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Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Position: Defense

June 12th, 2015 at 9:02pm CST by Luke Adams

A week ago, we took a look at the top 10 cap hits for each offensive position, and those lists looked a little different than you might expect. While we tend to view a contract’s value by its per-year salary, its overall money, or its guarantees, the deals that rank atop those categories aren’t necessarily the ones that will consume the most cap space in 2015.

This week, we’re shifting our focus to the defensive side of the ball, where there are a handful of surprises and interesting names as well. Below, you’ll find the top 10 cap hits for 2015 by defensive position, along with a few of my observations for each position.

Let’s dive in….

4-3 defensive ends:

  1. Charles Johnson (Panthers): $20.02MM
  2. Mario Williams (Bills): $19.4MM
  3. Robert Quinn (Rams): $16.744MM
  4. Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants): $14.813MM
  5. Jared Allen (Bears): $12.5MM
  6. Chris Long (Rams): $12.5MM
  7. Cameron Wake (Dolphins): $10.45MM
  8. Everson Griffen (Vikings): $8.2MM
  9. Cliff Avril (Seahawks): $8MM
  10. Michael Bennett (Seahawks): $8MM
  • Williams and Allen will both be asked to play some 3-4 outside linebacker under new defensive coordinators in 2015, but I’ve included them in this group because they’ve traditionally played 4-3 defensive end, and their deals were likely negotiated with that market in mind.
  • The Rams had the option of restructuring Quinn’s contract earlier this offseason, but not doing so should pay off in future seasons — after counting for nearly $17MM this year against the cap this year, Quinn will count for between $10.75MM and $12.95MM from 2016 to 2019.
  • Speaking of those Rams, they and their division-rival Seahawks have nearly half the players on this list, a reflection of how much those clubs prioritize their outside pass rush.
  • Pierre-Paul’s figure is a result of the franchise tag, so it could be reduced if he and the Giants reach a long-term contract agreement.
  • The 11th name on this list would have been Michael Johnson, who has a cap number of just $2.6MM for the Bengals this year, but is counting for $7MM in dead money against the Buccaneers‘ cap.

3-4 defensive ends:

  1. Calais Campbell (Cardinals): $14.75MM
  2. J.J. Watt (Texans): $13.969MM
  3. Corey Liuget (Chargers): $7.977MM
  4. Arthur Jones (Colts): $7.1MM
  5. Desmond Bryant (Browns): $7MM
  6. Cameron Heyward (Steelers): $6.969MM
  7. Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets): $6.969MM
  8. Kyle Williams (Bills): $6.95MM
  9. Jurrell Casey (Titans): $6.72MM
  10. Jason Hatcher (Washington): $5.203MM
  • Watt’s cap hit was set to be nearly $22MM before the Texans restructured his contract. The move added an extra $2MM to his cap numbers for every year between 2016 and 2019.
  • Cameron Jordan‘s newly-signed extension with the Saints makes him one of the league’s highest-paid 3-4 defensive ends, but his cap hit for 2015 is a modest $4.169MM before jumping to eight digits for the next four years.
  • Heyward and Wilkerson have identical fifth-year option salaries for the time being, but both players are extension candidates — the Steelers appear more likely to work something out with Heyward than the Jets are with Wilkerson.

Defensive tackles:

  1. Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers): $14.595MM
  2. Ndamukong Suh (Lions): $9.738MM (dead money)
  3. Geno Atkins (Bengals): $9MM
  4. Jared Odrick (Jaguars): $9MM
  5. Haloti Ngata (Lions): $8.5MM
  6. Marcell Dareus (Bills): $8.06MM
  7. Dan Williams (Raiders): $8MM
  8. Haloti Ngata (Ravens): $7.5MM (dead money)
  9. Ndamukong Suh (Dolphins): $6.1MM
  10. Brandon Mebane (Seahawks): $5.7MM
  • Suh and Ngata dominate this list, showing up twice each, since their old teams are still carrying so much dead money for them. The duo would surpass McCoy and rank atop this list if you were to combine their total cap hits — Ngata is counting for a combined $16MM for the Ravens and Lions, while Suh is counting for a total of $15.838MM for Miami and Detroit.
  • His contract is a strong candidate to be restructured next year, but at the moment, Suh is on track to have a staggering $28.6MM cap hit in 2016.
  • Williams’ new deal with the Raiders has its big cap hits up front before dipping to $4.5MM in 2017 and $5MM in 2018.
  • You could make a case that Odrick should be on one of the defensive end lists, but he played primarily at defensive tackle last year for the Dolphins, so I’ve included him here.

Outside linebackers:

  1. Justin Houston (Chiefs): $13.195MM
  2. Clay Matthews (Packers): $12.7MM
  3. Julius Peppers (Packers): $12MM
  4. Thomas Davis (Panthers): $9.9MM
  5. Von Miller (Broncos): $9.754MM
  6. DeMarcus Ware (Broncos): $8.667MM
  7. LaMarr Woodley (Steelers): $8.58MM (dead money)
  8. Paul Kruger (Browns): $8.2MM
  9. Robert Mathis (Colts): $7.471MM
  10. Elvis Dumervil (Ravens): $7.375MM
  • As expected, nearly every outside linebacker on this list is a 3-4 player, since they’re typically the ones rushing the quarterback most often. Davis is the lone 4-3 OLB here, and he and the Panthers are trying to work out an extension that figures to reduce his cap charges for future seasons.
  • Other extension candidates here include Houston and Miller, who are currently playing on the franchise tag and a fifth-year option, respectively.
  • Getting after the quarterback is something good teams typically do well, so perhaps it’s not surprising to see perennial contenders Packers and Broncos spending big on outside pass rushers — both teams have two players in the top six here.
  • Players who didn’t make the cut on this list include a pair of recipients of big offseason contracts, Jerry Hughes and Pernell McPhee, who will see their cap hits increase in subsequent seasons. Aldon Smith‘s one-year deal has a maximum value of $9.754MM, which would tie him with Miller, but his cap number is under $5MM, since the contract includes a handful of roster bonuses and incentives.

Inside linebackers:

  1. Lawrence Timmons (Steelers): $12.566MM
  2. Brian Cushing (Texans): $7.891MM
  3. NaVorro Bowman (49ers): $7.654MM
  4. David Harris (Jets): $7.5MM
  5. Rey Maualuga (Bengals): $7.138MM
  6. Paul Posluszny (Jaguars): $6.885MM
  7. Daryl Washington (Cardinals): $6.5MM
  8. Curtis Lofton (Raiders): $6.5MM
  9. Jerod Mayo (Patriots): $6.1MM
  10. Stephen Tulloch (Lions): $5.8MM
  • Timmons is an effective player, but his 2015 cap number is nearly 60% more than the second-highest at his position, a sign that the Steelers may have overspent a little on him.
  • While inside linebacker salaries are generally trending downward, the Jets and Raiders had plenty of cap space to use this offseason, and both teams used a chunk on a veteran ILB — Harris’ and Lofton’s cap numbers in future seasons won’t increase above their 2015 figures.
  • It’s hard to imagine Mayo playing out his contract beyond this season, as it currently stands. His cap number is set to jump to $11MM+ in 2016.

Cornerbacks:

  1. Darrelle Revis (Jets): $16MM
  2. Patrick Peterson (Cardinals): $14.791MM
  3. Brandon Carr (Cowboys): $12.717MM
  4. Johnathan Joseph (Texans): $12.25MM
  5. Richard Sherman (Seahawks): $12.2MM
  6. Joe Haden (Browns): $11.7MM
  7. Vontae Davis (Colts): $11.25MM
  8. Brent Grimes (Dolphins): $10MM
  9. Leon Hall (Bengals): $9.6MM
  10. Lardarius Webb (Ravens): $9.25MM
  • Not only does Revis have the largest cap hit for any cornerback this year — he’s also counting for $5MM in dead money against the Patriots‘ cap, after New England turned down his 2015 option.
  • Byron Maxwell‘s new deal with the Eagles averages more than $10MM per year, but it missed a spot on this list due to an $8.7MM cap charge in year one. That number will increase to $11.7MM by 2017.

Safeties:

  1. Eric Weddle (Chargers): $10.1MM
  2. Eric Berry (Chiefs): $8.357MM
  3. Michael Griffin (Titans): $8.1MM
  4. T.J. Ward (Broncos): $7.75MM
  5. Reshad Jones (Dolphins): $7.713MM
  6. Earl Thomas (Seahawks): $7.4MM
  7. Nate Allen (Raiders): $7MM
  8. Donte Whitner (Browns): $6.75MM
  9. Tyvon Branch (Raiders): $6.671MM (dead money)
  10. Devin McCourty (Patriots): $6MM
  • Expect to see Thomas and McCourty on this list for years to come. Their cap numbers both rise significantly in 2016 and beyond, and barring a sudden dropoff, they’re unlikely to be cut loose anytime soon.
  • As they did with other free agent contracts this offseason, the Raiders frontloaded Allen’s contract, which has cap numbers between $5-6MM for the remaining three years. Similarly, Ward’s deal with the Broncos has an unusually large hit this season before dipping down below $6MM for its final two years — Denver could rework it if the team needs the room.
  • While Branch counts for $6.671MM on the Raiders‘ books, his current cap charge for the team he actually plays for – the division-rival Chiefs – is just $1.288MM.
  • Jairus Byrd didn’t quite make this list after restructuring his contract earlier this offseason, but he’ll be on here in future years unless he continues to rework his contract or is cut by the Saints. His cap numbers from 2016 to 2019 all exceed $10MM.

Contract information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post.

AFC West Notes: Houston, Thomas, Weddle, L.A.

June 12th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Chiefs will open their three-day mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, but will likely do so without star pass rusher Justin Houston, writes Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Head coach Andy Reid was asked whether he expected to see Houston next week. “He probably won’t be,” said Reid. “We just move on. I don’t really get caught up in all that stuff.”

Here are some other notes from around the AFC West:

  • Peyton Manning lost tight end Julius Thomas and slot receiver Wes Welker, but is still looking to make another deep playoff run this season. However, he is unhappy that Demaryius Thomas has not received a new deal yet, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While installing a new offense under Gary Kubiak and Rick Dennison, every day Thomas misses he falls behind on learning the offense.
  • Eric Weddle is another player who hasn’t been at team facilities amidst a contract dispute, and general manager Tom Telesco offered his thoughts on The Mighty 1090 in San Diego. Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com transcribed part of the conversation. “We said before the draft that we would talk after the draft. And we did. And we talked multiple times. We listened to their concerns about his current contract. We listened to their complaints about playing too much. And we read through their statistical analysis and their financial comparisons,” said Telesco. “We went through all of that stuff. We just decided that we’re just not at their numbers right now. It’s really as simple as that. There’s no sinister agenda there, nothing like that. Just right now it’s not there.”
  • The Rose Bowl and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum have both emerged as possibilities to become temporary homes for any NFL team that agrees to move to Los Angeles, writes Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today. The league will soon discuss plans for temporary housing for teams to move to City of Angels ahead of a new stadium being built, and both the Chargers and Raiders are top candidates to relocate.

Minor Moves: Friday

June 12th, 2015 at 8:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

  • The Lions claimed quarterback Garrett Gilbert from the Patriots earlier today, reports Howard Balzer of LockerDome.com (via Twitter). The team released quarterback Anthony Boone, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
  • The Seahawks have signed wide receiver Kasen Williams, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com (via Twitter). The team waived linebacker Mister Alexander to make room for Williams, who announced the signing on his Instagram account.
  • Wide receiver Zach D’Orazio was waived by the Patriots, and passed through waivers unclaimed, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • While the Buccaneers might have landed recently released tight end Tim Wright, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports is interested to see the full list of teams who put in waiver claims for him (via Twitter). He adds that the Jets were one team that did.
  • In order for the Buccaneers to make room for Wright on the roster, the team has waived tight end Taylor Sloat, according to Jenna Laine of SportsTalkFlorida.com (via Twitter).
  • The Jets have signed former USC Trojan and Saints offensive tackle Charles Brown after they wrapped up their full-squad minicamp, reports Randy Lange of NewYorkJets.com. The team cut offensive tackle Sean Hooey to make room for the former second-round pick.
  • Hooey wouldn’t be unemployed for very long, as the 49ers claimed him off waivers from the Jets, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

Dez Bryant Considering Sitting Out Opener

June 12th, 2015 at 7:12pm CST by Luke Adams

7:12PM: For anyone who doesn’t believe that Bryant is serious about missing actual game time during this contract dispute, the superstar wide receiver is doing what he can to make it convincing. “This is no rumor; it’s legit,” Bryant told Michael Silver of NFL.com (via Twitter).

2:41PM: The Cowboys and Dez Bryant still have more than a month to work out a long-term contract, but if the two sides don’t strike a deal by the July 15 deadline, the star receiver will consider not reporting to the team for its regular-season opener, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.

While the Cowboys’ decision-makers, including executive VP Stephen Jones, have said publicly that they want to get a multiyear extension done with Bryant this year, the team hasn’t been aggressive about pursuing a deal, Mortensen suggests. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com hints at this as well, tweeting that he can’t blame Bryant for taking an aggressive approach to contract discussions, given the Cowboys’ negotiating stance, “or lack thereof.”

Bryant, 26, received the franchise tag from Dallas earlier this year, which includes a one-year contract offer worth $12.823MM. Like most of 2015’s other franchised players, Bryant has yet to sign that tender, meaning he’s not subject to fines if he misses the Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp next week, or training camp later this summer.

Still, Bryant did make an appearance at one of the club’s OTA sessions, and participated in individual drills. It’s hard to imagine him sitting out a regular season game due to his contract situation, particularly since his options will be limited if no deal is reached by July 15. After that date, teams aren’t permitted to sign franchised players to long-term contracts until after the season.

In my view, this is simply a negotiating tactic and an attempt to regain some leverage for Bryant, who could push the Cowboys to modify his one-year tender offer even if the two sides don’t reach a long-term agreement. Dallas’ deal with Greg Hardy featured a clause that doesn’t allow the team to use its franchise tag on the defensive end in 2016, and Bryant may attempt to get a similar clause in his own one-year contract, barring a multiyear extension.

Michael Sam Leaves Montreal Alouettes

June 12th, 2015 at 6:38pm CST by Rob DiRe

Former seventh-round draft pick Michael Sam has decided to leave his CFL team, the Montreal Alouettes.

The team released a statement earlier today, on the team’s official website. Part of the statement has been reproduced below.

“The Montreal Alouettes organization would like to clarify the situation surrounding international defensive end Michael Sam. Friday morning, Michael asked the team for special permission to leave training camp and return home for personal reasons.”

The team went on to write that Sam’s reasons will remain confidential, and that the defensive end is welcome to return to the team whenever he is ready.

Sam joined the Alouettes on May 22nd, and leaves the team after only three weeks, according to John Breech of CBS Sports. He has missed practices earlier this week, and will miss at least the first preseason game for the team.

Evan Mathis Rumors: Friday

June 12th, 2015 at 6:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles made Evan Mathis‘ release official today, meaning he’s now a free agent, and can sign immediately with any team. As I noted yesterday, I don’t expect the veteran guard to rush out and join a new team right away, especially since he’ll likely have many potential suitors to consider. Here are the latest rumors and updates on Mathis, including some details on his exit from Philadelphia:

  • The Eagles nearly traded Mathis to another team during the draft, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to that same source, however, the club didn’t make a serious effort to move him before releasing him this week. Mathis’ trade value wouldn’t have been particularly high, given his age and his contract, but I have to think the Eagles could have at least landed a conditional late-round pick. Trading Mathis would also have allowed Philadelphia to control the process, meaning the club could have tried to send the veteran lineman to an AFC team rather than risking him signing with a rival.
  • Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer also hears that the Eagles were engaged in trade talks involving Mathis around the draft. However, according to McLane’s sources, that mystery suitor changed its plans after the first round.
  • The Rams could use another offensive lineman or two, but don’t expect the team to pursue Mathis unless he comes cheaper than expected, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Meanwhile, Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel says you can count on the Dolphins pursuing Mathis, though it’s not clear yet how aggressive their pursuit will be.
  • It would be a smart move for the Jets to add Mathis to their roster, but only if the price is right, says Brian Costello of the New York Post.
  • While Mathis could be a nice fit for the Vikings, no one should be surprised if Mathis prefers other opportunities, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.

Browns Re-Sign Tashaun Gipson

June 12th, 2015 at 5:22pm CST by Luke Adams

The last restricted free agent on the market is now officially under contract, according to Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange, who reports (via Twitter) that safety Tashaun Gipson has re-signed with the Browns. The team assigned Gipson a second-round tender worth $2.356MM earlier in the offseason.

While Gipson wasn’t happy with the RFA tender he received from the Browns, it’s not a huge surprise that he eventually relented and signed it, given his lack of leverage. As Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal wrote earlier today, Gipson said this week that he intended to rejoin the team after skipping voluntary workouts, and he would’ve risked nearly $2MM had he not signed by Monday.

The NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement indicates that if a restricted free agent hasn’t signed his one-year tender by June 15, his team has the opportunity to withdraw that offer and retain the player’s rights by extending a new offer worth 110% of his previous salary. Since Gipson made just $570K last year, that means the Browns could’ve reduced his offer from $2.356MM to $660K (the minimum salary for a player with his experience).

Instead, it appears Gipson will play the 2015 season on his RFA tender before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016. While the 24-year-old has reportedly discussed a long-term contract with the Browns, he likely won’t hesitate to test the open market if given the opportunity, since he’d certainly draw interest from teams in need of talent in the secondary. Potential suitors this year were almost certainly scared off by the second-round pick they would have had to surrender had they been able to sign Gipson away from the Browns.

Over the last two years, Gipson has started 26 games for the Browns, racking up 146 tackles during that stretch and showing a knack for coming up with big plays — he has grabbed 11 interceptions during the last two seasons, returning two of them for touchdowns. Despite playing just 11 games in 2014, the Wyoming product earned a Pro Bowl nod.

Saints Sign Kevin Williams

June 12th, 2015 at 4:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have added some veteran depth to their defensive line, according to the team’s senior VP of communications, Greg Bensel. Bensel tweets that Kevin Williams has signed with the club, replacing tight end Harold Spears, who was waived.

Williams, who will turn 35 in August, visited the Saints last month, but didn’t immediately sign with the team at that point. Shortly after his trip to New Orleans, Williams told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he’d prefer to re-sign with the Seahawks, but the defending NFC champions didn’t seem to share his interest. In New Orleans, Williams will see a familiar face across the line in practice, as center Max Unger has also made the move from the Seahawks to the Saints this offseason.

While Williams isn’t the same dominant defensive force that he was from 2004 to 2009, when he earned five All-Pro nods for the Vikings, he can still be a productive player. In 2014, the former first-round pick ranked in the middle of the pack among defensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required). PFF’s grades placed Williams 40th out of 81 qualified DTs, as he finished the season with 38 tackles and three sacks.

Rams Sign Todd Gurley, Entire Draft Class

June 12th, 2015 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Rams have signed their entire 2015 draft class in one fell swoop, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who tweets that first-round running back Todd Gurley and seven other draftees have inked their rookie contracts with the club.

The only Rams draft pick who had previously signed his deal was sixth-round wideout Bud Sasser, who wasn’t physically cleared to play for the team due to a heart condition. St. Louis signed him to his rookie contract, ensuring he’d get his signing bonus, then waived him. Here’s the full list of the remaining Rams draftees who are now under contract with the club:

  • 1-10: Todd Gurley, RB (Georgia)
  • 2-57: Rob Havenstein, T (Wisconsin)
  • 3-72: Jamon Brown, T (Louisville)
  • 3-89: Sean Mannion, QB (Oregon State)
  • 4-119: Andrew Donnal, T (Iowa)
  • 6-215: Cody Wichmann, G (Fresno State)
  • 7-224: Bryce Hager, LB (Baylor)
  • 7-227: Martin Ifedi, DE (Memphis)

Gurley’s four-year deal will, of course, be the most lucrative of the bunch, with a signing bonus worth about $8.313MM and an overall value of $13.823MM, per Over The Cap. The contract for the 10th overall pick will also be the only one that features a fifth-year option, allowing the Rams to lock up the running back for the 2019 season.

While most teams announce their signings in bunches in the weeks following the draft, the Rams make a habit of waiting until mid-June to confirm their rookie deals. Head coach Jeff Fisher has said in previous years that he likes to make sure his newcomers are educated on financial planning before they sign their first NFL contracts.

Falcons Sign Vic Beasley

June 12th, 2015 at 3:26pm CST by Luke Adams

After assuring Falcons fans and owner Arthur Blank last night that a deal would come soon, general manager Thomas Dimitroff has locked up first-round pass rusher Vic Beasley to his rookie contract, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter).

With Beasley now under contract, the Falcons have secured all seven of their 2015 draft picks, becoming the latest team to do so. Fewer than 20 draftees around the NFL have yet to sign their rookie deals.

In Beasley’s case, his new four-year deal will be worth $14.495MM, according to Over The Cap’s data. That contract will also feature a signing bonus worth about $8.802MM and a fifth-year option for 2019, and will almost certainly be fully guaranteed, since the former Clemson edge defender was the eighth overall pick.

The Falcons have struggled to produce an effective pass rush over the last couple seasons, and the arrival of Beasley is expected to help improve that aspect of the defense. It will be interesting to see how new head coach Dan Quinn makes use of Beasley, who was considered one of the top edge rushers in this year’s draft.

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