2016 June - Pro Football Rumors

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Marshall, Sanders

June 2nd, 2016 at 10:54am CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday night, Broncos GM John Elway spoke with Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post (on Twitter) about contract talks for linebacker Brandon Marshall, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, and defensive ace Von Miller. Elway says that he has gone back and forth with the agents for Marshall and Sanders but has no real update with regards to Miller. The GM says that he has a goal date in mind for all three deals.

“The ideal thing would be to get all three of them done (by mid-July). That’s the goal. That would be nice if we could do that,” Elway said (link).

Here’s more from the AFC West:

Now entering his contract year, it’s time for Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram to put his money where his talent is, Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego writes. Last season, Ingram notched at least one sack in each of the team’s final five games. If he can produce across a full season in 2016, he’ll be in line for a major payday, whether it be from San Diego or elsewhere.
Non-union construction workers are frustrated with the latest proposal for a new Chargers stadium in San Diego, David Garrick of U-T San Diego writes. It’s not immediately clear whether these non-union laborers would have any ability to stand in the way of the proposal as it’s currently put together.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman told ESPN that she has yet to discuss gambling regulations in the process of luring the Raiders (link via PFT). There has been some speculation that the city would be asked to restrict sports books from taking bets on games played in Las Vegas. “We’ve had years and years of experience in how to set regulations and enforce them. But I really don’t believe it’s going to be an issue for us at all,” she said. “At this point, the first step is to work through those numbers to make sure we can get a stadium built, do it high quality and most importantly in the right location.”
Earlier this week, we rounded up some more news on the Broncos.

Jets Won’t Offer One-Year, $12MM Deal To Ryan Fitzpatrick

June 2nd, 2016 at 9:22am CST by Zachary Links

Last week, we learned that the Jets have offered Ryan Fitzpatrick a three-year deal worth $24MM, with half of that sum coming in year one. Some have suggested that the Jets could entice the QB to accept the offer if they simply cut out the final two years of that deal and make in a one-year, $12MM pact. Unfortunately, that’s not going to work for Gang Green. The Jets are not interested in giving Fitzpatrick a one-year, $12MM deal, sources tell Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

If the Jets were to make that offer to the 33-year-old, they would be increasing the annual average of the deal by 50% and increasing their own salary cap hit for 2015. Mehta notes that, in theory, the Jets could increase their ~$3MM in cap space by converting the base salary of some players to signing bonuses. However, the Jets do not appear inclined to do that sort of contract tinkering with notable candidates such as Buster Skrine, Marcus Gilchrist, Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall, and perhaps even Darrelle Revis.

The Jets also want to have Fitzpatrick around as an insurance policy in 2017, Mehta writes, in the event that second-round pick Christian Hackenberg is not ready to take the reins. For these reasons, the Jets would only entertain a one-year offer for $8MM, an amount that would match the AAV of their current three-year offer to the veteran.

While the deadline for a deal “seems to be” the start of training camp, Mehta writes that the Jets could “move on” from Fitzpatrick sooner rather than later if a deal does not materialize. Personally, I would be surprised if the Jets truly break off talks with Fitzpatrick as long as he remains on the open market. Publicly, the Jets have expressed confidence in Geno Smith, but the team surely knows that there is a sizable gap between the two QBs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jake Long Working Out For Bears

June 2nd, 2016 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

Offensive tackle Jake Long is working out today for the Bears, according to a source who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Long, 31, spent the 2015 season with the Falcons after signing on midway through September. The former No. 1 overall pick was hoping to have a bounce-back season in Atlanta but he wound up only appearing in four games and he didn’t start in any of those contests. In the year prior, Long saw time in just seven games for the Rams last season due to a torn ACL. In the year before that, Long also tore his ACL in St. Louis.

In 2014, Long’s last season which could be measured by advanced metrics, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Long as just the No. 36 tackle out of 84 qualified players. In 2013, however, Long graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the league with a strong 22.5 overall score, based on PFF’s advanced metrics. Those numbers suggest that Long could still be a productive player if he can return to full health.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Notes: Ravens, Lions, Browns, Vikings

June 1st, 2016 at 8:57pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Ravens are relishing the presence of three-time Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle, whom they signed to a four-year, $26MM deal in March, as Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. “If he has anything to tell me I’m always listening,” said fellow safety Lardarius Webb. “He’s going to be big for this defense – for this team.” Webb added that Weddle is “being himself and were loving it,” also referring to the acquisition of the longtime Charger as a “great move.” Head coach John Harbaugh agrees, stating, “He fits in with how we do things around here perfectly. I give (general manager) Ozzie (Newsome) all the credit in the world. That was a great signing.”

More from the NFL’s two North divisions:

Still-unsigned linebacker Mike Neal visited the Lions in March, but they no longer have interest in the 28-year-old, reports Justin Rogers of MLive.com. As Rogers points out, the Lions picked up Wallace Gilberry in free agency and addressed both defensive end and outside linebacker via the draft, thereby lessening the need for Neal. The Lions are of course quite familiar with Neal, who has so far spent his entire career (2010-15) with the division-rival Packers. PFR’s Dallas Robinson rates Neal as the sixth-best defensive free agent remaining on the market.
Browns coach Hue Jackson says he’s not ready to name a starting quarterback coming out of OTAs, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets. Signs are pointing toward Robert Griffin III, though, per Tony Grossi of ESPN.com. Whether veteran Josh McCown makes the team will depend on how Griffin and third-round rookie Cody Kessler fare in the coming months, Grossi opines.
The Vikings haven’t ruled out adding another punter to compete with incumbent Jeff Locke, special teams coach Mike Priefer said Wednesday (link via Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune). Minnesota tried out a pair of rookie punters last month, and neither signed with the Vikings or any other team. That could change, however, according to Priefer. “We had two good, young rookie punters at minicamp who performed very, very well so we know those guys are out there if we need to go that route,” commented Priefer. As for Locke, 26, he’s entering a contract year after ranking dead last in yards per punt (41.6) and third from the bottom in net yardage (37.8) in 2015.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

WR Notes: Boldin, Bryant, Austin, Patterson

June 1st, 2016 at 7:39pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Anquan Boldin piled up 69 receptions and nearly 800 yards in San Francisco’s anemic passing attack last season and could ostensibly help someone in 2016. The soon-to-be 36-year-old remains a free agent, though, and teams seemingly aren’t beating down the door for his services. When Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com asked a pro scouting director why the potential future Hall of Famer is still without a contract, the personnel man told Breer, “He’s old and can’t run” (Twitter link). Boldin has never been a burner, but he has still managed to rack up over 1,000 catches and 74 touchdowns in 13 seasons. As of earlier this month, the 49ers hadn’t yet ruled out re-signing Boldin – whom PFR’s Dallas Robinson ranks as the second-best offensive free agent on the market. If San Francisco opts against bringing him back, it could have another option in the still-unsigned James Jones. The longtime Packer expressed interest in signing with the Niners earlier today.

The latest on a few other wideouts:

An X-ray on Cowboys star Dez Bryant‘s surgically repaired right foot revealed positive news Wednesday, and he’s now “in the clear” when it comes to being able to participate in football drills, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Foot and ankle issues derailed last season for Bryant, who recorded career worsts across the board and will join quarterback Tony Romo as they look to bounce back this year.
The Rams’ Tavon Austin has just 123 receptions in his three-year career, but head coach Jeff Fisher believes the 5-foot-8, 176-pounder could eclipse the 100-catch mark this season as the go-to option in the club’s Jared Goff-led offense. “We’re going to be able to, if need be, hand it off to Todd (Gurley) and if someone says ‘we’re not going to let you do that,’ then we’re going to spread it around,” Fisher told the Rams’ website, per TurfShowTimes.com (hat tip to Kevin Patra of NFL.com). “And so when it’s all said and done, I think we’ll be able to look back and I think see Tavon maybe double in catches over what he had last year.” After Austin logged 52 grabs in 2015, the Rams elected in May to pick up his fifth-year option for 2017, meaning the 2013 first-rounder could be under their control for at least two more seasons.
Earlier this spring, the Vikings unsurprisingly declined Cordarrelle Patterson‘s fifth-year option for 2017, though his goal is to remain in Minnesota for the long haul. “I’d love to be here. If I don’t, I’ll take my talents somewhere else,” Patterson said Wednesday (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). Patterson, a first-rounder in 2013, was a disappointment on offense in his first two seasons (78 total catches, five touchdowns). His production fell off a cliff last year, though, as he was barely part of the Vikings’ passing attack and picked up just two targets (both of which ended in receptions) while dressing for all 16 of their regular-season games.

NFC Notes: Bears, Rams, Saints

June 1st, 2016 at 5:55pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Bears edge rusher Willie Young acknowledged Wednesday that there have been contract extension talks between him and the team, saying (via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com), “Yeah, there has been some stuff mentioned here and there, but that’s something that will be left up to my agent so I don’t get caught in the middle of it.” As of earlier this month, Young was reportedly “50/50” on whether to accept a two-year offer from the Bears. Chicago is trying to keep the soon-to-be 31-year-old after he amassed a combined 16.5 sacks during his first two seasons in the Windy City, and he’s open to spending the rest of his career there. “I would like to finish my career up here in Chicago, but you know that’s not up to me; that’s up to my agent and management,” said Young, who will hit the open market next offseason if a deal isn’t reached by then.

AFC East Notes: Brady, Jets, Watkins, Jordan

June 1st, 2016 at 5:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has added a couple of powerful allies – the AFL-CIO and high-profile attorney Kenneth Feinberg – as he seeks to overturn his four-game suspension for his role in the Deflategate scandal, details The Associated Press. In a friend of the court brief filed Monday, the AFL-CIO asked the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a three-judge panel’s April decision to reinstate Brady’s suspension. According to the labor federation, the panel made a mistake in regarding NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as a neutral arbitrator. Meanwhile, Feinberg claims that Goodell “impermissibly exceeded the scope of his authority” and “used the vehicle of arbitration as a mechanism to rewrite the underlying bargain between the parties, to the sole advantage of his organization.”

As for the rest of the AFC East…

There was a report last week that the Jets’ Eric Decker was skipping OTAs because of the team’s lack of progress in re-signing quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but the receiver issued a denial Wednesday. “That’s not the reason I wasn’t there,” he said (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News). Decker also expressed confidence that Fitzpatrick will eventually re-up with Gang Green, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. On the other hand, fellow wideout Brandon Marshall wouldn’t say whether his absence was on account of the Fitzpatrick situation (Twitter link via Costello). However, Marshall did acknowledge Wednesday that the Fitzpatrick-less Jets must “move forward and try to figure out how we can win some games.”
When news of a minor foot fracture surfaced earlier this month, the expectation was that Bills receiver Sammy Watkins would be ready for training camp. Based on the words of Watkins and head coach Rex Ryan, that’s now up in the air, as Kevin Patra of NFL.com writes. “The goal is the regular season,” said Watkins, whose walking boot will come off Thursday. “All I know is that Sammy won’t miss time in the regular season,” Ryan commented.
When asked about defensive end Dion Jordan applying for reinstatement, Dolphins coach Adam Gase said, “I’ll worry about that when it comes around” (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports). Jordan, the third pick in the 2013 draft, had to sit out last season after the league suspended him for violating its substance abuse policy. Jordan has missed 22 games because of suspensions during his short career and has totaled just three sacks in 26 contests.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Nick Foles Unhappy With Rams, Skipping OTAs

June 1st, 2016 at 4:28pm CST by Zachary Links

4:28pm: Head coach Jeff Fisher spoke about Foles’ situation Wednesday, saying, “He has not been here to participate since the draft … We’re trying to work things out.” Fisher continued, “Nick has the feeling if things stay the same, he’s probably not gonna be on the roster” (Twitter links via Albert Breer of NFL.com).

Fisher also called Foles’ absence “more of a mutual thing,” writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Based on that, it appears Foles’ time with the Rams is done. Now it’s just a matter of whether they’ll be able to find another team to take him via trade.

10:35am: Nick Foles is none too pleased with the Rams this offseason. The quarterback, who was a regular when offseason workouts began April 18th, has not participated in a team practice since the Rams selected Jared Goff No. 1 overall, as ESPN.com’s Jim Trotter writes. Multiple sources have confirmed that Foles has been abstaining from team-run training sessions and the start of OTAs because the Rams drafted a quarterback.

Acquired by the Rams in the trade that sent Sam Bradford to the Eagles, the two quarterbacks have wound up in strikingly similar situations. Last offseason, Foles inked a two-year, $24.5MM extension that included nearly $13.8MM in guarantees. Now, it’s clear that he is not the quarterback of the future in Los Angeles and maybe not even the quarterback of the present. Last season, Foles opened the season as the starter under center but was benched in favor of Case Keenum after throwing seven touchdowns against six interceptions.

Foles drew trade interest from teams in late April and the quarterback presumably wants the team to ship him elsewhere. Because the Rams have already paid his guaranteed $6MM roster bonus for the 2016 season, Foles would come at a very affordable rate for any team interested in acquiring him — only his $1.75MM base salary for ’16 would count against a new team’s cap. Of course, his new team would also take on the rest of his contract, including a non-guaranteed $10.75MM base salary for 2017.

Foles has plenty of starting experience and could be a good fit as a backup elsewhere. Meanwhile, Los Angeles could roll with Goff, Keenum, and 2015 third-rounder Sean Mannion on the depth chart. It remains to be seen whether Goff or Keenum can deliver in 2016, but the team probably sees more potential in those two players than Foles, a fifth-year pro.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/1/2016

June 1st, 2016 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

The Giants have signed their third-round pick, safety Darian Thompson, according to the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacchiano (on Twitter). Thompson was a four-year standout at Boise State, where he appeared in 49 games and intercepted 17 passes.
The Seahawks have waived cornerback Jamal Marshall, whom they signed undrafted out of North Texas last month, tweets Dov Kleiman of RantSports.
The Chargers have cut offensive tackle Zeth Ramsay, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Ramsey signed with the Chargers in April as an undrafted free agent from Colorado Mesa.
The Packers have waived two rookies, receiver Devonte Robinson (non-football illness) and guard Cory Tucker, and signed first-year guard Lucas Patrick, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
The Cardinals have cut safety Brandon Person, receiver Chris King and offensive tackle Edawn Coughman (previously reported), per Darren Urban of the team’s official website (Twitter link).
The Jets signed defensive end Shelby Harris and waived fellow defensive end (and former shot putter) Lawrence Okoye, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets.
The Lions signed undrafted free agent tackle Dominick Jackson, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes.
The Browns signed fourth-round wide receiver Ricardo Louis and fourth-round tight end Seth DeValve, as Wilson tweets.
The Bears have waived OT Tayo Fabuluje, per Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).

Latest On Falcons, Dwight Freeney

June 1st, 2016 at 3:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons are not signing Dwight Freeney today, coach Dan Quinn told reporters (including Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com). However, a signing has not been ruled out for down the road.

Freeney, 36, visited with the Falcons today. Strictly a pass-rushing specialist at this stage of his career, Freeney has not found a ripe market for his services despite coming off of a surprisingly strong season. Freeney didn’t hook on with the Cardinals until midway through the 2015 campaign, but he made up for lost time by racking up 8 sacks in 11 games. In 2015, the advanced stats at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Freeney as (tied) for the 51st best edge rusher in the NFL out of 110 qualified players.

The Falcons are not necessarily hard up for edge rushers, but Freeney could be a fit for Dan Quinn‘s aggressive defensive scheme. The Falcons are currently slated to start Vic Beasley and Derrick Shelby at defensive end with support from Adrian Clayborn and Tyson Jackson. Recently, former NFL head coach and current analyst Mike Nolan opined that the Falcons should sign Freeney to improve their quarterback pressure. Last season, the Falcons finished with a league-worst 19 sacks.

Last month, Freeney also visited the Bengals, but it is not clear if talks are still active between the two sides.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.