2014 May - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: Suh, Witten, Falcons, 49ers

May 21st, 2014 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters after practicing with his Lions teammates today, Ndamukong Suh attempted to reinforce the idea that he likes playing in Detroit and wants to remain with the team long-term, but his comments resulted in more questions than answers. As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press outlines, Suh alluded to having an opportunity on draft day in 2010 to be selected by a team besides the Lions, in the same way that Eli Manning pushed to land on the Giants rather than the Chargers.

“It is my choice. It is, for sure, my choice,” Suh said, when asked if he really had any say in which team selected him. “But like I said, that’s water under the bridge. I’m here in Detroit, I’m happy to be here in Detroit, I’m going to continue to play my heart out as I’ve always done and continue to do.”

Although Suh brought up the 2010 draft in order to illustrate his satisfaction with being a member of the Lions, it may have had the opposite effect, since it hadn’t been public knowledge that the defensive tackle even entertained the possibility of a Manning-esque move back in ’10.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

At age 32, Jason Witten is one of the oldest players on the Cowboys, but he said earlier this week that he hasn’t considered retirement at all, and doesn’t necessarily believe he’s in the final stages of his career. Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News has the details and quotes.
Asked about Atlanta’s receiving duo of Julio Jones and Roddy White, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said that he’d like to see both players remain with the club for their entire careers, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Jones had his fifth-year option picked up for 2015, while White is entering the final year of his deal, so both players figure to discuss contract extensions soon. “We love Roddy, and Julio as well, so we’ll continue to work with them and their agents closely,” Blank said.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com passes along an interesting story from Tom Elliott of the St. Cloud Times about Bemidji State’s Zach Noreen, a basketball player who received a minicamp invite from 49ers GM Trent Baalke despite not having played a football game since 2009 in high school.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune and Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com have provided signing bonus info for the Bears‘ and Buccaneers‘ UDFA signings, respectively. We’ve updated our posts on those signings with those bonus amounts.

Pats Work Out Ronnie Brown, Three Others

May 21st, 2014 at 1:29pm CST by Luke Adams

While most NFL teams are taking an extended look at undrafted free agents and other young players, the Patriots have an eye on a handful of veterans. According to Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange (via Twitter), New England recently worked out runnings backs Ronnie Brown and Brian Leonard, as well as tight ends Ben Hartsock and Nate Byham.

The Patriots haven’t carried many big-play receivers on their roster in recent years, but the club’s variety of options at running back and tight end give Tom Brady a number of weapons with which to work. Although New England didn’t select a tight end in this month’s draft, the team added Wisconsin running back James White to join Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen in the backfield.

Brown will turn 33 later this year, but contributed in a reserve role last season, accumulating 45 carries for 157 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers. Leonard also continues to earn touches, having totaled 47 rushes and 29 receptions for the Buccaneers in 2013. As for Hartsock and Byham, the two tight ends are primarily blockers — between them, they’ve hauled in just 42 passes in 160 combined games during their careers.

For now, it seems the Patriots have opted not to sign any of the players they auditioned, though that could change. It’s also possible that the club is keeping its eye on veteran free agents in the event of injuries later this summer.

Draft Signings: Jaguars, Vikings, Cardinals

May 21st, 2014 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, I recapped where things stood with 2014’s draft pick signings, which are moving along quickly. Since then, another handful of draftees have agreed to terms with their respective teams, so let’s round up the latest….

Fourth-round cornerback Aaron Colvin has signed his rookie contract with the Jaguars, the team announced today (Twitter link). Six Jacksonville picks still need to ink their deals, including first-round quarterback Blake Bortles, but Colvin’s signing ensures that three Jags draftees are now under contract.
In addition to confirming Anthony Barr‘s signing, which was reported yesterday, the Vikings also announced today (via Twitter) that sixth-round defensive back Antone Exum has been locked up. As the 182nd overall pick in the draft, Exum is in line for a signing bonus worth about $116K, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
The Cardinals have signed two more draftees, according to multiple reports. Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets that fourth-round quarterback Logan Thomas has signed his rookie contract, while agent agent Brian McLaughlin told Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) earlier today that sixth-round receiver Walter Powell has also inked his deal. The moves leave first-rounder Deone Bucannon as the only unsigned Arizona draft pick.

Browns Sign Earl Bennett

May 21st, 2014 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

MAY 21: Bennett got the minimum salary from the Browns, but $75K of his base salary is guaranteed, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

MAY 15: The Browns have officially signed wide receiver Earl Bennett, the team announced today (via Twitter). The move, which was first reported by Jake Jones of KFBB TV (via Twitter), comes on the heels of Cleveland also adding veteran receiver Miles Austin.

Bennett, who spent several seasons with the Bears after being drafted by the team in the third round in 2008, was cut earlier in the offseason after Chicago tried and failed to find a trade partner. The 27-year-old Bennett hasn’t been a starting wideout since 2009, but posted decent numbers in part-time action over the last few years, catching between 24 and 46 balls for an average of 390 yards per season and 10 overall touchdowns from 2010-2013.

With the Browns, Bennett should have an opportunity to earn a roster spot and immediate targets, particularly if Josh Gordon is suspended for most or all of the season, as is expected. Bennett will join Miles Austin, Nate Burleson, and Andrew Hawkins as newcomers to Cleveland’s receiving corps this summer.

Browns Agree To Terms With Miles Austin

May 21st, 2014 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

MAY 21: On his one-year deal with the Browns, Austin received a $300K signing bonus to go with a $1.7MM base, for an overall value of $2MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

MAY 15: After not picking up a wideout in last week’s draft, the Browns have made a move to bolster a potentially thin receiving corps. Cleveland has agreed to terms with former Cowboy Miles Austin, according to the club’s official Twitter account.

The Browns had been expected to target receivers last week even before word broke that Josh Gordon could be facing a season-long suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. However, GM Ray Farmer downplayed the urgency of picking up receiving help in the draft, pointing to trades and free agency as ways the club could add short-term, inexpensive options. There are rumblings that the team may also bring former Bear Earl Bennett aboard, though that has not yet been confirmed.

Austin, who turns 30 next month, earned a pair of Pro Bowl berths earlier in his career, hauling in 81 passes for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2009 and 69 passes for 1,041 yards and seven touchdowns in 2010. However, he has been slowed by off-and-on hamstring issues in recent years and became a cap casualty earlier this offseason when he was released by the Cowboys. Dallas head coach Jason Garrett suggested earlier this week that the door wasn’t closed on a potential Austin return, but it always seemed as if the Cowboys were moving on from the veteran.

Although the potential loss of Gordon is a significant blow to the Browns and whichever quarterback wins the competition between Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel, the team has been active in fortifying its receiving group in free agency. Austin becomes the third veteran receiver to sign with the Browns since the season ended, following in the footsteps of Andrew Hawkins and Nate Burleson.

Terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, but I’d expect a one-year contract worth the minimum or close to it, likely with some bonus money.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Bills, Browns, Ravens, Rackley

May 21st, 2014 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

A day after Bills president and CEO Russ Brandon said an update would come soon on the investment bank and legal firm that will handle the sale of the franchise, the club has made that announcement. Per Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter), the Bills have selected financial firm Morgan Stanley and legal firm Proskauer Rose to head up the sale process. According to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (via Twitter), the team added in a press release that prospective bidders for the franchise figure to be contacted “within the next 30 days.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Appearing on WKNR in Cleveland (audio link), GM Ray Farmer suggested that if the Browns hadn’t been able to trade up for Johnny Manziel, the quarterback they would’ve landed instead was “already on the roster.” The implication there is that it was Manziel or bust for the team during the draft. I’m not sure I totally buy that, but it’s a nice way to give a vote of confidence to both Manziel and Brian Hoyer.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com believes we could see some movement on the trade market involving backup quarterbacks in the near future. La Canfora points to the Ravens, Browns, Texans, and Chiefs as some situations to watch, noting that new Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak could have interest in bringing a player like Case Keenum or T.J. Yates to Baltimore.
General manager Dave Caldwell said last week that Jacksonville released offensive lineman Will Rackley because he didn’t fit the club’s scheme, and the Jags wanted to give him a chance to find a better situation elsewhere. It sounds like the former Jaguar appreciates that opportunity — as he tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, Rackley is embracing a fresh start with the Ravens: “This could be a great fit for me. I think they’re looking mostly at me playing guard now, whatever I can do to help the team.”

Bucs Sign Four Players, Cut Three

May 21st, 2014 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers have announced a series of roster moves, officially adding four players and cutting three to make room on the 90-man roster. As Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com details, the team has signed quarterback Alex Tanney, wide receiver Quintin Payton, and tight end Ian Thompson. The club also confirmed the signing of tight end Cameron Brate, whose deal was reported yesterday. To clear space on the roster, defensive lineman David Hunter, punter Jacob Schum, and quarterback Brett Smith have been waived.

Of the Bucs’ new additions, Tanney represents perhaps the most interesting name. The former Monmouth signal-caller has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game, but he has spent time with the Chiefs, Cowboys, and Browns, and was cut by Cleveland last week. While Tanney is a long shot to make the 53-man roster, given the presence of Josh McCown, Mike Glennon, and Mike Kafka, Tampa Bay liked him enough to cut loose Smith, who was just signed last week as an undrafted free agent.

East Notes: Cowboys, Jernigan, Giants, Bills

May 21st, 2014 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

First-round pick Zack Martin is expected to start his NFL career as a guard for the Cowboys, but as Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes, the assumption has been that Martin will shift over to right tackle in 2015, since Doug Free is in the last year of his contract. Still, Archer wonders if it might be more beneficial for the club to keep Martin on the interior a little longer and extend Free’s deal beyond this season, since he had a solid 2013 season and only just turned 30.

Here’s more from Archer on the Cowboys, along with some update on a couple other East teams:

Within the same piece, Archer explores the possibility of the Cowboys carrying four tailbacks on their regular-season roster now that they’ve added Ryan Williams, and wonders if players like Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer can even come close to reaching playing-time incentives, given Dallas’ depth on the defensive line.
Although this month’s selection of wideout Odell Beckham Jr. fortified the Giants‘ receiving corps, it raised question marks about the role Jerrel Jernigan will have in New York going forward, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. In Raanan’s view, Jernigan’s best chance for consistent playing time may come with another team, barring an injury to Beckham, Victor Cruz, or Rueben Randle.
In the NFL, signing a five-year contract with a team doesn’t assure a player of a long-term stay with that club, but Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is hoping to stick with the Giants for several years, as Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes. DRC also noted that the decision to sign with the Giants rather than the Jets in free agency was “very difficult.”
According to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link), the NFL expects the sale of the Bills to take a little longer than usual. The league wants to intensify the vetting process after what happened with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, whose business was investigated by the FBI and IRS just a few months after he was approved as the team’s majority owner.

Checking In On Draft Pick Signings

May 21st, 2014 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

Under old NFL Collective Bargaining Agreements, the time between the draft and the regular season represented a period of uncertainty for many rookies, with no assurances that contracts would get signed before training camps opened in the summer. However, the current CBA has expedited the process significantly, essentially locking in signing bonus and contract values by draft slot, meaning that deals are being completed faster than ever and holdouts are becoming a thing of the past.

With the help of our list of draft pick signings by team, here are a few details on which contracts have been finalized so far, and which ones still need to be signed:

139 draftees have signed, or at least agreed to terms, so far. Since 256 players were drafted in total, that leaves 117 who still have to sign.
Although more than half of this year’s draft picks have been locked up, that ratio doesn’t extend to first-rounders. Only six of those 32 players have reached agreements with their respective clubs so far — Khalil Mack (No. 5), Anthony Barr (No. 9), Odell Beckham Jr. (No. 12), Kyle Fuller (No. 14), Brandin Cooks (No. 20), and Teddy Bridgewater (No. 32). There shouldn’t be any problems with the contracts for any first-round picks, but there are a few more details to negotiate for those players, including overall guaranteed money.
Conversely, the deals for seventh-rounders are less complicated to work out, so it’s not surprising that 33 of 41 seventh-round picks have agreed to terms on their deals. Four of those eight unsigned seventh-rounders were drafted by the Rams, who have yet to sign any of their picks.
The Saints and Bears made quick work of the draft pick signing period, having signed all of their 2014 draftees to rookie contracts already. The Chargers, Colts, and Giants each have just one player left to lock up.
On the other hand, several clubs are taking their time to sign their draft picks, or at least are in no rush to announce those deals — in addition to the Rams, the Broncos, Bengals, Dolphins, and Browns have yet to ink any rookie contracts.
To check out the pick-by-pick breakdown of signing bonuses and contract values for each draft slot, be sure to visit OverTheCap.com.

Extra Points: Marshall, Raiders, Falcons, Bills

May 20th, 2014 at 10:12pm CST by Zachary Links

After the Bears signed Brandon Marshall to a new three-year, $30MM deal, James Walker of ESPN.com looks back on the return that the Dolphins got by dealing him. Miami received a pair of third round picks that turned into cornerback Will Davis, tight end Michael Egnew, and receiver B.J. Cunningham. Davis received little playing time last year as a rookie, Egnew is a third-round bust after two seasons and may not make the roster in 2014, and Cunningham is no longer with the Dolphins. Needless to say, ex-GM Jeff Ireland could have positioned Miami better had he used those draft choices differently. Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..

Raiders owner Mark Davis says the team can come up with the necessary $400MM to build a stadium but he’ll need help, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He says if the project doesn’t happen, they’ll then evaluate other options, which presumably means moving. If the Raiders move, Los Angeles seems like a likely destination. Late tonight, Davis admitted talks are in the “eleventh hour,” writes Mike Coppinger of NFL.com.
The Falcons want rookie Prince Shembo to do it all on defense, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The fourth round pick out of Notre Dame is muscular at 253 pounds and still boasts a decent 4.68 second 40-yard-dash.
Whether or not there’s an opportunity to relocate the Bills from western New York, multiple NFL owners expect a Jon Bon Jovi-led group to bid on the team, tweets Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. Bon Jovi has a working relationship with Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and NBA’s Toronto Raptors.
Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel examines Demetri Goodson‘s attempt to transition from point guard to cornerback. The Packers sixth round pick didn’t play football for six years between his sophomore year of high school and first year at Baylor but excelled once he got there.