2015 February - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Colts, Rams, Lowery, Lions

February 20th, 2015 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

While Colts GM Ryan Grigson didn’t reveal anything too significant during his conversation with reporters this week at the combine in Indianapolis, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star came away with the sense that the team would make “consequential moves” in free agency next month. With possible at holes at safety, running back, and perhaps wide receiver, as well as a need for pass rushers, the Colts are armed with plenty of cap room and have the ability to make impact additions.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), word from the combine has the Rams preparing to target linebackers early in the draft. All three of St. Louis’ regular linebackers in 2014 received negative grades, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
There have been no contract discussions between the Falcons and safety Dwight Lowery yet, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Lowery is eligible for unrestricted free agency next month.
Speaking to Tori Petry of DetroitLions.com (video link), Lions GM Martin Mayhew singled out quarterback Dan Orlovsky and long snapper Don Muhlbach as two under-the-radar potential free agents that the team is optimistic about re-signing.
Former Browns and Eagles executive Joe Banner cautions fans not to think that every team is having the same Marcus Mariota vs. Jameis Winston debate that the media is having. According to Banner (via Twitter), many clubs already have Mariota “clearly” at the top of their quarterback rankings.
Former first-round quarterback Brady Quinn, who was in camp with the Dolphins in 2014, is planning to give it one last shot in the NFL this year in the hopes of landing a regular season roster spot, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.

Eagles Frontrunners For Byron Maxwell?

February 20th, 2015 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Based on comments made by Seahawks general manager John Schneider, who said this this week at the combine that his team won’t be using its franchise tag, it sounds as if cornerback Byron Maxwell will be allowed to reach the open market next month. And according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), “present word” in Indianapolis suggests the Eagles are the frontrunners to land Maxwell.

Plenty can – and likely will – change between now and the beginning of the free agent period on March 10, and it’s possible that the Seahawks and Maxwell will find common ground during the next two and a half weeks. However, if the former sixth-round pick is available next month, it makes sense that the Eagles would be among his top suitors. As PFR’s Rob DiRe noted when he previewed the Eagles’ offseason last week, addressing the cornerback position will be a priority for the club this winter, and Maxwell may be the best corner on the market.

If the Eagles do want to sign Maxwell, he won’t come cheaply. Despite having been a full-time starter for just one season, Maxwell’s per-year asking price figures to be in the $10MM+ range, as Pauline reported earlier today. It remains to be seen whether he’ll land that sort of deal, given his limited track record. However, plenty of teams figure to be targeting corners, and multiple free agents last year – including Sam Shields, Aqib Talib, and Vontae Davis – signed contracts worth $9MM+ annually; the cap also looks poised to rise by about 8% for 2015.

Elsewhere on the Eagles’ front, Martin Frank of The News Journal hears from a source that cornerback Cary Williams has about a “50/50” chance of returning to Philadelphia for 2015. Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com has a similar assessment, tweeting that the Eagles and Williams haven’t discussed his future yet, but adding that that doesn’t mean he’s definitely gone. Williams is entering the final season of a three-year contract, and currently counts for $8.167MM against the team’s cap in ’15.

Falcons Interested In Justin Forsett

February 20th, 2015 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

Assuming Justin Forsett doesn’t sign a new contract with the Ravens before he becomes eligible to talk to other potential suitors in March, the free agent running back will draw “strong interest” from the Falcons, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Atlanta would be able to talk to Forsett’s agent as of March 7, and could sign him starting on March 10.

Forsett, 29, had a breakout season in 2014, setting new career-best marks across the board, including rushing yards (1,266), receptions (44), and touchdowns (eight). While a veteran putting up those kind of numbers for the first time during his seventh season in the league – a contract year – might raise some red flags, Forsett is expected to generate plenty of interest this winter as part of a running back class that doesn’t feature any real top-tier options besides DeMarco Murray.

As McClure points out, Forsett does have a connection to the Falcons’ coaching staff, having played in Seattle while new Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn was working for the Seahawks. However, it may be Forsett’s success in Gary Kubiak‘s zone-blocking scheme that truly piques the Falcons’ interest — Kyle Shanahan is expected to employ a similar scheme in Atlanta in 2015.

Both Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff mentioned during their meetings with the media yesterday in Indianapolis that they could envision Devonta Freeman excelling in Shanahan’s system, so it makes sense that the Falcons would like Forsett too — Freeman is listed at 5’8″ and 206 pounds, while Forsett checks in at 5’8″ and 197.

North Notes: Skrine, Lions, Hoyer, Guion

February 20th, 2015 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reported that he’s hearing the cornerback market could be very player-friendly this offseason, with multiple teams potentially looking to sign more than one free agent corner. Today, Pauline provides some predictions for specific players, tweeting that he’s hearing numbers in the $10MM-per-year range for Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell. I expressed skepticism last month when a report suggested that sources close to Maxwell had thrown out figures in the $12-13MM range, but even a $10MM annual salary would indicate a robust market.

Pauline adds (via Twitter) that he’s also heard a $6.5MM annual figure being “thrown around” for Browns cornerback Buster Skrine. Skrine received the worst Pro Football Focus grade of any of Cleveland’s top four CBs (subscription required), but also played the most defensive snaps of the group, and held his own as a starter when Justin Gilbert wasn’t quite ready to play across from Joe Haden.

As we wait to see whether Skrine actually does that well on his new deal, let’s check in on a few more updates from across the NFL’s North divisions….

In his preview of the Lions‘ offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap suggests that the team would be best off letting Ndamukong Suh walk, since Detroit has very little spending flexibility with its current “Big Three” structure, and it’s hard to picture the team having long-term success with that approach. Fitzgerald views Nick Fairley as a more prudent investment at defensive tackle.
Based on his comments to reporters at the combine on Thursday, it appears that Browns GM Ray Farmer is continuing to give free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer the cold shoulder, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. While it may be a negotiating ploy, it doesn’t look like the Browns will be re-signing the veteran signal-caller.
The legal issues for Packers free agent defensive lineman Letroy Guion are expected to resolved very soon, perhaps within the next few days, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Getting closure on that situation prior to the free agent period would be a win for Guion and for teams with interest in him.
Bears GM Ryan Pace was fairly noncommittal when discussing potential contract extensions for players like Matt Forte and Alshon Jeffery, but admitted “it’s a slow process,” according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Cowboys, Ogletree

February 20th, 2015 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles shook up the structure of their front office after the regular season ended, parting ways with Tom Gamble, promoting Ed Marynowitz, and assigning new roles to Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman. These changes were initially causing some confusion around the NFL among team executives and agents, who weren’t sure who to talk to about contracts and personnel decisions in Philadelphia. So far though, agents who deal with the Eagles say nothing has changed in terms of negotiations, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, who adds that everything on that front still goes through Roseman, with no involvement from Kelly.

Here are a few more notes from out of the NFC East:

While it’s certainly true that the Eagles could target a cornerback in the first round of this spring’s draft, Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com says the team should use the free agent period to try to upgrade its secondary, and use the draft as a Plan B. As Sheridan points out, recent history shows that a rookie defensive back – even one selected in the first round – may not be ready to contribute immediately.
If Cowboys owner Jerry Jones allows DeMarco Murray go elsewhere this offseason, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News sees pending free agent Mark Ingram as the next-best option. Of course, in light of Adrian Peterson‘s dissatisfaction with the Vikings, one can’t help but wonder if the long-rumored Peterson-to-Dallas connection could become a reality.
Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) has the details on wideout Kevin Ogletree‘s new deal with the Giants, which is worth $825K and includes $25K in guaranteed money. That’s slightly more than the minimum salary for a player with Ogletree’s experience.
Earlier this morning, we learned that Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants have yet to engage in discussions about a long-term contract.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

2015 Salary Cap Projection Up To $140MM+

February 20th, 2015 at 9:59am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 9:59am: NFLPA president DeMaurice Smith told agents today that the union expects the 2015 cap to be “no less than $143MM,” a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link).

THURSDAY, 3:27pm: Three sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that the NFLPA is expected to unveil its 2015 salary cap projection on Friday, and that the union’s prediction could be as high as $143.5MM.

WEDNESDAY, 1:12pm: Back in December, the NFL projected a salary cap of $138.6MM for the 2015 season, but that figure is on the rise as the new league year approaches, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the league informed teams today that it expects the cap to ultimately land between $140MM and $143MM.

When the league issued its original projection, a number of reports indicated that the figure would likely be a little low. The NFL Players Association quickly sent out a memo to agents and contract advisors, suggesting that the estimate was underestimating the likely growth of the cap from 2014’s $133MM. Most outlets have been anticipating a cap in the neighborhood of $140MM or $142MM for the last several weeks.

The NFLPA has said that it intends to issue its own projection for the 2015 cap, but if that’s going to happen, it will have to be soon — last year, the actual figure was announced by the league at the end of February, so we should find out within the next couple weeks where the cap will land for ’15. Once the cap is set, teams will also be able to determine the one-year salaries for franchise tags.

No Long-Term Talks Yet For JPP, Giants

February 20th, 2015 at 9:37am CST by Luke Adams

A report earlier this week suggested that the Giants are planning to use their franchise tag on Jason Pierre-Paul by March 2 if a longer-term deal can’t be reached, and signs continue to point toward that outcome. According to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter), the Giants and JPP still haven’t discussed a multiyear contract. Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets that the team has met with the representatives for several of its own free agents at the combine in Indianapolis, but not Pierre-Paul’s agent, which Graziano sees as “telling.”

I would think that the Giants will at least explore the possibility of a long-term contract with Pierre-Paul before using the tag on him, but if they don’t, they’d still have the opportunity to discuss a new deal later. Even if JPP were to immediately accept and sign the one-year franchise tender, the two sides would have until July 15 to work on a multiyear extension, per our list of important offseason dates.

Franchise salaries for the coming year have not yet been set, but that should happen in about a week, when the NFL announces the salary cap for the 2015 season. A year ago, the franchise tag for a defensive end cost $13.116MM, making it the second-most expensive position to tag — only quarterbacks, at $16.912MM, were more expensive. For ’15, that DE figure will likely rise to $14MM+.

West Rumors: Fitz, Raiders, Parker, Wilson

February 20th, 2015 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

While we learned the basic details of Larry Fitzgerald‘s new contract with the Cardinals earlier this week, we didn’t have the specific figures until today, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com breaks down the deal in a series of five tweets. Fitzgerald will receive a $10MM bonus on the second day of the 2015 league year, and has fully guaranteed $1MM and $11MM base salaries for 2015 and 2016, respectively. That $10MM bonus will be considered a signing bonus, meaning it’s prorated over the course of the deal, which extends through 2018, though it’s scheduled to void five days after the 2017 Super Bowl. The contract, which includes a no-trade clause, reduces Fitzgerald’s 2015 cap hit to $10.85M, creating $12.75M in immediate cap room for the Cards.

Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFL’s two West divisions….

Although Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie has publicly stated that the team won’t rule out keeping Matt Schaub in 2015, league sources tell Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that Oakland won’t bring back its high-priced backup. According to Tafur, safety Tyvon Branch and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley could also be on the chopping block, and running back Maurice Jones-Drew would likely have to take a pay cut to return to Oakland.
The Chiefs are engaged in ongoing discussions with the agent for free agent defensive back Ron Parker, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star, who tweets that Parker’s asking price is still about $6MM per year. Paylor reported earlier in the month that Parker would be seeking a $6MM annual salary on a four- or five-year deal.
Cap experts like Joel Corry and Jason Fitzgerald have recently speculated that when Russell Wilson signs an extension with the Seahawks, he could become the first quarterback to receive a fully guaranteed contract. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), that possibility is “very real,” and it’ll be fascinating to see how it plays out.
In his examation of the free agent market for tight ends, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap explains why Broncos TE Julius Thomas may be overvalued next month.

Lions Notes: RFAs, Suh, Jones, Prater, Mathis

February 20th, 2015 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have four free agents who are set to be either restricted or exclusive rights FAs this offseason, and general manager Martin Mayhew addressed the club’s plans for all four players today in a conversation with Detroit reporters. According to Mayhew, the Lions will tender RFA defensive end George Johnson a contract, but won’t tender offers to Kellen Moore and Josh Bynes, though the team would like to re-sign Moore at a lesser rate. As for the lone ERFA on the roster, Mayhew said that Jeremy Ross will return to the club for 2015 (Twitter links via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com).

Here are a few more Lions-related tidbits:

A league source told Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) that the Lions are optimistic that they’ll be able to keep defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in Detroit. Of course, that has been the club’s public stance for some time now, but it sounds like the team is privately confident as well.
Defensive end Jason Jones, who will count for nearly $4MM against the cap in 2015, will return to the Lions and his contract won’t be adjusted, according to Mayhew (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com).
Mayhew is meeting with the agent for prospective free agent Matt Prater tonight in Indianapolis and hopes to figure something out, as he believes Prater can be a Pro Bowl kicker (Twitter link via Twentyman).
The general manager added that he hopes to bring back cornerback Rashean Mathis for the 2015 season, and praised Mathis’ “position versatility” (Twitter link via Twentyman).

AFC Notes: Ngata, Bills, Spiller, Chargers

February 19th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Speaking to Luke Jones of WNST.net, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expressed plenty of confidence that Baltimore will get a new deal worked out with defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. In all likelihood, the two sides will come to an agreement that reduces Ngata’s $16MM cap number for 2015, and extends his contract beyond the coming season. Of course, the two sides were also working on a new deal last offseason but those talks did not prove to be fruitful. More from the AFC..

Appearing today on WGR 550, Bills general manager Doug Whaley said the team has sent a proposal to Jerry Hughes‘ representatives, who countered with a proposal of their own (link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak). There’s an “open line of communication” between the two sides, according to Whaley, who said he’s meeting with Bills VP of football administration Jim Overdof today to determine if the club is close to anything with Hughes.
Whaley will meet with C.J. Spiller‘s representatives in Indianapolis to try and hammer out a new deal with the Bills, Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com writes. The rival Jets have been heavily connected to the tailback.
Whaley indicated that if linebacker Brandon Spikes wants an every-down role, it probably won’t happen with the Bills. “So that one’s going to be more of, ‘Hey, do you want to come back and be a one-, two-down player, or do you want to try to go out there and see if you can [be] an every-down player?” Whaley said of Spikes in an interview with John Murphy of BuffaloBills.com (audio link).
As expected, the Chargers won’t use their franchise tag on anyone this offseason, general manager Tom Telesco said today, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). King Dunlap and Brandon Flowers had been the most viable candidates, but as I wrote last month, a franchise-tag salary would be an overpay for either player.
If Raiders owner Mark Davis has to move the team to the NFC to make the move to Los Angeles happen, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) doesn’t see that being a deterrent. On Thursday, the Raiders and Chargers announced a plan to build a shared stadium in the Los Angeles area.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.