plenty of schools have held their Pro Days within the last few weeks, none have included more media members or notable guests than Texas A&M’s, which was attended by former president George H.W. Bush, among others. Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, and the Aggies also attracted interest from most NFL teams, with representatives from 30 clubs showing up to check out the A&M prospects — only the Bears and Browns weren’t in attendance, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
According to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter links), GMs for the Jets, Texans, Vikings, Rams, Steelers, Jaguars, Bills, and Lions, along with head coaches for the Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Steelers, Lions, Buccaneers, Eagles, and Raiders were in attendance today.
Meanwhile, Manziel will meet privately with the Texans, Jaguars, Bucs, and Raiders today, as well as the Vikings tomorrow, says Breer (Twitter links). And although the Browns didn’t show up today, they have a private workout lined up with the young quarterback, according to Williams (via Twitter).
Here’s more on the 2014 draft class:
- Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is scheduled to work out privately for the Cowboys and Texans on Friday, and also has plans to visit the Bucs, Lions, Falcons, and Patriots in the next few weeks, writes Jeff Arnold at ChicagoFootball.com. The Packers and Panthers have also expressed interest in Fiedorowicz, according to the tight end.
- The Ravens are hosting USC wide receiver Marqise Lee for a visit this week, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Albany offensive tackle Kadeem Williams worked out for the Bucs and Chargers, and moved well in positional drills, a source tells Wilson (Twitter link).
- Indiana receiver Cody Latimer has visits lined up with the Panthers, Raiders, Eagles, Bills, and Lions, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter links).
- Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig will work out for the Falcons tomorrow, tweets Pauline.
- The Dolphins are scheduled to work out a pair of Monmouth players, tight end Mike McLafferty and cornerback Tevrin Brandon, according to Pauline (Twitter link).
- Syracuse cornerback Keon Lyn has visits scheduled with the Dolphins, Lions, and Raiders, says Pauline (via Twitter).
Eagles Favorites To Sign Mark Sanchez
WEDNESDAY, 9:20pm: Sanchez is in Philadelphia to meet with the Eagles and a deal could be done soon, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. The Eagles are putting the quartberack through a physical with an eye on his injured shoulder.
MONDAY, 4:23pm: While the Eagles are in the lead to sign Sanchez, it’s “not a lock,” a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Mehta adds the Browns and Titans to the list of teams that have expressed some interest, and says the Giants probably aren’t a serious candidate for Sanchez, despite having some interest.
4:05pm: As expected, Mortensen clarifies (via Twitter) that the Eagles will at least have to do their own medical evaluation of Sanchez before signing him. As Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets, the Eagles look like the frontrunners for the ex-Jet, but there are still a few hurdles to clear.
3:59pm: Mark Sanchez received a “failed physical” designation when he was officially released by the Jets, but his recovery from shoulder surgery is going well, and it won’t stop him from signing with a new team, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. While it’s not entirely clear if he’s reporting that Sanchez already has an agreement in place, Mortensen at least suggests (via Twitter) that the veteran quarterback figures to land with the Eagles now that he’s a free agent.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicates (via Twitter) that it’s not quite a done deal yet, writing that the Eagles will take a “hard look” at Sanchez and his medicals, and may sign him. In a second tweet, Rapoport adds that the Giants and other teams should join the Eagles in the hunt for Sanchez. Earlier today, we heard that the Rams also have some interest in the 27-year-old.
Sanchez, a former fifth overall pick, spent four seasons as the Jets’ full-time starter before giving way to Geno Smith in 2013. After setting career-highs with a 56.7% completion percentage, 3,474 passing yards, and 26 passing TDs in 2011, Sanchez regressed in 2012, with those numbers dipping to 54.3%, 2,883, and 13, respectively.
If he officially signs in Philadelphia, Sanchez would be replacing the man that replaced him in New York, taking over Michael Vick‘s role as the Eagles’ No. 2 quarterback behind Nick Foles.
Extra Points: Allen, Jackson, Clowney, Spencer
The Jets kept an eye on the Jared Allen situation but never made a firm offer before the defensive end signed with the Bears, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Meanwhile, Rapoport adds (link) that the Raiders actually offered more money than the Bears. Oakland was willing to give Allen a deal worth $9MM per year, but he believed Chicago was the best fit for him. What made Chicago such a good fit for the Pro Bowler? Rapoport says he chose the Bears in part because he has a great deal of faith in Jay Cutler‘s ability to win championships (link). Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..
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In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates explores the trade market for Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, identifying the Jets, Raiders, Browns, and Panthers as trade partners that could make sense.
- Texans ownership, coach Bill O’Brien, and General Manager Rick Smith will be meeting and dining with Jadeveon Clowney the night before his South Carolina pro day next week, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
- Anthony Spencer remains on the Cowboys radar, but there’s no rush on the part of Dallas or any other club to sign him as the defensive end fights his way back from microfracture surgery on his knee, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Spencer’s representative Jordan Woy says his client, who underwent the surgery last fall and missed the final 13 games of the Cowboys season, is “structurally” sound and now working on his strength and conditioning.
- Bernie Miklasz of the Post-Dispatch likes the Rams‘ signing of Shaun Hill as their veteran backup quarterback for 2014. Hill, he writes, has been one of the better backup QBs in the NFL since getting his first opportunity to start in a relief role for the 49ers in 2007 and now he’ll be reunited in St. Louis with Frank Cignetti, who was the QB coach with SF during Hill’s time there.
- San Jose State cornerback Bené Benwikere, who had 14 interceptions over four seasons, penned a journal entry for USA Today Sports and disclosed that he’s set to work out for the Panthers on April 1st.
- Scouts Walter Juliff and Chris Hall and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson are expected to be the Cowboys‘ representatives at Johnny Manziel‘s pro day, tweets Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram.