West Notes: Broncos, Bennett, Rivers
The Broncos will have to make a call this week on whether or not they want to keep Antonio Smith on their roster as their organized team activities get underway, writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Smith is being investigated following a complaint of possible child abuse of a sexual nature, and while that’s a serious allegation, the defensive lineman has yet to be arrested or charged with a crime, so Denver’s decision isn’t as clear-cut as the one the Bears faced with Ray McDonald.
As we wait to see whether or not the Broncos decide to cut ties with Smith, let’s round up a few more notes out of the NFL’s two West divisions….
- Russell Wilson, Jimmy Graham, and Cliff Avril won’t report immediately to the Seahawks‘ OTAs as they deal with various personal and family matters, according to Danny Neil of 710 ESPN Radio in Seattle (Twitter links). The more notable absence for Seattle is defensive end Michael Bennett, writes NFL.com’s Kevin Patra, citing ESPN Radio. The standout pass rusher suggested earlier this offseason that he wouldn’t mind reworking his contract, which he just signed a year ago.
- Philip Rivers is in action for the Chargers as they begin their OTAs, but there hasn’t been much contract-related discussion between the two sides this month, tweets Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf recently reiterated that she opposes the idea of spending any public funds on a new football stadium in the city, as Rachel Swan of SFGate.com details. For a new stadium to work for the Raiders in Oakland, a gap of about $400MM in financing would have to be closed somehow.
Eric Weddle Won’t Attend OTAs
Chargers safety Eric Weddle won’t be in attendance for OTAs on Tuesday as he pushes for an extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Pro Bowl safety aired his frustrations with the team earlier this month and it sounds like there hasn’t been much progress made, if any.
“I’m not coming in anytime soon until something on their side is said,” Weddle told 1090 AM a few weeks ago. “They know where we’re at, and they obviously know their stance, so we’ll see what happens from there.”
Weddle is scheduled to make $7.5MM in base salary in the final year of a five-year, $40MM deal, making him the fourth-highest paid safety in terms of total compensation in 2015. In late April, GM Tom Telesco indicated that he wanted to work out a new deal with the veteran, though his full attention was turned towards the draft at the time.
Weddle, 30, has been the Chargers’ starting safety since 2008 and he has not missed a regular season start since the 2009 season. In 2014, Weddle racked up 114 total tackles with eight pass deflections and one interception. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Weddle as the best overall safety in the NFL last season with a 18.9 overall score.
On Sunday night we learned that another NFL notable, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, will not be in attendance for the start of his team’s OTAs.
NFC Links: Mathieu, Washington, Rams
Tyrann Mathieu claims he feels better than ever, and NFL.com’s Conor Orr notes that the Cardinals defensive back is no longer wearing a knee brace or thumb cast. Despite Mathieu being healthy for the first time in his career, the former third-rounder is still tentative about his recovery:
“It just feels good to be free…You try to stay as optimistic as possible, but there is a reality to it, too. It’s kind of hard to keep telling yourself it’s going to be all right, especially when we got into the thick of everything last year, thinking that if I was 100 percent, I’d probably be able to help my team a whole lot more than I’m doing right now.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…
- With OTAs starting next Tuesday, Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com discussed Washington‘s situation at quarterback. El-Bashir opines that Colt McCoy has the slight edge over Kirk Cousins for the backup gig, and Tandler believes undrafted rookie Hutson Mason could also put up a fight.
- ESPN.com’s John Keim hypothesizes that Washington could cut cornerback Tracy Porter and save $2.33MM, but the writer doesn’t believe the team has the necessary depth to make that move.
- ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner says the Rams had interest in bringing back offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and their offer to him early in the season was in the range of $2.5MM to $3MM. Barksdale ultimately bet on himself, and he ended up with a one-year, minimum salary deal from the Chargers.
West Notes: Relocation, Seahawks, Walker
Last week, Rams fans in St. Louis received a bit of good news when league commissioner Roger Goodell noted that the efforts to keep the Rams in the Gateway City by building a new stadium on the riverfront had made “tremendous progress.” Although financing plans still need to be worked out, a number of football scribes, like Ben Volin of The Boston Globe and Bernie Miklasz of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, wonder how Rams owner Stan Kroenke and the league itself could justify moving the Rams to Los Angeles if St. Louis comes through with funding for a new stadium before the team’s current lease with the Edward Jones Dome expires.
That question becomes particularly relevant if the Carson plan, in which the Raiders and Chargers would share a stadium in LA, continues to gain momentum. As Miklasz points out, the Carson proposal would allow the league to solve its “California problem” inside California without having to move a franchise from another region. Furthermore, the Chargers and Raiders have been waiting for a new stadium for years, while the Edward Jones Dome is comparatively new.
But Miklasz is keeping his optimism in check, because the NFL has refused to confirm that a new stadium will assure St. Louis of a place in the league. The city has gone to great lengths to keep the Rams in St Louis, as they have committed to constructing a new, $985MM stadium while still paying off the cost of building the Edward Jones Dome, and the league has repeatedly stated that it strongly prefers to keep each team in its current market. And yet, without the NFL’s public commitment that the riverfront project, if successful, would keep the Rams in place, Miklasz writes that the whole ordeal becomes a question of honor. And honor is one department in which the league sometimes falls short.
Now let’s take a look at a few more links from the league’s West divisions:
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that there will not be three teams in Southern California until the Chargers‘ stadium situation is resolved in some way. As Breer notes (via Twitter), it is possible that, if the Chargers reach a deal to stay in San Diego, the Raiders and Rams could share the Inglewood stadium, which is designed to house two teams.
- On a less serious note, Chargers superfan Dan Juaregui, otherwise known as the costumed “Boltman,” has contacted an attorney about the possibility of filing an antitrust suit against the NFL on behalf of Chargers fans if the Chargers should relocate to Los Angeles. While the attorney himself noted that such a suit would be feasible, Kristina Davis of The San Diego Union-Tribune, citing Chargers counsel Mark Fabiani, says the city gave up its right to sue the league over relocation in its stadium lease.
- Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times summarizes former agent Joel Corry’s analysis of Russell Wilson‘s contract negotiations with the Seahawks. Our Luke Adams wrote a piece on Corry’s original article several days ago.
- Jayson Jenks of The Seattle Times describes the difficulty opposing defenses will have to face when confronted with the Seahawks‘ triple threat of Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, and one of the biggest prizes of the offseason, Jimmy Graham.
- Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post looks at the value and versatility that newly-acquired defensive tackle Vance Walker, who was used sparingly with division rival Kansas City, brings to the Broncos.
West Notes: Raiders, Chargers, Cardinals
Though Raiders owner Mark Davis said on Tuesday that he wants to keep his club in Oakland, a different scenario involving the team’s location has been floated in league circles, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Per Rapoport, it’s possible that the Raiders could sign a one-year lease to remain in Oakland for the 2016 season, allow the Chargers and Rams situations time to play themselves out, and then be the only team left standing for a possible move to a different city the following year.
Such a delay tactic would allow the Raiders to discuss transitioning to a city like San Antonio or even St. Louis (in the event the Rams relocate), says Rapoport. Davis did indicate that there was no chance he’d move his team to Missouri, but the NFL.com scribe cautions (via Twitter) to not rule out such a move.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions…
- The Raiders aren’t the only AFC West club in a state of flux, as the Chargers have also been heavily linked to the Los Angeles area. But the team hasn’t been straight about its plans with the city of San Diego or Chargers fans, argues Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Suspended Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington still isn’t sure of his status with the NFL, reports Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910. Washington, who hasn’t seen the field since 2013, still hasn’t been disciplined for a domestic violence incident, and all told, is expected to be handed a two- to six-game ban, per Jurecki.
- More from Oakland, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap analyzes the Raiders in his latest piece for Sporting News, writing that the club is set up to spend heavily in free agency next offseason. Of course, cap space hasn’t been a problem for Oakland during the past few offseasons, but they’ve still had difficulty landing marquee free agents.
Corry’s Latest: Wilson, AP, Houston, Weddle
After taking a closer look at the wide receiver market earlier this week, former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com focuses today on seven key contract situations involving players eligible for extensions. Corry’s piece includes several items of interest, so let’s dive right in and round up the highlights….
- Corry hears from league sources that the Seahawks have offered Russell Wilson a deal worth approximately $80MM over four years, which aligns with other recent reports. As Corry writes, Wilson could make a case that he should be the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback, though contract structure could be a bigger issue on his next deal than total compensation.
- Although he has relented on his demand for the Vikings to trade Adrian Peterson, agent Ben Dogra is now attempting to get the team to rework his client’s contract. Corry suggests that Dogra is probably looking for Minnesota to guarantee Peterson’s 2015 and 2016 base salaries, but the team doesn’t appear to be interested in adjusting the running back’s deal.
- The Chiefs will likely be “adamant” about keeping Justin Houston‘s per-year salary under the $17MM that Alex Smith is getting from the team, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if agent Joel Segal raises his demands for the linebacker’s next contract after Ndamukong Suh signed for $19MM+ annually, writes Corry.
- There has been “sporadic dialogue” between the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson‘s camp on a contract extension. Corry observes that the Jets would probably be fine with something in the range of Calais Campbell‘s five-year, $55MM pact, while Wilkerson probably has his sights set on contracts like J.J. Watt‘s, Robert Quinn‘s, and Gerald McCoy‘s — all those deals are worth at least $13.6MM per year. If the Jets opt to explore the trade market for Wilkerson, the Browns are a potential suitor.
- Eric Weddle has been absent from the Chargers‘ voluntary workouts because he feels “highly disrespected” by the lack of contract discussions with the team, says Corry. While former GM A.J. Smith would’ve played hardball with the safety, it’s not clear yet which path Tom Telesco will take, writes Corry.
- Contract disputes with restricted free agents are rare, but Tashaun Gipson and the Browns could be headed toward one. Corry suggests keeping an eye on June 15, the day on which Cleveland could lower its restricted tender offer for Gipson from $2.356MM to $660K. If the Browns take a hard-line approach with the safety, he could decide to sit out training camp and even the regular season, says Corry.
Extra Points: Brees, Cowboys, Rice
Drew Brees has said that he wants to play football until he is 45, but he admits that goal is a little bit unrealistic. “45 is a long way away,” the Saints quarterback said on ESPN’s SVP and Russillo, according to Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate. “I’m 36 right now, and I know I got maybe a little overzealous last year when I threw out the number 45.” Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, and Steve Deberg hung in there until they were 44, but those final years were mostly spent playing in reserve roles. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Along with free agent running backs Daniel Thomas, Ben Tate, and Felix Jones, Ronnie Wingo also worked out for the Cowboys today, as Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram tweets. Wingo was released by the Falcons earlier this month to help make room on the roster for incoming rookies.
- A judge dismissed domestic violence charges against former Ravens running back Ray Rice, as The Associated Press writes. Rice completed the terms of his pretrial intervention, which included $125 in fines and anger management counseling.
- Joe Barksdale, who signed a minimum-salary deal with the Chargers, was offered more from the Rams earlier in the offseason, Jim Thomas of the Post Dispatch tweets. Back in March, Barksdale looked like a decent bet to land a deal similar to the $6MM-per-year pacts signed by Austin Howard and Anthony Collins in 2014. However, that kind of market never materialized for the veteran. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the former Ram just 48th out of 84 qualified tackles last season.
- Falcons linebacker Joplo Bartu was fined $50,000 for an alcohol-related offense, but only after his two-game suspension was rescinded, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Bartu, who had 83 tackles in 2014, was handed a two-game suspension in March for his DUI arrest. Earlier this month, the linebacker brought new information to the league and his punishment was altered. However, future violations of the law will carry more significant discipline for him.
- Ravens rookie lineman Leon Brown hopes to land a roster spot with his hometown team, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The 6-foot-5, 332-pound former junior college All-American also had an invite to try out for the Jaguars, but he chose the Ravens instead. Brown, an Alabama product, went undrafted this year.
Chargers Optimistic About Rivers Extension
The Chargers are optimistic about working out a long-term extension with Philip Rivers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Weeks ago, the quarterback was uncertain about his future in San Diego, so this is a positive turn for both parties. There’s still work to be done between Rivers and the Bolts, Rapoport adds (on Twitter), but the team believes that they can work out a deal that would ensure that the QB retires with them.
Throughout the offseason, speculation was rampant that the Bolts could move on from their longtime franchise quarterback. In the weeks leading up to the draft, there was talk that San Diego could build a package centered around Rivers and the No. 17 selection to deal for the Titans’ No. 2 overall pick and take Marcus Mariota. Of course, that never came together.
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.
Back in April, Rivers rebuffed the Chargers’ attempts to hold contract extension talks. Rivers is scheduled to earn a total of $17.42MM in 2015, his final year under contract. Tight end Antonio Gates, tight end Ladarius Green, wide receiver Malcom Floyd and guard Johnnie Troutman are also entering their walk years and, along with Rivers, they represent the only holdovers from when GM Tom Telesco and coach Mike McCoy first arrived in 2013.
Los Angeles Relocation Notes: Thursday
With the league’s spring’s meetings having taken place in San Francisco this week, the possibility of moving one or two NFL franchises to Los Angeles was a point of discussion for owners and the commissioner. While no significant steps forward were made, we have a few more updates on the L.A. situation. Let’s round up the highlights….
- There was “strong positive buzz” about the Carson stadium plan coming out of the owner’s meetings, several high-ranking ownership sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora’s sources had plenty of praise for Chargers owner Dean Spanos, who has “moved expertly” through the process while Rams owner Stan Kroenke has rubbed the league office the wrong way.
- As La Canfora details, the Chargers and Raiders appear more willing to cooperate with what the league wants, whereas Kroenke has “shown willingness to go rogue,” which could mean that the Carson plan has taken the lead as the favorite over Kroenke’s Inglewood project. With the Rams‘ lease in St. Louis up at season’s end, and Kroenke financing the Inglewood plan on his own, he could decide to go to court if the NFL objects to his moving to L.A., writes La Canfora.
- If the Chargers and Raiders were to move to Los Angeles for 2016, the Rose Bowl could potentially support both teams in the short term, and possible realignment (with the Chargers moving to the NFC) would be “no hindrance,” per La Canfora.
- While the Chargers‘ odds of moving to L.A. may be increasing, Spanos continues to insist that he’d like to see the franchise stay in San Diego, as Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune details.
- 49ers owner Jed York suggests that the Los Angeles stadium proposals are much further along than any stadium plans in St. Louis, San Diego, or Oakland, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “The most progress that has taken place has been in Los Angeles,” York said. “Does that mean you’re going to have a team there in 2016? The chances you’re going to, they’re higher than not — based on all the work that has gone into it and the momentum behind it. And a lot of that is pushed by home markets not having viable solutions for teams.”
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the NFL, with the latest transactions added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Raiders waived safety Terrell Pinson to make room for cornerback Chimdi Chekwa on the team’s 90-man roster, according to Steve Corkran (on Twitter). Pinson, a Louisiana Tech product, was signed as a UDFA earlier this month.
- The Raiders announced that they have signed fifth-round linebacker Ben Heeney, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- The Browns have signed fourth-round defensive back Ibraheim Campbell to his rookie deal, the club announced today in a press release. No team selected more players than Cleveland in the 2015 draft, and the Browns now have 11 of their 12 picks under contract.
- The Chargers swapped one signal-caller for another at the back of their roster today, officially signing former Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig and cutting quarterback Cole Stoudt.
- The Packers have moved one step closer to locking up their draft class by signing third-round receiver Ty Montgomery, per Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com (via Twitter). After locking up Montgomery, the 205th draft pick to reach a deal with his team, Green Bay only has first-rounder Damarious Randall left to sign.
- Former Chargers defensive tackle Chas Alecxih has signed with the Panthers, the team announced today (via Twitter). To make room for Alecxih, Carolina has parted ways with offensive lineman Edmund Kugbila. Kugbila, who will have to pass through waivers before hitting the open market, was a fourth-round pick back in 2013.
- After inviting him to their rookie minicamp as a tryout player, the Colts have signed kicker Taylor Pontius to a contract, the team announced today (Twitter link). Pontius almost certainly won’t displace incumbent kicker Adam Vinatieri, but as Mike Wilkering of Pro Football Talk observes, a couple Vinatieri understudies have found starting jobs elsewhere in recent years.
Zach Links contributed to this post.