HEADLINES

Uncategorized News & Rumors

NFC South Notes: Bucs, Falcons, Panthers

June 22nd, 2014 at 3:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Buccaneers revamped both their front office and their coaching staff this offseason, but that doesn’t mean the situation in Tampa Bay is entirely negative. The team is actually in decent shape with regards to the salary cap, thanks in no small part to several players whose performance far exceeds their compensation. With that in mind, Pat Yasinkas of ESPN.com examines the top five bargains on the Bucs roster, with linebacker Lavonte David taking the top spot. David, a 2013 All-Pro, graded out as Pro Football Focus’ second-best 4-3 outside linebacker (subscription required), but his base salary is just $705K. Likewise, running back Doug Martin, who has shown flashes of brilliance when not impaired by injuries, will make only $1MM in 2014 and count just $1.8MM against the cap. Of course, both of these players are on their rookie contracts, and hefty extensions for both would certainly repeal each’s “bargain” label.

More from the NFC South:

  • Change is definitely afoot in Tampa, as Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune notes (on Twitter) that the Buccaneers could have 11 new starters in 2014, including eight on offense alone.
  • Kaufman also tweets that the primary goal for the Buccaneers should be to avoid last place in the NFC South; Tampa Bay has finished in the basement six times in the past 12 years, while the other teams in the division have only done so twice each.
  • The Falcons bolstered their offensive line this offseason, adding Jon Asamoah in free agency and Jake Matthews in the draft, and quarterback Matt Ryan is hopeful that the changes will be a step towards Atlanta improving upon its 2013 4-12 record (per Daniel Cox of AtlantaFalcons.com). “I think our offensive line has done a really nice job during the OTA period as well as during minicamp,” said Ryan, who was sacked 44 times last year (third-most in the NFL). “From a communication standpoint, we’ve got a few changes from what we’ve done around here in the past and those guys are working through those changes. I think one of the big things that [head coach] Mike [Smith] preaches is communication at the line of scrimmage. You can hear those guys talking a bunch and making sure they’re on the same page.“
  • Smith, who was notably unhappy with the presence of HBO’s Hard Knocks series in Baltimore when he was a position coach with the Ravens, has embraced the cameras this time around because he believes the show will handle sensitive Falcons issues, such as cuts, with tact, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  • In his latest mailbag, ESPN.com’s David Newton writes that rookie Kelvin Benjamin is the Panthers’ nominal No. 1 receiver, adding that his size (6’5″, 240 pounds) will make him an ideal red zone target.

Pro Football Rumors On Facebook/Twitter

June 19th, 2014 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

Spring workouts and minicamps are coming to an end, and players won’t report to training camps for a few more weeks, but Pro Football Rumors will remain active throughout the summer. We’ll be looking back on teams’ offseason moves, looking ahead to training camps, and keeping tabs on all the notable June and July stories, including Brandon Flowers‘ free agency and the upcoming decision on Jimmy Graham‘s franchise tag positional designation. You don’t necessarily have to keep refreshing our site to stay up to date on all of our content — 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.

Extra Points: Vikings, Ravens, Rams, Polamalu

June 17th, 2014 at 10:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings defensive end is very open to helping guide rookie Scott Crichton, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “He’s got a good burst and he’s obviously got great size,” Robison said. “Obviously, we’re going to help him in every way we can and try to make him the best ballplayer we can. … I definitely want to help him in every way possible.” More from around the league..

  • The Ravens worked out former Arizona State wide receiver Mike Willie today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Willie has previously played for the Chargers.
  • With their signings this year, the Rams and Buccaneers have created a new model for contracts for draft picks, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. Both teams negotiated contracts with notable picks that have no offsets which will protect them in the event of an outright release.
  • The Steelers have made some major changes on defense and Troy Polamalu has taken notice, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Polamalu will have to get accustomed to the switch from Ryan Clark to Mike Mitchell, but that’s not the only difference for Pittsburgh in 2014.
  • Decision day is looming for the Bears‘ group of quarterbacks, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Jimmy Clausen, Jerrod Johnson, and Jordan Palmer are jostling to back up Jay Cutler, and one of the three could be gone as early as this week. Sixth round pick David Fales is likely safe.

AFC South Notes: Jones, Luck, Clowney

June 14th, 2014 at 8:03pm CST by Peter Sowards

For Colts defensive lineman Arthur Jones, who signed a five-year, $33MM deal with the team after four years in Baltimore, versatility is the name of the game.

“It really doesn’t matter where I line up,” Jones said, according to Mike Chappell of The Indianapolis Star. “I’m here to help win games, help win championships. I come in as a humble servant. I mean that.”

Jones started 20 of his 46 games played with the Ravens, totaling 8 1/2 sacks in his most recent two seasons. He’ll be asked to stuff the run on early downs and rush the passer on favorable down-and-distance situations. An unselfish man on and off the field, Indianapolis is hoping Jones’ steady play and demeanor rubs off on his defensive counterparts.

More news and notes from the AFC North below…

  • The signing of safety Mike Adams creates real intrigue in the Colts‘ defensive backfield, writes Stephen Holder of The Indy Star.
  • Losing 43-22 to New England in the AFC divisional playoffs is motivating Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, ESPN.com’s Mike Wells reports.
  • Sooner is better than later in the case of surgery for Texans‘ defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, ESPN.com’s Tania Ganguli writes. Clowney should be back in time for training camp, where the reps are far more significant than those in padless mandatory minicamps.
  • The lack of mental mistakes made by Titans defenders in minicamp practices was referred to as amazing by new defensive coordinator Ray Horton, ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky reports.
  • Jaguars‘ cornerback Dwayne Gratz has been quiet at OTAs this offseason, writes Bruce Lipsky of Jacksonville.com. Lipsky notes that this is a good thing, because in the past Gratz has been noticeable at team’s practices for his inability to cover receivers. Gratz has been better this offseason, and recently made some positive noise during 11-on-11 drills on Thursday.
  • Entering the second season with general manager Dave Caldwell and Gus Bradley at the helm, the Jaguars are still searching for their face of the franchise, according to ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco.

 

Chuck Noll Passes Away

June 13th, 2014 at 10:41pm CST by Rob DiRe

Steelers’ Hall of Fame head coach Chuck Noll passed away late Friday night, reports Jerry DiPaola of TribLive.com. Noll coached the team from 1969-1991, and won four Super Bowls, the most of any head coach in NFL history. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. Noll was 82 years old.

Noll was under the care of a doctor for an undisclosed illness, according to DiPaola.

He died in his home in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, according to Lexi Belculfine of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He died of natural causes, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office.

NFC West Notes: Peterson, Joseph, Rams

June 11th, 2014 at 9:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today we learned that the Cardinals were one of the teams that talked to the Buccaneers before this year’s draft about the possibility of a Mike Glennon trade. Glennon would have been groomed to be the club’s next quarterback while backing up starter Carson Palmer, but the talks ultimately didn’t go anywhere. The latest out of the NFC West..

  • Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) hears that extension talks between cornerback Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals are active and some progress has been made. While there has been more movement on a new deal between the two sides than most teams have had with standouts from the 2011 class, nothing is iminnent at this time, however. Recently, our own Luke Adams looked at Peterson’s case for an extension. The cornerback is probably pushing to exceed the $14MM annual salary that Richard Sherman got on his four-year deal and the $22MM guaranteed that Joe Haden received on his five-year deal. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him match one or both of those marks when all is said and done.
  • It was a long road that led guard Davin Joseph to the Rams, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. The Rams wound up re-signing Rodger Saffold after his deal with the Raiders fell through and some assumed that would have 86’d any hope of a deal between Joseph and St. Louis. However, the Rams maintained their interest and signed Joseph after watching the market play out. The former first-round pick had interest from the Cowboys and Patriots but ultimately chose the Rams this offseason.
  • The Rams‘ home stadium, the Edward Jones Dome, is running out of money, writes David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In six years, the authority that oversees the stadium will have burned through its $16MM savings and they project to be ~$62MM in the hole in 15 years. With increased talk of a team picking up and moving to Los Angeles, that’s not great news for the city of St. Louis.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Newton, Bucs

June 11th, 2014 at 6:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Falcons coach Mike Smith is sad to have lost Sean Weatherspoon for the year, but he believes that the club’s additions through free agency and the draft have left them better equipped to deal with filling the void, writes Charles Odum of the Associated Press. Notre Dame’s Prince Shembo, a fourth-round pick, and Syracuse’s Marquis Spruill, a fifth-rounder, will both have increased opportunities in the wake of Weatherspoon’s Achilles tear. Smith also said additions to the defensive line also should give the linebackers better protection to make plays. They signed defensive end Tyson Jackson and defensive tackle Paul Soliai in free agency and drafted defensive end Ra’Shede Hageman in the second round. Here’s more out of the NFC South..

  • A report last night indicated that Cam Newton‘s camp is afraid that Colin Kaepernick‘s new deal with the 49ers will set a tone for forthcoming contract negotiations with the Panthers QB. If that’s the case, Newton isn’t copping to it. “I’m not terrified of anything,” Newton said, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. “For me, that’s the last thing on my mind. The first thing is trying to get little anky right. I’m not worried about no money. I’m not worried about things I can’t control.”
  • Ultimately, Newton’s best tactic for avoiding a similar structure to Kaepernick could be declining to talk about a contract until after the 2014 season or later with the Panthers, opines Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. Newton isn’t hurting for money right now, but he can bet on himself over the next two years, forcing Carolina into a difficult spot come 2016, when they’ll have to decide whether to use the non-exclusive franchise tag and risk losing him to another team.
  • The Buccaneers new and improved depth at cornerback this offseason is already evident, writes Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. “Every day it seems we talk about one of the corners,” coach Lovie Smith said. “You see the way we practice. Guys are stripping the ball right up until the end. It’s about taking the ball away. To a man, they’ll talk to you about that. As the head football coach of our defense, that’s a great job to finish a game off like that.”
  • Saints camp invite Charles Hawkins, a wide receiver with speed, is willing to do whatever it takes to make the roster, writes Andrew Lopez of The Times-Picayune.

Seven Teams Holding Mandatory Minicamps This Week

June 8th, 2014 at 6:38pm CST by David Kipke

According to Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk, the Cardinals, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Lions, Saints, and Buccaneers will hold their mandatory minicamps this week.

These mandatory minicamps are heavily regulated by the NFL’s CBA. Per the CBA, players undergo physical exams on Monday. The teams may then hold a mandatory veteran minicamp with three days of practice on Tuesday through Thursday. Although pads and contact drills are prohibited for these mini camps, players can wear helmets. Players may be on the field for a total of no more than 3.5 hours per day. No organized team activities, which include medical treatment and taping, may begin prior to 7:00am local time or end after 8:30pm local times, with one hour provided for both lunch and dinner.

Mandatory minicamps are not to be confused with voluntary minicamps, which are allowed to occur prior to the draft only in the event that a team has hired a new head coach that offseason.

 

Browns Notes: Manziel, Burleson, Gordon

June 7th, 2014 at 8:36pm CST by Ben Levine

If this whole football thing doesn’t end up working out, Johnny Manziel has a pretty good fallback option. The San Diego Padres drafted Manziel with the 837th pick in the MLB Draft this afternoon (via Twitter). The Browns rookie quarterback is listed as a shortstop.

According to USA Today’s Nick Schwartz, Manziel played a bit of baseball in high school, so the drafting is not completely random. The quarterback also threw out the first pitch at a Padres game last season.

As ESPN Stats & Info pointed out on Twitter, it’s unlikely Manziel will ever make the major league level (and it has nothing to do with his career in the NFL) – no 837th pick has ever played in an MLB game.

Let’s see what else is going on in Cleveland…

  • After being “blindsided” by the organization over his firing in February, former CEO Joe Banner is unsure whether he’ll return to the NFL. “I’m not going to do anything for now, and whether or not I’m going to come back and do something in football is up in the air,” Banner told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
  • Wide receiver Nate Burleson says injuries were the main reason why the Lions let him go, write Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. The veteran adds that he considered retiring and was close to accepting a job with one of the large television networks as an analyst.
  • If the Browns decide to trade embattled star wideout Josh Gordon, ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon isn’t convinced the team would even receive a draft pick in return. He refers to the Randy Moss trade in 2007, when the Patriots sent the Raiders a fourth-round pick.

Minor Moves: Silva, Broussard, Waivers

June 7th, 2014 at 7:09pm CST by Ben Levine

The Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson is always a reliable source on NFL transactions. Earlier, he tweeted out some minor moves from around the league. Let’s check them out…

  • The Bills have cut safety Mana Silva (Twitter link). The defensive back played ten games for the Bills and Cowboys in 2012.
  • Chiefs defensive tackle Risean Broussard has cleared waivers (Twitter). Wilson adds that the player will be placed on injured reserve. The Chiefs had signed Broussard as an undrafted free agent following the 2013 draft, but released him soon after. The team signed him again in late January.
  • Wilson also tweeted out a list of players who have cleared waivers: Trevor Gillette (Jaguars), Stephen Goodin (Giants), Jared Green, Joel Grigsby, Daniel Zychlinski (Raiders).
Load More Posts