Jason Worilds - Pro Football Rumors

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:

Getting a contract extension done with Ben Roethlisberger as soon as possible would be ideal, but it doesn’t have to be done ASAP, says Rooney, adding that it “takes two to tango,” though he’s not expecting any major problems in negotiations. Roethlisberger had an excellent 2014 campaign, which may increase his price this offseason, but Rooney says he’ll “take that problem.”
The Steelers will stick to the 3-4 defense under new defensive coordinator Keith Butler, who previously worked on Dick LeBeau‘s staff.
The club hasn’t made personnel decisions yet, but intends to talk to James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, and Brett Keisel about their futures during the next few weeks. Pittsburgh would also like to keep Jason Worilds, but isn’t sure whether using the transition tag again is the right move.
While Rooney praised William Gay‘s 2014 performance, he admitted that the team needs to add some players in the secondary for the 2015 season.
The Steelers intend to take their usual process to free agency, and if the opportunity arises to sign a starter, the team will take it.
Asked about the release of LeGarrette Blount, he played a starring role in the Patriots’ championship game win, Rooney said he was disappointed with how it turned out, but called it “the right decision” for the Steelers.

North Notes: Williams, Lyerla, Worilds

July 12th, 2014 at 12:26pm CST by Matt Feminis

Packers cornerback Tramon Williams was a Pro Bowler in 2010, but a shoulder injury in the 2011 season opener limited his effectiveness for two seasons (despite starting 31 games). The 31-year-old seemed to regain his form last season, however, writes ESPN Wisconsin’s Jason Wilde, who quoted cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt: “Really, the last nine games – [Williams] played as good as everybody talked about 2010. From the New York game on, if you’re looking for much better play than that, you’re not going to get it from anybody in the league. Now, can we get it for 16 games and onto the playoffs and next year? I’m a firm believer if he’s healthy, we’re going to get it.”

Here’s a handful more NFC and AFC North links:

An NFL.com story touching on Packers tight ends recycled a May story by the Journal Sentinel’s Tyler Dunne in which Eagles rookie receiver Josh Huff said former Oregon teammate and current Packers hopeful Colt Lyerla can be better than the best tight ends in the game. That said, the position is crowded. In a recent podcast, Dunne and Fox 11-TV’s Justin Felder speculated about Lyerla’s chances, saying roster decisions might come down to special-teams utility. They also wondered aloud if trying to stash Lyerla on the practice squad — in a scenario where he is productive and trustworthy through training camp — would be too risky.
The Steelers were next up in OverTheCap.com’s “Best and Worst Contracts” series, and Jason Fitzgerald is very skeptical of the team’s decision to use the transition tag on outside linebacker Jason Worilds: “In my estimation, with just half of a pretty good season under his belt in four years, Worilds was looking at no more than $6.5 million per year on a long-term deal. Now with the leverage of the [$9.8MM] tender, he has limited incentive to take a reasonable deal, so they’ll likely have to overpay significantly if they want to retain him long-term. And if they don’t retain him long-term, they’ll have overpaid significantly for a single season from a player who has been mediocre at best to this point.”
The Steelers’ nose tackle position, most notably returning starter Steve McLendon, was previewed by ESPN’s Scott Brown. McLendon was just “OK” as Casey Hampton’s replacement last season, and “McLendon still has to prove that he is the long-term answer at nose tackle,” says Brown, “but he appears to be in a much better position to play well this season, both from a physical and mental standpoint.” McLendon, who played about a third of the Steelers’ defensive snaps in 2013, has bulked up 20 pounds in an effort to anchor better against the run.
The departure of Arthur Jones via free agency creates an opportunity for Ravens defensive lineman DeAngelo Tyson, writes BaltimoreRavens.com staff writer Garrett Downing, who points out Tyson’s career arc is similar to Jones’.

No Long-Term Offer For Jason Worilds?

June 18th, 2014 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

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: Worilds, Gilbert, Bray, Pats

June 15th, 2014 at 2:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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.

Extra Points: Cardinals, Rams, Orton, Adams

June 10th, 2014 at 9:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals are looking to possibly add some established veterans, but it’ll be a waiting game for those seeking employment, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. The Cards worked out veteran right tackle Tyson Clabo recently but the two sides have been unable to come to an agreement. Urban is reminded of the dance that the Cards did with tackle Eric Winston last season before ultimately signing him to a below asking price deal right before training camp.

The Rams will not receive their $3MM offset on cornerback Cortland Finnegan‘s signing with the Dolphins until the 2015 cap year, writes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, that bit of news had no bearing on the team’s decision to restructure the contract of center Scott Wells, which created some immediate salary relief. Finnegan signed a two-year deal with Miami in March.
The Kyle Orton watch will be on when the Cowboys hold their mandatory minicamp June 17-19, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Coach Jason Garrett reiterated that he anticipates Orton to take part in the minicamp, but he has not had any recent conversations with the Cowboys backup and he says he’s not sure Orton has a copy of the playbook to understand the changes implemented by new playcaller Scott Linehan.
Unrestricted free agent safety Mike Adams tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1 (on Twitter) that the 49ers, Browns, Jets, and Patriots are potential landing spots for him. However, he says the door for re-signing with the Broncos is likely closed.
Even though there is no long-term deal imminent, Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds is hoping that will change before the start of the season. “I hope so, but it is one day at a time,” said Worilds, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “If I continue with that approach, everything will fall in line.”
By the time training camp starts in late July, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter) expects Texans GM Rick Smith to sign a veteran offensive tackle to compete for the swing tackle job.
Browns coach Mike Pettine is already making a strong impression in Cleveland, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports. The 47-year-old has instilled a strong work ethic in his new team and showed wisdom when he said no to HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for this offseason.

No Progress On Deal For Worilds, Steelers

May 28th, 2014 at 10:26am CST by Luke Adams

Alex Mack, one of two players who received transition tenders from their respective teams this offseason, drew some interest on the free agent market and ultimately signed a long-term offer sheet with the Jaguars, which was matched by the Browns. However, while it was an eventful offseason for Mack, we haven’t heard a whole lot about the league’s other transition player, Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds. Rival suitors didn’t seem to have much interest in making a play for Worilds, and according to Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, there have been “no productive talks” on a long-term deal for the 26-year-old.

When Worilds first accepted his one-year transition tender from the Steelers, which essentially guarantees that he’ll receive a $9.754MM salary for 2014, the two sides were believed to making progress on a multiyear agreement, but talks appear to have reached an impasse. As Robinson writes in a separate piece, Worilds seems likely to play the 2014 season on a one-year deal, which would make him eligible for unrestricted free agency again next winter.

While both Worilds and the Steelers may have interest in working out a longer-term arrangement, neither side is under tremendous pressure to get something done right away. For Worilds, who is already guaranteed nearly $10MM this season, he’d have to receive a significant offer to sign away his prime years, particularly when he’ll have a good chance to improve upon a 2013 season in which he started just 11 games and improve his value. For the Steelers, the need to reduce Worilds’ ’14 cap hit is less urgent after they released LaMarr Woodley, and the club 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, 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).

Jason Worilds Accepts Transition Tender

March 4th, 2014 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

Less than 24 hours after receiving the transition tag from the Steelers, linebacker Jason Worilds has accepted the one-year transition tender, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). La Canfora reports that Worilds and the Steelers have made progress on a long-term deal, and figure to continue working toward that goal.

If the two sides don’t reach a multiyear agreement, Worilds will be on a one-year contract worth $9.754MM for 2014. Signing the tender offer means Worilds can’t field offers from rival suitors in free agency, though the Steelers could still choose to explore the trade market for the young linebacker, if they so choose. That’s unlikely though, and if I had to guess, I’d predict that Worilds will eventually ink a long-term deal with the Steelers that reduces his 2014 cap hit.

With Worilds currently locked in at a cap number near $10MM, the Steelers will have to cut costs elsewhere to create some breathing room. That may involve doing something with LaMarr Woodley‘s contract, since Woodley is on the books for a $13.59MM cap number in 2014. It also could mean the end of Ike Taylor‘s tenure in Pittsburgh, as the veteran cornerback’s cap number jumps to an untenable $11.94MM in 2014. Taylor acknowledged earlier today that he knows his future with the Steelers is uncertain, as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review details.

AFC North Links: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

March 3rd, 2014 at 6:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Andy Dalton is entering the final year of his contract and Coley Harvey of ESPN.com discusses whether the Bengals should re-sign their quarterback prior to him reaching free agency. At this moment, Harvey thinks the team should pay its third-year player this offseason. It would certainly be a gamble by the Bengals either way, as an unsigned Dalton could lead his team deep in the playoffs and demand a huge payday next offseason. Reversely, Dalton could sign and continue to fail in leading the club through the postseason.

Other rumblings from the AFC North…

The Ravens have not started contract talks with Michael Oher and are not expected to, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson says the team is instead focusing on re-signing Eugene Monroe.
The Ravens made the right choice in not using the franchise tag on Monroe, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. While the team needs a left tackle (and while Monroe certainly played well in that role last season), Hensley believes that it wouldn’t have been worth it for the team to dedicate such a large portion of their cap to the position. The writer says it makes more sense to sign Monroe to a long-term deal.
The Steelers used their transition tag on Jason Worilds earlier today, but there’s no guarantee that he returns, Scott Brown of ESPN.com says. All it would take for Worilds to leave is one team slightly overpaying, and Brown doesn’t sound too optimistic that the Steelers would match a huge offer.

Steelers Use Transition Tag On Jason Worilds

March 3rd, 2014 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers became the second NFL team to use the transition tag today, designating linebacker Jason Worilds as their transition player, the team announced in a press release.

Unless Pittsburgh can work out a long-term deal with Worilds, the transition tag will lock the prospective free agent in for a $9.754MM cap hit for 2014, meaning the team will have to continue clearing cap room. The Steelers started that process today by restructuring Heath Miller‘s contract to reduce his $9.47MM cap hit for 2014.

Had the Steelers franchised Worilds, the one-year price tag would’ve been $11.455MM, so the club saves a little money by using the transition tag instead. However, if Worilds explores the open market and signs an offer sheet with a rival club, the Steelers will have to match the offer or let the standout linebacker walk without receiving any compensatory first-round picks.

Worilds, 25, set career-highs with 63 tackles and eight sacks in 2013. He also ranked as the 12th-best 3-4 outside linebacker, out of 42 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus.

AFC North Notes: Smith, Haden, Dalton

March 2nd, 2014 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Parks

Now that the Ravens have signed Dennis Pitta to a long-term deal, Baltimore’s next biggest priorities are left tackle Eugene Monroe and middle linebacker Daryl Smith. Monroe could still receive the franchise tag before tomorrow’s 4 p.m. deadline, but even if the Ravens do not tag him, they are expected to continue to work towards a multiyear contract extension with him. Meanwhile, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com is “quietly confident” that the team will re-sign Smith, especially since they just released Jameel McClain.

Hensley adds that the bump in the 2014 salary cap makes it a little more likely that the Ravens can re-sign Jacoby Jones, but they will still not want to pay him more than $1-2MM. The team sees Jones as a returner, but if other teams see him as both a returner and receiver, those teams could offer him something closer to the $4MM he made last season. For a team that has a number of holes to fill–and Hensley added that GM Ozzie Newsome would not be afraid to sign some unrestricted free agents this season–Jones might be too much of a luxury item.

More notes from the AFC North:

Several weeks ago, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that, despite the posturing of GM Kevin Colbert, the Steelers would not be able to bring back both LaMarr Woodley and Jason Worilds and that Woodley would be released. Although he does not deviate from that stance in his latest piece, he does add an interesting twist. He notes that, according to Pro Football Focus, Woodley graded out as a slightly better player overall in 2013 (when he played, of course) and as a significantly better pass rusher. Although Woodley’s significant cap hit and recent injury history probably means he is still the odd-man out in Pittsburgh, the PFF grades and the increased salary cap at least give reason for pause.
Some of the Browns‘ top performers are eligible for free agency in 2015, and Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com believes that several of them will receive new contracts this season. He also hears that the team and Joe Haden are close to a new deal.
Paul Dehner of Cincinnati.com looks at the Bengals‘ quarterback outlook for 2014. Although Andy Dalton is of course the unquestioned starter and the team is not likely to peruse the free agent market for QBs, Dalton’s rocky postseason performances and his entering the final year of his rookie contract make this a pivotal year for him and for his club. Dehner believes mid- to late-round QB prospects like Aaron Murray or Zach Mettenberger would be logical selections for the Bengals.