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Month: November 2024

Sunday Roundup: Bills Ownership, NFC West

July 13th, 2014 at 4:41pm CST by Rory Parks

In May, Former Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano and Syracuse developer Scott Congel had preliminary talks to form a partnership and purchase the Bills. Now, however, those conversations are dead, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. According to Graham, Golisano would still like to bid on the team by himself, and Congel may also be interested in purchasing the club on his own. If Golisano were to buy the club, he would not rule out selling a minority share in the team to Congel.

Now for some more links from around the league:

  • Rich Campbell of The Chicago Tribune lays out a “superlative guide” to the Bears‘ training camp, naming Marquess Wilson the player “most likely to succeed”–Wilson emerged from spring workouts as the team’s clear No. 3 receiver–and declaring the team’s fiercest frontline position battle to be at the safety position.
  • Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk continues PFT’s series of preseason power rankings by looking at the Rams. Crabtree notes that the team still lacks a true No. 1 receiver and depth along the secondary, and despite adding quality talent in the draft and boasting perhaps the best defensive line in the game, St. Louis plays in the league’s best division and so will probably remain on the outside looking in.
  • Speaking of the talented NFC West, Kent Somers of AZCentral.com examines the Cardinals‘ outlook for the 2014 campaign. Somers notes that the Cards, who finished 10-6 under first-year head coach Bruce Arians in 2013, should see continued improvement as they continue to settle into Arians’ offensive system. There is talent up and down the roster, but the rebuilt offensive line and the linebacker group–which lost Karlos Dansby to free agency and Daryl Washington to suspension–could hold the team back.
  • Seahawks‘ pass rusher Bruce Irvin, who underwent hip surgery this offseason, is progressing well, writes Todd Dybas of The News Tribune. Although Irvin tweeted last month that he would return by training camp, which opens July 25, Dybas notes that he will be sidelined quite a bit longer than that.
  • Defensive lineman Vance Walker, who signed a three-year, $13MM free agent contract with the Chiefs this offseason, is feeling right at home with his new club, writes Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star.
  • Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com examines the battle for the Ravens‘ No. 3 running back spot. Smolka notes that if Ray Rice is suspended as expected, both Justin Forsett and rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro will make the club and Baltimore can reexamine its options when Rice returns. However, if Rice somehow escapes suspension, Smolka predicts that Rice, Bernard Pierce, and Taliaferro will make up the team’s running back corps.

Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions

July 13th, 2014 at 3:11pm CST by Rory Parks

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

  • Montell Owens (RB): Restructured contract. 2014 base salary reduced from $1.25MM to $855K in exchange for $100K roster bonus, $50K workout bonus, and up to $200K in per-game incentives.
  • Cory Greenwood (LB): Restructured contract. Reduced 2014 base salary from $730K to $645K, eliminated $20K workout bonus, and eliminated 2015 season.

Trades:

  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 40) from the Seahawks in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 45), a fourth-round pick (No. 111), and a seventh-round pick (No. 227).
  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 158) and a seventh-round pick (No. 229) from the Cowboys in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 146).

Draft picks:

  • Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina (1.10): Signed
  • Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (2.40): Signed
  • Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas (3.76): Signed
  • Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State (4.133): Signed
  • Larry Webster, DE, Bloomburg (4.136): Signed
  • Caraun Reid, DT, Princeton (5.158): Signed
  • T.J. Jones, WR, Notre Dame (6.189): Signed
  • Nate Freese, K, Boston College (7.229): Signed

Other:

When the Lions qualified for the playoffs in 2011 after an 11-year absence, it seemed only a matter of time before they would make a serious run at the Lombardi Trophy. They had an explosive offense, a strong enough defense, and had shown steady improvement under head coach Jim Schwartz. Unfortunately, they were unable to continue along that positive trajectory. After failing to reach the playoffs in 2012 and 2013, the team overhauled its coaching staff in the hopes of re-establishing itself as a serious contender in the NFC.

Jim Caldwell

After firing Schwartz, the team hired Jim Caldwell in January of this year as his replacement. Caldwell’s hire was something of a surprise. He served as head coach of the Colts from 2009 to 2011, guiding Indianapolis to two AFC South titles and an AFC championship during that time. However, star quarterback Peyton Manning missed the 2011 season due to injury, and the team collapsed in his absence. After a 2-14 campaign, Caldwell was fired and resurfaced as quarterbacks coach of the Ravens shortly thereafter.

Despite not having any experience as a playcaller, Caldwell replaced Cam Cameron as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator when Cameron was fired late in the 2012 season. Caldwell utilized Cameron’s playbook more effectively than Cameron did, and he oversaw Joe Flacco‘s historic playoff run that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. However, 2013 was an unmitigated disaster for the Ravens’ offense, and Caldwell had no remedy for his woeful unit. Nonetheless, the Lions liked what they saw in Caldwell as a manager of staff and players, and handed him the reins of their promising but underachieving roster.

Caldwell brought in Joe Lombardi, a young and respected offensive mind who had served as the Saints’ quarterbacks coach since 2009, as his offensive coordinator. He then hired Teryl Austin, who had been the Ravens’ secondary coach since 2011, to run the defense.

As is often the case when a new coaching regime takes over, there has been a great deal of optimism surrounding the Lions’ new staff. As far as the team’s offense is concerned, such optimism is more than justified. An already dynamic attack was augmented by two significant additions, Golden Tate and Eric Ebron. Tate slowly came into his own in Seattle before signing a lucrative deal with Detroit, and he projects as the team’s No. 2 receiver opposite the game’s most dominant wideout, Calvin Johnson. The Lions hope Tate, who is a talented playmaker in his own right, can direct some of the attention of opposing defenses off of Johnson, something that Nate Burleson–who left for the Browns this offseason–could never really accomplish.

In Ebron, the team landed the consensus No. 1 tight end in this year’s draft. Many pundits predict that Ebron, with his blend of size and speed, can impact Detroit’s passing game the way Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski impacted the offenses of their respective clubs. While Ebron may eventually approach that level of success, it might take a season or two before the Lions truly reap the benefits of his talent. Ebron has struggled with drops in offseason workouts–which is a concern, given that drops plagued him in college as well–and with grasping Lombardi’s offense. Nonetheless, it will be impossible for defenses to adequately cover every player in the Lions’ aerial attack, and if those defenses continue to double-team Johnson, quarterback Matt Stafford might see Ebron running free down the seam many times over the course of the season (it is also important to note that the team re-signed tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Pettigrew is a talented enough pass catcher himself, but he is also one of the few tight ends in the league who offers receiving and blocking abilities, so his presence will probably be an underappreciated but invaluable glue for this offense).

Defense, however, will again be a concern. The Lions struggled mightily against the pass in 2013, and they released top corner Chris Houston and safety Louis Delmas. They added veteran corners Rashean Mathis and Cassius Vaughn on one-year minimum contracts, but it is unrealistic to expect much out of those two players. New strong safety James Ihedigbo, signed as a free agent from the Ravens, offers quality play as a run-stopper and occasional pass rusher, but, like traditional strong safeties, does not offer much by way of pass coverage. As such, the onus will fall upon corner Darius Slay and free safety Glover Quin to pick up the slack on the back end of the defense.

The front seven, however, offers more promise. The defensive line is anchored by Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh, and Ziggy Ansah demonstrated tremendous upside in his rookie campaign that he should be able to build upon in 2014. Meanwhile, the Lions supplemented their linebacker corps, anchored by veterans Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy–who enjoyed the very definition of a breakout season in 2013–with intriguing talent Kyle Van Noy, whom they selected in the second round of this year’s draft. Van Noy was a late riser in the draft, and the Lions liked him enough to trade their No. 45, No . 111, and No. 227 picks to Seattle to move up five spots to nab him. Van Noy is not an elite athlete–which probably kept him out of the first round–but he does everything else well, and he should see a lot of snaps in his rookie season.

There will also be a kicking competition between Nate Freese, whom the team selected in the seventh round of this year’s draft, and Giorgio Tavecchio, who has been in camp with the 49ers and Packers in recent seasons but who has not yet established himself in the league. Freese, as a draftee, is the presumptive favorite, and the Lions hope he will be the team’s long-term solution at the position after veteran David Akers struggled in 2013 to replace the production of stalwart Jason Hanson. Both Freese and Tavecchio, however, have struggled thus far.

The Lions are unquestionably a team with talent, and the coaching changes were probably necessary ones, as the proverbial message of Schwartz and company had apparently grown stale. However, outside of their possibly dynamic offense, they are also a team with flaws. Fortunately for them, the Packers and Bears have vulnerabilities of their own, and the Vikings appear to be at least a year away from legitimate contention. As such, the Lions have a real chance to make a run at the NFC North crown, but, failing that, a wild card berth is well within their reach.

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

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pouncey Brothers Accused Of Assault

July 13th, 2014 at 1:30pm CST by Rory Parks

Miami Beach police are investigating a South Florida man’s claim that he was assaulted by Maurkice Pouncey and Mike Pouncey, writes Omar Kelly of The Sun Sentinel. The assault allegedly occurred a little after 4am on Saturday morning at the Cameo nightclub, where the twin brothers were celebrating their annual birthday party. The alleged victim, Ricky Vazquez, took to Twitter to report the assault. Vasquez claims he was jumped by the Pouncey twins and by four of the club’s bouncers.

Although the police are of course obligated to investigate Vasquez’s allegations, the circumstances surrounding the incident are murky at best and it is far too soon to condemn either brother at this point. However, while publicity of this ilk is unwelcome for any NFL player, it is especially troublesome for the Pouncey brothers. During their birthday party at the Cameo nightclub last year, the Pouncey’s were spotted wearing “Free Hernandez” hats in support of former college teammate Aaron Hernandez, who has since been charged with the murders of three different men. Mike Pouncey was later called to give testimony concerning his relationship with Hernandez before a grand jury.

That is not to mention Mike Pouncey’s involvement in the highly-publicized bullying scandal that consumed the Dolphins’ locker room last season. He was one of three Miami players said to have been involved in the harassment of former Dolphin Jonathan Martin, who left the team last October.

Perhaps the investigation into the latest incident involving the Pounceys will absolve them of any wrongdoing, but the Dolphins and Steelers will surely hold their breath when the brothers celebrate their birthday next July.

AFC South Links: Texans, Jaguars, Brazill

July 13th, 2014 at 12:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A panel of NFL writers at ESPN.com ranked all 32 teams in order of future projected success — that is, how each franchise will fare over the next three seasons — by assigning grades for components like quarterback, front office, and coaching staff. Unsurprisingly, the Seahawks finished first in the exercise, but one underlying point was the brutal future prognosticated for the teams in the AFC South. The Colts ranked as the top team in the division, but were listed at just No. 20 overall, while the Jaguars, Titans, and Texans registered as Nos. 23, 25, and 27, respectively. I might quibble with the Texans’ projected futility, but as a whole, the AFC South looks like the weakest division in football, and could remain that way for some time.

  • The Texans have several interesting position battles that need to be resolved during training camp, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes. Left guard will come down to either incumbent Ben Jones or rookie Xavier Su’a-Filo, while Randy Bullock will try to keep undrafted rookie Chris Boswell from taking the kicking job.
  • In a video link, McClain and his Houston Chronicle colleague Brian T. Smith run down the top storylines on both sides of the ball for the Texans.
  • The Jaguars don’t have much experience at receiver behind Cecil Shorts, but Jacksonville receivers coach Jerry Sullivan isn’t worried that his young players, including 2014 second-rounders Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson, will buckle under the NFL lights. “I never think about that,” Sullivan told Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. “I put the pressure on myself to get them trained to perform at the NFL level.”
  • In the wake of LaVon Brazill‘s suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, ESPN.com’s Mike Wells opines that the 25-year-old ex-Colt has no one to blame but himself.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins

July 13th, 2014 at 11:50am CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest from the NFC East…

PFR Originals: 7/6/14 – 7/13/14

July 13th, 2014 at 10:50am CST by Dallas Robinson

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

AFC East Notes: Bills, ‘Fins, Pats, Jets

July 13th, 2014 at 10:18am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills are coming off a disappointing 6-10 season during which rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel struggled (when he was able to remain on the field), and are now facing new ownership. Add the scrutiny placed on star players like C.J. Spiller and Mario Williams, and Buffalo is potentially facing a make-or-break season, writes Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. General manager Doug Whaley doesn’t dispute that the 2014 season is important for the Bills, but claims the team will not wilt under the pressure. “This is a results-based business,” Whaley said on draft night. “Every year we’re out to win as many games as possible and to make the playoffs. So that does not factor into what we do day-to-day, the ownership issue. Our issue is making the playoffs. That could be last year, this year, next year.”

  • Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore has been largely successful when given a chance to start, but he seems to be wholeheartedly embracing the role of backup for 2014, per George Richards of the Miami Herald. “I would love it if we won every game, and I never played,” said Moore. “That means Ryan [Tannehill] is killing it. But limited time, getting in late in the year is tough. You know that’s the role of the No. 2 quarterback. That’s just the way it is.”
  • Rich Cimini of ESPN.com previews the Jets’ quarterback depth chart, and notes, as PFR’s Zach Links wrote in his recent Offseason in Review, the Geno Smith/Michael Vick dynamic will be highly intriguing come training camp.
  • Duron Harmon is the favorite to start at safety for the Patriots alongside Devin McCourty, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com in his assessment of New England’s second-year players.

Week In Review: 7/6/14 – 7/13/14

July 13th, 2014 at 9:24am CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Andre Johnson:

  • Johnson hoping for a trade (link)
  • Thursday roundup (link)
  • Texans don’t plan to trade Johnson (link)
  • Johnson unlikely to hold out (link)

Josh Gordon:

  • Browns unlikely to cut Gordon (link)
  • Monday roundup (link)

Jimmy Graham:

  • Long-term extensions talks expected to resume soon (link)
  • Contract talks moving slowly (link)

Released:

Suspended:

  • Redskins S Tanard Jackson: indefinitely, violation of the league’s substance abuse policy (link)
  • Vikings DE Spencer Nealy: four games, violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs (link)

Other:

North Links: Smith, Lions, Steelers, Bengals

July 13th, 2014 at 8:49am CST by Dallas Robinson

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith was arrested and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct on Saturday night following an incident at a bar in Towson, Marlyand, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The episode doesn’t sound all that serious, and I doubt anything grave will come of it, but it’s yet another negative off-the-field occurrence for the Ravens, who have had five players arrested this offseason. Baltimore is interested in a long-term extension with Smith, but the 26-year-old had character concerns when he entered the league, so it’s fair to wonder if this event will affect contract talks. More from the the NFL’s two North divisons:

Offseason In Review: Minnesota Vikings

July 12th, 2014 at 10:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

  • Chad Greenway (OLB): Restructured contract. Reduced 2014 base salary from $6.4MM to $5.5MM, and eliminated $100K workout bonus. ’14 base salary became fully guaranteed.
  • Jerome Felton (FB): Restructured contract. Reduced 2014 base salary from $1.95MM to $1.45MM in exchange for a $200K guarantee on his base salary and the right to void his 2015 season.
  • Jamarca Sanford (S): Restructured contract. Reduced 2014 base salary from $2.45 to $1.7MM in exchange for a $400K guarantee on his base salary and $500K in playing-time incentives.

Trades:

  • Acquired a first-round pick (No. 9) and a fifth-round pick (No. 145) from the Browns in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 8).
  • Acquired a first-round pick (No. 32) from the Seahawks in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 40) and a fourth-round pick (No. 108).
  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 168) and a seventh-round pick (No. 225) from the Panthers in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 148).
  • Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 182) and a seventh-round pick (No. 220) from the Falcons in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 168).

Draft picks:

  • Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA (1.9): Signed
  • Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville (1.32): Signed
  • Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State (3.72): Signed
  • Jerick McKinnon, RB, Georgia Southern (3.96): Signed
  • David Yankey, G, Stanford (5.145): Signed
  • Antone Exum, DB, Virginia Tech (6.182): Signed
  • Kendall James, CB, Maine (6.184): Signed
  • Shamar Stephen, DT, Connecticut (7.220): Signed
  • Brandon Watts, OLB, Georgia Tech (7.223): Signed
  • Jabari Price, CB, North Carolina (7.225): Signed

Other:

  • Hired Mike Zimmer as head coach.
  • Hired Norv Turner as offensive coordinator and George Edwards as defensive coordinator.
  • Declined Christian Ponder‘s fifth-year option for 2015 ($9.686MM).
  • Claimed Julian Posey off waivers.
  • Signed 16 rookie free agents after the draft.

There isn’t a team that more perfectly speaks to the devaluation of the running back position than the Vikings. In 2012, Adrian Peterson‘s historic season, which left him only nine yards short of the single-season rushing title, barely allowed Minnesota to sneak into the playoffs. Last year, though still effective, Peterson regressed, and the team finished 5-10-1. Today’s NFL offenses struggle if forced to lean primarily on the halfback — the quarterback position is still king. The Vikings seemed to have that notion in mind as they attacked the 2014 offseason, which saw them overhaul several position groups as well as the coaching staff.Teddy Bridgewater

The Vikings will enter training camp with a three-pronged depth chart at quarterback, but only one player is likely to be with the team for the long-term. General manager Rick Spielman and new head coach Mike Zimmer (formerly the defensive coordinator for the Bengals) traded back into the first round of the draft to select Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater, who was widely viewed as one of the top five college players available before a lackluster Pro Day forced his stock to drop. Minnesota is hoping that the Bridgewater’s game film, which shows him to be accurate and able to maintain poise under pressure, is more foretelling than his pre-draft workouts.

Bridgewater is likely to make some starts in 2014, but it’s doubtful that he’ll be the Opening Day starter at quarterback — veteran Matt Cassel will probably have that honor. Cassel started six games for the the Vikings last season, finishing with a 3-3 record, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Re-signed to a two-year, $10MM contract, Cassel figures to act as a mentor to Bridgewater, and hold the fort until the rookie is ready. Cassel’s 2014 cap hit is $5.75MM, which isn’t absurd for a low-end starter/high-end backup; if Bridgewater proves he’s ready to start, Cassel can be released before next season for no additional charge. 2011 first-rounder Christian Ponder is still around, but his 2015 fifth-year option was declined; a trade or release before the season starts isn’t out of the question.

The rest of the offense will remain mostly the same under new coordinator Norv Turner, who will seek to work some of his “tight end magic” on fourth-year player Kyle Rudolph. Entering a contract year, Rudolph certainly hopes he can experience the success that Antonio Gates and Jordan Cameron had under Turner en route to a new deal. Along the offensive line, guard Charlie Johnson was brought back on a two-year pact worth $5MM, and fifth-round pick David Yankey will act as his backup. The Vikings did lose longtime second-string RB Toby Gerhart to the Jaguars, but they drafted Jerick McKinnon in the third round in the hopes that he, along with holdover Matt Asiata, can spell Peterson.

The defensive unit saw significantly more turnover than did the offense, and will also feature a new coordinator in George Edwards, who was the Dolphins’ linebackers coach for the past two seasons; he was last a coordinator in 2010-11 with Buffalo. Many of Minnesota’s moves to improve the defense over the past several months were informed by Zimmer’s scheme and philosophy, which favors versatility and speed over pure physicality.

No position group saw as much change as the defensive line, which witnessed the loss of stalwarts Jared Allen and Kevin Williams, who, between them, had played 17 seasons in Minnesota. Using Zimmer’s Bengals D-line as a reference, 2012 first-rounder Sharrif Floyd will play the Geno Atkins role with free agent signee Linval Joseph (five years, $31.25MM) emulating Domata Peko. 2013 No. 8 overall pick Anthony Barr will act as a hybrid LB/DE, primarily acting as an edge-rusher in sub packages. Corey Wootton was signed, Fred Evans was re-signed, and Scott Crichton was drafted to bolster the unit’s depth.

The most questionable move of the Vikings offseason might be the re-signing of defensive end Everson Griffen, who received $42.5MM ($19.8MM guaranteed) on a five-year deal; the guarantee is the fourth-highest among 4-3 defensive ends (omitting Dion Jordan‘s rookie contract). However, the 26-year-old graded as just the 20th-best 4-3 DE in the league last season per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). More confounding is that Griffen has historically played worse against the run than the pass, Zimmer’s defense is predicated on stopping the run. Griffen’s proponents might argue that this is a forward-looking contract, and that the market for talented ends simply dictated this deal. But as of now, this looks like an overpay, and an expensive one at that.

A much more reasonable contract was proffered in the secondary, where Captain Munnerlyn was added on a three-year, $11.75MM deal to replace Chris Cook. The pact, which contains only $3.45MM in guaranteed money, might prove to be one of the steals of the offseason, as PFF graded Munnerlyn as the 10-the best cornerback in the NFL last year. He’ll join 2013 first-round pick Xavier Rhodes at corner, while Harrison Smith and Jamarca Sanford will hold down safety.

The Vikings are probably still the favorites to finish last in the NFC North, and have a lot of work left to do to compete with tough division foes like the Packers and the Bears. The defense does have some interesting pieces, and Peterson can take over entire games by himself. But in what seems like a rule for every team, quarterback play will be crucial. If Cassel can succeed as a game-manager, or Bridgewater can step in and perform as well as he did at Louisville, the Vikings could make for a surprise team in 2014.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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