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West Notes: Rams, Manning, Kaepernick

March 1st, 2016 at 8:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rams placed the franchise tag on cornerback Trumaine Johnson earlier today, and general manager Les Snead was certainly enthused that the NFC’s interception leader would be staying with the organization.

“Since we drafted Trumaine in 2012, he has developed into an integral part of our defense,” Snead told Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (via Twitter). “We look forward to having him with us this season and more to come.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC’s Western divisions…

  • Recycling a theory he proposed in relation to the Calvin Johnson situation in Detroit, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Peyton Manning might want the Broncos to release him before he makes a retirement decision, since that would allow him greater freedom down the road in the event that he decides to continue his career.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com explains why the Rams look like the most logical trade partner for the 49ers if San Francisco decides to grant Colin Kaepernick‘s agents request to seek out a deal for their client.
  • Fresno State assistant – and former NFL defensive back – Ricky Manning Jr. is set to join the Seahawks as an assistant defensive backs coach, according to Anthony Galaviz of The Fresno Bee (Twitter link).
  • The Rams are also making a change to their coaching staff, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who tweets that assistant linebackers coach Joe Bowden has been moved to an assistant special teams role.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Cowboys Expected To Cut Brandon Carr, Eyeing Adam Jones?

March 1st, 2016 at 6:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Unless Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr is willing to take a hefty pay cut, it appears that his tenure in Dallas is coming to an end. Yahoo! Sports Charles Robinson writes that the team is expected to release the highly-paid cornerback. The team is expected to pursue Bengals free agent Adam Jones to take Carr’s spot on the roster.

Brandon CarrCarr is set to count for more than $13.8MM against the cap next season, with $9.1MM in base salary and another $4.7MM in bonus money. As Robinson notes, this would place Carr behind only four other cornerbacks (two of whom were franchised today): Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman, Josh Norman, and Trumaine Johnson. If the team cuts bait with Carr prior to June 1, they can free up $6.4MM worth o cap space. If they wait until after that date, they can open up $9.1MM in cap room.

A Chiefs fifth-round draft pick in 2008, Carr joined Dallas on a five-year, $50.1MM deal in 2012. The 29-year-old hasn’t missed a game during his four years with the Cowboys, although he hasn’t necessarily lived up to his contract. Carr hasn’t recorded an interception in two seasons, and his passes defended have dropped drastically over the past two years. He finished last season with 76 tackles and six passes defended.

If the team ultimately cuts bait with Carr, sources told Robinson that the team would eye former cornerback Adam Jones. The 32-year-old, who played with the Cowboys in 2008, has spent the past six seasons with the Bengals. The cornerback and his agent were reportedly at an Indianapolis steakhouse on Friday evening, the same night that Cowboys ownership and executives were at the restaurant. Jones and his agent were spotted “briefly exchanging pleasantries” with Cowboys director of player personnel Stephen Jones.

Jones appeared in 14 games last season, compiling 62 tackles, three interceptions, and 12 passes defended.

Eagles, Sam Bradford Agree To Two-Year Deal

March 1st, 2016 at 6:10pm CST by Luke Adams

6:10pm: ESPN’s Andrew Brandt has several details on Bradford’s new deal (all via Twitter). $22MM of that $26MM in guaranteed money is fully guaranteed. The quarterback will make $18MM ($11MM bonus, $7MM salary) of that money in 2016, but that number could be increased to $20MM with playoff wins. With $7MM in salary and $5.5MM in pro-rated bonus, that means the quarterback’s cap hit will be worth $12.5MM for this upcoming season.

$4MM of Bradford’s 2017 salary is fully guaranteed, with another $4MM guaranteed for injury. His base salary for 2017 is worth $13MM, tweets USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.

As Brandt notes, the $22MM in fully guaranteed money is $2MM more than Bradford could have received via the franchise tag (not including the playoff incentives). Meanwhile, the Eagles essentially get a second-year option worth only $4MM.

3:24pm: The Eagles didn’t use their franchise tag on Sam Bradford today, but it seems the team did get a new deal done with the quarterback right around the same tag as the franchise-tag deadline. The club announced (via Twitter) that it has agreed to terms on a two-year contract for Bradford.

[RELATED: PFR previews the Eagles’ offseason]

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), Bradford’s new two-year contract is worth $36MM overall, including $26MM in guaranteed money. It’ll be interesting to see the full breakdown of the deal, since on the surface, it looks very solid for Bradford, particularly if that $26MM is fully guaranteed.

If he had been franchised, the former No. 1 overall pick would have been in line for a salary just under $20MM. By the looks of it, he’ll average $18MM for the next two seasons instead, though Rand Getlin of the NFL Network suggests (via Twitter) that the new contract could max out at $40MM, via incentives. That would mean matching this year’s franchise-tag salary in terms of average annual value, so it’s clear that figure was a point of reference in negotiations.

Bradford, acquired a year ago by Chip Kelly‘s Eagles in a trade with the Rams, had his ups and downs in 14 starts for Philadelphia in 2015, but his overall numbers were solid. The Oklahoma product set new career-highs with a 65.0% completion percentage, and 3,725 yards passing. He also tossed 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, leading the club to a 7-7 record in his starts.

While there was some skepticism when Kelly was fired that the Eagles would make a significant effort to lock up their incumbent quarterback, reports in recent days have suggested the team was pushing hard to make it happen. It’s been a productive offseason so far in Philadelphia, with the club finalizing extensions with safety Malcolm Jenkins, offensive tackle Lane Johnson, defensive lineman Vinny Curry, and tight ends Zach Ertz and Brent Celek, in addition to Bradford.

Meanwhile, with Bradford locked up and Kirk Cousins getting the franchise tag earlier today, the quarterback market looks less appealing than it did 24 hours ago for QB-needy teams. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brock Osweiler, and Chase Daniel are among the signal-callers still on track for potential unrestricted free agency next week, while Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick are candidates to be released or traded.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Giants Cut Schwartz, Beatty; Beason Retires

March 1st, 2016 at 5:10pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 1: The Giants have officially cut Schwartz, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

FEBRUARY 17: The Giants have officially released Beatty, adding that he failed his physical, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Beatty is recovering from rotator cuff surgery.

FEBRUARY 10, 1:55pm: The Giants have officially announced Beason’s retirement, and confirmed the release of Schwartz and Beatty. Beason said that he wanted to continue playing, but after consulting with numerous doctors, those experts unanimously recommending that he retire because of his injured knee.

11:04am: Beason could end up announcing his retirement, tweets Graziano. As noted below, a report last month suggested the veteran linebacker was considering retirement due to ongoing injury issues. It probably makes sense for Beason to wait until after the Giants cut him though, to ensure there’s no risk of losing a portion of his signing bonus.

10:53am: In addition to releasing Schwartz and Beason, the Giants are also cutting veteran tackle Will Beatty, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Like his two teammates, Beatty has had to deal with health problems as of late — he missed the entire 2015 campaign due to pectoral and rotator cuff injuries.

Releasing Beatty will leave $5MM in dead money on the Giants’ 2015 cap, but the move will also clear $4.175MM in space. Overall, the three cuts will create more than $12.2MM in cap savings for GM Jerry Reese and the Giants.

10:37am: The Giants are releasing a veteran player on either side of the ball, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who reports that the team is parting ways with offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz and linebacker Jon Beason.Jon Beason

Both Schwartz and Beason signed contracts with the Giants in March of 2014, with Schwartz inking a four-year pact while Beason agreed to a three-year deal. Since then, injuries have plagued both players, with Schwartz appearing in 13 games over the last two seasons for New York, while Beason has played in just nine.

Schwartz, 29, started 11 games for the Giants in 2015, but his seasons was cut short when he fractured a bone in his left leg in late November, forcing the team to place him on injured reserve. By releasing him, the Giants will avoid paying him $3.925MM annual salaries this year and next year, taking on a hit of about $1.917MM in dead money for 2016. The move creates nearly $3MM in cap savings for the club, while Schwartz – like his brother Mitchell Schwartz – could be on the lookout for a new home.

As for Beason, according to Over the Cap, he would have been owed a $1MM roster bonus if he were still on the Giants’ roster on the fifth day of the 2016 league year. Instead, the Giants’ will clear that bonus, $1.2MM in per-game roster bonuses, a $100K workout bonus, and his $2.8MM base salary from their cap, creating a total of $5.1MM in cap savings.

While Schwartz and Beason didn’t provide the Giants with much value over the last two years, both players were effective for other teams earlier in their careers. Schwartz started 26 total games for the Panthers and Chiefs, and Beason was even more impressive, earning three Pro Bowl nods during his years in Carolina.

If the two veterans show they’re healthy heading into 2016, they could be intriguing buy-low candidates. However, that depends on whether they both want to continue their careers. A report last month indicated that Beason was considering retirement.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eagles Interviewed Daniel Jeremiah For Personnel Job

March 1st, 2016 at 4:50pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Eagles and owner Jeffrey Lurie search for a new “player personnel head,” the organization is thinking a bit outside the box. Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com reports that the organization interviewed NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah for the open position. There was no formal offer extended to the draft expert, and the 38-year-old ultimately signed an extension with NFL Network.

Peter King of the Monday Morning Quarterback reported that the analyst had received a “firm” offer to head an NFL personnel department, as well as a “the-job-is-yours-if-you-want-it feeler” from another organization. Instead, Jeremiah decided to stay in California with his wife and four children.

“The competitive side of me was really excited about it,” he told King. “The scoreboard is an awesome thing, and you can’t replace that in this job. It was really a tough call for me, and for my family. When I was at the Senior Bowl, I had a Friday off-day, and I never left my hotel room. I was just thinking and talking and pacing. I’ve got one of those tracking devices on my phone, and I literally paced 7 miles that day.

“It came down to this: If you’re happy, and we are, then why look so hard for happier? Our kids are 8, 10, 12 and 14. They are thriving. We love our church. We love their schools; my daughter is getting ready to start high school. Let her dig in, and let all the kids dig in to their schools and their lives. So it’s good. I have no regrets about it.”

Jeremiah has previously worked in NFL front offices, having served as a scout for the Ravens, Browns and Eagles.

There were rumbling in early February that the team had halted their pursuit of a new head of player personnel, with the organization expected to make a hire following the draft. The team had previously interviewed Brandon Hunt, Morocco Brown, Dwayne Joseph, and Mark Dominik, but the team is set to rely on Howie Roseman to make all moves until a hiring is made official.

Dolphins, Cameron Wake Not Close To New Deal

March 1st, 2016 at 4:09pm CST by Ben Levine

While there was previously some optimism that the Dolphins and Cameron Wake would come to an agreement on an extension, it appears that those talks are currently at a standstill. Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes that the two sides are “not on same page” over a new contract, noting that the “discussions have not gone well.”

Cameron WakeThere’s an apparent disconnect on the intent of the proposed contract extension. The Dolphins were hoping to reduce Wake’s $9.8MM cap figure for 2016, while the defensive end assumed that any extension would ultimately result in more guaranteed money. This “divide” between the two sides is still significant, according to Salguero. Since the negotiations aren’t progressing, the two parties are prepared to enter next season with Wake’s current contract.

The 34-year-old is entering the final year of the four-year, $49MM contract he signed in 2012. There’s no certainty that Wake will return when his contract expires, and Saguero notes that the team could opt to cut or trade the four-time Pro Bowler. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad route for Wake, as writers have previously pondered whether he’d earn more than his $8.4MM base salary on the open market.

Wake appeared in only seven games last season, compiling nine tackles, seven sacks, and four forced fumbles.

2016 NFL Franchise/Transition Tag Players

March 1st, 2016 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The deadline to designate franchise or transition players for 2016 has now passed, and 10 players received tags, which represents a modest increase over the last couple offseasons. Here’s a breakdown of the action:

Franchise players (exclusive):NFL: Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos

Franchise players (non-exclusive):

Transition players:

Candidates who didn’t receive tags:

Players who received franchise or transition tags can sign those one-year tenders, if they so choose — signing a tender ensures that it can’t be rescinded by a player’s team. Tagged players can also negotiate long-term agreements with their own teams anytime before July 15th.

With the exception of Von Miller, who got an exclusive franchise tag, tagged players can sign offer sheets with an outside suitor once free agency officially begins next week, as long as they haven’t yet signed their franchise or transition tender. If any tagged player signs an offer sheet with a new club, his current club would have five days to match that offer.

Rams Place Franchise Tag On Trumaine Johnson

March 1st, 2016 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rams have made their decision at the eleventh hour, using their non-exclusive franchise tag on cornerback Trumaine Johnson, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). The team had been mulling whether to tag Johnson or fellow free agent cornerback Janoris Jenkins.Trumaine Johnson

[RELATED: Latest on Janoris Jenkins, Rams]

Coming into the 2015 season, Johnson had started just 20 career games, compared to Jenkins’ 43 total starts. Although conventional thinking suggested that Jenkins was the more valuable defensive back, Johnson arguably looked like the better player in 2015, as PFR’s Zach Links wrote in his preview of the Rams’ offseason. Johnson racked up seven interceptions and 17 passes defended, earning a higher Pro Football Focus grade than his teammate.

As the Rams debated which cornerback to tag, Jenkins fired his representation, putting negotiations with him on hold for the time being. Although Jenkins looks set to hire Neil Schwartz as his new agent on March 3rd, it would be a surprise if he re-signed with the Rams before reaching the open market next week.

Earlier this week, Jenkins tweeted, “Total disrespect when u held down one side all 4 years and force the ball the other way.. #ThanksButNoThanks,” suggesting that negotiations with the Rams weren’t progressing well before he changed agents. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report suggested that Jenkins had turned down an offer in the range of five years and $45MM, and considering what Byron Maxwell got on the open market last year (six years, $63MM), it’s fair to believe Jenkins could exceed $9MM annually.

Given the problems the Rams appeared to be having getting an extension done with Jenkins, I wondered on Monday if the team might use its franchise tag on him, with the aim of locking up Johnson to a multiyear deal. Johnson could still sign a long-term contract anytime before July 15th, but it’s increasingly starting to look like Jenkins won’t be back with the franchise as it prepares for its move to Los Angeles.

As for Johnson, his franchise tender, which he can sign at any time, will be worth $13.952MM. Only three cornerbacks in the NFL – Darrelle Revis, Patrick Peterson, and Richard Sherman – are on contracts with higher per-year salaries than that, but the Rams can afford the cap hit — the team entered this week with nearly $60MM in projected cap room.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: Vinatieri, Gates, Hayes, Moses

March 1st, 2016 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The Colts are working on a new contract for future Hall-of-Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that this was an “open secret” at the combine in Indianapolis. A report last month indicated that the team wanted to bring back Vinatieri, who expressed a desire to continue playing — perhaps for multiple years.

“Not only a season, but Lord willing, a couple of years,” Vinatieri said at the time. “There will come a time when it’s over for me. I don’t think that time is yet. I enjoy playing. I enjoy doing my thing.”

As we wait to see if the Colts and Vinatieri can hammer something out within the next few days, let’s round up several more notes and rumors on free-agents-to-be….

  • The meeting at the combine between Antonio Gates and the Chargers went well, reaffirming the mutual interest between the two sides for a new deal, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. According to Gehlken, it’s likely just a matter of time until the veteran tight end finalizes a new contract with the Chargers.
  • If another team signs Olivier Vernon to an offer sheet that the Dolphins decide not to match, expect the team to pursue a lower-priced defensive end like William Hayes, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Per Salguero, Hayes is a player Miami likes “very much.”
  • The Chiefs have expressed interest in bringing back free agent linebacker Dezman Moses, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Moses is one of several Kansas City defensive players eligible for free agency, though he’ll probably come cheaper than most, since he’s primarily a special teams contributor.
  • The Saints would like to re-sign UFA kicker Kai Forbath, a source tells Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate. If Forbath does sign a new deal with New Orleans, I imagine it would be a modest one that wouldn’t preclude the team from bringing in competition.
  • Rams safety Rodney McLeod is one free agent who will be “in demand” next week, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who tweets that plenty of NFL people like McLeod.

Chiefs Use Franchise Tag On Eric Berry

March 1st, 2016 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

2:10pm: The Chiefs have officially placed the franchise tag on Berry, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

1:15pm: As anticipated, it will be the franchise tag for Berry, tweets Getlin.

12:53pm: The Chiefs intend to use a tag to retain safety Eric Berry in advance of this afternoon’s deadline, reports Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). While Getlin didn’t specify which tag Berry will get, the non-exclusive franchise tag (worth $10.806MM) seems likely. The transition tag ($9.116MM) isn’t much cheaper, and would make the Chiefs much more vulnerable to rival offer sheets.Eric Berry

Berry, who earned Pro Bowl nods in three of his first four NFL seasons, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014, raising some doubts about his future in the league. However, the veteran safety was declared cancer-free in 2015 and enjoyed one of his best seasons this past year for the Chiefs.

Appearing in all 16 games for Kansas City in 2015, Berry logged 61 tackles to go along with a pair of interceptions and 10 passes defended. Pro Football Focus ranked the Tennessee product sixth among 88 qualified safeties, and the standout season earned Berry his fourth Pro Bowl berth, along with a spot on the NFL’s All-Pro first team.

The franchise tag will lock up Berry for the coming season, and perhaps longer, as Getlin notes the two sides have interest in working out a longer-term agreement. In the meantime, the Chiefs have plenty of other free agent decisions to make, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerback Sean Smith, pass rusher Tamba Hali, inside linebacker Derrick Johnson, safety Tyvon Branch, and defensive lineman Jaye Howard are among the other Kansas City defenders eligible for free agency.

Berry is the ninth player who has either been tagged already, or will be tagged by 3:00pm central time. Von Miller (Broncos), Kirk Cousins (Washington), Cordy Glenn (Bills), Alshon Jeffery (Bears), Josh Norman (Panthers), Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets), Justin Tucker (Ravens), and Olivier Vernon (Dolphins) are all expect to be tagged when the dust settles, and there may be one or two more players added to that list — the Rams, for instance, are expected to tag one of their cornerbacks.

Of the players receiving tags, all but Miller (exclusive franchise) and Vernon (transition) are getting non-exclusive franchise tags. All franchised players will have until July 15th to work out multiyear extensions with their respective teams.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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