HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Falcons Hire Joel Collier

February 8th, 2016 at 1:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons announced that they have hired Joel Collier as their new Director of Pro Personnel. Collier previously served as the assistant general manager for the Chiefs from 2009-13.

[RELATED: Falcons to retain general manager Thomas Dimitroff]

Collier brings more than 20 years of NFL experience to Atlanta and will rejoin a revamped front office. While GM Thomas Dimitroff remains in charge, the team has also hired a pair of ex-GMs in former Bears general manager Phil Emery and ex-Titans GM Ruston Webster as national scouts.

As detailed in the club’s press release, Collier helped the Chiefs complete one of the best turnarounds in NFL history as the club won the AFC West with a 10-6 record in 2010 after going 4-12 in 2009. One has to imagine that Collier’s history with Falcons Assistant General Manager Scott Pioli, formerly the top decision maker in KC, helped bring him to the Falcons. Collier and Pioli were largely responsible for drafting Pro Bowlers such as Eric Berry (3), Justin Houston (2), Dontari Poe, and Dexter McCluster for the Chiefs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eagles Release Riley Cooper

February 8th, 2016 at 12:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles announced that they have released Riley Cooper. Today (Monday, February 8th) is the first day that teams can release players per the NFL’s calendar and Cooper has become the league’s first such roster casualty. More moves are sure to follow from teams all around the NFL. Riley Cooper (vertical)

Cooper, 29 in September, was a favorite of former head coach Chip Kelly. The new regime, apparently, didn’t hold him in the same esteem. Cooper’s deal had no remaining guaranteed cash on it from 2016 onward, so there will be no fiscal penalty for Philly.

Roughly two years ago, the Eagles and Cooper reached agreement on a five-year deal worth $25MM overall and $10MM in guaranteed cash. Cooper closed out his rookie deal in style with a breakout season in 2013. After being at the center of a preseason controversy when he used a racial slur, Cooper got positive attention by setting career-highs in receptions (47), receiving yards (835), and receiving touchdowns (8). The $5MM annual average of the deal was not chump change, but that was roughly what he was expected to command had he reached the open market.

In 2014, Cooper recorded a career-high 55 receptions for 577 yards and three scores. This past season, he played a much smaller role in the offense, catching only 21 passes for 327 yards and two scores.

Cooper would have carried a $5.3MM cap hit in 2016 and the Eagles saved $2.9MM against the cap by releasing him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Super Bowl Players In Contract Years

February 8th, 2016 at 11:03am CST by Dallas Robinson

On Sunday, we learned the potential fates of two upcoming free agents who appeared in the Super Bowl, as both the Broncos and Panthers intend to use the franchise tag on linebacker Von Miller and cornerback Josh Norman, respectively. While Miller and Norman were the most high-profile pending FAs playing in last night’s contest — they ranked first and fifth, respectively, in our most recent 2016 free agent power rankings — they aren’t the only players headed for the open market. Von Miller (featured)

Denver has a whopping 25 players set to hit free agency (nearly half its roster), while Carolina figures to have a bit less turnover, as it has only 16 pending free agents. The entire list for both clubs is below, with restricted free agents (RFA) and exclusive rights agents (ERFA) included (those labels are explained here).

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Eagles Haven’t Discussed Nick Foles Return?

February 8th, 2016 at 8:18am CST by Zachary Links

On Sunday afternoon, it was reported that the Eagles were discussing a possible reunion with quarterback Nick Foles. However, according to one Eagles beat writer, that is simply not the case. The Eagles have not had internal talks about pursuing Foles, who is now a member of the Rams, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The buzz about a Foles return began less than 24 hours ago when ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that new head coach Doug Pederson was interested in making that a reality. Schefter also heard that the Eagles will not use the franchise tag on Sam Bradford if the two sides cannot reach an agreement on a new contract. Berman hears that no decision has been made with regards to using the tag on Bradford. If the Eagles do use the tag on him, they’ll be on the hook for roughly $20MM in 2016.

Bradford, who came to the Eagles in the trade that sent Foles to the Rams, struggled out of the gate in his first season in Philly, though he did play much better in the second half of the year as he grew more comfortable in Chip Kelly‘s offense. Kelly, in his capacity as head coach/personnel executive, was responsible for bringing Bradford to the Eagles, but Kelly was fired before the end of the season. Pederson has taken his place on the sidelines and displaced VP of football operations Howie Roseman regained his authority over personnel matters and it would make sense that both men would want to hand-pick their own QB. However, things still appear to be fluid with regards to Bradford.

Pederson was on Philadelphia’s staff when the team drafted Foles in the third round of the 2012 season, and he served as Foles’ quarterbacks coach that year. Roseman, of course, was in charge of the front office during that period. Foles, for his part, was an abject failure in his first season with the Rams, completing just 56.4% of his passes and throwing seven touchdowns against ten interceptions in 11 games. He did, however, sign a two-year extension with the club prior to the beginning of the 2015 campaign, so he remains under contract through the 2017 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Broncos Win Super Bowl 50

February 7th, 2016 at 9:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If this was Peyton Manning‘s final game, he went out on top. The Broncos beat the Panthers 24-10 thanks in large part to their stifling defense —they allowed 315 offensive yards, but they sacked Cam Newton seven times and forced four turnovers. Von Miller posted 2.5 sacks (and was named Super Bowl MVP), DeMarcus Ware added two of his own, while Malik Jackson added a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Manning wasn’t great, completing just 13 passes for 141 yards and one interception, but the running game lead the way, as C.J. Anderson busted loose for 90 yards and one score.Peyton Manning (Vertical)

Carolina certainly didn’t play poorly, especially on defense — they allowed just 194 Denver offensive yards, and sacked Manning five times. But Newton wasn’t at his best, completing less than 55% of his passes for 259 yards and one interception. Defensive end Kony Ealy was the star on the Panthers’ side, posting three sacks and one interception.

Both clubs have quite a bit on their plate as the offseason begins. The Broncos will wait to hear Manning’s decision on retirement, and then make their own decision on retaining him. Additionally, they’ll try to re-sign (or franchise) Miller, as well as find a way to keep Jackson. The Panthers, meanwhile, need to retain cornerback Josh Norman, and perhaps add more depth in the secondary and along the offensive line.

The offseason has begun! Who’s ready?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Clarification On Nick Foles’ 2016 Cap Charge

February 7th, 2016 at 8:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier today, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported that new Eagles head coach Doug Pederson has interest in bringing Rams quarterback Nick Foles back to Philadelphia. That report was met with some skepticism, based not only Philadelphia’s apparent interest, but on Los Angeles’ cap situation were they to trade Foles, so it’s worth clearing up Foles’ contract status.Nick Foles (Vertical)

After acquiring Foles from the Eagles last offseason, the Rams in August signed him to an extension, locking him up through 2017 (that final season could void based on personal and team performance, but for this discussion, that note is largely irrelevant). As part of the multi-year deal, Foles received a guaranteed $6MM roster bonus, to be paid on the third day of the 2016 league year (which falls on March 11).

[RELATED: Rams have discussed pursuit of Peyton Manning]

Whether or not the Rams will be responsible for that roster bonus on their 2016 cap is based entirely on when they would potentially trade Foles. If they dealt him to the Eagles before March 11, Philadelphia would take on the bonus, and thus add $6MM (plus 2016 Foles’ base salary of $1.75MM) to its cap. If Los Angeles waited until after March 11 to trade Foles, it would take on the $6MM charge in the form of dead money.

Obviously, we can’t speak to the veracity of the report indicating the Eagles’ interest in Foles. But if the Rams do hope to trade Foles to Philadelphia (or any club), they need to do so before March 11, and incur only $2MM in dead money (the result of Foles’ signing bonus accelerating onto their cap). Otherwise, a trade would result in $8MM in dead money for Los Angeles, a charge that wouldn’t be palatable given that Foles’ 2016 cap number if he’s on the roster is $8.75MM, just $750K more.

Thanks to Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap both for providing this article clarifying Foles’ contract, and for answering further questions via email. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Peyton Manning’s $2MM Super Bowl Incentive

February 7th, 2016 at 4:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The No. 1 storyline revolving around Super Bowl is undoubtedly the future of Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, and whether he’ll choose to retire following tonight’s contest. Nearing age 40, Manning surely knows this is his last and best opportunity to win a second Super Bowl ring, and he’s obviously motivated to do so. But Manning also has a financial stake in the game, in the form of a $2MM incentive negotiated into his contract nearly a year ago.Peyton Manning (Featured)

In March of 2015, Manning agreed to a $4MM paycut, lowering his base salary from $19MM down to $15MM. However, Denver inserted clauses that allowed Manning to earn that money back: he’d get $2MM for winning the AFC Championship Game, and another $2MM for winning the Super Bowl. Obviously, he’s already secured that AFC title game incentive, and now the Super Bowl payday is on the line.

Needless to say, an extra $2MM probably isn’t needed to motivate Manning for tonight’s game (especially given that he’s earned nearly $250MM during the course of his career). Regardless, we’ll all be waiting to see if Manning announces his retirement after the Super Bowl, as he’s reportedly told friends that he plans to do. If not, however, he probably won’t be retained by the Broncos, and the Rams are one club that has discussed the possibility of pursuing Manning.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

PFR Originals: 1/31/16 – 2/7/16

February 7th, 2016 at 4:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

Week In Review: 1/31/16 – 2/7/16

February 7th, 2016 at 2:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Headlines:

Franchise Tags:

Free Agent Rumors:

Signed:

Retired:

Off-Field:

Panthers Likely To Franchise Josh Norman

February 7th, 2016 at 1:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers will likely place the franchise tag on cornerback Josh Norman in the event that the two sides can’t reach a long-term deal, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Clubs can begin using tags on February 18, and have until March 1 to assign their franchise tender.Josh Norman (Vertical)

Contract discussions between Norman and Carolina haven’t been abundant, or at least haven’t been made public. The closest the club has come to acknowledging the dilemma of retaining Norman was general manager Dave Gettleman last month telling David Newton of ESPN.com that it will be a “headache” attempting to retain not only Norman, but the rest of the Carolina free agent crop.

[RELATED: Broncos intend to placed franchise tag on LB Von Miller]

The franchise tag figure for cornerbacks will likely come in at $14-15MM, so Norman will earn a hefty payday even if he and the club can’t come to a long-term agreement. But it’s worth wondering what such an extension would look like. I looked at the issue back in November, arguing that Norman should be in line for a deal in the Richard Sherman/Patrick Peterson neighborhood: $14MM annually, and approaching $20MM in guarantees.

According the Over the Cap’s data, the Panthers currently have roughly $19.6MM in projected cap space heading into the 2016 offseason, so while fitting in a one-year franchise-tag salary of $14-15MM is possible, the club would be financially strapped, especially when including 2016 draft class cap charges. But Carolina could release defensive ends Charles Johnson and Jared Allen in the coming month, moves that would save the club nearly $20MM in cap space, making a franchise tender for Norman more palatable.

The 28-year-old Norman has certainly put himself in a great position heading into unrestricted free agency, as 2015 was easily the best season of his four-year career. He was named first team All Pro and selected for his first Pro Bowl, and posted solid raw statistics, producing career highs in both interceptions (four) and passes defensed (18). Norman was well-regarded by advanced metrics as well, finishing as the league’s 12th-best corner by Pro Football Focus’ grades.

[RELATED: Latest on Eagles’ franchise-tag decision on QB Sam Bradford]

For his part, Norman is ready to ink that contract that he feels he’s earned. “Because from day one, I’ve always been cashing in on myself,” Norman told Schefter this week. “If you don’t cash in on yourself, who is going to do it for you? If you don’t think you’re doing your job, who’s going to do it for you?”

I ranked Norman, set to play in his first Super Bowl later today, fifth in our most recent 2016 free agent power rankings.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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