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Month: November 2024

NFLPA Files Grievance Vs. Browns For Gordon Suspension

February 17th, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by Luke Adams

7:30pm: Gordon was notified in writing about his lateness on multiple occasions, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The NFLPA grievance claims that he wasn’t notified or fined for it.

9:11am: The NFL Players Association has filed a non-injury grievance vs. the Browns, challenging the one-game suspension the team handed out to Josh Gordon at the end of the 2014 season, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The ban, which happened prior to Week 17, came from the team, and is separate from the year-long suspension the wideout later received from the league.

This grievance had been anticipated, since suspending Gordon for the final game of the 2014 campaign ensured that he only played in five games, one short of the six he would require for an accrued season. While the discipline may have been warranted, it looked like it also could have been a ploy by the Browns to push the 23-year-old’s eligibility for unrestricted free agency back by a year.

Regardless of whether or not Gordon’s suspension from the team is upheld by an arbitrator, the wideout’s unrestricted free agency will still be delayed by at least one year due to his more recent ban from the league, since a player doesn’t receive an accrued season when he spends the year on the reserve/suspended list. A player is eligible to be a UFA after four accrued seasons, but if both of Gordon’s suspensions stand, he’ll only have two accrued seasons by 2016, which is when he originally would’ve been set to hit the open market.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

February 17th, 2015 at 6:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Giants have re-signed free-agent-to-be wideout Kevin Ogletree to a one-year contract, a source tells Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Ogletree joined the team back in October in the wake of Victor Cruz‘s season-ending knee injury, and didn’t see a ton of action during the season’s second half. For the year, he caught five balls for 50 yards in seven games (96 offensive snaps).

While financial terms of the deal aren’t yet known, it will almost certainly be a minimum-salary contract for the veteran receiver. For a player with his NFL experience, that would mean a base salary of $745K for the coming season.

Here are the rest of Tuesday’s minor transactions, with any additional minor moves added to the top of this list throughout the day:

  • The Cowboys cut linebacker Mister Alexander, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Alexander, who spent the year on Dallas’ taxi squad, was signed to a futures deal in January.
  • Cornerback Shaquille Richardson, who was selected by the Steelers in the fifth round of last year’s draft, has signed with the Chiefs, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Richardson didn’t survive the final round of roster cutdowns in Pittsburgh last August.
  • The Jaguars‘ signing of offensive tackle Brennan Williams is now official, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Williams, a former Texans third-round pick, tweeted word of his agreement with the Jags last week.

Earlier updates:

  • Offensive tackle Darrion Weems has re-signed with the Cowboys, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Weems, who has yet to actually play a regular-season snap for Dallas, had been on track to be an exclusive rights free agent, so he’ll be back for the minimum salary.
  • The same goes for guard Ronald Leary, another Cowboys ERFA who re-signed with the club today, per Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link). Unlike Weems, Leary is a starter on the Cowboys’ line, but since he has fewer than three years of experience, he’s not yet in line for a real raise.
  • According to Archer, the Cowboys also adjusted the contract for linebacker Dekoda Watson, who agreed to take a pay cut from $1.25MM to $745K. Watson’s deal with Dallas doesn’t include any bonuses or dead money, so his base salary is the only figure that changed.

Offseason Outlook: Washington

February 17th, 2015 at 5:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Pending free agents:

Top 10 2015 cap hits:

  1. Trent Williams, T: $13,730,393
  2. Pierre Garcon, WR: $9,700,000
  3. DeSean Jackson, WR: $9,250,000
  4. Stephen Bowen, DL: $8,020,000
  5. Barry Cofield, DT: $7,677,500
  6. Ryan Kerrigan, OLB: $7,038,000
  7. Robert Griffin III, QB: $6,719,713
  8. Jason Hatcher, DL: $5,250,000
  9. DeAngelo Hall, CB: $4,812,500
  10. Chris Chester, G: $4,800,000

Notable coaching changes:

Draft:

  • No. 5 overall pick
  • No traded picks

Other:

Overview

In January of 2014, Washington hired Jay Gruden to be the team’s next head coach after Mike Shanahan was let go. Almost a year later, many wondered if he’d get a second season. Ultimately, Gruden was assured his job after a convincing Week 16 victory over the Eagles. The same can’t be said for everyone else in the organization, however.

Longtime GM Bruce Allen was removed from his post in favor of Scot McCloughan, a seasoned executive with many years of scouting experience. For a team that hasn’t always nailed it in the draft, McCloughan’s arrival could prove to be a game changer. Meanwhile, Joe Barry was brought aboard as the team’s new defensive coordinator to replace Jim Haslett. Barry was Washington’s first choice — sort of. The club went hard after the Chargers linebackers coach, then changed direction sharply once 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio became available. Once things failed to shake out with Fangio, Washington circled back to Barry and got its original No. 1 pick.

Positions Of Need

Washington’s top priority will probably be to address the two starting safety spots. Last season, the club’s safeties were repeatedly burned deep and opposing offenses seemed to have little trouble with blowing the lid off of the coverage. The team primarily relied on Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather in 2014. To say that the duo disappointed would be an understatement. Meriweather was rated as the No. 60 safety in the league by Pro Football Focus (subscription required and recommended), while Clark was dead last among the qualified players at the position at No. 87. Meriweather’s -2.1 overall score indicated that he was merely below average. Clark’s -20.7 rating pegged him as being downright atrocious.

If Washington moves on from both safeties, the team could theoretically fill one hole with Phillip Thomas. Thomas was was a fourth-round pick in 2013 but has seen limited playing time thanks to injuries and time on the club’s taxi squad. However, he started four games to close out the 2014 season and he could be in the mix for a starting job, provided that he isn’t too green for it.

Still, Washington can be expected to go out of house for at least one of those roles. In a perfect world, the team would back up a Brinks truck for someone like Devin McCourty this offseason. In the real world, the front office will probably aim a little lower if they turn to free agency. Jeron Johnson, who is scheduled to hit the open market one year after he signed a restricted free agent tender with the Seahawks, could be one potential target. New GM McCloughan was in Seattle’s scouting department when Johnson was first signed as a UDFA, so there’s a definite connection there. Rahim Moore, who just turned 25 last week, is one of the Broncos’ many free agents (unrestricted) and could be another possibility. In the draft, Landon Collins could be on the radar when it’s Washington’s turn at No. 5.

Ryan Kerrigan had a breakout year for Washington last season but Brian Orakpo wasn’t able to deliver an encore of his 2013 performance on the other side. While Kerrigan impressed with 51 tackles, 13.5 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles, the team’s pass rush as a whole left much to be desired. When Washington made Orakpo its highest-paid player with an $11.455MM deal (off of the franchise tender), the club had much higher hopes for him than an injury-riddled year that would be cut short by Week 7. The young Trent Murphy did the best he could in a starting role, but he likely won’t be asked to start again in 2015. With so many question marks surrounding Orakpo (a pending free agent), you can expect Washington to at least explore outside linebackers in free agency and possibly in the draft.

The offensive line will also be pretty high on the list of priorities for McCloughan & Co., as NFL Network’s Mike Mayock recently detailed in a conference call wtih reporters, including CSNWashington.com’s Tarik El-Bashir.

“Remember Scot McCloughan is in charge of the draft,” Mayock said. “His background tells you he’s a big-bodied guy. Offensive line and defensive line—big, strong guys. So where could they go [at No. 5 overall]? I think offensive line needs help. How they evaluate Morgan Moses and Spencer Long, who are both third-round picks from a year ago, is going to be important.”

Specifically, Mayock posited that there will be a need at right guard regardless of Long’s development as he enters his sophomore year. Mayock opined that at 32, Chris Chester‘s best football is behind him, necessitating a change. The metrics at Pro Football Focus seem to agree: Chester ranked as the No. 47 guard out of 81 qualified players at the position in 2014.

Key Free Agents

Last offseason, Washington decided that it wanted to see more out of Orakpo before making a lengthy and lucrative commitment. After seeing just seven weeks of regular season action from the veteran, it appears that the team made a smart choice. Now, the club has another difficult decision on its hands. Orakpo is eligible to hit the open market once again and, despite the uncertainty, he remains one of the most talented players at his position when he’s healthy. Using the tag on Orakpo again would be an option, theoretically, but that seems unlikely, as our own Luke Adams recently wrote. Time isn’t necessarily on Orakpo’s side as he approaches age 29 and, therefore, he’ll probably prioritize the best payday available to him. All things considered, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Washington let him go elsewhere.

In his five games (four starts) in 2014, quarterback Colt McCoy posted respectable numbers, completing 71.1% of his passes for 1,057 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. Now, he’ll likely be looking for a pay raise as he approaches the open market. Assuming Washington sticks with Robert Griffin III under center (and even if they don’t), the organization has learned the value of having a quality No. 2 signal caller on the depth chart. Another team could certainly outbid Washington, but with plenty of breathing room under the cap, it would make sense for the club that drafted RGIII in 2012 to retain the University of Texas product.

Speaking of valuable understudies, tight end Niles Paul became quite an important player in Washington’s passing game last season. With Jordan Reed struggling through injuries, Paul filled in capably and posted some impressive stat lines, particularly in the early going. Paul may be a bit undersized for the position at 6’1″, but you can expect teams to circle the wagons around him regardless if he hits the open market.

On defense, it’s a little tricky to get a read on the aforementioned safety situation. After turning in a year that disappointing by any measure, Clark probably won’t be welcomed back. Meriweather, on the other hand, could be a consideration depending on how things break in the secondary.

Longtime Washington back Roy Helu could wind up elsewhere to infuriate fantasy owners everywhere. Veteran Santana Moss, who has been a huge part of the organization for years, is determined to continue playing but he could be donning colors besides burgundy and gold for the first time since 2004.

Extension Candidates/Contract Issues

As we detailed earlier, the offensive line is definitely an area of importance for Washington. With that in mind, the club could seek to work out an extension with tackle Trent Williams. Injuries and all, Williams figures to be a sought-after commodity after the 2015 season when he’s eligible to hit the open market. A new deal won’t be cheap, but it’s also not easy to replace a young, dominant tackle like Williams, who turns 27 in July.

The team has to decide by May 3rd whether to extend RGIII through the 2016 season. Not long ago, that seemed like an absolute no-brainer of a move. Now? – That’s a dilly of a pickle, as longtime NFL aficionado Ned Flanders would say. Last season, the one-time face of the franchise was benched in favor of McCoy and only regained his starting gig when he was placed on IR. Despite his adamant public statements to the contrary, it’s widely believed that Coach Gruden is not a huge fan of RGIII. Rather than pick up the costly option, owner Dan Snyder might be okay with rolling the dice on Griffin in ’15. Of course, if Snyder does not subscribe to the idea of the sunk cost fallacy, he might have a hard time doing that after Washington gave up a fortune to draft the young signal-caller just a few years ago.

Running back Alfred Morris, earning a pittance of a salary, is entering his walk year and could certainly be an extension candidate. Kerrigan, coming off of a breakout season, will earn a $7.038MM salary in 2015 after the team exercised his fifth-year option in May of last year. Of course, as a former first-round pick, it wasn’t a total shock to see him put everything together at this stage of his career. Washington has watched Kerrigan bust his behind each and every season and that should give them confidence that he’ll continue to trend upward.

Overall Outlook

After a 4-12 season, no one will accuse 2014’s NFC East cellar-dwellers of looking like world beaters. Still, in a division that looks relatively wide open, there’s no reason why Washington can’t get back on the right path in 2015. Armed with a host of high draft picks and a healthy amount of cap space, the team could be poised to pull off an impressive turnaround with the right offseason moves.

Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Free Agent Market For Kickers/Punters

February 17th, 2015 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Our list of 2015 free agents provides a comprehensive position-by-position breakdown of which players are eligible to hit the open market this year. However, that list of names doesn’t include much context or additional information about those players. So, with March’s free agent period fast approaching, we’ll be taking a closer look this month at the free agent market for each position. Today, we’ll turn our attention to kickers and punters. Let’s dive in….

Kickers:

Gostkowski is perhaps the most notable name on this year’s list of free agent kickers, and for all the talk about the Patriots’ willingness to move on from high-priced players earlier than expected, the team has only really employed two kickers – Gostkowski and Adam Vinatieri – since 1996. If the Pats see a young prospect they like that would cost a fraction of Gostkowski’s salary, I’d fully expect them to move on, particularly with a couple other notable players to retain. But the club has been willing to pay its kicker like one of the league’s best ($3.4MM annually) in recent years, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that continue.

As restricted free agents who have been very effective in their first three seasons, Tucker and Forbath almost certainly aren’t going anywhere, but we could see some movement with the rest of the group. Succop, Prater, and Feely joined their current teams in 2014, so there’s not much history there. They’re more likely to switch teams than guys like Bryant and Nugent, who have been with their respective clubs for a few seasons now.

Besides Gostkowski and perhaps Bryant, none of these guys should be among the league’s most highly-paid kickers, though Tucker could join those ranks soon — his status as a restricted free agent should keep his salary modest for one more season, but if Baltimore wants to work out something longer-term, it figures to cost $3MM+ per year. Tucker’s conversion percentage dipped a little last season, but his five missed attempts all came from 50+ yards.

Punters:

No position will have less drama during this free agent period than punter. As restricted free agents, Jones and King likely aren’t going anywhere as long as their teams want them back, which seems like a reasonable bet. McBriar probably won’t return to San Diego if injured starter Mike Scifres is ready to go for training camp. That leaves Kern, whose performance last season was certainly strong enough to warrant interest from rival suitors — it’s just a matter of finding an opening. If the Titans haven’t gotten anything done with their punter by March 10, expect clubs looking for an upgrade at the position to kick the tires on him.

Previous looks at the 2015 free agent market:

Packers Cut Brandon Bostick, Kevin Dorsey

February 17th, 2015 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 3:40pm: The Packers officially confirmed Bostick’s release today in a press release, and announced that they’ve waived wide receiver Kevin Dorsey as well. Dorsey, a 2013 seventh-round pick, spent most of his first two season on the injured reserve list.

MONDAY, 1:44pm: The Packers have made a Monday roster move, waiving tight end Brandon Bostick, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bostick himself first broke the news, publishing a tweet this afternoon that thanked the Green Bay organization and fans and announced that his time there had ended.

Bostick, 25, had been with the Packers since 2012, playing 24 regular-season games over the course of the last two seasons. While his contributions were limited, he caught a touchdown pass in each of the last two years, totaling nine overall receptions in 2013 and 2014. Unfortunately for the Newberry product, his time with the Packers will almost certainly be best remembered for his inability to secure an onside kick in this year’s NFC championship game against the Seahawks, which helped pave the way for a Seattle victory.

Because Bostick has played fewer than four NFL seasons, he’ll have to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent. If he does go unclaimed, he’ll have the opportunity to hit the free agent market early, getting a head start on the players who won’t be able to sign elsewhere until March 10.

Bostick had been set to earn the minimum salary in 2015, so his release won’t create any additional cap room for the Packers.

NFC Notes: Wilson, Gore, Vikes, Gholston

February 17th, 2015 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Former agent Joel Corry tells Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times that he can envision the Seahawks and Russell Wilson‘s camp coming to a creative compromise on a contract extension. A good halfway point for the two sides could be a deal that comes in at significantly less money than a top quarterback would receive, but with that money fully guaranteed. Corry throws out the idea of a possible five-year contract that would guarantee Wilson something like $75-$80MM.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Frank Gore doesn’t appear likely to re-sign with the 49ers this offseason, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link), who identifies the Colts, the Dolphins, and Washington as probable suitors for the veteran running back. Based on the conversations Miller has had with executives around the league, he names Indianapolis as the most likely landing spot for Gore.
  • The Vikings will meet with agent Hadley Engelhard in Indianapolis this week, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (via Twitter). Engelhard represents current Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn as well as free agent wideout Mike Williams.
  • Former sixth overall pick Vernon Gholston hasn’t appeared in a regular season NFL game since 2010, but the ex-Jets edge defender announced today on Twitter that he has a tryout with Washington on tap.
  • Pass rushers will likely be atop the Falcons‘ list of priorities this winter, prompting Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com to explore just how much the team should be willing to invest in the position.
  • After tackling the AFC last week, former agent Joel Corry focuses on one pressing offseason issue for each of the 16 NFC teams in a piece for CBSSports.com. The topics addressed by Corry include Larry Fitzgerald‘s future in Arizona, Jerry Jones‘ willingness to keep spending on the Cowboys, and the moves the Saints will make to get under the cap.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Bills Release Keith Rivers

February 17th, 2015 at 2:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Linebacker Keith Rivers, who signed with the Bills at the start of the 2014 free agent period, will be on the lookout for a new job again this winter. The Bills announced today in a press release that they’ve parted ways with Rivers, terminating his contract a year before it was set to expire.

Rivers, who previously spent time with the Bengals and Giants, played just 12 games for the Bills in 2014, starting three. Of his 192 defensive snaps, nearly all of them came in the first half — the former ninth overall pick played just 24 snaps on defense after Week 8.

In his preview of the Bills’ offseason on Sunday, PFR’s Connor Byrne identified Rivers as a potential cap candidate, considering his dwindling role in Buffalo was paired with a $2.2MM cap hit. Buffalo won’t clear that entire amount from its books by cutting Rivers, but the team will be left with just $500K in dead money, creating $1.7MM in cap savings.

Rivers won’t have to pass through waivers, and is immediately eligible to sign with a new team.

Latest On Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray

February 17th, 2015 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

This week’s combine in Indianapolis provides teams an opportunity to meet with the representatives for their prospective free agents to try to see if they can find common ground before free agency officially begins in March. And according to Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones plans to do just that with DeMarco Murray‘s agent, Bill Johnson, at some point this week. Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the team is also expected to meet with Dez Bryant‘s reps, after not talking for months, though Jones didn’t sound convinced that a sit-down will happen this week.

As Sabin observes, the fact that Jones is uncertain about meeting with Tom Condon and Bryant’s reps suggests that the team is leaning toward simply using its franchise tag on the star wideout. That’s a notion that Jones certainly didn’t dispute.

“Right now all things being equal, it’s leaning more Dez with the franchise than it is not,” Jones said. “But that doesn’t mean it will stay that way. … We don’t ever want to give up on a long-term deal. It’s something we worked on all of last year and it kind of cooled off once we got into the season. We’ll continue to see what our options are and things happen quickly as you go along. Things can go along with a lot not going on, but all of a sudden it happens.”

For his part, Bryant, who has indicated in the past that he doesn’t love the idea of being tagged, has “all but resigned” himself to that outcome, sources tell Hill. Nonetheless, even though it looks like a safe bet that the Cowboys will eventually use their tag on their receiver rather than their running back, Jones hasn’t dismissed the possibility of franchising Murray.

“I would never rule anything out,” Jones said. “Who knows what tomorrow brings? Things have a sudden way of getting kicked in and you start to get some traction on something. You go down that road and get that done. It’s dominoes.”

The Cowboys will have until March 2 to use their franchise tag, and will have until March 10 to get deals done with Bryant and/or Murray that would keep them off the open market.

Chiefs Cut Donnie Avery, A.J. Jenkins

February 17th, 2015 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

1:01pm: The Chiefs have officially released Avery, and have also waived former first-round wideout A.J. Jenkins, tweets BJ Kissel of KCChiefs.com. Jenkins, who had just nine receptions last season, had been on the books for a non-guaranteed $1.337MM cap hit. He’ll have to clear waivers before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

12:12pm: The Chiefs are nearly ready to begin making cap-clearing moves in advance of this year’s free agent period, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team is cutting wide receiver Donnie Avery. As a six-year NFL veteran, Avery won’t pass through waivers, and will immediately be free to sign with another club once the move becomes official.

Avery, who had started 14 games for the Chiefs in 2013, acting as the team’s No. 2 wideout behind Dwayne Bowe, was sidelined for most of the 2014 campaign due to a groin injury. He played in six games, grabbing just 15 passes for 176 yards, and was held without a touchdown for the first time in his career.

Of course, Avery was hardly alone in Kansas City when it came to being held touchdown-less. The Chiefs’ entire wide receiving corps improbably went the whole 2014 season without catching a single TD pass. Given the lack of production from the group last season, and the fact that there’s a chance Bowe could join Avery on the open market, wide receiver figures to be a primary area of focus for the team this offseason.

Because Avery had been scheduled to earn a $2.7MM base salary and $700K in combined roster and workout bonuses, the Chiefs will create $3.4MM in cap savings by cutting him. With less than $2MM in projected cap space, and a number of their own players to re-sign – most notably Justin Houston – Kansas City will have to make a few more moves before they’ll have enough room to comfortably negotiate new deals with those free-agents-to-be

Panthers Release Thomas DeCoud

February 17th, 2015 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran safety Thomas DeCoud has been released by an NFC South club for the second consecutive offseason. Less than a year after being cut by the Falcons, DeCoud has been let go by the Panthers, the team announced today in a press release. Within the same release, Carolina also confirmed its previously-reported one-year deal with offensive lineman Chris Scott.

DeCoud, who turns 30 next month, started 11 of 15 games for the Panthers in 2014, after having started all but one game he played in during the previous five seasons in Atlanta. The former third-round pick totaled 50 tackles and three passes defended to go along with an interception last season, and ranked 74th out of 87 qualified safeties, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required).

The Panthers signed DeCoud to a two-year contract back in April that was worth a base value of $3.525MM, including a $500K signing bonus. Half of that bonus will remain on the team’s 2015 cap, counting for $250K in dead money, but Carolina still creates close to $2MM in cap savings by parting ways with the safety.

As for DeCoud, as a seven-year veteran, he won’t have to clear waivers, and is immediately free to sign with another team.

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