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Captain Munnerlyn

NFC Links: Peterson, Munnerlyn, Lacy

March 28th, 2015 at 9:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

In some news in the NFC Saturday night …

  • One of the Cowboys‘ biggest fears in their debate on retaining NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray is that it would cost them the chance at adding long-coveted Adrian Peterson, sources told Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The Cowboys’ rare offseason thrift may not preclude the notoriously splashy franchise from making a deal for native Texan Peterson. Despite Peterson’s $12.75MM salary, the 30-year-old running back could still be acquired via draft-weekend trade, per Hill.
  • The Vikings have not looked into free agents Michael Crabtree and Justin Blalock, notes Darren Wolfson of KSTP on Twitter.
  • After previously fearing his up-and-down play could result in his release one year into a three-year deal, Captain Munnerlyn is confident he can beat out the recently added Terence Newman for the starting job opposite Xavier Rhodes, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. A four-year starter soon to be 27, Munnerlyn, who graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 37th-best corner (subscription required), probably has the inside track. Newman, PFF’s 56th-best corner in 2014, is 37 and signed a one-year, $2.5MM contract Friday — a lesser investment than the Vikings made in Munnerlyn (three-year, $11.25MM deal signed in ’14).
  • Mike McCarthy is attempting to keep Eddie Lacy fresh without taking him off the field on third downs, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. Lacy’s snap totals spiked to more than 65% last season after hovering at an injury-reduced 60 as a rookie in 2013. Lacy’s touch total, however, declined from Year 1 to Year 2, however, and the Packers‘ powerful running back’s 246 carries didn’t reach the standard McCarthy planned before last season.
  • Washington represents another stop on Marcus Mariota‘s spring itinerary, and CSNWashington.com’s Tarik El-Bashir previews the summit (audio link). Sources have noted Washington either taking the Heisman winner at No. 5 or strongly considering it. The Jets were the latest team to publicly court the Oregon star.

Vikings Notes: AP, QB, Jennings, Munnerlyn

March 4th, 2015 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman were among a contingent that flew to Houston today to meet with Adrian Peterson, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today details. Now that the running back has been moved back to the exempt list, open communication is once again permitted, and this will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in months, according to Pelissero. While Peterson hasn’t asked to be traded or released, he is “uneasy” about the possibility of returning to Minnesota, so the goal of today’s meeting for the club is likely to ease some of those concerns.

As we wait to hear how the meeting in Houston goes, let’s round up a few more Vikings-related notes….

  • Sources tell Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports that while Peterson hasn’t ruled out the possibility of continuing to play for the Vikings, he has also considered trade destinations, and may be open to restructuring his contract to accommodate a deal. Robinson identifies the Cardinals, Colts, Cowboys, Chargers, and Buccaneers as Peterson’s preferred destinations if he leaves Minnesota.
  • The Vikings reached an agreement earlier today with the Bills on a trade that will send Matt Cassel to Buffalo, which means the club will be in the market for a backup quarterback this month. According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Vikings already have a specific backup in mind. Goessling suggests keeping an eye on Charlie Whitehurst, who was with Norv Turner in San Diego — Turner also has a connection to free-agent-to-be Brian Hoyer.
  • Spielman has said the Vikings aren’t likely to make a big splash in free agency, but as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune observes (via Twitter), the Cassel deal is the latest move toward creating the cap room necessary to keep all free agent options open.
  • Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that the Vikings will likely restructure Greg Jennings‘ contract at some point this month. Conversely, Goessling hears that the team hasn’t approached cornerback Captain Munnerlyn about reworking his deal (Twitter link). Given the cap room created by the Cassel trade, restructuring Munnerlyn’s contract may not be necessary, says Goessling.

NFC Notes: Wilson, Gore, Vikes, Gholston

February 17th, 2015 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Former agent Joel Corry tells Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times that he can envision the Seahawks and Russell Wilson‘s camp coming to a creative compromise on a contract extension. A good halfway point for the two sides could be a deal that comes in at significantly less money than a top quarterback would receive, but with that money fully guaranteed. Corry throws out the idea of a possible five-year contract that would guarantee Wilson something like $75-$80MM.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Frank Gore doesn’t appear likely to re-sign with the 49ers this offseason, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link), who identifies the Colts, the Dolphins, and Washington as probable suitors for the veteran running back. Based on the conversations Miller has had with executives around the league, he names Indianapolis as the most likely landing spot for Gore.
  • The Vikings will meet with agent Hadley Engelhard in Indianapolis this week, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (via Twitter). Engelhard represents current Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn as well as free agent wideout Mike Williams.
  • Former sixth overall pick Vernon Gholston hasn’t appeared in a regular season NFL game since 2010, but the ex-Jets edge defender announced today on Twitter that he has a tryout with Washington on tap.
  • Pass rushers will likely be atop the Falcons‘ list of priorities this winter, prompting Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com to explore just how much the team should be willing to invest in the position.
  • After tackling the AFC last week, former agent Joel Corry focuses on one pressing offseason issue for each of the 16 NFC teams in a piece for CBSSports.com. The topics addressed by Corry include Larry Fitzgerald‘s future in Arizona, Jerry Jones‘ willingness to keep spending on the Cowboys, and the moves the Saints will make to get under the cap.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Bears, Washington

November 15th, 2014 at 10:22am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s check out some notes from the NFC…

  • Considering the lack of quality on the offensive line and the inconsistency from the running game, David Newton believes it’s safe to say that Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman didn’t have the best offseason. Newton also suggests that the team could have found a way to keep defensive backs Michael Mitchell and Captain Munnerlyn.
  • When asked about Cam Newton‘s desire to stay with the Panthers, Newton ensures that the quarterback wants to stick around.
  • Michael C. Wright surveys the quarterbacks in the 2015 draft, and suggests that the Bears could select one of the top prospects. However, the writer isn’t convinced the team will be in position to draft either Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston.
  • John Keim also looks forward to the draft for Washington, citing pass-rush, secondary, and linebacker as the team’s biggest needs. On offense, Keim believes the team should focus on the offensive line.

NFC North Notes: Munnerlyn, Finley, Tulloch

September 27th, 2014 at 11:02am CST by Ben Levine

Vikings defensive backs Captain Munnerlyn and Robert Blanton were not fined for their hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last weekend. The play resulted in a 15-yard penalty and some shoving from both sides.

As ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling writes, Munnerlyn opined that he shouldn’t have been flagged for the play. Brees respectfully disagrees:

“He said that wasn’t a penalty. I said, ‘Of course it was, you suplexed me,'” Brees said. “‘But listen, I like you, I think you’re a good football player. I appreciate the 15 yards, thank you.'”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC North…

NFC North Notes: Munnerlyn, Lions, Packers

August 23rd, 2014 at 8:10pm CST by Ben Levine

When Vikings newcomer Captain Munnerlyn signed with the team in March, he envisioned being the starting cornerback to start the regular season. Even after he was listed beside Josh Robinson as a “co-starters” on the team’s first depth chart, the 26-year-old is still convinced that the starting gig belongs to him.

“Basically, I didn’t know that I was going to come off the bench and just slide into the nickel,” he told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I don’t think that was the plan. I always thought I would start outside and slide in… I’ve played a lot of football in this league. I’ve started a lot of games.

“I really didn’t even know there was any competition.”

Let’s see what else is happening in the NFC North…

  • Lions rookie T.J. Jones will remain on the team’s PUP list when the season begins. While this wasn’t the best-case scenario for the wide receiver, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com writes that it could ultimately help the player, who would have had a tough time making the final squad.
  • In the same article, Twentyman notes that Lions defensive end George Johnson has continued to move up the depth chart. “He played pretty well,” said head coach Jim Caldwell. “Lot of effort plays, he was active, he was tough and threw his body around, he did a nice job in the scrimmage plays and special teams, as well.”
  • Instead of keeping three quarterbacks, Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette thinks it’d be best for the Packers to keep only one of Matt Flynn or Scott Tolzien. With the extra spot, Dougherty suggests the team carry an extra linebacker, safety, tight end or receiver.

Contract Details: Munnerlyn, Dawson, McBride

March 14th, 2014 at 9:37am CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few extra details on contracts that have been agreed to and signed in recent days:

  • Captain Munnerlyn‘s three-year contract with the Vikings, initially reported to be worth $14.25MM, is actually worth $11.25MM, but another $3.3MM can be added through escalators and incentives, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). The deal includes $4.45MM guaranteed in guaranteed money, but Pelissero tweets that due to a small signing bonus, it could potentially just turn into a one-year contract if 2014 doesn’t go well.
  • According to Pelissero (via Twitter), the two-year contract Phil Dawson signed with the 49ers is worth a total of $6.134MM and came with a $2MM signing bonus.
  • The two-year deal Trumaine McBride inked with the Giants is worth $2.875MM, with a $100K signing bonus and $900K in roster bonuses, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Wilson (via Twitter) has Will Herring‘s one-year contract with the Cowboys as an $855K base salary plus a $65K signing bonus. That would seem to suggest it’s a minimum salary benefit deal, but Wilson says the total is $1.02MM, which indicates there’s another $100K in bonuses somewhere. Either way, $300K of the deal is guaranteed, says Wilson.
  • According to Wilson (via Twitter), Phil Costa‘s contract with the Colts features base salaries of $1.2MM (2014) and $1.5MM (2015), with no bonuses. $450K of Costa’s first-year salary is guaranteed.
  • Wilson adds (via Twitter) that Henry Hynoski‘s $1MM contract with the Giants includes a $250K signing bonus.
  • Although we heard yesterday that Chris Williams‘ contract with the Bills included a 2016 “trigger point,” when Williams was owed a significant roster bonus, the deal has been modified since being entered in the NFLPA system, says ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak. Instead of having a $1.5MM signing bonus and $2.5MM roster bonus in ’16, the deal now features a $3.5MM signing bonus and $250K roster bonus.

Extra Points: Smith, Munnerlyn, Neal

March 13th, 2014 at 10:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told reporters, including Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter), that he wanted a three-year deal with the Vikings rather than four years so that he could get another contract before he turns 30. He added (link) that it was very tough for him to say goodbye to the Panthers, but Carolina couldn’t afford to give him the same contract. More from around the NFL..

  • Steve Smith‘s visit with the Ravens is going well so far, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The Steelers were eyeing Mike Neal in free agency before he re-signed with Green Bay, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The linebacker got a two-year, $8MM deal from the Packers with a $2.5MM signing bonus.
  • Charlie Whitehurst had the same offer from the Chargers before he picked the Titans, tweets Paul Kuharsky of ESPN. The quarterback inked a two-year deal with a $4MM base with another $4MM in incentives and $2MM guaranteed.
  • New 49ers addition Jonathan Martin told reporters, including Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter), that he never considered retirement.
  • Former Bucs left tackle Donald Penn is flying to Oakland tonight to visit the Raiders, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Penn has been heavily linked to the Raiders since his release.
  • The 49ers don’t have much salary cap space and it’s hard to see them signing both a cornerback and a wide receiver, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
  • Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter) expects the market for Saints free agent center Brian de la Puente to heat up now that the first wave of free agency has come and gone.
  • Henry Melton‘s possible legal trouble won’t prevent the Bears from re-signing him, but they could use it as ammunition as they try to knock his price down, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.

Captain Munnerlyn Signs With Vikings

March 13th, 2014 at 6:13pm CST by Rob DiRe

6:13pm: The Vikings announced on Twitter that the deal is now official.

5:36pm: Munnerlyn’s deal is worth $14.25MM over three years, with $7MM guaranteed, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.

5:05pm: Captain Munnerlyn and the Vikings have to terms on a three-year contract agreement, reports Ian Rapaport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapaport, the deal could be worth as much a $15MM (via Twitter).

The former Panther had an excellent season for the division champions, after signing a one-year deal last offseason to stay with the team. He reportedly wanted to remain with the Panthers, but with their cap troubles he was able to secure more money with the Vikings, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).

Munnerlyn, 26 in April, started all 16 games last season for Carolina, registering 52 tackles, one fumble recovery, two picks, and two defensive touchdowns.

FA Visits: Woodley, Munnerlyn, Browner

March 13th, 2014 at 7:25am CST by Luke Adams

Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen were out to dinner with edge defenders LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck Wednesday night with the Raiders, and things are moving in the right direction with both players, says Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter links). Here’s more from around the NFL on free agent visits:

  • While it sounds as if Woodley’s meeting with the Raiders went well, the ex-Steeler is on his way to Tennessee to meet with the Titans today, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com.
  • Panthers free agent cornerback Captain Munnerlyn visited the Vikings last night and also has appointments planned with the Jets and Buccaneers, tweets Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • After reaching an agreement yesterday with ex-Buc Darrelle Revis, the Patriots will host another free agent cornerback for a visit today, according to Mark Ockerbloom of Fox 25 Boston, who tweets that Brandon Browner will meet with the team.
  • Defensive lineman Anthony Spencer is visiting the Redskins, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
  • The Panthers brought free agent defensive back Roman Harper in for a visit, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • Free agent linebacker Darryl Sharpton is meeting with the Titans today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The Lions are hosting free agent safety James Ihedigbo for a visit, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who notes (via Twitter) that Ihedigbo has a history with new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
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