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Month: December 2024

Is 2014 Fitzgerald’s Last Season In Arizona?

July 27th, 2014 at 11:39am CST by Rory Parks

Kent Somers of AZCentral.com writes that 2014 may be star wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald‘s last season with the Cardinals. Somers notes that Fitzgerald’s salary cap figure jumps from $15MM in 2014 to $23.6MM in 2015, a number that could represent as much as one-fifth of the team’s entire cap. Citing Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, Somers adds that the Cardinals already have $135MM committed to the 2015 cap, and that number does not include a quarterback (Carson Palmer‘s contract voids five days after the 2014 Super Bowl).

The Arizona front office has expressed a desire to keep Fitzgerald in a Cardinals uniform for the rest of his career, but if Fitzgerald himself feels the same way–and he says he does–he would probably have to agree to restructure his current deal and accept a contract with an average annual value of $6MM to $8MM. Otherwise, he could be traded or released, but those options come with their own set of problems.

A release of Fitzgerald would save the Cardinals $9.2MM of cap room, but it would also force the team to take a hit of $14.4MM. However, a release is still more likely than a trade. As Jason Fitzgerald observes, “[Larry] Fitzgerald is set to earn $16.25 million and $15.25 million in 2015 and 2016 respectively, highest in the NFL over the two-year period. For someone who would be a 32-year-old receiver who has not produced a 1,000-yard season since 2011, no team would likely even consider paying close to that number.” Furthermore, Larry Fitzgerald is owed an $8MM roster bonus in March 2015, which means Arizona would have limited time to trade him.

Of course, there are also the on-field ramifications to consider. Fitzgerald will be on the wrong side of 30 in August, and although Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) rated him as the 11th best receiver in 2013 (out of 111 eligible receivers), his days as a true No. 1 wideout are probably limited. If he performs well in 2014, he retains a fair amount of leverage, but if he shows signs of aging–or if players like Michael Floyd should take the next step–that leverage obviously takes a hit. If the Cardinals as a team show that they are still lagging behind the Seahawks and 49ers in the loaded NFC West, then Fitzgerald may want to move on to a club with more realistic championship hopes.

Fitzgerald has always been the consummate professional. An eight-time Pro Bowler, he may well be the best player in franchise history, is probably Canton-bound when his playing days are over, and has been a consistent and positive presence in the community. As the Cardinals look to improve on last season’s 10-6 mark that was still not good enough to get into the playoffs, thoughts about his contract are not a hot topic of conversation just yet. But they will be soon, and Cardinals fans will surely want to savor watching Fitzgerald in 2014, just in case.

East Notes: Barbre, Pryor, Colon

July 27th, 2014 at 9:49am CST by Rory Parks

We learned yesterday in a series of Twitter posts that Eagles‘ offensive lineman Allen Barbre would be given the first opportunity to replace suspended right tackle Lane Johnson but that Barbre would be pushing for more playing time even if Johnson had never been suspended. Today, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com and Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer flesh out those thoughts in full articles, noting that Barbre’s strong performance as a reserve in 2013 and the three-year extension he signed last month suggest that he may remain a starter somewhere on the line–he has more experience on the left side than the right–even when Johnson returns.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the only real positional battle in Eagles‘ camp this year is between Nate Allen and Earl Wolff at strong safety.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com writes that former Redskins running back Tim Hightower was in attendance at Redskins practice on Saturday and would like to return to the league.
  • We also learned yesterday that Jets‘ rookie Calvin Pryor suffered a head injury and possible concussion during practice. Although Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that it was a good sign that Pryor returned to the field on Saturday to watch the remainder of practice, Brian Costello of The New York Post tweets that there was no sign of him when practice began this morning. Costello also tweeted that, since the team will not hold practice tomorrow, it makes senses to give Pryor two consecutive days of rest as a precaution.
  • In better news for the Jets, Costello tweets that Willie Colon is in full pads and appears to be ready to play.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes that, despite all the hype that comes with every training camp, the only real goal for the Patriots this summer is to stay healthy.
  • Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News writes that the battle between Chris Hairston and Kraig Urbik for the Bills’ starting right guard spot will be an intriguing one to keep an eye on as training camp unfolds.

 

Texans To Sign Lawrence Sidbury, Quentin Groves

July 26th, 2014 at 10:56pm CST by Luke Adams

10:56pm: In addition to Sidbury, the Texans have agreed to sign linebacker and special-teamer Quentin Groves, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Groves had worked out for the Jets earlier this week, after previously auditioning for the Patriots, Redskins, and Titans. The 30-year-old, who has played for four teams in the last six seasons, saw limited action last year for the Browns, but recorded a pair of sacks.

9:19pm: It’ll be a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum, tweets Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com.

9:04pm: The Texans figure to add an outside linebacker to their roster shortly, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Lawrence Sidbury is expected to sign with the club.

Sidbury, a fourth-round pick in 2009, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Falcons. Although he was active in 48 games for the team, he played sparingly, totaling just 362 defensive snaps in those four years, along with occasional contributions on special teams. The 28-year-old signed joined the Colts in 2013, but was sidelined with a shoulder injury and landed on injured reserve.

Assuming the Texans finalize a deal with Sidbury, the team will have to cut a player to make room on the roster. Subsequently, the veteran linebacker will have a chance to earn a roster spot with the club for the regular season.

NFC Notes: 49ers, Panthers, Saints, Redskins

July 26th, 2014 at 10:28pm CST by Luke Adams

49ers GM Trent Baalke confirmed today that the team wants to extend the contracts of wide receiver Michael Crabtree and guard Mike Iupati, tweets Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Baalke added that he hasn’t decided when the time will be to stop negotiations if no deal has been reached, which suggests that discussions are ongoing. We’ve examined both Crabtree and Iupati as part of our Extension Candidate series.

Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC….

  • The last year of Kendall Hunter‘s contract with the 49ers will be a lost one, as an ACL injury has him ticketed for injured reserve, but Baalke would like to re-sign the running back next year if possible, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
  • With running backs Jonathan Stewart and Tyler Gaffney sidelined, the Panthers intend to sign another player to join the backfield, according to head coach Ron Rivera (Twitter link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer). Per ESPN.com’s David Newton (Twitter links), Gaffney suffered a torn lateral meniscus tear in his knee and will miss the season.
  • It’s a contract year for Mark Ingram and it might as well be for Pierre Thomas as well, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune, who says it will be a pivotal season for the two Saints running backs.
  • New Redskins coach Jay Gruden didn’t make much use of his fullbacks during his last three seasons in Cincinnati. However, he intends to work Darrel Young into the mix in Washington this year, explaining simply, “I didn’t have Darrel Young in Cincinnati. If I had him, I would have used him” (link via Joseph White of The Associated Press).
  • Frank Gore is pulling for fellow NFC West running back Marshawn Lynch to get a new deal from the Seahawks as a result of his holdout, as he tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

Chargers Notes: Offseason, Flowers, Davis

July 26th, 2014 at 8:51pm CST by Luke Adams

As part of their NFL training camp tour, SiriusXM NFL Radio was on location at Chargers camp tonight, and spoke with several key members of the team, as well as general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Mike McCoy. The decision-making duo shared a few interesting comments, which we’ll round up below (all links via SiriusXM’s Twitter):

  • While he was encouraged by 2013’s results, Telesco knew heading into the offseason that he needed to add speed, athleticism, and youth to the roster, as well as finding more defensive playmakers. In the GM’s view, the 2014 roster is “definitely stronger” than last year’s because of its depth.
  • Per Telesco, the Chargers were monitoring the status of Brandon Flowers throughout the offseason, even before he was cut by the Chiefs, and jumped at the opportunity to sign him when he became available. Before the Chiefs released him, Flowers was rumored to be on the trade block, so it seems likely that San Diego kicked the tires on the possibility of a deal.
  • Former Auburn cornerback Chris Davis, the hero of last season’s Iron Bowl, has been very impressive since signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent, and has a legitimate shot to stick with the club, says Telesco.
  • According to McCoy, San Diego headed into the draft prioritizing the cornerback and outside linebacker positions, and managed to address both spots in the first two rounds, selecting Jason Verrett and Jeremiah Attaochu.
  • McCoy also praised Chargers owner Dean Spanos for allowing him and Telesco to continue to implement the plan they prepared in 2013.

North Notes: Suh, Smith, Allen, Manziel, Cobb

July 26th, 2014 at 7:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Ndamukong Suh‘s contract has been a popular topic of discussion in Detroit for much of the offseason, but now that the Lions‘ defensive tackle has reported to camp, he has taken up a common refrain when it comes to his contract: He’s not too concerned about it.

“That’s what you’ve got agents for,” Suh told Noah Trister of The Associated Press. “They can take care of business, and just go from there. … I don’t have a timetable. That’s my agent. I don’t have to worry about it. I can focus on football, and that’s my job, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Torrey Smith is another player who claims not to be thinking about an extension as he enters the final year of his current deal, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Sources tell Wilson that discussions between Smith and the Ravens aren’t heating up at this point, though that doesn’t mean progress won’t be made before the wideout is eligible for free agency.
  • Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune spoke at length to Jared Allen about the defensive end’s decision to sign with the Bears after leaving the Vikings this offseason. As Wiederer writes, Allen left Minnesota with no hard feelings, and the spring rumor that he was considering retiring wasn’t just an empty threat.
  • Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said today that rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel has “made some mistakes” and that the team expects “better from him” (link via Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group). While Haslam is entitled to his opinion on Manziel’s off-field behavior, the timing is interesting, considering Haslam’s Pilot Flying J company was recently fined $92MM for cheating customers out of promised rebates and discounts.
  • It’s not clear yet where the Packers‘ new long-term deal with Jordy Nelson leaves Randall Cobb, but you can count quarterback Aaron Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy among those who would like to see Cobb sign an extension of his own, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com details.

Seahawks Work Out Three Running Backs

July 26th, 2014 at 6:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Seahawks have given no indication that they’re willing to relent in their ongoing standoff with Marshawn Lynch, and the latest report from Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post is another sign that the team is preparing for life without its top running back. According to Wilson, the Seahawks worked out three running backs this weekend, with Phillip Tanner, Orwin Smith, and William Powell auditioning for the club.

Lynch, who is holding out for a contract extension or a raise, is not in attendance at Seattle’s training camp, prompting the club to place him on its reserve/did not report list. Players with such a designation don’t count toward a 90-man roster, though the Seahawks have already filled that spot – and their other opening – by signing a pair of defenders earlier today. Still, if the team is increasingly concerned that Lynch won’t report, signing a running back and waiving another player is a possibility.

Of the three backs who worked out for the Seahawks, Tanner has appeared in the most NFL games, spending most of the last three seasons with the Cowboys and receiving 56 carries during his stint in Dallas. Powell, with 59 career carries for 216 yards, plus 19 receptions, has better overall numbers than Tanner, though every one of those touches came in the 2012 seasons with Arizona. Smith, a Georgia Tech product who spent time on the Packers’ practice squad last year, has yet to appear in a regular season NFL game.

Minor Moves: Panthers, Seahawks, Chiefs

July 26th, 2014 at 6:19pm CST by Rob DiRe

Here are a few Saturday minor moves from around the NFL:

  • The Panthers have swapped one defender for another, waiving cornerback DeQuan Menzie and signing defensive tackle Micanor Regis, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • The Seahawks have officially placed Marshawn Lynch on the reserve/did not report list, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Players with that designation don’t count toward the 90-man roster, which is how the club was able to sign two players and cut just one, as noted below.
  • Wilson also clarifies (via Twitter) that tight end Adam Schiltz is joining the Chiefs as a waiver claim rather than a signing, as indicated below.

Earlier updates:

Bills Rumors: Sale, Spiller, Linebackers

July 26th, 2014 at 5:44pm CST by Luke Adams

“The legend of Sammy Watkins is growing by the day,” writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com in his dispatch from Bills training camp, suggesting that no one in the organization is regretting giving up its 2015 first-round pick in order to land the wide receiver this May. The man who pulled the trigger on that trade, GM Doug Whaley, had nothing but praise for the rookie wideout.

“Sammy is as advertised, and actually even better than advertised because of everything he does off field,” Whaley said. “His preparation, his want to be the best, his professionalism. He is wise beyond his years.”

While Watkins has been the star of Buffalo’s camp so far, La Canfora provides several other nuggets of note, so let’s dive in and round those up….

  • Based on La Canfora’s conversations with people who have knowledge of the Bills’ sale process, he’d be surprised if the finalists aren’t Sabres owner Terry Pegula and the Jon Bon Jovi/Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment/Rogers Communications group.
  • Still, there are believed to be 16 approved parties seeking to purchase the franchise, and those groups must submit a letter of intent by next week if they intend to remain in the mix, says La Canfora. That letter wouldn’t include a formal bid, but it would feature some approximate figures involved in a possible purchase price. The Wilson trust will narrow the field during August and eventually decide on two or three finalists. Ideally, the trust will present the winning bidder to the NFL finance committee ahead of its September 11 meeting, in time for owners to vote on the sale at the October league meeting.
  • Sources tell La Canfora that many within the Bills organization hope that Pegula purchases the team, particularly since the odds are greater that the football operations and business-side management would remain intact in that scenario.
  • La Canfora expects the Bills to field trade inquiries on running backs as injuries pile up around the league (Vick Ballard and Kendall Hunter are already out for the season). In La Canfora’s view, a trade market for C.J. Spiller could materialize over the next few weeks, with Spiller entering the final year of his contract with no extension imminent. In the event of a deal, Fred Jackson, Bryce Brown, and Anthony Dixon would carry the load in Buffalo’s backfield.
  • According to Whaley, the team doesn’t plan to pursue any outside free agents to fill the void at linebacker following Kiko Alonso‘s season-ending injury. The club is confident with in-house options like Keith Rivers and rookie Preston Brown.

49ers Notes: Crabtree, Ward, Gore, Harbaugh

July 26th, 2014 at 4:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

Michael Crabtree is one of the top receivers set to be a free agent at the end of the 2014 season, ranking as the third best of that group according to Mike Sando of ESPN.com. Jordy Nelson, who just received a four year, $39MM extension was fourth on the same list.

That being said, Nelson has officially set the market for Crabtree, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Crabtree’s negotiations with the 49ers should start at that figure, and eclipse Nelson’s numbers in total dollars and guaranteed money by at least a few dollars.

Here are some other notes from around the team’s camp:

  • 49ers’ first-round draft pick Jimmie Ward has been impressive, quickly acclimating to playing slot corner, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com. Despite being sidelined during the spring, Ward has caught up rather quickly, and has competed strongly on the defense.
  • With Kendall Hunter lost for the season, pressure has mounted on starting running back Frank Gore, without a viable backup with experience on the roster. Though there are questions with how much longer Gore can carry the load for the team, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk asserts that Gore could remain effective for a few more seasons.
  • One of the biggest questions concerning the 49ers’ future, is how long will head coach Jim Harbaugh be at the helm. Harbaugh’s contract brings him through 2015, but if no extension is agreed to next offseason, the feeling is that the team will either trade him or let his contract expire, writes Florio.
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