Latest On Browns’ QB Possibilities
Colin Kaepernick has informed all 32 NFL teams he’s going to opt out of his contract with the 49ers and become a free agent. When that happens, one team that definitely won’t pursue Kaepernick is the quarterback-needy Browns, a league source told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
Browns head coach Hue Jackson has demonstrated an affinity for Kaepernick in the past, so it’s conceivable the 29-year-old could have been on their radar. Jackson had interest last offseason in Kaepernick, who was then coming off an injury-plagued, statistically subpar campaign. But Kaepernick bounced back to a degree in 2016, as he tossed 16 touchdown passes against four interceptions, averaged 7.2 yards per attempt (up from 6.2 in 2015) and finished second among QBs in rushing yards (468, on a lofty 6.8 per carry) as part of a two-win team.
The only signal-caller who outrushed Kaepernick last year, the Bills’ Tyrod Taylor, will be on the Browns’ list if Buffalo releases him, reiterates Cabot. So could Buccaneers backup and soon-to-be free agent Mike Glennon, and the Browns also aren’t going to give up on acquiring either Patriots No. 2 Jimmy Garoppolo or Bengals reserve A.J. McCarron via trade, according to Cabot. The Patriots are reportedly unlikely to deal Garoppolo, though, while the Bengals will place a high price tag on McCarron – a former Jackson pupil – if anyone inquires about his availability.
Should the Browns fail to reel in a palatable long-term option via trades or free agency, the draft – in which they’re set to pick first and 12th overall – could be the avenue they take. Cabot notes they’ll “strongly consider” selecting a potential franchise passer then.
For now, their most established option under center is Robert Griffin III, who’s due a $750K roster bonus March 11. It’s possible Griffin will stay on the roster beyond that date, though, head of football operations Sashi Brown said Wednesday (via Cabot).
“That’s not going to be a major decision for us one way or the other in terms of a lever for making that decision,” he revealed. “We’re going to evaluate Robert, not his contract. And we’ve had some discussions there.”
Pats Not Expected To Trade Jimmy Garoppolo
The Patriots are not expected to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). If the Patriots stick to their guns, Garoppolo will play out 2017 as Tom Brady‘s backup before being eligible for free agency.
A number of teams were expected to show interest in the young QB, including the Browns. With a stockpile of picks and plenty of cap room, Cleveland was reportedly angling to trade for Garoppolo and quickly get to work on an extension for him. The 49ers were also interested, though at last check they had Kirk Cousins as their No. 1 target.
Taking Garoppolo off of the market will have a ripple effect across the NFL. The Browns will now be forced to look at other options, which could push them to pursue Cousins more heavily via trade and potentially take away the 49ers’ Plan A. That ripple effect will also impact the Jets, who are on the hunt for less glamorous options. The stock of Mitch Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, and other draft QBs could increase and the same could be said for Bengals trade chip A.J. McCarron.
AFC East Notes: Garoppolo, McCoy, Jets
Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will continue to be one of the most-discussed players this offseason until he’s either traded or New England officially decides to keep him, and Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com expects Garoppolo rumors to heat up even more this week. For the first time this offseason, the entire NFL will be in the same place at the NFL combine, which begins Wednesday, and as Hannble writes, the foundation for a future trade is often laid at the combine. While it is highly unlikely a trade will be consummated this week, we could start to get more of an idea of which teams are truly interested in trading for Garoppolo and what the Pats might realistically seek in return.
Now for more out of the AFC East:
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes receiver Michael Floyd could return to the Patriots, who claimed him off waivers in mid-December, but despite Floyd’s tantalizing physical ability, Reiss does not think New England will get into a competitive situation to retain him. Floyd will likely be suspended for at least two games as a result of his recent DUI, and he struggled to get on the same page with Tom Brady during his brief tenure in New England. He was a healthy scratch in Super Bowl LI.
- LeSean McCoy set off alarm bells in Buffalo this morning — probably unintentionally — with an Instagram post that said “Buffalo was so special … thanks for everything.” Multiple sources later clarified that the Bills running back simply meant that he appreciated his time at an autograph signing in Buffalo on Saturday, and that he was heading back home. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk speculates that McCoy could still be cut, as his running style may not mesh with new OC Rick Dennison‘s one-cut zone scheme. Buffalo would save only $1MM against the cap by releasing him this year, but they could create more savings and spread out the dead money hit of $7.875MM if they designate him a post-June 1 release.
- Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes that the Jets now have the leverage in contract talks with Darrelle Revis, as Revis’ poor 2016 season and his pending criminal charges have forced the longtime star to admit that he is willing to take a pay cut to remain in New York. But Cimini writes that the team may simply look to release Revis, regardless of how much of a discount he is willing to accept.
- In the same piece, Cimini writes that Geno Smith‘s leaving the Jets in free agency is not the sure thing that many assume, as Smith fits the description of a low-cost veteran signal-caller with starting experience that New York may be looking for, and a recent cryptic tweet from Smith has fueled speculation that he could be back. However, Cimini still believes the two sides will part ways in 2017.
- Wesley Johnson is expected to take over as the Jets‘ starting center following the release of Nick Mangold, but Darryl Slater of NJ.com suggests a few alternatives. Slater names Joe Hawley and Stefen Wisniewski as potential free agent targets and Ethan Pocic, who is regarded as one of the best centers in the draft, as a potential rookie replacement.
- Now that the Dolphins addressed their tight end position with the acquisition of Julius Thomas — though the team is still interested in bringing back Dion Sims, who is a much better blocker than Thomas — James Walker of ESPN.com looks at Miami’s remaining needs. In Walker’s view, the Dolphins now need to turn their attention to reinforcements at linebacker, guard, and defensive end.miami
North Notes: LaFell, Levy, Garoppolo
Brandon LaFell turned in a strong 2016 for the Bengals after signing a modest one-year, $2.5MM deal with the club last offseason. As a result, Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer says that LaFell is one of Cincinnati’s top free agent priorities, as the Bengals believe his strong route-running skills and his red zone presence would be even more effective if they can get fully healthy seasons from A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert. LaFell indicated that he would like to return, though he should attract plenty of attention on the open market if he does not re-up with Cincinnati before free agency opens.
Now for more from the league’s North divisions:
- The Lions may approach linebacker DeAndre Levy about a restructure that allows him to make the same amount of money that he would earn under his current deal if he stays healthy, but Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press says that, from Levy’s perspective, it may be best to rebuff any such efforts. After all, if Levy were to be released, plenty of teams would be happy to pay him and gamble on his health (Twitter links).
- The Lions need to address their pass defense in a big way, having yielded the highest completion percentage in modern NFL history (72.7%) in 2016. Nate Atkins of MLive.com says that Detroit is more likely to focus on pass rushers and cornerbacks, but he adds that the team should not ignore the safety position either, especially since Glover Quin is in his 30s and Tavon Wilson is entering the final year of his contract. To that end, Atkins names a few safeties the team could select in this year’s draft.
- Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes that if the bidding for Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo gets high enough, the Browns should be willing to send their No. 1 overall pick to New England to acquire him. After all, if they’re willing to spend that pick on UNC signal-caller Mitch Trubisky, whose collegiate experience is limited, they should be willing to use that selection on a QB who has a little professional experience and who has a lot of upside in his own right.
- Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that the biggest objective for the Steelers this offseason is to find an outside linebacker that can generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Bud Dupree showed some promise down the stretch in 2016, but Jarvis Jones is unlikely to return, and if the club re-signs the ageless James Harrison, Dulac believes it would not make much sense to acquire another veteran free agent OLB. As such, he writes that Pittsburgh could once again address the position in the first round of the draft.
- We learned earlier today that former Ravens first-rounder Matt Elam was arrested on serious drug charges in Miami.
Chiefs Could Part Ways With Alex Smith?
Alex Smith has averaged nearly 11 wins per season during his four-year run with the Chiefs, but that won’t stop Kansas City from exploring other quarterback options this offseason, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who notes a “growing sense” among NFL executives that the Chiefs could move on from Smith. However, Kansas City will likely only part ways Smith if it’s able to acquire another signal-caller such as the Cowboys’ Tony Romo or the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo, per Cole.
[RELATED: Chiefs Likely To Decline Nick Foles’ Option]
Smith’s potential ouster has been a topic of conversation before, as has possible mutual interest between the Chiefs and Romo. A prospective Kansas City acquisition of Garoppolo, however, has not, although the New England signal-caller figures to be a desirable item in the coming weeks, as the Browns, Bears, and 49ers are all expected to make a push for Garoppolo (and have more attractive draft picks to offer).
A “strong feeling” exists within league circles that the Chiefs have plateaued with Smith, but Kansas City won’t acquire Romo — or presumably, Garoppolo — without cutting ties with Smith first. While the Chiefs could look to trade Smith to a quarterback-needy club, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported earlier this month that Kansas City would likely release Smith if they landed Romo. The Chiefs would save $9.7MM by cutting Smith, or $13.3MM by designating him as a post-June 1 release.
Since being acquired prior to the 2013 campaign, Smith has averaged 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions per season while completing 64.5% of his passes for the Chiefs. Smith, 32, has led Kansas City to three postseason appearances during that span, but the Chiefs have never advanced past the Divisional Round.
Extra Points: Garoppolo, Belichick, Williams
Three executives tell Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that they believe several teams will be making blockbuster offers for Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Ultimately, they think that will result in an offer the Pats cannot refuse.
Freeman also hears from Patriots sources that Bill Belichick likely plans to stay on as coach for at least five more years. Those same sources believe that Belichick wants to continue coaching after Brady retires to show that he can win without the best quarterback of all time.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Arrelious Benn‘s new contract with the Jaguars is a two-year, $1.765MM deal that contains $100K guaranteed, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Although he didn’t contribute much to the Jacksonville offense (just five receptions for 116 yards), Benn was a regular on special teams duty, as he saw action on 63% of the Jaguars’ ST plays.
- Cornerback K’Waun Williams‘ grievance against the Browns will be heard on May 16, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Williams, who played for Cleveland from 2014-15, contends the Browns waived him while he was still dealing with an injured ankle. As such, Williams is seeking the entirety of his 2016 base salary ($600K), plus the cost of his surgery.
- Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara has fired VaynerSports and hired Damarius Bilbo of Revolution Sports Group as his new representation , according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter links). Kamara, a committee back with the Volunteers, managed less than 1,300 yards rushing during two years in Tennessee, but also averaged more than six yards per carry during that time. Largely viewed as a Day 2 prospect, recent buzz has indicated Kamara could sneak into Round 1.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Cardinals, Patriots, Jags, 49ers
An offseason union between quarterback Jay Cutler and the Cardinals wouldn’t be “shocking,” opines Peter King of TheMMQB.com, who adds that a multi-year deal with incentives would make some sense for both sides. At first glance, Cutler signing — and presumably becoming a backup to Carson Palmer — appears unlikely, but as King notes, Arizona head coach Bruce Arians isn’t afraid to take chances on certain veteran players. Still, King is probably speculating rather than reporting, and Cutler is likely to target a starting job after (almost assuredly) being released by the Bears.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Although one recent report indicated agent Don Yee would lead the hunt for a Jimmy Garoppolo trade partner, Yee is planning to let the Patriots and Bill Belichick handle such negotiations, as Tony Grossi of ESPN.com writes. “I don’t really have any information at this moment of time about that,” Yee said. “Everybody’s getting ready for the combine as well as preparing for free agency. I don’t know anything at all about what the Patriots plan to do, nor would I even presume to have any suggestion as to what they should do.” Garoppolo is expected to be the top target for a number of clubs this offseason, including the Browns, Bears, and 49ers.
- Pending free agent safety Jonathan Cyprien admitted he’s “kind of excited, kind of nervous” about reaching the open market, adding that he hopes to remain with the Jaguars in 2017, per SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Cyprien, a 2013 second-round pick, has started 60 games during his Jacksonville career, and last year graded as the league’s No. 7 safety, according to Pro Football Focus. As of December, the Jags appeared likely to let Cyprien hit free agency, and for what it’s worth, PFF’s Sam Monson today identified Cyprien as a player likely to get overpaid next month.
- After just over a month as Denver’s assistant offensive line coach, John Benton is leaving to become the 49ers’ O-line coach, reports the Sporting News’ Alex Marvez (Twitter link). Prior to his comically brief stint with the Broncos, Benton worked with front fives in St. Louis, Houston, Miami and Jacksonville from 2003-16. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan was with Benton on the Texans’ offensive staff from 2006-09.
- While the Broncos are losing one coach, they’re also adding another, as the club is hiring former Northern Colorado defensive backs coach Charles Gordon as a defensive quality control assistant, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. Gordon, who had a short NFL career with Vikings from 2006-09, had been UNC’s staff for the past three years.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Garoppolo, Murray, Fins, Jaguars
Bill Belichick is unlikely to spend much time working on a trade proposal involving Jimmy Garoppolo, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Despite the Belichick-era Patriots making a league-high 61 trades since he took over in 2000, the coach is more likely to let Garoppolo and Tom Brady‘s agent, Don Yee, find a team that’s willing to extend Garoppolo and have said team put together a compelling array of assets.
La Canfora notes the latest Pats backup quarterback/trade candidate has a chance to be a quality starter. Of course, a buyer-beware element could exist based on Garoppolo’s small sample size (94 pass attempts in three seasons) and the Patriots’ previous trades of Brady backups not working out well for the teams acquiring them.
Relationships between certain key members of quarterback-needy teams and Yee could come into play, with La Canfora noting Hue Jackson has known Yee for more than 20 years and Bears GM Ryan Pace (from the Eastern Illinois grad’s relationship to Yee client Sean Payton; Garoppolo is an Eastern Illinois alum) has known Yee for many years as well. Both teams have been linked to a possible Garoppolo trade, one that La Canfora estimates will send the Patriots a similar haul to the one the Eagles collected for Sam Bradford. Although, some Garoppolo skepticism emerged this week, with a group of anonymous decision-makers preferring A.J. McCarron to the fourth-year Patriot as a trade asset.
[RELATED: Should the Patriots Trade Jimmy Garoppolo?]
Here’s more from the AFC.
- A possible contractual hangup stands in the way of a Dolphins–Jaguars Branden Albert-for-Julius Thomas swap, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Albert, 32, has two years remaining on his five-year, $47MM deal. Thomas, 28, has three remaining on a five-year, $46.5MM accord. Both teams are in need of upgrades, the Jaguars at left tackle and Dolphins at tight end. Neither player has proven he can stay healthy throughout a season, however. With Albert being set to make $4MM more than Kelvin Beachum did last year at $9MM, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap wonders (Twitter links) if the hesitation is on the Jags’ end. Thomas is scheduled to make $7.1MM; Miami paid Jordan Cameron $6MM in 2016 for little production. Mike Garafolo of NFL.com expects the deal to be finalized by the time the new league year opens, however.
- The Raiders want to retain Latavius Murray, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). But the reporter adds the fifth-year running back will have a market as well. Teams like the Giants, Buccaneers, Vikings and others could be in need of a medium- or long-term backfield solution. Murray may have some additional appeal due to the fact he has less wear and tear than other backs who have entered free agency in recent years. A starting back for barely two years and having missed his entire rookie season due to injury, the 27-year-old Murray only has 543 carries on his odometer. The sides have discussed an extension, and Reggie McKenzie noted Murray’s importance to Oakland’s offense — while acknowledging he may be swayed toward the market — earlier this month.
- The Titans may not view a three-down linebacker as a primary need the way, holding fourth-year ‘backer Avery Williamson in a reasonably high regard, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com notes. The Titans hold two first-round picks and could nab a top-flight ILB with one. ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr. (Insider link) has the team going with Marshon Lattimore and O.J. Howard, respectively, with its two first-rounders.
- Within the same mailbag piece, Kuharsky adds Broncos RFA linebacker Todd Davis could have several suitors. The Broncos experienced an eventful RFA last year, placing a low-end tender on C.J. Anderson before ultimately matching a Dolphins offer sheet on their starting running back. Denver applied a second-round tender to Davis’ inside linebacker mate, Brandon Marshall, last season before signing him to a four-year extension later.
Bengals To Assess A.J. McCarron Trade?
Somewhat overlooked in what promises to be an eventful offseason when it comes to available quarterbacks, A.J. McCarron may be firmly in the mix here. The Bengals are expected to gauge the market for a potential trade of their backup quarterback over the next month, Chris Wesseling of NFL.com notes.
And NFL evaluators look to be more intrigued by McCarron than a name that’s risen to a higher tier than Cincinnati’s backup has in terms of trade buzz. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah surveyed five NFL personnel execs about the respective trade values of McCarron and Jimmy Garoppolo, and the decision-makers rated McCarron as the more attractive trade piece.
“I wouldn’t feel good about making a major commitment to any of these quarterbacks,” one executive explained regarding those believed to be available. “If I had to choose one, I would go after McCarron. Ideally, you get him for a late second- or early third-round pick. Then, if it doesn’t work out, you draft a QB in 2018.”
Another exec told Jeremiah he would target McCarron over Garoppolo if his team needed a quarterback. The 26-year-old McCarron has thrown 119 career passes, completing 66 percent of those, but each came in 2015 after what turned out to be a Dalton season-ending injury. The 25-year-old Garoppolo only made it through one game healthy in his Deflategate audition last season, but the former second-round pick has nonetheless drawn extensive interest from QB-needy franchises.
This comes as a bit of a surprise given Garoppolo being linked to several teams — the Browns, 49ers and Bears — compared to scant reports emerging about a prospective deal for McCarron. Multiple second-round picks could be on the table in a Garoppolo deal, with a first-round selection potentially in the realm of possibility.
Earlier this month, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport noted the Browns could pursue McCarron — who spent three years under Hue Jackson‘s tutelage — as a fallback option in case Garoppolo’s price became too much for their liking. Marvin Lewis said recently no team inquired about McCarron last offseason, but the team would have demanded a first-round pick in a deal then, per Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. It’s reasonable to suggest that could still be the asking price, but if the demand remains nonexistent, it stands to reason the former fifth-round pick could be had for less.
The Cincinnati backup’s value may be viewed as higher because it’s been determined he’s under team control for two more seasons, as an RFA in 2018, compared to Garoppolo being set for a contract year. Being set to enter a fourth season behind Andy Dalton, McCarron would not be opposed to a trade that would let him compete for a starting job.
Extra Points: JPP, Schaub, Garoppolo
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.
More from around the NFL:
- Falcons backup quarterback Matt Schaub, a pending free agent, is a candidate to serve as a stopgap starter in San Francisco next season. Regardless of whether it comes with the 49ers, the soon-to-be 36-year-old will go into free agency seeking a starting opportunity, he told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Although Schaub is a two-time Pro Bowler with three 20-touchdown pass seasons on his resume, he hasn’t been particularly effective since 2012 and has spent the past three years as a reserve with three different teams. In 10 starts dating back to 2013, Schaub has tossed seven interceptions that have been returned for touchdowns. Clearly, then, there’s nothing in Schaub’s recent history to suggest he’d perform well as a starter in 2017.
- With five-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady not looking to retire anytime soon, an offseason trade of Patriots No. 2 quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo seems like a lock, observes Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com. The Bears and Browns – two teams that have extensive histories of trading with the Pats – stand out as the best fits, opines Hannable. The two have drawn connections to Garoppolo in recent weeks, and Hannable points out that each club has the necessary draft capital to acquire Garoppolo. The Browns, for instance, have five of the draft’s top 65 picks. The Bears aren’t quite that rich with selections, though they do possess three of the first 67 choices.
- Steelers wide receiver Sammie Coates announced Monday on Twitter that he underwent surgery on his pelvis. In theory, because the Steelers didn’t disclose the ailment on injury reports during the season, they could face NFL discipline, notes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Pittsburgh is already under league investigation for not listing running back Le’Veon Bell‘s groin issue on playoff injury reports, though it seems unlikely the league will punish the team. After all, the Seahawks got off scot-free despite withholding information on Richard Sherman‘s ailing MCL in 2016. Further, Coates’ injury didn’t affect his participation in practice during the season, a source told Fowler.