2015 June - Pro Football Rumors

Month: January 2025

Malcom Floyd May Retire After Season

June 3rd, 2015 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Chargers receiver Malcom Floyd is entering the final year of a four-year, $13MM pact, and he’s strongly considering calling it a career once that deal expires, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. According to Williams, Floyd won’t make a final decision until after the 2015 season, but he’s likely to retire after this year.

“My approach is to focus on now, and not trying to worry about what happens after this season,” Floyd said. “It can be a distraction. I’m just trying to throw all of my chips in this year, especially because it’s the last year of my contract and just go all out, and worry about the rest later. But I’ve got four kids and it’s taking time away from them. So I’m thinking about shutting it down at the end of this season.”

Floyd, 33, has been a Charger since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2004, but had one of the most productive seasons of his long career in 2014. Starting all 16 games for the first time, Floyd caught 52 balls and matched career highs with 856 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The performance increased Floyd’s career totals to 291 receptions, 4,989 yards, and 31 TDs.

The 2016 offseason may represent a major transition period for the Chargers, whose future as a franchise in San Diego is uncertain. Besides Floyd, longtime Chargers like Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, and Eric Weddle are all entering the final year of their respective contracts, and negotiations (or a lack thereof) between the team and Weddle have been particularly contentious so far. In Floyd’s case, such extension talks won’t be required if he does indeed to decide to call it a career.

Raiders Sign Trindon Holliday

June 3rd, 2015 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Wide receiver and return specialist Trindon Holliday, who first broke onto the scene returning kicks and punts for the Broncos, has joined another AFC West team, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. Getlin reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders have signed Holliday to a contract.

Holliday, 29, was a dynamic return man for Denver in 2012 and 2013, bringing back a total of four kicks and punts for touchdowns over the course of those two regular seasons. As a member of the Broncos in the 2012 postseason, Holliday became the first player to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the same playoff game.

However, the Broncos decided not to tender a contract to Holliday when he was eligible for restricted free agency a year ago, leading to a 2014 campaign in which the former sixth-round pick bounced around from team to team and battled injuries along the way. Holliday had stints with the Giants, Buccaneers, and 49ers in 2014, and was ultimately cut by San Francisco in April.

Terms of the agreement haven’t been reported, but I’d expect a one-year, minimum salary contract for the LSU alum.

How Will Newton Deal Affect Wilson, Luck?

June 3rd, 2015 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

With about three months remaining until the 2015 season gets underway, the market for quarterback contract extensions is starting to get interesting. Cam Newton signed a new deal with the Panthers this week, locking him up through the 2020 season, but several notable QBs remain unsigned beyond this year. Russell Wilson, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Nick Foles will all see their contracts expire in the winter, and Andrew Luck is extension-eligible as well, though the Colts exercised their fifth-year option on him for 2016.

Manning and Rivers are veteran signal-callers coming off veteran contracts, and will be entering their mid-30s by the time their next deals begin. Foles, meanwhile, had one incredible season with the Eagles, but doesn’t have nearly the same track record as a player like Newton, Wilson, or Luck. So for now, we’ll just focus on those latter three players, since their situations are the most similar.

Newton, 2011’s No. 1 overall pick, has four NFL seasons under his belt, while Wilson and Luck just have three, but all three quarterbacks have been their respective team’s starter since entering the league — between the three of them, they’ve only missed two total games in their NFL careers (both Newton in 2014, due to a rib injury). With Newton securing a contract that places him among the game’s highest-paid QBs, it makes sense that Wilson and Luck would be paying close attention to the numbers on that deal.

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk outlines, the Seahawks will probably view Newton’s contract as a ceiling for Wilson, while Wilson – and agent Mark Rodgers – will consider it his floor. Having played his first three seasons on a third-rounder’s salary, Wilson may be more motivated than Newton (a former No. 1 pick) to maximize his earnings, which could inspire him to play out the 2015 season on his current contract, rather than accepting any sort of discount from Seattle.

As for Luck, Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes that there’s no question that 2012’s first overall pick should be paid more than Newton, and perhaps more than anyone else in the NFL. The question is how much more.

A look at the career stats for Newton, Wilson, and Luck shows why both unsigned QBs could make a strong case that they’re more deserving than Newton of a mega-deal that exceeds even Aaron Rodgers‘ $20MM for year. All numbers in this chart, with the exception of regular-season and playoff records, are averages per season:

You could make a case that Newton’s supporting cast hasn’t been as strong as Luck’s or Wilson’s during his first few NFL seasons, but it’s not as if Wilson has been surrounded by Pro Bowl wideouts, and the Colts’ inconsistent and unproductive running game hasn’t helped Luck. Newton’s value has also been buoyed by his ability to make things happen with his legs, but Wilson and Luck aren’t exactly statues in the pocket either. Plus, history has shown that a quarterback’s rushing ability typically declines as he gets older, so I doubt the Panthers are expecting Newton to run for 650 yards and eight touchdowns per season over the course of his next contract.

What this chart does show is that Luck is a more productive passer than Newton, averaging about 700 more passing yards and eight more touchdowns per year, despite an up-and-down rookie campaign. As for Wilson, he’s certainly more efficient than Newton, throwing for a higher completion percentage, fewer interceptions, and a much better rating.

Most importantly, both Luck and Wilson have had significantly more postseason success than Newton, whose lone playoff victory came after his team earned a home game in the Wild Card round despite a 7-8-1 record, and defeated a third-string quarterback. Wilson has a Super Bowl win on his résumé, and came one play away from another, while Luck has reached an AFC championship game, and has three career postseason wins. Considering there are many other factors in play, it may not be fair to judge an NFL quarterback so heavily on his playoff success as opposed to his regular season performance, but it happens. Just ask Andy Dalton.

There should be no question then that, unless they decide to take a discount, Luck and Wilson will do even better on their extensions than Newton did on his. With the cap on the rise, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see both players exceed Rodgers’ $22MM annual salary, and I could easily imagine Luck setting a new high watermark for guaranteed money. With the Seahawks apparently playing hardball though, and with the Colts postponing Luck’s extensions talks until 2016, it may take some time before those deals are actually consummated.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Details On Cam Newton, Cam Jordan Contracts

June 3rd, 2015 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

More details are trickling in on Cam Newton‘s massive $103.8MM extension with the Panthers, as well as Cameron Jordan‘s new five-year extension with the Saints. We’ll round up the latest on the two NFC South mega-deals right here:

Newton:

According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), the cap numbers on Newton’s new deal are as follows: $13MM (2015), $19.5MM (2016), $20.166MM (2017), $21.5MM (2018), $23.2MM (2019), and $21.1MM (2020). Corry notes (via Twitter) that the deal includes a $10MM option bonus in 2016, with a $10MM non-exercise fee. The non-exercise fee is the amount that must be paid out if a player is kept on the roster without his option being picked up.
There have been varying reports on the amount of the full guarantee in the contract. Albert Breer of the NFL Network suggests (via Twitter) that only $31MM is fully guaranteed. That would be the $22.5MM signing bonus, the $7.5MM roster bonus due later this week, and the $1MM base salary for 2015.
As we passed along earlier today, however, Corry says the full guarantee works out to $41MM, which also seems to include his $10MM option bonus for 2016. Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that $54MM is fully guaranteed, which would be the aforementioned amounts, plus Newton’s $13MM base salary for ’16.
While we may have to wait for further clarification, my guess is that – while it’s possible only $31MM is fully guaranteed at the time of the signing – Corry’s $41MM figure is probably accurate. That $10MM second-year option may not be fully guaranteed at this point, but as Corry wrote in a piece last year, sometimes teams will guarantee future base salary, with that guarantee voiding or reducing after an option has been picked up — that approach minimizes or eliminates the risk of a player being cut before the option exercise period ends.
One detail that everyone agrees on, which was reported at the time of the initial agreement yesterday, is that the total amount of guaranteed money – including injury-only guarantees – is $60MM.
Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap breaks down what Newton’s extension looks like in chart form, and also compares the deal to other notable quarterback extensions signed recently.

Jordan:

While Jordan’s five-year, $55MM extension includes $33MM guaranteed for injury, just $23.96MM is fully guaranteed, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Facebook link). Jordan’s previous $6.969MM salary for 2015 had already been fully guaranteed, so that’s $17MM in new fully guaranteed money.
When the agreement was first reported yesterday, it was noted that $5MM was available for Jordan in incentives — those are sack-related, according to La Canfora, though he doesn’t have details on the specific requirements.
If Jordan’s play slips, the Saints could comfortably move on from this contract after two seasons, says La Canfora. In his view, the deal won’t be a point of reference when star lineman like Marcell Dareus and Muhammad Wilkerson are negotiating new contracts, though it may make a good comparable for a player like Cameron Heyward of the Steelers.

PFR Commenting Policy

June 3rd, 2015 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Comments of this nature are not allowed at Pro Football Rumors:

Attacks or insults towards other commenters, the post author, journalists, teams, players, or agents.
Inappropriate language, including swearing and related censor bypass attempts, lewdness, insults, and crude terms for body parts, bodily functions, and physical acts. Overall, we don’t want any language that a parent would not want their kid to see.
Juvenile comments or extensive use of text message-type spelling.
Writing comments in all or mostly caps.
Spam-type links or self-promotion.
Comments about how you’re sick of this topic or it’s not newsworthy.
No inappropriate avatars or images are allowed.
Anything else we deem bad for business.

If you see comments that fit the above criteria, please flag them and/or contact us. Bans may be handed out liberally by our moderators, without second chances. Remaining civil is not that difficult though, and most commenters have no problems doing so, as well as helping rein each other in. We are grateful for all of our longtime commenters and readers, though this policy applies equally regardless of tenure. This policy is always available at the bottom of the site, and will be re-posted monthly.

Panthers Sign Cam Newton To Five-Year Extension

June 3rd, 2015 at 7:53am CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 7:53am: According to former agent Joel Corry (Twitter link via SiriusXM NFL Radio), $41MM of Newton’s new contract is fully guaranteed at the time of the signing, with a total of $54MM becoming fully guaranteed within the first 12 months of the deal.

TUESDAY, 4:07pm: Newton’s contract calls for a $22.5MM signing bonus, a $7.5MM roster bonus due on June 6th, and a $1MM salary for 2015, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The quarterback, in total, will earn $31MM in 2015.

3:46pm: Newton has officially signed his extension, the Panthers announced today in a press release.

3:35pm: As expected, the Panthers have reached an agreement on a new contract for quarterback Cam Newton, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, it’ll be a five-year extension for Newton worth $103MM. ESPN 730 in Charlotte first reported yesterday that the two sides were nearing a deal.

Per reports from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com and Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), the total value of Newton’s extension is actually $103.8MM, while Schefter tweets that the pact includes $60MM in guaranteed money. According to Rapoport, Garafolo, and Schefter (Twitter links), the contract features a payout of $67.6MM in the first three years, a mammoth figure that may represent the highest total ever for the first three years of an NFL contract.

If the entirety of Newton’s $60MM guarantee is fully guaranteed, it would be the highest figure in NFL history, narrowly edging the amount Ndamukong Suh received this offseason. However, we’ll have to wait for the specifics of the contract to be reported and confirmed before we know for sure how it will be structured, and whether or not some of the guarantees are for injury only. For now, Newton’s deal appears to be very similar to the five year, $103.75MM pact Matt Ryan received from the Falcons, which would make the Panthers’ signal-caller one of the NFL’s top-five highest-paid quarterbacks.

The Panthers and Newton had been expected to make every effort to work out a long-term arrangement at some point this offseason, but as of last week, negotiations had “barely gotten off the ground,” tweets Rapoport. Rapoport and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) both indicate that things happened quickly over the last few days, with talks between the team and agents Bus Cook, Chitta Mallik, and Tony Paige intensifying over the weekend.

While Russell Wilson‘s contract talks have dominated the rumor mill in recent weeks, Newton is the other notable young quarterback who would be eligible for unrestricted free agency following the 2015 season without a new contract. The former No. 1 overall pick was drafted a year earlier than Wilson – in 2011 rather than 2012 – but the Panthers were able to secure him for an extra season beyond his rookie deal by exercising his fifth-year option for ’15. Newton had been on track to earn a salary of $14.666MM for the coming season.

Newton, 26, has earned a pair of Pro Bowl berths during his first four seasons with the Panthers and is coming off a 2014 campaign in which he threw for 3,127 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 14 regular season contests. Despite finishing the season with a 7-8-1 record, Carolina won the NFC South and defeated the Cardinals on Wild Card weekend, the first postseason victory of Newton’s career.

Although Newton’s career passing numbers are somewhat modest, he has provided plenty of value with his legs as well, rushing for 2,571 yards and 33 touchdowns in his four seasons. Additionally, his passing totals were likely stunted somewhat last year due to his mediocre receiving corps — Greg Olsen stepped up and had a career year at tight end, but the wideouts were headed by rookie Kelvin Benjamin and journeyman Jerricho Cotchery. With Benjamin expected to take a step forward in his second year and 2015 second-rounder Devin Funchess added to the mix, Newton should have a little more help going forward.

Outside of Wilson, other big-name quarterbacks whose contracts are set to expire after the 2015 season include Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Nick Foles. Of that group, Manning and Rivers are coming off veteran deals, so their negotiations will look a little different than Newton’s or Wilson’s. As for Foles, he’s finishing up his rookie contract, but his next deal will hinge significantly on how he adjusts with his new team in 2015.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Winston, Liuget, Harris

June 2nd, 2015 at 9:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is high on rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, as Jenna Laine of Sports Talk Florida writes. However, he says the real test of his abilities is yet to come. “He’s a first-overall pick. Of course you see the talent,” McCoy said of Winston. “You’ve got to give it some time, guys. Everything is real basic right now. Until we put on pads and I can actually chase him, then I’ll tell you how good he is.”

There has been a lot of positive momentum in the Chargers‘ efforts to sign defensive end Corey Liuget to a contract extension, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. The two sides are getting closer, according to a source that spoke with Gehlken.
Titans cornerback Brandon Harris suffered a torn ACL during today’s practice, according to a source that spoke with Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (on Twitter). Harris, who signed a one-year deal with the Titans during the offseason, now faces a lengthy rehab process. The 25-year-old earned 112 defensive snaps for the Titans in 2014, recording 11 tackles and three passes defended. He was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2011 draft and although he wasn’t expected to play a starring role this year, he was being counted upon for depth at the cornerback position.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn supported the team’s quick decision to release linebacker Prince Shembo, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Naturally, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who went through the Michael Vick federal dog fighting investigation of 2007, was involved in the decision to release Shembo.
The Ravens were glad to snag cornerback Tray Walker in the fourth round of this year’s draft, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The Ravens knew that the Texas Southern product was drawing widespread interest, so they were over the moon to get him at No. 136. “He’s a guy that we had targeted,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “We really hoped to get him in the draft. He’s a guy that we wanted to get in the mid-rounds. We were looking to try to draft him, and we were able to do it.“
The Dolphins should be happy that they got Ryan Tannehill‘s deal done before Cam Newton‘s new pact with the Panthers, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. The total money given to Tannehill may not have changed, but the contract security likely would have been different.
The Chargers and mayor Kevin Faulconer met to discuss the possibility of a new stadium on Tuesday, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes. “Today we and our negotiating team met with Chargers chairman Dean Spanos and his adviser Mark Fabiani for more than an hour,” Faulconer’s spokesperson Craig Gustafson said in a prepared statement. “It was a productive discussion on a variety of issues, and both parties agreed to meet again within the next several days.”

NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Wilson, 49ers

June 2nd, 2015 at 7:55pm CST by Zachary Links

In a Q&A with Bob McManaman of The Arizona Republic, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said that he hasn’t given much thought to the idea of inside linebacker Daryl Washington returning to the team.

“I don’t lose one minute’s sleep or even think about it,” Arians said when asked about where he stands on Washington, who was suspended in 2014 for a drug policy violation and still faces a likely suspension for his domestic violence case. “Until he becomes a Cardinal again, it’s a waste of breath.”

If he is reinstated, however, Arians says that the players want him back in the locker room and he won’t get in the way of that. Here’s more from the NFC West..

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson says he’s prepared to play this season without a new deal though he hopes to stay in Seattle for a long time, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets. It’ll be interesting to see how recent deals for Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill and Panthers QB Cam Newton will affect Wilson’s talks with Seattle.
Fullback Bruce Miller is expected to rejoin the 49ers for their offseason program after pleading no contest Tuesday to misdemeanor disturbing the peace in connection with a March 5 argument with his former fiancée, Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee writes. Miller, 27, must attend a 16-week domestic violence counseling course as part of his plea, and he is barred from contact with his ex-fiancee. He is expected to be sentenced in about six months, after he has completed the program.
Former 49ers and Bears defensive tackle Ray McDonald‘s former fiancee said in court records that McDonald repeatedly attacked her over several months, The Associated Press writes. In the document, the ex-fiancee wrote that McDonald began a pattern of “verbal abuse and controlling behavior” in February 2014 after the couple got engaged and that escalated into “full attacks.”

Panthers GM, Coach On Cam Newton’s Extension

June 2nd, 2015 at 7:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, quarterback Cam Newton officially inked a contract that will keep him with the Panthers through the 2020 season. Carolina is thrilled to have its franchise quarterback locked up and Newton is also excited to have the deal done. When asked how he’s going to celebrate tonight, Newton told reporters, including Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter), that he’s going to enjoy some Lucky Charms and some milk. Here’s more on Newton’s new deal..

Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says that his team has been very deliberate in getting finances in order so that he could pay Cam Newton and build around him, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. In recent years, Gettleman cut high-priced veterans such as Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams in favor of low-cost free agents.
Gettleman believes that Newton will take the team “to the promised land” that is the Super Bowl, David Newton tweets.
The quarterback told reporters, including Person (on Twitter), that the contract won’t change his approach to the game, though he said he will be more mindful of the hits he takes.
Gettleman said it took eleven days to get a deal done, Person tweets. The GM sent his first proposal to agent Bus Cook four days before the Ryan Tannehill deal was done.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera said it was important to make sure that Newton knew the Panthers were committed to him, David Newton tweets.

Minor Moves: Tuesday Night

June 2nd, 2015 at 5:47pm CST by Zachary Links

This afternoon, Luke Adams rounded up the minor transactions of the day. Here’s a look at the latest moves to come to light this evening..

Nose tackle Brandon Deaderick, a former member of the Saints, was signed by the Texans, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (via Twitter). The Texans also signed defensive end Jasper Coleman and waived running back Mack Brown, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter).
The Browns were awarded defensive lineman Tory Slater off waivers from the Seahawks, according to a source that spoke with Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). To make room, linebacker Rodman Noel has been waived, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter).
The Lions will re-sign UDFA running back Rasheed Williams, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). Williams, who was released not long ago, will be back at OTAs on Wednesday with Detroit.
Washington announced that it has re-signed tackle Willie Smith. Smith, 28, originally entered the NFL as a college free agent July 28, 2011, and has since appeared in 29 career games with 11 starts with the Raiders, Chargers, and Washington. To make room, fellow tackle Tovar Allen was let go.
The Rams signed sixth-round wide receiver Bud Sasser, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
No surprise here, but Prince Shembo went unclaimed off waivers from the Falcons, as Wilson tweets. Wilson is facing animal cruelty chargers for allegedly killing a dog.
The Cowboys cut safety Keelan Johnson, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
Former Chiefs tight end Sean McGrath, who recently un-retired, has signed with the Colts, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). To make room on the roster, former tight end Jean Sifrin was waived, according to Wilson (link).
Former Missouri defensive tackle Lucas Vincent was waived by the Titans today, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter).

Load More Posts