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A.J. Green To Play 2015 Without New Deal

July 14th, 2015 at 8:46am CST by Luke Adams

While long-term contract talks for star receivers like Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant go down to the wire, with possible holdouts looming, another Pro Bowl wideout is content to play the 2015 season without a new deal in place. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Conor Orr of NFL.com), A.J. Green doesn’t intend to sign an extension prior to the season, opting instead to play out the final year of his current contract.

It isn’t a real surprise that Green and the Bengals would decide to shelve extension discussions until after the season, considering there isn’t as much urgency to get something done as there is for the Broncos and Cowboys with their own star receivers. Since Green is currently playing on the fifth-year option that came attached to his rookie deal, the Bengals will have the option of using the franchise tag on him for the first time in 2016.

Additionally, Green, who turns 27 later this month, didn’t seem anxious to finalize a long-term pact with the team when he addressed the issue last week, indicting that he didn’t plan to hold out and wasn’t preoccupied with thoughts about his contract.

“I don’t get into all the ‘I need a contract’ stuff,'” Green told Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. “I’m not here for money. I’m not broke. So I’m fine. I can wait until the end of the year to get a contract, but I know that time is coming.”

By playing out the final year of his contract, Green will earn a base salary of $10.176MM before potentially returning to the negotiating table in 2016. Waiting on a new deal would also allow Green and the Bengals to see if other top wideouts – like Thomas, Bryant, and Atlanta’s Julio Jones – ink new contracts of their own in the meantime, perhaps giving the two sides a clearer idea of what the market looks like.

Extra Points: JPP, Luck, Bucs, Cardinals

July 13th, 2015 at 9:29pm CST by Zachary Links

At some point, the Giants and Jason Pierre-Paul are going to have to talk money, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes. The Giants want JPP in camp learning the new defense, so Graziano figures that the most likely outcome is that the two sides negotiate to a lower franchise figure and he signs it in exchange for a written promise from the team to pay him the entire amount. Under that scenario, the Giants could theoretically have Pierre-Paul in camp and help administer his rehab and Pierre-Paul would not have to worry about rushing back to the field in order to get paid. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com gave his thoughts on at how an extension might look for Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. Luck could be looking at a five-year, ~$125MM pact in exchange for tearing up his currently contracted 2016 season (~$16.15MM), but Seifert suggests he could instead push the Colts to give him a $100MM deal with $90MM fully guaranteed. Such a deal wouldn’t just benefit Luck, it would allow the Colts to spend more on the roster around their star quarterback.
  • Buccaneers cornerback C.J. Wilson, who lost two fingers in a fireworks accident, was released from a hospital on Friday, and he is doing well and is “in very good spirits,” sources tell ESPN’s Adam Caplan. Wilson is in the final season of his two-year deal that carries a non-guaranteed base salary of $585K for the 2015 season. Wilson, not to be confused with the defensive tackle who goes by the same name, hadn’t been expected to play a major role for Tampa Bay in 2015, but he did appear in two games for the team at the end of last season, logging some snaps on both defense and special teams. Now, his chances of seeing the field at all this season are up in the air.
  • Cardinals safety Rashad Johnson says that he has long planned to be a coach when his playing career is through, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. Somewhat surprisingly, Johnson doesn’t dream of being a head coach, but instead wants to be a defensive coordinator. “It’s something that makes me who I am,” Johnson said. “It makes me that special player that’s vital even if he’s not a Patrick Peterson-type of athlete. Vital because he can help the defense as a whole because he knows the plays. He can help everyone play faster.” Johnson, who is entering the final year of his deal, has been mentioned as an extension candidate this summer.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Bryant, Cowboys

July 13th, 2015 at 9:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars executive Chris Polian, who was promoted to director of pro personnel in Jacksonville this offseason, was surprised when the Eagles approached him in January about interviewing for their general manager job, as he tells Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. According to Polian, his initial interview included Chip Kelly and various members of the Philadelphia front office, while his second meeting was a one-on-one with the Eagles head coach.

“It kind of came out of the blue. I wasn’t expecting it,” Polian said. “It was quick getting the information and then getting up there. But I enjoyed it very much, the chance to sit down, talk and present my ideas to Chip.”

Here’s more from the NFC East..

  • Dez Bryant needs to be more specific when he says “I will not be there,” if not publicly then at least privately in his communications with the Cowboys, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. That threat could mean he won’t show up at all in this season if he doesn’t get a long-term contract before the July 15 deadline. However, that would only prolong the matter with Bryant still eligible for a one-year, $12.8MM contract in 2016 and the Cowboys still owning his rights.
  • The time for Bryant to have held out from the Cowboys was last season, where there was much less at stake financially for him, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap opines. Last season, Bryant played for about $2MM in salary and the fortunes that could have awaited in free agency or an extension would have made it worth sitting out for an extended period of time. Now, Bryant would be giving up ~$754K for each week that he misses in the regular season.
  • A handful of players around the league tell Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that Bryant has a lot of support. Of course, it’s not surprising to hear that other players are standing shoulder to shoulder with the Cowboys star.
  • Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter) doesn’t think there’s any chance of Bryant holding out of Cowboys regular season games.

Latest On Broncos, Demaryius Thomas

July 13th, 2015 at 8:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos and Demaryius Thomas‘ agent, Todd France, have recently exchanged proposals, multiple NFL sources tell Mike Klis of 9NEWS. However, there’s a pretty big gap for the two sides to bridge. Sources say that Thomas is looking for a deal that would exceed Calvin Johnson‘s mammoth contract. Denver, meanwhile, is offering “substantially more” than the contract of Minnesota’s Mike Wallace, who is currently the league’s second-highest paid receiver with a deal that averages $12MM a year, but less than the Johnson deal.

Johnson, of course, is the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL by a significant margin. The 29-year-old inked a $113MM+ deal with the Lions that is paying him upwards of $16MM per season with nearly $49MM guaranteed. The Broncos would argue that Johnson’s deal is an outlier because of the unique circumstances surrounding those negotiations – Johnson was set to earn a cap-crippling amount of money under the old wage scale and the Lions had to pay up in the long term order to prevent that from happening. However, Thomas’ camp is pushing to top that contract on the grounds that the salary cap has risen from $120.6MM to $143.3MM in the last few years.

Thomas’ stats over the last three years compare favorably to Megatron’s. The Broncos standout has hauled in 297 catches for 4,483 yards and 35 touchdowns while Johnson has 277 catches for 4,533 yards and 25 touchdowns. That disparity can partly be chalked up to Johnson’s injuries, however, as he has missed five games during that span. Thomas is also coming off a career year in which he racked up 111 catches and averaged more than 100 yards per game.

Offseason In Review: Cleveland Browns

July 13th, 2015 at 6:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Veteran cornerback Tramon Williams had interest from all around the league as the incumbent Packers expressed interest in retaining him, the Saints met with him, and the Eagles, Titans, Vikings, and Ravens also showed varying levels of interest. However, it was the Browns who came away with his signature. Williams started all 16 games for the Packers last season, notching three interceptions, and grading as the league’s 34th-best CB among 108 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He’ll be tasked with replacing Buster Skrine, who we’ll talk about in a bit.

Speaking of replacements for notable players, let’s talk a bit about Dwayne Bowe. Bowe, 30, was part of the underachieving and record-setting group of Chiefs wide receivers that managed to go the entire 2014 season without catching a single touchdown pass. It was the third straight mediocre season for Bowe, who has averaged approximately 59 receptions and 743 yards per year since 2012, on the heels of back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons in 2010 and 2011. Were Bowe’s woes his own fault, or was he just not getting the right looks in KC’s offense? We’ll find out in 2015.

All year long, Browns fans wondered whether it would be Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel under center for Cleveland in 2015. Now we know it definitely won’t be Hoyer (now in Houston) and Manziel probably won’t be the starter given all of his issues. Instead, that mantle will likely belong to offseason acquisition Josh McCown. The Browns will be McCown’s ninth franchise since he entered the league in 2002 and third in the last three seasons. The 6-foot-4, 213-pounder spent the 2014 campaign in Tampa Bay and performed poorly in 11 games for a Buccaneers team that finished with the NFL’s worst record. He threw for 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and completed only 56.3% of his passes – good for a dismal 70.5 rating. The Bucs subsequently cut McCown in February.

Randy Starks was displaced from Miami when the Dolphins signed Ndamukong Suh but he quickly found a new home in Cleveland. Starks, 31, went to two Pro Bowls with the Dolphins and was an interior anchor on the defensive line since joining the team in 2009, missing just one game in his six seasons in Miami. In Cleveland, Starks will help solidify a Browns defensive line that underwhelmed in 2014. In addition to signing Starks, the team also hopes to get a healthy John Hughes back in the lineup for a full season, which should help offset the loss of defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin.

Brian Hartline had a down season in 2014, catching only 39 passes and two touchdowns. However, he’s been a solid possession receiver in the past, topping 1,000 yards in both ’12 and ’13. The Chiefs, Patriots, Texans, and Bears were among the other teams who had expressed interest in adding the veteran pass-catcher, but the Browns came out on top. Hartline was cut loose by Miami back in February.

Browns safety Tashaun Gipson was the last restricted free agent on the market, but he officially got under contract in June when he signed his RFA tender. 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.

Jordan Cameron took his talents to South Beach and Rob Housler has been brought in to try and replace some of his production. Housler, 27, had a disappointing 2014 season, as he notched just nine receptions for 129 yards. However, he posted respectable numbers in 2012 and 2013, averaging 42 catches for 436 yards during those two seasons.

Notable losses:

Skrine played second fiddle to Joe Haden in Cleveland and he’ll now be the No. 3 cornerback with the Jets behind Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. In 2014, Skrine showed that he is durable by playing 1,152 snaps and he held opposing QBs to a respectable 56.9% completion percentage. It’ll be interesting to see how the Browns’ secondary looks with Tramon Williams in Skrine’s place.

Originally, Jordan Cameron was said to have reached an agreement on a new contract with Cleveland worth $15MM for two years. However, in one of the offseason’s biggest swerves, Miami made a second push to sign Cameron once they heard about the agreement and ultimately landed him. Cameron struggled with injuries in 2014, managing to play in 10 games but only catching 24 passes. However, he had a breakout season in 2013, when he caught 80 passes for nearly 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns.

Despite his winning record, Brian Hoyer didn’t receive much interest from the Browns this offseason, as the team opted instead to bring in former Buccaneers starter Josh McCown. The 29-year-old saw his first extended run as a starter in 2014, and though his overall numbers – including a 55.3% completion percentage, 12 touchdowns to 13 interceptions, and a 76.5 passer rating – weren’t overly impressive, he led the Browns to a 7-6 record in his starts before giving way to Johnny Manziel and Connor Shaw near the end of the season. Now, rather than returning to Cleveland to compete again with Manziel, Hoyer has reunited with Bill O’Brien, who coached him during his years with the Patriots.

Jabaal Sheard spent all four years of his career in Cleveland but he’ll now continue with the Patriots. Sheard, who turns 26 in May, appeared in all 16 games for the Browns last season and made five starts. In that time, the edge defender racked up 44 straight tackles, three pass deflections, and 2 sacks. Sheard, for his part, is happy to be with a winner.

“Coming from a not-so-good program to a great program that has been winning and doing well, I’ve just been excited,” Sheard told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I want to win in the league, and I want to be part of a great organization. That was a big part of me signing.”

Extensions and restructures:

Hughes, a 2012 draftee, became extension-eligible this winter for the first time, and the Browns didn’t waste much time in locking him up. The former third-round pick has started just seven games in his first three seasons in Cleveland, but appeared poised for a bigger role in 2014 before he landed on the injured reserve list for a good chunk of the season due to an MCL injury. Although he only logged 212 defensive snaps for the Browns in 2014, Hughes was productive in his limited action, per Pro Football Focus’ metrics, which gave him a +5.2 grade (subscription required). The 26-year-old was similarly productive in 2013, ranking among PFF’s top 10 3-4 defensive ends despite playing only 402 defensive snaps.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 51; DE/OLB Nate Orchard), a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 116), and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 195; FB/TE Malcolm Johnson) from the Texans in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 43; ILB Benardrick McKinney) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 229).
  • Acquired a 2015 third-round pick (No. 96; DT Xavier Cooper) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 219; ILB Hayes Pullard) from the Patriots in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 111; G Tre Jackson), a fifth-round pick (No. 147), and a sixth-round pick (No. 202; TE A.J. Derby).
  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 123; WR Vince Mayle), a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 198; TE Randall Telfer), and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 241; CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu) from the Cardinals in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 116; DL Rodney Gunter).
  • Acquired P Andy Lee from the 49ers in exchange for a 2017 seventh-round pick.

Draft picks:

  • 1-12: Danny Shelton, DT (Washington): Signed
  • 1-19: Cameron Erving, OL (Florida State): Signed
  • 2-51: Nate Orchard, DE/OLB (Utah): Signed
  • 3-77: Duke Johnson, RB (Miami): Signed
  • 3-96: Xavier Cooper, DT (Washington State): Signed
  • 4-115: Ibraheim Campbell, S (Northwestern): Signed
  • 4-123: Vince Mayle, WR (Washington State): Signed
  • 6-189: Charles Gaines, CB (Louisville): Signed
  • 6-195: Malcolm Johnson, FB/TE (Mississippi State): Signed
  • 6-198: Randall Telfer, TE (USC): Signed
  • 7-219: Hayes Pullard, ILB (USC): Signed
  • 7-241: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB (Oregon): Signed

The Browns beefed up its run defense big time with the signing of Starks and also with the selection of Danny Shelton at No. 12. The Washington star led the nation in fumble recoveries with five and had 16 tackles for loss in 2014 while finishing second on the team with 93 tackles. Strong and athletic, the 6’2″ athlete should go a long way towards helping the Browns improve on their No. 32 run defense.

With their second first-round choice, the Browns tapped Florida State offensive lineman Cameron Erving. Erving arrived at LSU years ago as a defensive tackle and didn’t do much but he saw great results when he eventually switched to the other side of the ball. The youngster will be used to help shore up the right side of Cleveland’s line but can also be used as leverage against center Alex Mack, whose contract is up after this year.

Other:

Since parting ways with previous offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the Browns conducted an extensive search that saw the team linked to current and former coaches like Marc Trestman, Jim Hostler, Brian Angelichio, Anthony Lynn, Frank Cignetti, Tom Clements, and Mike Martz, among others. In the end, their search led them to John DeFilippo. While DeFilippo was never identified as the frontrunner, he also interviewed for the job a year ago when the team chose Shanahan, and had an “outstanding” interview at that point, per head coach Mike Pettine.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Joe Haden, CB: $11,700,000
  2. Joe Thomas, LT: $10,200,000
  3. Paul Kruger, OLB: $8,200,000
  4. Alex Mack, C: $8,000,000
  5. Desmond Bryant, DL: $7,000,000
  6. Donte Whitner, S: $6,750,000
  7. Tramon Williams, CB: $6,500,000
  8. Karlos Dansby, LB: $5,500,000
  9. Phil Taylor, DT: $5,477,000
  10. Andrew Hawkins, WR: $5,000,000

The Browns made some very necessary upgrades in the offseason, including improving upon their atrocious defensive line. But, as usual, there are major question marks at the quarterback position and Josh Gordon‘s absence certainly doesn’t help matters. Cleveland might improve upon its 7-9 mark from last season, but it’d be somewhat surprising to see them win the AFC North.

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

Latest On Cowboys/Broncos Collusion Allegations

July 13th, 2015 at 6:55pm CST by Zachary Links

6:55pm: The NFLPA letter to the Broncos and Cowboys doesn’t spell out specific transgressions but it does ask clubs to preserve certain documents and communications, Breer tweets.

6:04pm: Evidence of possible collusion between the Cowboys and Broncos stems from a conversation that took place between Dez Bryant and Cowboys COO Stephen Jones, a league source tells Mike Florio of PFT.

Jones explained to Bryant that the Calvin Johnson contract, which is the most lucrative deal for a wide receiver in the NFL, has no relevance to other receivers because of the unique circumstances surrounding those negotiations. Then, according to Bryant’s account (per the source), Jones told the receiver that he talked to Broncos GM John Elway about the situation. Because the Broncos also have a franchise-tagged receiver in Demaryius Thomas, the admission that Jones and Elway communicated about the situation constitutes evidence of collusion.

There could be significant penalties for the Cowboys and Broncos as the league’s collective bargaining agreement prohibits such contact. However, it could also be hard to find the smoking gun. Bryant could give testimony to support his claims, but if there is no tangible evidence of a conversation between Elway and Jones, the investigation might not get far.

July 15th is the deadline for franchised players to sign long-term extensions with their teams — if no agreement is reached by that date, a player who received the franchise tag will have to play on a one-year deal in 2015, if he intends to play at all. Given the relatively similar statistical production posted by Bryant and Thomas – as well as Bengals wideout A.J. Green and Falcons receiverJulio Jones, who are playing on fifth-year options this year – there’s been a sense that everyone is waiting for one team to extend its star receiver to establish the market.

The NFLPA letter containing the collusion claims against the Broncos and Cowboys went to the clubs today, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets.

Jones, Falcons Haven’t Talked Extension

July 13th, 2015 at 4:42pm CST by Zachary Links

While Dez Bryant is threatening to hold out if he doesn’t get a new deal, another superstar receiver continues to wait patiently for a long-term offer. The Falcons and Julio Jones have yet to discuss an extension, a league source told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.

Teammate Roddy White has stated that he believes Jones should be the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. Atlanta probably doesn’t want to give Jones that mantle seeing as how Calvin Johnson earns $16.2MM per year off of his deal with the Lions. That seven-year pact also gave Megatron a hefty $43.75MM guarantee. Jones, 26, has one year remaining on his contract at $10.176MM.

The Falcons wide receiver told reporters back in June that he doesn’t intend to hold out as he seeks a new contract. Of course, things could always change this time next year if the two sides can’t hammer out a new pact. There are, however, incentives for both sides to get something done. Jones is a virtual lock to receive the franchise tag in 2016 (~$14MM) and a second one in 2017 would cost Atlanta nearly $17MM. The average of those two years could be used as justification for a long-term deal in the $15MM per year range with over $40MM in guarantees. That would put Jones shy of Megatron but, then again, it’d be surprising to see anyone best his deal since there were such unique circumstances surrounding Johnson’s negotiations.

In 2014, Jones established new career highs with 104 receptions and 1,593 yards in 2014, earning his second Pro Bowl berth. The 26-year-old missed most of the 2013 season with a foot injury, he ranked among the league leaders in receiving yards (1,198) and receiving touchdowns (10) in 2012.

Community Tailgate: 7/13/15

July 13th, 2015 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re still almost two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

With the July 15 deadline for franchised players less than 48 hours away, we’re looking today at the unsigned player deemed most likely to work out a long-term deal with his current team. While Jason Pierre-Paul begins his recovery from a hand injury and Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas try in vain to match Calvin Johnson‘s contract, Justin Houston and the Chiefs appear to have a reasonable chance of reaching an agreement.

Houston, 26, has been one of the league’s best pass rushers in recent years, racking up 43 sacks in 43 games over the past three seasons, including an NFL-best 22 in 2014. You could make a case that only J.J. Watt is a more valuable defender than Houston, and recent reports have suggested that the Chiefs pass rusher could be seeking a contract in the neighborhood of Watt’s six-year, $100MM deal.

Ndamukong Suh easily surpassed Watt’s deal this winter, but Suh had a ton of leverage, hitting free agency after the Lions deemed it impractical to use the franchise tag on him. A player signing an extension with his current team is unlikely to land that sort of payday, which is why Houston’s camp figures to identify Watt’s extension as a more attainable target.

Houston reportedly tested positive for marijuana at the NFL’s 2011 scouting combine, which resulted in him dropping to the third round. The league’s policy on substance abuse calls for strict penalties for repeated marijuana violations, but by all accounts, Houston has stayed out of trouble since entering the league. While that doesn’t mean that a long-term investment is risk-free for Kansas City, the last four years likely strengthened the team’s confidence in the 26-year-old. Whether the club is confident enough to pay him roughly $16MM per year remains to be seen.

What do you think? Is Houston worthy of a six-year, $100MM-type contract, like the one Watt received? If not, what do you think is a fair price for Houston? How high should the Chiefs be willing to go before they call off negotiations and try to simply bring their star pass rusher back on his one-year deal? Jump into the comment section below and let us know what you think!

Franchise Tag Updates: Houston, WRs, JPP

July 13th, 2015 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Of the five recipients of franchise tags around the NFL this year, only Stephen Gostkowski immediately signed his one-year tender. He’ll have until Wednesday to negotiate a longer-term deal with the Patriots, but the focus this week is on the other four franchised players, who are still technically free agents, albeit not unrestricted ones. With the July 15 deadline for a multiyear contract looming, let’s check in on those four stars….

  • Negotiations between Justin Houston and the Chiefs are expected to resume on Tuesday, one day before the deadline, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio suggests that guaranteed money will be the major factor in those talks, with Houston likely seeking a sizable signing bonus.
  • Houston may have the best chance of the four unsigned franchise players to actually land a long-term extension this week, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Per La Canfora, the two sides have made “significant progress” since they first started negotiating, and Kansas City would like to avoid having to franchise the star pass rusher two years in a row. La Canfora expects it to cost at least $15MM per year for the Chiefs to get something done.
  • Within the same piece, La Canfora addresses Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, noting that the two wideouts are stuck in similar situations. Although a deal for either player could be reached if one decides to settle for something in the range of $13-14MM annually, the Cowboys and Broncos are both in a good position to wait until after the season to get something done, if need be. We passed along more extensive updates on both Bryant and Thomas earlier today.
  • The fourth unsigned franchise player, Jason Pierre-Paul, has virtually no chance of getting a multiyear contract this week, as we’ve heard repeatedly since his July 4th fireworks accident. However, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com suggests that if JPP is able to contribute to the Giants this season and land a decent contract elsewhere in 2016, he could eventually net New York a draft pick.

Dez Bryant Threatens To Miss Camp, Games

July 13th, 2015 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

2:00pm: Bryant himself has taken to Twitter to make his stance clear, tweeting that he “will not be there” if he doesn’t get a new deal from the Cowboys. Bryant’s tweet doesn’t specify whether he means he’ll miss training camp or some of the regular season, but based on what we’ve already heard today, I’d guess he’s referring to both. Whether or not he’ll actually follow through with the threat remains to be seen.

11:29am: Contradicting his own report, Werder tweets that Jones has denied that Bryant threatened to miss camp and regular season games. Considering we’ve been hearing for weeks that this was part of Bryant’s plan, Jones must be disputing the fact that the wideout made those comments specifically in a call to him.

10:36am: While reports this summer have suggested that Dez Bryant is considering sitting out regular season games if his contract situation remains unsettled, it didn’t appear that the Cowboys were seriously anticipating that outcome. Now, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, Bryant has personally called Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones to tell him that if the two sides don’t reach a long-term agreement by Wednesday, he won’t attend training camp and he’ll miss real games.

Of course, it remains possible that Bryant and his camp are bluffing, particularly with the July 15 deadline for franchised players to sign multiyear contracts looming. However, now that the threat is coming directly from the star wideout, rather than from sourced reports or second-hand quotes, the Cowboys will likely have to take it a little more seriously — even if the team still suspects it’s a play for leverage.

There have been mixed reports in recent weeks on how close Bryant and the Cowboys are to working out a long-term extension, with some outlets suggesting both sides are optimistic about a deal, while others say there’s no indication that progress has been made. Generally, deadlines spur action, so I’d expect talks between Bryant’s camp and the Cowboys to heat up this week, even if those negotiations don’t ultimately result in an extension.

Details on the specific figures being negotiated by the Cowboys and Bryant have been scarce, though Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan has cited seven years and $100MM as a point of reference. Those numbers would make some sense for both sides, though the guaranteed money involved in the deal could be a sticking point.

As the Cowboys negotiate with Bryant, they’re also being eyed by the NFL Players Association, which suspects that the Cowboys and Broncos have colluded in contract talks for Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, respectively. So far, the NFLPA hasn’t formally filed a complaint, but it sounds as if the union believes the two teams have spoken to one another about the receivers’ contract situations, perhaps in an effort to limit their overall earnings.

Speaking of earnings, while players are usually subject to fines if they skip training camp, Bryant has yet to sign his one-year franchise tender, so if he doesn’t ink a long-term contract, the 26-year-old figures to leave that offer unsigned for now. As long as he’s not technically under contract, Bryant can’t be fined for missing training camp, though he’d begin to forfeit his 2015 salary at a rate of about $754K per week if he misses regular season action.

While I could see him showing up late to training camp, I’d be surprised if Bryant followed through on his threat to miss regular season games. Once Wednesday’s deadline passes, he and the Cowboys can’t finalize a multiyear contract until after the season, so sitting out Week 1 wouldn’t spur the team to meet his long-term demands. Still, perhaps the threat of a holdout could result in the Cowboys modifying the Pro Bowler’s one-year deal to include some player-friendly terms, such as a guarantee that the club won’t franchise him again in 2016.

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