A.j. Bouye - Pro Football Rumors

Mutual Interest Between Texans, A.J. Bouye

January 16th, 2017 at 12:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Both Bill O’Brien and A.J. Bouye expressed interest in having the breakout corner return on a second Texans contract. The fourth-year cornerback stands to be a coveted commodity on the UFA market, but the third-year coach identified him as a player to retain.

“From people I talk to around the league, he’s a top corner. We’d love to have A.J. back,” O’Brien said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Entering the season a relatively unknown talent, the former UDFA finished as 2016’s No. 3 overall cornerback in the opinion of Pro Football Focus — behind only Chris Harris and Aqib Talib. As a result of this campaign, Bouye figures to be a sought-after prize for a team in need of a corner. That could make a Texans return tricky if the 25-year-old reaches free agency. But Bouye expressed a desire to return, with the obvious caveat of uncertainty about the upcoming process.

“I would like to be back,” Bouye said. “It’ll mean a lot because it’ll show that they wanted me and saw what I did this year and there are better things that are going to happen in the future from an individual and team standpoint. I’ve been through a lot here with the organization, a lot of ups and downs, and they never gave up on me. I’m appreciative of that. I’d like to be back, but we’ll see what happens.”

Bouye made 62 tackles, intercepted one pass and broke up 16 others. The No. 8-ranked player on PFR’s free agent list, Bouye joins a UFA cornerback crop that as of now includes Trumaine Johnson, Morris Claiborne, Stephon Gilmore and Dre Kirkpatrick. Malcolm Butler will be a restricted free agent.

The Texans spent almost all of their free agency and draft capital on offense last year but still boasted the No. 1 defense without J.J. Watt for the most part. Although Bouye stands as by far the top free agent for a Texans team that is projected to possess more than $25MM in cap room, the possibility he could command an eight-figure-per-year deal may price him out of Houston. Houston has Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph on its 2017 books for $16MM combined.

Texans Notes: O’Brien, Hopkins, Bouye

January 15th, 2017 at 10:35am CST by Rory Parks

The Texans will now look ahead to the 2017 campaign after last night’s season-ending loss to the Patriots, so let’s take a look at a few Houston-related notes as the club starts gearing up for another playoff run:

Head coach Bill O’Brien said prior to last night’s game that he would return as the team’s head coach in 2017, and he adamantly reaffirmed that statement after the game was over. O’Brien said, “I’m tired of answering it. I can’t even have a sense of humor about it. I’ll be the Texans’ coach” (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
Star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is preparing to enter his fifth-year option year at a cost of just under $8MM, but Wilson writes that, if history is any indication, the Texans will sign Hopkins to a long-term deal this offseason. Houston has a tradition of hammering out contract extensions for their best players, and despite a statistical regression from his sensational 2015 campaign, Hopkins is clearly in line for a deal that will make him one of the highest-paid wideouts in the league.
Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com names the offensive line as the Texans’ biggest area of need, and she writes that the team will likely draft a quarterback in April and have a competition during training camp to determine the starter. The Texans have just shy of $25MM in cap space, but they do have to address the contract situations of a number of players, including Hopkins and Duane Brown, so unless they can restructure a few deals and somehow shed some of Brock Osweiler‘s salary, they will be unable to make a big splash at the quarterback position.
Cornerback A.J. Bouye came out of virtual anonymity to become perhaps the best cornerback in the league this season, and he did so just as he is about to hit unrestricted free agency. As Wilson writes, a new contract for Bouye will be a top offseason priority for the Texans, and Bouye did say after last night’s game that he would like to be back in Houston. But the franchise tag, which is projected to be over $14MM for cornerbacks this year, will likely be unpalatable for the Texans, and Bouye’s financial opportunities elsewhere may preclude him from giving the Houston a hometown discount. PFR recently named Bouye as the eighth-best free agent in the first version of our 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings.
Despite dealing with some painful injuries this season, one of Bouye’s colleagues in the defensive backfield, Johnathan Joseph, missed just three games in 2016, and per Wilson, the 32-year-old plans to return for his 12th NFL season. Joseph is under contract through 2017, but considering the Texans could save $7MM by cutting him, he may be a release/restructure candidate.
We learned earlier today that Texans DT Vince Wilfork plans to call it a career.

PFR’s 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings

January 6th, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The regular season is over and, for most teams, the offseason is underway. Here is the latest installment of our 2017 NFL Free Agent Power Rankings, which is comprised only of upcoming unrestricted free agents, and is ranked by projected guaranteed money. In parentheses next to each player, you’ll find their position in the November edition of the rankings. For more, check out our master list of all 2017 free agents.

1. Kirk Cousins, QB (1): In 2015, Cousins established himself as a solid NFL quarterback. That summer, the Redskins told Cousins they wanted him to prove it all over again before giving him a monster contract. Cousins was happy to oblige and he has now increased his value even further. After a so-so start to 2016 season, Cousins closed out strong to finish as Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 ranked QB, putting him ahead of notables such as Matthew Stafford, Ryan Tannehill, Andy Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger, Cam Newton, and Philip Rivers. All of those players have gotten their big pay day and now it’s time for Cousins to join the club.

2. Chandler Jones, LB/DE (2): Before you start salivating over the idea of Jones joining your favorite team’s front seven, we have some bad news: Bruce Arians says the Cardinals will place the franchise tag on him if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. Whether it’s on a one-year, $16.955MM deal or a multi-year contract that tops Olivier Vernon‘s Giants deal, it sounds like Jones is staying put. Jones, 27 in May, played in all 16 games this year and racked up 11 sacks.

3. Kawann Short, DT (4): Contract talks between the Panthers and Short stalled last summer and Fletcher Cox‘s market-boosting deal with the Eagles didn’t help matters. Short wound up playing 2016 for peanuts ($1.473MM) and he turned in yet another stellar season. Short was the fourth-best interior defender in the league this season, per Pro Football Focus, and his 87.7 overall score was roughly the same as his 2015 mark, even though he had five less sacks. In June, it was said that the Panthers did not want to go too far beyond an average annual salary of $15MM. If he’s not franchised tagged or signed to a long-term deal by Carolina, there are a few teams that will happily go beyond that point.

4. Alshon Jeffery, WR (3): Despite a down year, Dallas Robinson gave Jeffery the benefit of the doubt last time and ranked him as our No. 3 free agent based on his past work. That was one week before his four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Jeffery claimed that he took “a recommended supplement to combat inflammation” without realizing that it contained something that was on the league’s banned list of substances. That may be true, but Jeffery needed to rebound from his injury-shortened 2015 with a full, productive season in order to restore his stock. Teams will cut him some slack given the Bears’ quarterback issues, but he might not approach the deals of Julio Jones, Demaryius Thomas, and Dez Bryant.

5. Melvin Ingram, LB (6): Ingram broke out in 2015 and in 2016 he proved it wasn’t a fluke. Now with back-to-back seasons as one of the league’s better edge rushers, Ingram is poised to cash in. Ryan Kerrigan‘s five-year, $57.5MM extension with the Redskins has been suggested as a comp, but I expect Ingram to top that deal. This is nearly two years later and the projected cap increase should benefit all players.

6. Dont’a Hightower, LB (6): Hightower has been a stud for the Patriots ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2012. Charged with anchoring the defense at inside linebacker, Hightower doesn’t have gaudy stats, but the advanced numbers illustrate how good he is. This year, he graded out as the No. 13 off-ball LB in 2016, according to PFF, which ranks him as the best pass-rushing inside ‘backer in the league. He’s consistent too, with even better scores in 2014 and 2015. The Patriots moved on from Jones and Jamie Collins last year but they do not want to lose Hightower.

7. Jamie Collins, LB (5): Heading into his contract year, Collins was determined to put up big numbers. He was so driven to increase his value, reports say, that he began “freelancing,” or making ill-advised choices in order to be the first defensive player to the ball. The Patriots subsequently traded him away for peanuts, and that’s not a great endorsement for him. On top of the character concerns, Collins will have to answer for a down year that cast him as just above average rather than the top ten ‘backer he was in the previous two seasons.

8. A.J. Bouye, CB (9): Before this season, you could have been forgiven for not knowing Bouye’s name. Now, there’s no excuse. Bouye burst out of obscurity in 2016 and he now looks the part of a No. 1 cornerback. The best part is that he doesn’t turn 26 until August, making him the youngest player on this list. I predict that Bouye will outearn every other corner in this class, a group that includes guys like Trumaine Johnson, Stephon Gilmore, and Morris Claiborne.

9. Kevin Zeitler, G (8): Zeitler made the jump from good to great in 2014 and never looked back. This year, he stands as PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard and the No. 1 guard bound for the free agent market. T.J. Lang is a close second according to the advanced metrics, but Zeitler is more than two years younger than Lang and should easily surpass him in guarantees. Kelechi Osemele‘s five-year, $58.5MM deal could be in reach for the Bengals lineman if enough teams get in on the bidding.

10. Calais Campbell, DL (NR): When the Cardinals acquired Jones from the Patriots, many believed that Calais Campbell was a goner in Arizona. Now, after what is arguably a career season, the Cardinals are probably singing a different tune. Defensive lineman Michael Bennett recently signed a three-year extension with the Seahawks worth $31.5MM with $17.5MM in guarantees. Campbell should have no trouble beating that, especially since he is a year younger and coming off of a better season.

Honorable mention

Le’Veon Bell (10): Most running backs don’t get big bucks in free agency, but most of them don’t run like Bell. This year, he reminded everyone of his pass-catching abilities and even did some of his damage lined up at wide receiver. Bell should easily best LeSean McCoy‘s ~$8MM AAV and Doug Martin‘s $15MM in guarantees this offseason.

Honorable mention continued: Eric Berry, Jason Pierre-Paul, T.J. Lang, Stephon Gilmore, Tony Jefferson, Trumaine Johnson, Nick Perry, Dontari Poe, Martellus Bennett

AFC Notes: Bouye, RG3, Green, Jets, Nelson

December 25th, 2016 at 9:19am CST by Sam Robinson

Entering this season as a relative unknown, Texans fourth-year corner A.J. Bouye may have moved himself in position to sign a lucrative NFL contract for the first time. A UDFA in 2013 that started just eight games total before 2016, Bouye has stood out on a team that made far bigger investments at corner. A deal for Bouye could cost a team as much as $8MM-per-year in 2017, the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson notes.

Wilson describes a growing buzz around the physical defender, who could join Trumaine Johnson, Prince Amukamara, Stephon Gilmore and Darius Butler among the list of cornerbacks who stand tot be UFAs. Bouye rates behind only Chris Harris, Malcolm Butler and Aqib Talib among corners this season, according to Pro Football Focus, and will have the chance to stand out on a national stage in a home playoff game.

The Texans have two corners who stand to make more than $7MM next season in Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph. Separating from Jackson would be more difficult financially than Joseph if Houston wished to retain Bouye since $4.5MM in dead money would match the amount the team could save by making that move. Houston stands to have $17MM-plus in cap space prior to making any offseason moves.

PFR’s Dallas Robinson ranked Bouye ninth among all players on his free agent power rankings.

Here’s more from the AFC.

Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III suffered a concussion on Saturday, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. His status for Week 17 is not immediately clear. RG3 missed most of this season with a shoulder injury but did become the only Browns QB to start in a win. However, the Browns gave Cody Kessler — the expected Week 17 starter, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal — several starts this season and have a decision to make on Griffin. He’s due a relatively small $750K roster bonus in March and would count $9.25MM against Cleveland’s 2017 cap. The Browns could afford that, but Griffin didn’t give them much reason to trust him in 2016.
Andy Dalton confirmed a Saturday report that ownership made the decision to yank A.J. Green from the Bengals‘ Week 16 game plan, sending the wideout home for Christmas at his request, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. “He felt like he was in position [to help the team with a return] and the ownership made a decision,” Dalton said. “Would I have loved to have him out there? Absolutely. But the decision was made.”
Bryce Petty also is uncertain for Week 17 after hearing a pop in his shoulder during the Jets‘ loss to the Patriots. The second-year passer left the stadium with his shoulder in a sling and will undergo a Christmas Day MRI, Daryl Slater of NJ.com reports. Ryan Fitzpatrick could be called on to make one more start for Gang Green in the event the team holds Petty out against the Bills. Todd Bowles didn’t dismiss a Christian Hackenberg start, but the rookie has not played in a game this season.
By intercepting his fifth pass of the season today, Raiders safety Reggie Nelson earned a $250K incentive bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. In the first season of a two-year contract with Oakland, Nelson made the Pro Bowl for a second straight year and now has 13 INTs in the past two seasons.

Zach Links contributed to this report

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/28/16

March 28th, 2016 at 8:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a rundown of today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves:

Texans restricted free agent corner A.J. Bouye signed his $1.671MM tender today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Bouye reportedly drew interest from other clubs this offseason, though those interested teams apparently did not think he was worth the forfeiture of a low-round draft pick. The 24-year-old entered the league in 2013 as an undrafted free agent out of UCF and has since made a solid impression on Houston brass.
The Ravens announced (via Twitter) that they have signed exclusive rights free agent Terrence Magee. The running back joined the Ravens’ taxi squad in early December and was promoted to the varsity squad roughly two weeks later. The Ravens are also slated to have Justin Forsett, Javorius Allen, Lorenzo Taliaferro, Terrance West, and Trent Richardson on the roster in 2016. With Magee under contract, Baltimore now has 11 ERFAs to address.
The Giants re-signed ERFA tight end Will Tye, as Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports tweets.

Free Agent Rumors: Vikings, Weddle, Steelers

March 9th, 2016 at 6:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Vikings are negotiating to bring back tight end Rhett Ellison, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). If Ellison can’t be retained, however, one option to replace him might be free agent James Hanna, formerly of the Cowboys, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link).

Here’s a look at some of the latest news and rumors on this crazy day of action:

Terence Newman is also a Vikings free agent, and the club will talk to his agent once again later tonight or tomorrow, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Wolfson also says that Minnesota did not show interest in guard Jeff Allen, as Alex Boone was their target all along.
The Steelers like veteran safety Eric Weddle, a source tells Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (Twitter link), but the club thinks he’s too expensive at the moment. Pittsburgh is hoping Weddle’s price falls.
Free agent offensive lineman Ted Larsen will take a visit with the 49ers, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
The Bears are not done looking for free agent offensive lineman, even after agreeing to a deal with Bobby Massie, reports Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).
Texans restricted free agent corner A.J. Bouye is drawing interest from other clubs, but no offer sheet is yet on the table, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Bouye was tendered at the lowest level, so Houston won’t get any compensation if it fails to match an offer.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/8/16

March 8th, 2016 at 10:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s minor tender decisions from around the NFL on potential restricted and exclusive-rights free agents:

The Texans have assigned the low tender to both cornerback A.J. Bouye and linebacker John Simon, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). Both players will earn a $1.671MM non-guaranteed base salary next year.

Earlier updates:

The Buccaneers have assigned the low-end tender to RFA wide receiver Russell Shepard, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Shepard, 25, hasn’t been a major part of the offense since joining the team in 2013, catching just seven total passes, but he has been a key contributor on special teams.
The Texans will not tender an offer to running back Jonathan Grimes, nor will they re-sign him to a lesser deal, as Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
The Ravens have begun extending contract tenders to their ERFAs, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (all Twitter links), who reports that wide receiver Daniel Brown, running back Terrance West, and cornerback Sheldon Price all received offers from the team. Cornerback Jumal Rolle — another ERFA — also received a tender, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
The Packers have issued a tender to safety Chris Banjo, who was an exclusive rights free agent, Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette tweets.

FA Rumors: Nelson, Falcons, Giants, Conte

March 7th, 2016 at 5:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest free agent rumors as Wednesday draws closer:

The Falcons have expressed interest in Bengals safety Reggie Nelson, according to a source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Nelson hauled in a league-leading eight interceptions last season.
The Giants have expressed interest in Vikings free agent guard Mike Harris, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). Harris is currently mulling a two-year, $3.5MM offer from Minnesota.
Buccaneers safety Chris Conte is drawing interest from multiple teams, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Bucs want him back, but he’ll explore the market before making a commitment.
The Texans are holding discussions with cornerback A.J. Bouye about a potential new contract, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. The Texans can retain Bouye with a low tender of $1.671MM, but it sounds like they might work out a one-year deal at a lower rate instead. The 24-year-old entered the league in 2013 as a UDFA out of UCF.
Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) believes that free agent tight end Rob Housler will ultimately wind up back with the Bears.