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Darrelle Revis

AFC East Notes: Jets, Revis, Bills

December 11th, 2014 at 9:55am CST by Luke Adams

Jets owner Woody Johnson says he has yet to make up his mind about the respective futures of head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik in New York, and a source confirms to Gary Myers of the New York Daily News that indeed seems to be the case. However, in Myers’ view, it sounds as if the disappointed owner is set to make some major changes at season’s end.

“This is a results-oriented business,” Johnson said. “You try to put a package together to help you right the ship. We evaluate everybody. Everybody in football is evaluated. It’s going to happen at the end of the year, that’s the way we normally do it. That’s the way most teams do it.”

Ryan has long been considered a good bet to be fired, but it’s not clear yet whether Idzik will receive another year to try to right the ship in New York. As we wait to see what Johnson decides, let’s check in on a few other items out of the AFC East….

  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News has some suggestions for how Johnson can fix the Jets, suggesting the owner install a personnel man at GM and hire an offensive-minded head coach.
  • Darrelle Revis is getting rave reviews during his first season with the Patriots, but if the team hopes to keep him beyond 2015, he won’t come cheaply. Christopher Price of WEEI.com tries to get a handle on what an extension for Revis might look like, estimating that the standout cornerback could be worth $12-14MM annually, with a big chunk of guaranteed money.
  • Jets running back Chris Johnson has had this weekend’s game against the Titans circled on his calendar for months, and says he wants to “go out there and tear it up and show ’em what they missed out on” when they cut him in the offseason (link via Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com).
  • Examining potential suitors for Robert Griffin III, Matt Williamson of ESPN.com (Insider-only link) suggests the Bills and Jets would both be logical fits as trade partners for Washington.
  • Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon auditioned for the Bills this week, per Wilson (via Twitter).

East Notes: Revis, Briles, Cowboys

December 7th, 2014 at 10:49am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots will have a big decision to make regarding the future of star cornerback Darrelle Revis this offseason, and Tom Curran and Mike Giardi of CSNNewEngland.com discuss in a video piece what that decision will entail. Although Revis has stated that he does not need to be the highest paid cornerback in the league to be happy, Curran and Giardi note that Revis is a shrewd businessman and that it will take a fair (read: highly-lucrative) offer to get a deal done.

Let’s take a look at a few more items from the league’s east divisions:

  • In the same piece, Curran and Giardi examine how the Patriots might negotiate with injured linebacker Jerod Mayo. They note that New England may approach Mayo with an incentive-laden offer based upon health, which was the team’s strategy when negotiating with Vince Wilfork.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes that losing Aaron Dobson for the season serves as yet another reminder of how difficult it has been for the Patriots to draft and develop quality receiving talent under Bill Belichick (though Belichick has usually done more than enough to compensate for that deficiency in other ways).
  • In a piece that will probably surprise no one, ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes that Jets GM John Idzik has alienated members of his coaching staff and front office, further fueling the belief that the team’s administration will undergo a complete overhaul in the offseason.
  • Jason Cole of Bleacher Report notes (via Twitter) that if Washington fires first-year head coach Jay Gruden after the 2014 season (as PFR’s Rob DiRe discussed last night), the team should pursue current Baylor University head coach Art Briles, whose offense would mesh well with Robert Griffin III‘s skillset. Albert Breer of the NFL Network, however, tweets that it would be a “shocker” if Briles were to leave Texas.
  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com describes how the Cowboys might go about manipulating their salary cap in order to create enough room to retain Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray, and Rolando McClain, but he notes that the player Dallas should really focus on is right tackle Doug Free.

Sunday Roundup: Brees, Bucs, Revis

November 30th, 2014 at 12:33pm CST by Rory Parks

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that he expects the Saints to draft a quarterback in the early rounds of the 2015 draft as they begin to prepare for life after Drew Brees. On top of Brees’ struggles this season, Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that the Saints have watched the 35-year-old’s arm strength wane and therefore must be “prepared for the end.” Former agent Joel Corry, perhaps wondering if New Orleans would go so far as to release Brees after this season, tweets that the All-Pro carries a $26.4MM cap number for 2015 and the Saints have a league-high $161MM in 2015 cap commitments.

However, Rapoport notes (via Twitter) that releasing Brees after 2014 would create $15MM of dead money, a figure that becomes much more palatable if he were to be released following the 2015 season. As such, Rapoport believes it would be better for the Saints to simply draft Brees’ heir apparent and allow him to learn from Brees for at least one season.

Others, though, are more skeptical of Brees’ demise and of the Saints’ ability to draft a suitable replacement in short order. In a pair of tweets, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes that the Saints may well draft a quarterback this season, but the team does not feel as though Brees is in a steep decline, that a rookie would have to wait at least two years to be ready to lead the New Orleans offense, and that Brees has never relied on a big arm to be successful, so reports of diminished arm strength are not especially relevant. Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah, meanwhile, tweets that the Saints will be hard-pressed to find their future quarterback in this year’s draft.

Now for a few more links from around the league:

  • Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune says it is not too soon to accept that the Buccaneers made a mistake with their offseason signings of Anthony Collins and Michael Johnson, whose futures in Tampa Bay are now very much in doubt. Although the Bucs have a little more flexibility with Collins than with Johnson, who would be owed a $4MM roster bonus on March 1 in addition to a $5MM base salary in 2015 (of which $3MM is guaranteed), Tampa Bay could realistically cut both players outright. Regardless of what the Bucs do, they will likely seek upgrades at offensive tackle and defensive end via the draft rather than dive once more into the free agency pool.
  • Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald believes the Patriots should retain star cornerback Darrelle Revis, who has been a central figure of the team’s successful 2014 campaign, at all costs.
  • Tony Boselli, the former Jaguars great who was drafted by current Giants head coach Tom Coughlin when Coughlin was with Jacksonville, says that the Jaguars’ firing of Coughlin was a “huge mistake,” writes Conor Orr of NFL.com. Boselli believes the Giants would be similarly misguided if they were to fire Coughlin without allowing him to coach through the end of his contract, which expires after the 2015 season.
  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Washington has not spoken with Robert Griffin III regarding his fifth-year option. Although a decision does not have to be made on that option until May, it does not appear as though the team will exercise it at this point.
  • Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that 49ers DB Perrish Cox, who is in a contract year, has signed with agent David Mulugheta.
  • Though we heard earlier today from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Jets and Raiders were interested in pursuing 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh via trade after the season, Schefter does note that some in the organization believe the team could still work out an extension with Harbaugh.
  • Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that the Rams have improved under Jeff Fisher and appear to be on the cusp of being a competitive club, but the histories of Fisher and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer suggest that St. Louis, which has primarily utilized a conservative ball control offense, will not take the next step unless it somehow lands an elite quarterback.

AFC Mailbags: Colts, Jags, Bengals, Jets

November 22nd, 2014 at 10:11am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now check out some notes from the AFC…

  • If Mike Wells were a member of the Colts front office, he wouldn’t sign Ray Rice to a contract. The writer notes that the running back must be out of shape, and he also notes the difficulties in learning a new scheme.
  • Michael DiRocco believes the Jaguars biggest offseason needs will be a pass-rusher and a linebacker. As a result, the writer targets Nebraska’s Randy Gregory and Missouri’s Shane Ray.
  • Switching to the offense, DiRocco could see the Jaguars drafting a running back late in the draft. Regardless, he doesn’t think the team should part ways with Toby Gerhart, especially since Denard Robinson hasn’t proven he can be a featured back.
  • A.J. McCarron is clearly the Bengals backup plan at quarterback, so he won’t be traded or released any time soon, writes Coley Harvey.
  • If the Jets move on from Rex Ryan, the Jets owe it to their fans to pursue 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, opines Rich Cimini.
  • Meanwhile, Cimini doesn’t believe the Jets will pursue Darrelle Revis this offseason (if the cornerback becomes a free agent). The writer believes a Revis-Rex Ryan reunion is inevitable, but not in New York.

Kraft: Pats Want To Lock Up Revis Long-Term

November 14th, 2014 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

Asked earlier this week if he plans to remain with the Patriots beyond this season, when he figures to hit free agency, cornerback Darrelle Revis smiled and replied, “Ask Bill [Belichick].” It doesn’t seem as if the Pats head coach has weighed in on the subject since then – and if he did he likely wouldn’t say much – but owner Robert Kraft tells Jim Corbett of USA Today that he wants to see the standout cornerback stay in New England beyond 2014.

“He likes what he sees here. And I know we like having him here,” Kraft said. “We’ll just have to see if we can do some long-term business. That’s what we really want to do. Let’s get through the season and see what happens.”

Revis, who leads Patriots cornerbacks with a +6.6 grade this season, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), has signed lucrative contracts in each of the last two seasons, though neither was necessarily designed to be a long-term pact. The cornerback’s deal with Tampa Bay was a year-to-year agreement with no prorated bonus money, allowing the team to cut him after just one season, while his current deal with the Pats will likely result in him hitting the open market again this winter. Having played for the Jets, Bucs, and Patriots since 2012, Revis could land on his fourth team in four years in 2015, though I expect he’ll strongly consider any offer the Pats make.

Revis technically remains under contract with New England through the 2015 season, but his deal includes a $12MM roster bonus for ’15, plus a $7.5MM base salary, with a total cap hit of $25MM. So even if the Pats manage to work out a new agreement with the 29-year-old, it would likely involve scrapping the second and final year of his current pact.

AFC East Notes: Revis, Vick, Bills, Jarrett

November 10th, 2014 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

In advance of this Thursday’s showdown between the 5-4 Bills and 5-4 Dolphins, let’s round up a few Monday items from around the AFC East….

  • Asked if he plans on being a member of the Patriots beyond this season, cornerback Darrelle Revis smiled and replied, “Ask Bill [Belichick],” according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com. The Patriots technically have a second-year option on Revis for 2015, but the structure of his deal makes it extremely likely that New England will cut him, allowing the Pro Bowler to hit the open market and seek out the highest bid once again. It’s not clear yet whether the Pats will be involved in that bidding, says Curran.
  • Sunday’s performance against the Steelers showed that Michael Vick still has plenty left in the tank, as Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report writes. The Jets signal-caller is on a one-year deal, so a strong second half could earn him another shot at a starting role via free agency this winter.
  • The Bills‘ defensive line was excellent once again on Sunday against the Chiefs, but as the offseason approaches, it’s not clear whether the team will be able to keep the entire group together. As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com notes, Jerry Hughes is eligible for free agency in 2015, and Marcell Dareus will have just one year left on his deal.
  • Hughes was one of two AFC East players singled out by Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap this week as having boosted his stock as he nears free agency. The other? Jaiquawn Jarrett of the Jets, who is eligible for restricted free agency, and likely earned himself a tender offer entirely based on his performance against the Steelers.
  • Earlier today, we learned that the Dolphins will be promoting running back LaMichael James to their active roster, as left tackle Branden Albert heads to injured reserve with a torn ACL and MCL.

Jets Notes: Smith, Idzik, Ballard, Revis

October 29th, 2014 at 8:53am CST by Zachary Links

Geno Smith‘s former teammate and current FOX broadcaster Brady Quinn came to his defense in a chat with Chris Strauss of USA Today. While Smith has struggled mightily, Quinn pointed to the lack of consistency in his receiving corps and the media’s focus on the quarterback competition training camp as factors that have held him back. Something tells me that most Jets fans aren’t quite as sympathetic. More on Gang Green…

  • Smith says he can “without a doubt” be a franchise quarterback in the NFL, but in a sit down with SNY earlier this week, Jets GM John Idzik wasn’t quite as confident, Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday writes. “I don’t know that. Don’t know that. That’s still to be determined. You don’t want to try to answer that question too prematurely, especially when you’re dealing with a younger quarterback in Geno,” Idzik said of Smith, whom the organization drafted 39th overall in 2013.
  • If the Jets are in the market for a GM, they might look into Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, who will be the hottest GM candidate after the season, two sources tell Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. Ballard was a candidate at Tampa Bay last offseason but bowed out because coach Lovie Smith would have had final say over him in personnel matters. Myers, meanwhile, thinks former Jets exec and current Falcons assistant GM Scott Pioli would be a strong fit for Gang Green.
  • Myers also hears from a source that Jets owner Woody Johnson began his interviews with GM candidates by saying that cornerback Darrelle Revis had to go. If a candidate disagreed and made a point that it might be in the Jets’ best interest to keep their best player, even if he was coming off ACL surgery with contract issues ahead, “Woody didn’t want to hear it,” the source said. Idzik, who traded Revis to the Bucs three months into his tenure, likely agreed with Johnson during the interview.
  • Idzik may have talked his way out of town with his bizarre press conference earlier this week, writes Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News.

Jets Notes: Revis, Ryan, Idzik, Johnson

October 16th, 2014 at 6:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight, the Jets are going up against their former star cornerback Darrelle Revis. It didn’t have to be this way, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. When Revis learned that he was going to be a free agent this past offseason, he made a wish list of landing spots and the Jets were at No. 1. However, the Jets didn’t reach out to Revis about a trade or a release in time (link), so he joined up with his second choice, the Patriots. If things didn’t work out between New England and Revis, Rapoport says the Broncos were next on his list. As Jets fans everywhere slam their heads against the wall, let’s check out more on Gang Green..

  • Ryan is more on the hot seat than GM John Idzik, opines Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (video link). Ryan did well with limited talent last season but he hasn’t been able to get far with lousy play from quarterback Geno Smith.
  • Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (on Twitter) agrees, theorizing that Idzik has set Ryan up to fail this season because he has job security and wants to install his own head coach. With more than $20MM in cap space going unused, it’s not hard to see that being the case.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter) has the contract info on two of the newest Jets. Cornerback Josh Thomas will earn the minimum salary ($645K) on a one-year deal. Guard Wesley Johnson, meanwhile, has three years left on his deal with cap hits of $510K, $600K, and $690K. Johnson was claimed off waivers earlier this week from the Steelers to replace the injured Brian Winters.

AFC East Notes: Spiller, Revis, Jets, Bills

October 16th, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Bills running back C.J. Spiller is off to a slow start this season, having averaged a career-worst 3.4 yards per carry and failed to reach the end zone so far. However, as he looks to turn things around, Spiller insists that his looming free agency isn’t what’s affecting his performance.

“It has nothing to do with this being the final year of my contract,” Spiller said, according to Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News. “It’s just overthinking and trying to make that play when I should have just taken what they’re giving us … and kept us out of the negative plays.”

Spiller has also been the subject of trade rumors and speculation, but tells Skurski he’s been able to block out that talk. Although the former first-round pick would adjust to a new team if Buffalo decides to move him and recognizes that’s “part of the business,” he says he wants to remain a Bill going forward.

Here’s more from around the AFC East:

  • Cornerback Darrelle Revis and the Patriots haven’t yet spoken about a new contract or an in-season extension, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. With Revis and the Pats focused on winning games and reaching the Super Bowl, the two sides aren’t expected to address the cornerback’s contract situation until after the season, writes Howe.
  • After signing Michael Vick as a free agent this offseason and making him one of the highest-paid backups in the NFL, the Jets and head coach Rex Ryan should’ve been willing to turn to him earlier in the season to replace the struggling Geno Smith, says Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
  • Bills long snapper Garrison Sanborn has been limited in practice with a knee injury, prompting the club to take a look at free agents at the position just in case. According to Mike Rodak and Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Charley Hughlett and Kevin McDermott worked out for Buffalo yesterday.
  • While the Dolphins didn’t get a great haul when they traded Brandon Marshall to the Bears, it was the right move philosophically for the organization, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

AFC Notes: Ryan, Revis, Thompkins, Harbaugh

October 5th, 2014 at 9:39pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets were on the wrong side of a 31-0 beat down earlier today, and head coach Rex Ryan has his work cut out for him if the team is going to turn the season around. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report doesn’t see the Jets improving, and believes Ryan will be fired because the roster isn’t up to par.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

  • Darrelle Revis is showing he is at his best during Sunday Night Football by harrassing A.J. Green, but even if he plays at this level all year the Patriots will not be able to pick up the $20MM option, writes Andrew Brandt of MMQB.com (via Twitter). This will serve as a contract year for the star cornerback.
  • Since Kenbrell Thompkins was released by the Patriots, he is looking for a new job. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald sees the Steelers as a potential fit (via Twitter). In addition to the fit on the field, he is the cousin of superstar receiver Antonio Brown.
  • The rumors of a potential trade between the Browns and 49ers that would have sent Jim Harbaugh to coach Cleveland could have been for as little as two third-round draft picks, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Harbaugh’s wife was reluctant to leave the Bay Area, which strengthens rumors that he could be interested in the Raiders’ vacancy.
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