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NFC Notes: Bradford, Eagles, Seahawks, Saints

March 10th, 2015 at 10:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Before the Eagles finalized their acquisition of Sam Bradford, there were other teams in the mix for the former first overall pick, says Peter King of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), the Browns may have been one of those teams. However, no other club was willing to give up as much as Chip Kelly and the Eagles, who had eyed Bradford for weeks and believe he has the goods to be a franchise quarterback, according to Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

As we recover from what’s been a surprising and hectic day of action around the NFL, let’s round up a few more leftover NFC items….

  • Former Dolphins guard Shelley Smith, who was just cut by the team earlier today, already has a visit lined up with the Seahawks for Wednesday, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Seattle is in the market for some interior line help after trading Max Unger and losing James Carpenter in free agency.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis acknowledged that the team will “obviously” look to add another tight end after trading Jimmy Graham, and added that he never asked Drew Brees to restructure his contract this offseason because it “wasn’t necessary for us” (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
  • The 49ers aren’t in the running for their own free agent cornerback Perrish Cox, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter link) suggests keeping an eye on linebacker Akeem Ayers as a potential free agent target for the Rams, and Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link) agrees that the club has interest.

Payton: No Plans To Rework Brees Contract

February 19th, 2015 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite the fact that the team is further over the projected 2015 cap than any other club in the league, the Saints don’t have any plans at the moment to reduce Drew Brees‘ cap hit for the coming year by reworking his contract, according to head coach Sean Payton. As Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune details, Payton told Pro Football Talk that the Saints haven’t discussed a restructure or an extension for the star QB.

“I don’t think that’s something that’s going to be happening anytime soon or something that [Brees] or his agent have talked to [general manager] Mickey [Loomis] about,” Payton said.

It seems a little hard to believe that the Saints will leave Brees’ contract untouched, considering the team is currently more than $23MM over the projected cap (per OverTheCap.com), and the quarterback’s cap number for 2015 is $26.4MM. For comparison’s sake, during the 2014 season, only two players had cap hits higher than $20MM — Ndamukong Suh ($22.41MM) and Eli Manning ($20.4MM).

Of course, a simple restructure – converting base salary into a signing bonus – would increase 2016’s cap hit beyond its current $27.4MM figure, making it even more unpalatable. But a new contract extension that added a couple years to Brees’ current deal could potentially reduce the cap hits for both seasons, and provide the signal-caller with a chunk of up-front money. It will be interesting to see what series of moves the Saints complete to create cap space if Brees’ contract isn’t involved. Other candidates for restructures or pay cuts include Junior Galette, Jimmy Graham, Jairus Byrd, Marques Colston, and Jahri Evans, as our Zach Links detailed in his preview of the team’s offseason this morning.

Payton was also asked about the Saints’ three biggest offseason needs during his conversation with PFT, and Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets that the head coach identified cornerback, interior offensive lineman, and pass rusher as three positions on which to focus.

2015 Salaries Become Guaranteed For Brees, Graham, Others

February 4th, 2015 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

Saints quarterback Drew Brees and tight end Jimmy Graham are among the players whose 2015 base salaries become fully guaranteed today, according to former player agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. The contracts for Brees, Graham, Browns cornerback Joe Haden, and Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy all call for guarantees on the third day of the 2015 waiver period, which is today.

For Brees, that means that his $18.75MM base salary for 2015 is now fully guaranteed (Twitter link). Combined with a $7.4MM prorated signing bonus charge and a $250K workout bonus, Brees now counts for $26.4MM against the Saints’ cap, though that number could be reduced if the veteran signal-caller restructures or extends his deal. As for Graham, his $2.9MM base salary for 2015 becomes guaranteed along with his $5MM roster bonus for this year (Twitter link). After counting for just $4MM against New Orleans’ cap in 2014, the tight end’s cap number jumps to $11MM for the coming year.

Like Brees, Haden will simply see his 2015 base salary ($8.3MM) guaranteed today, without any additional bonuses (Twitter link). That locks him in for an $11.7MM cap hit on the Browns’ books, which is actually a step down from 2014’s $12.13MM figure.

Finally, McCoy’s contract sees the most activity — not only will his $5MM base salary and $6.5MM roster bonus for 2015 become guaranteed, but he’ll also have his 2016 base salary ($6MM) guaranteed, ensuring that he secures $17.5MM in total guarantees today (Twitter links). The standout defensive lineman is on the books for a $14.595MM cap number for the coming season.

NFC Mailbags: Brees, Cutler, Suh, Giants

January 10th, 2015 at 12:22pm CST by Ben Levine

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

  • With so many veterans on the offensive line, Mike Triplett writes that the Saints need to address that area in their upcoming drafts. Meanwhile, the writer hasn’t seen any real regression out of Drew Brees, leading him to believe the team doesn’t need to draft a quarterback unless there’s a player they really like.
  • Michael C. Wright believes if the Bears want to move on from quarterback Jay Cutler, then they need to have a plan in place. However, there doesn’t seem to be any strategy in handling the embattled veteran, and Wright believes this in an indication that Cutler will return next season.
  • The Lions handling of Ndamukong Suh will have an impact on practically all of the team’s free agency decisions, opines Michael Rothstein. Most notably, defensive tackle Nick Fairley would likely be playing elsewhere in 2015 if the team retains Suh.
  • Alabama safety Landon Collins is as “good a guess as any” to be selected by the Giants in the first round, according to Dan Graziano. Looking for an improvement at safety will be an even bigger priority if the team can solidify it’s pass-rush and offensive line depth via free agency.
  • It wouldn’t surprise David Newton if Panthers veteran running back DeAngelo Williams is cut by the squad in June. The team could pursue a replacement in the draft, but Newton notes that the team likes Fozzy Whittaker.

NFC Notes: Garrett, AP, Suh, Brees, Bucs

December 30th, 2014 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Cowboys decision-makers Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have publicly lauded head coach Jason Garrett for his work this season in Dallas, suggesting that his job is safe, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says there’s “a school of thought in some league circles” that if the Cowboys get upset this weekend by the Lions, the team may not re-sign Garrett this offseason. In my opinion, leading this Cowboys team to a 12-win season will likely be enough to earn Garrett a new deal, but it’s a situation worth monitoring.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • As the Vikings wait for Adrian Peterson to potentially be reinstated in 2015, head coach Mike Zimmer said today that he’ll be “in [Peterson’s] corner” if he returns to the Vikings next season, per Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. “Adrian was always great with me,” Zimmer said. “I think he’s a good person. I think obviously he’s a great running back and if it works out that way and things work out and he gets his life in order – that’s the most important thing, he gets his life in order, he gets the opportunity to come back – then I will be in his corner whatever the decision is made.”
  • Ndamukong Suh‘s latest “misstep” complicates his pending free agency, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who says the ramifications of the defensive tackle’s one-game suspension could make the Lions think long and hard about whether to sign Suh to a lucrative new multiyear pact.
  • Working out a contract extension similar to the one signed by Tom Brady with the Patriots in 2013 would be a win-win situation for Drew Brees and the Saints, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Brees still has two years left on his current deal, but tacking on a few extra years could give him some additional security and create some cap flexibility for New Orleans.
  • The Buccaneers spent big in free agency last offseason and it certainly didn’t translate to regular-season success. However, as Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune details, that doesn’t mean the Bucs will shy away from free agency in 2015.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes an early look at the Buccaneers‘ offseason, including the team’s projected cap space and the prospective free agents that should be let go or retained.

Joel Corry On Worst Salary Cap Situations

December 25th, 2014 at 10:18am CST by Rob DiRe

On Christmas Eve, Joel Corry of CBS Sports took a look at a few NFL teams who have the worst salary cap situations going into 2015. He picked out the five organizations stuck deepest in salary cap hell:

  1. New Orleans Saints – $23.07MM over the cap
  2. Arizona Cardinals – $6.44MM
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers – $2.901MM
  4. New England Patriots – $1.945MM
  5. San Francisco 49ers – $928,000

Here are some of the highlights of actions Corry suggests that would help them get under the cap in order to have a successful offseason:

Saints

  • Pass rusher Junior Galette could see his contract restructured to open up $10MM, despite signing the extension this past offseason.
  • Another contract doled off last offseason that can be restructured is of prized free agent Jairus Byrd, which could open up $5.6MM in cap space.
  • A third contract from last offseason that can be restructured is that of tight end Jimmy Graham. That move could save $4.77MM in cap space.
  • Both of their Pro Bowl guards are suddenly highly paid luxuries as they have seen their performance drop, and Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs are candidates for release. If cut, they will free up $6.6MM and $3.6MM, respectively.
  • Veteran receiver Marques Colston holds a $9.7MM cap number, and has seen a sharp decline in his play. It will be a tougher cut, but is a candidate to be released.
  • The team could restructure Drew Brees‘ contract again, although they will only push their cap problems into the future in exchange for immediate relief.
  • Releasing linebacker David Hawthorne will free up $2.99MM in cap space if he is released before his $2.5MM roster bonus on the third day of the 2015 league year.

Cardinals

Steelers

Patriots

  • The obvious move for the Patriots would be signing Darrelle Revis to a long-term deal, which would create substantial cap space. The team is unlikely to keep him in 2015 at his current number. They will open $20MM in cap space if they do not keep him on the roster.
  • The Patriots could open up $4MM in cap space by restructuring Tom Brady‘s contract.
  • The team will likely ask linebacker Jerod Mayo to take a pay cut, or they may release him. Corry writes that his $4.5MM injury guarantee will be the only thing that potentially saves him from being released.
  • Danny Amendola will be expendable, and cutting him will free up $2.1MM in cap room or $4.5MM if he is designated a post June 1st cut.
  • Vince Wilfork could also become a cap casualty, as the team will have to decide whether to guarantee his contract for 2015 and 2016. Releasing him will free up $7.566MM in cap room.
  • The team could also recoup some money from Aaron Hernandez‘ signing bonus if the grievance ruling comes back favorable for the Patriots.

49ers

  • The 49ers could restructure Colin Kaepernick‘s contract to lower his 2015 cap number.
  • Linebacker Ahmad Brooks may be released, freeing up a little over $4MM in cap room.
  • Another staple of the team, Vernon Davis, could be released as performance has dropped. The team would gain $4.95MM from releasing him.
  • If Aldon Smith‘s off-field troubles are too much for the 49ers, the team could decline his 2015 option and pick up $9.754MM in cap space.
  • The team could pass on re-signing Michael Crabtree, and will likely cut Stevie Johnson and save just over $6MM unless they lose Crabtree and replace him with Johnson.
  • The team will most likely not seek to bring Frank Gore back to the team, unless it is at an extremely reasonable number.

Quarterback Notes: Brees, Kaepernick, Orton

December 7th, 2014 at 7:37pm CST by Rob DiRe

With the Saints‘ salary cap situation in disarray, they could look to star quarterback Drew Brees for some relief going forward. Brees is signed through 2016, so a restructuring is unlikely, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Having a $26.4MM cap hit in 2015 puts the team in a tough spot, and based off his play this season, Fitzgerald can’t see the team justifying an extension for him (via Twitter).

What the team is most likely hoping for is a deal similar to the one Tom Brady took with the Patriots, according to Fitzgerald (via Twitter). He described the contract as an “off into the sunset” type of deal, presumably where Brees would take a lower annual salary freeing the team up to spend elsewhere.

Here are a few other notes on quarterback contracts that seem impactful:

  • With the 49ers likely to miss the playoffs after their loss to the Raiders, Colin Kaepernick will have a de-escalator in his contract that will cost him $2MM in 2015, reports Joel Corry of CBS Sports (via Twitter). He was set to make $12.4MM next season, but will see that figure drop to $10.4MM without a playoff appearance.
  • As Kyle Orton has likely failed to lead the Bills to the playoffs, the team could turn back to EJ Manuel this season or next. If the team went with Manuel in 2015, Orton wouldn’t be an expensive backup. He can void his deal, but if he doesn’t he will only count $1.5MM in guaranteed money against the cap next season, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • For teams still looking to draft a quarterback this offseason, the Raiders’ victory over the 49ers has shaken up the potential draft order. With three games to go, the Buccaneers currently hold the top pick, based on record and strength of schedule, according to Ryan McCrystal of DraftAce.com (via Twitter). Following them are the Titans, Jaguars, Jets, and Raiders, respectively.

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.

NFL PR Notes: Goodell, Redskins, Incognito

September 24th, 2014 at 10:17pm CST by Rob DiRe

It seems that as of late the NFL has not been able to escape controversy. One thing after another has come up to humiliate and embarrass the league.

Here are a few notes surrounding some of the controversies the NFL has had to deal with:

  • Saints‘ All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees has been very critical of the way NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reacted to recent transgressions made by players and team personnel. Much like the punishments the Saints were forced to endure after the bounty scandal, Brees sees the NFL’s abuse of power to be unfair, reports Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “Too many times, I’d say especially over the last few years, a punishment’s been handed down and nobody has really seen the evidence except for those in the league office – supposedly,” Brees said. “So decisions were made in kind of a, ‘Hey, trust us.’ But did the public see any of the facts? Did the accused see any of the facts? In most cases, no.”
  • Former Ravens‘ running back Ray Rice has hired Peter Ginsberg as representation for his upcoming appeal, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Ginsberg had previously represented NFL players such as Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, and Jonathan Vilma in their suspension appeals with the league. Florio’s source feels that Ginsberg will push for Rice’s case to be heard by the September 30 deadline or the suspension be overturned.
  • The assistant district attorney in 49ers‘ defensive tackle Ray McDonald case is still without the official report, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Without that report, chances are increased that the court date will have to be pushed back.
  • In the CBS Thursday Night Football commercials for the upcoming Giants versus the Redskins matchup, the word “Redskins” is conspicuously missing, reports Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. While big blue is referred to as “the Giants”, the Redskins are referred to as “Washington.”
  • Classic Comedy Central animated comedy South Park focused its season premiere on the Redskins’ name controversy. Timothy Burke of Deadspin.com has compiled highlights from the episode, that featured parodies of a number of NFL characters.
  • The Patriots‘ are having offensive line problems after trading All-Pro guard Logan Mankins, but they aren’t desperate enough to reach out to disgraced former Dolphin Richie Incognito, according to Andy Gresh on CSNNE.com. “He’s the ultimate last resort,” said Gresh. “There are other teams with o-line issues. He’s gotten a few calls, but no one has signed the guy yet. So I do think the temperature in the league might be a part of it. But he’s out there and no one has said, ‘I’ll deal with it because he’s a good enough player.'”

NFC Notes: Hester, Urlacher, Sproles

September 16th, 2014 at 9:11pm CST by Zachary Links

In an interview with WFAN’s Boomer & Carton show, Lions tailback Reggie Bush said that embattled Vikings running back Adrian Peterson should be allowed to play football, writes NFL.com’s Marc Sessler. “Adrian Peterson, I’ve known for a while, and he’s a good guy,” Bush said. “... I don’t know all the details of the situation what happened, but I know me and like a lot of other guys who were born in the ’80s, and even before then, were raised differently and disciplined differently. And I was one of those kids. I got what we called ‘whoopings,’ whooped with belts and stuff like that. For me, growing up, it was normal. And not to say, not to try to downplay the situation at all, I think that this is genuine, and obviously, I’m sure there’s no ill intent against his own son.” More from the NFC..

  • Coach Lovie Smith definitely wanted Devin Hester in Tampa but the money situation simply didn’t work out in the Bucs‘ favor, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former Bears standout wound up signing with the Falcons this offseason.
  • Former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher resigned his job as a broadcaster job at FOX Sports 1 Tuesday and the Bucs have an injury to starting middle linebacker Mason Foster. Some may be wondering if Urlacher would be a fit for Tampa Bay but if it does happen, it won’t be this week, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The Bucs plan to go with backup middle linebacker Dane Fletcher in Thursday night’s game at Atlanta.
  • Former Eagles president Joe Banner tweeted that he tried to sign Darren Sproles when he a free agent after his time with the Chargers. However, the speedy tailback badly wanted to reunite with Drew Brees in New Orleans and wound up with the Saints. Sproles’ presence in Philadelphia years earlier might have made a big difference for the team, Banner writes.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap gives his thoughts on Robert Quinn‘s extension with the Rams. The contract is similar to what Fitzgerald envisioned for J.J. Watt initially – it underpays him for his production, but it gives him a window for another mega-contract in just a few years. Quinn also gets a decent guarantee package from St. Louis.
  • The Peterson case shows a lack of leadership on the NFL’s part, writes Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press. The Vikings said they’ll let things play out in court for the running back but Powers notes that defensive back Chris Cook, cornerback A.J. Jefferson, and running back Caleb King were never given the same benefit of the doubt when they were in hot water.
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