2014 January - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: MJD, Harvin, Sanchez, Texans

January 31st, 2014 at 10:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are allowing Maurice Jones-Drew to hit the open market this offseason and the tailback says he has no problem with that, writes Ryan O’Hallaran of the Florida Times-Union.

“I’m fine with it,” Jones-Drew said. “I kind of figured that because we didn’t talk throughout the year. That’s part of the business. There’s no hard feelings. I gave everything I could to the organization. I appreciate them giving me that opportunity. Wherever I go next year, they’ll have a person ready to play at a high level.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Before Percy Harvin was sent to the Seahawks by the Vikings a year ago, there was some talk of a possible trade to the Patriots, the receiver confirmed to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “It flew around for a little bit, but I never really dug into it to see how much interest there was,” Harvin said. “I was working out and waiting for my agent to do all that work.”
Should the Jets roll on with Mark Sanchez under center or find themselves a new quarterback? Many ex-Jets were asked that question along radio row this week and the consensus seems to be that they should look elsewhere, writes ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini. Former Jets linebacker Bart Scott thinks the Jets should go make a run at Matt Schaub, who could be cut loose by the Texans.
Speaking of Schaub, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle continues to report that the Texans intend to take a quarterback with the first overall pick in this year’s draft (Twitter link).
One of John Elway‘s best moves may have come years after he retired when he traded Tim Tebow and made way for Peyton Manning, writes Nancy Armour of USA Today. It’s safe to say things worked out pretty well for the Broncos as Manning will lead them in Sunday’s Super Bowl while Tebow is out of professional football.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Bears Notes: Tillman, Wright, Bennett

January 31st, 2014 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

As the Bears look ahead to an offseason in which nearly two dozen players on the roster will be eligible for unrestricted free agency, let’s check in on the latest updates on the team….

Clarifying some comments he made earlier in the week, Charles Tillman confirmed to Chicago’s AM 670 The Score that when he said he intended to retire a Bear, it didn’t necessarily mean he’d re-sign with the team this spring. Instead, Tillman figures to keep his options open this offseason, but would like to return to Chicago and end his career with the Bears even if he doesn’t play for the club in 2014. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune has the details and the quotes from Tillman.
Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com writes that safety is an urgent need in this year’s draft for the Bears, who have multiple free agents at the position, including starting strong safety Major Wright.
In a separate piece at ESPNChicago.com, Dickerson and Jon Greenberg debate a number of Bears-related topics, including who won the Jay Cutler trade with the Broncos, whether or not the Bears should pursue Michael Bennett in free agency, and whether the club should focus exclusively on defensive players in the draft.

Adam Vinatieri Not Considering Retirement

January 31st, 2014 at 8:20am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s oldest player figures to hold that title again in the 2014 season. 41-year-old Adam Vinatieri isn’t considering retiring this offseason, telling Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that he hopes to continue kicking in the NFL for “two or three more years.”

Vinatieri showed no signs of slowing down in 2013, converting all 34 of his extra-point attempts and 35 of 40 field goal tries, including four of six from beyond 50 yards. The four-time Super Bowl champion passed several players on the NFL’s all-time scoring list this season, and now sits fifth overall with 2,006 points. If he does play for two or three more years, Vinatieri would likely finish his career as the NFL’s third all-time scorer, behind Morten Anderson and Gary Anderson.

Before he starts pursuing NFL records though, Vinatieri will have to find a team. The longtime Patriot and Colt will be a free agent this offseason, and tells Schefter that he’d “love” to re-sign in Indianapolis, where he has played since 2006. However, he adds that he’s also open to playing for the team that wants him the most.

Falcons GM On Clowney, Draft, Trading Up

January 30th, 2014 at 10:31pm CST by Zachary Links

It wasn’t a great year for the Falcons, but general manager Thomas Dimitroff is willing to look on the bright side on things. In a chat with Jeff Schultz and Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dimitroff said that going 4-12 allowed the club to experiment with some different looks, something they wouldn’t have been able to do if they went, say, 13-3. Here’s more on the Falcons from radio row..

There’s speculation that some teams are down on former South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, but the Falcons aren’t one of them. “I’ll just say what everybody in the country knows: Jadeveon Clowney is a top notch talent and he’s going to make a team happy and he’s going to be a legitimate difference-maker in this game. The people with the top two picks know that,” the GM said.
Could the Falcons, picking at No. 6, trade up to get Clowney? Dimitroff didn’t close the door on that possibility but it doesn’t sound all that likely as he talked up the talent in the top ten and said he wouldn’t be “disappointed” picking anywhere in that range. It is worth noting, however, that there are two former Atlanta execs running teams at No. 2 (Les Snead with the Rams) and No. 4 (Dave Caldwell with the Jaguars).
The GM was candid about his desire to bolster up the club’s offensive and defensive lines. “We need to focus on getting more gritty and rugged in certain areas. That’s going to be more important for us. This is a warrior game and we have to come to the line of scrimmage with the proper mentality. … We realize we need to ramp up our ruggedness, not only on the field but off the field, in the locker room,” said Dimitroff.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Gross, Freeman, Vick

January 30th, 2014 at 7:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles could do worse than to follow the Seahawks’ model for building a successful franchise, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider work exceptionally well together, with Carroll getting final say over personnel decisions. It’s a little different in Philly, however, as its not totally clear if it’s coach Chip Kelly or GM Howie Roseman who gets to make the last determination on roster matters.

Panthers tackle Jordan Gross says that coach Ron Rivera “wants [him] back for sure” in 2014, writes ESPN.com’s David Newton. Gross plans to retire if he doesn’t return to the only team he’s been with since entering the NFL in 2003.
The Players’ Association is close to revealing the results of its investigation into the Buccaneers‘ alleged leaking of Josh Freeman‘s medical records, DeMaurice Smith told reporters, including Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter). The club’s apparent sandbagging of Freeman made for a tumultuous season in Tampa Bay that ended with the firing of former coach Greg Schiano.
Even if the Eagles make a contract offer to Michael Vick before March 11, he still plans on hitting the open market. “I want to see what’s out there for me. It’s only right,” Vick said today at radio row, according to McLane. “This is the first time and probably the only time I’ll ever have to do it in my career. So I just want to take advantage of it. I’m excited about it. It’s new and it’s kind of refreshing”. Any way you slice it, a return to the Eagles doesn’t seem likely for Vick.

East Notes: Incognito, Edelman, Rolle

January 30th, 2014 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Neither Jonathan Martin nor Richie Incognito figures to play for the Dolphins in 2014, but Martin said earlier this week that he wants to continue his playing career, and Incognito conveyed the same sentiment today, tweeting, “I need a job.” Unlike Martin, whose agent will likely work with the Dolphins to find a trade partner, Incognito is a free agent this offseason, so he’ll be able to sign with any team willing to bet that his role in last year’s bullying scandal won’t be a locker-room distraction.

Let’s check in on a few more items from out of the AFC and NFC East…

Asked by Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald if he wants to re-sign with the Patriots, Julian Edelman didn’t exactly vow to return at all costs, but his response (“Who doesn’t? It’s a great franchise”) did suggest a desire to remain in New England.
With one year left on his contract with the Giants, Antrel Rolle doesn’t plan on going anywhere and would be open to discussing an extension, says Zach Braziller of the New York Post.
Because of the schemes run by Chip Kelly, the Eagles may find it easier to recruit free agents on offense, writes Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com, who adds that Philadelphia could be a tougher sell for free agent defensive linemen.

Lions Sign Darren Keyton

January 30th, 2014 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have signed center Darren Keyton to a reserve/futures contract, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter). Because Keyton didn’t finish the 2013 season on an active NFL roster, he was eligible to sign a reserve deal, which will ensure he’s under contract with the Lions when the new league year begins in March.

Keyton, who attended Central Michigan, went undrafted in 2013 and joined the Lions last spring. After spending training camp and the preseason with Detroit, he was one of the last players cut when the club finalized its regular season roster. It looks like he’ll get another chance to compete for a spot on the roster or at least the practice squad in 2014.

Fitzgerald Open To Restructuring Contract

January 30th, 2014 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

3:44pm: Cardinals president Michael Bidwill confirmed to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link) that the team has spoken to Fitzgerald’s agent and is “excited” about the possibility of working something out.

1:31pm: The Cardinals are expected to approach Larry Fitzgerald this offseason about the possibility of restructuring his contract, and the star receiver is open to the idea, he tells Fox Sports 910 in Arizona (Twitter link). According to Fitzgerald, he’ll “absolutely” be willing to restructure his deal if “that’s what needs to be done.”

Fitzgerald, 30, signed an eight-year, $120MM extension with the Cardinals in 2011, keeping him under contract through the 2018 season. According to an Arizona Republic report earlier in the month, Fitzgerald isn’t interested in accepting a pay cut, so reworking his deal would likely just involve converting a portion of his base salary into a bonus that could be prorated over the course of the contract. While that would reduce Fitzgerald’s massive $18MM cap number for 2014, the Cardinals would increase the cap hits down the road in that scenario, so we’ll have to see if the two sides can reach a compromise.

On Tuesday, word broke that the Patriots mulled the idea of acquiring Fitzgerald last offseason. Like the Cards, the Pats don’t have a ton of cap flexibility, but it’s still possible that they could consider pursuing him again, especially if he’s willing to reduce his 2014 cap number.

Fitzgerald appeared in all 16 games for a sixth straight season in 2013, racking up 82 catches, 954 yards, and 10 touchdowns with Carson Palmer throwing him the ball.

NFC West Rumors: Kaepernick, 49ers, Peterson

January 30th, 2014 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Colin Kaepernick is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but it doesn’t sound like he intends to pry every last penny out of the 49ers if and when the two sides negotiate a long-term deal. Appearing on KNBR’s Murph & Mac, today, Kaepernick said that a “balance” was necessary for the sake of the team, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee details.

“You want to be paid fairly for what you feel like you’re doing in comparison to your peers,” Kaepernick said. “But at the same time, you have to realize, if we want to get Anquan Boldin back, if we want Donte Whitner to come back, we’re going to have to make moves to get them back. And there has to be room for everyone. And that’s something I’m going to let my agent and the organization try to figure out.”

Here’s more on Kaepernick and the Niners, along with notes on a couple other NFC West clubs:

Following up on Kaepernick’s comments about a possible extension, Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group writes that the 49ers quarterback is taking a smart approach to negotiations.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com takes a look at the 49ers‘ cap situation, including which players may not return in 2014 at their current salary.
Appearing at the Waste Management Phoenix Open Annexus Pro-Am, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson addressed his contract situation, saying that he’d like a deal that would keep him in Arizona “for a while,” according to Craig Grialou of ArizonaSports.com. Peterson is extension-eligible for the first time offseason, though the Cardinals could also simply exercise his fifth-year option for 2015 and put off negotiations for another year.
At least three coordinators involved in this weekend’s Super Bowl could be future head coaches, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe in a piece that discusses Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell and DC Dan Quinn.
Earlier today, we heard that Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald will be open to restructuring his contract this offseason.

Browns Interviewing OC Candidates

January 30th, 2014 at 3:15pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 3:15pm: In addition to meeting with DeFilippo, the Browns are also interviewing Loggains for the OC job today, reports Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 2:13pm: The Browns will also interview DeFilippo on Thursday for their offensive coordinator opening, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

1:05pm: Shanahan has an interview with the Browns scheduled for Wednesday, according to ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen (via Twitter).

12:12pm: The Browns have finalized the hirings of several coaches within the last week, including a new defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, and head coach. The team is still in the market for an offensive coordinator though, and appears to be eyeing a candidate who has missed out on two other OC jobs this winter: Kyle Shanahan. According to John Keim of ESPN.com, the Browns spoke to Shanahan this morning about their offensive coordinator opening.

Shanahan has had success in the past as the offensive coordinator in Houston and, more recently, in Washington. However, “numerous stories” about friction between Shanahan and Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III may have affected his ability to land a new job, league sources tell Keim. Shanahan was in the mix for OC jobs with the Dolphins and Ravens in recent weeks, before both teams decided to go in another direction.

Gary Kubiak, Cam Cameron, Alex Van Pelt, and Dowell Loggains are among the other names to have surfaced within the last few days as potential OC candidates for Cleveland, but Kubiak was hired by the Ravens and Cameron and Van Pelt appear to be staying put at LSU and Green Bay, respectively. NFL Network’s Albert Breer mentioned last night (via Twitter) that Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo could also be in the picture, and adds today (via Twitter) that the Browns also have interest in Bill Callahan. While the Cowboys have said Callahan isn’t available, that may change now that Scott Linehan has joined the Cowboys’ staff, says Breer.