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NFC Notes: Falcons, Orakpo, Bears, Panthers

June 30th, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

We’re still waiting for resolution on one of the biggest NFC stories this month, with a decision from arbitrator Stephen Burbank on Jimmy Graham‘s franchise position designation expected this week. While we await Burbank’s call on whether the Saints star is a tight end or wide receiver, let’s check out a few more items from around the conference….

  • Wide receiver Roddy White appears poised to play out his entire current contract with the Falcons, a rarity in an era where players are often cut or forced to renegotiate with time still remaining on their deals. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap observes, that makes White’s contract one of the best on Atlanta’s books. Sam Baker‘s is the worst contract currently being carried by the club, in Fitzgerald’s view.
  • Playing on a one-year franchise tag, linebacker Brian Orakpo has a big year ahead of him, says ESPN.com’s John Keim. While the Redskins selected Trent Murphy with their first pick in last month’s draft, neither the team nor Orakpo himself views Murphy as Orakpo’s future replacement, meaning a productive season from the veteran linebacker could result in a longer-term deal with Washington.
  • It’s not clear how many tight ends the Bears will keep on their regular season roster, but Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com thinks Martellus Bennett, Matthew Mulligan, and Dante Rosario will make the cut.
  • In a mailbag at ESPN.com, David Newton fields questions on Greg Hardy, Edmund Kugbila, and other Panthers-related topics.
  • Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News previews the Cowboys‘ special teams unit for the 2014 season.

Extra Points: Greco, Jolly, Chargers, Jackson

June 29th, 2014 at 10:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In his latest mailbag, ESPN.com’s John Clayton begins by examining the prolific turnover at the cornerback position this offseason. Teams are seemingly following the Seahawks’ model in the secondary, searching for taller defensive backs who can shut down the league’s No. 1 receivers, who themselves are growing eve- larger in stature. Clayton points to the Chiefs, Patriots, and Broncos as teams who have prioritized length at corner by releasing the 5’10” Brandon Flowers, signing Brandon Browner, and adding Aqib Talib, respectively.

More assorted notes from the NFL:

  • John Greco, who signed a four-year extension with the Browns last summer, is slated to be Cleveland’s starting right guard, but he knows that competition is inevitable, writes George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal. “There’s always someone at your footsteps banging on the door so you know at any time you can be easily replaced if there’s a mistake,” said Greco. “It just makes you that much more focused to work harder to keep your spot.” The 29-year-old’s contract makes it easy for the Browns release him if he does falter, as it contains no more guaranteed money.
  • We learned earlier today that Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly has been medically cleared, but as Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, Jolly must now play the waiting game, hoping that a team will show interest in him. Green Bay, specifically, already re-signed B.J. Raji, and are counting on pass-rush help from Datone Jones, Josh Boyd, and third-rounder Khyri Thorton, so they might not need any help up front.
  • The Chargers’ defense was among the league’s worst units in 2013; they ranked dead last in terms of defensive DVOA (per Football Outsiders). As such, San Diego defensive coordinator John Pagano is only penciling in three definite starters — Eric Weddle, Donald Butler, and Corey Liuget, while the rest of the spots are up for grabs, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. Sean Lissemore will be the nominal starter at nose tackle, adds Pagano, but the Chargers will only be in their base defense 30-35% of snaps.
  • Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com profiles Broncos defensive lineman Malik Jackson, a fifth-round pick in 2012 who performed very well last season in his first real opportunity at playing time.

East Notes: Dolphins, Revis, Eagles, Redskins

June 29th, 2014 at 8:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ve already brought you one batch of AFC East notes today, but there’s more news from that division and its intra-conference counterpart, the NFC East.

  • In the aforementioned AFC East notes, we learned the Dolphins were bringing in Samson Satele, along with two unknown offensive lineman, for a workout following an injury to center Mike Pouncey. The identity of one of the other lineman has been revealed to be Steve Vallos (per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). Vallos, 30, is something of an NFL journeyman, having spent time with five franchises, including the Broncos last season. I covered the possible options at center for Miami last week.
  • Darrelle Revis was often an enemy of the Patriots when he played for the Jets, but now that he’s in New England, he offers his praise for the team, according to Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune. “They work their butts off in New England,’’ said Revis. “As soon as you get into the offseason program, it’s non-stop. They want to be winners. They know what I can bring to the table and at the same time, we want to win.”
  • Former Patriot Steve Gregory is staying in shape and waiting to hear from teams, but as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes, it will probably take a training camp injury for a team to show interest in the 31-year-old.
  • Th Eagles’ defense could show vast improvement next season, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer, simply due to the maturation of the team’s 2012 draft class, which includes Brandon Boykin and Mychal Kendricks.
  • The Eagles face a quandary at the kicker position, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. Incumbent Alex Henery can hit field goals, but his distance on kickoffs leaves much to be desired, while undrafted free agent Carey Spear can cause touchbacks with ease, but has trouble on routine field goals. Mosher posits that both specialists could be unseated by a free agent signing, and specifally names former Titan Rob Bironas as a player whom Philadelphia could bring in.
  • In other kicker news, the Redskins could opt to keep two kickers in Kai Forbath and seventh-rounder Zach Hocker, according to Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com.

David Kipke contributed to this post.

Poll: What Will Happen To Demaryius Thomas?

June 29th, 2014 at 7:28pm CST by David Kipke

Broncos’ wide receiver Demaryius Thomas‘ contract is set to expire after the 2014-2015 season. The reigning All-Pro wideout and former first round pick is considered to be among the league’s elite receiving talents. As our own Luke Adams described in this very thorough post, recent star wide receiver contracts would point to a potential five-year deal for Thomas, with Greg Jennings ($45MM), Vincent Jackson, ($55MM), Dwayne Bowe, ($56MM), Mike Wallace ($60MM), and Percy Harvin ($64.25MM) all signing recent contracts for five years. 

Thomas’ contract situation received considerable press a few weeks ago when a story broke that the Broncos had offered the former Georgia Tech standout a five-year deal. Although those alleged contract talks quickly cooled off, there is still substantial speculation regarding how the Broncos will handle the two-time Pro Bowler. It seems that Thomas’ contract situation can go one of several ways: he can re-sign with the Broncos at some point before, during, or after the 2014-2015 Season, or, should the Broncos’ salary cap become too congested, he could test the free agent market after next season. With Wes Welker, Julius Thomas, and Von Miller‘s contracts all set to expire sometime before the 2016-2017 Season, it appears that the Broncos will have some difficult personnel decisions to make in the coming two years.

What do you think will happen to Demaryius Thomas? Will he remain a Bronco? If so, when will he re-sign? If you think he will sign elsewhere, please feel free to elaborate your thought process in the comment section.

North Notes: Bears, Bengals, Browns, Lions

June 29th, 2014 at 4:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As part of our Offseason in Review series, we’ve been analyzing teams’ signings, trades, draft picks, and other moves that have occurred since the 2013 season concluded. Our reports on one full division — the AFC North — are complete, so check out PFR’s examinations of the Bengals, Browns, Ravens, and Steelers offseasons. Here’s more from both North divisions:

  • After signing Jared Allen, the Bears moved fellow free agent-signee Lamarr Houston to left end, where he doesn’t have much experience. But, as defensive line coach Paul Pasqualoni tells Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com, Chicago has spent the past month helping Houston with the transition, and the results are positive. “You can see the quickness, speed, and explosiveness he’s capable of playing with,” said Pasqualoni. “He’s going to give us a pretty stout guy on first and second downs, and a guy who’s capable on third down of either rushing inside or outside. He’s going to give us flexibility with what he can do.”
  • Linebacker/defensive end Dontay Moch, whom the Bengals claimed off waivers from the Cardinals, is the latest subject of ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey’s series looking at Cincinnati players on the roster bubble. Moch was with the Bengals from 2011-2012, so perhaps that experience could work in his favor, but ultimately Harvey thinks it’s a coin flip as to whether the 25-year-old makes Cincinnati’s 53-man roster.
  • The Browns were able to retain center Alex Mack, and drafted guard Joel Bitonio, adding to an already promising offensive line, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. Along with All-Pro Joe Thomas, Cleveland’s front five should have no trouble keeping either Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel upright.
  • Safety James Ihedigbo is fitting in nicely with the Lions, and his transition to the team is helped by the fact that his new defensive coordinator, Teryl Austin, was his secondary coach while the two were in Baltimore, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. “I’m definitely doing the best I can and helping guys understand [the defensive scheme],” said Ihedigbo. “I answer any questions that guys may have. But it’s all about us getting used to it. It’s a new system. The awesome thing is that guys are learning it, they’re learning it quick and they’re being able to play at a high level. And that’s what you want to see at this time of year: guys flying around and it’s exciting.”

Offseason In Review: Baltimore Ravens

June 29th, 2014 at 3:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired Jeremy Zuttah from the Buccaneers in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick. Extended Zuttah through 2018. Three years, $9.25MM. $6.5MM guaranteed. Reduced cap hit for 2014.
  • Acquired a seventh-round pick (No. 218) from the Browns in exchange for a 2015 sixth-round pick.

Draft picks:

  • C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama (1.17): Signed
  • Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State (2.48): Signed
  • Terrence Brooks, S, Florida State (3.79): Signed
  • Crockett Gillmore, TE, Colorado State (3.99): Signed
  • Brent Urban, DT, Virginia (4.134): Signed
  • Lorenzo Taliaferro, RB, Costal Carolina (4.138): Signed
  • John Urschel, G, Penn State (5.175): Signed
  • Keith Wenning, QB, Ball State (6.194): Signed
  • Michael Campanaro, WR, Wake Forest (7.218): Signed

Other:

Following the 2012 season, the Ravens were on top of the world. After winning the AFC North with a 10-6 record, they went on incredible ride through the playoffs that was culminated by beating the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Joe Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback who had bet on himself in the offseason, came up aces, securing a six-year, $120.6MM contract. All was well in Baltimore, and the team was expected to remain competitive for years to come.

The 2013 season didn’t play out as planned, however — Flacco and the entire offense regressed, finishing 25th in scoring, 28th in total yardage, and 30th in offensive DVOA. Even the team’s vaunted defense suffered, and the Ravens finished third in the division with an 8-8 record, missing the playoffs for the first time during John Harbaugh’s tenure as head coach.Steve Smith

To help repair its offense, Baltimore hired former Texans head coach Gary Kubiak to replace play-caller Jim Caldwell, who took the head job with the Lions. Kubiak is a known fan of multiple tight end formations, and he will have plenty of options to work with in 2014. After inking four-year veteran Dennis Pitta to a five-year, $32MM extension, the Ravens brought in Kubiak’s former protégé Owen Daniels, signing him to bargain one-year deal worth $1MM. Add in third-round pick Crockett Gillmore, and this looks like a tight end group that could serve as the basis for a play-action-heavy offensive scheme.

Joining the TEs on offense will be new addition Steve Smith, who signed for three years and $10.5MM. The 35-year-old Smith, who will line up opposite Torrey Smith, certainly isn’t the player he once was, but is entering an offense where he will be surrounded by more playmakers than in Carolina. He should act as a nice complementary piece, and bring some of the toughness and attitude for which the Ravens were once known. Jacoby Jones, who will add speed both on offense and special teams, was retained on a four-year, $12MM pact. Baltimore signed Justin Forsett (another former Kubiak student), but the running back corps will remain largely the same. Ray Rice was the worst RB in football season according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and will likely be facing a suspension due to a domestic incident. As such, Forsett, fourth-rounder Lorenzo Taliaferro, and Bernard Pierce may have to play a larger role to begin the season.

Another change on offense will be the implementation of a zone-blocking scheme along the offensive line. Center Jeremy Zuttah was acquired (then extended) from the Buccaneers with that transition in mind, as the versatile 28-year-old is a smart player who can fit along most any front five. The Ravens also brought back left tackle Eugene Monroe, whom they acquired from the Jaguars in midseason, on a five-year deal worth $37.5MM, and he should add stability to Flacco’s blindside. No replacement was signed to take over right tackle following the departure of Michael Oher, so the winner of a Ricky Wagner–Ryan Jensen battle will likely man the right side come September.

On the defensive side of the ball, Baltimore’s moves exhibited why Ozzie Newsome is regarded as one of the best general managers in the game. The Ravens, sticking to their best-player-available strategy in the draft, selected Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley, regarded by some as the best defensive prospect in the draft, with pick No. 17. Mosley should become an immediate starter in the middle alongside veteran Daryl Smith, who was re-signed on a four-year, $13.6MM contract. Smith, who racked 123 tackles, five sacks, and three interceptions in 2013, and Mosley should form one of the better inside linebacker duos in the league. The outside linebacker spots will be held down once again by Terrell Suggs, who was extended through 2018, and Elvis Dumervil, with Pernell McPhee and 2013 second-rounder Courtney Upshaw backing them up.

In front of the linebackers, second-rounder Timmy Jernigan (another Newsome draft-day steal) will be joining an already-stout defensive line. Jernigan, at 6’2″, 300 pounds, will be part of a rotation at end in the Ravens’ 3-4 defense, along with Brandon Williams and Chris Canty, as the team seeks to replace the production of Arthur Jones, who left for Indianapolis. At nose tackle, the über-effective Haloti Ngata will enter his ninth season in the league, and will be backed up by the massive Terrence Cody.

Cornerback remains one of the most stable positions on the Ravens roster; Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith, whose fifth-year option was exercised, will attempt to shut down opposing receivers. Baltimore’s safety group, however, will have a bit different look — gone is James Ihedigbo, and in are free agent signee Darian Stewart (one year, $1.3MM) and third-round pick Terrance Brooks, who will likely play in some sort of rotation opposite Matt Elam, the team’s 2013 first-round-pick.

There are still pressing issues to be resolved in Baltimore — an extension for Jimmy Smith needs to be worked out, the defense needs to get even younger, and the offensive line could use a veteran addition. Additionally, Flacco’s massive contract figures to hinder the Ravens’ cap situation for some time. However, the team has one of the best GM-coach tandems in the NFL in Newsome and Harbaugh, and the methodical, detail-oriented approach on display year-after-year in Baltimore will likely continue to serve the team well. The Ravens probably aren’t the favorites in a tight AFC North, but a wild card spot isn’t out of the question, and might even be likely.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

PFR Originals: 6/22/14 – 6/29/14

June 29th, 2014 at 1:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

Week In Review: 6/22/14 – 6/29/14

June 29th, 2014 at 1:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Major Move:

  • The Chargers signed cornerback Brandon Flowers to a one-year deal, which includes a $1.5MM signing bonus and a $1.5MM base salary; the 28-year-old can earn another $2MM in incentives.

Signed:

First-Round Pick Signing:

  • Patriots – DT Dominique Easley (link)

Other:

Sunday Roundup: Thomas, Davis, Momah

June 29th, 2014 at 12:59pm CST by Rory Parks

It’s been a surprisingly exciting morning in the NFL, with the false report from the Dallas Police Department that Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was arrested early this morning dominating the Twitterverse. Now that things have quieted down and Talib has been absolved–his brother, Yaqub, was the person taken into custody–let’s have a look at some links from around the league.

  • Mike Kiszla of The Denver Post writes that the Broncos cannot afford to overpay star wideout Demaryius Thomas. He adds that, although Thomas is set to become a free agent after this season, the franchise tag is a legitimate option if an extension cannot be worked out (check out our Luke Adams’ piece on what a deal for Thomas might look like). Kiszla believes that giving Thomas more than $30MM in easily-obtained guarantees is too much for a receiver who greatly benefits from being in the same huddle as Peyton Manning.
  • The Panthers exercised linebacker Thomas Davis‘ 2014 and 2015 options in February after his stellar 2013 campaign, but if they had not done so, Davis would have retired, according to Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer. Davis said, “If I’m going to play football and represent an organization, it’s going to be with the team that stuck beside me and never gave up on me.“
  • Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/06/28/5011735/carolina-panthers-lb-thomas-davis.html#.U7BK5bFlw3k#storylink=cpy.

    Free agent defensive tackle Johnny Jolly, who played for the Packers last season, has gained medical clearance after undergoing neck surgery in January, writes Aaron Wilson of The National Football Post. As we learned several weeks ago, the Packers remain open to Jolly’s return.

  • The Titans‘ top three wide receivers–Nate Washington, Kendall Wright, and Justin Hunter–are set. But as Lauren Moore of The Tennessean writes, second-year man Michael Preston, who has been dubbed a “jack-of-all-trades” by wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, hopes to seize the fourth receiver role from the likes of veteran free agent acquisitions Brian Robiskie, Derek Hagan, and Dorin Dickerson, as well as a few 2013 and 2014 undrafted free agents.
  • Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that, although the Browns would love to extend tight end Jordan Cameron, Cameron’s agent, Tom Condon, will drive a hard bargain. She adds that wide receiver Josh Gordon must have some “compelling arguments” given that there has yet to be an announcement regarding his suspension (although an appeal hearing has not been set).
  • Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union writes that the Jaguars will need to grab a standout pass rusher in the 2015 draft, and he lists some potential candidates for Jags fans to keep an eye on this season.
  • Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com writes that Ifeanyi Momah, the physically gifted wide receiver whom the Eagles released last season during final cutdowns, is back with Philadelphia this year and stands a real chance at making the roster.

 

Offseason In Review: San Diego Chargers

June 29th, 2014 at 12:01pm CST by Rory Parks

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 50) from the Dolphins in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 57) and a fourth-round pick (No. 125).

Draft picks:

  • Jason Verrett, CB, TCU (1.25): Signed
  • Jeremiah Attaochu, OLB, Georgia Tech (2.50): Signed
  • Chris Watt, G, Notre Dame (3.89): Signed
  • Ryan Carrethers, DT, Arkansas State (5.165): Signed
  • Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State (6.201): Signed
  • Tevin Reese, WR, Baylor (7.240): Signed

Other:

The Chargers were a surprise entrant in last year’s playoffs, gutting out a tense victory over division-rival Kansas City on the last day of the regular season and getting some help from other clubs along the way to secure the AFC’s second wild-card spot. They went on the road to knock off AFC North champion Cincinnati on wild card weekend before finally succumbing to Denver in the divisional round.

Brandon Flowers

Nonetheless, 2013 was a year of fresh starts and pleasant surprises for San Diego and first-year head coach Mike McCoy. Quarterback Philip Rivers set a career-high with a 69.5% completion percentage and threw 32 touchdown passes, just two short of his career best. Eight of Rivers’ touchdown passes went to rookie wideout Keenan Allen, who fell to the third round of the 2013 draft because of injury concerns and made the other 31 clubs in the league look foolish for passing on him. Rivers was also sacked just 30 times after being dropped almost 50 times in 2012, perhaps a testament to the surprisingly strong performance of free agent acquisition King Dunlap at left tackle and the steady play of rookie D.J. Fluker on the right side.

In an attempt to ensure continued stability along the offensive line in 2014 and beyond, the Chargers re-signed guard Chad Rinehart to a two-year, $6MM deal in March. Although Rinehart enjoyed his best season in 2011, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), he did perform well in San Diego’s two playoff games last season and still has the potential to be an above-average starter in the league.

The biggest concern on offense may be the loss of offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, who was hired to be the Titans head coach after his one impressive season in San Diego. The Chargers promoted quarterbacks coach Frank Reich to offensive coordinator just one day after Whisenhunt’s hiring, and early returns are encouraging. As Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes, the Chargers’ offense was “purring” in offseason workouts, with Rivers distributing the football all over the field to diverse and talented playmakers like Allen, Ladarius Green, Malcom Floyd, and Vincent Brown.

The Chargers are largely relying on their incumbents to ensure that the offense remains among the league’s most productive units for the second consecutive season. The club did not enter the offseason with a great deal of salary cap space, and they did not draft an immediate playmaker on offense. The biggest acquisition on that side of the ball was former Colts’ running back Donald Brown, who signed a three-year, $10.5 million deal in March. Brown adds a quality complement to Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead, and he represents a useful insurance policy should Mathews struggle with injuries after finally putting together a healthy and productive campaign in 2013.

The team did hand out a lucrative contract extension to linebacker Donald Butler, keeping the prospective free agent off the market with a seven-year, $51.8MM deal (though only $11.5MM of that is guaranteed). Butler suffered through injury and inconsistency in 2013, but he is just 25 and still has a great deal of potential. Butler will team with Manti Te’o to form what the Chargers hope will be one of the most dynamic pairs of inside linebackers for years.

Te’o and Butler will be flanked by outside linebackers Dwight Freeney and Jarret Johnson (both of whom agreed to take a pay cut in March), but perhaps not for long. Given the age and declining skills of both Freeney and Johnson, the Chargers targeted edge rushing help in the draft and, to that end, traded their second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 57 and 125 overall) to the Dolphins in order to trade up seven spots to No. 50. With that pick, the team chose Jeremiah Attaochu, a 6’3″, 243-pound pass rusher out of Georgia Tech. The Chargers also exercised defensive end Corey Liuget‘s fifth-year option for 2015, thereby keeping another young, high-ceiling defender who can get to the quarterback under club control.

The most pressing concern for the Chargers this offseason was their porous secondary, and they attacked that unit with vigor. They re-signed Richard Marshall, who was largely ineffective in a part-time role in 2013, but they perhaps hit a pair of home runs in the draft and free agency. They used their first-round pick to select top cornerback prospect Jason Verrett out of TCU, and they were the winners of the recent Brandon Flowers sweepstakes, signing the former Chiefs’ corner to a one-year, $3MM deal to prove that he is the elite defender that everyone thought he was in 2011 and 2012.

So the secondary, anchored by stalwart Eric Weddle at free safety, received a significant upgrade, which may be enough to catapult defensive coordinator John Pagano‘s group into the top half of the league (last year, the Chargers ranked 23rd in yards allowed, though they did yield the 11th-fewest points per game). Combined with what projects to be a strong offensive unit, the Chargers should challenge for the playoffs again. Although dethroning the Broncos in the AFC West may be too much to ask, the wildcard is well within reach.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

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