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FA Rumors: Warford, Cowboys, Panthers

March 6th, 2017 at 1:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

This year’s strong guard market figures to drive up the prices for interior linemen. Two such top-tier UFAs figure to push for eight-figure deals, with Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com connecting both Ronald Leary and Larry Warford to deals of around $8MM per season (Twitter link). Robinson adds that Leary’s per year range could soar into the $9MM range (Twitter link). This comes after a report pegged Kevin Zeitler, generally viewed as this year’s top available guard, as being set to command $12MM AAV.

Kelechi Osemele‘s $11.7MM-AAV deal currently tops the guard hierarchy, but only two other players — Kyle Long and David DeCastro — are eight-figure-per-year players. The only other $8MM-per-year guards are Brandon Brooks, Mike Iupati and the recently extended Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, so Leary and Warford look set to join exclusive company with their second contracts. Robinson also reported last night T.J. Lang‘s next deal is estimated to be between $8-$10MM AAV.

Here’s more from the free agent market, courtesy of Robinson.

  • The Panthers are going to be bargain hunting on the offensive line in free agency, Robinson (on Twitter) senses. He also envisions Carolina addressing the secondary in a meaningful way, which jibes with what we’ve been hearing over the past few months.
  • Barry Church doesn’t figure to see a gargantuan raise the way many free agents will, with Robinson expecting the Cowboys safety sign for more than $5MM on average (Twitter link). Although, Robinson notes Church’s next contract could average earnings that are “solidly higher” than $5MM. Eric Berry‘s megadeal took the top safety off the market, so teams in need of back-line defenders could turn to a player like Church. The 29-year-old career-long Cowboy started in Dallas for the past four seasons. Church made $4.25MM in base salary last season in Dallas. A former UDFA, Church said last month he was open to giving the Cowboys a hometown discount to some degree, but this could well be his last chance to earn a higher-end contract. PFR’s latest safety rankings place Church third — behind Tony Jefferson and Duron Harmon.
  • Robinson provided extensive clarity on what the wide receiver market could look like, and the pursuit of Alshon Jeffery might not yield what the Bears wideout believes he deserves.

NFL Sets Salary Cap At $167MM

March 1st, 2017 at 10:03am CST by Zachary Links

The league has set the salary cap at $167MM for the coming year, according to Judy Battista of NFL Network (on Twitter). That marks a $12MM+ bump over last year’s cap figure of $155.27MM. Here is the year-by-year breakdown of the cap, going back to 2013:

  • 2013: $123MM
  • 2014: $133MM
  • 2015: $143.28MM
  • 2016: $155.27MM
  • 2017: ~$167MM

The $167MM figure falls in line with the most recent estimates we heard, which pegged the cap to be somewhere between $166MM-$169MM. Starting on March 9th, teams will be able to put this extra cash to use in free agency and we should see monster deals for the top players on the open market. The Browns will lead all teams in cap space with $102MM+ in room to spend.

We’ve come a long way in the last twenty years. In 1997, the salary cap was set at $41.5MM. In 1994, the first year of the salary cap, the number limit was just $34.6MM.

2017 Salary Cap To Be Between $166-$169MM?

February 25th, 2017 at 2:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several projections have emerged about where the 2017 NFL salary cap will end up after years of rapid growth. The latest figure will represent a double-digit spike from 2016. The latest range projection has the figure settling in between $166-$169MM, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.

This continues the trend in estimations pointing to a near-$170MM per-team ceiling. As recently as December, reports had the cap stopping shy of a $10MM rise, but the latest indications are another noticeable increase will be on tap.

Should it surpass $167.17MM, 2017 will mark the largest one-year growth in the cap era. Last year’s increase — from $143.28MM in 2015 to $155.27MM — represents the most substantial climb. Here’s what the league’s salary cap has looked like over the last few years:

  • 2013: $123MM
  • 2014: $133MM
  • 2015: $143.28MM
  • 2016: $155.27MM

But prior to 2013, the cap hadn’t increased by more than $10MM since between the 1997 and ’98 seasons, when it jumped from $41.5MM to $52.4MM. Following the uncapped year of 2010, the 2011 cap actually plummeted from its previous mark, regressing from $129MM in 2009 to $120MM in 2011. It remained at $120MM in 2012 before entering this era of substantial growth.

The official cap number will entrench franchise and transition tag figures for the coming season. CBS Sports’ Joel Corry projected those aforementioned numbers for a $168MM cap.

Extra Points: Garoppolo, Belichick, Williams

February 22nd, 2017 at 11:48am CST by Zachary Links

Three executives tell Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that they believe several teams will be making blockbuster offers for Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Ultimately, they think that will result in an offer the Pats cannot refuse.

Freeman also hears from Patriots sources that Bill Belichick likely plans to stay on as coach for at least five more years. Those same sources believe that Belichick wants to continue coaching after Brady retires to show that he can win without the best quarterback of all time.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Arrelious Benn‘s new contract with the Jaguars is a two-year, $1.765MM deal that contains $100K guaranteed, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Although he didn’t contribute much to the Jacksonville offense (just five receptions for 116 yards), Benn was a regular on special teams duty, as he saw action on 63% of the Jaguars’ ST plays.
  • Cornerback K’Waun Williams‘ grievance against the Browns will be heard on May 16, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Williams, who played for Cleveland from 2014-15, contends the Browns waived him while he was still dealing with an injured ankle. As such, Williams is seeking the entirety of his 2016 base salary ($600K), plus the cost of his surgery.
  • Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara has fired VaynerSports and hired Damarius Bilbo of Revolution Sports Group as his new representation , according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter links). Kamara, a committee back with the Volunteers, managed less than 1,300 yards rushing during two years in Tennessee, but also averaged more than six yards per carry during that time. Largely viewed as a Day 2 prospect, recent buzz has indicated Kamara could sneak into Round 1.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Trufant, Falcons, Packers, Bucs

February 7th, 2017 at 9:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant may have missed the final half of the regular season and his team’s entire playoff run, but the 26-year-old is still in line to get a hefty payday. Speaking to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure, general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the organization will look to extend the 2013 first-rounder this offseason.

“He’s a top-tier corner, no question about it,” Dimitroff said. “We believe that he’s going to do some excellent things for us into the future.”

Trufant is signed through 2017 after the Falcons picked up his fifth-year option (worth an estimated $8MM). The four-year veteran was plenty productive through his team’s first nine games, compiling 31 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception. While several defensive backs, including former second-rounder Jalen Collins, stepped up in Trufant’s absense, Dimitroff was still adamant that the cornerbacks were led by the former Pro Bowler.

“Trufant’s value has not dropped at all,” Dimitroff said. “We are really excited about having Trufant back and [Robert] Alford back and Jalen Collins back and Brian Poole back. And then the other guys who have contributed to us this year in [C.J.] Goodwin and Deji Olatoye. Those guys are a real cool and encouraging group of secondary [players], and the guy who is at the front of that is Trufant.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes as we wrap up this Tuesday evening…

  • Trufant isn’t the only player who the Falcons are looking to extend. McClure writes that the organization is also trying to lock up quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Devonta Freeman. “Our focus in free agency is to, again, focus on the guys on our team to get them done first,” Dimitroff said. “It’s probably this year more than any, it’s where our focus is.”
  • The Falcons have received “multiple requests” from other teams to interview their assistant coaches, tweets Alex Marvez of The Sporting News. The reporter notes that some coaches will be allowed to talk to opposing teams while others will not.
  • By releasing running back James Starks earlier today, the Packers created more than $2.8MM in salary cap space, tweets former NFL agent Joel Corry. The transaction left a reasonable $750K of dead money on the team’s cap.
  • The Buccaneers worked out long snapper Kameron Canaday today, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The former Portland State product won the Cardinals long snapper gig heading into the regular season, but he was released following a botched snap in Week 3. The Buccaneers did add a long snapper earlier today in Dax Dellenbach, but that shouldn’t prevent the team from adding another player for competition.

Texans Notes: Novak, Hopkins, Bouye

February 4th, 2017 at 11:05am CST by Ben Levine

Nick Novak had a career-year in 2016, and some members of the Texans organization believe he played a major role in the team clinching a playoff birth.

The 35-year-old played last season on a one-year, $965K contract, and the impending free agent would like to return to Houston for the 2017 campaign.

“I want to be back,” Novak told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I’m really proud of what we’ve done and I’m excited to be back with the same guys. I really feel like I can help the Texans get to where they want to go. I leave it up to my agent and the personnel department to get a deal done.

“I don’t know what kind of progress is being made, but it’s all positive. I’ve heard some really good things from [general manager] Rick Smith, [coach] Bill O’Brien, [special teams coordinator] Larry Izzo. We’ll see what happens.”

Let’s check out some more notes coming out of Houston…

  • The Texans passing offense was among the worst in the league this past season, and Smith understands that the team needs more out of the quarterback position if they want to contend. “We’ve got to get better production from the quarterback position,” Smith told Wilson. “We’ve got to get better production from all across our football team. We’ve got to do a good job of analyzing our football team, and that’s what we’re doing now, trying to figure out where we’re strong, where we’re weak and how we can go about improving.” Of course, Smith did note that he still believes in starter Brock Osweiler, who is owed $16MM next season. Reports from earlier this week indicated that the organization would likely take a quarterback in the upcoming draft.
  • Despite having one of the worse seasons of his career, wideout DeAndre Hopkins is still to eager to stick around Houston. “I love this organization and what this team is doing,” Hopkins told Wilson. “It seems like we’re getting better and better every year, so why not?” We learned earlier this week that the Texans would like to extend Hopkins, who finished last season with 78 receptions for 954 yards and four touchdowns.
  • A.J. Bouye is in line for a well-deserved payday, writes Wilson. Instead of taking a less-lucrative, multi-year offer last offseason, the cornerback decided to opt for a one-year, $1.6MM contract with the Texans. The 25-year-old clearly made the right decision, as he’s projected to be the best free agent defensive back. Wilson expects that the Texans will have around $25MM in cap space, and he projects Bouye to receive an offer that pays around $13MM annually.

Check Out HoopsRumors.com For NBA Trade Deadline Coverage

February 2nd, 2017 at 1:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The NBA trade deadline is just over three weeks away, and our sister site Hoops Rumors is on top of all the latest news and rumors for each of the league’s 30 teams.

Will the Carmelo Anthony era come to an end in New York, given the trade rumors surrounding the Knicks star? Will the Bulls blow things up after several of their marquee players publicly traded barbs? Will the Cavaliers be able to satisfy LeBron James by adding another playmaker to their roster? Is this the year that Danny Ainge and the Celtics finally cash in some of their assets to make a major trade?

For the latest updates on those stories and many more, visit Hoops Rumors today and follow us on Twitter @HoopsRumors!

Follow Your Favorite Team On PFR

January 10th, 2017 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ve detailed how you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or using an RSS reader to ensure that you receive all of our updates, 365 days a year. If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, PFR has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

AFC East Notes: Jets, Bowles, Bills, Ryan

December 26th, 2016 at 9:00am CST by Zachary Links

Is Jets owner Woody Johnson sending a message to coach Todd Bowles? The feeling around the Meadowlands has been that Bowles will keep his job in 2017, but Johnson, who never misses a game, no-showed the Jets’ blowout loss to New England, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. Watching from wherever he was, Johnson couldn’t have been happy to see the Jets go down 41-3, giving them their latest embarrassing loss. Bowles is now 14-17 in two years as Jets coach and the game against Buffalo next week could be his last if Johnson is truly fed up.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

  • It’s hard to defend Bills coach Rex Ryan in the wake of Saturday’s overtime loss to Miami, Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle writes. Late in the game, Ryan punted on fourth-and-3 from the Buffalo 41, exhibiting little faith in his offense to convert and perhaps putting too much trust in a defense that has not held up this year. With the loss, the Bills’ playoff hopes were extinguished and, perhaps, Ryan’s fate was sealed. On Friday, GM Doug Whaley declined to give Ryan a vote of confidence. Over the weekend, it was reported that the Bills could have extra motivation to dump Ryan because of their desire to keep offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn in the organization. Lynn is expected to be interviewed for coaching jobs this offseason.
  • When asked about the acquisition of wide receiver Michael Floyd, Patriots president Jonathan Kraft seemed to put the onus on coach Bill Belichick, as Phil Perry of CSNNE.com writes. “Bill decided, looking at all of the variables, that it made sense for our football team at this time of the year,” Kraft said. “That’s why Michael Floyd is here.” In Saturday’s rout of the Jets, Floyd wasn’t on the field a whole lot but he was cheered loudly by Patriots fans who were eager to see him. It will be interesting to see what kind of role he has the rest of the way.
  • Could Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill return for the postseason?

Jaguars To Interview Tom Coughlin

December 24th, 2016 at 12:29pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve been hearing whispers of a Tom Coughlin/Jaguars reunion even before the team fired head coach Gus Bradley earlier this week. Well, it’s sounding like those whispers could soon be a reality. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Jaguars will be interviewing the former head coach this week (via NFL.com’s Conor Orr). It’s uncertain whether Coughlin will be interviewing for the head coaching gig or “some type of “football czar” position overseeing operations.”

Coughlin would be a natural fit for Jacksonville, especially since it was the organization that gave him his first NFL head coaching gig. The 70-year-old also has a house and family in the area, two factors that would reportedly be a “big draw” to the long-time coach. If the organization is indeed pursuing Coughlin as their next head coach, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise. General manager Dave Caldwell previously acknowledged that the veteran coach would be a candidate for the opening.

Tom CoughlinIn eight seasons with the Jaguars, Coughlin led the squad to a 68-60 record and four playoff appearances. The long-time coach had a bit more success when he joined the Giants, compiling a 102-90 record. Of course, Coughlin also led New York to five playoff appearances and two Super Bowl championships. Coughlin resigned as head coach of the Giants following the 2015 season, although he did admit in October that he still has interest in coaching.

Coughlin would seemingly be less of a fit for the front office, although our own Dallas Robinson noted that the coach was essentially building his team’s roster during his previous tenure with the organization. Of course, if the team does add Coughlin in a non-coaching role, it could mean the end of Caldwell’s tenure in Jacksonville.

Rapoport notes that other potential candidates for the Jaguars head coach opening are interim head coach Doug Marrone, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

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