NFC West Notes: Dwyer, Seahawks, 49ers
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
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
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
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
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.
2015 Proven Performance Escalator Raises
According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time in said snaps for the duration of his first three years in the league. If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s restricted free agent qualifying offer — that figure was $1.431MM last year, and will inflate commensurate with the salary cap increase. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.
Here are the players who will see their 2015 salary rise due to the PPE, courtesy of Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap.
Bengals: George Iloka, S; Mohamed Sanu, WR
Bills: Nigel Bradham, LB
Broncos: Malik Jackson, DL; Danny Trevathan, LB;
Browns: Billy Winn, DL
Cardinals: Bobby Massie, T
Chargers: Johnnie Troutman, G
Colts: Dwayne Allen, TE; T.Y. Hilton, WR
Dolphins: Lamar Miller, RB; Olivier Vernon, DE
Eagles: Brandon Boykin, CB; Nick Foles; QB
Falcons: Lamar Holmes, T
Jets: Demario Davis, LB; Antonio Allen, DB
Packers: Mike Daniels, DL
Panthers: Josh Norman, CB
Patriots: Alfonzo Dennard, CB
Raiders: Miles Burris, LB
Rams: Chris Givens, WR; Trumaine Johnson, CB
Ravens: Gino Gradkowski, C
Saints: Akiem Hicks, DT; Corey White, CB
Seahawks: J.R. Sweezy, G; Russell Wilson, QB
Steelers: Kelvin Beachum, T
Texans: Brandon Brooks, G; Jared Crick, DL; Ben Jones, G
Titans: Coty Sensabaugh, CB
Vikings: Robert Blanton, S: Rhett Ellison, TE; Josh Robinson, CB; Jarius Wright, WR
Washington: Alfred Morris, RB
Russell Wilson Expected To Become Highest-Paid QB
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been one of the best bargains in the NFL these past three seasons, but is in line for an extension this offseason. As Wilson enters a contract year, Seattle is prepared to make him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, reports Chris Wesseling of NFL.com.
On an annual basis, Aaron Rodgers‘ five-year, $110MM contract makes him the highest paid quarterback in the league, coming in at an average of $22MM per year. Wilson’s yearly salary could surpass Rodgers’, assuming he and the team work out a contract extension this offseason.
The Seahawks are not shy about paying to keep their star players, having already made Earl Thomas the highest paid safety in the NFL, and Richard Sherman the highest paid cornerback in the league (albeit briefly).
Seattle has already been preparing for Wilson’s extension, making a number of moves to clean its cap sheet to make room for his next contract. Obviously, the team moved on from receiver Percy Harvin, and extended the contracts of other key players K.J. Wright and Cliff Avril in order to clear cap space.
Extra Points: Wilson, Harbaugh, Cutler, Bears
The NFL sent a memo to teams today informing them that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is changing agents, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Facebook). Wilson, who will be eligible for a new deal after this season, is leaving Bus Cook and one source tells Schefter that he’s likely to join up with his baseball agent, Mark Rodgers. Wilson is apparently leaving Cook on good terms and opted to go with Rodgers out of a desire to keep all of his business under one roof. More from around the NFL..
- Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune (on Twitter) doesn’t see Jim Harbaugh joining the Raiders without getting a hand-picked GM. Harbaugh doesn’t want to have another relationship like the one he has with 49ers GM Trent Baalke and he has no background with Oakland GM Reggie McKenzie. Earlier tonight, we learned that Harbaugh has received a six-year, $48MM offer from the University of Michigan.
- The Bears are benching Jay Cutler for his poor play, calling his future into question. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looks at Cutler’s contract and how the team can move on from him. Ultimately, cutting him is not an option for Chicago at this point.
- Michael Silver of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Bears coach Marc Trestman could no longer play Cutler “simply to justify a contract” when his performance was so poor.
- The Bears‘ real motivation behind benching Cutler could be to protect him from injury, ensuring that they’ll be able to trade him this offseason, suggests Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Seahawks May Wait On Deal For Wilson
After the Seahawks won the Super Bowl last season, it appeared to be a lock that Russell Wilson would get a new monster contract as soon as he was eligible following the 2014 season. That’s no longer the case, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Wilson has shown signs of regression, the Seahawks haven’t lived up to the sky high standards that they set last season, and Seattle wants to take a wait-and-see approach to a new deal for their young quarterback, according to a league source.
According to the source, the team’s willingness to give Wilson a new deal will depend in large part on how the current season turns out. If the Seahawks miss the playoffs or gets knocked out early, they’ll be inclined to wait. If they return to the Super Bowl, however, a new deal becomes more likely. Whatever happens, Florio writes, the Seahawks want the outcome to be regarded as fair within the locker room.
Over the summer, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com was hearing that Wilson and Andrew Luck were in line for $24-25MM per year on their second contracts, a number that would top Aaron Rodgers‘ $22MM salary. While that may sound outlandish, quarterback salaries have increased steadily each year and, like Joe Flacco, Wilson’s value shot up following his Super Bowl victory. Of course, Flacco got to ride his Super Bowl win into free agency and Wilson has apparently lost some of his luster since February.
While Seattle is ostensibly uncertain about Wilson, many of his numbers show that he’s playing like a top quarterback in 2014. Wilson’s 63.6% completion percentage this season is right in line with his previous work and with just five picks so far, he’s pretty much on pace to match his total of nine from last season. The advanced metrics are fond of Wilson’s work too. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has Wilson rated as the fourth best quarterback in the league this year, behind Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Philip Rivers, but ahead of notables such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
The Seahawks have shown a willingness to pay big money to keep their stars, but it remains to be seen whether Wilson will get the same treatment as cornerback Richard Sherman or safety Earl Thomas.
Seahawks Notes: Wilson, Daniels, Bowie
Andy Dalton‘s contract extension with the Bengals shook up the day across the NFL landscape, but one player who could benefit most from those numbers is Russell Wilson, writes Sarah Kirkpatrick of SeattlePi.com.
Kirkpatrick notes that Wilson’s raw numbers are comparable to Dalton’s, and his success in the playoffs where Dalton has consistently failed make him a candidate to surpass that deal considerably. Wilson will likely begin extension talks next offseason.
Here are some other notes from around Seahawks camp:
- Offensive tackle Alvin Bailey has been filling in at left tackle admirably in Russell Okung‘s absence, writes Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times. He expects Bailey to join the right tackle competition with Eric Winston and Justin Britt once Okung comes back healthy.
- In the same article, Bob Condotta notes that the team is giving B.J. Daniels a chance to compete for a roster spot. Tarvaris Jackson and Terrelle Pryor are currently battling for the second quarterback position, but Daniels could beat out one or both of the players. It is unclear whether the team will carry two or three quarterbacks on the roster.
- Pete Carroll wasn’t happy that right tackle Michael Bowie was claimed off waivers, but defended the decision to waive him after he reported to camp 20 pounds overweight, writes T.J. Cotterill of the News Tribune in a Q&A with the head coach.
- Cotterill also posted a Q&A with star corner Richard Sherman, who spoke about how difficult it would be for teams to replicate their defense.