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NFC Rumors: Redskins, Graham, 49ers

By | at January 29, 2014 2:44 pm

The Redskins expect to be active in free agency this offseason, and it sounds like the team anticipates plenty of overall roster turnover. GM Bruce Allen told CSN Washington that the club will be adding “about 20 new players” for the 2014 season, according to Tarik El-Bashir. Considering the Redskins are coming off a 3-13 campaign, don’t have a first round pick, and will have significant cap space for the first time in the last several years, it figures to be an interesting offseason in Washington.

Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC:

  • Jimmy Graham is a strong candidate for the franchise tag, meaning his position will be a point of contention next month, since the gap between the franchise tag for tight ends and wide receivers is $4MM+. Taking that disparity into account, the Saints likely appreciate Drew Brees‘ input on the matter. Appearing on NBC Sports Radio, Brees argued that Graham is a tight end, suggesting that tight ends aren’t always used traditionally in the team’s offensive scheme. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the details.
  • The 49ers will have the opportunity to extend Aldon Smith‘s contract this offseason, but may be better off simply exercising his fifth-year option, putting off extension talks for another year, says Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, with an assist from cap expert Joel Corry.
  • Suspended Seahawks defensive back Brandon Browner is trying not to get caught up in the financial ramifications of his current situation, as he tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Browner, who will miss the Super Bowl as he continues to fight a ban that could force him to miss the 2014 season, is eligible for free agency this offseason, and would have been in line for a major payday if not for the suspension.
  • While the Packers need to add some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, linebacker figures to be a lower priority than the defensive line or secondary this spring, writes ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky.
  • Concerned about waiting too long to fill out their staff, the Browns bypassed Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and hired Mike Pettine as their head coach last week. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter), Quinn admits that he would have wanted to wait until after the Super Bowl to have a second interview with the Browns.
2 comments Cleveland Browns Green Bay Packers New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Washington Commanders

NFC Notes: Saints, Eagles, 49ers, Goodwin

By | at January 28, 2014 10:47 am

2014’s Super Bowl Media Day has been fairly uneventful so far, so with little news of interest coming out of the Prudential Center in Newark, let’s take a look at what else is going on around the league, with a focus on a few NFC teams…

  • In examining the Saints’ running back situation, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes that the backfield looks fairly stable, though he wonders if the team could look to save a little money by trading or releasing Pierre Thomas this offseason.
  • With Michael Vick headed for free agency, Sheil Kapadia and Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com discuss the Eagles‘ options at backup quarterback for 2014.
  • Jonathan Goodwin, who has been the 49ers‘ starting center for the last three seasons, is facing free agency this season, and it may be an opportunity for the team to get younger on the offensive line, says Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. As Williamson points out, the Niners don’t have too many pressing needs and top college centers usually aren’t drafted high, so the club could target one with a second- or third-round pick.
  • Williamson adds within the same piece that some observers think Goodwin will have interest in signing with the Cardinals in Arizona, where his brother Harold is the offensive coordinator.
  • The Redskins are projected to have $28MM+ in cap space this winter, and could gain another $2MM if the player’s union takes advantage of its option to increase the spending limit this offseason, notes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com.
0 comments Arizona Cardinals New Orleans Saints Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers Washington Commanders

NFC Notes: Bennett, Kuhn, Redskins

By | at January 27, 2014 7:34 pm

A couple of notes from around the NFC on this Monday evening…

0 comments Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Washington Commanders

NFC Notes: Avril, Gonzalez, 49ers, Eagles

By | at January 27, 2014 11:01 am

Cliff Avril may have cost himself some long-term money when he reportedly turned down a three-year, $30MM extension offer from the Lions before the 2012 season. Avril ultimately played the 2012 season as a franchise player, then signed a more modest two-year deal with the Seahawks a year ago. However, as he told reporters yesterday, including Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, Avril doesn’t have any regrets or hard feelings toward the Lions, who didn’t re-engaged in contract discussions after applying the franchise tag on the defensive end.

“It’s not like I’m making pennies,” Avril said. “Again, I can’t complain. I’m fortunate enough to be where I’m at right now. There’s definitely no bitterness though.”

Here are a few more Monday notes from around the NFC:

  • Tony Gonzalez, who played in his record-tying 14th Pro Bowl last night, expressed that he is “at peace” and will not be talked out of his plans to retire after the 2013 season, according to a tweet by ESPN.com’s Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure.
  • While the Falcons may focus on scouting players who are best suited for the team’s 3-4 scheme, GM Thomas Dimitroff acknowledged that Atlanta could use any pass-rushers capable of getting the quarterback consistently. McClure has the quotes and the details.
  • Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle explains why it may be in both Colin Kaepernick‘s and the 49ers‘ best interests to work out a long-term deal sooner rather than later.
  • There’s a 75% chance Anquan Boldin re-signs with the 49ers, in the opinion of ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson, who also predicts the odds of other free agents returning to San Francisco.
  • Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com spoke to cap expert Joel Corry about a number of decisions facing the Eagles this offseason.
  • The Packers are working out free agent fullback Jonathan Amosa today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Amosa, a University of Washington product, was with Green Bay during training camp.

David Kipke contributed to this post.

0 comments Atlanta Falcons Green Bay Packers Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks

NFC Notes: Redskins, 49ers, Tillman

By | at January 25, 2014 1:57 pm

Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has a lot of decisions to make, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. Key members of a defense that struggled last year are set to hit free agency, but Keim doesn’t think the team will just let them walk and start from scratch. He anticipates the Redskins to retain Brian Orakpo, Perry Riley, and DeAngelo Hall.

  • Keim also noted that the Redskins could have a few notable cuts, including Adam Carriker, Saverio Rocca, Stephen Bowen, and Chris Chester. Between inconsistent performance and injuries, Keim would not be surprised if any of those players become cap casualties.
  • The 49ers secondary is a question mark as the team is making roster decisions, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. The idea that the team might release Carlos Rogers and would not be able to re-sign Donte Whitner was broached yesterday, but Williamson adds that Eric Wright is unlikely to return unless it is for the veteran’s minimum. He also noted that Perrish Cox and Darryl Morris would both be given opportunities to make the roster in training camp after showing promise at times last season.
  • Charles Tillman did not receive a new contract at season’s end, meaning there is a chance the Bears will not bring him back next in 2014, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I’m not worried about it,” said the Pro Bowl cornerback. “I am just going to see what happens. I have some options, I have some thoughts.” Tillman will be 33 years old next season.
0 comments Chicago Bears San Francisco 49ers Washington Commanders

Corry On Patriots, 49ers, Manning

By | at January 24, 2014 7:35 pm

As the Seahawks and Broncos prepare for the Super Bowl, the front offices of the Patriots and 49ers are already in offseason mode, and each team has a lot of work to do, writes Joel Corry on CBSSports.com. Here are some thoughts from his piece..

  • The Patriots are only set to be $3.9MM under the salary cap in 2014, based on the projected cap number of $126.3MM. They can look to create room by first cutting safety Adrian Wilson and defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga. Neither was able to contribute to a banged up defense in 2013, because of injury and poor play, respectively, and their release would save about $3.67MM of cap room. Corry also sees the Patriots looking to restructure the contracts of Pro Bowlers Logan Mankins and Vince Wilfork to create additional room.
  • The two biggest names the Patriots could try to re-sign are Aqib Talib and Julian Edelman. Talib was the focal point of an injured defense, and played great when healthy. Of course, he did sit a few games with a hip injury this year and failed to stay healthy in each of the last two AFC Championship games. His contract demands may be high, and with the Patriots’ cap constraints the franchise tag might not be an option. Edelman filled in admirably in the role vacated by Welker in free agency, one Danny Amendola could not fill due to injury, but with money invested in Amendola, Corry is unsure if the Pats would be willing to pay Edelman.
  • Brandon Spikes and LeGarrette Blount are also big names hitting free agency this offseason, but due to depth at those positions there is a chance the Patriots will not pursue them.
  • The 49ers have a little more room, with $8.6MM under the cap before re-signing their restricted free agents. Carlos Rogers looks to be an easy cut, as the highest paid and least dependable member of their secondary. The 49ers would gain more than $5.1MM by releasing him. A tougher decision will have to be made on Frank Gore, who is turning 31 in May. He is coming off a productive season, but with draft picks invested in Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James, and Marcus Lattimore, this could be a good time to turn the page in order to shed his $6.45MM salary. They can also create $6.2MM by restructuring contracts with star linebackers Patrick Willis and Ahmad Brooks.
  • The 49ers also have decisions to make on whether or not to re-sign Anquan Boldin and Donte Whitner. Boldin was great on a one-year-deal, but could command interest on the open market. Whitner is thought to have priced himself out of his job, as he could demand too much for the 49ers to pay with contract extensions for Aldon Smith, Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati and Colin Kaepernick on the horizon.
  • Speaking of Kaepernick’s next contract, Corry also wrote a piece for the National Football Post detailing the effect Peyton Manning‘s decision to sign a five-year, $96MM deal in March of 2012 to become the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Manning was rumored to have turned down an even larger offer from the Titans, possibly of $25MM per year. Corry details how this affected the contracts of the next group of quarterbacks to reach free agency. With one year left on his rookie deal, if Kaepernick is looking for a Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan type contract, it may have helped him had Manning grabbed the extra money to sign the Titans’ supposed offer.
0 comments Denver Broncos New England Patriots San Francisco 49ers Tennessee Titans

NFC Notes: Peterson, Packers, 49ers, Bailey

By | at January 24, 2014 4:38 pm

Adrian Peterson mused last month about the possibility of finishing his NFL career in his home state of Texas, but if that comes to fruition, it won’t be anytime soon, according to Vikings GM Rick Spielman. In a conversation with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Spielman shut down any Peterson trade rumors before they began.

“Adrian’s not going anywhere,” Spielman said. “We have him under contract, he is the face of our franchise, he is a blue-chip player, and we have a new coaching staff coming into place, and you know, [we’re] very excited about what’s coming ahead for us.”

Let’s round up a few more Friday notes from around the NFC…

  • Heading into the offseason, the Packers figure to be seeking an outside linebacker to play opposite Clay Matthews in the team’s 3-4 scheme, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • The 49ers already have 11 picks in hand for May’s draft, and expect to add one more compensatory pick at the end of the third or fourth round, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
  • Adding a veteran safety appears to be a goal for the Falcons this offseason, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com outlines.
  • While the Bears will likely be eyeing defensive tackles in May’s draft, their specific targets will depend on their defensive scheme, says Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times, citing a few possible options for the club.
  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com has the financial breakdown on Dan Bailey‘s new seven-year deal with the Cowboys, which includes a cap number of $1.7MM for 2014.
  • A number of NFC players saw their 2014 base salaries escalate or de-escalate based on their 2013 playing time, and Brian McIntyre provides the details on a handful of them in a series of several tweets.
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Team Facebook/Twitter/RSS

By | at January 21, 2014 11:45 am

If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, Pro Football Rumors has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

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NFC Rumors: 49ers, Bucs, Burleson, Falcons

By | at January 20, 2014 3:37 pm

A day after being eliminated from the postseason by the Seahawks, the 49ers are already looking ahead to the offseason. Kicker Phil Dawson and center Jonathan Goodwin both expressed interest in re-signing with San Francisco, according to Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter links). The team is also in talks with McLeod Bethel-Thompson about a return for the backup QB, and has signed defensive lineman Lawrence Okoye and wide receiver Devon Wylie to futures deals, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links).

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • All indications right now suggest that the Buccaneers are deciding between Jason Licht of the Cardinals and Marc Ross of the Giants as their next general manager, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports 1 (via Twitter). Falcons vice president of player personnel Lionel Vital, who had been in the running for the Bucs job, told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today that he’ll remain in Atlanta.
  • Nate Burleson acknowledges he’ll likely have to restructure his contract in order to return to the Lions next season, but he hopes to play out his deal and eventually retire in Detroit, as Eric Lacy of MLive.com details.
  • The Falcons have interest in bringing back offensive lineman Mike Johnson, but only at the right price, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
  • The Seahawks and 49ers are among the early favorites to come out of the NFC a year from now, but both teams will have multiple players in line for raises before then. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk takes a look at a few offseason issues for the NFC’s top two teams.
2 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Detroit Lions New York Giants San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Transactions

Latest On Browns’ Coaching Search

By | at January 20, 2014 1:04 pm

The Browns are the NFL’s only team with a head coaching vacancy, meaning there’s little risk now of another club grabbing their preferred candidate. As such, Cleveland’s search seems to progressing deliberately, with a number of options still in play. Here are the latest updates on the Browns’ hunt for Rob Chudzinski‘s replacement:

  • According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, the Browns would be exercising a little too much patience if they waited until after the Super Bowl to possibly interview Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase. Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn remains interested in Cleveland’s opening, and La Canfora expects the Browns to “put the full-court press” on Quinn this week in the hopes of securing a handshake deal.
  • The Browns conducted some background research on 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula last week, according to ESPN’s Bill Williamson, who says (via Twitter) that Tomsula could become a candidate for the Cleveland job.
  • Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com (Twitter link) hears that the Browns may still make one last run at Josh McDaniels, though he appears likely to remain with the Patriots.
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