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NFC West Notes: Palmer, Dockett, Seahawks

February 25th, 2015 at 7:03pm CST by Luke Adams

While he appeared over the weekend to be headed to Detroit, Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne still hasn’t officially signed with an NFL team. That leaves the door open for another suitor to swoop in, and agent Jack Bechta confirms to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com that there’s mutual interest between Hayne and the 49ers. Per Maiocco, the Niners don’t have a standing offer out to Hayne, but could still put something on the table — the former rugby player is expected to decide on his NFL team early next week.

  • The Cardinals may decide to restructure Carson Palmer‘s contract in order to create some cap flexibility, tweets Mike Jurecki of 910 Fox Sports Arizona. Palmer’s has a $9.5MM roster bonus coming up in March, which could be converted into a signing bonus to free up a chunk of cap room for 2015.
  • Kent Somers of Arizona Republic dives into the Darnell Dockett situation in Arizona, explaining why the Cardinals will likely have a harder time finding common ground with the veteran defensive lineman than they did with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
  • We heard earlier today that Ricky Jean-Francois has visits lined up with Washington and the 49ers, and those aren’t the only teams that he’s scheduled to meet. According to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), a visit with the Seahawks is also on the free agent defensive lineman’s docket for this week.
  • With the idea of a fully guaranteed contract for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson gaining steam (at least among reporters), Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes that one difficult aspect of such a deal would involve team ownership having to put the entire amount of the contract in escrow up front. While that wouldn’t be an issue for Seahawks owner Paul Allen, who is one of the richest men in America, if it were to set a precedent, other owners may be reluctant to sign off on fully guaranteed deals where $50-100MM could be tied up.

2015 Salaries Guaranteed For Gronk, Others

February 6th, 2015 at 9:55am CST by Luke Adams

In a week that has already featured a Super Bowl win and several days of celebrating that win, Rob Gronkowski gets some more good news today. As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com outlines, by remaining on the Patriots’ roster, the star tight end has his 2015 base salary ($4.75MM), along with his ’15 workout bonus ($250K), become fully guaranteed. When combined with the prorated portion of his signing bonus, the newly-guaranteed salary puts Gronk on the books for an $8.65MM cap hit for the coming season.

Gronkowski isn’t the only player whose 2015 salary becomes guaranteed today, as Corry writes. A pair of Cardinals have also locked in a 2015 pay day, as cornerback Patrick Peterson will have his $11.62MM base salary become fully guaranteed, while quarterback Carson Palmer will have his $1MM base salary and $9.5MM roster bonus (due March 12) become guaranteed. The duo will count for over $29MM on Arizona’s cap in 2015, assuming the team doesn’t rework either contract in the offseason.

Gronkowski, Peterson, and Palmer are the latest noteworthy players to have their salaries fully guaranteed for the 2015 season. Earlier this week, Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham, Joe Haden, and Gerald McCoy had their ’15 salaries guaranteed as well.

Joel Corry On Worst Salary Cap Situations

December 25th, 2014 at 10:18am CST by Rob DiRe

On Christmas Eve, Joel Corry of CBS Sports took a look at a few NFL teams who have the worst salary cap situations going into 2015. He picked out the five organizations stuck deepest in salary cap hell:

  1. New Orleans Saints – $23.07MM over the cap
  2. Arizona Cardinals – $6.44MM
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers – $2.901MM
  4. New England Patriots – $1.945MM
  5. San Francisco 49ers – $928,000

Here are some of the highlights of actions Corry suggests that would help them get under the cap in order to have a successful offseason:

Saints

  • Pass rusher Junior Galette could see his contract restructured to open up $10MM, despite signing the extension this past offseason.
  • Another contract doled off last offseason that can be restructured is of prized free agent Jairus Byrd, which could open up $5.6MM in cap space.
  • A third contract from last offseason that can be restructured is that of tight end Jimmy Graham. That move could save $4.77MM in cap space.
  • Both of their Pro Bowl guards are suddenly highly paid luxuries as they have seen their performance drop, and Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs are candidates for release. If cut, they will free up $6.6MM and $3.6MM, respectively.
  • Veteran receiver Marques Colston holds a $9.7MM cap number, and has seen a sharp decline in his play. It will be a tougher cut, but is a candidate to be released.
  • The team could restructure Drew Brees‘ contract again, although they will only push their cap problems into the future in exchange for immediate relief.
  • Releasing linebacker David Hawthorne will free up $2.99MM in cap space if he is released before his $2.5MM roster bonus on the third day of the 2015 league year.

Cardinals

Steelers

Patriots

  • The obvious move for the Patriots would be signing Darrelle Revis to a long-term deal, which would create substantial cap space. The team is unlikely to keep him in 2015 at his current number. They will open $20MM in cap space if they do not keep him on the roster.
  • The Patriots could open up $4MM in cap space by restructuring Tom Brady‘s contract.
  • The team will likely ask linebacker Jerod Mayo to take a pay cut, or they may release him. Corry writes that his $4.5MM injury guarantee will be the only thing that potentially saves him from being released.
  • Danny Amendola will be expendable, and cutting him will free up $2.1MM in cap room or $4.5MM if he is designated a post June 1st cut.
  • Vince Wilfork could also become a cap casualty, as the team will have to decide whether to guarantee his contract for 2015 and 2016. Releasing him will free up $7.566MM in cap room.
  • The team could also recoup some money from Aaron Hernandez‘ signing bonus if the grievance ruling comes back favorable for the Patriots.

49ers

  • The 49ers could restructure Colin Kaepernick‘s contract to lower his 2015 cap number.
  • Linebacker Ahmad Brooks may be released, freeing up a little over $4MM in cap room.
  • Another staple of the team, Vernon Davis, could be released as performance has dropped. The team would gain $4.95MM from releasing him.
  • If Aldon Smith‘s off-field troubles are too much for the 49ers, the team could decline his 2015 option and pick up $9.754MM in cap space.
  • The team could pass on re-signing Michael Crabtree, and will likely cut Stevie Johnson and save just over $6MM unless they lose Crabtree and replace him with Johnson.
  • The team will most likely not seek to bring Frank Gore back to the team, unless it is at an extremely reasonable number.

NFC Links: Cutler, Fitzgerald, Giants

December 20th, 2014 at 12:47pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard about a month ago that Vikings fullback Jerome Felton was considering opting out of his restructured contract. The 28-year-old can accept a 2015 deal worth $2.45MM (plus a $50K workout bonus), but a reduced role may force him to pursue other opportunities.

The former fifth-round pick addressed the subject on Friday (via Mark Craig of the Star Tribune):

“I’d like to come back, but I know the reality. I know they have Zach [Line] on the roster, even though I’m not getting many snaps. My salary, the number of reps I’ve gotten this year, all of that plays into it. But I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity, and I know there is a lot of good film on me out there.”

After having played at least 400 snaps the previous two seasons, the veteran has only seen the field on 148 snaps in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Understandably, Felton isn’t happy about the lighter workload:

“I’m not happy about it, but I refuse to be a negative person. I’ve stayed positive and kept working hard. It’s frustrating because I do feel I’ve played at a high level. I thought there would be a good role for me on the team, but obviously it was impacted by Adrian’s situation.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…

  • ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggests that the Bears could make history if they decide to trade Jay Cutler. According to Schefter, a team has never had to give up extra compensation to get rid of a player, but plenty of league executives believe that will be Chicago’s only hope of ridding themselves of the embattled quarterback.
  • Kent Somers of AZCentral.com says there’s a 50-50 chances that wideout Larry Fitzgerald will be with the Cardinals next season. Meanwhile, the writer believes quarterback Carson Palmer will return.
  • If the Cardinals don’t keep Palmer, they may be seeking a veteran quarterback. However, Somers can’t imagine the team pursuing Jay Cutler.
  • The Giants could undergo some drastic change this offseason, but ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano believes at least two members of the organization will be back: wideout Rueben Randle and head coach Tom Coughlin. The writer mentions that defensive coordinator Perry Fewell could potentially be on his way out.

NFC Links: Quinn, Colston, Sanchez, Warner

December 13th, 2014 at 12:49pm CST by Rob DiRe

With the resurgence of the Seahawks‘ defense, the team’s defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has re-emerged as a top head coaching candidate this offseason, according to Chris Wesseling of NFL.com.

Here are some other links from around the NFC:

  • The Saints are looking at salary cap hell in the coming seasons, which could lead the team to move on from some veterans. According to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, the Saints could release Brodrick Bunkley, David Hawthorne, and Marques Colston this offseason due to their high salaries.
  • The Falcons are 5-8 but in first place in the dismal NFC South. Despite looking at a playoff berth, the team has already started preparing for the 2015 NFL Draft. Their biggest need is at pass rusher, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. He writes that the team will also look closely at receivers, a receiving tight end, and linebackers.
  • Eagles‘ quarterback Mark Sanchez has played well in starter Nick Foles‘ absence, but has looked bad against the Seahawks and Packers. He will likely need to impress during these next three games in order to keep Foles from usurping the starting job for the playoff run, if they even stay in contention with Sanchez, writes Jeff McClaine of the Philadelphia Inquirer. With the Eagles likely to only keep one of the two going forward into 2015, Sanchez could also be auditioning for next season.
  • With the Cardinals‘ quarterback situation potentially in ruins after losing Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton to injuries, thoughts of Kurt Warner returning to save the 10-3 Cardinals from an early playoff exit have been floated. Those hoping for Warner to save them shouldn’t hold their breath, according to Bob McManaman of AZCentral.com. He writes that while Warner may have thought about it, the idea of him stepping in after not playing for five years is unrealistic.
  • Giants‘ quarterback Eli Manning has not been spectacular the last few seasons, but it isn’t time to look for his replacement, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. The team has more pressing needs along the offensive line, at pass rusher, safety, and even possibly receiver, according to Vacchiano.
  • As the problems in Washington continue, Bill Simmons of ESPN and Grantland posed in interesting question to Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post: Would the fans be willing to give up the team to another city and go without NFL football for three years, with the promise of getting an expansion team (retaining the rights to the colors and name if they want it) along with a new ownership group? Definitely a loaded question, but Steinberg initially thought 75% of fans would make that trade, and based on response from fans, he thinks he may have underestimated that number.

Cardinals Sign Lindley, Put Palmer On IR

November 11th, 2014 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Carson Palmer‘s 2014 season officially ended today, as the Cardinals announced they’ve placed their starting quarterback on injured reserve after he suffered an ACL injury on Sunday. To replace Palmer on the roster, the team has signed quarterback Ryan Lindley off the Chargers’ practice squad (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com).

Lindley, 26, was originally drafted by the Cardinals in the sixth round in 2012. He spent two seasons with the club, either on the active roster or practice squad, and saw his only regular-season NFL action in ’12 with Arizona, completing 89 of 171 passes (52.0%) for 752 yards, no touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The Cards cut Lindley in August of this year, at which point he caught on with the Chargers’ taxi squad.

For the 2014 Cardinals, Lindley figures to only be an emergency precaution. Drew Stanton, Palmer’s backup, will take the reins as the starter, and rookie Logan Thomas is also on the 53-man roster. If Stanton were to go down with an injury of his own, perhaps Lindley, the relative veteran, would get the first chance to play, since the team may not feel Thomas is ready yet.

Cardinals Sign Carson Palmer To Extension

November 10th, 2014 at 6:17pm CST by Luke Adams

MONDAY, 6:17pm: Albert Breer of NFL.com passes along the details on Palmer’s extension (Twitter link). The veteran QB is due a $1MM base salary and a $9.5MM roster bonus in February 2015, both of which are believed to be guaranteed. In February of the following year, Palmer is due a $6.35MM base and a $6.35MM roster bonus, and in February 2017, he’s set to earn a $8.15MM base and a $8.15MM roster bonus. None of the ’16 or ’17 cash is believed to be guaranteed.

FRIDAY, 4:50pm: According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Palmer’s deal includes aobut $20.5MM in guaranteed money through 2015, with no guarantees for 2016 and 2017. I imagine some guaranteed bonus money will be prorated through those last two years of the contract, but it sounds as if the base salary is only guaranteed for ’15.

4:25pm: The Cardinals have officially announced Palmer’s new three-year extension (Twitter link via VP of media relations Mark Dalton). The new deal is guaranteed through the 2015 season, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

3:48pm: Palmer has agreed to a three-year deal that’s worth $50MM in total, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). We’ll have to wait for the full details to find out whether that’s the base value of the contract or whether it can be worth up to $50MM. The guaranteed portion of the deal has also yet to be reported.

3:30pm: The Cardinals are on the verge of finalizing a contract extension with quarterback Carson Palmer, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the deal figures to be for three years, and could be done within the next few hours. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk first suggested earlier this afternoon that signs were pointing to the two sides working something out in the very near future.Carson Palmer

The two-year contract Palmer signed with Arizona when he was acquired from the Raiders in 2013 included a 2015 year. However, that year will automatically void, meaning the veteran signal-caller would have been in line for unrestricted free agency this offseason had the Cards not worked out a new agreement with him.

Palmer will turn 35 next month, and missed some time with a nerve injury earlier this season, but has amassed a 99.3 quarterback rating in five games, throwing 11 touchdown passes to just two interceptions — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rates him as a solid but unspectacular passer, akin to Alex Smith and Andy Dalton. The naked eye test supports the PFF assessment, but as of right now, Arizona does not need Palmer to be an All-Pro. The Cardinals simply need continued stability and consistency, which, combined with their excellent defense, have created a surprising championship contender.

Of course, Palmer is only a year removed from a season in which he racked up 22 interceptions, but he still represents the team’s more stable option, at least for the next couple seasons. Drew Stanton won two of his three starts for the Cards earlier this season in Palmer’s absence, but he didn’t show in those games that he’d be capable of assuming the full-time starting role in 2015. The club is also carrying rookie Logan Thomas, but the fourth-rounder remains a work in progress who has completed just one of his eight career NFL pass attempts to date.

Last month, PFR’s Zach Links passed along word, via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, that Palmer and the Cardinals were discussing a potential multiyear contract, and PFR’s Rory Parks examined the former Bengal and Raider as an extension candidate this past weekend. In both cases, we suggested that Palmer is unlikely to score a significant raise on his current $9MM base salary, though with the salary cap receiving a nice bump this year and next, I expect at least a modest hike in Palmer’s pay. If the new deal is for three years, as Rapoport suggests, a base value approaching $40MM seems within reason.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Carson Palmer Tears ACL, Out For Year

November 10th, 2014 at 1:24pm CST by Luke Adams

MONDAY, 1:24pm: Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians confirmed today that Palmer did indeed tear his ACL, and isn’t expected back until next summer, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. There’s no additional damage, but Palmer likely won’t have surgery for a couple weeks, as he waits for the swelling to subside, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. The veteran signal-caller figures to land on IR this week.

SUNDAY, 6:53pm: Just two days after finalizing a lucrative three-year contract extension with the team, Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer left today’s game on a cart with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. According to Albert Breer and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), the club fears that Palmer suffered a torn ACL, which would end his season. The veteran signal-caller will undergo tests to confirm the diagnosis.

The timing of the injury is especially unfortunate for the Cardinals, who reportedly committed about $20MM in guaranteed money to Palmer this week, and have Super Bowl aspirations this season. In today’s game against the Rams, backup quarterback Drew Stanton and the Arizona defense combined for three fourth quarter touchdowns to seal a 31-14 victory, but if Stanton is forced to assume the starting job for the rest of the season, it figures to adversely affect the team’s chances of making a deep playoff run.

Palmer, who will turn 35 next month, had posted a 99.3 quarterback rating in five games entering today, throwing 11 touchdown passes to just two interceptions. He’d also won all five contests he’d started this year, helping to lead the Cardinals to a league-best 7-1 record, a mark they improved to 8-1 today.

For the former first overall pick, this injury appears reminiscent of one he suffered back in January 2006, during his first playoff game with the Bengals. That 2006 injury, which included an ACL tear among other ligament, cartilage, and knee damage, was viewed as potentially career-ending at the time. However, even though Palmer suffered today’s injury to that same left knee, it would be a new tear, since his previous graft will have healed during the last eight years, tweets Dr. David J. Chao.

We’ll know more details on the severity of the injury and the recovery timetable when tests are completed and the Cardinals make an announcement.

NFC Notes: Peterson, 49ers, Palmer, Cox

November 9th, 2014 at 8:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Vikings front office has become very sensitive about bringing back running back Adrian Peterson following his prolonged legal saga, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who adds that there are “no guarantees” the club would welcome him back if he’s reinstated by the NFL. Citing multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, La Canfora writes that the Vikings harbor “serious concerns” about Peterson’s physical and mental state — while the running back accepted a no-contest plea, the team isn’t sure he recognized the seriousness of the charges he was facing. La Canfora also hears from sources that Peterson isn’t currently in game shape.

As we wait to see what the NFL and the Vikings decide to do with the former All-Pro running back, let’s check in on several other items from around the league….

  • The Vikings should cut Peterson and let another team deal with the circus surrounding his return, argues Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  • 49ers nose tackle Ian Williams suffered what head coach Jim Harbaugh called a “small fracture” in his left leg today, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle details. The team’s regular nose tackle, Glenn Dorsey, is on track to return soon from off the injured reserve list, but if he’s not quite ready yet, Quinton Dial figures to get the start next week.
  • According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Carson Palmer‘s new extension features $10MM in guaranteed signing and roster bonuses, as well as a $10.5MM salary for 2015 that’s guaranteed for injury. So even though he may have torn his ACL today, the Cardinals quarterback has secured $20.5MM in guarantees over the course of this year and next year.
  • Giants running back Michael Cox was in a wheelchair with what appeared to be a serious leg injury following the team’s loss in Seattle today, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, who tweets that the club is likely to add a replacement running back this week. The Giants confirmed tonight that Cox fractured the lower part of his left leg, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
  • Lions offensive lineman Larry Warford doesn’t have an ACL injury, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Warford will undergo further tests to determine the severity of his knee injury.
  • Jeremy Maclin bet big on himself when he turned down a multiyear contract offer from the Eagles in the offseason to sign a one-year deal, and that decision is paying off, writes Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

NFC Links: Avant, Palmer, Brooks

November 8th, 2014 at 12:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Panthers wide receiver Jason Avant is looking forward to returning to Philadelphia this weekend, but the veteran is also looking back on his time with the Eagles. The 30-year-old was asked about his departure from Philly, and the wideout understood that he was on the outside looking in. Via the Philly Mag’s Tim McManus…

“You have an emerging [Jeremy] Maclin, you have a receiver draft that is high on talent that year and then you just paid Riley Cooper, so you kind of put the pieces together. Me and DeSean or me and Mac, we knew two of us would be gone,” he said. “We didn’t know which one it would be but you kind of [understand] situations over the years.

“I saw my role and what they had me doing and it just didn’t make sense for them financially to keep me to do some of the things I was doing. That’s no slight at Chip [Kelly] or anyone, it’s just a good business decision. Man, if I was in the business decision I would have looked at it and said: Look, to catch bubbles and to block, we can get a rookie to do that for a lesser price. That’s just a smart move by Howie Roseman and Chip.”

“Every player wants to play in one city for their whole career, but I understood the business side of it,” he said. “I love the organization, I love [Kelly and Roseman], I don’t have any hard feelings. I’ll be giving [Kelly] a big hug when I see him. I respect him and I respect what he is doing. They’re having a great season so far and I am really, really excited for a lot of the guys there, and I still talk to a lot of people. I’m happy they’re doing well — I just hope they don’t do well this week. That’s it.”

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

  • The Packers will evaluate the availability of guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang today, and they could decide to activate lineman Josh Walker from the practice squad, writes Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel.
  • The Cardinals made the correct move in signing Carson Palmer, says ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss. The 34-year-old’s performance since returning in mid-October has proven to the writer that the veteran was deserving of a three-year extension.
  • 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh would not comment on rumors that the team was shopping linebacker Ahmad Brooks. “No, no, I don’t have any comment on that,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez). “As always, no comment on those things. It would be second-hand, and I don’t have the specific knowledge.”
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