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NFC Notes: Bennett, Cowboys, Falcons, Bucs

April 9th, 2015 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

General manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll have already dismissed an offseason rumor about Michael Bennett wanting a new contract and/or a trade to Atlanta, but it wasn’t until today that the Seahawks defensive end himself weighed in on the matter, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times details.

“I never asked for it. I didn’t come to them asking for a trade,” Bennett said on 710 ESPN Seattle. “I’m still trying to figure out how a guy from Dallas (Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram) makes up a story about me, I’m living in Seattle, I’m like how does that happen? I’m in Hawaii surfing, got the kids surfing in the ocean and they are talking about something else.”

While Bennett downplayed the story, Hill’s initial report said that the defensive end wanted a trade — not that he’d necessarily requested one. Bennett, who didn’t address the part of the story about wanting a new contract, also said today that he has “been talking” to the team, suggesting there’s something worth talking about. So while Bennett almost certainly isn’t going anywhere, I’m not sure there’s absolutely zero truth to the initial report.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams, who was arrested for DUI last week, paid a visit to Dallas today to meet with the Cowboys, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter). The incident could hurt Williams’ draft stock, but as the Cowboys showed when they signed Greg Hardy, they aren’t afraid to add a player who could be facing off-field issues, or an on-field suspension.
  • Speaking of players with off-field question marks, Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory worked out privately for the Falcons in the days after word of his failed combine drug test broke, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • In addition to confirming the previously reported visit of Nate Orchard, the Buccaneers also announced today that they hosted TCU linebacker Paul Dawson, LSU defensive end Jermauria Rasco, and Utah defensive back Eric Rowe.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun passes along a pair of updates on recently-signed Eagles, reporting (via Twitter) that wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu got $380K guaranteed on his minimum salary deal, while cornerback E.J. Biggers didn’t receive a signing bonus on his minimum salary pact.
  • Brock Lutes, a Bemidji State basketball player and NFL tight end hopeful, will pay a visit to the 49ers on Tuesday, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link).

Minor Moves: Thursday

April 9th, 2015 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional minor transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Texans have re-signed reserve guard Cody White, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. White spent the 2014 season on injured reserve after tearing his Achilles.
  • Packers offensive lineman Don Barclay has formally signed his restricted free agent contract tender to remain with the team, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Barclay, who missed the entire 2014 campaign after tearing his ACL, received the low-end tender from the team, so he’ll make $1.542MM in 2015.

Earlier updates:

  • The Buccaneers have officially signed linebacker and special-teamer Larry Dean, the team announced today in a press release. Dean’s contributions come almost exclusively on special teams — over the last two seasons, he has compiled more special teams tackles (23) than defensive snaps (20).
  • Backup offensive guard Jah Reid has officially signed a new one-year contract with the Ravens today, as first reported Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. According to Wilson, Reid spoke to a few other NFL teams before deciding to return to Baltimore. His new deal has a minimum base salary, but includes some playing-time incentives (Twitter link).

Bengals Re-Sign Cedric Peerman

April 9th, 2015 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

2:25pm: The Bengals have officially re-signed Peerman, according to the club (Twitter link).

9:13am: After paying a visit to the Eagles this week, free agent running back Cedric Peerman will be re-signing with the Bengals later today, reports Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). Details of Peerman’s new deal aren’t yet known, but I wouldn’t expect more than a modest one-year contract.

Peerman, 28, has spent the last five seasons with the Bengals, appearing in 68 games for the team during that stretch. Although he’s listed on the depth chart as a running back, the former sixth-round pick plays sparingly on offense, appearing in just 44 offensive snaps in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

While his offensive contributions are limited, Peerman excels on special teams, having recorded at least nine tackles in kick and punt coverage in each of the last four seasons. In 2014, he racked up an impressive 21 total special teams tackles, including three in the Bengals’ Wild Card game, per PFF.

With Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard set to return and dominate the backfield touches in 2015, Peerman once again figures to play a much bigger role on special teams than on offense.

Lions Notes: Parker, Hardison, Johnson

April 9th, 2015 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite the fact that Calvin Johnson missed some time due to injury in 2014, he and Golden Tate combined to grab 170 balls for the Lions. However, no other Detroit wide receiver exceeded Jeremy Ross‘ 24 receptions, so the team appears to be at least considering the possibility of taking a wideout early in the draft.

Today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com, the club hosted Louisville’s DeVante Parker, who is viewed by many as the third-best receiver in this year’s class, behind only Kevin White and Amari Cooper. While we wait to see exactly how serious the Lions are about upgrading their receiving corps, let’s check in on a few more items out of Detroit…

  • Per Twentyman, the Lions also hosted Arizona State defensive tackle Marcus Hardison for a pre-draft visit today.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press explains why he doesn’t think it makes sense for the Lions to match George Johnson‘s three-year, $9MM offer sheet from the Buccaneers. As Birkett points out, if the Lions had really wanted to retain Johnson at that sort of price, they could’ve assigned him a second-round tender ($2.356MM) rather than a low-end tender ($1.542MM) last month, which would’ve limited the defensive end’s market and virtually guaranteed his return.
  • Birkett also passes along a note on the Lions’ draft plans, tweeting that several people he has spoken to believe the team will select an offensive lineman with its first-round pick.
  • Linebacker Brandon Copeland, who signed with the Lions following the veterans’ combine, received a $25K bonus from the team, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

Jets Re-Sign Leger Douzable

April 9th, 2015 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 2:01pm: Douzable’s new one-year deal with the Jets is worth $1.2MM, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.

WEDNESDAY, 1:54pm: The Jets have officially confirmed Douzable’s new deal in a press release.

1:27pm: The Jets and defensive lineman Leger Douzable have agreed to terms on a new deal, according to the veteran free agent himself. Douzable announced in a tweet to Jets fans that he was “back,” and confirmed in a text message to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that he’s signing a new contract with the team today.

Douzable, who turns 29 next month, has played on back-to-back one-year deals with the Jets, earning a little more playing time in 2014 than he did in his first season with the team in 2013. In 322 defensive snaps as a part-time contributor, the Central Florida product recorded 25 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

The Jets will be bringing Douzable back into the fold despite the fact that former head coach Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman are now in Buffalo. Since free agency began, New York has added defensive lineman Stephen Bowen and Kevin Vickerson to the roster, so it’ll be interesting to see whether Douzable gets as much playing time in 2015.

Terms of Douzable’s new deal have yet to be reported, but I’d expect another one-year pact.

Colts Exercise Andrew Luck’s 2016 Option

April 9th, 2015 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

In the least surprising fifth-year option decision of the year, the Colts have officially exercised Andrew Luck‘s option for the 2016 season, the team announced today in a press release. The move ensures that Luck will be under contract for ’16 for a salary worth $16.155MM.

Luck, 25, has led the Colts to three consecutive 11-5 seasons since entering the league in 2012, establishing new career highs in 2014 with 4,761 passing yards and 40 touchdowns. He also led the team to a pair of postseason wins this winter, reaching the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. In other words, the former first overall pick has done nothing but prove that he’s in line for a mega-deal, and there’s a possibility his next contract makes him the highest-paid player in football.

However, with Luck now secured for two more seasons, the Colts probably aren’t in any rush to negotiate an extension. Team owner Jim Irsay indicated last month at the NFL’s owners meetings that the club may not address the young signal-caller’s contract until 2016.

Luck becomes the third player from 2012’s draft class to formally have his fifth-year option picked up. The Steelers exercised their option on David DeCastro today, while the Chargers picked up Melvin Ingram‘s option earlier this week. You can follow all of this year’s option decisions using our tracker.

Browns Sign Rob Housler

April 9th, 2015 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

12:16pm: The Browns have officially signed Housler to a one-year contract, the team announced today in a press release. Per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links), the deal is worth $1.76MM — the Ravens had only offered the veteran tight end a minimum salary.

11:27am: Free agent tight end Rob Housler has agreed to terms with the Browns, reports Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Fowler, it’ll be a one-year deal for Housler.

Housler, 27, had a disappointing 2014 season, as he notched just nine receptions for 129 yards. However, he posted respectable numbers in 2012 and 2013, averaging 42 catches for 436 yards during those two seasons. The former third-round pick also received interest from the Ravens, Bengals, and Falcons this offseason, and was reportedly offered a contract by Baltimore.

The Browns had been in the market for a new tight end after seeing Jordan Cameron depart for the Dolphins. At one point early in free agency, it appeared that Cleveland had locked up Cameron to a new two-year contract, but he instead accepted a nearly identical deal from Miami. The Browns also had some interest in Charles Clay before he inked a five-year pact with the Bills.

Steelers Pick Up David DeCastro’s 2016 Option

April 9th, 2015 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have exercised their fifth-year option on guard David DeCastro, locking him up for the 2016 season, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Pittsburgh becomes the second team to officially pick up its fifth-year option on a 2012 draftee, on the heels of the Chargers exercising their option on linebacker Melvin Ingram.

DeCastro, who turned 25 in January, has established himself as one of the core pieces on the Steelers’ ofensive line, starting all but one game at right guard over the course of the last two seasons. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded the former 24th overall pick as the league’s 14th-best guard in 2013 – out of 81 qualified players – and ranked him 18th of 78 in 2014.

By picking up their fifth-year option on DeCastro, the Steelers will have him on their books for a salary of $8.07MM in 2016. That figure could eventually be adjusted with a contract extension, and won’t become fully guaranteed until the first day of the ’16 league year.

Draft Updates: Mariota, White, Falcons, Jags

April 9th, 2015 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The previously-reported visits for top draft prospects Marcus Mariota, Leonard Williams, and Dante Fowler Jr. are all happening today for the Titans, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Although the Titans are getting a closer look at Mariota, another team in the top five apparently won’t get an opportunity to do so. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that Washington had planned to bring in Mariota for a visit, but the two sides couldn’t work out a time, so that trip is now off.

The news may not mean anything significant, but Charles Robinson notes in his latest piece for Yahoo! Sports that sources around the league are skeptical that Washington is truly interested in selecting Mariota with the No. 5 overall pick. “They’re trying to create leverage to get someone to [trade] up,” said one AFC personnel source.

With a report today suggesting that the Browns have real interest in moving up for Mariota, the Oregon quarterback is certainly generating the most draft buzz this week, but we have plenty of updates on other prospects as well. Here’s the latest:

  • Within Robinson’s previously-linked piece, he notes that Buccaneers ownership will ultimately make the final call on whether or not to draft Jameis Winston, adding that there have been some internal questions about the community relations impact of selecting Winston.
  • Kevin White, arguably the top receiving prospect in this year’s class, said today that he’s setting up visits with the Jets, Bears, Rams, and Giants, per Ross Tucker of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
  • The Falcons are hosting a pair of top-tier pass rushers today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Clemson’s Vic Beasley and Kentucky’s Bud Dupree are in town.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union provides a full list of the 20 prospects that visited the Jaguars this week. While we’ve passed along many of those names already, there are also plenty of new ones: Javorius “Buck” Allen (RB, USC), T.J. Yeldon (RB, Alabama), Amari Cooper (WR, Alabama), Rashad Greene (WR, FSU), DeAndre Smelter (WR, Georgia Tech), Cedric Ogbuehi (T, Texas A&M), Andrus Peat (T, Stanford), Eli Harold (DE, Virginia), Arik Armstead (DL, Oregon), Landon Collins (S, Alabama), and Trae Waynes (CB, Michigan State).
  • In addition to visiting the Eagles, UCF wide receiver Breshad Perriman met with the Raiders, Colts, and Steelers this week, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • Washington cornerback Marcus Peters, Stanford cornerback Alex Carter, and Virginia linebacker Max Valles made visits to Pittsburgh to meet with the Steelers today, tweets Scott Brown of ESPN.com.
  • The Giants, Steelers, and Texans have hosted visits for Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant, who has also worked out for the Cowboys, Raiders, and Buccaneers, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.

2016 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker

April 9th, 2015 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

Teams across the NFL have until May 3 to officially pick up their 2016 options on players who are entering the final year of their rookie contracts. These fifth-year options can only be exercised on first-round picks, and the salaries are determined by where players were drafted and what position they play. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com has passed along the official salary figures for all 2016 fifth-year options, adding his thoughts on where each 2012 first-rounder stands.

If a player has his option exercised, his rookie contract will be extended by one year and he’ll be eligible for free agency after the 2016 season. If a player’s option is declined, he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2015 season. Of course, if a 2012 first-rounder is no longer on his rookie contract, there will be no option to exercise or decline. We explained the intricacies of the fifth-year option in a PFR Glossary post last year, so you can read up on the specific details there.

These 2016 option salaries are guaranteed for injury only up until the first day of the 2016 league year, at which point they become fully guaranteed. As such, many teams figure to exercise the options for now, even if they’re not 100% sure they’ll keep the player — there isn’t a ton of risk in picking up the option and maintaining as much roster flexibility as possible. Teams and players can also continue to negotiate long-term contracts from this point on.

With next month’s deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league based on various reports and official announcements. This post can be found anytime on the right-hand sidebar in the “PFR Features” section. Here are this season’s fifth-year option decisions so far:

  1. Andrew Luck (QB, Colts), $16.155MM: Exercised
  2. Robert Griffin III (QB, Washington), $16.155MM: Exercised
  3. Trent Richardson (RB, Raiders): Not applicable due to release
  4. Matt Kalil (T, Vikings), $11.096MM: Exercised
  5. Justin Blackmon (WR, Jaguars): Not applicable due to suspension (as Corry explains in his aforementioned piece)
  6. Morris Claiborne (CB, Cowboys), $11.082MM: Declined
  7. Mark Barron (S, Rams), $8.263MM: Declined
  8. Ryan Tannehill (QB, Dolphins), $16.155MM: Exercised
  9. Luke Kuechly (LB, Panthers), $11.058MM: Exercised
  10. Stephon Gilmore (CB, Bills), $11.082MM: Exercised
  11. Dontari Poe (DT, Chiefs), $6.146MM: Exercised
  12. Fletcher Cox (DE, Eagles), $7.799MM: Exercised
  13. Michael Floyd (WR, Cardinals), $7.32MM: Exercised
  14. Michael Brockers (DT, Rams), $6.146MM: Will be exercised
  15. Bruce Irvin (OLB, Seahawks), $7.751MM: Will be declined
  16. Quinton Coples (OLB, Jets), $7.751MM: Exercised
  17. Dre Kirkpatrick (CB, Bengals), $7.507MM: Exercised
  18. Melvin Ingram (OLB, Chargers), $7.751MM: Exercised
  19. Shea McClellin (OLB, Bears), $7.751MM: Declined
  20. Kendall Wright (WR, Titans), $7.32MM: Exercised
  21. Chandler Jones (DE, Patriots), $7.799MM: Exercised
  22. Brandon Weeden (QB, Cowboys): Not applicable due to release
  23. Riley Reiff (T, Lions), $8.07MM: Will be exercised
  24. David DeCastro (G, Steelers), $8.07MM: Exercised
  25. Dont’a Hightower (LB, Patriots), $7.751MM: Exercised
  26. Whitney Mercilus (OLB, Texans), $7.751MM
  27. Kevin Zeitler (G, Bengals), $8.07MM: Exercised
  28. Nick Perry (OLB, Packers), $7.751MM: Not expected to be exercised
  29. Harrison Smith (S, Vikings), $5.278MM: Exercised
  30. A.J. Jenkins (WR): Not applicable due to release
  31. Doug Martin (RB, Buccaneers), $5.621MM: Declined
  32. David Wilson (RB): Not applicable due to retirement
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