Chandler Jones (DE) - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: C. Jones, Brees, Bucs, Cowboys

March 23rd, 2016 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to reporters, including Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians admitted he was “shocked” to learn that Chandler Jones was available, revealing that the Patriots instigated the trade discussions that led to a deal earlier this month. While Chandler has just one year left on his contract, Arians is confident he’ll remain in Arizona for a while: “When he hits free agency, we’ll have the dollars to make sure he stays.”

Let’s round up a few more items of interest from around the NFC…

In the wake of news that Sean Payton will be extended through the 2020 season by the Saints, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets that New Orleans is also discussing a deal that would lock up quarterback Drew Brees for the next five years. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com recently explained why signing Brees through 2020 might make the most sense for the Saints.
Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter believes Mike Glennon is capable of starting in the NFL, and prefers to keep him in the mix, but he acknowledged today that the team is fond of Ryan Griffin as well, hinting that Griffin would also be capable of backing up Jameis Winston if Glennon is dealt (Twitter links via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times and Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune).
Koetter also said today that the Buccaneers intend to add a fullback to their roster, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).
The free agent market for a backup quarterback was a little too pricey for the Cowboys, but the team still wants to address the No. 2 spot on its depth chart behind Tony Romo, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com details. According to Jerry Jones, there “will be options” for Dallas, including potentially landing a veteran or adding a signal-caller within the first couple days of the draft. Kellen Moore currently projects as Romo’s backup.

Extra Points: Chancellor, Cardinals, Draft, Jets

March 16th, 2016 at 10:27pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Four-time Pro Bowl Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor hasn’t been shy about voicing his disenchantment with his current contract, going so far as to sit out all of last summer and then the first two games of the season in an effort to land a better one. Though that gambit backfired, he’s in no hurry to leave Seattle. Chancellor took to Instagram on Wednesday and posted a picture with the message: “I’m not going anywhere.” The 27-year-old also wrote, “Seattle is my Second home. I don’t plan on going anywhere unless some higher power places me elsewhere.” Chancellor has two years remaining on his deal.

More from around the NFL as we wrap up Wednesday…

The right side of the Cardinals’ offensive line will consist of newly signed Evan Mathis (guard) and D.J. Humphries (tackle), while A.Q. Shipley is the current starter at center, according to general manager Steve Keim (Twitter link via Darren Urban of the team’s website).
On the other side of the ball, newly acquired pass rusher Chandler Jones will shift from defensive end – where he played in New England – to outside linebacker for the Cardinals, per Keim. The deal to land Jones took about three days to execute, the GM added (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe). It’s worth mentioning that defensive ends cost more to franchise tag than linebackers ($15.701MM to $14.129MM this year), which could impact Jones – who will be a free agent next offseason.
Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple has lined up visits with more than 16 teams, including the Rams, Buccaneers, Dolphins and Jaguars, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Baylor defensive tackle Andrew Billings has met with the Buccaneers, Steelers, 49ers and Lions, he told James Palmer of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Receiver/returner Jordan Norwood will join linebacker Courtney Upshaw in visiting the Jets on Thursday, reports Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). Norwood, 29, has played sporadically with three different teams since entering the league in 2009. He spent last season with the champion Broncos, amassing 22 receptions and 11 returns, and set the record for the longest Super Bowl punt return (61 yards).

Reactions To Chandler Jones Trade

March 16th, 2016 at 6:01pm CST by Zachary Links

On Tuesday, the Patriots and Cardinals completed a noteworthy deal when edge rusher Chandler Jones was shipped to Arizona in exchange for offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and a second-round draft choice. The talented Jones is coming off of a career year in which he recorded 44 tackles to go along with a career-high 12.5 sacks, earning his first-ever Pro Bowl selection. The Pats, meanwhile, got themselves a former first-round pick who can play either center or guard while adding to their upcoming draft stockpile.

Here’s a look at some of the reactions to (and fallout from) the swap:

Now that the Patriots have traded Jones, re-signing outside linebacker Jamie Collins is a high priority, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). In 12 games last season, Collins racked up 89 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. Collins is presently due to make a little north of $900K in 2016 and they believe that he is more likely to be receptive to an extension offer than Jones would have been. The Pats, Cole says, feel that they can get something done sooner rather than later.
The Cardinals are not expected to sign Jones to a long-term deal until after the 2016 season, according to Cole (video link). Once Calais Campbell‘s hefty contract comes off the books, Arizona will have more room to give Jones a big deal.
The Patriots probably saw the writing on the wall when Malik Jackson and Olivier Vernon got monster contracts this offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. Based on the way both players were paid ($14.25MM/year for Jackson, $17MM/year for Vernon), Fitzgerald estimates that Jones was in line for close to $20MM/year, and that sum would have been too rich for New England’s blood. As for Cooper, Fitzgerald notes that the Patriots will probably decline his 2017 option. The lineman’s option year calls for him to earn well over $10MM but, as of right now, he’s more like a $3MM player.
Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com ran down some of the main reasons why the Patriots traded Jones. Among them, of course, is the projected cost of a new deal for Jones down the line. He also notes that New England is in a good spot at defensive end. New England has Jabaal Sheard as well as an aging, but still productive, Rob Ninkovich to help pressure opposing quarterbacks. The Patriots are also hopeful that they can get production out of Geneo Grissom and Trey Flowers plus new addition Chris Long.
The Jones trade is reminiscent of the team’s Richard Seymour swap in 2009, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss writes. The Pats shipped Seymour to the Raiders for a 2011 first-round choice at a time when the team was unsure about whether they’d be able to re-sign him after the season.
Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Logan Ryan, and Malcolm Butler (restricted) are all due to be free agents next year, and it would have been difficult to try and re-sign all of those contributors in addition to Jones, Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com writes. Of that group, Jones would have required the most money of anyone thanks to the way that Jackson and Vernon got paid this month. When it comes to Cooper, Barnwell wonders aloud if a change of scenery could turn things around for the former first-rounder.
Peter King of The MMQB says that the Patriots made the right choice when looking at the numbers. Of course, it also helps that the Pats were able to add Long. Long, he writes, gave up an extra $2-3MM that he could have instead earned with the Falcons, Lions, Washington, or Cowboys.

Cardinals Acquire Chandler Jones From Pats

March 15th, 2016 at 9:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cardinals and Patriots have agreed to a trade that will send defensive end Chandler Jones to Arizona. In exchange for Jones, the Pats will receive offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick.

The Cardinals had been seeking an impact pass rusher this offseason, and they’ll get one in Jones. In 2015, the 26-year-old appeared in (and started) 15 games for the Patriots, totaling 44 tackles to go along with a career-high 12.5 sacks. The former first-round pick also added four forced fumbles, two passes defended, and his first career interception, earning a Pro Bowl spot for the first time.

Jones had been one of several players eligible for an extension and in line for a huge payday in New England, so it will now be the Cardinals’ responsibility to lock up the pass rusher on his next deal. Currently, Jones is under contract on a fifth-year option worth nearly $7.8MM in fully guaranteed salary for the 2016 season. He’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency next winter if he’s not extended or franchised.

The Cardinals reportedly made a run at Jason Pierre-Paul and did their homework on Olivier Vernon – before his market exploded – as part of their hunt for a pass rusher this offseason. By acquiring Jones, they get a player who will be more affordable than those top free agents for 2016, and one who has also been more productive in recent years. Since his rookie season in 2012, Jones has piled up 36 sacks, compared to 29 for Vernon and 22 for JPP.

As for the Patriots, they also receive a former first-round pick in the swap — Cooper went seventh overall in the 2013 draft. After missing his rookie season due to a broken fibula, the 26-year-old has started just 11 games for the Cardinals in the past two years, failing to carve out a long-term role in Arizona. However, he still has plenty of talent, and could play either guard or center on the Patriots’ line.

New England also adds an early draft pick in the deal to help make up for the team’s lost first-rounder. The Patriots’ own second-rounder falls at 60th overall, while the Cards held the 61st pick, so the Pats will now have back-to-back selections midway through day two, and it’s fair to wonder if they’ll use one of those picks on a pass rusher to help make up for the loss of Jones.

By making the swap, the Patriots will clear Jones’ entire $7.799MM cap number from their books for the 2016 season, replacing that figure with Cooper’s more affordable $2.389MM cap hit. The move signals that New England will likely focus on locking up its other top extension candidates on defense, including Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, and Malcolm Butler.

It’s also worth considering that Jones was involved in an unusual off-field story in January, when he reportedly had a bad reaction to synthetic marijuana and required medical attention. While that may have been an isolated incident, the league’s strict policy on substances of abuse could have contributed to the Patriots’ reluctance to lock up Jones to a lucrative long-term deal.

Adam Schefter and Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link) first reported that a trade was agreed upon. Both teams have since confirmed the deal via press release. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Vernon, L. Miller, Patriots

February 7th, 2016 at 12:54pm CST by Rory Parks

Earlier today, we heard a report that the Eagles are not planning to use the franchise tag on Sam Bradford, while the team may have some interest in reacquiring Nick Foles. While some cold water was quickly thrown on that rumor, it will remain a situation worth monitoring. The following links from around the league’s east divisions are also of note:

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that the Dolphins place more importance on retaining DE Olivier Vernon than RB Lamar Miller, as they believe they have an in-house option to replace Miller (Jay Ajayi), while the same cannot be said for Vernon. Jackson notes, however, that Miami will attempt to re-sign both, and the franchise tag remains an option for Vernon.
Although the Patriots rarely make a big splash in free agency, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com says the team will at least explore the possibility of acquiring Matt Forte, who would not have to be the workhorse he has been in Chicago to have a significant impact on New England’s offense.
In the same piece, Reiss examines what a potential extension would look like for Patriots DE Chandler Jones, and Reiss looks to Vinny Curry‘s recent five-year $47.25MM deal with the Eagles as a floor, as Jones is the superior player. It has been speculated for some time now that New England will not retain Jones beyond 2016.
Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes the Jets will try to re-sign Damon Harrison before he hits the open market, but if they fail to do so, Cimini believes Harrison will sign elsewhere (Twitter link).
John Keim of ESPN.com writes that Washington‘s biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball, and to that end he believes the team should focus on adding depth along the defensive line and at the cornerback position while nabbing a safety in the early rounds of the draft.
One player who would certainly fit Washington‘s needs would be Denver DE Malik Jackson, according to Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. But as Tandler observes, Jackson will be in high demand and could end up out of Washington’s price range as a result.

East Notes: Cowboys, RGIII, Pats

January 31st, 2016 at 8:53am CST by Rory Parks

The Cowboys have been connected to North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz, who is arguably the top QB prospect in this year’s draft, but recent reports indicated that Dallas was not likely to spend its first-round pick on Tony Romo‘s backup and eventual successor. If the Cowboys do, in fact, spend their early selections on players who can make more of an immediate impact, Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram identifies Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott as a potential mid-round option that could be too intriguing to pass up. Prescott had the best showing of any quarterback prospect in yesterday’s Senior Bowl, and he met with the Cowboys for an hour on Friday. During that meeting, Prescott watched film and interviewed with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson.

Now let’s dive into some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

We learned yesterday that Cowboys DE Demarcus Lawrence recently underwent back surgery but is expected to return “when it matters,” and Lawrence’s agent tweeted shortly thereafter that his client is “100%” and that reports regarding the surgery are “much ado about nothing.”
Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com explores why it is highly unlikely that Washington will be able to trade Robert Griffin III this offseason. Teams cannot trade players until the new league year begins on March 9, which is the same day RGIII’s $16.15MM guarantee for his fifth-year option kicks in, and there is no way any other club will trade for that type of guaranteed contract.
Count Tom E. Curran and Mike Giardi of CSNNE.com among those who believe the Patriots will not keep DE Chandler Jones beyond the 2016 season. Even with the recent marijuana-related blemish on his resume, Jones will likely be too expensive for the Pats to retain, especially since players like Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower are also upcoming free agents and should be a higher priority for the team.
Speaking of the Patriots, Phil A. Perry of CSNNE.com looks at the top five free agents that New England risks losing this offseason, a list headlined by players like Akiem Hicks and Nate Ebner, who might not be indispensable cogs but who nonetheless played a major role in New England’s run to the AFC title game this season.
Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com offers his predictions as to how the Patriots will fill the newly-created vacancies on their coaching staff, suggesting that incumbent safeties coach Brian Flores will become the new linebackers coach and tight ends coach Brian Daboll will become the new offensive line coach.

AFC East Notes: Aponte, Dolphins, Pats, Lewis

January 28th, 2016 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

Although there were some rumblings that longtime Dolphins executive Dawn Aponte would be heading to Detroit to help Lions GM Bob Quinn deal with contracts and the salary cap, Aponte will be staying in Miami, according to Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter links).

Let’s check in on some more items from out of the AFC East…

The fact that Adam Gase retained nine coaches from the Dolphins‘ old coaching staff doesn’t mean that he had trouble finding better candidates, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. As Salguero explains, many of those coaches drew interest from other teams around the league, so it’s not as if they aren’t highly regarded — special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, for instance, had four interview requests, all of which the Dolphins turned down, says Salguero.
While the Patriots will have some potential free agents to deal with this offseason, the team’s priority may be to lock up the “big four” defenders who could reach the open market after the 2016 season, says Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. New England has a little over a calendar year to explore extension for cornerback Malcolm Butler, defensive end Chandler Jones, and linebackers Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower. In Reiss’ view, the latter three players could all be in line for deals that exceed $8MM annually — Butler will be a restricted free agent, so he should be relatively affordable for at least one more year beyond 2016.
Running back Dion Lewis, who signed a contract extension with the Patriots in the fall, is currently on track to be recovered from his torn ACL in time to participate in training camp, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

East Notes: Henry, Washington, C. Jones

January 17th, 2016 at 10:59am CST by Rory Parks

New Giants head coach Ben McAdoo is starting to fill out his coaching staff, as Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, citing FootballScoop Staff, tweets that former 49ers WR coach Adam Henry will join McAdoo in New York as Big Blue’s WR coach. Interestingly, Henry was Odell Beckham‘s coach at LSU, and per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter), Henry and Beckham have a very close relationship. We learned earlier today that Bob Bicknell will replace Henry in San Francisco.

Now let’s take a look at some more links from around the league’s east divisions:

Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com examines Washington‘s biggest needs that must be addressed this offseason, with running back and safety topping the list.
In a separate piece, Tandler looks at Washington‘s 2015 free agent class and points out that, although there were some bright spots, the team did not get much bang for its free agent buck this year.
Chandler Jones‘ recent marijuana-related incident could have serious financial ramifications for the Patriots‘ defensive end, as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes. Although Jones is technically under contract for 2016, the final year on his current deal is the fifth-year option for former first-round picks, and it does not become guaranteed until March 9. Therefore, the Pats could cut Jones with no penalty prior to that date if they so choose. Even if New England does not go that route, Volin believes the incident will at least reduce Jones’ leverage in negotiating an extension with the club.
Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News asked six “panelists”–Rich Gannon, Warren Moon, Mark Brunell, Brian Billick, Kevin Gilbride, and Eric Wood–if Tyrod Taylor has what it takes to become the Bills‘ long-term solution at quarterback. Wood, predictably, was the most supportive of Taylor, while the other panelists were largely encouraged by Taylor’s play in 2015 but admitted that he had a ways to go before establishing himself as a franchise signal-caller.

AFC Notes: Jones, Texans, Browns, Bengals

January 15th, 2016 at 9:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite not failing a drug test or being arrested, Chandler Jones could be subject to discipline under the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.

Jones’ recent incident reportedly involving synthetic marijuana and a police report indicating a smell of burned marijuana in Jones’ apartment would be enough to place the Patriots defensive end in Stage 1 of the substance-abuse program, Florio notes.

Synthetic marijuana isn’t among the substances for which the NFL tests, but being placed in the program would open up Jones to tests for other substances, and potential advancement within the program would about subsequent discipline a subsequent test comes back positive.

Jones’ recent bizarre happening won’t result in a suspension, Florio reports, unless the fourth-year defender was already in an advanced stage of the program. Confidentiality limits that knowledge to a select few, but Jones is not believed to be among those in the substance-abuse program.

Here are some more notes from AFC as the divisional round nears.

Ray Horton wants to be the Browns‘ defensive coordinator if he doesn’t receive a head-coaching opportunity, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. John Wooten of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, an organization that promotes minority coaches, front office personnel and scouts, told Cabot Horton “would love to come back to the Browns.” Horton served as Cleveland’s DC in 2013 under Rob Chudzinski but wasn’t retained after Chudzinski was fired after one season.
In addition to pursuing Kirby Wilson as their running-game coordinator, the Browns will attempt to land Packers assistant offensive line coach Mike Solari as their offensive line coach, with an aim to possibly give him more responsibilities, Cabot reports. The 60-year-old Solari’s most notable role came as Chiefs offensive coordinator in 2006-07 under Herm Edwards. Since, Solari served as the offensive line coach for the Seahawks (2008-09) and 49ers (2010-14) before joining the Packers’ staff.
The Texans hired former Patriots linebacker Larry Izzo as their special teams coordinator, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. Izzo had previously served as the Giants’ assistant special teams coach. The 41-year-old Izzo played for three Patriots Super Bowl champion teams in the 2000s and is a Houston-area native.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has taken a lot of heat for deploying the likes of Vontaze Burfict and Adam Jones this week, but other coaches and executives believe the responsibility falls more on the Bengals’ ownership, Albert Breer of NFL.com reports. “I don’t think Marvin and that staff are about that stuff. Ownership is. They look at value, and see a way to gain an advantage,” one head coach told La Canfora. An NFC personnel man echoed that, questioning Mike Brown‘s organization’s offseason choices. “People want Marvin to pay with his job, but what about the GM? They went through this period of time where they had a bunch of dirtbags in there, guys like Corey Dillon, and they’ve changed some. But it’s still there. The Brown family, I love and respect them. They’re as high character and have as much integrity as any owners I’ve met. Yet, sometimes, the player selections make you scratch your head.”
Both Brock Osweiler and Malik Jackson will command contracts “well north” of $10MM per year, Mike Klis of 9News estimates. Both will be the Broncos‘ top priorities once Von Miller is likely franchise-tagged, Klis notes. The Broncos opted to let most of their departing talent walk the past two offseasons, save for Demaryius Thomas and Chris Harris, but today signed Derek Wolfe to a contract paying $9MM AAV. That figure sits seventh among 3-4 defensive ends, according to OverTheCap. The Broncos have $20MM+ worth of cap space heading into 2016, and that’s before factoring in Peyton Manning‘s likely departure, freeing up more than $20MM of additional dollars.

AFC East Notes: Stacy, Fitzpatrick, Pats, Fins

November 13th, 2015 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

With Bilal Powell sidelined in recent weeks, Zac Stacy has seen a little more action in the Jets‘ backfield as a backup to Chris Ivory, and even got a chance to act as the team’s kick returner on Thursday night. However, those kick-return duties resulted in an injury for Stacy, who fractured his ankle, according to head coach Todd Bowles (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).

While Stacy has yet to officially land on injured reserve, the injury figures to end his season. Powell is expected to return from his own ankle injury soon, so the team may not need to another running back to its roster, with Powell and Stevan Ridley available to back up Ivory.

As we wait to see what roster move the Jets make in the wake of Stacy’s injury, let’s round up a few more notes from around the AFC East….

Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s game, Bowles also confirmed that Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will have surgery on his left thumb on Friday, and should be ready to play vs. the Texans in Week 11 (Twitter links via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News).
Given how well they’ve played this year, Patriots defenders Dont’a Hightower, Chandler Jones, and Jamie Collins all appear to be in line for big new contracts at some point in the not-too-distant future, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. All three players will see their current deals expire at the end of the 2016 season, and Howe believes that all three could earn $10MM+ annually on their next contracts, so it’ll be interesting to see if New England tries to retain all of them beyond next season.
The Dolphins have not approached wide receiver Rishard Matthews, who is in a contract year, about a new deal, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. It sounds to me like any extension discussions between the two sides before Matthews reaches free agency will happen after the season.
Free agent running back Bronson Hill paid a visit to the Dolphins this week, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.