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Month: December 2024

Raiders Sign Derek Carr To Extension

June 23rd, 2017 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders and Derek Carr have finalized a new five-year deal that is believed to be worth about $25MM per year, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Carr confirmed the deal on Twitter on Thursday morning and the Raiders made it official with an announcement on Friday."<strong

[RELATED: Lions Willing To Make Matthew Stafford League’s Highest-Paid Player]

Carr is now signed through 2022 with a deal that will contain just south of $69MM over the first three years, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). Carr’s deal includes $70MM in guarantees with $40MM fully guaranteed at signing, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). Additional details can be found here.

It has long been expected that Carr’s deal could approach the $25MM/year mark, but it wasn’t clear when the two sides would finally shake hands on a deal. Now, the Raiders have gotten the extension hammered out with weeks to go before training camp. That’s a huge win for the Raiders, especially since Carr was adamant about cutting off talks in late July.

“I wouldn’t even answer my phone,” Carr said recently. “The money isn’t the thing that drives me. … What drives me is making sure I’m giving everything that I have with my abilities, and making sure that we win. And I don’t want anything distracting my thought process at all…Now, that’s not a jab, or anything like that. That’s just me saying I’m not going to deal with anything that’s not helping me just focus on winning.”

The former second-round pick was slated to enter the final year of his rookie contract. Instead, he’ll see a titanic bump after his paltry $1.15MM salary in 2017. Before today’s news, Andrew Luck‘s $24.6MM average annual salary was the highest of any player in the NFL. Carr’s new deal – when counting just the “new” money – will place him at the top in AAV, besting Carson Palmer ($24.35MM), Drew Brees ($24.25MM), and Kirk Cousins ($23.9MM).

Last season, Carr completed 63.8% of his passes for 3,937 yards, 28 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 QB last season, putting him ahead of Brees, Cousins, Matthew Stafford, Dak Prescott, and several other major names. Only Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Luck, and Russell Wilson finished with higher scores than the Raiders QB.

Carr’s new deal will have major implications for Stafford and Cousins as they seek new multi-year arrangements. Lions president Ron Wood admitted this week that a new deal for Stafford would likely mean making him the league’s highest-paid player and the Carr deal only raises the bar. The two sides may now have the framework in place for a deal and that could bump Carr from the top spot in compensation rather quickly.

Meanwhile, Cousins and the Redskins have until July 17 (not July 15) to work out an extension. Cousins is not interested in taking a hometown discount and he is seeking full guarantees that will match the total of this year’s franchise tag ($23.94MM) plus next year’s transition tender ($28.7MM).

NFC North Notes: Vikings, Bradford, Bears

June 23rd, 2017 at 11:31am CST by Zachary Links

Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford is one year away from free agency and he could be poised to cash in all over again, ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling writes. Bradford’s agent Tom Condon will likely seek a deal with an average annual value of $20MM or more with at least $40-$50MM in guaranteed money. That may sound like a high price tag for Bradford, but it’s not that outlandish when looking at other quarterback contracts. After Derek Carr‘s extension with the Raiders, 13 quarterbacks in the league now make an average of $20MM or more. The question is – will the Vikings be the team to give Bradford that kind of deal? In theory, Minnesota could have Teddy Bridgewater ready to go for 2018, but they can’t bank on that, so they’ll likely explore a Bradford extension.

Here’s a look at the NFC North:

AFC West Rumors: Chiefs, Dorsey, Veach

June 23rd, 2017 at 9:47am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the AFC West following the Chiefs‘ surprising GM shakeup: 

  • Chiefs co-director of player personnel Brett Veach is the name to watch in the team’s GM search, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Veach was widely identified as a candidate for the opening on Thursday, but it sounds like he has an early lead over the rest.
  • Several sources in the know say that John Dorsey didn’t know the Chiefs were going to fire him this week, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. The Chiefs reportedly weren’t pleased with how Dorsey handled contract negotiations with stars like Justin Houston and Eric Berry, but Dorsey still did not believe that his job was in jeopardy.
  • The Raiders‘ commitment of $40MM guaranteed at signing for Derek Carr is nothing to sneeze at, but the team got a level of flexibility that you don’t see with some of the other quarterback contracts out there, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. Before the third year of the deal, the Raiders could theoretically walk away from Derek Carr and take on just $7.5MM in dead money. Because he’ll effectively be going year-to-year, the deal has some similarities to Colin Kaepernick‘s 49ers contract and that’s not necessarily great for the player. Carr did get some financial security with his new deal, but Fitzgerald feels that quarterbacks need a new champion to really push the market. That could come in a matter of weeks when/if Matthew Stafford inks a new deal with Detroit.

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Boldin, Bengals

June 23rd, 2017 at 9:01am CST by Zachary Links

Could the Ravens still sign Anquan Boldin? People are naturally speculating that Baltimore could bring Boldin back to the fold, but Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun gets the sense that the Ravens are content with what they have at wide receiver. The Ravens want to give Breshad Perriman lots of playing time while also getting Chris Moore involved and a Boldin signing would hurt both of those efforts. Baltimore is also looking to use its remaining cap space to bolster the offensive line.

For his part, Boldin says that he is willing to wait until later in the summer to join a team. The wide receiver, who turns 37 in October, reportedly would like to play close to his home in Florida.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

  • There’s a lot of chatter about coach Marvin Lewis‘ future with the Bengals, but the players aren’t necessarily dwelling on it. “He doesn’t talk about contracts. He doesn’t talk about his situation,” quarterback Andy Dalton said (via Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer) . “It’s all about having a good year. So, the guys aren’t thinking about that.” While Bengals players say they are focused on winning rather than saving Lewis’ job, every player quoted in the story had positive things to say about the coach.
  • Rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer is gaining ground on Cody Kessler in the Browns‘ quarterback competition, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. “We already have some capable guys here in Brock and Cody, and we want to see if (Kizer) can compete with those guys,” coach Hue Jackson said last week. “Obviously, there are some things he does really well, and there are some things where he’s still a young quarterback. He’s still learning, but he’s emerging. I do believe that. We’ll see how this all unfolds.” Of course, Brock Osweiler is also in the mix for the No. 1 QB job and the early word on him has also been positive.
  • Former Browns and Steelers cornerback Justin Gilbert has been suspended for one year by the NFL.

Reaction To Chiefs Firing GM John Dorsey

June 22nd, 2017 at 9:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

On the same day they announced a four-year extension for head coach Andy Reid, the Chiefs shocked the NFL world by firing general manager John Dorsey. Let’s take a look at some of the reaction and fallout from Dorsey’s dismissal:

  • Despite what owner Clark Hunt stated in the Chiefs’ press release, Kansas City and Dorsey did not “agree to part ways,” a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Rather, the Chiefs decided to fire Dorsey, and the decision was made by Hunt, not Reid, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
  • The Chiefs weren’t pleased with how Dorsey handled contract negotiations with the team’s premier players such as Justin Houston and Eric Berry, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Kansas City waited until the last minute to work out deals with Houston and Berry (after using the franchise tag on both), and the delay in talks ended up costing the Chiefs down the line.
  • Dorsey reportedly told a confidant that he and Hunt were “butting heads” within the past two months, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Dorsey didn’t elaborate on the issue at hand, but it conceivably could have been related to how Dorsey handled Houston and Berry’s contracts, or about Dorsey’s own pact with the Chiefs.
  • Reactions to Dorsey’s firing — both inside and outside the Chiefs organization — were ones of immense surprise. Those around were the league were “stunned” and “dumbfounded,” per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), while Kansas City staffers were just as shocked,as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. “It caught everybody off guard,” said a team source. “Nobody saw it coming. Nobody knows (what happened) because everybody is out of the building.”
  • Reid will not take on a more active role in personnel, according to Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star. Reid, notably, was the Eagles’ de facto general manager from 2001-12. Additionally, Reid and the new general manager will both separately report to Hunt, the same arrangement utilized by the Reid and Dorsey tandem.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/22/17

June 22nd, 2017 at 9:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Patriots have waived wide receiver DeAndrew White in order to create roster space for newly-signed veteran linebacker David Harris, the club announced today. White, 25, signed with the 49ers in 2015 after going undrafted out of Alabama. He spent his rookie season solely as a return man, appearing in four games while returning six kickoffs and one punt. White spent the majority of the 2016 campaign on New England’s practice squad, and had just re-signed with the club last month.

John Dorsey Unlikely To Return To Packers?

June 22nd, 2017 at 8:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After being fired as the Chiefs’ general manager earlier today, John Dorsey is unlikely to return to the Packers, with whom he’s the spent the majority of his professional career, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links: 1, 2, 3, 4).John Dorsey (Vertical)

Dorsey has been mentioned as a candidate to succeed Green Bay GM Ted Thompson since January, when a report indicated Dorsey could head to Green Bay when his Kansas City contract expired after 2017. Dorsey helped to build the Packers into a consistent contender, first as a college scout from 1991-97 and then as director of college scouting in 1998. After a one-year stint as the Seahawks’ director of player personnel in 1999, Dorsey returned to the Packers, where he served as the team’s director of college scouting from 2000-11 and as the director of football operations in 2012.

However, the next Packers general manager is more likely to be one of director of football operations Eliot Wolf, director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst, or vice president of football administration Russ Ball, per Robinson. Wolf and Gutekunst, specifically, have turned down opportunities to interview elsewhere (including San Francisco earlier this year) in order to remain in Green Bay, while Ball has been “working to broaden his knowledge base” in order to be prepared for a jump to GM.

That’s not to say Dorsey doesn’t have interest in returning to the Packers, as Robinson reports Dorsey has “overwhelming respect” for Thomspson and is “very fond” of the Packers organization. But his presence on Green Bay’s personnel staff could “ruffle some feathers,” per Robinson, especially because the trio of Wolf, Gutekunst, and Ball have remained on board instead of pursuing other jobs.

Tyrunn Walker Accused Of Rape

June 22nd, 2017 at 7:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker is accused of raping a woman in Louisiana in February, report Jim Mustian and Ramon Antonio Vargas of the Advocate. Walker was released by the Rams today just two hours after the Advocate scribes offered his agent an opportunity to respond to the allegations.Tyrunn Walker (Vertical)

Walker and another man are alleged to have sexually assaulted two women in a hotel following a celebration of Mardi Gras in late February. At least one woman believes she was drugged before the assault occurred, and both women have filed restraining orders against Walker and the other male. An investigation began in March, but the Lafayette, La. district attorney hasn’t yet decided whether the case will be sent to a grand jury.

Los Angeles cut the 27-year-old Walker just three months after signing him to a one-year deal. Under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, Walker could face a league-imposed suspension regardless of whether he’s found guilty or charges are officially filed.

Chiefs To Start GM Search Immediately

June 22nd, 2017 at 6:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After firing general manager John Dorsey earlier today, the Chiefs intend to begin their search for a new GM immediately, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Kansas City will consider both internal and external candidates for the position, per Yates, and has a “loose goal” of finding a general manager by the start of training camp, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.Kansas City Chiefs helmet general (Featured)

The Chiefs’ most natural internal contender for the job may have been Chris Ballard, who’d worked under Dorsey for four years. But Ballard has already landed a new job this offseason, as he was named the Colts’ general manager in January. Other incumbent candidates for the Kansas City position may include co-directors of player personnel Mike Borgonzi and Brett Veach, the latter of whom was linked to the Bills’ GM vacancy. Indeed, both Borgonzi and Veach are expected to garner GM interviews, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

Any number of external candidates could vie for the Chiefs’ general manager gig, and PFR’s 2017 GM Search Tracker — which documented every executive named in relation to the 49ers, Colts, and Bills general manager searches — could work as a list of possible contenders. Based on those hiring processes, possible interviewees could include Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner (Seahawks), George Paton (Vikings), Eliot Wolf and Brian Gutekunst (Packers), Chris Polian (Jaguars), Eric DeCosta (Ravens), and Nick Caserio (Patriots).

Saints Sign First-Round OT Ryan Ramczyk

June 22nd, 2017 at 5:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints have agreed to terms with the last of their unsigned draft picks, as they’ve inked first-round tackle Ryan Ramczyk to a four-year deal, the club announced today.Ryan Ramczyk (Vertical)

Ramczyk, who had been one of only a dozen unsigned picks league-wide, had been battling a hip issue, leading to a delay in contract negotiation. Although the Saints drafted the Wisconsin product at No. 32 overall with an eye towards the future, Ramczyk may instead be called on to play immediately. Incumbent left tackle Terron Armstead recently suffered a labrum injury and will be sidelined 4-6 months, meaning Ramcyzk could start at left tackle from day one.

Like all first-round selections, Ramczyk will sign a four-year contract that comes with a fifth-year option (for the 2021 campaign) attached. In total, Ramczyk’s deal will be worth approximately $8.892MM, including a signing bonus of $4.607MM and 2017 cap charge of $1.617MM.

Here’s a complete overview of the Saints’ 2017 draft class:

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