2016 June - Pro Football Rumors

Month: November 2024

La Canfora On Panthers, Gettleman, Saints

June 21st, 2016 at 9:24am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest from Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com:

In a recent interview, Panthers GM Dave Gettleman discussed the Josh Norman situation and had some bold words for player agents. “I’d like to think agents have figured out they can’t scare me; they can’t squeeze me. I’m not going to panic. It’s a waste of time,” he said. More than one player rep found that quote to be off-putting, La Canfora writes, especially since the team – with a couple of exceptions – has yet to really make good on the talk of reallocating the money that would have gone to Norman. While Ryan Kalil and Michael Oher both have new deals, the Kawann Short situation looms large in Charlotte and people in the football world are now paying extra close attention to how it plays out. Ultimately, La Canfora feels that many of Gettleman’s words would have been better left unsaid. I’m inclined to agree, though I have a hard time imagining a scenario in which players and agents become unwilling to sign with the Panthers as a result.
There are a lot of people in the NFL world who are breathing a sigh of relief now that the Saints ownership battle appears to be over. Last week, owner Tom Benson reached an accord with his estranged heirs that will keep Benson in power and put the legal turmoil behind him. The settlement still requires the approval of the league’s owners, but La Canfora believes that Benson is unlikely not to get the OK of 24 of his peers. Still, even if the team winds up in the hands of wife Gayle Benson, some owners will be concerned about her ability to manage the organization long-term.
La Canfora doesn’t see the Jets coming up with solutions to truly placate disgruntled stars Ryan Fitzpatrick and Muhammad Wilkerson. Recently, Wilkerson lashed out at the Jets and opined that the team doesn’t truly want him back. Meanwhile, things remain at a stalemate between the Jets and Fitzpatrick.

Redskins Won’t Extend Chris Baker

June 21st, 2016 at 3:07am CST by Zachary Links

Kirk Cousins isn’t just the Redskins’ top priority when it comes to extensions this offseason – he’s the only player they’re interested in extending, according to ESPN.com’s John Keim (video link). That means that a handful of notable veterans, including defensive lineman Chris Baker, will be playing out their contracts in 2016.

Recently, Baker indicated that he would like to sign an extension with the Redskins, though he hasn’t discussed a new deal with the team at all this year. However, after taking care of tight end Jordan Reed with a massive five-year, ~$48MM deal, Washington seems to only want to address their quarterback while addressing every other pending free agent after the 2016 season. Baker, 28, is coming off a breakout season in which he amassed career highs in appearances (16, to go with 11 starts), tackles (53), sacks (six) and forced fumbles (three). Thanks to his output in 2015, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Baker a solid 22nd out of 83 qualifying interior defenders.

If Baker offers a repeat performance of his 2015 season, he’ll be in line for a significant pay raise in March. Currently, Baker stands as one of the league’s best values as he plays out the three year, $9MM contract extension he inked with the Redskins in February 2014. Baker’s back-loaded contract calls for him to count for $4.275MM against the cap in the coming year. This year, Baker is slated to start at left end and he hopes that he won’t have to play much on the interior line.

“I’ve solidified myself as a good left end,” Baker said in April. “So I’d like to stay at my position and use my athleticism to make plays. I’m willing to do what it takes to make sure the team wins, but hopefully they leave me at left end and use the other noses we have or some of the younger guys we’re going to draft.”

Meanwhile, echoing previous reports, Keim says that the Redskins also will not pursue extensions for wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. With first-round pick Josh Doctson in the mix, it seems unlikely that both players will be back for 2017 and it’s also possible that neither player will remain in the nation’s capital.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: J. Long, Raiders, Vegas, Vikings

June 20th, 2016 at 8:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Some league insiders believe that offensive tackle Jake Long‘s legs are “shot,” according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That bit of news clashes with a report from Sunday, in which Long himself claimed that he is finally healthy and ready for a new opportunity. The 31-year-old Long only appeared in four games with the Falcons last season, but he did score a workout with the Bears earlier this month. Unfortunately for Long, Chicago went with fellow offensive lineman Nate Chandler instead, so Long will continue to sit on the free agent market for the time being.

Here’s more from around the NFL…

Despite some talk to the contrary, the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee will in fact recommend a stadium plan for the Raiders, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. The plan may not be OK’d on Thursday, he adds, but he hears that it will happen sometime soon. The MGM Grand is fighting the stadium and they could look to counter any approval via the legislature.
After adding Kelechi Osemele, Bruce Irvin, and Sean Smith this offseason, ESPN.com’s AFC West writers debated whether the Raiders stand as the most improved team in the division. Jeff Legwold writes that he would be extremely surprised if Oakland didn’t end the playoff drought and notes that Denver made the playoffs in 2014 after a similar free agency binge netted them DeMarcus Ware, Emmanuel Sanders, and T.J. Ward.
After spending the offseason putting better pieces around Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings should be even better than they were in 2015 when they captured the NFC North crown, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. This spring, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman signed established veterans Alex Boone and Andre Smith to start on the offensive line while also bolstering the secondary.
The Saints are excited about Canadian import Erik Harris, as Christopher Dabe of The Times-Picayune writes. “He has been a pleasant surprise,” head coach Sean Payton said. “When you get a player from Canada, it is really a free agent signing, so you have not had to use a draft pick.” As shown on Roster Resource, the former Hamilton Tiger-Cats standout is vying with Alden Darby to occupy one of the final safety spots on the team.

Leon Hall Could Sign Next Week

June 20th, 2016 at 6:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran cornerback Leon Hall‘s offseason of free agent visits could finally be coming to an end, as Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 reports (Twitter link) that Hall could make a decision on a new club next week. Hall has been sitting on the open market since March when his contract with the Bengals expired.

PFR ranked Hall as the eighth-best cornerback available this offseason, and the 31-year-old has garnered his fair share of interest over the past several months. Hall took visits with the Cowboys, Cardinals, Giants, and Falcons, and was linked to Dolphins, who now employ his former position coach in Cincinnati, Vance Joseph, as defensive coordinator. Miami reportedly won’t sign Hall, nor will Atlanta, whittling down his options, but if Hall is indeed set to sign a contract next week, both Dallas and Arizona stand out as options, along with several other clubs that haven’t been officially tied to the veteran defensive back.

Hall has spent his entire nine-year NFL career to date in Cincinnati, playing 121 regular-season games since 2007 for the Bengals, and starting 105 of them. However, the Bengals haven’t been overly aggressive when it comes to re-signing their former first-round pick, and used this year’s first-rounder to add another cornerback in Houston’s William Jackson III.

After dealing with a multitude of injuries throughout his career, including two torn Achilles, Hall underwent back surgery this offseason, and that ailment could be limiting his market, as teams might be wary of of his health. But with a new deal seemingly imminent, it would seem that Hall has convinced at least one club that he’ll be ready to go when the regular season begins.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers Re-Sign RB Kendall Gaskins

June 20th, 2016 at 5:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After being waived by the 49ers earlier this year, running back Kendall Gaskins is back with the club, having re-signed today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Gaskins is signing a two-year deal, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.

The 25-year-old Gaskins went undrafted out of Richmond in 2013, and after bouncing between the offseason rosters of the Bills, Titans, and Giants, Gaskins finally found a stable home, inking a deal with the 49ers in 2014. He was called up from San Francisco’s practice squad in October, and ultimately appeared in nine games, rushing for 38 yards on 16 carries while adding eight receptions for good measure. Gaskins’ more valuable contributions arguably came on special teams, where he played on 35% of the Niners’ snaps, good for 11th on the club (a solid accomplishment given that he only played in about two-thirds of San Francisco’s contests).

Gaskins was waived early last month when the 49ers added a new crop of undrafted free agents, but now that he’s back with the team, he’ll use the summer to compete with a cadre of others for backfield playing time. As Roster Resource shows, San Francisco already boasts Carlos Hyde, Shaun Draughn, Kelvin Taylor, and Mike Davis at running back. With Gaskins’ additions, the 49ers’ roster is back to 90-man limit.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Rams RB Tre Mason

June 20th, 2016 at 4:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Rams running back Tre Mason has been in legal hot water all offseason, first after a March arrest on numerous charges including resisting arrest, possession of cannabis, and reckless driving, and then following a missed arraignment in April. Those incidents could lead to Mason losing his spot on Los Angeles’ roster, as Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters, including Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News, that the club has to “prepare [itself] that Tre’s not going to be here.”

It’s not entirely clear if Fisher is referring to a looming league suspension — which is very likely — for Mason, or whether the head coach is implying that the Rams could waive the 22-year-old Mason. Mason hasn’t attended any of Los Angeles’ OTAs this offseason as he deals with his legal troubles, and even if he does make it back on the field, Mason is in danger of losing his role in a Rams running back corps that includes superstar Todd Gurley, plus reserves Benny Cunningham, Chase Reynolds, and Malcolm Brown.

Mason already saw his place on the club dwindle in 2015, as the presence of Gurley meant that Mason’s carries dropped from 179 to just 75. After rushing for 765 yards during his rookie year, Mason toted the ball for only 207 yards in 2015, while his snap percentage was nearly cut in half (36.7% vs. 19.1%). With Cunningham acting as the Rams’ go-to third down back, and Reynolds serving as a special teams ace, waiving Mason might not be all that difficult a decision.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Arian Foster To Be Ready For Training Camp?

June 20th, 2016 at 3:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent running back Arian Foster is expected to be healthy in time for training camp, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. That news jibes with a report earlier this month that indicated that although Foster could have passed a physical in early June, he would wait until the end of July to begin working out for teams, hoping that extra time would help ensure that he was in “football condition.”

According to Fowler, three teams have recently expressed interest in Foster, who is currently assessing possible fits as he gets healthy. It’s unclear exactly how “recently” Fowler is referring to, but the only club that has officially met with Foster this offseason is the Dolphins, who did so back in March. Miami, however, reportedly views Foster as more of a fallback option, a safety net in the event that its young crop of running backs falter.

Another AFC East club, the Patriots, apparently had “preliminary interest” in Foster earlier this year, but little came of that reported intrigue Still, Foster should be able to find a market for his services if he can prove he’s fully recovered from an October Achilles tear, and I recently listed eight clubs that could be sign the veteran runner, including the Raiders, Broncos, and Chargers.

Foster, 29, is still capable of putting up results when he is on the field. He accumulated 6,472 rushing yards during his seven years as a Texan, and earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2010 to 2012, averaging about 1,900 all purpose yards and 16 touchdowns in those seasons. But Foster was limited to 25 regular-season games from 2013 to 2015, and injuries, his age, and his increasing cap number resulted in the Houston releasing him this spring.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Donald, Seahawks, Monroe, Rams

June 20th, 2016 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Agent Todd France believes that Rams lineman Aaron Donald will soon be in line for a monster contract extension a la fellow defensive tackles Fletcher Cox, Ndamukong Suh, and Marcell Dareus (Twitter link via Alex Marvez of SiriusXM). Donald, 25, was named the AP Defensive Rookie of the year in 2014 after a stellar freshman campaign. Last year, he played in all 16 games for the Rams and amped up his overall production, notching 11 sacks and 69 total tackles.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

The Seahawks have been linked to free agent tackle Eugene Monroe, but Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times doesn’t see it happening and envisions some other team paying him the ~$5-6MM he’s probably seeking. Some observers feel that the Seahawks could use a boost on the O-Line, but Condotta writes that they are more content with what they have than some may think. As the Seahawks’ page on Roster Resource shows, the Seahawks are currently slated to trot out Garry Gilliam at left tackle, Mark Glowinski at left guard, Justin Britt at center, Germain Ifedi at right guard and J’Marcus Webb at right tackle.
Chiefs fifth-round receiver Tyreek Hill has the most unusual contract of any rookie in the 2016 class, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes. Hill received the slotted $218K of guaranteed cash, but KC slashed his signing bonus to $70K. In exchange, Hill received guaranteed money in the form of 2017 base salary and offseason roster bonuses and gave him a total of ~$150K in roster bonuses over the length of the deal for staying on the team each year.
More from Volin, who writes that other NFL teams can’t be happy with the Rams‘ refusal to include offset language in their rookie contracts. Offset language, of course, prevents a player from collecting on two salaries in the event that he is cut and signed by another squad. In cases where there is offset language, the team only owes the difference between the old and new salary. The Rams and Jaguars, however, are not putting this provision in deals and the Rams specifically are setting a bad precedent for other teams by doing things this way with No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff.

Alabama’s Cam Robinson Won’t Face Charges

June 20th, 2016 at 12:44pm CST by Zachary Links

One of the country’s top NFL Draft prospects received some huge news today. Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson was previously facing a felony weapons charge after being arrested in May, but the district attorney in Monroe, Louisiana has decided not to pursue prosecution, Michael Casagrande of AL.com writes.

Police arrested Robinson and Alabama defensive back Laurence “Hootie” Jones for the illegal possession of stolen firearms, a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance, and an additional charge of carrying a weapon in the presence of illegal narcotics. According to the police report, there was a bag of marijuana and a handgun in plain sight in addition to a stolen handgun found under the passenger seat.

The 6-foot-6, 327 pound rising junior is universally considered to be one of the ten best talents eligible for the 2017 draft. Today’s development is good news for Robinson’s draft stock, though he will certainly face questions from concerned NFL teams. Robinson’s performance on the field and behavior off the field will be critical for his future prospects. If Robinson can demonstrate that his May arrest was a one-off error in judgement – and that he doesn’t have a predilection for carrying illegal firearms – he could very well keep his status as a top 10 pick.

One of two returning starters for the Tide last season, Robinson has blocked for second-round pick T.J. Yeldon and Heisman winner Derrick Henry, helping guide those respective ball-carriers to 17 100-yard rushing performances over the last two seasons. Jones, meanwhile, is not a starter, but he does hold some NFL potential.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pro Football Rumors Features

June 20th, 2016 at 12:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Pro Football Rumors passes along the latest news and rumors on NFL player movement 365 days a year, but those aren’t the only updates you’ll see on the site. On our right sidebar, you’ll find a number of additional features and featured posts. Here’s a rundown of a few of them:

Using your iOs and Android devices, you can use our app to follow the latest stories on PFR, MLB Trade Rumors, and Hoops Rumors. The Trade Rumors app is highly customizable, allowing you to add feeds for any of the 92 MLB, NBA, and NFL teams, as well as for any of the thousands of players in our archives.
While many of the top players have already come off the board, you can keep tabs on the remaining 2016 veteran free agents by position using our list, which will be updated throughout the spring.
Our top 50 free agents list has been updated to reflect the contracts signed by the players featured on the list. Only two players in our top 50 remain unsigned.
Since the 2015 season ended, many teams have hired new head coaches and made changes at offensive and defensive coordinator. For a complete breakdown of this year’s notable coaching changes, check out our recap.
Looking for a full team-by-team rundown of the 2016 NFL Draft? We’ve got you covered.
The NFL isn’t known as a trade-happy league, but a number of big-name players have already been involved in deals this year. You can revisit all of this year’s moves by using our recap of 2016 NFL trades.
The Pro Football Rumors glossary highlights a number of aspects of the NFL’s salary cap, free agency, and Collective Bargaining Agreement. Feel free to let us know if there’s a specific concept that you’d like us to discuss in a future Glossary piece.
We value your input at PFR, which is why we regularly publish polls and have a regular feature called Pigskin Links, in which we highlight a few interesting recent articles from football blogs. You can find our poll archives here and our Pigskin Links pieces right here.
Want to weigh in on the hottest topics in the NFL? Keep an eye out for our Community Tailgate feature where we encourage you to make your voice heard in the comment section.
In addition to following us on Twitter and in your RSS feed, you can also follow us on Instagram.
While a handful of our notable articles can be found under the “Featured Posts” section on the right sidebar, the PFR Originals archive rounds up all the original posts from our staff. Recently, we looked at potential landing spots for free agent tackle Eugene Monroe and running back Arian Foster.

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