Jason Pierre-Paul

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Gruden

By Sam Robinson | at March 5, 2017 6:46 pm

Had the Giants let Jason Pierre-Paul hit free agency instead of franchise-tagging him for the second time, the Cowboys were prepared to intervene. Dallas was going to attempt to pry JPP away from the Giants if he were available, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports. While fitting Pierre-Paul’s high-end salary demands would have been difficult for a Cowboys team that as of now has the least cap room in the league at $3.3MM, Jerry Jones wants to upgrade his team’s pass-rushing corps.

A source informed Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram the Cowboys are seeking help at pass-rusher and wide receiver this offseason. An interest at wideout seems interesting given that the Cowboys stand to return their top three pass-catchers from 2016, with only Terrance Williams being a free agent, and the team having shifted to a run-based offense. Dallas plans to try and retain Williams, but only at a certain price, per Hill. If the sides can’t work something out, the Cowboys will target a receiver in free agency or the draft.

“We can’t come up empty. We have somebody meaningful there. They are part of our core strategy. But it’s two [positions]. It’s not nine,” Jones said, without identifying those positions. “And I think we have the cap room and whatever we resolve with Tony [Romo], I feel confident we will not lose on those two.”

Here’s more from the NFC East.

The Giants have made an effort to keep Johnathan Hankins, but he’s likely going to test the market, Vacchiano reports, adding that the defensive tackle will almost certainly leave the Giants if he reaches free agency. Vacchiano notes the feeling around the league is Hankins is not quite on Damon Harrison‘s level, but his age (25 in three weeks) should help him secure a deal in Harrison range. Vacchiano estimates Hankins will fetch a deal that pays him around $7MM or $8MM per year. The Giants have just more than $14MM in cap space after spending to fortify their defense last season. Their defensive line contains per-year payments of $17MM (Olivier Vernon) and $9.25MM (Harrison), and coupled with Pierre-Paul’s $16.9MM price tag, it’s unlikely Big Blue can afford to keep Hankins.
Despite that lofty price for tagging JPP again, the Giants would be OK with the eighth-year defensive end playing the season on the tag. Vacchiano notes. The sides remain far apart in talks. The Giants want to keep as much of their defense together for a Super Bowl run during the final three years of Eli Manning‘s contract, Vacchiano writes, but would be hamstrung by Pierre-Paul’s 2017 salary if it’s unable to be reduced via extension.
The Giants are likely to cut or reduce the salary of linebacker J.T. Thomas, Vacchiano writes. Signed to three-year, $10MM deal in 2015, Thomas missed 15 games last season after starting 11 in his first Giants slate. A Thomas cut would create $3MM in cap room while saddling the Giants with a $1MM dead money charge.
Jay Gruden‘s two-year Redskins extension came together quickly after an impromptu meeting at the Combine, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports. Team president Bruce Allen and Gruden’s agent, Bob LaMonte, met in Indianapolis and agreed to tack two more years on top of the two that remain on his initial Washington deal. La Canfora notes how this will help counter some of the concerns about GM Scot McCloughan‘s status with the team.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Jonathan Casillas received small performance-escalator bonuses, per Vacchiano. The fourth-year Giants corner and third-year linebacker will each receive $500K bonuses in their 2017 salaries. DRC will make $6.98MM in base salary, while Casillas will earn $2.75MM.

Giants Not In Running For Adrian Peterson?

By Zachary Links | at March 3, 2017 2:20 pm

The Giants have been heavily connected to Adrian Peterson ever since his option was officially declined by the Vikings. It turns out, they might not be a player for No. 28. The Giants aren’t in the running for Peterson, according to multiple sources who spoke with Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.

Last year, the Giants went on a free agent spending spree that saw them add three high-priced players to the defense. This time around, it could be a much quieter March. In addition to Peterson being unlikely, Raanan hears the Giants are not expected to go after a high-end left tackle, guard, middle linebacker, or wide receiver. All of those positions are needs for the G-Men, but they won’t be satisfied with the best players at each spot.

This spring might not be as exciting as the last one, but the Giants are still willing to loosen up the purse strings to lock down their own top free agents. They are working hard to re-sign defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins and to extend Jason Pierre-Paul after his franchise tag. There have also “been talks” about new deals for free agents like linebacker Keenan Robinson, guard John Jerry, backup quarterback Josh Johnson, and cornerback Coty Sensabaugh, Raanan writes.

3 comments Minnesota Vikings New York Giants Adrian Peterson Coty Sensabaugh Jason Pierre-Paul John Jerry Johnathan Hankins Josh Johnson (QB)Keenan Robinson

2017 NFL Franchise Tag Players

By Zachary Links | at March 1, 2017 3:23 pm

The deadline to designate franchise or transition players for 2017 has passed. Here’s the rundown of the players that were tagged, plus the candidates that did not receive the designation:

Franchise players (exclusive):

Le’Veon Bell, RB (Steelers): $12.12MM (story)
Kirk Cousins, QB (Redskins): $23.94MM (story)*

Franchise players (non-exclusive):

Melvin Ingram, LB (Chargers): $14.55MM (story)
Trumaine Johnson, CB (Rams): ~$16MM (story)*
Chandler Jones, LB (Cardinals): $14.55MM (story)
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (Giants): $16.934MM (story)
Kawann Short, DT (Panthers): $13.387MM (story)

*second tag; players receive raise over designated salary for position tender

1 comment Carolina Panthers Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams New York Giants Newsstand PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers Washington Commanders Chandler Jones (DE)Jason Pierre-Paul Kawann Short Kirk Cousins Le'Veon Bell Melvin Ingram Trumaine Johnson

Giants, JPP Far Apart In Contract Talks

By Connor J. Byrne | at February 28, 2017 5:05 pm

The Giants have been working to re-sign franchise-tagged defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, but the two sides are “nowhere near a deal,’’ agent Doug Hendrickson told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post on Monday. As a result, the Giants had to tag Pierre-Paul to keep him from hitting the open market March 9, and Schwartz expects the decision to “infuriate” the seven-year veteran.

While Pierre-Paul will rake in $16.955MM via the tag in 2017 if he and the Giants don’t agree to a long-term deal by the July deadline, he likely expected to end up with a similar annual value on a multiyear contract in free agency. Pierre-Paul would’ve been one of the most accomplished defenders available, having tallied 50 sacks and 11 forced fumbles to this stage, and proven pass rushers command premium prices on the open market. Exhibit A: The five-year, $85.5MM deal featuring $52MM in guarantees that the Giants handed Olivier Vernon a year ago.

Even though Pierre-Paul, 28, is both two years older and far less durable than Vernon, he had been targeting a similar payday as of late January. When asked Monday if that’s still the case, Hendrickson said, “I don’t want to get into that.” He also lamented the fact that Pierre-Paul won’t get to measure his worth in free agency.

“He’s earned the right to see what’s out there,” opined Hendrickson.

2 comments New York Giants Jason Pierre-Paul

Giants To Franchise Tag Jason Pierre-Paul

By Zachary Links | at February 27, 2017 3:51 pm

The Giants will apply the non-exclusive franchise tag to Jason Pierre-Paul, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). Unless the two sides work out a new deal between now and July, JPP will play out 2017 on a one-year, $16.955MM contract. The transaction was not formally processed before the end of business on Monday, but the Giants have informed him of their decision.

The G-Men will work “aggressively” to lock Pierre-Paul up beyond 2017, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. The Giants have about $31.5MM in cap space before factoring in the tag and they can preserve a good chunk of that by smoothing out JPP’s cap hit on a multi-year deal. Ideally, the Giants would like to retain their defensive core, which means brand new deals for JPP and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins.

Had JPP reached the open market, he would have stood as one of the best free agent edge defenders in this year’s class. Now that he and Jones have been franchise tagged and Melvin Ingram probably isn’t far behind, Packers standout Nick Perry probably has to be considered the best of the bunch. Perry, 27 in April, will be heavily targeted by 3-4 teams looking to boost their pass rush.

6 comments New York Giants Newsstand Transactions Jason Pierre-Paul

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position: Defense

By Dallas Robinson | at February 24, 2017 10:00 pm

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. After looking at offense, we’ll tackle defense and special teams today.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for 2017:

Edge defender:

The Cardinals have already made it abundantly clear that Chandler Jones will see the franchise tag this offseason, and Melvin Ingram and Jason Pierre-Paul are also candidates to be tagged by the Chargers and Giants, respectively. If the latter two are able to hit the open market unfettered, however, they both figure to break the bank. Ingram, Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 edge defender, could be a fit for both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, while JPP will be looking for a long-term commitment after signing consecutive one-year deals.

The rest of this year’s crop of free agent pass rushers is a blend of young defenders searching for their first payday and veterans on the hunt for one last contract. Among the players with youth still on their side, Packers edge defenders Nick Perry and Datone Jones figure to interest different clubs, as Perry is a better match for a 3-4 defense while Jones needs to restart his career as a 4-3 defensive end. John Simon has been overlooked while playing alongside the likes of J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus but could represent a hidden gem, while the Dolphins are reportedly prioritizing Andre Branch.

After managing nine sacks over the first nine years of his NFL tenure, Lorenzo Alexander busted out with 12.5 quarterback takedowns in 2016, and now could be looking for a double-digit annual salary. James Harrison and Charles Johnson, meanwhile, look like good bets to return to Steelers and Panthers, respectively, but DeMarcus Ware could be something of a wild card — after missing 11 games in the past two seasons, does the 34-year-old have enough left in the tank? The same could be asked of Dwight Freeney, who at age-37 posted three sacks in a rotational role for the Falcons.

Interior defensive line:

Unlike the edge defender market, the 2017 cadre of interior defensive lineman shouldn’t be overly affected by the franchise tender. Head coach Ron Rivera recently confessed the Panthers will “probably” have to use the tag on Kawann Short, but the rest of the defensive tackles listed here should be able to hit the open market. Of the remaining defenders, Campbell is the best overall player, but given that he’s entering his age-31 season, he may not cost as much as Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Dontari Poe.

Hankins is only 24 years old, and though the Giants are trying to retain him along with the rest of their defensive core, the 6’3″, 320-pound mauler should represent an attractive option to a number of clubs this offseason. Williams, too, offers a massive presence on the inside, while Poe could intrigue clubs based on his first-round pedigree and athleticism (though his play hasn’t always matched his potential). The Redskins’ Chris Baker is a solid, well-rounded defensive tackle, and could constitute a consolation prize for teams that miss out on their top targets.

The rest of the class offers an interesting mix of nose tackles (Bennie Logan), interior pass rushers (Nick Fairley, Earl Mitchell), and run stoppers (Karl Klug, Alan Branch), so clubs hoping to bolster their defensive line should find no shortage of options. Jared Odrick recently hit free agency after being released by the Jaguars, while Terrell McClain, Lawrence Guy, and Stacy McGee could be underrated finds for the right team. McClain, for what it’s worth, has already been linked to the Falcons.

Linebacker:

As usual, the non-rush linebacker market isn’t exactly overflowing with elite talent, and Dont’a Hightower stands as far-and-away the best player among this group. The Patriots already traded away several of their best defenders, including Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins, an indication that they view Hightower as the best best to stick around long term. Hightower has communicated an openness to the franchise tag, but New England may go in another direction and offer him the transition tender instead.

Coming off a disappointing four-year run with the Titans in 2016, Zach Brown was last year forced to sign a one-year deal with the Bills for less than $1.5MM. That won’t be the case this spring, as Brown finally lived up to his second-round draft status by grading as one of the league’s best ‘backers. Brown especially excelled in pass coverage by using his speed to chase pass-catchers around the field, and in today’s NFL, that’s a skill-set that equals a hefty paycheck.

Kevin Minter has captained the Cardinals defense for the past two seasons, and has indicated he wouldn’t mind following Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to New York. Lawrence Timmons, meanwhile, is talking about a return to the Steelers, but general manager Kevin Colbert admitted an agreement between the two sides could be hard to reach. After years of playing behind Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, A.J. Klein is seeking a starting job, while Mike Morgan and Nick Bellore are more likely to be signed as primary special teamers.

Cornerback:

The Texans are unlikely to use the franchise tag on A.J. Bouye, a decision which sets up the young corner to be the single-most intriguing player on the 2017 free agent market. Only 25 years old, Bouye came out of nowhere to grade as PFF’s No. 3 corner in 2016. But the former undrafted free agent played on less than 900 defensive snaps over the first three years of his career, so he’s going to get paid on essentially one season of production. Bouye earned less than $3MM total during his time with Houston — his next contract could contain five times that amount…annually.

The cornerback market stands as one of the best free agent positional groups this offseason, as strong players permeate the list from top-to-bottom. Trumaine Johnson faces an outside shot of being franchise-tagged, but if he hits the open market, he’ll likely be aiming for a contract similar to that of his former Rams teammate Janoris Jenkins (five years, $62.5MM). Elsewhere among corners, Stephon Gilmore is a more high-profile name than Logan Ryan, but Ryan has simply played better over the last few campaigns, and offers a more dependable output.

Morris Claiborne is a former first-round pick but didn’t play like it until last season. Dre Kirkpatrick is a former first-round pick but has never played like it. The rest of the cornerback list has warts, as well: Prince Amukamara has dealt with injury, Kayvon Webster has only two career starts, Terence Newman is entering his age-39 season, and Sam Shields is coming off multiple concussions. All of these players offer upside, but they are all undoubtedly attached to risk.

Safety:

The Chiefs are working to re-sign Eric Berry, but if the two parties can’t agree to a new deal, Kansas City will likely employ the franchise tag for the second consecutive season. The only problem? Berry is adamant that he won’t play under the tag again, even though it would guarantee him a one-year salary of nearly $13MM. Realistically, Berry won’t have any choice but to sign the tender — given that he’s already 28, he can’t afford to sit out the season and risk hitting the open market at close to 30 years old.

Tony Jefferson, meanwhile, is expected to hit free agency, and could be the second-highest paid safety in this class behind Berry. Jefferson did reach the free agent market in 2016 as a restricted free agent, but he didn’t come with draft compensation attached. Any club could have signed him to an offer sheet, and if the Cardinals declined to match, would have acquired Jefferson scot-free. No team did so, which could be an indication that Jefferson’s 2016 market could be less robust than expected.

Also working against Jefferson is the fact that he plays close to the line of scrimmage, a role that’s relatively easy to fill, as Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus explained on a recent podcast. Duron Harmon, on the other hand, has demonstrated an ability to play deep safety, and thus could be in for a surprisingly high salary. The Cowboys’ Barry Church is “solid at everything, great at nothing,” tweets Andy Benoit of Sports Illustrated, while Jonathan Cyprien and T.J. McDonald are primarily run defenders. Darius Butler may be the most fascinating case among this list of safeties, as the former corner should theoretically offer above-average coverage skills.

Kicker:

The Seahawks don’t figure to re-sign Steven Hauschka after bringing in fellow kicker Blair Walsh, but the longtime Seattle placekicker should be able to quickly find a new home in free agency. Nick Novak attempted the second-most field goals in the NFL last season after many Texans’ drives stalled, while Robbie Gould filled in admirably for the Giants after they released Josh Brown, converting of all ten of his field goal attempts.

Nick Folk was released as a cap casualty, and still has the talent to become another club’s kicker, while Mike Nugent — cut by the Bengals at midseason — may be nearing the end of the road after missing six extra points. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Phil Dawson come back for a fifth season with the 49ers, but Greg Zuerlein could move on from the Rams after the club threatened to bring in competition last offseason.

Punter:

Jeff Locke, 27, managed to pin opposing clubs inside the 20-yard line 34 times in 2016, good for fifth in the league. Britton Colquitt isn’t quite the punter that his brother, Dustin, is, but he found a new club soon after being cut last season and should do so again in 2017. Now 40 years old, Shane Lechler is a seven-time Pro Bowler, but the Texans lost 12.7 points of field position on punts last season, meaning Houston could go in another direction at punter.

3 comments Newsstand PFR Originals A.J. Bouye A.J. Klein Alan Branch Andre Branch Barry Church Bennie Logan Bradley McDougald Brandon Carr Brandon Williams (DT)Britton Colquitt Calais Campbell Captain Munnerlyn Chris Baker Connor Barth D.J. Swearinger Darius Butler Daryl Smith Datone Jones DeMarcus Ware Dont'a Hightower Dontari Poe Dre Kirkpatrick Duron Harmon Dwight Freeney Earl Mitchell Eric Berry Gerald Hodges Greg Zuerlein J.J. Wilcox Jabaal Sheard Jahleel Addae James Harrison Jared Odrick Jason Pierre-Paul Jeff Locke Jerraud Powers John Simon Johnathan Cyprien Johnathan Hankins Josh Brown Julius Peppers Karl Klug Karlos Dansby Kawann Short Kayvon Webster Kevin Minter Lawrence Guy Lawrence Timmons Logan Ryan Lorenzo Alexander Malcolm Smith Manti Te'o Mario Addison Melvin Ingram Micah Hyde Mike Adams (S)Mike Morgan Mike Nugent Morris Claiborne Nick Bellore Nick Fairley Nick Folk Nick Novak Nick Perry (OLB)Perry Riley Phil Dawson Prince Amukamara Quintin Demps Rashad Johnson Robbie Gould Sam Shields Sean Spence Shane Lechler Sio Moore Stacy McGee Stephon Gilmore Sterling Moore Steven Hauschka T.J. McDonald Terence Newman Terrell McClain Tony Jefferson Tramon Williams Trumaine Johnson Zach Brown

Giants Attempting To Retain Defensive Core

By Dallas Robinson | at February 20, 2017 5:50 pm

Defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul and Johnathan Hankins are both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on March 9, but “word on the street” is the Giants will make a run at re-signing both players, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.

New York’s interest in retaining Pierre-Paul has been relayed before, and isn’t surprising given that he graded as the league’s No. 13 edge defender according to Pro Football Focus, helping propel Big Blue to a second-place finish in defensive DVOA. However, as one of the better pass rushers available, JPP won’t be without suitors should he reach the open market, which is why the Giants could consider extending him the franchise tag before free agency begins.

The franchise tender for defensive ends is expected to come in near $17MM, so a tag for Pierre-Paul would eat up a decent chunk of New York’s ~$31.5MM in cap space. But given that JPP has indicated he won’t accept another one-year deal (after being forced to sign for a single season last March), the franchise tag gives the Giants another option to keep Pierre-Paul around, especially when the alternative is handing him an offer comparable with Olivier Vernon.

Hankins, meanwhile, doesn’t have the track record of a Pierre-Paul, but at age-24, he’s one of the youngest players set to hit the open market, a fact which will certainly entice clubs. Playing next to Damon Harrison in New York’s base 4-3 defense, Hankins managed 816 defensive snaps, 10th-most among tackles, but graded as just the No. 72 interior player among 127 qualifiers, per PFF. A franchise tag for Hankins — unlikely as it is — would cost roughly $13.5MM.

The Giants spent the fourth-most cap space on defensive linemen in 2016, and if Pierre-Paul and Hankins are re-signed, may dart to the top of that particular ranking in 2017.

1 comment New York Giants Jason Pierre-Paul Johnathan Hankins

2017 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

By Zachary Links | at February 15, 2017 10:01 am

Starting today, NFL teams will be able to place franchise and transition tags on potential free agents for the first time. While the window for franchise tags is open, most clubs won’t actually tag any players right away.

As our list of important dates for the 2017 offseason shows, the deadline for teams to assign those tags doesn’t come until Wednesday, March 1st. Usually, when it comes to NFL contract discussions, deadlines spur action, so teams will wait until that deadline approaches to officially use franchise tags, once it becomes clear that they won’t be able to strike a longer-term deal yet with their respective free-agents-to-be.

Even though the action might not heat up for a couple more weeks, it’s worth taking a closer look at what to expect during 2017’s franchise tag period. The NFL hasn’t officially announced the salary cap figure for 2017, but former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com recently projected the 2017 franchise tag salaries based on a presumed $168MM cap. Here are the expected non-exclusive franchise tag amounts:

Quarterback: $21.395MM
Running back: $12.377MM
Wide receiver: $15.826MM
Tight end: $9.894MM
Offensive line: $14.444MM
Defensive end: $16.955MM
Defensive tackle: $13.468MM
Linebacker: $14.754MM
Cornerback: $14.297MM
Safety: $10.961MM
Punter/kicker: $4.863MM

(For a refresher on the characteristics of the exclusive and non-exclusive franchise tags, as well as the transition tag, be sure to check out PFR’s glossary entry on the subject.)

Here’s our look at the most likely candidates to be tagged, along with several more outside possibilities:

Virtual Locks:

Chandler Jones, DE, Cardinals: Maybe Jones should headline a category titled “Super Duper Virtual Locks.” In January, coach Bruce Arians said that the Cards would apply the franchise tag to Jones if they were unable to immediately lock him up to a long-term deal. Then, just this week, Cardinals president Michael Bidwill offered additional confirmation of that plan. The $16.955MM tag will be applied to Jones in the next couple of weeks and the two sides will then have until the summer to work out a long-term deal. The odds of a longer pact coming together seem pretty good, considering the Cardinals knew what they were getting themselves into when they traded for Jones last year.

Kawann Short, DT, Panthers: Panthers head coach Ron Rivera admits that Short will “probably” be tagged and, unlike ex-teammate Josh Norman, Short doesn’t have a problem with it. The 28-year-old was the third-best defensive tackle in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus, and the Panthers will gladly pay him ~$13.5MM on a one-year deal. A multi-year agreement could require an average annual value of $17MM, so our early guess is that Short will wind up actually playing on the tender.

Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers: We’ve known for a while now that the Steelers will use the franchise tag on Bell. For all of his off-the-field headaches, Bell still stands as one of the league’s most dynamic running backs and a one-year, $12.3MM deal would suit Pittsburgh just fine. Sometime after the tag is in place, we’re expecting the two sides to agree on a long-term deal. As I wrote in our most recent edition of the Free Agent Power Rankings, Bell will top LeSean McCoy‘s ~$8MM AAV and Doug Martin‘s $15MM in guarantees on a new multiyear pact. Of course, other factors such as cash flow will be pivotal in talks, particularly given the limited shelf life of running backs.
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Strong Candidates:

Eric Berry , S, Chiefs: Last offseason, everyone expected the Chiefs and Berry to quickly hammer out a multiyear contract. Ultimately, however, the July deadline came and went and he wound up playing on the franchise tag. This time around, Berry says there’s no way he’ll agree to the tag again. If the Chiefs and their franchise player can’t meet in the middle, things could get ugly this summer. A second tag would cost KC $12.967MM.

Dontari Poe, DT, Chiefs: Signing Berry to a long-term deal without tagging him would have the added benefit of allowing the team to use the tag on Poe. Berry doesn’t want the tag, but Poe would probably be open to it since the $13.468MM salary would more than double his 2016 income. Any way you slice it, the Chiefs are going to be tight against the cap, but they can carve out about $17MM by cutting Nick Foles and Jamaal Charles this offseason.

Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Giants: After his fireworks accident two years ago, the Giants re-upped Pierre-Paul using the franchise tag. Despite the many doubters out there, JPP managed to perform in his injury-shortened season. The following year, JPP was handed yet another one-year deal from the Giants and, once again, he came through. He’s down one-and-a-half digits, but he also has one-and-a-half seasons of strong football after his mishap proving that he is an elite edge rusher. Pierre-Paul won’t want another prove-it deal, but the Giants may find that the one-year, ~$17MM tag is the most prudent move.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins: The Redskins tagged Cousins at $19.95MM last season, so a repeat tag would cost them $23.94MM. If they go that route, they’re likely to use the non-exclusive tag on the QB, according to one Redskins beat writer. That means that Cousins could be stolen away by another club desperate for quarterback help (like the 49ers or Browns), but it would cost them two first-round picks. There has also been talk of a tag-and-trade scenario, but that sort of thing is more suited for the NBA.

Toss Up:

A.J. Bouye, CB, Texans: How exactly should the Texans approach negotiations with Bouye? A relative no-name for the first three years of his career, Bouye exploded in 2016 and wound up as a top cornerback in the NFL. A one-year, $14.297MM tag could keep Bouye away from free agency and give the Texans another year to better evaluate the former UDFA. Still, that would tie up a ton of cap room for a team that has multiple areas to address. It’s possible that the Texans could sell Bouye on playing it safe and taking a below-market multiyear deal with healthy guarantees in the first two seasons.

Terrelle Pryor, WR, Browns: Last month, one report indicated that the Browns are “very likely” to place the estimated $15.826MM franchise tag on Pryor. With the most cap space in the league, the Browns can easily afford to tag Pryor, but both sides would prefer a long-term deal. Recently, the Browns ramped up their efforts to get something done with the Ohio State product and agent Drew Rosenhaus. The Browns will tag Pryor if necessary, but we’re not sure it’ll get to that point.

Trumaine Johnson, CB, Rams: Last summer, the Rams felt they could keep only one of their two standout cornerbacks and they went with Johnson over Janoris Jenkins. Johnson remained with the team under the franchise tag and had a good year, though not a great one like Jenkins had with the Giants. Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com recently told us that he expects the Rams to do “whatever it takes” to keep Johnson in the fold, and that could include an expensive repeat tag. At the same time, the Rams would greatly prefer to work out a multi-year deal that doesn’t zap their cap in 2017.

Melvin Ingram, LB, Chargers: Ingram is No. 4 on our Free Agent Power Rankings, but he might be the best player with a realistic chance of hitting the open market. The Chargers have a lot of holes to fill as they gear up for their first season in L.A. and they might not be able to afford Ingram at a $14.754MM salary. We’re expecting this late bloomer to explore the waters of free agency and potentially swim elsewhere.

Long Shots:

Dont’a Hightower, LB, Patriots: Hightower is a heck of a player, but a one-year, $14.754MM deal is a whopping price to pay for an inside linebacker. Would the Patriots go that far to keep one of their defensive anchors? It’s possible, but it seems more likely that the two sides will shake hands on a long-term deal before the March 1 deadline.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears: When the Bears used the tag on Jeffery last year, the feeling was that he would have to turn in a full, productive season in order to get his big payday. Instead, the Bears saw another so-so season from their star wide receiver that only spanned 12 games thanks to his four-game PED ban. A second tag would cost $17.5MM and we can’t see the Bears going that route, unless they think they can swing a tag-and-trade.

Stephon Gilmore, CB, Bills: Gilmore has said that he doesn’t want to be hit with the franchise tag, so his placement in the long shot section should make him pretty happy. Here’s what didn’t make the Bills happy – a mediocre 2016 which made some worry that the former first-round pick has regressed. We’re not expecting the Bills to use the one-year,$14.297MM tender on Gilmore, but nothing can be ruled out since the front office always finds a way to surprise us in Buffalo.

Portions of this post have been modified from an earlier post by PFR editor emeritus Luke Adams.

4 comments Arizona Cardinals Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cleveland Browns Houston Texans Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams New England Patriots New York Giants Newsstand PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers Washington Commanders A.J. Bouye Alshon Jeffery Chandler Jones (DE)Dont'a Hightower Dontari Poe Eric Berry Jason Pierre-Paul Kawann Short Kirk Cousins Le'Veon Bell Melvin Ingram Stephon Gilmore Terrelle Pryor Trumaine Johnson

Extra Points: JPP, Schaub, Garoppolo

By Connor J. Byrne | at February 14, 2017 9:48 pm

Placing the estimated $16.955MM franchise tag on defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul wouldn’t be ideal for the Giants, but they’ll have no other choice if they can’t reach a deal with the pass rusher by March 1, writes Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. While tagging Pierre-Paul would take a major bite out of the Giants’ cap room, it would keep an integral piece of their defense from hitting the open market and enable the team to continue working to re-sign him. That would be the Giants’ plan, per Vacchiano, who notes that the club would regard the tag as a placeholder in Pierre-Paul’s case. The Giants are currently pushing to re-sign JPP and will have until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement if they make him their franchise player.

Giants Will Push To Re-Sign JPP

By Connor J. Byrne | at February 13, 2017 4:26 pm

The Giants are parting with wide receiver and Victor Cruz and running back Rashad Jennings, whose releases will save the club $10MM in cap space. New York will attempt to use some of that money to retain its best pending free agent, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports the team will “make a legitimate run” at re-signing JPP before the market opens March 9 (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com).

At this time a year ago, Pierre-Paul was coming off a season limited to eight games and one sack as he tried to move on from a gruesome July 2015 fireworks accident. Thus, he settled for a one-year pact last offseason to remain a Giant. Now that he has reestablished himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, Pierre-Paul is unwilling to take another one-year deal and could target a contract similar to the one teammate Olivier Vernon signed with the Giants last offseason. Then a free agent, Vernon inked a five-year, $85MM deal featuring $52MM in guarantees.

Vernon signed in advance of his age-26 season and had posted four straight 16-game campaigns, whereas Pierre-Paul is a bit older (28) and has missed 12 contests over the past two years. Pierre-Paul played in 12 games before his 2016 ended in December on account of core muscle surgery, though he showed well with seven sacks and three forced fumbles. Pierre-Paul also ranked 13th among Pro Football Focus’ 109 qualified edge defenders and totaled the league’s 15th-most QB hurries (24).

Pierre-Paul has clearly set himself up for a raise, one that could lead the seven-year Giant to a new franchise, though Big Blue has used the franchise tag on him in the past and could do so again. At an estimated $16.955MM, the tag will be worth around $7MM more than Pierre-Paul’s $10MM salary from last season.

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Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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