2016 July - Pro Football Rumors

Month: December 2024

NFC North Notes: Vikings, Loadholt, Lions

July 28th, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this week, Vikings offensive lineman Phil Loadholt announced his retirement from football. While Loadholt cited his health as the driving factor in his decision, Mike Florio of PFT wonders if the veteran’s recent pay cut was an even greater motivation to walk away from the sport. This spring, the Vikings pushed Loadholt to amend his ~$5.5MM base salary to a $2MM base for 2016 with up to $3.5MM in incentives. Ultimately, Loadholt may have opted for early retirement rather than playing for a reduced salary this season.

Here’s more from the NFC North:

Or, maybe Loadholt did retire because of injuries. The lineman had a setback two weeks ago while working out in Houston, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter) hears. The leg issue, which was unrelated to his troublesome Achilles tendon, would have sidelined him during training camp.
Former Miami wide receiver Tyler Davis and former Green Bay wide receiver Larry Pinkard both worked out for the Lions earlier this week, along with quarterback Jimmy Clausen, ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein tweets. However, after the Lions added Anquan Boldin on Wednesday, it’s not clear if there is still a spot available for Pinkard or Davis.
Yesterday, we discussed the Vikings’ offseason with reporter Darren Wolfson.

Vikings Sign Mike Zimmer To Extension

July 28th, 2016 at 12:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings and coach Mike Zimmer have reached agreement on a contract extension, GM Rick Spielman announced. Spielman did not disclose the length or terms of the deal, saying only that Zimmer will be the Vikings’ coach “for a long time.” Spielman said that talks started right after the playoffs, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

“Mike has instilled a very positive atmosphere over the past three years and our players have thrived under his tutelage and leadership,” team owner Zygi Wilf said in a press release. “His focus on helping our players develop and maximize potential, individually and collectively, is critical for our current and future success. We believe the continuity established with Mike leading our football team is a very positive step for our organization.”

Zimmer led the Vikings to an 11-5 record last season and the club’s first NFC North title since 2009. Zimmer holds an 18-14 record in his two seasons as a head coach, the second-most wins by a Viking head coach in his first two seasons, trailing only the late Dennis Green who had 20 wins.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Reactions To Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Deal

July 28th, 2016 at 12:00pm CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday night, the Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick finally ended their offseason saga when the two sides agreed to a one-year, $12MM deal. When the two sides shook hands, Jets fans weren’t the only ones to breathe a sign of relief.

“Oh my gosh… it’s been a long six months for sure,” Fitzpatrick told Manish Mehta of the Daily News. “The biggest feeling was relief. Just relief to have it over and done with. And then when I was driving in (Wednesday night to the team facility) and walking up to the team meeting, it was like the first day of school. I was just all excited to see everybody and to be back in the building. Because through the entire offseason program, I wasn’t allowed to be there. It was such a weird feeling. I was ten minutes away just sitting at home getting calls and texts every day. After every practice, talking with the guys and not being allowed in the building to participate and compete with them. That made it an awfully long offseason for me. Now I’m ready to get to work.”

Here’s a look at some of the reactions to Fitzpatrick’s deal with Gang Green:

The Jets gave Fitzpatrick a 7pm ET deadline because their camp-opening meeting was at that time and they wanted his situation to be resolved by then, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets.
Fitzpatrick, 34 in November, tells Mehta that his best is yet to come. “I’m getting better as a quarterback,” Fitzpatrick said. “A lot of that is an understanding of the game, of myself, of who I’m playing against. So I think there’s been a nice upward trend in my career of getting better as I get older…. This is the fifth year that I’m going into the year as a starter. So it’s not like I’ve had a 12-year career where every year I’ve been the starter. There have been a lot of times when I’ve been the backup. So there’s been a lot of growth in my career. I’m just excited for the opportunity this year, but I think I’m going to continue to get better.”
The Jets made the right move by ending the madness and getting a deal done, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com opines. Both sides got what they needed, though Cimini would give a slight edge to Fitzpatrick for coming away with $12MM on a one-year deal and possibly up to $15MM via incentives. Re-signing Fitzpatrick didn’t come cheap, but the Jets ultimately did not want to roll into the season with Geno Smith as their starter.
Brian Costello of the New York Post wonders what Fitzpatrick’s deal means for Smith. Smith, at best, is now relegated to being the Jets’ No. 2 QB. However, the Jets also have Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg under contract and it could theoretically be Smith that gets bumped from the roster.
The Jets and Fitzpatrick could have agreed to this same contract in April, but both sides were too stubborn to bend, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes.
Above all else, Fitzpatrick says that he did not want to miss any part of training camp, as Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday writes.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

The Beat: Armando Salguero On The Dolphins

July 28th, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Zachary Links

With the season fast approaching, we’re chatting with beat writers from around the league to gain insight on each team’s offseason and how those moves will impact the season ahead.

Today, we continue the series by discussing the Dolphins with Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. You can follow Armando on Twitter @ArmandoSalguero and check out his stories here.

Zach Links: What’s the latest on Dion Jordan? How do you see things playing out in the end?

Armando Salguero: I reported today that the roster bonus to Dion Jordan on the fifth day of camp is a non-issue because he owes them more money than they owe him. He has to return over $3MM in signing bonus which he lost rights to when he was suspended. The Dolphins have to pay Jordan $1.69 million in that roster bonus. So Jordan isn’t getting any money from the Dolphins and he will be with the team during training camp, assuming he is reinstated. How will it play out beyond that? If he wins a spot, he’s on the team. If he doesn’t … He’ll be like all the other players in August that don’t earn a roster spot in training camp. He’ll be looking elsewhere.
Zach Links: Do you think new addition Arian Foster still has some good football left in the tank? Was the Foster signing an indication that the team is less-than-thrilled with Jay Ajayi and Kenyan Drake?

Armando Salguero: I am told the Dolphins like Ajayi and Drake just fine. But, the team also likes the idea of having a veteran who has shown he’s a quality back when he’s healthy. I see this Dolphins backfield situation as Miami playing the odds. All three players — Foster, Ajayi, Drake — have had injury issues during their careers. The team is hopeful at least a couple of them can remain healthy in 2016. If one of those is Foster, he might be the best bargain, back-of-free agency addition in the division. But, again, only if he casts aside his recent history for being injured and unavailable.

Zach Links: Do you believe that new coach Adam Gase will elevate Ryan Tannehill‘s level of play? What kind of year do you think Tannehill will have in 2016?

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Armando Salguero: I’m not going to predict what type of season or what stats Ryan Tannehill will deliver. There’s a million ways to get that wrong and only one way to be right about that. But I am certain that in Gase, Miami’s starting quarterback has a strong advocate. Gase, I’ve been told, would jump on a grenade for Tannehill if he has to. I know this because Gase told me so. And that is new for Tannehill. He hasn’t gotten that type of security from the Dolphins coaching staff in several years. Gase knows his success depends largely on how well Tannehill plays. It makes sense for the new coach to have his QB’s back. Tannehill knows he’s not had the kind of support Gase is giving and to keep that support, he has to play well and reward the coach. It’s an interesting symbiotic relationship.

Zach Links: At No. 13, the Dolphins were able to draft a player who was widely considered to be one of the very best talents in this year’s class. How do you think Laremy Tunsil will adjust to playing guard in his first NFL season?

Armando Salguero: I think Tunsil will have growing pains, like many other rookies stepping up in level and playing an unfamiliar position. The Dolphins will use him at left guard and he’ll get left tackle reps in training camp as well. I believe when all is said and done, he’ll be the team’s starting left guard and backup left tackle if Branden Albert is injured. The only way that doesn’t happen is if Dallas Thomas plays out of his mind. Thomas says he has a new approach or disposition this year. Worst case scenario, the Dolphins will be better at left guard this year than they were last year, regardless of the player at the spot.

Zach Links: Reshad Jones skipped all of OTAs and the first day of the mandatory June minicamp before ending his holdout. Given that he has two years remaining on his deal, did Jones ever have a chance of forcing the Dolphins’ hand and getting a new deal done this summer?

Armando Salguero: I suppose Jones had a chance to sway the Dolphins to give him more money but that is gone now. He’s going to be reporting to camp and they’re not motivated to pay him right now. This must be said: The Dolphins highly value Jones. They will pay him next year by extending his deal, barring unforeseen issues. But Jones has to perform to par this year. That’s what the holdout was about. Jones wanted more certainty about getting paid in the future regardless of what happened this year.

Zach Links: Do you see the Dolphins improving on their 6-10 record from last season? Do you think they can put themselves in the playoff picture this year?

Armando Salguero: The trillion dollar question! Given that they have not had one training camp practice yet, played one preseason game, or made one roster move, I don’t think it’s possible for me to say the Dolphins will or won’t be in the playoffs. They play in a tough division. They were the worst team in that division last year. That is a steep climb. I think this is a better constructed team. I think this is a better coaching staff, particularly at the top. I don’t know that it will translate to a 10-6ish record. And neither does anyone else.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images and PFR on Instagram.

Latest On Dolphins, Dion Jordan

July 28th, 2016 at 11:00am CST by Zachary Links

In recent weeks, there has been a great deal of talk as to whether the Dolphins will pay Dion Jordan his $1.69MM roster bonus if he is reinstated by the league office. As it turns out, the Dolphins don’t really have a decision to make with regards to that payout.

The Dolphins are in fact required to pay Jordan a $1.69MM bonus on the fifth day of training camp, but Jordan also must repay his $3.35MM signing bonus to the team as a result of his multiple suspensions, according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. That money has not been fully returned yet and Jordan owes the Dolphins more money than he owes them. So, a reinstated Jordan would not be cut by the team in an effort to save money. However, the Dolphins could theoretically release or trade Jordan if they do not want him on the roster for football reasons.

The Dolphins have yet to hear from the commissioner regarding Jordan’s reinstatement, but one has to imagine that there will be a resolution soon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Steelers, Timmons Not Close On Extension

July 28th, 2016 at 9:24am CST by Zachary Links

Lawrence Timmons and the Steelers have engaged in contract discussions but are “not close” to an agreement, according to industry sources who spoke with Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Timmons is entering the final year of a contract he signed with Pittsburgh in 2011.

Timmons’ $48MM deal was restructured three times (2012, 2013, and 2015), giving him a ludicrous cap hit of $15.1MM for this season. That number gives Timmons the second-highest cap hit on the team, trailing only Ben Roethlisberger‘s $24MM figure. Timmons, 30, has spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the Steelers, but 2016 could very well mark his tenth and final year in black and yellow. Per club policy, the Steelers are unlikely to talk contract with Timmons once the season starts on September 12, meaning that the two sides probably wouldn’t discuss a new deal until next year.

The Steelers currently have $4.29MM in cap room and a Timmons extension would give them additional breathing room. By the same token, the Steelers have understudy Vince Williams waiting in the wings, though Williams is also slated to hit the open market after the 2016 season.

Last year, Timmons led the Steelers with 119 tackles and was third on the team with five sacks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions

July 28th, 2016 at 9:00am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Lions had high hopes for their 2015 campaign after reaching the postseason a year before, but an 0-5 start dashed any playoff chances the club might have had (Detroit’s only win in the first half of the year was an overtime squeaker against the Bears). The second half of the season was much more successful, as the Lions posted a 6-2 record that likely saved head coach Jim Caldwell‘s job. A new front office structure means roster changes, and although much of the coaching staff returns, Detroit looks like a different club heading into the upcoming season after a team legend surprisingly announced his retirement.

Notable signings:

Marvin Jones, WR: Five years, $40MM. $13MM guaranteed.
Haloti Ngata, DT: Two years, $12MM. $6MM guaranteed.
Tahir Whitehead, LB: Two years, $8MM. $4.75MM guaranteed.
Johnson Bademosi, S: Two years, $4.5MM. $2.9MM guaranteed.
Stefan Charles, DT: One year, $1.75MM. $750K guaranteed.
Tavon Wilson, S: Two years, $2.2MM. $500K guaranteed.
Wallace Gilberry, DE: One year, $1.25MM. $340K guaranteed.
Rafael Bush, S: One year, $1.5MM. $250K guaranteed.
Stevan Ridley, RB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $250K guaranteed.
Geoff Schwartz, OL: One year, minimum salary benefit. $200K guaranteed.
Dan Orlovsky, QB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $160K guaranteed.
Tyrunn Walker, DL: One year, $1.6MM. $150K guaranteed. $650K available via incentives.
Don Muhlbach, LS: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Darrin Walls, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Jeremy Kerley, WR: One year, $850K. $50K guaranteed. $300K available via incentives.
Orson Charles, TE: Two years, $1.29MM.
Tim Wright, TE: One year, $815K.
Crezdon Butler, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
Andre Caldwell, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit.
Matthew Mulligan, TE: One year, minimum salary benefit.
Andre Roberts, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit.
Zaviar Gooden, LB: One year, $600K.
Anquan Boldin, WR: One year, contract terms unknown.

Given that franchise icon Calvin Johnson formally announced his retirement one day prior to the beginning of the free agent period, the Lions waded into the open market with wide receiver atop their list of needs. And instead of settling for a mid-tier option like Rishard Matthews or Rueben Randle, Detroit struck early and added the top pass-catcher available, inking former Bengals receiver Marvin Jones to a five-year deal worth $40MM. In most offseasons, Jones wouldn’t have been considered the No. 1 WR on the market, but with the Bears’ Alshon Jeffery restricted by the franchise tag, Jones was the best obtainable choice.

The 26-year-old Jones never got an opportunity to be Cincinnati’s primary offensive weapon given the presence of A.J. Green, so it’s difficult to know for certain if he’ll be able to take on that role in Detroit. In his two seasons as a full-time player, Jones has averaged 58 receptions for 764 yards and seven touchdowns, and because Golden Tate is still expected to garner a ton of targets in 2016, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jones only sees a slight uptick in those numbers. Clearly, other clubs around the league think highly of Jones, as the Lions had to outduel the Browns, the Patriots, and, naturally, the Bengals for his services.

Just yesterday, the Lions signed another pass-catcher, agreeing to terms with veteran receiver Anquan Boldin after meeting with him in June. Even as he ages, Boldin has continued to post solid production — he’s managed at least 65 receptions in each of the past four years, averaging nearly 1,000 yards and five touchdowns during that time. Besides Detroit, the Redskins and the Saints were the only clubs to express known interest in Boldin over the past several months, but he’ll act as a malleable weapon who can play outside and slot receiver in the Lions’ offense.

Detroit also made several smaller additions to its receiver corps, agreeing to deals with Jeremy Kerley, Andre Caldwell, and Andre Roberts. The trifecta are all very similar players, from their work in the slot to their returning ability, but given that Boldin spent most last year on the inside, it’s conceivable that none of the group makes the final roster, even though the Lions’ depth chart is pretty wide open behind the top three. Kerley, for what it’s worth, was the only member of the trio to receive any guaranteed money, but even he only garnered $50K.

None of the three tight ends added on minimum contracts — Matthew Mulligan, Tim Wright, and Orson Charles — figure to make an impact, or even the roster, this season, meaning the only other Lions addition at a skill position was running back Stevan Ridley, whom new general manager Bob Quinn is familiar with given the pair’s time with the Patriots. Ridley, 27, looks to be in a position to make Detroit’s roster after a knee injury limited him in each of the past two seasons. However, the Lions were set to work out free agent Arian Foster before he signed with the Dolphins last week, which indicates that the team isn’t sold on its running backs, so Ridley (and second-year pro Zach Zenner) may have to fight for their jobs during camp.

Like Ridley, offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz signed a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract with the Lions, and also like Ridley, Schwartz was guaranteed a hefty portion of his base salary. As a reminder, the MSB allows a club to pay a veteran player the minimum for a player with his service time, while only taking on the cap charge of a player with two years experience. So while Schwartz, for example, will earn $840K if he makes Detroit’s roster, he’ll only count for $680K ($600K base salary plus an $80K signing bonus) on the Lions’ salary cap.

That $80K bonus figure is the maximum allowable on a minimum salary benefit deal, but the contractual bargaining agreement doesn’t place restrictions on how much base salary a team can guarantee a player. Ridley and Schwartz, then, will each be guaranteed in excess of $200K even though their cap charges will remain relatively small. Of course, when compared against a $155MM salary cap, a savings of $80K or so looks like pennies, but every dollar counts. And it’s a smart strategy by Quinn & Co., because it enables the Lions to woo veteran free agents with financial guarantees without worrying about exorbitant cap hits.

Schwartz, for his part, isn’t in line for a starting position now that Detroit has drafted Taylor Decker, but he’s an extremely valuable asset who can play every spot up front except for center. His only problem over the past few seasons has been his health, as he started only 18 games in two years after signing a free agent contract with the Giants. But in a league where Joe Barksdale (for example) can score $22MM over four years, landing Schwartz for a relative pittance is a steal.

The Lions secured another bargain on the defensive side of the ball, re-signing outside linebacker Tahir Whitehead to a two-year, $8MM deal that includes less than $5MM in guarantees. Non-rush ‘backers aren’t a highly-coveted commodity, but PFR ranked Whitehead as the best free agent among his position group this offseason, and the 26-year-old graded as the No. 14 linebacker in the league in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus. Whitehead, 26, could be playing a new role in 2016, as middle linebacker is now open following the release of Stephen Tulloch.

Detroit’s other additions along the front seven all came up front, as the club re-invested in its defensive line after losing Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, and others following the 2014 campaign. A year after sending a fourth-round pick to Baltimore to acquire Haloti Ngata, the Lions re-signed the veteran defensive tackle, inking him to a two-year deal. Ngata, 32, wasn’t quite as effective in 2015 as he’d been in recent seasons, and given that he missed two games with a calf injury, it’s fair to wonder if Ngata is finally slowing down. Detroit handed him a $4MM signing bonus, however, so he has a decent amount of dead money protection that could keep him from being released in the next two years.

Perhaps in an effort to guard against any fall-off on the part of Ngata, the Lions also re-upped fellow interior defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker, and added free agent Stefan Charles from the Bills. The 26-year-old Walker turned down a three-year offer from the Patriots last offseason in favor of a one-year deal from Detroit, but then spent most of the season on injured reserve after suffering a broken fibula. Walker will be healthy for 2016, and along with Charles, he’ll provide depth on the interior as part of a group that includes holdovers Caraun Reid, Khyri Thornton, Gabe Wright, as well as second-round rookie A’Shawn Robinson. Ngata, therefore, should see a decrease in snaps after seeing action on roughly 57% of Detroit’s plays last year.

Along the edge, the Lions signed defensive end Wallace Gilberry, who had spent the past four years with the Bengals. Gilberry was exceptional during in 2013, posting 7.5 sacks while serving as Cincinnati’s third defensive end, but his play dropped off in later seasons when he was asked to take on a larger role. Luckily, Detroit will place him back into a rotation, but Gilberry is now 31 years old, so he can’t be counted on to produce at a high level. As such, I identified the Lions as a possible landing spot for veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney, and, if the club can stomach him, controversial defensive end Greg Hardy.

Detroit figures to stage a three-man competition to replace Isa Abdul-Quddus at strong safety, with two free agent signings — Rafael Bush and Tavon Wilson — facing off against fourth-round rookie Miles Killebrew for the starting job. Though Wilson was a Quinn draft pick in New England, Bush probably has the edge in this battle, as he was very effective during his time with the Saints — when he could stay healthy. Bush has ended each of the last two seasons on injured reserve (he played in only one game in 2015), so if he can’t stay on the field, Wilson and/or Killebrew should see plenty of opportunities.

Defensive back Johnson Bademosi doesn’t figure to factor into the starting safety competition, but after inking one of the largest contracts for a special-teamer in league history ($2.9MM guaranteed), he will certainly play an important role. The Lions ranked 13th in special teams DVOA last season, and given that Quinn comes from New England, which consistently ranked in the top-five of ST DVOA, teams is likely an area where the new general manager figures he can improve on the cheap.

Continue reading about the Lions’ offseason…

Isa Abdul-Quddus, S
Joique Bell, RB: Released
Jermelle Cudjo, DT
James Ihedigbo, S
Calvin Johnson, WR: Retired
Jason Jones, DE
Travis Lewis, LB
Rashean Mathis, CB: Retired
Lance Moore, WR
Bear Pascoe, TE
Manny Ramirez, OL
Darryl Tapp, DE
Stephen Tulloch, LB: Released
C.J. Wilson, DT: Released
Josh Wilson, CB

The Lions lost several talented players this offseason, but the retirement of Calvin Johnson clearly stands above the rest. The 30-year-old’s decision to hang up his cleats seemingly came out of nowhere, and Johnson’s choice heavily affected Detroit’s free agent strategy, forcing the club to ink Marvin Jones to a hefty contract while also adding depth options like Anquan Boldin, Andre Roberts, and Jeremy Kerley.

Johnson will retire as the Lions’ all-time leader in receptions (731) receiving yards (11,619) and receiving touchdowns (83). Since leading the NFL with 122 receptions and 1,964 yards in 2012, he had seen his production decline a little. Still, Megatron continued to be one of the league’s more productive pass catchers in 2015, with 88 catches, 1,214 yards, and nine touchdowns, making his retirement announcement all the more unexpected.

Joique Bell, meanwhile, didn’t have the storied Lions history that did Johnson, but he was still an inspiring story, battling for a roster spot as an undrafted free agent and ultimately scoring 22 touchdowns over four seasons in the Motor City. But his age-29 season was his worst year to date, as he battled injuries and only managed 3.5 yards per carry on 90 attempts. Detroit moved on, adding Stevan Ridley to fill the power back role, but Bell has claimed he has several free agent offers on the table.

Veterans Lance Moore and Manny Ramirez played relatively meaningful snaps for the Lions last season, as Moore saw 43 targets as a slot receiver, while Ramirez saw action at both guard positions in addition center. Neither will be back with the Lions in 2016, and Ramirez won’t be playing for anyone, as he announced his retirement after initially signing with the Bears this offseason. Moore, who hasn’t been productive since 2012, could soon follow Ramirez into retirement, as he hasn’t garnered any known interest since free agency began.

Aside from Johnson, few of the Detroit’s losses on the offensive side of the ball were notable, but that’s not the case on defense. Isa Abdul-Quddus‘ defection to Miami will probably hurt the most, as the 26-year-old graded out as the No. 21 safety in the league last year (per Pro Football Focus) after taking a starting job from James Ihedigbo midseason. However, given that the Dolphins handed Quddus a three-year deal that will pay him more than $4MM per year, it’s not a surprise that the Lions declined to match the offer. Detroit is already paying fellow defensive back Glover Quin $4.7MM annually, and Abdul-Quddus could prove to be a risky investment given that he’s really only posted a half-season’s worth of production.

As noted, Ihedigbo lost his starting role last midway through last year, and there’s been no indication that he’ll reunite with the Lions at any point before the season begins (though he is confident he will find a landing spot soon). The 32-year-old Ihedigbo was excellent during the 2014 campaign, but quickly pushed for a new contract following that season, which could have rubbed Detroit management the wrong way.

Two other defensive backs — Rashean Mathis and Josh Wilson — also won’t return to Detroit next year after dealing with injuries last season. Mathis and Wilson only played in a combined 15 games last season, as the former battled concussions while the latter suffered a knee issue. Mathis, who turns 36 next month, announced his retirement earlier this year, ending a 13-year career that saw him earn 165 starts. Third-year pro Nevin Lawson, who took over at corner after Mathis went down, figures to act as the starter opposite Darius Slay in 2016.

While Mathis was able to end his career ceremoniously, the same adverb can’t be used to describe how the Lions handled veteran linebacker Stephen Tulloch over the past several months. Reports as far back as February indicated that Tulloch would be released when the new league year began in March, but Detroit took no action until early July, waiting until the 31-year-old could pass a physical so that it wouldn’t have to pay him a $1.1MM in injury protection. All told, the Lions cleared out $6MM in cap space by cutting Tulloch, who’d been with the club since 2011.

Up front, Detroit is losing three veteran defenders — Darryl Tapp, Jason Jones, and C.J. Wilson — who played more than 1,000 combined snaps in 2015. Of the trifecta, Jones’ loss is the most consequential, given that he saw the most action and was the most effective, but Tapp was also a quality run-defender last year. All three have since found new homes, as Tapp and Wilson signed with the Saints while Jones joined the Dolphins.

Trades:

Acquired LB Jon Bostic from the Patriots in exchange for a conditional 2017 seventh-round pick.

Jon Bostic was traded for the second time in eight months, and this time around he’ll head back to the NFC North, the division where he began his career as a second-round pick of the Bears. The easy connection here is the Patriots, as Bostic is one of several former New England players — along with Stevan Ridley, Tavon Wilson, and Matthew Mulligan — brought in by former Pats pro scouting director Bob Quinn, who is now Detroit’s general manager.

Now that longtime Lion Stephen Tulloch has been released, Detroit’s linebacking unit with have a slightly different look going forward. Former All Pro DeAndre Levy is healthy again and will man the weak side, while Tahir Whitehead is expected to move to the middle to replace Tulloch. Former second-round pick Kyle Van Noy is the favorite to take over on the strong side, leaving Josh Bynes and Bostic to compete for time as reserves.

Both Bynes and Bostic figure to make Detroit’s 53-man roster, not only because they’re cheap, but because they both offer special teams value. Bynes played over 50% of the Lions’ ST snaps last year, while Bostic has averaged about a third of special teams snaps over his career. Detroit essentially acquired Bostic for nothing, and on the outside chance that he’s forced to contribute in 2016, the Lions could reap a compensatory pick when Bostic hits the free agent market next spring.

Draft picks:

1-16: Taylor Decker, T (Ohio State)
2-46: A’Shawn Robinson, DT (Alabama)
3-95: Graham Glasgow, C (Michigan)
4-111: Miles Killebrew, S (Southern Utah)
5-151: Joe Dahl, T (Washington State)
5-169: Antwione Williams, LB (Georgia Southern)
6-191: Jake Rudock, QB (Michigan)
6-202: Anthony Zettel, DT (Penn State)
6-210: Jimmy Landes, LS (Baylor)
7-236: Dwayne Washington, RB (Washington)

Detroit was a popular landing spot for Taylor Decker in mock drafts, and the Lions got their man when draft day came. Decker appears to be the favorite to start at left tackle, which would mean incumbent blindside protector Riley Reiff is ticketed for the right side. Quietly, Detroit’s offensive line is adding talent, and will now field first-rounders at both tackle spots and left guard (Laken Tomlinson), while Larry Warford — who’s been excellent during his first three years in the league — holds down right guard.

Center, meanwhile, looked to be a question mark after the Lions selected the local Graham Glasgow in the third round, but recent reports have indicated that third-year pro Travis Swanson is still taking first-team reps this offseason. That could certainly change down the road, especially if Swanson plays as poorly as he did last year, when he ranked among the bottom-10 centers in the league, according to PFF.

Aside from Decker, the Detroit rookies with the best chances at playing time in 2016 are A’Shawn Robinson and Miles Killebrew, each of whom will vie for snaps on the defensive side of the ball. Robinson is the favorite to start on the interior next to Haloti Ngata, but will likely split time with Caraun Reid, Tyrunn Walker, and Stefan Charles, while Killebrew is a candidate to start at safety if he can beat out Rafael Bush and/or Tavon Wilson.

Other:

Hired Bob Quinn as general manager to replace Sheldon White (interim) / Martin Mayhew.
Exercised 2017 fifth-year option for DE Ezekiel Ansah ($12.734MM).
Exercised 2017 option for kicker Matt Prater.
Signed 12 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.

New general manager Bob Quinn comes to the Lions from the Patriots, with whom he had spent his entire 16-year NFL career, working his way up from scout to to become New England’s director of pro scouting, a title he’d held since 2012. It’s easy to assume that every Patriots personnel executive that lands a GM job is going to be the next Bill Belichick in terms of cap and roster management, but former New England front office members have just as spotty a track record as do ex-Pats assistant coaches.

Scott Pioli, for example, only helped lead the Chiefs to one postseason appearance during his four-year run during Kansas City, and has now joined fellow ex-Patriot Thomas Dimitroff in Atlanta. Dimitroff, for his part, has posted the most success of any former New England employee, as the Falcons won nine or more games during his first five seasons with the club, but the last three years have been a struggle. Jason Licht has the Buccaneers moving in the right direction, while former Pats college scouting director Jon Robinson is entering his first season with the Titans.

All of which is to say that Quinn isn’t a lock to experience success simply because he has Patriots lineage. But one of his first (and most important) decisions will be how to handle negotiations with pass rusher Ezekiel Ansah, who is under team control through 2017 courtesy of the fifth-year option.

Viewed as a high-risk prospect coming out of BYU, “Ziggy” has reached his potential and more, posting 30 sacks during his first three years in the league, 12th-most among defensive linemen in the first three years of their careers since the merger. He’ll look to break the bank when he reaches free agency, and the only hindrance in talks might be his age. Ansah entered the league at age-24, so he’ll already be 29 when he becomes a free agent for the first time, and 30 if the Lions use the franchise tag in 2018.

Detroit’s decision to pick up its 2017 option on kicker Matt Prater didn’t change much for the veteran. He’ll receive $750K as a bonus instead of base salary this season, and his contract for next year isn’t guaranteed. As such, the Lions could easily cut bait next offseason, but they’ll have no reason to if Prater performs as well as he did in 2015. After beginning the season with a few shaky contests, Pratter settled down and ended up making 21-of-26 field goal attempts.

Top 10 cap hits for 2016:

Matthew Stafford, QB: $22,500,000
Calvin Johnson, WR: $12,916,000 (dead money)
Riley Reiff, T: $8,070,000
DeAndre Levy, LB: $7,650,000
Glover Quin, S: $7,577,500
Stephen Tulloch, LB: $7,300,000
Golden Tate, WR: $7,101,250
Marvin Jones, WR: $6,600,000
Ezekiel Ansah, DE: $5,916,433
Brandon Pettigrew, TE: $4,650,000

With no Calvin Johnson on the roster for the first time since 2006, Detroit’s offense will change, and quarterback Matthew Stafford will likely spread the ball out a bit more as the team looks to find its footing. The Lions’ defense could prove to be the more important unit, however, as the club needs to maintain its success on that side of the ball if it has any hope of competing with the Packers and Vikings in the NFC North.

Information from Over the Cap, Spotrac, and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC East Notes: Gregory, Eagles, Bradham

July 27th, 2016 at 9:36pm CST by Zachary Links

While Cowboys defensive lineman Randy Gregory is in a treatment facility, his representatives are fighting a second suspension – in addition to the four-game ban he is already faced with – that could keep him off the field for the bulk of the 2016 season.

If Gregory’s appeal is unsuccessful, the NFL will have the discretion to suspend him for an additional ten games for total of 14 or the league could add six games to his existing four-game ban, giving him a ten-game suspension in total, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter) senses that Gregory’s ban is more likely to be for ten games than 14 since the NFL’s substance abuse policy is geared more towards rehabilitation than punishment.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Eagles coach Doug Pederson doesn’t foresee releasing linebacker Nigel Bradham after his bizarre dustup with a hotel employee, Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Pederson went on to say that he considers him a starting linebacker. Bradham was reportedly part of a six-person group that began arguing with a Hilton Bentley hotel employee over the amount of time it took to receive an umbrella they had apparently purchased. Bradham turned himself into Miami police and was charged with aggravated battery, a second-degree felony.
Pederson acknowledged the Eagles had interest in Anquan Boldin before he was signed by the Lions, Berman tweets. As shown on Roster Resource, the Eagles currently have Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, Rueben Randle, Josh Huff, Chris Givens, T.J. Graham, and Hunter Sharp at wide receiver.
Darren McFadden‘s latest elbow scan was encouraging and he is on schedule to be ready for the beginning of the Cowboys‘ regular season, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
The Redskins are evaluating their young running backs and outside linebackers first before making any signings, Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets.

Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick Agree To Deal

July 27th, 2016 at 9:08pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jets and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick have finally ended their months-long contract standoff, agreeing Wednesday to a one-year, fully guaranteed pact worth $12MM, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Fitzpatrick can make an extra $3MM in incentives and rake in $15MM total, though the Jets would have to win the Super Bowl for him to earn that money, tweets Albert Breer of TheMMQB.

The news of the Jets and Fitzpatrick reaching a deal comes as little surprise after Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported earlier Wednesday that negotiations were “heating up” on the eve of the Jets starting training camp practice. However, the Jets previously didn’t want to give Fitzpatrick a one-year contract, notes ESPN’s Rich Cimini, who adds that the sizable extension awarded to defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson earlier this month opened up enough cap room ($5.7MM) for New York to re-sign the signal-caller. The Jets significantly increased their offer from $8MM to $12MM on Wednesday and informed Fitzpatrick to either take it by 7 p.m. ET or they’d move on, reports Schefter (Twitter link via Cimini).

Fitzpatrick, 33, and the Jets had fought since March over the 11-year veteran’s worth. After Fitzpatrick posted career-high totals in touchdowns (31) and yards (3,905) last season for a 10-win Jets team that narrowly missed the playoffs, he reportedly sought a multiyear accord worth between $12MM and $16MM in annual value. The Jets had other ideas in regards to average salary, however, having presented him a three-year, $24MM offer that featured $15MM in guarantees. New York also played with the idea of offering Fitzpatrick the chance to opt out after the first of three years, but he rejected that, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). While Fitzpatrick will haul in $3MM less in total guarantees with his new deal, the fact that it’s only over one year will give him a chance to cash in again in the future.

Although negotiations between the Jets and Fitzpatrick didn’t go as smoothly as either hoped, the fact that he’ll remain a member of Gang Green seems like a win for both sides. Barring injury, Fitzpatrick wouldn’t have found another starting job on the open market this summer, and the Jets couldn’t have gone into the season expecting to break their five-year playoff drought with Geno Smith under center. Smith has been a disappointment since New York used a second-round pick on him in the 2013 draft, while fellow Jets passers Christian Hackenberg (a second-round rookie) and Bryce Petty (a fourth-rounder in 2015) have combined for zero NFL snaps.

With a strong defense, an excellent receiving tandem (Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker) and an accomplished veteran running back (Matt Forte) in place, the Fitzpatrick-led Jets should have a chance to push for a postseason berth this year. And, with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady set to miss a quarter of the season because of a suspension, New York undoubtedly has its eyes on an AFC East title. Whether that’s realistic is highly debatable, but the Jets seem to stand a greater chance of accomplishing it now that Fitzpatrick is back in the driver’s seat.

Photo corutesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jets Sign Darron Lee

July 27th, 2016 at 9:07pm CST by Zachary Links

9:07pm: The Jets have officially announced the signing.

3:14pm: Lee’s four-year, $10.2MM deal is fully guaranteed, but also includes default language that allows the Jets to recoup some of his guaranteed money if he is cut for non-football reasons, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets.

2:36pm: The Jets’ longstanding contract dispute has finally come to an end (No, not that one). The Jets and first-round pick Darron Lee have reached agreement on a contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Reportedly, Lee was pushing for the fourth year of his contract to be fully guaranteed. Meanwhile, the Jets were only willing to give Lee a partial guarantee for the 2019 season.

Recently, scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas spoke highly of Lee when breaking down the Jets’ rookie class for PFR:

It is not etched in stone where Lee will line up for the Jets, but hailed by The NFL Draft Report the “best defensive playmaker in the 2016 draft,” the Jets are certain to find a role quickly for their first round pick. For now, he’s listed behind Erin Henderson at right inside linebacker. Beyond that, veteran and inside starter David Harris might be looking for employment elsewhere in 2017, if Lee progresses as quickly as expected.

Henderson moves into the lineup, at least temporarily, after the Jets let Demario Davis leave in free agency despite finishing second on the team with 90 tackles last year. Still, it will not be long before he cedes playing time to Lee. Another player greatly affected by Lee’s arrival is Buccaneers castoff Bruce Carter, who was brought in to play the nickel package. With Lee’s cornerback-like speed, Carter will have to sit while Lee performs in that alignment.

Some draft analysts stated that Lee was a “work in progress” and “did not excite” in 2015 like he did in 2014 during the Buckeyes’ national championship march. Unknown to many scouts, at the time, but Lee was playing with a lower leg injury during the first half of his sophomore campaign. With several Buckeyes suspended earlier in the year, the strong-side linebacker felt that even on one leg, he needed to be out on the field.

There are now only two first-round picks that are not under contract with their respective clubs. Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa and 49ers guard Joshua Garnett have yet to sign on the dotted line.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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