2015 June - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: Morris, Forte, Ross, Carr

June 19th, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Running back Alfred Morris is aware that his contract situation could become a subject of interest and speculation as he enters the final year of his rookie deal, but he tells Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com that he couldn’t care less about it.

“I approach every year the same,” Morris said. “I’m a running back so I’ll be running the ball, blocking, catching it. I don’t even think about next year.”

For the team’s part, Washington appears set to take a wait-and-see approach with Morris. Since he was a sixth-rounder in 2012, the running back’s contract doesn’t feature a fifth-year option for 2016, but Washington will have exclusive negotiating rights until next March.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

“It’s a hypocritical league,” Bears running back Matt Forte said of the NFL, in reference to his contract situation (link via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times). Forte is seeking an extension, and recognizes that if he hadn’t reported to the voluntary portion of Chicago’s offseason program, he would’ve been labeled selfish. “But then if, say, I didn’t perform last year and (the Bears) wanted to cut me or cut my pay, they can do that,” Forte said. “They can get rid of you. So nobody says nothing to the team about that.”
Former Giants defensive back Aaron Ross, who played 83 career NFL games for New York and Jacksonville, is aiming to return to action after missing last season with a torn Achilles, and has workouts lined up with the Rams and 49ers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
Reports this offseason have indicated Brandon Carr isn’t interested in accepting a pay cut, but the Cowboys still hope to reduce the cornerback’s 2015 cap number, and owner Jerry Jones says there could be ways to do that that benefit Carr as well as the team, writes Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News.
The Vikings are expected to explore a possible contract extension with safety Harrison Smith this offseason, but he tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that a new deal is “the furthest thing” from his mind at the moment. There’s no urgency for Smith or the Vikes, since his contract includes a fifth-year option for 2016.

Malcom Brown, Patriots Agree To Terms

June 19th, 2015 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Patriots have reached an agreement on a rookie contract with first-round defensive tackle Malcom Brown, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The deal ensures that second overall pick Marcus Mariota is the only first-round pick who remains unsigned.

According to one post-draft report, the Patriots were very open to trading the 32nd overall pick, but opted to keep it when they didn’t the return they wanted. In fact, one erroneous report on draft night suggested that New England had agreed to move the pick, but landing Brown at No. 32 viewed as a good value, and a nice fit for the team.

Per Over The Cap, Brown’s four-year pact with the Patriots features a signing bonus worth about $3.797MM, and a four-year value of approximately $7.613MM. Landon Collins, the 33rd overall pick, agreed to terms earlier today and received a signing bonus worth about $1MM less than Brown’s, so the former Texas Longhorn was fortunate to be a first-rounder. Coming off the board in the first round means his contract will also include a fifth-year option for 2019.

The Patriots have now locked up all 11 of their draft picks, becoming the 29th of 32 NFL teams to finish signing their draftees. Only the Titans, Colts, and Raiders still have picks to sign.

Chris Ogbonnaya Announces Retirement

June 19th, 2015 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

Journeyman NFL running back Chris Ogbonnaya has decided to end his playing career, the veteran announced today. Ogbonnaya officially confirmed his retirement in a post on his Instagram account.

“From no football, to Strake Jesuit, to Texas, and then to the NFL, it has been a pleasantly surprising ride,” Ogbonnaya wrote. “It is with great thankfulness to God and appreciation of my family, coaches, and fans that I announce my retirement from football. It has been an absolute privilege to play this game that I love, and I look forward to my continued involvement in the future.”

Ogbonnaya, who turned 29 last month, was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 draft by the Rams, but only ended up carrying the ball 11 times for St. Louis before moving on. The former Texas Longhorn had stops with the Browns, Texans, Panthers, and Giants over the next several years, seeing his most extensive action in Cleveland in 2011 and 2013. For his career, Ogbonnaya finished with 710 rushing yards on 158 carries, with two touchdowns. He added another 714 yards and two TDs through the air on 96 receptions.

Most recently, Ogbonnaya was with the Giants, having signed a new contract with the club back in March. However, he was cut by New York in May, and wasn’t on an NFL roster when he made his decision to retire.

Landon Collins, Giants Agree To Deal

June 19th, 2015 at 9:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Giants have agreed to terms with second-round safety Landon Collins on his rookie contract, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). With first-rounder Ereck Flowers having signed his own deal yesterday, the team has now secured all its 2015 draft picks.

Collins, the 33rd overall pick in this year’s draft, narrowly missed being selected in the first round, meaning his contract won’t include a fifth-year option for the 2019 season. Instead, he’ll be eligible for free agency after playing out a four-year deal worth about $6.121MM. His signing bonus will be approximately $2.711MM, per Over The Cap.

Once Collins went undrafted in the first round, the Giants aggressively moved up at the start of the draft’s second day to land him. New York sent its second-, fourth-, and seventh-round picks to the Titans, moving up from No. 40 to No. 33 to secure the former Alabama safety.

Now that Collins had reached an agreement with the Giants, only the Colts, Patriots, Raiders, and Titans still have draftees to lock up — in total, six picks remain unsigned.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Dolphins, Patriots

June 19th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

With June’s mandatory minicamps having come to an end, let’s round up a few items from around the AFC East….

The Jets had a busy offseason, highlighted by the addition of a number of free agent cornerbacks. One of those new Jets cornerbacks, Buster Skrine, tells Don Banks of SI.com that he has never played on a defense with this much talent: “Our front seven has all-stars and then in the back end, we have all-stars. … We can match up with any offense.”
Revisiting the to-do list he proposed for the Dolphins heading into the offseason, Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun Sentinel observes that new executive VP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum checked off nearly all the boxes on that list, suggesting that the team’s offseason was a success.
Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon is heading into a contract year and is eligible for a new contract. As Steve Gorten of the Palm Beach Post writes, with Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh getting plenty of attention from offensive lines, Vernon could be poised for a big year, which would set him up for a nice payday.
Mike Reiss of ESPN.com takes a quick look at the Patriots‘ financial and cap situation, taking stock of where the team sits in relation to the rest of the NFL.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Panthers, Falcons

June 18th, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A judge on Thursday ruled 87-year-old Saints owner Tom Benson mentally competent and fit to continue running his business empire, but that doesn’t mean he’s in the clear. Benson announced in January that he was cutting his daughter and her children out of Saints ownership and leaving the team to his wife of 10 years, which led to lawsuits in both Louisiana and Texas. Those lawsuits were filed by his daughter, Renee, and her children, Rita and Ryan LeBlanc, who tried to prove that Benson was incapable of running his businesses. That failed, but his daughter and grandchildren might appeal, writes Andy Grimm of NOLA.com, and it could set off a years-long fight for ownership of both the Saints and the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans.

Here’s more on the Saints and two of their NFC South rivals:

Even though the Panthers signed quarterback Cam Newton to a mega-deal earlier this month, general manager Dave Gettleman told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer that he doesn’t want the 26-year-old to change his dual-threat playing style to avoid potential injuries. “He’s got to be Cam. You don’t hold back a thoroughbred, you don’t,” said Gettleman. Newton has established himself as an elite running QB during his four-year career, piling up over 2,500 yards and 33 touchdowns.
One of Newton’s go-to targets, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, struggled with weight issues at Florida State and has tacked on some pounds this offseason after a stellar rookie year, but Gettleman isn’t concerned. “It really is much ado about nothing. Right now he’s only five pounds off his playing weight. That’s it,” Gettleman told Person.“He’s a few pounds over, that’s all. He’ll be fine.”
Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan‘s sack total dropped precipitously last year, going from 12.5 the previous year to 7.5 for a defense that had the third-fewest sacks in the NFC. Defensive line coach Bill Johnson believes Jordan is primed for a return to his 2013 form.“There’s two or three things that we’re going to go after and he’s made improvement on those things. At this time in the year you break down each guy individually and try to give him their needs and I think he accepted them well,” Johnson said, according to Andrew Lopez of NOLA.com. “He’s been consistent on the practice field. It’s a coaching eye. I’ve looked at him going on five years; I know what I’m seeing.”
Falcons coach Dan Quinn wouldn’t comment directly Thursday when asked about free agent offensive guard Evan Mathis, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter (via Twitter). The Falcons, like many other teams, are a potential fit for Mathis – a two-time Pro Bowler whom the Eagles released last week.

Bengals Waive Pryor, Who Will Convert To WR

June 18th, 2015 at 8:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

8:15pm: Pryor is converting to wide receiver, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus (Twitter link via Pro Football Talk). Teams will be interested in Pryor’s services, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, as he has ideal size (6-foot-4, 233 pounds) and speed (sub-4.4 40-yard dash) to succeed at wideout.

Making Pryor’s position switch all the more interesting is a comment he made when he signed with the Bengals last month.

“If I can’t play quarterback, I can’t play football – I’m pretty much done,” Pryor said, per ESPN’s Coley Harvey (Twitter link).

Nevertheless, Pryor will try his hand at a new spot in hopes of extending his football career.

4:26pm: The Bengals have waived quarterback Terrelle Pryor, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter).

The 25-year-old Pryor joined the Bengals, his fourth team, in May and was hoping to win a backup job behind Andy Dalton. However, the ex-Ohio State star lost out to A.J. McCarron and Josh Johnson. With Pryor out of the picture, McCarron is likely to be Dalton’s primary backup, tweets Dehner.

Pryor has appeared in 14 games – all with the Raiders – since his NFL career began in 2011, combining for 12 touchdowns (nine passing, three rushing) and 12 interceptions.

North Notes: Steelers, Vikings, Bengals, Pack

June 18th, 2015 at 7:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A look at what’s happening in the NFL’s two North divisions:

The Steelers’ defense isn’t going to be one whose linemen merely occupy opposing blockers. Instead, new coordinator Keith Butler is encouraging them to attack the football, writes Ray Frager of CSNBaltimore.com.“Coach Buts said early on, ‘I’m not going to hold you back. I want the linebackers to fend for themselves. I expect you guys to make plays for yourself,” lineman Cameron Heyward said. Heyward added that he’s excited about Butler’s philosophy. “I’m salivating. I can’t wait until the season starts.”
The Packers have a breakout candidate in second-year wide receiver Davante Adams, who caught 38 passes during the regular season and added a seven-catch, 117-yard showing against Dallas in the playoffs. Head coach Mike McCarthy is excited about Adams’ output at minicamp. “Davante Adams, if you want a clear illustration and example of a first-year player taking a jump in his second year, you just saw it here the last four weeks,” McCarthy told the Associated Press. “Davante, if you wanted me to pick an MVP or an all-star (of the offseason), he would definitely be atop the list.”
Browns defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil wants more from third-year linebacker Barkevious Mingo, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. “He is going to have to compete for playing time on early downs. He’s going to have a role in our sub-packages,” said O’Neil, who did acknowledge that Mingo is the team’s best outside linebacker in coverage. Mingo’s role last year mainly focused on coverage, not rushing the passer, as he played through a torn labrum. Mingo has racked up just seven sacks since going sixth overall in the 2014 draft.
Vikings safety Harrison Smith is under team control for just two more seasons, but he’s not thinking about a contract extension. “I’m really just focused on playing the best type of football I can. That stuff will work itself out,” Harrison said Thursday, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I’m happy to be here and happy to be a part of the Vikings, but all I’m thinking about right now is playing well in 2015.” Whether it’s with the Vikings or someone else, Smith is primed to cash in big if his career stays on its current course. Smith totaled a career-best five interceptions in 2014, giving him 10 in three seasons, and earned a spot on Pro Football Focus’ All-Pro team.
Two of Harrison’s fellow Vikings defenders, end Brian Robison and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, expect to be ready for training camp in July after suffering offseason injuries, per the Pioneer Press’ Brian Murphy.
Bengals wideout Marvin Jones impressed as an NFL sophomore in 2013, amassing 51 catches and 10 touchdowns, before missing all of last season with ankle and foot injuries. Healthy again, ESPN’s Coley Harvey writes that the 2012 second-round pick is returning to form. “You’re starting to see a play here, a play there of the old Marv, and the quickness, suddenness and explosiveness,” Bengals receivers coach James Urban said.
The performance of backup quarterback A.J. McCarron in spring workouts greatly impressed the Bengals and helped convince them to release Terrelle Pryor on Thursday, writes Geoff Hobson of the team’s website. “If he can do what he did here live, that will be the next step,” said quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese. Head coach Marvin Lewis expressed similar sentiment regarding the 2014 fifth-round pick and three-time national champion from the University of Alabama. “I’m pleased with his ability to handle the huddle, to handle the team. These nine practices have been awesome for him,” Lewis said.
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco heaped praise on second-year receiver Jeremy Butler, who stood out at the team’s minicamp. “He was incredible. He caught the ball extremely well,” said Flacco, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson. “He’s just a big, strong body and catches the ball really well. It’s exactly what he showed last year in training camp, I thought, and he’s just coming out here and doing more of that.” Butler went undrafted out of Tennessee-Martin in 2014 and missed his entire rookie season because of a shoulder injury.

Extra Points: Cruz, Dez, Mathis, Texans

June 18th, 2015 at 6:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from around the NFL:

Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph will see his base salary drop from $8.75MM to $7MM as a part of his new extension, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle tweets. He’ll then earn base salaries of $6.5MM in 2016 and 2017. Joseph will also receive $500K in 46-man roster bonuses each year (link).
Titans tight end Dorin Dickerson suffered a ruptured Achilles this week, and will have season-ending surgery to repair the damage sometime in the near future, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). Dickerson didn’t appear in a regular-season game in 2014, but has recently spent time with several teams, including the Texans, Patriots, Bills, and Lions.
Newcomer Vince Wilfork is excited to bring his leadership skills to the Texans, as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes. “I want to be a guy that’s played the game for a while that they can always turn to and ask questions about anything football-wise or off the field,” said the 33-year-old, who will be playing between J.J. Watt and Jared Crick. “I’ve played with a lot of guys. I’ve played with some Hall of Famers. I’ve been coached by some great guys.”
Lions wide receiver TJ Jones missed all of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Now, he’s not just trying to get back to what he did at Notre Dame – he’s looking to top it, as ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein writes. Detroit selected Jones in the sixth round of the 2014 draft.
David Ausberry‘s one-year deal with the Lions is worth $660K with no guaranteed cash, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Ausberry signed with Detroit earlier this month.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised if the Bears add a veteran offensive lineman in advance of training camp.
Tarvaris Jackson‘s one-year deal with the Seahawks will pay him a fully guaranteed $1.5MM, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports (on Twitter). The 31-year-old Jackson earned $1.25MM in 2014, which was right around the middle of the pack in terms of backup quarterbacks. Jackson attempted just one pass in 2014 (a completion), but he’s started 34 games during his nine-year career, so he would offer valuable experience in the event of a Russell Wilson injury.
Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) attributes the delay in Evan Mathis signing to the ongoing veteran minicamps rather than a weak market. Once minicamps are over and teams have fully assessed their offensive lines, Robinson expects the market for the guard to solidify.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters, including Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter), that he expects that wide receiver Victor Cruz won’t have to start training camp on the PUP list. Cruz is signed through 2018 and carries an $8.2MM cap number — the second-highest figure on the team behind Eli Manning. Cruz’s season ended in October when he tore his patella tendon.
Dez Bryant showing up for Cowboys minicamp reinforces why his threat to hold out shouldn’t be taken seriously, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) opines.
G.J. Kinne‘s transition from quarterback to wide receiver is going quite well, Eagles coach Chip Kelly told reporters, including the staff from the team’s website (on Twitter). Kelly says that he didn’t know how well Kinne caught the ball until he tried him out at wide receiver. From this point forward, Kelly says gaining familiarity with the position will be his toughest task.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Latest On Chargers’ Possible Relocation

June 18th, 2015 at 5:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 2015 season may be the last one in San Diego for the Chargers, who are free to break their lease thereafter and head elsewhere – likely to Carson, Calif. If you’re to believe Jason Roe, the spokesman for San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, the franchise’s future in the city it has called home since 1961 looks as bleak as it ever has.

Roe on Wednesday released an acerbic statement accusing the Chargers of never intending to bargain with the city, tweeted Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole.

“The truth is, [the Chargers] were never at the table. They’ve misled the fans and our elected officials and civic leaders by saying they wanted to remain in San Diego when in fact they initiated the process of relocation to LA a year ago,” Roe said.

Roe went on to state that the Chargers haven’t worked “toward a solution but instead put up phony roadblocks to success.”

Chargers counsel Mark Fabiani fired back at Roe, per Cole (via Twitter).

“The Chargers will never be part of the city’s legally dubious effort to deal with the California Environmental Quality Act,” Fabiani stated. “City officials are of course free to drive themselves off the cliff into legal oblivion with a half-baked Environmental Impact Report, but the team has no intention of hitching itself to the city’s misguided, doomed scheme.”

When asked about potentially building a new stadium in San Diego, Fabiani said Tuesday (according to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Nick Canepa), “There’s no point in doing anything until we get an EIR (environmental impact report).”

The Chargers will have to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act to get a new stadium built in San Diego, but the team declared a proposed Dec. 15 stadium vote impossible because of environmental problems, the Union-Tribune’s David Garrick wrote Wednesday.

Of course, stadium-related environmental issues in San Diego won’t matter if the Chargers are truly bent on relocating. Faulconer tweeted Wednesday that the city and team are pulling in opposite directions, with San Diego trying to retain the club and the Chargers working toward a departure.

Moreover, longtime league executive Carmen Policy – whom the Chargers and Raiders hired last month to oversee the building of a stadium in Carson – told Sirius XM NFL Radio on Thursday (Twitter link) that both teams “are totally committed to the Carson project and the site is shovel ready.”

Policy also stated (Twitter link) that the goal of both the league and LA is to land two teams.