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Month: November 2024

AFC East Notes: Jordan, Gilmore, Jets, Colon

June 14th, 2016 at 1:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Will Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore show for training camp as he pushes for a new contract? Gilmore said he’ll get there “whenever I get there,” (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News). When asked if that means he could miss the start, he said, “We’ll see.” If Gilmore does skip out on camp, he’ll be docked $40K per day.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

  • Omar Kelly of The Sun Sentinel wonders if the Dolphins should balk at paying Dion Jordan‘s ~$1.7MM bonus. Word has it that the Dolphins are open to giving Jordan another chance, but sources tell Kelly that the team was curious about the timing of Jordan’s bid for reinstatement. The former No. 3 overall pick was eligible to apply for reinstatement in late April but he didn’t kickstart the process until June. Jordan is due his hefty roster bonus on the fifth day of training camp and the Dolphins might not be inclined to pay it if Jordan isn’t truly committed to football. Kelly suggests that Miami could push Jordan to re-work the contract and have the roster bonus moved or even eliminated since he would be unlikely to command that same kind of money on the open market.
  • Much of the Jets‘ quarterback shuffle will hinge on second-year quarterback Bryce Petty, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. If Ryan Fitzpatrick returns, there is a belief in NFL circles that the Jets could keep all four quarterbacks – Fitzpatrick, Smith, Petty,and rookie Christian Hackenberg – on the roster. However, if Petty proves he can be the No. 2 QB, the team could cut Smith. Or, if Petty struggles mightily, the Jets could drop him and just keep Smith and Hackenberg as the backups. If the team does not sign Fitzpatrick, then Petty must prove his worth or the team might have to look into signing a veteran signal caller.
  • No surprise here, but Jets offensive lineman Willie Colon says that if he does play football in 2016, it will be his last season in the NFL. “If I do go back on the field, it’s going to be my last year. I just know it is,” Colon told Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday. “But the ego and the [guts] I have, if I do get back, I want to go out like Clint Eastwood — I want to go out firing and shooting. If it doesn’t happen, I’m going to move on and get a recorder just like you.” The 33-year-old guard suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2015 and only saw time in six games.
  • The Bills have a kicking battle worth keeping an eye on, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW writes. The Bills have been pitting veteran kicker Dan Carpenter against UDFA Marshall Morgan. Morgan boasts a big leg while Carpenter has made his name on accuracy. Meanwhile, kickoff specialist/punter Jordan Gay is also in camp and it remains to be seen whether he’ll be given an opportunity to kick field goals. If he isn’t given that chance, then he faces an uphill climb to make the cut.

NFC East Notes: McFadden, Mayowa, Giants

June 14th, 2016 at 1:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett announced that two notable players are dealing with injury issues. Offseason acquisition Benson Mayowa will undergo a very minor knee scope and will miss minicamp, but should be OK for most or all of training camp (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Furthermore, running back Darren McFadden has a broken elbow and will miss two months while he recovers (Twitter link via Gil Brandt of NFL.com). The good news is that both players should be healed up well in advance of the regular season.

Here’s more out of the NFC East:

  • In a recent mailbag, a reader asked ESPN.com’s Todd Archer to weigh in on the Ronald Leary situation. Archer feels that if a deal were to materialize for the offensive lineman, it would happen later on in training camp when injuries start popping up. The Cowboys value Leary and their offensive line depth, so they’ll be holding out for a good deal. Archer adds that Dallas would rather wait for a potential compensatory pick in 2018 than settle for a fifth- or sixth-rounder for the 2017 draft.
  • James Kratch of NJ.com ran down seven Giants players to watch in minicamp this week, including undrafted rookie Donte Deayon. The cornerback out of Boise State made lots of plays during OTAs and if he keeps it up, he could put himself in the mix for a roster spot. Deayon still has a long road to make the 53-an roster, but Kratch writes that he’s a camp underdog that could stick.
  • Cornerback Josh Norman figures to be one of at least eight new starters for the Redskins in 2016, though only Norman and safety David Bruton are new to the team, Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com writes. Bruton, however, is not guaranteed to start at strong safety and he will probably compete with Duke Ihenacho who missed most of the 2015 season. They’ll look to fill the hole left by Trenton Robinson, who started seven games at strong safety in 2015 but is no longer with the team.
  • On Monday night, the Eagles announced that they have signed standout defensive tackle Fletcher Cox to a massive multi-year extension. Earlier today, we rounded up some of the reactions to the deal and the potential fallout that could occur for other defensive linemen from around the NFL.

Ravens Wrap Up Draft Class

June 14th, 2016 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens announced that they have signed third-round pick Bronson Kaufusi. Kaufusi was the team’s last unsigned rookie and the Ravens have now inked their entire 2016 draft class. Bronson Kaufusi (vertical)

[RELATED: No ACL Tear For Ravens’ Breshad Perriman]

Kaufusi, a defensive end out of BYU, went on a Mormon mission before starting college and is one of the oldest player’s in this year’s class at 25 years old. Before he landed on the NFL radar, Kaufusi his split time between football and basketball. Once he zeroed in on football, he attempted to drop down in weight and shift to outside linebacker, but that experiment did not work out. Still, Kaufusi impressed as a bookend and despite projections that he would go in the fourth or fifth round of this year’s draft, he wound up being selected with the seventh pick in the third round.

The Ravens selected Notre Dame tackle Ronnie Stanley at No. 6 overall, but that reportedly wasn’t their plan heading into draft night. The Ravens were said to have Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil rated as their top tackle, but the infamous gas mask bong video scared them off. For what it’s worth, GM Ozzie Newsome says that Stanley was their top-rated tackle all along. He also hinted that the team got wind of some off-field issues regarding Tunsil:

“The thing that I’m so proud of, . . . our scouts get a lot of information,” Newsome said. “When things happen, a lot of the times we’re not surprised. We took the best player, the player that was rated the highest on the board at that point. I cannot neglect the importance of the work that our scouts do in the fall and in the spring getting information for us.”

Here’s the full rundown of the Ravens’ 11-man draft class:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Panthers, Short

June 14th, 2016 at 11:55am CST by Zachary Links

Running back C.J. Spiller says he’s ready to live up to the billing he received when he inked a four-year, $16MM deal with the Saints last March, Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate writes.

“When I’m 100 percent and able to do what I’m able to do, I know I can flourish in this offense,” Spiller said. “This offense is built for my type of skill set. I wouldn’t want to be in any other one — a great head coach that knows how to put players in position to make plays, and then you’ve got a quarterback that’s a future Hall of Famer, that knows how to win matchups and to take advantage of each and every play. I’m just happy that I have a chance to revamp or redeem myself and give this team hopefully 100 percent.”

Last season, Spiller amassed only 112 yards on a meager 36 carries and caught 34 passes at just 7.0 yards per reception before being placed on IR in December.

Here’s more from the NFC South:

  • Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short “checked in” at the beginning of minicamp, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observe (Twitter link). Short is skipping OTAs in the hopes of landing a new contract, but with those talks reportedly on hold, Short may have thought it wise to make an appearance with the team, especially given that head coach Ron Rivera has subtlety voiced his displeasure at Short’s absence.
  • Falcons defensive coordinator Richard Smith said that undrafted rookie outside linebacker Ivan McLennan has some pass rush ability and he’s a player to watch at minicamp, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. McLennan will be fighting for a roster spot at strongside linebacker and could push 2014 seventh-round pick Tyler Starr for a place on the team. The linebacker played two years of JUCO football before spending the past two seasons at Washington State. He racked up 15 sacks and 34.5 tackles for losses over his collegiate career.
  • More from Ledbetter who wonders if there is a sleeper in the Falcons‘ cornerback group. The most intriguing player fighting for a spot is C.J. Goodwin, a 6’4″ former basketball player and wide receiver who is looking to make it as a CB. Atlanta secondary/senior assistant Marquand Manuel praised Goodwin for his play so far in practice and noted that he was able to stay with Julio Jones in man-to-man coverage.
  • The Saints are trying out a pair of UDFAs today in outside linebacker Royce LaFrance (Tulane) and linebacker Chris Weatherd (Tennessee), as Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune tweets. Defensive tackle Lawrence Virgil is also in the house as a tryout invitee (link).

No ACL Tear For Ravens’ Breshad Perriman

June 14th, 2016 at 10:35am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens got some great news today as it turns out wide receiver Breshad Perriman does not have a torn ACL and “will be fine for the season,” a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Perriman received a stem cell injection today and barring further aggravation of the knee, it sounds like he’ll be ready to go for Week 1. Breshad Perriman (vertical)

[RELATED: Ravens Kicker Justin Tucker Confident About Extension]

Perriman was busy working his way back to 100% from his lingering PCL issue when he suffered an injury to his ACL. Perriman missed his entire rookie season due to his PCL and a full ACL tear would have meant two consecutive lost seasons. Now, Perriman is cleared to use his blazing speed to help the Ravens in 2016.

The former UCF star impressed at the combine with his speed as he ran a 4.26 second 40-yard dash. Evaluators last year believed that Perriman’s NFL future was bright and, hopefully, that is still the case despite his setbacks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Joey Bosa, Chargers In Contract Dispute

June 14th, 2016 at 10:25am CST by Zachary Links

The June minicamp is underway, but it is not mandatory for rookie Joey Bosa since he is still not under contract. Bosa’s reps have advised him to hold out amid a stalemate in contract negotiations, a source tells Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. Joey Bosa

The majority of this year’s rookies have already signed their deals, but Bosa’s camp wants no offset language in his contract. With no offset language, the Chargers would pay Bosa the balance of his four-year guaranteed contract even if they release him sometime during it. Then, theoretically, Bosa could collect two salaries upon signing elsewhere. With offset language in place, the Chargers would be off the hook for Bosa’s salary with his new team, paying him only the difference. The two sides also are in disagreement about the deal’s cash flow.

The most recent collective bargaining agreement has largely made rookie contract disputes a thing of the past, but there are still instances where teams and players will clash over offset language. Last year, the Titans did not sign No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota until July after extended haggling.

The Ohio State product was widely projected to be a top 10 pick in this year’s draft, but few pundits saw the Chargers pouncing on him at No. 3. While teams traded into the top 2 picks to select quarterbacks, the Bolts were more than happy to stay put and grab Bosa.

Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

Reactions To Fletcher Cox’s Deal

June 14th, 2016 at 10:10am CST by Zachary Links

On Monday night, the Eagles announced that they got a multi-year deal done with standout defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. The Eagles are thrilled to have Cox locked up for years to come but, of course, it cost the team a pretty penny. Not only is Cox getting a six-year, $103MM deal – he’s coming away with $36.299MM fully guaranteed and he’s unlikely to see any less than $55.549MM in total. "<strong

How did the Eagles do here? And what does Cox’s deal mean for other notable defensive linemen around the league? Here are some of the reactions to Cox’s payday:

  • Kawann Short is surely hoping for Cox money, but the “sense inside the building” is that Panthers GM Dave Gettleman “won’t go much further than $15MM per season,” Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review writes. Short, who recorded 11 sacks in 2015, is currently scheduled to count for just $1.473MM against the 2016 cap.
  • Cox did tremendously well when it comes to the guarantee and bonus structure, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. The Eagles paid a hefty price to extend the defensive tackle and Fitzgerald says the Eagles would have been better off extending him a year ago when the price tag wouldn’t have been as high. Meanwhile, in terms of year-by-year cash, he doesn’t see this deal moving the market for Broncos star Von Miller.
  • Mike Florio of PFT believes that Cox’s contract with help Miller in his case with the Broncos. The Broncos were previously able to chalk up deals for Ndamukong Suh and Olivier Vernon to free agency inflation. However, Cox has shown that a defensive lineman can score a similar contract without hitting the open market.
  • Interestingly, a 2017 franchise tag for Cox would’ve been unusually favorable for the Eagles because he switched from defensive end to defensive tackle, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter). Defensive ends earn more on the tag and the defensive tackle number is expected to decline.
  • Muhammad Wilkerson will get long-term deal like Cox, but it won’t be from the Jets, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. The door seemed pretty much closed on a monster deal for Wilkerson in New York, but that door has now been slammed shut now that Cox pushed the defensive line market even further. Cimini is personally perplexed as to why the Jets won’t pay the price to keep Wilkerson for the long term.
  • Cox’s deal either confirms to Von Miller‘s camp that their position is right or raises the price for a deal – or perhaps both, Corry tweets.
  • Cox showing up and beginning to bond with his Eagles coaches at minicamp was important for this deal getting done, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Given the rapidly rising cost of defensive linemen, Fitzgerald (on Twitter) believes that the Patriots made the correct decision moving on from Chandler Jones. Jones, who is slated to hit the open market after the 2016 season, netted the Pats offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick in a trade with the Cardinals.
  • The Eagles have proven that they’re serious about spending money, Darin Gantt of PFT writes. Philly has now doled out more than $280MM in guaranteed money this offseason, nearly double of any other team.

AFC North Notes: Smith, Steelers, Perriman

June 14th, 2016 at 9:26am CST by Zachary Links

Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith is jogging again but he won’t put a timetable on his return just yet, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes.

“I don’t know when I’m coming back,” he said. “I just know I have to be able to do something in training camp to be able to play for the season. That’s just the way I operate. I can’t go from doing absolutely nothing [and] sitting on my butt for all of training camp and then go out there and play.”

At 37, Smith is the oldest wide receiver in the NFL. He was more effective than ever in the first half of the 2015 season, with 46 receptions for 670 yards in his seven games. All in all, the 95.7 yards per game average was the second-highest of Smith’s 15-year NFL career.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

Latest On Jets, Muhammad Wilkerson

June 14th, 2016 at 8:20am CST by Zachary Links

While the Jets’ stare down with Ryan Fitzpatrick is getting all of the publicity, the team also has an ugly situation brewing with star defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. Wilkerson won’t sign his franchise-tag tender anytime soon and might not report for the start of training camp in late July, sources tell Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Muhammad Wilkerson (vertical)

[RELATED: Former Agent Suggests Compromise For Jets, Fitzpatrick]

Players typically are subject to fines if they skip June’s mandatory minicamp. However, since Wilkerson has yet to ink his tender, he is in a loophole in which he cannot be docked salary. In fact, Wilkerson could show up as late as Week 1, sign his tender, and still earn his full salary.

It should also be noted that the 26-year-old is still rehabbing a surgically repaired broken leg, so he wouldn’t have been able to practice anyway in minicamp. Still, Cimini writes that Wilkerson abstaining from minicamp would change the tenor of talks, taking them from ugly to contentious.

Adding fuel to the fire is the newly-inked extension between the Eagles and star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. Cox’s deal will reportedly pay him $103MM over six years with $63MM guaranteed. Of the $63MM in guarantees, $36.299MM is fully guaranteed at the time of signing and, for all intents and purposes, it seems to be a mortal lock that he will see at least $55.549MM of that money. After Cox secured the biggest guarantee for a non-quarterback in league history, Wilkerson is surely even more focused on his own payday.

The Jets have explored trading Wilkerson in the past but, so far, they have been unable to find a suitable deal. Cimini writes that the team has not ruled out the possibility of tagging him again next year at a salary of $18.8MM, though I believe that could just be posturing by the Jets.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eagles Extend Fletcher Cox Through 2022

June 13th, 2016 at 8:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles announced that they have extended defensive tackle Fletcher Cox through the 2022 season. The six-year, $103MM deal includes $63MM guaranteed, which is the largest guarantee for a non-quarterback in league history, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The contract contains $36.299MM fully guaranteed, including a signing bonus of $26MM."<strong

Reports in mid-April indicated that Philadelphia was close to working out a long-term contract with Cox, but with no agreement hammered out, Cox skipped voluntary Eagles workouts in May before reporting to minicamp last week. A deal always seemed likely, as club management has been adamant about Cox’s value to the team — de facto general manager Howie Roseman called Cox a “huge part” of the Eagles’ future, and was certain that Philadelphia would find a way to keep him around for the long haul.

Cox, 25, will average just under $17.2MM per season on his new deal, a number that makes him the second-highest paid defender in the NFL, behind Ndamukong Suh and just ahead of Olivier Vernon. The $63MM in guarantees is a massive figure and although that doesn’t account for the full guarantees, Cox still came away with a ton of fiscal security thanks to the deal’s details:

  • $1.299MM guaranteed 2016 base salary, 2017 $6MM guaranteed option bonus, $3MM guaranteed 2017 base salary.
  • $11.5MM 2018 base salary, which fully guarantees in March 2017
  • $15.6MM 2019 base salary; $7.75MM fully guarantees in March 2017, $7.75MM fully guarantees in March 2018
  • $12.9MM 2020 base salary (plus $1MM roster bonus); $15MM 2021 base salary (plus $1MM roster bonus); $16.1MM 2022 base salary (plus $1MM roster bonus)

The deal is structured in a way that would harshly penalize the Eagles if they were to part ways with Cox before many of those vesting guarantees trigger next March. As a result, Cox is effectively guaranteed an eye-popping $55.549MM at the time of signing. That’s about $1.5MM more than Aaron Rodgers, but still roughly $5MM less than Ndamukong Suh.

Cox had arguably the best season of his four-year career in 2015, setting a new career high with 9.5 sacks. He also racked up 71 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. The performance earned the Mississippi State alum his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — he placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.

As a first-round pick in 2012, Cox was under contract for one more season, scheduled to play out the 2016 season under a fifth-year option worth $7.799MM. He’ll now make much more than that in 2016, and he’ll also be asked to play a different role as the Eagles shift to a 4-3 defense under new coordinator Jim Schwartz. While Cox played end in Philadelphia’s old 3-4 look, he’ll shift to tackle this season, aligning at the three-technique where he’ll the opportunity to rack up more sacks and create more disruption.

The Eagles have made a habit of extending players this offseason, reaching long-term deals with tight ends Zach Ertz and Brent Celek, safety Malcolm Jenkins, offensive tackle Lane Johnson, and defensive end Vinny Curry. That entire core is now under contract through at least the 2020 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Details provided by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Zach Links contributed to this post.

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