2016 April - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos Inquired On Sam Bradford

April 25th, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos reached out to the Eagles to inquire on Sam Bradford, Mike Klis of 9NEWS reports (via Twitter). However, according to an NFL source, Philadelphia’s asking price was just too lofty.

Earlier today, we learned that Bradford has requested a trade from the Eagles. However, the Eagles have yet to give Bradford and his representatives permission to seek a trade. Bradford is ostensibly upset with the Eagles following their trade up to the No. 2 pick in the draft with the intent of selecting a quarterback. Of course, that deal came just six weeks after the Eagles re-upped Bradford on a lucrative two-year contract.

The Broncos, meanwhile, are searching for answers at quarterback after losing Brock Osweiler to free agency and seeing future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning announce his retirement. Denver has Mark Sanchez in place as a Plan B, but they are searching hard for a better starting candidate. The Broncos’ have had extensive trade talks with the 49ers regarding Colin Kaepernick, but those have effectively been frozen as the quarterback is unwilling to take the pay cut that is being requested of him.

Since the Eagles have already paid out Bradford’s $11MM signing bonus, he would represent a very affordable option at quarterback for Denver. The Broncos, or any team acquiring the former No. 1 overall pick, would only be on the hook for $7MM in 2016.

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 have been 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.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys’ Brandon Carr Accepts Pay Cut

April 25th, 2016 at 6:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr has accepted a pay cut, as Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. Initially scheduled to earn a base salary of $9.1MM, Carr will now receive $6MM in base pay for 2016. Under the old deal, Carr would have carried a cap number of $13.8MM.

Carr, 30 in May, has started all 48 possible games since joining the Cowboys (and has actually never missed a start during his eight-year career), but he hasn’t registered an interception in the past two seasons and graded as the No. 73 cornerback among 111 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. While he wasn’t worth a $13.8MM cap hit for 2016, he makes sense for Dallas as a $6MM player.

“He, like everyone on our defense, we would like them to be more impactful, more productive,” head coach Jason Garrett said earlier this offseason. “Brandon has to improve but everybody across our defense has to improve. He has been a steady player for us. He has been a productive player for us at times. It’s a valuable position. And he has done a good job covering guys at very challenging spot throughout his time with the Cowboys.”

Carr’s contract includes a voidable year in 2017. For all intents and purposes, 2016 is slated to be the final year of his contract before hitting free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Rumors: Aguayo, Oakman, Jets

April 25th, 2016 at 6:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo could wind up as a Day 2 pick thanks to the recent rule changes to extra points and kickoffs, Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times writes. Aguayo, who opted to go pro a year early, left FSU as the most accurate kicker in NCAA history. There has not been a kicker taken in the first three rounds since Mike Nugent in 2005 (second round choice of the Jets), but Aguayo could change that.

Here are the latest NFL draft rumors:

Earlier this month, Baylor’s Shawn Oakman was arrested on sexual assault charges. As it turns out, that might not have been his first ugly incident while at BU. On Monday, Alex Dunlap of SiriusXM (on Twitter) unearthed an police report from 2013 in which his ex-girlfriend alleges that she was physically abused during an argument regarding comments on her Instagram page. The news raises questions about the apparent inaction Baylor football program and further sinks the stock of Oakman. At this time, it would be surprising to see Oakman drafted at all.
Despite suffering a torn ACL, former West Virginia safety Karl Joseph is still expected to land in the first round, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. Joseph, who was pegged as a sure-fire first rounder prior to the injury, would likely have to sit out the first six games of the 2015 season. In Pro Football Rumors’ first 2016 mock draft (prior to the trades at No. 1 and No. 2), our Rob DiRe had Joseph coming off the board at No. 21.
Army punter Alex Tardieu is drawing interest from the Giants, Jets, and Falcons, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
Michigan Tech defensive lineman Tanner Agen is drawing interest from the Chiefs, Packers, and 49ers, Wilson tweets.
The Broncos, Browns, Raiders, Jets, and Panthers are evaluating Texas State offensive tackle Adrian Bellard as a Day 3 draft target, Wilson tweets.

Johnny Manziel To Plead Not Guilty

April 25th, 2016 at 5:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Johnny Manziel will enter a plea of not guilty when he is brought before a judge, attorney Bob Hinton told reporters, including Jennifer Emily of The Dallas Morning News. When that time comes, Hinton says that he will not ask for any sort of leniency based on Manziel’s celebrity status.

“Judge, set the bond at whatever you think is right,” Hinton said he plans to say. “We will produce Johnny and we will pay the bond. We are not asking for any special treatment.”

The NFL’s own investigation into the incident is ongoing, a league spokesman confirmed to the Dallas Morning News. If Manziel signs with a new team and he is found to have violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he would face a minimum six game suspension for his first offense. A second violation would result in a lifetime ban, per the rules. Even if Manziel is not found guilty in court, he can still face punishment from the league. If he is found guilty, Manziel could face up to a year in jail and a $4K fine.

The Browns cut the former Texas A&M star in March and two agents have dropped Manziel as a client in 2016.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/25/16

April 25th, 2016 at 4:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

The Buccaneers have signed running back Storm Johnson to a two-year contract, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The former Miami, UCF, and Jags tailback is now slated to compete for the backup running back job this fall in Tampa. The former seventh-round pick had some hype behind him in Jacksonville but never broke out in the way that coaches and fantasy owners hoped he would.
The Browns announced that they have signed wide receiver Saalim Hakim, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets. Hakim participated in voluntary minicamp last week with Cleveland on a tryout basis and apparently made a strong impression on team brass. Hakim originally entered the league as a UDFA with Dallas in 2012.
The Saints have released second-year defensive end Tavaris Barnes, a league source tells Evan Woodbery of The Times Picayune (on Twitter). Barnes, a Clemson product, appeared in 12 games for New Orleans in 2015.
The Saints have also waived safety Vinnie Sunseri, as Woodbery tweets.
The Lions have signed punter Kyle Christy, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Interestingly, Birkett tweets that Christy could serve to save the legs of Sam Martin and possibly Matt Prater in camp. Reading between the lines, it does not sound like Christy has a great chance of actually hooking on in Detroit.
The Packers have waived defensive end Ray Drew, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. Drew, a street free agent signed in March, lasted only one week into the team’s offseason workout program. Drew spent part of the 2015 season on Cleveland’s taxi squad.

Chiefs Sign Mike Williams

April 25th, 2016 at 4:45pm CST by Luke Adams

4:45pm: The Chiefs announced that the deal is now official.

3:24pm: The Chiefs are adding a free agent to their wide receiving corps today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that former Buccaneers and Bills wideout Mike Williams is signing a one-year deal in Kansas City.

Williams, a fourth-round pick out of Syracuse in 2010, got off to a great start in Tampa Bay, racking up 964 yards and 11 touchdowns on 65 receptions in his rookie season for the Buccaneers. Although he was productive for the next two seasons, earning a lucrative, long-term extension in July 2013, Williams’ time in Tampa Bay came to an abrupt end shortly after he signed that contract, in large part due to a multitude of off-the-field issues.

Williams signed with the Bills for the 2014 season, but was cut by Buffalo after catching just eight balls for 142 yards and a touchdown in nine games. The 28-year-old (29 next month) was unable to catch on with an NFL team for the 2015 campaign, serving a three-game suspension to open the season. So he may face an uphill battle as he attempts to secure a spot on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster in 2016.

Terms of Williams’ new contract aren’t yet known, but a minimum salary deal seems very likely. The veteran receiver worked out for the Bengals and Patriots this offseason before agreeing to sign with the Chiefs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Draft Rumors: Dolphins, Steelers, Ravens

April 25th, 2016 at 4:21pm CST by Luke Adams

After trading down a few weeks ago, could the Dolphins trade back up? Miami will consider moving up from No. 13 in order to grab either Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott or UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, multiple sources tell Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. Moving up from No. 13 to the top ten can be pricey, but top exec Mike Tannenbaum has said that he would be open to such a move for the right player.

Here’s are the latest NFL Draft rumors out of the AFC:

The Steelers, currently slated to pick 25th overall in this year’s draft, are unlikely to trade up, but moving down remains on the table, general manager Kevin Colbert said today (Twitter link via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
In the wake of the two major trades at the top of the draft, there’s a chance that Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil will still be on the board at No. 6 for the Ravens. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun explores that scenario, examining whether it would make sense for the club to pass up a top defensive prospect to fortify the left tackle spot.
The Chargers are expected to select a tight end at some point during this week’s draft — it’s just a matter of when. We heard last week that the team is considering Ohio State’s Nick Vannett, and Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune takes a closer look at the young tight end as a potential target for the Bolts.
Clemson linebacker B.J. Goodson met with 15 teams in total, via either a pre-draft visit or private workout, and the Texans were one of those teams, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
The Dolphins and Jets are among the teams that have shown interest in University of Minnesota cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link), who suggests that Boddy-Calhoun will likely either be a day three pick or an undrafted free agent.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Broncos To Sign Garrett Graham

April 25th, 2016 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Broncos are signing free agent tight end Garrett Graham to a one-year contract, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). After signing Owen Daniels in 2015, Gary Kubiak‘s team is adding a former Texans tight end to its roster for the second consecutive year.

Graham, 29, joined the Texans as a fourth-round pick in 2010, and after playing sparingly in his first two seasons, he emerged as a weapon in the passing game in 2012. His best season in Houston came in 2013, when he caught 49 balls for 545 yards and five touchdowns.

Graham’s 2013 performance earned him a three-year, $11MM+ extension in 2014, but that new deal coincided with the departure of Kubiak in Houston and the arrival of new head coach Bill O’Brien. The Wisconsin alum was never an ideal fit in O’Brien’s offense, and saw his role reduced over the course of the last two seasons. In 2015, he fell behind C.J. Fiedorowicz and Ryan Griffin on the Texans’ depth chart, leading to his eventual release.

With Daniels no longer in the tight end mix in Denver, Graham will join a group that includes Jeff Heuerman, Virgil Green, and Richard Gordon. The former Texan should have the opportunity to compete for a roster spot and perhaps regular playing time as well.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Tom Brady’s Suspension Reinstated By Appeals Court

April 25th, 2016 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

3:27pm: Brady is “far from” ready to simply accept today’s court ruling, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who tweets that the former MVP is mulling over his options with his legal team.

10:42am: Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension related to the Patriots’ Deflategate incident, which was initially overturned in court by Judge Richard Berman last year, has been reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, according to Reuters (Twitter link via CNBC Now). The court’s full decision can be found right here.

“We hold that the Commissioner properly exercised his broad discretion under the collective bargaining agreement and that his procedural rulings were properly grounded in that agreement and did not deprive Brady of fundamental fairness,” reads the ruling from the Court of Appeals. “Accordingly, we REVERSE the judgment of the district court and REMAND with instructions to confirm the award.”

While the ruling is significant, it likely won’t put the issue to rest — as Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets, Brady’s next recourse would be to seek an injunction and request a re-hearing before the full Second Circuit, or even to appeal to the Supreme Court. Given how Brady and the NFLPA fought the original four-game suspension in 2015, there’s little reason to think they wouldn’t attempt to get it overturned again for the 2016 season.

However, if today’s ruling is ultimately upheld and Brady serves the four-game suspension, he won’t be eligible to return to regular-season action until Sunday, October 9th in Cleveland. The Patriots would be without their starting quarterback for games against the Cardinals, Dolphins, Texans, and Bills in that scenario.

Jimmy Garoppolo would likely step into the starting role in New England if Brady is forced to miss the first month of the coming season, but the team would have to address the quarterback position further — Brady and Garoppollo are currently the only two QBs on the roster, so another backup would be necessary.

Additionally, assuming the suspension is upheld, it will be interesting to see whether or not the NFL attempts to take away Brady’s pay for four games based on 2015’s salary, or settles for docking that pay from his 2016 salary. Brady reworked his contract earlier this offseason, and will earn a base salary of just $1MM this year, as opposed to $8MM in 2015. Losing four games of 2016 pay would cost him just $235K, whereas it would have cost him $1.88MM a year ago.

The Wells report commissioned by the NFL more than a year ago determined that Brady was “more likely than not” to have been aware of footballs being deflated below their usual levels during the AFC Championship Game against the Colts in January 2015. The league issued a four-game suspension for Brady as a result of those findings, and that penalty was overturned by Judge Berman last summer, prior to the start of the 2015 campaign, allowing Brady to play the full season. The NFL appealed Berman’s decision.

Today’s ruling by the Second Circuit isn’t concerned with whether or not Brady or the Patriots actually deflated footballs intentionally, but rather with the authority of the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell to uphold their disciplinary rulings based on the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sam Bradford Wants Out Of Philadelphia?

April 25th, 2016 at 1:22pm CST by Luke Adams

1:22pm: While a trade request has been issued, the Eagles have not given Bradford permission to speak to other teams, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Howie Roseman reiterated to John Clark of CSN Philly today that Bradford is the Eagles’ starting quarterback and there’s no plan to move him.

11:18am: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) backs up Schefter’s report, writing that Bradford’s agent, Tom Condon, asked for a trade. According to Rapoport, the Eagles were “blindsided” by the trade request, but haven’t changed their view that Bradford is their starter, so it will be interesting to see how this stand-off plays out.

10:24am: Contrary to Robinson’s report (noted below), Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that the Eagles have been informed Bradford wants to be traded and won’t be showing up for any more of the club’s offseason program.

8:55am: In the wake of the Eagles’ trade for the No. 2 overall pick, at least one report suggested that Sam Bradford may ask for a trade upon recognizing that his odds of a long-term future with the team had dwindled significantly. However, two sources close to Bradford tell Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports that the quarterback has not asked to be traded and has no plans to do so.

According to Robinson, it’s still within the realm of possibility that the Eagles could move Bradford during or after the draft, but the more probable scenario involves the former No. 1 overall pick heading into the 2016 season as the team’s starter. And Bradford intends to embrace that challenge if he remains in Philadelphia, despite being upset about the lost draft assets that could have fortified the roster around him, sources tell Robinson.

Although the Eagles intend to use their No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback – likely Carson Wentz – the plan is to essentially redshirt that QB for his rookie season, so Bradford figures to remain atop the depth chart, with Chase Daniel as his backup.

As Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News observes, Bradford may not have a long-term commitment from the Eagles, but he didn’t have that anyway, even before the trade up to No. 2. Bowen suggests that de facto GM Howie Roseman has no intention of trading Bradford, so the best-case scenario for both sides would be to smooth things over and focus on the incumbent starter having a good season in 2016. In that scenario, the Eagles would have multiple options for 2017, and Bradford could potentially parlay a strong performance into a longer-term deal elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.