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Offset Language

July 4th, 2017 at 10:26am CST by Zachary Links

Since the NFL’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement has made rookie contracts fairly regimented, negotiations between teams and draft picks have become smoother than ever, with few – if any – players expected to be unsigned by the time training camp gets underway. Still, ten players have yet to ink their rookie deals, including several first-rounders:

Although we don’t know the inner workings of each negotiation, one factor that continues to play a role in contracts for first-round picks relates to offset language. Over the last several years, only a handful of players in each year have managed to avoid having offsets language written into their deals. In 2015, Marcus Mariota‘s camp haggled with the Titans until the two sides finally reached an accord with partial offset language, a compromise that was not consummated until late July. Last year, Joey Bosa’s holdout dominated headlines until the linebacker inked his deal on August 29th. In most cases, a lack of offsets for a player simply relies on which team drafted him — clubs like the Rams and Jaguars traditionally haven’t pushed to include offsets in contracts for their top picks, even in an era where most other teams around the league do.

Offset language relates to what happens to a player’s salary if he’s cut during the first four years of his career, while he’s still playing on his rookie contract. For the top 15 to 20 picks in the draft, those four-year salaries will be fully guaranteed, even if a player is waived at some point during those four seasons. For example, if a player has $4MM in guaranteed money remaining on his contract and is cut, he’ll still be owed that $4MM.

However, if a team has written offset language into the contract, that club can save some money if and when the player signs with a new team. For example, if that player who had $4MM in guaranteed money left on his contract signs with a new club on a $1MM deal, his old team would only be on the hook for $3MM, with the new team making up the difference. If there’s no offset language on that first deal, the old team would continue to be on the hook for the full $4MM, and the player would simply earn an additional $1MM from his new club.

Although the negotiation of offset language might potentially delay a rookie’s signing, the offsets rarely come into play, since few top picks flame out badly enough that they’re released during their first four seasons. And even in those rare instances, if a player has performed poorly enough to be cut in his first few years, he likely won’t sign a lucrative deal elsewhere, so offset language wouldn’t help his old club recover more than perhaps the league minimum.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry, modified from an earlier post by PFR editor emeritus Luke Adams. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Information from OverTheCap.com was used in the creation of this post. 

Poll: Will The Bucs Make The Playoffs?

July 4th, 2017 at 9:09am CST by Zachary Links

In 2007, the Jon Gruden-led Buccaneers won the NFC South with a 9-7 record, but quarterback Jeff Garcia could not get his squad past the Giants in the Wild Card round. In the nine years since, the Bucs have not returned to the postseason. Yup, its been a while since the Bucs have been in the playoffs. DeSean Jackson

This year, the Buccaneers are hoping to snap their skid after making a handful of key roster upgrades. The biggest splash was the addition of DeSean Jackson and the speedy veteran should give Jameis Winston a steady deep ball threat to work with. Last year, Winston pretty much had to make do without Vincent Jackson, so the presence of DJax should represent a major boost for the offense. They say speed doesn’t age well, but the 30-year-old hasn’t really lost a step. In 2016, Jackson led the NFL in yards per reception for the second time in his career as he totaled 56 receptions for 1,005 yards and four touchdowns.

Cameron Brate was a revelation for the Bucs last season. This season, opposing defenses may find themselves in double trouble as rookie O.J. Howard comes into the picture. The Alabama star was widely projected as a top 10 pick coming into the draft, so GM Jason Licht was doing cartwheels when he had the opportunity to snag him at No. 19 overall. At 6’6″, Howard has the size to win almost any jump ball and also has the speed to beat most linebackers across the middle of the field. In a two tight end set with Howard and the 6’5″ Brate, Dirk Koetter‘s Bucs could create one of the league’s biggest matchup nightmares.

On the other side of the ball, the Buccaneers have retooled their safety group with the additions of second round pick Justin Evans and former Cowboy J.J. Wilcox. Those two plus the returning Chris Conte should help turn one of the team’s former weaknesses into a strength. It also helps that the Bucs safeties will be sandwiched between standout corners Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes.

Will the Bucs’ offseason moves be enough to propel them to the playoffs in 2017? Cast your vote and back up your decision in the comment section.

Nigel Bradham Likely To Avoid Jail Time

July 3rd, 2017 at 9:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham has reached a deferred prosecution agreement that will move his assault case out of the courts and likely allow him to avoid jail time, reports Tim McManus of ESPN.com.Nigel Bradham (vertical)

Last July, 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. The scene grew violent, the worker was struck over the head with a glass bottle, and, according to a police report, Bradham “without provocation, struck the victim in the nose with a closed fist, causing the victim to fall to the ground.”

Bradham, who was charged with aggravated battery — a second degree felony — will likely avoid incarceration, but that doesn’t mean he won’t face NFL punishment, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details. As of last October, the league was still investigating Bradham, and can impose its own penalties regardless of the legal outcome. As Florio writes, the baseline suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy is six games.

Bradham, 27, is also facing a misdemeanor weapons charge after bringing a gun into a Miami airport in October. He’ll attend a hearing related to that case on July 24, according to McManus.

AFC Notes: Chiefs, Logan, Jaguars, Raiders

July 3rd, 2017 at 8:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bennie Logan didn’t fare well in Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s scheme last season, but the veteran defensive tackle is looking forward to moving back to a 3-4 front under Chiefs DC Bob Sutton, as Pete Sweeney of Chiefs.com writes. “I just felt like it was time for me to have a change of scenery,” Logan said. “I just wanted to go out and do something different. I enjoyed my time there but I just felt like it was time for me to branch off and try to establish myself somewhere else.” Logan, 27, signed a one-year, $8MM deal with Kansas City this offseason, and will seek to replace — or better — the production vacated by former Chiefs interior defender Dontari Poe.

Here’s more from the AFC:

The Ravens Need To Sign TE Gary Barnidge

July 3rd, 2017 at 6:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Perhaps no position group has taken as many hits as the Ravens’ tight ends over the past month, as Dennis Pitta suffered another devastating hip injury in early June (which ultimately led to his release and will likely end his career) while athletic backup Darren Waller was hit with a one-year PED suspension last week. With Pitta and Waller out of the picture for 2017, Baltimore is left with five tight ends on its roster: Ben Watson, Maxx Williams, Crockett Gillmore, Nick Boyle, and Ryan Malleck, all of whom come with significant risk.

Watson is entering his age-36 campaign coming off a torn Achilles, but he’s likely to make the Ravens’ roster after accepting a pay reduction earlier this year. Having missed 15 games over the past two seasons, and dealing with back and leg injuries, Gillmore is no bet to be available next year. The same goes for Williams, a former second-round pick who may begin the 2017 campaign on the PUP list, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Boyle, meanwhile, has already been banned twice for PEDs (a third positive test would net him a yearlong suspension, à la Waller), while Malleck is a 2016 undrafted free agent with no game experience.Gary Barnidge (vertical)

Given the amount of question marks among their tight ends, the Ravens need to consider scouring the free agent market for reinforcements. While other players such as Ladarius Green or Jacob Tamme could be on Baltimore’s radar, the most reliable veteran who still remains unsigned is former Brown Gary Barnidge, whom Zrebiec notes (Twitter link) would make for a sensible Ravens target. I didn’t originally list Baltimore as a potential destination for Barnidge when I ran down landing spots for him in May, but given the events of the past month, the Ravens should give Barnidge a call.

While Barnidge could simply serve as insurance for the Ravens, he might also represent improvement over the club’s tight end production from a year ago. While Pitta finished first among tight ends in receptions, and seventh in yards, various advanced metrics indicate he wasn’t all that successful on a rate basis in 2016. Among 46 qualified tight ends, Pitta finished 45th in DYAR and 40th in DVOA (both are metrics from Football Outsiders which measure a receiver’s value). Pro Football Focus was also critical of Pitta’s 2016 play, ranking him 47th among 63 tight ends.

Barnidge, on the other hand, ranked higher than Pitta in all three metrics (15th in DYAR, 13th in DVOA, 25th in PFF’s grades). On a yards per reception basis, Barnidge finished with 11.13 YPR while Pitta managed only 8.48 YPR, second-to-last among tight ends with at least 25 receptions. The 31-year-old Barnidge has also done well on deep passes, long a staple of Baltimore’s offense. On passes that travel more than 20 yards in the air, Barnidge ranked third and 15th in yardage among tight ends in 2015 and 2016, respectively, according to Mark Chichester of Pro Football Focus.

Of course, a tight end is responsible for not only receiving, but blocking, and after losing right tackle Ricky Wagner to free agency, the Ravens can use all the edge blocking help they can get. PFF ranked Baltimore’s offensive line 23rd heading into the 2017 season, specifically noting question marks at right tackle, where James Hurst is now projected to start. Barnidge can aid in that capacity, as PFF graded him as the No. 1 pass-blocking tight end in the league in 2016.Gary Barnidge (Vertical)

Barnidge could also benefit from staying in the AFC North, as none of the clubs in the division besides Baltimore are above-average at defending the tight end. Cleveland, Barnidge’s former team, ranked dead last in DVOA against tight ends last season, allowing an average of 7.2 receptions and 63.4 yards per game (30.2% worse than the NFL mean). Neither the Steelers (13) nor the Bengals (15) could crack the top-10 in DVOA against opposing tight ends, either.

In terms of salary, it’s difficult to believe Barnidge will be able to command much more than a incentive-laden minimum deal, especially given that he hasn’t been signed yet. Even so, adding Barnidge could be difficult for the Ravens, who rank third-to-last in the NFL with only $5.833MM in cap space, per Over the Cap. Baltimore could potentially restructure the contracts of veterans such as Jimmy Smith, Marshal Yanda, or Eric Weddle to create a bit of breathing room if it wants to bring in Barnidge.

South Notes: Saints, Peterson, Colts

July 3rd, 2017 at 4:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints should take it easy with prized offseason acquisition Adrian Peterson, one league executive tells ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure.

“You don’t want to run that guy out there for 16 games,” the executive said. “Then you risk him getting hurt again.”

Even at the age of 32, Peterson still has the ability to break off big runs. However, he might not have the durability to withstand a full season. The Saints best bet, McClure argues, would be to roll him out in the team’s biggest games, including the season opener against his former team and major NFC South clashes. With the talented Mark Ingram at the helm plus third round pick Alvin Kamara and pass-catching specialist Travaris Cadet, that’s a gameplan that just might work for New Orleans.

Here’s more from the South divisions:

North Notes: Bengals, Lewis, Bears, Jeffery

July 3rd, 2017 at 3:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals deserve credit for sticking with Marvin Lewis rather than making a coaching change along the way, former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher says.

“Sometimes you lose a coach, you lose a player to free agency and you’re always having to find ways to create that high expectation and continuity every year. Marvin knows that,” Cowher told Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I think the biggest thing is for ownership to make sure they don’t buy into ‘if you don’t go to the Super Bowl in three years to get another coach in.’ You set yourself back. Marvin’s very consistent He’s proven to be that model of consistency. He’s been a great face for the team and he’s built a culture there of players through time.”

After going 6-9 in 2016, Lewis is entering a contract year with the Bengals. The coach pushed for a new deal in the winter, but backed off of that request in the spring, perhaps after being shut down by team brass. Bengals players say they aren’t dwelling on Lewis’ future, but the coach is probably feeling the heat.

The Bengals have reached the AFC wild-card round seven times under Lewis, including five consecutive years from 2011 through 2015, but lost each time. If the Bengals cannot make real headway in the postseason this year, their patience with Lewis might run out.

Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC North:

  • Will the Bears regret not re-signing Alshon Jeffery? Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com doesn’t think they’ll regret letting him go in the midst of a rebuilding phase. Jeffery’s talent is undeniable when he’s on the field, but he’s only played in all 16 games twice in his five NFL seasons due to injury. For a team that is looking to start over, it didn’t make much sense to match the Eagles’ offer of a one-year deal worth up to $14MM. Now, it’s time for the Bears to find out what they have in Cameron Meredith and Kevin White. Meredith enjoyed a breakout season in 2016 and he could take another big step forward in his age-25 campaign. Meanwhile, White is something of an unknown given all the injuries he has dealt with since going No. 7 overall in 2015.
  • With the exception of the Jeremy Maclin signing, the Ravens did not do much this offseason to add playmakers at wide receiver or running back. That lack of action could hold them back from making a January push, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Now, he argues, there is increased pressure on Breshad Perriman to perform so that Mike Wallace can assume more of a secondary role. He also notes that the Ravens will have to come up with answers at tight end after losing Dennis Pitta.
  • The Ravens are reportedly split about whether to pursue a reunion with linebacker Zach Orr.

AFC Notes: Jaguars, Bortles, Jets, Ravens

July 3rd, 2017 at 1:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Is Blake Bortles a lost cause for the Jaguars? Mike Wells of ESPN.com seems to think so, writing that the team made a big mistake by exercising his fifth-year option for $19MM+ in 2018. Making matters worse, he writes, the Jaguars did not bring in a quarterback to compete with him and push him to perform better this offseason. Jags beat writer Michael DiRocco, meanwhile, has given up on the notion that Bortles can be an elite quarterback, saying that his ceiling could be in the Brian Hoyer/Matt Cassel/Jon Kitna range.

In his three NFL seasons, Bortles has 69 touchdowns against 51 interceptions with an 11-34 record. The onus is now on the 25-year-old to prove that he should be the man under center for Jacksonville. If not, he might be looking for work elsewhere after this season since the fifth-year option is guaranteed for injury only.

Here’s more out of the AFC:

  • Tackle Ben Ijalana now has to prove that he is worth the Jets‘ $11MM investment, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. Last year, Ijalana stepped into the left tackle spot after Ryan Clady went down and wound up making 13 starts. This offseason, the Jets gave him a two-year, $11MM deal to keep him in the fold. Given the lack of playing time he saw in his first few seasons, it’s hard to know exactly what the Jets have in Ijalana, even though he put in significant minutes in all 16 games last season. There’s also the advanced metrics to consider. Ijalana earned a 47.6 overall score from Pro Football Focus last year, ranking him as the No. 60 tackle in the NFL last year out of 78 qualified players.
  • After re-signing with the Ravens on a five-year, $52.5MM contract, Brandon Williams says he wants to be more of an every down player, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley writes. “I need to get my sacks up,” Williams said. “I need to get my pass-rushing up. I am excited. I just had a meeting with our D-line coach, Coach [Joe] Cullen yesterday, about me kind of fine-tuning. I have the run-stop. I could still work on it, obviously, but I’m more just trying to work on my pass rush, trying to get out there and do the best I can.” Williams has had only 4.5 sacks in his four NFL seasons. Last season, ten interior lineman had five or more sacks and that’s a group that Williams is presumably hoping to join. His deal, which averages $10.8MM per season, is the highest of any nose tackle in the NFL and puts him No. 8 among all defensive tackles.
  • Who do you think should be the Browns‘ starting quarterback in 2017? Click here to weigh in.

Jeff Fisher Hopes To Coach Again

July 3rd, 2017 at 11:02am CST by Zachary Links

Even after more than three decades of coaching in the professional ranks, it doesn’t sound like Jeff Fisher is done with the NFL. At least, he hopes that the NFL is not done with him. In the final episode of Amazon’s “All or Nothing” series chronicling the 2016 Rams, Fisher made it known that he wants to get involved with coaching again. 

[RELATED: Jeff Fisher Discusses Firing, Extension, Jared Goff]

“I want to get back on the sideline,” Fisher said (via PFT). “Not going to happen this year, obviously. We’ll just see what happens.”

The Rams went 31-45-1 under Fisher’s guidance through four-and-a-half seasons. For his career, Fisher owns a head coaching record of 173-165-1, giving him a not-so-impressive .512 lifetime winning percentage. Fisher has never won a Super Bowl and has not guided a team to the playoffs in nearly a decade, so he might not seem like a particularly sexy coaching candidate.

However, Fisher does offer tons of experience and he is extremely well connected through the league office. As Mike Florio notes, those connections could help him get in the door with an indecisive owner.

Fisher might be able to sell himself to one of the league’s 32 teams (or, perhaps, to one of 30 clubs) as a veteran coach who has six postseason appearances to his credit. The pitch may satisfy an owner out there, but it’s unlikely to energize a fanbase.

NFC South Notes: Ginn, Saints, Falcons

July 3rd, 2017 at 10:15am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints will miss wide receiver Brandin Cooks in this season, but the addition of Ted Ginn could help to soften the blow somewhat, Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune argues. While Michael Thomas and Willie Snead draw the bulk of attention from opposing defenses, Ginn might be able to fly under the radar and make big plays with his blazing speed. Of course, the 32-year-old Ginn is not the same kind of talent as the 23-year-old Cooks. However, he can be dangerous in one-on-one scenarios and quarterback Drew Brees knows how to take advantage of those situations.

Over the past two seasons, Cooks averaged 81 receptions for 1,155 yards and more than eight touchdowns. Ginn can’t equal that production alone, but New Orleans will need every bit they can get out of their wide receivers now that the young star is in New England.

Here’s more from the NFC South:

  • The Falcons spent $28.5MM to revamp the defensive line with the hope that Vic Beasley can built on his breakthrough season, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. Beasley will be a focal point of opposing game plans after racking up 15.5 sacks in 2016, but the additions of Dontari Poe (one-year, $8MM deal), defensive end Jack Crawford (three years, $10.3MM) plus first round pick Takkarist McKinley (four years, $10.2MM) should help alleviate some of the pressure on the outside linebacker. The early word on Crawford is particularly promising. “Jack is a relentless in his pursuit,” defensive line coach Bryant Young said. “He’s a very hard, tough and competitive individual. I just really love that about him.”
  • More from Ledbetter, who also profiled the Falcons‘ offensive line. He writes that the Falcons still must find a backup swing tackle to replace veteran Tom Compton after he joined the Bears in free agency. Recently, we ran down the best available starting tackles, including bigger names like Ryan Clady and Austin Pasztor. Both of those guys are probably looking for full-time starting gigs, but others like Mike Adams and Will Beatty could theoretically be options for Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Falcons are holding an open competition for the startight right guard job. Wes Schweitzer and Ben Garland are top contenders, per coach Dan Quinn, but Ledbetter gets the sense that Schweitzer is in the catbird seat. That would leave Garland and fourth round pick Sean Harlow on the bench to start the year.
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