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AFC Notes: Raiders, Flacco, A. Mack, Bills, Titans

February 17th, 2016 at 8:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Raiders need to find a running back to complement Latavius Murray, opines Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Bair lists Chris Johnson, Tim Hightower, Matt Forte, James Starks and Ronnie Hillman as potential fits through free agency.

Earlier tonight, PFR’s Rory Parks previewed the Raiders’ offseason in depth and, like Bair, named RB as a position the club could address. Click here for the rest.

More from the AFC:

  • Reworking quarterback Joe Flacco‘s deal and cutting $9MM off his $28MM-plus cap hit for this year would go a long way toward helping the Ravens make improvements, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. As of Wednesday morning, the Ravens and Flacco haven’t discussed a restructuring.
  • The notion that Browns center Alex Mack has a clause in his contract preventing the team from placing the franchise or transition tag on him is untrue, according to Joel Corry of CBS Sports. Corry notes (via Twitter) that Mack does have a no-trade clause, though. The 30-year-old is expected to opt out of his current deal in the coming weeks and become a free agent.
  • A pair of escalators affecting the Bills‘ salary cap have been triggered, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets (Twitter links). Tyrod Taylor‘s cap number this season has increased from $1.3MM to $3.3MM based on an escalator and how his ’16 playtime incentive is treated. Bills center Eric Wood also hit an escalator that increases his 2016 cap number by $650K.
  • Out of their pending free agents, the Titans are prioritizing nose tackle Al Woods and tight end Craig Stevens, Terry McCormick of Cover32.com reports. Woods made a career-high nine starts last season. Stevens has been a Titan since 2008 and is discussing a new deal with the team, per McCormick.
  • Chiefs backup quarterback Chase Daniel is scheduled for free agency, but the club has too many other needs to worry about investing a decent chunk of money in a reserve signal caller, writes Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. Teicher believes it’s time for either Aaron Murray or Tyler Bray to step up and take over for Daniel as Alex Smith‘s top understudy. Although the two have been Chiefs for a combined seven years, neither has appeared in a regular-season game.
  • In a Monday roundup of Ravens news and notes, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun discusses the possibility of the team trading down from the No. 6 pick, and reexamines the likelihood of cornerback Kyle Arrington being released.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Ravens, Joe Flacco Haven’t Discussed Contract

February 17th, 2016 at 9:47am CST by Zachary Links

Joe Flacco is set to carry a massive cap number over the next few seasons and the Ravens probably need to work out a re-structured deal with their quarterback. As of this writing, however, the Ravens have yet to sit down with Flacco’s agent, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun writes. Joe Flacco

Flacco is signed through 2018, and his cap number won’t dip below $24MM over the next few seasons. In January, the veteran acknowledged that this number could restrict his team’s ability to make moves, and he indicated that he may be willing to rework his contract.

“We haven’t talked about it yet,” Flacco said in a radio interview. “I know it’s a huge number. I’m open to doing something. I want to be here for a while.”

For what it’s worth, Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome told reporters in early January that while the Ravens would like to reduce Flacco’s 2016 cap hit, the team also has a plan to work around it if it remains at $28MM+ for 2016. Many observers believe that the Ravens must get that number down if they hope to make impactful roster moves this spring.

As it stands, only Saints quarterback Drew Brees ($30MM) and Dolphins defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh ($28.6MM) currently have bigger salary cap numbers in 2016. Saints GM Mickey Loomis went on record this week saying that he hopes to work out an extension with Brees. Meanwhile, Dolphins VP Mike Tannenbaum has said that a restructuring of Suh‘s contract is a possibility. As it turns out, the team can restructure Suh’s deal without his approval, per the terms of his contract.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Hickey, Jaguars, Winslow, Flacco

January 21st, 2016 at 9:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Former Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey interviewed to be the Browns Vice President of Player Personnel, reports Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Miami had parted ways with Hickey earlier this month.

Earlier today, we learned Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta were seeking a personnel executive for their front office, although they weren’t going to label the position “general manager.” Hickey would presumably be up for that role, as the 44-year-old has spent more than two decades in NFL front offices.

Cabot tweets that former Eagles Director of Pro Personnel Rick Mueller is also on the Browns’ radar for the same position, and former Lions general manager Martin Mayhew is also reportedly a candidate for the job.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the league…

  • The Jaguars will be promoting Mark Ellenz to their director of college scouting, reports Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Ellenz will be replacing Kyle O’Brien, who became the Lions Director of Player Personnel last week.
  • After having caught 469 passes for 5,236 yards and 25 touchdowns, Kellen Winslow II hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2013. However, a recent tweet by the 32-year-old suggests that the tight end is looking to make a comeback. “I’m putting my life’s work into this comeback. #LoveDaGame #NFL,” Winslow tweeted. Furthermore, a representative for the player told TMZ.com that the former first-rounder is attempting a comeback (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com).
  • Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is signed through 2018, and his cap number won’t dip below $24MM over the next few seasons. The veteran recognizes how this number could restrict his team’s ability to make moves, and he indicated that he may be willing to rework his contract. “We haven’t talked about it yet,” Flacco said on WBAL (via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun on Twitter). “I know it’s a huge number. I’m open to doing something. I want to be here for a while.”

Extra Points: M. Lewis, Flacco, Smallwood, L.A.

January 7th, 2016 at 5:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Marcedes Lewis is eligible for free agency this winter, but the Jaguars tight end is hopeful he won’t reach the open market, preferring to work out a new deal that keeps him in Jacksonville, as Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com details.

“You rarely see players play 10 years for one team, let alone finish their career [with the same team], so it’s something that I want to be able to do,” Lewis said. “Hopefully we can get it done before all the other stuff even starts, if it’s possible. … I know where I want to be.”

As Lewis notes, he has spent the last decade with the Jaguars, catching 331 balls for the club during that stretch. Still, it’s not yet clear how serious the team will be about keeping him around going forward, now that Julius Thomas is in the mix. The 31-year-old hasn’t caught more than 25 passes since the 2012 season, and his 16 receptions in 2015 represented his lowest total since his rookie year, way back in 2006.

Here are more Thursday odds and ends from around the NFL:

  • Speaking this morning to Glenn Clark of PressBox (link via Justin Silberman of PressBoxOnline.com), Joe Linta – the agent for Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco – was cagey about his client’s contract situation. Flacco is projected to have one of the league’s highest cap numbers, at $28.55MM, but Linta said there are no negotiations ongoing with the Ravens at this point, adding that the veteran QB isn’t in any rush to rework his deal. “I mean, that’s the price of these types of quarterbacks,” Linta said. “Every deal that’s going to be done is going to be in that realm.” Earlier today, GM Ozzie Newsome acknowledged that the Ravens would like to reduce Flacco’s 2016 cap hit, but said the team has a plan to work around it if it remains at $28MM+.
  • Big 12 rushing leader Wendell Smallwood changed his mind about staying at West Virginia, and has now decided to enter the 2016 NFL draft, as Allan Taylor of the West Virginia MetroNews writes. Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk notes that Smallwood will join teammate Daryl Worley in heading to the NFL, despite the fact that the cornerback doesn’t project as a top pick.
  • During Wednesday’s team owner meetings in New York, Panthers owner – and Carson supporter – Jerry Richardson was “silent all meeting,” according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who wonders if Richardson may be backing down from the joint Raiders–Chargers plan.
  • Cornerback Josh Norman is one of the most noteworthy players eligible for free agency this winter – he ranked third in PFR’s most recent free agent power rankings – but he says he won’t think about a new deal until the Panthers are eliminated from the playoffs or win the Super Bowl (link via ESPN’s David Newton). Meanwhile, GM Dave Gettleman admits it’s a “headache” trying to figure out how to keep Norman and all the other potential free agents the Panthers don’t want to lose, but he’s optimistic that the club will figure it out (link via Newton).

Ravens Rumors: Eagles, Harbaugh, Flacco

January 7th, 2016 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh addressed reporters minutes ago in Baltimore. Here’s a look at the highlights:

  • The Eagles have not called the Ravens about Harbaugh, owner Steve Bisciotti said, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The Baltimore head coach was viewed as a long shot target for Philadelphia, but it appears the Eagles recognize Harbaugh isn’t leaving the Ravens.
  • Newsome is hopeful that team can reduce Joe Flacco‘s cap number in 2016 but he said the team has to have a plan of putting together a roster if Flacco’s cap number remains at $28.55MM, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes.
  • Linebacker Terrell Suggs is coming back in 2016, Newsome says (via Hensley). Suggs told him that he doesn’t want to leave game like he left Denver with Achilles injury. The former first-round pick has played his entire career in Baltimore, making six Pro Bowls and winning the defensive player of the year award. Prior to his 2015 injury, the 33-year-old missed only 11 games during his career, including eight in 2012 when he tore his right Achilles.
  • When discussing the cap situation further, Newsome explained that the team had dead money with Ray Rice last year and he indicated that tight end Dennis Pitta could call for more dead money in 2016, as Zrebiec tweets. Pitta is dead set on returning to the field next year, despite his constant hip problems. “I’m a football player and that’s what I’ve always wanted to do,” said Pitta back in November. “I have a sense of duty to my teammates, the team and to this organization. This organization has given me a lot over the last few years.” The tight end has played in only three games since receiving a five-year deal with $16MM guaranteed in February 2014. One has to wonder if he might be forced to retire at this point.
  • Newsome said trying to extend Justin Tucker is a priority and if it gets to the point where they have to, they will use franchise tag on him, Zrebiec tweets. Tucker, 26, has been a little shakier during the last two seasons than he was in his first two years, missing five field goal attempts in 2014 and seven in 2015. However, all but one of those misses came from 50+ yards, and he converted all 29 of his extra-point tries in 2015, so he’ll be in line for a nice raise from Baltimore.
  • Owner Steve Bisciotti said that team exec Eric DeCosta is still committed to the organization, Zrebiec tweets. “He’s got too much at stake here in his relationship with Ozzie [Newsome],” Bisciotti said. The owner added that DeCosta probably could have had 10 different GM jobs by now if he wanted them. Bisciotti said that he doesn’t see either exec going anywhere for “many years” (link).
  • Harbaugh said that the team is definitely looking to add a pass rusher, Zrebiec tweets.
  • When asked about his free agency approach, Newsome said, “I don’t think we’ll be as busy as some teams are in March. We never have” (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun). Newsome said that the Ravens will have money available if a free agent they like is out there (link).
  • Newsome said that he feels the team needs to add one more, if not two more, wide receivers early on in the draft or in free agency (Twitter link via Zrebiec).

Extra Points: Rams, Pettine, Flacco, Raiders, Draft

December 8th, 2015 at 9:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A look around the NFL as Tuesday wraps up:

  • Free agent cornerback Cary Williams, whom Seattle released Monday, is drawing interest from several teams around the league, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter). One of those teams is the Rams, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  • The Browns officially named Johnny Manziel their starting quarterback today, but it doesn’t sound as if head coach Mike Pettine is 100% committed to the decision. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suggests that the move back to Manziel from Austin Davis was motivated in part by Pettine trying to save his job.
  • Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco had surgery Tuesday to repair his torn ACL. The procedure went well, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). He’s expected to make a full recovery and should be back in six to nine months, adds CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).
  • The Raiders extended the contract of fullback Jamize Olawale on Tuesday, and ESPN’s Bill Williamson points to offensive tackle Donald Penn and receiver Michael Crabtree as players the club could look to lock up next (Twitter link). Penn has started 28 straight games since joining the Raiders in 2014, while Crabtree leads the team in receptions (66), targets (115) and touchdowns (seven) this year. Both are scheduled to hit free agency during the upcoming offseason.
  • Clemson safety Jayron Kearse and Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee are leaning toward entering the 2016 draft, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter links: 1; 2). If they do, Michigan tight end Jake Butt won’t be joining them. He announced that he’ll return to school for his senior season (Twitter link via Getlin).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Still, Flacco

December 8th, 2015 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

With his job security potentially dwindling, Browns head coach Mike Pettine suggested on Monday that there’s some tension within the organization, dropping some hints without specifically saying which departments are at odds. After pointing out that a team needs its building to be unified in order to have success, Pettine was asked whether the Browns’ building is unified, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com details.

“It’s hard to be at this point,” Pettine said. “It’s human nature. When things don’t go well, everybody has a tendency to kind of bunker in and get into that mode. I think we all want what’s best for the Cleveland Browns. we all have ideas on how to get it done, and we need to be collaborative and we need to make sure that we’re picking the best ideas and pushing those agendas moving forward.

“I can’t sit here and say, ‘Absolutely, we’re all on board, 100 percent,'” Pettine continued. “That’s not reality because when things don’t go well, everybody has their opinions and their reasons why, but it’s going to come down to a brutal self-assessment and to be able to have the strength to make tough decisions and trust them and move forward.”

As we wait to see whether Pettine will be a part of the Browns as the team tries to move forward, let’s check in on some other items from out of the AFC North….

  • Former Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still may be back under contract with an NFL team in a few weeks. According to Coley Harvey of ESPN.com, Still said on Monday that he has received reserve/futures contract offers from two teams. Those deals can’t be officially signed until after a team’s season comes to an end.
  • Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is undergoing surgery on his left knee today, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed (link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). It has been nearly two and a half weeks since Flacco tore his ACL against the Rams, but he had to wait for the swelling to go down before going under the knife. Dr. James Andrews will perform the procedure.
  • With one tight end suspended and two others dealing with nagging injuries, the Ravens had former New Hampshire tight end Harold Spears in for a visit, per Hensley (Twitter link).

Ravens Claim Jimmy Clausen Off Waivers

November 24th, 2015 at 3:22pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Ravens have nabbed a backup quarterback off waivers, claiming Jimmy Clausen from the Bears, the team announced today (via Twitter). In a corresponding move, the Ravens have placed Joe Flacco on injured reserve due to his torn ACL (Twitter link).

Clausen, 28, served primarily as the Bears’ backup signal-caller last year, getting a start in Week 17 when Marc Trestman wanted to see someone besides Jay Cutler lead the offense. Clausen re-signed with Chicago on a one-year deal back in March, and was forced into action again early in the season, when Jay Cutler went down with an injury. In two games (one start) for the Bears, Clausen completed 23 of 40 passes for 184 yards and an interception.

Given the connection to Trestman, who is now the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, there seemed to be a natural fit for Clausen in Baltimore, with the team needing a backup for Matt Schaub. The Ravens also had a fairly high waiver priority, given their 3-7 record, allowing the team to avoid being blocked from claiming Clausen.

When the Bears cut Clausen, they also promoted David Fales to their 53-man roster, with head coach John Fox explaining that the young QB had received interest from other teams. According to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link), those teams were the 49ers and the Ravens. So Baltimore tried to sign one signal-caller with a connection to Trestman, then ultimately settled for another.

AFC North Notes: Manziel, Pouncey, Ravens

November 24th, 2015 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

Video footage has surfaced in recent days of Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel partying at a nightclub in Austin, Texas, the latest off-field distraction for a player who vowed to cut down on those stories this season. While Manziel hinted that the video posted of him could be an old one, multiple outlets have indicated it was filmed last week, during the Browns’ bye, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com outlines.

Speaking today to reporters, including Cabot, head coach Mike Pettine said that the Browns are still in the process of gathering information about the video, but called it “very” disappointing (Twitter links). It was only a week ago that Pettine committed to Manziel as the club’s starting quarterback for the rest of the season, but this situation may make the staff reconsider — Pettine confirmed today that Josh McCown is ready to play if Cleveland decides to start him over Manziel (Twitter link).

As Pettine explained, the Browns’ concern and frustration stems from Manziel’s “repeated pattern of behavior” (Twitter links). The head coach wouldn’t say if the organization would ask Manziel to get more help, after he spent 10 weeks in a rehab facility during the offseason (Twitter link).

Here’s more from around the AFC North:

  • Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey has been on IR-DTR since the start of the season, and it doesn’t sound like he’s quite ready to be activated. The initial timetable for Pouncey, who broke his fibula, suggested he’d be out until at least Week 12, and head coach Mike Tomlin said today that he hasn’t checked on the veteran lineman’s status, adding that it’s not the “11th hour” for that situation quite yet (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network).
  • The Ravens are in the market for a backup quarterback, with Matt Schaub set to take over for Joe Flacco. However, there’s nothing going on between the team and veteran free agent Jason Campbell, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link). That’s not surprising, since other teams have had no luck wooing Campbell this year.
  • Flacco’s ACL injury adds another layer to the contract re-negotiations that are sure to happen this offseason between the quarterback and the Ravens, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. In Zrebiec’s view though, Flacco will still have the leverage, assuming his recovery is progressing smoothly. Zrebiec also addresses Tyrod Taylor‘s offseason departure, Quinton Coples‘ potential fit – or lack thereof – in Baltimore, and the idea of the Ravens targeting a tackle in next year’s draft.

Ravens Notes: Flacco, Forsett, Harbaugh

November 23rd, 2015 at 7:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest on those jinxed Ravens:

  • Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com (on Twitter), that it would be possible for the team to add two quarterbacks in the wake of Joe Flacco‘s injury – one for the 53-man roster and one to the taxi squad. Quarterback Bryn Renner is one candidate for the practice squad, the coach added (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun on Twitter).
  • The Ravens believe that the injured quarterback will be back in time for the start of the 2016 season, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. “Indications that I’ve been given is he would be back for the start of training camp and it wouldn’t be an issue,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday when asked about Flacco. “However, as we well know, those are always things that get determined by how the rehab goes.” Flacco had never missed a game during his eight-year career, an impressive run of durability that will now come to an end. Record-wise, 2015 has been the worst season of Flacco’s career, but he was completing passes at a career-high rate of 64.8% while averaging more than 275 yards per game, and posted a 13-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
  • Ditto for running back Justin Forsett, who broke two bones in his right arm and will miss the remainder of the season. “My assumption is that … bones heal pretty quickly, so I’m sure he’ll be back in the offseason lifting weights and training,” Harbaugh said, according to The Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli. “I would expect Justin back next year full-speed, ready to go. He’s under contract, and a big part of what we’re doing going forward.” Forsett inked a three-year, $9MM deal with Balitmore prior to the 2015 season, though most of his guaranteed cash came this season. Forsett finishes the 2015 season with 151 carries for 641 yards and two touchdowns while catching 31 passes for 153 yards out of the backfield.
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