2016 March - Pro Football Rumors

Contract Details: Dunbar, Bell, Trattou

March 21st, 2016 at 9:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Here are the contract details on some notable deals which were agreed upon or signed within the last week:

Byron Bell, OL (Titans): One-year, $2.25MM deal. $400K signing bonus, $650K guaranteed, $250K of $1.75MM salary guaranteed, plus $1M playing time incentive (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle).
Justin Trattou, DE (Vikings): One-year, $810K deal. $760K salary plus $25K 53-man any-game roster bonus. $30K playing time incentive plus $428K full split. (Twitter link via Wilson).
Lance Dunbar, RB (Cowboys): One-year, $1.25MM deal. $100K signing bonus. $800K salary. ~$22K per-game active bonus. $500K stats incentive. $40K workout de-escalator. (Twitter link via Wilson).
Nathan Stupar, LB (Saints): Three-year, $5MM deal. Additional $900K possible through incentives. $1.2MM signing bonus. $675K base salary in 2016. $1.075MM cap number in 2016. (Twitter link via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com).

Draft Rumors: Jets, Colts, Packers, Bucs

March 21st, 2016 at 8:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest 2016 NFL Draft news:

Eastern Kentucky pass rusher Noah Spence has visits lined up with the Jets, Colts, Packers, Bucs, Ravens, Jaguars, Cardinals, and Saints, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Spence, a former star at Ohio State, was dismissed from the Buckeyes after two positive tests for ecstasy. In 2015, Spence shined for the Colonels, but he’ll now have to answer questions about his history. Still, he is extremely talented and teams are not shying away from him.
Boston College linebacker Steven Daniels has a workout scheduled with the Saints, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Lions are “doing a lot of work” on Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). The Lions met with Reed last week and they will host him for a visit in April.
The 49ers are slated to hold a private workout with Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook, according to Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee (on Twitter). Teams are reportedly concerned about Cook‘s leadership abilities, but they’re still lining up to get a closer look at him. Cook also has private workouts scheduled with the Cowboys and Dolphins and he has met with the Rams and Browns.
Florida safety Keanu Neal has a workout scheduled with the Falcons this week, according to league source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. McClure notes that Neal was recruited to Florida by Falcons coach Dan Quinn when he was the Gators’ defensive coordinator.

Broncos’ John Elway On QB, Von Miller, O-Line

March 21st, 2016 at 8:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The defending champions have already undergone a major facelift this offseason, but GM John Elway says that he’s not done tinkering with the team’s roster. Of course, in the wake of Peyton Manning‘s retirement and Brock Osweiler‘s departure, the No. 1 item on the team’s agenda will be to figure out its quarterback situation. The Broncos also have to address the contract of star defensive player Von Miller. The Broncos placed the franchise tag on Miller earlier this offseason and the two sides are discussing a long-term pact.

On Monday, Elway addressed these issues and more. Here’s a look at the highlights (via Troy Renck of The Denver Post):

On the team’s quarterback situation:

“We will bring somebody in to compete. We are not going to just turn the job over to [Mark Sanchez] now, even though I know he’s excited about competing for the job. Everything is out there. There are a still a lot of guys. You never know what’s going to fall out of the tree. We are not in any rush.”

On Miller and the possibility of a holdout:

“I don’t see the benefit of it, but the (players) obviously do. But we are going to do everything we can and are hopeful we can come to some kind of agreement. Von is a big part of this. We want him to continue to be a big part.”

On the team’s revamped offensive line:

“We are excited about the bookends. [Donald Stephenson] is a young guy we think has a tremendous amount of upside. And [Russell Okung] is a guy who has played solid the last five or six years, been on championships teams and knows what it takes. Plus it gives us flexibility with the guys we have now with [Ty Sambrailo] and [Michael Schofield] (on playing guard). Different guys can go different places. It opens us up for the draft, and we can get to the point where we can take the best player.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Lions Rumors: Ansah, Slay, Tulloch

March 21st, 2016 at 7:47pm CST by Zachary Links

On Monday, the Lions bolstered their wide receiving corps by signing former Jet Jeremy Kerley. The 27-year-old signed a four-year extension with the Jets roughly 18 months ago, but he had little involvement in the team’s offense once the new regime took over. The Lions are now hoping that Kerley can replicate his best seasons from the past, like in 2012 when he caught 56 passes for 827 yards and two touchdowns.

Here’s more out of Detroit:

The Lions aren’t currently planning to extend defensive end Ziggy Ansah, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. The 2013 draft pick is entering his contract year, but the Lions can continue to control him through his fifth-year option and the franchise tag. Of course, the prices for defensive linemen have skyrocketed in recent years. Last offseason, Ndamukong Suh inked a record-setting deal with the Dolphins. This year, the Giants signed Olivier Vernon to an $85MM over five years with $40.5MM guaranteed.
Lions GM Bob Quinn met with agent Drew Rosenhaus about linebacker Stephen Tulloch and cornerback Darius Slay on Monday, Birkett tweets. Talks with Slay are ongoing, but the status of Tulloch’s talks are a bit of a mystery, according to Birkett (link). Slay, who changed representation earlier this year, was a 2013 draft pick, making him eligible for an extension when the Lions’ regular season ended. The Lions reportedly were set to release Tulloch in February but they may have had a change of heart. Tulloch, 31, has spent the last five years with the Lions.
Within his article, Birkett notes that the Lions are still seeking rotational help at defensive end via free agency.

Bills Rumors: Taylor, Harvin, Boldin

March 21st, 2016 at 7:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a quick look at the Bills:

Bills GM Doug Whaley says there is “work to do” after the team’s initial contract talks with Tyrod Taylor, but the gap between the two parties is “not insurmountable,” according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Taylor, 26, initially signed a three-year contract last winter with the Bills, but the third year of that pact was voided after he spent most of the 2015 season as the team’s starting QB. Now, he’s entering his contract year. 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 rushed for 568 yards and four TDs.
Bills free agent wide receiver Percy Harvin is expected to make a decision on his future soon, Rodak writes. Harvin, who played five games for Buffalo in 2015 before injuries ended his season, is still considering retirement. “Last thing I heard was [Bills contract negotiator] Jim Overdorf talked to his agent and hopefully he’s gonna make a decision the next week or two of if he’s gonna play, and if he’s gonna play, if he’s coming back to us,” Whaley said. “We’ll hopefully know in the next week or two.” Still, Whaley has “heard” that Harvin is leaning towards playing in 2016.
Whaley says “it would be tough, for what we have” to sign a veteran wide receiver like Anquan Boldin, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. However, he added that he would “never say never.” Boldin has previously said that he would like to continue his career with a title contender. While Boldin hauled in a respectable 69 catches with San Francisco in 2015-16, it was for the second-lowest yardage total of his career (789).
Whaley said the Bills do not need to restructure any other contracts, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets.

Pats Looking To Recover First-Round Pick

March 21st, 2016 at 7:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters that he wrote a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asking him to reinstate the draft picks taken from the club as part of the Deflategate sanctions (link via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss). Kraft’s letter, written over one month ago, also requested that Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension be nullified.

Goodell has said that he would consider any new information brought forward and that, in turn, could lead to the Pats’ punishment being altered. As it stands, the Patriots are set to lose their 2016 first-round pick and 2017 fourth-round pick in addition to the four-game suspension of Brady plus a $1MM fine. However, a league source says that the Patriots have “zero chance” at getting their first-round choice back, according to Judy Battista of NFL.com (via Twitter).

The NFLPA and the league went head-to-head earlier this month over Brady’s four-game ban. Around the same time, we learned that the league’s polarizing commissioner earned upwards of $34MM in 2014.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys Rumors: Robinson, Morris, Mayowa

March 21st, 2016 at 6:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones spoke with reporters to address a pair of open items. Here are some of the highlights:

The Cowboys are still talking with free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson and free agent running back Alfred Morris, but there is no deal for either player yet (Twitter link via David Moore of The Dallas Morning News). Both players visited Dallas on Monday and it was expected that one of them would sign with the club, with Robinson being the more likely of the two to land with the Cowboys. The Cowboys had interest last offseason in Robinson before he ended up inking a $2MM deal with the Chargers.
Jones said Cowboys are still awaiting the Raiders’ decision on whether to match their offer for Benson Mayowa, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. The Cowboys signed the defensive end to an offer sheet that would give him a three-year deal and a $3.3MM signing bonus with base salaries of $700K, $2.5MM, and $2.75MM. Oakland has until Wednesday to reach their verdict.
The Cowboys see a great deal of upside in Mayowa and they believe that he possesses the attributes that they want in a pass rusher (Twitter link via Archer). Mayowa, 24, has only made three starts so far in his NFL career, but he has appeared in 30 total games for the Raiders and Seahawks. In 2015, he recorded 16 tackles, a sack, two fumble recoveries, and a safety.

Bengals Won’t Trade A.J. McCarron

March 21st, 2016 at 6:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Several teams around the league have question marks under center and it makes sense that Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron could draw interest from rival clubs. Even though there could be interest in the Bengals backup, coach Marvin Lewis told PFT’s Mike Florio the team isn’t interested in trading Andy Dalton‘s understudy.

McCarron, 26 in September, filled in for Dalton to close out the 2015 regular season. From weeks 13 through 16, McCarron completed 66.1% of his passes with six touchdowns and two interceptions before suffering a left wrist injury. The right-handed QB toughed it out to return for the playoffs where the Bengals narrowly lost to the Steelers in the opening round. The Alabama product did not look like a world-beater while he was filling in for Dalton, but he did do a capable job.

After losing Dalton last year, Lewis understands the importance of having a solid No. 2 quarterback on the roster. By the same token, it’s hard to imagine McCarron having any type of “untouchable” status. If a QB-needy team makes a strong offer, we’d expect the Bengals to consider it.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Browns, Robert Griffin III

March 21st, 2016 at 5:34pm CST by Zachary Links

There is “mounting buzz” about the Browns’ intent to sign Robert Griffin III, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. La Canfora adds that he wouldn’t be surprised if the two sides reached agreement on a deal this week. Griffin visited the Browns just days ago and the visit reportedly went well.

If the Browns sign RG3, they will receive outside interest in quarterback Josh McCown, per LaCanfora (Twitter links). La Canfora asserts that the Broncos, Rams, and Jets could all explore a deal for the veteran quarterback. In addition, he says that an RGIII signing would not preclude Cleveland from going after a QB in the draft.

McCown was placed on IR in December, but finished the year with fairly respectable numbers. Although the Browns only won one of his eight starts, he completed 63.7% of his passes, throwing for 2,109 yards, 12 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He’s now entering the second season of the three-year deal he signed with Cleveland as a free agent in 2015.

Griffin, the 2012 offensive rookie of the year, hasn’t been the same since tearing his ACL in the playoffs that season. Although the former Pro Bowl quarterback completed a career-best 68.1% of his passes in 2014, he threw just four touchdown passes compared to six interceptions and fell out of favor with Jay Gruden. Subsequently, RGIII didn’t take a snap in 2015 as Kirk Cousins captured Washington’s starting job and ultimately received the franchise tag.

Griffin looked like a superstar in the making as a rookie, but his completion percentage dropped in 2013 and Washington went 3-10 in games that the former Heisman Trophy winner started.

Injuries knocked Griffin out of the starting lineup in 2014 and ’15, the latter coming in the preseason, when Washington opted to shelve Griffin and begin its exit strategy from its one-time franchise quarterback. The team released him earlier this month.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Josh Norman, Panthers Remain Far Apart On Deal

March 21st, 2016 at 5:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers applied the franchise tag to Josh Norman weeks ago, but the standout cornerback is in no rush to ink the one-year, $13.952MM tender. The two sides have until July 15th to hammer out a long-term deal, but there is still a significant chasm between them, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. If things do not improve, he could miss the voluntary workouts and OTAs and possibly the mandatory June minicamp, Person writes.

Norman, 28, enjoyed a career-year in 2015 as he was named to the All Pro first team and selected for his first Pro Bowl. After producing career highs in both interceptions (four) and passes defensed (18), Norman is in great position as he demands a multi-year payday. Norman was well-regarded by advanced metrics as well, finishing as the league’s 12th-best corner by Pro Football Focus’ grades.

Norman is now seeking a deal that will make him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL, Person writes, and that could mean demands of an average annual value in the $14-16MM range. Currently, Darrelle Revis stands as the NFL’s highest paid cornerback after signing a $70.12MM contract that includes a whopping $39MM guaranteed. That deal edged out Patrick Peterson of the Cardinals who got a $70.05MM deal with $16.25MM guaranteed and Seahawks corner Richard Sherman, who inked a $56MM deal ($12.43MM guaranteed) to stay in Seattle. After that, Trumaine Johnson and Norman are slated to be tied as the fourth-highest paid corners in the NFL in 2016. Johnson accepted his franchise tender earlier this month, but Norman appears intent on forcing the Panthers into giving him a long-term deal instead.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.