Month: December 2024

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Klemko On Heyward, Brady, Mathis, Wilson

With Peter King taking his summer vacation, Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com stepped in this week to publish the latest Monday Morning Quarterback column, and his piece includes a number of interesting tidbits, including an explanation for why teams ought to attempt two-point conversions more often now that the extra-point kick has been moved back. Here are a handful of other notable items from Klemko’s piece:

  • Cameron Heyward is entering the final year of his contract, and is negotiating an extension with the Steelers, though he says he’d rather not think about his contract situation. The defensive lineman tells Klemko that he thinks he can play better than he did in 2014, when he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best 3-4 defensive end. “I hope last year wasn’t a breakout season because I think I can achieve way more,” Heyward said. “I still have a mentality where I think of myself as a bust. I’ve got to prove everybody wrong including myself. I want to get better, and I want to shut people up.”
  • Tom Brady‘s camp will call many of the witnesses central to the AEI report – which criticized the Ted Wells report – to testify during the Patriots‘ signal-caller’s appeal, a source tells Klemko. As Klemko points out, Brady and the NFLPA could file a lawsuit in federal court after the appeal process is complete, challenging Roger Goodell for violating due process by declining to recuse himself as arbitrator. However, Klemko thinks that Brady’s four-game ban will be reduced to a one-game suspension, and the QB will forgo legal action to put the issue to rest.
  • Klemko hears that 10 teams are interested in Evan Mathis, which echoes what agent Drew Rosenhaus said last week. The MMQB.com scribe views the Dolphins as the favorite for the Pro Bowl guard, who may have drawn interest from even more teams if he had reached the open market sooner.
  • Based on the numbers Klemko is hearing out of the Russell Wilson extension talks, he believes the team and the player are divided on the QB’s value. Klemko predicts that the Seahawks will ultimately franchise Wilson after the 2015 season, then perhaps let him walk a year later.
  • Klemko disagrees with Titans GM Ruston Webster, who said last week that he wouldn’t be concerned if Marcus Mariota misses the first few days of training camp while the two sides finalize his rookie contract. As Klemko writes, that may be fine for a defensive tackle or safety, but a rookie quarterback – who is expected to start – needs all the training camp reps he can get. I’m inclined to agree that Webster’s comments are “a bad attempt to gain leverage” — there’s really no reason the Titans shouldn’t be able to agree to terms within the next few weeks.

Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Position Group: Offense

Earlier this month, our Luke Adams examined the largest 2015 cap hits by position on offense, scrutinizing the most expensive individual cap charges for next year. The list that follows, while along the same lines, tabulates the largest cap hits by position group. Some overlap in the lists is unavoidable — if a single player has an exorbitant cap charge, it will inevitably raise the team’s cap hit for his position as a whole.

We’ll look at the defensive side of the ball later in the week, but let’s examine which clubs are investing the most cap space on offensive positions…

Quarterback:

  1. Saints, $28.193MM
  2. Falcons, $21.596MM
  3. Chiefs, $21.477M
  • New Orleans and Atlanta’s presence here is no fluke, as Drew Brees and Matt Ryan have the No. 1 and No. 3 cap hits among quarterbacks, respectively. Brees, in fact, has the largest cap figure in the entire NFL at $26.4MM.
  • It is strange that Kansas City ranks third, however, given that Alex Smith, at $15.6MM, has only the 10th-highest hit among QBs. Chase Daniel, the highest-paid backup in the league, is what drives the Chiefs to their No. 3 ranking, as his $4.8MM cap number is good for ninth on the club.
  • Besides the Chiefs, the Cardinals are the only club with two quarterbacks inside their top 10 cap hits. But because both Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton have relatively low numbers ($7.375MM, $3.867MM), Arizona places just 17th in terms of QB spending.

Running back:

  1. Vikings, $18.529MM
  2. Panthers, $14.207MM
  3. Eagles, $12.557MM
  • Minnesota’s place at No. 1 is almost entirely thanks to Adrian Peterson and his $15.4MM cap figure, as backups Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon each have hits of $800K or less.
  • This list doesn’t encompass dead money, but if it did, Carolina would actually edge the Vikings for the top spot, as DeAngelo Williams counts for $4.33MM on the club’s books despite his release earlier this year.
  • It might surprise that the Eagles aren’t even higher on this list due to their offseason spending spree at running back, and the continue presence of the well-compensated of veteran Darren Sproles. Philadelphia is projected to lead in RB spending in 2016, however, when DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, and Sproles’ cap hits all jump.
  • The team that will spend the least on running backs? The Titans, who after releasing Shonn Greene will field only runners on rookie deals, will spend about $1.88MM.

Receiver:

  1. Lions, $39.13MM
  2. Broncos, $25.233MM
  3. Washington, $25.171MM
  • Each of the top three clubs in receiver spending follows a fairly similar model: an impact No. 1 pass-catcher earning earning top-end money, and a solid No. 2 option earning near the top of the second tier of receiver compensation.
  • Even with Dez Bryant earning franchise-tag money, the Cowboys are just sixth in receiver spending, due in part to their reliance on Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley, former mid-round draft picks still on their rookie deals.
  • The Packers, who have signed both Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to multi-year extensions during the past twelve months, rank just 23rd on this list. Both receivers’ cap charges will obviously continue to rise, but neither will surpass $10MM until 2017.
  • The Dolphins ranked first here last year, spending nearly $9MM more on receivers than the next highest club. But after trading Mike Wallace and releasing Brian Hartline, Miami places just 27th.

Tight end:

  1. Rams, $16.976MM
  2. Jaguars, $16.612MM
  3. Chargers, $15.48MM
  • St. Louis’ top two tight ends — Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks — place not only in the top ten of the club’s cap charges, but in the top five. That’s largely because the Rams are employing a cadre of players on their rookie deals at many of the positions where top earners usually play (quarterback, offensive line, receiver, defensive back).
  • Jimmy Graham‘s $9MM in dead money isn’t factored in here, but if it were, the Saints, who currently rank 29th in tight end spending, would place fifth.

Offensive line:

  1. Jets, $36.226MM
  2. Raiders, $32.437MM
  3. Washington, $32.299MM
  •  The Jets placed in the top three of offensive line spending in 2014 as well, but it didn’t seem to do much good. New York gave up 47 sacks, eighth most in the league, and ranked 20th in run-blocking and 25th in pass-blocking according to Football Outsiders’ metrics.
  • Rodney Hudson‘s unique contract structure means that he takes up about 41% of the Raiders’ 2015 offensive line spending total of about $32.5MM. Hudson didn’t receive a signing bonus, instead garnering a $6.9MM roster bonus that counts entirely on Oakland’s 2015 cap. All told, Hudson’s cap charge is $13MM, highest among centers.
  • The Browns ranked first in line spending in 2014, as both Joe Thomas and Alex Mack‘s cap charges were tops at their respective positions. But Thomas and Mack’s contracts call for a combined $4.3MM reduction in cap hits in 2015, leading Cleveland to drop to seventh on this list this season.

Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.

NFC Notes: Garrett, Vikings, Bears, Giants

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett has spent much of his head coaching career on the hot seat, but that changed last season as Dallas finished 12-4 and won a playoff game. But Garrett, who recently signed a five-year extension with the club, says he never considered his contract situation last season. “I can honestly say to you that I never really thought very much about that,” Garrett told Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “What I do every day is I wake up and try to do everything I can to build the kind of football team that we all can be proud of.”

Let’s check out more from the NFC:

  • Charles Johnson emerged as the Vikings’ main receiving threat down the stretch last season, and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press doesn’t think the 26-year-old pass-catcher will remain anonymous to NFL fans for much longer. After failing to earn playing time with both the Packers and the Browns, Johnson came to Minnesota via a waiver claim, and after being inserted into the starting lineup Week 10, he totaled 25 receptions for 415 yards. The Vikings’ offense will look different in 2015 given the return of Adrian Peterson and the addition of Mike Wallace, but Johnson figures to retain his role as Teddy Bridgewater‘s No. 1 option in the passing game.
  • Vic Fangio is a clear improvement at defensive coordinator for the Bears, but Matt Bowen of the Chicago Tribune wonders if the club has enough pieces with which Fangio can work. Antrel Rolle, Pernell McPhee, and Eddie Goldman were solid adds through free agency/the draft, writes Bowen, but the thought of Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston as stand-up outside linebackers is worrisome. Additionally, the veteran crop of corners behind No. 1 Kyle Fuller (Tim Jennings, Alan Ball, Tracy Porter) leaves much to be desired. Per Bowen, Fangio’s schematic prowess can cover up many personnel holes, but ultimately Chicago’s distinct lack of playmaking talent on defense may be its undoing.
  • A pair of Giants prospects — offensive lineman Michael Bamiro and tight end Will Tye — are aiming to become the first NFL players who hail from Stony Brook University, as Barbara Baker of Newsday details. Bamiro stuck with New York on a futures contract following the 2014 season, while Tye went undrafted in May.

Best Available NFL Free Agents

The most high-profile free agent signings occurred more than three months ago, but as we near July there are still talented NFL free agents available on the open market. Most of these players (with perhaps one exception) won’t command much, if any, guaranteed money, and given that we’ve passed the May 12 deadline, none will factor into the compensatory draft pick formula. Let’s take a look at the players who will try to find a home as training camp approaches…

1. Evan Mathis, G: Having been released by the Eagles on June 11, Mathis is the clear cut No. 1 on this list — despite playing in only nine games last season, the 33-year-old graded as the second-best guard in the league, earning a +25.8 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Mathis’ Philadelphia contract called for him to earn a $5.5MM base salary, and given that as many as 10 clubs have expressed interest in signing him, it’s conceivable he could match that total. The Dolphins, Bills, Patriots, Vikings, and Seahawks are among the teams that have been linked to Mathis.

2. Jake Long, T: Long is undoubtedly an injury risk, as he’s suffered a torn ACL in each of the prior two seasons. His last knee injury came in October, so it’s not even clear if he’ll be ready for the beginning of the 2015 season. But on talent alone, the former No. 1 overall pick is certainly among the best unsigned players available, as he rated among the top 10 tackles in 2013 per PFF before going down. Long took a visit with the now Will Beatty-less Giants near the end of May, and could interest other clubs (Broncos? Panthers?) who are in need of help at tackle.

3. Jermaine Gresham, TE: Only 27 years old, Gresham surely would have found a landing spot by now had he not undergone back surgery in March to repair a herniated disc. The former Bengal totaled 62 receptions and four touchdowns in 2014, and is a willing and able blocker in both the pass and run game. Gresham visited with the Saints a couple of weeks ago, and was heavily linked to the Raiders during the outset of free agency.

4. James Jones, WR: Jones probably won’t ever approach his high-water mark season of 2012, when he led the league with 14 touchdown receptions while catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. But he’s still only 31 years old, and has remained remarkably durable (missing just eight of a possible 128 career games) and consistent, averaging 48 receptions for roughly 620 yards and five scores each year. The Seahawks, Giants, Chiefs, and Jaguars have all made inquiries on Jones since he was released by Oakland on May 4.

5. Dwight Freeney, DE/OLB: Freeney is the archetype of the type of NFL free agent usually available at this point in the summer. A former superstar, in his mid-to-late thirties, who while still a very serviceable player, might be asking for too much money to generate any serious interest. As I wrote when examining Freeney in April, the ex-Colt/Charger is still very adept at disrupting the pocket, despite largely pedestrian sack totals. The 35-year-old ranked third among 3-4 OLBs in quarterback hurries, and ninth in QB hits, and his ability to play both standing up and with his hand in the ground should afford him more opportunities.

6. Dawan Landry, S: A veteran of nine NFL seasons, Landry spent the past two years with the Jets; in 2014, he started 14 games, racking up 67 tackle and 1.5 sacks, grading as the league’s ninth-best safety per PFF. Landry also spent a fair amount of time in the slot (174 snaps), so his ability to move down and cover shifty receivers adds to his versatility. The 32-year-old paid a visit to the Bills in April, and signing with Buffalo would reunite Landry with his former Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

7. Rob Sims, G: Stability is the name of Sims’ game — since signing with the Lions prior to the 2010 season, Sims has not missed a single contest, starting all 80 games during that period. Sims, 31, said in February that he’d like to return to Detroit, but the club’s move since then have made a reunion unlikely. The Lions not only spent their first-round pick on guard Laken Tomlinson, but swung a draft-day trade for interior lineman Manny Ramirez. Along with stud RG Larry Warford, Detroit has talent and depth in the middle of its line, leaving little room for Sims. Plus, Sims has intimated that the team had low-balled him contract-wise, so he’ll probably be looking for work elsewhere.

8. Red Bryant, DL: Bryant has always been more of a run-stopper than a pass-rusher, and things were no different in 2014, when he ranked as the third-best 4-3 end against the run, despite grading as just the No. 31 DE among qualifiers per PFF. Still, the 31-year-old was released just one season into a four-year deal with the Jaguars, and hasn’t taken any known meetings with other clubs. Seattle’s defensive line might be too crowded for a Bryant reunion, but I wonder if the Falcons (with former Seattle DC Dan Quinn as head coach) might be interested.

9. Chris Myers, C: The second-oldest free agent on this list, the 33-year-old Myers is the epitome of consistency, having started all 16 games in each season dating back to 2007. He finished as the league’s 16th-best center in 2014 according to PFF (with an atrocious pass-blocking grade), but that was the worst mark of his career, as he’d finished as a top ten center in each of the seven prior seasons. Whether last season is indicative of an impending decline is unclear, but Myers has generated free agent interest, meeting with the Seahawks, and talking with the Broncos and Raiders. Houston has also expressed interest in bringing Myers back in the fold.

10. Anthony Collins, OL: Collins was a major flop with the Buccaneers after signing a five-year, $30MM deal last March, so much so that Tampa Bay released him after one season despite having handed him $15MM in guarantees. There’s no getting around Collins’ 2014 sub-par play, but he was solid as recently as ’13, when he started seven games at left tackle for the Bengals as part of an offensive line reshuffling. Yet to turn 30 years old, and with the ability to play both tackle and guard, Collins could be a solid buy-low candidate, perhaps for a team that misses out on Long.

Just missed the cut: C Brian De La Puente; DE Osi Umenyiora; RB Pierre Thomas; LB Geno Hayes; S Bernard Pollard; RB Ahmad Bradshaw, QB Michael Vick..

Note: LB Brandon Spikes and DE Ray McDonald would have shown up on this list based on talent alone, but given their legal troubles, they could struggle to land even a minimum salary deal.

PFR Originals: 6/14/15 – 6/21/15

The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past seven days:

Week In Review: 6/14/15 – 6/21/15

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Key News:

Signed/Re-Signed:

Released/Waived:

Retired:

Other:

Sunday Roundup: Kelly, Beachum, Fauria

Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer says that coaches like the EaglesChip Kelly, who exercise control over both the football and business side of a team’s operations, frequently succumb to the pressures and difficulties of absolute power. Bill Belichick has managed to make it work in New England, but he is the exception to the rule.

Philadelphia’s recent saga with Evan Mathis demonstrates just how difficult Kelly’s position can be. As McLane writes, “Kelly received nothing in return for a Pro Bowl guard who had little leverage and claimed that he was prepared to report and perform without being a disruption – as he did last year.” And if the decision to release Mathis turns out to be a poor one, Kelly will have no higher authority to share the blame.

Although players will typically side with their teammates when asked about contract difficulties, the responses to Mathis’ release suggest that Kelly is still commanding respect in the locker room even as he takes full control of the team’s personnel affairs. McLane says that Mathis’ former teammates offered “vociferous support of management” after Mathis was cut, and tight end Zach Ertz had this to say: “I understand where [Mathis is] coming from. In his mind he thinks he’s underpaid, so he’s got to do what he thinks is best. But we want people here that are going to trust the process.”

Of course, there will be many more difficult personnel decisions to be made, decisions that will truly test whether Kelly can first construct a talented roster and then get that roster to win football games. It is a decidedly tall task, and one that most have been unable to meet.

Now let’s take a look at some links from around the league:

  • One of Kelly’s acquisitions this offseason was Miles Austin, who signed a one-year, $2.3MM deal with the club. Austin might not be getting a lot of attention from those outside the Eagles locker room, but Kelly himself is pleased with what he has seen from the one-time star, writes Connor Orr of NFL.com. “He’s got really, really good range,” Kelly said. “Catches the ball extremely well. Intelligent. Kind of knows the subtleties of the exact route running, kind of exactly where to maybe place his elbow to get separation in terms of pushing off the hip and things like that. And he’s imparted that on the younger guys, which I think has really helped us to have that true veteran route runner in there, and I think he’s been really good at doing that.”
  • The Colts have four locks to make the team at wide receiver in T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief, and first-round pick Phillip Dorsett, writes Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. After that, they have three players competing for either one or two spots in Vincent Brown, Duron Carter, and Griff Whalen.
  • David Newton of ESPN.com says Jerricho Cotchery is likely to make the Panthers‘ final roster due to his leadership abilities, but Newton does not see him making a significant on-field contribution considering the talent ahead of him on the depth chart.
  • In the same piece, Newton says he does not see the Panthers making any significant additions along the offensive line unless there is a major injury in training camp, even if a player like the newly-acquired Michael Oher struggles.
  • The Steelers have not spoken with tackle Kelvin Beachum, who is entering the final year of his contract, about a new deal, tweets Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com. Beachum though, says he is not sweating his contract situation and is fully focused on the 2015 season.
  • Tashaun Gipson is the talk of the town in Tony Grossi’s latest mailbag for ESPN.com, and Grossi writes that the recent contract drama surrounding Gipson has created a bad vibe between player and team. He also addresses whether the Browns could keep Johnny Manziel inactive all year during his recovery.
  • Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com is somewhat surprised by how limited Lions tight end Joseph Fauria was in the spring, and the fact that the team signed David Ausberry and attempted to claim Tim Wright off waivers suggests that Detroit is at least considering contingency plans. That said, Fauria is expected to be ready for training camp, and the Lions continue to be impressed by his upside.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: Tarell Brown, Gipson, Fins

The Ravens‘ secondary was their weakest unit last season, and it may have cost them a chance at the AFC Championship game. To that end, the team has added Kyle Arrington and Cassius Vaughn in free agency this offseason, and Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun believes Baltimore may not be done bolstering its cornerback corps. Wilson writes that the Ravens have shown interest in 30-year-old free agent corner Tarell Brown, who played for the Raiders last season after spending the first seven years of his career with the 49ers.

Although Brown finished with a -4.6 overall rating last year per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), placing him 75th out of 108 eligible corners, he did play through a broken foot, and he finished with strong ratings in each of the previous three seasons, even ranking as the 13th-best corner in the league in 2012. He also brings significant starting experience, having started 114 games in his career while amassing 295 tackles and 11 interceptions. Brown may not be a top-flight corner, but he would offer solid production and invaluable depth for a relatively modest price.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the AFC:

  • Unless the Browns make Tashaun Gipson a blockbuster offer, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com believes Gipson will play out the 2015 campaign on his second-round tender and take his chances on the open market next offseason.
  • Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer saw Johnny Manziel practice recently, and Pluto writes that Manziel did make “a few good medium throws” and is reportedly limiting his pre-snap issues, but he did struggle with red-zone drills and appears to have difficulty seeing the whole field. Pluto writes that Manziel is currently “not even close to the caliber of play that Josh McCown has shown at quarterback.”
  • Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post examines the five biggest issues the Broncos face heading into training camp next month, including their left tackle and inside linebacker positions.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe examines the Patriots‘ salary cap situation, noting that despite carrying over $14MM in dead money, New England is sitting pretty with just under $10MM in cap space. Of course, considering the number of departures the team has had to deal with this offseason, it is not surprising that the Pats have some spending flexibility.
  • The Dolphins have a good problem in that it will be more difficult for the team to pare the roster to 53 players than it has been in recent seasons, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson writes that there is a glut of high-ceiling, if unproven, talent in Miami’s secondary, and the team will have to make sacrifices in other areas to retain that talent.
  • In the same piece, Jackson writes that the Dolphins may have interest in Evan Mathis, but they are not currently interested in “consolation prize” guards like Dan Connolly and John Moffitt.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union offers his projections on the Jaguars‘ 53-man roster.

Sturm, Cowlishaw On Dez Bryant

Bob Sturm and Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News recently hosted a pair of digital chats with Cowboys fans, and Dez Bryant‘s uncertain contract situation predictably played a major role in those conversations. Sturm, after pointing out that an elite wide receiver generally does not offer the same type of value as an elite quarterback, left tackle, pass rusher, or corner, explains why Bryant is an exception to that rule and notes that owner Jerry Jones fully appreciates Bryant’s value to the franchise. As such, Sturm does not believe that Jones is panicking, and although the July 15 deadline to get a long-term deal worked out may be too close for comfort for Dallas fans, it is an eternity away for someone like Jones. Sturm still believes a deal will get done, and that it will probably happen right before deadline day.

There are some who believe that the Cowboys simply do not want to offer a long-term deal to Bryant, who has had some off-field concerns in his past. But Sturm’s comments regarding Jones’ love of Bryant belie that idea, and Cowlishaw believes the possibility that the Cowboys really don’t want to do a long-term deal with Bryant is very slim. Instead, even though there is a chance that a receiver like Demaryius Thomas, A.J. Green, or Julio Jones will break the bank before Bryant gets a new contract, thereby forcing the Cowboys to fall in line with a $100MM+ mega-deal, they appear willing to take that risk and just let the process run its course, confident in the knowledge that they will get a deal done in the end.

Sturm reiterates that no one really knows what Bryant’s demands are, or what the Cowboys are willing to offer. The last proposal that the Cowboys extended included a contract with a value of over $100MM but with just $20MM or so in guaranteed money, which would be less than market value for someone like Bryant. If Dallas has not bettered that offer–and it sounds as if the two sides might not have had substantive discussions in months–then public perception would certainly be on Bryant’s side. Ultimately, the Cowboys will probably have to raise the guaranteed money to the $30-35MM range, which would give him more guarantees than any receiver not named Calvin Johnson.

And reading between the lines, that appears to be how this stalemate will be resolved. Sturm applauds the hardline stance that the Cowboys have taken with Bryant, especially considering how willing the team used to be to hand out massive contracts to players like Marion Barber and Jay Ratliff, but they realize how valuable Bryant is to the franchise, and Bryant realizes that, for all of his talent, the current CBA climate does not offer him a great deal of leverage. So even if the next couple of weeks make Cowboys fans sweat a bit, the prediction here–not a bold one, to be sure–is that Bryant will be playing his home games in Dallas for the foreseeable future.