AFC Notes: Manning, Flowers, Steelers, Bills
When I examined Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas as an extension candidate earlier today, I pointed out that the timeline for Peyton Manning‘s retirement could play a role in when Thomas signs his next contract and the amount of that deal. For now though, it doesn’t appear that retirement is in the star quarterback’s immediate plans. As Arnie Stapleton of The Associated Press writes, while the reigning MVP has considered the possibility of ending his career, Manning’s current goal is to play out his current contract, which runs through 2016.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Brandon Flowers is reportedly visiting another team after his trip to San Diego, but that mystery club isn’t the Steelers, reports ESPN.com’s Scott Brown. Pittsburgh is one of the clubs that has been linked to the free agent cornerback, though as today’s PFR poll shows, only about 12% of you feel that Flowers will land with the Steelers.
- Jon Bon Jovi, who is interested in buying the Bills, had a two-hour lunch with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York this week, write Ian Mohr and Stephanie Smith of the New York Post. The New Jersey native has joined Toronto-based investment group Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in a bid to purchase the franchise.
- Meanwhile, more potential bidders for the Bills – Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula – have acknowledged they’re keeping tabs on the sale of the team, as Robert J. McCarthy of the Buffalo News details. The Pegulas’ statement, which came via Sabres VP of public and community relations Michael Gilbert, said that “out of respect for the process being conducted by representatives of the Wilson estate and the Bills, they will not be making any additional comments about the sale process.”
- Although the Ravens made a flurry of moves today, signing five players that they tried out this week, cornerback Kevin Thomas didn’t receive a contract from the club. Still, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Thomas is on the team’s “standby list” and could receive an offer during training camp.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC Links: Goodson, Flowers, Jaguars
The Jets released running back Mike Goodson earlier today, but the transaction had little to do with his production on the field. Following Goodson’s failure to show up to training camp, the team announced that the player was cut with the “left squad” designation. Furthermore, he’s had zero contact with anyone within the organization, and that’s leaving some of his former teammates and coaches worried.
Offensive guard Willie Colon is one of those players (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini):
“Usually, a guy will send you a text and say, ‘I’m OK.’ Not to hear anything is scary in itself. All you can do is send out prayers to him.”
Goodson has had a bit of a troubled past. The issues began in May 2013, when he was found stopped in the middle lane of a highway by New Jersey Police. The cops say he was incoherent and had vomited, and a semiautomatic weapon and marijuana was allegedly found in his possession. Last season, he was suspended four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Wideout David Nelson briefly touched on his former teammate’s issues:
“The concern is what kind of state he might be in, where he might be and things he might be doing. Guys are trying to check in on him, making sure that stuff isn’t reoccurring and taking over.
“For somebody who has just gone MIA – nobody can get a hold of him and nobody knows where he is – that takes it to a different level and it goes beyond football. Guys aren’t reaching out to him because of football. They’re reaching out to him because they care about him. They want to know if he’s OK.
“That’s the element everybody is talking about. At this point, nobody is talking about, ‘Why isn’t he here practicing?’ I think the fear is that we haven’t heard from him. That’s not a good sign, honestly.”
Head coach Rex Ryan also addressed the matter:
“There’s no question, it concerns me. I’ve tried to reach out to him but haven’t been able to make contact with him.”
The only time we’ve heard from Goodson’s agent, Kennard McGuire, was following the player’s initial absence from camp on Tuesday:
“Mike must be accountable and responsible for his own actions and comprehend not only effective communication but simple communication.”
With that, let’s see what else is going on around the AFC…
- Free agent cornerback Brandon Flowers isn’t negotiating with teams yet, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The former Chiefs notable will spend the next two days with the Chargers. The Ravens, Steelers, and Vikings are among the clubs keeping a close eye on him. According to La Canfora (via Twitter), Flowers has no other visits scheduled yet and will re-evaluate the situation and whether to take more visits after he’s done spending time in San Diego (link).
- Count wide receiver Eddie Royal amongst the folks who want to see Flowers sign with the Chargers, writes Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego. The two were teammates at Virginia Tech.
- New Jaguars running back Toby Gerhart wants to be the Jacksonville’s version of Marshawn Lynch, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports. The Jags gave Gerhart a three-year, $10.5MM deal in March.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
No Long-Term Offer For Jason Worilds?
A report over the weekend suggested that linebacker Jason Worilds had rejected a long-term extension offer from the Steelers, which remained on the table and was unlikely to be improved by the club. However, a source tells Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that’s not the case, and that Worilds has not received a multiyear offer from the Steelers. According to Kaboly, there have been no real contract talks between the two sides since Worilds signed the club’s transition tag offer several months ago.
As Kaboly points out, it’s not unusual for there to be multiple different accounts on the status of contract negotiations while they’re in progress, and whether or not the Steelers have extended a formal offer, it’s clear that talks remain at an impasse. When Worilds first signed the one-year offer, which is worth nearly $10MM, it appeared as if the Steelers would want to reduce that cap number with a longer-term extension. Since then, however, the cap increased more than had been expected, and the club created additional savings by parting ways with LaMarr Woodley, reducing the need to get something done with Worilds.
As I pointed out back in May when we first heard that no progress was being made in negotiations between Worilds and the Steelers, the team may want to see more than one productive season as a starter out of the linebacker before committing significant years and money to him.
In 792 defensive snaps last season, his first as a regular starter, Worilds recorded eight sacks and 50 overall quarterback pressures. He graded well as both a pass rusher and a run stopper, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, which placed him 12th overall among 3-4 outside linebackers (subscription required).
AFC Notes: CJ2K, Steelers, Yates, Titans
New Jets running back Chris Johnson is now five years removed from a 2009 season in which he eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards with the Titans. He’ll turn 29 this fall, and is coming off a knee injury, but Johnson still believes he has enough left in the tank to make another run at that mark, as he tells Seth Walder of the New York Daily News.
“I’d just retire and not play anymore if I didn’t feel like I was still capable of being a 2,000-yard back,” Johnson said. “I know I have the ability.”
Another run at 2,000 yards may be aiming a little high for the former Titan, but the fact that Johnson feels as if he hasn’t lost a step should be encouraging for Jets fans hoping he’ll make an impact this season. Here’s more from around the AFC:
- The Steelers have swapped one undrafted free agent for another, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed running back Jordan Hall and waived cornerback Deion Belue. Belue signed with the Dolphins as a rookie free agent last month, then was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh after being cut by Miami.
- Although the Ravens have been “monitoring” T.J. Yates‘ situation for some time, there’s no guarantee that Baltimore will pursue the quarterback now that he’s been cut by the Texans, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Of the two linebackers who worked out for the Titans earlier this week, Quentin Groves is viewed as a better fit than Marvin Mitchell, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- Wide receiver Greg Little, who joined the Raiders after being cut by the Browns, was surprised that Cleveland waived him, since he had a “tremendous relationship” with the new coaches, he tells Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Of course, as Little acknowledges, the decision ultimately wasn’t in the hands of the coaching staff (Twitter links).
Steelers Sign Second-Rounder Stephon Tuitt
The Steelers have become the latest team to lock up their entire 2014 draft class, announcing today (via Twitter) that second-round defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt has signed his rookie contract.
Tuitt, 21, played his college ball at Notre Dame, racking up 19.5 sacks in his last two seasons with the Fighting Irish. As the 46th overall pick in last month’s draft, Tuitt will receive a signing bonus worth around $1.672MM, per Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com. The overall four-year value of his contract will be about $4.609MM.
I wrote yesterday that only 13 draftees remained unsigned, and since then, five more have been locked up, meaning just eight have yet to put pen to paper. Now that the Steelers have secured all their draftees, only five teams still have picks to sign.
Extra Points: Vikings, Ravens, Rams, Polamalu
Vikings defensive end is very open to helping guide rookie Scott Crichton, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “He’s got a good burst and he’s obviously got great size,” Robison said. “Obviously, we’re going to help him in every way we can and try to make him the best ballplayer we can. … I definitely want to help him in every way possible.” More from around the league..
- The Ravens worked out former Arizona State wide receiver Mike Willie today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Willie has previously played for the Chargers.
- With their signings this year, the Rams and Buccaneers have created a new model for contracts for draft picks, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. Both teams negotiated contracts with notable picks that have no offsets which will protect them in the event of an outright release.
- The Steelers have made some major changes on defense and Troy Polamalu has taken notice, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Polamalu will have to get accustomed to the switch from Ryan Clark to Mike Mitchell, but that’s not the only difference for Pittsburgh in 2014.
- Decision day is looming for the Bears‘ group of quarterbacks, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Jimmy Clausen, Jerrod Johnson, and Jordan Palmer are jostling to back up Jay Cutler, and one of the three could be gone as early as this week. Sixth round pick David Fales is likely safe.
13 Draftees Still Unsigned
While a couple dozen mandatory offseason minicamps around the NFL are getting underway today, we’re still several weeks away from players reporting for training camps. That means there’s still plenty of time for members of 2014’s draft class to sign contracts with their respective teams. Still, for the most part, this year’s draftees won’t need to take those next few weeks to negotiate their deals.
After the Browns announced their agreement with Johnny Manziel and the Texans signed Xavier Su’a-Filo today, nearly 95% (243 of 256) of this year’s draft picks have been locked up by their new NFL clubs. 24 of 32 teams have totally locked up their draft classes, including the 49ers, who selected a league-high 12 players last month.
Since the new Collective Bargaining Agreement made rookie contracts so standardized, there’s little wiggle room for teams and players to push for better deals, and essentially no reason for players to hold out. Among the remaining unsigned players, five are first-round picks, six are second-rounders, and the last two are third-rounders, so in many cases the holdup can likely be attributed to haggling over offsets, guaranteed money, or the way in which that money gets paid. But as soon as a player was drafted, he essentially knew what his rookie contract would look like, based on his draft slot.
With the help of our tracker, here’s the full list of the remaining 13 unsigned draftees:
- Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (1.3)
- Justin Gilbert, CB, Cleveland Browns (1.8)
- Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans (1.11)
- Ja’Wuan James, OT, Miami Dolphins (1.19)
- Dominique Easley, DT, New England Patriots (1.29)
- Demarcus Lawrence, DE/OLB, Dallas Cowboys (2.34)
- Joel Bitonio, OT, Cleveland Browns (2.35)
- Marqise Lee, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (2.39)
- Stephon Tuitt, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers (2.46)
- Bishop Sankey, RB, Tennessee Titans (2.54)
- Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (2.61)
- Billy Turner, OT, Miami Dolphins (3.67)
- Dexter McDougle, CB, New York Jets (3.80)
Extension Candidate: Marcus Gilbert
We learned yesterday that Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for Steelers’ right tackle Marcus Gilbert, had approached the club about a possible long-term deal for Gilbert. Although those talks are in the preliminary stages at this point, it may behoove the Steelers, who have struggled to get consistent production from their offensive line in recent years, to act before Gilbert hits the open market at the end of this season.
To be certain, Gilbert is not an elite talent. Although we caution that Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics are not the be-all and end-all of player evaluation, those metrics combined with the “eye test” make for a fairly valuable analytical tool, and in this instance, the PFF grades (subscription required) accurately suggest that Gilbert is a solid pass blocker but struggles with run blocking. As compared to other offensive tackles, Gilbert is decidedly average, ranking 36th out of 76 qualified tackles in 2011, his rookie season, and 50th out of 76 in 2013 (he played only five games in 2012 after suffering an ankle injury in Week 6 of that season).
Nonetheless, even average lineman fared pretty well in free agency this year. As we noted yesterday, right tackles Austin Howard, Breno Giacomini, and Michael Oher all received four- or five-year deals worth between $4MM and $6MM per season. Only one of those players–Giacomini–performed better than Gilbert in 2013, according to PFF, and none of them were better in 2011. As such, Gilbert could reasonably demand at least as much, and will certainly get it should he hit free agency.
Gilbert, taken in the second round of the 2011 draft, is part of Pittsburgh’s recent movement to provide better protection to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and to revive their once-dominant running game. He is one of four offensive linemen taken in the first or second round in the past five years, along with tackle Mike Adams, guard David DeCastro, and recently-extended center Maurkice Pouncey. Although DeCastro and Pouncey have played well, Adams has struggled in his two seasons in the league, and the Steelers would like to be confident in at least one of their bookends in the long term.
Although he has stated that he loves playing in Pittsburgh and would not want to go elsewhere, the contracts that his peers received this offseason–along with the fact that he is represented by Rosenhaus–suggest that Gilbert will not be taking a hometown discount. However, solid tackles are hard to find, and the Steelers have gone through enough turmoil on their line in recent seasons to let a chance at real stability walk away (indeed, the chance to a keep core group of players in a given unit intact is an oft-overlooked but critical component of these discussions). It may be difficult to keep Gilbert on board, given that Roethlisberger, Jason Worilds, and Cortez Allen are also extension candidates, but Pittsburgh may have no other choice.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
AFC North Notes: Rice, Steelers, Hoyer
Ravens running back Ray Rice and his wife met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell today regarding Rice’s February domestic dispute, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter). Rice has tried to explain the incident, but it seems inevitable that the 27-year-old will face a suspension under the league’s personal conduct policy. Hubbuch tweets that he hears Rice’s punishment will be “significant,” and guesses the RB could be suspended for a period of four to six games.
- Despite losing two of his top three receivers from last season, Ben Roethlisberger is excited about 2014, and thinks training camp will be an opportunity to grow with one the Steelers’ new additions. “Lance [Moore], who is a pro, he’s a great professional — he’s going to be really good and I think we’re going to have a good connection — there were a few things that were just like a foot off [at OTAs],” Roethlisberger told Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “A pass I threw a little bit outside, I thought he was going in[side]. Those little things we can work on and that’s what these camps are going to be about, getting on that same page these guys.”
- The Ravens have experienced incredible stability at the holder and long snapper positions, with Sam Koch and Morgan Cox manning those roles for the past four seasons, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, and that reliability has been crucial for kicker Justin Tucker‘s development.
- The opinion of a linebacker probably won’t factor in to Browns coach Mike Pettine’s decision on who to name as his starting quarterback, but Paul Kruger told 1320 KFAN he thinks Brian Hoyer should get the opportunity instead of Johnny Manziel (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “Me personally, I mean obviously that’s up to the staff and coaches so they’ll make that decision,” said Kruger. “But in my mind, [Brian] Hoyer’s the guy. Hoyer came in, won us four games, unfortunately got hurt. But the guy was on fire when he was healthy. He’s proven himself at different levels and has worked extremely hard.” (As Florio notes, Hoyer actually won only three games).
- Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is pleased with the depth available on his defense, and the physicality the unit has been displaying in practice, and singled out three players for whom he has high hopes, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “They’re rounding into the vision we have for them,” said Lewis. “The guys have been here – a lot of them – and I think Darqueze [Dennard] has fit in well. I think [Marquis] Flowers is going to do a great job. We’ve got some guys we’ve brought in here as young guys who are really going to help us. Danieal Manning is getting some good snaps now. We’ve got some guys that are going to help us that way.”
AFC Notes: Worilds, Gilbert, Bray, Pats
Linebacker Jason Worilds turned down an extension offer from the Steelers, reports Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The proposal, which was made to Worilds “a while ago,” is apparently the Steelers’ final offer. Worilds has no plans to accept the deal, however, and will likely play out the 2014 season under the franchise tag, which will pay him $9.754MM.
- Within the same piece, Bouchette writes that Steelers didn’t fret over losing cornerback Keenan Lewis after 2012 because they believed Cortez Allen was the better player. Now that Allen has yet to be offered an extension, Bouchette wonders if their evaluation of the 25-year-old defensive back has changed.
- Browns rookie Justin Gilbert, the ninth overall pick in last month’s draft, is optimistic that he will flourish in Cleveland’s new defensive scheme (per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). “If you don’t have confidence playing press man in the NFL, I’m sure you’re going to get beat a lot,” said Gilbert. “So you’ve got to have a lot of confidence. … Confidence is where it’s at, and I have all the confidence in the world.”
- Second-year quarterback Tyler Bray feels much more comfortable in the Chiefs’ West Coast offense, writes Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Bray’s development could be instrumental in Kansas City, as Alex Smith‘s contract expires after 2014.
- Brandon Gilman, who played along the defensive line in college, made the transition to outside linebacker with the Ravens last season, and is now moving inside with the Titans, according to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times.
- Young players often make the biggest leap in productivity between their first and second seasons in the league, and with that in mind, Chistopher Price of WEEI lists Jamie Collins and Aaron Dobson among several Patriots who could improve in 2014.