Uncategorized - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Nelson, Packers, Willis, Gordon

June 3rd, 2014 at 8:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFLPA is considering a plan that would pay players year round rather than just during the season in an effort to help them manage their money better, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. For that proposal to go through, a simply majority of the 32 team reps will have to approve and the deal will also have to be negotiated with the league. Here’s more from around the league..

Jordy Nelson‘s last deal with the Packers, which pays an average of $4.2MM per season, cost him a whole lot of money, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. In the last three seasons, only three other NFL receivers — Dallas’ Dez Bryant, Detroit’s Calvin Johnson and Denver’s Eric Decker — have more touchdown catches than Nelson (30). He’s 12th in yards (3,322) and sixth in yards per catch (16.45) among all receivers during that same stretch.
The 49ers may find their replacement for injured inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman from within, writes Steve Corkran of Bay Area News Group. San Francisco has asked All-Pro Patrick Willis to think about shifting over to Mike linebacker this season and he sounds open to the idea.
Josh Gordon‘s teammates might feel betrayed by his behavior and the Browns front office surely isn’t pleased, but he’s far too special for Cleveland to cut him loose at this point, opines Maria Ridenour of the Beacon Journal. Of course, it’d be hard to imagine the Browns doing such a thing, but they do sound frustrated. “There has to be a willingness [to improve] on the other side. Sometimes guys get the message too late,” said Pettine. “In all my time in the league, there’s always going to be a handful of guys that just don’t get it.”
New Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi could have big things planned for rising sophomore Theo Riddick, writes Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News. Riddick had nine carries for 25 yards and a touchdown, and four catches for 26 yards last year. He was effectively Bush’s backup, and 2011 second-round pick Mikel Leshoure was Joique Bell’s backup.

AFC Mailbags: Bengals, Steelers, Colts, Jags

June 1st, 2014 at 8:54pm CST by Ben Levine

ESPN’s NFL writers answered questions from their readers this weekend. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes from the AFC…

Jay Cutler‘s deal with the Bears and Alex Smith‘s likely extension with the Chiefs will have an impact on the Bengals negotiations with Andy Dalton, writes Coley Harvey.
Even though the team selected Jeremy Hill in the second round this year (and Giovani Bernard in the second round last season), Harvey would be surprised if the Bengals let go of veteran running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis.
In spite of the above opinion, Harvey says the team will likely part ways with one of Green-Ellis, Cedric Peerman or Rex Burkhead. The writer believes that Burkhead is at the most risk of being cut.
Scott Brown says “it would make all the sense in the world” for the Steelers to bring back Brett Keisel. In an another article, Brown writes that Heath Miller‘s recent quote (the tight end stated that the linebacker was not with the team “right now”) is an indication that the veteran will return.
LaVon Brazill, Da’Rick Rogers and Griff Whalen will likely be competing for the Colts‘ final wideout spot, writes Mike Wells. The writer believes that Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton, Hakeem Nicks and Donte Moncrief are locks to make the roster.
If the Jaguars weren’t in such good shape cap-wise, Michael DiRocco thinks the team would have cut or tried to restructure the contract of tight end Marcedes Lewis.

NFC Links: Panthers, Bucs, Lions, Packers

June 1st, 2014 at 7:57pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve taken a look at rumors from the NFC West and NFC East this afternoon. Now let’s focus on some links from the North and South divisions…

There is enough room on the Panthers roster for both Tyler Gaffney and Kenjon Barner, says ESPN.com’s David Newton. The running backs’ skills on special teams, in addition to the age of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, means the young players will likely stick around.
Cornerbacks Josh Norman and Josh Thomas are in “prove-me” years and may not make the Panthers roster, Newton mentions in the same article.
The Buccaneers have four quarterbacks in Josh McCown, Mike Glennon, Mike Kafka and Alex Tanney. There’s no way all four are sticking around, and The Tampa Tribune’s Roy Cummings says that keeping three may even be a stretch. New coach Lovie Smith carried three quarterbacks in seven of his nine seasons with the Bears, but even Smith hinted that the Bucs’ will likely only carry two.
Lions wideout Kris Durham‘s biggest threat for a roster spot is Kevin Ogletree, writes ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein. The writer says it would be tough for both players to make the final roster.
Keeping four running back is not out of the question for the Packers, says ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. The team’s current halfbacks are Eddie Lacy, James Starks, DuJuan Harris and Johnathan Franklin. As Demovsky points out, that’s a group with a lot of injury risk.

Vikings Notes: Johnson, Barr, Munnerlyn

May 31st, 2014 at 9:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings added Matt Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater this offseason and as a result, many have wondered if quarterback Christian Ponder could be a trade candidate. It’s hard to see someone dealing for Ponder to be their starter, but he could be a very intriguing No. 2 QB for a team. In a poll earlier this week, Pro Football Rumors readers voted Ponder the third-most likely candidate to get moved behind Pats QB Ryan Mallett and disgruntled 49ers tailback LaMichael James. Here’s more out of Minnesota..

Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson has lived one heck of a football odyssey. Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press runs down Johnson’s journey, which included stops in NFL Europe, the Arena Football League, and the Canadian Footabll League. He finally made the NFL at age 29 with the Saints and three years later, he inked a deal with Minnesota.
Sure, he’s biased, but Purdue defensive coordinator Greg Hudson can’t help but rave about Vikings’ first-round pick Anthony Barr, writes Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune. “I’ve known him since he was a baby, and watched him grow up,” Hudson said of his nephew. “But he’s a great kid, he really is. He’s grounded, very close to everybody in the family, in particular my in-laws John and Jean Barr. That’s special. They’re his grandparents, but with his parental situation, and just having Mom, they were the ramrods and have been a blessing.”
Vikings cornerback and sixth-year pro Captain Munnerlyn is ready for new challenges in his first season in the NFC North, write Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Johnson, Bills

May 28th, 2014 at 7:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Eric Decker will be going from playing with one of the all time great quarterbacks in NFL history to hauling in passes from Michael Vick and/or Geno Smith. While some might see a dropoff there, the Jets’ prized free agent pickup says that he sees “a lot of talent” at the QB position with Gang Green, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. Here’s more out of the AFC East..

Jets running back Chris Johnson took to Twitter last night to let everyone know that he’d like to see Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson join him in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Today, he explained that some more to reporters, including Newsday’s Kimberley Martin. “His situation, I don’t think the Texans will let him go, but me playing in the AFC South, facing him twice and every year, he’s a very good player and he’s also a friend,” Chris Johnson said, as he addressed the media in a cramped press room on Day 2 of OTAs. “So any time you’ve got a friend in the league, you always want to play with them.”
Former Sabres owner Tom Golisano has met with Bills officials and public leaders, and informed them of his interest in purchasing the franchise, people involved with the negotiations told John Wawrow of the Associated Press. One person added that Golisano has also had talks with developer Scott Congel to be his partner in the potential ownership group.
Marty Mornhinweg‘s challenge will be to integrate the Jets‘ new pieces into his offensive system, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com.

AFC Notes: Titans, Ravens, Browns, Revis

May 26th, 2014 at 2:27pm CST by Rob DiRe

Let’s take a Memorial Day look around the AFC:

There a number of Titans who may see their starting jobs, and even roster spots in general, in jeopardy come training camp, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Shonn Greene, Michael Oher, and Jake Locker are among the notable names who may not see as much action as expected for the Titans in 2014.
The Ravens selected quarterback Keith Wenning in this month’s draft to compete with Tyrod Taylor to be the backup to Joe Flacco, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore,com. However, Brown writes that he is unsure if the Ravens will devote three roster spots to the position, meaning the two might not only be battling for a backup job, but a spot on the roster.
Ravens defensive lineman Brandon Williams is determined to come back in 2014 with more success after a toe injury kept him out of nine games as a rookie, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Williams, a third-round pick in 2013, has dedicated himself to being in better shape this season. “I’ve had a good offseason, I’ve been working out doing cardio and a bunch of other stuff,” Williams said. “I’m lighter and leaner. I’ve gotten a little stronger.”
Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer speculates that neither Brian Hoyer nor Johnny Manziel will win the Browns‘ quarterback job until later this summer. Reed thinks that while Hoyer is perhaps the favorite to start to open the 2014 season, if Manziel performs like he did at Texas A&M during the preseason, it will put significant pressure on the Browns’ organization to start the former Heisman Trophy winner.
Darrelle Revis will have a positive impact on the Patriots‘ offense this upcoming season, writes Brent Sobleski of USA Today. Tom Brady told Peter King of The Monday Morning Quarterback that he’s already tired of throwing against Revis in practice everyday. The former first-round pick out of Pittsburgh has been described by former teammate Jim Leonard as “the best practice player” he’s ever seen. Sobleski thinks that having such a worthy practice adversary will only serve to improve Brady’s game.

David Kipke contributed to this post.

Poll: Who Will Be Traded?

May 25th, 2014 at 9:15pm CST by Ben Levine

As a result of free agency and the draft, there are players around the league that now find themselves in a bit of roster limbo. Plenty of veterans could be on a team’s trading block, so NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling took a look at the top-ten trade candidates in the league.

The Vikings added Matt Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater and as a result, incumbent quarterback Christian Ponder tops Wesseling’s list. The writer states that Ponder has higher upside than a typical backup, and lists the Saints, Packers, Panthers and Falcons as potential trading partners. Fellow quarterback Ryan Mallett of the Patriots was second on the list, with Wesseling suggesting the Texans and Cowboys as landing spots.

Michael Roos‘ contract (and the addition of rookie Taylor Lewan) makes the Titans offensive tackle a definite trade option. Roos is number-four on Wesseling’s list, with the Panthers and Ravens listed as destinations. 49ers running back LaMichael James, Cardinals tight end Rob Housler and Raiders wideout Denarius Moore round out Wesseling’s offensive options.

On defense, Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers leads the way at number-four. The team is reportedly open to trading the Pro Bowler, and Wesseling suggests the Texans, Titans and Colts would be interested. Defensive end/linebackers Brandon Graham (Eagles) and Dion Jordan (Dolphins) come in at five and six, followed by Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan.

Wesseling mostly focused on players that were squeezed out of their team’s plans following the offseason. That means he omits Texans wideout Andre Johnson, who would clearly top the list if included. The Pro Bowler has been the subject of trade rumors for the past month.

Which player do you think is most likely to be traded? Is there somebody that you think should have been included? Let us know in the comments.

Patriots Notes: Mallett, RBs, Siliga, Jones

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Panthers GM Marty Hurney isn’t exactly buying Bill Belichick‘s answer when he was asked yesterday if he’d be interested in trading quarterback Ryan Mallett, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss. “He was regarded highly enough as a quarterback coming out [in 2011], and I think the position creates interest in itself,” Hurney said of the Patriots signal caller. “I said this statement [from Belichick] is like if you ever go to dinner and a person says, ‘I don’t want dessert’ so you order a chocolate cake and a big piece of chocolate cake comes out and all of a sudden you look and the other person is eating half of it. I think, if the chocolate cake looks good enough for Bill Belichick, they would be interested in trading Ryan Mallett.”

Meanwhile, Doug Kyed of NESN.com answered roster questions as part of a mailbag. Among his answers:

The futures of running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, both free agents at year’s end, are dependent upon production, health (in the case of Vereen), ball security (in the case of Ridley) and the performance of rookie James White. As of now, Kyed believes Vereen has a higher chance of being retained.
Nose tackle Sealver Siliga played well in late-season duty, and if that continues through training camp, he’s the “perfect” backup for veteran Vince Wilfork.
Fourth-rounder Bryan Stork, who offers center/guard versatility, could compete for a starting job this season.
Meanwhile, the Pats have yet to add a legitimate No. 3 tight end, seemingly a position of need. Undrafted free agent Justin Jones out of East Carolina could be a sleeper, however, writes Karen Guregian in the Boston Herald. She talked to Jones’ college coach, Ruffin McNeil (who also coached Wes Welker and Danny Amendola in college), who had this to say: “I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised with him. He’ll catch on. He’ll work hard. Justin was taught the same concepts in our offense, as Danny and Wes had at Texas Tech. Plus, he’s got great hands, athleticism, and he’s got length. He was a mismatch any time in the red zone.” The 6-8, 277-pounder went undrafted after not playing in 2013 when he was academically ineligible.

Extra Points: Bills, Smith, Romo, Redskins

May 21st, 2014 at 10:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Buffalo Sabres owner Tom Golisano intends to bid on the Bills when they’re put up for sale, according to John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. Reports for more than a month have pegged the billionaire originally from Rochester, N.Y., as a likely bidder, so the news doesn’t come as a surprise.

Browns Rumors: Cameron, Manziel, Berry

May 21st, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we learned the contract details on two Browns free agent pickups. Miles Austin got a $300K bonus to go with his $1.7MM deal while veteran Earl Bennett will have $75K of his minimum salary guaranteed. Both men will have the difficult task of coming to Cleveland and trying to help fill the void left by Josh Gordon‘s suspension. Here’s more on the Browns..

Browns tight end Jordan Cameron isn’t saying much about his contract negotiations, but he did address one rumor today, writes Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. It has been said that the Los Angeles native would prefer to play on the West Coast rather than re-sign with the Browns, but Cameron says there’s no truth to that. “If I didn’t say it, it’s not true,” Cameron said of a report last month. “I would love to play here. I started here, I want to finish up here. But the contract stuff is outside of here. I’ll let my agent deal with that. I’m trying to stay positive. Like I said, if it didn’t come out of my mouth it’s not true.“
The Browns are already mishandling Johnny Manziel and the attention that he brings, opines Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
Cornerback Aaron Berry had a tryout with the Browns, tweets Howard Balzer of USA Today. Berry was released by the Lions after a pair of offseason arrests in 2012 and signed with the Jets in October. He appeared in seven games for Gang Green in ’12 but missed all of 2013 with a torn ACL. Cleveland coach Mike Pettine was the defensive coordinator of the Jets when they signed Berry.

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