2017 June - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers LB Thomas Davis Wants Extension

June 30th, 2017 at 8:51am CST by Zachary Links

Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis is scheduled to enter his contract year, but he would like to stave that off for a bit. The 34-year-old says that he is hoping for a contract extension.

“That’s something all players in the last year of their deal, especially for guys who have put up the numbers I’ve put up and played the way I’ve played the last few years, you’d hope something get worked out,” Davis told WFNZ (audio link, transcription via PFT). “We’re not actively talking now, but hopefully we can do something before training camp happens.”

Davis is coming off of his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance and he should still have plenty left in the tank for 2017. Last year, the veteran racked up 106 total tackles, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and even scores his first career defensive touchdown. For his efforts, he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 39th best linebacker, a ranking that confirms he is starting caliber.

The Panthers haven’t always done right by veteran players, but it might behoove the Panthers to sit down with Davis’ camp and discuss a new deal. This year, he is set to count for $8.25MM against the Panthers’ cap. An extension could help smooth out that cap hit while giving Davis the extra years and security he is looking for.

Jets, Zach Orr To Meet On Saturday

June 30th, 2017 at 8:36am CST by Zachary Links

Free agent linebacker Zach Orr will meet with the Jets on Saturday, following the conclusion of his Lions visit on Friday morning, agent Rob Sheets tells ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano (Twitter link). Sheets says that Orr will also meet with another team in the next couple of days, but he did not reveal the identity of that club.

Orr’s visit with the Jets will almost certainly include a physical and that is much more than a formality in his case. Orr retired in January due to a congenital spine condition and at the time, the belief was that he could be at risk of paralysis or even death if he continued playing. The 25-year-old has found medical professionals to give him the thumbs up, but different doctors will have different opinions on whether he should play.

The incumbent Ravens are apparently split on whether to pursue a reunion with Orr. Some team decision makers would like to have Orr back in the fold, and that’s understandable after he led the team in tackles by a wide margin in 2016. Others are worried about the serious risks of having Orr on the field.

Roughly half of the teams in the NFL have called on Orr, according to his agent.

Extra Points: Pack, Favre, Jags, Steelers

June 29th, 2017 at 9:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois signed with the Packers in March, and he spoke about that decision Thursday, telling Stu Courney of PackersNews.com : “To get that phone call that the Green Bay Packers want you is rare. It’s rare that you see them go outside and pick guys up and if they do, it’s for a reason.” Jean-Francois is right that the Packers typically aren’t the most aggressive team in free agency. They aren’t averse to signing released players, however, because adding them doesn’t cost compensatory draft picks. That was the case with the 30-year-old Jean-Francois, whom the Redskins cut loose a week before he caught on with Green Bay for $3MM. His decision came down to the Packers and Seahawks, and it seems Aaron Rodgers‘ presence tipped the scales in the former’s favor. “Just seeing a quarterback like him year in and year out be so successful … he’s been so consistent getting to the playoffs,” commented Jean-Francois.

More from Green Bay and two other NFL cities:

After Branden Albert ended his holdout and reported to Jaguars minicamp earlier this month, vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin told the left tackle that he looked heavier than before, according to Roy Cummings of Florida Football Insiders. Moreover, the out-of-shape Albert failed to impress the team’s coaches on the field, per Cummings, who notes that he’s far from a lock to start. Albert, whom the Jaguars acquired via trade from the Dolphins over the winter, will have to beat out second-rounder Cam Robinson. For now, Robinson is the front-runner for the job, suggests Cummings. At right tackle, Jacksonville has Jermey Parnell – a 16-game starter last year who ranked 31st among Pro Football Focus’ 78 qualified tackles (Albert was 65th).
We may not have seen the last of Brett Favre in a notable NFL role. The Hall of Fame quarterback told ESPN Wisconsin’s Wilde & Tausch on Thursday that he’s interested in working as a coach or a general manager down the line (via Richard Ryman of PackersNews.com). “I would say I’d never say never,” Favre said. “I believe that would be a dream job, working as a coach there or in some form of administration.” Favre would prefer to serve in some capacity with the Packers, with whom he starred from 1992-2007.
One of Arthur Moats or Anthony Chickillo could be in jeopardy of losing his roster spot with the Steelers, writes Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. With those two, T.J. Watt, James Harrison, Bud Dupree and seventh-rounder Keion Adams, the Steelers will enter training camp with six outside linebackers and only four or five spots. Watt, Harrison and Dupree are shoo-ins to make the roster, and whether both Moats and Chickillo will join them will come down to if the Steelers decide to deploy a five-OLB rotation. Meanwhile, Adams will likely head to the practice squad. Moats and Chickillo were both somewhat prominent members of Pittsburgh’s defense last year. Moats played 396 snaps, started in five of 16 appearances and picked up 3.5 sacks, while Chickillo amassed 316 snaps and 2.5 sacks in 15 games (seven starts).

Details On Letroy Guion’s Arrest

June 29th, 2017 at 8:01pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Packers defensive lineman Letroy Guion had a blood alcohol content of .086 an hour after his June 21 arrest for driving under the influence in Hawaii, reports the Associated Press. He also smelled of alcohol and marijuana, per the AP, and was stumbling when he walked and slurring his speech.

“I know I’m drunk,” Guion told the arresting officer who pulled him over after observing his 2017 Porsche Cayenne drifting between lanes. “I’ve been drinking Hennessy all night. I don’t drink any of that weak stuff, only the hard stuff.”

These details certainly don’t bode well for Guion, who’s already in line to serve a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. A longer ban now looks like a possibility, as do legal consequences, which could lessen Guion’s chances of suiting up for the Packers again. Another suspension would be the third for Guion, who earned his first ban for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy in 2015. After the league hit him with his PED suspension, Guion agreed in March to a restructured contract, one that both delayed and reduced the value of his bonuses.

Guion, who turned 30 the day of his arrest, is coming off his third season with the Packers. He started in all 15 appearances last season, racking up 30 tackles and ranking 63rd in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 127 qualified interior defensive linemen.

No Deal For Khalil Mack This Year

June 29th, 2017 at 6:45pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

It appeared likely that the Raiders would extend each of Derek Carr, Gabe Jackson and Khalil Mack this summer, but that won’t be the case. After handing new deals to Carr and Jackson, the Raiders won’t have the cap room to lock up Mack until next offseason, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

The good news for the Raiders is that they won’t be at risk of losing Mack next winter, as he’s controllable through 2018 via his $13.846MM fifth-year option. Mack will surely look to outdo that number on an annual basis on a long-term deal, given that he has emerged as arguably the NFL’s premier defender since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2014. The former University at Buffalo star has been an iron man for the Raiders, having appeared in 48 straight games (all starts), and totaled 30 sacks and eight forced fumbles.

Mack is now coming off his second straight double-digit-sack season (11), in which he also piled up 73 tackles, a career-high five forced fumbles and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ best edge defender. More impressively, perhaps, Mack earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and his second straight first-team All-Pro nod.

Considering what Mack has accomplished, it’s fair to suggest he should be in line for a Von Miller-esque deal when the time comes for him to ink a long-term pact. The Broncos’ Miller, who fell three spots behind Mack in PFF’s rankings last season, signed a six-year, $114.5MM extension that features a whopping $70MM in guarantees last summer. The cap is consistently on the rise, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see Mack’s deal outpace Miller’s. For now, he’s on track to play 2017 for just $690K, likely making him the league’s biggest bargain.

Raiders, Gabe Jackson Agree To Extension

June 29th, 2017 at 5:47pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Raiders and right guard Gabe Jackson have agreed to a five-year, $56MM extension, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal includes $26MM in guarantees, tweets ESPN’s Josina Anderson, and will keep Jackson with the Raiders through 2022.

Oakland had been prioritizing a Jackson extension since early in the offseason, so it’s no surprise that the two sides have agreed to a contract. Jackson’s now the second core member of the Raiders to accept a long-term deal this month, following quarterback Derek Carr, who landed a five-year, $125MM accord last week.

With the 25-year-old Jackson and Kelechi Osemele under wraps, the Raiders now have two of the NFL’s highest-paid guards. Osemele actually edges out Jackson in total value, having inked a five-year, $58.5MM contract as a free agent in 2016, but his deal includes less in guarantees ($25.4MM). Among guards, Jackson only ranks behind the Bengals’ Kevin Zeitler (five years, $60MM) and Osemele in value, and he’s second to Zeitler’s $31.5MM in guarantees.

Since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2014, Jackson has started in 44 of 45 regular-season appearances. The former Mississippi State standout has back-to-back 16-game seasons under his belt, and he’s coming off a year in which he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 22nd-best guard (72 qualifiers). Led by their two guards, left tackle Donald Penn and center Rodney Hudson, the Raiders had the fourth-best offensive line in the league last year, according to PFF. All four of those players, not to mention primary right tackle Austin Howard, are returning this season, meaning the Raiders should once again have an elite quintet of blockers to make life easier for Carr and their skill players.

Jets Reach Out To Zach Orr

June 29th, 2017 at 5:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Count the Jets among the many teams with interest in free agent linebacker Zach Orr, reports Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Orr’s agent, Robert Sheets, confirmed to Schwartz that the Jets have reached out to his client, adding that they’ll attempt to set up a visit.

Orr, who retired in January thanks to a congenital spine condition, announced Wednesday that he’s considering a comeback after receiving more encouraging medical opinions than he got over the winter. Previously with the Ravens, who are mulling whether to attempt to re-sign him, Orr has a significant portion of the league interested in his services and already has multiple visits lined up – including one with the Lions.

Given that the 25-year-old Orr’s in his prime and coming off a season in which he earned second-team All-Pro honors, it’s no surprise that his unexpected foray into free agency has piqued teams’ interest. Of course, whether he signs with any will come down to if clubs believe he’ll be physically able to continue his career. Should Orr sign with the Jets, he’d replace departed middle linebacker David Harris, who’s now a Patriot after Gang Green released him earlier this month.

Extra Points: Orr, China, Redskins

June 29th, 2017 at 5:04pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent linebacker Zach Orr is planning a comeback after retiring in January on account of a congenital spine condition. There’s concern over whether he’ll be able to play with that condition, but Dr. David Chao of the San Diego Union-Tribune expects at least one team’s medical staff to clear Orr. Roughly half the NFL is interested in Orr, so odds do seem to be in his favor. If the 25-year-old does sign with someone, it’s likely that club will require him to sign a waiver releasing it of liability, notes Chao.

Ravens Split On Whether To Pursue Zach Orr

June 29th, 2017 at 3:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens’ leading tackler from 2016 is available to be signed, but opinions are split within the organization about whether to pursue him. Linebacker Zach Orr says that doctors have cleared him to play, but not everyone in Baltimore is convinced that he is able to get back on the field.

“There are a lot of variables that the Ravens are having to deal with,” agent Rob Sheets told 105.7 The Fan (transcript via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). “There’s a lot of internal consternation. One side of the line fighting to get Zach Orr back, and another line saying we need to move on.”

Orr’s agent says that he has spoken to 15 teams about his client so far. Today, he is visiting with the Lions and another visit is lined up for tomorrow, though Sheets did not say which team he’ll meet with on Friday. Next week, Orr has three more visits scheduled. Still, some of the Ravens’ top decision makers are not sure that taking Orr back would be a good idea.

The Ravens were planning to retain Orr for 2017, either through the restricted free agent tender or an extension. In the midst of contract talks, Orr opted to retire, citing a congenital spinal condition. Earlier this week, Orr announced that he is looking to come back to football and he is a free agent since the Ravens did not exercise the RFA tender.

Orr had 130 tackles in 2016 and earned second-team All-Pro honors.

Latest On Rams’ Aaron Donald

June 29th, 2017 at 3:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald did not commit to appearing at training camp in a radio interview on Thursday. Donald gave Alex Marvez and Mark Dominik of SiriusXM a non-answer when asked if he would be on hand when camp starts in July.

“I’m just [going to continue] working, just grinding, and we’re going to see what happens,” Donald said.

Donald reported to mandatory minicamp earlier this summer, so it stands to reason that he would report to training camp even without a deal. It’s possible that the 26-year-old is looking to drum up a little extra leverage for himself with an empty threat. It’s also possible that he’s serious about missing the start of camp, though it would cost him a fair amount of money to sit at home.

The defensive tackle is scheduled to carry a paltry $3.225MM cap number in 2017 before his salary jumps to $6.892MM in 2018 under the fifth-year option. A new deal for Donald will likely reset the market for defensive tackles.

Currently, Ndamukong Suh has the top deal of any DT – he’s in the midst of a six-year, $114.4MM pact with $60MM guaranteed. Unlike Suh, Donald will not be negotiating his deal on the open market. However, a new pact this year would make him two years younger than Suh at the time of signing and the salary cap has increased significantly since Suh’s deal in 2015. There’s also this: Donald is arguably an even better player than Suh was in his prime.