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Month: November 2024

Offseason Outlook: Philadelphia Eagles

February 14th, 2016 at 9:55pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Pending free agents:

Top 15 cap hits for 2016:

  1. Jason Peters, T: $9,737,500
  2. Byron Maxwell, CB: $9,700,000
  3. Lane Johnson, T: $8,128,388
  4. DeMarco Murray, RB: $8,000,000
  5. Fletcher Cox, DT: $7,799,000
  6. Connor Barwin, DE/OLB: $7,350,000
  7. Malcolm Jenkins, S: $7,166,668
  8. Mark Sanchez, QB: $5,500,000
  9. Jason Kelce, C: $5,200,000
  10. Brandon Graham, DE: $5,000,000
  11. Mychal Kendricks, ILB: $4,600,000
  12. DeMeco Ryans, ILB: $4,500,000
  13. Darren Sproles, RB: $4,500,000
  14. Ryan Mathews, RB: $4,000,000
  15. Zach Ertz, TE: $3,311,563

Notable coaching/front office changes:

Draft:

Other:

Overview:

In his first two seasons with the Eagles, Chip Kelly contradicted the notion that an innovative college coach can’t take his act to the NFL and succeed. While the Eagles only appeared in one playoff game during those years – a 26-24 loss to New Orleans in January 2014 – they went 20-13 overall and were one of just seven teams that amassed double-digit victories in both seasons. Kelly then made the mistake of taking control of the Eagles’ roster last offseason and his tenure in Philadelphia began its swift descent off the proverbial cliff.

Critics spent months deriding the out-of-the-box moves made by Kelly, who was either going to prove his detractors right or cement himself as a genius during the 2015-16 campaign. Unfortunately for Kelly, his methods backfired and, after he guided the Eagles to a 6-9 record as part of the subpar NFC East, the team canned the mad scientist with one game left in the season.

Thanks to Kelly’s departure, the Eagles’ front office is back in the hands of executive vice president of football operations Doug Pederson (vertical)Howie Roseman, with whom Kelly had an adversarial relationship. Roseman and the rest of Eagles brass embarked on a multi-week search for Kelly’s replacement and chose Doug Pederson after failing to reel in either Ben McAdoo or Tom Coughlin.

Pederson, previously the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, played and coached in Philly in the past, and his third stint with the Eagles got off to a positive start with the hiring of two accomplished coordinators in Jim Schwartz and Frank Reich.

Schwartz last coached in 2014, when he coordinated the Bills’ defense to a fourth-place finish and a league-high 54 sacks. It’s worth noting that, despite having mostly the same personnel, Buffalo’s defense disintegrated sans Schwartz last season, finishing 19th overall and plummeting to 31st in sacks. The Eagles have some enviable pieces on defense and Schwartz figures to get the most out of them as he transitions the unit from the 3-4 base used under predecessor Billy Davis to a 4-3.

One of the Eagles’ defensive stalwarts, edge rusher Vinny Curry, signed a five-year, $47.25MM on Feb. 2 and implied afterward he’d have tested the free agent market in March if not for the change from Davis’ scheme to Schwartz’s (Twitter link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Curry also expressed confidence that a long-term deal is coming for fellow lineman Fletcher Cox, who has one year left on his contract. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Cox as a top-10 interior defender last season, and he’s primed to become even more monstrous in Schwartz’s defense.

In addition to trading up from Davis to Schwartz, it should benefit Curry, Cox and their defensive cohorts that they presumably won’t be on the field nearly as much as they were during the era of Kelly’s fast-paced offense. Exhibit A: Thanks in part to an offense that was worst in the NFL in time of possession, the Eagles accumulated the most defensive plays in the league last season (1,148). That contributed to their horrid rankings in yardage (30th) and points (28th) allowed.

Speaking of offense, while Reich hasn’t had Schwartz-like success as a coordinator, he’s still a solid pickup for Pederson’s staff. The Chargers’ offense was above average – 10th and 15th, respectively – in Football Outsiders’ DVOA during Reich’s two seasons running it. Reich won’t call the plays with the Eagles, however. That responsibility will instead lie with Pederson, who will take on a role that belonged almost exclusively to Andy Reid when Pederson was in Kansas City. Still, Pederson had a hand in the success of a Chiefs offense that ended last season sixth in both DVOA and rushing, despite losing elite running back Jamaal Charles to injury in the early going.

Since late December, Philadelphia has turned over its coaching staff and awarded contract extensions that could be worth upward of $160MM to Curry, tight ends Zach Ertz and Brent Celek, and offensive tackle Lane Johnson. If things go according to plan for the Eagles during the next several months, they’ll lock up Cox, strengthen the remainder of their roster, and find a personnel chief to join their Roseman-led front office.

Key Free Agents:

Five players who started at least 11 games for the Eagles last season are currently without contracts. The most prominent of the bunch is easily quarterback Sam Bradford, whom Kelly acquired from the Rams last winter in a deal that sent QB Nick Foles and a second-round pick to St. Louis.

In his first (and only?) season with the Eagles, Bradford started 14 games – his most since 2012 – and established new career highs in completion percentage (65.0), yards (3,725) and yards per attempt (7.00). He also tossed 19 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Bradford was particularly effective from November onward, connecting on better than 68 percent of attempts while totaling 10 TDs and four picks.

"<strongThe question now is whether the Eagles want to continue with Bradford, who is a good bet to get a raise over the ~$13MM he made last season. For his part, Roseman said earlier this month that “everything is positive about Sam” (link via Berman). Before that, Pederson stated at his introductory press conference that Bradford is “a top-notch quarterback” who “would fit perfectly” in his offense (link via Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com). All of that could be lip service, of course, and it’s no sure thing that Bradford even wants to go forth as an Eagle.

Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported in January that Bradford “isn’t crazy about Philadelphia” as a city, which could lead him to test the market. That won’t be an option if the Eagles apply the estimated $20MM franchise tag to Bradford, a possibility that ESPN’s Adam Schefter has shot down (Twitter link). Both Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News have since contradicted Schefter, tweeting (links: 1, 2) that the Eagles haven’t ruled out tagging Bradford.

If the two sides wish to stay together, a short-term contract would clearly be the best route for the Eagles to take. Bradford hasn’t shown he’s worth big money over the long haul, as inconsistency and various injuries have beset his career since he went No. 1 in the 2010 draft. CBS Sports’ Joel Corry told PhillyMag.com last month that Bradford could be amenable to a one-year deal, while Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap wrote in November that a two-year accord worth nearly $30MM might be enough. More realistic, perhaps, is Spotrac’s projection of three years in the $56MM range. In terms of annual value, that would put Bradford in company with Ryan Tannehill, Colin Kaepernick and Jay Cutler. Like Bradford, those three have been much closer to average than great during their careers.

The remainder of the Eagles’ priority free agents are on defense: Lineman Cedric Thornton, cornerback Nolan Carroll and safety Walter Thurmond all scheduled to hit the market next month.

Thornton, who has started in all 45 of his appearances with the Eagles the past three years, will probably have to shift from 3-4 end to 4-3 tackle if he wants to remain with the team. That isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, though, as the 27-year-old began his career with the Eagles in ex-coordinator Jim Washburn‘s 4-3 in 2012. Moreover, the Washburn-led Eagles lined up in a “wide nine,” which Schwartz has also utilized.

When the Eagles hired Schwartz, he praised their front seven personnel and mentioned Thornton (link via Bowen), so the change in scheme shouldn’t rule out his return. However, the Eagles could have a difficult time keeping Thornton because of the expected position switch. There’s a chance Thornton will get more money elsewhere to serve as a starting end in a 3-4 than as a presumed reserve tackle in the Eagles’ 4-3.

Carroll’s future in Philadelphia is in jeopardy because of the presence of Eric Rowe, whom the club could promote to full-time starter opposite Byron Maxwell. Rowe, a second-round pick last spring, took the reins from Carroll in November after the latter broke his leg. If the Eagles liked what they saw and think Rowe deserves to continue as a starter, that might seal Carroll’s fate. Carroll, who made $2.9MM in 2015-16, started in all 11 of his appearances, picked off two passes and ranked as PFF’s 53rd-best corner (111 qualifiers).

Arguably of greater importance than both Thornton and Carroll is Thurmond, who proved to be an excellent buy-low investment by the Eagles. After signing a one-year deal, Thurmond moved from corner – where he spent the first five seasons of his career – to safety and proceeded to start all 16 of the Eagles’ games while playing just under 99 percent of their defensive snaps. The 28-year-old also intercepted a career-high three passes and finished as PFF’s 26th-best safety (88 qualifiers). As a result, odds are Thurmond won’t have to settle for a third straight single-year contract (he previously signed one in 2014 with the Giants). With a raise on the way, Thurmond expects to be one and done in Philly.

“They only have $17MM in cap space. Economically it doesn’t make sense for them. I would love to be here. I love playing here. But that’s the way it is,” he told Bob Grotz of the Delaware County Daily Times in January.

While Thurmond isn’t hopeful about continuing with the Eagles, the team will try to re-sign him, according to Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic (Twitter link).

Possible Cap Casualties:

The Eagles racked up their first cap casualty of 2016 with the recent pink slip given to receiver Riley Cooper, whose exit saves them $2.9MM this year.

The team could also conceivably cut running back DeMarco Murray, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported earlier this month. "<strongThat wouldn’t benefit the Eagles financially, however, as releasing Murray prior to June 1 would leave them with $13MM of dead cap this year. If they designate him a post-June 1 cut, he’d still eat up $8MM of their cap.

In response to Rapoport’s notion that Murray and the Eagles “are headed toward a stare-down,” Murray expressed his commitment to the club. After signing a five-year, $42MM deal last winter to leave the Cowboys for the Eagles, Murray failed to fit into Kelly’s offense. Compared to Murray’s final year in Dallas, his carries dropped by 199, his yardage fell by 1,100-plus, and he averaged 1.1 fewer yards per rush and scored six fewer touchdowns.

Given that Kelly is gone and Murray’s contract is an anvil, it would seemingly make sense for the Eagles to let him have another shot next season and hope he can regain something resembling his prior form. Murray, 28, is only one season removed from earning AP Offensive Player of the Year honors.

With Murray in the fold, the Eagles are on their way to dedicating an excessive amount of cap next season – $16.5MM, to be exact – to their top three running backs. They’d be able to recoup $3.5MM of that total by sending Darren Sproles packing. That could be a long shot, though, given that Sproles is a dual threat on offense and has made back-to-back Pro Bowls as a returner. Still, Sproles will soon turn 33 and saw most of his numbers decline from the previous year.

An even bigger long shot is releasing longtime left tackle Jason Peters, who currently has the largest cap hit on the team. While the Eagles stand to save a significant amount by moving on from the eight-time Pro Bowler (over $6.7MM pre-June 1 or $8.7MM+ after), it’s doubtful they will. The 33-year-old is out of his prime, but he’s still a terrific player. Pederson agrees, having spoken highly of Peters last month.

“I think J.P.’s got several good years left in him,” he told Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. “I think that he does the right things in the offseason to get himself ready to go for another year.”

It’s safe to say linebacker DeMeco Ryans is at greater risk of losing his roster spot than anyone listed above. The soon-to-be 32-year-old is valued in Philly for his veteran leadership, but his play has tailed off and cutting him would save the Eagles $3.5MM.

Giving the ax to Mark Sanchez, who’s the best QB the Eagles have under contract, would also open up $3.5MM of room. The only way that will happen is if the club find two other viable signal-callers this offseason.

Positions Of Need:

Quarterback is obviously the Eagles’ primary concern. If Bradford isn’t in their plans, one player who has come up lately as a potential replacement is the aforementioned Foles, who was among the league’s worst QBs in 2015. Prior to last season, Foles had an up-and-down three years in Philly – including a stellar 2013 highlighted by 27 TDs against two INTs – and Schefter recently tweeted that the Eagles are interested in bringing him back. McLane and Bowen once again rebutted Schefter’s report, however.

Other than Foles, whom the Rams must trade prior to March 11 if they want to avoid taking on his $6MM bonus for 2016, veteran options include Kirk Cousins, Brock Osweiler, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Chase Daniel – all of whom are unsigned. The chances of Cousins actually reaching the market are close to nonexistent, while Osweiler and Fitzpatrick are expected to re-sign with the Broncos and Jets, respectively. Daniel spent the last three years as Alex Smith‘s backup in Kansas City and worked under Pederson, but the 6-footer lacks height and has thrown a meager 77 passes in the pros since going undrafted in 2009.

Robert Griffin III and Kaepernick are still signed in Washington and San Francisco, respectively, but it surely won’t be for much longer in RGIII’s case. Based on the trajectory of Griffin’s career in recent years, it would be foolhardy for any team to count on him as a starter. However, Kaepernick isn’t a lock to stay with the Niners, and he might be worth a look for the Eagles if he’s cut. The 28-year-old was an above-average starter from 2012-14 and continues to possess world-class mobility. That could appeal to Pederson, who comes from coaching an offense that took advantage of Smith’s fleetness.

Without signing Bradford or acquiring any of the other vets, the Eagles would almost have to gamble on a QB in the first round of the draft. In his most recent mock draft, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report has 6-foot-7 Paxton Lynch (Memphis) going to the Eagles with the 13th pick.

Should the Eagles eschew the QB position in the opening round, they could address their offensive line instead. Aside from their starting tackles (Johnson and the aging Peters) and center Jason Kelce, the Eagles’ line is bereft of dependable blockers. Part of that stems from not having drafted an O-lineman since 2013, when Johnson went fourth overall.

That will change this year, potentially in the first round. The Eagles don’t have a second-rounder, so they might have to use their top pick to add big-time young talent to their line. It’s a safe assumption that the first- and second-ranked tackles, Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss) and Ronnie Stanley (Notre Dame), will be gone by No. 13. Taylor Decker (Ohio State) and Jack Conklin (Michigan State) should be on the board, however. As for guard, the Eagles have been connected to Kansas State’s Cody Whitehair.

Of course, there will also be free agents available with the ability to improve the Eagles’ line. Pederson happens to be familiar with Jeff Allen, one of the foremost guards scheduled to reach the market. Allen joined the Chiefs as a second-rounder in 2012, the year before the club hired Pederson. Given their less-than-ideal guard situation and Pederson’s connection to Allen, it’ll be a surprise if the Eagles don’t pursue the 26-year-old.

The Eagles also need to bolster their receiving corps, having gotten minimal production from 2015 first-rounder Nelson Agholor and 2014 third-rounder Josh Huff. It’s too early to write off either player, especially Agholor, but the fact is that that the club’s only proven wideout is Jordan Matthews. Assuming the Eagles don’t join the Alshon Jeffery sweepstakes or splurge on the position in the form of another first-rounder, free agents-to-be like Rishard Matthews (Dolphins), Rueben Randle (Giants) and Mohamed Sanu (Bengals), to name a few, could be on their radar.

Even after signing Maxwell to a mammoth deal and using a high pick on Rowe a year ago, the Eagles’ secondary continues to stand out as a problem. Maxwell and Rowe didn’t exactly dominate last season, and even if they had, the Eagles would still need more help behind them. That’s especially true in light of Carroll’s status as a pending free agent. With Thurmond a candidate to bolt this year and Malcolm Jenkins possibly on his way to doing the same in 2017, safety is even more of a worry for both next season and the long term.

Elsewhere on defense, the Eagles’ front four is in outstanding shape on paper. Connor Barwin, who is moving from linebacker to defensive end (link via Matt Lombardo of NJ.com), joins a line that will also heavily feature Cox, Curry, Brandon Graham and Bennie Logan.

At linebacker, Jordan Hicks, Mychal Kendricks and Kiko Alonso figure to get the lion’s share of playing time. Kendricks and Alonso both struggled last season, but the hope is their play will recover under Schwartz. Regardless, the Eagles could use more linebacker depth, especially with Ryans’ future in question.

Extension Candidates/Contract Issues:

As mentioned, the Eagles have made sizable financial commitments to Curry, Johnson, Ertz and Celek in recent weeks. Next on their agenda is Fletcher Cox, who will be more expensive than everyone in that group.

Fletcher Cox (vertical)The 25-year-old is poised to become one of the league’s richest defenders, in fact, with Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com forecasting $50MM+ in guaranteed money and Jason Fitzgerald adding (via Twitter) that Cox has a chance to surpass the deal Marcell Dareus signed with the Bills last year. Dareus averages $15.85MM per year, with $60MM in total guarantees ($42.9MM fully guaranteed), as the league’s second-highest-paid DT. Earlier this week, Shorr-Parks reported that the Eagles are getting close to an extension with Cox, which the player seemed to deny (on Twitter).

A first-rounder in 2012, Cox is entering his fifth-year option season and is scheduled to make $7.799MM. The former Mississippi State standout earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season after tallying career highs in tackles (71), sacks (9.5) and forced fumbles (three).

Like Cox, Malcolm Jenkins is coming off a wildly successful campaign and is going into a contract year. Jenkins started all of the Eagles’ games, finished tops among NFL defensive backs in snap percentage (99.8), made 109 tackles, created five turnovers (three INTs, two fumbles), and ranked as PFF’s second-best safety. The seven-year veteran is now eagerly anticipating his next contract, which he hopes comes from the Eagles.

“Believe me, I’m waiting. I’m trying to get in line just like everybody else,” he told SiriusXM Radio this month (via McLane). “That’s something I can’t control. But I’m definitely interested in staying. I want to be in Philly long-term.”

Jenkins, who signed with the Eagles for three years and $16.25MM in 2014, is slated to rake in $5MM next season. Considering his track record, Jenkins’ next contract should put him in the top tier of safeties. One fairly comparable player is Devin McCourty, whom the Patriots signed to a five-year, $47.5MM deal last offseason. McCourty was entering his age-28 season then and had one Pro Bowl and a pair of second-team All-Pro honors to his name. He now ranks in the top three among safeties in contract value, guarantees ($22MM) and annual amount ($9.5MM). Jenkins, with one Pro Bowl bid and a second-team All-Pro selection on his resume, is in line to become a free agent at 29.

The Eagles are also at risk of losing Bennie Logan in a year. The 2013 third-rounder has missed only two games in three seasons and is fresh off a year in which PFF rated him as the league’s 13th-best interior defender against the run, but there hasn’t been reported talk of an extension for him. Logan is set to cap off his rookie contract with a base salary worth around $1.64MM next season. While the value of his next deal is hard to gauge, it’ll be worth appreciably more than his current salary. An accord in the range of $4MM to $5MM per annum would place Logan among the league’s 15 highest-paid 4-3 DTs in yearly value.

Overall Outlook:

Evidenced by the contract extensions they’ve doled out since their season ended, the Eagles are clearly making a concerted effort to retain their homegrown core. But deciding whether to keep Bradford, an outside acquisition, could be their most agonizing and important choice in the coming months. The Eagles certainly aren’t devoid of talent, so they’ll be prime bounce-back candidates in 2016 if they make the right move under center.

Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Browns, Jets, Jackson, Raiders

February 14th, 2016 at 8:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Let’s take a look at the latest from the AFC franchises on the first 2016 Sunday without football, beginning in Cleveland, where uncertainty exists throughout the receiving corps.

  • The Browns will go after one or both free agent Bengals wide receivers, Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. The former Hue Jackson charges are available at a need area for the Browns, who may lose Travis Benjamin and are uncertain of Josh Gordon‘s playing status. Cabot puts Gordon being back in Cleveland this fall at 50-50. Gordon has not been reinstated yet after applying on Jan. 20, per Pro Football Talk (on Twitter).
  • Conversely, Cabot expects Cleveland to cut Dwayne Bowe after the highly paid receiver struggled to get on the field in one of the most disappointing seasons for a wideout in recent memory. Due the team’s fourth-highest cap charge at $8MM in 2016, Bowe will cost the Browns $4.6MM in dead money if they release the declining 31-year-old target. The team will save $3.4MM by making this move, however.
  • Underachieving cornerback Justin Gilbert, however, may not be joining 2014 first-round disappointment Johnny Manziel among players departing the Browns, Cabot writes, with Ray Horton‘s secondary background potentially serving as a last hope of sorts for the top-10 pick. Gilbert would cost the Browns $7.58MM if cut.
  • Malik Jackson will command more money than Broncos end cohort Derek Wolfe, Troy Renck of the Denver Post writes. Wolfe signed a four-year, $36.7MM extension in January. Jackson, who’s had the more consistent career, will probably be an eight-figure AAV player if he signs with the Broncos or elsewhere after his success despite playing three different positions — defensive tackle, 4-3 defensive end and 3-4 end — the past three seasons.
  • Muhammad Wilkerson should expect to be franchise-tagged, Seth Walder of the New York Daily News writes. Despite Wilkerson expressing frustration last offseason about playing under his fifth-year option and the Jets employing Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams, Gang Green will look to keep Wilkerson on the tag, Walder writes. The Jets could still try to trade the sixth-year end after tagging him, Walder writes, and could plan on paying him (the tag was $14.8MM for ends last year) this season before letting him walk in 2017. They’d receive a compensatory draft choice once he signs elsewhere in that scenario.
  • Walder slots Ryan Fitzpatrick first and Damon Harrison third, respectively, among the Jets’ offseason priorities. He expects Fitzpatrick to receive a contract around the same parameters as the Rams’ Nick Foles accord that stands to pay him $13.8MM in guarantees on the two-year extension he signed. Walder anticipates Fitzpatrick requiring more guaranteed money to stay with the Jets but a two-year offer would be realistic.
  • Donald Penn will probably be back with the Raiders after the team explores the market, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap writes. The Raiders have a league-most $71.93MM worth of cap space, so they could easily afford to keep their left tackle of the past two seasons. Penn will be 33 in April, so it won’t take a long-term deal to keep him in Oakland. Former starters Rod Streater and Andre Holmes will be allowed to find other opportunities, Fitzgerald writes, while the team should discuss extensions for contract-year running backs Latavius Murray and Marcel Reece.

Broncos Notes: Osweiler, Ware, Clady

February 14th, 2016 at 6:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

While we learned earlier today the Broncos are making a push to keep Malik Jackson off the free agent market, they haven’t been as proactive with Brock Osweiler. Mike Klis of 9News reports the Super Bowl champions are waiting on beginning negotiations with the fifth-year quarterback “out of respect” for Peyton Manning‘s decision on whether to retire or return for a 19th season.

Manning’s $19MM salary becomes guaranteed if he’s on the Broncos’ roster on March 9, so talks with Osweiler should be commencing soon, as only second-year player Trevor Siemian is the only other quarterback on Denver’s roster. Klis notes the sides could begin talking at the NFL Scouting Combine, which starts Feb. 23.

The Broncos will likely have to offer more than $9MM per season to keep Osweiler and either approach — or surpass — the $12.5MM AAV deal Nick Foles is signed to in order to keep their longtime backup off the free agent market. Osweiler’s small work sample and a quarterback-starved market have created a wide range of contract expectations for him. Klis set that range at anywhere from $11MM to $17MM annually and for the pact to be between three and five years.

Denver could possess nearly $27MM in cap room if Manning decides to retire.

Sam Bradford, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kirk Cousins and Chase Daniel are the notable signal-callers looming as unrestricted free agents that quarterback-needy teams like the Texans, Jets and Rams could also pursue if they in fact hit the market. Cousins and Washington don’t have much common ground as of yet.

Here’s more news coming out of Denver.

  • Von Miller and the Broncos haven’t engaged in talks yet, according to Klis. They are expected to place the franchise tag, estimated to be worth around $14MM for 2016 for linebackers, on the sixth-year edge-rusher and can negotiate with Miller on a long-term extension until July 15. Klis expects Miller to command more than Justin Houston‘s $16.83MM AAV and perhaps exceed Ndamukong Suh‘s $19.06 annual average after dominating in the Broncos’ championship-cementing contests.
  • DeMarcus Ware could be a potential cap casualty as the Broncos prepare to keep their top-tier free agents, and the Denver Post’s Woody Paige expects the team to move on from the stellar pass-rushing presence. Ware collected two sacks in Super Bowl 50 and 3.5 in the playoffs for the Broncos, but the four-time first-team All-Pro will be 34 when they convene for training camp. Entering the final season of his three-year, $30MM deal, Ware is slated to occupy $11.66MM of Denver’s salary cap. He missed five games this season with a back injury but booked his ninth Pro Bowl honor. The Broncos have cheaper options behind Ware in Shaquil Barrett and Shane Ray, although neither are on Ware’s level at this point.
  • The Broncos also have decisions ahead regarding their offensive line, with two 2015 starters, Evan Mathis and Ryan Harris, set for free agency. Paige expects Ryan Clady, who missed 2015 with a torn ACL and said he’d be willing to restructure his contract that’s set to pay him $9.5MM in base salary this coming season, to be back at a lower price but for Louis Vasquez to be released. Denver’s starting right guard the past three seasons and a first-team All-Pro in 2013, Vasquez is entering the final year of his contract and is due to take up $6.75MM of the Broncos’ cap in ’16. Moving into Gary Kubiak‘s zone-blocking system, Vasquez struggled at points last season, rating 50th among guards on Pro Football Focus’ grading scale. Max Garcia, who spelled both Mathis and Vasquez as a rookie, will start at left guard next season, according to Klis, who believes Vasquez will be back at right guard.
  • If the Broncos retain Jackson, they won’t enough money to retain Danny Trevathan, Klis writes in the same piece. He expects the versatile linebacker to sign a deal that pays Trevathan between $5MM and $7MM yearly. Trevathan started throughout the 2013 and ’15 seasons for the Broncos, playing outside in John Fox‘s 4-3 scheme and inside in Wade Phillips‘ 3-4. A sixth-round pick of the Fox-led Broncos’ in 2012, Trevathan expects to receive interest from the Bears.

Washington, Kirk Cousins Not Close To Deal

February 14th, 2016 at 4:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Washington and pending free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins were “nowhere near” an agreement on a new contract after the Senior Bowl, sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Cousins projects to enter free agency on March 9 if no deal is reached, but Washington does have the option to apply the franchise tag.Kirk Cousins (Vertical)

There’s little doubt that Washington will use the franchise tender if it can’t reach an extension with Cousins, who placed third in the latest edition of our free agent power rankings. In his column today examining candidates for the franchise tag, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe estimated that the quarterback will come in around $19.7MM — that figure would rank 10th among QB annual values league-wide. Cousins is likely the only quarterback who will be franchised, as reports indicate that the Eagles are unlikely to use the tag on Sam Bradford, while the Broncos will likely franchise Von Miller (and not Brock Osweiler).

[RELATED: Washington GM Scot McCloughan talks free agency, RG3, Cousins]

Washington can franchise Cousins as soon as Tuesday (February 16), and has until March 1 to apply the tag. The two sides would then have until July 15 to reach a long-term deal — if no extension is reached, Cousins would be forced to play until the one-year deal (the salary of which would be fully guaranteed).

After accounting for the impending release of Robert Griffin III, Washington is projected to have roughly $24.5MM in cap space for 2016. The club can make moves to increase that figure — cutting defensive backs Dashon Goldson and DeAngelo Hall, for example, would save Washington another $11.4MM — so fitting Cousins in via the franchise shouldn’t be an issue. It could certainly make things tight, however, so a long-term deal (with a lower year-one cap charge) is probably best from the team’s side.

[RELATED: Washington RB Alfred Morris likely to depart via free agency]

It remains to be seen whether Cousins will push for a Colin Kaepernick/Andy Dalton extension (low guarantees, large maximum value based on incentives and escalators), or aim for a more traditional deal, including a large signing bonus. Either way, Cousins certainly has an argument his salary floor should be Ryan Tannehill‘s $19.25MM. Subsequently, $20MM annually is probably the starting point in negotiations, with Cousins’ ultimate target being even higher.

Perhaps no player in the league did more over the last four weeks of the regular season to help their stock than Cousins, who completed 74% of his passes for nearly 1,200 yards, while posting a 12:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio to go along with a 134.0 quarterback rating. For the season, Cousins thew 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, led the league in completion percentage, and helped Washington win its first division title since 2012.

PFR Originals: 2/7/16 – 2/14/16

February 14th, 2016 at 3:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original analysis and content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

Week In Review: 2/7/16 – 2/14/16

February 14th, 2016 at 2:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Headlines:

Free Agent Rumors:

Extended:

Signed/Re-Signed:

Released/Waived:

Retired:

Front Office:

  • Falcons – hired Joel Collier as director of pro personnel (link)
  • Giants – hired Martin Mayhew of director of football operations/special projects (link)

Broncos Attempting To Re-Sign Malik Jackson

February 14th, 2016 at 1:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos are “negotiating in earnest” with pending free agent defensive end Malik Jackson, reports Mike Klis of 9 News. However, the two sides aren’t yet close to reaching a new deal, meaning that Jackson is still likely to enter free agency on March 9.Malik Jackson (Vertical)

Denver, of course, has already committed a large sum to its other defensive end, as it agreed to a four-year, $36.75MM extension with Derek Wolfe last month. The 26-year-old Jackson is surely looking to match, or perhaps top, that figure, and given the recent deals handed out 3-4 defensive ends, he should be able to cash out on the open market. With his new deal, Wolfe became the seventh 3-4 DE to top the $9MM/per year mark, a list that includes Mike Daniels, Corey Liuget, and Cameron Jordan — all of whom signed extensions in the past year — so Jackson will presumably use that average annual value as his target.

[RELATED: Denver expected to use franchise tag on LB Von Miller]

But cap space might be an issue, as the Broncos are projected to head into the offseason with only ~$7.4MM in cap room. Of course, that counts Peyton Manning‘s 2016 cap charge of $21.5MM, which should vanish if he retires or is released. Other moves can be made as well — left tackle Ryan Clady has indicated he’s open to restructuring his contract, while linebacker DeMarcus Ware could be cut (and as we learned yesterday, Ware’s fate may indeed be correlated to whether Denver can retain Jackson).

The biggest obstacle to re-signing Jackson, however, might be that the Broncos also need to retain Super Bowl MVP Von Miller. A one-year franchise tag would cost Denver about $14MM, and even a long-term extension with Miller figures to feature a high year-one cap charge (per Klis, the Miller and the Broncos have not yet begun negotiating). General manager John Elway admitted last week that money could get tight, noting that “it’s a fluid situation and our budget is only so big,” especially given that starting linebacker Danny Trevathan is also a free agent.

[RELATED: Broncos tight end Owen Daniels plans to return in 2016]

For his part, Jackson sounds amenable to remaining in Denver for the long haul, but also realizes that this is his best opportunity to cash in via free agency. “For me, I would love to say here and just continue with my boys, continue this run with them and try to get another one with this defense,” Jackson said during an appearance on Pro Football Talk Live last week. “It is a business, so we’ll see what happens.“

Sunday Roundup: T. Jackson, Osweiler, Jags

February 14th, 2016 at 12:38pm CST by Rory Parks

The brief post-Super Bowl lull has set in on the NFL world, but the first day of free agency is right around the corner, and you can bet that there will soon be reports concerning contract extensions, franchise tags, etc. As we await that deluge, let’s take a look at some news and notes from around the league:

  • Seahawks backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is expected to test the free agent market this year, according to Jessamyn McIntyre of 710 ESPN Seattle (via Twitter). McIntyre reports that there was a strong market for Jackson’s services last season before he ultimately decided to re-up with Seattle.
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders what it will take for the Broncos to retain Brock Osweiler, especially since there are likely to be a number of teams like the Texans, Jets, and Rams potentially willing to bid against Denver for his services. We learned yesterday that a contract with an AAV of around $9MM would probably not be enough to prevent Osweiler from testing the free agent market, and Florio appears to concur with that sentiment.
  • Kevin Acee of The San Diego Times-Tribune explores potential stadium sites in San Diego that the Chargers might consider, concluding that the Mission Valley site, although less exciting, is more likely than the East Village option.
  • Although there have been rumors that the Jaguars will consider adding an offensive tackle this offseason, Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union would be surprised if that happened. O’Halloran notes that the Jaguars’ two starting tackles, Luke Joeckel and Jermey Parnell, currently account for the third and fourth highest cap charges on the roster, respectively, and he adds that no starting-caliber free agent tackle would sign with Jacksonville at this point.
  • Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer looks at the biggest issues facing the Panthers this offseason. He believes that Carolina will ultimately put the franchise tag on Josh Norman and should ask defensive end Charles Johnson to rework his current deal.
  • Although he may be a bit biased, former NFL GM and well-respected football mind Bill Polian believes the Lions made the right decision in retaining Jim Caldwell, per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. Polian points to the team’s drastic improvement in the second half of the 2015 season and the players’ support of Caldwell as indicators that Caldwell is the right man for the job.

East Notes: Bills, Hicks, Cousins

February 14th, 2016 at 11:31am CST by Rory Parks

Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News takes an interesting and in-depth look at the Bills‘ coaching dynamics prior to the hiring of Rex Ryan in early 2015. In 2014, the Bills’ defense under Jim Schwartz was terrific. It ranked fourth in yards allowed, first in sacks, and near the top of the league in a number of other statistical categories. Plus, there were no complaints that the system did not fit the players or that the team did not have enough talent to succeed on defense. So when former head coach Doug Marrone surprisingly decided to leave the team after his second year in Buffalo, Schwartz assumed the Bills would hire another offensive-minded head coach.

And then reports began to surface that the Bills were preparing to hire Ryan. Buffalo ownership wanted Schwartz to remain the team’s defensive coordinator, but given the philosophical differences between Schwartz and Ryan, Schwartz had no idea if he would remain the defensive coordinator in title only while someone else actually ran the defense. Ryan himself did not contact Schwartz until the day after he was hired, and that was to advise Schwartz that his services would no longer be required. The Bills defense, of course, took a major step back under Ryan, and there is a palpable sense of discontent among the team’s defensive players. As of right now, it is difficult to see the team making major strides in 2016, which could leave the front office with another tough coaching decision to make next year.

Now let’s round up a few more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • In light of the NFL’s recent race to Los Angeles, there has been a great deal of speculation as to whether the Bills will pursue a new stadium of their own, even though the lease on Ralph Wilson Stadium is not due to expire until 2023. But Carucci, in a separate piece for The Buffalo News, says team ownership has absolutely no desire to move forward with a new stadium, and New York governor Andrew Cuomo is of the same mindset. As Carucci writes, “after investing $130 million in renovations at The Ralph, staying in Orchard Park is a long-term solution that works best for everyone.”
  • Phil Perry and Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com, along with Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com, identify Akiem Hicks as the Patriots‘ top impending free agent. The 26-year-old Hicks was an excellent run-stuffer in 2015, and he showed a reasonable amount of pass rush ability as well. Hicks combined with Malcom Brown and Alan Branch to form a stout defensive front last season, but considering Dominique Easley‘s injury history and the lack of depth behind that core group, Perry and Curran believe re-signing Hicks should be New England’s top priority this offseason. Reiss, however, would be surprised if the team used the franchise tag on Hicks, as the 2016 franchise tag value for defensive tackles is projected to be over $13MM.
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com examines what a new contract for Kirk Cousins might look like and what the odds are that Cousins gets the franchise tag, but Tandler does not envision any scenario in which Cousins will not be playing for Washington next year.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com says Washington GM Scot McCloughan will approach free agency this season the same way he addressed it last year: with a number of relatively modest signings designed to add veteran stability to the team’s areas of need, like the defensive line and the secondary.
  • Free agent guards Alex Boone and Jahri Evans would be good fits for the Dolphins, who could use some help at both guard positions, but considering Miami’s other needs, James Walker of ESPN.com does not believe the team has enough cap room to sign either player.

 

Owen Daniels Plans To Keep Playing

February 14th, 2016 at 8:53am CST by Rory Parks

Broncos tight end Owen Daniels is a newly-minted Super Bowl champion and two-time Pro Bowler, and he has amassed 5,661 receiving yards and 36 touchdowns over a long and productive career. He is also 33, and he has had two of his ten professional seasons cut short, one due to a broken leg and one due to a torn ACL. All of that wear and tear has left him with no meniscus in his left knee and a right knee that caused him considerable pain throughout the course of the 2015 season.

Add it all up and it’s reasonable to wonder if Daniels is contemplating retirement. However, Daniels himself told Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today that he plans to continue playing at least through the end of his current contract, which runs through the 2017 season. He signed a three-year, $12.25MM deal last March and is set to count $4.5MM against the cap in 2016 and $5MM against the cap in 2017. The team could save $2.5MM by releasing him.

However, the Broncos do not currently have another tight end on the roster that could realistically step in for Daniels. Vernon Davis was a major disappointment after being acquired by Denver in a mid-season trade in 2015, and he is eligible for unrestricted free agency this year anyway. Virgil Green has been a quality No. 2 tight end during his five-year tenure with the Broncos, but he has not done much to show that he can step into the No. 1 role, and 2015 third-round selection Jeff Heuerman has significant upside but missed all of his rookie season after tearing his left ACL in a non-contact special teams drill last May.

Daniels spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Texans prior to signing a one-year deal with the Ravens in 2014. Current Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak was the Texans’ head coach for the entirety of Daniels’ career in Houston and served as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator in 2014 before both men moved to Denver in 2015. Daniels, a Wisconsin product, caught 46 balls for 517 yards and three scores last season, and he caught Peyton Manning‘s first pass of Super Bowl 50, good for 18 yards.

Said Daniels, “[Retirement’s] definitely an option. But I’m a man of my word, I signed a three-year deal, so I’d like to keep playing. I feel good enough as long as I can get some work done on my 33-year-old knees.”

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