Extra Points: Abraham, Casey, Jags, Bucs
Some assorted to notes to close out this Friday evening:
- Cardinals linebacker John Abraham, who was arrested for DUI last month, has issued a statement through the team’s website. He says, in part, that he is “taking the necessary steps to handle [his] personal business.” A previous report indicated that Abraham was set to join Arizona’s training camp next week.
- Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey is coming off of a career season and is seeking a contract that reflects that, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. While he says that he doesn’t want to cause any headaches, Casey is earning just $1.43MM this season and knows that the top performers at his position are earning more than five times that number.
- The Jaguars are working out former Florida State wide receiver Kenny Shaw today, tweets Mark Long of the Associated Press. The Browns cut Shaw, a UDFA, last last month when they signed Rutgers product Jamaal Westerman.
- The Buccaneers will pair new tight end additions Brandon Myers and Austin Seferian-Jenkins with holdovers Tim Wright and Luke Stocker to form a solid position group, writes Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, who notes that Jenkins and Wright have the capacity to line up wide.
- The Texans’ newly-implemented 3-4 defense, lead by coordinator Romeo Crennel, is starting to round into form, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Jets, Peterson, Lynch, Gruden
Rex Ryan‘s Jets take a lot of heat but they have every right to be loud and express themselves, opines Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Ryan’s Jets were at their best with the volume turned up to ear-splitting levels from 2009-2011 with trash talk coming from Bart Scott and Antonio Cromartie. While those two are gone, it’s clear that the swagger is back in East Rutherford, New Jersey. More out of the AFC and NFC East..
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the full details of Patrick Peterson‘s extension with the Cardinals. Last night, Peterson became the first 2011 first-round pick to ink a contract extension, two years away from reaching free agency. Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith became the second member of the 2011 class to ink an extension earlier today.
- Peterson told Alex Flanagan of the NFL Network (Twitter links) that becoming the league’s highest-paid cornerback was a point of emphasis during negotiations and went so far as to say it was “very important” to have that title. The total new money in the five-year extension works out to $70.05MM, which is no coincidence. The extra $50K allows the Cardinals CB to edge out Seahawks star Richard Sherman as the highest paid corner in terms of average annual value.
- In a piece for the National Football Post, former NFL agent Joel Corry offers up some solutions to Marshawn Lynch‘s holdout with the Seahawks. One of Corry’s ideas would be for Seattle to convert this year’s $500K rushing yards incentive into 2014 base salary, if not the entire $1MM in incentives for both years. The conversion would use $1 million of Seattle’s $7.55MM of existing salary cap room and if they wanted to spread out the cap hit over two years, the $1MM could be a signing bonus instead.
- New Redskins coach Jay Gruden says the zone read option will remain a part of the playbook but how often it’ll be utilized remains to be seen, writes Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com.
- Chiefs defensive back Ron Parker has overcome some long odds to reach the top spot on the team’s depth chart at his position, writes Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star. The 26-year-old has been cut by three different NFL teams but has finally found a home in KC.
- Albert Breer of NFL Network (on Twitter) hears that the big reason why the Titans didn’t pick up Jake Locker‘s option was the injury risk involved. Tennessee didn’t want to make a significant guarantee to the quarterback based on the last two years.
AFC Links: Browns, Ravens, Titans, Broncos
Fourth-year guard Jason Pinkston has been absent from Browns training camp, and no one in the organization will say why. The 26-year-old played sparingly in 2013 but was expected to stick around for at least one more season. The guard was set to make about $1.4MM in 2014, but based on the quotes from those in the organization, money doesn’t seem to be the issue.
“Pinkston’s unavailable to practice and, due to his circumstances, I cannot comment on it any further,” coach Mike Pettine said, per NFL Media’s Aditi Kinkhabwala (via NFL.com’s Mark Sessler). “I want to give you more, but just given the circumstances, I can’t. That’s where we are with Jason.”
General manager Ray Farmer didn’t add much:
“I think coach addressed it the best way we could … right now there’s really no comment from our prospective, and when there is time to make a comment then that comment will be made.”
Finally, Pinkston weighed in on Twitter:
“I can assure you I’m in no legal trouble & retiring hasn’t came up. As far as my situation I’ll leave it to them to explain.”
While we try to figure out what’s going on in Cleveland, let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…
- Former San Jose State cornerback Brandon Driver tried out for the Ravens on Sunday, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The workout went well, but Driver was not immediately signed to a deal.
- A year ago on Sunday, Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta fractured and dislocated his right hip in practice. After a year of recovery, the veteran believes he’s back to 100 percent. “I feel good,” Pitta said (via Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun). “I’m out here not thinking about it. It’s not giving me an issue at all. I feel 100 percent. I’m encouraged with where I’m at.”
- Titans safety Daimion Stafford made the majority of his impact as a rookie on special teams, but Terry McCormick 247Sports.com writes that the player will now be looking to make an impact on defense. “I just try to build every day. That’s our big message,” Stafford said. “That’s what I’m looking to do every day. I’m always trying to get better, whether it’s on special teams or moving up into a bigger role on defense.”
- Kyle Rudolph‘s new deal with the Vikings will likely affect the negotiations between the Broncos and tight end Julius Thomas, tweets Joel Corry of The National Football Post.
Minor Moves: Pats, 49ers, Titans, Panthers
Here are a few of today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Rams have added defensive end Kourtnei Brown, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). Brown will replace wideout Jamaine Sherman, who was waived/injured.
- Just five days after signing him, the Patriots have parted ways with tight end Nate Byham, per Brian McIntyre (Twitter link).
- After having been waived by the Redskins earlier this week, long snapper Kyle Nelson has caught on with the 49ers, tweets Jayson Braddock of RotoExperts.com.
- The Titans have cut tight end Adam Schiltz and used the newly-freed roster spot to sign guard Kevin Danser, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter).
- The Panthers have waived UDFA defensive tackle Shaq Rowell, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Earlier updates:
- Armed with an open roster spot, the Cardinals have signed former Utah wideout Reggie Dunn, making him their 90th man, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Dunn went undrafted in 2013, but spent some time on the Packers’ practice squad last season.
- A pair of wide receivers signed contracts with the Vikings today, with Andy Cruse and Ty Walker coming aboard, according to a team release. To make room for the new additions, the Vikings have cut former Browns wideout Josh Cooper and tackle Matt Hall.
- The Bills have signed cornerback Bobby Felder and waived defensive tackle Colby Way, the club announced today in a press release. Felder has spent time on the practice squads of the Vikings and Buccaneers.
Extra Points: Texans, Casey, Browns, Chargers
Let’s check in on a few Thursday odds and ends from around the NFL….
- James Palmer of CSN Houston (Twitter link) continues to hear that talks between Andre Johnson and the Texans are moving in the right direction, though he’s not sure if they’ll be productive enough to ensure that the receiver reports for training camp tomorrow.
- According to Titans general manager Ruston Webster, negotiations on a contract extension for Jurrell Casey are ongoing, and the GM expects the two sides to reach an agreement (Twitter link via Jonathan Hutton of 104.5 The Zone).
- Browns head coach Mike Pettine confirmed to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com that if the Browns had kept the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft, they would have used it to draft Sammy Watkins, which GM Ray Farmer hinted at back in May.
- Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com (Twitter link) has the breakdown on Danny Woodhead‘s new contract with the Chargers, which is worth $7.25MM, including a $3MM signing bonus.
- In an interesting piece for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry explains the process of holding out, including the penalties incurred by the player, the leverage in a given situation, and how often a holdout is successful.
- Bill Barnwell counted down the 50 NFL players with the most trade value in a two-part feature for Grantland. Actually, make that 49 players and one head coach.
Taylor Lewan, Titans Agree To Terms
The last of this year’s 256 draftees who remained unsigned has agreed to terms with his NFL team, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, who reports (via Twitter) that the Titans have reached an agreement with offensive tackle Taylor Lewan. With training camps opening around the NFL this week, 2014’s entire draft class is now under contract.
Lewan, who turned 23 this week, was the 11th overall pick in May’s draft, and the third tackle to come off the board after Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews. As Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com show, Lewan will have an overall four-year value of about $11.485MM on his rookie contract, including a signing bonus worth around $6.673MM. The deal will also include a fifth-year option for 2018.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested a few weeks ago that the delay on Lewan’s signing may have been a result of the Michigan alum looking to replace his fully-guaranteed base salaries with roster bonuses paid out during training camp. Last year’s 11th overall pick (D.J. Fluker) didn’t receive these bonuses in his deal, but Lewan’s teammate, 2013’s No. 10 pick Chance Warmack, did get them. Considering Lewan is viewed as the Titans’ left tackle of the future, making him a more essential piece on the offensive line than Warmack, he had a reasonable case for those roster bonuses, though it’s not clear yet if he received them.
While Lewan may play left tackle down the line for the Titans, his short-term position is less clear, considering the team still has Michael Roos in place on the left side, and signed Michael Oher to man right tackle.
AFC Notes: Watt, Glenn, Gordon
Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who will make approximately $3.6MM this year, should be in line for a four-year deal worth nearly $58MM in the opinion of Jason Fitzgerald at OverTheCap.com. Fitzgerald supplements his proposed contract with a thorough evaluation of all the factors involved.
Here’s some AFC news and notes:
- With the waiving of Brennan Williams, the Texans will get nothing out of two 2013 third-round picks, notes Brian T. Smith in the Houston Chronicle.
- Bills fans hoping for encouraging news about Cordy Glenn didn’t get any on Monday, as head coach Doug Marrone merely told the media he’s not allowed to go into specifics about the illness keeping his starting left tackle on the Active/Non-Football Illness list. “It’s a medical condition,” Marrone told WGR 550’s Joe Buscaglia. “I’m preparing to go on as if he’s not playing, which he’s not. I’m just waiting for the doctors, and I can’t speak about the condition because it’s something that happened outside of football.”
- A disciplinary hearing looms for Browns receiver Josh Gordon, and the team does not seem intent on releasing the troubled receiver at this time, writes ESPN’s Pat McManamon.
- The Titans defensive line is previewed by the Tennessean’s John Glennon, who tabbed defensive lineman Jurrell Casey as the unit’s “offseason star”: “After racking up a career-best 10.5 sacks at defensive tackle in the 4-3, Casey certainly could have been upset about the shift to a 3-4 defensive end – especially in a contract year. But he seems genuinely enthusiastic about the new scheme and new defensive coordinator Ray Horton.” Meanwhile, Jim Wyatt, Glennon’s Tennessean colleague, tweets that the team and Casey are in negotiations for a new deal.
- Patriots second-year linebacker Jamie Collins “clearly added muscle mass as he prepared for 2014, though he wouldn’t admit how much, and he looks much more the part of an NFL linebacker,” reports Boston.com’s Jeff Howe.
Sunday Roundup: Mauga, Peppers, AFC North
More and more beat writers are providing season previews, roster breakdowns, position battles, etc. as training opens (for one team, at least) in just a few hours. So let’s have a look at some links from around the league:
- Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer looks at 10 question the Panthers will face this summer, including what will happen with Greg Hardy and how the team’s receiving corps will shake out.
- Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune looks at five key newcomers for the Buccaneers, including (of course) Josh McCown, Mike Evans, and Alterraun Verner.
- Linebacker Josh Mauga, who played for the Jets last season, will work out for the Chiefs on Monday, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
- Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean provides training camp previews for the Titans‘ quarterback, running back, offensive line, and tight end positions.
- Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post looks at the Broncos players who are “under the microscope” this season, including Von Miller and Orlando Franklin.
- Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com continues his positional previews of the Packers with a look at the club’s receiving unit.
- Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com adds a preview of the Packers‘ linebacker corps, noting that Green Bay needs to manage Julius Peppers‘ snaps to get the most out of the aging star.
- Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that newcomers like Ryan Shazier will have to contribute on both sides of the ball for the Steelers as the club continues to infuse youth into its roster.
- Bouchette, in a separate piece, provides five storylines for Steelers‘ fans to track, including the aforementioned infusion of youth and increased use of the no huddle offense.
- Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com offers his training camp preview for the Ravens, writing that the performance of right tackle Ricky Wagner and the secondary competition will be among the most critical summer developments to watch.
- Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal still believes Brian Hoyer will open the season as the Browns‘ starting quarterback.
- Speaking of Hoyer and the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer expects Hoyer to be 100% healthy for the regular season opener against Pittsburgh, and she would be surprised if Josh Gordon were to have his indefinite ban reduced.
South Links: Richardson, Phillips, Vaccaro
Despite averaging just 2.9 yards per carry in 2013, Trent Richardson is penciled in as the Colts’ No. 1 running back, writes ESPN’s Mike Wells: “Richardson obviously was behind the rest of his teammates after being acquired just days before the Colts’ Week 3 game against San Francisco, but he didn’t show much progress as the season went on. He actually regressed as the season went on. Richardson has to step up to not only avoid being labeled a bust after being taken with the No. 3 pick in the 2012 draft, but also to help the Colts from looking like they got played by the Browns in the trade.” In exchange for Richardson, the Browns received the 26th overall pick, which they used to trade up for Johnny Manziel.
Here’s some more AFC and NFC South links:
- Shaun Phillips is fitting in well with the Titans thanks to his veteran presence and likable personality, writes Jim Wyatt in the Tennessean. Phillips, 33, has totaled 19.5 sacks the last two seasons with the Broncos and Chargers. He signed a two-year, $5MM deal in Tennessee.
- Second-year Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro brings unique “duality” to the secondary, writes NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, who identifies Vaccaro as a rising star. Vaccaro’s versatile skill set enables defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to deploy him as a safety, cornerback or linebacker. “Ryan might have asked Vaccaro to do too much as a rookie,” according to Rosenthal. “In the first half of the season, Vaccaro didn’t excel when he lined up as a deep safety. The Saints have spoken this offseason about dialing back Vaccaro’s responsibilities with Jairus Byrd in town. With Byrd taking most of the traditional “free safety” roles, Vaccaro should be freed up to play closer to the line of scrimmage. They should be the best safety tandem east of Seattle.”
- The Panthers turned over their receiving corps this offseason. With the dust settled, first-rounder Kelvin Benjamin is joined surrounded by a few veterans and a few more unproven players vying for jobs. Panthers.com staff writer Max Henson provided a position preview.
- Reid Ferrin of AtlantaFalcons.com did the same for the Falcons receiving corps, which has significantly more star power and significantly fewer question marks.
AFC Notes: Titans, Bortles, Bills, Raiders
Chris Johnson has never rushed for fewer than 1,047 yards in an NFL season, but with his cap number on the rise and the price of running backs around the league on the decline, the Titans decided to release him this offseason. As the new Jets running back tells Brian Costello of the New York Post, Tennessee’s decision will provide plenty of incentive for him to succeed in 2014 and beyond.
“Of course I have a chip on my shoulder,” Johnson said. “It gives me more motivation to continue to work hard and come here and be that guy I’ve been my whole career. I want to prove [the Titans] wrong. They released me and I want to let them know they made a mistake.”
Here’s more from around the AFC, including a couple items related to Johnson’s old team:
- In a piece for the Tennessean, Jim Wyatt surveys the Titans‘ landscape at wide receiver, and looks specifically at the odds of journeyman Derek Hagan cracking the regular season roster. Like fellow Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky, Wyatt suggests it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Tennessee add another receiver to the roster in August or even September.
- No. 3 overall pick Blake Bortles is on board with the decision to sit in his rookie season, with Chad Henne starting at quarterback for the Jaguars. However, as he tells NFL Media’s Bryan Fischer, Bortles will be ready if he’s called upon earlier than expected.
- The Bills will have some decisions to make soon on their running backs, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, who says he thinks Buffalo wants Bryce Brown to develop into one of the team’s lead backs. If that’s the case, the futures of C.J. Spiller or Fred Jackson, who are both eligible for free agency in 2015, figure to be up in the air.
- After an offseason which saw the Raiders add several veteran free agents, including some with championship experience, cornerback Taiwan Jones believes there’s a different feeling in Oakland heading into this season, according to Eddie Paskal of Raiders.com.