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Dez Bryant

Rapoport On Bryant, Cobb, Nelson, Murray

February 14th, 2018 at 6:42pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s cutting season, and there are several big name veterans on the chopping block. Here’s the latest from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video links):

  • Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is a candidate for release, but Rapoport’s understanding is that Dallas plans to move forward with him, in part because of all of the resources they have already invested in him. It’s far from a lock that he’ll return under his current contract, however. Bryant, who will turn 30 during the upcoming season, is due a base salary of $12.5MM in 2018. The Cowboys could ask Bryant to accept a pay cut/extension that will make his contract a bit more palatable.
  • The Packers have two big-name WRs of their own who could be cap casualties. Rapoport gets the sense that either Randall Cobb or Jordy Nelson will be shown the door. Based on recent production, it could be Cobb who is cut loose. Cobb is slated to carry a $12.72MM cap hit in the final year of his deal, but the team can save $9.47MM with just $3.25MM in dead money if they release him.
  • Rapoport speculates that the Titans could cut running back DeMarco Murray, which makes sense given the presence of Derrick Henry. Murray is slated to count for $6.75MM against the cap this year and next, but those are completely non-guaranteed seasons. In 2017, the 30-year-old finished with 659 fewer rushing yards than he amassed in 2016, a Pro Bowl campaign. His yards-per-carry average also dipped from 4.4 to 3.6.
  • Tyrod Taylor is a release candidate for the Bills, but Rapoport rightly notes that the team is more likely to trade him given the need for quarterbacks around the league.

Cowboys Notes: Dez, Lawrence, O’Quinn

January 23rd, 2018 at 7:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Speaking to the media today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he intends on wide receiver Dez Bryant being part of the club’s roster in 2018, but wouldn’t comment on a possible pay cut for the mercurial pass-catcher, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Bryant will turn 30 years old during the 2018 campaign, and is coming off a disappointing season in which he managed only 69 receptions, 838 yards, and six touchdowns, the third straight campaign in which Bryant has failed to top 1,000 yards receiving. He’s due a base salary of $12.5MM next year, so while Jones refused to touch the subject of a pay reduction, the topic figures to come up this offseason.

Here’s more from Dallas, with all links going to George’s Twitter account:

  • While Bryant’s contract will be on the Cowboys’ docket over the next several months, the team’s “first goal” is to sign defensive end Demarcus Lawrence to a long-term extension, said executive vice president Stephen Jones (link). A multi-year pact is always preferable to the franchise tag from a team’s perspective thanks to the salary cap implications of each contract, but Lawrence holds all the leverage after a posting a 12.5-sack performance in 2017. A one-year franchise tender for the 25-year-old Lawrence will cost the Cowboys nearly $18MM.
  • Jerry Jones confirmed reports that the Cowboys have re-signed running backs coach Gary Brown and hired the recently-retired Kellen Moore as the club’s quarterbacks coach (link). Both the Raiders and Texans expressed interest in hiring Brown this offseason, but Dallas had always maintained dialogue with the longtime coach, who joined the Cowboys in 2013. Moore, meanwhile, has a backer in Dallas offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who has called Moore a “machine” in terms of learning and communicating.
  • The Cowboys are closing in on a deal to promote assistant special teams coach Keith O’Quinn to the lead role, per Jones (link). O’Quinn would replace Rich Bisaccia, who left Dallas to become an assistant head coach/special teams with Jon Gruden‘s Raiders. This was one of two possible outcomes, as reports had indicated O’Quinn would either be promoted to the full-time special teams role or take over as the Cowboys’ tight ends coach.

Dez Bryant Won’t Take Pay Cut

December 27th, 2017 at 5:53pm CST by Micah Powell

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant said he would not accept a reduction in pay going forward, the pass catcher told reporters including ESPN’s Todd Archer on Wednesday. Dez Bryant

“I haven’t heard no talk about that but if it comes, I don’t know, probably not,” Bryant said. “Hell naw, man. I believe in me.”

Archer notes the three-time Pro Bowl receiver is set to make $12.5 MM while counting $16.5 MM toward the team’s salary cap in 2018. If the Cowboys release him, the team can free up $8.5 million or $12 million if he is cut after June 1.

Between 2012-14, Bryant was among the game’s best wideouts, posting at least 85 catches, 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns in each season. This season has been one to forget, however, with No. 88 amassing just 66 grabs for 815 yards and six touchdowns through Week 16. While the team focuses more on the run now than it did in years past, Bryant has still been inconsistent with frustrating drops and an inability to get open. The receiver placed most of the blame on the scheme rather than his chemistry with second-year quarterback Dak Prescott, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports (Twitter link).

Bryant said he plans on sitting down with owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jason Garrett to discuss his fit in the team’s scheme. This will be a situation to keep tabs on in the offseason.

 

NFC East Notes: Giants, Manning, Cowboys

December 1st, 2017 at 12:45pm CST by Zachary Links

In theory, Eli Manning could be back in New York next year. But former Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride doesn’t see that happening.

“It is hard for me looking in from the outside seeing that happen just knowing the guy,” Gilbride told PFT. “I know he comes across and people look at him like he’s an ‘aww, shucks’ country boy, Huckleberry Finn-kind of guy, but I can assure you that beneath that facade lies the personality of a warrior. He’s going to compete and fight and do everything he can to play at the very highest level and represent himself at the very best and so that’s an investment of tremendous personal sacrifice and time and all that goes into being ready to play the game at the NFL level. So to do that, you’re a prideful guy — and he is — and so his pride has been attacked. I’m sure anything can be repaired but, boy, it would be very very difficult. . . . I don’t see it happening.”

Where could Manning go next? Gilbride, like many, is envisioning a reunion between Manning and Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville.

Here’s more out of the NFC East:

  • Manning might not be the only star leaving the NFC East this offseason. Longtime Dallas beat writer Charean Williams of PFT believes that the Cowboys will have a hard time justifying Dez Bryant‘s salary in 2018. She rightly notes that Bryant hasn’t played up to his contract, which calls for a $12.5MM salary next year with a $16.5MM cap number. The Cowboys may ask Bryant to take a pay cut, but Bryant – who is regarded as one of the league’s most talented wide receivers – may not be on board with that. So far this year, Bryant has 58 catches for 639 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games, putting him on pace for roughly 72 catches, 799 yards, and six TDs. Those numbers aren’t quite on a par with his best work from 2012-2014.
  • The Giants have a plan for increasing rookie quarterback Davis Webb‘s reps and getting into a game, coach Ben McAdoo tells reporters (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan). However, McAdoo declined to share the details of how and when he intends to get Webb involved. What we do know is that Webb will not be the QB1 or QB2 this weekend when the Giants face the Raiders in Oakland this weekend.
  • The Redskins should consider using the non-exclusive franchise tag on Kirk Cousins, one beat writer opines.
  • There’s still no timetable for Eagles cornerback Sidney Jones to take the field.
  • The Cowboys could be without cornerback Orlando Scandrick for a bit.

NFC Notes: Panthers, Norman, Dez, Trubisky

July 21st, 2017 at 5:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Dave Gettleman‘s ouster as the Panthers general manager stands as this week’s most shocking NFL story, and Joe Person and Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer detail some of the reasons behind his firing. Gettleman’s “brusque management style” and his reshaping of Carolina’s roster after its 15-1, NFC-winning campaign in 2015 contributed to his demise, with his decision to rescind cornerback Josh Norman‘s franchise tag in 2016 helping to decide his fate. Letting Norman loose on the free agent market meant allowing a No. 1-caliber corner to walk away without the club receiving compensation, and it irked some of the team’s players.

A year later, the departure of ex-assistant general manager Brandon Beane also weakened Gettleman’s grip on the GM job. Beane took over as Buffalo’s GM in May, which cost Gettleman the good cop to his bad cop. The loss of Beane negatively affected Gettleman’s work relationships, according to Person and Fowler, as the former “acted as a go-between among the front office, coaching staff and locker room,” the reporters explain. Former Panthers fullback Mike Tolbert, who signed with the Bills after Gettleman released him in February, confirmed that Beane was a valuable figure in Carolina. “As players we all love Beane. We all love being around him,” said Tolbert. “He’s part of the reason we did what we did. I’m happy to have him in Buffalo now, I can tell you that much.”

More from the NFC:

  • Speaking of Norman, who’s now with the Redskins, he could end up as a cap casualty next offseason if he doesn’t make more of an impact this year, suggests Rich Tandler of CSN Mid-Atlantic. With 14 infractions, Norman led the league in penalties last year, Tandler points out. However, it seems he has otherwise lived up to Washington’s five-year, $75MM investment thus far. Norman picked off three passes and forced two fumbles last season – a slight drop-off from four and three, respectively, in 2015 – started all 16 games, easily led Redskins defenders in snaps (1,057) and ranked 24th among Pro Football Focus’ 109 qualified corners. Nevertheless, it’s worth mentioning that designating the soon-to-be 30-year-old Norman a post-June 1 cut in 2018 would save the Redskins a healthy $14MM and leave them with a manageable $3MM in dead money next season.
  • A lack of punctuality has been a problem for Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant throughout his career, and his issues with reporting to team functions on time have already cropped up this year. Bryant made it to training camp three hours late on Friday, relays Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, though the player informed Jane Slater of NFL Network that he has been dealing with sinus infections and headaches. He’s now working with the Cowboys’ training staff to alleviate his sinus troubles, adds Rapoport. Further, Bryant apologized to Cowboys coaches and “took full responsibility” for his tardiness, writes Slater, but it’s still likely the team will fine him, reports Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram (Twitter links here).
  • Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky‘s rookie contract contains partial offsets, tweets Albert Breer of The MMQB. His deal is similar to the one Marcus Mariota signed with the Titans in 2015, when he, like Trubisky this year, entered the league as the second overall pick in his draft class. Mariota and the Titans agreed to make his base salaries (a total of $2.28MM) subject to offsets, but the vast majority of his $24.214MM pact is protected.
  • Cardinals running back Chris Johnson‘s one-year deal includes a $1MM base value, $200K in guarantees and a chance to earn more in incentives, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Top 2017 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

[UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF THE TOP 2017 NFL FREE AGENTS BY POSITION]

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Quarterback:

  1. Kirk Cousins
  2. Mike Glennon
  3. Nick Foles
  4. Brian Hoyer
  5. Ryan Fitzpatrick
  6. Case Keenum
  7. Matt McGloin
  8. Mark Sanchez
  9. Geno Smith
  10. Ryan Mallett
  11. Josh McCown
  12. Christian Ponder
  13. Blaine Gabbert
  14. Matt Schaub
  15. Ryan Nassib

Honorable mention: Shaun Hill

As of this writing, Kirk Cousins is far and away the best potential free agent quarterback in this year’s crop. By the time March gets here, we’re fully expecting Cousins to be spoken for. Ultimately, the Redskins could franchise tag him, work out a long-term deal with him, or swing some type of trade that nets them a massive haul of talent and picks. That will leave a crop of retread quarterbacks that would probably best serve as transitional options for QB-needy teams. Kirk Cousins

Mike Glennon hasn’t done much in his 18 career starts, but talent evaluators are still in love with his size and potential. The 6’7″ quarterback will get more money this spring than you might expect, particularly since there are no surefire QBs in this year’s draft.

Teams looking for stopgap QBs will find a plethora of experienced, though perhaps uninspiring, signal callers. Nick Foles, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick all have their best football behind them, but they could hold down the fort for a team in 2017 and maybe even find some success if the defense is strong enough. Of course, the ideal role for those guys would probably be as a backup to a better, younger quarterback.

Running back:

  1. Le’Veon Bell
  2. Eddie Lacy
  3. LeGarrette Blount
  4. Latavius Murray
  5. Darren McFadden
  6. Jacquizz Rodgers
  7. Rashad Jennings
  8. Danny Woodhead
  9. Rex Burkhead
  10. Tim Hightower
  11. DeAngelo Williams
  12. Andre Ellington
  13. Chris Johnson
  14. Christine Michael
  15. Robert Turbin

Consider Le’Veon Bell‘s name written in Etch-A-Sketch, because he is very unlikely to get near the open market. That could leave Eddie Lacy as the best tailback available in March. Lacy has struggled with weight issues in recent years and he lost much of the 2016 season to injury. Still, he is a bruising back that could nicely complement a quicker ball carrier. Before he was shut down for the year, Lacy was averaging 5.07 yards per carry in five games for Green Bay.

LeGarrette Blount (vertical)In the last two years, LeGarrette Blount seems to have put his off-the-field troubles behind him. Whether that’s a sign of his maturity or a product of the Patriots’ culture remains to be seen. Teams can ignore his past indiscretions, but they will be wary of his age. Blount turns 31 in December.

Latavius Murray has shown glimpses of being a special running back, but he has been inconsistent and his 4.0 yards-per-carry average of the last two years isn’t overly impressive. Darren McFadden ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2015, but 2016 was pretty much a lost year for him. Jacquizz Rodgers seemed to break out last year, but he wound up succumbing to the same injury bug that took down a host of other Buccaneers running backs. Speaking of injuries, Rashad Jennings was initially brought to the Giants to be a workhorse back, but two of his three years in New York were marred by ailments. Everyone in this tier has the potential to make a difference, but none should be counted on as anyone’s main guy in 2017.

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Cowboys’ Dez Bryant To Return After Bye Week

October 17th, 2016 at 9:18am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys won’t have to wait much longer to get their top wide receiver back on the field. Yesterday, after the Cowboys beat the Packers at Lambeau Field, Dez Bryant told Jane Slater of the NFL Network (on Twitter) that he’ll be back after the team’s Week 7 bye. "<strong

“[You] don’t have to ask me anymore,” he told the reporter. “I’m good…playing against Philly.”

Bryant suffered a slight hairline fracture of the tibial plateau in his right knee in Dallas’ Week 3 game against the Bears. There was hope that he would be able to play through the pain without missing time, but doctors also feared that he could turn the injury into something worse on the field. As a result, he has now missed three consecutive games. He’ll get off the sidelines on Oct. 30, however, as the Cowboys face the rival eagles at home.

Bryant, 28 next month, has just 11 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown in his three games this year. He has been in uniform for just 12 of the Cowboys’ past 21 games.

Dez Bryant’s Status Uncertain For Sunday

October 11th, 2016 at 12:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys might not have Dez Bryant on the field until October 30th. The wide receiver’s status is uncertain for Sunday’s game against the Packers and owner Jerry Jones tells 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link) that the team won’t take any chances with him. The Cowboys have a Week 7 bye, so that means that Bryant wouldn’t take the field until the Week 8 game against the rival Eagles. Dez Bryant

In three games this year, Bryant has tallied 11 receptions for 150 yards and one touchdown. Unfortunately, he has been sidelined since Sept. 25th and it’s not immediately clear when the Cowboys will get him back. Hopefully, the wide receiver can recover from the hairline fracture and bone bruise in his knee after a couple more weeks of rest. Reportedly, Bryant hasn’t always done a great job of taking care of himself and his sleep habits have been particularly poor.

Bryant has suited up for just 12 of the Cowboys’ past 20 games.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dez Bryant Likely Out Sunday

October 6th, 2016 at 6:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant will test his injured right knee in practice Friday, but he’s unlikely to play Sunday against the Bengals, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Bryant, who suffered a hairline fracture in Week 3, sat out Dallas’ 24-17 win in San Francisco last Sunday. The 3-1 Cowboys are now set for a more difficult test in the form of the playoff-contending Bengals (2-2).

Dez Bryant

Injuries have helped cut down Bryant’s production since last season, unfortunately, as the 27-year-old has suited up for just 12 of the Cowboys’ past 20 games. His statistical drop-off has also coincided with the more serious injuries quarterback Tony Romo has dealt with going back to last year.

Romo hasn’t yet taken the field this season because of a back issue, thereby paving the way for rookie Dak Prescott to take the reins. The fourth-rounder from Mississippi State has easily exceeded expectations, having completed 67.9 percent of passes and gone 131 attempts without an interception. Only 11 of Prescott’s 89 completions have gone to Bryant, whom Prescott has targeted 23 times, after the three-time Pro Bowl wideout picked up just 31 grabs and three touchdowns on 74 targets in 2015. Bryant also averaged a career-worst 12.9 yards per catch, which is up slightly this year (13.6).

Off the field, Bryant has reportedly exhibited a “pattern of irresponsible behavior” since the Cowboys drafted him 24th overall in 2010. The ex-Oklahoma State star has missed between 20 and 40 team meetings during his NFL career, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, with a source informing him that Bryant’s longevity is in question because of poor sleep and dietary habits. However, the Cowboys have stuck by the immensely talented Bryant, who is under team control through 2019 thanks to the five-year, $70MM deal he inked in July 2015.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dez Bryant Exhibiting “Irresponsible Behavior”

October 2nd, 2016 at 2:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant missed an MRI and team meetings earlier this week because he feared the worst on his injured right knee, but those absences were just the latest in a “pattern of irresponsible behavior,” according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Bryant has been late or completely missed between 20 and 40 meetings and or medical sessions during his career in Dallas, per Schefter.Dez Bryant (vertical)

[RELATED: Tony Romo Targeting Week 8 Return]

The Cowboys organization and his agents at Roc Nation have helped him become more accountable, and Bryant has even hired a driver to ensure that he attends team functions on time. But one source told Schefter that Dallas can be accused of enabling Bryant, issuing him fines for his behavior instead of handing out more significant penalties. Another source, per Schefter, is concerned about Bryant’s career longevity, as his poor sleep and dietary habits could limit his staying power.

Bryant, however, doesn’t believe his actions to be a serious issue, according to Schefter, and the Cowboys have publicly supported their star receiver. As one Cowboys player said, Bryant is perhaps being treated differently because of his talent level. “If you were hoping for him to come to a scheduled meeting, he may or may not be there, but if you need a first down on third-and-14, throw it to Dez,” said the anonymous player.

On the field, Bryant may be able to return sooner than originally thought. A source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that Bryant has a bone bruise, and that he should be able to play in less than three weeks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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