NFC Notes: Revis, 49ers, Graham, Cowboys
Cutting Darrelle Revis wasn’t easy for Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith, as Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com writes. “It was not an easy decision because Darrelle’s a great player. But he’s not the only great player in the league. We just felt like we needed, instead of having one great player we thought we could get three. Instead of having one real good player, we felt like we could get three real good players,” Smith said. More out of the NFC..
- A source tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter) that former UNC linebacker Darius Lipford had a good workout for the 49ers today but he was not signed. Lipford was one of four players in this year’s supplemental draft.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap gives his thoughts on the impact of Jimmy Graham‘s contract with the Saints. While the four-year, $40MM is the largest ever given to a tight end, the three-year cash flows indicate that this deal won’t necessarily be a game changer. With a backloaded deal, Graham’s contract isn’t as far ahead of the contracts given to Rob Gronkowski or Vernon Davis.
- Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com wonders if Graham’s new deal will set the baseline for Cowboys star receiver Dez Bryant. Even though Bryant and Graham (officially, now) play different positions, their numbers have been rather similar over the last three years, so a comp would make some sense. There are currently seven wide receivers earning an average annual value of at least $10MM: Brandon Marshall, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Percy Harvin, Mike Wallace, Dwayne Bowe, and Vincent Jackson.
Tight End Notes: Finley, Keller, Davis, Jags
The league’s most productive tight end became the league’s highest-paid tight end earlier today, with Jimmy Graham agreeing to terms on a four-year deal with the Saints. Although we’re still waiting on all the specifics, the contract reportedly has an average annual value of $10MM, which would be the highest per-year amount ever for the position.
While Graham’s contract saga appears to be over, there are a handful of other players looking to sign or restructure contracts of their own. Let’s round up the latest on a few tight ends around the NFL….
- Tom Pelissero of USA Today reported last night that Jermichael Finley would undergo a series of medical tests this week and would send those results to all 32 NFL teams in hopes of generating interest. Today, Pelissero passes along a series of quotes from the former Packer explaining why he wants to continue his playing career rather than trying to collect a $10MM insurance policy and retiring.
- Finley’s explanation: “It’s a pride issue now. I’ve got a lot of pride. I’ve been playing this game for free for 20 years when I was a kid, so it ain’t about the money. It ain’t about how much I can get and how much my agent can get and whatnot. It’s all about the love of the game. We all know the money’s going to come and it’s going to go. I just want to go out there and be able to showcase these skills that I’ve been working on for months now, since I got hurt in October.”
- Dustin Keller, who is coming off a serious knee injury, is still making progress in his recovery, according to Pelissero (via Twitter). Keller hopes to play this season, but isn’t in a rush to sign with a team.
- It’s safe to assume that Graham’s new annual value of $10MM becomes a target for Vernon Davis as he attempts to negotiate a new deal with the 49ers, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. In my opinion, it’s probably also safe to assume the Niners won’t pay him that much. Davis is currently in line for base salaries of just $4.7MM in 2014 and $4.35MM in 2015, though his cap hit is more sizable due to bonus money.
- A pair of tight ends who are eligible for extensions weighed in via Twitter on Graham’s new contract, with Jordan Cameron of the Browns and Julius Thomas of the Broncos passing along their congratulations. Presumably, both players will also have Graham’s deal in mind when they negotiate their own extensions.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union examines the tight end situation for the Jaguars, who will need to figure out their third player at the position behind Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor.
NFC Notes: Lipford, Nwaneri, Tate, Packers
Former UNC linebacker Darius Lipford, who went undrafted in last week’s supplemental draft, will work out for the 49ers this week, tweets Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. So far, four teams have expressed interest in bringing Lipford in for a visit since he has the most upside of the four players not selected in the supplemental draft, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter).
Let’s round up a few more items from across the NFC….
- Caplan also passes along contract details for new Cowboys offensive lineman Uche Nwaneri, who signed a minimum salary benefit contract which includes a $65K signing bonus (Twitter link).
- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today examines the players who may hold out when training camps begin and discusses what teams may have to do to ensure those players are in the fold. The list of potential holdouts includes a handful of NFC West players — Vernon Davis and Alex Boone of the 49ers and Marshawn Lynch of the Seahawks.
- In an interview with ESPN’s First Take today, Lions wide receiver Golden Tate softened earlier comments and explained that his decision to leave the Seahawks was driven by more than money. “If you have an opportunity to earn way more money in another city, you’ll leave in a second. Every single person in the world would have done what I did,” Tate said, according to MLive.com’s Gillian Van Stratt.
- Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com looks at the Packers‘ backup quarterback battle. The incumbent Scott Tolzien is going up against the once-heralded Matt Flynn for the No. 2 role and some have wondered what might happen if both perform well during training camp. The Packers could, in theory, roll with three QBs, but they haven’t done that since 2008 and doing so would come at the expense of depth elsewhere on the field.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Clayton On Falcons, Gordon, Thanksgiving
ESPN’s John Clayton has been covering the NFL since his high school days in 1972, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more knowledgable man or woman on pro football. His Sunday mailbags are a treat, full of wit and wisdom, and we’re passing along some of Clayton’s best responses to readers’ questions to you.
Clayton also touches on the Giants and Bills, the two teams meeting in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and thus the first two teams to open training camp.
On the Falcons’ defensive line:
“The Falcons‘ pass rush has to be better. Their nickel defense gave up 6.48 yards per play and 7.75 yards per attempt and had only 23 sacks this past year. The return of a healthy Kroy Biermann will help. Former Dolphin Paul Soliai is a big, physical addition to the defensive line, but it’s unclear how the Falcons will use him. He’s a run-stopper who could draw an extra blocker, but he has only 4½ sacks in his seven NFL seasons. I’ll be intrigued to see if Ra’Shede Hageman can get into a pass-rushing role in the nickel. He might be a pretty special athlete.”
On the ramifications of Josh Gordon‘s impending suspension:
“If Gordon is suspended for the year, his contract would be tolled, meaning his deal would be put on pause and he would still have two years remaining when his suspension is lifted. His salary would not count against this year’s cap. Plus, the team would have the ability to try to get him to pay back the prorated amount for one year of his signing bonus, a total of $518,209. Gordon would count only the $518,209 on this year’s cap if he is suspended. If the Browns get the signing bonus back, they would get a rebate on the amount in next year’s cap. The bigger problem, though, is that the Browns would lose one of the best young receivers in the game.”
On the possibility of a team that plays on Thanksgiving this year — Bears, Lions, Eagles, Cowboys, Seahawks and 49ers — winning the Super Bowl, which hasn’t happened in 18 years:
“I did not realize that. Part of it is because Dallas and Detroit are the two traditional Thanksgiving hosts. The Cowboys have been an 8-8 team for the past three years and most recently won the Super Bowl in the 1995 season. The Lions have made only one trip to the playoffs since 1999 and never have reached the Super Bowl. The addition of a third game in 2006 hasn’t ended the trend, but it might this year. San Francisco and Seattle are two of the best teams in football. The Bears are contenders, and the Eagles might have the best team in the NFC East. Interesting thought.”
Vernon Davis To Skip Training Camp?
The last time we heard about Vernon Davis and his quest for a new contract, it sounded like the tight end would attend 49ers training camp with or without an extension. However, a source tells Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that, at the current time, the Pro-Bowler will not be reporting. “At the current time” is key; as Florio points out, the tight end could easily change his mind.
The writer adds that the 49ers will not negotiate with Davis or guard Alex Boone (who is also seeking a new contract) unless the player’s show up to training camp. The team will be allowed to fine the duo $30K for each day missed and could pursue previously paid signing bonuses.
The 30-year-old skipped the team’s mandatory minicamp last month and explained his reasoning on Peter King’s MMQB.com…
“It’s all about getting paid what you deserve,” Davis said. “It’s not that complicated. I want the 49ers to win the Super Bowl, and I want to be on the field this summer working towards that goal, but I have to worry about my future first.”
The tight end also defended his decision to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution…
“It hasn’t been difficult at all,” he said. “There are no worries. There is nothing that I can stress about. It’s obvious that we want a new contract. I want a new contract. It’s just like any athlete, we all want a new contract. But I’m not going to stress over it.
“It’s not the end of the world if I don’t get it. If I get it, that’s good. It’s moving slowly, but surely. At the end of the day, if I don’t get the deal, at least I tried and I put my foot down. If I don’t get it at the moment, I’m not going to lose any sleep.”
West Links: Veldheer, Campbell, Boone
Cardinals left tackle Jared Veldheer entered the league with a reputation as a tireless worker in the weight room. The 6-8, 321-pounder put on approximately 70 pounds during his time at Hillsdale College (where the weight room is now named after him), and his passion for strength training continues to this day. In fact, his massive physique has drawn “Hulk” comparisons, writes Darren Urban of azcardinals.com. Veldheer signed a five-year, $35MM deal with Arizona in March.
Here’s some more NFC and AFC West reading:
- Calais Campbell, 27, is in his prime and desires to be respected as an elite player, writes ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss. The 6-8, 300-pound five-technique stated his case last year, tallying 58 tackles, nine sacks and six batted passes. Additionally, his 34.1 grade from Pro Football Focus was the best rating by a 3-4 defensive end not named J.J. Watt.
- There’s “no way” 49ers guard Alex Boone reports to training camp without a new contract, reports CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco (via Twitter).
- The 49ers “redshirt” running back Marcus Lattimore was the subject of a feature story by ESPN’s Bill Williamson, who detailed the remarkable adversity Lattimore has persevered through to reach this point. Now, Lattimore says, “I’m ready to get hit again. . .and then move on.”
- Meanwhile, Lattimore’s 49ers and South Carolina teammate Bruce Ellington, a multisport star, was featured in USA Today.
- Keeping with the injury recovery/South Carolina theme, Chargers.com managing editor Ricky Henne spotlighted Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram, who made an exceptionally quick return from an ACL tear suffered last May.
- The Rams were given an “Offseason Report Card” by SI.com’s Chris Burke. The results? B-plus.
Extra Points: Cowboys, Smith, Bucs, Jackson
As a part of a roundtable discussion on FOX Sports Live, Randy Moss was quite critical of Jason Garrett and the Cowboys‘ coaching staff, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “When you look on paper, it’s every year that the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders have a lot of talent on their team,” Moss said. “I mean, talented, top-end players. For the Dallas Cowboys to keep sputtering every year, it’s not the players – some of it falls on the players – but go on up top and see what’s going on.” More out of the NFC..
- 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has left CAA Sports to join up with Relativity Sports, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). NFL agents Doug Hendrickson & CJ Laboy will represent the talented and troubled athlete.
- Jason Fitzgerald’s series on teams’ best and worst contracts continues today at OverTheCap.com with a closer look at the Rams’ cap situation. Offensive tackle Jake Long and tight end Jared Cook earn respective best and worst contract honors for St. Louis for the second straight year, according to Fitzgerald.
- The Buccaneers badly need change and that all starts with new head coach Lovie Smith, writes Chris Korman of USA Today. Last year, Tampa Bay had a weird season under coach Greg Schiano and notched just four wins despite having big name talents like Darrelle Revis and receiver Vincent Jackson. It’s already clear that Smith is ready to take a different approach. “This is what I’ve found from men: They will do whatever you ask them to do if you look them in the eye and they feel like you know what you’re talking about and you have a plan,” Smith said. “I never had a hard time. I’ve dealt with very few players I haven’t been able to motivate and get them to do what we ask them to do. They’ll listen.“
- New Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson says that he’s happy to be in the same locker room as quarterback Andrew Luck, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. “It’s a breath of fresh air to see a quarterback on the other side that is learning, getting better each and every day. He’s making my game much better. He does a phenomenal job in practice of managing the offense, making the right reads. Whatever I can do to help him, great, and vice versa.”
- In today’s mailbag, Craig Kelley of Colts.com writes that he believes Brandon McKinney can author a new chapter in his career this season. The defensive lineman signed with the Colts earlier this offseason and is looking to get back in the groove after two knee surgeries.
Latest On NFL Supplemental Draft
A pair of prospects eligible for this month’s NFL supplemental draft recently held Pro Days, which were attended by a handful of teams, according to various reports. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears from agent Louis Bing that the Cowboys, Texans, Packers, Colts, Lions, Giants, Seahawks, Dolphins, and Bears were in attendance to watch SMU running back Traylon Shead work out. Meanwhile, according to NFLDraftDiamonds.com (via PFT), the Bears, Cardinals, Chiefs, Colts, Eagles, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots, Raiders, Rams, and Texans attended the workout for former Virginia-Lynchburg defensive lineman LaKendrick Ross.
As Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report wrote last month when he previewed 2014’s supplemental draft, it doesn’t project to be too exciting an affair, with Shead, Ross, and New Mexico wideout Chase Clayton among the players eligible. A year ago, none of the six players eligible for the 2013 supplemental draft were selected, and it looks like this year’s crop of players won’t warrant more than late-round picks, if they’re taken at all.
The supplemental draft is intended to accommodate players who missed the deadline for May’s NFL draft or were declared ineligible for another reason. In some cases, players eligible for the supplemental draft land there as a result of being declared academically ineligible in the NCAA, or being kicked off of a team — this helps to explain why some of the more notable players selected in recent supplemental drafts – such as Josh Brent and Josh Gordon – have had off-field concerns.
If a team wants to select a player in the supplemental draft, it must let the league know the round in which it’s willing to select that player. The club which submits the highest round will receive the player and forfeit a 2015 draft pick in that same round. For instance, when the Browns used a second-round supplemental choice on Gordon in 2012, it meant that the team lost its second-round pick for the 2013 draft.
Extra Points: Collins, Staley, McKinnon
Let’s round up a few Monday odds and ends from around the NFL….
- Patriots second-year linebacker Jamie Collins‘ arrow is pointing up following a terrific rookie season in which he showcased unique athleticism and versatility. In Collins, “Bill Belichick has found a new sort of prototype,” says NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, who profiles Collins as a breakout player deserving of 900 snaps this season. For perspective, Dont’a Hightower‘s 870 snaps led Patriots linebackers in 2013.
- Joe Staley has four years remaining on a six-year, $43.2MM contract with the 49ers, but many consider the outstanding left tackle underpaid, says ESPN’s Bill Williamson, who tweets the team could consider giving Staley a new deal. Either way, Staley isn’t expected to hold out. That’s not the case for Alex Boone, however, tweets Williamson.
- The Steelers need second-year man Markus Wheaton to step up, says ESPN’s Scott Brown in his preview of the team’s receivers.
- In a rundown of AFC South depth chart notes, Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuiness says he doesn’t expect Jaguars free-agent acquisition Toby Gerhart to be any better than average.
- Meanwhile, Vikings rookie Jerick McKinnon is vying to replace Gerhart as Adrian Peterson‘s backup. A third-round pick out of Georgia Southern, McKinnon is making a strong first impression on Peterson: “He’s pretty impressive and there’s not too many guys who impress me like that, especially rookies coming in,” Peterson told Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune.
- Despite a recent ESPN poll (Insider required) of league executives that ranked Jets quarterback Geno Smith the NFL’s worst starter, NewYorkJets.com editor-in-chief Randy Lange tries to make a case Smith’s rookie season was “better than some observers seem to think.”
- If the season started today, the Raiders would be the worst team in football, according to Pro Football Talk.
NFC Notes: 49ers, Seahawks, Cowboys
Even though the San Francisco 49ers are one of the two best teams in the NFL, and even though they’ll be better this year than last, the problem is that the No. 1 team is in their division, and they’re improved, too.
National Football Post’s Greg Gabriel previews the 2014 49ers and says that the team’s top priority is, obviously, getting past the Seahawks, who are riding high after a 43-8 throttling of the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. At quarterback, San Francisco is set with Colin Kaepernick, but Gabriel notes that there isn’t much behind him in the way of depth, even with the team’s recent acquisition of Blaine Gabbert.
Overall, Gabriel loves the talent on each side of the ball as well as head coach Jim Harbaugh, though the statuses of Aldon Smith and NaVorro Bowman will be key.
More links from the NFC below:
- At first glance, the running game of last year’s Seahawks appears quite formidable, as the team ranked fourth in total yards gained on the ground with 2,188. But, as The Seattle Times Bob Condotta notes, FootballPerspective.com ranked the Seahawks No. 13 in adjusted yards per carry, a statistic that takes into account rushing touchdowns and rushing first downs as well as bulk yardage.
- The Cowboys bounced back from a franchise low in rushing yardage in 2012 — 1,265 yards — to a respectable 1,504 yards in 2013 on 4.5 yards per carry, and lead back DeMarco Murray will be leaned on more than ever in 2014, writes Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News. Despite play-caller Scott Linehan notoriously leaning on the arm of his quarterback more often than not, he’s promised to run with Murray, as the Cowboys are 11-0 when the former Sooner gets 20 or more carries.
- The Saints need to pay up on a long-term deal for Jimmy Graham, USA TODAY’s Lorenzo Reyes argues. Reyes thinks talks between Graham and the team will intensify as the July 15 deadline to sign a multi-year deal approaches.
- The opinion by arbitrator Stephen Burbank that a tight end is defined by whether he lines up within four yards of an offensive tackle is not sitting well with the Saints, a source tells Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Per Florio, the team contends that a tight end is a tight end based on the player’s size, his position group and how team’s defend him, and that his relationship to the offensive tackle has no bearing.