C.J. Spiller - Pro Football Rumors

East Notes: Jets, Maclin, Spiller, Pats, Giants

February 24th, 2015 at 7:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ve heard that the Jets plan to be aggressive in free agency, and now Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net offers a little more clarification on what areas New York might be targeting next month. In addition to outside linebackers, the Jets will look to sign “younger, taller corners” — Pauline suggests Davon House, Chris Culliver, and Kareem Jackson as players who fit that mold. Pauline adds that Gang Green will also look for defensive line depth and help at guard, but won’t pay for someone like Mike Iupati, who is expected to command ~$8MM per year.

Here’s more from the East:

Before Jeremy Maclin changed agents in November, ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter) believed it was a near-lock that the receiver would re-sign with the Eagles. Now, Caplan isn’t so sure, saying that the odds of the two parties getting a deal done is less certain.
Many have linked C.J. Spiller to the Jets thanks to the presence of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, but speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Spiller said there is a possibility he remains with the Bills, but noted the “ball was in [Buffalo’s] court” (link via Kevin Patra of NFL.com).
The Patriots worked out former Packers receiver Kevin Dorsey today, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Dorsey, a 2013 draft pick, was waived by Green Bay a week ago. The Maryland product has been on injured reserve during most of his first two seasons in the league.
Per the terms of his deal with the Giants, offensive lineman Dallas Reynolds will earn a $660K base salary, a $25K signing bonus, and a $15K workout bonus, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link).

AFC Notes: Ngata, Bills, Spiller, Chargers

February 19th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Speaking to Luke Jones of WNST.net, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expressed plenty of confidence that Baltimore will get a new deal worked out with defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. In all likelihood, the two sides will come to an agreement that reduces Ngata’s $16MM cap number for 2015, and extends his contract beyond the coming season. Of course, the two sides were also working on a new deal last offseason but those talks did not prove to be fruitful. More from the AFC..

Appearing today on WGR 550, Bills general manager Doug Whaley said the team has sent a proposal to Jerry Hughes‘ representatives, who countered with a proposal of their own (link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak). There’s an “open line of communication” between the two sides, according to Whaley, who said he’s meeting with Bills VP of football administration Jim Overdof today to determine if the club is close to anything with Hughes.
Whaley will meet with C.J. Spiller‘s representatives in Indianapolis to try and hammer out a new deal with the Bills, Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com writes. The rival Jets have been heavily connected to the tailback.
Whaley indicated that if linebacker Brandon Spikes wants an every-down role, it probably won’t happen with the Bills. “So that one’s going to be more of, ‘Hey, do you want to come back and be a one-, two-down player, or do you want to try to go out there and see if you can [be] an every-down player?” Whaley said of Spikes in an interview with John Murphy of BuffaloBills.com (audio link).
As expected, the Chargers won’t use their franchise tag on anyone this offseason, general manager Tom Telesco said today, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). King Dunlap and Brandon Flowers had been the most viable candidates, but as I wrote last month, a franchise-tag salary would be an overpay for either player.
If Raiders owner Mark Davis has to move the team to the NFC to make the move to Los Angeles happen, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) doesn’t see that being a deterrent. On Thursday, the Raiders and Chargers announced a plan to build a shared stadium in the Los Angeles area.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

East Notes: Bills, Cowboys, Eagles, Dolphins

February 19th, 2015 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Based on comments made by Bills general manager Doug Whaley today, Joe Buscaglia of WGR550 (Twitter link) believes free-agents-to-be C.J. Spiller, Brandon Spikes, and Da’Norris Searcy will be allowed to explore their options on the open market next month. Conversely, it sounds like the team badly wants to re-sign Marcus Easley prior to March 10 (Twitter link).

Let’s round up several more items relating to the league’s East teams….

While Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray are receiving most of the attention in Dallas this offseason, linebacker Rolando McClain is also someone the team is “very interested” in re-signing, according to Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones (link via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
The Cowboys were pleased with Brandon Weeden‘s work as Tony Romo‘s backup in 2014, but won’t rule out the possibility of upgrading at that spot if the opportunity presents itself, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. “Everybody is always competing in this league,” Jones said. “There is nobody guaranteed anything. That includes Weeden and everybody.”
Prior to their release of tight end James Casey today, the Eagles didn’t have any discussions about reducing Casey’s salary and keeping him, tweets Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. According to Bowen, the veteran is looking for a bigger role than he had in Philadelphia, so he may get that opportunity with a new team.
Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com believes the Eagles may find a logical trade partner in the Buccaneers, since GM Jason Licht hasn’t been shy about making deals since taking over the job. In Mosher’s view, Bucs safety Dashon Goldson makes sense as a trade target for Philadelphia.
The issue for the Dolphins when it comes to Mike Wallace isn’t as simple as cutting or keeping the veteran wideout, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who writes that the team is almost certainly trying to restructure Wallace’s deal, or get him to take a pay cut.

AFC Links: Johnson, Forsett, Spiller, Richardson

February 14th, 2015 at 4:44pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets declined the option on Chris Johnson earlier today, making him a free agent this offseason. Johnson played only one year in New York, and his release will save the team $3.5MM on the 2015 cap. Johnson figures to be available for even less than the two-year, $8MM contract he signed last offseason, but should be able to find work somewhere.

Here are some links surrounding AFC running backs this offseason:

Johnson was reportedly reluctant to consider the Ravens last offseason despite some interest from the organization, due to the presence of Ray Rice on the roster, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). With his value another year diminished and no starting running back on the roster, he might reconsider Baltimore this time around. Of course, the team will likely try to keep revelation Justin Forsett (via Twitter). While the offense will likely change without Gary Kubiak at the helm, new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is expected to keep the zone blocking scheme in place (via Twitter).
With Johnson out of the picture, the Jets could target Bills’ former first-round draft pick C.J. Spiller, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Chan Gailey was the head coach in Buffalo when Spiller was drafted, and Spiller experienced some of his best success in limited snaps early on there. He could be a great complement to Chris Ivory.
Trent Richardson had a tumultuous end to the 2014 season to say the least, and Matt Bowen of Bleacher Report wonders if he can be fixed. Bowen notes that scouts still swear by Richardson’s college tape. Bowen quotes two scouts as saying he was the best running back they ever graded at the college level. Still, he believes the former third overall pick needs to set new goals for himself in order for him to stay in the league long enough to change his image.

Contracts Void For Suh, Pierre-Paul, Spiller

February 6th, 2015 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

The contracts for several notable players will void today, formally paving the way for them to hit free agency next month, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com details. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and Bills running back C.J. Spiller are among the players who will see the 2015 seasons on their deals void, since the language in their respective contracts called for that to happen on the fifth day after this year’s Super Bowl.

In each case, the fact that the player’s contract is voiding today doesn’t mean he’ll immediately become a free agent. The Lions, for instance, will still be the only team that can negotiate a new agreement with Suh for the next few weeks. If the star defender still hasn’t worked anything out with the team by March 3, Detroit could use its franchise tag on him. If the Lions pass on using a tag, Suh would be able to talk to other teams as of March 7, and could sign elsewhere on March 10.

While these players won’t necessarily be returning to their current clubs, those teams will each carry a cap hit for 2015 due to the contracts. In some cases, that cap number is modest — for JPP and the Giants, it’s just $1.35MM. However, the Lions’ hit for Suh is approximately $9.74MM. In other words, if Detroit has to use the franchise tag – worth $26.895MM – on Suh, the team will be using over $36MM in cap room to a single player.

Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explained in greater detail why a number of players from 2010’s draft class have a voided year at the end of their rookie contracts, and adds a few more names to the list of players whose deals void today: Jaguars defensive end Tyson Alualu, Eagles edge defender Brandon Graham, Chargers running back Ryan Mathews, and Titans edge defender Derrick Morgan will also be eligible for free agency next month after their 2015 years void.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Colts, Forsett, Burfict

January 26th, 2015 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

Reports last week indicated that the Raiders may ultimately look to the college ranks as their search for a defensive coordinator continues. While no specific names were mentioned at the time, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC Washington has one for us today, tweeting that Oakland is interested in Louisville DC Todd Grantham. According to Russini (via Twitter), the Raiders have lined up a meeting with Grantham, who is considered a favorite for the position.

As we enter the final week of the NFL season, let’s round up a few more notes from around the AFC….

The Colts and running backs coach David Walker have “mutually” agreed to part ways, the team announced today (Twitter link via Mike Wells of ESPN.com). Per Football Outsiders, Indianapolis placed just 17th in offensive DVOA this season, in large part due to the team’s rushing rank (27th).
“I want to have a home and stay there. That’s the plan,” running back Justin Forsett said about the possibility of re-signing with the Ravens. Forsett added that new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is expected to keep many of the same principles that Baltimore’s run game used in 2014 (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict underwent microfracture surgery on his knee, but the surgeon who performed the procedure is optimistic that Burfict could be back to full strength for training camp, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
With new head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Greg Roman expected to install a power running game in Buffalo, the Bills should be careful not to overpay for free-agent-to-be C.J. Spiller, who may not be an ideal fit, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker expects Spiller to land a deal in the range of the ones signed by backs like Ben Tate, Knowshon Moreno, and Darren McFadden a year ago — those players inked short-term deals for $3-4MM per season.
The Dolphins should do what they can to re-sign defensive tackle Jared Odrick, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap in his preview of Miami’s offseason cap decisions. Fitzgerald views Odrick as a potential $5.5-$6.5MM per year player.

AFC East Notes: Spiller, Jets, Hughes, Revis

January 16th, 2015 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

As we look forward to seeing whether the AFC East champs will represent the conference in this year’s Super Bowl, here are a few notes from around the division, on the Patriots and their rivals:

Recent reports have indicated that Chan Gailey is a top contender for the Jets‘ offensive coordinator position under new head coach Todd Bowles, and if Gailey does land in New York, the possibility of heading to a divisional rival may be of interest to Bills running back C.J. Spiller, as he tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “There is that familiarity between me and him in that offense,” Spiller said. “So that would be a perfect match. Who knows what can happen, but I’d be foolish not to have those guys on my list. I had my best years in the league with Chan. So it’d be dumb not to give it serious thought.”
Jerry Hughes‘ value to the Bills may not be quite as high in Rex Ryan‘s system as it would have been in Jim Schwartz‘s, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com explains. Still, Hughes has proven his worth with consecutive seasons of double-digit sacks, and general manager Doug Whaley hopes to get something done with the edge defender. “I know [primary contract negotiator Jim Overdorf] has been in contact with his representatives and started the process,” Whaley told WGR 550 on Thursday. “We’re excited and we want him back. He’s a great addition to our defense and hopefully we can get this thing done sooner than later.”
Cornerback Darrelle Revis hates being saddled with the “mercenary” label, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, who says that two other AFC teams tried to sign Revis a year ago and were willing to offer more money than the Patriots did. With Revis expected to sign a new contract this offseason, Volin wonders if the veteran cornerback will once again accept less money to stick with the Pats.

East Notes: Bills, Spiller, Jets, Giants

December 27th, 2014 at 7:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Bills general manager Bill Polian, who currently works for ESPN, refuted a report suggesting that he could be returning to the organization as soon as Monday, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News.

“It’s about as wrong as can be,” Polian said. “I’m not going to work for anybody Monday morning except ESPN.”

The Bills aren’t expected to make any changes to their football operations this week, though meetings will be held and there are no guarantees, a source tells Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link). There has been speculation since Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula assumed ownership of the team that changes could be on the way, but for now it looks as if general manager Doug Whaley and head coach Doug Marrone will keep their jobs.

Carucci notes that sources believes there may have been third-party contact between the Bills and Polian to gauge his interest in a role with the organization, perhaps as a consultant. However, “there have been no substantive talks of any kind,” according to those sources.

Here’s more on the Bills and a few other teams from the NFL’s two East divisions:

C.J. Spiller‘s contract with the Bills does not include a player option, and is set to void at the end of this season, as Jason Fitzgerald explains in a piece at OverTheCap.com.
If the Jets want to land a top-tier head coach like Jim Harbaugh this offseason, they’ll have to attempt an all-out blitz this week, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. As Mehta notes, current Jets consultant Charley Casserly has previously stated that he believes the value of an elite coach is “two No. 1 picks, plus something else,” so if the team is interested in Harbaugh, Casserly may suggest offering the Niners multiple draft picks.
After signing a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Giants last offseason, offensive lineman John Jerry, who was involved in last year’s bullying scandal in Miami, has rebuilt his reputation, says Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Jerry’s actual on-field performance hasn’t been great, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), but if the veteran guard is no longer viewed as a character risk, that will serve him well in free agency this winter.
In spite of finishing below .500 in back-to-back seasons, the Giants would be making the right call by continuing to employ GM Jerry Reese and head coach Tom Coughlin, in the view of Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.

Bills Cut Frank Summers, Activate C.J. Spiller

December 19th, 2014 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

12:38pm: The Bills have officially activated Spiller, the team announced in a press release.

FRIDAY, 11:44am: Head coach Doug Marrone confirmed today that Spiller will be added to the Bills’ 53-man roster today and is listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Raiders (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 2:17pm: The Bills have parted ways with fullback Frank Summers, the team announced today in a press release. The 29-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team, assuming he clears waivers tomorrow.

Summers, a former fifth-round pick, joined the Bills prior to the 2013 season, and acted as the team’s regular fullback for the last two seasons. However, he saw his playing time decline a little this year, playing just 129 defensive snaps after logging 232 a year ago. “The Tank” hadn’t seen action on offense for Buffalo since Week 11.

While the Bills have yet to announce a corresponding roster move, Summers’ release clears a spot for C.J. Spiller, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter). The Bills running back is set to come off the injured reserve list this week, and will likely be activated shortly. Still, it’s not clear if Spiller, who is recovering from a collarbone injury, will be healthy enough to play in the team’s Week 16 contest against Oakland.

Injury Updates: Monday

December 15th, 2014 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

With just two weeks left in the NFL regular season, injuries that may not have been long-term problems earlier in the year could now end a player’s season. We’ll keep tabs right here on the latest updates on the ailments that could prompt roster moves or significantly alter a team’s plans:

While several players will be placed on injured reserve lists this week, ending their seasons, one player will come off IR — Bills running back C.J. Spiller is expected to be activated from IR-DTR, though it’s not clear how much of a role he’ll have for Buffalo in Week 16, or if he’ll even play (Twitter link).
A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall suffered a mid-foot sprain, and Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that Marshall is expected to miss a week or two with the injury. While Marshall should return this season, fellow Denver linebacker Danny Trevathan won’t, according to Klis, who says Trevathan dislocated his left kneecap and will have to undergo surgery.
Lions right tackle LaAdrian Waddle partially tore his ACL yesterday and will miss the rest of the season, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Eagles outside linebacker Trent Cole has a broken hand, and his status for the rest of the season is uncertain, a source tells Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
Cowboys executive Stephen Jones said today on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that running back DeMarco Murray will have surgery on a broken bone in his hand (Twitter link via SiriusXM NFL Radio). Providing specifics on the injury, Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com notes (via Twitter) that Emmitt Smith once missed a game after undergoing a similar surgery. It sounds as if Murray will be questionable for Week 16, but shouldn’t miss much – if any – time.
Key 49ers special teamer Kassim Osgood also broke a bone in his hand and likely won’t play in the club’s final two games, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Chargers linebacker Donald Butler dislocated his left elbow and is a candidate for IR, according to head coach Mike McCoy, who says the club is exploring its options (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune).