NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Rams, 49ers
While it’s being viewed as something of an inevitability that the Seahawks will work out an extension with Russell Wilson as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com isn’t so sure it’s a lock. La Canfora thinks it’s possible that Wilson chooses to gamble on himself, playing out the final year of his deal before signing a massive extension next winter.
Sources tell the CBSSports.com scribe that there hasn’t been a ton of progress made so far on any extensions for notable QBs, including Wilson, Andrew Luck, and Cam Newton. That will likely change, and if Wilson does reach an agreement with the Seahawks this offseason, expect to be a “mega-deal” and not anything similar to the more modest arrangements agreed upon by guys like Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick.
Here’s more from around the NFC West:
- Seahawks general manager John Schneider confirmed today that his team won’t be using its franchise tag prior to the March 2 deadline, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. That doesn’t come as a surprise — as I wrote earlier this month, cornerback Byron Maxwell is really the only viable candidate, and the Seahawks aren’t likely to spend big on him.
- After interviewing Jeff Garcia for the role, the Rams have opted to hire another ex-NFL quarterback as their QB coach, according to ESPN’s Derek Tyson, who tweets that former Heisman winner Chris Weinke is joining Jeff Fisher‘s staff in St. Louis.
- Echoing comments made by GM Trent Baalke yesterday, albeit using different terminology, 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula told reporters today that he intends to “shoot the bologna” with Justin Smith soon, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. According to Tomsula, he has had a similar conversation with Smith – who may retire – at the end of the last three or four seasons.
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.
NFC West Notes: Gore, 49ers, Cards, Lynch
In an Instagram post earlier this week, Frank Gore publicly expressed some doubt about how invested the 49ers are in re-signing him this winter. According to Niners GM Trent Baalke, that prompted him to reach out to the veteran running back to reiterate the team’s position, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes.
“That’s why we talked. That’s the exact (reason),” Baalke said. “We reached out. He reached out back. He wasn’t expecting it to take legs like it did. Nor were we. He didn’t have any intentions by it and he made that very clear in our conversations. … It’s at the same place it was the last time we talked. We’re still working on it. It’s not something that’s going to get done yesterday. It’ll take some time to resolve. It’s our intention to have Frank back.”
While we wait to see what Gore’s future holds, here’s more from around the NFC West:
- Baalke also said today that he plans to meet with Michael Crabtree‘s agent this week in Indianapolis, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). The 49ers wideout is eligible for free agency next month.
- Speaking today to reporters in Indy, including Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link), Cardinals GM Steve Keim said he doesn’t want to get into specifics, but the team intends to talk to Darnell Dockett about his contract. Dockett, who missed the entire 2014 campaign with a knee injury, is on the books for a 2015 cap hit of $9.8MM, a figure the club may want to reduce.
- Keim also today that he expects some of the Cardinals‘ free agents, such as Antonio Cromartie, to test the open market, though that doesn’t rule out the possibility of them re-signing with Arizona (Twitter link via Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com).
- While a full breakdown of Larry Fitzgerald‘s new contract with the Cardinals isn’t out there yet, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a stab at determining what it will look like.
- A Seahawks player tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that he thinks it’s 50/50 as to whether Marshawn Lynch continues his career or decides to retire. “Marshawn is a different kind of guy,” the player said. “He could retire tomorrow, walk away and not think twice about it.”
- With Lynch’s future up in the air, Terry Blount of ESPN.com identifies three running backs that may be on the Seahawks‘ radar during this week’s combine and during the draft this spring.
Combine Pressers: Steelers, Bucs, Broncos, 49ers
48 head coaches or general managers are scheduled to speak today, tomorrow, and Friday at the NFL’s scouting combine in Indianapolis, with the Eagles, Saints, and Patriots the only teams not represented on this year’s schedule. Those mini-pressers are already underway, so let’s round up a few of the notable comments made by the men who have spoken to the media so far. All links go to the Twitter accounts of various NFL reporters in attendance….
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert:
- Contract talks between Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers are “progressing,” according to Colbert. With Big Ben heading into the final year of his current deal, the two sides are expected to work out a new agreement at some point during the offseason, and the GM is very confident it can be done within a traditional cap structure.
- Despite the fact that LeGarrette Blount ultimately played a major role for the Super Bowl champion Patriots, Colbert said today that he and his club have no regrets about parting ways with the running back during the season.
- While Colbert said he’d love to bring back free-agent-to-be Jason Worilds, he didn’t convey a ton of confidence that something will get done, telling reporters, “Maybe he comes back, maybe he moves on.” Per Colbert, the outside linebacker may need to test the open market to gauge his value.
Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith:
- Calling Josh McCown a “lifelong friend,” Smith said he thought it was in both the team’s and the quarterback’s interests to part ways earlier this month.
- The Buccaneers’ new coaches like Mike Glennon, so the plan right now is to move forward with Glennon at quarterback — he’s the only signal-caller on the roster at the moment, but Smith thinks he has the potential to be a solid NFL starter.
- While Glennon may be atop the Tampa Bay depth chart by default for now, Smith also addressed the idea of selecting a quarterback with the first overall pick in April. According to the head coach, the Bucs aren’t put off by Jameis Winston‘s off-field issues, and would be comfortable with the idea of making him the face of their franchise. The vetting process for both Winston and Marcus Mariota is ongoing, and Smith says the team has already “talked to a lot of people” about both prospects.
- Asked about Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs, two potential free agents whom used to play for Smith in Chicago, the head coach said he’s not sure how much interest they’ll generate, but he believes they can still be positive contributors.
Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak:
- Although Kubiak said he has received no assurances that Peyton Manning will be back with the Broncos, all indications are pointing toward him returning. The new Denver head coach talked about adjusting his offense to suit Manning’s skills, which strongly suggest he expects to be coaching the future Hall-of-Famer.
- According to Kubiak, he had a “good conversation” with Wes Welker, who says he’s feeling good and wants to play in 2015. Of course, the receiver doesn’t have a contract yet, so there’s no guarantee he’ll continue playing for the Broncos. Denver would “love to have him back” though, says Kubiak.
- Kubiak expects the transition from a 4-3 defense under Jack Del Rio to a 3-4 scheme under Wade Phillips to go fairly smoothly.
49ers GM Trent Baalke:
- Baalke intends to meet with veteran defensive end Justin Smith after the combine to determine whether or not Smith wants to return for a 15th NFL season in 2015.
- Asked about wide receiver prospects at the combine and in the draft, Baalke said, “It’s no mystery, we’re looking for guys who can run.”
- Baalke declined to comment on Jim Harbaugh‘s recent suggestion that the former head coach’s departure from the 49ers was the team’s decision and not his own. “He’s moved on and we’ve moved on,” the GM said.
- According to the Niners GM, the team’s head coaching job was offered to “one person and one person only” (Jim Tomsula), meaning the club never officially offered the position to Adam Gase. Baalke did confirm that the Niners made an effort to retain defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, but that was dependent on who became the head coach.
NFC Notes: Wilson, Gore, Vikes, Gholston
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.
West Rumors: 49ers, Manning, Gore, Chargers
Over the weekend, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News reported that the 49ers may have hired Adam Gase as their head coach last month, had he agreed to make Jim Tomsula his defensive coordinator. Today, Albert Breer of the NFL Network follows up on that story, reporting (via Twitter) that Gase wanted to keep Vic Fangio as his DC in San Francisco, or to hire Vance Joseph from the Bengals for the job. As it turned out, Fangio left the Niners for the Bears and Joseph remained in Cincinnati, but it’s not clear if either coach’s situation would’ve been different had Gase landed San Francisco’s HC job.
Let’s round up a few more items from out of the NFC and AFC West divisions….
- Peyton Manning reportedly told John Elway and the Broncos last week that he’s preparing to play in 2015, and Peter King of TheMMQB.com writes today that the team “definitely” wants its quarterback to return, recognizing that its best chance for a deep playoff run comes with Manning at the helm. King adds that Denver may “quietly rattle some sabers” about reducing Manning’s 2015 salary and/or cap hit, but the MMQB.com scribe cautions that moving too much dead money to 2016 or beyond might be risky, since ’15 could very well be Manning’s last season.
- As Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com details, veteran running back Frank Gore publicly expressed some doubt this weekend on Instagram about how invested 49ers management is in him. However, agent Drew Rosenhaus tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that there’s “nothing negative” between Gore and the team, and that GM Trent Baalke has made it clear he wants to bring back the longtime Niner.
- Three players in the West – Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald, and Chiefs edge defender Tamba Hali – lead off Joel Corry’s list of candidates to take pay cuts this year. Here’s the full story from Corry at the National Football Post.
- The San Diego committee tasked with coming up with a plan for a new NFL stadium for the city will meet today with Mark Fabiani, the Chargers‘ point man on stadium issues, according to Tony Perry of the Los Angeles Times. With Stan Kroenke preparing to move forward with a new stadium in Inglewood, there’s a little more urgency in San Diego than there has been in past years to get something done.
West Notes: Manning, Knighton, Tomsula
Peyton Manning faded down the stretch in 2014, and many may have forgotten that he threw for over 4.700 yards and 39 touchdowns, leading a 12-4 Broncos team to a first round bye. Granted, I won’t argue that he was spectacular at season’s end, but he certainly represents the team’s best chance of success in 2015. Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post writes that while Manning needs to come back, he also needs to take a pay cut. Even carving $5MM off of his cap number would give the team the flexibility to invest in the offensive line, which could be worth more to Manning than the money at this point.
Here are some other notes from our two West divisions:
- Demaryius Thomas would like to come to an agreement with the Broncos on a long-term contract, but it is more likely that he has the franchise tag placed on him, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
- The Raiders are bereft of talent, but new coach Jack Del Rio could look to bring an important piece to the middle of the defense, as the team is expected to pursue defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, according to CSNBayArea.com. Del Rio drafted Knighton when he was with the Jaguars, and the pair traveled to Denver together when Del Rio received the defensive coordinator job with the Broncos.
- The 49ers were reportedly close to hiring former Broncos offensive coordinator and current Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase. However, Gase turned down the job after he was told he would have to promote defensive line coach Jim Tomsula to defensive coordinator, according to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Gase turned down the offer, and Tomsula was hired shortly after.
- 49ers running back Frank Gore is looking for a commitment from the team as free agency looms, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Barrows writes that while Gore is committed to returning, he is unsure of his future with the team with Carlos Hyde emerging as a playmaking running back.
- Inglewood mayor James T. Butts is confident that football will return to Los Angeles, writes Josh Peter of USA Today. “Let me put it to you this way, buddy: It’s going down,” says Butts. “This is a happening thing. As far as everybody being all in, everybody’s all in.”
West Notes: Chiefs, Manning, Knighton
Count Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith among those who didn’t see the shakeup in San Francisco coming. “I think for me, it’s still just tough to believe all those guys are gone, all that turnover,” Smith told Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News. “I wasn’t there so obviously it’s hard for me to speculate on any of that. I was just kind of shocked. There were a lot of ballgames that got won over the last few years, but for whatever reason, they couldn’t make it work.” Smith, of course, played for the 49ers from 2005-12 before being traded to Kansas City. Here’s more from the West divisions:
- Smith’s backup, Chase Daniel, is scheduled to count $4.8MM against the Chiefs’ cap in 2015, the highest such figure for a No. 2 quarterback in the league. Kansas City can save $3.8MM by releasing him, but Daniel doesn’t expect that to happen, according to Todd Palmer of the Kansas City Star. Indeed, as Palmer notes, cutting Daniel would leave the Chiefs with inexperienced options like Aaron Murray and Tyler Bray behind Smith, although the club did add Terrelle Pryor earlier this offseason.
- Following reports that Peyton Manning intends to play next season, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap looks at a few salary cap maneuvers the Broncos could use to lower the future Hall of Famer’s cap hit. Fitzgerald writes that Denver could either convert most of Manning’s base salary into a signing bonus, or add voidable years to the end of his contract — either move would allow them to retain Demaryius Thomas and make other additions.
- Terrance Knighton is a perfect fit for the Broncos’ new 3-4 scheme, and although he wants to remain in Denver, there haven’t been any contract talks as of yet, writes Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Renck speculates that Knighton could latch on with former Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio in Oakland, projecting a five-year, $30MM deal.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com looks at the top candidates to take a pay cut before the 2015 season, and three of the players — Sam Bradford of the Rams, Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals, and Tamba Hali of the Chiefs — reside in West divisions. I took a look at Hali’s chances of getting released last month.
NFC Notes: Harbaugh, Suh, Rams
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh shared some thoughts about his former employer on the Tim Kawakami Show, telling the San Jose Mercury News columnist his parting with the 49ers “wasn’t exactly mutual.”
“I didn’t leave the 49ers. I felt like the 49ers left me,” Harbaugh told Kawakami. The successful coach quickly exited San Francisco for Ann Arbor, Michigan, just after his fourth season as an NFL head coach concluded.
Mired in what appeared to be a consistent struggle with upper management, Harbaugh left despite taking the 49ers to three straight NFC title games, a destination the franchise hadn’t seen since 1997. Harbaugh also confirmed he was told he wouldn’t be back with the 49ers after a Week 15 loss in Seattle. The current Michigan coach, who will work for $5MM this season, didn’t deny then-defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was campaigning for his old job before getting it in January.
“There was definitely a point where you walk down the halls and you … I wasn’t reading anything that was on the Internet, I was really focused on doing my job … but definitely walk down the halls and people look away or they look at you and you know something’s going on,” Harbaugh told Kawakami.
On to those who plan to be paid by NFL franchises this season …
- If franchised, Ndamukong Suh‘s salary will balloon into the stratosphere reserved for baseball players and Roger Goodell, but Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin doesn’t care at this point, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. He plans on the free agent defensive tackle returning for a sixth season in the Motor City. Of course, there are other deciding voices on this expensive matter. Suh would draw a staggering $26.9MM should the Lions franchise him. The former No. 2 overall pick’s cap number was north of $22MM last season, according to OverTheCap.com. The near-$27MM figure would represent more than 19% of the Lions’ overall salary cap if they exercise this option. The team has 23 free agents and only $14.5MM worth of cap space, so some major restructuring would be necessary to make Austin’s ideal vision come to fruition.
- Rams coach Jeff Fisher shed some light on his recent offensive coordinator hire, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Twitter, saying it was going to be an in-house candidate. Fisher also noted he had only one in-person interview — Nathaniel Hackett — and a couple of phone conversations with Kyle Shanahan and Adam Gase (via Wagner on Twitter) before promoting quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti. Jeff Garcia was interviewed for the quarterback coach job on Thursday and Friday, but more interviews are coming (Twitter link).
- Amid another contract renegotiation, Larry Fitzgerald could finally enter the free agent market, but Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic explains why the 31-year-old Fitzgerald departing would not be the right move for his own sake. Fitzgerald is due $8MM if he’s on the roster when the new league year begins March 10, but that contract carries a $23.6MM cap charge, which is probably a non-starter for most players, let alone a one who hasn’t topped 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2011. The Cardinals need to slash more than $10MM, according to OverTheCap.com, to move under the salary cap by March 10, and Fitzgerald’s deal is front and center.
West Notes: 49ers, Manning, Cards, Lynch
49ers defensive end Justin Smith has yet to make a decision about whether or not he’ll return to the team for next season or end his playing career, and his decision could have a significant impact on another Niners defender, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Maiocco observes that Aldon Smith, who is entering a contract year, often lines up on the same side of the field as the elder Smith, and benefits from the defensive end tying up pass blockers. If Justin Smith retires this offseason, it could have an effect on Aldon Smith’s earning potential as he enters a key year, says Maiocco.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two West divisions:
- A league source tells NFL reporter Ross Tucker (Twitter link) that he thinks Peyton Manning may be in talks with the Broncos to restructure his contract in order to create cap room for the coming year. Reworking Manning’s deal could potentially create up to about $9MM in cap savings, which would give the club much more flexibility to re-sign key free agents like Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Terrance Knighton.
- Appearing on the Doug and Wolf show on Arizona Sports 98.7FM, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim confirmed that discussions are ongoing with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and that he’d like to have resolution on the issue in time for free agency (link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). According to Keim, the club is currently about $16MM over the cap — incidentally, the veteran wideout is owed an $8MM base salary and an $8MM roster bonus for 2015.
- Keim also touched on a few other topics during his radio appearance, including cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who is eligible for free agency. The GM had nothing but praise for Cromartie’s efforts in 2014, and said the Cardinals would “love” to bring him back.
- Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson, who is a close friend of Marshawn Lynch, would bet that the running back returns to Seattle for the 2015 season, but he admits that he doesn’t know that for sure, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “I don’t think Marshawn knows yet,” Robinson said on 710 ESPN in Seattle. “I don’t know what a timeline is, guys. I would guess that Marshawn doesn’t even really know what a timeline is. Probably going to be a feel thing and we’ll just see like everybody else.”