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Brian Orakpo

NFC East Rumors: Kelce, Giants, Redskins

February 26th, 2014 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Standout offensive tackle Jason Peters re-upped with the Eagles today, agreeing to a contract extension that adds four more years to his current deal, keeping him under contract through 2018. While Peters was the first Philadelphia offensive lineman to reach a new agreement this offseason, he likely won’t be the last, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Both reporters believe it’s just a matter of time until the Eagles also announce an extension for center Jason Kelce, whose rookie contract is set to expire a year from now.

Here are a few more Wednesday updates on the Eagles’ three division rivals:

  • As the Giants look to upgrade their offensive line, the club is eyeing potential free agent guards, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. While New York does think veteran Chris Snee will return in 2014, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the team could target players like Jon Asamoah, Geoff Schwartz, Chad Rinehart, Zane Beadles, and Shawn Lauvao in free agency, says Raanan.
  • A few former teammates thought Corey Webster would retire after his contract with the Giants voided this month, but Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports 1 says (via Twitter) the veteran cornerback plans to play in 2014. Due to injuries and poor play in 2013, Webster is unlikely to land much more than a minimum contract in free agency.
  • Redskins linebacker Bryan Kehl, who is eligible for free agency next month, has yet to discuss a new deal with the team, tweets Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, the club continues to talk to free agent linebacker Brian Orakpo, but no agreement is imminent, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post.
  • Although safety is an area of need for the Cowboys this offseason, Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News explains why the team shouldn’t consider addressing the position in the first round of the draft.

NFC East Rumors: Cousins, Orakpo, Cowboys

February 24th, 2014 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reported last week that the Redskins don’t plan to move Kirk Cousins, on the heels of another report indicating that the team would seek a second-rounder in any trade. At the time, it looked like an attempt by Washington to regain some leverage in potential talks, and a story from Mark Maske of the Washington Post today lends credence to that idea. Maske hears from “multiple people familiar with the situation” that the Redskins remain open to the possibility of trading Cousins, even if the club isn’t actively pursuing a deal.

“It’s not a case of looking to trade him,” said one of Maske’s sources. “That’s not the situation. But it’s not a case of there being absolutely no interest in a trade under any circumstances, either. It would all depend on what someone might offer.”

Here are a few more updates from around the NFC East, including another note on the Redskins’ backup quarterback:

  • Appearing on 106.7 The Fan in Washington recently, Cousins reiterated that he’d like to start, for the Redskins or another team, but downplayed the idea that he’s pushing for a trade or that his desire for a starting job is newsworthy (link via Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post).
  • Cousins on wanting to start: “If there’s any NFL quarterback who doesn’t want what I just communicated, I would seriously question – as a fan base or as an organization – what good he’s doing for your team. Now that being said, I’m gonna communicate my desire to play in a classy way. I don’t want to do it in a way that’s gonna hurt our organization or reflect poorly on me or the team. But yeah, I absolutely want to play, and that’s not a complicated fact.”
  • No deal is imminent for Brian Orakpo and the Redskins, but the two sides are talking and will continue to talk, a person familiar with the negotiations tells Maske.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones suggested that the Cowboys’ cap constraints aren’t as bad as people think. “The only thing the cap issues do with us is we can’t be big players in free agency,” Jones said, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “And I think history will tell you that being a big player in free agency is overrated and usually detrimental to the growth of a franchise, because a lot of these guys are leaving their other team for a reason.”
  • While it seems likely that Justin Tuck and Jon Beason will hit the open market on March 11, Giants GM Jerry Reese didn’t entirely close the door on the possibility of re-signing them before or after that date, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Sulia link).
  • Dan Graziano of ESPN.com explores a few reasons why the Giants won’t feel compelled to extend Eli Manning‘s contract this offseason.

NFC Notes: Ware, Orakpo, Giants, Gilbert

February 23rd, 2014 at 5:49pm CST by Rob DiRe

One of the biggest questions yet to be answered for the Cowboys this offseason is what to do with DeMarcus Ware, and team owner Jerry Jones said a decision needs to be made, writes Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram. Due to his high salary and his decline due to injuries, Ware is likely either to be cut or possibly to take a pay cut. While the Cowboys would struggle if they lose their top defensive player, Ware has not been open to taking a pay cut but would be willing to restructure his contract. Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:

  • Redskins’ general manager Bruce Allen isn’t the only member of the organization who has publicly stated his desire to see Brian Orakpo return, writes Tarik El Bashir of CSNWashington.com. Head coach Jay Gruden also expressed his feelings about the team’s star pass rusher. “As a free agent, he’s the top priority for us. We’d love to get Brian back,” said Gruden. “But there’s a lot of issues at hand on our team. We’re evaluating every free agent that’s on our team, and that’s out there in the National Football League very hard, and we’ll make those decisions when they come up.”
  • Giants general manager Jerry Reese said that he is content to allow both Justin Tuck and Hakeem Nicks test the free agent market this offseason, writes Glenn Minnis of XN Sports. “You never know,” said Reese. “We keep all of our options open. Both of those guys, they deserve to see what the market is.” Tuck and Nicks were among the best players on the team’s 2011 Super Bowl roster, but neither are expected to return to the team in 2014.
  • The Eagles need to bolster a secondary that struggled against the pass in 2013, and the team could target Justin Gilbert of Oklahoma State in the first round of the NFL Draft, writes Matt Kelley of Rant Sports. He believes that Gilbert could immediately upgrade the corner position, bringing the talent the team thought they were getting when they signed Cary Williams. Kelley would be surprised if the Eagles passed on Gilbert should he be available at pick 22.

Combine Updates: Orakpo, Talib, Welker

February 21st, 2014 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Redskins GM Bruce Allen is a big fan of Brian Orakpo and will to talk to his agent this weekend, but there’s no guarantee that the free agent linebacker will be back in 2014, writes the Washington Times’ Zac Boyer.

“We like Brian,” Allen said. “There’s no doubt we like Brian, as well as a number of other players. If we were just one player short, that would be an easy question, but we have several [needs] that we’re looking to fill.”

Orakpo, 27, is considered among the best pass rushers available and is expected to command an average salary in the neighborhood of $10MM per season. Here’s more from the second day of the 2014 combine:

  • The Patriots are set to meet with Aqib Talib in Indianapolis to discuss a new deal, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. As Howe notes, it’s a buyer’s market at the cornerback position with Alterraun Verner, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Charles Tillman, Vontae Davis and Brent Grimes also set to become available.
  • Broncos GM John Elway expects wide receiver Wes Welker to be back with the team in 2014 for the final year of his contract, tweets Howe.
  • Ken Harris, Jared Allen‘s agent, tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) that he had a “constructive” meeting with the Vikings on Thursday.
  • Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff said he anticipates getting two to three compensatory draft picks, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
  • In Ron Rivera’s view, the Panthers don’t have a successor to Steve Smith on their roster, which is something the head coach believes the club could address this offseason, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • According to GM Martin Mayhew, the Lions have no plans to try to re-sign wide receiver Nate Burleson or safety Louis Delmas, who were released earlier this month. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the details.
  • Johnny Manziel wants to endear himself to NFL GMs, so naturally, he decided to refer to himself in third person at the combine today when talking to reporters. “Johnny Manziel is a small-town kid. People make me out to be a Hollywood type,” the quarterback said, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC East Notes: Orakpo, Eagles, Cowboys

February 21st, 2014 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

As we look forward to another busy day at the combine in Indianapolis, let’s check in on a few Friday morning updates on all four NFC East squads:

  • Redskins general manager Bruce Allen confirmed that the club will meet with the agent for free agent linebacker Brian Orakpo this weekend, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
  • Although the Eagles will have to make offseason decisions on about a third of the players on their roster, GM Howie Roseman was fairly noncommittal when asked about those decisions, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer details.
  • In the last couple offseasons, the Eagles have made modest free agent expenditures, but the team is still willing to spend big on the right player, says Roseman (link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “I think unique situations call for unique action,” Roseman said. “If there is a unique player in free agency that is hard to find other than top of draft and fits all the criteria that we outlined, some publicly and some privately, you have to look at it. We still view ourselves as aggressive and risk-takers. Sometimes you have to take risks to get better.”
  • With Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper facing free agency and Jason Avant‘s contract making him a potential cap casualty, Roseman sounds like he’s “willing to shuffle the [Eagles‘] deck at wide receiver,” writes Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com.
  • The odds are very slim that the Cowboys will draft quarterback Johnny Manziel, but they’ll meet with him at the combine today, writes Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • The Giants are well-positioned to get Eli Manning some help on offense in this year’s draft, according to Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News, who suggests a few offensive linemen and pass-catchers the team may target at the combine.
  • Earlier this morning, we heard that the Redskins have no plans to trade Kirk Cousins.

NFC East Notes: Hall, Orakpo, Eagles

February 17th, 2014 at 9:24am CST by Rob DiRe

DeAngelo Hall and the Redskins are working on an extension, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While Hall is often maligned for the flaws in his all around game, he still has supporters in Washington. “After an inconsistent 2012, Hall took a massive pay cut and became the Redskins’ best defensive back in 2013, recording four interceptions, scoring three defensive touchdowns and covering the opposing team’s best receiver,” Tarik El Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes. “He also took fewer penalties and seemed to embrace a leadership role in the locker room.” Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:

  • While the team negotiates with Hall, the Redskins have a decision looming regarding what to do with the franchise tag. Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com believes the team will apply the non-exclusive tag on Brian Orakpo. The tag comes with a projected salary of $10.9MM, but will allow other teams to negotiate with Orakpo. The Redskins would still have the opportunity to match.
  • The Eagles may not be going after big names in free agency, but Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com has found three potential bargains the team could pursue. Marcus Benard, Graham Gano, and Ted Ginn Jr. could be options for the Eagles in 2014.
  • DallasNews.com put together a photo gallery highlighting ten offensive linemen the Cowboys could target in this year’s draft.

NFC Notes: Dimitroff, Shields, Orakpo, Eagles

February 15th, 2014 at 10:14am CST by Matt Feminis

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff was put under the microscope by the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Dawson Devitt, who published the first part of an exhaustive retrospective analysis of the GM’s transaction history 2008-09, including free agency, cuts, trades, extensions and drafts. The verdict? More good than bad.

Other opinions from NFC writers:

  • Packers free agent cornerback Sam Shields‘ arrow is pointing up, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, who says the 26-year-old is worth $7-8MM per year. Shields has blazing speed to run with outside burners and has improved leaps and bounds with his technique and tackling.
  • With Henry Melton, Jay Ratliff and Nate Collins set to hit free agency, defensive tackle “will have to be a top priority” for the Bears, according to ESPN Chicago’s Michael C. Wright, who believes the team will add interior defenders in the draft, via free agency and still attempt to bring back its own free agents.
  • The Redskins can re-sign both Brian Orakpo and Perry Riley provided both players don’t ask for unreasonable deals, says ESPN Washington’s John Keim.
  • Thanks to second-year head coach Chip Kelly’s familiarity with college players, Dallas Morning News writer Rick Gosselin believes the Eagles are in a window when they have a distinct draft advantage. Gosselin cites past examples of Jimmy Johnson‘s move from the University of Miami to the Cowboys, Jim Harbaugh‘s jump from Stanford to the 49ers and Pete Carroll’s escape from USC to the Seahawks when the coaches drafted players they were familiar with, creating the core of winning NFL teams. Kelly, who recruited nationally for Oregon, “spent four years with the Ducks so he has a four-year window when he’ll know the draft board better than the NFL lifers,” contends Gosselin.

Redskins Rumors: Hall, Riley, Orakpo, Cousins

February 4th, 2014 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Within the last two days, we’ve heard reports that the Redskins are discussing new long-term contracts for free-agents-to-be DeAngelo Hall and Perry Riley. GM Bruce Allen confirmed as much today, telling Zac Boyer of the Washington Times that the team has engaged in negotiations with reps for those two players, as well as linebacker Brian Orakpo. According to Allen, the Redskins coaching staff is still evaluating the team’s free agents, so exact figures likely won’t be exchanged with those players and their agents until the end of the month.

Here’s more on the Redskins:

  • Within Boyer’s piece, Allen also indicated that Kirk Cousins hadn’t requested a trade and that the team plans to have its second-string quarterback back next season: “There’s no change from our perspective on Kirk. That’s it. We’re comfortable with Kirk.” For what it’s worth, the weekend report on Cousins suggested he was open to a trade, not that he’d asked for one.
  • Allen also spoke to Boyer about the limitations that the 2012 and 2013 cap penalties still place on the Redskins: “We have the same [cap] number everybody else does this year, which is different, but if you look at the cap room around the league, that’s because everybody carried room over from the previous year, so we don’t have that. We have a lot of free agents. We have a lot of holes on the team that we need to fill, and the key is to look at our guys first and then we’ll look around, but having an understanding of what’s also in the draft.”
  • ESPN.com’s John Keim examines a few ways the Redskins could clear even more cap space, and takes an in-depth look at the club’s cornerback situation.
  • Replying to Keim’s cornerback piece, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter) that Aqib Talib looks like a logical free agent target for Washington, given Talib’s connection to Allen, who drafted him in Tampa Bay, and Redskins DB coach Raheem Morris, who coached him in Tampa.

NFC East Notes: Bryant, Orakpo, Redskins

February 3rd, 2014 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Redskins, Eagles, and Giants should all have a moderate amount of cap flexibility this offseason, no team in the NFL currently projects to be further over the 2014 cap than the Cowboys, as Jason Fitzgerald’s newest update as OverTheCap.com shows. With about $152MM in total commitments among their top 51 contracts for 2014, the Cowboys will likely have to clear $24MM+ in salary before March 11 in order to get under the cap. As we look forward to seeing Dallas’ moves over the next several weeks, let’s check in on a few other NFC East items….

  • Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant is eligible for unrestricted free agency a year from now, but it doesn’t sound like he’s thinking ahead to the possibility of testing the market. Asked by TMZ about his upcoming free agency, Bryant replied, “I don’t even think about leaving Dallas. I’m Dallas forever” (hat tip to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com).
  • In his latest piece for the Washington Post, Mike Jones discusses Brian Orakpo‘s impending free agency, noting that some league insiders believe the linebacker will be seeking something in the $10MM per year range on a long-term contract. Responding to Jones’ column, cap expert Joel Corry tweets that Orakpo’s asking price figures to exceed $10MM annually and will probably be in the neighborhood of $30MM in guaranteed money. As Jones writes, the Redskins will certainly attempt to work out a multiyear deal with Orakpo, but may also consider using the franchise tag in order to put off a long-term commitment for one more season.
  • The NFL’s offseason waiver system opens today, and it figures to be of great interest to the Redskins, according to Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. The Redskins may not have their second overall pick, but they have the second overall waiver priority, meaning that when other teams start to release young players, Washington will essentially have its pick of those players on waivers.

Redskins Notes: Rebuilding, Orakpo, Safeties

February 2nd, 2014 at 8:50am CST by Rory Parks

It was already reported that the Redskins may be looking at wholesale changes in the interior of their offensive line, given the departure of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and his zone-blocking scheme. New head coach Jay Gruden, who ran more of a power-blocking scheme while in Cincinnati, did say that he liked the effectiveness of Washington’s running game last year, so the fates of Kory Lichtensteiger, Will Montgomery, and Chris Chester remain in flux. Here are some more notes from the nation’s capital:

  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington believes that the Redskins are in full-fledged rebuilding mode. They are coming off a 3-13 record, have a new head coach, 20 of last year’s players are set to become free agents, and GM Bruce Allen expects to have 20 new players on the roster in 2014. However, given that the team has $30MM in cap space and a viable answer at quarterback, Tandler believes the rebuild could see results sooner rather than later.
  • Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington examines the Redskins’ outlook at outside linebacker, one of the few position groups that had consistent success in 2013. However, Washington faces a difficult decision with free agent OLB Brian Orakpo. Orakpo rebounded well from his injury-plagued 2012 campaign, in which he played only two games due to injury. He fared well against the run, showed improvement in coverage, and once again showed why he is considered one of the better pass rushers in the league, collecting 10 sacks. El-Bashir, though, thinks Orakpo belongs in the second tier of outside linebackers, and that the Redskins would do well to sign him to a contract befitting that status: somewhere in the $6.7MM-$9MM range. If the Redskins can’t get him for that price, El-Bashir believes they should part ways.
  • Tandler, meanwhile, thinks the Redskins should put the franchise tag on Orakpo. The tag would cost just under $11MM, and if Orakpo performs poorly or is injured again, the Redskins can simply walk away after 2014. But if Orakpo has another terrific season, they could put the tag on him again. The projected $13MM cost of the 2015 franchise tag for outside linebackers would be a bargain for Orakpo at that point.
  • In a separate piece, Tandler looks at some of the Redskins’ potential targets at the safety position. Since safety Brandon Meriweather‘s contract voids five days after the Super Bowl, the team may have a big hole in the middle of their defense in 2014. Tandler thinks Washington will almost certainly pursue a safety in May’s draft, perhaps as high the second round. Tandler points to Jimmie Ward, Vinnie Sunseri, Ed Reynolds, Terrence Brooks, and Deone Bucannon as viable options.