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Russell Wilson

NFC Notes: Wilson, Rams, Bears, Draft

April 11th, 2015 at 7:48pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Seahawks are preparing to give Russell Wilson a contract extension that will make him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL. However, Wilson hasn’t yet given up the dream of someday playing professional baseball, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

Wilson told Bryant Gumbel of HBO Real Sports that he hasn’t closed the door on his baseball career just yet, and holds out hope of being a two-sport athlete like Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson. Of course, if Wilson receives a yearly salary topping the $22MM that Aaron Rodgers negotiated on his last contract, Condotta believes the Seattle signal-caller can kiss his baseball career goodbye.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • The Rams are not expected to have a chance to draft a quarterback at No.10, but the team will have both of the draft’s top passers in for a visit just in case, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). They will send a member of their front office to both Florida State and Oregon to meet with the prospects. Jameis Winston is projected to be off the board first overall, but some could see Marcus Mariota slipping past the Titans and Jets and possibly being available for St. Louis.
  • While the Rams are trying to find a way to stay in St. Louis, the city is fighting a lawsuit that could jeopardize the team’s future in Missouri, should St. Louis win, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The suit aims to avoid a public vote on using taxpayer money to help finance a new stadium for the Rams. If the city loses its battle against the lawsuit, it could actually help the team stay in St. Louis. “We’re going to defend the ordinance,” said Jeff Rainford, who is in charge of the city’s effort to build a new stadium. “It’s not going to be a pretend defense. The city will defend the ordinance, and we’ll live with the result.”
  • The Bears have a new coach and are looking to bounce back after a dismal season that sees them picking seventh in the NFL draft. While many have connected them to wide receivers with that selection, former coach and player Mike Ditka believes the best way to turn the team around would be to add some talent on the defensive side of the ball, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter).
  • In preparation for the 2015 NFL draft, the staff at CSNChicago.com is preparing draft profiles of a number prospects that could interest the Bears’ front office. Last night they took a look at defensive tackle Carl Davis of Iowa and safety Jermaine Whiteside of Auburn. Today they followed up with Miami offensive tackle Ereck Flowers and Towson defensive end Ryan Delaire.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Barnes, Cardinals

April 3rd, 2015 at 8:45pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Seahawks are still working on a long-term deal with franchise quarterback Russell Wilson, and Danny O’Neil of 710 ESPN Seattle looks at a number of scenarios that could play out during negotiations. He notes that while a fully guaranteed deal is unlikely, and Wilson will not be able to keep open the option of playing baseball, there is a comparison to be made with the deal Tom Brady signed in 2005.

  • The Seahawks are without a first-round pick, but have ten selections between No. 63 and No. 248, and they need to add to their receiving corps, and both of their lines, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
  • Among the possible draft prospects the Seahawks are looking into are the players from the nearby University of Washington, writes Terry Blount of ESPN. The school is expected to have four players taken in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, including Hau’Oli Kikaha, who could be available for the Seahawks at the end of the second round.
  • Tim Barnes‘ new one-year deal with the Rams, worth a maximum of $1MM, has a modest $660K base, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). Barnes, 27 in May, has spent his entire four-year career with St. Louis.
  • Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic ran down the Cardinals‘ biggest offseason developments. Among the team’s top storylines, of course, was the new deal for wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the departure of Todd Bowles. Unlike Fitzgerald, however, long time Cardinals veterans Darnell Dockett and center Lyle Sendlein were shown the door with one year remaining on their deals.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Wilson Won’t Get Fully Guaranteed Deal

March 31st, 2015 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Ever since general manager John Schneider alluded to the Seahawks exploring outside-the-box methods for getting Russell Wilson locked up to a new contract extension, one popular theory, explored by cap experts like Joel Corry and Jason Fitzgerald, involves the quarterback landing a fully guaranteed contract. The thinking is that Seattle could save a few million dollars per year on its cap if Wilson were to accept a slightly reduced annual salary in return for having his salary fully guaranteed.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, however, that won’t be the case. Citing Seahawks sources, Rapoport says Wilson’s next long-term contract will include high, but not full, guarantees. The NFL.com insider also added that the team hopes to get something done with its franchise quarterback prior to the start of training camp.

The news doesn’t come as a real surprise, since it was hard to imagine Wilson accepting a salary discounted enough to motivate the Seahawks to fully guarantee the deal. While a full guarantee would be appealing to the significant number of NFL players who typically have little to no chance of playing out their entire contracts, something would have to go catastrophically wrong for the 26-year-old Wilson not to play out his next deal in Seattle. So if he’s looking to maximize his earnings, it makes more sense to pursue a higher per-year salary rather than a higher guarantee.

Although there’s a chance Wilson plays out the 2015 season without a new agreement in place, he’s more likely to sign an extension this year than fellow 2012 draftee Andrew Luck. Because Luck was a first-round pick, the Colts hold a fifth-year option for 2016 on their quarterback, while the Seahawks don’t have the same luxury with Wilson, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency in ’16. Seattle could still use the franchise tag next winter, but presumably the club would rather not let the situation reach that point.

According to Rapoport, the Seahawks will also try to work out a multiyear extension with linebacker Bobby Wagner before the 2015 season gets underway, but locking up Wilson is the team’s priority. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback is expected to become one of the league’s highest-paid players.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Rams, Cards

March 25th, 2015 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, Rams coach Jeff Fisher, and Cardinals coach Bruce Arians all offered up a few notable comments today during their morning session with reporters in Phoenix at the owners’ meetings. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights from the breakfast discussions, starting with the reigning NFC champs….

Pete Carroll
(Twitter links via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times and ESPN.com’s Terry Blount)

  • Carroll reiterated what GM John Schneider said earlier this week, indicating that defensive end Michael Bennett has never said anything to him about wanting to be traded or wanting a new contract.
  • Carroll is optimistic about a number of the team’s free agents returning to the fold, indicating the club plans to re-sign center Stephen Schilling and defensive lineman Demarcus Dobbs. The head coach is also confident that the Seahawks will work something out with backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who remains on the market. Jackson visited the Dolphins, but Miami ultimately brought back QB Matt Moore.
  • Caroll suggested that the Seahawks and Russell Wilson‘s camp have had “great talks” about a new contract for the young signal-caller. “It’s a long process with extraordinary ramifications,” according to Caroll, but he’s hopeful that the two sides can work something out.

Jeff Fisher
(Twitter links via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, and Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com)

  • According to Fisher, trade discussions with the Browns involving quarterback Sam Bradford happened on the weekend of March 7, before free agency opened. The Rams eventually announced their deal with the Eagles on Tuesday, March 10.
  • The Browns’ offer for Bradford featured the No. 19 overall pick and never the No. 12 pick. However, Fisher said today that it wouldn’t have made a difference if Cleveland offered the higher first-rounder, since St. Louis still wouldn’t have gotten a QB back in the deal — the Eagles’ willingness to part with Nick Foles gave the Rams a Bradford replacement.
  • The Rams remain active in their search for offensive linemen, with talks expected to pick up again following this week’s league meetings. Joe Barksdale, who played right tackle for the team last year, is still an option, and the Rams are in talks with him. According to Fisher, Barksdale’s initial asking price was a little surprising, but it’s in a more reasonable range now, and “it makes sense to get Joe back.”
  • The Rams have added Jeff Imamura to their staff as a defensive assistant, according to Fisher. Imamura previously worked for the Vikings.

Bruce Arians
(Twitter links via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com)

  • The Cardinals cut center Lyle Sendlein earlier in the offseason, but would like to get him back on the roster at a reduced cap number.
  • Running back figures to be a spot the Cards will address in the draft, perhaps in the fourth or fifth round. The team is looking for a player with both size and speed.
  • The Cards also figure to look at cornerbacks in the draft. Arians said today that he wants to add a young, speedy corner, but doesn’t see a need to add a veteran to the roster.
  • Veteran linebacker Larry Foote is currently a member of the Cardinals’ coaching staff, but may still decide to play for the team in 2015. Arians is hopeful that Foote, who is recovering from knee surgery, will make that decision in time for training camp.

La Canfora’s Latest: Wilson, Peterson, Titans

March 23rd, 2015 at 4:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has been busy today at the NFL’s March meetings in Arizona, publishing three pieces — one on Russell Wilson‘s contract, one on the Titans‘ ownership situation, and one that addresses a few other items of note from around the league. Here are a few highlights from all three of La Canfora’s Monday articles:

  • La Canfora continues to hear that no new deal is imminent for Wilson and the Seahawks, and while both sides would like to get something done, there’s no sense that real progress has been made. The two sides figure to keep negotiating throughout the spring and the summer, but Wilson is prepared to play the 2015 season without an extension in place if need be, knowing that even without a new contract, he’d likely be in line for $20MM+ if Seattle franchises him next winter.
  • Adrian Peterson doesn’t want to play for the Vikings, but there may not be much trade interest in him at his current salary, and Minnesota doesn’t appear willing to cut him either. That may end up essentially creating a game of chicken between the star running back and the team — the Vikes could probably find a trade partner if Peterson were open to significantly reworking his deal, but it’s not clear how much he’d be willing to sacrifice to get out of Minnesota. La Canfora believes the Cowboys, Cardinals, and Washington would have interest at the right price, but that price likely isn’t $45MM over three years.
  • Some team executives around the NFL are growing frustrated with the league for dragging out investigations into the Patriots (Deflategate), Browns (Textgate), and Falcons (Noisegate), questioning why there’s still no resolution on any of those issues.
  • “Lot of people like [Marcus] Mariota a lot more than what you are seeing in the media,” said a high-ranking official for one NFL team. La Canfora believes Mariota will be the second overall pick, or at least a top-five selection.
  • Currently, veteran free agents signed after June 1 don’t factor into the following year’s compensatory picks. According to La Canfora, the league may change that date to May 1 to help benefit players (who could find a home a few weeks earlier) and teams (who could get those players to their facilities sooner).
  • Rumblings about a potential Titans sale have only increased since Tommy Smith left the franchise. La Canfora writes that billionaire Dave Tepper, who currently owns 5% of the Steelers, is considered by some league insiders as the favorite to land the Titans. However, the CBSSports.com scribe warns not to count out current Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who is a Tennessee native and would love to own the Titans. While a “swap” of franchises between owners is unlikely, it’s worth keeping an eye on Haslam just in case, says La Canfora.

Seahawks, Russell Wilson Nearing New Deal?

March 21st, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Ben Levine

9:12pm: Contrary to Blount’s earlier report, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that an agreement on a new contract is not imminent between the Seahawks and Wilson.

9:10am: After months of speculation, it’s sounding like the Seahawks and quarterback Russell Wilson are approaching a new deal. According to ESPN.com’s Terry Blount (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com), the two sides are “very close” to agreeing on a new contract.

“From what I’ve been told they’re very close, they’re just trying to make sure every single thing is in place before they go forward with this,” Blount said while appearing on 710 ESPN Radio in Seattle. “I think it’s going to be bigger and crazier and different from what any contract has ever been.”

We heard in January that Wilson was expected to become one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. This would be a significant raise, as Wilson is set to make less than $800K in 2015. For comparison, Aaron Rodgers, the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, makes an average of $22MM a season.

Of course, there’s no denying that Wilson would be worth a lucrative extension. The 26-year-old has already made two Super Bowl appearances since entering the league in 2012, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down. Wilson finished 2014 with 3,475 yards passing, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The speedster also ran for 849 yards on 118 carries, collecting six additional touchdowns. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Wilson 11th among 39 quarterback candidates, and the website particularly valued his running skills, as he earned the distinction of being the top rushing quarterback.

The Seahawks have been particularly busy this offseason. The team extended Marshawn Lynch, handing the running back a new two-year, $24MM contract. The team also acquired tight end Jimmy Graham, who is less than a year removed from signing a four-year, $40MM extension.

Extra Points: Suh, Wilson, Revis

March 11th, 2015 at 3:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross says he’s confident that the Dolphins did not break any rules in the lead up to the Ndamukong Suh signing, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. The Dolphins appear to have struck an agreement with the defensive tackle during the “legal tampering” period, but the league specifically asked that handshake deals not go down during that time. Of course, other teams certainly exchanged figures prior to Tuesday, but Suh was one of the most prominent free agents available. More from around the NFL..

  • Seahawks GM John Schneider said the team has met with the agents for Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, though the reps for each player know Seahawks have other things to do, as well, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (Twitter links).
  • A year ago, the Raiders were willing to assume all of Darrelle Revis‘ existing contract with the Buccaneers but the cornerback’s camp convinced the team that he wouldn’t report, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
  • The Patriots dropped out of negotiations with Revis upon hearing he was seeking $16MM per year and $40MM guaranteed, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets.
  • The Chargers offered Andre Johnson more money than he got from the Colts, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network tweets. It’s not known how much San Diego offered, but the Colts got Johnson for $21MM over three years.
  • Tom Benson, principal owner of the Saints and the NBA’s Pelicans, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday to remove all stock in the sports franchises from the trust funds that he set up for his daughter and grandchildren, Andy Grimm of The Times-Picayune writes.

West Rumors: Fitz, Raiders, Parker, Wilson

February 20th, 2015 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

While we learned the basic details of Larry Fitzgerald‘s new contract with the Cardinals earlier this week, we didn’t have the specific figures until today, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com breaks down the deal in a series of five tweets. Fitzgerald will receive a $10MM bonus on the second day of the 2015 league year, and has fully guaranteed $1MM and $11MM base salaries for 2015 and 2016, respectively. That $10MM bonus will be considered a signing bonus, meaning it’s prorated over the course of the deal, which extends through 2018, though it’s scheduled to void five days after the 2017 Super Bowl. The contract, which includes a no-trade clause, reduces Fitzgerald’s 2015 cap hit to $10.85M, creating $12.75M in immediate cap room for the Cards.

Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFL’s two West divisions….

  • Although Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie has publicly stated that the team won’t rule out keeping Matt Schaub in 2015, league sources tell Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that Oakland won’t bring back its high-priced backup. According to Tafur, safety Tyvon Branch and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley could also be on the chopping block, and running back Maurice Jones-Drew would likely have to take a pay cut to return to Oakland.
  • The Chiefs are engaged in ongoing discussions with the agent for free agent defensive back Ron Parker, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star, who tweets that Parker’s asking price is still about $6MM per year. Paylor reported earlier in the month that Parker would be seeking a $6MM annual salary on a four- or five-year deal.
  • Cap experts like Joel Corry and Jason Fitzgerald have recently speculated that when Russell Wilson signs an extension with the Seahawks, he could become the first quarterback to receive a fully guaranteed contract. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), that possibility is “very real,” and it’ll be fascinating to see how it plays out.
  • In his examation of the free agent market for tight ends, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap explains why Broncos TE Julius Thomas may be overvalued next month.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Rams, 49ers

February 19th, 2015 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

While it’s being viewed as something of an inevitability that the Seahawks will work out an extension with Russell Wilson as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com isn’t so sure it’s a lock. La Canfora thinks it’s possible that Wilson chooses to gamble on himself, playing out the final year of his deal before signing a massive extension next winter.

Sources tell the CBSSports.com scribe that there hasn’t been a ton of progress made so far on any extensions for notable QBs, including Wilson, Andrew Luck, and Cam Newton. That will likely change, and if Wilson does reach an agreement with the Seahawks this offseason, expect to be a “mega-deal” and not anything similar to the more modest arrangements agreed upon by guys like Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick.

Here’s more from around the NFC West:

  • Seahawks general manager John Schneider confirmed today that his team won’t be using its franchise tag prior to the March 2 deadline, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. That doesn’t come as a surprise — as I wrote earlier this month, cornerback Byron Maxwell is really the only viable candidate, and the Seahawks aren’t likely to spend big on him.
  • After interviewing Jeff Garcia for the role, the Rams have opted to hire another ex-NFL quarterback as their QB coach, according to ESPN’s Derek Tyson, who tweets that former Heisman winner Chris Weinke is joining Jeff Fisher‘s staff in St. Louis.
  • Echoing comments made by GM Trent Baalke yesterday, albeit using different terminology, 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula told reporters today that he intends to “shoot the bologna” with Justin Smith soon, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. According to Tomsula, he has had a similar conversation with Smith – who may retire – at the end of the last three or four seasons.

Combine Pressers: Cards, Browns, Seahawks

February 19th, 2015 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

The media availability portion of the NFL’s 2015 scouting combine rolls on today, with press conferences for 20 head coaches and general managers on today’s schedule. Here’s a recap of the noteworthy comments made during a few of this morning’s early pressers, with all links pointed toward the Twitter accounts of reporters in attendance:

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians:

  • Asked about suspended linebacker Daryl Washington, Arians indicated that he doesn’t consider Washington a part of the team until he’s reinstated by the league. “I don’t even think about him,” the head coach said.
  • The Cardinals would like to re-sign Antonio Cromartie, but the team expects the cornerback to reach the open market, according to Arians. That wouldn’t necessarily preclude a return to Arizona, but it sounds like a reasonable bet that Cromartie will land elsewhere.
  • In Arians’ view, defensive speed is one area the Cardinals need to improve, especially at linebacker.
  • The Cardinals are happy with their current offensive tackles, but Arians acknowledged that the interior line positions could use some work — he hopes to have some competition at those spots this year.

Browns general manager Ray Farmer:

  • Before taking questions, Farmer admitted his role in the ‘Textgate’ controversy surrounding the Browns, apologizing to the organization and to fans for the incident.
  • The GM admitted that he and the Browns understood the red flags on Johnny Manziel prior to the 2014 draft, and take responsibility for selecting him in spite of those warning signs.
  • Echoing what head coach Mike Pettine said yesterday, Farmer indicated that “every option is on the table” for the Browns as they try to find a long-term solution at quarterback. That includes free agency, the draft, and even potential trades.
  • Farmer also didn’t rule out the possibility of trading up in the draft for a signal-caller, adding that he has done a cost-benefit analysis on such a move.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider:

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