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Extra Points: Brown, Cardinals, Bengals, Broncos

July 16th, 2014 at 9:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The NBA has seen tremendous growth in their developmental league and Ross Jones of FOX Sports argues that the NFL could benefit greatly from having one of their own. One of the questions the NFL would have to figure out, however, is exactly who would play in an NFL D-League. “You have 400 legitimate players entering the league each year, which means there are 400 legitimate players that have to leave the league each year,” agent Greg Linton said. “If a player is good, they get selected in the first through fourth rounds, so the only players that you’d be developing is seventh rounders and free agents. Is the NFL really concerned with developing that guy?” More from around the NFL..

  • The lack of guaranteed contracts has had a painful ripple effect for players, writes Jack Bechta of the National Football Post. The longtime agent says that the NFLPA has to make guaranteed contracts a top priority in the next CBA since they will take pressure off players to put their bodies at extreme risk. Guaranteed deals would also give teams incentive to give their players the best medical care possible.
  • Agent Drew Rosenhaus has officially re-signed Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown for representation, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Brown recently fired his reps at Roc Nation Sports.
  • In the first part of a two part series, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com looks at the top questions facing the Cardinals heading into training camp. Among the questions is whether free agent pickup Jared Veldheer will be the club’s answer at left tackle. The Cardinals gave Veldheer a five-year, $35MM contract, so the front office is obviously confident. Now it’s a matter of seeing what Veldheer can do for their blindside protection.
  • Bengals‘ seventh-round pick James Wright is one to watch, writes Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. It’s been nearly two years since the former LSU athlete caught a pass in a game, but the Bengals are hoping his special teams skills will translate into success as a wideout. “That day I talked to him and said, ‘Look, I know what you can do on special teams, now you’ve got to play wide receiver,‘” Bengals receivers coach James Urban said. “He’s embraced it, he’s worked his tail off and he’s given us [a lot]. I mean, he’s a very intense young man. He wants to prove this organization and [team president] Mr. [Mike] Brown right in selecting him.”
  • In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Mike Klis of The Denver Post if he gets the sense that GM John Elway & Co. could still have potentially one more high-profile signing up their sleeve. Klis could see the Broncos going for a veteran running back, but then again, he thought they would have added one by now.
  • After his conviction on charges of assault on a female and communicating threats, it’s unclear what Greg Hardy‘s long-term future will be with the Panthers, writes Steve Reed of the Associated Press. Hardy, who is set to hit the open market after this season, is being monitored by the NFL.

East Notes: Redskins, Jackson, Jets

July 16th, 2014 at 8:28pm CST by Zachary Links

A quick look at the AFC and NFC East..

  • Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com wonder if DeSean Jackson can match his Eagles production with the Redskins. El-Bashir believes that Jackson can pull it off since he’s only 27 and in the prime of his career. Tandler, on the other hand, doesn’t think that the Redskins are necessarily looking for Jackson to match his 2013 catches and yards. What the Redskins will expect out of him will be big yards after the catch, even if he’s not getting the same number of touches.
  • Florida State pass rusher Brandon Jenkins went from a draft steal to a longshot to making the Redskins‘ roster, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Washington coaches were over the moon when they landed Jenkins in the fifth round of last year’s draft, but he hasn’t shown much of anything so far.
  • Jets inside linebacker David Harris gets a lot of flack thanks to his contract, but Brian Costello of the New York Post expects him to play hard in his walk year to come away with a new deal that will pay him heavily and won’t be criticized. Last season Harris led the Jets with 124 tackles and had two sacks while Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 18th best inside linebacker out of 55 that played at least 25% of their team’s snaps.

NFC South Notes: Graham, Falcons, Saints

July 16th, 2014 at 6:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this week, the Saints and tight end Jimmy Graham agreed to a four-year, $40MM deal that gives him $21MM in guaranteed money. Graham lost his battle to be classified as a wide receiver, but he still came away with a hefty contract that makes him the highest paid TE in league history. Graham has been the league’s most consistent and productive tight end over the last three years, averaging 90 receptions, 1,169 yards, and 12 touchdowns per season during that span. Here’s more on Graham and other items out of the NFC South..

  • The Saints are essentially in “buy now, pay later” mode after giving Graham that contract, writes Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News. The Saints now have five top-of-the-market contracts on the roster with quarterback Drew Brees (fourth highest contract among quarterbacks), safety Jairus Byrd (second among safeties), guard Jahri Evans (third among guards) and punter Thomas Morstead (third among punters). In order to employ all these top-tier contract players within the salary cap, the Saints use large signing bonuses and escalating base salaries over the course of the contract.
  • Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter) won’t be surprised if the Falcons announced before training camp that safety Zeke Motta (neck surgery) will be out for the season. That could lead to a release of the 2013 seventh-round pick.
  • Quarterbacks aside, Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune argues that the newly-signed Graham is the best skill-position player (other than quarterback) in Saints history. Graham is one of just three Saints skill-position players to earn first-team All-Pro honors in his career.
  • Graham told Alex Restrepo of NewOrleansSaints.com that he wants to bring another Super Bowl to the Saints franchise. “I’m beyond excited,” Graham said Tuesday night. “I didn’t get into to football to learn litigation. I got into football to win games with my teammates, friends and coaches. I am extremely happy to get back to what it’s really about.”

NFC North Notes: Packers, Finley, Lions

July 16th, 2014 at 5:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com runs down the Packers‘ situation at wide receiver. Sederrick Cunningham and longtime mainstay James Jones are gone and Green Bay will be turning to rookies Davante Adams (second-round pick), Jared Abbrederis (fifth-round pick), and Jeff Janis (seventh-round pick) to support Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarrett Boykin et al. More from the NFC North..

  • Agent Blake Baratz says client Jermichael Finley is facing a choice between a $10MM no-tax disability policy or returning to football, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says that’s not entirely accurate. The former Packers tight end has gotten multiple offers from the Steelers but claims that the deal isn’t lucrative enough for him.
  • The Lions signed running back George Winn earlier today and cut guard D.J. Morrell, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Morrell, a UDFA out of Old Dominion, was praised in scouting reports for his size and work ethic.
  • ESPN.com’s Michael Wright says that the Bears‘ addition of longtime Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson should add some much-needed competition at the position during training camp. Wilson is in his mid-30s and coming off a major injury, but he also isn’t far removed from his most recent Pro Bowl season (2011), so it’s reasonable to think the former third-round pick could contribute if he’s healthy.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Broncos, Raiders, Jets

July 16th, 2014 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

While it seems as if Andre Johnson may not be in attendance when the Texans open training camp later this month, teammate Arian Foster says he plans to support whatever decision Johnson makes.

“I understand where he’s coming from,” Foster said, per John Brannen of Click2Houston.com. “I really do. This is a business and people forget that it’s a business. He’s at the point of his career where he doesn’t want money now. He just wants to go win.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun expects the Ravens to keep six wide receivers, with five locks. In Zrebiec’s view, Jeremy Butler, Deonte Thompson, and LaQuan Williams will be the primary competitors for that sixth and final spot.
  • In his latest mailbag, Mike Klis of the Denver Post doesn’t rule out the possibility that the Broncos will make one more noteworthy signing this summer, suggesting that he thinks a veteran running back could be added to the roster.
  • Oakland mayor Jean Quan wants to postpone the City Council vote on the Athletics’ new lease agreement with O.co Coliseum while a few details on the agreement are clarified, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. “She is confident they will join her in supporting a lease that secures the team’s near-term future in Oakland, protects the ongoing Coliseum City negotiations with the Raiders, and lets us all move forward working on new ballparks for both teams,” Quan spokesman Sean Maher said.
  • The Jets‘ signing of Eric Decker doesn’t have much downside, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, who identifies Decker’s contract as the best on the team. On the other end of the spectrum, David Harris‘ deal is the least team-friendly on the Jets’ books, in Fitzgerald’s estimation.
  • Jordan Cameron (Browns), Julius Thomas (Broncos), and Devin McCourty (Patriots) are among the players that could be candidates for the franchise tag in 2015, says Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today.

East Notes: Cowboys, Bills, Orton, Melton

July 14th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Last week, as a part of our ongoing Offseason In Review series, Pro Football Rumors looked at the Jets and the moves they made to improve heading into 2014. The Jets made major changes this offseason and said goodbye to mainstays like Mark Sanchez, Antonio Cromartie, and Santonio Holmes. Plenty of star power has been infused back into the roster thanks to the additions of Eric Decker, Michael Vick, and Chris Johnson, but there’s really no telling how things will play out for coach Rex Ryan and Gang Green this year. Here’s this afternoon’s look at the AFC and NFC East..

  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com believes that the Cowboys will carry three quarterbacks for the first time since 2011 and believes that Kyle Orton will ultimately report to training camp. Brandon Weeden is a virtual lock for the third spot and if Orton ultimately doesn’t come back to the Cowboys, Caleb Hanie and Dustin Vaughan will vie for the final slot.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looks at the best and worst contracts on the Cowboys roster. The Cowboys’ best deal, in Fitzgerald’s view, is the one they have with defensive tackle Henry Melton. Melton is signed to a reasonable one-year deal with a team option after 2014 that would keep him for another three years. Meanwhile, cornerback Brandon Carr and his contract with $25.5MM guaranteed doesn’t look so great for Jerry Jones & Co. right now.
  • Mike Rodak of ESPN.com looks at the Bills‘ defensive ends and their contracts. It’s no surprise that Rodak sees Mario Williams, the league’s highest paid DE, as the most overpaid bookend on the roster. Williams has turned in dominant performances like his 4.5 sack game against the Panthers last season, but he’s yet to really deliver the kind of play overall that would justify his cap hit. When it comes to the most underpaid DE in Buffalo, Rodak doesn’t have a pick, even though he considered giving that title to Jerry Hughes, who had 10 sacks in 2013.

AFC South Links: Texans, Jaguars, Brazill

July 13th, 2014 at 12:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A panel of NFL writers at ESPN.com ranked all 32 teams in order of future projected success — that is, how each franchise will fare over the next three seasons — by assigning grades for components like quarterback, front office, and coaching staff. Unsurprisingly, the Seahawks finished first in the exercise, but one underlying point was the brutal future prognosticated for the teams in the AFC South. The Colts ranked as the top team in the division, but were listed at just No. 20 overall, while the Jaguars, Titans, and Texans registered as Nos. 23, 25, and 27, respectively. I might quibble with the Texans’ projected futility, but as a whole, the AFC South looks like the weakest division in football, and could remain that way for some time.

  • The Texans have several interesting position battles that need to be resolved during training camp, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes. Left guard will come down to either incumbent Ben Jones or rookie Xavier Su’a-Filo, while Randy Bullock will try to keep undrafted rookie Chris Boswell from taking the kicking job.
  • In a video link, McClain and his Houston Chronicle colleague Brian T. Smith run down the top storylines on both sides of the ball for the Texans.
  • The Jaguars don’t have much experience at receiver behind Cecil Shorts, but Jacksonville receivers coach Jerry Sullivan isn’t worried that his young players, including 2014 second-rounders Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson, will buckle under the NFL lights. “I never think about that,” Sullivan told Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. “I put the pressure on myself to get them trained to perform at the NFL level.”
  • In the wake of LaVon Brazill‘s suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, ESPN.com’s Mike Wells opines that the 25-year-old ex-Colt has no one to blame but himself.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins

July 13th, 2014 at 11:50am CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest from the NFC East…

AFC East Notes: Bills, ‘Fins, Pats, Jets

July 13th, 2014 at 10:18am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills are coming off a disappointing 6-10 season during which rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel struggled (when he was able to remain on the field), and are now facing new ownership. Add the scrutiny placed on star players like C.J. Spiller and Mario Williams, and Buffalo is potentially facing a make-or-break season, writes Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. General manager Doug Whaley doesn’t dispute that the 2014 season is important for the Bills, but claims the team will not wilt under the pressure. “This is a results-based business,” Whaley said on draft night. “Every year we’re out to win as many games as possible and to make the playoffs. So that does not factor into what we do day-to-day, the ownership issue. Our issue is making the playoffs. That could be last year, this year, next year.”

  • Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore has been largely successful when given a chance to start, but he seems to be wholeheartedly embracing the role of backup for 2014, per George Richards of the Miami Herald. “I would love it if we won every game, and I never played,” said Moore. “That means Ryan [Tannehill] is killing it. But limited time, getting in late in the year is tough. You know that’s the role of the No. 2 quarterback. That’s just the way it is.”
  • Rich Cimini of ESPN.com previews the Jets’ quarterback depth chart, and notes, as PFR’s Zach Links wrote in his recent Offseason in Review, the Geno Smith/Michael Vick dynamic will be highly intriguing come training camp.
  • Duron Harmon is the favorite to start at safety for the Patriots alongside Devin McCourty, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com in his assessment of New England’s second-year players.

AFC Notes: Bills, Ravens, Jaguars

July 12th, 2014 at 8:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We posted one batch of AFC links earlier today, but more news abounds in the American Football Conference, so let’s dive in:

  • B. Thomas Golisano, the former owner of the NHL’s Sabres, had been discussing partnering with developer Scott Gongel in an effort to purchase the Bills, but those talks are now dead, a source tells Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. Golisano still plans to bid on the team alone, however, and Congel is also considering either a solo bid or finding a different partner (Twitter link).
  • Defensive end Jacquies Smith could be a surpise addition to the Bills’ 53-man roster, writes ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak. Smith has yet to take an NFL snap, but he could make for a suitable backup behind Jerry Hughes, Mario Williams, and Manny Lawson.
  • In his latest chat, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com opines that it’s more important for the Ravens to lock up kicker Justin Tucker than defensive lineman Haloti Ngata, reasoning that Tucker has more upside and Ngata might not be effective for much longer.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union offers an intriguing profile of Tim Walsh, whose official job title is the Jaguars’ Director of Football Administration. Walsh acts as Jacksonville’s cap and contract expert, and the piece is an interesting behind-the-scenes look at a role that doesn’t get much publicity.
  • Sean Mannion of Oregon State beat out Brandon Bridge of Southern Alabama in the quarterback challenge at Peyton Manning‘s passing academy, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Twitter).
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