HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Offseason Outlook: Atlanta Falcons

February 25th, 2016 at 10:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Pending free agents:

Top 15 cap hits for 2016:

  1. Matt Ryan, QB: $23,750,000
  2. Julio Jones, WR: $15,900,000
  3. Paul Soliai, DT: $6,837,500
  4. Sam Baker, T: $6,400,000 (dead money)
  5. Tyson Jackson, DT: $6,350,000
  6. Roddy White, WR: $6,137,500
  7. Andy Levitre, G: $5,375,000
  8. Jake Matthews, T: $4,480,773
  9. Jon Asamoah, G: $3,900,000 (dead money)
  10. Devin Hester, WR/KR: $3,833,334
  11. Brooks Reed, OLB: $3,440,000
  12. William Moore, S: $3,300,000 (dead money)
  13. Vic Beasley, DE: $3,294,370
  14. Matt Bryant, K: $2,870,833
  15. Matt Bosher, P: $2,700,000

Notable coaching/front office moves:

  • Front office: Parted ways with director of player personnel Lionel Vital; hired former Chiefs assistant GM Joel Collier as director of pro personnel.
  • Scouting department: Hired former GMs Phil Emery and Ruston Webster as national scouts.
  • Offensive staff: Lost WRs coach Terry Robiskie, who became Titans’ offensive coordinator.
  • Defensive staff: Hired Cowboys DBs coach Jerome Henderson as defensive passing game coordinator.

Draft:

Other:

Overview:

Last offseason, the Falcons’ hiring of Dan Quinn as head coach was the worst-kept secret in football for what felt like forever. After the Super Bowl, however, the Seahawks defensive coordinator finally was able to put pen to paper with Atlanta.Dan Quinn

A former defensive line coach, Quinn led the league’s top defense in Seattle in each of the last two seasons as the club’s defensive coordinator. While his stint with the Seahawks had an unfortunate ending, Quinn was regarded as one of the leading head coaching candidates of the offseason. Some expected that the highly touted defensive mind would vault the Falcons to the NFC South title, but it wound up being an up-and-down season in Atlanta, one that resulted in an 8-8 record.

At the outset of the year, it looked as though the Falcons and Panthers would go neck and neck for supremacy in the division and conference. However, after a 5-0 start, the Falcons started slipping. By Week 13, Atlanta had gone from undefeated to .500, and that’s exactly where they finished.

Even though the Falcons did not meet the expectations set for them in the fall, there were still a number of bright spots. On offense, Julio Jones turned in another stellar season and once again proved why he’s one of the league’s premier wide receivers. In the backfield, the Falcons got production at the running back position, but not from the running back they were banking on. Rookie tailback Tevin Coleman won the starting job in training camp but those plans were scuttled when he suffered a concussion in Week 2. From that point forward, Devonta Freeman took over the job and established himself as a rising star. For the season, Freeman racked up 1,061 yards on the ground and added 578 receiving yards.

On defense, Desmond Trufant turned in one heck of a performance, finishing the year as the No. 13 cornerback in the league according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Trufant allowed only 32 receptions, putting him right behind Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman‘s league-leading 31 (among qualified corners). Overall, though, the Falcons’ defense finished in the middle of the pack in both passing and rushing yards allowed.

Can Quinn & Co. overtake the Panthers as NFC South champions in 2016? Here’s a look at their options this spring:

Key Free Agents:

Restricted free agent tackle Ryan Schraeder may require at least a second-round tender for Atlanta to keep him after an impressive third season. Schraeder receiving the second-round tender would cost the Falcons ~$2.47MM, but would allow another team to sign him while surrendering only a second-round pick. An ex-UDFA, Schraeder made $585K last season. A first-round tender figures to cost in the neighborhood of $3.5MM, and that could be the safer route for the Falcons to take if they really want to make sure they keep Schraeder.

Fellow RFAs Paul Worrilow and Nathan Stupar will probably be retained as well. Worrilow may have started for the Falcons out of necessity in 2015, but he was a starter nonetheless. Stupar, meanwhile, had a solid year for the Falcons under the minimum salary and he could be back on something a little more lucrative in 2016.

Adrian ClaybornIn 2014, Adrian Clayborn was hoping to establish himself in his contract year, but he didn’t get the opportunity to show what he could do before hitting the open market. The defensive end played only one game in ’14 before being placed on IR by the Buccaneers. Clayborn later landed a one-year deal with the Falcons, giving him an opportunity to bring his value back up to where it should be.

Clayborn, 28 in July, turned in a full 16-game season and showed that he can be an effective rotation piece. Even though he’s not the player that the Bucs envisioned when they took him No. 20 overall in 2011, Clayborn has given himself some juice heading into free agency this time around. Clayborn could go for another one-year deal to try and get paid in the spring of 2017, but he might be better served by getting the best of both worlds and going for a modest two-year deal. Either way, the Falcons should have some interest, once they take care of their more pressing priorities.

Kroy Biermann has been with the Falcons ever since his entry into the league in 2008. Last year, Biermann had an opportunity to leave but re-signed with Atlanta a few weeks after the opening of free agency. Will he re-up again? Quinn will probably look to bring more of his type of guys into the mix, and that could mean a departure for the 30-year-old (31 in September).

Biermann started a career-high 15 games for the Falcons in 2014, racking up 77 tackles and 4.5 sacks to go along with a forced fumble. In 867 defensive snaps, he recorded a -5.7 grade on Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but that was largely due to a poor rating in pass coverage — he was an above-average run defender and held his own as a pass rusher. This past season, he played in a reserve role, and that’s probably what awaits him with his 2016 team, whether it’s the Falcons or another club.

In September 2015, the Falcons landed Jake Long on a one-year deal. Unfortunately, the former No. 1 overall pick could not give the team a full season of production. Long did not make his debut until December 13th, giving him a combined 11 games of action over the last two years. Now, Long is eligible for free agency once again and he could be on his way to team No. 3. If he stays with the Falcons, he likely won’t have an opportunity to start, with Jake Matthews and Schraeder penciled in at the two tackle spots.

O’Brien Schofield followed Quinn to Atlanta and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him re-sign for another season. The linebacker probably won’t be getting a starting job with the Falcons in 2016, but he can provide the team with some veteran leadership and some guidance, given his familiarity with Quinn’s defensive scheme.

Veteran linebacker Philip Wheeler could be back for another season. Cornerback Phillip Adams, meanwhile, seems less likely to return after a so-so 2015. Center Gino Gradkowski, whom Atlanta plucked off waivers in September, could be welcomed back once the team takes care of its top free agents.

Possible Cap Casualties:

The Falcons will reportedly release defensive tackle Paul Soliai on or after the start of the new league year on March 9. By waiting until March 9, the Falcons will absorb Soliai’s dead money hit — a charge of $4.2MM — on their 2016 salary cap. If the club opts to designate Soliai as a post-June 1 cut, it will take on dead money totals of $1.4MM in 2016 and and $2.8MM in 2017.

Having just finished the second season of a five-year deal, the 32-year-old Soliai was poised to earn a base salary of $4.5MM, accompanied by a cap figure of $6.9MM. From the Falcons’ perspective, that cap charge was likely excessive, as Soliai’s snap count in Dan Quinn‘s defense had dropped to 357 in 2015 (down from 502 in Mike Smith‘s unit in 2014). Add in the fact that Soliai wasn’t overly effective, grading as just the No. 57 interior defender last season per Pro Football Focus, and it probably makes sense that Atlanta is cutting bait. The Falcons did try to get Soliai to take a pay cut, but the two sides could not come to terms.Roddy White

Could Roddy White be the next veteran to go? The wide receiver was once the heart and soul of the Falcons’ passing attack, but he slumped through his worst season as a starter in 2015. After catching 43 passes for 506 yards in 16 games, White could be a cap casualty.

White’s salaries for 2016 and 2017 are relatively modest – $2.75MM and $3MM, respectively – but he can earn $1.5MM in bonuses each season as well — $1MM for making the 53-man roster, then up to an additional $500K in per-game roster bonuses. Throw in $1.888MM in annual prorated signing bonus money and White’s cap numbers for the next two seasons exceed $6MM, making him the sixth-most expensive player on the roster. In order for those cap charge to be viable, the Falcons would have to count on White bouncing back and exceeding his 2015 numbers, but it’s not clear that sort of rebound is in the cards for the veteran wideout.

The Falcons acquired veteran guard Andy Levitre from the Titans in early September with the hopes that he could get back to his old form. Unfortunately, Levitre didn’t do much to help hold down the fort on the interior of the offensive line. Levitre restructured his deal shortly after joining the Falcons, but that might not be enough to save his place with the squad this year. If they cut him, the Falcons can save roughly $4MM against the cap.

Positions Of Need:

The Falcons were supposed to have an aggressive defense just like Quinn’s in Seattle. That, ultimately, didn’t turn out to be the case. After some promising results early on, the Falcons’ D wound up finishing last in the NFL in sacks with 19 in total. The Falcons badly need an edge rusher and there are free agent options out there. If he reaches the open market somehow, then Muhammad Wilkerson would make a tremendous addition for the Falcons. Fellow Meadowlands resident Jason Pierre-Paul is probably more likely to reach the open market, however, and he wouldn’t break the bank.

Linebacker Bruce Irvin told the media in January that he would take less money on his second contract to stay with the Seahawks. However, one has to wonder if that’s really the case with the Falcons lurking and in need of linebackers. Atlanta could offer Irvin a reunion with Quinn and also a return to his hometown. If they can’t land Irvin, someone like Rolando McClain would also be an intriguing pickup, provided that he is not retained by the Cowboys. For what it’s worth, defensive coordinator Richard Smith previously served as the Broncos’ linebackers coach, so he’s familiar with pending free agent Danny Trevathan.

When Matt Ryan had Tony Gonzalez as a security blanket, things were clicking in Atlanta. In his five seasons in Atlanta, Gonzalez secured 409 receptions for 4,187 yards and 35 touchdowns. Last year, Jacob Tamme recorded 59 receptions for 647 yards, but that didn’t quite replicate the spark that the team has been missing since 2013. The Falcons would like to figure something out at tight end as they look to resuscitate their once lethal passing attack.

In the secondary, the Falcons have to figure out a solution at safety. William Moore, a former Pro Bowler, was lackluster in 2015 and he was handed his walking papers earlier this month. Eric Berry would be nothing short of a home run for the Falcons, but he seems likely to get the franchise tag from the Chiefs if the two sides can’t hammer out a multi-year deal. The Falcons may have to aim lower, but we expect that they’ll still spend to bolster the position.

Desmond TrufantIf the Falcons say goodbye to White this offseason, then they’ll have to look into getting some new blood at wide receiver. Travis Benjamin seems less and less likely to stay with the Browns at this point and he’d make one heck of a No. 2 option opposite of Julio Jones.

Extension Candidates/Contract Issues:

Former first-round pick Desmond Trufant could be an extension candidate for the Falcons this offseason. The cornerback is coming of a strong year in which Pro Football Focus (sub. req’d) rated him as the 13th-best corner in the NFL. Trufant appears to be a hit from the 2013 draft class and the Falcons would be wise to lock him down before he could get really big bucks down the road.

Still, Trufant is eligible for a fifth-year option in 2017, meaning that if the Falcons can’t reach common ground with him on a longer-term deal this offseason, they could simply exercise their option and revisit negotiations a year from now.

Overall Outlook:

Quinn’s first year in Atlanta didn’t go quite as planned, but the early portion of the season showed that there’s plenty to get excited about going forward. If the Falcons can use their cap space and flexibility wisely, they can put themselves in position to get back to the postseason in 2016.

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

Latest On Brock Osweiler

February 25th, 2016 at 10:13pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Broncos general manager John Elway said Thursday afternoon that pending free agent quarterback Brock Osweiler isn’t a candidate for the franchise tag. He also doesn’t seem like a candidate to receive a mega-contract – not from the Broncos, anyway.

“When you look at where the salaries are on quarterbacks, either above $15 million or below $5 [million]. There’s no middle class of quarterbacks. So that’s where you hope you could get a fair deal with Brock’s people and his representatives,” Elway told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Elway believes Osweiler will put himself in position to hit the jackpot in the future if he re-signs with the Broncos at a reasonable rate this Brock Osweiler (vertical)year.

“I think we do have a system that fits Brock very well,” he said. “So for Brock to have continued success, I don’t think will be, this won’t be his big contract, but this will be a contract where he’ll be able to make very good money and be able to prove himself that could lead to that next big contract.”

It’s fair to say Osweiler hasn’t shown enough on the field to warrant top-caliber money, but he’s young (25), was once a relatively high draft pick (a second-rounder in 2012), and possesses elite size (6-foot-8, 240 pounds). With all of that considered, Osweiler could exceed expectations on his next contract if he hits the free agent market March 9 and finds a QB-needy team willing to overpay for a slightly seasoned commodity.

While Osweiler showed hints last season of becoming the long-term solution under center for Denver, his numbers over eight games – 61 percent completion rate, 7.15 yards per attempt, 10 TDs, six picks – were unremarkable. Further, he wasn’t part of the Broncos’ playoff run after a knee injury knocked him out of action in Week 17. Peyton Manning, whose foot injury originally opened the door for Osweiler in November, took the reins back and never gave them up. Manning served in a game manager role throughout the postseason as the Broncos’ defense steamrolled its way to a Super Bowl title.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Saints, Carroll, Kaep, Texans

February 25th, 2016 at 9:08pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Saints head coach Sean Payton told NFL Network on Thursday that a contract extension for quarterback Drew Brees “will get done very easily,” per Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. General manager Mickey Loomis said earlier this month that he wants to lock up Brees, whose deal expires after next season. Loomis also stated at the time that he and Tom Condon, Brees’ agent, hadn’t yet spoken about an extension. That changed at the combine, where Loomis and Condon met, according to Payton.

In a different interview, Payton told Pro Football Talk that offensive guard and the defensive front seven will be the Saints’ main concerns in free agency and the draft (Twitter link via Dabe). Earlier this month, the Saints cut guard Jahri Evans and two front seven defenders, linebackers David Hawthorne and Ramon Humber.

Other news from around the NFL:

  • Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told the Los Angeles Times’ Gary Klein that he has no interest in returning to USC to become its athletic director (Twitter link). Carroll, of course, led USC to an 83-19 mark as its football coach from 2001-09.
  • Colin Kaepernick‘s contract – a middle-of-the-road deal for a quarterback – shouldn’t scare off possible suitors, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. If the 49ers do trade Kaepernick, which looks like a distinct possibility, Fitzgerald lists six teams as potential fits. He expects the Niners to seek a second-round pick in return.
  • The Texans have met with guard Brandon Brooks‘ representatives at the combine, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Brooks, a pending free agent, has started in each of his last 44 appearances.
  • The Falcons have not yet made any decisions regarding Devin Hester‘s status with the team, according to GM Thomas Dimitroff, who says that won’t happen until after Hester is fully recovered from his toe surgery (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com).
  • The Saints ($42K), Broncos ($267K) and Rams ($1.245MM) opted against carrying over their full allotment of space from 2015, tweets Pro Football Talk. The Broncos’ motivation was to prevent other playoff teams from signing their practice squad players during the postseason, according to PFT’s Mike Florio. Each team has to make its call on carryover space at the end of the regular season. The Saints and Rams didn’t make the playoffs, so it’s currently unclear why they left their respective amounts behind. The list of all 32 clubs’ carryover totals can be found here.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC East Notes: Bradford, Ryans, Washington, Donnell

February 25th, 2016 at 7:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from the NFC East:

  • Having spoken this week at the combine about how they’d like to re-sign Sam Bradford, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and GM Howie Roseman met with the quarterback’s agent, Tom Condon, on Wednesday in Indianapolis, tweets Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Negotiations between the two sides are ongoing.
  • Agent Ben Dogra says the Eagles did not offer to keep DeMeco Ryans at a lower figure, per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (on Twitter). Dogra added that his client wants to continue his playing career after being cut by Philadelphia.
  • Washington team officials and agents for some of the club’s players will meet Friday to discuss contract restructurings, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Jones lists receiver Pierre Garcon ($10.2MM), defensive end Jason Hatcher ($8.7MM) and safety Dashon Goldson ($8MM) as players whose deals Washington could look to rework.
  • Giants general manager Jerry Reese updated the status of tight end Larry Donnell, whose season ended in December because of a neck injury. “We’re expecting him to be back, but necks can be tricky, so we’ll have to wait and see where that goes,” Reese said Thursday. “Hopefully he can get healthy and come back and continue his career.” Despite Reese’s guarded statement, Donnell’s neck injury isn’t a “career concern,” a source tells the New York Daily News’ Ebenezer Samuel.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

Latest On Johnny Manziel

February 25th, 2016 at 7:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

7:06pm: Dallas police didn’t arrest Manziel because they may not have had the necessary evidence to do so. Therefore, Crowley might have to testify before the grand jury, Cabot writes. As of now, there are multiple issues with the case, per Cabot: 1. Police weren’t able to question Manziel on the night of the incident because they couldn’t find him. 2. Crowley waited a week to file her complaint with police (she first secured a protective order).

4:25pm: The Dallas Police Department issued an update Thursday regarding its domestic violence case against Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com).

“The investigation of the domestic violence assault involving Jonathan Manziel, which occurred on January 30, 2016, has been completed. Today, a Class A misdemeanor Assault/Domestic Violence case has been referred to the Dallas County District Attorney’s office for presentation to the grand jury.”

Dallas police added that they “will not release any details of the investigation while it is pending grand jury presentation.”

The grand jury will consider a misdemeanor assault charge, according to ESPN’s Michele Steele, who notes that offense is punishable for up to a year in jail and/or a fine (Twitter link).

Manziel’s ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, filed a complaint alleging that he assaulted her and ruptured her eardrum during their Jan. 30 altercation. Crowley also stated in an affidavit that she told a valet at the Hotel ZaZa in Dallas that she was scared for her life, and that Manziel subsequently threw her in the passenger seat of his car. The Dallas PD has the video of Crowley’s encounter with the valet along with other surveillance, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com reported last Saturday.

Regardless of what happens with this case, Manziel’s tenure in Cleveland is on the verge of ending. The team will release him March 9, per Cabot.

Bills Restructure Charles Clay’s Contract

February 25th, 2016 at 6:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Less than 12 months after signing Charles Clay to a five-year, $38MM contract, the Bills have restructured the tight end’s deal, according to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News (Twitter link). They’ve converted Clay’s $10MM roster bonus into a signing bonus as a way to create cap space, Adam Caplan ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). By going that route, the team has opened up $7.5MM of breathing room, Dunne tweets. The downside, as Joe Buscaglia of WKBW writes, is that Clay’s cap hit from 2017-19 Charles Clay (vertical) will now rise from $6.5MM to $9MM.

Prior to the restructuring of his deal, Clay was scheduled to count $13.5MM against the Bills’ cap next season. That’s an unpalatable total for a non-elite player, especially one who’s on a team with a less-than-ideal cap situation. The Bills entered Thursday with the least amount of spending space of any team in the NFL ($209,715), per Over the Cap, though the league has since awarded them upward of $4MM in carryover money from 2015.

In his first season with the Bills, knee and back injuries limited Clay to 13 games. The 27-year-old was fairly productive, though, catching 51 passes for 528 yards and three touchdowns. Most of Clay’s receptions came courtesy of quarterback Tyrod Taylor, whom the Bills could look to extend, we learned earlier this evening.

Broncos Rumors: QBs, Trevathan, Clady, RBs, Davis

February 25th, 2016 at 5:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is still undecided about whether to retire or return for his age-40 season, general manager John Elway said at the combine on Thursday (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post).

“He still needs more time, so we’re going to afford him that time,” said Elway, who met with Manning a couple nights ago, per Jhabvala.

Elway and Manning will meet again in a week or two, Lindsay Jones of USA Today tweets.

“The ball is in his court,” Elway said.

Elway also touched on some of the Super Bowl champions’ other key issues Thursday. Let’s dive in…

  • The Broncos will not place the franchise tag on Manning’s potential successor, Brock Osweiler, according to Elway (Twitter link Jones). They would like to lock him up to a new deal, though. “We’re really not in a hurry. Brock knows what we have to offer and we still have a great deal of interest in Brock,” Elway stated (Twitter link via Jhabvala).
  • Linebacker Danny Trevathan will “probably have to test the market,” Elway said (per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com). Denver doesn’t seem likely to retain Trevathan, who is in position to cash in after accruing 109 tackles, two picks and ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 10th-best linebacker last season.
  • Elway has spent most of his draft prep focusing on the offensive line, he said (Twitter link via Jones). He’ll also meet with offensive tackle Ryan Clady‘s agent on Friday to discuss restructuring his contract, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter). Clady indicated earlier this winter that he’s open to reworking his deal to stay a Bronco. Injuries have plagued the four-time Pro Bowler, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL and has sat out 30 of Denver’s last 48 regular-season games. Clady, 29, is scheduled for cap charges exceeding $10MM in each of the next two seasons.
  • In addition to Clady, the Broncos might also attempt to rework edge rusher DeMarcus Ware‘s contract, Legwold writes. Ware is currently set to count $11.67MM against the Broncos’ cap for his age-34 season.
  • Running back will be a position the Broncos look at in free agency and the draft, per Elway, who added that C.J. Anderson “had a good year.” On free agent-to-be Ronnie Hillman, Elway stated, “[W]e’ll see what happens” (Twitter links via Jhabvala).
  • The Broncos will allow tight end Vernon Davis, whom they acquired from the 49ers last fall, to test the free agent market, according to Elway. “But that’s not to say we don’t want him back,” he added (Twitter link via Renck).

Bills Exploring Extension For Tyrod Taylor

February 25th, 2016 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have reached out to Tyrod Taylor‘s agent about a potential contract extension for the signal-caller, reports Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News (via Twitter). “This is a week where we’ll delve more into it,” said general manager Doug Whaley.Tyrod Taylor (vertical)

[RELATED: PFR previews the Bills’ offseason]

Taylor, 26, initially signed a three-year contract last winter with the Bills, but the third year of that deal was voided after he spent most of the 2015 campaign as the team’s starting quarterback. His cap number for 2016 also received a bump to $3MM+ based on a salary escalator.

Starting for the first time in his career, Taylor threw for 3,035 yards and 20 touchdowns in 14 games in 2015, completing 63.7% of his passes and tossing just six interceptions. He also provided plenty of value with his legs, rushing for 568 yards and four TDs.

While Taylor’s performance perhaps didn’t quite cement him as the Bills’ quarterback of the future, it certainly put him in the driver’s seat, so it makes sense that the team would explore the possibility of locking him up to a longer-term deal as he prepares to enter a contract year. It sounds as if talks are still in the early stages, and the Bills likely won’t be in any rush to get something done in the next couple weeks, prioritizing the club’s pending free agents instead.

However, the Bills will probably want to get a sense by the draft of whether or not an extension for Taylor will be doable, since it could affect the team’s plans — Buffalo may be more inclined to select a QB this year if there’s a possibility Taylor won’t be with the franchise beyond 2016.

Here are several more of Thursday’s updates on the Bills:

  • A source close to LeSean McCoy told Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (Twitter link) earlier today that he doesn’t expect the running back to be charged for his role in a Philadelphia nightclub altercation. However, a spokesman for the Philadelphia D.A.’s office insists no decisions have been made, adding that the investigation is still ongoing, per Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (Twitter link). Mike Rodak of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that no resolution is expected tonight or tomorrow.
  • Asked whether the franchise tag is an option for left tackle Cordy Glenn, Bills GM Doug Whaley said all options are open, and that the team doesn’t want to back itself into a corner. Whaley also expressed confidence in the club’s chances of signing both Glenn and guard Richie Incognito, despite cap limitations (Twitter links via Tyler Dunne).
  • The Bills will talk to several players’ agents at this week’s combine about potential pay cuts, according to Dunne, who tweets that the team has little choice. Could one of those pay cut candidates be defensive end Mario Williams? “We’re going to try to find a solution that’s best for the Buffalo Bills,” Whaley said today, regarding Williams (Twitter link via Dunne).
  • Whaley said the Bills are excited about this year’s draft class, since it’s very deep in “areas of perceived needs for us.” The front seven is one of those areas, tweets Dunne.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chiefs Rumors: Charles, Berry, Johnson, Daniel, Branch

February 25th, 2016 at 4:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The torn ACL that ended star running back Jamaal Charles‘ season last October won’t bring about the conclusion of his Chiefs career, general manager John Dorsey said at the combine Thursday. The Chiefs will not release the five-time thousand-yard rusher, according to Dorsey, who added that Charles is progressing well in his recovery (link via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com).

In addition to Charles’ situation, Dorsey addressed the statuses of a few of the Chiefs’ pending free agents. Here’s the latest:

  • Dorsey says he’ll meet with safety Eric Berry‘s agent this weekend (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star). As of earlier this week, not much progress had been made in the Chiefs’ quest to lock up Berry. If the two sides fail to reach a deal this month, the Chiefs are expected to place the franchise tag on the four-time Pro Bowler by the March 1 deadline.
  • Dorsey confirmed that he recently talked to the agent for linebacker Derrick Johnson, per BJ Kissel of the Chiefs’ website (Twitter link). Johnson, who has been with the Chiefs since they drafted him 15th overall in 2005, is coming off his sixth career 16-start season. He totaled 116 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and ranked eighth out of 97 qualifying linebackers at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). If the Chiefs strike a deal with Berry before the franchise tag deadline, Johnson could become a candidate for it, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes.
  • Backup quarterback Chase Daniel has sat behind starter Alex Smith for the last three years, and now Daniel could be in line for a No. 1 job elsewhere. If another team is willing to pay Daniel like a starter, the Chiefs won’t be able to keep him, according to Dorsey – who says he has spoken with Daniel’s agent. Dorsey added that he thinks the Chiefs’ No. 2 QB is already on their roster (Twitter links via Paylor). They currently have Aaron Murray and Tyler Bray under contract.
  • The Chiefs are interested in retaining safety Tyvon Branch, a source tells Paylor (Twitter link). Branch, whom the Chiefs signed to a one-year deal last winter, appeared in all 16 of their games last season and started one. The 29-year-old added 43 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble, and four passes defensed.

West Notes: Bennett, Kaepernick, Chargers

February 25th, 2016 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett and Chiefs running back Spencer Ware have both hired Relativity Sports for representation, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter links). Ware isn’t even eligible for restricted free agency until 2017, so Bennett is the more notable name here, since the standout pass rusher wants Seattle to rework his deal.

As Gregg Bell of The News Tribune details (via Twitter), head coach Pete Carroll said today that he has spoken to Bennett about his situation, though it’s probably on the back-burner for now. Unless the Seahawks feel they could rework Bennett’s contract in a way that would create some cap space for free agency, the team likely won’t address it until the spring.

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s West divisions:

  • A day after GM Trent Baalke insisted that Colin Kaepernick will “absolutely” remain on the 49ers’ roster beyond his April 1st salary guarantee deadline, head coach Chip Kelly told reporters, including Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, that he has spoken to the QB several times, and believes Kaepernick want to be in San Francisco. “I don’t know what the narrative is that, ‘Is he on the team? Is he not on the team?'” Kelly said. “It’s never been a question. I’m excited to work with Colin. I’ve never thought that, ‘Hey, I’m going to go to San Francisco and he’s not going to be there.'”
  • In addition to discussing Kaepernick, Kelly also said he’d like the 49ers to re-sign running back Shaun Draughn (Twitter link), and refuted the assumption that fullback Bruce Miller will be let go because he won’t have a role in Kelly’s offense.
  • According to GM Tom Telesco, the Chargers‘ tight end position is “in flux” (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego). Both Antonio Gates and Ladarius Green are among San Diego’s free agents and Telesco said he’ll meet with their agents at the combine this week.
  • Telesco also said today that the Chargers‘ wide receiver depth is “not as strong with Malcom [Floyd] not being there” (Twitter link via Gehlken). Needless to say, San Diego is firmly in the market for more help at the position, and is hunting specifically for a deep threat.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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