Russell Wilson - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: Wilson, Gore, Vikes, Gholston

February 17th, 2015 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Former agent Joel Corry tells Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times that he can envision the Seahawks and Russell Wilson‘s camp coming to a creative compromise on a contract extension. A good halfway point for the two sides could be a deal that comes in at significantly less money than a top quarterback would receive, but with that money fully guaranteed. Corry throws out the idea of a possible five-year contract that would guarantee Wilson something like $75-$80MM.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Frank Gore doesn’t appear likely to re-sign with the 49ers this offseason, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link), who identifies the Colts, the Dolphins, and Washington as probable suitors for the veteran running back. Based on the conversations Miller has had with executives around the league, he names Indianapolis as the most likely landing spot for Gore.
The Vikings will meet with agent Hadley Engelhard in Indianapolis this week, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (via Twitter). Engelhard represents current Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn as well as free agent wideout Mike Williams.
Former sixth overall pick Vernon Gholston hasn’t appeared in a regular season NFL game since 2010, but the ex-Jets edge defender announced today on Twitter that he has a tryout with Washington on tap.
Pass rushers will likely be atop the Falcons‘ list of priorities this winter, prompting Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com to explore just how much the team should be willing to invest in the position.
After tackling the AFC last week, former agent Joel Corry focuses on one pressing offseason issue for each of the 16 NFC teams in a piece for CBSSports.com. The topics addressed by Corry include Larry Fitzgerald‘s future in Arizona, Jerry Jones‘ willingness to keep spending on the Cowboys, and the moves the Saints will make to get under the cap.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Seahawks GM Talks Lynch, Wilson, Future

February 10th, 2015 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Seahawks general manager John Schneider appeared on The Brock and Salk Show on 710 ESPN Seattle today, and while the GM was careful not to reveal much, he did discuss his two offensive stars in the interview, hinting at what their futures may entail. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times rounded up a few of Schneider’s key quotes, so let’s check out the highlights:

The Seahawks still aren’t sure whether or not Marshawn Lynch wants to play next season, according to Schneider. The team hopes he’ll make a decision soon, so that the front office can move forward on offseason plans, but the GM admitted that he knows Lynch’s decision “may not happen overnight.”
If Lynch does return, he almost certainly won’t be playing on the same contract, says Schneider, which makes sense, given recent reports about possible extension talks between the Seahawks and the veteran running back. Seattle was reluctant to make any changes to Lynch’s contract last summer when he was holding out, but is more inclined to rework it now that there’s just one year left instead of two.
Asked about a contract extension for quarterback Russell Wilson, Schneider declined to comment on specifics, but said, “Russell knows there are certain dominoes that have to fall into place…. He knows. He gets it. He wants to win for a long time.” While that’s a little cryptic, it’s a hint that Wilson is willing to structure his new deal in a way that doesn’t hamper the team’s cap flexibility. We had previously heard that negotiations on an extension for Wilson were expected to begin right after the Super Bowl, and that a new contract could make him the highest-paid QB in the NFL. Schneider confirmed that he has already started talking to the young signal-caller’s agent.
Despite losing this year’s Super Bowl, the Seahawks “have a shot to be a championship-caliber team for a long time,” in Schneider’s view. “I just have the confidence in the coaching staff and everybody that we have upstairs that we are going to get this thing back on track,” he said.

West Notes: Parker, Chiefs, Wilson

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Chiefs defensive back Ron Parker, who had a breakout season in which he contributed at both safety and cornerback, looks poised to hit the open market, and is expected to be seeking a four- or five-year deal worth $6MM annually, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Though he only had one interception, Parker kept receivers from burning the Chiefs deep. All in all, KC went from the 25th ranked pass defense in 2013 to the second best in 2014. More from the AFC and NFC West..

Meanwhile, Paylor (on Twitter) says that he can’t see Rodney Hudson getting less than $5MM per year. The Chiefs center, ranked third at his position last year by Pro Football Focus (subscription required), could be headed for upwards of $7MM per year.
So much for playing hard-to-get. On Tuesday, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson reiterated his desire to stay in Seattle for the remainder of his career, as Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. “To be honest with you, I haven’t really thought anything about it. You know, I obviously want to play in Seattle forever. That’s my goal, and I want to be with this organization. I love this organization. I love this city. I love these fans, and I love winning here,” Wilson said. Wilson was also asked about the idea of being the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, but he doesn’t “worry” about having that mantle.
Dick LeBeau turned down an offer to become the associate head coach of the Cardinals because it was too far from his home in Cincinnati, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter). The Titans, meanwhile, are only a four-hour car ride away in Nashville.

Sunday Roundup: Wilson, Manning, AFC North

February 1st, 2015 at 12:40pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some notes from around the league on this Super Bowl Sunday:

According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, negotiations on a long-term extension for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will begin “as soon as the Super Bowl ends.” As we have been hearing, Wilson is expected to become the highest-paid player in NFL history, with Aaron Rodgers‘ $22MM average annual salary serving as the starting point for negotiations with Wilson. Rapoport adds that everything Seattle has done this year, including its dealings with Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril, and K.J. Wright, was done with a Wilson deal in mind (Twitter link to NFL Media PR).
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is expected to play in 2015, and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen writes that official confirmation could come from Manning this week.
Falcons star receiver Julio Jones is under contract through 2015, but an extension for Jones will be put on hold until incoming head coach Dan Quinn has had time to fully assess the roster, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Those sentiments come from team owner Arthur Blank, which suggests that Quinn will have a great deal of input into roster decisions and creates more questions about the role of GM Thomas Dimitroff.
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines the state of the Steelers‘ secondary, which looks to be a major area of concern heading into the offseason.
Ravens running back Justin Forsett spoke with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk about a number of topics, including his impending free agency. The tailback made it known once again that he’d like to stay in purple and black. “I would like to stay in Baltimore, but it is a business and I’m looking for a commitment. However that comes, I just want to be able to take care of my family,” the veteran said. Florio also asked Forsett about the possibility of following former Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak to Denver. Forsett was complimentary of Kubiak but downplayed the likelihood of a reunion, noting that the Broncos have multiple tailbacks under contract, including C.J. Anderson. However, as Florio rightly noted, none of the Denver backs amassed 1,266 yards on the ground in 2014 like Forsett did.
There is a mechanism in the collective bargaining agreement by which the Browns could seek to recover a pro-rated portion of Gordon’s signing bonus because of games missed due to suspensions, as Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes. That pro-rated portion for 2015 is just over $564K, however, so it’s not clear if Cleveland will pursue that process.

Zach Links contributed to this post

East Notes: Dolphins, Maclin, Eli, Blount

January 30th, 2015 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Seahawks selected Russell Wilson 75th overall in the 2012 NFL draft, meaning every team had a shot at him, and can play the “what if?” game. However, as Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN.com details, the Dolphins in particular can look back at what might have been. According to Merrill, current Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, who was interviewing for the Dolphins’ head coaching job at that point, pushed the idea of drafting Wilson – Bielema’s QB at Wisconsin at the time – in the second round. That didn’t go over well with team management, including then-GM Jeff Ireland, and Miami ultimately ended up hiring Joe Philbin and drafting Ryan Tannehill eighth overall.

As we contemplate how the last three NFL seasons might have changed if the Dolphins had opted for Bielema and Wilson, let’s check in on a few more items from out of the AFC East….

Addressing his contract situation today, wideout Jeremy Maclin confirmed that negotiations between his representation and the Eagles are ongoing, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Maclin still expects to return to Philadelphia, though he acknowledged that nothing’s imminent yet. According to McLane, the veteran receiver will likely be seeking a five-year contract worth $10MM+ per year, which could make the franchise tag a viable option for the Eagles.
Speaking of that tag, in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Adam Caplan identifies Maclin as one of the league’s top five candidates to be franchised.
While his older brother made the move from the Colts to the Broncos late in his playing career, Eli Manning is less likely to leave the Giants and play elsewhere, in the view of father Archie Manning. As Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes, the elder Manning thinks Eli would rather simply retire than play for a team besides the Giants.
Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount had faced marijuana possession charges earlier in the season, but those charges have been dropped after Blount completed 50 hours of community service, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

NFC West Notes: Dwyer, Seahawks, 49ers

January 29th, 2015 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

After pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been sentenced to 18 months of probation and community service, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Dwyer had been charged back in September after an alleged domestic violence incident, prompting the Cards to place him on their reserve/non-football illness list, citing concerns about his mental health. Although his legal case has concluded, Dwyer’s NFL future remains murky, as he could face a suspension, and isn’t under contract for the 2015 season.

Here’s more from around the NFC West:

Former NFL player agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes an in-depth look at what a new contract for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson would look like, concluding from his data that an extension averaging around $24MM per year with about $65MM in guarantees would make sense. Corry’s whole piece is definitely worth reading for a thorough explanation of how he arrived at those figures.
Seahawks GM John Schneider indicated earlier this week that he hopes to retain cornerback Byron Maxwell for 2015 and beyond, but Maxwell said today that he intends to “look at every option for me and my family,” per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (via Twitter). One potential suitor for Maxwell could be the Saints — Mike Triplett of ESPN.com identifies the cornerback as a player worth watching for New Orleans.
According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the 49ers players he has spoken to aren’t impressed with the team’s hiring of Geep Chryst as offensive coordinator, viewing the move as a byproduct of management’s desire to pinch pennies.
Speaking of 49ers management, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com spoke to general manager Trent Baalke about the team’s “three-year plan” when it comes to managing the roster and the salary cap.
David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an update on the next step in the city of St. Louis’ efforts to build a new downtown NFL stadium for the Rams.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Wilson, 49ers

January 28th, 2015 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

One of the most memorable moments of the Seahawks‘ Super Bowl win over Denver a year ago was Percy Harvin‘s kickoff return touchdown to open the second half, which essentially put the nail in the coffin of the Broncos’ comeback hopes. Having been sent to the Jets midway through the 2014 season, Harvin won’t be involved in this year’s Super Bowl, but Seattle has no regrets about moving him, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes.

Here’s more on the Seahawks and one of their NFC West rivals:

Asked about a potentially massive contract extension for quarterback Russell Wilson, Seahawks general manager John Schneider didn’t get into specifics, but acknowledged that such a deal “presents challenges” and could limit the club’s options in free agency. Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle has the details and the quotes from the GM.
With Marshawn Lynch heading into a contract year in 2015, former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com examines the Seahawks‘ options for the veteran running back, suggesting that a short-term contract extension may be the best course of action for the team.
Although the 49ers are interested in adding Eagles wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell to their coaching staff, potentially as the club’s offensive coordinator, to this point Philadelphia has prevented Bicknell from interviewing, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
In his preview of the 49ers‘ offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap identifies Frank Gore, Chris Culliver, and Perrish Cox as free agents that the club should make an effort to re-sign, adding that Mike Iupati and Michael Crabtree are candidates to sign elsewhere.

Seahawks GM Talks Wilson, Maxwell, Lynch

January 23rd, 2015 at 7:10pm CST by Rob DiRe

Seahawks general manager John Schneider addressed reporters in a press conference today, and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times transcribed some of the GM’s more notable comments. Here are the highlights from the presser:

On a potential contract extension for Russell Wilson:

We don’t have a timetable. At the appropriate time we are able to speak to his representatives and we’ll do that. We are not in a situation where we can yet.

On being better prepared for a late start to free agency after going to a second Super Bowl:

I’m just saying we’re more prepared for what other people would think about our free agents or how we feel about other people’s free agents. Last year by the time we got to the combine it was just s whirlwind and you’re meeting with agents down there and other teams and so I just feel like we could do a better job this year.

On the potential free agency of Byron Maxwell:

Yeah, it is. That quite frankly is one of our first priorities is to talk to Maxie. Now I think he like a lot of our other unrestricted guys, I think he is going to be highly sought after and he should be. But we would at least like to have the opportunity to retain him.

On Marshawn Lynch‘s status going forward:

He’s under contract next year. He’s a warrior. Goes out there every weekend and lays it on the line. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better running back in the National Football League.

On if he is tired of Lynch’s “act”:

No. I kind of love his act.

Schneider also spoke on the Percy Harvin trades, both from the Vikings and to the Jets, discusses what it meant to go to another Super Bowl, and reflects on the success he has achieved during his time with the team. It can all be found in Condotta’s write-up.

Extra Points: Luck, Wilson, Ireland, Chudzinski

January 21st, 2015 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

With Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson now eligible for extensions, there’s speculation that new high watermarks could be set for quarterback salaries and guarantees, but there’s also “major concern” among rival agents about negotiations for the two star signal-callers, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). As Cole explains, both players are represented by fairly inexperienced agents — Wilson is repped by Mark Rodgers, primarily a baseball agent, while Luck’s uncle William Wilson reps the Indianapolis star.

These two deals are expected to have a significant trickle-down effect on future contracts for players at every position, not just for other quarterbacks. Wilson and Luck already have such impressive resumés that they should be in line for guarantees in excess of $50MM+ on their next contracts, rather than anything close to the limited guaranteed money that players like Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton accepted in their recent extensions, so fellow agents are hoping that neither Luck’s camp nor Wilson’s camp settles for a modest deal, lowering the bar for future extensions.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

After Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reported overnight (via Twitter) that former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland was expected to become the Saints’ college scouting director, general Mickey Loomis confirmed today to reporters that Ireland had indeed been hired to oversee the team’s college scouting process (Twitter links).
Having reported earlier that the Colts were denying Rob Chudzinski permission to speak to teams about offensive coordinator jobs, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch adds an important piece of clarification (via Twitter): Chudzinski’s contract is set to expire in a week, at which point he’s free to interview anywhere, meaning he could still be in play for a team like the Bears, 49ers, or Rams.
In addition to having their attempt to talk to Chudzinski rebuffed, the 49ers were denied permission to speak to Bengals secondary coach Vance Joseph about their defensive coordinator opening, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Cincinnati also blocked the Broncos’ efforts to pursue Joseph for a DC job.
According to Jason Fitzgerald’s projections at Over the Cap, the Patriots, Chiefs, and Bengals appear likely to land third-round compensatory picks in this year’s draft for losing Aqib Talib, Branden Albert, and Michael Johnson – respectively – in free agency a year ago. Fitzgerald also forecasts rookie pool amounts by team for 2015, with the Buccaneers’ rookie cap projected to exceed $8MM.
While the Rams are often said to be “only” a quarterback away from contention, finding that QB isn’t exactly an easy task, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Wagoner passes along a number of quotes from Rams general manager Les Snead about the team’s quest to identify a long-term answer at the position.
Former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes a look at the upcoming offseasons for the league’s championship weekend losers, the Packers and Colts.

Fallout From Potential Russell Wilson Extension

January 18th, 2015 at 9:32pm CST by Rob DiRe

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was terrible for most of today’s NFC Championship Game, but delivered when the team needed it most. Now, regardless of what happens two weeks from today, Wilson will have brought his team to back-to-back Super Bowls while winning at least one and establishing himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

After accomplishing all that in only his first three seasons, Wilson is eligible for a hefty pay raise on his next contract extension. Wilson changed agents last month in anticipation of these negotiations, and the Seahawks could offer their superstar quarterback a contract that makes him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, surpassing the $22MM yearly average of the quarterback he beat today in Aaron Rodgers.

Wilson is currently slated to make less than $800K in base salary for 2015, according to OverTheCap.com. While it is customary for the most recent top quarterback contract to set a new benchmark in terms of his contract, Wilson is competing with fellow signal-caller Andrew Luck. The Colts are preparing a huge contract for their own star quarterback, possibly with an even higher annual salary than Wilson.

Still, the Seahawks are prepared to make the sacrifices elsewhere on the roster in order to afford Wilson, and will likely let a number of free agents walk this offseason, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith could be an easy one to let go, as he is getting work as a fourth linebacker on the team, according to Joel Corry of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Corry also notes that with the Seahawks already committed to Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, and Kam Chancellor, they would probably have to let Byron Maxwell leave in free agency as well.