Cameron Wake - Pro Football Rumors

Dolphins Sign Cameron Wake To Extension

May 7th, 2016 at 6:53pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins have signed veteran defensive end Cameron Wake to a two-year extension, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets that the deal is worth $15MM over two years, with $10MM in fully guaranteed money.

Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that Wake was due $8.3MM in 2016, so the 34-year-old ultimately got an extra $1.7MM with the extension. Meanwhile, his expected $9.8MM cap figure should decrease.

The extension is somewhat surprising considering Wake’s age and injury history. The seven-year veteran made only seven appearances last season due to a torn ACL, but Salguero believes the extension is an indication by the organization that Wake is fully recovered. Furthermore, Schefter tweeted that the Dolphins wanted to pay Wake “for what he’s done and will do.”

The team tried to address Wake’s contract in February to no avail, but the sides reconvened for a more successful post-draft result. Wake was previously set to enter the final season of a four-year, $33.2MM accord. After restructuring Ndamukong Suh‘s massive cap hit down to $12.6MM, Miami entered Saturday with more than $18.6MM in cap space. A sizable portion of that will go to its veteran-stacked defensive front.

While decreasing Wake’s ’16 cap hit was probably part of the reason for Miami’s decision, it may ensure one of the franchise’s best signings will finish his career in South Florida. A former UDFA, Wake is coming off a season derailed after seven games by a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. Yet, the former CFL import still registered seven sacks. He’ll team with fellow veteran Mario Williams on the edge for the Dolphins, who have secured a pair of aging-but-effective pass-rushers for the next two seasons.

A four-time Pro Bowler who earned first-team All-Pro recognition in 2012, Wake did not suit up in an NFL game until 2009 and didn’t become a full-time starter until a year later at age 28. And although he’s coming off one of the more severe injuries with which football is associated, the former Penn State product played in at least 15 regular-season games from 2010-14. Vance Joseph said earlier today he expects Wake to be ready for Week 1 despite suffering the injury in late October of last year.

Now that Miami is without Olivier Vernon, whose transition tag the team rescinded to pave a path for a massive Giants-commissioned raise for the former second-round pick, Wake will again serve as a vital component for the Fins’ pass rush. He’s registered double-digit sacks three times — compared to Vernon doing so once — and enters his eighth season with 70 for his NFL career. That total trails only Jason Taylor (139.5) in Dolphins history.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

East Notes: Jets, Fins, Jones, Cowboys, Cousins

May 7th, 2016 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Until Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets can come to terms, Geno Smith is the most experienced quarterback on the roster. But Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News doesn’t view Mike Maccagnan‘s repeated endorsements of the underwhelming 2013 second-rounder as comments to be taken at face value.

While the Jets and Fitzpatrick play hardball, other executives around the league are wondering what exactly the team is planning at quarterback. Should Fitzpatrick sign to play a second season in New York, Maccagnan has tossed around the idea of carrying four quarterbacks, with Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty residing in the developmental wing of the meeting room.

The Jets as an organization have discussed using the 2000 Patriots as a model for the four-QB setup. The Pats that year housed starter Drew Bledsoe, veteran backup John Friesz and developmental prospects Tom Brady and Michael Bishop. Hackenberg or Petty would theoretically be cast as Brady in the Jets’ scenario.

One NFL executive told Mehta the Jets considering carrying four passers “doesn’t make sense.” Smith and Petty would seemingly be jostling for a roster spot if the Jets were planning to employ the usual three. Mehta writes the Patriots’ thinking in 2000 was an aberration and merely hanging onto an extra signal-caller one season — at the expense of a key backup elsewhere — doesn’t equate to a franchise passer emerging from the group.

Here’s the latest from the Eastern divisions on rookie minicamp Saturday.

New Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph guesses Cameron Wake will be ready to play come Week 1, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports. Wake is recovering from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon and entering his age-34 season. The four-time Pro Bowler registered seven sacks in seven games last season before going down with the Achilles injury in October.
Identifying second-rounder Xavien Howard as a “six-foot guy with 5-10 corner movement skills,” Joseph said the rookie corner will vie for a Dolphins starting job with Byron Maxwell and Tony Lippett, per Salguero.
Rex Ryan categorized Cardale Jones as a player with “a long way to go,” per an Associated Press report. “He’s got the physical gifts you look for, there’s no question about that,” Ryan said of the former Ohio State starter. “But you also notice that he’s just going through everything like, it’s spinning right now. He’s throwing behind guys. He doesn’t know where he’s going right now with it.” The Bills have Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel venturing into their contract seasons in 2016, leaving the franchise’s future unsettled. Jones was considered a potential first-round pick thanks to the tools he showed as a sophomore in the inaugural College Football Playoff, but being benched as a junior damaged his stock and relegated him into the fourth round.
The Cowboys are relocating Keith Smith and Rod Smith to fullback from their respective linebacker and running back positions to provide the them a better chance at making the 53-man roster, Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. Dallas’ fullback from 2013-15, Tyler Clutts remains a free agent. Keith Smith has played in 15 games the past two seasons as mostly a special teams cog, and Rod Smith joined the Cowboys last season after the Seahawks cut him.
Washington may be somewhat reluctant to invest long-term, franchise quarterback-level money in Kirk Cousins after he’d shown to be a proficient passer in just one season. But given the team’s recent deals for 2015 breakout players Josh Norman and Jordan Reed, Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com notes Cousins’ career arc doesn’t differentiate itself much from the now-extremely well-compensated cornerback and tight end. Cousins is currently attached to the $19.953MM non-exclusive franchise tag, which he’s signed.

East Notes: Cowboys, Wake, Parker, Eagles

April 19th, 2016 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

In an interview on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones identified the pass rush as his club’s top need heading into the draft, as Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. “Ultimately we want to find a dominant type of pass rusher,” Jones said. “Obviously that’s easier said than done.” If Dallas keeps the No. 4 overall pick rather than moving up or down, top pass rushers like Joey Bosa and DeForest Buckner will likely be available, so it will be interesting to see the club’s approach in the draft.

Let’s check out some other updates from out of the NFL’s East divisions…

Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald believes it makes sense for the Dolphins to gauge defensive end Cameron Wake‘s value on the trade market, arguing that not doing so would be “shortsighted.” In Salguero’s view, if Miami can land a second- or third-round pick for the veteran pass rusher, that would be more valuable in the long term for the club than keeping Wake.
Former Giants wide receiver Preston Parker, who appeared in two games for Big Blue last season, was arrested in Palm Beach on Monday night for possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and resisting arrest, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Parker caught 36 balls for the Giants in 2014, but was the cut by the team last September, and this incident won’t help him find a new job.
The Eagles are bringing in four veteran free agents for tryouts this week, tweets Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Defensive tackle Ken Bishop, fullback Michael Zordich, wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, and wide receiver T.J. Graham will get a look at Philadelphia’s minicamp.
Patriots defensive lineman Alan Branch doesn’t agree with the notion that his former teammate Dominique Easley, who was cut by New England last week, was a problem in the locker room, as Chris Mason of the Boston Herald details.

Dolphins Plan To Keep Cameron Wake

March 8th, 2016 at 5:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Even with Mario Williams in the mix, the Dolphins feel that they still have a place for Cameron Wake. The defensive end isn’t “going anywhere…anytime soon,” Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) says, but there are still details to be worked out between the two sides.

Wake has been in talks to restructure his deal, but it was reported earlier this month that negotiations were not going smoothly. The Dolphins were hoping to reduce Wake’s $9.8MM cap figure for 2016, while the defensive end assumed that any extension would ultimately result in more guaranteed money. This “divide” between the two sides, as a result, was said to be significant

The 34-year-old is entering the final year of the four-year, $49MM contract he signed in 2012. There’s no certainty that Wake will return when his contract expires, and some were speculating that the team could cut or trade the four-time Pro Bowler. As of this writing, however, it seems like Miami is intent on keeping him.

Wake appeared in only seven games last season, compiling nine tackles, seven sacks, and four forced fumbles.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dolphins In Lead For Mario Williams

March 8th, 2016 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins are the “clear front-runners” in the Mario Williams sweepstakes, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, Miami is expected to make a push on Tuesday to get something done with the veteran pass rusher, who doesn’t have to wait until Wednesday to sign. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report adds (via Twitter) that the two sides appear to be nearing a deal.

2015 was an ugly season for Williams, who didn’t mesh well with Rex Ryan and the new head coach’s defensive scheme, and was accused of displaying a lack of effort at times. Williams is only a year removed from an All-Pro season in which he piled up 14.5 sacks though, so even though he turned 31 in January, he likely still has something left in the tank.

A Monday report indicated that Williams told teams he would sign right away if he received an offer worth $10MM annually. If the Dolphins are confident about signing him, I’d imagine the team’s proposal will approach that figure — Cole suggests it may be worth in the neighborhood of $8MM per year.

The Dolphins have been very active within the last week or so, creating cap space by restructuring Ndamukong Suh‘s and Jordan Cameron‘s contracts and by cutting Greg Jennings, among other moves. However, the team is also set to add Byron Maxwell‘s salary in a team with the Eagles, and has Olivier Vernon in limbo on a transition tag worth nearly $13MM.

It’s hard to imagine the Dolphins keeping both Vernon and Cameron Wake on the roster a their current prices if the team gets something done with Williams. It remains to be seen whether that might mean removing the transition tag from Vernon or addressing Wake’s contract via restructure or release.

The Giants and Jaguars are among the other teams with reported interest in Williams, though a report this morning suggested New York was a long shot.

Here’s more on the Dolphins:

The Dolphins are in conversations with a few veteran free agent guards, including Alex Boone of the 49ers, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Jackson observes that Boone has a good relationship with new Dolphins offensive line coach Chris Foerster, who was in San Francisco last season.
A source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that Jordan Cameron‘s contract restructure with the Dolphins will reduce his 2016 earnings to $6MM, adding no extra years to the end of the deal.
It’s becoming increasingly unlikely that free agent running back Lamar Miller will re-sign with the Dolphins, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dolphins Notes: Cameron, Vernon, Wake

March 6th, 2016 at 1:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Dolphins have approached tight end Jordan Cameron about restructuring his contract, reports Rand Getlin of NFL Network (Twitter links). Because Cameron is in the final year of his deal, Miami doesn’t have the option of converting any of his base salary into a signing bonus and spreading it across future seasons. Therefore, any reworking of the deal would likely involve a paycut, but Getlin adds that any reduction in Cameron’s overall compensation would probably be minor. Cameron, 27, currently has a $9.5MM cap charge for 2016.

Here are a few more notes out of South Beach, courtesy of Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald…

The Dolphins placed the transition tag on defensive end Olivier Vernon, meaning he stands to earn $12.734MM on a one-year contract in 2016. And while Miami has the option match any offer that Vernon gets on the open market, Jackson writes that if another signs Vernon to an offer sheet with an annual value that exceeds that $12.7MM figure, the Dolphins may simply let him walk, and use that money to sign two free agent defensive ends.
Miami’s other starting end from 2015 — veteran Cameron Wake — is reportedly in talks to restructure his deal, but negotiations have not gone smoothly. Wake is 34 years old and due a $9.8MM cap figure in 2016, but per Jackson, the Dolphins have not threatened to release Wake if he doesn’t agree to a pay reduction. Additionally, the club has told one NFL official that Wake is in the team’s 2016 plans, and that they’d like for him to retire as a Dolphin.
Free agent Mario Williams was in town visiting the Dolphins yesterday, but Jackson cautions that the 31-year-old may be on a “sharp decline,” citing Williams’ lackluster numbers in Buffalo last season.

Dolphins, Cameron Wake Not Close To New Deal

March 1st, 2016 at 4:09pm CST by Ben Levine

While there was previously some optimism that the Dolphins and Cameron Wake would come to an agreement on an extension, it appears that those talks are currently at a standstill. Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes that the two sides are “not on same page” over a new contract, noting that the “discussions have not gone well.”

There’s an apparent disconnect on the intent of the proposed contract extension. The Dolphins were hoping to reduce Wake’s $9.8MM cap figure for 2016, while the defensive end assumed that any extension would ultimately result in more guaranteed money. This “divide” between the two sides is still significant, according to Salguero. Since the negotiations aren’t progressing, the two parties are prepared to enter next season with Wake’s current contract.

The 34-year-old is entering the final year of the four-year, $49MM contract he signed in 2012. There’s no certainty that Wake will return when his contract expires, and Saguero notes that the team could opt to cut or trade the four-time Pro Bowler. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad route for Wake, as writers have previously pondered whether he’d earn more than his $8.4MM base salary on the open market.

Wake appeared in only seven games last season, compiling nine tackles, seven sacks, and four forced fumbles.

Extra Points: Vernon, Crosby, Bears, Draft

February 29th, 2016 at 10:10pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The fate of defensive end Olivier Vernon will shape how the Dolphins approach their offseason, writes Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald. The Dolphins have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to place the franchise tag ($15.7MM) or transition tag ($12.7MM) on Vernon. But doing either of those things would make it especially difficult for them to keep fellow pass rusher Cameron Wake and running back Lamar Miller, which they want to do. If he hits the open market, Vernon could end up with a long-term deal in the range of $12MM to $14MM annually, per Beasley, who adds there’s an outside possibility Miami will slap the franchise tag on the 25-year-old and then trade him.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The Packers are unlikely to use the $4.572MM franchise tag on longtime kicker Mason Crosby, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. As of last week, there was optimism the Packers and Crosby would agree on a contract and render the tag unnecessary. If that doesn’t happen by March 7, Crosby will be free to start negotiating with other teams.
Even though he’s coming off a personal-best eight-sack season, the Bears could release edge rusher Lamarr Houston, one well-placed AFC executive told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Cutting Houston would open up over $4MM of cap space for the Bears this year. When PFR’s Dallas Robinson previewed the Bears’ offseason earlier this month, he named Houston as a possibility for the chopping block.
Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche has visits with 19 teams set up, according to Tony Pauline of WalterFootall.com. That number has increased from the 15 Pauline reported Sunday.

AFC East Rumors: Bills, Dolphins, Jets

February 27th, 2016 at 5:56pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Three of the AFC East’s four teams are in the news. Here’s the latest:

As free agency approaches, the Bills are working to retain their two best offensive linemen – left tackle Cordy Glenn and left guard Richie Incognito – writes CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. We learned this afternoon that the Bills intend to place the franchise tag on Glenn if he hasn’t agreed to a long-term deal by the March 1 deadline. Contrary to a report from earlier this week, the Bills aren’t currently looking to extend contract-year quarterback Tyrod Taylor, per La Canfora, who adds that they’re instead focusing on locking up cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Moreover, they’ll release defensive end Mario Williams and running back Anthony Dixon, and could restructure the contracts of safety Corey Graham, corner Leodis McKelvin, and possibly defensive lineman Kyle Williams. With some of the cap space those moves would create, La Canfora expects the Bills to pursue free agent-to-be Bilal Powell. The 27-year-old running back played under Bills head coach Rex Ryan as a member of the Jets from 2011-14. Powell averaged a career-high 4.5 yards per carry on 70 attempts last season and added a personal-best 47 receptions.
The Dolphins want to rework the contract of defensive end Cameron Wake, according to La Canfora. The problem, he notes, is that Wake would likely match or exceed the $8.4MM he’s scheduled to make as a Dolphin next season if they release him and he reaches the open market. Thus, the 34-year-old lacks incentive to take a pay cut. Not surprisingly, then, talks between the Dolphins and Wake’s agent made no progress at the combine.
With two ex-Jets bigwigs in Buffalo (Ryan) and Miami (executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum), representatives of pending Jets free agents said at the combine that the Bills and Dolphins could be landing spots for their clients, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. That seems to corroborate La Canfora’s report that the Bills will try to reel in Powell in free agency. Further, the Bills and Dolphins could go after Jets run-stuffing defensive tackle Damon Harrison if he hits the market, per Costello, though he notes that the teams’ lack of cap space might serve as roadblocks. Even so, Harrison could use those clubs as leverage to scare the Jets into meeting his demands.

Dolphins Rumors: Vernon, Cameron, Miller

February 24th, 2016 at 4:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins still mulling whether to use the franchise tag on Olivier Vernon, as Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald writes.

“We have options and so does he,” team exec Mike Tannenbaum said. “We haven’t made any decisions. We have a deadline coming up in another handful of days. We haven’t made any decisions. We’re just looking at options.”

The deadline for using the tag on a player is March 1. If defensive end Cameron Wake agrees to an extension before then, the team will have more flexibility to get a deal done.

Here’s the latest out of Miami:

Dolphins head coach Adam Gase told reporters, including Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, that Jordan Cameron is in the team’s plans for 2016. The tight end is scheduled to cost $9.5MM against the salary cap and cutting him would save $7.5MM, but the team apparently wants to hang on to him.
Dolphins GM Chris Grier says the Dolphins want Lamar Miller on the team, as Salguero tweets. Grier is slated to meet with agent Drew Rosenhaus at the Combine to discuss the free agent running back. Grier added that the team continues to work on a deal with Wake (link).
For his part, Tannenbaum refused to guarantee anything when it came to Vernon or Miller, as Salguero writes.