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Dez Bryant

NFC East Links: Romo, Peterson, Gregory

February 14th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Rob DiRe

It will be a big offseason for some NFC East teams, as the division has seen a lot of turnover the past few years. With all four teams competitive, it wouldn’t be totally surprising to see the Cowboys going from first to worst or Washington to achieve the reverse. While both teams are setting themselves up for successful 2015 seasons, here are some links from around the NFC East:

  • Cowboys‘ starting quarterback Tony Romo turns 35 this April, and there may be some concerns about the signal-caller’s age, writes Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN.com. Taylor notes that since Jim Plunkett won Super Bowl XVIII, only two quarterbacks have led their team’s to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at age 35 or older. John Elway did it twice during the twilight of his career, and Tom Brady just a few weeks ago. Brady’s remarkable performance gives Taylor hope for Romo, showing that in the right offense and with the right coach, quarterbacks can continue to achieve into their late thirties. Romo has the benefit of a great offensive line and a consistent running game, and after being asked to throw the ball fewer than 30 times per game for the first time in his NFL career, the Cowboys might have the recipe for success with the old passer at the helm.
  • Dallas has big decisions to make regarding Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, and those two have both been story lines followed closely at PFR. ESPN’s NFL Front Office takes a look at the conversations that could be going on in the Cowboys‘ headquarters. They note that giving Bryant a long-term extension is a general manager’s nightmare but a coach’s dream. The group also writes that re-signing Murray would be nice, but Adrian Peterson would be the home run choice.
  • ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. put together his second mock draft of the offseason this week, projecting Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory to be selected by Washington fifth overall. With Mariota currently falling to sixth, the best case scenario could be another quarterback-needy team moving heaven and earth to jump ahead of the Jets to select him, giving Washington leverage to make a big trade to move down in the draft, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. Keim also notes that while the team has needs at safety, corner, and along the offensive line, none currently look to be worthy of a top-five pick. If Washington targets wide receiver Amari Cooper, the team would have to hope he falls past Oakland at fourth overall.

NFC East Notes: Rolle, Murray, Dez, Cox

February 11th, 2015 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week, Giants safety Antrel Rolle explained why he wants to return to New York, despite being eligible for free agency next month. As Rolle tells it, he feels like there’s unfinished business to take care of with the G-Men.

“I want to go back to the Giants for the mere fact that I feel like I still have work to do,” Rolle said. “No matter how good or bad the season may have been for myself, we’ve got one championship and I feel like that’s not enough. I feel like there’s more, obviously there’s more in the tank and I feel like there’s more that I need to provide as far as my services with that organization to try and help them win another title. That’s something that weighs heavy on my mind.”

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • As he has said before, running back DeMarco Murray would like to stay with the Cowboys, and intends to remain in Dallas if he feels like the club gives him the best chance to win a Super Bowl. “Obviously I think they want me here,” Murray said Tuesday night, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “I want to be here. It’s just finding the … just what helps them, what helps me. Things like that. I think both sides want to be here, so I think we’ll see where it goes.” After being named the 2014 offensive player of the year and leading the NFL in rushing with 1,845 yards, Murray headlines this year’s free agent market for running backs, which I examined yesterday.
  • As Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal wrote yesterday, Roc Nation Sports and CAA have ended their two-year partnership, as planned. That parting of ways would seem to come at an inopportune time for Dez Bryant, who is represented by Roc Nation’s Kimberly Miale and CAA’s Tom Condon. However, Miale tells Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News that she and Condon are still representing the Cowboys wideout as he nears free agency.
  • Defensive lineman Fletcher Cox is exactly the sort of homegrown talent the Eagles should try to lock up and make a part of their long-term core, writes Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com in his look at the team’s defensive line situation. As a 2012 draftee, Cox is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason, though the club also holds a fifth-year option on him for 2016.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Cowboys’ Jones Talks Murray, Bryant

February 8th, 2015 at 6:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering his 27th offseason in charge of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones faces one of his career’s biggest challenges in the coming weeks: finding a way to keep Tony Romo‘s two biggest weapons, DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant.

The Cowboys’ owner, president and general manager addressed this glaring issue Sunday with the Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota. Dallas operates with a scant $7.4MM of cap room as of Sunday, per OverTheCap.com, and Bryant’s likely franchise tag will hover around the $13MM-per-year figure. As Pro Football Rumors mentioned in January, Murray already balked at Dallas’ four-year offer worth around $16MM — a pay increase from the $1.4MM Murray earned in his dominant fourth season in 2014 but one not on par with the highest-paid running backs in the league.

So as of now, the math is stacked against the Cowboys retaining two of the NFL’s top unrestricted free agents, and Jones knows it after seeing his team go through salary cap turmoil in recent years.

“You remember when that cap makes you poor and you wake up and have those days when you don’t have the money and don’t have the flexibility,” Jones said to Machota. “… If you can revisit how you felt, that will make you a little more prudent about this cap when you have had a lot of years when you really paid the piper.”

Although the mercurial Bryant’s future with the team appears secure after a no-nonsense 16-touchdown campaign in his contract year, a future without Murray, the NFL’s rushing leader with 1,845 yards and new holder of the all-time-touches-in-a-season standard with 499 in 18 games, appears likely for the Cowboys — even with the latest trouble surrounding primary backup Joseph Randle — barring some cap wizardry in the coming weeks.

La Canfora On Use Of The Franchise Tag

February 6th, 2015 at 9:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes how the use of the franchise tag is trending downward. In 2013, only six players received either franchise or transition tags. This offseason, despite the hard work of Luke Adams to profile the candidates for the tag on each team, that number could drop to four.

La Canfora notes that his guess of four does not include the possibility of a team franchising a kicker or punter in lieu of another viable candidate.

While the Lions, Giants, Packers, and Dolphins each have a viable candidate, each team is unlikely to tag that player. Those four are expected to try to avoid the tag in the effort to retain their stars.

Although the number could drop to four, anything less than that would be a huge surprise. As far as La Canfora sees it, there are four sure things in terms of the franchise tag (all four of which Luke did pin down in his rundown of franchise tag candidates, for the record).

  • Demaryius Thomas to the Broncos is an obvious choice, whether his quarterback in 2015 is Peyton Manning or Brock Osweiler. The case in Denver has another wrinkle, with La Canfora writing that if the team could come to an agreement on a long-term deal with Thomas, then tight end Julius Thomas will become a candidate to be franchised instead, albeit not the sure thing Demaryius is.
  • Fellow superstar wide receiver Dez Bryant is another lock to be hit with the tag. The Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones could be afraid to commit long-term money to him, but would be happy to keep him on a year-to-year situation even at a high price. There was also some steam gaining for DeMarco Murray’s chances of being tagged, but Bryant is seen as the superior offensive weapon.
  • On the defensive side of the ball, an already capped-out Chiefs team will place the franchise tag on Justin Houston. Houston’s tag number is not set in stone, with the team likely to tag him as an outside linebacker, Houston and his agent will push for the slightly higher defense end number which comes with an additional $1.6MM based on La Canfora’s projections. Houston could be considered a defensive end because he is primarily a pass rusher in the Kansas City defense. Either way, La Canfora believes they will have to tag him regardless of the number, despite the cap gymnastics they might have to do to afford him.
  • Staying on defense, the Patriots will likely tag safety Devin McCourty as they continue to focus on signing Darrelle Revis to a long-term deal. After Revis, the team should be able to negotiate a deal to keep McCourty as well, and keep the top two players in a very good secondary together as head coach Bill Belichick looks for a fifth Super Bowl victory.

NFC East Notes: Bryant, JPP, Eagles, Locker

February 6th, 2015 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com views the Cowboys as one of the four teams likely to use their franchise tag this offseason, identifying Dez Bryant – rather than DeMarco Murray – as the probable recipient. According to La Canfora, there is “trepidation” within the Cowboys’ front office about putting a ton of guaranteed money on the table for the star wideout, given his off-field history.

While La Canfora doesn’t include the Giants among the four clubs likely to use the franchise or transition tag this winter, he thinks the club will at least consider tagging Jason Pierre-Paul. However, he doesn’t see it happening since JPP has been streaky, and hasn’t always been able to stay on the field. The Giants don’t make use of their franchise tag too often, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com believes it might be the best course of action for their standout defensive end.

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

NFC Links: Seahawks, Dez, Evans, Washington

February 2nd, 2015 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

Seahawks safety Earl Thomas suffered a dislocated shoulder during the NFC Championship, and according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), the player will seek a second opinion on the injury. Regardless of the 25-year-old’s decision, Rapoport believes the All-Pro safety is heading towards surgery.

Meanwhile, ‘Hawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed that cornerback Richard Sherman will need to undergo Tommy John surgery for his injured left elbow (via the team’s Twitter account). Carroll also mentioned that cornerback Jeremy Lane has a “significant” broken arm.

If there’s a bright side, it doesn’t sound like the injuries will impact the team next season. According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (via Twitter), Carroll doesn’t believe any of injuries will prevent the trio from being ready for 2015.

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

  • Wide receiver Dez Bryant is confident that he will get a long-term deal done with the Cowboys. “Regardless, I’m a Cowboy,” Bryant told NBCDFW.com, according to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk. “But it is what it is. It’s business. I am a free agent. I’m very confident that something is going to happen, something is going to get done, and have these Cowboys fans excited for a long time. I’m a Cowboy at heart. It’s Cowboys forever.”
  • Saints guard Jahri Evans played the second half of the season with a partially torn triangular fibrocartilage complex in his wrist, tweets Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV in Louisana. The reporter adds that the player underwent surgery in early January and is expected to be ready for OTAs.
  • CSNWashington.com insiders Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler discussed whether veteran linebacker Brian Orakpo would be back with Washington next season. Ultimately, the writers decided it’s best for the franchise to move on from the 28-year-old, with El-Bashir citing the player’s injury history and Tandler noting the team’s need for a younger playmaker at linebacker.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC East Notes: Dez, Cowboys, Eagles, McCoy

February 1st, 2015 at 4:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Speaking at a charity basketball game yesterday, Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant seemed confident that he and his representatives could work out a new deal with Dallas. “It’s business. I am a free agent,” said the impending free agent, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m very confident that something is going to happen, something is going to get done, and have these Cowboys fans excited for a long time.” Bryant is presumably looking for a deal with a $12-14MM AAV, but he’s also a strong candidate for the franchise tag.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • Running back Ryan Williams signed a two-year extension with the Cowboys that guaranteed him $240K, but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock for next year’s 53-man roster even if DeMarco Murray leaves via free agency, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Williams was “caught in a numbers game” last year, and the same thing could happen in 2015, adds Archer.
  • There’s no room in the Eagles’ front office for Howie Roseman, opines Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. Roseman was technically promoted in Philadelphia’s recent FO shakeup, but he was stripped of his power in personnel matters. Now that Ed Marynowitz has been given more control over personnel decisions, there’s no need for Roseman, and his $1.7MM salary to stick around, per Frank.
  • Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com assesses the Eagles’ salary cap situation, and outlines that the club should have the room to keep both LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin. McCoy recently indicated he would not be willing to accept a pay cut, while Maclin, like Kulp, believes Philly can keep both him and Shady.

Poll: Best Potential 2015 Free Agent?

January 27th, 2015 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

Six weeks from today, the NFL’s free agent period for 2015 will officially open. By that point, a number of the more notable names on our 2015 free agent list may be off the board, having reached new agreements with their current clubs, or perhaps receiving the franchise or transition tag.

That certainly applies to the players at the very top of teams’ free agent boards for the coming offseason — it’s hard to imagine the Cowboys letting Dez Bryant reach the open market, or the Broncos allowing Demaryius Thomas to test the free agent waters. Still, for now, those players are eligible for unrestricted free agency, and there’s no indication that they’re on the verge of long-term extensions.

Even though players like Bryant and Thomas may not ultimately reach the open market, we can still examine how they’d stack up against the year’s other top free-agents-to-be. In PFR’s most recent free agent power rankings, Dallas Robinson listed those receivers third and fourth respectively, trailing a pair of formidable defenders, in Ndamukong Suh and Justin Houston — Suh is arguably the NFL’s best defensive tackle, while Houston may be the league’s top pass rusher not named J.J. Watt.

The same four players topped the first edition of our FA power rankings as well, and seem to make up the first tier of 2015’s free agent class. Putting aside the fact that they won’t all actually become available, which of these four players would you consider the best free-agent-to-be of 2015?

Obviously, a team stacked on defense may prefer one of the wideouts, while a club heavy on receiving talent would lean toward one of the defenders, but if we assume all else is equal, who do you like best going forward? Suh, Houston, Bryant, or Thomas? After submitting your vote, feel free to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.

NFC Links: Cowboys, Britt, Maclin

January 24th, 2015 at 12:33pm CST by Ben Levine

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo would prefer his organization holds on to All-Pro teammates DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant. The 34-year-old told 103.3 [KESN-FM] that he’s been hounding owner Jerry Jones and members of the front office to bring the duo back. Via Jon Machota of the Dallas News:

“I’m pretty consistently [talking to Jones], and everyone around the building, about bringing them both back. I think everybody understands how great these guys are and how lucky we are to have them.

“Any time you get talented guys where you can put more than two on one side of the ball, you get three, four, if you’re lucky enough to ever get five, it’s one of those things where if you can put a group like that together you can make a run and be very difficult for teams to deal with for years.

“I think that’s what you’re trying to build ultimately is to have sustained success. We have an opportunity to have that.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…

  • Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas News writes that the Cowboys will be unable to pursue some of the top defensive free agents unless they clear cap room. As of right now, the writer believes Ndamukong Suh and Jason Pierre-Paul are out of the team’s price range.
  • After only one season with the club, upcoming free agent wideout Kenny Britt is looking to stay in St. Louis. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that the 26-year-old’s agents have already started discussions with the Rams regarding a new contract.
  • ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan made an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philly on Friday, and the writer discussed Jeremy Maclin‘s impending free agency. Caplan had previously sounded optimistic about the receiver’s return to the Eagles, but the writer clarified that a lot has changed since that time. “That was before Maclin changed his agent from Ben Dogra,” Caplan said (via Brandon Lee Gowton of BleedingGreenNation.com). “I mean he must have easily done two dozen contracts with the Eagles over the years. The Eagles have a great working relationship with him…Now, Dogra broke off from CAA, and his partner was Tom Condon. Ironically, Tom Condon now represents Maclin. And Condon… I just get the sense he doesn’t have the same relationship with that Dogra did. I’m not saying the deal won’t get done, I’m just not nearly as optimistic as I was before.”

Cole’s Latest: Murray, Harris, Maxwell

January 23rd, 2015 at 5:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agency is still about a month and a half away, but rumors are already starting to swirl about some of the players that could reach the open market on March 10. In his latest video report, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report weighs in on a few of those players, including the top running back eligible for free agency. Here are the highlights:

  • Reiterating that the Cowboys will use their franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryant if necessary, Cole says that if the team wants to re-sign DeMarco Murray, the running back probably won’t come cheap. Cole’s sources expect Murray to command between $7-10MM annually on a new deal, and at this point, Dallas seems unwilling to go that high. Cole echoes a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, which suggests that at last check, the Cowboys’ best offer was worth just $4MM per year, though I’d expect the club to increase that offer before letting Murray walk.
  • David Harris is viewed as the top inside linebacker eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and he’s not overly committed to re-signing with the Jets, according to Cole. While a return to New York is possible, Harris would like to play for a contending team, and may be open to taking a little less money to make that happen.
  • The Seahawks have locked up impact players like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Michael Bennett, and others, and a big extension for Russell Wilson is around the corner. Given the commitments to those players, the team may have to part ways with cornerback Byron Maxwell. Per Cole, Maxwell is expected to reach the open market and will be a “hot commodity” if he’s available.
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