HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Washington Signs Jordan Reed To Extension

May 5th, 2016 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

10:24am: Reed will get a “base” of $46.5MM over five seasons, per Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). The new-money average on the deal is $9.3MM per year.

8:35am: Reed has officially signed his new five-year extension to remain in Washington, the team has confirmed via its website.

8:25am: Washington has locked up a key piece of its offense for the long term, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has agreed to a five-year extension with tight end Jordan Reed. It will be worth $50MM over five years, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.Jordan Reed (Vertical)

While Schefter places the annual average value of Reed’s new extension at $10MM per year, Schrager tweets that it’s actually the second-largest deal for a tight end, behind Jimmy Graham‘s contract, which is also worth $10MM annually. Pro Football Talk (via Twitter) confirms that the total value of Reed’s contract is actually just under $50MM, so it doesn’t quite reach that $10MM-per-year threshold. Per PFT, the extension also includes $22MM in guarantees, though it’s not clear how much of that is fully guaranteed.

We may have to wait for the full year-by-year breakdown of Reed’s new contract to get a real idea of how it compares to other top tight end deals, but it certainly looks like a very nice payday for the former third-round pick, who had a breakout campaign in 2015.

After being limited to just 20 overall games in 2013 and 2014, Reed stayed healthy for 14 games last season, racking up 87 receptions for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. In spite of Reed’s injury history, he seemed destined for a lucrative long-term extension, with Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz having already signed new mega-deals this offseason — neither of those tight ends matched the impressive numbers that the Washington pass-catcher put up in 2015.

Reed had been preparing to enter the final year of his rookie contract, and would have earned a base salary of $1.661MM in 2016 under the terms of his old deal. Extending him now will allow Washington to apply some of the new money in the extension to the 2016 cap, likely increasing Reed’s $1.808MM cap charge, in addition to allowing the tight end to get paid a year early.

With Reed now under contract through the 2021 season, Washington will still need to address the contract situation for the quarterback throwing him the ball. Kirk Cousins, currently set to play the 2016 season under the franchise tag, has until July 15th to work out a multiyear extension with the team. Whether or not the two sides don’t come to terms by then, Cousins looks well-equipped to have another strong season, with Reed, DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Jamison Crowder, and first-round pick Josh Doctson all a part of his arsenal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Steelers Re-Sign Bruce Gradkowski

May 5th, 2016 at 9:51am CST by Sam Robinson

THURSDAY, 9:51am: Gradkowski’s one-year deal is worth $965K with $80K guaranteed via his signing bonus, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 8:18am: The Steelers have officially announced their new deal with Gradkowski.Bruce Gradkowski

SUNDAY, 6:30pm: Despite spending last season on the Steelers’ IR, Bruce Gradkowski will be heading back to Pittsburgh with a new contract. The Steelers intend to sign the veteran backup on Monday, Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com reports (on Twitter).

It’s a one-year deal for Gradkowski, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter).

He’ll vie for Ben Roethlisberger‘s backup job with Landry Jones, Marvez reports. GM Kevin Colbert said last week the team wouldn’t sign another quarterback until after the draft. Gradkowski worked out for the Steelers recently — a showcase Cobert deemed “satisfactory” — but the team elected to wait before signing him.

Gradkowski’s injury created uncertainty behind Roethlisberger before a season in which that position became incredibly relevant. It induced Pittsburgh to sign Michael Vick, and the now-journeyman reserve did not fare well in relief of Roethlisberger despite being given the first chance. Jones started two games after the Steelers demoted Vick, who started three, but didn’t perform much better. The offense ground to a near-halt under Vick, but he did complete 60% of his throws before Jones connected on 58% of his before Roethlisberger reclaimed his starting job.

However, Gradkowski has never completed more than 55% of his passes in a season. Signing with the Steelers before 2014, the now-33-year-old Gradkowski is also 6-14 in starts — which came for the Buccaneers, Browns and Raiders from 2006-10. Since, the former sixth-round Bucs pick in 2006 served as a backup for Andy Dalton prior to coming to Pittsburgh.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Johnny Manziel

May 5th, 2016 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 9:35am: Manziel’s bond has been set with two conditions, according to Ari Melber of MSNBC (on Twitter). He is prohibited from having contact from his accuser and he is not allowed to be in possession of firearms at this time.

WEDNESDAY, 5:34pm: Johnny Manziel has been booked in Texas and he has posted bond in his domestic violence case, as The Associated Press reports. The former Browns quarterback is set to face a Dallas judge on Thursday morning. Johnny Manziel (vertical)

Manziel, 23, was indicted by a grand jury in March following allegations that he struck his ex-girlfriend and threatened to kill her during a night out in January. If convicted of this Class A misdemeanor, the Texas A&M product could face up to a year in jail and a $4K fine. Late last month, Manziel’s attorney indicated that he will not seek any sort of leniency based on his client’s celebrity status.

“Judge, set the bond at whatever you think is right,” attorney Bob 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 Browns cut the former Texas A&M star in March and two agents have dropped Manziel as a client in 2016. Since the Browns drafted the former Texas A&M star in the 2014 first round, Manziel appeared in 15 games, made eight starts, and tossed seven touchdowns and seven picks. Manziel showed progress in parts of his six starts last season, but his off-field issues overshadowed his positive steps on the gridiron. Those troubles carried into the offseason, leaving Manziel without a job and with an unclear future in professional football.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Steelers Release Mike Adams

May 5th, 2016 at 9:32am CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers announced that they have released offensive tackle Mike Adams with a failed physical designation. Kicker Ty Long and running back Abou Toure were also released. Mike Adams OT (vertical)

[RELATED: James Harrison To Return In 2016]

Adams, a former second-round pick, has had a disappointing career since the team used a second-round selection on him in 2012. In his first three years, Adams appeared in only 41 games with 20 starts. Last year, Adams did not take the field due to a back injury. The Steelers were apparently not hopeful about what Adams could do in 2016 and they have released him days after adding offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins in the fourth-round of the draft. Had he remained in Pittsburgh, Adams would have received a $873K salary for 2016.

In other Steelers news, the team declined the fifth-year option on outside linebacker Jarvis Jones earlier this week. Jones’ fifth-year option would have been worth $8.369MM, more money than the Steelers were willing to pay.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Patriots, Hoyer, Turner, Dolphins

May 4th, 2016 at 9:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have 30 players on expiring deals this year, as CSNNE.com’s Tom E. Curran writes. That group includes notables such as linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, defensive ends Rob Ninkovich and Jabaal Sheard, defensive backs Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon and Malcolm Butler (restricted free agent), and special teams ace Matthew Slater. Ultimately, it all adds up to a complex puzzle for Bill Belichick & Co. as they look to retain their best players.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Colts, Ryan Kelly Agree To Deal

May 4th, 2016 at 8:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have agreed to terms with their first-round pick, center Ryan Kelly, as Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes. Kelly was the No. 18 overall pick in last week’s draft. Ryan Kelly

Kelly was a consensus All-American in 2015 and following two collegiate seasons in which he did not allow a sack, he was widely projected to be a first-round pick in this year’s draft. Last week, Peter Schrager of FOX Sports reported prior to the draft that Kelly had a chance of going in the top twenty and his floor was believed to be No. 21 where Washington was picking. The Colts did not want to bypass the chance to grab the draft’s best center and pounced on the Alabama product at No. 18.

According to his slot, Kelly will receive a four-year, $10.45MM deal with a $5.8MM signing bonus. Kelly now becomes the second first-round pick from this year’s draft to agree to terms with his team. On Wednesday morning, safety Keanu Neal inked his deal with the Falcons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Walford, Cook, Jaguars

May 4th, 2016 at 7:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the AFC:

  • Raiders tight end Clive Walford suffered a knee injury in an ATV accident earlier this offseason, as Mike Garafolo and Peter Schrager of FOX Sports write. Walford will miss spring practices and is expected to be back during training camp. The 2015 third-round pick gave everyone in the Oakland front office a big scare at first, but the injury is not as bad as many believed at the outset, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Over his last 12 games last season, Walford caught 27 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to that, Walford had a bit of a slow start thanks to a bothersome hamstring.
  • Two NFL general managers partially blamed Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio for Connor Cook‘s slide in the draft, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The MSU coach limits scouts’ access during practice which arguably made it more difficult for NFL teams to get a good sense of what the quarterback had to offer. Scouts particularly wanted to get a glance at how Cook interacts with his teammates and when they couldn’t see that in practice, they were forced to go off of hearsay. That slide probably benefitted the Raiders, who managed to draft Cook in the fourth round.
  • Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell says that this isn’t necessarily a make-or-break year for coach Gus Bradley, even though the team’s owner is expecting a winning season. “I think, for us, we’ve always targeted year four and year five in this building of this team,” Caldwell said on NFL Network (transcript from Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com). “We wanted to make good, safe, sound decisions and build a foundation for the first three years, and then take a little bit of risk this year going into year four. You saw that with the Myles [Jack] pick and some of our free-agent acquisitions, and we’re making a push for it. Coach Bradley and his staff, they do a great job and I think we just have to show improvement, continue to show improvement. I don’t know what that looks like in the wins and loss columns, but I expect good things and our best football is ahead of us.”

Eagles Sign Five Rookies

May 4th, 2016 at 5:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles announced that they have agreed to terms with five members of their draft class. Running back Wendell Smallwood (fifth round; pick No. 153), defensive back Blake Countess (sixth-round, pick No. 196), defensive back Jalen Mills (seventh-round; pick No. 233), defensive end Alex McCalister (seventh-round; pick No. 240), and linebacker Joe Walker (seventh-round; pick No. 251) are now officially members of the Eagles after inking four-year pacts. Wendell Smallwood (vertical)

[RELATED: Eagles Likely To Hire Joe Douglas As Personnel Chief]

Smallwood, a West Virginia product, declared early for the draft after enjoying his best season to date. In 2015, Smallwood ran for 1,519 yards off of 238 carries with nine touchdowns. The 5’11”, 201-pound tailback also added 26 catches for 160 yards. In 2014, Smallwood was arrested after allegedly intimidating a witness in a murder case implicating his longtime friend, as Les Bowen of The Inquirer details. Since then, the tailback says that he has grown as a person and the Eagles ostensibly agree.

“I was just in a wrong situation,” Smallwood said. “I was young, hanging out with the wrong people. I was never around whatever happened. I wasn’t involved. There was no evidence, no witness against me. “I’ve just been learning from it and letting everybody know the truth. I’ve been completely honest with the guys here and the guys at every team I spoke to. They were well aware of it . . . I think they have confidence in me, that that’s not me, and that was a one-time thing, and it won’t happen again.”

With five rookies signed, the Eagles have only three players from this class left to take care of: quarterback Carson Wentz, guard Isaac Seumalo, and tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Earlier today, new Falcons safety Keanu Neal became the first-round pick to ink his a rookie deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/16

May 4th, 2016 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions from across the NFL:

  • The Cardinals have formally waived four players, including former Australian Rules Football player Joel Wilkinson, the club announced today. Along with Wilkerson, who had been attempting to break into the NFL as a cornerback, center Valerian Ume-Ezeoke, cornerback Kevin White, and cornerback Tyrequek Zimmerman were also cut by Arizona.
  • The Broncos announced today in a press release that they’ve cut veteran tight end Richard Gordon, a little over two months after re-signing him to a new contract. It’s the third time Denver has released Gordon since last October.
  • The Seahawks have parted ways with five players from their 90-roster, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com, who writes that offensive lineman Drew Nowak, running back Cameron Marshall, tight end Ronnie Shields, defensive end Josh Shirley and wide receiver Tyler Slavin have been cut. Nowak is probably the most notable name in the group, having started seven games at center last year for Seattle.
  • The Lions have waived center Braxston Cave and tight end Casey Pierce, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. Cave’s was likely bumped by the team’s selection of Graham Glasgow in the draft. Pierce, meanwhile, was a practice squad tight end who had been expected to compete for the No. 3 tight end spot in Detroit.
  • Clearing room for their undrafted free agent class, the Rams have waived cornerback Eric Patterson, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. A Ball State product, Patterson saw the field briefly last season for the Rams and Colts.
  • The Lions waived tight end Jordan Thompson with a failed physical designation, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. The Ohio product was once expected to be the team’s next long-snapper.
  • The Chiefs cut wide receiver Fred Williams, as Wilson tweets. Williams, 28, has been on and off of KC’s taxi squad since September of 2014. In January, the Chiefs signed Williams to a future/reserve deal.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Examining Veteran Players Most Affected By NFL Draft

May 4th, 2016 at 3:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 2016 draft class has already made its mark on NFL veterans league-wide, as players like Washington’s Chris Culliver and Tampa Bay’s Connor Barth were cut after their respective clubs selected potential replacements over the weekend. With more moves likely on the horizon, let’s take a look at some other veterans who could be affected:

Baltimore Ravens: Eugene Monroe, T
A day after the Ravens selected Notre Dame tackle Ronnie Stanley sixth overall, a report emerged that indicated Baltimore was unlikely to release Monroe, the club’s left tackle for the majority of the past two-and-a-half seasons. And while the Ravens’ offensive line depth could be augmented by sliding either Monroe or Stanley inside to left guard, it’s fair to question whether Monroe will still be on Baltimore’s roster come September. The 29-year-old has missed 20 games over the past three seasons with various injuries, and is set to count for $8.7MM on Baltimore’s 2016 cap. The Ravens could save $6.5MM by designating him as a post-June 1 cut, a move that seems entirely possible.Lamarr Houston (Vertical)

Chicago Bears: Lamarr Houston and Willie Young, EDGE
Chicago’s draft class has already had an impact on one veteran, as Matt Slauson was cut soon after the club drafted interior lineman Cody Whitehair in the second round. Houston and Young could be next up on the chopping block, after the Bears added two new pieces to their front seven in the forms of linebacker Leonard Floyd and defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard. Head coach John Fox said in March that the club was unlikely to release either Houston or Young, but Chicago would incur less than $2MM in dead money by making both post-June 1 cuts.

Los Angeles Rams: Nick Foles and Case Keenum, QB
Keenum would likely have more suitors around the league given his play last season, but Foles appears to be the odd man out in Los Angeles after the Rams made Jared Goff the No. 1 overall pick. Foles is generating some trade interest, with as many as five clubs reaching out to the Rams to express intrigue. Foles’ roster bonus has already been paid by LA, so he’d make for a cheap backup option, as an acquiring team would only be responsible for his $1.75MM base salary.

Minnesota Vikings: Captain Munnerlyn, CB
The Vikings are expected to work in second-round pick Mackensie Alexander at slot corner, the position currently manned by Munnerlyn. Head coach Mike Zimmer likes veteran players — as evidenced by Minnesota starting 37-year-old Terence Newman for all 16 games last season — so Munnerlyn is probably safe. His contract expires after 2016, however, at which Alexander’s presence could mean Munnerlyn isn’t re-signed.Geno Smith (Vertical)

New York Jets: Geno Smith, QB
After the Jets drafted Christian Hackenberg in the second round, Smith sits in a rather precarious situation. If New York is unable to come to an agreement with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Smith would likely open the 2016 season as the starting quarterback. But if Fitzpatrick is brought back into the fold — as is still expected — Smith could be on the outs, even though GM Mike Maccagnan has said he’s not opposed to keeping four quarterbacks on the roster.

Philadelphia Eagles: Sam Bradford, QB
We won’t spend much time on Bradford, as his desire to be traded out of Philadelphia has been well-documented even before the club officially drafted Carson Wentz. The Eagles have said they won’t deal their presumptive starting quarterback, but if Bradford continues to sit out team activities, the situation could become increasingly awkward. Working against Bradford is that many of the clubs that previously needed QB help – several of which I documented when looking at destinations for Bradford – have since added signal-callers.Alterraun Verner (Vertical)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Alterraun Verner, CB
Verner has been a disappointment since signing a four-year deal with the Bucs prior to the 2014 season — he was benched in 2015 (ultimately starting only six games) and graded as the No. 91 cornerback among 111 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. With first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves III and veteran Brent Grimes, who signed a two-year deal in March, now on the roster, Verner’s status in Tampa is tenuous at best.

Washington: Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, and Andre Roberts, WR
Washington made one of the more surprising choices of the first round, trading down one spot before selecting TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson. Roberts, a slot receiver who managed only 11 receptions last season, seems like the most obvious release candidate, but Garcon and Jackson may not be safe, either. Washington probably wouldn’t release all three pass-catchers, but post-June 1 cuts of Garcon and Jackson would save the club $8MM each. For what it’s worth, John Keim of ESPN.com adamantly believes the team will hang on to Garcon.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Load More Posts