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Dave Gettleman

NFC Mailbags: David, Buccaneers, Stewart, Lions

June 13th, 2015 at 11:19am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let take a look at some interesting notes out of the NFC…

  • There is an “open dialogue” between the Buccaneers and linebacker Lavonte David‘s camp regarding a contract extension, reports Pat Yasinskas. The writer notes that both sides would like to get a deal done quickly.
  • Looking at the Buccaneers offensive line, Yasinskas believes the team doesn’t have much of a need for recently-released Evan Mathis. The team would rather have their young players, including Ali Marpet and Kadeem Edwards, compile snaps. Meanwhile, Yasinskas says lineman Demar Dotson still wants a new contract, and the writer believes showing up for minicamp could improve the player’s chances.
  • Jonathan Stewart‘s deal runs through 2017, and David Newton could envision the Panthers getting out of that contract early. Considering general manager Dave Gettleman‘s willingness to part ways with veterans like DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith, there’s no guarantee that Stewart sticks around.
  • If Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin can put together a top-five defense without Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, Michael Rothstein says the 50-year-old will likely have his pick of heading coaching gigs next offseason.
  • Rothstein believes it could be a “tough road” for Mohammed Seisay to make the Lions 53-man roster. If the cornerback were to stick around, it’d have to be because of the 25-year-old’s contributions on special teams. The writer notes that the team has four “likely locks” to make the roster at cornerback: Rashean Mathis, Darius Slay, Alex Carter and Quandre Diggs.

Panthers GM, Coach On Cam Newton’s Extension

June 2nd, 2015 at 7:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, quarterback Cam Newton officially inked a contract that will keep him with the Panthers through the 2020 season. Carolina is thrilled to have its franchise quarterback locked up and Newton is also excited to have the deal done. When asked how he’s going to celebrate tonight, Newton told reporters, including Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter), that he’s going to enjoy some Lucky Charms and some milk. Here’s more on Newton’s new deal..

  • Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says that his team has been very deliberate in getting finances in order so that he could pay Cam Newton and build around him, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. In recent years, Gettleman cut high-priced veterans such as Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams in favor of low-cost free agents.
  • Gettleman believes that Newton will take the team “to the promised land” that is the Super Bowl, David Newton tweets.
  • The quarterback told reporters, including Person (on Twitter), that the contract won’t change his approach to the game, though he said he will be more mindful of the hits he takes.
  • Gettleman said it took eleven days to get a deal done, Person tweets. The GM sent his first proposal to agent Bus Cook four days before the Ryan Tannehill deal was done.
  • Panthers coach Ron Rivera said it was important to make sure that Newton knew the Panthers were committed to him, David Newton tweets.

Extra Points: Glennon, Pats, Panthers, S. Moss

May 2nd, 2015 at 5:19pm CST by Rob DiRe

As soon as the 2015 NFL concludes, there will be a flurry of news related to undrafted free agent signings. Each team will add 10-12 extra players in the coming days, and while we’ll cover each transaction, we won’t rush to get all the information out as quickly as possible. As we did last year at this time, we’ll wait until a club confirms its UDFA moves before we post them — it’s a policy that will make the information a bit more palatable for readers (and surely, for us as well).

With that said, let’s take a look at some notes as the draft wraps up:

  • Despite their selection of Jameis Winston with the first overall pick, the Buccaneers did not receive any calls about backup quarterback Mike Glennon, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter). As Cummings notes, Tampa has made it clear that Glennon isn’t on the trade block, so it’s not a total surprise that no other clubs expressed interest.
  • The Patriots selected Navy long snapper Joe Cardona with their fifth-round pick, but might not have the four-year starter when they open up the regular season in September, Cardona has a pending military service commitment, and is required to serve five years as a Naval Officer following his graduation and commission in May, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Cardona will apply for an exemption that will allow him to postpone his service in order to pursue an NFL career.
  • The Panthers selected linebacker/safety hybrid Shaq Thompson with their first-round pick, but drew some criticism about not trading down and selecting him where he was likely to be available early in round two. General manager David Gettleman defended the pick, noting the value of having the fifth-year option on a first-round pick, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
  • Washington drafted a pair of receivers in Jamison Crowder and Evan Spencer, but that doesn’t mean the end of the line for Santana Moss, writes John Keim of ESPN (via Twitter). Crowder specifically poses a threat to Moss, at 5’8″ and with speed and value returning punts and kicks. Moss caught only 10 passes for 116 yards in 2014, all in the last five games of the season.
  • The Saints were prepared to trade up to select linebacker Davis Tull, said head coach Sean Payton, according to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com (Twitter link). The Chattanooga product ultimately fell to New Orleans in the fifth round.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

NFC Mailbags: Cowboys, Panthers, Lions, Rams

February 21st, 2015 at 12:27pm CST by Ben Levine

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

Panthers GM On Veterans, Free Agency, Offseason Priorities

January 24th, 2015 at 6:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Dave Gettleman has already experienced plenty of success during his brief tenure as the Panthers general manager. Carolina has won consecutive division titles for the first time in team history, and their 12-4 mark in 2013 was the best finish by the organization since 2008. The Panthers finished an underwhelming 7-8-1 in 2014, but they still managed to get past the Wild Card round with a 27-16 victory over the Cardinals.

This offseason could be a big one for the organization as they look to take the next step. Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer sat down with Gettleman to discuss the team’s offseason plans, including the draft and free agency. The entire piece is worth a read, but we pulled out some of the more interesting highlights, which you can find below.

On whether it’s realistic for the team to bring back offensive lineman Byron Bell:

“Anything’s feasible. You’re talking hypothetical again. I’ve said this before, we look to upgrade everywhere. Because of my theory of taking the best player available, we’re going to take the best player available. And if it gives you a glut at that position, so be it. That position will be a hell of a strength. That’s the way we approach it.”

On how much cap room he’d like to have heading into free agency:

“Sitting pretty for anybody would be $20 million under. Here’s what people have to understand, you can’t spend all that money because you have to have your season reverse. And the season reverse has to be $5-6 million. You’ve got to have that. You always want to be in a position where if you get injuries and have to make an add, I don’t go to (director of pro scouting) Mark Koncz and say, ‘I need a receiver, and by the way we don’t have any money for anyone but a zero.’ And I’ve been in that situation when I was a pro (scouting) guy when no one was there.”

On when he’ll start discussing the future with some veteran players, including running back DeAngelo Williams:

“When it’s right. I’m not going to tell you a date. When it’s right. The biggest thing is, they’re men, they’re people, and I’m going to treat them with the utmost respect. The conversations will take place when it’s time.”

On the team’s biggest priority this offseason outside of the draft and free agency:

“The biggest priority is to continue to work the plan we’re working. To understand that it’s a process. It takes time, and we feel we’ve made strong strides with the plan. We’ve been patient and we haven’t pressed and haven’t tried to force square pegs into round holes. That’s the biggest priority is understanding that we’re getting there. You’ve got to keep working the plan. You can’t make emotional decisions or snap judgments.”

NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Saints, Bears, Vikings

January 17th, 2015 at 8:43am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start off the morning by checking out some notes from the NFC…

NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Bears, Washington

November 15th, 2014 at 10:22am CST by Ben Levine

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

  • Considering the lack of quality on the offensive line and the inconsistency from the running game, David Newton believes it’s safe to say that Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman didn’t have the best offseason. Newton also suggests that the team could have found a way to keep defensive backs Michael Mitchell and Captain Munnerlyn.
  • When asked about Cam Newton‘s desire to stay with the Panthers, Newton ensures that the quarterback wants to stick around.
  • Michael C. Wright surveys the quarterbacks in the 2015 draft, and suggests that the Bears could select one of the top prospects. However, the writer isn’t convinced the team will be in position to draft either Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston.
  • John Keim also looks forward to the draft for Washington, citing pass-rush, secondary, and linebacker as the team’s biggest needs. On offense, Keim believes the team should focus on the offensive line.

NFC Notes: Eagles, 49ers, Giants, Packers, Saints, Gettleman

May 10th, 2014 at 9:58am CST by Matt Feminis

Eagles GM Howie Roseman met with the media following the first-round selection of Marcus Smith 26th overall, and Philly.com’s Jeff McLane had seven follow-up thoughts. Most notably, Roseman shared his initial plan of attack. Plan A entailed the team having a list of six players likely to be gone by No. 22 (where the Eagles originally were position prior to the trade down) but worth moving up for. To the best of McLane’s knowledge, that list included Anthony Barr, Odell Beckham Jr., Kyle Fuller, Ryan Shazier, Brandin Cooks and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

When those players were gone, Roseman was prepared to move down, pick up an additional pick and choose the best player available. McLane is ” not convinced Smith was at the top of that list, but of the players there he played a premium position of need and thus was moved to the front.” McLane also spoke to other teams’ representatives whose grades on Smith ranged from second to fourth round.

Here’s several more quick-hitting, NFC news and notes:

  • The Eagles place on emphasis on college graduates, says Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
  • The Giants drafted Weston Richburg 43rd overall last night, and what made him attractive to the team was his ability to not only block effectively, but handle the responsibility associated with the position, says ESPN’s Dan Graziano. “[Tom] Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese both said the center’s responsibility for handling line and protection calls will increase under new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. Giants VP of player evaluation Marc Ross said Richburg scored an impressive 31 on the Wonderlic test and impressed the Giants in his combine interview with his intelligence.”
  • The 49ers were very active Friday night, making five trades that netted veteran receiver Stevie Johnson as well as running back Carlos Hyde (No. 57), center Marcus Martin (No. 76), linebacker Chris Borland (No. 77) and offensive lineman Brandon Thomas (No. 100). Eric Branch at sfgate.com recaps the team’s busy day here. The 49ers also have seven picks in the final four rounds.
  • The 49ers deep stable of running backs now includes Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James, Marcus Lattimore and Hyde. James wants more playing time and is open to a trade, but the team has no plans to move him, says ESPN’s Bill Williamson.
  • The Packers are confident Davante Adams is the next in a long line of productive receivers drafted in the second and third round, writes Bob McGinn in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
  • Redskins second-rounder Trent Murphy, whom the team expects to contribute right away as a nickel rusher, “protects the team’s long-term interests at OLB,” tweets NFL Network’s Albert Breer.
  • With the selection of big cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste 53rd overall, the Saints continue to build a “Seattle-like secondary,” writes Larry Holder of Nola.com.
  • The Panthers announced via Twitter that GM Dave Gettleman will draft remotely via Skype today so he can be present for his son’s college graduation.

NFC South Rumors: Cooks, Falcons, Benjamin

May 9th, 2014 at 9:43am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints had no doubt in their mind that they wanted to go with Brandin Cooks at No. 20, writes Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune. “Periodically you have a real strong conviction on a player, and this was one of those players,” head coach Sean Payton said. The Oregon State star tallied 128 receptions, 1,730 yards, and 16 touchdowns last season, cementing himself as a first round talent. More out of the NFC South..

  • Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff told 92.9 in Atlanta that there’s no truth to any rumor about Chiefs safety Eric Berry being a trade target, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Dimitroff also said that by the time the Jaguars took Blake Bortles at No. 3, there was no doubt he’d be selecting tackle Jake Matthews at No. 6 (link).
  • Dimitroff also told 92.9 that the Jaguars, led by his protege David Caldwell, were his most viable potential trade partner last night, tweets McClure.
  • The Panthers hit a trifecta with first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin, writes ESPN.com’s David Newton, as the 6’5″, 240-pound Florida State receiver addresses a need, provides value and makes quarterback Cam Newton happy. David Newton also quotes GM Dave Gettleman, who said “unusual ball skills” and the ability to make contested catches sold the team on Benjamin.

Matt Feminis contributed to this post.

Big Cats Notes: Gettleman, Jags Draft Targets

March 23rd, 2014 at 12:08pm CST by Rory Parks

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes that Panthers GM Dave Gettleman has taken a great deal of criticism for how he has handled this offseason (see here for a couple of illustrative links), but Volin believes that solid football and economic reasons motivated every move and non-move that Gettleman has made over the past few weeks.

For instance, former GM Marty Hurney made a mess of Carolina’s salary cap situation after he handed out lucrative and ill-advised contracts to running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, so Gettleman has been forced to deal with limited cap space in the present while also looking ahead to big-money deals for Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly in the future.

Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer writes that Gettleman has redeemed himself to some degree with his recent series of quality, low-cost signings, but Person does note that Gettleman has yet to sign a free agent tackle. Person suggests that right tackle Byron Bell might be on the move to the left side of the line, which is not ideal but would allow the Panthers to focus on right tackle in the draft, a position that is much easier to fill than left tackle (particularly for a team with a late pick).

Now onto some Jaguars notes:

  • Yesterday, our Peter Sowards took a look at what Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union had to say about potential landing spots for departing RB Maurice Jones-Drew, but O’Halloran also had some worthwhile tidbits about players who will be or may be on the Jags’ roster next season.
  • For example, O’Halloran noted that head coach Gus Bradley and GM Dave Caldwell will be in attendance at QB Johnny Manziel‘s Pro Day at College Station on Thursday. Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch was at Fresno State last Thursday to watch QB Derek Carr.
  • Speaking of Fisch, O’Halloran writes that one player the Jags may target in the middle of the 2014 draft is Central Florida RB Storm Johnson, who met with the Jaguars at the Scouting Combine and who played for the University of Miami in 2010, when Fisch served as the offensive coordinator there.
  • Scout Tim Mingey was at Vanderbilt’s Pro Day on Friday, probably to get a better look at Commodores WR Jordan Matthews, who had an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl. Matthews has been projected to be drafted as high as the late first round, but more likely is a second-round target.
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