Extra Points: DeVito, L.A., Garcon, NFLPA
While hundreds of NFL writers will submit mock drafts within the next two months, few are more plugged in than Peter King of TheMMQB.com, whose first mock draft of the year lends credence to the idea that the Eagles have real interest in Marcus Mariota. King’s mock has the Eagles pulling off a trade with Washington to move up to the No. 5 spot and nab Mariota — Philadelphia gives up its first- and second-round picks this year, along with its first- and fourth-round picks for 2016, in the hypothetical swap.
Here’s more miscellany from around the NFL:
- The Chiefs are expected to ask defensive lineman Mike DeVito to take a pay cut, reports Conor Orr of NFL.com. DeVito, who is set to earn a base salary of $3.75MM with a 2015 cap number of $5.4MM, could be cut by Kansas City if he decides he doesn’t want to accept a reduced salary.
- As Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times reported late last night (via Twitter), Inglewood’s City Council unanimously approved Stan Kroenke‘s Hollywood Park stadium project. By approving the project, the Inglewood City Council can skip a couple steps, Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk explains. City officials can now avoid putting the stadium proposal up for a public vote, and can avoid “potentially lengthy” environmental reviews. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link) notes that Carson officials are expected to do the same thing with the Raiders/Chargers‘ stadium proposal.
- There have been “zero talks” about Pierre Garcon‘s contract between his camp and the Washington front office, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter). That doesn’t mean discussions won’t happen at some point, but Keim notes there’s been nothing yet to indicate that any sort of move involving Garcon is coming.
- An already crowded field got even more crowded today, as former NFL player Sean Morey emerged as the latest candidate to become executive director of the NFLPA, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- The latest MMQB.com piece from ex-Packers executive Andrew Brandt touches on a handful of interesting topics, as Brandt explores the L.A. issue, notes the different between a contract restructure and a pay cut, and points out that salary cap flexibility can often be created fairly easily.
AFC West Notes: Rivers, Cobb, Chargers
The expectation around the NFL is that the Raiders will make a run at wide receiver Randall Cobb, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com tweets. However, the Packers aren’t expected to let him hit the open market, so they might not even get the chance to pursue him. A look at the AFC West..
- The uncertainty of where the Chargers might end up playing doesn’t figure to have major implications on Philip Rivers as he ponders signing with the team beyond 2015, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes. “Is the location of this team going to be a deciding factor? I can’t honestly tell you that it will be,” Rivers told Darren Smith of The Mighty 1090. “Is it a factor at all? Sure, but I can’t tell you that it’s at the top of the list, because it’s just really not. That goes without saying I hope we’re staying. But should we move, it doesn’t move to the top of my list for deterrents for not being a Charger.” Rivers is entering final year of a deal that will pay him $15.75MM in base salary and count more than $17MM against the salary cap. Chargers GM Tom Telesco said earlier this year he wants Rivers to be a Charger for life but the two sides have yet to have discussions about restructuring his contract.
- Raiders middle linebacker Nick Roach, who missed the entire 2014 season after suffering a concussion in a preseason game, is still having headaches and is not expected to return next season, team sources told Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. After playing every defensive snap for Oakland in 2013, Roach suffered the concussion in a preseason game against the Packers in August. He briefly returned to practice in September but never made it back into live action.
- Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star spoke with NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks, whose latest mock has the Chiefs taking Marcus Mariota at No. 18. Brooks wouldn’t be concerned if Mariota took a slide, largely due to concerns about the amount of time it would take for him to transition to the pro game from Oregon’s uptempo spread offense. And, while the Chiefs have Alex Smith under center, Chiefs GM John Dorsey was in Green Bay when they took Aaron Rodgers in the first round and sat him for three years behind Brett Favre.
L.A. Notes: Chargers, Raiders, San Antonio
The NFL is serious about bringing the league back to Los Angeles, even though it hasn’t happened in time to get games there in 2015. Still, the future of the NFL is moving toward a return to one of the nation’s largest markets, writes Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.
Steelers owner Art Rooney II notes that this commitment is not in sentiment only, but in actual financial investment. Rooney is serving as chairman of the NFL committee looking into moving to L.A.
“People are actually investing dollars into getting something done,” said Rooney. “People can take that as maybe we’re more serious than we’ve been over the last decade or so.”
Here are some other notes surrounding the teams considering relocation to Los Angeles:
- Chargers owner Dean Spanos and San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer met to discuss the team’s need to explore other options in case they cannot reach an agreement to stay at Qualcomm Stadium, according to Kevin Acee of the U-T San Diego (via Twitter). The team released a statement regarding the meeting between Spanos and Faulconer. The comes on the heels of a joint proposal with the Raiders to finance a stadium in Los Angeles.
- While the Raiders and Chargers are currently working together on their journey towards relocation, the idea that the joint proposal will seal the deal is premature. The Raiders will need to see significant progress over the next 30 days in order to take this process to the next step, writes Matier and Ross of SFGate.com.
- The Raiders may still be trying to head back to Los Angeles, but the city of San Antonio has not given up its efforts to bring the team to the state of Texas, writes Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. “The concerted efforts of San Antonio’s public and private sectors remain focused on a long-term vision to bring the Raiders to the Alamo City,” according to a statement released by the city.
- The Raiders may be the wild card in this whole relocation process, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (via Twitter). The Chargers and Rams are both looking to Los Angeles, but the Raiders could stay in Oakland, go to San Antonio, or even replace the Rams in St. Louis, in addition to the L.A. possibility.
AFC Links: Raiders, Thomas, Patriots, McPhee
Following news that the Raiders and Chargers proposed a shared Los Angeles stadium, there were rumors that Raiders owner Mark Davis was using the move as leverage for a new stadium in Oakland. The owner didn’t necessarily confirm that rumor, but he did acknowledge that he’d like to keep the organization in it’s current location (via Vic Tafur of SFChronicle.com):
“That’s our No. 1 priority, to stay in Oakland, always has been and will continue to be,” Davis said. “We’re really trying to stay, and now there’s a great opportunity in Los Angeles. We need to get something done.”
Davis also touched on his relationship with Alex Spanos, the Chargers owner:
“My dad helped Alex (Spanos) get in the league, and while we have been fierce rivals on the field, we have common philosophies and goals,” Davis said. “And we have the same need. We are the two California teams that need a stadium.
“Together, we may be able to get it done.”
Let’s take a look at more rumors from the AFC…
- As each day goes by, it sounds increasingly unlikely that Julius Thomas will return to the Broncos. Similar to many free agent departures, fingers are already being pointed, and the tight end’s agent believes the organization is to blame. “The Broncos came to me, we tried to get it done, it didn’t work,” said Frank Bauer (via Mike Klis of The Denver Post). “Does Julius love Denver? Yes. Does Julius love the fans there? No question. Does he love the organization and the community? Look at what he does for kids in that town…But for some reason people are trying to tear him down. In my opinion what they’re doing by tearing him down is pushing him away.”
- While Patriots running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley are set to hit the open market, the team has plenty of depth to compensate for their potential departure. Among that group would be Tyler Gaffney, who missed last season while recovering from an ACL injury. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe believes the team stashed Gaffney for a reason, and he’ll be given every chance to make the team’s roster in 2015 (Twitter links).
- Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower underwent shoulder surgery this past week and is expected to miss anywhere from six to seven months. Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald writes that the injury could have an impact on negotiations with veteran Jerod Mayo and his $10MM cap hit for 2015.
- It was anticipated that Ravens linebacker Pernell McPhee would be a commodity in free agency, and ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure tweets that the 26-year-old is going to be more expensive than anticipated.
Latest On Los Angeles Talks
The Raiders and Chargers created an uproar Thursday when they announced joint plans to build and share a $1.7 billion, privately financed stadium 15 miles south of Los Angeles in Carson, Calif.
With the Raiders, Chargers and Rams as possible relocation candidates, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote Friday that commissioner Roger Goodell has a complicated situation on his hands. Florio opines that two of the three franchises will ultimately end up in L.A., while the odd club out could be pursued by the likes of St. Louis and San Antonio.
Here’s more on the league’s possible return to Los Angeles:
- Carson politicians and community leaders held a rally Friday in support of landing the Raiders and Chargers, according to ESPN’s Arash Markazi. Carson Mayor Jim Dear called the acquisition of multiple NFL teams “an enormous opportunity.”
- The Raiders’ departure from Oakland is far from a sure thing, writes Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News. Purdy takes a skeptical approach toward possible Raiders relocation and wonders if team owner Mark Davis is using Carson as leverage to get a new stadium in Oakland.
- Conversely, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that the relocation of the Raiders and Chargers to Carson “could really happen.” In another tweet, LaCanfora speculates that Rams owner Stan Kroenke would get a new stadium deal in St. Louis (plus other pot sweeteners) if his team isn’t one of the two that goes to L.A.
- Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune spoke to Davis, who said Oakland is “absolutely” a possibility for the Raiders going forward. McDonald went on to tweet that the Raiders and Chargers are frustrated by a lack of progress toward new stadiums in their respective cities.
- “That’s our No. 1 priority, to stay in Oakland, always has been and will continue to be,” Davis told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Vic Tafur. One league official informed Tafur that three teams are racing for two spots in L.A. Further, the three front-runners (San Diego, Oakland and St. Louis) can all terminate their current leases and move after next season.
- If the Raiders and/or Chargers do relocate, there hasn’t been any talk of either switching from the AFC to the NFC, Tafur tweets.
AFC Notes: Ngata, Bills, Spiller, Chargers
Speaking to Luke Jones of WNST.net, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expressed plenty of confidence that Baltimore will get a new deal worked out with defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. In all likelihood, the two sides will come to an agreement that reduces Ngata’s $16MM cap number for 2015, and extends his contract beyond the coming season. Of course, the two sides were also working on a new deal last offseason but those talks did not prove to be fruitful. More from the AFC..
- Appearing today on WGR 550, Bills general manager Doug Whaley said the team has sent a proposal to Jerry Hughes‘ representatives, who countered with a proposal of their own (link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak). There’s an “open line of communication” between the two sides, according to Whaley, who said he’s meeting with Bills VP of football administration Jim Overdof today to determine if the club is close to anything with Hughes.
- Whaley will meet with C.J. Spiller‘s representatives in Indianapolis to try and hammer out a new deal with the Bills, Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com writes. The rival Jets have been heavily connected to the tailback.
- Whaley indicated that if linebacker Brandon Spikes wants an every-down role, it probably won’t happen with the Bills. “So that one’s going to be more of, ‘Hey, do you want to come back and be a one-, two-down player, or do you want to try to go out there and see if you can [be] an every-down player?” Whaley said of Spikes in an interview with John Murphy of BuffaloBills.com (audio link).
- As expected, the Chargers won’t use their franchise tag on anyone this offseason, general manager Tom Telesco said today, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). King Dunlap and Brandon Flowers had been the most viable candidates, but as I wrote last month, a franchise-tag salary would be an overpay for either player.
- If Raiders owner Mark Davis has to move the team to the NFC to make the move to Los Angeles happen, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) doesn’t see that being a deterrent. On Thursday, the Raiders and Chargers announced a plan to build a shared stadium in the Los Angeles area.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Chargers, Raiders Propose Shared Stadium
9:23pm: The teams issued a joint statement to the public (via Chargers.com).
9:09pm: If the Jets and Giants can co-exist in the same building, then maybe the Raiders and Chargers can as well. That’s what the two teams are hoping as they are moving forward on a plan to build a shared $1.7 billion NFL stadium in Carson, California, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.
Both teams will continue to seek public subsidies for new stadiums in their home markets, but they are developing a detailed proposal for a privately financed Los Angeles-area venue in the event they can’t get deals done in their respective cities. Carson is roughly 20 miles from downtown L.A. The two teams issued a joint statement to the Los Angeles Times regarding the plan on Thursday:
“We are pursuing this stadium option in Carson for one straightforward reason: If we cannot find a permanent solution in our home markets, we have no alternative but to preserve other options to guarantee the future economic viability of our franchises,” the statement read.
The Bolts have been moving with purpose ever since Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced his plan to build an 80,000-seat stadium on the land that used to be Hollywood Park. The Raiders, meanwhile, feel the need to join up with the Chargers since they are among the league’s most financially challenged teams. The NFL has long held that L.A. is a two-team market, and it’s almost inconceivable that the league would allow three teams in such close proximity, so this plan could effectively spoil the Rams’ plans if it comes to fruition.
West Notes: Davis, 49ers, Knighton, Chargers
Vernon Davis is coming off his worst season as a pro, and will count for nearly $7MM against the cap in 2015, but he’ll “absolutely” be returning to the 49ers, general manager Trent Baalke said on Wednesday at the combine, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Referring to Davis’ contract and cap hit, Baalke suggested that the numbers are “not as daunting as you may think.”
Let’s round up a few more notes on the Niners and a handful of other West clubs….
- The 49ers‘ wide receiver coaches are among the few San Francisco assistants in Indianapolis, which presumably indicates where the team’s offseason priority lies, tweets Barrows.
- Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton has “made it very clear” to team management that he wants to return to Denver and would be willing to take something of a hometown discount to make it happen. However, as he tells Josina Anderson of ESPN, Knighton doesn’t feel as if that interest is totally mutual. “To be quite honest with you, it’s frustrating and it’s somewhat disrespectful just knowing how important I was to the team and what the defense could’ve been without somebody like me,” Knighton said. “It’s almost like, the longer they wait, the worse it is going to be.”
- Broncos GM John Elway hasn’t heard back from Peyton Manning on his decision for 2015 but he “had a good talk” with the quarterback and said that he’s feeling better, says Mike Klis of The Denver Post.
- The Chargers intend to have extension discussions with quarterback Philip Rivers and safety Eric Weddle at the “appropriate time,” according to GM Tom Telesco, but those negotiations aren’t on the team’s agenda for this week, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- With a new contract from the Cardinals in hand, Larry Fitzgerald will almost assuredly start and end his career in the same place, a rarity for NFL legends, as Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic writes. The new deal is quite fair to Fitzgerald, Bickley opines, as the $22MM guaranteed for the next two seasons was arguably $6MM more than he would have found on the open market.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Combine Pressers: Washington, Lions, Chargers, Ravens
Head coaches and general managers continue to speak to the media at press conferences in Indianapolis, and we’ve already rounded up the highlights from several of them so far today. Here are a few more noteworthy comments from some NFL decision-makers, with all links go to the Twitter accounts of various reporters in attendance:
Washington head coach Jay Gruden:
- In perhaps the most newsworthy moment of any of today’s pressers so far, Gruden said that Robert Griffin III will open the 2015 campaign as Washington’s starting quarterback. There’s still plenty of time for things to change between today and September, but on a day when Jay Cutler couldn’t get a vote of confidence from the Bears, it’s notable that Washington seems committed to RGIII.
- According to Gruden, the Washington front office is in contact with the reps for high-priced players like Pierre Garcon, Barry Cofield, and Stephen Bowen about possible contract restructures. Discussing Garcon specifically, the head coach stressed that the veteran wideout is still very much in the club’s plans.
- Echoing the mantra of new GM Scot McCloughan, Gruden said Washington’s philosophy will be to target the best available players in the draft.
Lions GM Martin Mayhew:
- While he admitted that a new deal with Ndamukong Suh isn’t done, Mayhew remains confident that the two sides will work something out. According to the GM, the defensive scheme, coaches, and players are all a good match for Suh, and the club will definitely “keep working on it.”
- The Lions still haven’t decided whether or not they’ll resort to the franchise tag if the team and Suh don’t reach an agreement by March 2. Detroit also remains undecided about the fifth-year option for offensive tackle Riley Reiff, and hasn’t yet made any final determinations on any free agents except center Dominic Raiola, who won’t be re-signed.
- Mayhew can envision a situation where both Suh and Nick Fairley return to Detroit, but he can also imagine a scenario in which neither player is back. The Lions aren’t sure yet how seriously they’ll pursue Fairley, but will meet with his agent, Brian Overstreet, this week.
- The general manager also has a combine meeting lined up with the agent for free-agent-to-be Matt Prater.
- According to Mayhew, the team is engaged in dialogue with some players about contract restructures to clear some cap room. Although the GM didn’t identify anyone specifically, one of those players could be Reggie Bush — Mayhew said the team hasn’t determined yet what the running back’s future with the team is.
Chargers GM Tom Telesco:
- The Chargers plan to meet with the agent for free agent running back Ryan Mathews at the combine this week, according to Telesco. The GM added that the Chargers are “a different team” when Mathews is healthy and on the field.
- The team is currently planning for D.J. Fluker to play right tackle in 2015, rather than continuing to try him at guard. San Diego figures to have some holes to fill on its offensive line this offseason, so having a set plan for Fluker should help identify the spots that need to be addressed.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh:
- According to Harbaugh, the team’s free agents want to return to Baltimore, and the team wants them back. “That bodes well for us,” Harbaugh said.
- It’s not clear if the head coach’s comment applies to every Ravens free-agent-to-be, but when he was asked specifically about Torrey Smith, Haloti Ngata, and Lardarius Webb, Harbaugh said, “They want to be back [and] we want them back, so we should have a good chance.” Smith is eligible for free agency, while Ngata and Webb are candidates for contract restructures or pay cuts.
- Harbaugh also expects wide receiver Steve Smith to be back with the Ravens in 2015. The former Panther has two years left on his contract, but will turn 36 in May, so retirement may be a viable option soon.
AFC West Notes: Houston, Chiefs, Manning
San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer responded to the letter from Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani’s with a strongly worded one of his own, Stefanie Loh of U-T San Diego writes.
“His divisive tone and criticism of this group of volunteers, civic leaders and the City of San Diego as a whole are not conducive to developing a plan for a new stadium. I hope his behavior is not indicative of our ability to find a solution,” Faulconer said of Fabiani.
If the two sides truly want to get a new stadium done for the Bolts in San Diego, Faulconer and Fabiani will have to kiss and make up at some point. Here’s more from the AFC West..
- The franchise tag continues to look like the most likely scenario for Justin Houston and the Chiefs, and according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link), if Houston does get tagged, he may not sign the one-year tender right away. Assuming Houston gets the non-exclusive franchise tag, he could still negotiate with other suitors, though any team interested in signing him would have to be willing to part with two first-round draft picks in that scenario, making it a tough sell.
- Broncos coach Gary Kubiak laid any speculation to rest today when he said that he wants Peyton Manning to be his starting quarterback in 2015. “I’m expecting him to come back,” Kubiak said, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post. “We want to play with him. This organization has won a lot of games with him and we want to get back and do it again. Expecting him to come back.” Manning hasn’t said that he’s definitely coming back, but Kubiak seems to think it’s a foregone conclusion.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com explained why Manning will have leverage if the Broncos ask him to take a pay cut. In short, Denver doesn’t have the upper hand because remaining a Super Bowl contender largely hinges on whether Peyton Manning is the quarterback. If Manning doesn’t play in Denver next season, it could be reminiscent of Brian Griese taking over in 1999 after John Elway retired.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.