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2019 Proven Performance Escalators

January 13th, 2019 at 1:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.

If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $2MM in 2019. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2019 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:

Bears: RB Jordan Howard, LB Nick Kwiatkoski

Bengals: LB Nick Vigil

Broncos: G Connor McGovern, S Will Parks, S Justin Simmons

Browns: S Derrick Kindred, LB Joe Schobert

Buccaneers: G Caleb Benenoch, DE Carl Nassib, CB Ryan Smith

Chargers: LB Jatavis Brown

Chiefs: CB Kendall Fuller, WR Tyreek Hill, S Eric Murray, WR Demarcus Robinson

Colts: QB Jacoby Brissett, T Joe Haeg

Cowboys: CB Anthony Brown, DT Maliek Collins, QB Dak Prescott

Dolphins: RB Kenyan Drake

Eagles: CB Jalen Mills, T Halapoulivaati Vaitai

Falcons: LB De’Vondre Campbell, TE Austin Hooper, G Wes Schweitzer

Jaguars: DE Yannick Ngakoue

Jets: LB Jordan Jenkins, CB Rashard Robinson, T Brandon Shell

Lions: C Graham Glasgow

Packers: LB Kyler Fackrell, DE Dean Lowry, LB Blake Martinez, LB Antonio Morrison

Patriots: G Joe Thuney, LB Elandon Roberts

Rams: G Austin Blythe, TE Tyler Higbee

Ravens: DE Matt Judon, OL Alex Lewis, CB Tavon Young

Saints: DT David Onyemata

Steelers: DT Javon Hargrave

Texans: DT D.J. Reader

Titans: S Kevin Byard, WR Tajae Sharpe

OverTheCap.com was essential in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. 

Latest On Extension Talks For Amari Cooper, Dak Prescott

November 25th, 2018 at 9:32am CST by Rory Parks

The Cowboys indicated earlier this month that they are planning on signing the newly-acquired Amari Cooper to an extension. However, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes, the two sides have not yet had any talks regarding a new deal. Cooper is under club control through 2019 under the fifth-year option that Oakland had previously exercised, and Cooper would be a legitimate franchise tag candidate for at least the 2020 season if it comes to it, so the Cowboys have not prioritized a new contract. However, Schefter said player and team do plan to discuss a long-term extension after the season, and that Dallas is prepared to pay Cooper.

Cooper’s price, though, is only going up. He is starting to look a little like his old self in Dallas, and he exploded for 180 yards and two scores in the team’s Thanksgiving Day win over the Redskins. Now riding a three-game winning streak, the Cowboys have suddenly become the favorites to win the NFC East, and Cooper — who has 22 receptions for 349 yards and three TDs in four games with the team — is a big reason for that.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk examines what a new contract for Cooper could look like, and he suggests that any deal reached prior to the 2019 season would need to include at least $30.6MM in fully-guaranteed money, and probably more. Plus, in light of recent contracts for players like Sammy Watkins and Brandin Cooks, Cooper could easily make a case for a deal that features an average annual value of $16MM+. Cooper is represented by agent Joel Segal, who of course did wonders for Khalil Mack earlier this year.

In addition to Cooper, the Cowboys are also planning an extension for third-year signal caller Dak Prescott. as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network confirms (video link). Owner Jerry Jones and executive VP Stephen Jones are reportedly convinced that Prescott is the team’s franchise quarterback, and they plan to pay him accordingly. As Florio notes, it will be difficult to determine a true starting point in negotiations for Prescott, but Rapoport says that Dallas wants to lock up both Cooper and Prescott for the foreseeable future this offseason and that the club is making financial preparations now. The Cowboys have not yet initiated talks with Prescott’s camp either but will do so at season’s end.

As we heard yesterday, star running back Ezekiel Elliott may be left out once Dallas has finished paying Prescott, Cooper, and (potentially) Demarcus Lawrence.

Cowboys Won’t Fire Garrett During Season

November 6th, 2018 at 10:09am CST by Zachary Links

On Monday night, the Cowboys were held scoreless in the second half and lost 28-14 to the Titans. It marked the Cowboys’ second straight loss and dragged the team down to 3-5, leading many to question Jason Garrett‘s job security. However, owner Jerry Jones says he will not make an in-season head coaching change (via Todd Archer of ESPN.com). 

Whether Garrett is the biggest problem in Dallas is up for debate, but something was clearly amiss with the Cowboys’ game plan on Monday night. Star running back Ezekiel Elliott ripped off 96 total yards in the first half, but had just six touches in the entire second half. Meanwhile, quarterback Dak Prescott didn’t do them any favors by throwing an ill-advised end zone interception early in the game and giving up a costly fumble in the second half.

Many are concerned about Prescott’s development in the midst of his third season, but Jones reaffirmed his commitment to the former fourth-round pick.

“Listen,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link). “Dak is the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. He’s young and he’s going to get extended.”

The Cowboys – with Garrett on the sidelines and Prescott under center – will travel to Philadelphia this week to take on the defending champs.

Extra Points: Lincoln Riley, Prescott, AAF, Supplemental Draft

June 25th, 2018 at 6:21pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

As one of the top coaches in college football, it was only a matter of time before Lincoln Riley started to be discussed as a potential NFL head coach. The discussion has already started after just a year as the coach of Oklahoma. NFL teams are fascinated by what Riley has done at Oklahoma and are flocking to Norman to pick his brain, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Breer notes how the NFL is trending more and more toward college-style offenses, and that many of the concepts Riley has been implementing at Oklahoma since he became their coordinator in 2015 are already starting to become commonplace in the pro game.

Breer thinks that due to their interest in his schemes, NFL teams will eventually try to hire him, writing “it’s not hard to see NFL teams trying to pry him loose” from Oklahoma. When Breer asked Riley about it, he said it was “hard to say” and that “you can never say never” but added that “it’s hard to see myself ever leaving Oklahoma right now.” Whatever happens, Riley will be an interesting name to keep an eye on for future head coaching searches at the NFL level.

Here’s more from the football universe:

  • Dak Prescott changed agents, signing with Todd France of CAA, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Hill notes Prescott needed to make the move now, since he’s eligible to sign a contract extension after this season. Cowboys brass has repeatedly made clear they plan to sign Prescott to a longterm mega-extension in the near future.
  • Randy Mueller will be named the new GM of the Salt Lake City AAF team, a source told Alex Marvez of Sporting News (Twitter link). Mueller is currently a senior executive with the Chargers. The AAF continues to poach talent away from the NFL as it ramps up its operations.
  • Supplemental Draft prospect Sam Beal “has a shot to be a second round claim” but Matt Miller of Bleacher Report hears he is “most likely” to be a third round pick (Twitter link). Beal, from Western Michigan, is one of three defensive backs with a shot at being taken in the Supplemental Draft, which will be held July 11th.

East Notes: Cowboys, Prescott, Patriots

June 21st, 2018 at 2:53pm CST by Zachary Links

As a former fourth-round pick who is still on his rookie contract, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has one of the most team-friendly deals in the NFL. He has taken notice of the big money deals given to Matt Ryan ($30MM/year), Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5MM/year) and Matthew Stafford ($27MM/year), but he says he’s staying patient at the same time.

“I know if I play well, they’ll take care of me,” said Prescott on SiriusXM (via the Dallas News). “It’s just part of it. All these guys out here getting these contracts, they’re getting them deservedly so because of the way that they’ve been playing. My [focus] this year is just winning games. That’s my main goal. That’s really my only goal, not any individual success or numbers or worry about the contract. It’s about going in and winning enough games to get us to the playoffs and then winning one game at a time at that point. The rest of the stuff will come.”

Prescott is entering the third year of a four-year rookie contract that pays him $681K annually. The fifth-year option will not be available to the Cowboys when his deal expires after the 2019 season, but the team – in theory – could control him for at least another two years via the franchise tag. Both sides, ideally, would like to hammer out an extension between now and ’19 that would provide security to Prescott while giving the Cowboys cost certainty.

Here’s more from the East divisions:

  • The Patriots trading for Seahawks safety Earl Thomas doesn’t seem terribly likely, but Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes that the Pats often utilize the “Big Nickel” package, which could lead them to at least consider a deal. The Big Nickel allows a defense to add an extra defensive back who can support the passing game while also helping out against the run as a linebacker type. The Pats already have a solid top three at safety with Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Duron Harmon, but adding Thomas to the mix would give them additional depth and more options to work with as they look to keep up with the league’s best aerial attacks.
  • Dolphins wide receiver Leonte Carroo could be on the roster bubble after having just seven catches for 69 yards last season, ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak writes. The departure of Jarvis Landry, in theory, could open up an opportunity for him, but he’ll have to stand out in a group that now includes free agent pickups Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson. Meanwhile, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills are also in line for playing time and 2017 seventh-round pick Isaiah Ford has impressed this offseason, which could push Carroo out of the picture.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Wentz

May 27th, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Following the Cowboys’ decision to move on from Dez Bryant, the offense was left with only two wideouts from last year’s roster: Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams. The team did an admirable job of adding Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson via free agency, Tavon Austin via trade, and Michael Gallup via the draft, but none of their options profile as a top-tier wideout.

While the team’s depth chart may be lacking, quarterback Dak Prescott believes the Cowboys’ offense will be just fine.

“I don’t know if any team in the league necessarily needs a No. 1 receiver,” Prescott said (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “It’s about getting the ball out, spreading the ball around, keeping the defense on its toes.”

Of course, while Prescott is confident in his ability to lead the unheralded offense, he understands that there’s still work to be done.

“I mean the only thing you can do is just get out there with routes on air, things like that,” Prescott said. “We did a bunch together. Me and these young guys have been here before we even started OTAs, getting that timing down so we can get in OTAs and have good feel for each other and now with the defense in front of us, grow off of that and grow from what we’ve already accomplished. That’s the best thing I can do.”

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

  • After having seen several Giants practices, Matt Lombardo of NJ.com opines that 2017 third-round pick Davis Webb has been the team’s most impressive signal-caller. However, the writer emphasizes that there isn’t a quarterback controversy, noting that the team’s offseason moves indicate that the front office wants to make a playoff push with Eli Manning. Still, since the Giants weren’t sold on any of the top quarterback prospects in the draft, Webb has been doing a nice job of making his case to be Manning’s heir apparent.
  • Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com takes an early look at the Eagles projected depth chart. The writer’s opinion of the offensive tackle position is of particular note, as Jason Peters and Lane Johnson are currently slotted in as starters. However, Shorr-Parks wonders if Halapoulivaati Vaitai could take over as the starter for Peters if the veteran doesn’t recover from his major knee surgery. The writer also notes that there will be a battle between Josh Sweat and Steven Means for third-string defensive end reps. If Means earns a spot on the active roster, the Eagles could choose to stash the first-year Sweat on the injured reserve.
  • Carson Wentz participated in the Eagles OTAs this week, and reports indicated that he looked good as recovered from an ACL and LCL tear. Still, while there should be optimism around Wentz’s progress, Dr. David J. Chao of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that it’s too early to “anoint his full return for the season opener.” While the quarterback is on track, he still has plenty of steps to complete until he’s back to full mobility. Wentz will have to focus on running and cutting before he’s ready for regular season action.

NFC East Rumors: Cowboys, Prescott, ‘Skins

May 9th, 2018 at 4:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys are already planning to back up a Brinks truck for quarterback Dak Prescott when the times comes, as Charean Williams of PFT writes.

“Yeah, you know at that position, it kind of is what it is,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “You kind of, when the time comes, [expect to pay him]. I know Dak is going to have a good year this year. I hope it’s up there. It’s going to be as he deserves. He was a fourth-round pick. No one deserves to get paid fairly more than he does. We all see what some of the other guys are who aren’t Aaron Rodgers, who aren’t Matt Ryan [are getting paid]. He’s going to do well. We certainly know that’s going to happen. We’ve got that planned in our budgeting for the salary cap. I just want Dak to go out and be MVP this year of the NFL. That’s what I want. Then, we’ll deal with that.”

For now, Prescott is under contract through the 2019 season with below market cap numbers of $726K and $815K in the next two years. Per NFL rules, Prescott cannot renegotiate his deal until after the 2018 season is through.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • The Cowboys are on the lookout for safety help, Williams writes. For now, Xavier Woods is penciled in as the starter at free safety following Byron Jones‘ shift to cornerback. “Absolutely. I mean, we don’t ever quit looking in terms of player acquisition,” Jones said. “One of the things that is unique is, when you have players with versatility, it probably makes you feel a little better…We feel like, overall, we’re very comfortable and confident where we are. But there’s still a lot of work to do between now and the start of the season.”
  • The Redskins let go of longtime scout Scott Campbell who spent 17 years with the club and was the director of college scouting through the 2017 draft, as Mike Florio of PFT tweets. The team says that they simply did not offer Campbell a new contract after the expiration of his old deal, but that’s really a matter of semantics.
  • Earlier today, we rounded up other news on the Cowboys, including items on Randy Gregory‘s reinstatement and the team’s post-Jason Witten plans.

Dak Prescott On Dez Bryant’s Release

April 15th, 2018 at 8:28am CST by Rory Parks

The Cowboys’ decision to release Dez Bryant and the fallout from Bryant’s release have predictably dominated NFL storylines over the last couple of days. Yesterday, we learned that Bryant is at least partially blaming the Cowboys’ team captains for his departure, saying, “Little do they know is they can wear that ‘C’ [for captain] all they want to, but in that locker room, they know who they run and they talk to. They know who they communicate with. Everybody know where the real love is at, and I’m not throwing anybody under the bus, but that’s the difference between me and them.” 

Last season’s team captains included young quarterback Dak Prescott, with whom Bryant never seemed to establish any real on-field chemistry. But as Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram writes, Prescott denied any involvement in Bryant’s release and expressed sadness that the three-time Pro Bowler will no longer be suiting up for Dallas.

The video of Prescott’s first post-Bryant remarks is on the Cowboys’ official website, and here are some of the highlights (via Hill):

On his relationship with Bryant: “That is a brother to me. Put the football stuff beyond you, what he meant to me as a person, what he meant to me as a brother, it’s tough to see him gone.”

On his role in Bryant’s release: “As much you want to say yeah I want a say so … those guys (front office executives) get paid a lot more than me. That is what those guys are there to do. That is not my decision.”

On how difficult it will be to replace Bryant: “He was a great player. He did a lot of great things for us. He was a guy in man-to-man you go to. Dez is going to be a hard guy to replace. He is a talented guy. So he will be missed.”

On how Bryant will be replaced: “At this point, we got to figure that out with the guys we got. I have thrown with [Allen] Hurns. Deonte [Thompson] is on his way. We have communicated. We will see. We will figure it out. I am sure we are going to go after guys in the draft and free agency. Who knows? All I can do is to continue to get better at my job and do the best I can do.”

As Hill notes, and as Prescott suggests, the Cowboys are focused on selecting a wide receiver in the early rounds of this month’s draft in an effort to replace Bryant’s production. New free agent signees Hurns and Thompson will play a significant role in the team’s offense, along with returning players like Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams, and Ryan Switzer.

Baalke Blocked 49ers From Drafting Dak Prescott

January 2nd, 2017 at 10:43am CST by Zachary Links

This probably didn’t help Trent Baalke‘s case in San Francisco. Apparently, Chip Kelly and others within the organization wanted to draft Dak Prescott last spring but Baalke didn’t pull the trigger, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Ultimately, that was one of the final straws for Baalke and he was fired after a dreadful 2-14 season.

Dak Prescott/49ersOf course, it was the Cowboys who drafted Prescott in the fourth round and he has put together a jaw-dropping rookie campaign. Through 17 weeks of regular season action, Prescott appears to be the best QB in his class, ahead of No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff, No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz, and first round pick Paxton Lynch. Pro Football Focus has Prescott ranked as the 12th best QB in the NFL for the 2016 season, ahead of notables like Ryan Tannehill, Alex Smith, Andy Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger, Cam Newton, and Philip Rivers. Colin Kaepernick, meanwhile, earned a poor overall grade of 61.9, placing him 27th amongst qualified QBs. After watching Prescott throw for 3,667 yards and 23 touchdowns against just four interceptions, 49ers ownership couldn’t help but wonder how different things would have been if Baalke was on board with the Mississippi St. product.

The 49ers had multiple opportunities to grab Prescott, but instead they are entering the offseason with no clear answer at the position. Blaine Gabbert and Kaepernick fizzled this year and the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft might not help their quarterback dilemma considering the dearth of quality QBs. UNC’s Mitch Trubisky is widely considered to be the best signal caller in this year’s unimpressive crop.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Linehan, Bradford

December 18th, 2016 at 12:27pm CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles have fallen into a tailspin after an exciting start to the season, and that has led to some speculation as to whether the team will make any major changes this offseason. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Philadelphia will not make any such changes, which means that head coach Doug Pederson will be back for a second year at the helm. Per Rapoport, the front office knew going into 2016 that the club was at least a year away from being a legitimate playoff contender, and while the Eagles’ 3-0 start helped to hide some of the weaknesses on the roster, the team knew that fixing those weaknesses would not be an overnight process.

Now for more notes from the NFC:

  • Despite Dak Prescott‘s recent struggles, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that things would have to get much worse for the Cowboys to consider switching to Tony Romo. But Rapoport adds that Dallas OC Scott Linehan will be a sought-after head coaching candidate this offseason, and his departure could have a major impact on Prescott moving forward (Twitter link).
  • As the Ezekiel Elliott domestic violence investigation drags on, Tim Rohan of TheMMQB wonders why it’s taking so long, and if the league is just prolonging the process to keep up appearances. Rohan lays out in excellent detail the steps that the league’s investigative team takes in a post-Ray Rice world, and how that process could explain the lengthy delay in the NFL’s issuing a final word on the Cowboys‘ star running back.
  • Su’a Cravens may miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury, but that has not stopped speculation surrounding the young defensive playmaker and how he will fit in with the Redskins moving forward. Thus far, Cravens has worked exclusively as an inside linebacker, but given his strength in the passing game, JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com believes he may ultimately be better-suited as a safety, especially since the Redskins do not have a long-term answer at strong safety.
  • As Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports observes, the Vikings have two high-profile players who are due for big roster bonuses in March: Sam Bradford and Adrian Peterson. Per Pelissero, Minnesota plans to bring back Bradford, but as we have heard for a long time, the Vikings will likely not pay Peterson’s $6MM roster bonus and instead will approach him about a pay cut prior to the bonus coming due.
  • We learned earlier today that the Saints could look to trade Sean Payton in the offseason.
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