2016 January - Pro Football Rumors

Jaguars Rumors: Caldwell, Henne, Wisniewski

January 2nd, 2016 at 4:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

As opposed to this past year when the Jaguars extended numerous free agent offers and signed many early in the offseason, their next shopping period won’t be as frenzied.

The Jags won’t have as much money as they did last year and a slight on-field improvement doesn’t leave as many holes to fill, GM Dave Caldwell told the Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran.

“I think it’s going to be tough,” Caldwell told O’Halloran on the upcoming market. “But for us, we can really start to narrow down our needs. In the past, we were just trying to get guys come in and plug holes. Now, we can focus on what our 4-5 areas of needs are and be aggressive instead of saying, ‘Shoot, we have 16 or 18 needs so let’s see who we can get.”

Caldwell said Jacksonville will have “one to two” targets on Day 1 of free agency, which is March 15.

As of now, the Jags possess $43.14MM of cap space, which is fourth in the league behind the Raiders, Bears and Buccaneers. O’Halloran expects the team to release Chris Clemons and Toby Gerhart, clearing up an additional $7.5MM.

Here are some more notes from the Southern franchises.

The Jaguars will likely offer Chad Henne a contract paying him around the $3.5MM-per-year deal he’s finishing Sunday, O’Halloran notes. In a piece detailing the team’s roster going into 2016, O’Halloran expects Marcedes Lewis to remain with the Jaguars. This runs counter to the logic that dictated the longtime tight end would be jettisoned after Julius Thomas‘ lucrative accord, but a thin tight end class and the 10th-year player accepting his backup role, in O’Halloran’s view, looks to keep him in Jacksonville. Lewis, though, will be a free agent entering his age-32 season off of a campaign that’s thus far included just 15 receptions for 181 yards and no scores.
Stefen Wisniewski‘s status in Jacksonville is uncertain after the fifth-year center signed a one-year pact late during last year’s free agency. The former Raiders snapper said he’s “open to anything” in terms of a return to the Jaguars, Vito Stellino of the Times-Union reports. Wisniewski rates as Pro Football Focus’ No. 18 center.
Jacksonville wouldn’t be smart to allocate any resources to adding wideout help, either in free agency or the draft, Hays Carlyon of the Times-Union writes. Both Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns under contract for two more seasons on incredibly affordable deals, and backups Rashad Greene and Marqise Lee remain projects.

Latest On Chargers’ Los Angeles Pursuit

January 2nd, 2016 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers and San Diego may be on incompatible timelines.

A looming June 2016 election will have a significant impact on whether San Diego can invest in a new stadium, but the Los Angeles relocation matter may be decided by then, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.

San Diego’s latest proposal hinges on $350MM coming from the city, but a public vote scheduled for June will determine whether that money is available. The league’s relocation meeting comes in less than two weeks.

Funding for a prospective new Chargers venue costing upwards of $1.1 billion would, per this plan, come from the NFL providing $200MM, the Chargers paying $363MM and personal seat license sales accounting for $187MM.

As Florio notes, in the unlikely event the Chargers decide to wait on this vote passing, the measure failing to do so could well mean the Chargers would be shut out of the Los Angeles race and forced to remain in their near-50-year-old stadium. But with the Chargers very much in the LA pursuit, such passivity would be unexpected.

Rams owner Stan Kroenke is reportedly pushing for a one-year delay in this derby in hopes of this June vote showing the Chargers have a more viable stadium plan than the Rams do in St. Louis, Florio offers. St. Louis, however, appears further along than San Diego or Oakland in its stadium efforts.

The Chargers not waiting and securing approval to relocate Jan. 13 would mean San Diego would be voting on the above legislation to lure another team to the city.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/16

January 2nd, 2016 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s minor moves.

The Saints promoted fullback Toben Opurum to their active roster to fill the vacant roster spot created when they sent Kendall Hunter to injured reserve, ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett, on Twitter) reports. The 25-year-old Operum’s spent time with the Saints and Texans this season, appearing only in the Saints’ Week 1 loss to the Cardinals.

Lions Put Travis Swanson On IR

January 2nd, 2016 at 3:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Travis Swanson‘s first season as a full-time starter will end prematurely, with Tim Twentyman of Lions.com reporting the Lions sent their starting center to injured reserve.

Detroit promoted defensive lineman Kerry Hyder from their practice squad to fill the roster spot.

The Lions ruled out Swanson on Friday with a shoulder injury. A second-year player, Swanson started all 14 games for which he dressed after breaking with the first unit in five of 16 games last season.

The former third-round pick beat out trade acquisition Manuel Ramirez for the starting center position but didn’t impress in his first full season up front, according to Pro Football Focus, which rated Swanson as its No. 33 overall center.

An ex-UDFA, Hyder will ascend to the 53-man roster due to Jason Jones entering Week 17 with a doubtful designation. The team opted for Hyder over 2014 fourth-round pick Larry Webster, per Twentyman, as its 11th-hour defensive front call-up from the taxi squad.

49ers Send Michael Wilhoite To IR

January 2nd, 2016 at 3:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

A rebuilding 49ers season will end with another starter unavailable for Week 17 action after the team sent linebacker Michael Wilhoite to injured reserve, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports.

San Francisco’s corresponding move comes in the form of backup running back Mike Davis being activated from IR-DTR.

Despite being an undrafted free agent from Division II Washburn, Wilhoite’s started 28 games for the 49ers the past two seasons.

The 29-year-old inside linebacker’s 2015 season, however, has been an uphill struggle, per Pro Football Focus. The advanced-metrics site rates Wilhoite as the league’s worst linebacker.

Davis played in five games this year, the most recent coming in Week 8 against the Rams. Prior to suffering a broken hand, the fourth-round rookie didn’t make much progress, gaining 24 yards on 25 carries as a backup. Per Barrows, Davis runs the risk of becoming the first running back since ex-Chiefs committee cog Donnell Bennett, who gained 24 yards on 27 totes in 2000, to average fewer than one yard per carry.

Eagles Move Bennie Logan To IR

January 2nd, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bennie Logan will finish his third Eagles season on injured reserve, Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic reports (on Twitter).

The Eagles promoted cornerback Randall Evans from their practice squad to take the ailing nose tackle’s roster spot, per Mosher.

Before a calf injury ended his season, Logan played in 14 games for Philadelphia this year, making 55 tackles and a sack. The 2013 third-round pick’s started 38 games in his career and will enter his contract year after this season’s conclusion.

The former LSU cog finished as Pro Football Focus’ 45th-best interior defender, a category that also includes 3-4 defensive ends, this season, coming in behind teammates Fletcher Cox and Vinny Curry.

A sixth-round rookie, the 24-year-old Evans hasn’t been active for a game yet.

East Notes: Eagles, Giants, Patriots, Hickey

January 2nd, 2016 at 2:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles interviewed running backs coach Duce Staley for their head-coaching job, Ed Werder of ESPN.com reports (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, on Twitter).

The former Eagles running back has been on the Philadelphia staff since 2010, serving as the running backs coach since 2013.

Staley’s coaching experience doesn’t meet the usual criteria for a realistic shot at the job. This pre-offseason summit does, however, allow the Eagles to meet the Rooney Rule requirements put in place for the consideration of minority candidates. Not exactly in the spirit of the rule, as more qualified candidates are certain to follow the 40-year-old Staley in interviewing once the season ends.

Here is some more from the Eastern divisions on the eve of the final regular-season Sunday.

Chip Kelly‘s year of full personnel control went awry quickly, and the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Zach Berman takes a look at the steps that led to the early divorce. Not paying enough attention to keeping the offensive line fortified after releases of Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans proved to be part of the downfall, Berman writes.
The Giants expect Owa Odighizuwa to come off IR-DTR today, per NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). The 23-year-old defensive end’s been out since October with a hamstring malady, playing in just four games as a rookie. When the Giants used their IR-DTR slot on their third-round pick Nov. 5, the playoffs remained in sight. But Sunday was the earliest Odighizuwa could play, and present circumstances mean he’d make a rare return for a meaningless contest.
In the likely event Tom Coughlin‘s 12-season Giants tenure concludes after Sunday’s game, Big Blue needs to pursue former OC Sean Payton or Nick Saban, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News writes. The New York reporter notes those two candidates wouldn’t require any on-the-job training, although Saban’s Dolphins stint left much to be desired, and the Giants’ winning pedigree shouldn’t force them to settle for an unseasoned coordinator. Vacchiano also reports the Giants interviewed the 64-year-old Saban for their head-coaching job in 1997 and offered the then-Michigan State head coach the position. Jim Fassel eventually became Big Blue’s coach, and Coughlin took over seven years later. The Giants would have to trade for Payton, who earns $8MM per season and is signed through 2017.
Dennis Hickey remains unlikely to be retained as Dolphins GM, Armando Salguero reports (on Twitter). Hickey has not been fired yet and could be reassigned, Salguero notes. Mike Tannenbaum‘s presence stripped power from Hickey, who’s only been on the job two years after being hired to succeed Jeff Ireland in Jan. 2014.
Danny Amendola, who has 63 receptions, can earn $225K in incentives with seven catches against the Dolphins, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports. The inconsistent Patriots wideout’s made $525K in incentives already this season. Julian Edelman missed out on $500K in incentives by finishing nine catches shy of 70. The bonus only applies to the regular season, meaning the top Pats receiver’s prospective playoff receptions wouldn’t count toward it. Sebastian Vollmer will miss out on a $750K bonus by falling short of the 80% snap threshold this season, and Alan Branch won’t hit the 50% standard to receive a $250K bonus.

Dolphins Place Rishard Matthews On IR

January 2nd, 2016 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rishard Matthews may have played his final game with the Dolphins, with the fourth-year receiver heading to injured reserve, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets.

The Dolphins promoted linebacker Mike Hull from the practice squad to assume Matthews’ Week 17 roster spot, ESPN.com’s James Walker reports (on Twitter).

Missing the past four games, Matthews entered Miami’s Week 17 clash with the Patriots with a questionable designation. However, the team shelved the 26-year-old free agent-to-be who has missed December after fracturing ribs against the Jets late last month.

Thought to be on the outside of the Dolphins’ receiver rotation after the team traded for Kenny Stills, signed Greg Jennings and drafted DeVante Parker, Matthews proved to be the team’s best outside target for most of the season.

The above moves prompted a disgruntled Matthews to demand a preseason relocation, but the 2012 seventh-rounder went on to have his best season. Matthews’ 662 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games represented notable progressions from his previous three years’ work.

As a result of his contract-year campaign that may have produced 1,000 yards if he’d stayed healthy and a thin receiver market, Matthews figures to draw steady attention this offseason.

Parker and Jarvis Landry are the Fins’ cornerstones at receiver, but beyond Alshon Jeffery, the upcoming free agency class of receivers lags far behind 2015’s. Travis Benjamin, Rueben Randle and Jermaine Kearse are among the top names out there.

Extra Points: Marshall, Bills, Prospects

January 2nd, 2016 at 12:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

Brandon Marshall‘s tenure with the Bears didn’t end on the most pleasant terms, and the current Jets wideout has used that as motivation for this season. “I can care less about stats and the awards,” Marshall told Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com. “I wanted my character to be rebuilt [in Chicago], and I did that. Then it was ripped away from me. So I’m still a little angry about that, but I’m just going to use that for motivation to keep going.”
With Mario Williams on his way out of Buffalo, linebacker Preston Brown wants to be “the guy” for the Bills in 2016. However, considering the constant roster turnover, the 23-year-old isn’t certain he’ll even be on the team next season. “You always want to go be that guy,” Brown told Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News. “But I’m not in control of that. If I’m here, if I’m not, I don’t know what happens with everybody. You never know. I’ll just go out there and try to do my job each week.”
Oklahoma cornerback Zack Sanchez and linebacker Dominique Alexander have both declared for the upcoming draft (via Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller on Twitter).
The Dolphins would be “wise” to pursue Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, tweets Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole. If the coaching staff in Detroit is let go, Cole believes Austin could fill a variety of roles for Miami, including defensive coordinator or head coach.

NFC Notes: Caldwell, 49ers, Eagles

January 2nd, 2016 at 11:52am CST by Ben Levine

Lions coach Jim Caldwell refuses to defend himself to anybody, including owner Martha Ford. Despite professing his love for the organization, the 60-year-old will not fight to keep his job. The coach explained his logic to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.

“I don’t believe in it,” Caldwell said. “It’s not a matter of fighting for my job. When you take a look at it, the record speaks for itself. I’m not going to go into any long sort of explanation or those kinds of things. I never have, never will.”

As we wait to see whether that approach helps Caldwell retain his job, let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…

Following reports that 49ers linebackers coach Clancy Pendergast is expected to leave for a gig at USC, coach Jim Tomsula wasn’t particularly eager to discuss any potential moves. “We’re fully on board with the St. Louis Rams, and we’ll take care of that stuff next week,” Tomsula said (via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee).
Besides his Philadelphia roots and experience with the Eagles organization, Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott‘s ability to develop an elite defense makes him a perfect fit for Philly’s head coaching gig, writes Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com.
Set to become a free agent after this season, Rams quarterback Case Keenum has one final opportunity this weekend to make an impression on any potential suitors. “Any time the lights come on or we step on the field and the film’s on, that film goes around to everybody,” Keenum told Michael Wagaman of the Associated Press. “They see everything from a lot of different views. In the NFL, that’s what your resume is, what you put on tape. I want to put everything on tape that is the best I can.”