PFR Polls News & Rumors

Poll: Will Demaryius Thomas Sign Long-Term Deal?

June 1st, 2015 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Four franchise-tagged players remain unsigned, and last week I asked Pro Football Rumors readers whether Justin Houston, Dez Bryant, and Jason Pierre-Paul would sign long-term contracts with their respective teams this summer. In all three instances, most respondents believed that those stars are more likely to play out the 2015 season on a one-year franchise tender rather than signing a multiyear extension.

We’ll see if we buck that trend today, as we examine the fourth and final franchised player who is still technically a free agent. Demaryius Thomas received a $12.823MM tender from the Broncos, but has yet to sign, as the two sides mull a longer-term agreement.

Thomas has been a candidate for a contract extension for quite some time, and I explored his case for a lucrative multiyear pact last June. At the time, I noted that Peyton Manning‘s uncertain future in Denver muddies the waters on a deal for Thomas. After all, if he were to tack on four or five new seasons to his current franchise tag, Thomas would likely play out the majority of that contract with a quarterback besides Manning at the helm. Considering the bump Thomas’ numbers have received from Manning in recent years, that makes it tricky to ascertain the wideout’s value.

Still, even if the Broncos and Thomas may have a hard time pinpointing an annual salary (and an amount of guaranteed money) that makes sense for both sides, it would surprise me if they didn’t reach an accord at some point, likely before this year’s July 15 deadline. After all, the Broncos have let standout pass catchers like Eric Decker and Julius Thomas leave via free agency during the past two offseasons. Demaryius Thomas is a better all-around receiver than either of those players, and it makes sense that Denver would set aside some money and some cap space to eventually lock him up, rather than giving massive deals to lesser pass-catchers.

The last real update we heard on Thomas came back in April, when GM John Elway expressed some mild annoyance that the wideout wasn’t at Denver’s voluntary offseason workouts. However, Elway also reiterated at that point that extending Thomas is a top priority for the Broncos. I think it’ll happen within the next few weeks. What do you think?

Poll: Will JPP Sign Long-Term Extension?

May 29th, 2015 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, the only franchise-tagged player who remained unsigned at this point in the offseason was Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, who was in the midst of arguing that he should get a wide receiver’s salary rather than a tight end’s. Graham lost that battle and ultimately signed a long-term contract with the Saints just before the annual July 15 deadline.

This time around, four franchised players are still unsigned, and earlier this week, when I asked whether Justin Houston and Dez Bryant would sign multiyear deals with their respective teams by July 15, the majority of you voted that it won’t happen.

Today, we’ll shift our attention to a third franchised player, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Out of the four players who have yet to sign their tender, I would have expected JPP to be the most likely to have done so by now. After all, his one-year salary ($14.813MM) would be the highest of the bunch, and he’s arguably coming off the least productive season of the group.

That’s not to say Pierre-Paul didn’t have a strong 2014 campaign — he finished with 12.5 sacks and three forced fumbles, and was the league’s seventh-best 4-3 defensive end according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). Still, nine of those sacks came in the season’s last five games, and JPP wasn’t quite the destructive defensive force that a player like Houston was.

In my view, JPP’s high franchise salary, along with his modest career production, makes him the franchise-tagged player most likely to reach an accord with his team and avoid playing the season on a one-year deal. There’s been no sense of animosity between the two sides, and I doubt Pierre-Paul’s contract demands will be quite as significant as what some of the other franchised players may request. Conversely, the Giants may be more open to working out a multiyear contract than some other teams would be, since they’re already budgeting nearly $15MM for JPP in 2015.

What do you think? Do you agree that Pierre-Paul is more likely to sign a long-term deal by July 15, or do you think he – or the team – will drive a hard bargain, ultimately leading to JPP playing out his one-year tender?

Poll: Will Dez Bryant Sign Long-Term Deal?

May 27th, 2015 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys’ signing of former first-round pick A.J. Jenkins yesterday drew some attention, but there’s a good chance that Dallas simply added Jenkins to its roster to help the team get through its offseason program. With Dez Bryant not expected to participate in OTAs, and his attendance for June’s minicamp still a question mark, Jenkins represents another healthy body at the wide receiver position, perhaps one with a little upside.

It’s possible that Bryant returns to fully participate in Dallas’ offseason program sooner rather than later, but that would likely require the two sides reaching resolution on his contract situation. Having been assigned the franchise tag, Bryant is in line to earn a one-year salary of $12.823MM if he signs his one-year contract tender, but he hasn’t done so yet.

Like most star players who are franchised, Bryant would presumably prefer to secure a long-term extension rather than going year to year with the Cowboys. However, while the 26-year-old’s on-field production leaves no question that he should be paid like one of the NFL’s top receivers, Dallas may still have lingering concerns about his history of off-field issues.

As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com noted last week when he took a look at Bryant’s situation, the Cowboys’ most recent publicly-reported contract offer looked massive at first glance, featuring a $114MM overall price tag. However, that offer was reportedly for 10 years, with just $20MM in guaranteed money. That’s a very team-friendly structure, considering consecutive franchise tags would pay Bryant significantly more than $25MM in guaranteed money, and would leave him in position to hit the open market at age 28.

Corry points out that the Cowboys are making the Bryant negotiations trickier for themselves by making concessions in contract agreements with other players whose off-field concerns were arguably more significant than Bryant’s — the club was willing to include a clause in Greg Hardy‘s contract that prevents him from being franchised, and La’el Collins‘ new deal doesn’t feature any offsets. Depending on how the negotiations with Bryant progress, the wideout’s camp may point to those deals and rightly argue that a player with Bryant’s track record (an average of 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns per year since 2012) should receive even more favorable terms.

With Julio Jones, Demaryius Thomas, and A.J. Green also in line for new deals this offseason, all four teams may be trying to wait out the market rather than setting it themselves. In Thomas’ and Bryant’s cases, a July 15 deadline looms — if no long-term contract is worked out by that point, signing the one-year franchise tag looks like the most likely outcome for both star receivers.

What do you think? Does Bryant sign a multiyear extension with the Cowboys within the next few weeks, or is it more probable that he plays out the year on his franchise tag?

Poll: Will Justin Houston Sign Long-Term Deal?

May 25th, 2015 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Four players who received the franchise tag from their respective teams earlier this offseason have yet to sign their one-year contracts, which means they’re technically still free agents, as I explained a couple weeks ago. Nonetheless, the most likely outcome for these players involves them returning to their current clubs, either on a one-year deal or on a long-term extension.

One of these four players is Justin Houston, the NFL’s reigning sack leader, who earned an All-Pro nod after racking up 22 sacks and forcing four fumbles in 2014. While Houston’s 22 sacks doubled his previous career high, he took down quarterbacks 21 times in 27 combined games in 2012 and 2013, so his ascent to the top of the league’s leaderboard certainly didn’t come out of nowhere.

On the heels of his third consecutive Pro Bowl season, Houston is in line for a massive raise, and he’ll earn $13.195MM in 2015 if he simply signs his one-year tender. However, the standout pass rusher is seeking a long-term deal worth even more than $13MM per year. Top defenders like J.J. Watt and Mario Williams are earning $16MM+ annually, and it makes sense that Houston would aim for something in that neighborhood, while the Chiefs may prefer a Robert Quinn-type pact (four years, $57MM).

Of course, Ndamukong Suh might have altered the entire market for front-seven defenders earlier this year when he landed a six-year contract with the Dolphins averaging over $19MM. However, Suh reached the open market and attracted multiple bidders, while Houston remains under the Chiefs’ control this year and next (if they decide to franchise him again). Joel Corry of CBSSports.com recently suggested that Suh’s deal could prompt agent Joel Segal to raise his salary demands for his client, but the Chiefs are extremely unlikely to commit a larger per-year amount to Houston than they’re paying to quarterback Alex Smith ($17MM annually).

What do you think? Will the Chiefs and Houston be able to reach a compromise and strike a deal on a multiyear extension before the July 15 deadline? Will the 26-year-old simply play out a one-year contract and try his luck again in 2016? Or do you see Houston’s contract situation heading in a more unexpected direction?

Poll: Will Tom Brady Get His Suspension Reduced?

May 15th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Zachary Links

After being slapped with a four-game suspension, Tom Brady is digging in his heels and he’s bringing serious firepower with him. Brady, as we learned earlier this week, will enlist the help of the NFLPA, despite his previously tenuous relationship with them. He’s also bringing Jeffrey Kessler, a man who has been termed as the “arch nemesis” of the NFL. Kessler ran point on Adrian Peterson‘s recent appeal and is also widely credited with helping to forge free agency in football after winning the Freeman McNeil case and settling the Reggie White case.

However, the deck seems to be pretty stacked against him. The 2011 CBA affords commissioner Roger Goodell the right to hear any appeal and, despite the very vocal protests from the union, he’ll be exercising that right. The statement released by the league office seemed to be pushing the notion that Goodell will be an unbiased arbiter, claiming that NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent was the one who determined the punishment with Goodell being the one to “authorize” it. It all seems pretty unfair. That is, if you can ever say life for a four-time Super Bowl winning quarterback who is married to one of the world’s most renowned supermodels is unfair.

The Patriots are still undecided as to whether they’ll fight the penalties handed down to them, but both Brady and Goodell are preparing for battle. The quarterback may be coming in with a Dream Team legal defense, but Goodell plans to interview indefinitely suspended Patriots employees John Jastremski and Jim McNally as witnesses for Brady’s appeal. Brady, meanwhile, is expected to file suit against the NFL to have Goodell replaced with a neutral arbitrator. It is certain that things will get ugly, but the outcome is anything but certain. When all is said and done, do you think Brady will be able to get his suspension slashed from four games?

Poll: Most Surprising Non-First-Rounder?

April 30th, 2015 at 10:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

32 prospects came off the board tonight, but there are quite a few talented players still available following the conclusion of Round One. Because this draft was seemingly loaded with mid-tier talent, it’s not surprising that there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between the players selected in the middle of the first round and some of the prospects still on the board.

Most of the top available players reside on the defensive side of the ball, where Randy Gregory, once a possible top-five pick, is still on the board due to off-the-field concerns. Fellow front seven players Eddie Goldman and Eric Kendricks were also candidates to hear their name called in the first round, while back end players Landon Collins and Jalen Collins are also surprisingly still available.

On offense, receiver Jaelen Strong wasn’t one of the six pass-catchers picked in the first, while offensive lineman T.J. Clemmings might have been considered too raw to be a Day One pick. We didn’t include LSU tackle/guard La’El Collins on this list, as his omission from the first round is related to his involvement in a murder investigation, an unforeseeable occurrence.

What do you think? Who’s the best talent left on the board after the first round? Vote below!

Poll: Which QB Will Have Better NFL Career?

April 16th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, PFR’s Rob DiRe kicked off our position-by-position breakdown of this year’s top draft prospects by examining the quarterbacks in this year’s class. As Rob wrote in his piece, there are plenty of reasons to prefer Jameis Winston to Marcus Mariota, but there are a number of equally compelling reasons why teams may rank Mariota higher on their draft boards.

It still appears likely that the Buccaneers will draft Winston first overall, but while we’ll know Tampa Bay’s pick – and Winston’s and Mariota’s new NFL teams – a couple weeks from tonight, it figures to be years before we know which player will enjoy the more successful NFL career. Winston played in a more NFL-style offense in college, but he also has his share of off-field question marks, whereas there are few – if any – concerns about Mariota’s character.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that one of these two players will have the most productive NFL career among this year’s crop of quarterbacks. Winston and Mariota are the consensus top two signal-callers in this class, but we’ve seen mid-round, late-round, and even undrafted players have a ton of NFL success in the past. Rob identified Brett Hundley, Bryce Petty, Garrett Grayson, and Sean Mannion as the next tier of QBs behind Winston and Mariota, and maybe you prefer the long-term prospects of one of those players.

What do you think? Which 2015 rookie will have the most long-term success as an NFL quarterback?

Poll: Titans’ Options With No. 2 Overall Pick

April 5th, 2015 at 12:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to most reports, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston is a near-lock to be selected by the Buccaneers with the first overall pick in the NFL draft later this month. The more interesting position, then, becomes the No. 2 overall slot, where the Titans will have several options to choose from.

As Bill Barnwell of Grantland recently outlined, the two most plausible picks for Tennessee are probably Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Mariota, a potential franchise QB, would signal a shift from incumbent signal-caller Zach Mettenberger, while Williams would pair with Jurrell Casey to form a fearsome defensive line. The Titans could also take a look at edge rushers Dante Fowler Jr. and Vic Beasley, and though it’s unlikely the club selects a receiver, Amari Cooper or Kevin White might be too talented to pass up.

Of course, Tennessee could also opt to trade the second pick — the Titans’ overall roster is among the league’s worst, so acquiring a bevy of picks in exchange for the No. 2 selection could be the most advantageous route. Specifically, a team looking to move up for Mariota could be willing to part with a haul of picks, and the Titans would probably be willing to entertain offers.

So what do you think? Will the Titans be loathe to pass up a chance at Mariota? Will they add another piece to their defense? Or will they trade the pick? Vote below!

Poll: Best Major Free Agent Signing Of 2015?

March 31st, 2015 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, no free agent received more fully guaranteed money than the $20MM offensive tackle Branden Albert got from the Dolphins. However, this time around, several big-name players blew by that threshold, with eight players in total matching or surpassing $20MM in fully guaranteed money, per Over The Cap. Here’s the full list of those signees, along with the terms of their new deals:

Ndamukong Suh, DT (Dolphins): Six years, $114.375MM. $59.955MM guaranteed.
Darrelle Revis, CB (Jets): Five years, $70MM. $39MM guaranteed.
Charles Clay, TE (Bills): Five years, $38MM. $24.5MM guaranteed.
Jeremy Maclin, WR (Chiefs): Five years, $55MM. $22.5MM guaranteed.
Byron Maxwell, CB (Eagles): Six years, $63MM. $22MM guaranteed.
Devin McCourty, S (Patriots): Five years, $47.5MM. $22MM guaranteed.
Julius Thomas, TE (Jaguars): Five years, $46MM. $21MM guaranteed.
Kareem Jackson, CB (Texans): Four years, $34MM. $20MM guaranteed.

We’ll take a closer look in the coming weeks at how exactly these contracts stack up against one another, and which players made out the best, but for now, we’re just concerned with evaluating which teams made the best and worst decisions among this group.

What do you think? Is the $60MM in guaranteed salary for Suh a mistake for the Dolphins, or does his talent ensure that he’ll be well worth the money? Perhaps one of the other players on the list represents a more worthwhile investment for his team? Which of these players was the best major free agent signing of the offseason? Cast your vote below and let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Poll: How Should NFL Adjust Extra Point?

March 26th, 2015 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL announced a number of rule changes at this week’s league meetings in Phoenix, but one issue which inspired a lively discussion has been tabled for a few weeks. According to Falcons president Rich McKay, who is the co-chairman of the competition committee, a number of ideas related to the extra point after touchdowns are being considered, and will likely be put to a vote in May.

Here are a few of the ideas that appear to be receiving serious consideration from the league:

Placing the ball on the 1.5-yard line rather than the two-yard line, to encourage more frequent two-point tries.
Moving the line of scrimmage for all extra-point attempts back to the 15-yard line.
Moving the line of scrimmage for a PAT attempt back to the 15-yard line, unless the team wants to go for two, in which case the line of scrimmage would be the 1.5-yard line.
Eliminating the extra-point kick entirely, requiring teams to run a play from scrimmage. My understanding of this proposal is that a touchdown would automatically be worth seven points, and a team could get the eighth point by converting the extra play from scrimmage.
Allowing the defense to score when the ball is fumbled or intercepted on a two-point try, as in college football.

That last item could be implemented into a number of different solutions for the extra point, but the preceding proposals would create a variety of challenges and decisions for teams. In general, team owners are in favor of having the extra point become more of a football play, rather than the afterthought it has become as kicking accuracy has improved.

What do you think? Does it make more sense to move the line of scrimmage closer to the end zone, or further away? Should that line of scrimmage be the same whether a team intends to go for one point or two? Or are you in favor of abolishing the kicking aspect of the extra point entirely? Feel free to expand on your vote in the comments section below.

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