HEADLINES

Chad Henne

AFC Notes: Patriots, Texans, Steelers, Jags

February 17th, 2017 at 9:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The University of Alabama is hiring Patriots tight ends coach Brian Daboll as its new offensive coordinator, according to Chris Low of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Daboll, who has led offenses at the NFL level for the Browns, Dolphins, and Chiefs, was first linked to the Crimson Tide earlier this week by Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports. Former Texans play-caller George Godsey was also in consideration for the vacancy in Tuscaloosa, per Feldman.

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • Veteran safety Quintin Demps hasn’t engaged in contract negotiations with the Texans as of yet, and although the pending free agent would prefer to return to Houston in 2017, he’s not interested in offering the club any sort of hometown discount, Demps told SiriusXM NFL Radio today (Twitter links). Demps is entering his age-32 campaign, which could depress his value, but he’s started 26 games over the past two years and is coming off a season in which he graded as the league’s No. 12 safety, according to Pro Football Focus. After earning only $1.5MM in 2016, Demps should be in a for raise, but he’s not going to break the bank in a safety market that also includes Eric Berry, Tony Jefferson, and T.J. McDonald.
  • Tight end Ladarius Green is expected to be healthy enough to play in 2017, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert yesterday told reporters, including Chris Bradford of the Beaver County Times (Twitter link). Green only appeared in six games during his first campaign with Pittsburgh, as concussion issues limited his ability to get on the field. Although he provided 16.9 yards per reception when he was on the field, Green could represent too large a risk for the Steelers to undertake, especially given that his post-June 1 release would clear $5MM in cap space.
  • Defensive tackle Abry Jones‘ four-year, $16MM deal with the Jaguars contains $6.5MM in guarantees, which are comprised of a $2.5MM 2017 base salary, a $1MM roster bonus due next March, and $3MM 2018 base salary, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, backup quarterback Chad Henne‘s new one-year contract is worth $3.5MM, reports Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link), and contains a $500K signing bonus, a $750K roster bonus due on September 7, and $2.5MM available via incentives.
  • Steelers linebacker Steven Johnson‘s new deal is a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract that comes with $80K in guaranteed money, per Caplan (Twitter link). Under the terms of the MSB, Johnson will only count for $615K on Pittsburgh’s salary cap.

Chad Henne, Jaguars Restructure Deal

February 15th, 2017 at 2:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Last year, Chad Henne agreed to a two-year, $8MM deal to stay in Jacksonville. The Jaguars wanted to keep Henne on the roster for 2017, but that price was apparently too rich for their blood. Today, the Jaguars and Henne agreed to a restructured deal for the coming season, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets. The team has since confirmed the deal via press release.Chad Henne

Under the terms of his previous deal, Henne was slated to carry a $3.25MM cap number in ’17. Terms of the new deal have not yet been disclosed, but it will almost certainly be at a lower number. The QB’s previous deal also included incentives and it’s not clear if the new deal will grant him extra cash for playing time. Regardless, he’s slated to once again hold the clipboard for starter Blake Bortles.

In other Jaguars news, the team has also re-signed wide receiver Arrelious Benn.

Jaguars Rumors: Jack, Posluszny, Henne

May 28th, 2016 at 7:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s the latest coming out of north Florida during the OTA portion of the NFL calendar.

  • Although Myles Jack‘s role could be on passing downs as he acclimates to the NFL after a damaging knee injury ended his UCLA career, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union projects the Jaguars second-rounder’s future to be at middle linebacker, where Paul Posluszny has lined up for the past three seasons. This would leave Dan Skuta untouched on the strong side if Telvin Smith is indeed going to resume his work opposite him. If healthy, Jack possesses the speed to play anywhere at linebacker but played mostly on the outside with the Bruins during his two healthy seasons, when he wasn’t moonlighting as a running back.
  • The 31-year-old Posluszny, whose 725 solo tackles since 2008 lead the NFL, has been a three-down linebacker during his three-year Jags tenure. But if Jack can prove adept, he could well join Smith in nickel settings. A former second-round pick, Posluszny sees a demotion out of a third-down role as a ticket out of the league, given teams’ reliance on sub-packages. “When teams see you as a two-down player, to me, that means it’s over for you,” Posluszny said. “And what if I’m playing at a high level on first and second downs? Does that mean I get to stay here next year? I don’t know. I just have to continue to do everything I’ve done and when it’s time to compete, I have to play at a high level.” Posluszny, who has started all 113 games he’s played with the Bills and Jags, signed an extension to remain with the Jags until 2017 last April. His cap hits drop, however, from the his peak earnings seasons the past two years. He’s set to occupy $5.17MM of the Jags’ cap this season, and although he can be cut for less than $500K of dead money, cap space isn’t something the Jags are sweating right now. Their $49.3MM available leads the league.
  • Chad Henne did not opt to test the free agent market this year, instead agreeing to another two-year contract in Jacksonville, one that will pay him $8MM in that span. Entering his age-31 season, the former second-round pick of the Dolphins’ prefers the comfort his current role behind Blake Bortles provides as opposed to trying to procure another starting job. “I was hoping it would happen like this just because I enjoy it here … and being in the same system for two years and not having to learn a new one is beneficial,” Henne told media, including O’Halloran. Aside from Chase Daniel‘s $7MM-per-year wages, Henne resides in the top bracket of backup signal-callers in terms of AAV.
  • As is the case in third-round negotiations, Yannick Ngakoue will have some flexibility regarding his rookie contract with the Jaguars. O’Halloran reports Ngakoue will earn at least a $540K salary in 2016 and an $856K signing bonus as part of being selected No. 69 overall. But according to cap expert J.I. Halsell, the Jags rookie pass-rusher can earn up to $456K in additional compensation spread out over the deal’s four years. With the CBA containing no language of what third-rounders will earn precisely, more extensive negotiations are commencing. “It’s just a weird round,” a veteran agent told O’Halloran. “I called the [NFLPA] a couple weeks ago to ask about it, and they said, ‘It’s the wild, wild West.’” Last year’s No. 69 pick, the Texans’ Jaelen Strong, received 62% of that additional compensation figure ($249K of an available $402K), O’Halloran reports, while three picks later, Jaguars guard A.J. Cann booked 75% ($311K) in his rookie pact. It’s a strange financial matrix these third-rounders enter compared to the players slotted above and below them.

Jaguars Re-Sign Chad Henne

February 18th, 2016 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

11:01am: The Jaguars have officially re-signed Henne, the team announced today in a press release.

10:10am: The Jaguars have reached an agreement with Chad Henne on an extension that will bring him back to the team for the 2016 season, and perhaps beyond that, a source tells Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Getlin reports that the two-year deal, which features some incentives, is worth $8MM. Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter) first reported that the two sides were closing in on a deal.Chad Henne

Henne, 30, has started 53 games since entering the league in 2008, including 22 for the Jaguars from 2012 to 2014. However, since the team drafted Blake Bortles third overall in ’14, he has been primarily relegated to backup duty, and seems to have transitioned into the role of a veteran mentor. While he was eligible to reach free agency this winter, it seems he’s comfortable enough in that role to forgo exploring the open market.

Henne’s last contract with Jacksonville, signed back in March 2014, was also a two-year extension worth $8MM, which included incentives and escalators based on playing time and team success. Even though Bortles has now cemented himself as the unquestioned starter for the Jaguars, it’s not surprising to see Henne get a similar deal as the clear-cut No. 2 this time around. He’s one of the more reliable backups in the NFL, and those players typically earn an annual salary in the $4-5MM range.

Given the Jaguars’ cap situation, paying Henne an annual $4MM salary isn’t an issue. According to Over the Cap, the team entered Thursday with a league-high $79.8MM in projected cap room for 2016, so Henne’s new deal will be a small drop in the bucket. Additionally, Bortles won’t be due for a new extension of his own for at least another year or two, so the team’s top two signal-callers will remain very affordable as a duo for the next couple seasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Mailbags: Texans, Chiefs, Jets, Jags, Colts

April 11th, 2015 at 9:50pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the AFC…

  • The Texans have historically made trades during the draft, so Tania Ganguli believes it’s a possibility the organization could move up this year. However, considering the depth at the position, she doesn’t think the Texans should trade up for a wideout.
  • Adam Teicher writes that “cornerback is a spot to watch” for the Chiefs during the first round. While the organization would be “delighted” with Michigan State’s Trae Waynes, Teicher says Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson or LSU’s Jalen Collins are more realistic targets.
  • Despite the team’s acquisition of Brandon Marshall, Rich Cimini says it would be hard for the Jets to pass on Alabama’s Amari Cooper if the receiver’s available at the sixth pick.
  • Chad Henne is entering the final year of his contract, and Michael DiRocco could envision the Jaguars re-signing the veteran quarterback following the 2015 season. The 29-year-old has compiled 27 touchdowns to 26 interceptions in his three seasons in Jacksonville.
  • Mike Wells says it’s “highly unlikely” that Ahmad Bradshaw returns to the Colts. The 29-year-old certainly provided a spark during his tenure in Indy, but he only managed to play 13 games between the two seasons. Futhermore, the addition of Frank Gore would leave Bradshaw without a clear role.

Florida Notes: Tannehill, Dolphins, Jaguars

September 22nd, 2014 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Matt Moore is one of the highest-paid backup quarterbacks in the league, and the Dolphins may be reaching a point where they’re not just paying him to sit on the bench. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, after another poor performance from Ryan Tannehill on Sunday, the club is mulling the possibility of changing quarterbacks. As Salguero notes, head coach Joe Philbin was evasive when asked about Tannehill’s job security today, and while a change isn’t necessarily imminent, the team is at least considering it.

If Tannehill were to lose his job, it wouldn’t bode well for his next contract. After this season, the Dolphins will have to make a decision on the signal-caller’s fifth-year option for 2016, and could even sign him to an extension if they so choose. While that option would almost certainly be exercised if Tannehill has a big 2014, it’s not looking good at the moment for him.

Here’s more on Tannehill, along with a couple more items on the NFL’s Florida teams….

  • Predictably, Tannehill was one of the three players Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap named in his weekly look at players whose potential future earnings have taken a hit based on their recent performances.
  • While the Dolphins haven’t looked great on the offensive side of the ball over the last two weeks, the defense hasn’t been any better, and according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, Miami players are getting frustrated. One source tells Beasley that many of the defenders are “beyond furious, irate” with defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle‘s game plans and play calls.
  • Assuming Blake Bortles stays healthy and remains the No. 1 quarterback in Jacksonville, the Jaguars will receive a $1.25MM credit on their cap, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Those savings would be a result of Chad Henne not reaching the playing-time incentives on his deal with the club.

King’s Latest: CBs, Bortles, Fairley, 49ers

August 18th, 2014 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Those defensive penalties that have plagued preseason games for the last two weeks won’t be going away once the regular season gets underway, according to vice president of officiating Dean Blandino. Blandino tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that defensive holding and illegal contact penalties will continue to be a point of emphasis throughout the year, and that he expects coaches and teams to adjust their style of play over the next few weeks. In the second weekend of the 2014 preseason, there have been nearly nine more penalties per game than an average 2013 regular season contest, which is a number that will hurt the game if it extends into the regular season, writes King.

Here’s more from this week’s MMQB:

  • King predicts that we’ll hear of several teams desperate for cornerbacks in the next week or so. “We’re going to get one,” a personnel man for one team said. “But we may have to pay a higher price than we want, or a higher price than the player deserves.” King identifies the Jets, Ravens, Lions, Colts, Vikings, and Buccaneers as teams that may be on the lookout for another corner.
  • While Chad Henne may open the regular season under center for the Jaguars, the team has always planned to transition Blake Bortles into the starting role when he’s ready, regardless of how well or how poorly Henne is playing, says King. Based on how Bortles has looked so far in the preseason, that transition could end up happening sooner rather than later.
  • According to King, Nick Fairley is now behind C.J. Mosley on the Lions‘ depth chart. So far, it doesn’t seem as Detroit’s decision to decline Fairley’s 2015 option as a motivational tactic has paid off for the defensive tackle or the team.
  • One scout suggests the 49ers should be worried about the backup quarterback situation, and King writes that Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke may be thinking about elevating Josh Johnson to No. 2 on the depth chart after another poor performance by Blaine Gabbert.
  • King praises the Bears‘ signing of wide receiver Santonio Holmes, writing that he has “no idea” why so many people view Holmes as a toxic locker-room presence — in King’s view, the veteran wideout has been “mildly disruptive,” but he’s hardly a cancer.

Sunday Roundup: Manziel, Marciano, Chiefs

August 10th, 2014 at 12:54pm CST by Rory Parks

As teams try to improve upon their performances from the first week of preseason games, let’s take a look at some links from around the league:

Jaguars Notes: Stanzi, Joeckel, Clemons

May 31st, 2014 at 8:06pm CST by Peter Sowards

The Jaguars claimed quarterback Ricky Stanzi off waivers last season after he was released by the Kansas City Chiefs. Some stated this was a play by the Jags to pick Stanzi’s brain — Jacksonville played Kansas City Week 1, and lost, 28-2 — but the former Iowa QB is still in Northeast Florida, holding on to a roster spot.

That roster spot got less assured when the team selected Blake Bortles No. 3 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, as Vito Stellino of The Florida Times-Union writes.

And, for three straight seasons since college, Stanzi hasn’t had an opportunity to see the field, inactive for all but four games last year.

As it stands right now, the Jags have four QBs on the roster — Stanzi, Bortles, veteran Chad Henne and Stephen Morris, an undrafted free agent rookie from Miami who projects as a developmental player.

Stellino writes that Stanzi has made a good impression on head coach Gus Bradley, who was surprised with the slinger’s arm strength.

More news and notes from “America’s Team,” as NFL.com’s Adam Schein likes to call them:

  • Luke Joeckel, the former Texas A&M offensive tackle selected No. 2 overall in last year’s draft, is hoping to put the injury that sidelined him after five games last season behind him, writes Hays Carlyon of jacksonville.com. Joeckel participated in all three OTA practices and said he was pleased with how his ankle held up.
  • Henne, Stanzi, wide receiver Cecil Shorts, defensive end Andre Branch and safety Jonathan Cyprien were named by Bradley as players who stood out during the team’s first week of OTAs, The Times-Union reports. Bradley said he has “98% confidence” that defensive end Chris Clemons will be on the field Monday when the team gets back on the field.
  • While the biggest challenge facing the Jags in 2014 is getting Bortles ready to play, The Times-Union’s Gene Frenette says no challenge is more daunting than meshing the team’s rag-tag offensive line.

Seahawks Hire Jeff Ireland As Draft Consultant

April 26th, 2014 at 11:35am CST by Matt Feminis

Former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland is assisting the Seahawks’ draft preparations, reports Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez, who says Ireland and the team could discuss a full-time role after the draft.

Ireland served as the Dolphins’ GM from 2008 until January when he was jettisoned — not coincidentally — amidst the team’s bullying scandal involving Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. Under Ireland’s leadership, the Dolphins managed a mediocre 35 wins over his his last five years at the helm, in part because of his poor drafting and inability to assemble a productive, cohesive offense. Notable busts on his record include Chad Henne, Phillip Merling and Pat White, while last year’s No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan has already hit the trade block. Several other players drafted in the first four rounds have also struggled to establish themselves.

Aside from constructing a lackluster roster, Ireland did not do the organization any favors from a public relations standpoint, either. In 2010, he infamously asked draft prospect Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute. In 2012, he swore at a fan. And most recently, it was revealed that Martin’s agent brought the bullying issue to Ireland’s attention, at which point the GM suggested Martin fight Incognito.

Ireland began his professional scouting career working for the National Scouting Combine before working for the Chiefs as an area scout, then climbing the ladder in Dallas, where he earned the respect of Bill Parcells, who handed Ireland the reins in Miami.

The Super Bowl champs hiring a controversial executive would be mildly surprising if not for the fact Ireland and Seahawks GM John Schneider are “buddies,” notes NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).

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