2016 April - Pro Football Rumors

Washington Signs Josh Norman

April 23rd, 2016 at 1:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

1:38pm: Coming into Friday with less than $12MM in cap space, Washington looks to have backloaded the cornerback’s deal, with Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac.com tweeting Norman’s 2016 cap number will be $8MM. The team has set payouts of $17MM and $20MM to Norman in 2017 and ’18, respectively, but can reasonably get out of the deal after the 2017 season. Should Washington come to regret this contract, it can move on from Norman after 2017 with a $9MM dead money blow, Ginnitti reports.

SATURDAY, 8:45am: Albert Breer of the NFL Network describes the contract as essentially a two-year deal (via Twitter). The $36.5MM in guaranteed money will be paid over the first two seasons, and Norman will also receive a $500K per-game roster bonus in 2017.

After that, it will be up to Washington. Breer notes that the organization will have to make a decision by March 2018, as that’s when Norman’s injury guarantee (around $13.5MM) becomes fully guaranteed.

FRIDAY, 9:49pm: Norman received a $15MM signing bonus, and will earn $20MM total in 2016, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

8:36pm: Norman will receive $36.5MM in full guarantees, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter links), who adds that Norman will receive $51MM over the first three years of his contract.

7:34pm: Washington has officially announced the signing.

6:39pm: Free agent corner Josh Norman has agreed to terms with Washington, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). Norman will sign a five-year, $75MM deal that includes $50MM in guarantees, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links).

Norman had been visiting Washington’s facilities all day, and the club was reportedly trying to lock up Norman without letting him leave for other visits. Late interest from New Orleans clouded matters, as reports within the past hour had indicated that Norman was deciding between Washington and the Saints, but it appears that he’s decided to head to the national’s capital.

Ever since the Panthers shockingly rescinded Norman’s franchise tag earlier this week, the star cornerback had been drawing interest from all corners of the league. The Jaguars, Buccaneers, Bears, Titans, 49ers, Dolphins, Steelers, Jets, and Falcons were all linked to Norman, while Carolina GM Dave Gettleman yesterday declined to shut the door on a possible reunion. Washington and San Francisco (and given today’s reports, New Orleans) were thought to be Norman’s most serious suitors.

Norman had reportedly been targeting $14MM+ annually, and per Rapoport, Norman will have surpassed that total — a $15MM yearly salary would make Norman the highest-paid corner in the league. In terms of guaranteed money, Norman’s $50MM would also rank first among corners, and by a significant margin — Darrelle Revis would be second with $39MM in guaranteed money. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see if that $30MM figure is fully guaranteed, or simply for injury only. Still, given that Norman would have earned only $13.952MM under the franchise tag with the Panthers, he comes out a clear winner.

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.

Washington will now field one of the better corner tandems in the NFL, with Norman teaming with Bashaud Breeland in the defensive backfield. Additionally, Norman will head to the NFC East, where he’ll face the Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. — with whom he notably sparred last season — twice per year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Lynch, Norman, Panthers, Dolphins

April 23rd, 2016 at 12:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday afternoon…

Marshawn Lynch announced his retirement more than two months ago, and the Seahawks subsequently recognized the decision. However, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes that the organization still hasn’t made the accompanying roster move. The writer wonders if Lynch is delaying the retirement to force his release from the organization, which would allow him to sign with any team at any time.
Washington‘s willingness to hand out a big contract to Josh Norman leads Florio to ponder whether the Panthers could have traded the All-Pro cornerback. Carolina will presumably receive a third-round pick as compensation for losing Norman, so Florio acknowledges that a team would have had to give up better assets.
If the Panthers were to bring in a veteran cornerback, ESPN.com’s David Newton says Antonio Cromartie would be the most logical fit (Twitter link).
Despite the Dolphins assertion to the contrary, ESPN.com’s James Walker wonders if the organization is actually worried about their cornerback depth. There are doubts about whether Byron Maxwell can be a true top corner, and the team also has question marks at the number-two and nickel spot.

Draft Notes: Smith, Hogan, Cowboys, Broncos

April 23rd, 2016 at 11:28am CST by Ben Levine

It’s been less than four month since Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith had surgery on his left anterior cruciate ligament. Considering the recovery time for a torn ACL and MCL, many have declared the top prospect out for next season.

However, with the draft quickly approaching, Smith has already started partcipating in some football drills, a promising step in the the 20-year-old’s recovery.

“When you’re in bed for six weeks, not able to move, not able to walk, you’re this dominant force, but yet you have to rely on people to do little things for you,” Smith told Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

“It even makes you appreciate the little things, and being back out on the field – it’s so awesome. Not a lot of people know exactly what I’m doing right now. But I’m killing it.”

Let’s look at some more draft notes from around the NFL…

Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan visited the Browns, Chargers and Ravens, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Eagles, Buccaneers, Titans and Raiders also visited the signal-caller at school.
The Cowboys are eyeing Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa. “He’s certainly one of the best players in this draft. He’ll certainly get strong consideration from us,” Cowboys CEO and Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones told Jon Machete of The Dallas Morning News (via Twitter).
According to Troy Renck of The Denver Post (via Twitter), NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said defensive tackles Jarran Reed (Alabama) or Vernon Butler (Louisiana Tech) could “be a fit” for the Broncos at the end of the first round.
The Browns have a variety of holes on their roster, leading Mary Kay Cabot to write that the team could trade back again. After having dealt the second-overall pick to the Eagles, Cabot believes the organization could use the eighth selection to acquire more picks.

NFL Mailbags: Colts, Lions, Ravens, Patriots

April 23rd, 2016 at 10:42am CST by Ben Levine

Colts general manager Ryan Grigson is always a threat to make a big trade, but Mike Wells can’t envision the team moving back in the first round. The team could surely collect extra assets by making such a move, but Wells believes the team has too many holes to justify a trade. Grigson actually echoed this sentiment earlier in the week.

“I don’t think you (trade back) just to hoard more picks,” Grigson said. “I just think that wouldn’t be wise. I think we’ve moved up and moved back in every draft pretty much, so I think if the opportunity is there and there is a player we really like, quote, unquote ‘really like,’ then we’ll be aggressive if we can be.

“Like I said, we’ve got to make these picks count. There’s always picks — I’ve never tried to trade a pick like five years from now but maybe, you never know.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes via ESPN’s weekend NFL mailbags…

The Lions seem to have interest in Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Vernon Butler, writes Michael Rothstein. If the team is serious about adding the lineman, the writer believes they could trade back in the first round to secure both Butler and extra picks.
With the Rams and Eagles presumably trading up to select quarterbacks, Jamison Hensley now believes there’s a chance that Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey or Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil could fall to the Ravens at number-six.
While the Patriots could use their back-t0-back second rounders to move into the first round, Mike Reiss sees that as unlikely. Rather, the writer could envision the organization using a sixth-round pick to move up in the second round.

Reactions To Josh Norman Signing

April 23rd, 2016 at 9:45am CST by Ben Levine

ESPN.com’s Matt Bowen writes that Josh Norman played with a “high-risk, high-reward mentality” while with the Panthers, a product of the team’s “zone-heavy defense.” Some fans may expect the cornerback to transition into more of a lock-down defender, but the writer notes that Washington will put Norman in a position to succeed.

Bowen predicts that defensive coordinator Joe Barry will use Norman in a variety of different formations, whether it be a deep three-man zone coverage or man-on-man opportunities. Ultimately, the writer believes it was a good signing for Washington, especially considering the presence of Odell Beckham and Dez Bryant in the division.

Let’s check out some more notes surrounding Washington’s signing of the All-Pro cornerback…

The Panthers reportedly offered Norman $44MM over four years, tweets Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.
The signing of Norman may remind some in Washington of the lucrative deal signed by Albert Haynesworth in 2009, writes ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio.
ESPN.com’s John Keim says the signing follows Washington’s recent trend of “unexpected” but “impactful” additions. The team added wideout DeSean Jackson in 2014, and they signed linebacker Junior Galette last offseason.
While the 49ers were reported to have interest in Norman, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee writes that the organization never made a hard push to sign the corner. The writer adds that Norman never scheduled an interview with the 49ers.

Fallout From Josh Norman/Washington Deal

April 22nd, 2016 at 9:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier tonight, Washington signed cornerback Josh Norman to a five-year, $75MM deal that includes $31.5MM in full guarantees. The contract marked the culmination of a whirlwind few days which began when the Panthers rescinded Norman’s franchise tag, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent. After receiving interest from 10+ clubs, Norman lands in the nation’s capital.

Let’s take a look at some of the fallout from and reaction to the Norman/Washington pact…

The Panthers offered Norman a four-year, $44MM deal, a source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). It’s unclear if Carolina made this offer to Norman before or after they pulled his franchise tag, but either way, the club clearly wasn’t interested in coming close to the $15MM yearly value that Norman was targeting.
The Saints reportedly made a late push to sign Norman, and Drew Brees wanted to help New Orleans’ secure the cornerback’s services. According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Brees was willing to modify his contract in order to find the funds to sign Norman. Brees only has one year left on his deal, so a restructure isn’t possile — he would have had to accept a paycut or sign an extension to free up cap space.
Chris Culliver‘s roster spot could now be in danger, as the Washington cornerback might now be expendable given that Norman is on board, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets. Culliver’s 2016 $8MM guarantee voided as a result of his 2015 suspension, and though reports indicated that Washington wouldn’t enforce that clause of his contract, there hasn’t been any official word as to the clubs’s stance, so it’s unclear where exactly Culliver stands. Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com doesn’t believe Washington will cut Culliver, instead allowing him to act as the team’s nickel corner.
The 49ers were thought to be a serious contender for Norman, but Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com thinks (via Twitter) that San Francisco left the bidding when it got a sense of how high the price tag was going to go.

Draft Rumors: Treadwell, Ragland, Correa, Jets

April 22nd, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets have been eyeing linebackers Reggie Ragland (Alabama) and Kamalei Correa (Boise State) in recent days, according to Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. Ragland, specifically, would act as a future replacement for veteran David Harris, but he could be in play as high as pick No. 13 to the Dolphins. However, Washington and the Packers are seen as the most likely landing spots for Ragland, per Pauline.

Let’s take a look at some more draft rumors, all courtesy of Pauline…

The Giants have been linked to wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, but Pauline speculates that New York could trade down from the No. 10 pick before selecting him. The Titans (pick No. 15) would make for an ideal trade partner, and they could move up with their sights set on offensive tackle Jack Conklin.
Conklin is a popular name in the top half of Round 1, as Pauline reports that the Browns are interested in the Michigan State product with the eighth pick. Conklin would act as a replacement for Mitchell Schwartz, who departed via free agency, at right tackle.
The Panthers lost Josh Norman after rescinding his franchise tag, but they have their eye on another corner in the draft, as Pauline says Carolina could select Southeastern Louisiana defensive back Harlan Miller at the end of the third round. Miller had a private workout with the Panthers earlier this month.
Some general managers think Ohio State’s Nick Vannett is the only true three-down tight end available in the draft, which could help his stock. The Chargers and Falcons will consider taking Vannett in Round 2 or 3, per Pauline.

North Notes: Packers, McCray, RG3, Lions

April 22nd, 2016 at 8:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s the latest out of the NFL’s two North divisions…

Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com has the details of linebacker Lerentee McCray‘s recently signed contract with the Packers. McCray got a $50K signing bonus and could make another $75K in workout bonuses – a high amount for a street free agent, Demovsky notes – and $200K in sack incentives (Twitter link). McCray, 25, was mostly a contributor on special teams with Denver from 2014-15, but the Packers believe he’s capable of helping them defensively. “We think he’s got a nice body type, he’s got good athletic ability, shows the ability to be an outside ‘backer with length and that sort of thing,” said general manager Ted Thompson.
Robert Griffin III’s offseason training with throwing guru Tom House is going well so far, the Browns quarterback said Thursday. “Tom House has been great. It’s been a really, really beneficial experience,” Griffin stated (link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). House, an ex-Major League Baseball pitcher who uses 3-D motions analysis to dissect a QB’s throwing motion and then revamps it, has worked with the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Andy Dalton and Carson Palmer in the past. He spent a large portion of last offseason with Dalton, who went on to have a career year. On whether he’ll continue training with House, Griffin said, “Without a doubt. It’s not just a one-off thing. It’s a lifestyle. I plan on living that lifestyle.”
Though no signing has been announced yet, the Lions are expected to bring punter Kyle Christy aboard today following a workout session, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Christy, who last played at Florida at 2014 and has never spent time on an NFL roster, will presumably act as competition for incumbent punter Sam Martin. Martin is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and notably changed agents in February, signalling that he could be open to an extension.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Josh Norman Updates: Friday

April 22nd, 2016 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Thursday’s reports on cornerback Josh Norman suggested that Washington and the 49ers were the frontrunners for the former Panther, with both teams discussing five-year contracts. Norman is headed to D.C. first, which could give Scot McCloughan‘s club the upper hand in negotiations, but nothing has been finalized yet.

Here are the latest Friday updates on Norman’s situation, with new items added to the top of the list throughout the day:

5:47pm:

Norman is down to Washington and the Saints, who are making a legitimate push for him, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). The Saints have the second-lowest cap space in the league ($3.44MM), so they’d have to get creative to sign Norman, Schefter adds (on Twitter).

4:32pm:

Norman did file the necessary paperwork on his agent switch, but there are still some logistics to work through as the corner tries to avoid having to wait five days to sign somewhere, per Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter links).
The 49ers are “in deep” for Norman, tweets CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (on Twitter) that they and Washington are in a two-team race for his services. However, Michael Silver of NFL.com doesn’t expect San Francisco to make a serious run at signing Norman (Twitter link).

3:16pm:

Norman has family with him at Washington‘s facility, including his mother, reports John Keim of ESPN (Twitter links). That would seem to bode well for the team in its attempt to reel in Norman.

1:32pm:

Norman is in Washington as the team’s facility now, and it would be a surprise if he left without a deal in place, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears that, in addition to Washington and the Niners, there are three more teams who are “strongly in [the] running” for Norman. Two of those clubs are the Jaguars and Buccaneers, per Cole’s source. Based on the Jags updates below, it doesn’t sound as if Jacksonville is a probable landing spot for the star cornerback.

12:44pm:

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) would be surprised if Norman lands with any team besides Washington or the 49ers, and adds that the deal is expected to be worth upwards of $15MM per year, which would make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. Norman will likely reach an agreement by Saturday, says Cole.
The Titans have been cited as a potential suitor for Norman, but after exploring the possibility, the team won’t be in the mix, says Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones also confirmed, unsurprisingly, that Norman’s price tag is too rich for his team (Twitter link via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com lays out a few reasons why the Panthers may have decided to move on from Norman.
Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell, who acknowledged his team has interest in Norman (as noted below), admitted that the two sides are far apart on the cornerback’s perceived value. Caldwell added the Jags haven’t made a formal contract offer, and talks didn’t progress to the point where a possible visit was discussed (all Twitter links via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union).

11:18am:

Norman is scheduled to arrive in Washington and begin his visit with the team this afternoon, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Per Anderson, Norman is inclined to keep his options open and explore other opportunities, while Washington will make a strong effort to sign him before the visit ends.
As Mike Jones and Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post explain, Norman informed his agent – Michael George – on Wednesday that he was firing him, but the paperwork for that move has yet to be filed with the NFLPA. If Norman were to officially fire George and move forward with agent Ryan Williams, he would have to wait five days before negotiating a new contract. As long as both agents are technically representing him, Norman can enter into contract talks immediately.
Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell confirmed today that his team has “continuing interest” in Norman, and is doing its homework on the standout cornerback (Twitter link via Tad Dickman of the Jaguars).
Lions wide receiver Golden Tate would “love” the chance to be teammates with Norman in Detroit, but GM Bob Quinn has been noncommittal about the idea of pursuing the corner, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Draft Rumors: Dolphins, Titans, Cook

April 22nd, 2016 at 5:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The first and second picks in the upcoming draft have already changed hands, and several teams are convinced that there will be even more shuffling near the top of the opening round, reports Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (on Twitter). The Dolphins could move up from No. 13 in hopes of landing Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, per La Canfora, who names the Titans (15th overall) as another club that might climb the board. Tennessee likes a pair of offensive tackles, Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley and Michigan State’s Jack Conklin, according to La Canfora.