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Month: November 2024

Buccaneers Release DT Chris Baker

February 20th, 2018 at 2:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Buccaneers have released defensive tackle Chris Baker, the club announced today.Chris Baker (Vertical)

Baker inked a three-year, $15.75MM contract with Tampa Bay just last spring, but he lasted only a single season before being released. The 30-year-old Baker collected $6MM for his lone campaign with the Buccaneers, and the team will now pick up $4.875MM in salary cap space by cutting him. Tampa rarely uses signing bonuses, which means prorations don’t accelerate when the club releases players. As such, the Bucs won’t incur any dead money by parting ways with Baker.

Although he’d played like of the league’s better interior defenders from 2015-16, Baker struggled in 2017, grading as just the No. 96 defensive tackle among 122 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Baker was thought to be a perfect partner for fellow Tampa defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, but the Buccaneers ranked just 20th in adjusted line yards and 32nd in adjusted sack rate, leading to the recent firing of defensive line coach Jay Hayes.

While he flamed out in Tampa Bay, Baker figures to land another deal as a rotational interior lineman. He’s a free agent immediately, and doesn’t have to wait until March 14 to find another club. Baker joins a free agent defensive tackle market that also includes Dontari Poe, Sheldon Richardson, Bennie Logan, and Star Lotulelei.

The Buccaneers have now released two high-profile players today, as running back Doug Martin was cut this morning. Counting those two moves, Tampa Bay now has more than $70MM in available cap space, which would put the club in top five among NFL teams.

Adam Vinatieri Intends To Play In 2018

February 20th, 2018 at 1:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri intends to continue his career in 2018, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).Adam Vinatieri

The 45-year-old Vinatieri will become an unrestricted free agent in March, as his previous two-year deal with the Colts has expired. It’s unclear if Vinatieri has any interest in receiving offers from other clubs, or if Indianapolis wants to retain its longtime placekicker, but given that he’s spent the past dozen years with the Colts, a return seems likely. Vinatieri had been earning $3MM annually, a figure which placed him just inside the top 10 contracts at kicker.

Vinatieri’s field goal percentage has been dwindling ever since he hit a career-high 96.8% of his kicks in 2014 — this past season, Vinatieri made 85.3% of his attempts, good for 13th in the NFL. However, Vinatieri converted five kicks of 50+ yards (the second most of his career), and missed only two extra points.

If he does hit the open market, Vinatieri will join a free agent class of kickers that also includes Matt Bryant, Graham Gano, Kai Forbath, and Sebastian Janikowski, among others.

Jaguars Exercise TE Marcedes Lewis’ Option

February 20th, 2018 at 11:24am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jaguars have exercised their 2018 options for tight end Marcedes Lewis, tackle Josh Wells, and guard/center Tyler Shatley, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.Marcedes Lewis

Lewis, 33, has been with the Jaguars ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2006, but the 2017 campaign marked just the second winning campaign he’s experienced during his 12-year career. While he stopped being a prolific receiving threat roughly a half-dozen seasons ago, Lewis is still perhaps the best blocking tight end in the league — indeed, Pro Football Focus graded Lewis first overall in run-blocking with a 87.1 mark, just ahead of Rob Gronkowski.

Given the importance of the run game in Jacksonville (and Lewis’ contributions to that aspect of the Jaguars’ offense), the veteran tight end’s $3.5MM base salary and $500K bonus for 2018 is eminently affordable. The Jaguars could even choose to tack on an extra year to Lewis’ contract later this offseason, as he’s expressed a desire to remain in Jacksonville for the entirety of his career, tweets O’Halloran.

Wells and Shatley, meanwhile, acted as reserves along Jacksonville’s offensive line last season. Both started four games a year ago, with Wells filling in at both tackle spots and Shatley taking over at center for an injured Brandon Linder. Wells will now earn $705K in base salary for the 2018 campaign, while Shatley will collect $790K.

Bears To Release LB Jerrell Freeman

February 20th, 2018 at 11:05am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears will release linebacker Jerrell Freeman, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).Jerrell Freeman (vertical)

Freeman, 31, inked a three-year pact with Chicago prior to the 2016 campaign, but injuries and suspensions have limited him to only 13 total games over the past two years. Last season, Freeman suffered a torn pectoral in Week 1 and was subsequently banned for 10 games due to his second performance-enhancing drug bust. That suspension will carry over to 2018, as Freeman will miss the first two games of next season.

While the 2017 season was a lost cause, Freeman was excellent from 2015-16 with the Colts and Bears, as Pro Football Focus assigned him grades of 90+ in both years. The Bears are likely aiming to get younger of the defensive side of the ball, meaning Freeman wasn’t a fit at his $3.5MM base salary, but he could potentially land a new deal with another club. Given that he’s a vested veteran, Freeman won’t have to pass through waivers and is free to sign with another team immediately.

The Bears, meanwhile, will move forward with Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwiatkoski at inside linebacker following Freeman’s release. As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune recently wrote, Chicago wants to give opportunity to Kwaitkoski, a 2016 fourth-round selection who has started 13 games during his career.

Eagles To Promote Mike Groh To OC

February 20th, 2018 at 10:44am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles will promote wide receivers coach Mike Groh to offensive coordinator, according to Tim McManus of ESPN.com.Mike Groh (Vertical)

Despite reports that Philadelphia could go without an offensive coordinator for the 2018 campaign, the Eagles interviewed both Groh and incumbent running backs coach Duce Staley on Monday. Head coach Doug Pederson‘s decision to only meet with in-house candidates indicated a preference to maintain continuity for an offensive unit that ranked eighth in offensive DVOA a season ago.

Groh has much spent much of his career in the collegiate ranks, but worked with the Bears and Rams from 2013-16 before joining the Eagles in advance of the 2017 campaign. The son of former NFL head coach Al Groh, Mike Groh helped former first-round pick Nelson Agholor break out as a slot weapon last season, and also assisted veteran receiver Alshon Jeffery in a nine-touchdown Philadelphia debut.

While Pederson calls his own offensive plays in Philadelphia, Groh will presumably serve in a game-planning and play-design capacity. The Eagles needed reinforcements to their offensive coaching staff after losing both OC Frank Reich (Colts head coach) and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo (Vikings offensive coordinator) over the past month.

Staley, for his part, will return to his role as running backs coach for a sixth consecutive season after garnering interest for at least two offensive coordinator jobs this offseason. In addition to the Eagles, the Giants reportedly considered Staley a strong candidate for their OC job under new head coach Pat Shurmur, but Philadelphia had no interest in letting Staley leave for a division rival.

Buccaneers Release RB Doug Martin

February 20th, 2018 at 10:16am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Buccaneers have released running back Doug Martin, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Tampa Bay has since confirmed the move.Doug Martin (vertical)

As PFR noted in assessing the offseason outlook for Tampa Bay, Martin was one of the NFL’s least productive running backs in 2017. Among the 36 running backs who handled at least 125 carries last season, Martin finished dead last with a paltry 2.94 yards per rush. Pro Football Focus ranked Martin as the No. 53 RB among 58 qualifiers, while the 29-year-old placed last among backs in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA metric, which measures value on a per-play basis.

Martin, 29, has failed to top 450 rushing yards in either of the past two seasons as injuries and a four-game performance-enhancing drug suspension limited his time on the field. That PED ban voided the rest of the guarantees in Martin’s deal, and the Buccaneers’ favored contract structure — which involves no signing bonuses — means the club won’t incur any dead money by cutting Martin. Instead, Tampa Bay will pick up $6.75MM in salary cap space.

With Martin off the roster, the Buccaneers will almost surely search for a new running back in free agency or through the draft. Jacquizz Rodgers and Peyton Barber are still under contract, but neither is likely capable of being a top-tier back, while fellow runner Charles Sims is scheduled to hit free agency in March. Tampa Bay could consider free agents such as Carlos Hyde, Le’Veon Bell, Dion Lewis, or Isaiah Crowell, or select a back such as Ronald Jones (USC), Derrius Guice (LSU), or Sony Michel (Georgia) on Day 1 or 2 of the draft.

Because he’s a vested veteran, Martin will now hit the free agent market immediately. While his recent track record is uninspiring, Martin will get the jump on the rest of the 2018 free agent running back class, perhaps giving him an opportunity to land a deal before free agency officially opens next month.

49ers To Meet With Vontae Davis

February 20th, 2018 at 9:37am CST by Zachary Links

The Niners will meet with cornerback Vontae Davis on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This marks Davis’ third known free agent visit of the offseason. Vontae Davis (vertical)

Davis, 30 in May, was released by the Colts in November due to health issues and a rumored clashing between him and the coaching staff. Recently, Davis was given medical clearance by doctors, paving the way for him to meet with interested clubs. After meetings with the Bills and Browns, Davis is now discussing things with the cash-flush Niners.

With $74.5MM in cap room, the Niners trail only the Browns and Colts in flexibility. Davis is in a unique spot as a valuable free agent who is eligible to sign in February and both the 49ers and Browns are in the unique position of being able to sign the corner without really impacting plans for March. For what it’s worth, the Bills also have a decent amount of breathing room with roughly $29.6MM in space.

Davis disappointed in 2016 and didn’t see the field much last year thanks to his core injury, but he was among the league’s best corners in 2014 and 2015. The Niners could be interested in seeing if he could turn back the clock. perhaps on an affordable one-year deal.

Eagles Won’t Tender Jaylen Watkins

February 20th, 2018 at 9:26am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles do not plan to tender defensive back Jaylen Watkins as a restricted free agent, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Watkins was a candidate for the original round tender, but instead it sounds like he’lll be allowed to explore the open market in March. Jaylen Watkins (vertical)

Watkins first joined the Eagles a fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft. The Florida product didn’t see a ton of time on the field in his first two seasons, but he got his chance to be a regular contributor starting in 2016. Watkins has appeared in 28 regular season games over the last two years and recorded 51 total tackles.

This past season, Watkins saw most of his playing time on special teams with only 170 defensive snaps to his credit. He was not a star for the defending champs, but he still played a vital role.

“He’s Mr. Do-It-All,” Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills recently said of Watkins (via the News-Press). “Whatever spot, if anybody happens to bust a shoelace, equipment issue, you can plug him in, and you know he’s going to go out there and do the job.”

2018 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 20th, 2018 at 12:13am CST by Zachary Links

Starting today, NFL teams will be able to place franchise and transition tags on potential free agents for the first time. While the window for franchise tags is open, most clubs won’t actually tag any players right away.

As our list of important dates for the 2018 offseason shows, the deadline for teams to assign those tags doesn’t come until Tuesday, March 6. Usually, when it comes to NFL contract discussions, deadlines spur action, so teams will wait until that deadline approaches to officially use franchise tags, once it becomes clear that they won’t be able to strike a longer-term deal yet with their respective free-agents-to-be.

Even though the action might not heat up for a couple more weeks, it’s worth taking a closer look at what to expect during 2018’s franchise tag period. The NFL hasn’t officially announced the salary cap figure for 2017, but OverTheCap.com recently projected the 2018 franchise tag salaries based on a presumed $178MM cap. Here are the expected non-exclusive franchise tag amounts:

  • Quarterback: $23.09MM
  • Running back: $11.72MM
  • Wide receiver: $16.23MM
  • Tight end: $10.36MM
  • Offensive line: $14.54MM
  • Defensive end: $17.52MM
  • Defensive tackle: $14.53MM
  • Linebacker: $15.47MM
  • Cornerback: $14.88MM
  • Safety: $11.08MM
  • Punter/kicker: $5.06MM

(For a refresher on the characteristics of the exclusive and non-exclusive franchise tags, as well as the transition tag, be sure to check out PFR’s glossary entry on the subject.)

Here’s our look at the most likely candidates to be tagged, along with several more outside possibilities:

Virtual Locks:

  • Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers: Last offseason, things got pretty weird between the Steelers and Bell. Just before the deadline to extend franchise tagged players, the Steelers believed that they had agreed on a five-year offer worth roughly $60MM. Ultimately, Bell backed out because he did not find the guarantees and cash flow to be to his liking. Soon after, friend and former teammate Ike Taylor said that Bell wanted a contract that reflects his performance as both a No. 1 back and a No. 2 receiver – something in the neighborhood of $15MM per year. Le'Veon Bell (vertical) This year, Bell topped his 75 catch total with 85 grabs, so one has to imagine that his position hasn’t changed. Despite some retirement threats in January, Bell has indicated that talks are going better this time around. Here’s where things get interesting – the Steelers say that today (Feb. 20) is the “deadline” for a long-term deal to get signed. If not, they’ll go ahead and franchise tag him for a second consecutive season, leaving Bell with a one-year, $14.5MM pact when factoring in the 20% increase. Will Bell buckle and sign a deal that isn’t quite to his satisfaction? In theory, the running back could abstain from offseason activities and even reboot retirement talk in an effort to get the Steelers to cave and abide by the real extension deadline on July 16.
  • Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Cowboys: It has already been reported that the Cowboys will go ahead and tag Lawrence to prevent him from reaching free agency. Once that happens, you can expect the cash-strapped Cowboys to get to work on an extension that will smooth out the $17.5MM cap hit for defensive ends. There won’t be much drama as to whether the Cowboys will or won’t tag Lawrence, but the subsequent multi-year negotiations will be interesting to watch. Lawrence had a rocky first three seasons in the NFL, but he stepped up big in his contract year with 14.5 sacks. The Cowboys must be willing to pay Lawrence like a top DE, but they may insist on protections like an easy escape hatch or heavy roster bonuses in the event that he is injured or suspended.

Strong Candidates:

  • Sammy Watkins, WR, Rams: As our own Micah Powell explained on Sunday, Watkins is a candidate for the tag with mutual interest on both sides in continuing their union. Committing major dollars to Watkins is dicey, however, given his injury history and his somewhat disappointing stat line in 2017. If the Rams let Watkins hit the open market, they’ll risk losing him to other teams with more wiggle room under the salary cap. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. And in a weak crop of free agent wide receivers, Watkins could clean up and leave the Rams without an obvious replacement.Sammy Watkins (vertical)
  • Allen Robinson, WR, Jaguars: Tagging Watkins will be a tough call for the Rams and the Jaguars have a similarly difficult decision to make when it comes to Robinson. Robinson played only three snaps in 2017 before going down with a torn ACL and he didn’t set the world on fire in 2016. However, his 2015 performance – 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns – makes it hard for Jacksonville to let him walk. In theory, the Jaguars could re-sign fellow free agent Marqise Lee and let Robinson go, but Robinson is clearly the more talented of the two and one could argue that Lee’s late-season emergence was fueled by advantageous matchups. It’ll be pricey, but the Jaguars are suddenly in position to win and they can’t afford to let one of their best weapons bolt.

Toss Up:

  • Kyle Fuller, CB, Bears: Frankly, I’m conflicted on this one. I’m sure Bears GM Ryan Pace can relate. Fuller turned in a strong rookie campaign and an excellent contract year, but he was a victim of the sophomore jinx and an unfortunate knee injury which cost him his entire season as an NFL junior. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com hears that Fuller will not be with the Bears this year. But, considering that Fuller graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 22 ranked cornerback and the position is already a major area of need for the team, the Bears have to at least think about tagging him for $14.88MM. Kyle Fuller (Vertical)
  • Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Lions: Ansah has performed pretty well over the last two seasons, despite playing through some serious pain. The Lions probably aren’t thrilled about extending a one-year, $17.5MM tender to Ansah, but pressure generating edge rushers like him are at a premium. Consider this: Ansah tallied 12 sacks last year despite knee, ankle, and back ailments. Only seven players topped that total: Chandler Jones, Calais Campbell, DeMarcus Lawrence, Everson Griffen, Cam Jordan, Ryan Kerrigan, and Joey Bosa.
  • Case Keenum, QB, Vikings: Is one year as an elite quarterback enough to justify the franchise tag? Maybe, but the Vikings have options at their disposal, including two other pending free agents already on the roster. If the Vikings can’t retain Keenum or Bradford or Bridgewater with a reasonable multi-year deal between now and free agency, they can use their mountain of cap space to get involved in the Cousins sweepstakes.
  • Sheldon Richardson, DT, Seahawks: The Jets had both Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson under contract, but they could only afford to pay one of the two defensive linemen. Clearly, they chose wrong. For all of the headaches that Richardson gave the team, the five-year, $86MM deal given to Wilkerson wound up being a monumental mistake and will continue to be an albatross for the Jets even after they cut him this offseason. The Seahawks gave up a second-round choice and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse to get Richardson – will they make the same mistake and let him get away? Perhaps not, but it would also be a major gamble to tag him at $14.5MM with limited cap space and other holes to address. The best course of action here may be to try and work out a fresh deal without the franchise tag as a floor for Richardson’s camp. If that fails and the two sides can’t come to terms, the Seahawks can at least collect a 2019 compensatory pick.

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AFC East Notes: Cousins, Jets, Dolphins,

February 19th, 2018 at 9:54pm CST by Micah Powell

The Jets are reportedly ready to pay quarterback Kirk Cousins all he could want to be the team’s franchise quarterback. The team could get creative in a deal, offering him as much as $60 MM guaranteed in the first year of the deal, a league source told the New York Post’s Brian Costello.

The thinking is similar to what the 49ers did when they signed Jimmy Garoppolo. With a projected $73.2 MM in cap space, according to overthecap.com, the Jets could front-load the contract when the team has plenty of money to work with. That would set up friendlier cap numbers for the ensuing years when the team is expected to have less cap space.

Costello projects the $73.2 MM in cap room could grow to as much as $92 MM if the team cuts DL Muhammad Wilkerson and RB Matt Forte, as expected. Even with $60 MM in guaranteed money going Cousins’ way, the Jets would still have $30 MM to work with in free agency.

Money won’t be the issue with New York trying to lure Cousins to town. It will be if they can sell him on the idea of winning quickly.

Here is more from around the AFC East:

  • Sticking with the Jets, the team reportedly offered tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins an $8 MM deal over two years but was turned down, Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York reports. The reported deal is well below the expected $9.8 MM expected annual salary for tight ends on the franchise tag.
  • The Dolphins would be interested in bringing in C.J. Anderson if the Broncos cut him, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Miami attempted to sign Anderson following the 2016 season but the Broncos matched their offer. The Dolphins recently hired former Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville for the same position. Anderson was very critical of the team’s decision to let Studesville go.
  • Dolphins DL coach Craig Kuligowski left the team to pursue other opportunities, Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter link). That other opportunity is expected to be as the new Alabama DL coach, Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman reports (Twitter link).
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