HEADLINES

Allen Hurns

More Reactions to Allen Hurns’ Extension

June 4th, 2016 at 10:41am CST by Ben Levine

Allen Hurns got paid. The 24-year-old inked a four-year extension yesterday rumored to be worth $40MM (with $20MM in guaranteed money).

While some NFL players are content with securing a big payday and then coasting, the former undrafted free agent is still looking to prove a point.

“It [the contract] for sure won’t change me,” Hurns told ESPN.com’s Mike DiRocco. “No matter how much money I make I’m still going to step on the field thinking about the day I went undrafted. That will stay with me forever.”

Hurns has clearly already proven that he belongs in the NFL. In two seasons, the former Miami Hurricanes standout has compiled 115 catches for 1,708 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Let’s take a look at some more notes pertaining to Hurns’ pricey extension…

  • DiRocco writes that Hurns’ new deal came together relatively quickly. The two sides began negotiating shortly after the NFL draft, and the extension truly gained traction when agent Drew Rosenhaus visited Jaguars executives on Thursday.
  • While some front offices may be wary of extending a former undrafted free agent, Hurns track record proved that he was worth the risk. “He’s done it two years in a row,” said Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell (via Hays Carlyon of Jacksonville.com). “This wasn’t just a one-year wonder and that’s another reason why we felt comfortable with it. Two years of production, plus the type of person and character he is. It was the right decision on our part.”
  • Despite being his team’s second receiver and having only played two seasons in the NFL, Hurns $10MM annual salary still ranks tenth among NFL wideouts, notes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Hurns restricted free agent tag provided the Jaguars with some leverage, but Fitzgerald believes Hurns emerged with the “best deal signed by a player in that spot since Arian Foster.”

Reactions To Allen Hurns’ Extension

June 3rd, 2016 at 12:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns says that teammates, including tight end Julius Thomas, have been busting his chops over his $40MM contract extension.

“Like he hasn’t been paid,” Hurns said of Thomas (via ESPN.com’s Mike DiRocco). “He’s just loud. Me and [Allen Robinson] gave him a lot of problems last year and he said that our time was going to come around.”

Thomas, of course, signed a five-year, $46MM deal with the Jaguars last year. Today, however, Hurns is the talk of Jacksonville. Here’s a look at some of the reactions to Hurns’ fat new contract plus a glance at how it may affect the wide receiver market going forward:

  • The market for No. 2 wide receivers has been reset after Hurns inked a four-year, $40MM extension with the Jaguars, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets. Dehner adds that the deal puts Marvin Jones‘ sizable contract in perspective. This spring, Jones got a five-year, $40MM deal from the Lions with $17MM fully guaranteed ($20MM guaranteed overall).
  • Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com looked at how Hurns’ deal with Jacksonville could affect Doug Baldwin‘s negotiations with the Seahawks. Baldwin, he argues, has a legitimate case to be paid at Hurns’ level. While Hurns’ average of 16.1 yards per reception was better than Baldwin’s 13.7 ypc offering, Baldwin was more efficient with a catch rate of 80.4%, compared to 62.1% for Hurns. One notable difference, of course, is age – Hurns is 25 and Baldwin is 28. When all is said and done, Kapadia feels that the Seahawks will at least have to match the four-year, $40MM extension given to Hurns if they want to keep Baldwin in the long run.
  • Hurns, who broke into the league as an undrafted free agent, is making $9.935MM in his first three NFL seasons. Only 2014’s top ten picks made more in the first three years of their rookie deals, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets.

Jaguars Sign Allen Hurns To Extension

June 2nd, 2016 at 6:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:21pm: The Jags made Hurns’ deal official, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets.

4:28pm: The Jaguars and wide receiver Allen Hurns have agreed to a contract extension that will average more than $10MM per season, according to Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). With escalators, Hurns can earn as much as $11MM per year, Mike Florio of PFT reports.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms the $40MM+ pact for Hurns, tweeting that it is a four-year deal for the Jags’ No. 2 wideout that contains four new years an $20MM in guarantees. Although he came into the league with the same draft class as receivers who aren’t yet allowed to sign long-term extensions, Hurns can because those rules do not apply to undrafted players. So, this loophole will oddly give the UDFA gem financial security before the rest of the star-studded 2014 receiver class, which included Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Sammy Watkins and Jacksonville’s No. 1 receiver, Allen Robinson.

The 24-year-old wideout wasn’t set to become an RFA until March of 2017 and, under the terms of his previous agreement with the north-Florida franchise, would not have been a UFA until the following spring.

So, it’s an early payday for Hurns after he enjoyed a breakout season in 2015 in joining Robinson in compiling 1,000-yard slates. After quickly establishing himself as a key performer in a rebuilding Jags offense in ’14 with 677 yards, Hurns exploded for 1,031 and 10 touchdown receptions in 2015.

Jacksonville came into Thursday with a league-most $49.3MM in cap space, with Hurns’ previous rookie deal set to take up barely $600K of it going into his third and final season of a contract he signed as a UDFA. Hurns’ new deal will not only vault from from a status that saw him as the Jaguars’ lowest-paid starter to one that will place him high in the receiver hierarchy in terms of AAV. Only 10 receivers earn more than $10MM annually, with the line of demarcation residing between Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson.

So, a clear bar has been set for Robinson, assuming he can continue on course as Jacksonville’s No. 1 target, and potential 2017 free agent Emmanuel Sanders, himself a No. 2 wideout.

The Jaguars now have multiple pieces of their talented skill-position corps locked into long-term deals, with Julius Thomas set for Year 2 of the five-year pact he signed in 2015. Robinson and Blake Bortles will become eligible to negotiate extensions after their third campaigns conclude.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Jaguars Notes: Kiffin, Draft, Hurns, Beachum

March 21st, 2016 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars made a big-name addition to their coaching staff today, formally announcing that veteran NFL coach Monte Kiffin would be joining the team as a defensive assistant. Kiffin, formerly the defensive coordinator in Dallas, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, and Minnesota, served in 2014 and 2015 as an assistant head coach for the Cowboys. In 2016, he’ll work with a unit that will be adding Malik Jackson, Prince Amukamara, and 2015 first-rounder Dante Fowler Jr., among others.

Here’s more on the Jaguars:

  • In addition to hiring Kiffin, the Jaguars also announced a couple more coaching changes, adding John Benton as assistant offensive line coach and John Donovan as offensive quality control coach.
  • GM Dave Caldwell is open to the idea of moving down in the draft, suggesting to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union that he’d be willing to go from No. 5 overall to “somewhere in the early teens.” Caldwell’s comments suggest that the Jags probably feel the top of the draft is fairly deep, and that the team will keep an eye out for opportunities to add another early pick.
  • Caldwell acknowledged that the Jaguars may look into a contract extension for wide receiver Allen Hurns this offseason now that he’s eligible for a new deal. “I think we’ll wait until after the draft to see where we’re at,” Caldwell said, per O’Halloran. “And if we did anything, it would be before the season.” I’d be surprised if Jacksonville gets anything done with Hurns this year, since he won’t be eligible for unrestricted free agency until 2018.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle provides several details on the Kelvin Beachum contract (all Twitter links). The deal is worth $5MM in year one, with a $2.5MM salary and up to $1MM in per-game roster bonuses. $1.5MM of that $5MM comes in the form of a guaranteed roster bonus. After the 2016 season, the Jaguars will have until 22 days prior to the start of the 2017 league year to decide whether or not to exercise Beachum’s $5MM option bonus for 2017-2020, when his salaries would range from $7.5MM to $10MM.

Jaguars Place Sen’Derrick Marks On IR

November 18th, 2015 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 3:21pm: The Jaguars officially placed Marks on IR today, one of several roster moves announced by the team. Jacksonville also placed rookie safety James Sample on IR, and used the two open spots to promote safety Craig Loston from the practice squad and to activate wide receiver Rashad Greene from IR-DTR.

TUESDAY, 12:23pm: The Jaguars will place defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks on the injured reserve list, ending his season, head coach Gus Bradley confirmed today (Twitter link via John Oehser of Jaguars.com). Marks tore his triceps during Sunday’s win over the Ravens.

Marks, 28, has been one of Jacksonville’s most reliable and productive defenders in recent seasons, but has been plagued by injuries within the last year. At the end of an impressive 2014 campaign that saw him rack up 8.5 sacks, Marks tore his ACL, delaying his 2015 debut. The former second-round pick managed to appear in just four games for the Jags this season before going down with another significant injury.

While the Jaguars got bad news on Marks, another key contributor returned to practice today, according to Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union. Wide receiver Allen Hurns paid another visit to a sports hernia specialist on Monday, but despite battling an abdominal injury and a foot ailment, he looks like a good bet to be active against the Titans this Thursday.

Per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter), Hurns said today that he may undergo sports hernia surgery after the season. There had been some speculation on Monday that the wideout may need to have such a procedure sooner, sidelining him during the season.

Injury Updates: Bradford, L. Jones, Jaguars

November 16th, 2015 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

While Peyton Manning‘s torn plantar fascia was probably the biggest injury news of the day, since it’ll lead to a Brock Osweiler start for the Broncos in Week 11, it’s hardly the only notable Monday injury update. Here are a few more:

  • Based on initial tests, Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, who sustained a concussion and a left shoulder injury, is expected to miss at least one game, and potentially two, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Philadelphia is scheduled to play on Thanksgiving afternoon in Week 12, so Bradford won’t have a full second week to recover if he aims to play in that game.
  • Rapoport also provides another QB injury update, tweeting that Steelers signal-caller Landry Jones has a “pretty severe” low ankle sprain. Pittsburgh has a bye this week, but Michael Vick looks likely to back up Ben Roethlisberger for the team’s next game.
  • Lions head coach Jim Caldwell told reporters today that cornerback Josh Wilson suffered a “significant” knee injury, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). Detroit has yet to make a roster move involving Wilson, but it sounds like his season might be over.
  • Jaguars defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks has been diagnosed with a torn triceps, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links). That’s typically a season-ending injury, though O’Halloran notes that Marks is getting a second opinion before Jacksonville makes any definitive decisions.
  • O’Halloran adds (via Twitter) that surgery for a sports hernia may be in play for Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns, who would be sidelined for four to six weeks if he underwent that procedure. Hurns is visiting a specialist this week to assess the extent of his abdominal injury.
  • Titans defensive tackle Al Woods has a high ankle sprain, and will be out for a few weeks, according to Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com (Twitter link).

Extra Points: Bills, Mathis, Hilton, Gregory

June 13th, 2015 at 7:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

After adding a pair of potential starters in free agent Richie Incognito and third-round pick John Miller earlier this offseason, Bills head coach Rex Ryan is content with his offensive guards. However, that won’t necessarily stop the team from trying to improve at the position. That improvement could come in the form of 10-year veteran Evan Mathis, whom the Eagles cut earlier this week.

“I think he’s a good football player; there’s no doubt,” Ryan said of Mathis, according to ESPN’s Mike Rodak. “We’ll do our due diligence, so to speak, but I’m pretty happy with our guards.”

If the Bills do pursue Mathis, their cap situation ($6.1MM in space, not including practice-squad signings and in-season injury replacements) could serve as a hindrance, Rodak notes.

More from around the NFL…

  • Colts star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is entering the final year of his contract, but he isn’t concerned about his long-term future. “If they want to pay me, they’ll pay me,” said Hilton, per Blake Schuster of the Indianapolis Star. “It takes both sides to come to an agreement. I leave that up to my agent and just go out there and have fun.” The 25-year-old Hilton, who has back-to-back seasons of 80-plus catches and 1,000-plus yards, will cash in soon with either the Colts or another club.
  • Don’t expect the Cowboys to use second-round pick Randy Gregory as more than a pass-rushing defensive end, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys don’t want Gregory dropping into coverage, per Machota, who also notes that Gregory will have to continue adding bulk in order to hold up against the run.
  • Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns went from undrafted free agent to solid contributor last year partly because he was able to capitalize on injuries to his fellow Jags wideouts. With Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Bryan Walters and Damien Copeland slowed by injuries during organized team activities, Hurns once again took advantage of his situation as a healthy member of the Jags’ offense, according to Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com. The fact that Hurns has been on the field learning new coordinator Greg Olson’s system could give him a leg up as he competes with his teammates for playing time. “I just feel really good in this system,” said Hurns. “[Greg Olson] has done a great job of opening things up to letting us run different routes. It’s a fun offense to play in.”

Jaguars Links: Blackmon, Rookies, Shorts

December 25th, 2014 at 4:12pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jaguars will be scoreboard watching this weekend, but not because of the playoffs. Instead, the team will be hoping that fellow 3-12 teams, the Jets and the Raiders, win their respective games. If those two teams win their contests and the Jags lose, Jacksonville will clinch the third pick in this year’s draft.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of Jacksonville…

AFC Notes: McPhee, Hurns, Amaro, Mack

August 23rd, 2014 at 12:43pm CST by Matt Feminis

Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee is a player to watch in tonight’s third preseason game against the Redskins, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun: “Healthy this year after having no surgeries this offseason — unlike previous years when he’s undergone groin and knee procedures — the Ravens’ outside linebacker has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL this preseason with one sack and five quarterback hurries. McPhee appears to have recaptured his rookie form from 2011 when he finished second on the Ravens with six sacks.” Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jaymison Hensley points out that McPhee is in the final year of his rookie deal, meaning the Ravens should benefit from healthy, motivated player seeking a contract extension.

Here’s a roundup of more links from around the AFC:

  • T.J. Graham is the Bills’ top “bubble” player, says ESPN’s Mike Rodak: “With six receivers already considered locks for the 53-man roster, Graham might need an injury to make the cut. However, he can make a strong push for a job with another team with a good outing Saturday. Graham saw more time with the first-team offense as training camp progressed, and with Sammy Watkins not expected to play Saturday, Graham should have chances to catch passes from starting quarterback EJ Manuel. The Bills will need to make a decision on Graham shortly after Saturday’s game. Would they release him early and allow him time to catch on elsewhere? Or do they hold onto him and try to get him back on their practice squad, now that he is eligible under the NFL’s new rules?”
  • With Donald Stephenson facing a four-game suspension and Joe Mays injured, the competition for replacement snaps at right tackle and inside linebacker is something to watch in the Chiefs’ third preseason game, writes Terez Paylor in the KC Star.
  • The Broncos are in need of a punt returner following the torn ACL suffered by Jordan Norwood. Isaiah Burse will get the first chance to claim the role, according to an AP story.
  • The Jaguars used a pair of second-round picks on receivers, but undrafted free agent Allen Hurns has been the best rookie in camp, writes Hays Carlyon in the Florida Times-Union: “The question now isn’t if Hurns makes the 53-man roster. He’s a virtual lock, a difficult position for an undrafted rookie to work his way to after three games. . . Hurns has put himself in position to perhaps start opposite Cecil Shorts when the Jaguars open the regular season at Philadelphia on Sept. 7.”
  • Jace Amaro is impressing Rex Ryan. Speaking about the rookie tight end, Ryan told the New York Post’s Brian Costello, “I told you guys he reminds me of [Mike] Ditka the more I see him. The kid gets better and better and better. That’s the thing you love about this guy.” Amaro had four catches and a touchdown last night against the Giants.
  • Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack looked worthy of the No. 5 overall selection last night, according to Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury-News.
  • Raiders running back Kory Sheets (Achilles) is out for the season. Sheets broke the news himself via Twitter. As a result, Latavius Murray will begin the season as the team’s primary kick returner.
  • A pair of young veterans — Dontay Moch and Orson Charles — could be candidates for the Bengals’ practice squad, speculates ESPN’s Cole Harvey, who says “coaches have grown tired of the Charles experiment and are all-in on undrafted rookie free agent Ryan Hewitt.”

AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Texans, McAfee

June 23rd, 2014 at 6:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jaguars drafted receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson to complement Cecil Shorts, but it was the unheralded Allen Hurns who made waves at minicamp, writes Mike Sando for ESPN Insider (subscription required). Hurns, who went undrafted out of Miami, saw quite a few snaps during practice sessions and made the most of them, even earning praise from quarterback Chad Henne. By signing with Jacksonville, Hurns reunites with offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, who served in the same capacity with the Hurricanes from from 2011-2012.

  • Speaking of Shorts, he is one of many Jaguars veterans who feels that the team will take a step forward in 2014, per John Oehser of Jaguars.com. “I believe we’ve gotten better from where we were last year. I believe we’re way ahead of where we were last year,” said Shorts. “…Last year, we were about learning the plays and trying to figure out what to do…Now, we have the same playbook. Now, we understand everything.”
  • In a piece kicking off his Best and Worst Contracts series, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines the Texans roster, labeling Andre Johnson as the player on the most team-friendly deal, and Arian Foster as having the least favorable contract from management’s perspective.
  • New Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel knows it will be a challenge to repair a unit that struggled last season, but he tells ESPN.com’s Tania Ganguli that he doesn’t think the 2013 team was lacking effort. “…[E]veryone thinks when you are 2-14 that you are no good,” said Crennel. “Your record is what it is, but from what I saw on tape, I saw guys hustling, I saw guys giving effort and guys being in the game in the fourth quarter. That indicated to me that maybe they weren’t that far away.” Houston ranked 18th in DVOA and forced a league-low 11 turnovers in 2013.
  • Colts punter Pat McAfee wants to add another job title to his résumé — placekicker. He hit several attempts from over 60 yards during minicamp, writes Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis, but the 27-year-old doesn’t expect to get a chance at the kicking job any time soon, what with the presence of veteran Adam Vinatieri on the roster. Handing the two duties to a single player would be an interesting idea, though, as it would free up an active roster spot on gameday.
Load More Posts