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Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/15

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 24, 2015 8:00 pm

Today’s minor moves…

The Texans signed offensive tackle Aaron Adams, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Green Bay cut Adams with a failed physical designation in April. He tore his ACL and MCL in training camp last year and missed all of the 2014 season.
The Packers waived cornerback Bernard Blake with the non-football illness designation, Howard Balzer reports (Twitter link). Green Bay signed Blake as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State in May.
The Steelers signed offensive tackle Kelvin Palmer and waived safety Jordan Dangerfield, Balzer tweeted.
The Browns’ Tory Slater passed his physical, according to Balzer (Twitter link), and the team will remove him from its PUP list. Cleveland claimed Slater off waivers in May, when the Seahawks waived him with the injured designation.
The Buccaneers have waived linebacker Jared Koster, Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune reports (Twitter link). Koster signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in May. His release gives Tampa 88 active players.
The Ravens placed injured safety Terrence Brooks on the physically unable to perform list, according to Wilson (via Twitter). Brooks, who appeared in 11 games and made 19 tackles as a rookie in 2014, is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered last December.
The Jaguars signed wide receiver/returner Greg Jenkins, per the Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran. The 25-year-old Jenkins has appeared in six games, all with Oakland in 2013, and returned 10 kicks for 221 yards.

AFC Notes: Hunter, Heyward, Texans, Raiders

By Zachary Links | at July 24, 2015 11:17 am

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk doesn’t understand why Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter hasn’t been put on paid leave after allegedly punching a man in the face and breaking his jaw. Hunter currently faces five to 20 years in prison and a $100K fine, but the Titans are reportedly expected to have him in camp.

Technically, the conduct policy only says that a player may be placed on paid leave if he is charged with a crime or if a league investigation “leads the commissioner to believe that [the player] may have violated this policy.” Still, Florio feels that the NFL should show some consistency and sideline Hunter.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has the complete breakdown of Cameron Heyward‘s extension. The Steelers defensive end will earn a $12MM signing bonus and a $15MM guarantee on his deal. He carries respective cap hits of $6.4MM, $10.4MM, $10.4MM, $11.4MM, $11.15MM, and $9.5MM from 2015 to 2020.
The Texans are working out former Boston College offensive tackle Matt Patchan, a league source tells Wilson. After going undrafted in 2014, Patchan signed with the Bucs, and spent time on the club’s practice squad last year.
Former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identifies one or two players for each AFC team who are at some sort of career crossroads, or are facing make-or-break type seasons in 2015.
The Raiders wanted to upgrade the safety spot, and believe they did so by signing Nate Allen from Philadelphia this offseason, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. The Raiders hope that Allen can play center field and free up Charles Woodson to make big plays down field. Of course, Allen has given up some big plays in the past and a skeptic might wonder if he’s the man for the job.
Adam Caplan of ESPN.com joined Mighty 1090 in San Diego (audio link) to discuss Ladarius Green‘s opportunity in the wake of Antonio Gates‘ suspension. The young Chargers tight end was widely expected to break out in 2014, but Gates was as good as ever to start the year and didn’t cede his starting job. Now, Green has an opportunity to shine with Gates sidelined.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

0 comments Houston Texans Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Pittsburgh Steelers Tennessee Titans Cameron Heyward Justin Hunter Matt Patchan

Steelers Extend Mike Tomlin Through 2018

By Luke Adams | at July 23, 2015 12:21 pm

12:21pm: With the extension, Tomlin will now be among the top five highest-paid coaches in the NFL and all sports, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

8:57am: The Steelers have extended head coach Mike Tomlin‘s contract by two years, locking him up through the 2018 season, the team announced today in a press release. Tomlin’s deal had previously been set to expire after the 2016 season, so the new pact gives him a little more long-term security in Pittsburgh.

“I very much appreciate this contract extension, but my sole focus has been and will continue to be meeting the challenges that lie ahead for the 2015 season,” Tomlin said in a statement. “These past nine years in Pittsburgh have been a wonderful experience for my family, and I look forward to pursuing what is the Steelers’ goal every year – bringing another Super Bowl championship to the City of Pittsburgh.”

Tomlin’s extension continues the Steelers’ tradition of coaching stability — the franchise has only had three head coaches since Chuck Noll assumed the role in 1969, with Bill Cowher taking over for Noll in 1992, and Tomlin replacing Cowher in 2007.

Since becoming the head coach in Pittsburgh, Tomlin has an 82-46 record in the regular season, and has led the team to five playoff berths. The Steelers were Super Bowl champions in the 2008 season, and fell just short two years later, losing Super Bowl XLV to the Packers.

In an era that features plenty of turnover in the coaching ranks, Tomlin is the sixth-longest-tenured head coach in the NFL. Only Bill Belichick (Patriots), Marvin Lewis (Bengals), Tom Coughlin (Giants), Mike McCarthy (Packers), and Sean Payton (Saints) have been with their respective teams longer than Tomlin has been with the Steelers.

0 comments Newsstand Pittsburgh Steelers Transactions Mike Tomlin

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Dalton, Ravens, Pryor

By Rob DiRe | at July 18, 2015 9:04 pm

As training camps are inching closer and closer, Mark Kaboly of TribLive.com takes a quick look at the key additions, key losses, and training camp goals of each AFC North team. The Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens all have top goals on the defensive side of the ball, while the Browns predictably are focused on finding a quarterback between Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel.

Here are some deeper looks into each of the AFC North teams:

Kaboly’s colleague Chris Adamski takes an extended look into the Steelers’ roster, trying to figure out what the final roster will be. He separates the players into locks, on the bubble, and on the outside, while giving some thoughts on what the team will do. The big names on the bubble include Darrius Heyward-Bey and Cam Thomas.
Four consecutive playoff berths and an 0-4 record in the playoffs has left Bengals’ fans with a polarizing opinion of Andy Dalton. When it comes to whether he has what it takes, Cincinnati.com writers are split, with Paul Dehner Jr. skeptical and Jim Owczarski remaining optimistic he can still develop into a top-10 quarterback.
The Ravens made the playoffs based on the strength of their running game and run defense, and John Eisenberg of BaltimoreRavens.com believes that strength in those areas will be the key to whether they can reach the playoffs again this year. Losing running-game guru Gary Kubiak from the coaching staff and perennial Pro-Bowler Haloti Ngata from the defense will make it difficult, but the team is committed to the running game on both sides of the ball.
The Browns have reclamation project at wide receiver, in converted quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Other than a few special packages early in his college career, it has been infrequent to see him line up on the outside of the formation. Pryor has been working with Antonio Brown, Randy Moss, and Josh Gordon while preparing for training camp, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. She also pulls some of his training videos from Instagram and Twitter showing his offseason progress.

1 comment Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers Andy Dalton Cam Thomas (DL)Darrius Heyward-Bey Terrelle Pryor

Steelers, Cam Heyward Agree To Extension

By Zachary Links | at July 16, 2015 9:52 pm

9:52pm: Heyward will earn $15MM up front in signing/roster bonuses, with $21MM paid over the first eight months, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

8:21pm: The Steelers announced that they have signed Cameron Heyward to a new six-year deal, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter). Heyward, a 2011 first-round pick, was previously due to earn a $6.969MM base salary for the 2015 season. With his new deal, Heyward is now under contract through the 2020 campaign. The deal is worth $59.25MM, according to Bouchette (link).

"<strong — Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Last season, Heyward was the first defensive end to lead the Steelers in sacks in a decade as he and the now-retired Jason Worilds tied with 7.5 apiece. The 26-year-old has appeared in every regular season game for the Steelers since his debut in 2011. Over the last two seasons, he has started 29 games for Pittsburgh and racked up a combined 114 tackles and 12.5 sacks.

We’re still waiting for the full breakdown of the deal, but it sounds like the pact is effectively ~$52.28MM in new money for an additional five years. That puts Heyward in the neighborhood of fellow defensive end Cameron Jordan, who added $55MM and five years on to his deal with the Saints last month. While Jordan’s five-year, $55MM extension includes $33MM guaranteed for injury, just $23.96MM of that is fully guaranteed.

Heyward recently told Robert Klemko of The MMQB that he thinks he can play better than he did in 2014, when he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best 3-4 defensive end.

“I hope last year wasn’t a breakout season because I think I can achieve way more,” Heyward said. “I still have a mentality where I think of myself as a bust. I’ve got to prove everybody wrong including myself. I want to get better, and I want to shut people up.”

2 comments Newsstand Pittsburgh Steelers Transactions Cameron Heyward

Offseason In Review: Pittsburgh Steelers

By Zachary Links | at July 14, 2015 7:28 pm

After a fairly uneventful offseason, the Steelers will look to repeat as AFC North champs.

Notable signings:

Arthur Moats, OLB: Three years, $7.5MM. $1.9MM guaranteed.
DeAngelo Williams, RB: Two years, $4MM. $1.13MM guaranteed.
James Harrison, OLB: Two years, $2.75MM. $500K guaranteed.
Matt Spaeth, TE: Two years, $2.2MM. $275K guaranteed.
Will Allen, S: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Clifton Geathers, DL: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Greg Warren, LS: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Antwon Blake, CB: One year, $1.542MM. Accepted original-round RFA tender.
Robert Golden, S: One year, $1.542MM. Accepted original-round RFA tender.
Will Johnson, FB: One year, $1.542MM. Accepted original-round RFA tender.
Tajh Boyd, QB: One year, minimum salary.
Brad Wing, P: One year, minimum salary.

Arthur Moats not only decided to stay with the Steelers in March, he decided to give himself the scoop on the story. Moats let Steeler Nation know that he would be staying in Pittsburgh and it was later learned that it was a three-year, $7.5MM deal for the outside linebacker. That may not be big bucks compared to some other free agent deals, but it marked a pay raise for Moats after he played on a minimum salary benefit deal in 2014. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was very high on the 26-year-old’s performance against the run in 2013 and in 2014 he received high marks for his overall performance. PFF had Moats ranked as the 17th best outside linebacker in a 3-4 set with his 7.3 overall grade. Those advanced numbers put him ahead of guys like Clay Matthews, Trent Cole, Aldon Smith, and Brian Orakpo in 2014.

When the Steelers signed DeAngelo Williams on March 13th, he was brought in with the intention of being one of Le’Veon Bell‘s primary backups. Now, with Bell sidelined for the first three games of the season, the former Panthers back will play an even more pivotal role as the primary back to start the year. Williams, a former first-round pick, is coming off the worst season of his career, one marred by injuries. The 31-year-old played only six games for the Panthers, and wasn’t productive when he did play, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry on 62 total attempts. Carolina had been on track to head into the 2015 league year with three running backs among their top 10 cap numbers — Jonathan Stewart, Williams, and Mike Tolbert counted for about $18MM combined, so it came as no surprise when the club decided to part ways with Williams, a longtime Panther.

In March, James Harrison was split between the Steelers and Titans. While he was tempted to follow Dick LeBeau to Tennessee, he ultimately decided to remain in Pittsburgh on a two-year deal. Harrison played the 2013 season in Cincinnati, but after an underwhelming stint with the Bengals, Harrison decided to call it a career. His retirement lasted for all of 18 days before his old teammates convinced him to rejoin their ranks. The 36-year-old, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent and even spent time on Baltimore’s roster in the early stages of his career, collected 5.5 sacks in 11 games for the Steelers last season. Harrison is no longer the feared pass rusher he once was, but he can still be useful in a limited role in clear passing downs.

Darrius Heyward-Bey was active for all 16 games for the Steelers last season, but didn’t see much action, earning just five targets on the year. With a new deal, it’s possible that DHB will take on a role that is more reminiscent of his time with the Raiders. The former No. 7 overall pick has never been a superstar, but he has shown the ability to burn defenders in the open field. It’s also possible that Heyward-Bey will see the bulk of his action on special teams, like he did last season.

In early March the Steelers added a notable name to their quarterback depth chart when they signed former Clemson signal caller Tajh Boyd. Boyd, who was drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, signed on for a one-year, minimum salary deal.

Notable losses:

Brett Keisel, DE: Released
Brice McCain, CB
Lance Moore, WR: Released
Michael Palmer, TE
Troy Polamalu, S: Retired
Ben Tate, RB
Ike Taylor, CB: Retired
Jason Worilds, OLB: Retired

Longtime Steelers safety Troy Polamalu announced his retirement from the NFL in April. One of the best defenders of his generation, Polamalu was not expected to return to Pittsburgh in 2015, and he explained that the idea of playing for another franchise did not appeal to him. Polamalu, 34, had been a fixture on the Steelers’ defense since entering the league in 2003, appearing in 158 total games for the franchise. However, he wasn’t the same game-changing player in 2014 that he had been earlier in his career. While Pro Football Focus (subscription required) still gave the veteran a positive grade, it was only by a hair — his +0.1 mark placed him 48th out of 87 qualified safeties. It was also the only season of Polamalu’s career besides 2007 in which he failed to record at least one interception or sack.

Polamalu’s retirement wasn’t totally shocking, but Jason Worilds‘ sure was. The 27-year-old played and started all 16 games for the Steelers, turning in perhaps the best season of his career with 62 tackles and 7.5 sacks. Before his announcement, Worilds was ranked 14th on PFR’s list of the top 50 free agents. The linebacker walked away from a likely $7-8MM annual salary with at least $15MM in guaranteed money to pursue a different path after experiencing a “spiritual awakening.”

Longtime Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor also decided to end his NFL playing career. The 35-year-old spent his entire playing career in Pittsburgh, having been drafted by the team in the fourth round back in 2003. Over the course of his 12 seasons as a Steeler, Taylor never earned a Pro Bowl nod, but was a steady and mostly reliable presence in the club’s secondary, playing 174 regular season contests (140 starts) and another 14 postseason games.

Pittsburgh showed little to no interest in Brett Keisel for much of the 2014 offseason and only gave him a call in August after Darnell Dockett went down with a season-ending ACL injury. This year, Keisel’s season ended early when he suffered a triceps injury in late November against the Saints. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) ranked him as just the 36th-best 3-4 end out of 45 qualifiers in 2013 and he ranked 30th out of 48 eligible 3-4 bookends in 2014.

Brice McCain, 28, was released by the Texans in 2014 after ranking dead last among 110 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades in 2013 (subscription required). He went on to turn things around with the Steelers, recording 31 tackles and a career-high three interceptions. McCain didn’t grade out as a superstar in 2014, according to PFF, but he did improve, coming in as the 65th best cornerback out of 108 qualified players. McCain signed with the Dolphins shortly after the start of free agency.

Near the start of the offseason that veteran wide receiver Lance Moore asked the Steelers to release him, and the team eventually obliged. Moore landed with the Lions and later explained his motivations.

“I knew the day after the playoff loss that we had, I knew that I didn’t want to be there anymore,” said Moore. “They made me inactive. And I knew at that point that the writing is on the wall. I could see what their future plans were for me; it was the first time in my career that I was a healthy inactive.”

Ben Tate was viewed as a breakout candidate heading into 2014 after leaving Houston, where he had backed up Arian Foster for the first few years of his NFL career. In Cleveland, Tate struggled and was hampered by injuries early in the season, and fell behind rookies Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West on the team’s depth chart. The Browns opted to release Tate, at which point the Vikings claimed him on waivers, but the 26-year-old didn’t impress in Minnesota either, and the team cut him in December. Weeks later, needing a warm body for the playoffs, the Steelers inked the veteran. Now, Tate continues to look for an NFL home in 2015.

Extensions and restructures:

Ben Roethlisberger, QB: Signed a new contract that extended his contract by four years, through 2019. Deal is worth $87.4MM over four new seasons, including a $31MM signing bonus, and created $1.15MM in cap space for 2015.
Mike Mitchell, S: Restructured contract to create $2.441MM in cap space for 2015, converting $3.255MM in base salary into a signing bonus.
Marcus Gilbert, C: Restructured contract to create $3.724MM in cap space for 2015, converting a $3.5MM roster bonus and $1.155MM in base salary into a signing bonus.
Maurkice Pouncey, C: Restructured contract to create $3.804MM in cap space for 2015, converting a $3.75MM roster bonus and $1.005MM in base salary into a signing bonus.

The Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger were working on a reworked deal for some time and they finally got it done in mid-March. Big Ben was set to enter the final year of his contract, earning a $11.6MM base to go along with a prorated $6.795MM, adding up to a massive $18.395MM cap number. Now, he’s under a new five-year pact worth $99MM that can balloon to $108MM with incentives.

Also of note is a new deal that did not happen this offseason, or at least hasn’t happened yet. Antonio Brown was arguably the league’s best wide receiver in 2014, leading the NFL in both receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698). In April, he made it known that he is looking for a new contract that better reflects that production. Brown, a former sixth-round pick, signed his first big, long-term contract in 2012, agreeing to a five-year, $41.7MM pact. That deal pays him over $8MM per year, but that annual average value is outside the top 10 at his position, and places him behind players like Victor Cruz and Pierre Garcon. It was reported at one point that Brown wouldn’t attend the Steelers’ offseason program, but he showed up just one week later when things got underway. It’s not clear what Brown is looking for, but he would presumably want a bump in salary to at least the $11MM per year range. That’s what this year’s top free agent wideout, Jeremy Maclin, received. Despite the contract issue, Brown has made it clear that he is happy in Pittsburgh.

Draft picks:

1-22: Bud Dupree, DE/OLB (Kentucky): Signed
2-56: Senquez Golson, CB (Mississippi): Signed
3-87: Sammie Coates, WR (Auburn): Signed
4-121: Doran Grant, CB (Ohio State): Signed
5-160: Jesse James, TE (Penn State): Signed
6-199: L.T. Walton, DT (Central Michigan): Signed
6-212: Anthony Chickillo, DE/OLB (Miami): Signed
7-239: Gerod Holliman, S (Louisville): Signed

Bud Dupree was connected to a lot of teams heading into the draft and the Steelers were delighted when he fell to them at No. 22 overall. Dupree’s in-game motivation was a bit inconsistent at Kentucky, but he has also displayed impressive strength and athleticism. Dupree has spoken about his affinity for the Steelers defenses of old and has vowed to help bring that hard-hitting style back to Pittsburgh.

Other:

Promoted Keith Butler to replace Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator.
Exercised 2016 fifth-year option for G David DeCastro ($8.07MM).
Signed S Ryan Clark to a one-day contract so he could retire as a Steeler.
Claimed WR Devin Gardner off waivers from the Patriots.
Signed 15 players to futures contracts at end of season.
Signed 12 rookie free agents following the draft.

Dick LeBeau, 77, announced in January that he would resign from his post as DC, but he made it clear that he would not be retiring.

“I’m resigning this position, not retiring,” LeBeau said. “I had a great run in Pittsburgh. I’m grateful for all the things that have happened to me and thankful for all the support I had in Pittsburgh.”

LeBeau joined on with the Titans’ staff while linebackers coach Keith Butler was promoted to take his place. From the sound of it, Butler intends on letting his playmakers in the front seven do their thing.

“Coach Buts said early on, ‘I’m not going to hold you back. I want the linebackers to fend for themselves. I expect you guys to make plays for yourself,” lineman Cameron Heyward said.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

Ben Roethlisberger, QB: $17,245,000
Lawrence Timmons, LB: $12,566,250
Antonio Brown, WR: $9,787,500
LaMarr Woodley, OLB: $8,580,000 (dead money)
Cortez Allen, CB: $6,981,000
Cameron Heyward, DL: $6,969,000
Heath Miller, TE: $5,666,666
Troy Polamalu, S: $4,500,000 (dead money)
Maurkice Pouncey, C: $4,296,000
Shaun Suisham, K: $3,665,000

The first three games alone won’t dictate any team’s season, but it is fair to wonder how starting the season without Bell will affect the Steelers. Even when Bell returns to the club, the Steelers will have to deal with an absolutely brutal schedule for the remainder of the 2015 season. The Steelers could very well repeat this year, but it certainly won’t be easy.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

2 comments Offseason In Review PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers

Community Tailgate: Who Will Win AFC North?

By Zachary Links | at July 8, 2015 5:00 pm

We’re still more than two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

In yesterday’s Community Tailgate, we asked you to weigh in on who you think will win the NFC East. Today, we’ll be looking at the AFC North. In 2014, the Steelers came away with the AFC North crown thanks in large part to one of the league’s very best offenses. Antonio Brown was posted career highs in receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698) while running back Le’Veon Bell enjoyed a breakout season in the backfield. However, it’s fair to question whether Big Ben & Co. will be able to move the chains with ease once again in 2015. Bell will serve a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy to start the year and while DeAngelo Williams is a solid Plan B, he’s certainly not the dominating back that Bell is. On defense, the Steelers are without defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and we’ll now see what his former understudy Keith Butler can do as DC. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention the Steelers’ brutal schedule for 2015.

This offseason, the Ravens lost deep threat Torrey Smith to the 49ers, but they’re hoping that UCF’s Breshad Perriman can replace his production. They did, however, retain tailback Justin Forsett after his breakout season, and that was a major question mark for them heading into the offseason. On the opposite side of the ball, the Ravens locked up Jimmy Smith long-term while adding Kyle Arrington, who was cut loose by the Patriots. One mainstay who is gone, however, is nose tackle Haloti Ngata, who now has the unenviable task of replacing Ndamukong Suh in Detroit.

After finishing 10-5-1 last season, it’s fair to wonder whether the Bengals did enough this offseason to take a step forward. Yes, having former Ohio State star A.J. Hawk come home is a feel-good move and Michael Johnson could get back on track with his old team in 2015, but the offseason was largely uneventful for Cincy. One positive is that the Bengals used their first two picks (Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher) to bolster the offensive line, something they absolutely needed.

All last year, Browns fans wondered whether it would be Johnny Manziel or Brian Hoyer as the main guy under center in 2015. Turns out, the answer is probably neither. Hoyer wound up signing with the Texans in free agency while the Browns brought in battle-tested veteran Josh McCown after his forgettable stint in Tampa Bay. The Browns brought in one notable wide receiver in Dwayne Bowe but their own star – Josh Gordon – has been banned for the 2015 season. Cleveland lost Buster Skrine to the Jets in March but free agent pickup Tramon Williams could be an adequate replacement with Randy Starks beefing up the defensive line.

Who will win the AFC North crown in 2015? Let us know in the comment section below!

6 comments Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Community Tailgate PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers

Extra Points: Battle, Browns, Gipson

By Luke Adams | at July 7, 2015 10:00 pm

The NFL released the full schedule of 2015’s training camp reporting dates for rookies and veterans for all 32 teams today, and we’re only about a couple weeks away from rookies starting to show up. Rookies for the Ravens, Browns, and Saints will report on July 22, while the earliest reporting date for veteran players is July 25, for the Vikings and Steelers. Veterans for all 32 teams will report to camp no later than August 2.

As we look forward to the return of real NFL football, let’s check in on some odds and ends from around the league today….

Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle had 26 NFL teams in attendance for his Pro Day today, a school official tells Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Battle, who is eligible for Thursday’s supplemental draft, is considered the player most likely to be selected. If he does come off the board, Battle would become the first prospect selected in the supplemental draft since the Browns nabbed Josh Gordon in 2012.
Browns safety Tashaun Gipson appears likely to play out the 2015 season on his one-year RFA tender before testing the free agent market in 2016, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. It’ll be a crucial year on the field for Gipson, who wants to prove that he’s worth Devin McCourty money.
Dana Hunsinger Benbow of the Indianapolis Star passes along the findings of an analysis conducted by NerdWallet.com, which determined that the Colts have been the second-most financially efficient NFL team over the last 15 years. The only team ahead of Indianapolis, unsurprisingly, is the Patriots.
The Vikings ownership group will end up putting about $572MM into the team’s new stadium, writes Lee Schafer of the Star Tribune, noting that money from the NFL, along with seat licensing and naming rights, will make up a good chunk of the owners’ contributions.

0 comments 2015 Supplemental Draft Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns Indianapolis Colts Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints Pittsburgh Steelers Isaiah Battle

2015 Release Candidates: AFC North

By Dallas Robinson | at July 7, 2015 11:52 am

Most clubs have fairly set rosters at this point, as OTA, minicamp, and preseason performances won’t do much to alter roster composition. The majority of key releases came in March, but there are still several scenarios where certain contributors could lose their roster spot in the coming months. For the most part, we’ll focus on situations where the cap savings would be in excess of $1MM.

Because free agency has already passed, financial ramifications won’t play a huge role in these decisions; there aren’t a ton of high-profile free agents on which to spend that saved money, so these calls will mostly be made based on performance. However, any cap space saved through these potential releases could be rolled over into 2016, so that’s something clubs have to consider.

After looking at the AFC East and NFC East last week, let’s dive into the AFC North…

Baltimore Ravens:

Arthur Brown, LB: A rare draft whiff by general manager Ozzie Newsome, Brown has failed to live up to his second-round status during his two pro seasons. After playing 436 snaps during his rookie year, Brown saw action on just 51 plays in 2014, all of which came on special teams. The 25-year-old Brown could act as valuable depth behind starters C.J. Mosley and Daryl Smith if he could put it all together, but it’s hard to predict future success for a player who wasn’t trusted to see the field for even a single defensive snap. Baltimore would save less than $800K by waiving Brown at this point, but I’m guessing it’s a move that they’ll give due consideration. Brown did reportedly draw trade interest last fall, so perhaps the Ravens will try to deal him first. Prediction: waived.
Sam Koch, P: Koch has the 12th-highest 2015 cap charge on Baltimore’s roster, a financial oddity I would have thought rare around the league. However, six other clubs (Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Giants, Saints, and Buccaneers) also have a punter within their top dozen cap hits, meaning nearly a quarter of NFL clubs are paying punters quite well. Cutting Koch would leave just $600K in dead money on the Ravens’ ledger (against $2.5MM in savings), but given that Koch did lead the league in net punting average last season, I think Baltimore will keep him around rather than looking for a cheaper option. Prediction: not released.
The Ravens traded DT Haloti Ngata and restructured CB Lardarius Webb, both of whom would have been candidates for release otherwise.

Cincinnati Bengals:

Leon Hall, CB: Now on the wrong side of 30, Hall has torn each of his Achilles’ in the last four seasons, and (probably in large part due to those injuries) he’s not the same player he once was. That doesn’t mean he can’t still be effective — especially in the slot, where he’s expected to spend most of his time in 2015 — but it’s not clear that he’s worth his $9.6MM cap figure (second-highest on the Bengals roster). Cincinnati has not threatened Hall with release, or even asked him to take a paycut, despite the fact that his role as the club’s No. 1 corner has been usurped. I’d guess that 31 of 32 organizations would have at least asked Hall to restructure by now, but given that the Bengals haven’t, I expect Hall to stick around for 2015. Prediction: not released.
Domata Peko, DT: Much that can be said about Hall can be said about Peko, in that most clubs would have cut ties long ago. The difference with Peko is that he never achieved the heights that Hall had, and his current level of play (second-worst 4-3 DT in the league in 2014, per Pro Football Focus; subscription required) is far worse than any lows Hall ever sunk to. PFF has graded Peko as a bottom-20 defensive tackle in six of the past seven seasons, but his snap count never decreases, always hovering around the 700 mark. The Bengals even signed Peko to an extension last March, but all of his guarantees have been paid out, meaning the club could release him and clear his entire $3.7MM cap figure. But there’s no reason to think Cincinnati will do so now, even if Peko does begin to lose playing time to reserve Brandon Thompson. Prediction: not released.

Cleveland Browns:

Gary Barnidge/Jim Dray, TE: The Browns added ex-Cardinal Rob Housler during the offseason to replace Jordan Cameron as their receiving weapon at tight end, but the club might need to decide between Barnidge and Dray for its No. 2 role, especially if it decides to keep undrafted rookie free agent E.J. Bibbs — who has drawn rave reviews from coaches — on the final 53-man roster. Barnidge is cheaper and has been the better player as of late, meaning Cleveland could be forced to cut Dray, and save $1.6MM in the process. Prediction: Dray released.
Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, DT: Kitchen signed his restricted free agent tender near the end of May, meaning he’s scheduled to earn $1.542MM during the upcoming season. That money isn’t guaranteed, however, and given that Kitchen is now somewhat buried on the Browns’ depth chart following the additions of Danny Shelton, Xavier Cooper, and Randy Starks, I wonder if the club might try to lower his salary. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explains, once the RFA period has passed, the team — knowing the player has limited options — can use that leverage to reduce his salary, often offering a minimum salary and a few hundred thousand dollars in guarantees. I could see Cleveland using this strategy, but if Kitchen balks, he could just be cut. Prediction: released.
Craig Robertson, LB: The 27-year-old Robertson is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and having shown excellent improvement over the past year — he posted a -15.0 PFF grade in 2013 but moved up to +2.2 in 2014 — it’s unlikely that he’ll be cut, especially given his pass coverage skills. But he did lose snaps to rookie Chris Kirksey last season, and the Browns could save more than $2.3MM by parting ways with him. Prediction: not released.