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NFC Notes: Cards, Washington, Bears

May 5th, 2015 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

While John Carlson‘s retirement announcement today came as a surprise to many observers, the Cardinals‘ football people weren’t shocked by the news, per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (Twitter links). However, Somers notes that the team wasn’t aware of Carlson’s plan prior to the draft, so it’s fair to wonder if Arizona might’ve taken a tight end a little earlier — the team selected Louisville’s Gerald Christian with the 256th and final pick in this year’s draft, making him 2015’s “Mr. Irrelevant.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • After selecting running back Matt Jones in the draft last week, Washington is no longer in the market for veteran free agent Pierre Thomas, tweets ESPN.com’s John Keim.
  • Following the 2015 draft, the Bears’ front office is undergoing some major changes under new general manager Ryan Pace. As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune details, college scouting director Marty Barrett won’t have his contract renewed after 18 years with the franchise. Meanwhile, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that Jay Muraco is out as Chicago’s East Coast scout, confirming a report from Neil Stratton of InsideTheLeague (Twitter link). A source tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that Barrett figures to land with the Jets, while Caplan tweets that Muraco may resurface with the Falcons.
  • Speaking to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com, Pace explained why the Bears decided not to use one of their six picks on a quarterback during the draft.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a closer look at the specific numbers in Jameis Winston‘s rookie contract with the Buccaneers, and how they reflect the changes in the overall rookie salary pool. So far, Winston is the only rookie reported to have officially signed his contract.
  • Panthers special teams coordinator Bruce DeHaven is taking a medical leave of absence to deal with a “serious health situation,” and will be replaced in the interim by Russ Purnell, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.

Extra Points: Falcons, Bennett, Spikes, Stacy

May 1st, 2015 at 2:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Some assorted, non-prospect related notes from around the NFL…

  • Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff denied a report that the team was working a trade to land Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “He’s under contract,” Dimitroff said on 92.9 The Game this morning. “I didn’t give it a second thought.” Irvin, an Atlanta native, played for Falcons head coach Dan Quinn for the past two seasons in Seattle.
  • Bears tight end Martellus Bennett told NFL Network (video link) that he’s extremely high on first round choice Kevin White. While it’s not proof positive that Bennett is staying in Chicago, it could be a sign that he anticipates staying put this season. Bennett was rumored to be a trade candidate earlier this week.
  • Vikings general manager Rick Spielman was contacted on Thursday night about his interest in free agent linebacker Brandon Spikes, according to Darren Wolfson of KSTP TV in Minneapolis (via Twitter). Spielman passed on the offer, as Wolfson notes that the GM is confident he’ll get a linebacker in the draft.
  • Following reports that Rams running back Zac Stacy requested a trade, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that representatives for the former fifth-rounder met with the organization. While it was a productive meeting, Thomas notes that a a decision hasn’t been made regarding Stacy’s future with the team. The Rams selected Georgia running back Todd Gurley with the tenth pick of the first round.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Ray, Falcons, Cowboys

April 28th, 2015 at 10:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Jets tight end Jace Amaro walked back some of the harsh comments he had for former head coach Rex Ryan, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. “I had no intention of attacking anybody, especially Rex,” Amaro said. “I have the utmost respect for the guy, he gave me a chance to play in this league before anyone else. … I was really just talking to the players mostly and our team now and I’m not really worried about what happened last year.” Amaro is squarely focused on the season ahead, but two of those 16 games will be against his former coach. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Earlier tonight, SiriusXM’s Adam Schein asked Falcons coach Dan Quinn if Shane Ray is still on his board. “Yeah, absolutely,” the coach said, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “As we’re going through the process we felt good about him. I think he had a setback. It was hard, and hopefully one that, like I said, he learns from and can move on from.”
  • Cowboys owner Jerry Jones won’t call running back a “must” for his team in this year’s draft. That checks out with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter), who hears that they could wait until the third or fourth round to grab a tailback. Dallas can afford to take a lesser back in this year’s draft thanks to their outstanding offensive line.
  • Danny Amendola said he didn’t have any hesitation about taking a pay cut to stay with the Patriots, Shalise Manza Young of The Boston Globe writes. “You know, it’s a business and everybody treats it like a business. Obviously you love playing football, you love being around the locker room, you love being around your teammates, and that’s really the most important thing for me,” Amendola said. “I love the group we have here, I love the work ethic everybody puts in every week, I love being here, so that’s why I chose to come back.”

Extra Points: Farmer, Pitta, Giants

April 25th, 2015 at 9:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Over the weekend, Chris Wesseling of NFL.com looked at five GMs in need of a strong draft, including Browns GM Ray Farmer. Thanks to the Sammy Watkins trade, Farmer has a pair of first-round picks for the second consecutive year and, as Wesseling notes, he can’t afford to blow them this time around. Here’s a look around the NFL..

  • Dennis Pitta said at an event for special Olympics tonight that his goal is to play this season, but it’s still too early for him to know, Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. The Ravens tight end has been plagued by injuries over the last two seasons but is among the most productive offensively when healthy.
  • The Giants‘ problems are far from fixed, but they don’t have as many glaring holes to fill as they did when last year’s draft rolled around and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com thinks they should consider moving up. If a defensive difference-maker such as Leonard Williams or Dante Fowler Jr. slips past the top four or five, Graziano would support Big Blue moving up, so long as the cost was reasonable. Unfortunately, Williams looks like Oakland’s top choice at No. 4 and Fowler looks like Washington’s top choice at No. 5.
  • In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com if he thinks the Titans might cut or restructure running back Shonn Greene and guard Andy Levitre. Green is due $3.25MM in 2015 and would only leave $833K in dead money, so he could very well get cut if and when Antonio Andrews beats him out in camp. Cutting Levitre, meanwhile, wouldn’t save the Titans all that much money, so he’s not a likely cut for them.

Extra Points: Rivers, Brown, Johnson

April 22nd, 2015 at 9:33pm CST by Zachary Links

A federal judge has approved a plan to resolve thousands of NFL concussion lawsuits that could cost the league $1 billion over 65 years, Maryclaire Dale of The Associated Press writes. The awards could reach $1MM to $5MM for those diagnosed in their 30s and 40s with Parkinson’s disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease, or for deaths involving chronic brain trauma. NFL actuaries estimate 6,000 of nearly 20,000 retired players to someday suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or moderate dementia. The settlement between the two sides ends a four-year legal battle. Here’s more from around the league..

  • A possible trade of Philip Rivers to the Titans is complicated by the fact that Tennessee would have to work out a contract extension in the days prior to the deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. A deal couldn’t begin and end while the Titans are on the clock at No. 2 since Tennessee would need permission from the Chargers to work on Rivers’ contract (link).
  • Antonio Brown took to Twitter to explain his absence from the Steelers‘ voluntary offseason program. “Just enjoying my new born Ali can not wait to get back with my teammates! I am dad first and working to be best player I can be,” Brown tweeted. It’s very possible that Brown is holding out for a new contract too, but that’s apparently not the sole reason.
  • Andre Johnson insists that he didn’t sign with the Colts just to get revenge on his former team, as Stephen Holder of the Indy Star tweets. “I didn’t come here because we play against the Texans twice a year..I have bigger goals than just playing against the Texans,” the wide receiver said. Johnson signed with the Colts on a three-year, $21MM deal.
  • Former Oregon tight end Colt Lyerla working out this spring and is a player worth watching, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets.
  • Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton feels that he could form an “unstoppable” duo with Haloti Ngata if the Lions draft him, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets.

Pro Football Rumors On Social Media, RSS

April 17th, 2015 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s 2015 free agent period is essentially in the books, with only a handful of intriguing players still on the market. However, there’s still plenty of action to follow at Pro Football Rumors, as the 2015 draft quickly approaches and trade rumors swirl around big names like Philip Rivers and Adrian Peterson.

Over the next several weeks and months, there will be plenty of notable stories to track on PFR, and you don’t necessarily have to keep refreshing our site to keep tabs on them. There are a handful of different ways you can follow us to get the latest updates on NFL news and rumors all year.

You can like us on Facebook, and receive headlines and links for all our posts via your Facebook account. You can also follow us on Twitter to have all our posts and updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. Meanwhile, our Google+ page is located here, and if you’d like to follow us using your RSS reader of choice, you can find our RSS feed right here.

If you prefer to receive updates only on roster moves such as signings, cuts, and trades, you can follow our transactions-only feeds via RSS and Twitter. And don’t forget to check out our app for iOS and Android, which is available right here.

Facebook/Twitter/RSS Feeds By Team

April 9th, 2015 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

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

Extra Points: Tillman, Talib, Los Angeles, Peterson

April 8th, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes from around the league as we wrap up this Wednesday night…

  • Former Bears cornerback Charles Tillman visited the Panthers earlier this evening, reports ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson (via Twitter). The reporter notes that the two sides have yet to discuss a contract.
  • Rebecca Lopez of WFAA-TV in Dallas reports (via Twitter) that Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib is being investigated for aggravated assault earlier this morning. The 29-year-old’s brother, Yaqub, is also being investigated by police. According to ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, the pair were questioned by police early Wednesday, but no one was arrested.
  • Addressing a rumor going around, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) dismisses the notion that the Eagles have any real interest in acquiring Johnny Manziel. According to Cole, the Browns tossed out the idea in a conversation with Philadelphia, but it didn’t gain any traction. Of course, Cleveland also reportedly offered the Eagles a first-round pick for Sam Bradford.
  • In an extensive and interesting piece, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times examines nine potential outcomes for an NFL move to Los Angeles, including scenarios in which multiple teams relocate and scenarios in which just one of the Rams, Chargers, or Raiders makes the move.
  • The NFL submitted it’s appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court regarding Adrian Peterson, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). Once it’s filed, the NFL Player’s Association will have 14 days to respond. As Pelissero notes (via Twitter), the appeal “has more to do with precedent than Peterson,” adding that the running back could realistically be reinstated regardless of the outcome.
  • Count Reggie Bush among those who are rooting for Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne to make the 49ers. The running back expressed his confidence to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “I’m sure he’ll make it, I don’t think there’s any doubt in anybody’s mind he’ll make the roster,” Bush said. “He has all the talents and athleticism to be able to play in this league and to be able to play at a high level in this league…I think making the team is actually the least of his worries.”

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android

April 8th, 2015 at 4:14pm CST by Luke Adams

As free agency winds down and the 2015 NFL draft approaches, you can follow all the latest news and rumors with the Trade Rumors app for iOS and Android devices! Here are some of the features of the app:

  • Customize your home screen. The app has feeds for Pro Football Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, and Hoops Rumors by default, but if you’re more of a one- or two-sport person, you can easily remove and reorder feeds. You can also add a feed for any of the 92 MLB, NFL, or NBA teams, as well as the thousands of players in the archives of our three sites. Please note that the default ordering puts MLB Trade Rumors on your home screen, but you can easily go into Settings to reorder and add or remove feeds.
  • In addition to customizing your feeds, you can also set up notifications at the sport, team, or even player level, and receive a notification as soon as a new article is posted on that topic.
  • We’ve also allowed for filtering of all stories versus top stories, for what is shown on the home screen as well as for notifications. This allows you to limit yourself to just the most important news for a feed, if you prefer.
  • Article sharing options are plentiful: choose Facebook, Twitter, email, and text message.
  • Once you’ve clicked an article in a feed, you can swipe to read the next article in that feed.

Best of all? The Trade Rumors app is free! Download it today for iOS or Android.

TradeRumors-Google-FeaturedImg

West Notes: LA, Chargers, Broncos, Cardinals

April 5th, 2015 at 8:54am CST by Dallas Robinson

With several NFL teams (including the Chargers) interested in moving to Los Angeles, Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune looks at the concept of relocation fees, the money that a club will have to pay to the league in exchange for changing cities. Per Canepa, the owners haven’t formalized the price tag of moving just yet, but he hears that it could be anywhere from $250MM to $500MM. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains, commissioner Roger Goodell has the “discretion to adjust the transfer free based on the NFL’s interest in encouraging the move or discouraging the move,” so if the league is in favor of a team moving to LA, the fee could conceivably be (relatively) modest.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the West divisions:

  • In an in-depth piece on teams’ departures effect on cities, Jonathan Horn of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports cities that lose teams pay more to bring football back than keeping their existing franchises. Houston, which lost the Oilers after the 1996 season, topped the list in paying $519MM to spawn the Texans. St. Louis, Baltimore, Cleveland and Houston averaged just more than $225MM in costs for their respective new stadiums. So while a club like the Chargers could vacate its home city, its conceivable that San Diego fans could yearn for an NFL return in due time.
  • The Broncos made it a priority to bring in players who were familiar with new head coach Gary Kubiak‘s offensive scheme, a strategy that is especially evident along the offensive line, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Center Gino Gradkowski and guard Shelley Smith, acquired via trade and free agency respectively, each have a history with both Kubiak and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison.
  • With this year’s draft less than four weeks away, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com examines who could be available to the Cardinals with the 24th pick, noting that the club could be in a position to take the best player available. Weinfuss points to Stanford tackle Andrus Peat and Kentucky edge rusher Bud Dupree as logical candidates for Arizona.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

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