Buccaneers, Lavonte David Agree To Extension
The Buccaneers have signed linebacker Lavonte David to a five-year, $50.25MM extension, the club announced. $25.56MM of the deal is guaranteed. David is now locked up through the 2020 season.
Talks between David and Tampa Bay had been heating up, but Getlin reported near the end of July that there was still a sizable gap between the two sides. As of last Wednesday, David and the Bucs were said to be “not close” in negotiations, with reports indicating that fellow outside linebacker DeAndre Levy‘s recent extension with the Lions would play a large role in discussions.
Assuming that the $50.25MM figure is in reference to new money — and doesn’t include David’s 2015 compensation — David will the new high-earner among 4-3 outside linebackers. His $10.05MM average annual value will be more than $1.5MM larger per year than that of Levy, who was the top earner at the position for about a week.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), David’s target in contract talks was Patrick Willis‘ $10MM per year. David not only match that figure, but narrowly eclipsed it, and he’ll not only become the highest-paid among OLBs, but he’ll rank fourth among all linebackers, accounting even for 3-4 pass-rushers. Justin Houston, Clay Matthews, and Ryan Kerrigan are the only ‘backers with larger AAVs than David.
We’ll probably have to wait for the fully guaranteed portion of the deal — the $25.56MM number is likely guaranteed for injury only — but David figures to top Levy in that regard, as well. Levy received $13MM in full guarantees as a part of his $33.74MM extension. If David is able to match that percentage-wise, he should be looking at about $19.5MM in fully guaranteed money.
The 25-year-old David has been among the best linebackers in the league since being selected in the second round of the 2012 draft. The Nebraska alum has started 46 out of a possible 48 games for the Buccaneers, posting more than 100 tackles in each season. In 2014, David ranked as the No. 7 4-3 OLB in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required) — he finished sixth and second, respectively, in 2012 and 2013.
David becomes the second key member of Tampa’s defense to earn a long-term extension, joining defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who was drafted two years ahead of David. McCoy agreed to a seven-year, $98MM deal last October, meaning that the two defensive stalwarts are both locked up for the foreseeable future: David through 2020, McCoy through 2021.
Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link) reported that the two sides had a struck a deal, and indicated that the length of the pact. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) reported the total value and the guarantee. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Picked by some as a possible surprise playoff contender, the Buccaneers went on to tie the Titans with a league-worst 2-14 mark. The Bucs entered the offseason with serious question marks on both sides of the ball, but also with some flexibility to make changes.
Notable signings:
- Bruce Carter, LB: Four years, $17MM. $4.25MM guaranteed.
- Henry Melton, DT: One year, $3.75MM. $3.25MM guaranteed.
- Major Wright, S: Two years, $3MM. $1.25MM guaranteed.
- Chris Conte, S: One year, $1.5MM. $1.25MM guaranteed.
- Sterling Moore, CB: One year, $1.525MM. $650K guaranteed.
- Luke Stocker, TE: Three years, $4.8MM. $500K guaranteed.
- Leonard Johnson, CB: One year, $1MM. $150K guaranteed.
- Larry English, DE: One year, $925K. $100K guaranteed.
- Mike Jenkins, CB: One year, $825K. $80K guaranteed.
- Bobby Rainey, RB: One year, $1.542MM. Signed original-round RFA tender.
- Larry Dean, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Lawrence Sidbury, DE: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Jason Williams, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Jorvorskie Lane, FB: One year, minimum salary.
The Bucs already had one of the best outside linebackers in football in Lavonte David and this spring they brought in another intriguing player at the position. Former Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter hasn’t lived up to expectations so far, but he does boast freakish athleticism and the Bucs likely feel that they can utilize him better than Dallas has. Carter was given a negative grade by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2014 and ranked as just the 34th best outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme out of 40 qualified players. However, in 13 games (with eight starts), the 27-year-old recorded 82 total tackles with an eye-popping five interceptions and one sack.
Another former members of the Cowboys, Henry Melton, will be making his home in the Tampa area in 2015. Melton, a former fourth-round pick, broke onto the scene with the Bears in 2010, when he finished with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. His best season in Chicago came in 2012, when he compiled 32 tackles and six sacks, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl and a top-six spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings (subscription required) of defensive tackles. However, his career with the Bears ended rather unceremoniously, as Melton only appeared in three games in 2013 before injuring his ACL. Melton joined the Cowboys in 2014 and played well in part-time action, recording five sacks, but the team decided not to pick up his pricey option for 2015 and beyond, making him a free agent.
Prior to March 10th, the Buccaneers reached agreement on a two-year, $3MM deal to retain safety Major Wright. Wright, a third-round pick of the Bears in the 2010 NFL Draft, is quite familiar with Lovie Smith’s defense. He was inconsistent in Chicago, but Smith saw enough in him to sign him to a one-year deal last offseason. Now, he’s slated to be in Tampa Bay through the 2016 season.
If Carter and Melton ever get wistful for Dallas, they can reminisce with ex-Cowboys cornerback Sterling Moore, who signed a one-year deal with the Bucs. Moore, 25, played an increased role for the Cowboys in 2014, starting seven regular season games for the team and appearing in all 16. Playing 866 defensive snaps, Moore didn’t grab an interception, but defended 13 passes and made 50 tackles. He also ranked 22nd out of 108 qualified cornerbacks during his time at the position, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Notable losses:
- Da’Quan Bowers, DE
- Adrian Clayborn, DE
- Anthony Collins, T: Released
- Oniel Cousins, T
- Dane Fletcher, LB
- Mason Foster, LB
- Michael Johnson, DE: Released
- Brandon Magee, LB: Waived
- Josh McCown, QB: Released
- Solomon Patton, WR: Waived
The Buccaneers knew they had to make a change at quarterback in 2015 and in February, they let cut veteran Josh McCown loose. Coming off an excellent run in Chicago in which he threw 13 touchdowns and just one interception in relief of Jay Cutler in 2013, McCown inked a two-year, $10MM deal with the Bucs last offseason. McCown’s age-35 season, his lone year as Tampa Bay’s primary starter, didn’t go well — he won just one of 11 starts, throwing more INTs (14) than TDs (11), and completing just 56.3% of his passes. With McCown out of the picture, the Bucs were able to clear a path for their No. 1 overall pick to take over.
Defensive end Michael Johnson was another top pickup from the 2014 offseason who was shown the door in 2015. After signing a hefty five-year, $43.75MM deal, Johnson logged just four sacks, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s 53rd-best 4-3 defensive end, out of 59 qualified players (subscription required). Now, Johnson is back with the Bengals where he’ll try to get back to his old form.
The Bucs declined their fifth-year option on Adrian Clayborn, a former No. 20 overall pick, in April of 2014. Clayborn was then in a position where he would have to prove himself in order to stay in Tampa Bay, but he never got the opportunity. The 27-year-old played in only one game before being placed on IR last September. The year prior, he made 16 starts in 2013 at right defensive end and tallied 43 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) weren’t all that fond of Clayborn’s performance in 2013 – ranking him 47th out of 52 qualified 4-3 defensive ends – and neither were the Bucs, apparently. Clayborn will now try and rebuild his value with the Falcons after signing a one-year, make-good deal.
Less than one year after the Bucs signed left tackle Anthony Collins to a five-year deal worth $30MM, they cut him loose. A former fourth-round pick in 2008 and part-time starter with the Bengals, Collins missed time with injuries last year but rated as a low-end blocker when on the field, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Collins was the sixth-highest-paid player on the Bucs’ payroll and his release cost the team $3MM in dead money while saving an equal amount.
Dane Fletcher, 28, spent four years with the Pats before signing with the Buccaneers last offseason. When the Bucs didn’t make a great effort to retain him this offseason, Fletcher wound up returning to New England. Appearing in all 16 games for Tampa Bay, Fletcher recorded 41 tackles and 0.5 sacks in 2014. While the linebacker logged 358 defensive snaps, he also contributed significantly on special teams, racking up 11 of his tackles in kick and punt coverage.
Before hitting free agency, Buccaneers linebacker Mason Foster made it known that he would like to stay with the team for 2015 and beyond. Unfortunately, that was not meant to be. Foster was courted by the Bears at the outset of free agency and their newly acquired defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins joined in on the recruiting efforts. Near the end of March, Foster inked a deal with Chicago.
Trades:
- Acquired a 2016 sixth-round pick from Washington in exchange for S Dashon Goldson and a 2016 seventh-round pick.
- Acquired DE George Johnson (RFA) and a 2015 seventh-round pick from the Lions in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick.
- Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 61; G Ali Marpet) and a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 128) from the Colts in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick (No. 65; CB D’Joun Smith) and a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 109; S Clayton Geathers).
- Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 124; LB Kwon Alexander) from the Raiders in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 128; G Jon Feliciano) and a seventh-round pick (No. 218; T Anthony Morris).
Dashon Goldson would have gone in the category above this one had it not been for Washington. Washington GM Scot McCloughan helped bring Goldson into the league when he was with the 49ers and he jumped at the opportunity to reunite this offseason. Goldson, 30, signed a massive five-year contract worth $47.5MM with the Bucs prior to the 2013 season, but they won’t carry any dead money since there was no signing bonus on that deal. When Goldson signed that lucrative five-year contract with the Bucs, he was coming off an All-Pro season in San Francisco. However, his production has slipped a little over the last two seasons, as he has battled injuries.
The Buccaneers signed George Johnson, a restricted free agent, to a three-year, $9MM deal with de-escalators for years two and three designed to dissuade the Lions from matching. Initially, it seemed like Detroit was gearing up for a battle with the Bucs as they asked the league office for clarification on which terms they had to match on the offer sheet in order to retain Johnson. Ultimately, however, the two sides skirted a dispute by reached agreement on a trade. Tampa Bay got Johnson and a seventh-round choice from the Lions in exchange for a fifth-round selection. The 27-year-old was quietly effective in 2014, appearing in all 16 games for the Lions and earning a positive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), largely thanks to his excellent pass-rushing acumen.
Extensions and restructures:
- Brandon Myers, TE: Restructured contract. Lowered 2015 base salary from $2.25MM to $1MM in exchange for $500K guaranteed. Non-guaranteed $1.75MM salary in 2016.
Draft picks:
- 1-1: Jameis Winston, QB (Florida State): Signed
- 2-34: Donovan Smith, T (Penn State): Signed
- 2-61: Ali Marpet, OL (Hobart): Signed
- 4-124: Kwon Alexander, LB (LSU): Signed
- 5-162: Kenny Bell, WR (Nebraska): Signed
- 6-184: Kaelin Clay, WR (Utah): Signed
- 7-231: Joey Iosefa, FB (Hawaii): Signed
Despite all the moves listed above, Jameis Winston stands as the face of the Bucs’ 2015 offseason. When Tampa Bay officially drew the No. 1 pick in the draft, there was little question that they would select the Florida State star, even though some evaluators saw Marcus Mariota as the best QB in this year’s class. Still, despite questions about his makeup and character, Winston is undeniably talented. When he’s on, Winston has shown a level of football intelligence than many rookie signal callers simply don’t have.
In the second round, the Bucs scored a pair of promising offensive lineman. The first, Donovan Smith, started 31 games while at Penn State, all at left tackle. Some wonder if he’s athletic enough to stick on the outside of the O-Line, but the Bucs probably think so after watching him excel at the Senior Bowl. Marpet, meanwhile, hails from Division III Hobart and it’ll be interested to see how quickly he can adjust to the pace of the NFL.
Other:
- Hired Dirk Koetter as offensive coordinator to replace Marcus Arroyo.
- Arroyo had been acting as interim OC, replacing Jeff Tedford.
- Declined 2016 fifth-year option for RB Doug Martin ($5.621MM).
- Claimed LB Khaseem Greene off waivers from the Bears.
- Claimed P Spencer Lanning off waivers from the Browns.
- Claimed S D.J. Swearinger off waivers from the Texans.
- Claimed TE Tim Wright off waivers from the Patriots.
- Signed seven players to reserve/futures deals.
- Signed 13 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.
In May, the Buccaneers decided to decline the fifth-year option on Doug Martin, which means that the running back is now entering his walk year. Martin, 26, burst into the league in 2012, racking up 1,454 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, en route to a spot in the Pro Bowl. However, injuries and underwhelming production have limited him during the last couple seasons, as he has been repeatedly usurped on the Bucs’ running back depth chart. As the 31st overall pick, Martin would have been in line for a $5.621MM salary in 2016 had the Bucs elected to pick up his option.
In addition to having the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, the Bucs also had top priority on the waiver wire and they repeatedly took advantage of that. Their most notable waiver pickup of the bunch was tight end Tim Wright, who burst on to the scene with the Bucs as a rookie in 2013. Wright, 25, grabbed 54 balls for 571 yards and five touchdowns in his first season but after drafting Austin Seferian-Jenkins and signing Brandon Myers, the Bucs took advantage of their depth at tight end and sent Wright to the Pats in a deal for veteran guard Logan Mankins. Wright’s former Rutgers teammate, Khaseem Greene, and safety D.J. Swearinger, are also in Tampa Bay thanks to the Bucs’ top draw on the waiver wire.
Top 10 cap hits for 2015:
- Gerald McCoy, DT: $14,595,000
- Vincent Jackson, WR: $12,209,777
- Michael Johnson, DE: $7,000,000 (dead money)
- Logan Mankins, G: $7,000,000
- Carl Nicks, G: $4,714,000 (dead money)
- Jameis Winston, QB: $4,609,323
- Bruce Carter, LB: $4,250,000
- Alterraun Verner, CB: $4,250,000
- Dashon Goldson, S: $4,000,000 (dead money)
- Evan Smith, C: $3,750,000
The Buccaneers’ success in 2015 and beyond will largely be tied to the development of Winston. It remains to be seen whether he can justify his No. 1 overall selection, but at the very least, he should help improve an offense that graded out as one of the league’s worst last year.
Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/15
Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Broncos have re-signed nose tackle Sione Fua for another stint in Denver, per Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). The former third-round pick, who played for Cleveland last season, last spent time with the Broncos in 2013. Denver waived punter Karl Schmitz in a corresponding move. The Broncos have also reached an injury settlement with rookie offensive tackle Connor Rains, removing him from their IR, tweets Mike Klis of 9News.
- The Buccaneers have signed former Arena League quarterback Sammuel Lamur, the team announced today in a press release. Lamur, the brother of Bengals linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, will be moved to linebacker in Bucs camp.
- The Titans have made a change in their secondary, signing safety Josh Aubrey and waiving safety Cody Prewitt with an injured designation, per a team release.
- The Cowboys swapped one tight end for another this week, signing Brandon Barden and cutting Ray Hamilton, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets, the club also moved linebacker Justin Anderson and offensive lineman Reshod Fortenberry to its injured reserve list.
- Patriots tight end A.J. Derby and Eagles outside linebacker Travis Long landed on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists after going unclaimed on waivers, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Panthers have moved retired offensive tackle Jonathan Martin from the reserve/retired list to the reserve/did not report list, tweets Wilson.
South Notes: Saints, David, Texans, Colts
It’s been an eventful year for cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, who received a raise for 2015 and won a Super Bowl with the Patriots within the first few weeks of the year. However, since then, he’s been cut twice, by the Pats and Cardinals, negating that non-guaranteed raise that he earned back in January. Currently, Dennard is a free agent, and Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that he’s working out for the Saints today.
Dennard missed 10 regular season contests in 2014, as he was plagued throughout the season by shoulder and hamstring issues. In New Orleans, he could help provide depth for a secondary that’s banged up early in training camp — cornerbacks Keenan Lewis and Delvin Breaux were among the players absent from the team’s walkthrough on Wednesday.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:
- Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David will likely be keeping a close eye on the financial terms for DeAndre Levy‘s new extension with the Lions, since David figures to surpass Levy’s deal. According to Anderson (via Twitter), the Bucs and David were “still not close” to working out a new contract as of Wednesday morning.
- Pierre Thomas and the Texans could revisit a deal, even though there’s no pact at this time, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Wilson, who says Houston offered Thomas a minimum-salary contract, indicates that the two sides will likely remain in touch, since the former Saint was “clearly” the Texans’ preferred choice of the backs that auditioned for the team.
- Former Patriots and Rutgers linebacker Steve Beauharnais worked out for the Colts on Wednesday, a source tells Wilson (Twitter link). The 25-year-old saw a little regular season action with Washington in 2014.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/15
Today’s minor NFL moves and signings..
- The Eagles signed rookie free agent linebacker Diaheem Watkins, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets.
- The Seahawks announced that they have signed linebacker Dakorey Johnson, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets. Johnson takes the place of linebacker Alex Singleton, who was cut loose earlier today.
- The Bears have waived/injured tight end Brian Vogler with a foot injury, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
- The 49ers agreed to terms with wide receiver Nigel King, as Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com tweets.
Earlier Updates:
- The Rams waived wide receiver Devon Wylie, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Falcons waived cornerback Michael Lee and signed nose tackle Derrick Hopkins, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Buccaneers announced (on Twitter) that they have waived long snapper Courtland Clavette.
- The Panthers signed cornerback T.J. Heath and defensive tackle Kenny Horsley, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. To make room, Carolina released punter Matt Wile.
- Washington announced the signings of cornerbacks Bryan McCann and DreQuan Hoskey. McCann, who first entered the league as UDFA with the Cowboys in 2010, has made multiple stops around the NFL. Hoskey, a Virginia product, was in rookie minicamp this summer and made a strong impression on coaches. Washington also cut Phillip Thomas and waived/injured Tevin Mitchel, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Steelers signed undrafted rookie wide receiver Kenzel Doe of Wisconsin and waived-injured undrafted rookie receiver Eli Rogers, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets.
- The Ravens signed defensive tackle Micajah Reynolds and waived defensive tackle Casey Walker, who just came off the PUP list on Monday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Bears are signing USC tight end Kevin Greene, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
West Notes: Wagner, Floyd, Chancellor
The Raiders, Chargers, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Los Angeles Sports Council are hosting a luncheon in downtown L.A. on August 17th, Vincent Bonsignore of the L.A. Daily News tweets. At the luncheon, Carmen Policy will give an update on the Chargers’ and Raiders’ combined effort to build an NFL stadium in L.A. (link). Here’s more from the West divisions..
Sunday Roundup: Levy, Incognito, Fitzpatrick, Pryor, Bowers
While Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy is working on his own extension, Bobby Wagner‘s new contract has set a new bar for non-pass rushing linebackers in the NFL. Despite that big number, Levy remains focused on football, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com.
“My agent is the negotiator, I’m the football player. I even try to stay out of it now. If something significant happens, send me a text or something,” said Levy. “My focus has never been on that, it’s about getting ready for the season, year in and year out. Whatever happens, happens.”
Here are some more notes from around the NFL this Sunday evening:
- The Bills have had their share of issues along the offensive line over recent years–including this offseason–but hopefully a player with his own baggage can help solidify things as head coach Rex Ryan has announced Richie Incognito will start at left guard for the Bills, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).
- Staying with the AFC East, Ryan Fitzpatrick is playing well despite watching as Geno Smith takes the majority of first-team reps for the Jets, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. “The thing we stress every day and Coach [Todd] Bowles stresses is he going to put the best guys on the field to help the team win,” Fitzpatrick said. “That is what we are all here for, to win football games.”
- One of the most interesting storylines in Browns’ camp this offseason is whether or not Terrelle Pryor can complete the position change to wide receiver. The 6’4″ former quarterback has roughly a 50/50 chance of making the team as a wideout, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com.
- Buccaneers defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers has played both defensive end and defensive tackle in previous years in Tampa Bay, but head coach Lovie Smith says he will be locked in as an interior lineman in 2015, writes Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter).
Fallout From Bobby Wagner Extension
Let’s take a look at how Bobby Wagner‘s new four-year, $43MM deal impacts his club and several other teams with linebackers anticipating a new contract.
Seahawks
- ESPN’s Andrew Brandt tweets that the Seahawks structured Russell Wilson‘s extension to give them maximum salary cap room for this season, thereby allowing them to sign Wagner to a long-term contract. As such, the team will probably need Wilson to restructure his deal a couple years from now.
- Wagner made some waves on Friday when he tweeted “Can’t keep everyone.” As former NFL agent Joel Corry tweets, that message may end up applying to Seattle left tackle Russell Okung, whose contract expires at the end of this year. Bruce Irvin, who is also eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of 2015, may also be playing his last year in a Seahawks uniform.
- The Wagner extension has inevitably called attention to the contract situations of Kam Chancellor and Michael Bennett, who are both unhappy with their current deals (Chancellor, of course, has decided to hold out of training camp). Corry tweets that, if the Seahawks address Chancellor’s contract, it would “create an issue” with Bennett. Chancellor does have three years left on his contract, so should the Seahawks rework his deal in any way, Corry tweets that Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas will both expect the same treatment in 2016.
- Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times believes the Seahawks will likely want to keep guard J.R. Sweezy, who is playing in the last year of his contract, but it is too early to say how the team will approach impending free agent punter Jon Ryan (Twitter links).
Buccaneers
- Rand Getlin of the NFL Network tweets that the Wagner deal was “always going to inform the Lavonte David deal,” a sentiment shared by several other prominent scribes. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, though, is not so sure. Fitzgerald points out (via Twitter) that David and Wagner play completely different positions and that David, as a non-pass rushing outside linebacker, is likely to land around $3MM less per season than Wagner.
- In any event, Getlin tweets that David and the Bucs will continue to talk over the coming days, and both sides are reportedly motivated to strike a deal.
- Corry tweets that Tampa Bay prefers contracts longer than four years when it comes to extending its best players, so that may be what the team is aiming for with David.
Lions
- DeAndre Levy, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of this season, saw Wagner’s deal and hopes to remain with the Lions, but he said he will leave all contract talk to his agent (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press).
NFC Notes: Galette, Falcons, Panthers
Former Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette is visiting Washington today, and a person familiar with Galette’s thinking tells Mike Jones of the Washington Post that last year’s NFC East cellar-dwellers are the leaders to sign the free agent pass rusher. With that in mind, Jones breaks down the pros and cons of a possible Galette signing for Washington, noting that he’d certainly be an upgrade on the field, and likely wouldn’t cost a ton. However, the team will have to be certain that Galette won’t be a problem off the field and in the locker room.
Within his piece, Jones notes that the Buccaneers are also believed to be a potential suitor for Galette, though Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted earlier this week that there was no indication the Bucs were interested in signing the ex-Saint.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- The Falcons have tended to steer clear of players with off-field red flags over the years, but team owner Arthur Blank said he supported the club’s decision to select cornerback Jalen Collins in the second round this year, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Multiple teams flagged Collins due to his marijuana use, and the rookie admitted after the draft that he failed at least three drug tests at LSU.
- Linebacker Luke Kuechly is the next Panthers player in line for an extension, but he tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer he’s not thinking about his contract. “This stuff gets done when it gets done,” Kuechly said. “We trust the guys in the building. So it’ll get done when it needs to get done.” GM Dave Gettleman has said he won’t negotiate extensions during the season, so Kuechly will have to wait until 2016 for a new deal if nothing gets finalized within the next few weeks.
- In a separate piece for the Observer, Person identifies five Panthers players on the regular-season roster bubble, including veteran receiver Jerricho Cotchery.
- With Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor reportedly mulling a holdout, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines Chancellor’s contract to see where he fits in the safety market.
NFC South Notes: David, S. Hill, Saints
Let’s wrap up Wednesday evening by taking a look at a few items from out of the NFC South….
- Buccaneers GM Jason Licht says that he’s having “some healthy talks” with linebacker Lavonte David regarding a new contract, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Licht said that a deal like this doesn’t get done overnight, but he’ll do “everything” he can “to make sure Lavonte is a [member of the Bucs] for a long time” (Twitter link).
- Meanwhile, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times classifies the David extension talks as “amicable but not fruitful” in his look at the Buccaneers linebacker.
- Panthers wide receiver Stephen Hill was issued a citation for a drug paraphernalia charge during a traffic stop in Concord, North Carolina on Tuesday afternoon, as Kevin Patra of NFL.com writes. According to the incident report, Hill was charged for knowingly possessing with intent to use drug paraphernalia, including two grinders with marijuana residue and a marijuana bowl. Hill was already a long shot to get a spot on the team with a significant role, but this incident hurts his chances even more.
- Speaking today to reporters, including ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett, Saints GM Mickey Loomis admitted that he’ll have to re-examine the steps that led him to locking up Junior Galette last fall. “I’ve got to say, ‘Hey, what could we have done differently? What were the red flags that we missed or that I missed?'” Loomis said. “I thought this was a player that’s had a lot of production for us and felt like the arrow was pointing up. At the time, I thought this was a good deal for us.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.