HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Texans Cut Garrett Graham, Rahim Moore

March 3rd, 2016 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

11:57am: The Texans have now released safety Rahim Moore in addition to Graham, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. As noted below, this move was expected, and creates more than $2MM in cap savings.

10:16am: After parting ways with longtime running back Arian Foster this morning, the Texans are continuing to make roster cuts. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the club has now released tight end Garrett Graham.Garrett Graham

[RELATED: Texans cut RB Arian Foster]

Graham, 29, has seen his role in Houston decrease since an impressive 2013 campaign in which he caught 49 passes for 545 yards and five touchdowns. In 2015, he was the Texans’ third tight end behind C.J. Fiedorowicz and Ryan Griffin, recording just four receptions for 30 yards and a TD in eight games.

With the Texans progressively phasing him out of the offense and his cap hit approaching $4MM, Graham looked like a logical release candidate. By cutting him, Houston will clear his $3MM base salary and his per-game roster bonuses from the team’s books, creating $3.125MM in cap savings and leaving $750K in dead money on the cap.

In the wake of the Foster move, several Texans beat writers, including Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) suggested that Graham and safety Rahim Moore would be next to go. There’s nothing official on Moore yet, but if and when he’s released by the team, that would create another $2MM+ in cap room.

Moore signed a three-year, $12MM contract with the Texans just a year ago, but his first – and likely only – season in Houston was a disappointment, as he lost his starting job to Andre Hal halfway through the year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC East Rumors: Fitzpatrick, Dolphins, Bills

March 3rd, 2016 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

As negotiations between the two sides continue, the Jets have made it clear to Ryan Fitzpatrick and his representatives that they want Fitzpatrick to be their starting quarterback in 2016, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). However, according to Cole, the Jets’ offers to Fitzpatrick so far don’t necessarily reflect the going rate for starting quarterbacks.

Cole adds that while the Jets players like Fitzpatrick, there are some that wouldn’t mind seeing the team bring in another viable option at the position to challenge the incumbent veteran.

As we wait to see whether the Jets can lock up Fitzpatrick to a new deal before free agency gets underway next week, let’s check in on several other items from out of the AFC East….

  • The Dolphins have reportedly identified five or six defensive ends in free agency and the draft that they’ll go after if Olivier Vernon signs elsewhere, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Salguero explores some of the possibilities, suggesting that even if the team brings back Vernon and Derrick Shelby, another addition at the position may be necessary.
  • With the outcome of the Philadelphia D.A.’s investigation into LeSean McCoy still unresolved,the Bills have some uncertainty at the running back position as the new league year approaches. However, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com outlines, McCoy isn’t the only player whose future with the team remains somewhat up in the air to some extent.
  • The Bills would like to bring back as many of their restricted free agents as possible, according to general manager Doug Whaley, who says the club is “working on it” (Twitter link via Rodak). That may be easier said than done, since low-end RFA tenders will cost $1.6MM+ each, and Buffalo doesn’t have a ton of cap room to work with.
  • After their tight ends combined for just eight receptions in 2015, the Jets could be in the market for a free agent TE this offseason. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com explores that possibility.
  • With the NFL and the NFLPA set to return to court to revisit the Deflategate saga and the vacated suspension for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, SI.com’s Michael McCann provides a primer on what to expect.

Ravens Cut Daryl Smith

March 3rd, 2016 at 10:30am CST by Luke Adams

The veteran cuts keep on coming, as the Ravens are the latest team to part with a major contributor. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Baltimore has released inside linebacker Daryl Smith. As a vested veteran, Smith will immediately be eligible to sign elsewhere without passing through waivers.Daryl Smith

[RELATED: Ravens sign Joe Flacco to contract extension]

Smith, who joined the Ravens for the 2013 season after spending nine years in Jacksonville, hasn’t missed a game in his three years in Baltimore, starting the last 48 regular-season games for the club. In 2015, he racked up 121 tackles to go along with three sacks and an interception.

While Smith’s release comes as a bit of a surprise, Pro Football Focus did rank him just 71st out of 97 qualified linebackers in 2015, and he’ll turn 34 later this month, so the Ravens could go younger and cheaper at the position while potentially not taking a major step back in terms of production.

The Ravens also need to create some cap room to complete their offseason business, and don’t have a ton of obvious release or restructure candidates on their roster that would free up significant space. By cutting Smith, the team will trim his 2016 cap charge from $4.375MM to just $1.75MM, creating $2.625MM in cap savings.

That’s not a huge amount of cap room, but every little bit will help the Ravens this offseason, and inside linebacker is a spot that the club can probably address on the cheap. Baltimore will likely be in the market for help at the position either in free agency or the draft as the club explores potential complements for C.J. Mosley in the middle.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Peyton Manning

March 3rd, 2016 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

A weekend report from The Denver Post suggested that future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Peyton Manning was expected to announce his retirement soon, but the Broncos and Manning’s camp quickly refuted the notion that the signal-caller had made that decision yet. Agent Tom Condon reiterated that stance during an appearance on 104.3 The Fan in Denver on Wednesday.Peyton Manning (Vertical)

“To tell you the truth, I know that Peyton has not decided,” Condon said, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Although Manning may not have announced – or made – his decision, the winning quarterback of Super Bowl 50 made a lengthy speech at a fundraising event in Florida on Wednesday, and Jeff Darlington of NFL Media suggests, during an interview on PFT Live, that Manning sounded like a player who doesn’t want to call it a career quite yet.

“He did talk in present tense when he’s talking about his career,” Darlington said, per Smith. “He sounds like a guy who still wants to play. He does not sound like a guy who is a week away from retirement.”

As Darlington and others try to read between the lines to determine Manning’s outlook, the quarterback himself is “angry” about recent reports on his retirement and on an incident with trainer Jamie Naughright that occurred at the University of Tennessee two decades ago, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Manning has yet to publicly address the re-emergence of that story, but Cole hears from a source close to the QB that Manning feels as if he’s being pushed into retirement.

If Manning does want to keep playing, or if he postpones his retirement decision beyond next Tuesday, it appears extremely likely that the Broncos will cut him before his $19MM salary for 2016 becomes guaranteed on March 9th. In that case, the former first overall pick would have the freedom to sign elsewhere now or later, though it remains to be seen how aggressively other teams would pursue him.

According to Cole, the Rams, Texans, and Jets are among the clubs that might have interest in Manning if he opts not to retire and becomes available, but Cole classifies that interest as “tepid at best.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Release Charles Johnson

March 3rd, 2016 at 8:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have parted ways with one of the franchise’s top all-time pass rushers, according to Max Henson of Panthers.com, who tweets that the club has released Charles Johnson. The veteran defensive end had long been considered a candidate to accept a pay cut or be released this offseason.

[RELATED: PFR previews the Panthers’ offseason]

Johnson, 29, has been the Panthers’ most reliable pass rusher over the last several years, recording at least 8.5 sacks in every season from 2010 to 2014. However, his 2015 campaign was derailed by a hamstring injury, which landed him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, sidelining him for nearly half the season.

In nine regular-season games in 2015, Johnson recorded just 12 tackles and a single sack, easily making it his least productive year since his rookie campaign. He showed flashes of his old self during the team’s postseason run though, picking up three playoff sacks. Overall, in his nine seasons in Carolina, Johnson racked up 63.5 total sacks, the second-most in franchise history, behind Julius Peppers (81.0).

Prior to his release, Johnson was set to count for more than $15MM against the Panthers’ cap in 2016, with a base salary of $10.75MM. By cutting him, Carolina clears Johnson’s entire salary from the team’s books, along with his $250K workout bonus, creating an even $11MM in cap savings.

According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link), the Panthers offered Johnson a pay cut before deciding to release him. Although Pelissero cautions not to rule out the possibility of a reunion between the two sides, I would imagine Johnson will explore the market and likely land elsewhere — if he finds that there’s not as much of a market for his services as he expected, perhaps the door re-opens for a return to Carolina at a reduced rate.

With Johnson no longer in the mix, the Panthers figure to address the defensive end position in free agency and/or the draft. Kony Ealy, who had three sacks during the postseason as well, looks ready to assume a full-time starting role on one side, and the club has some intriguing options behind him, but adding another starting-caliber player would be ideal, with Jared Allen retiring.

As Pro Football Talk notes (via Twitter), one intriguing scenario for the Panthers could be a return to North Carolina for Mario Williams, who was recently cut by the Bills.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason Outlook: Carolina Panthers

March 2nd, 2016 at 9:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Pending free agents:

Top 15 cap hits for 2016:

  1. Cam Newton, QB: $19,500,000
  2. Charles Johnson, DE: $15,020,000
  3. Josh Norman, CB: $13,952,000 (franchised)
  4. Ryan Kalil, T: $10,329,000
  5. Jonathan Stewart, RB: $9,550,000
  6. Thomas Davis, OLB: $7,500,000
  7. Luke Kuechly, ILB: $6,000,000
  8. Greg Olsen, TE: $5,100,000
  9. Michael Oher, T: $4,500,000
  10. Graham Gano, K: $3,700,000
  11. Star Lotulelei, DT: $3,055,977
  12. Ted Ginn, WR: $2,775,000
  13. Ed Dickson, TE: $2,566,666
  14. Kurt Coleman, S: $2,184,375
  15. Dwan Edwards, DT: $2,100,000

Notable coaching/front office moves:

  • No major changes.

Draft:

  • No. 31 overall pick
  • Owe sixth-round pick to Bears in deal for DE Jared Allen.

Other:

Overview:

After a 2014 season that saw the Panthers reach the postseason despite a sub-.500 record, many expected Carolina to regress even further, and a lack of faith in the club’s 2015 prospects wasn’t uncommon. Not a single PFR writer projected that the Panthers would earn a playoff berth in 2015 (in my own personal predictions, I estimated Carolina would finish last in the NFC South), as the Falcons and Saints generated much more positive outlooks.
Cam Newton (Vertical)

So for Carolina to finish with a 15-1 record and advance all the way to the Super Bowl was, in a massive understatement, unexpected. But finish nearly perfect they did, with the only blemish on the club’s regular season record coming in a tight Week 16 loss to the Falcons. Carolina bludgeoned its way through the NFC tournament, only to run into a stifling Broncos defense in the title game, ultimately losing 24-10.

The superlatives can be tossed in nearly any direction on the Panthers’ roster, but it all started with 2015 MVP Cam Newton, who posted the best season of his career and, with the help of a complex running scheme, led Carolina’s excellent offense. And as good as the offense was, the defense was perhaps even better, as Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis — aided by breakout stars Josh Norman and Kawann Short — headlined a unit that finished second in DVOA.

Credit is also due to head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Dave Gettleman — the Panthers have been hamstrung by salary cap problems for years, but the two decision-makers have found a way to cobble together a roster that works. The club still won’t have much cap space this offseason, and while Carolina won’t have to shop at the “dollar store” — Gettleman’s phrase — anymore, it still can’t afford to bring in too many high end options.

Key Free Agents:

Some clubs have a group of players who might compete for the moniker of “No. 1 internal free agent,” but in the Panthers’ case, there’s no such debate — cornerback Josh Norman‘s expiring contract is far and away the most pressing item on Carolina’s offseason docket. After reports indicated that little progress had been made in extension talks, the club placed the franchise tag on Norman, locking him in Carolina for one more season (unless another team is willing to part with two first-round picks). The Panthers are reportedly hopeful that they’ll be able to work out a long-term agreement with Norman before the July 15 deadline for extending franchise players.Josh Norman (Vertical)

When I examined Norman’s case for an extension back in November, I argued that he should be in line for the prototypical shutdown corner contract: $14MM per year, with more than $20MM in guarantees. Norman, at 28, is a bit older than a standard first-time free agent, and while the franchise tag will limit his ability to market himself to the league, I think that projection is still firmly within his reach.

The franchise tag will pay Norman $13.952MM in 2016 — if the Panthers were to franchise him in 2017, Norman would earn another $16.742MM (120% of his cap charge from the previous year). The total of those two figures — $30.694MM — should be Norman’s target in terms of guaranteed money in negotiations with Carolina. It may seem like a high number, but having reached the end of his contract without having agreed to a long-term deal, Norman holds a great deal of leverage.

Elsewhere in the secondary, veteran corners Charles Tillman and Cortland Finnegan are also headed for free agency. He just turned 35 years old, but Tillman started 12 games (and played decently) in 2016, and has made it clear he’ll only continue his NFL career with Carolina. A one-year – possibly minimum salary benefit – contract could make sense, but I’ll predict that Tillman ultimately retires. Finnegan, meanwhile, was brought in as more of a stopgap, and I don’t expect him to be retained.

At safety, Roman Harper has started all 32 games for Carolina over the past two seasons after joining the club on a low-cost deal prior to the 2014 season. He’s 33 now, and Pro Football Focus didn’t rate Harper’s play very highly in 2015, grading him as the No. 53 safety among 88 qualifiers. Harper will cost $900K against the Panthers’ 2016 salary cap thanks to a void provision in his contract, but I think the team will move on and possibly try to find a superior option through free agency or the draft.

Defensive tackle Kyle Love, something of an inspirational story given that he’s battled diabetes throughout his NFL career, seems to have finally found a home in Carolina after bouncing around the league for a few seasons. He played about 30% of the the club’s defensive snaps, teaming with Dwan Edwards to form nice backup rotation behind starters Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei. Those latter two players are about to get expensive, so retaining a key depth option like Love could be smart.

Let’s move to the offensive side of the ball, where wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery‘s numbers have been falling for three consecutive years. Even with Kelvin Benjamin lost for the season, Cotchery saw his role in the offense decrease, as he hauled in only 39 receptions for less than 500 yards. Benjamin will return in 2016, and with further development expected from Devin Funchess and Corey Brown, the Panthers can probably move from Cotchery as he enters his age-34 season.

2015 Pro Bowl fullback/running back Mike Tolbert is also a free agent, but it’s highly likely that he’ll return to Carolina, where he has spent the past four years of his career. Coming off a four-year contract during which he averaged $2.5MM annually, Tolbert could see a nice pay raise, albeit over a shorter term. The 30-year-old Tolbert recently said that he’d love to stay with the Panthers, but did allow that he would consider moving on.

Of the Panthers’ free agent offensive linemen, the only one who played more than 10% of the club’s snaps was Amini Silatolu, who did so while filling in at left guard for the injured Andrew Norwell. A second-round pick in 2012, Silatolu started 15 games during his rookie year, but has logged just 13 starts in the three years since. He’s still only 27, so Silatolu might look to latch on with a team where he has a better shot at returning to a starting role.

Possible Cap Casualties:

The elephant in the room for the Panthers this offseason is the status of veteran defensive end Charles Johnson, who is entering the final year of a six-year, $78MM deal he signed prior to the 2011 season. Johnson, hampered by a hamstring injury, was limited to just nine games last season, and played in something of a rotation, as he saw action on just over a third of Carolina’s snaps.Charles Johnson (Vertical)

The 29-year-old Johnson is scheduled to count $15.02MM against the Panthers’ salary cap, and all indications are that that figure is unpalatable for the club —the Charlotte Observer recently reported that Carolina will ask Johnson to accept a pay cut next season, and if he declines, he’ll face the possibility of release. The club would save $1MM in 2016 by cutting Johnson.

Depending on how steep a pay reduction the Panthers propose, I could see Johnson choosing to move on, figuring he could earn more on the open market. If Carolina wants to slash his pay by, say, 50%, and reduce his cap charge to $7.5MM, Johnson should definitely decline — he posted 8.5 sacks just one season ago, and reached double-digits in the two years prior, so it’s not as if he’s washed up. Since there would certainly be a market for Johnson’s services were he to become a free agent, he holds a bit of leverage over the team.

Besides Johnson, the Panthers don’t have a ton of other potential cap casualties, but if the team is looking to save a little money on the margins, defensive tackle Dwan Edwards could be on the chopping block. Carolina would only save $1.6MM by releasing Edwards, but he’s 34 years old, so the team could look for younger players to add to its interior rotation.

Positions Of Need:

Offensive line and wide receiver have been listed among the Panthers’ needs for what seems like a generation, and while Carolina could certainly use help in those areas — we’ll cover them a bit later — the three most pressing needs might be on defense.

Defensive end, specifically, is a position group that the Panthers will likely need to target this offseason. I expect Charles Johnson to decline a pay cut and ultimately be released, but even if he does stick around, Carolina needs to add more talent at end. Johnson would be entering the final year of his contract, and while Kony Ealy posted the game of his life in the Super Bowl, he hasn’t shown that level of production in the past.

So if merely adding depth at defensive end is the Panthers’ goal, they could enter the free agent market, and perhaps target someone like the recently-released Mario Williams. Obviously, Carolina won’t be able to pay Williams the $16MM per year he was earning in Buffalo (he’s not worth that amount, clearly), and other interested clubs could probably offer more. But Williams, who has never played in a postseason game, might be intrigued by the idea of joining a ready-made contender, albeit at a reduced priced. On the cheaper end of the scale, Wallace Gilberry is coming off an effective run as a rotational end in Cincinnati, and could be a nice backup piece, while former Jet/Dolphin Quinton Coples reportedly met with the Panthers this week.

If Carolina wants to add an end that will contribute both now and into the future, the team will look to the draft, and while it’s difficult to find a premier edge rusher at pick No. 31, there is no shortage of prospects who might be available. Bucky Brooks of NFL.com has the Panthers taking Georgia defender Emmanuel Ogbah in his most recent mock draft, while Michigan State’s Shilique Calhoun, Clemson’s Kevin Dodd, and Florida’s Jonathan Bullard could also be on the board.

In the secondary, safety is also an area of concern, especially if Roman Harper is not re-signed. At nearly every other position listed in this section, I think the Panthers would be fine combining draft picks with internal options, but to upgrade at safety, Carolina should take a hard look at using what cap space it has. The most obvious addition would be Eric Weddle — not only does he have a history with Ron Rivera and secondary coach Steve Wilks, but he’s indicated that he’d like to join a contending club. Tashaun Gipson, George Iloka, and Rodney McLeod could also be under consideration if the Panthers are willing to spend a little.

Cornerback is also a position that could be addressed, but perhaps is of less importance than perceived. With Josh Norman back in the fold, Bene Benwikere potentially moving to the outside, and Robert McClain around to play the slot, the Panthers can field a passable secondary. Still, it’s certainly an area where young talent wouldn’t hurt, and many observers, including Mel Kiper of ESPN.com and Daniel Jermiah of NFL.com, project Carolina to select a cornerback in the first round (Mackensie Alexander and Eli Apple being the choices).

Moving to the offense, right tackle has been a concern for the past few years, and Mike Remmers was disappointing in his first full season as a starter. But it sounds like Remmers — a restricted free agent — will return in 2016, and 2015 draft pick Daryl Williams could provide some competition. I doubt Dave Gettleman & Co. will spend money to add talent at this position, but a mid- or late-round draft pick could be in the cards.

As I noted, receiver is always listed among Carolina’s needs, but the group assembled last season — Ted Ginn Jr., Corey Brown, Jerricho Cotchery, and Devin Funchess — played pretty well, and lest we forget, Kelvin Benjamin, who posted more than 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie in 2014, will return from an ACL tear. Brenton Bersin, Stephen Hill, and Kevin Norwood haven’t contributed much in their short NFL careers, but further development is always possible. I don’t expect Cotchery back, but this is a cohort that can succeed, especially in a run-based offense with a talented quarterback like Cam Newton at the helm. The Panthers probably won’t be willing to add a receiver via free agency, but using a pick in the first two rounds — as they’ve done in consecutive seasons — is a possibility.

Extension Candidates/Contract Issues:

Kawann Short was a breakout star last season, posting 11 sacks from the interior, and grading as a top-10 defensive tackle per Pro Football Focus. Short, 27, is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and because he wasn’t a first-round pick (he was selected 44th overall in 2013), the Panthers don’t hold a fifth-year option on him for the 2017 season.Kawann Short (Vertical)

Short will easily be the top option among the 2017 class of free agent defensive tackles, so if he were to hit the open market, he’d be looking at a rather large payday. Since he holds so much leverage, there’s no reason that Short shouldn’t push for a deal that brushes the top of the market — Ndamukong Suh‘s massive Dolphins contract is an outlier, but Marcell Dareus and Gerald McCoy each received more than $95MM in total value. However, Dareus and McCoy did receive vastly different levels of guaranteed money ($43MM for Dareus versus just ~$15MM for McCoy), so that could be an area of negotiation for Short and the Panthers.

Carolina would probably balk at such an asking price given that Short has really only produced for one season, and if no deal can be reached by this time next year, Short could be a prime candidate for the franchise tag, with a likely cost of roughly $14MM. None of the Panthers’ other 2017 free agents would warrant the tag, and the option might force Short to take a bit less money.

Carolina’s other starting defensive tackle, Star Lotulelei, was selected in the first round, meaning the Panthers can control him — if they so choose — through the 2017 season via the fifth-year option. Lotulelei hasn’t been a star, and he really struggled in 2015, though his play could have been affected by a foot injury (he had surgery last January and dealt with complications in training camp, ultimately missing the first two games of the season). Carolina will surely exercise his option (price tag: ~$7MM), but with the team expected to prioritize an extension for Short, a long-term agreement for Lotulelei could be on the back-burner.

Safety Kurt Coleman was excellent in 2015, adding a stabilizing force in the back end of the Panthers’ secondary. He’s entering the final season of a two-year contract, and he’s set to count just over $2MM on this year’s cap. If Carolina wants to keep Coleman around past 2016, I wonder if they might extend him now and add a bit more guaranteed money to his ’16 base salary, thereby reducing the potential dead money down the line. Then again, Coleman has had a pretty up-and-down career, so perhaps the Panthers will want him to prove his worth again during the upcoming season.

On offense, left guard Andrew Norwell is extension-eligible after just two seasons instead of the standard three as a result of having been an undrafted free agent. He has made former second-rounder Amini Silatolu irrelevant, taking over on the inside and grading as the league’s eighth-best guard in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. Locking up Norwell, and, following this season, right guard Trai Turner, are important tasks in the effort to keep Cam Newton upright.

Overall Outlook:

In a league with such parity, it’s difficult to maintain a contending team, much less a dynasty. And while the Panthers probably aren’t at dynastic levels just yet, it’s not hard to see them getting there. Carolina has solid decision-makers, stable ownership, innovative coaches, young talent on both sides of the ball, and most importantly, a franchise quarterback. A fourth consecutive NFC South title looks almost inevitable, and a return trip to the Super Bowl — and a win, this time — is unquestionably the target for the 2016 Panthers.

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

Extra Points: Shorts, Roddy, Allen, Titans, Bucs

March 2nd, 2016 at 9:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran receiver Cecil Shorts is expected to return to the Texans and finish out the second and final year of the two-year contract he signed prior to the 2015 season, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Shorts, 28, appeared in 11 games last year, catching 42 passes for 484 yards and two touchdowns. Houston could save almost $3MM by releasing Shorts, but with fellow pass-catcher Nate Washington heading for free agency, the club will need options out wide.

Let’s dive into a few more items from around the league…

  • Having already identified the Buccaneers as a possible for suitor for free agent Roddy White, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link) also points to the Titans and Raiders as potential landing spots for the veteran receiver. It’s unclear if Rapoport is reporting or just making connections, but either way, each club makes sense — both Tennessee (Terry Robiskie) and Oakland (Bill Musgrave) field offenses run by former members of Atlanta’s coaching staff.
  • Pending free agent tight end Dwayne Allen hopes he doesn’t even make it to free agency, as he’d prefer to work out an agreement with the Colts before March 9, he told 1070 The Fan today (link via Kevin Bowen of Colts.com). Allen, along with fellow Indianapolis free agent Coby Fleener, would be one of the most sought-after tight ends on the open market. Allen recently hired agent Drew Rosenhaus, who has a history of getting deals done with the Colts, as his new representation.
  • The Buccaneers will not tender restricted free agent linebacker Danny Lansanah, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). The 30-year-old Lansanah has bounced around the league, and he’ll now become an unrestricted free agent next week. Per Auman, the Tampa Bay could re-sign Lansanah at a later date (and presumably, at a cheaper price than even the lowest tender).

Ravens Sign Joe Flacco To Contract Extension

March 2nd, 2016 at 9:07pm CST by Luke Adams

9:07pm: Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets the yearly breakdown of the contract: in addition to the $40MM signing bonus, Flacco will earn base salaries of $4MM, $6MM, $12MM, $18.5MM, $20.25MM, and $24.25MM.

12:05pm: Flacco gets $66.4MM in new money on his three-year extension, according to La Canfora, who notes (via Twitter) that the $22.1MM+ new-money average is a record. For his entire contract, the Ravens quarterback will average just under $21MM per year, says La Canfora, adding (via Twitter) that Flacco’s cap hits will be reduced to about $22.5MM in 2016 and $24MM in 2017.

ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports that $44MM of Flacco’s new deal is fully guaranteed, including the $40MM signing bonus and his $4MM base salary for 2016.

10:47am: Flacco has officially signed his three-year extension, the Ravens announced (via Twitter).

10:27am: With the Ravens set to hold a press conference at 2:00pm eastern today to announce Flacco’s new deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the new contract features a $40MM signing bonus, which would be the largest in NFL history, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com adds (via Twitter) that the extension will free up about $6MM in cap space for Baltimore in 2016, and a total of about $13MM for the next two years.

9:55am: The Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco have agreed to terms on a new contract, a source tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the agreement will add three more years to Flacco’s current contract, locking him up through the 2021 season.Joe Flacco

Flacco, who signed a six-year deal with the Ravens three years ago, had been projected for a cap hit of $28.55MM in 2016, and that number was set increase to $31MM+ in 2017. General manager Ozzie Newsome insisted at the start of the Ravens’ offseason – and recently reiterated – that the team has a plan to work around Flacco’s massive cap hit, but it always seemed likely that the two sides would rework the contract this offseason. The new deal should lessen Flacco’s impact on Baltimore’s 2016 cap.

Since winning the Super Bowl three years ago and signing his new mega-deal, Flacco has been up and down. After throwing more interceptions (22) than touchdowns (19) in 2013, he was excellent in 2014, setting new career highs in passing yards (3,986) and touchdowns (27).

In 2015, for the first time in his eight-year NFL career, the extremely durable signal-caller failed to start all 16 games for the Ravens, having sustained a torn ACL in November. In 10 games, Flacco completed a career-best 64.4% of his passes, but threw just 14 TDs to 12 INTs, and Baltimore was 3-7 in those games — it was the first time since Flacco became the Ravens’ starter that the team finished below .500.

Still, while his performance in recent years has perhaps not been elite, the terms of Flacco’s contract dictated that something had to give this offseason. Since he and agent Joe Linta held the majority of the leverage in negotiations with the Ravens, it will be interesting to see what kind of terms they secured on the new extension. Heading into the offseason, Flacco’s $20.1MM per-year salary ranked eighth among all quarterbacks, per Over The Cap. The new deal will likely elevate him back into the top five.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Rumors: Cowboys, Myles Jack, J. Smith

March 2nd, 2016 at 8:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agency is dominating NFL conversation at the moment, but the draft isn’t that far away, either. Here are the latest news and notes surrounding collegiate prospects and their impending entry to the league:

  • In a piece previewing several developmental options that could make sense for Dallas, Gil Brandt of NFL.com reveals that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently told Brandt “unequivocally” that his club will not select a QB with the fourth overall pick. Dallas has been linked to Cal’s Jared Goff and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, as the thinking goes that the team would like to draft an heir apparent to Tony Romo — in fact, Jones said this morning that he’d like to find Romo’s successor. But the Cowboys have enough holes, especially on defense, that it probably makes more sense to use their first pick at a different position, especially if the front office is confident Romo can steer the ship for a few more years.
  • UCLA linebacker Myles Jack is drawing rave reviews from NFL coaches, and they believe Jack can play five positions, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The 6’1”, 225-pounder was certainly a jack-of-all-trades (excuse the pun) for the Bruins, as he saw time at both inside and outside linebacker, safety, nickel corner, and running back, and even returned the occasional kick. Jack is the No. 1 overall player of Josh Norris of Rotoworld‘s big board.
  • Another collegiate linebacker — Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith — was thought to be competing with Jack to become the first defensive player selected, but that changed when Smith suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his final college game. A report last week indicated that NFL clubs are also concerned about possible nerve damage in Smith’s ankle, but it sounds as if at least one team isn’t worried. According to ESPN’s Todd McShay, via Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com (Twitter link), Smith is still the No. 1 overall player on one club’s draft board. On the other hand, “a couple” other teams have removed the linebacker from their boards altogether.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/2/16

March 2nd, 2016 at 8:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s minor moves:

  • The Browns have offered a tender to kick returner Raheem Mostert, per his agent Brent Tessler (Twitter link). Mostert, a running back by trade, doesn’t have an NFL carry to his name, but returned 12 kickoffs (25.8 yard average) for Cleveland last season.
  • The Cowboys have cut four players, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link), who reports that the club has parted ways with offensive lineman Cody Clay, receiver Donte Foster, running back Michael Hill, and defensive end Efe Obeda. Of the group, Hill, with eight career games, has the most NFL experience.

Earlier updates:

  • The Panthers signed linebacker Ben Jacobs, according to the team’s website. An exclusive-rights free agent, the 27-year-old Jacobs spent the past three seasons with the Panthers, suiting up for all 16 games the last two years. The former UDFA out of Fresno State will be a restricted free agent after 2016.
  • The Dolphins signed wide receiver Christion Jones, per SportsTrust Advisors (on Twitter). A former Alabama product who’s yet to suit up in an NFL game, Jones initially caught on with Miami as a rookie last summer but exited via waived/injured designation just before the season began. Jones earned SEC special teams player of the year honors in 2013.
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