2015 February - Pro Football Rumors

Jets Decline Option On Chris Johnson

February 14th, 2015 at 1:33pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets have declined to pick up Chris Johnson‘s option for 2015, according to Randy Large of NewYorkJets.com. Johnson would have been owed a $500K roster bonus had the team decided to pick up his option, write Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). The running back will now become an unrestricted free agent on March 10, according to the team (via Twitter).

The team has also exercised the options on pass rushing linebackers Calvin Pace and Jason Babin. Each of those options come with a roster bonus of $250K, according to Cimini (via Twitter).

The decision to release Johnson will give the Jets an extra $3.5MM in cap space this offseason, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). He notes that the team was already planning on having between $45MM-$50MM in cap space to work with.

Although the team has exercised the options on both Babin and Pace, that does not guarantee either a spot on the roster in 2015, writes Cimini (via Twitter). Both linebackers are 34, and pass rusher will likely be considered a position of need for the Jets.

FA Notes: Fairley, Cowboys, Saints, Eagles

February 14th, 2015 at 12:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Following news that Nick Fairley was cleared of his DUI charge, the Lions defensive tackle made it clear that he wants to stay in Detroit longterm.

“I love Detroit, to be honest,” Fairley said (via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press). “I feel the city, the people in it. I love the atmosphere of basically the hard work that they bring. I’m just all work, and that’s definitely the vibe I get from the city, and I like it.”

The former first-rounder struggled through a knee injury in 2014, finishing with career-lows in tackles (eight) and sacks (one).

Let’s take a look at some more notes regarding this year’s free agent class…

If the Cowboys were to let one free agent get away, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News believes it would be linebacker Bruce Carter. With Sean Lee and Anthony Hitchens under contract, the team has enough flexibility to let the 27-year-old go.
The Saints re-signed kicker Shayne Graham and linebacker Parys Haralson earlier this week, and Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com tweets that the team committed a combined $90K in signing bonuses to the duo. With both players’ cap hits being worth an estimated $585K, Woodbery concludes that the team ultimately spent $1.26MM on the two players.
The Eagles need to have a strategy to improve their secondary heading into this offseason, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. The writer believes the team will move on from defensive backs Bradley Fletcher and Nate Allen, and he also mentions that the team could decide to cut Cary Williams and his $6.5MM salary. While the team has some in-house candidates to replace that trio, Mosher opines that the team may pursue some of the second-tier free agents, including Packers cornerback Davon House and 49ers defensive back Chris Culliver.

Cowboys Decline Option On Henry Melton

February 14th, 2015 at 11:41am CST by Ben Levine

It looks like Henry Melton‘s tenure in Dallas may only last one season. The Cowboys will not pick up the three-year, $24MM option on the defensive lineman’s contract, according to agent Jordan Woy (via Twitter). The 28-year-old will now become an unrestricted free agent. As ESPNDallas.com’s Todd Archer points out (on Twitter), the move will free up $8.39MM in cap space for the Cowboys.

The former fourth-round pick broke onto the scene with the Bears in 2010, when he finished with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. His best season in Chicago came in 2012, when he compiled 32 tackles and six sacks, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl and a top-six ranking on Pro Football Focus’ ratings (subscription required) of defensive tackles. However, his career with the Bears ended rather unceremoniously, as Melton only appeared in three games in 2013 before injuring his ACL.

Melton signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys last March, and the contract called for a three-year extension should the defender remain on the roster through the first day of the 2015 league year. He made 16 appearance with Dallas last season, compiling 15 tackles, five sacks, and four passes defended. PFF was rather impressed with his 2014 performance, ranking him third among Cowboys defenders. He was placed on the injured reserve following Week 17, effectively ending his season.

Saints Re-Sign Parys Haralson

February 14th, 2015 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 10:25am: Haralson will indeed earn the minimum salary, a one-year contract worth $870K, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter).

THURSDAY, 5:58pm: The Saints made it official with a press release.

12:27pm: The Saints have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with outside linebacker Parys Haralson, keeping him off the free agent market, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). According to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com (via Twitter), the deal figures to be for the minimum salary.

Haralson, who turned 31 last month, has spent the past two seasons with the Saints, serving as a part-time player on the team’s defensive unit. In 2014, he recorded 36 tackles and three sacks, to go along with a +1.5 Pro Football Focus grade in 498 snaps (subscription required). As PFF’s metrics showed, Haralson is at his best against the run — out of 40 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers, the former Tennessee Volunteer ranked fifth as a run defender.

Haralson’s previous one-year deal with the Saints was for the minimum salary and included a $65K signing bonus, the maximum bonus for a minimum-salary benefit contract. Like Fitzgerald, I expect Haralson’s new pact to look nearly identical to his last one, though the minimum salary for a player with his experience will get a modest bump, from $855K to $870K.

Saints Re-Sign Shayne Graham

February 14th, 2015 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 10:20am: Graham will earn $970K next season, the minimum value for his service time, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter).

THURSDAY, 5:58pm: The Saints announced that Graham’s deal has been signed.

3:50pm: Having reportedly reached a deal to re-sign free agent linebacker Parys Haralson earlier today, the Saints have struck an agreement to bring back another one of their pending free agents, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that New Orleans has re-signed kicker Shayne Graham to a one-year contract.

Graham, 37, was solid, albeit unspectacular, in assuming full-time kicking duties for the Saints in 2014. Asked to attempt just 22 field goals, Graham made 19 of them, for an 86.4% success rate, and didn’t miss any from inside 40 yards. The 14-year veteran also made 46 of 47 extra points, and deferred to punter Thomas Morstead for kickoffs.

When I examined potential franchise tag candidates for the Saints last week, I identified Graham as perhaps the only viable option, but didn’t view it as a realistic possibility. As I noted at the time, Graham’s performance in 2014 didn’t warrant paying him like a top kicker in the NFL. While financial terms of his new deal have yet to be reported, I’d expect the Virginia Tech product will either be in line for another minimum salary contract, or a salary only slightly north of that.

NFC Mailbags: Newton, Lions, McCarthy, Giants

February 14th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

We checked out ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…

If quarterbacks like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco can average $20MM annually, David Newton believes Cam Newton could certainly be included in that group. Ultimately, the writer believes the Panthers quarterback will receive a contract totaling about $100MM.
Kicker Matt Prater and defensive back Rashean Mathis want to return to the Lions next season, according to Michael Rothstein. There has been some contact between the organization and the agents for the team’s multiple free agents, but the writer cautions that nothing’s been “locked down.”
Despite Mike McCarthy‘s interest in the personnel aspect of the league, the Packers head coach does not want to be the team’s general manager, writes Rob Demovsky. The writer says the coach’s recent shuffling of the coaching staff indicates that he’d like to get involved in other areas of coaching.
Dan Graziano doesn’t see any incentive for the Giants to pursue Ray Rice over any other running back.
Considering the linebacker’s age and injury history, John Keim can’t envision Washington investing too much money in Brian Orakpo. Meanwhile, the writer could see the team bringing back quarterback Colt McCoy, tight end Niles Paul, and “perhaps” running back Roy Helu and wideout Leonard Hankerson. Santana Moss is among the players Keim would be surprised to see return.

AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Raiders, Colts, Jags

February 14th, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start off the day with some whispers from the AFC…

Looking at the list of Chiefs free agents, Adam Teicher believes the team should prioritize re-signing linebacker Justin Houston, followed by guard Rodney Hudson. When it comes to linebacker Josh Mauga and defensive back Ron Parker, the writer says the two players are replaceable.
Adrian Peterson would make some sense for the Raiders should be become a free agent, says Bill Williamson. Meanwhile, a reunion with linebacker Rolando McClain seems less reasonable to the writer.
Mike Wells expects Vick Ballard, Dan Herron and Zurlon Tipton to be at Colts training camp, and he wouldn’t be surprised if the team re-signs Ahmad Bradshaw. However, the writer has little faith in the team bringing back embattled running back Trent Richardson.
Michael DiRocco is of the opinion that it would be a waste of money for the Jaguars to pursue defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in free agency. After all, the team has “more pressing needs,” and the money the team would have to invest in the All-Pro defender could instead be used on multiple players.

Chronic Back Injury Puts Lynch’s Career At Crossroads

February 13th, 2015 at 10:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marshawn Lynch‘s stance on retirement continues to fluctuate, but the latest information regarding the running back’s stance relates to injury, not dissatisfaction, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport addressed on NFL Total Access and NFL.com colleague Dan Hanzus recaps and expands.

Sources close to Lynch told Rapoport the Seahawks running back deals with compressed cartilage in his back, and the condition “will not heal” and could get worse based on Lynch’s power-based style. Numerous football players have come forward with the chronic conditions they’ve faced after their playing days conclude, but a player as mercurial as Lynch evidently knowing of a condition that won’t heal is a red flag for his future.

The Seahawks already contributed slightly more money to Lynch during training camp last summer, converting various bonuses and incentives he would’ve received in 2015 to a $1.5MM bump last season, per the Seattle Times. Rapoport noted earlier this month of a contract extension the Seahawks proposed to Lynch that would provide him $10MM this fall despite entering his age-29 season. The former Bills running back plays on a four-year, $30MM deal — the fifth-highest in the league, according to OverTheCap.com — and has dominated carries in the Seattle backfield since rejuvenating his career there following a 2010 trade.

Despite this developing condition, Lynch has been extremely durable during his four-plus years in Seattle, suiting up for 76 of a possible 78 regular-season games since the Bills shipped him west. Over the four full seasons he has carried the load for the Seahawks, Lynch hasn’t accumulated fewer than 280 carries in any of them. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) hasn’t slotted Lynch below its top-five annual running back rankings since 2011, illuminating his value at a position where value has cratered this decade.

Primary backup Robert Turbin and elusive but rarely used speedster Christine Michael are the Seahawks’ current fallback options.

Panthers To Re-Sign Chris Scott

February 13th, 2015 at 9:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers will bring back free agent offensive lineman Chris Scott, a league source tells Yahoo! Sports’ Rand Getlin (Twitter link). Scott started eight games at both left and right guard for the Panthers in 2013 but experienced a less-stable 2014 season.

Carolina cut Scott in August before re-signing him in October. This appears to be a depth move, as the 27-year-old Tennessee product was the Panthers’ third-string guard last season. Scott had been eligible for restricted free agency.

Pro Football Focus (subscription required) gave the former fifth-round pick a negative grade in 506 snaps in 2013, by far his most involved season. Scott played for the Bills and Steelers previously, but his only eight starts came in 2013 after he took over for an injured Amini Silatolu. Scott then sustained a knee injury that slowed him for the rest of that campaign. Scott made a prorated portion of $730K during his time on Carolina’s roster last season, with barely half that counting against the Panthers’ cap.

The Panthers are more than $11MM under the salary cap before this minor transaction, according to OverTheCap.com.

NFC Notes: Harbaugh, Suh, Rams

February 13th, 2015 at 8:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh shared some thoughts about his former employer on the Tim Kawakami Show, telling the San Jose Mercury News columnist his parting with the 49ers “wasn’t exactly mutual.”

“I didn’t leave the 49ers. I felt like the 49ers left me,” Harbaugh told Kawakami. The successful coach quickly exited San Francisco for Ann Arbor, Michigan, just after his fourth season as an NFL head coach concluded.

Mired in what appeared to be a consistent struggle with upper management, Harbaugh left despite taking the 49ers to three straight NFC title games, a destination the franchise hadn’t seen since 1997. Harbaugh also confirmed he was told he wouldn’t be back with the 49ers after a Week 15 loss in Seattle. The current Michigan coach, who will work for $5MM this season, didn’t deny then-defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was campaigning for his old job before getting it in January.

“There was definitely a point where you walk down the halls and you … I wasn’t reading anything that was on the Internet, I was really focused on doing my job … but definitely walk down the halls and people look away or they look at you and you know something’s going on,” Harbaugh told Kawakami.

On to those who plan to be paid by NFL franchises this season …

If franchised, Ndamukong Suh‘s salary will balloon into the stratosphere reserved for baseball players and Roger Goodell, but Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin doesn’t care at this point, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. He plans on the free agent defensive tackle returning for a sixth season in the Motor City. Of course, there are other deciding voices on this expensive matter. Suh would draw a staggering $26.9MM should the Lions franchise him. The former No. 2 overall pick’s cap number was north of $22MM last season, according to OverTheCap.com. The near-$27MM figure would represent more than 19% of the Lions’ overall salary cap if they exercise this option. The team has 23 free agents and only $14.5MM worth of cap space, so some major restructuring would be necessary to make Austin’s ideal vision come to fruition.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher shed some light on his recent offensive coordinator hire, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Twitter, saying it was going to be an in-house candidate. Fisher also noted he had only one in-person interview — Nathaniel Hackett — and a couple of phone conversations with Kyle Shanahan and Adam Gase (via Wagner on Twitter) before promoting quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti. Jeff Garcia was interviewed for the quarterback coach job on Thursday and Friday, but more interviews are coming (Twitter link).
Amid another contract renegotiation, Larry Fitzgerald could finally enter the free agent market, but Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic explains why the 31-year-old Fitzgerald departing would not be the right move for his own sake. Fitzgerald is due $8MM if he’s on the roster when the new league year begins March 10, but that contract carries a $23.6MM cap charge, which is probably a non-starter for most players, let alone a one who hasn’t topped 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2011. The Cardinals need to slash more than $10MM, according to OverTheCap.com, to move under the salary cap by March 10, and Fitzgerald’s deal is front and center.