AFC Notes: S. Smith, Weddle, Bengals, Pats
While some players like the idea of going out on top, veteran receiver Steve Smith thinks he might continue playing even if the Ravens win the Super Bowl this season, per Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com.
“You still have the same bills, the same issues, you’re the same person,” Smith said, joking, “You don’t all of a sudden get free cable for life because you’ve won a Super Bowl.”
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- As expected, Chargers safety Eric Weddle doesn’t have a new contract in place as San Diego’s training camp gets underway, so expect him to play out the 2015 season with an eye toward free agency in the winter, says Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- With James Wright done for the year, Coley Harvey of ESPN.com expects the Bengals to add one more receiver via free agency. Harvey ran down some notable names that are still available, including Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, James Jones, and Dane Sanzenbacher. Greg Little, who will audition with the team this week, earned an honorable mention on his list.
- Cornerback Tarell Brown got a one-year, $1.5MM deal from the Patriots, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets. Brown will receive a $100K bonus if he makes the team in Week 1, to go along with a $400K signing bonus and a $1MM base salary.
- There was some confusion this week when the Dolphins re-signed quarterback Josh Freeman just four days after cutting him. However, as Field Yates of ESPN.com explains (via Twitter), Freeman’s new contract includes a split salary, which would allow the team to save money if the signal-caller gets hurt and lands on injured reserve.
- After meeting with San Diego officials earlier this week to discuss the stadium situation there, NFL executive Eric Grubman was in East Bay today to talk about the Raiders‘ stadium progress, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Brady, Pettine, Broncos, Chargers
After Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti denied that he was among those pushing commissioner Roger Goodell to keep Tom Brady‘s full four-game suspension, Colts owner Jim Irsay issued a similar denial today.
“That’s not true at all,” Irsay told Zak Keefer of The Star when asked about a recent assertion made by ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio. “I haven’t talked to Roger Goodell about DeflateGate since late January. Not true. That’s not the way things work involving someone else’s business and someone else’s team. It’s not something I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been around ownership (in the NFL) for half a century.”
Irsay claims his last interaction with Goodell regarding the Deflategate controversy came months before the results of Ted Wells’ investigation were released in May. Here’s more out of the AFC..
- Despite a recent report to the contrary, Browns coach Mike Pettine swears he’s on good terms with GM Ray Farmer, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal writes. “I think it was that late summer slow news day,” Pettine said. “The unfortunate thing is this: When you don’t win, when you have the history, or not so recent history of the Browns, to me, there’s not much credibility there. You can take an individual event and extrapolate that out to it has a negative connotation to it. That was the disappointing part of that.”
- If the status of Antonio Smith‘s case doesn’t change, he could report to Broncos training camp on Thursday, Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post writes. Denver excused Smith from voluntary offseason workouts to tend to his personal matters but the club has remained in contact with him over the past two months and is expected to determine his status soon. If the Broncos decide they need more time to make a decision on Smith he cannot be fined for his absence from camp. Smith is being investigated following a complaint of sexual child abuse.
- NFL executive Eric Grubman will visit San Diego again on Tuesday to get a briefing from the Chargers and local government officals on the progress of the stadium initiative, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
2015 Release Candidates: AFC West
Most clubs have fairly set rosters at this point, as OTA, minicamp, and preseason performances won’t do much to alter roster composition. The majority of key releases came in March, but there are still several scenarios where certain contributors could lose their roster spot in the coming months. For the most part, we’ll focus on situations where the cap savings would be in excess of $1MM.
Because free agency has already passed, financial ramifications won’t play a huge role in these decisions; there aren’t a ton of high-profile free agents on which to spend that saved money, so these calls will mostly be made based on performance. However, any cap space saved through these potential releases could be rolled over into 2016, so that’s something clubs have to consider.
We’ve already looked at the AFC East, NFC East, AFC North, NFC North, AFC South, and NFC South, so let’s dive into the AFC West…
Denver Broncos:
- Andre Caldwell, WR: The Broncos have lost Eric Decker and Wes Welker in consecutive seasons, but that hasn’t led to an uptick in production for Caldwell, who has caught just 21 balls for less than 300 yards over the past two years. Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders will reprise their roles as Denver’s top two receivers in 2015, but Sanders will move to the slot in three-receiver sets, leaving unanswered the question of who will play the outside in such formations. The odds-on favorite is 2014 second-round pick Cody Latimer, who not only saw first-time reps while Thomas was away from camp as a frachise-tagged player, but received praise from head coach Gary Kubiak. So where does that leave Caldwell? Mostly as a viable fourth receiver and special teamer — he played on more than 40% of Denver’s ST snaps last year — who might not be worth his $1.55MM cap charge. But the Broncos have little to no depth behind him at receiver, so he probably sticks. Prediction: not released.
Kansas City Chiefs:
- Chase Daniel, QB: The Chiefs are scheduled to spend the third-most on quarterbacks in 2015 — Alex Smith will only be the 10th-highest paid QB this season, meaning that positional spending is driven in large part by Chase Daniel. The league’s highest-paid backup, the 28-year-old Daniel will count for $4.8MM against Kansas City’s cap. He’s earning similar money to that of a third-tier starter, and given that he’s attempted fewer than 60 passes over the past two seasons, it might have made sense for the team to go cheaper at the No. 2 spot. But given that it’s almost time for training camp and the Chiefs aren’t in dire financial straits, they’ll probably just keep Daniel around to act as top-notch insurance in the event of a Smith injury. Prediction: not released.
- Derrick Johnson, LB: Johnson, 32, missed the majority of last year after tearing his Achilles, and given that none his $5.25MM cap figure is guaranteed, it’s conceivable that the Chiefs could move on. But that probably won’t happen for two reasons. First, club owner Clark Hunt said in March that Johnson is safe. “There will be a point in time where we address [his contract],” Hunt said. “But it just hasn’t been germane to this point.” Second, Johnson is still a solid player, and Kansas City will need his contributions if it hopes to improve upon its No. 19 DVOA ranking. The Chiefs navigated through the offseason despite their salary cap troubles, and now have nearly $9MM in space, so clearing Johnson’s money isn’t completely necessary. Prediction: not released.
Oakland Raiders:
- Austin Howard, OL: After spending two years as the Jets’ starting right tackle, Howard signed a five-year, $30MM deal to join Oakland prior to last season and promptly moved to right guard. He’s projected to move back to tackle for the upcoming season, with veteran Khalif Barnes taking over at RG, but the right side of the Raiders’ line is still unsettled. Third-year pro Menelik Watson is a candidate to edge out Howard for the right tackle job, and if that happens, Howard could conceivably shift back to guard, or be moved to the bench. Of course, a final option would be for the club to release him, saving $5MM tis season. But Oakland would incur more than $4MM in 2016 dead money by doing so, and though Howard’s play was poor last year, the Raiders aren’t in any position to be casting off players who possess any modicum of talent. Prediction: not released.
San Diego Chargers:
- Donald Brown, RB: Brown’s three-year, $10.5MM ($4MM guaranteed) deal with the Chargers already looked like an overpay when it was signed, and following Brown’s dreadful 2014 season, the pact looks even worse. Following injuries to Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead, Brown had an opportunity to take the starting running back job, but was wholly ineffective, averaging just 2.6 yards per carry on 85 attempts. Brown, 28, is an effective pass-blocker, but with first-rounder Melvin Gordon in tow, Woodhead expected to regain his third-down role, and Brandon Oliver coming off an impressive year-end run, Brown doesn’t figure to have role. San Diego can save $3MM by releasing him, and would carry just over $1MM in dead money. Prediction: released.
- John Phillips, TE: The 28-year-old Phillips didn’t see the field much in 2014 while acting as San Diego’s third tight end — he played on only 202 snaps, but still managed to post a disappointing -7.0 grade per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Chargers could clear out Phillips’ $1.45MM base salary by cutting him, but with Antonio Gates suspended for the first four games of the season, Phillips will probably be back to serve as the club’s inline tight end while Ladarius Green acts the move option. Prediction: not released.
AFC Notes: Hunter, Heyward, Texans, Raiders
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk doesn’t understand why Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter hasn’t been put on paid leave after allegedly punching a man in the face and breaking his jaw. Hunter currently faces five to 20 years in prison and a $100K fine, but the Titans are reportedly expected to have him in camp.
Technically, the conduct policy only says that a player may be placed on paid leave if he is charged with a crime or if a league investigation “leads the commissioner to believe that [the player] may have violated this policy.” Still, Florio feels that the NFL should show some consistency and sideline Hunter.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has the complete breakdown of Cameron Heyward‘s extension. The Steelers defensive end will earn a $12MM signing bonus and a $15MM guarantee on his deal. He carries respective cap hits of $6.4MM, $10.4MM, $10.4MM, $11.4MM, $11.15MM, and $9.5MM from 2015 to 2020.
- The Texans are working out former Boston College offensive tackle Matt Patchan, a league source tells Wilson. After going undrafted in 2014, Patchan signed with the Bucs, and spent time on the club’s practice squad last year.
- Former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identifies one or two players for each AFC team who are at some sort of career crossroads, or are facing make-or-break type seasons in 2015.
- The Raiders wanted to upgrade the safety spot, and believe they did so by signing Nate Allen from Philadelphia this offseason, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. The Raiders hope that Allen can play center field and free up Charles Woodson to make big plays down field. Of course, Allen has given up some big plays in the past and a skeptic might wonder if he’s the man for the job.
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com joined Mighty 1090 in San Diego (audio link) to discuss Ladarius Green‘s opportunity in the wake of Antonio Gates‘ suspension. The young Chargers tight end was widely expected to break out in 2014, but Gates was as good as ever to start the year and didn’t cede his starting job. Now, Green has an opportunity to shine with Gates sidelined.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Chargers Notes: Freeney, Los Angeles, San Diego
Here’s a quick look at the latest on the Chargers..
- During an appearance with Polian and Alex Marvez on SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link), free agent Dwight Freeney said he hopes to be in camp with a team next month. “A lot of it is up in the air,” Freeney said (transcription from Josh Alper of PFT). “I have aspirations to play, but the thing is I have to be in the right situation for me. I can’t get put in a situation where I’m running away from the ball. I want to run toward the guy with the ball more than I’m running away.” Freeney had 3.5 sacks for the Chargers in 16 games last year and was credited with the third-most quarterback hurries by Pro Football Focus among 3-4 outside linebackers.
- Emily Kaplan of The MMQB surveyed 100 Los Angeles residents to find out how much interest there is in having NFL football once again. Kaplan got a mixed bag of responses but, for the most part, Angelenos seemed excited or at least intrigued by the possibility. Meanwhile, NFL and real estate experts say that for the NFL to prosper in the current L.A. climate, a team would need to build more than just a stadium – they need to build an experience.
- While there has been a lot of fretting over whether the Chargers might leave San Diego, Kevin Acee of the Union-Tribune says the local fans will get by without the Bolts if they head to Los Angeles.
Community Tailgate: Philip Rivers’ Contract
We’re still several weeks away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this month, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
Today, we’ll be discussing Philip Rivers and his contract status. Monday night, we learned that the Bolts hope to have a new deal in place with their starting quarterback before the start of training camp. It wasn’t long ago that Rivers’ future beyond 2015 was highly in question. In fact, there were rumblings that he would be wearing a different uniform this spring. Outside of perhaps Adrian Peterson, no veteran Pro Bowler was mentioned more as a potential trade candidate in April as Rivers.
Ultimately, Rivers was not dealt for Marcus Mariota or anyone else. The signal caller is set to make a total of $17.42MM in his walk year and the Bolts seem hopeful that they’ll get a new deal done, despite Rivers’ reported reservations about playing in Los Angeles. It’s fair to wonder, however, if the two sides will see eye-to-eye on his value. Rivers started all 16 games for the Chargers last season and threw for 4,286 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions. In 2014, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Rivers as the seventh-best quarterback in the league last season, putting him ahead of Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, and Peyton Manning. Still, Rivers is 33-year-old and it’s fair to wonder if he’ll continue playing at that level.
When all is said and done, do you expect the Chargers and Rivers to reach agreement on a new deal? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Extra Points: Rivers, Mathis, JPP
The Chargers hope that a new long-term deal with Philip Rivers will be in place before training camp, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It doesn’t sound like there has been much movement on an extension between the two sides to date, though the quarterback has indicated that he would like to finish his career in San Diego.
Rivers, 33, started all 16 games for the Chargers last season, just like he has done in every season since 2006 when he broke in as the starter. The veteran threw for 4,286 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Rivers as the seventh-best quarterback in the league last season, putting him ahead of Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, and Peyton Manning. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- The Dolphins should sign guard Evan Mathis to cap their big offseason, Greg Cote of the Miami Herald writes. Miami’s most obvious weakness is at offensive guard and Mathis, released by the Eagles earlier this offseason, has been one of the league’s very best for years now. The 33-year-old also has Dolphins bloodlines – his uncle is Bob Baumhower, a five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle.
- Retired offensive lineman David Diehl says Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul faces “an uphill battle” after having a finger amputated, Christian Red of the Daily News writes. “There’s no denying how important it is for offensive linemen and defensive linemen to be able to punch, to grab and to pull and do all those things,” Diehl said. “(Pierre-Paul) went with amputation because he felt that was a way for him to get back to the football field quicker. He’s passionate about what he wants to do, and he wants to get back.”
- Washington will look at other outside linebackers, but it’s uncertain if they will add anyone before the final cuts after the preseason, John Keim of ESPN.com writes. Meanwhile, Trent Murphy and Preston Smith are duking it out for the starting outside linebacker job opposite of Ryan Kerrigan.
- Now that Demaryius Thomas has signed, Mark Kiszla, Woody Paige and Les Shapiro of the Denver Post (video link) discussed their predictions for what kind of season the Broncos star wide receiver will have.
Extra Points: Rivers, Browner, Brady, Lions
The next year might be a time of major transition for the Chargers, who will be able to break their lease at season’s end and leave San Diego – their home since 1961 – potentially for Carson, Calif. Further, 11-year Charger and six-time Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers is entering the final season of his contract and could conceivably be under center for another organization 12 months from now. Rivers has started every Chargers game since 2006, playoffs included, and been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks during that span. However, the 33-year-old hasn’t shown much urgency in getting a long-term deal done with the Bolts, writes the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken. Regardless of what happens with the Chargers, then, Rivers’ days as a San Diego institution may be winding down.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Former Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner said Sunday at Richard Sherman‘s celebrity softball game that he’d like to return to Seattle when his contract is up, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). If Browner was serious, the timing of his comment is odd, as he recently joined the Saints on a three-year deal during free agency. Browner, who spent 2011-13 with the Seahawks, was a member of the Super Bowl-winning Patriots last season.
- It’s been almost a month since Tom Brady‘s Deflategate appeal hearing, yet no ruling has come down. If Brady’s four-game suspension isn’t overturned, it could lead to a lawsuit against the league. However, there may be behind-the-scenes negotiations going on in hopes of preventing that, per Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today. “I do think they’re negotiating,” said Jodi Balsam, who was the league’s counsel for operations and litigation from 1994-2002 and its counsel for football operations from 2002-2007. “They may be back-channel conversations, but what the NFL wants is to get an implicit agreement from Brady’s people that a reduction in the number of suspended games would resolve the issue and put the brakes on any further litigation.”
- The Lions’ offense is getting to work prior to training camp, tweets ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, who deduced from tight end Joseph Fauria‘s Instagram that he and some teammates are gathering in Atlanta to run routes. Quarterback Matthew Stafford said during the spring that members of Detroit’s offense would look to get some pre-camp work in, according to Rothstein (Twitter link), and it appears to be happening.
AFC Notes: Mariota, Chargers, Raiders, Jags
The odd standoff between the Titans and Marcus Mariota over offset language doesn’t look to be going over well for the franchise that’s been frequently thorough in negotiating with its top rookies and consistently forgotten for its recent play. A 2-14 team digging in over a matter that probably won’t come up with the face of a franchise devoid of many recognizable faces isn’t the best look, writes Geoffrey C. Arnold of the Oregonian.
Arnold notes the contracts of Dante Fowler Jr. and Todd Gurley, two injured top-10 picks, do not include offset language, which would save the drafting — and in this instance, cutting — franchise money in the event it has to prematurely separate from a player. And Arnold predicts a deal next week is unlikely, considering the Titans’ late official additions of Taylor Lewan, Chance Warmack and Kendall Wright, the first-round picks in the 2014, ’13 and ’12 drafts, respectively.
With Titans fans likely not losing much sleep over this minor point in Mariota’s contract, it’s not a good start to the relationship. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe went as far as saying this is a “terrible” beginning to the Titans-Mariota marriage, with an aura of distrust already swirling. Should Mariota be a bust, the Titans will have bigger problems than a few million dollars being lost, writes Volin, in the event they cave on offsets. If this indeed occurs, there will probably be new management overseeing the next quarterback’s contract negotiation.
Let’s look at some of the notes emerging from AFC cities on Saturday as training camps are less than two weeks away from beginning.
- In light of St. Louis’ recent adjustment to its plan to keep the NFL in the city, San Diego is making a similar move. But like the Rams, the Chargers aren’t exactly that interested, writes Jonathan Horn of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The team broke off discussions with the city last month despite a stadium location being determined, and a Chargers spokesperson doesn’t see much progress in the near future. “I think the chances of getting anything done in San Diego in 2015 or even in the first part of 2016 are over for sure, but that doesn’t mean this process is over,” Chargers spokesperson Mark Fabiani told Horn.
- Reportedly fined for his weight hovering above 230 last season, Trent Richardson is down to 225 now and hopes to play this season at around 222, reports Bill Vilona of the Pensacola News Journal. The former No. 3 overall pick is aiming to counter a steep fall from grace that now has him in a battle with Latavius Murray and Roy Helu for a Raiders starting gig that’s been anonymous for most of this century.
- With Ace Sanders waived, the Jaguars will employ a new punt returner. Among the candidates, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, are fifth-round pick Rashad Greene, former Seahawk Bryan Walters and Tandon Doss, who was slated to replace Sanders during the wideout’s suspension last year before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
AFC Notes: Raiders, Chargers, Tucker
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) heard from people in the know that it’s not out of the question for the Raiders to play two years in San Antonio, Texas while a stadium is built for them in Los Angeles. Here’s more from the AFC, including updates on the Los Angeles situation..
- By a 6-3 vote, the San Diego City Council authorized $2.1MM to fund an expedited environmental review for a new stadium at the Mission Valley site, Eric Williams of ESPN.com tweets. San Diego is working hard to find a way to keep the Chargers, though the allure of Los Angeles is strong.
- Council members who voted in favor of the proposal endorsed that strategy, while council members in opposition called the accelerated environmental impact report an improper use of taxpayer money that wouldn’t help keep the Chargers, David Garrick of the Union Tribune writes. “People might say this is a fool’s errand,” councilman Scott Sherman said. “I still have faith with the right deal we can get the Chargers back here at the table. I think the NFL will tell the Chargers that ‘San Diego is committed, San Diego is ready to go and you guys need to come back to the table.’”
- Stephen Gostkowski‘s new deal with the Patriots could provide a blueprint for the Ravens when it comes to their upcoming talks with kicker Justin Tucker, Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun writes. Gostkowski, 31, has a longer track record than Tucker, but the Ravens kicker doesn’t take a back seat to anybody when it comes to accuracy. Tucker has been mum about his contract demands, saying only that he’d love to stay with the Ravens for his entire career. To make that happen, Zrebiec says the Ravens will likely need to eclipse the deal that the Patriots just gave Gostkowski.
- The Browns will have a new director of player engagement in the near future. Jamil Northcutt, who has held the title since April 2014, and the franchise are expected to part ways in the coming weeks, a league source confirmed to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. Northcutt previously worked with Browns GM Ray Farmer as a player development coordinator for the Chiefs.