Extra Points: Patriots, Ryan, Browns, 49ers
The Patriots ultimately traded linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns in late October for a third-round pick, but the Pats initially had their sights set much higher. We learned back in December that New England tried to deal Collins to New Orleans for receiver Brandin Cooks, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com wrote today that the Patriots also tried to trade Collins to the Texans for DeAndre Hopkins. Unsurprisingly, Houston was unwilling to entertain that offer, but New England also attempted to pry Johnathan Joseph from the Texans in exchange for Collins. Houston was more intrigued by that proposal but valued Joseph too highly to pull the trigger.
Now let’s take a look at a few more links from around the league:
- On the subject of seminal trades, the Ravens were ready to part with their entire 2008 draft class in order to trade up to take Matt Ryan at No. 2 that year, Rapoport reports. The Ravens held the No. 8 pick and offered their entire ’08 picks stockpile to the Rams, who held the No. 2 choice. St. Louis also wanted Baltimore’s second-round pick in 2009, which ended up being Paul Kruger, to clinch that deal, per Rapoport. The Rams ended up taking Chris Long at No. 2, with the Ravens trading down to No. 18 and selecting Joe Flacco. In the ’08 draft, Baltimore acquired Ray Rice in the second round but largely whiffed on its other picks. However, the Ravens ended up making 10 selections. The Falcons selected Ryan at No. 3 overall.
- More trades: we learned in recent weeks that the team is willing to deal backup Jimmy Garoppolo and that the 49ers, Browns, and Bears could be among the teams with interest. In her latest mailbag, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the Browns would be willing to part with their No. 12 overall selection as part of a Garoppolo deal if that’s what it takes to land the young signal-caller.
- John Lynch isn’t completely devoid of scouting experience, with Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com noting the former Buccaneers and Broncos safety joining recently hired 49ers exec Adam Peters in Broncos meetings and prospect evaluations, eventually accompanying Denver’s contingent to the 2013 Combine. John Elway also put Lynch on some special assignments in recent offseasons, per Maiocco, dispatching the eventual Hall of Fame finalist to evaluate draft-eligible safeties.
- In an expansive breakdown of today’s Super Bowl teams’ financial distribution, CBSSports.com’s Joel Corry writes the Patriots using the franchise tag on Martellus Bennett isn’t out of the question due to Rob Gronkowski‘s inability to stay healthy. Corry projects the tight end tag number to come in at $9.894MM. The Patriots have Dont’a Hightower as their apparent top tag candidate, but the linebacker’s tag is slated to be $14.754MM, which could lead the Patriots to proceed with caution despite having already traded Collins and Chandler Jones.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Arthur Blank: Falcons Will Extend Matt Ryan
The NFC champion Falcons are inching closer to Super Bowl LI on Sunday, and once their showdown with the Patriots ends, they’ll reportedly get to work on locking up quarterback Matt Ryan for the long haul. Team owner Arthur Blank confirmed as much Friday, telling Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com: “[Ryan] needs to be compensated well, certainly. And he will be.”
Ryan is already under control for the next two seasons as a result of the five-year, $103.75MM extension he signed in 2013, though Blank is eager to keep the 31-year-old in the fold into his late 30s or early 40s.
“When Matt was being interviewed this week, somebody asked him, ‘What do you think about Tom Brady, his age, being 39 and will be 40 in August?’ and Matt said, ‘I’d like to play as long as Tom,’ ” Blank stated. “That’s when I jumped up off the sofa and starting clicking my heels. We have a lot of young talent on both sides of the ball. But to have our quarterback in place for an extended period of time will be incredible news for Atlanta. Matt is in great shape and takes wonderful care of himself. So, I’m excited.”
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff expects to strike a deal with Ryan early in the offseason, having recently noted the organization’s strong rapport with the four-time Pro Bowler’s agent, Tom Condon, per McClure. Given that Ryan’s in the midst of the best season of his nine-year career, Condon will certainly push to improve his client’s standing as the league’s 11th-highest-paid QB in the game.
While Ryan has been a standout since the Falcons drafted him third overall in 2008, the ex-Boston College star has truly thrived this season as the face of one of the most prolific offenses of all-time. He earned first-team All-Pro honors and is the front-runner to win the MVP, which will be awarded Saturday, after completing 69.9 percent of passes, throwing for 4,944 yards on 9.26 yards per attempt, and tossing 38 touchdowns against seven interceptions during the regular season.
Playoff success had eluded the Ryan-led Falcons in their previous four postseason trips, but not this year. The NFC South champs steamrolled the Seahawks and Packers by a combined score of 80-41 en route to their second Super Bowl berth in franchise history. Those wins came thanks in no small part to Ryan, who has hit on 70.7 percent of passes and logged seven touchdowns against no picks in these playoffs. Supremacy for the league’s 2016 campaign will be on the line this weekend, but regardless of Sunday’s outcome, it appears Ryan will have plenty of future opportunities to win championships in Atlanta.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Falcons To Pursue Extension For Matt Ryan
The Falcons and quarterback Matt Ryan are expected to explore an extension in the offseason, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Ryan is already under contract through the 2018 season, but Atlanta wants to be proactive when it comes to their star signal-caller, who may earn his first MVP award this year.
Ryan signed a five-year, $103.75MM deal at the end of the 2012 campaign, which culminated in a heartbreaking loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. The following three seasons saw the Falcons fail to qualify for the playoffs, and Ryan himself played well enough, but he was certainly not in the MVP conversation.
But Ryan and the offense exploded in 2016, Kyle Shanahan‘s second year as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator. Ryan threw for nearly 5,000 yards and put up 38 touchdown passes to just seven interceptions, good for a league-leading 117.1 quarterback rating. More importantly, he led the club to an NFC South title, a first-round bye, and the chance to play for the team’s first Super Bowl championship.
Plus, a new contract would not adversely impact the team’s finances. Ryan’s 2017 cap number under his current deal would be $23.75MM, and an extension would likely reduce that figure. As Rapoport observes, the club is already paying the Boston College product over $20MM a year, so an extension would be “more of a continuation than a dramatic adjustment.”
Ryan and agent Tom Condon will likely attempt to eclipse Andrew Luck‘s new deal, which features an average annual value of $24.59MM. Since signing his own contract after the 2012 season, Ryan has slid down the ranks and is now the 11th-highest paid quarterback in the game. That is likely to change over the next few months.
Since entering the league as the third overall pick of the 2008 draft, Ryan has been a steadying influence under center for Atlanta, but one of the biggest knocks against him coming into this year is that he had won only one playoff game. But on the heels of a breakout season, Ryan has the Falcons trending upwards once again, and he will be handsomely rewarded.
NFC Notes: Saints, McCoy, Ryan, Shanahan
As teams prepare for a December playoff push, a few of the more important NFC teams are dealing with disappointing seasons that have gone off the rails. The Saints and Falcons have both fallen squarely out of the postseason picture, while the Eagles are hanging on due to a terrible NFC East division.
Here are some notes from the Saints, Falcons, and Eagles:
- Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan is playing for pride down the stretch in 2015, but most of his teammates are playing for something more important–their jobs, writes Larry Holder of NOLA.com. Holder notes that the team will have to make major decisions on some key players this offseason, including Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Zach Strief, Jahri Evans, and even Sean Payton.
- During the Falcons hot start, both Matt Ryan and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan looked like absolute superstars in Atlanta. Since then, both have really struggled to produce anything significant offensively. Despite those struggles and who is to blame, Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that neither is on the chopping block this season.
- Much has been made of the feud between LeSean McCoy and Chip Kelly, especially since part of the reason for trading McCoy to the Bills was because of “fit” and “culture.” DeMarco Murray is averaging 3.5 yards per carry and has a reduced role in the Eagles’ offense, and has become a distraction, while McCoy is thriving in Buffalo, contradicting both reasons for the trade, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. It’s worth the read if only for the small note about McCoy getting a call from an unknown number this past Tuesday, and hanging up once he realized it was Kelly calling.
NFC Notes: Murray, Lacy, Falcons, Bears
Eagles running back DeMarco Murray and owner Jeffrey Lurie had a lengthy conversation Sunday about Murray’s role in head coach Chip Kelly‘s offense, ESPN’s Ed Werder reports. Though the Eagles pulled a 35-28 upset in New England, Murray was barely a factor – taking the field for just 14 plays and totaling 24 yards on eight carries – and he voiced his frustrations to Lurie afterward as a result. Their conversation happened on the team’s flight home, according to Werder, who adds that it’s unknown who initiated the talk.
“He’s obviously upset about what happened,” a source close to Murray told Werder.
Murray, who led the NFL in rushing last year with Dallas and then signed a big-money deal with the Eagles in the offseason, has struggled mightily under Kelly. The two-time thousand-yard rusher has just 569 this season on a paltry 3.5 per-carry average, and has been outproduced by teammate Ryan Mathews – who signed a much less valuable contract with Philly in the offseason. Mathews missed the Patriots game because of a concussion, but Murray still had to take a backseat to Darren Sproles, who accrued 90 yards on 19 touches.
“We are not trying to win a rushing championship or a passing championship or a receiving championship or anything from that stretch of the imagination,” Kelly said Monday. “We are just trying to win football games.”
More from the NFC:
- Like Murray, Packers running back Eddie Lacy has also had a disappointing season – one that reached a low point last week. Lacy finished with a mere 1 yard on six touches in the Packers’ 27-23 win over the Lions after Mike McCarthy demoted him for missing curfew the night before, but the coach said Tuesday that the third-year man will have a chance to win back his starting role. “If Eddie or any other player wants to jump up and grab that opportunity, it’s right in front of them,” McCarthy stated, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. McCarthy added that he thinks the demotion rejuvenated Lacy.
- The Falcons’ offense has hit the skids during their descent from 5-0 to 6-6, but quarterback Matt Ryan spoke favorably of coordinator Kyle Shanahan on Tuesday. “Our production hasn’t been there, but in terms of plays and all that kind of stuff, I feel really good about how Kyle and I have worked together this year,” Ryan said on 680 The Fan, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Kyle’s is a little bit different from the guy’s that I’ve worked with in the past. With that said, I feel really good about it. I feel like he’s going to be a guy that I can learn a ton from. I believe we’re going to win a lot of games together.”
- Having landed on injured reserve, tight end Martellus Bennett‘s time with the Bears could be up, ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson writes. Dickerson believes the Bears should try to trade Bennett, who has one year left on his contract and is looking for a more lucrative one – which the team is unwilling to give him. In the event they’re unable to find a taker, the Bears could release Bennett and save over $5MM on their cap in 2016.
NFC Notes: Ryan, Lynch, Giants, Quarless
The Falcons started the season 5-0 and looked like a surefire playoff team, but they’ve lost five of their last six games to drop to 6-5. Their postseason hopes are now in serious jeopardy, and one reason for their skid is the lackluster play of quarterback Matt Ryan. During their four-game losing streak, the Falcons have averaged fewer than 17 points per game and Ryan has thrown just seven touchdowns against six interceptions. Two of those picks came in a crucial 20-10 loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Afterward, owner Arthur Blank and head coach Dan Quinn expressed confidence in Ryan, a three-time Pro Bowler who has been the Falcons’ QB since they drafted him third overall in 2008.
“He’s demonstrated his abilities over eight years. He’ll be fine. He’ll be good,” Blank said, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Added Quinn, who said he isn’t thinking about benching Ryan or anyone else, “He’s absolutely the competitor that I want. He’s what we look for and our team looks for the whole way.”
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Whether he retires or the Seahawks simply decide to move on from him, there’s a good chance Marshawn Lynch is in his final year in Seattle, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. Lynch underwent groin surgery earlier this week and it’s possible he’ll end up on season-ending IR in a month if the team decides he’s not ready to return. Regardless, from an on-field standpoint, the five-time Pro Bowler has become less essential to the Seahawks’ offense with the emergence of rookie Thomas Rawls. From a business standpoint, cutting Lynch would save Seattle $6.5MM on its cap in 2016 and $10.5MM in ’17.
- Don’t expect Giants general manager Jerry Reese to be a fall guy if they miss the playoffs, tweets ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
- The Packers – who are in desperate need of weapons in their passing game – are close to getting injured tight end Andrew Quarless back, per . Quarless has been on the shelf since tearing his ACL in Week 3, and head coach Mike McCarthy said he could practice in the coming week. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be active for Green Bay’s game against Detroit on Thursday, however.
Falcons Owner on Quinn, Front Office, Ryan
The Falcons had a busy offseason, replacing head coach Mike Smith (the winningest coach in franchise history) with Dan Quinn, the former Seahawks defensive coordinator.
On the field, the team will be hoping that the additions of Brooks Reed and Justin Durant can elevate the defense. On offense, they’ll be eyeing a new group of running backs, as the organization moved on from veterans Steven Jackson and Jacquizz Rodgers.
Regardless, it was a very busy offseason in Atlanta. Owner Arthur Blank discussed his team’s moves with D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and we’ve compiled some of the notable quotes below…
On the Falcons 2015 offseason:
Well, I think it’s been a great offseason. I think we started with hiring (of Quinn) who I think is going to be an outstanding coach for us. I love what Dan has brought to the team in terms of leadership and energy and positive thinking. I couldn’t be happier with the coach and the coaching staff.
I couldn’t be happier as I look at the changes. It’s not easy in this league to make changes, both defensively and offensively in the same year. I think you’ve seen a little more success of one side of the ball than the other, not quite the (same) consistency. But I’m very happy with where we are.
NFC Notes: Barkley, Mays, Seahawks, Falcons
A look at the latest from the NFC:
- Eagles quarterback Matt Barkley is available “for the right deal,” a source told ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini (Twitter link). Barkley, a fourth-round pick out of USC in 2013, could be the odd man out in Philly with Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow also on the team’s QB depth chart.
- The Seahawks may have a hole at safety with Kam Chancellor holding out, but don’t expect them to sign free agent Taylor Mays, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweeted. Mays, whom Detroit officially released earlier today, played for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll while the two were at USC. Mays’ successful college career hasn’t translated to the pros, though, as he’s already been a member of four organizations since San Francisco chose him in the second round of the 2010 draft.
- Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has started 87 straight games, the fifth-longest streak among NFL passers, and that’s especially fortunate for Atlanta, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Falcons might have the worst No. 2 QB in the league in T.J. Yates, per Cunningham, who bolsters his opinion with some help from PredictionMachine.com. According to the website, the Falcons’ playoff chances would decrease by a league-high 85.3 percent if they played with Yates instead of Ryan for a full 16-game season.
- Vikings receivers coach George Stewart offered effusive praise for veteran wideout Mike Wallace, whom the team acquired from Miami during the offseason. Wallace is the fastest receiver Stewart has coached during his 27-year career, he told Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Stewart also expressed excitement over the impact Wallace will make as a blocker. “Excellent toughness,” Stewart said. “He’s not afraid of contact. He’s going to block (cornerbacks) corners, he’s going to block safeties. You have some receivers who are kind of shy when it comes down to that moment of truth hitting the defensive back. He’s not shy.
NFC Notes: Romo, Murray, Ryan
When DeMarco Murray was hoping that the Cowboys would sign him to a long-term deal earlier this month, the Pro Bowl running back made a bold request to his quarterback, as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes. “DeMarco ended up asking me, ‘Why don’t you take a pay cut?’ I said, ‘I will. I would take a pay cut to go do this,'” Tony Romo told 105.3 The Fan. “I was like, ‘They’re going to restructure me.’ That’s the same thing in some ways, just for the salary cap purposes. He was like, ‘OK, now we’re back to being friends, again.’ I would take $5MM less if meant getting him back.” More from the NFC..
- As part of his contract with the Falcons, quarterback Matt Ryan is scheduled to receive a $12MM deferred payment today, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. The payment won’t have an impact on Ryan’s 2015 cap number, which remains at $19.5MM.
- Now in charge of the team’s personnel decisions, Eagles coach Chip Kelly has shown a predilection for going after injured players. Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com looked at the injured veterans that Kelly has picked up and their current status heading into April.
- As the weeks tick down, the Vikings‘ draft possibilities remain wide open, Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press writes. Currently, the consensus appears to be that Minnesota will select Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes with the No. 11 pick, but of course, nothing is certain and much will depend on how the first 10 picks unfold.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Davis, Graham, 49ers, Redskins
Vernon Davis seems to be keeping a close eye on the outcome of Jimmy Graham’s positional designation hearing, but the Graham decision shouldn’t have a real impact on the 49ers’ contract talks with their tight end, says Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. As Maiocco points out, Graham has a much stronger case to be considered a wide receiver, since he lined up in the slot or split out wide on two-thirds of his snaps, while Davis did so on only about 30% of his snaps.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- With no decision on Graham yet from arbitrator Stephen Burbank, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if the process may extend beyond July 15, the deadline for Graham and the Saints to reach a multiyear agreement. Even if Burbank’s ruling comes this week, it won’t be final until the losing side has the chance to appeal the decision. If New Orleans doesn’t sign Graham to a long-term deal by July 15, the star pass-catcher can only ink a one-year contract for 2014.
- The 49ers‘ draft was almost universally lauded, and Bill Williamson of ESPN.com looks at what San Francisco hopes each pick will contribute in 2014. Second-rounder Carlos Hyde was thought to be a “steal” at pick No. 57, and is expected to receive opportunities at running back right away. Third-round center Marcus Martin has a chance to win the starting job, and fourth-round linebacker Chris Borland could earn playing time in the absence of the injured NaVorro Bowman.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap provides his take on the Redskins‘ best and worst contracts, identifying one of this year’s free agent signees – Jason Hatcher – as the player with the least team-friendly deal.
- Jason Avant is expected to provide a veteran presence among the Panthers’ young receiving corps, but leadership alone wasn’t enough to keep him with the Eagles, where the 31-year-old quickly realized he wasn’t a fit in Chip Kelly’s scheme. “When they stop calling your number and guys start running some of the routes that you run,” Avant told Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer, “I knew from the beginning that I didn’t fit his style of offense, in that I’m a crafty guy that gets open in an atypical way.”
- In the view of Falcons head coach Mike Smith, a player’s salary should be “nobody’s business,” but quarterback Matt Ryan says he isn’t feeling increased pressure now that he’s on a $100MM+ deal, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.