PFR Polls - Pro Football Rumors

Poll: Andrew Luck Vs. Russell Wilson

June 5th, 2014 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we learned that buzz around the NFL suggests that Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson will be in line for annual salaries of $24-25MM when they’re eligible to extend their rookie contracts. Whether either player will ink an extension as soon as they’re eligible is debatable. Considering teams now hold fifth-year options on first-round picks, the Colts will have a little leverage if they want to wait on Luck. In any case, for now we’re not considering the timeline for the quarterbacks’ new deals — we’re examining which one deserves to be paid more.

As I noted in that previous post when comparing Luck and Wilson, not only does the Seattle signal-caller have more postseason success, but he has also posted better regular-season numbers in many key categories. In their two years in the NFL, Wilson has completed a higher percentage of passes (63.6% to 57.0%), tossed more TDs (52 to 46), and thrown fewer interceptions (19 to 27) than Luck. The Seahawks star also has a higher career passer rating (100.6 to 81.5), more yards per attempts (8.1 to 6.8), and more rushing yards (1,028 to 632).

Those statistics, combined with Wilson’s Super Bowl win, would suggest that he has significantly more value than Luck, but the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Wilson has been aided by a Seahawks defense that not only played a huge part in the team’s Super Bowl run but also consistently puts the team’s offense in good scoring position. Additionally, Seattle’s offense often takes a run-first approach led by Marshawn Lynch, allowing Wilson to pick and choose his spots more carefully, whereas a subpar running game has forced the Colts to lean more heavily on Luck to accumulate first downs and points over the last two years.

A former first overall pick, Luck is also a year younger than Wilson, and when the two players sign their next contracts, they won’t just be paid for what they’ve already accomplished — their teams will be paying for the continued development and growth they expect in the coming years. And if you asked people around football which quarterback will be the league’s best five years from now, I imagine you’d hear Luck’s name mentioned often.

What do you think? Which franchise quarterback do you think deserves to be paid more on his next contract?

Poll: First Team To Move?

June 3rd, 2014 at 9:27pm CST by Zachary Links

When the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers sold for $2 billion last month, you can rest assured that the NFL league office was hearing cash register noises. It has been nearly 20 years since America’s No. 1 professional sports league has occupied the country’s No. 2 media market, but it seems increasingly likely that they’ll get back to the home of The Doors in the next few years. The league’s ventures into London are also starting to bear fruit and the idea of putting a team in the Europe has a lot of influential supporters, including Falcons owner Arthur Blank. And while it’s long-term profitability may be debatable, Toronto looms large as a possible NFL city with the Bills just over the border.

Business is booming, but it’s hard to imagine that the league will expand beyond 32 teams. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote yesterday, there’s already a dearth of capable quarterbacks and that pool will get paper thin in a 34 team league. That leaves relocation as the answer, and Florio ran down the five candidates to go elsewhere.

The Bills, who can’t leave Western New York until after the 2020 season thanks to the work of late owner Ralph Wilson, are the first team listed. Ownership groups from different regions have lined up, including Jon Bon Jovi’s Toronto contingent, but that ironclad contract will keep them in place for some time. The Jaguars are playing in London once per year through 2016, but owner Shad Khan has been vocal about his commitment to Jacksonville. The Raiders could move as soon as after the 2014 season thanks to their stadium situation, though it’s unclear if the league wants owner Mark Davis to take the team out of Oakland. The Chargers have said that they want to remain in San Diego, but Florio still lists them as an L.A. possibility and raises the idea of them doing a Jets/Giants-type split with another tenant. Finally, the Rams‘ lease allows them to leave pretty much whenever they feel like it and the allure of an L.A. return must be strong.

So, if you had to call it now, which team would you say will be on the move first? (If you choose “another team,” let us know which one in the comment section.)

Poll: Will L.A. Or London Get An NFL Team First?

June 2nd, 2014 at 5:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL is already a multi-billion dollar industry, and its growth doesn’t figure to slow down any time soon. The next logical step in its progression figures to involve placing a franchise in a foreign city, such as London, or a major, currently NFL-free American metropolis like Los Angeles, which has been without an NFL team since the Raiders moved to Oakland in 1995.

One regular season game has been played each year in London since 2007, and Falcons owner Arthur Blank tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that this could be a precursor to moving a team to Europe full-time:

“I think it will lead to [a team]. I think it will start with an increased number of games. That will be translated into a very successful series of games, and eventually, I think a franchise. And maybe more than one. London’s a big city … I think eventually having that many games says that we really are playing a season in London, so we probably ought to have a team here. I think it will be a natural progression to a team.”

Blank also told King that he believes there will be “one or more teams” in L.A. in the near future. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross agrees, telling the Wall Street Journal’s Kevin Clark last week that he sees a team in L.A. “within five years” (Twitter link).

Along the same lines, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk examined which teams could be moved to London or L.A., and listed the Bills (who cannot move until 2020), the Jaguars (who will play one game in London through 2016), and the Raiders, Rams, and Chargers, each of whom has been headquartered in L.A at one time.

I think that L.A. is the likelier destination for an NFL franchise. A London-based team would cause all sorts of logistical nightmares for teams, and it makes much more sense to place a team in the second-largest city in the United States. What do you think? Will L.A. or London get a franchise first?

Poll: Bears Backup Quarterback

May 31st, 2014 at 6:42pm CST by Peter Sowards

When Josh McCown signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Buccaneers in March, the position of Bears backup quarterback swung wide open. And when the team added San Jose State’s David Fales with a sixth-round pick two months later, the competition got that much juicier.

Three men are competing for the No. 2 spot on the QB depth chart: Jordan Palmer (brother of Carson), Jerrod Johnson and the aforementioned Fales. Palmer is the leader in the clubhouse, according to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, a spot he’s earned with experience. A sixth-round pick in 2007, 2014 will mark his eighth season of professional football.

Johnson spent 18 days on the practice squad in September, Wiederer notes, and has yet to throw a pass in the NFL after entering the league in 2011 as an undrafted free agent from Texas A&M.

Whoever wins the spot has big shoes to fill — McCown shined bright last season filling in for an injured Jay Cutler, leading the league in fewest interceptions per throw and winning three of five starts. The biggest reason for his success, per quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh, was the relationship he shared with Cutler.

“Josh was a great example of a guy where, although he knew he was going to be backing up Jay, he truly approached every day like he was going to be getting all the reps,” Cavanaugh said. “He worked very hard. And not only that, he was selfless enough to know that although I’m competing, I want to be able to help Jay too.

“Those guys had a unique relationship that Jay really counted on. Josh was his sounding board a lot. Sometimes when coaches speak to you, it’s coach-speak. You want to hear one of your buddies say, ‘Hey, they’re right.’ Or, ‘Let’s talk it through and then we’ll approach them about it.’ So there’s a role to be played there.”

Extension Candidate: Alex Smith

May 28th, 2014 at 8:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Raise your hand if two years ago you thought Alex Smith would be in position to ask for a contract with an average annual value of about $18MM. Okay, now stop lying and put your hand down.

After a revitalizing season with the Chiefs last year that brought about his first Pro Bowl invitation, Smith is entering the final year of his contract and the Chiefs would like to keep him off the open market. That could be easier said that done. Earlier today, Ed Werder of ESPN.com reported that there has been “very little dialogue” between the two sides on a fresh contract. Head coach Andy Reid seems to think that they could get something done, but Kansas City is understandably reluctant to give Smith a deal similar to the one Jay Cutler got from the Bears. Cutler’s new seven-year deal gave him an AAV of $18.1MM, and that could be too rich for KC’s blood when it comes to the former No. 1 overall pick.

Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looked at Smith’s case and weighed him against Cutler and Tony Romo. There are few areas – outside of win percentage – that favor Smith in a matchup with Romo when considering the Dallas QB’s completion percentage, touchdown/interception ratio, and other vitals. However, Smith and Cutler do appear to be a much stronger match. Neither guy is a slam-dunk franchise QB but both men have found success (even when it’s not pretty) and in a league with few quality options, they have to be considered premium talents. Ultimately, Fitzgerald concludes that an $18MM per year asking price is not outlandish based on what he done the last few seasons and I’m inclined to agree.

Do you think Smith is deserving of that type of deal? Cast your vote below and let us know in the comments section.

Poll: Who Will Be Traded?

May 25th, 2014 at 9:15pm CST by Ben Levine

As a result of free agency and the draft, there are players around the league that now find themselves in a bit of roster limbo. Plenty of veterans could be on a team’s trading block, so NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling took a look at the top-ten trade candidates in the league.

The Vikings added Matt Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater and as a result, incumbent quarterback Christian Ponder tops Wesseling’s list. The writer states that Ponder has higher upside than a typical backup, and lists the Saints, Packers, Panthers and Falcons as potential trading partners. Fellow quarterback Ryan Mallett of the Patriots was second on the list, with Wesseling suggesting the Texans and Cowboys as landing spots.

Michael Roos‘ contract (and the addition of rookie Taylor Lewan) makes the Titans offensive tackle a definite trade option. Roos is number-four on Wesseling’s list, with the Panthers and Ravens listed as destinations. 49ers running back LaMichael James, Cardinals tight end Rob Housler and Raiders wideout Denarius Moore round out Wesseling’s offensive options.

On defense, Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers leads the way at number-four. The team is reportedly open to trading the Pro Bowler, and Wesseling suggests the Texans, Titans and Colts would be interested. Defensive end/linebackers Brandon Graham (Eagles) and Dion Jordan (Dolphins) come in at five and six, followed by Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan.

Wesseling mostly focused on players that were squeezed out of their team’s plans following the offseason. That means he omits Texans wideout Andre Johnson, who would clearly top the list if included. The Pro Bowler has been the subject of trade rumors for the past month.

Which player do you think is most likely to be traded? Is there somebody that you think should have been included? Let us know in the comments.

Poll: Best Remaining Free Agent

May 24th, 2014 at 6:24pm CST by Ben Levine

In March, PFR’s Peter Sowards took a look at the best remaining free agents. Each of those players has since found a new home, as have many of their peers. With that said, team’s don’t need to necessarily scrape the bottom of the barrel if they’re still looking to add a veteran presence.

On the offensive side of the ball, Jermichael Finley is certainly the most intriguing player available. The 6-5 tight end caught 55 passes for 767 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011, following by a solid 2012 campaign. He appeared in only six games this past season after suffering a spinal cord injury.

Teams may also be interested in former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes. He has only appeared in 15 games over the past two seasons, but he was certainly a productive wideout prior to that. On the line, two-time Pro Bowler Davin Joseph seemed to have recovered nicely from a 2012 knee injury, appearing in all 16 games this past season.

Linebacker James Anderson led the 2013 Bears in tackles, but has yet to sign with a team. The 30-year-old had compiled more than 100 tackles in three of the last four seasons. Six-time Pro Bowler Kevin Williams is also on the market. The big defensive tackle is certainly slowing down, but he still appeared in 15 games for the Vikings last season. In the secondary, Terrell Thomas could be a good option for teams lacking depth. Thomas returned from ACL tears in 2011 and 2012 and ultimately played 16 games for the Giants.

Who do you think is the best remaining free agent? Did I forget anybody? Let us know in the comments.

Poll: Jimmy Graham’s Contract Situation

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The most exciting stretches of the NFL offseason are behind us, with only a handful of notable free agents still on the market and teams signing their draft picks in time for training camp. Still, there will be a handful of storylines worth keeping an eye on over the next several weeks, and perhaps none are bigger than Jimmy Graham‘s upcoming hearing related to the positional designation on his franchise tag.

The Saints used their franchise tag on Graham earlier in the offseason, locking in a one-year contract offer worth the amount for a tight end: $7.035MM. However, now that a grievance has been filed, an arbitrator will be tasked with determining whether Graham should actually be considered a wide receiver, since he lined up as a wideout for about two-thirds of his snaps in 2013.

Graham’s side will point to a section of the CBA that states a franchise player’s position is the one “at which the franchise player participated in the most plays during the prior league year,” arguing the standout pass-catcher should be eligible for the franchise salary for a receiver, which is expected to be about $11.5MM. That hearing is scheduled for June 17-18.

It’s possible that the two sides reach a multiyear agreement before a ruling on Graham’s position comes down, but if they don’t, the decision made at June’s hearing will significantly affect what sort of long-term money the Saints’ star could receive. Depending on how things play out, a handful of different scenarios are possible: Graham could play the 2014 season on the one-year franchise tag, he and the Saints could agree to a long-term contract, or a rival suitor could swoop in and sign Graham to an offer sheet, which New Orleans would have the opportunity to match.

That last outcome may seem unlikely, but Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report recently reported that multiple clubs are still “strongly considering” extending an offer sheet to Graham. If New Orleans elected not to match such an offer, the club would receive two future first-round picks from Graham’s new team. In my view, that’s probably too significant a price to pay for a tight end, particularly since you’d probably be committing to paying Graham $10MM annually in addition to losing the picks. Still, a contender expecting to be near the back of the first round for the next couple years could decide it’s worth the risk. At this point in the year, a deal could conceivably be structured in a way that would make it difficult for the capped-out Saints to match it.

I still think the most likely scenario sees Graham and the Saints eventually agree to multiyear contract, like Drew Brees did with the team a couple years ago. But that’s not a given yet, and the positional hearing in June adds a unique wrinkle to the situation. What do you think? How will this play out?

Poll: Most Interesting Rookie Storyline?

May 18th, 2014 at 7:09pm CST by David Kipke

The 2014 NFL draft was surely never short of intrigue. The draft featured defensive Jadeveon Clowney, described by Todd McShay as “the most physically talented defensive lineman I’ve ever evaluated.” It saw Johnny Manziel, the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, fall to the Browns at the 22nd overall pick — the same exact pick that they used to take eventual bust Brady Quinn out of Notre Dame in the 2007 draft. Brandin Cooks, the 2013 Biletnikoff Award winner for college football’s best wide receiver, was drafted by Saints. Many speculate that the explosive Cooks could mesh very quickly with the Saints’ signature offensive air attack.

Additionally, Teddy Bridgewater, considered a year ago to be a near-lock to go at the very top of the first round, slipped to the Vikings, who traded up for the 32nd overall pick to select the Louisville product. To top it all off, on the draft’s third and final day, Michael Sam, the first openly gay man ever to enter the NFL draft, was selected by the Rams 249th overall in the seventh round.

With the draft over, the eyes of the NFL shift to September and the upcoming season. Which of these rookie storylines do you find most compelling as we approach the 2014 season? If you think another rookie storyline will be even more compelling next season, please share and discuss below!

Poll: Best Late Round Quarterback?

May 10th, 2014 at 3:52pm CST by Rob DiRe

Just because they don’t have the fanfare of a Johnny Manziel or Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t mean the day three quarterbacks are destined to be career backups. A handful of high-caliber NFL quarterbacks do get selected in the later rounds.

Not every quarterback drafted in the sixth round is going to turn into Tom Brady–most first-round quarterbacks won’t accomplish half of what Brady has–but many if not all of these fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh-round quarterbacks will have a chance to push for a starting job at some point in their career, either by performance or by injury.

The question is, which of these quarterbacks is going to have the best chance to find success as a starter in the NFL? That takes a combination of talent and opportunity, where some of these draftees have definite roadblocks in front of them in the form of quarterbacks entrenched as starters.

Of course, a few more quarterbacks will still come off the board in the next 50+ picks, and a couple more will be snagged as undrafted free agents. Maybe Stephen Morris of Miami, Tahj Boyd of Clemson, Garrett Gilbert of SMU, Keith Price of Washington, Brett Smith of Wyoming, or Connor Shaw of South Carolina ends up being the best of the group, although they are still waiting to hear their names called.

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