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Champ Bailey

AFC Notes: Brinkley, Cassel, Bailey, Byrd

March 6th, 2014 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Bills are getting an early start on perusing this year’s crop of free agent linebackers. After meeting with Jameel McClain, who was released last week by the Ravens, Buffalo is hosting another free agent LB today, as Jasper Brinkley comes to town, according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com. Brinkley was cut last Friday by the Cardinals.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Matt Cassel, who opted out of his contract with the Vikings, has an old Patriots connection with new Houston head coach Bill O’Brien, and the interest between Cassel and the Texans is mutual and real, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links).
  • Rapoport also hears that before D’Qwell Jackson signed with the Colts, the free agent linebacker turned down more money elsewhere (Twitter link).
  • Veteran defensive back Champ Bailey, who is being released by the Broncos, tells Mike Klis of the Denver Post (Twitter link) that GM John Elway didn’t present a pay cut as an option. “There was no discussions about it,” Bailey said. “It was like, ‘We’re ready to move on.'”
  • The Broncos will look to add a pass rusher this offseason to play opposite Von Miller, and free agency may be a better bet for the club than the draft, according to Klis, who identifies Jared Allen as one possible target.
  • In a Q&A with John Kryk of the Toronto Sun, Bills GM Doug Whaley suggested that not franchising Jairus Byrd earlier this week set up a “more amicable” negotiation with the free agent safety. Said Whaley, in noting that the team franchised Byrd a year ago: “This year we said, ‘For the betterment of the Buffalo Bills, and to show you more or less good faith, we’re not going to use that option to restrict you from hitting the market. Let’s try to go full bore, with both of us focused on trying to get a deal done.'”
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe explains why he thinks it make sense for the Patriots to pass on re-signing prospective free agent Aqib Talib and instead try to trade for Buccaneers cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Broncos Willing To Spend

February 22nd, 2014 at 3:44pm CST by Rob DiRe

Broncos’ general manager John Elway has invigorated the team since winning the battle for Peyton Manning two years ago. He quickly created a roster that dominated the AFC en route to a Super Bowl appearance. Despite the disappointing performance in the big game, Elway is focused on bringing back some of the team’s top talent in order to make another run at a championship.

Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the team has shown a willingness to spend under the leadership of Elway. Presumably, the entire organization understands that there is urgency to bring a Super Bowl trophy to Denver now, with Manning under center. That only gives them two or three more seasons to realistically contend as currently constructed. However, a willingness to spend doesn’t necessarily equal an improved roster due to the amount the team has already spent and their situation in regard to the salary cap.

While the team is expected to have enough cap room to maneuver this offseason, Elway did say that he believes Manning would be willing to restructure his deal if the team needed some extra flexibility. “I think we’ll be fine,” Elway said. “I don’t think (Manning) would have any problem, if we needed to find some cap room, that he wouldn’t help us out.”

Klis writes that Elway and head coach John Fox will begin discussing a contract extension. Retaining the head coach is thought to be a top priority. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has already received a two-year contract extension after optimizing a defense that was without its best player, Von Miller, for almost all of the season, due to suspension and injury. Del Rio also filled in admirably during Fox’s absence when his health forced him to miss games in the middle of the season.

Another urgent matter for Elway is the status of Champ Bailey‘s contract. He is scheduled to make $10MM in 2014, but due to his advanced age and declining ability it is unlikely the team would be willing to bring him back at that number. He will most likely be cut or take a pay cut to stay with the team.

As for the current Broncos about to hit free agency, Elway said the team would allow them to hit the market. While he would like to bring back many of the team’s own talent, Elway knows with some of their other key players requiring new contracts after next season that they cannot commit all of their future cap space to this season’s group of free agents.

He does note that the team wants Decker back, and that Decker expressed interest in returning as well. Even still, it could be difficult for the team to match an offer in the open market.

Broncos Notes: Fox, Bailey, Free Agents

February 21st, 2014 at 8:41pm CST by Ben Levine

John Elway has a lot on his plate in the coming weeks, ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold writes. With the Super Bowl behind him, the Broncos‘ general manager can now focus on his offseason tasks. Let’s see what Elway will be up to…

  • The Broncos GM made it clear that he wants to re-sign head coach John Fox. “I want to get him done,” Elway said. “I’m going to sit down with his agent while I’m here, sit down with him and see where we come out.” Fox is entering the final season of a four-year deal he signed in 2011.
  • Elway said that he would meet with cornerback Champ Bailey prior to the opening of free agency. Bailey’s 2012 salary is worth a $10MM cap figure, the second-highest on the team behind Peyton Manning.
  • Elway expects his key free agents – Knowshon Moreno, Eric Decker and Wesley Woodyard – to test free agency. In particular, he expects Decker to evaluate his worth on the market, especially considering that teammates Julius Thomas, Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker are set to become free agents after next season.

Corry On Pay Cut Candidates

February 14th, 2014 at 9:35pm CST by Matt Feminis

In our previous post, we highlighted young stars entering their prime years and poised to land lucrative second contracts. At the other end of the spectrum, Joel Corry of National Football Post spotlighted five veterans who could be asked to take a pay cut:

  • Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey – Will be 36 next season after playing just five regular season contests in 2013 (foot injury). Simply put, Bailey’s cost to the team is not commensurate with his diminished skills, as he’s scheduled to count $10.5MM against the cap next year.
  • Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware – Dallas’ cap woes were detailed last week. At the top of the “To Do” list is Ware, who carries a $16MM cap number as a result of three restructurings. Bothered by an elbow injury which necessitated off-season surgery, Ware managed just six sacks in 2013. Corry says Ware has indicated he’s willing to go down that road again, “but a pay cut is a different story.” If the Cowboys release Ware, the team stands to gain approximately $7.4MM of cap room.
  • 49ers running back Frank Gore – Not unlike catchers in baseball, running backs trend downward beyond age 30. Gore will be 31 in 2014 when he’s scheduled to count $6.45MM against the cap, though he’s considered an “old” 31 given his career workload and injury history. With a strong offensive line and dual-threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick entering his prime, it’s reasonable to think Gore’s production could be had for cheaper, be it in the form of Gore himself at a reduced rate or perhaps 2013 “redshirt” Marcus Lattimore, who is waiting in the wings.
  • Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu – The soon-to-be 33-year-old has the NFL’s highest 2014 cap number among safeties (approximately $10.9MM), but Polamalu’s play has fallen off to the point where his reputation exceeds his performance. According to Corry, “A pay cut could be folded into an extension that lowers Polamalu’s cap number and ensures that he never plays with another NFL team.”
  • Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork – Corry describes the veteran Wilfork’s situation as “precarious” because the final year of his five-year deal weighs $11.6MM against the cap. That number ranks second-highest on the roster behind Tom Brady, and the team has just under $3.9MM of cap room at present time. Wilfork has been a rock, but the Pats cannot afford to devote nine percent of the cap to a 32-year-old run stuffer coming off a torn Achilles tendon injury, especially with the team attempting to re-sign Aqib Talib.

AFC Links: Bailey, Davis, Harrison, Dolphins

February 3rd, 2014 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

During the week leading up to the Super Bowl, Champ Bailey indicated that he hoped to his continue his playing career and didn’t have any interest in moving from cornerback to safety. However, after the game last night, Bailey appeared willing to compromise on one of those two stances. The longtime corner suggested that he’d “definitely look into” playing safety if it’s something that makes sense for him and the Broncos, according to Matt Walks of the Denver Post. Of course, given his $10MM cap number for 2014, Bailey isn’t a mortal lock to remain in Denver, at least at that price.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • While Vontae Davis is expected to be among a strong crop of free agent cornerbacks this offseason, both he and the Colts seem to have interest in a reunion, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. There’s no guarantee that the team will re-sign Davis, but Holder expects the two sides to “work diligently” on a new contract in the coming weeks.
  • Jets defensive tackle Damon Harrison, who will be eligible for restricted free agency a year from now, has changed agents, joining CAA Sports, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal.
  • ESPN.com’s James Walker examines a list of potential cap casualties for the Dolphins, led by offensive lineman Jonathan Martin.
  • One of the Dolphins‘ GM candidates who didn’t get the job tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) that he believes the club is one good offseason away from a playoff berth, and two or three years away from bigger things.
  • With backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst facing free agency, the Chargers will have to decide whether to bring him back or to add another signal-caller via the draft, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com.

AFC Notes: Welker, Bailey, Pats, Jaguars

January 30th, 2014 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Already this week, Peyton Manning and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie have addressed the possibility of retiring after the Super Bowl if the Broncos win. Wide receiver Wes Welker was the latest to be asked about that scenario, but the former Patriot quickly shot down the idea.

“Of course it would be a good way to end it, but I am still having fun,” Welker said, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “I am still enjoying the game. I feel good, and as long as I am out there having fun, I will continue to play.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Champ Bailey told reporters today, including Lindsay Jones of USA Today (Twitter link), that cornerbacks his age either “retire, stink it up or move to safety.” Bailey is hoping he doesn’t end up doing any of those things in 2014.
  • While the Patriots could have a couple candidates for the franchise tag this offseason in Julian Edelman and Aqib Talib, the team would have to make significant moves to accommodate an eight-figure, one-year salary for either player, says Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.
  • Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell spoke to Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union about what he took away from scouting last week’s Senior Bowl. According to Caldwell, defensive back and offensive line were areas of strength at the event.
  • The Jaguars figure to target pass-rushers in the draft, and Virginia’s Brett Urban could be an option, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.
  • With center Alex Mack and safety T.J. Ward facing free agency this offseason, the Browns will have to hope they don’t follow Mike Adams’ lead, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. As McManamon notes, Adams won 28 games in five years with the Browns, then signed as a free agent in Denver, where he’s won that many games in just two seasons.
  • Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald examines the free agent decisions facing new Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey in his first couple months on the job.