NFC West Links: Extensions, Seahawks, Givens
In a piece examining how the Seahawks can keep their championship window open, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes that even though Seattle has already extended the deals of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Doug Baldwin, the team could look to hand out even more new contracts in the coming months. Fourth-year linebacker K.J. Wright, whom Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded as the 13th-best 4-3 OLB in the NFL last season, might be next in line for an extension, per La Canfora. The Seahawks might also look to tack on years to defensive end Cliff Avril‘s original two-year, $13MM deal, which expires after this season. Left tackle Russell Okung is also entering the final year of his contract, but might have to wait for new money, as La Canfora believes his injury history will prompt Seattle to evaluate his health after 2014. More from the NFC West:
- The Seahawks have a history of keeping just two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, but Terrelle Pryor‘s performance through two preseason games has Gregg Bell of the News-Tribune wondering if the team will keep the 25-year-old Ohio State product around.
- Per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, Rams receiver Chris Givens has been surpassed on the depth chart by Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, and Brian Quick. It’s fair to wonder if Givens, entering his third season, will survive final cuts.
- It’s common practice for teams to send scouts to preseason games around the league, hoping to get looks at players who could be available in the coming weeks as cutdown dates approach. Eight NFL teams, plus two CFL squads, had officials on hand to scout the Broncos-49ers exhibition game, but Seahawks general manager John Schneider was the only top executive on hand to view the contest, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
West Notes: Carr, Crabtree, Broncos, Rams
Raiders rookie quarterback Derek Carr sustained a concussion and injured ribs last night, with SI’s Austin Murphy reporting (via Twitter) Carr told a team doctor, “I just heard a crunch. I don’t know if my rib’s broken. But it hurts.”
Here’s some more links from the AFC and NFC West divisions:
- Healed from a July hamstring pull, 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree participated in his first full practice Friday. Afterward, he told reporters to expect a more impactful version of himself in 2014. According to SFGate.com’s Eric Branch, Crabtree was a “diminished” receiver last season when he came back from a torn Achilles weighing 230 pounds. Crabtree will play at approximately 215 pounds this season.
- Optimism is flowing in Broncos camp, particularly because defensive ends Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware look healthy and are gelling, according to the Coloradoan’s Arnie Stapleton. Additionally, Quanterus Smith‘s “ability to create pressure off the edge continues to impress coaches,” per the Denver Post’s Troy Renck, who says Smith is soaking up veteran advice from Ware.
- Speaking of optimism. . .Rams receiver Kenny Britt, who is being given another chance by Jeff Fisher, is 100 percent and drawing praise in camp. That’s not surprising. But an article headlined “Rams hoping Kenny Britt can be a leader” is.
- Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez paints an optimistic picture of Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, who enters a make-or-break season with a confidence boost derived from the organization’s confidence in him.
- Although it was just a second preseason game, the Chargers were humbled by the Seahawks, writes Kevin Acee of the Union-Tribune.
Extra Points: Decker, Dalton, 49ers, Watson
In an intriguing thought exercise for ESPN Insider (subscription required), former Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik attempts to put together the best possible 53-man team while staying below the NFL’s $133MM salary cap. Making the experiment more interesting was that Dominik didn’t simply select a squad of Pro Bowlers, but rather a club that would value attributes like special teams prowess — in short, a complete team. So in addition to stars like Tom Brady and Patrick Peterson, the roster contains lesser-known players such as J.R. Sweezy and Justin Bethel. It’s a fun piece that’s worth a full read. Let’s take a look at some news from around the league to close out this Friday night:
- Eric Decker might not put up the same numbers with the Jets as he did in Denver, but New York receivers coach Sanjay Lal didn’t just use raw statistics to evaluate Decker’s 2013 performance. Instead, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Lal judged the former Minnesota Gopher in three areas: his ability to separate from defenders at the top of routes, his capacity to win against press coverage, and his potential to beat DBs on deep balls.
- While Andy Dalton might be the definition of a league-average quarterback, it made sense for the Bengals to sign him to an extension, as it’s quite difficult to find even a mediocre QB, explains Neil Payne of FiveThirtyEight (with the mathematical data expected from a Nate Silver outlet).
- In a video report, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com rounds up the latest 49ers news, including a look at San Francisco’s improved defensive line, and how Blaine Gabbert leads the battle for the No. 2 quarterback job.
- Cornerback Jansen Watson has returned to Raiders camp after taking some time to decide whether to continue his NFL career, tweets Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa Times. Watson’s exempt-left squad designation period expired yesterday, so he once again counts against Oakland’s 90-man roster limit.
NFC Notes: Bryant, Underwood, Lattimore
Even after signing a deal that pays him an average of $4.75MM per season with the Jaguars, defensive lineman Red Bryant still isn’t happy about the way his tenure with the Seahawks ended. “It’s football,’’ Bryant told Terry Blount of ESPN.com. “What have you did for me lately? I guess what [Chris Clemons and I] did for them lately wasn’t good enough anymore.” Seattle, in part, let Bryant go in order to retain a far superior talent in Michael Bennett, but it’s not surprising to see a player a bit miffed at his former team. Let’s look at some more notes from the NFC:
- Though Tiquan Underwood has struggled to distinguish himself during his time with the Panthers, the team is not yet giving up on him, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. Head coach Ron Rivera said the 27-year-old has “a skill set [Carolina would] like to have,” but if Underwood can’t crack the Panthers depleted receiving corps, his NFL future could be in doubt.
- 49ers running back Marcus Lattimore is almost a year removed from a suffering a gruesome knee injury while at South Carolina, but San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh says the young ball-carrier still isn’t ready for practice. “He’s been doing well,” Harbaugh told Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. “There’s been gains, but that’s where we’re at – not quite there yet.”
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes it’s possible that Rolando McClain “shakes things up” at linebacker, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Reports yesterday indicated that Bruce Carter could be losing his handle on Dallas’ weakside linebacker job, so perhaps McClain summon some of the talent that made him the No. 8 overall pick in 2010.
- Chris Brown of Grantland pens an interesting look at Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, detailing not only the former Oregon head man’s offensive philosophies, but his unique approaches to sport science, nutrition, and practice regimens.
NFC Notes: Sims, Redskins, Boone, Vikings
Veteran guard Rob Sims hasn’t spoken to the Lions about a new contract as he enters the final year of his deal, and both he and the team are prepared to wait until the offseason to address the issue. As Sims tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, he’d like to remain a Lion beyond this season, but he knows the decision may ultimately be out of his hands. “I would love to be here, I’ve done a lot of stuff with charity, I’ve done a lot of stuff with business around the city, and I would love to finish what I started here as far as trying to help build this offensive line,” Sims said. “But, hey, when I was in Seattle five years ago, I thought for sure, ‘Oh, I’ll be a Seahawk for life.’ So I’m a little less naïve to the fact.”
More from the NFC:
- The Redskins have appealed a June ruling that canceled several of the team’s trademarks, reports the Washington Times. The original decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office board had no empirical effect on the Redskins, as the team still reserves the right seek legal action against unauthorized uses of its trademarks.
- Alex Boone is steadfast in his holdout from 49ers camp, but it’s been a costly decision. Per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, Boone’s fines are piling up — the guard is subject to nearly $900K in penalties, which includes a $30K daily fine for missing training camp, the loss of a portion of his 2011 signing bonus, and a missed offseason workout bonus. If Boone does end up reporting to San Francisco’s facilities, the team would likely forgive the fines, as the Seahawks did with Marshawn Lynch.
- The Vikings have a healthy competition at strong safety, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and head coach Mike Zimmer isn’t guaranteeing that Jamarca Sanford, who started 13 games at FS last year, will remain atop the depth chart. “We’re going to divide it up,” said Zimmer. “I want to play these guys quite a bit this week. I want to see how it goes from there and then try to figure out the rest of the pecking order as we get going. Hopefully, this will be a big week for those safeties.”
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
NFC West Notes: Cards, Abraham, Bowie
On the heels of Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report observing (via Twitter) that some people in Cardinals camp believe Michael Floyd will be the team’s No. 1 receiver, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Arizona is already “detaching” from Larry Fitzgerald. An offseason contract restructure means Fitzgerald will carry a $23.6MM in 2015, meaning the Cardinals may be forced to part ways with the veteran wideout — such a move may be a little easier for the club to swallow if Floyd is truly on the verge of becoming a top option.
Here’s more on the Cards and a couple of their division rivals:
- After being absent from training camp for nearly three weeks, veteran outside linebacker John Abraham reported to the Cardinals today, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Arizona GM Steve Keim declined to comment on Wednesday about the reason for Abraham’s absence, which has so far been undisclosed.
- Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable wasn’t overly pleased that the Browns – and multiple other teams – placed waiver claims on former Seattle lineman Michael Bowie when the ‘Hawks cut him with an injured designation earlier this month. Cable said on 710 ESPN Seattle on Wednesday (link via Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle) that it’s “kind of an unwritten rule” not to poach another team’s injured players when they pass through waivers. “Typically when you waive someone injured, they kind of get through and you’re going to get them back, fix them and move on,” Cable said. “Cleveland chose to take him, and whether you agree with it or not, I guess that’s business.”
- Colin Kaepernick‘s extension with the 49ers is one recent example of how teams continue to have all the long-term leverage in contract talks, with players continuing to cede control, writes former Packers executive Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com.
Extra Points: Cardinals, Smith, Kasa, 49ers
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is very excited about the addition of two backup wide receivers, writes Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic. Ted Ginn Jr., signed in free agency, and John Brown, drafted in the third round, have made Arizona faster. “It opens up everything,” Palmer said. “It opens up the running game. You don’t want to leave a guy one-on-one in press coverage against Ted; it’s a tough matchup for any corner. So it takes an extra guy out of the box in some situations. It helps the running game.” More from around the league..
- Some may be wondering how much Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith has left in the tank, but Andy Benoit of MMQB believes that he was the best offseason signing in the NFL. Smith, he argues, still has the speed, stop/start acceleration and body control to consistently beat man coverage. The 35-year-old is 19th all-time in NFL history in receiving yards (12,197) and 25th in receptions (836).
- Bad news for Raiders tight end Nick Kasa as the preliminary reports are indicating that he has torn his ACL, tweets Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. If that’s the case, he’ll be done for the year and a source told Bair that he is in fact done for 2014.
- Former University of South Florida linebacker Aaron Lynch could wind up being the surprise pick of the 49ers‘ draft, writes Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Lynch had a number of red flags in the eyes of NFL scouts, but he has tremendous speed and is working hard to learn the position after playing defensive end in college.
- Packers GM Ted Thompson has been at this for a while, but he’s still critical of himself when he makes mistakes, writes Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel. “We got through that annually when we’re gearing up for a new draft with post-draft analysis. You look at that. You don’t beat yourself up too much. It’s not an exact science,” said the GM.
- William Powell‘s two-year deal with the Texans is a split contract worth $1.08MM with minimum base salaries and no guaranteed money, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Powell last appeared in the NFL with the Cardinals in 2012, rushing for 216 yards off of 59 carries.
- Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith is a big, big fan of quarterback Josh McCown. In fact, Lovie likes him so much that he’s tried to sign him three times over the years and was successful twice, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. He was rebuffed once because McCown refused to renege on his UFL commitment.
- Poor salary cap management and planning by the Lions front office has all but eliminated the possibility of signing Ndamukong Suh to a contract extension that makes sense for the team, writes Jason Fitzgerald for The Sporting News. The best option at this point, he says, is for the Lions to strongly consider trading Suh to the highest bidder before the preseason concludes.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- In order to make room for incoming defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, the Patriots will waive tight end Terrence Miller with an injured designation, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Cowboys are expected to sign tight end Asa Watson, who was recently cut by the Patriots, but Dallas will still have to clear a roster spot on the 90-man roster, tweets Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com.
Earlier updates:
- After signing with the 49ers as a free agent this offseason, linebacker and special teams contributor Blake Costanzo has been placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury, the team announced in a press release. San Francisco signed linebacker Kion Wilson to replace Costanzo, who didn’t have to pass through waivers before hitting IR since he has more than four years of NFL experience.
- The Saints have signed former Giants tight end Travis Beckum to a one-year deal, a source told Ramon Antonio Vargas and Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate today. A third-round draft choice in 2009, Beckum has not played since suffering a knee injury in New York’s Super Bowl win after the 2011 season. He was on injured reserve for the duration of 2012 and out of the league in 2013.
- Using the open roster spot they created after shuffling various running backs in and out earlier in the week, the Texans have added cornerback Junior Mertile to their roster, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). An ex-Giant, Mertile has been a free agent since he was cut by New York in May, though he auditioned for the Jags in the interim.
- Running back Stephen Houston has signed with the Steelers, according to the team’s PR man Burt Lauten (Twitter link). The former Indiana rusher got a partially guaranteed contract from the Patriots after the draft, but was waived by the team over the weekend.
- According to John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter), the Jaguars have replaced one center with another, signing Antoine Caldwell and waiving Matt Stankiewitch, who sustained a wrist injury.
West Notes: Cardinals, Iupati, Seahawks
Cardinals GM Steve Keim offered up extremely high praise for rookie wide receiver John Brown in a chat with Grantland’s Robert Mays. “I haven’t seen a rookie come in and do what he’s done — and it’s early still — since Anquan Boldin,” Keim told Mays on Monday. “This guy came through the first day, and being from Pittsburg State, has uncanny instincts, unbelievable understanding of route concepts, leverage, being in the right spot at the right time. On top of great ball skills, he has unusual speed and explosiveness.” Here’s more from the AFC and NFC West..
- A source tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com it’s unlikely the 49ers believe they can exceed the contracts of their tackles with any deal for a guard, even one as talented as Mike Iupati. Joe Staley’s new extension increased his average-per-year salary to $7.44MM. Anthony Davis signed an extension in 2013 that pays him an average of $6.52MM through the 2019 season. There are no indications the 49ers and Iupati are close to a contract extension at this time.
- Earlier today, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap finished up his best and worst contracts series with a look at the Seahawks. Seattle’s best contract, he writes, is the team’s agreement with center Max Unger. Unger’s contract, which was worth just under $25MM for four seasons, represented a 24% savings in annual value over Ryan Kalil’s contract with the Panthers. Meanwhile, the worst contract on the Seahawks’ books is for Percy Harvin, thanks to his limited track record of success and the lack of injury protection afforded in the deal.
- Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan has a left medial tibial impaction fracture and is expected to miss six to eight weeks, according to the team’s official Twitter account.
NFC Links: Saints, Bucs, Cardinals, Vikings, Packers
The Saints’ 2014 roster isn’t likely to match or exceed the total of eight undrafted free agents who earned spots on the roster or practice squad a year ago, but the team prides itself on finding hidden gems, as GM Mickey Loomis tells Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.
“Our college scouting staff takes a lot of pride in finding guys that no one’s heard about, or small college guys, and finding a trait that each one has that transfers to the NFL,” Loomis said. “It’s also a great credit to our coaching staff being willing to look at player and not worry about how we acquired them but just go by what we see and going by what their potential is to fit within our scheme offensively and defensively. We’ve had a lot of success with undrafted free agents, and I think that’s going to continue.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…
- Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the Buccaneers have real interest in 49ers guard Alex Boone if the price is right (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). However, another source told Rapoport that there’s been no “real” conversations between the two sides.
- The Buccaneers could use some help on the offensive line, and coach Lovie Smith was asked if the team would consider Richie Incognito. “[A]ll players are looked at and [if] we think they could fit we bring them in,” he told the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud (via Twitter).
- Rookie wide receiver John Brown continues to make a “buzz” at Cardinals camp, tweets CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora. Considering the team’s depth at the position, La Canfora suggests that the team could carry six wideouts on their final roster.
- ESPN’s Ben Goessling tweets that Vikings tight end Chase Ford is getting close to a return and may not need to start the season on the PUP list.
- Packers running back Rajion Neal caught the eyes of coaches after he ran for 39 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown, on five carries in the team’s preseason opener. Unfortunately, the undrafted rookie suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, and he understands that he has to get healthy quickly if he hopes to make the squad. “I’ve got to play; there ain’t no way around it,” Neal told ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. “Being in the position I’m in, I can’t afford it.”
Luke Adams contributed to this post.