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2015 Franchise Tag Candidates: AFC North

January 28th, 2015 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

The deadline for assigning a franchise or transition tag on a 2015 free-agent-to-be is less than five weeks away, and we’re in the process of taking a look at players who are candidates to be tagged this year. On Tuesday, we examined the AFC East, identifying the Patriots, with safety Devin McCourty and kicker Stephen Gostkowski eligible for free agency, as the most likely team to make use a tag. Today, we’ll shift our focus north, breaking down the franchise and transition tag candidates for the Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers….

Baltimore Ravens:

  • Candidates: Pernell McPhee, Torrey Smith
  • Odds of being used: Possible
  • McPhee and Smith are both solid contributors, with McPhee in particular providing plenty of value to the Ravens in 2014 — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as the league’s second-best 3-4 outside linebacker, behind sack leader Justin Houston. Still, McPhee was only a part-time player, appearing in just 540 defensive snaps, barely over half of what Houston played. For that reason, he may not be the most viable candidate for a tag, but he shouldn’t be ruled out. Smith, on the other hand, can probably be dismissed as an option — his production took a step backward in 2014 after the arrival of Steve Smith, and his 49 receptions and 767 yards were career lows. Kicker Justin Tucker would be a strong candidate if he were eligible for unrestricted free agency rather than restricted.

Cincinnati Bengals:

  • Candidates: None
  • Odds of being used: Zero
  • A few recognizable names, such as Jermaine Gresham and Mike Nugent, are scheduled to hit the open market for the Bengals, but none of the club’s prospective free agents are core players that absolutely must be retained.

Cleveland Browns:

  • Candidates: Brian Hoyer, Jordan Cameron
  • Odds of being used: Unlikely
  • At different points in 2014, the idea of using a tag on Hoyer or Cameron looked entirely reasonable, but both players’ stocks dropped toward the end of the season. If Hoyer is brought back, it would likely be to compete for a starting job, which isn’t worth a franchise salary that could exceed $18MM. The tight end tag will be worth less than half that, but after an injury-plagued and ineffective 2014 campaign, Cameron will almost certainly have to settle for a more modest deal.

Pittsburgh Steelers:

  • Candidates: Jason Worilds
  • Odds of being used: Possible
  • The Steelers used the transition tag on Worilds a year ago, and in his first season as a full-time starter in 2014, he was arguably just as good or better, so it’s absolutely within the realm of reason that the team would do it again. Still, tagging a player for a second time means that his salary will increase by at least 20% (in Worilds’ case, that means a raise to at least $11.705MM), and the Steelers have a handful of other contracts to address this offseason, including a potential extension for Ben Roethlisberger. I do expect Pittsburgh to make every effort to retain Worilds, but the club may push a little harder for a long-term deal this time around, which would increase cap flexibility and the ability to spend elsewhere this winter.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

January 27th, 2015 at 8:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight’s minor moves..

  • The Bears signed wide receiver John Chiles to a reserve-future deal, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Chiles previously played for the Saints, Rams, and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. Chiles auditioned for the Chiefs, Chargers, and Colts this offseason.
  • The Steelers signed former Ravens punter Richie Leone to reserve-future deal, according to Wilson (on Twitter). Leone auditioned for Pittsburgh earlier this month alongside fellow punter Tom Hornsey.
  • The Jaguars signed punter Kasey Redfern to a reserve-future deal, Wilson tweets. Redfern worked out for the Steelers, Jets, Texans, and Giants over the last couple of months before landing in Jacksonville.

Steelers Re-Sign Brad Wing

January 23rd, 2015 at 4:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have locked up punter Brad Wing for another season, signing him to a one-year contract extension, the team announced today in a press release. After spending his first full NFL season in Pittsburgh in 2014, Wing had been eligible for exclusive rights free agency, meaning he could only sign with the Steelers, unless the team let him go.

Wing, who turns 24 next week, punted 61 times, recording 43.7 yards per punt and a net average of 38.6 yards. Pro Football Focus wasn’t overly high on the LSU’s performance, ranking him 28th out of the league’s 32 regular punters, with a -7.6 grade (subscription required).

Because he was only an exclusive rights free agent, Wing is unlikely to receive more than the minimum salary, which will be $510K for a player with his experience. There may also be a signing bonus in the deal, but it would be very modest.

Here are Friday’s other minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional minor transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Cowboys have signed defensive end Lavar Edwards and safety Keelan Johnson to reserve/futures contracts, as Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News writes. Edwards spent time on the Cowboys’ active roster and practice squad this season, while Johnson, who is scheduled to be sentenced next month for an aggravated assault charge, last played for the Eagles in 2013.
  • Defensive end Sam Montgomery has signed a new deal with the Bengals, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. Montgomery spent the entire 2014 season on Cincinnati’s practice squad after being waived by the team at the end of the preseason.

Earlier updates:

  • The Jets‘ first free agent signing under new GM Mike Maccagnan is offensive tackle Sean Hooey, who inked a reserve/futures deal, according to the team (Twitter link). Hooey was cut by the Rams at the end of the 2014 preseason, and briefly landed on the team’s practice squad before being released from that unit as well.

Steelers Notes: Roethlisberger, Defense, FAs

January 21st, 2015 at 4:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Steelers co-owner and president Art Rooney II met with several Pittsburgh reporters today, addressing a number of topics of interest for the team as the 2015 league year approaches. Via the Twitter accounts of Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, here are a few of the highlights from Rooney’s session:

North Notes: Browns, Martz, Packers, Vikes

January 20th, 2015 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

The Browns‘ search for an offensive coordinator appears to have been one of the league’s more expansive hunts so far, with nearly a dozen candidates linked to the position at some point, though many have since found other jobs. Still, perhaps no name among Cleveland’s candidates is more surprising than the one Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets today. According to Rapoport, former Rams head coach Mike Martz recently interviewed with the Browns for their OC job. A source tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that Martz is indeed interested in returning to coaching after essentially being retired since leaving the Bears after the 2011 season.

Here’s more on the Browns and a few other teams from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • It’s not clear if the Browns have requested permission to interview him at this point, but Packers offensive coordinator Tom Clements is on the club’s radar, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. While a move to Cleveland’s offensive coordinator job would technically be a lateral move for Clements, he doesn’t currently call the plays in Green Bay, with head coach Mike McCarthy handling that role.
  • In the wake of the Packers’ loss to the Seahawks on Sunday, right tackle Bryan Bulaga wasn’t ready on Monday to speculate about whether or not he’ll be back in Green Bay next season, as Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. “Right now, I’m really not even thinking about it to be honest with you. That’s really the last thing on my mind,” Bulaga said. “It’s a ‘we’ll see what happens’ kind of deal. This just ended yesterday. It’s kind of hard to look at it right now.”
  • With 14 players, including Bulaga, eligible for free agency this offseason, the Packers almost certainly won’t be able to retain everyone, but the “dream scenario” is to re-sign as many of those potential FAs as they can, says Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a look at some of the notable upcoming offseason decisions facing the Vikings, identifying Greg Jennings‘ deal as one worth restructuring, and Adrian Peterson and Chad Greenway as likely cap casualties.
  • In addition to working out Shawn Lemon, who signed a contract, and Delvin Breaux, whose tryout was previously reported, the Steelers also auditioned offensive linemen Brett Jones and Erle Ladson, punter Kasey Redfern, and kicker Jake Rogers, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

AFC Notes: Moats, Hudson, Edelman

January 19th, 2015 at 9:12pm CST by Ben Levine

Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats is set to be an unrestricted free agent, and Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says the former sixth-rounder could end up being a priority for Pittsburgh. For what it’s worth, the 26-year-old is hoping to return next season.

“I hope to be back, but it is a business,” Moats said. “I feel I have to do what’s best for me and my family. We will see what happens, but I definitely want to be back.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…

  • Chiefs center Rodney Hudson switched representation from Shoreline to Athletes First agents Joe Panos and Brian Murphy, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal. As the writer points out, the move may be in preparation of the 25-year-old’s potential free agency.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets that Patriots wideout Julian Edelman will receive a $500K bonus for making the Super Bowl. The bonus would have kicked in had the 28-year-old compiled 1,057 yards, 70 receptions/seven scores, 80 receptions/13 wins or 80 receptions/Super Bowl appearance (via ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss). Edelman finished the season with 92 receptions for 972 yards. Meanwhile, the Patriots finished with 12 wins.
  • ‘DeflateGate’ is less than 24 hours old, but some within the NFL are already trying to distance themselves from the story, including Colts head coach Chuck Pagano. “Did not notice, and that’s something for the league to handle. It’s not my place to comment on it,” Pagano said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com).

Steelers Sign Shawn Lemon

January 19th, 2015 at 4:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have agreed to terms with former Calgary Stampeders defensive end Shawn Lemon, according to agent David Canter (via Twitter). Scott Mitchell of the Calgary Sun first reported that Lemon had reached an agreement to sign with Pittsburgh.

Lemon, 26, played for multiple teams in the CFL before breaking out for the Stampeders in 2014. In addition to establishing a new career high with 13 sacks, Lemon also tied a CFL record by forcing eight fumbles during the season, playing a significant role on defense for 2014’s Grey Cup champions. The club released him from his contract today in order to allow him to make things official with the Steeelers.

“Shawn has an agreement in place with an NFL club and we are granting him his release in order to allow him to sign a contract immediately rather than waiting until February,” said Calgary GM/head coach John Hufnagel. “We wish Shawn the best of luck and thank him for his contributions to the Stampeders.”

Lemon’s deal will likely be for the minimum salary with a small signing bonus, but he should get the opportunity to earn a spot on the Steelers’ 53-man roster or practice squad in 2015. A year ago, former Stampeders pass rusher Cordarro Law, whose spot Lemon claimed in 2014, signed with the Chargers and ultimately spent most of the ’14 season on San Diego’s taxi squad.

North Notes: Bears, Greenway, Steelers, Lions

January 18th, 2015 at 3:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears hired one Saints executive in Ryan Pace to be their new general manager, and in turn, Pace has brought in another New Orleans employee, hiring area scout Josh Lucas to serve as Chicago’s director of player personnel, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Lucas, a Harvard grad, had worked in the Saints’ scouting department since 2005. Prior to that, Lucas worked with the Jaguars, albeit in marketing. Here are more notes from the North divisions…

  • Set to count $8.8MM against the Vikings’ cap in 2015, linebacker Chad Greenway is a candidate for release this offseason, and as he tells Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, he understands he might not be able to finish his career in the Twin Cities. “If I don’t get signed in Minnesota, then I’m definitely interested in playing somewhere else, if that’s what has to happen,” said Greenway, who indicated he was not amenable to accepting a pay cut.
  • The 2015 offseason will be a critical one for the Steelers as the team looks to get younger, and a trio of Pittsburgh Tribune writers examine the key questions that general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin will have to face in the coming months. Chief among the club’s priorities will be extending quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, both to ensure that he’ll be with Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future, and to lower his $18.4MM 2015 cap hit.
  • In a mailbag for ESPN.com, Michael Rothstein looks ahead to the Lions’ offseason, and wonders if Mark Ingram could be an option at running back in Detroit if the club releases Reggie Bush.

North Notes: Big Ben, Browns, Prater

January 18th, 2015 at 8:44am CST by Rory Parks

After the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs on Wildcard Weekend, one more year in Ben Roethlisberger‘s career had come and gone and Pittsburgh was no closer to its seventh Super Bowl victory than it was when Tim Tebow dispatched the Steelers in the first round of the 2011 playoffs. However, as Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, there is plenty of room for optimism in the Steel City.

Roethlisberger, who started every game in consecutive seasons for the first time, enjoyed the best statistical season of his career, which helped to dispel the notion that he would break down sooner than other quarterbacks. With the continued growth of Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton, and Le’Veon Bell, along with All-Pro wideout Antonio Brown, there is no reason to think Roethlisberger will not continue to thrive for at least another five years. Therefore, Bouchette believes the team should hammer out the much-discussed extension with Roethlisberger quickly, even though it will likely be a six-year pact worth about $120MM or so, with a $30MM signing bonus and even more in guaranteed money.

Now for some more links from around the league’s north divisions:

  • Even though the Steelers have been justly criticized for their poor salary cap management in recent years, Bouchette writes in a separate piece that the team is actually in pretty good shape for 2015, especially after it works out the extension for Roethlisberger and sheds the contracts of some aging veterans. Bouchette notes that the Steelers will not only have room to retain some of their own key free agents, but also to pursue players from other clubs.
  • Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com looks at a number of issues facing the Browns this offseason, including their offensive coordinator search, which has taken a disappointing turn thus far, their quarterback concerns, and what they will do about a kicker.
  • Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes that new Bears head coach John Fox is not a quarterback expert, but he handles them well, which will benefit the team regardless of whether it keeps Jay Cutler or moves in a different direction.
  • Lions kicker Matt Prater has reiterated that he would like to remain in Detroit next season, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. Prater is an unrestricted free agent and has not had talks with the Detroit front office, but he believes the team is aware of his desire to return.

Audition Notes: Friday

January 16th, 2015 at 6:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Duron Carter is among the busier men in the NFL right now, as the CFL receiver has worked out for a litany of teams over recent weeks in an effort to secure a contract for 2015. According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Carter has is likely finished with the audition circuit after visiting with the Browns earlier today. And despite earlier reports that the Vikings, home to Duron’s father Cris Carter for much of his career, were the favorites to land the young receiver, Goessling reports that Minnesota is the not high bidder for Carter at the moment. Here’s more workout news from around the league…

  • Carter isn’t the only CFL player making the NFL rounds, as defensive back Delvin Breaux met with both the Steelers (Twitter link via Howard Balzer) and the Jaguars (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN). Per Caplan (on Twitter), Breaux has several more visits lined up, and is scheduled to meet with the Browns, Dolphins, Falcons, and Saints, while the Eagles and Jets also maintain interest.
  • The Panthers brought in quarterback Dominique Davis for a workout, tweets Caplan. Davis, 25, was a reserve for the Falcons from 2012-13, and spent time with the Titans and Colts last season.
  • The Titans, like all teams, are aiming to fill out their offseason roster, and worked out the following players today in that vein, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link): LaVon Brazill, David Fluellen, Jacoby Ford, Clyde Gates, Phillip Hunt, Shawn Lemon, Joe Morgan, Keith Price, and Chase Rettig. Brazill is probably the most notable name among the list, as he was set to play a meaningful role in the Colts’ offense before being suspended and migrating to the CFL.
  • Before signing Mitchell Van Dyk yesterday, the Steelers also worked out fellow punters Tom Hornsey and Richie Leone, in addition to defensive tackle Kheeston Randall, per Wilson (via Twitter).
  • The Bills auditioned offensive lineman Matt Armstrong today, tweets Wilson.
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