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Poll: Should Ndamukong Suh Be With Team?

April 20th, 2014 at 7:51pm CST by Peter Sowards

Since joining the league as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been a wrecking ball. He has made three Pro Bowls in four seasons, was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, earned three All-Pro selections, and has totaled 27.5 sacks.

But, he has also been a lightning rod for criticism. As ESPN.com’s Jeffri Chadiha cites in this column, Suh has been suspended and fined nearly $217K in the past three seasons. With questions swirling about his character, along with an entirely new coaching staff, Suh showing up to the team’s offseason workouts would be a step in the right direction for a player whose name is too often referred to in a negative context.

Instead, Suh spent time in Las Vegas, negotiating a contract in its early stages that would likely place the former Heisman Trophy finalist among the top-paid defensive players in NFL history.

Chadiha goes all in on Suh and the Lions, chastising the player for not showing up and chastising the team for not forcing him to come: “What nobody was willing to say is what is plainly obvious to anybody watching this situation: It says plenty that Suh chose to not attend these workouts. Even if he’s getting into phenomenal shape on his own, this was the first opportunity that [head coach] Jim Caldwell and his assistants had to educate their players on the team’s new offensive and defensive schemes. If Suh wasn’t crazy about the team’s philosophies on strength and conditioning, he could’ve seen the upside in that. These are the types of gestures that leaders make in order to foster a winning atmosphere.”

This is not an uncommon occurrence. Players regularly choose to work out on their own, especially players who are in negotiations over their contract. But, as Chadiha points out, with a new coaching staff and Suh’s reputation, it was a chance for Suh to curry favor with the team.

So, do you think that Suh should have been with his team for its voluntary offseason program? Or does it even matter? Let us know your opinion in the comment section below.

Poll: Which 2014 Free Agent Was The Most Overpaid?

April 20th, 2014 at 12:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Playing off of Bill Polian‘s assertion that ‘B’ players were seeking ‘A’ money, Mike Klis of the Denver Post compiled his list of the most overpaid free agents from this offseason. Klis lists 15 signees, and a staggering 14 of them inked deals with non-playoff teams. The writer attributes this to desperation, stating that some teams “didn’t know how to spend their newfound riches or were forced to overpay to lure players to their bad franchises.”

The first player on Klis’s list is Vikings‘ defensive end Everson Griffen, who will earn $13MM in 2014 despite only getting 5.5 sacks last season. The Falcons‘ Paul Soliai (5 year/$32 MM, $11MM in ’14) and Tyson Jackson (5 years/$25MM, $9.5MM), the Bears‘ Lamarr Houston (5 years/$35MM, $9MM) and the Jaguars‘ Toby Gerhart (3 years/$10.5MM, $4MM) round out his top-five.

Of course, this list doesn’t include some of the more high-profile contracts dished out this offseason, and those are often the contracts that are the most scrutinized. Eric Decker inked a five-year, $36.25MM deal including $15MM guaranteed with the Jets. The 27-year old has certainly had a handful of good seasons with the Broncos, but it’s unknown if he can lead a receiving core.

On defense, DeMarcus Ware got $20MM guaranteed from the Broncos even though the player will soon be 32. Darrelle Revis struggled in 2013 but still got $16MM to play with the Patriots for a season. We also can’t forget about Aqib Talib, who signed the largest contract based on overall base value at $57MM over six years.

Finally, there’s offensive tackle Branden Albert, who got $20MM guaranteed from the Dolphins. It wouldn’t be a list unless I added in the player who’ll be guaranteed to take home the most money.

Combining Klis’s top-five with my list of notable free agents signed to large contracts, who do you think was the most overpaid this offseason? Did I forget somebody? Are you offended by one of my suggestions? Sound off in the comment section.

Poll: Will Lions Trade Up From No. 10?

April 17th, 2014 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

As Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com writes, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was in Allen Park yesterday to visit Lions coaches and front office personnel as one of the team’s 30 pre-draft visits. Of all the prospects eligible to be drafted in 2014, Clowney is perhaps the least likely to be picked outside the top five, meaning he’s a lock to be off the board by the time the Lions pick tenth overall.

Spending so much time looking at and meeting with players they know won’t be available at No. 10, such as Clowney and Clemson wideout Sammy Watkins, seems like a waste of time for the Lions unless the club is strongly considering moving up in the draft. It’s possible that Detroit is setting up an elaborate smokescreen, but that doesn’t seem all that beneficial, so we can apply Occam’s razor here — the most plausible explanation is likely the real one.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explored the subject this morning and reached the same conclusion, speculating that perhaps the Lions are trying to get the attention of teams like the Texans and Rams at the top of the draft. In Florio’s view, the Lions would have a better chance at moving up at a reasonable cost if they can get another team to instigate trade negotiations, perhaps playing some of those clubs at the top of the draft against one another.

Still, even if the Lions want to move up, trading into the top three or four from No. 10 won’t come cheaply. Only two years ago, the Rams, who hold this year’s No. 2 pick, traded that same selection for the No. 6 pick, two additional first-rounders, and a second-rounder. No player in 2014’s draft appears to be as strongly coveted as Robert Griffin III was in 2012, so the cost for the second overall pick shouldn’t be quite as exorbitant this time around. But considering most pundits and observers view this year’s draft class as exceptionally deep and talented, the Lions may be better off keeping all their picks and simply selecting the best player available at No. 10.

The question of whether the Lions should trade up largely depends on what the cost would be, so let’s put that aside for now and get your take on whether or not the team will trade up. Feel free to weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts.

Poll: What Should Texans Do With No. 1 Pick?

April 15th, 2014 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL draft is a little over three weeks away, but there’s still no consensus about what the Texans will – or should – do with the first overall pick. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, one of the most plugged-in Texans writers out there, has long insisted the team will draft a quarterback with that No. 1 pick, but in his most recent mock draft, McClain shifted gears and had Houston selecting defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

Clowney will indeed be one of the players the Texans bring in this week, but quarterback is certainly an area of need for the club, and Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Johnny Manziel will all be in town this week as well. In addition to those options, the Texans are said to be giving real consideration to Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack, who isn’t necessarily viewed as the top talent in the draft, but may be the best fit for the team, given its current holes.

Among the other probable top picks, tackles like Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews and wide receiver Sammy Watkins may not be favorites for that No. 1 spot, but we shouldn’t rule them out entirely. It’s also possible that Houston could trade the first overall pick. The team is reportedly open to the idea, and if there’s a club that covets a player like Clowney, it might be worthwhile for the Texans to move down a few spots and grab an extra pick or two.

This week’s visits may give us a stronger indication of the Texans’ plans for May 8, but for now, let’s hear what you think. Should the Texans draft a quarterback, a defender like Clowney or Mack, or trade the pick? Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section below.

Poll: Alex Mack’s Offer Sheet

April 9th, 2014 at 10:35pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Browns will have five days to make a decision on whether or not to match the Jaguars offer sheet to center Alex Mack once he signs. The offer sheet would make Mack the highest paid center in the league, but the structure of the contract would make it a difficult decision, even for a team with cap space.

Mack’s contract is reportedly frontloaded, worth at least $18MM over the first two years and $27MM over the first three. The total value of the contract is yet to be disclosed, but it is a five-year deal.

Mack would reportedly prefer to go to the Jaguars, but even the frontloaded offer sheet is doable for the Browns, who were prepared to pay him over $10MM under the transition tag in 2014. Even if they expect him to opt out of the contract after the second year, it would most likely still be cheaper than tagging him consecutive years.

Poll: Chris Johnson’s Future Home

April 4th, 2014 at 9:55pm CST by Peter Sowards

The Titans gave running back Chris Johnson his unconditional release today, giving the three-time Pro Bowler and 2009 NFL rushing leader the freedom to choose his next team. There was speculation that Tennessee would try to trade Johnson, but a prohibitive salary and the decreased value of running backs led to a lack of substantive interest league-wide.

Now comes the streaming of rumors as to who’s in and who’s out on the Chris Johnson market, much like we saw when former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson became a free agent a week ago today. In this rumors roundup post by PFR’s Luke Adams, we see that four teams — the Jets, Bills, Dolphins and Falcons — all discussed a possible trade for Johnson, but nothing came to fruition.

In this writeup by SI.com’s Chris Burke, the writer outlines eight teams as potential landing spots for the one-time 2,000-yard back: Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Bears, Cardinals, Broncos, Rams, and Jaguars.

Will CJ2K end up with one of these eight teams? Or is there a sleeper team Burke failed to mention that could wind up utilizing Johnson’s services for the foreseeable future? Let us know in this PFR poll.

Poll: DeSean Jackson’s Landing Spot

March 30th, 2014 at 5:52pm CST by Peter Sowards

Former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson was released by the club on Friday, and the rumors have since been streaming in nonstop. In fact, the PFR team had posts rounding up the rumors surrounding the former Cal standout for over a week now, including this article with a link saying the Jets have had internal discussions about adding Jackson.

Now that Jackson is a free agent and is free to choose his landing spot as he so pleases, the football world is waiting with bated breath. Rarely does a player of Jackson’s caliber make it to free agency in his prime, but in the aftermath of the Aaron Hernandez-saga and Jackson’s prohibitive salary, the Eagles simply made a business decision to move on without one of the most talented players in football.

Here are Pro Football Rumors’ most recent Jackson-related rumors roundup posts:

Now, based on the information we have presented in prior rumors posts, we want to know where you think Jackson will be spending next season (and potentially beyond). Does he stay in the NFC East with the Redskins? Does Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie bring Jackson back to the Bay Area?

You decide.

Poll: Best Bargain Of Free Agency

March 27th, 2014 at 10:05am CST by Luke Adams

There are still plenty of free agents on the market for teams looking to fortify positions of weakness, but most of the offseason’s biggest prizes came off the board earlier this month in a flurry of action. Unless Jimmy Graham or Alex Mack sign big long-term extensions with their respective teams, Jared Allen‘s deal with the Bears, which reportedly has a max value of $32MM, figures to be the largest contract signed by any remaining free agent.

Now that the free agent frenzy has died down a little, it’s time to take a look back at the month’s signings and see which teams made out better than others. Considering dozens and dozens of players inked new deals within the last two and a half weeks, there are a ton of potential bargains out there to make a case for, so we’ll limit our focus to players listed in PFR’s Top 25 Free Agents.

Of those 25 players on our list, only Mack, who was designated a transition player, remains unsigned, and most of the other 24 received more than $10MM in guaranteed money on their new deals. A notable handful of top free agents received a smaller guarantee though, including multiple players in our top 10. Examining that group of players, we’ll ask this question: Which of the following free agents represents the best bargain?

While our list of choices may be limited, feel free to weigh in below in the comments section on which players you felt were undervalued, and which deals you think flew under the radar.

Poll: Will Eagles Trade DeSean Jackson?

March 21st, 2014 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles were at the center of one of the NFL’s most notable trades of the month, acquiring Darren Sproles from the Saints for a fifth-round draft pick. But with plenty of time still remaining in the offseason, it’s possible that the Eagles could still be involved in a bigger deal, trading away an offensive playmaker of their own.

DeSean Jackson has been the subject of trade speculation for the last several weeks, and the rumor mill has been heating up in recent days, with multiple reports suggesting the Eagles were willing to listen to inquires about their star receiver, even if they weren’t necessarily shopping him. Since then, the 49ers, Patriots, Jets, Raiders, and Panthers have been listed among the teams that called Philadelphia to ask about Jackson.

While it may not be news that a club would simply field calls about a player, there are signals that the Eagles are actually considering the possibility of moving Jackson, who has a cap number of $12MM+ in each of the next three seasons. The team has stayed strangely silent about the numerous reports suggesting Jackson may be available, and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer reports today that the talks with the Panthers actually began when the Eagles “informally” reach out to gauge Carolina’s interest. While the Panthers don’t have the cap flexibility to be real suitors for Jackson, Person’s report suggests that the Eagles aren’t necessarily just sitting back and letting other teams call them.

The Eagles locked up a pair of solid receivers earlier in the offseason, re-signing Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper to new deals. Additionally, Jackson has made a few off-the-field headlines, and moving his contract would free up some cap room. Still, the explosive 27-year-old receiver is coming off a season in which he established new career-highs in receptions (82) and receiving yards (1,332), to go along with his nine touchdowns. He’d be sorely missed by the Eagles’ offense, and it may not be worth it to move him if the club can only acquire something like a third-round pick in return.

What do you think? Will Jackson still be an Eagle in Week 1 of the 2014 season, or will he be playing for another team by then?

Poll: Best Remaining Free Agent

March 15th, 2014 at 10:52pm CST by Peter Sowards

It’s been an exciting and busy few days since the 2014 NFL league year officially opened Tuesday, and many of the top free agents have already relocated or re-signed with their respective teams. Also, marquee names released by clubs — like DeMarcus Ware and Darrelle Revis — have landed with top contenders priming for Super Bowl runs.

That being said, we’re interested in seeing who you think is the best remaining free agent. We’ll start with the players remaining from Luke Adams’ top 25 NFL free agents, then add players like Antonio Cromartie who were released by their teams and have yet to be signed.

Feel free to defend your vote in the comments section below.

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