NFC Links: Panthers, Bucs, Lions, Packers
We’ve taken a look at rumors from the NFC West and NFC East this afternoon. Now let’s focus on some links from the North and South divisions…
- There is enough room on the Panthers roster for both Tyler Gaffney and Kenjon Barner, says ESPN.com’s David Newton. The running backs’ skills on special teams, in addition to the age of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, means the young players will likely stick around.
- Cornerbacks Josh Norman and Josh Thomas are in “prove-me” years and may not make the Panthers roster, Newton mentions in the same article.
- The Buccaneers have four quarterbacks in Josh McCown, Mike Glennon, Mike Kafka and Alex Tanney. There’s no way all four are sticking around, and The Tampa Tribune’s Roy Cummings says that keeping three may even be a stretch. New coach Lovie Smith carried three quarterbacks in seven of his nine seasons with the Bears, but even Smith hinted that the Bucs’ will likely only carry two.
- Lions wideout Kris Durham‘s biggest threat for a roster spot is Kevin Ogletree, writes ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein. The writer says it would be tough for both players to make the final roster.
- Keeping four running back is not out of the question for the Packers, says ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. The team’s current halfbacks are Eddie Lacy, James Starks, DuJuan Harris and Johnathan Franklin. As Demovsky points out, that’s a group with a lot of injury risk.
NFC Notes: Jackson, Hawkins, Coleman, Giants, Panthers
Former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson claims the team never specified why he was cut. “I was sitting there waiting for the reason why, but that’s basically all I can (recall) from the conversation,” Jackson told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. “. … I got off the phone. I was like, ‘Are you sure? That’s it?’ We hung up. That was it.”
While the Eagles haven’t addressed the issue directly, more details of Jackson’s behavior have emerged thanks to Joseph Santoliquito of CBS Philly.
In other news and notes from around the NFC. . .
- Receiver Lavelle Hawkins worked out for the Buccanneers, according to Aaron Wilson of National Football Post. Hawkins, who was cut by the Patriots last year, played for Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford at Cal.
- Wilson also reports that former Eagles safety Kurt Coleman worked out for the Colts.
- The Bears are not actively seeking to replace second-year right tackle Jordan Mills, writes ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright in a mailbag piece. Says Wright: “…the Bears are fairly happy with Mills, and expect him to improve in his second year. Mills to me has a very bright future in the NFL, and has the right attitude in terms of doing what it takes day in and day out to be a pro.”
- The Packers’ biggest defensive weakness is a lack of speed at inside linebacker, writes ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, who suggests Alabama’s C.J. Mosley for the 21st pick.
- The Panthers could very well draft two receivers and two offensive tackles, speculates ESPN.com’s David Newton, who also says the “Double Trouble” running back tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart should remain intact for two more seasons.
- The Giants earned a B-minus grade in free agency in the eyes of NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan, who recaps and reviews the team’s signings.
Ryan Kalil, Jonathan Stewart Restructure Contracts
As we found out earlier today, the Panthers restructured the contract of linebacker Thomas Davis, but that doesn’t appear to be the last of their moves. The team had also restructured the contracts of center Ryan Kalil and running back Jonathan Stewart, reports Brian McIntyre (both reports via Twitter).
As McIntyre points out, Kalil, a seven-year veteran, had his salary reduced from $4.75MM to $855K, with the rest being converted to his signing bonus. Kalil’s cap number was previously worth $10.4MM, McIntyre tweets, and the reduction to a $7.28MM hit will save the Panthers more than $3MM next season. Kalil is a four-time Pro Bowler.
Stewart’s $1.5MM salary has been reduced to $785K, with the remainder being added into the player’s signing bonus. The new value of the signing bonus is $7.5MM, tweets McIntyre, which will be prorated over five seasons. This lowers Stewart’s 2014 cap hit by just under $1MM.