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Latest On Los Angeles Talks

February 20th, 2015 at 9:56pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Raiders and Chargers created an uproar Thursday when they announced joint plans to build and share a $1.7 billion, privately financed stadium 15 miles south of Los Angeles in Carson, Calif.

With the Raiders, Chargers and Rams as possible relocation candidates, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote Friday that commissioner Roger Goodell has a complicated situation on his hands. Florio opines that two of the three franchises will ultimately end up in L.A., while the odd club out could be pursued by the likes of St. Louis and San Antonio.

Here’s more on the league’s possible return to Los Angeles:

  • Carson politicians and community leaders held a rally Friday in support of landing the Raiders and Chargers, according to ESPN’s Arash Markazi. Carson Mayor Jim Dear called the acquisition of multiple NFL teams “an enormous opportunity.”
  • The Raiders’ departure from Oakland is far from a sure thing, writes Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News. Purdy takes a skeptical approach toward possible Raiders relocation and wonders if team owner Mark Davis is using Carson as leverage to get a new stadium in Oakland.
  • Conversely, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that the relocation of the Raiders and Chargers to Carson “could really happen.” In another tweet, LaCanfora speculates that Rams owner Stan Kroenke would get a new stadium deal in St. Louis (plus other pot sweeteners) if his team isn’t one of the two that goes to L.A.
  • Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune spoke to Davis, who said Oakland is “absolutely” a possibility for the Raiders going forward. McDonald went on to tweet that the Raiders and Chargers are frustrated by a lack of progress toward new stadiums in their respective cities.
  • “That’s our No. 1 priority, to stay in Oakland, always has been and will continue to be,” Davis told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Vic Tafur. One league official informed Tafur that three teams are racing for two spots in L.A. Further, the three front-runners (San Diego, Oakland and St. Louis) can all terminate their current leases and move after next season.
  • If the Raiders and/or Chargers do relocate, there hasn’t been any talk of either switching from the AFC to the NFC, Tafur tweets.

 

East Links: Romo, Cowboys, Pats, Giants

February 18th, 2015 at 9:28am CST by Zachary Links

Before the action really ramps up at this week’s combine in Indianapolis, let’s round up a few links from out of the NFL’s two East divisions….

  • Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones doesn’t think that quarterback Tony Romo is at the end of the line, as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes. “I still think Tony has a lot of time left, personally,” Jones said.“I heard him say anywhere from four to five years, so that’s a long time.”
  • The Cowboys will approach the free agent market intent on maximizing the return on their investments, which doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll target top-of-the-class players, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com runs down five things to look for in the NFL combine from the Patriots‘ perspective. New England is unlikely to take a skill player high in the draft and they’ll probably target offensive and defensive linemen. On the o-line, he identifies Andrus Peat (Stanford), Cedric Ogbuhei (Texas A&M), and T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh) as some of the names to watch. For defensive linemen, meanwhile, he highlights Malcom Brown (Texas), Jordan Phillips (Oklahoma), Michael Bennett (Ohio State), and others.
  • Paul Schwartz of the New York Post looks at some of the players the Giants will have their eye on at the combine. The Giants could be in the hunt for a safety and Shaq Thompson of Washington is one intriguing option. The 6’2″, 231-pound force profiles as a safety but wouldn’t look out of place at linebacker either.
  • The Eagles have hired former Jets assistant Brian Smith as their assistant linebackers coach, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC East Notes: Pouncey, Wilkerson, Pats

February 17th, 2015 at 9:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins center Mike Pouncey, due $7.4MM in the final season of his contract, said Monday he was left with the impression that the Dolphins want to work out a multi-year deal this offseason, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “I think I’ll be a Dolphin for a long time,” Pouncey said. Pouncey wants to move back to center and he’s advocating Miami to sign a “really good veteran guard.” Specifically, he wants the Dolphins to go after impending free agent Mike Iupati. Here’s more from the AFC East..

  • New Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan has a meeting with Muhammad Wilkerson‘s agent on his schedule for this week in Indianapolis, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN New York. Wilkerson is heading into the final year of his contract and is extension-eligible, so while the two sides probably won’t reach an agreement this week – and may not even exchange figures – they’ll touch base with an eye toward getting something done eventually.
  • If Danny Amendola is cut by the Patriots, Chris Gasper of CSNNE.com doesn’t think they should turn to Wes Welker to replace him. Getting Welker back now, he says, would be adding him a year or two late at this point. The wide receiver has suffered multiple concussions over the course of his career and it appears that they have taken a toll.
  • Legendary offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia has returned to work for the Patriots on a temporary basis through the end of the 2015 draft, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Scarnecchia also helped the Patriots last year around this time.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Fairley, Tamme, Broncos

February 16th, 2015 at 10:26pm CST by Zachary Links

A company that is gunning to build an NFL stadium in Los Angeles has given $118K in campaign contributions to officials in the city, according to The Associated Press. San Francisco-based Hollywood Park Land Co., the company developing the proposed 80,000-seat stadium, has claimed Rams owner Stan Kroenke as a partner in the company since last year. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • A source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Lions defensive tackle and potential free agent Nick Fairley “just wants to be in the most comfortable situation possible.” The status of Ndamukong Suh could go a long way toward determining whether or not that situation is in Detroit.
  • Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that he expects to hit the free agent market. Still, he says he’d “love the chance to be back in Denver.” Tamme went on to say that his skill set would work well in Denver’s new offense (link).
  • Whether Peyton Manning returns or not, the Broncos can say goodbye to any chance of returning to their second Super Bowl in three seasons without a reconfigured offensive line, Troy Renck of The Denver Post writes. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the Baltimore Ravens, for whom Kubiak served as offensive coordinator last season, posted a 41.4 run-blocking score. The Broncos checked in at minus 4.1.
  • In a chat with Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter), Buccaneers center Evan Dietrich-Smith compared the Buccaneers 2014 offense to trying to assemble something without directions because of the coaching issues. The Bucs hope that they have fixed their offensive issues with new coordinator Dirk Koetter.
  • The idea of Ndamukong Suh joining the Raiders has been a well-documented scenario for weeks, but there are plenty more fish in the sea, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com writes. More affordable options on the open market include Terrance Knighton, Henry Melton, Nick Fairley, and Jared Odrick. Knighton, he argues, would make the most sense of anyone in the group. Pot Roast played for new coach Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville and Denver and has expressed his desire for a reunion.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Cowboys Notes: Romo, Draft, Free Agency

February 15th, 2015 at 8:53am CST by Ben Levine

It’s going to be a busy couple of months in Dallas, as the organization looks to retain two of the top offensive free agents: receiver Dez Bryant and running back DeMarco Murray. Our own Zach Links explored the team’s offseason outlook last week, with Zach suggesting a variety of alternatives should the duo get away.

When you’re finished checking that out, take a look at some assorted notes out of Dallas…

  • Considering the high level of play the Cowboys got from Tony Romo in 2014, David Moore of The Dallas News can’t envision the organization pursuing his successor in this year’s draft.
  • Furthermore, Moore says it’s tough to envision a scenario where the Cowboys don’t use their first-rounder on a defensive player. The writer cautions that the team could be intrigued if a “bluechip” lineman or wideout falls to No. 27.
  • Jon Machota of The Dallas News doesn’t think the team should pursue a top pass-rusher in free agency. The writer would prefer the Cowboys prioritize re-signing their own players, having a good draft, and finding some value in the free agent market.
  • In a separate article, Machota shoots down the idea of trading up in the first round of the draft. The writer would not only prefer keeping the extra picks, but he’s also under the impression that whoever the Cowboys select at No. 27 wouldn’t be significantly worse that someone they select in the early-20s.

Extra Points: Bradford, Rice, Starks

February 14th, 2015 at 8:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Rams introduced their new offensive coordinator, Frank Cignetti, on Friday. The most significant information that came from Cignetti’s press conference was the vote of confidence given to quarterback Sam Bradford, writes NFL.com’s Kevin Petra.

Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in 2010, has been inconsistent and injury prone during his five-year career, with an underwhelming 79.3 passer rating and just 49 of a possible 80 regular-season appearances. Bradford missed all of last season with a torn ACL and there was some question as to whether the Rams would bring him back in 2015, the final year of his deal, but head coach Jeff Fisher and Cignetti officially put such speculation to rest.

Asked if he wanted Bradford back next season, Fisher said, “That’s correct, yes. He’s been in the building since the season ended. He’s doing well,” according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas.

Fisher even said Bradford’s presence influenced the promotion of Cignetti, who was previously St. Louis’ quarterbacks coach.

Bradford’s cap number for next season is a whopping $16.58MM, and Thomas wrote earlier this week that the team hopes to restructure the 27-year-old’s contract.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com took a look at the factors working for and against Ray Rice in his quest to return to the league after a yearlong hiatus resulting from the 28-year-old’s assault of his then-fiancée. Working in Rice’s favor, according to Brown, is that the likes of Michael Vick and Richie Incognito recently found second chances after committing serious off-the-field offenses. Conversely, one of the reasons Rice might not find much of a market is his poor 2013 performance. Rice was among the worst starting running backs in the league that year, amassing just 660 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games. His 3.1 yards-per-carry average was significantly lower than his career mark (4.3).
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com sees “virtually no chance” of Washington using the franchise tag on anyone this offseason. Tandler notes that the $13.75MM cost for tagging outside linebacker Brian Orakpo would be too steep, and fellow free agents-to-be Niles Paul, Roy Helu and Jarvis Jenkins aren’t candidates to be among the five highest-paid players at their respective positions. Earlier this month, our own Luke Adams covered the possibility of Washington using the franchise tag this offseason, also concluding that it was unlikely.
  • Dolphins defensive lineman Randy Starks is one potential cap casualty who could make sense for the Patriots, tweets the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin. The 31-year-old Starks is scheduled to count $6MM against Miami’s cap in 2015.

FA Notes: Fairley, Cowboys, Saints, Eagles

February 14th, 2015 at 12:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Following news that Nick Fairley was cleared of his DUI charge, the Lions defensive tackle made it clear that he wants to stay in Detroit longterm.

“I love Detroit, to be honest,” Fairley said (via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press). “I feel the city, the people in it. I love the atmosphere of basically the hard work that they bring. I’m just all work, and that’s definitely the vibe I get from the city, and I like it.”

The former first-rounder struggled through a knee injury in 2014, finishing with career-lows in tackles (eight) and sacks (one).

Let’s take a look at some more notes regarding this year’s free agent class…

 

NFC Mailbags: Newton, Lions, McCarthy, Giants

February 14th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

We checked out ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…

  • If quarterbacks like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco can average $20MM annually, David Newton believes Cam Newton could certainly be included in that group. Ultimately, the writer believes the Panthers quarterback will receive a contract totaling about $100MM.
  • Kicker Matt Prater and defensive back Rashean Mathis want to return to the Lions next season, according to Michael Rothstein. There has been some contact between the organization and the agents for the team’s multiple free agents, but the writer cautions that nothing’s been “locked down.”
  • Despite Mike McCarthy‘s interest in the personnel aspect of the league, the Packers head coach does not want to be the team’s general manager, writes Rob Demovsky. The writer says the coach’s recent shuffling of the coaching staff indicates that he’d like to get involved in other areas of coaching.
  • Dan Graziano doesn’t see any incentive for the Giants to pursue Ray Rice over any other running back.
  • Considering the linebacker’s age and injury history, John Keim can’t envision Washington investing too much money in Brian Orakpo. Meanwhile, the writer could see the team bringing back quarterback Colt McCoy, tight end Niles Paul, and “perhaps” running back Roy Helu and wideout Leonard Hankerson. Santana Moss is among the players Keim would be surprised to see return.

Extra Points: NFLPA, Houston, Lions, Saints

February 12th, 2015 at 10:17pm CST by Zachary Links

We have yet another candidate entering the field to become the NFLPA’s executive director. According to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter links), NFLPA president Eric Winston sent an email to player reps today presenting five candidates for the job with Andrew Smith being added to the previous group of DeMaurice Smith, Sean Gilbert, James Acho, and John Stufflebeem. Andrew Smith took to Twitter earlier today to boast his credentials: “Next Exec Dir of the NFLPA? They had a former player, then a lawyer NOW they need the Players’ lawyer!!!” Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..

  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap takes a closer look at this year’s crop of free agent pass rushers in a piece for The Sporting News, placing four players in his top tier: Justin Houston, Greg Hardy, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Jerry Hughes.
  • The Lions still haven’t revealed what they plan to do with Reggie Bush and the rest of their running back rotation this fall, but Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press wonders if Justin Forsett could be the answer for them. Forsett, who finished sixth in the NFL in rushing yards last year, will become an unrestricted free agent in March. The Lions are unlikely to splurge on a tailback, but coach Jim Caldwell pointed to the running game as an area that needs to improve in 2015. Forsett could be a quality addition for Detroit that won’t break the bank.
  • Kicker Shayne Graham is far from standing on solid footing with the Saints despite his new deal, Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune writes. Graham will still have to duke it out with Dustin Hopkins, who was added to the taxi squad late season. Graham was pretty solid through week 13 of the 2014 campaign, nailing 17 of 18 attempts. However, he missed a kick in each of the next two games, prompting the signing of Hopkins.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Extra Points: D. Thomas, Mariota, Boyd

February 10th, 2015 at 10:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos are set to wield the franchise tag, if necessary, to keep Demaryius Thomas, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport adds that there have been no talks between the team and Thomas’ camp for some time. The tag would cost Denver about $13MM and would limit the team’s options when it comes to tight end Julius Thomas. Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL…

  • Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, a candidate to be picked first overall in April, has signed with Rep 1 Sports, and will be represented by agents Ryan Tollner, Bruce Tollner, and Chase Callahan, reports Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter). The agency also represented QB Blake Bortles in last year’s draft.
  • Tajh Boyd, a former Jets sixth-round pick, had a good workout for the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Nonetheless, Birkett says no deal is imminent between the team and the young quarterback.
  • By the time the first round of this year’s NFL draft ends, a running back or two might be among the selections, which clashes with recent history. Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon and Georgia’s Todd Gurley could lead the draft’s running back rebirth, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports.
  • Oklahoma’s co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery is heading to to the Packers, according to Jason Kersey of The Oklahoman. There’s no sign of any defensive coaches leaving the Packers, so it seems that Montgomery will likely be installed in a new defensive position, according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (via Twitter). His position will effectively be defense quality control, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
  • At OverTheCap.com, Bryce Johnston has introduced a new concept called expected contract value to attempt to more accurately assess the true value of a player’s contract.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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