HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Panthers, Michael Oher Exploring Extension

June 7th, 2016 at 7:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have expressed interest in inking left tackle Michael Oher to a multi-year deal, sources tell Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. There’s no word on how far along discussions are — or, in fact, if talks have even officially begun — but Carolina is apparently intrigued by the idea of extending Oher before he reaches free agency next spring.Michael Oher (Vertical)

[RELATED: Panthers sign punter Mike Scifres]

Carolina has already extended one offensive lineman this week, agreeing to a deal yesterday that will keep center Ryan Kalil with the club through the 2018 season. As Jones details, the Kalil extension, and the reported interest in a pact with Oher, is an indication that general manager Dave Gettleman & Co. are intent on spending some of the money saved when the Panthers rescinded the $13.952MM franchise tag on cornerback Josh Norman.

Oher, for his part, had an excellent campaign in his first year with Carolina, rebounding from a down 2014 with the Titans to grade as a top-30 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. Helping block for one of the best running games in the league (as well as protect league MVP Cam Newton), Oher was a key factor in the Panthers ranking 12th in adjusted line yards, up from 21st in 2014.

Having recently hired Drew Rosenhaus for representation, Oher is clearly interested in a new deal. “It would show that the organization believes in me,” Oher said of what a new deal would mean. “I still have to prove myself. I’m still just trying to prove myself to them and just make sure I’m one of these guys because they do it right.” Scheduled to count for $4.5MM on Carolina’s cap in 2016, Oher would be in line for a healthy raise if he and his team are able to hammer out a deal with the Panthers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/7/16

June 7th, 2016 at 7:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL saw quite a few minor moves today, and we’ll round them up here:

  • The Browns announced the signing of third-round offensive tackle Shon Coleman. Coleman, selected with the No. 76 overall pick, was a two-year starter at Auburn. Cleveland have now signed 11 of their 14 rookies from this year’s enormous class.
  • The Chiefs announced that they have signed outside linebacker Dezman Moses and safety Peni Vea. To make room, Kansas City has waived defensive back Keith Lewis and linebacker Efe Obada. Moses, a key special-teamer, has appeared in 29 games over the past two seasons for the Chiefs.
  • The Steelers waived former University of Miami linebacker Tyriq McCord, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. McCord initially joined Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent. The Steelers also signed TE Paul Lang and LB Kevin Anderson while releasing tight end Jay Rome, reports Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link)
  • The Falcons announced that they have signed defensive end Nordly Capi and guard Michael Huey, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. Atlanta also waived defensive end Josh Dawson. Huey, who spent time with an Diego and Green Bay last season, played for the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League and was a three-time AFL champ.
  • The Cardinals signed wide receiver Rico Richardson and waived fellow receiver Jeff Beathard, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets.
  • The Saints waived LB Dominique Tovell, who signed with the team as a UDFA in May, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (Twitter link). New Orleans also placed defensive end Mitchell Loewen on the Reserve/NFI list today after he cleared waivers, Woodbery tweets.
  • The Lions announced they’ve signed wide receiver Damian Copeland and cut guard Andrew Zeller, Dave Birkett of The Detroit Press tweets.
  • Colts guard Isiah Cage reverted to the IR after being waived-injured and clearing waivers, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Cowboys To Meet With Brandon Boykin

June 7th, 2016 at 6:56pm CST by Zachary Links

6:56pm: In addition to Boykin, the Cowboys also worked out defensive lineman Lawrence Okoye, defensive backs Dax Swanson and Isaiah Frey, offensive tackles Cameron Bradfield and Bryan Witzmann, linebacker Brandon Hepburn, and tight end Nate Askew, according to Archer.

3:29pm: The Cowboys will meet with free agent cornerback Brandon Boykin, according to sources who spoke with Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Boykin was signed by the Panthers in March but he has been a free agent since being released last month.Brandon Boykin (vertical)

[RELATED: Cowboys Not Interested In Dwight Freeney]

Despite not seeing significant playing time in Pittsburgh, Boykin ranked as a top-40 cornerback in 2015 (out of 111 qualified players), per Pro Football Focus. The diminutive corner has always shown flashes of upside, particularly in his six-interception 2013 campaign, but has never really gotten the opportunity to be a full-time player with just seven career starts. Now, he’ll look to join the Cowboys as a low-cost slot cornerback with upside.

While Boykin didn’t earn a spot on PFR’s top 50 free agent list, we placed him sixth among free agent cornerbacks when we broke down 2016’s top defensive free agents, placing him ahead of veterans like Leon Hall and Patrick Robinson due to his relative youth and upside. Recently, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ranked Boykin as the fifth-best free agent still left on the board, ahead of names like Mike Neal, Chris Culliver, and Antrel Rolle.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Keenan Allen, Chargers Discussing Extension

June 7th, 2016 at 6:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

TUESDAY, 6:09pm: The Chargers are offering Allen more than $10MM annually, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), who adds that the two sides aren’t all that far apart in talks.

MONDAY, 7:57pm: The Chargers are exploring a long-term deal with wide receiver Keenan Allen, sources tell Connor Orr of NFL.com. Allen and the club are interested in working out an accord with a length of four or five years, according to Orr.Keenan Allen (Vertical)

Extension talks between San Diego and Allen have been rumored for some time, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported in March that the club was expected to reach out to its star pass-catcher following once free agency and the draft concluded. Both those markers have passed, of course, but Gehlken tweets today that the situation is “still developing,” indicating that it’s too soon to say whether these negotiations will result in a deal.

Allen has been a force since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2013, and is still only 24 years old. After topping 1,000 yards receiving and scoring eight touchdowns during his rookie campaign, Allen came back down to earth in 2014, but was on pace for the best season of his career last year. With 67 receptions and 725 yards under his belt through only eight games, Allen suffered a lacerated kidney and was forced to miss the rest of the campaign. He’s expected to be fully healthy for the 2016 season, but it’s easy to wonder what might have been.

Given his career stats, Allen’s camp is sure to ask — at a minimum — to match the four-year, $40MM extension inked by Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns last week. Hurns and Allen are the same age, but Allen could surely argue that he’s worth more than than Jacksonville pass-catcher. An $11MM annual salary, making Allen the eighth-highest paid receiver in the NFL, isn’t out of the question, and the Chargers star should also top $20MM in guarantees.

Were the two sides to reach an impasse between now and next spring, the Chargers could hold the franchise tag over Allen’s head, allowing them to control him for one more season (at least). The wide receiver franchise figure was $14.599MM in 2015, so San Diego would need to be willing to carry a cap charge north of $15MM in order to retain Allen if it goes down that road.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Sign Mike Scifres

June 7th, 2016 at 5:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran punter Mike Scifres has found a new NFL home, as he’s agreed to a contract with the Panthers, the club announced. Carolina has waived fellow punter Michael Palardy in a corresponding move.Mike Scifres (Vertical)

Scifres sat on the free agent market for a little over a month before landing a new deal, having been released by the Chargers at the end of April. The 35-year-old had been with the Chargers since 2004, having spent his entire 13-year career with San Diego, but after the Chargers selected punter Drew Kaser in the sixth round of this year’s draft, Scifres’ release appeared imminent. Scifres suffered a down year in 2015, ranking just 29th in net punting average, but he has a track record of consistency, and should be the favorite for the to handle the Panthers’ punting duties.

“What I did for 13 years in San Diego I still feel that I’m capable of doing here,” Scifres said. “I still feel I can play. Going into the draft, I knew there was a possibility I would end up getting released by San Diego. This is a new chapter, and it’s about the player I can be for this team.”

“I was extremely excited when I got the call, because this was a situation that I had followed, knowing some of the players and coaches and seeing (former Panthers punter) Brad Nortman go to Jacksonville,” Scifres said. “This was a definitely a team I wanted to play for.”

Palardy, 23, was signed to the Panthers’ roster in April. He spent time with the Raiders in 2014, and has spent the better part of two years working out for various NFL teams, but he has yet to actually see game action.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bucs Sign Kicker Roberto Aguayo

June 7th, 2016 at 2:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers announced that they have signed second-round pick Roberto Aguayo. With the kicker under contract, the Bucs have now signed every member of their 2016 draft class. Roberto Aguayo (vertical)

Some were surprised when the Bucs traded into the second-round of this year’s draft to grab the FSU kicker, but it turns out that the team thinks even more highly of his leg than that. Recently, GM Jason Licht claimed that he had first-round grades on three of his rookies this year, including Aguayo. Along with Aguayo, the GM feels that he snared first-round talents in cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III and defensive end Noah Spence.

Hargreaves, meanwhile, inked his rookie contract roughly one month ago. The No. 11 overall pick was the second cornerback to come off the board in the 2016 draft, having been selected one spot behind Eli Apple, after the Buccaneers traded down from No. 9 to No. 11. The University of Florida product will compete for a starting job in Tampa Bay’s secondary this summer, joining free agent signee Brent Grimes at or near the top of the club’s new-look cornerback depth chart.

To recap, here is the full list of the Bucs’ 2016 draft class:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Sign Rookie Cardale Jones

June 7th, 2016 at 2:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have now signed every rookie in their 2016 class after inking fourth-round pick Cardale Jones. The Ohio State quarterback, who was taken with the No. 139 overall selection, knows that he may have to wait awhile before he can see real playing time. Cardale Jones (vertical)

“I am going in here knowing that that Tyrod [Taylor] is our starter,” Jones told Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com. “I am going in here knowing that EJ [Manuel] is our backup. I am going in here learning, working as hard as I can working with Coach [David] Lee in the film room, on and off the field. Whatever happens after that I guess is just a product of great circumstances.”

Jones is undefeated as a college starter with a perfect 11-0 record, but he only threw a total of 270 passes while with the Buckeyes. Prior to the draft, one NFL offensive coordinator told NFL.com that Jones has more physical tools than Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr, but he “can’t touch their poise and leadership as young quarterbacks.”

Here’s the complete rundown of the Bills’ 2016 draft class:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC East Notes: Welker, Jordan, Fitzpatrick

June 7th, 2016 at 11:52am CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph says he has given no thought to what position Dion Jordan would play if he is reinstated, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweets. Jordan, a defensive end, could theoretically be moved to linebacker since the team seems pretty set at DE. A position change could also give him a much needed shot in the arm: the former No. 3 overall pick has totaled just three sacks in 26 career games.

Here’s more out of the AFC East:

  • Wide receiver Wes Welker turned up at Dolphins OTAs and appeared to be working with the team’s wide receivers. However, head coach Adam Gase said that the team will not be signing the veteran wide receiver as a player (link via CBSSports.com’s David Dwork). Welker, a five-time Pro Bowler, recently indicated that he is unsure about whether to continue playing. It’s also not clear if Welker has any clubs interested in his services as a player.
  • Joel Corry of CBSSports.com weighed in on the Jets‘ ongoing battle with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Corry says that the Jets may come to regret their heavy-handed approach with Fitzpatrick since he is represented by Jimmy Sexton, who handles some of the biggest names in the sport. At the same time, he says that a one-year, $12MM deal is not realistic. To break the impasse, Corry suggests a deal that pays $12MM in year one, but $9MM in each the next two years instead of $6MM. The deal could also include incentives that could boost its max to about $45MM.
  • There’s tons of talk about Malcolm Butler right now, but Dont’a Hightower is the most important player for the Patriots to keep long term, Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com writes. Hannable notes that since Hightower entered the league in 2012, the Patriots have a regular season record of 42-12 in games Hightower appears in, but just 6-4 in games he doesn’t play. Also, the Pats allowed 3.65 yards per carry when Hightower was on the field last year but they surrendered 4.5 yards per carry when he wasn’t. Hightower is slated to hit the open market for the first time following this season. Hannable suggests that Danny Trevathan‘s four-year, $24.5MM deal ($6.1MM/year) with the Bears could be a good comp.

Saints To Sign Roman Harper

June 7th, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Zachary Links

Safety Roman Harper is re-signing with the Saints, according to his representatives at SportsTrust Advisors (Twitter link). Harper played for New Orleans from 2006-2013. Roman Harper (featured)

Harper, whom the Saints took in the second round of the 2006 draft, spent his first eight seasons in New Orleans before signing with the division-rival Panthers in 2014. The 33-year-old proved to have a fair amount left in the tank last season for the NFC champions, starting all 19 of their games (playoffs included) while grading 53rd out of 89 qualifying safeties at Pro Football Focus.

While with the Saints, Harper earned two consecutive Pro Bowl nods in 2009 and 2010 and helped the team win the Super Bowl following the ’09 season. After appearing in just five regular season games in his rookie campaign, Harper started just about every game for the Saints from 2007 onwards. In February 2014, Harper and other notable Saints vets were released to help ease the team’s cap situation. Saints GM Mickey Loomis was quick to admit that the team was not wild about having to jettison some of its most beloved players.

“These were not easy decisions to make,” said Saints GM Mickey Loomis in a statement after waiving Harper and others. “Since we acquired them, Jabari [Greer], Roman, Will [Smith] and Jonathan [Vilma] have all been excellent players on the field for us. Each of them were integral parts in turning this program around and winning a Super Bowl…. However, a new NFL year is about to begin and, with the start of free agency in March, these difficult moves allow us to position our team under the salary cap to move forward for 2014.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Fletcher Cox Reports To Eagles Minicamp

June 7th, 2016 at 10:38am CST by Zachary Links

Just as the Eagles had hoped, Fletcher Cox has reported to the Eagles for the start of their mandatory June minicamp. The defensive tackle, who actually arrived on Monday, issued a statement to the press just minutes ago: Fletcher Cox (vertical)

“I’m happy to be back in Philadelphia to get back to work with my teammates and coaches. I’m excited for this upcoming season and I can’t wait to get on the field for mini-camp this week, learn our new defense, and do whatever I can to help our team win. Any discussion about my absence from the offseason program or my contract will be handled privately between me, my agent and the Eagles organization,” Cox said in the statement.

[RELATED: Darren Sproles Reports To Eagles]

As a first-round pick in 2012, Cox is currently under contract for one more season, with a fifth-year option for 2016 worth $7.799MM. The Eagles, of course, do not want to see him test the open market next spring.

Marcell Dareus‘ contract with the Bills will likely be a point of comparison in the Cox extension talks, and the Cox could ultimately top that Dareus deal to become the second highest-paid defensive tackle in the league, behind Ndamukong Suh. Dareus’ contract with the Bills averages $15.85MM per year, with $60MM in total guarantees ($42.9MM fully guaranteed).

Cox skipped voluntary OTAs last month as the two sides wrestled over potential contract terms. Had Cox continued his holdout through this week, he would have faced upwards of $76K in fines. Eagles GM Howie Roseman is on record as saying Cox is a “huge part” of the team’s future, but it will cost Philly an awful lot to make that a reality. One report earlier this year claimed that the two sides were closing in on a long-term deal with more than $52MM in guarantees while another report indicated that no deal was close. Many weeks later, there’s still no agreement between the standout defensive lineman and Philadelphia.

Cox, still only 25, 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 Cox his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — the Eagles standout placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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