C.J. Anderson - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos To Match Dolphins’ Offer Sheet For C.J. Anderson

March 15th, 2016 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

With today’s deadline looming, the Broncos have decided to match the Dolphins’ offer sheet for running back C.J. Anderson, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). By matching the offer, Denver will bring Anderson back on the terms of that deal, rather than letting him leave for Miami.

Anderson confirmed the decision himself, announcing in a tweet: “I will be apart of the Broncos for 4 more years blessed to be apart of this wonderful Organization and super blessed for this opp.”

An undrafted free agent out of California in 2013, Anderson burst onto the scene during his sophomore season. He compiled 849 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014, and he added another 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Anderson only started six games in 2015, finishing with 720 yards and five scores on 152 attempts. Despite the up-and-down season, Anderson played a major part in Denver’s Super Bowl win, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown in the championship game.

Having been assigned a low-end RFA tender worth $1.671MM, Anderson was free to sign an offer sheet with another team, and got one he liked from the Dolphins, worth $18MM over four years. If the Broncos had elected not to match the offer, they wouldn’t have received any compensation for losing their running back.

It’s fair to criticize the Broncos for not using a second-round tender (worth $2.553MM) on Anderson, which likely would have discouraged rival offers. However, when Denver placed an RFA tender on Anderson, the team had not yet lost free agents like Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson, and Danny Trevathan. Had GM John Elway known that all of those players would depart, he likely would’ve used a little extra cap room on Anderson by giving him a higher tender.

Additionally, if Anderson had received the second-round tender, he likely would have played out the season on that salary, becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016. A big year would have put him in a good position to land an even larger deal, and the Broncos wouldn’t have had the right of first refusal at that point.

With Anderson headed back to Denver, he looks like the favorite to be the No. 1 back for the Broncos in 2016 — not only does he have a big new contract, but fellow running back Ronnie Hillman is currently a free agent. As for the Dolphins, they still have 2015 draftee Jay Ajayi, but will likely continue to monitor the market for a veteran to complement him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Details On C.J. Anderson/Dolphins Offer Sheet

March 13th, 2016 at 3:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

By using the low restricted free agent tender on running back C.J. Anderson, the Broncos opened themselves up to losing the 25-year-old, and just days later, the Dolphins signed Anderson to an offer sheet worth $18MM over four years. Mike Klis of 9 News was the first to report Anderson’s signing, and now he provides the details of Miami’s offer sheet.

Anderson would earn $6MM total in 2016, made up of a guaranteed $675K base salary, a $5.25MM signing bonus, and a $100K workout bonus. In 2017, he’d earn a $2.9MM base salary, $1.7MM of which would be guaranteed, and he’d have another $100K workout bonus. In both 2018 and 2019, Anderson would have base salaries of $4.5MM, neither of which would be guaranteed.

As Klis notes, the most difficult aspect of the contract from the Broncos’ perspective is the $6MM guarantee in 2016. Denver only has about $12.5MM in cap space at the moment, and they still need to find a starting quarterback after losing Brock Osweiler to the Texans. So while the rest of the offer sheet is pretty reasonable, it’s the 2016 terms that might make-or-break the decision for the Broncos.

Of course, for less than $1MM in extra expenditures, Denver could have likely protected itself against losing Anderson. The low tender is worth $1.671MM, while the second-round tender (which would have entitled the Broncos to a second-round pick had they declined to match an offer sheet) is worth $2.553MM, just $882K more. Denver clearly misread the market for Anderson, and they’d be admitting that mistake even further by matching Miami’s offer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

C.J. Anderson Signs Dolphins’ Offer Sheet

March 10th, 2016 at 7:06pm CST by Luke Adams

7:06pm: The Dolphins have confirmed Anderson has signed the offer sheet the organization extended to him, according to the team’s Twitter account.

Anderson told Klis he only sought a second-round tender from the Broncos, a protection measure that would have probably kept him in Denver.

“I’m super humbled,” Anderson told Klis. “All I was asking for was a second-round tender. That’s all I was expecting. And now I’m going to make way more than a second-round tender.”

The only running back left on the Broncos’ roster who was with the team as an active-roster player last season is Juwan Thompson. with 2015’s leading rusher, Ronnie Hillman, residing as a UFA. Anderson supplanted Hillman in the playoffs, however, as the Broncos’ primary ball-carrier and gained 234 rushing yards to Hillman’s 54.

4:30pm: The offer sheet is “pretty vanilla,” a source tells Mike Florio of PFT, which would infer that does not have a creative or tricky structure.

4:26pm: Anderson’s offer sheet with the Dolphins features a $5.25MM signing bonus, according to Klis. Klis’ report adds that the deal includes a total payout of $6MM in 2016 and a guaranteed $3.5MM base salary for 2017.

While those terms are somewhat front-loaded, it sounds like the cap hit for 2016 should be fairly modest, so the Broncos may not be out of the running quite yet.

3:50pm: Restricted free agent running back C.J. Anderson has signed an offer sheet from the Dolphins, reports Mike Klis of 9NEWS (via Twitter). It’s a four-year deal, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com adds (via Twitter) that it’s worth $18MM, and the structure is expected to make it hard on Denver to match it.

The Broncos have the right of first refusal on Anderson, so they’ll have five days to match the Dolphins’ offer and bring back their free agent running back. If Denver opts not to match the offer sheet, the Broncos won’t receive any compensation for losing Anderson, who received only the low-end RFA tender.

An undrafted free agent out of California in 2013, Anderson burst onto the scene during his sophomore season. He compiled 849 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014, and he added another 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Anderson only started six games in 2015, finishing with 720 yards and five scores on 152 attempts. Despite the up-and-down season, Anderson played a major part in Denver’s Super Bowl win, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown in the championship game.

The Dolphins, whose new head coach Adam Gase was Anderson’s old offensive coordinator in Denver, are in the market for running back help after Lamar Miller agreed to sign with the Texans. If Miami ultimately lands Anderson, he’ll likely share the workload with Jay Ajayi in the Dolphins’ backfield.

The 49ers, Bears, and Patriots were also rumored to have interest in Anderson, once the Broncos decided not to give him a second-round tender.

Early indications were that the Broncos would likely match any offer sheet Anderson signed, but if Denver was unwilling to go from $1.671MM to $2.553MM on its tender to the running back, it seems feasible that a four-year, $18MM wouldn’t appeal to the team. If Anderson ultimately leaves the Broncos, he’ll be the latest in a string of departures this week. Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson, and Danny Trevathan have all signed elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

C.J. Anderson Visiting Dolphins, May Sign Offer Sheet

March 10th, 2016 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

11:12am: Anderson had been scheduled to fly to Chicago to meet with the Bears, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. However, as Klis explains in a piece worth reading, the Dolphins convinced Anderson and agent Peter Schaffer that the running back should head to Miami instead. The expectation is that the Dolphins will sign Anderson to an offer sheet later today, per Klis.

10:12am: Restricted free agent running back C.J. Anderson will visit the Dolphins today, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Miami was one of four teams mentioned on Wednesday as suitors for Anderson, along with the Patriots, 49ers, and Bears. New England and Chicago would also like to bring in the RFA running back, according to Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).

Because Anderson received an RFA tender from the Broncos, the team can match any offer sheet the running back signs with another club, and Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweeted on Wednesday that Denver will likely do just that. Still, it was a bit of a surprise that the Broncos only gave Anderson a $1.671MM tender, giving them the right of first refusal, rather than a $2.553MM tender that would have assured them a second-round pick as compensation if Anderson signed elsewhere.

Of course, when the Broncos made their decision on Anderson, the team hadn’t yet lost Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson, and Danny Trevathan to other teams. Now that Denver won’t have to worry about working those players into the team’s 2016 cap plans, it might be a little easier to match an offer sheet for Anderson.

Still, it sounds like Anderson’s suitors won’t make things easy — the running back appears likely to sign an offer sheet, and any team that signs him will try to structure in a way that makes it difficult for the Broncos to match it.

An undrafted free agent out of California in 2013, Anderson burst onto the scene during his sophomore season. He compiled 849 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014, and he added another 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Anderson only started six games in 2015, finishing with 720 yards and five scores on 152 attempts. Despite the up-and-down season, Anderson played a major part in Denver’s Super Bowl win, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown in the championship game.

The Dolphins, whose new head coach Adam Gase worked with Anderson in Denver, are in the market for running back help after Lamar Miller agreed to sign with the Texans. Mike Klis of 9NEWS (Twitter link) believes that an offer sheet for Anderson could be agreed upon during his visit to Miami — the Broncos would have five days to match it once it’s officially signed.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Four Teams Express Interest in C.J. Anderson

March 9th, 2016 at 4:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Broncos free agent C.J. Anderson is generating plenty of intrigue from other teams, as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that the Patriots, Dolphins, 49ers, and Bears have all expressed interest in the running back.

Still, barring some unforeseen circumstances (or an outrageous contract offer), it appears that Anderson will be returning to the Broncos next season. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets that Denver is expected to match “just about any” offer sheet handed to the running back.

The organization slapped the 25-year-old with a low-round tender yesterday, which would be worth $1.671MM next season. The Broncos have the right to match any offer sheet extended to the free agent, but they won’t receive any compensation if he bolts to another team.

An undrafted free agent out of California in 2013, Anderson burst onto the scene during his sophomore season. He compiled 849 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014, and he added another 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Anderson only started six games in 2015, finishing with 720 yards and five scores on 152 attempts. Despite the difficult season, Anderson managed to run for 90 yards and a touchdown during this past season’s Super Bowl.

Free Agent Rumors: Saints, Fleener, Falcons

March 9th, 2016 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

A deal between tight end Ladarius Green and the Steelers remains imminent, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. The Saints were looking at the athletic tight end as well, but they’ll now turn their attention to Coby Fleener. Fleener is available and less likely to be retained by the Colts after they signed Dwayne Allen to a hefty new contract.

Here are the latest free agent rumors on what has been a crazy day:

After adding one of the league’s top centers in Alex Mack, Gino Gradkowski is not expected to be retained by the Falcons, according to a source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Jets are exploring the market for offensive lineman, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Mehta reports that New York did its homework on tackle Donald Stephenson before he agreed to terms with the Broncos, and adds that J.R. Sweezy is worth keeping an eye on as a Jets target.
Jenna Laine of SportsTalkFlorida confirms (via Twitter) that the Buccaneers are likely moving on from cornerback Sterling Moore, as first reported by JoeBucsFan.com.
After receiving a low-end tender from the Broncos, RFA running back C.J. Anderson has generated interest from “multiple” teams, tweets Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. Denver has the right to match any offer sheet Anderson signs, but won’t receive compensation if he leaves.
The market for Ravens outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw is “not exactly wild,” tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports. Upshaw may ultimately return to Baltimore, though the Colts are worth monitoring — Indianapolis’ new defensive coordinator is Upshaw’s former linebackers coach, Ted Monachino.

Broncos Use Low RFA Tender On C.J. Anderson

March 7th, 2016 at 1:42pm CST by Zachary Links

1:42pm: The Broncos have officially assigned the low-end RFA tender to Anderson, giving them the right of first refusal, tweets Jhabvala.

10:45am: The Broncos will use a low-round tender on restricted free agent running back C.J. Anderson, Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post tweets. The tender is worth $1.671MM in 2016.

If you’re surprised that Anderson was given a low-round tender instead of a second-round tender, then you’re not alone. Anderson reacted on Twitter minutes ago and he appears to be disappointed with the news (sic):

“Wow welp I’ve been here b4 jus keep grinding keep working 2 be the best 32-254-22,” Anderson wrote.

Anderson burst on the scene in 2014, with nearly 1,200 all-purpose yards (849 rushing, 324 receiving) and eight touchdowns in his first true taste of NFL playing time. In 2015, however, he took a step back and played a smaller role in Denver’s offense. In 15 games (5 starts), Anderson ran for 720 yards off of 152 carries, good for a still solid 4.7 yards per attempt. He also played a role in the passing attack, recording 25 catches for 183 yards.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sunday Roundup: Bryant, Chancellor, Broncos

September 20th, 2015 at 10:27pm CST by Rob DiRe

Cowboys dynamic receiver Dez Bryant has a very unclear timeline for his return. Initial reports had him returning in 4-6 weeks, while subsequent stories suggested he could miss as many as 10 or 12 games due to his foot injury. However, amidst these conflicting reports, Bryant himself chose to weigh in on these reports via his personal Twitter account.

“Whenever the media can’t talk to me, reports get made like this,” Bryant tweeted. “10 to 12 weeks… we will just see how long I’m out lol. Go cowboys!!”

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Seahawks general manager John Schneider can sleep a little easier while holding strong in his stance against renegotiating Kam Chancellor‘s contract. Owner Paul Allen supports Schneider in this standoff, reports Conor Orr of NFL.com. That is one less force pressuring the team to soften its stance on negotiations with the superstar safety.
The Broncos may be 2-0 after escaping with narrow wins against both Baltimore and Kansas City, but they have a big question at running back. Starter C.J. Anderson has been ineffective, and backup Ronnie Hillman has emerged as a potentially better option for Denver. Troy Renck and Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post argue about if and when the team should make a change.
Many fans were confused by how quickly the Texans switched from Brian Hoyer to Ryan Mallett after just one game. Kevin Patra of NFL.com passes on a few reasons, courtesy of reporting done by Ian Rapoport. Those reasons include the spark Mallett brought to the team, how he handled losing the starting job, eliminating negative plays, and simply looking for star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Extra Points: Battle, Broncos, Saints, Jags

July 4th, 2015 at 6:59pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

There is a strong chance that former Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle will be taken in Thursday’s supplemental draft, which allows NFL clubs to select players who for some reason (academic trouble or disciplinary issues are a couple of examples) were unable to enter the standard draft. If a team does choose Battle, it should be the Eagles, Jets or Giants, opines Mark Eckel of the Star-Ledger.

Battle – who is in need of further seasoning – could learn behind established tackles in the Eagles’ Jason Peters or the Jets’ D’Brickashaw Ferguson before eventually taking over for either, writes Eckel. Meanwhile the Giants have two recent first-round tackles in Justin Pugh and Ereck Flowers, but Eckel believes they’d be wise to follow the example of NFC East rival Dallas and try to stock up even more along the O-line.

Landing Battle would likely cost any of the above teams a third-round pick, per Eckel, with the Falcons ahead of them in the draft order. Atlanta is the leading candidate to pick the 22-year-old, on whom it could use a fourth-rounder.

AFC Notes: Freeman, Steelers, McCourty, Anderson

June 13th, 2015 at 10:29am CST by Ben Levine

Josh Freeman is trying to make the most of his opportunity with the Dolphins, but the quarterback understands that he could be on the outside looking in:

“We’ve got four quarterbacks on the roster and a limited amount of time,” Freeman told Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel. “Some days, I might not get the reps in practice.

“I don’t think anybody can see the future. You don’t really think of those scenarios that haven’t really come up in your mind at times. I’m just taking it in stride. Whatever it becomes, I’m trying to make the most of it.”

When asked about this chances to make the team, Freeman had an honest outlook:

“I couldn’t tell you either way. The coaches are the decision-makers. All I know is I’m going to keep giving it my best, continue to improve and let the people whose call it is to make make the call.”

Let’s see what else is happening around the AFC…

Keith Butler waited patiently a dozen years for his opportunity, but he’s finally the man in charge of the Steelers‘ defense. This offseason, the team did not renew the contract of Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau, giving Butler the opportunity to ascend to defensive coordinator. Prior to that, Butler had opportunities to be someone else’s defensive coordinator, as Dan Scifo of The Associated Press writes. “To me, if you’re going to coach in this game, you want to win a Super Bowl,” said Butler. “I always thought the best chance for me to win a Super Bowl as a coordinator would be (in Pittsburgh).”
The Patriots lost several notable defenders this offseason, including veterans Darrelle Revis and Vince Wilfork, and that makes safety Devin McCourty the de facto “face” of the defense. Of course, the All-Pro defensive back would never admit that. “We have a lot of really good players on defense,” McCourty said to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “Last year, a lot of guys stepped up and made plays, and I think that is going to continue to happen. I don’t really think we have a face. We have guys that have been here a longer time than other guys…There’s so much that goes into being a good team and a good defense that you can’t put it on one guy to be the so-called face of the defense.”
Broncos running back C.J. Anderson signed a new contract yesterday, but it had nothing to do with his football career. The 24-year-old inked a sponsorship with Storm – The Bowler’s Company, essentially making the running back a professional bowler. “This could also be something after football,” he told Rod Mackey of Colorado’s 9News. “A lot of people pickup golf, I might be picking up bowling.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.