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Dwayne Bowe

AFC Mailbags: Jags, McFadden, Chiefs, Jets

January 24th, 2015 at 8:58am 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 AFC…

Panthers Links: Free Agents, Offseason

January 18th, 2015 at 6:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Packers are officially in offseason mode, but their front office still needs a little time to adjust to a devastating loss to the Seahawks, blowing a 16-0 halftime lead and wasting a great defensive effort against Russell Wilson and company.

We will surely check in with them later on. For now, we’ll turn our focus to the Panthers – the team eliminated by the Seahawks a week ago (in far less dramatic fashion) – as their offseason is in full swing.

Here are some stories surrounding the Panthers 2014 season as they head into a very important offseason where they try to win the NFC South for a record-extending three straight years.

  • Head coach Ron Rivera might be disappointed in how the team’s season ended, but he is looking forward to taking the next step in 2015, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “I got off the airplane excited about it, when I had the opportunity to talk to the team, it really was about going forward more than anything else,” said Rivera. “I think if we can take a big step we can put ourselves in position to win the Super Bowl. We’re close. I think we can get even closer.”
  • Person also hands out some grades to position groups for the 2014 NFL. Among the positions that received awful grades are the offensive tackles, safeties, and special teams units. Those positions need to improve if the Panthers want to take that next step, and with Person giving the coaching staff a C grade, Rivera himself needs to be better next year.
  • The Charlotte Observer also puts together a list of the contract status for every Panthers player, including not only those under contract, but free agents (restricted, unrestricted, and exclusive rights) as well.
  • While Person is focused on some of the players the Panthers will look to retain, his colleague Jonathan Jones examines the free agent market at some of their positions of need. Assuming a few big name players re-sign with their current teams, the Panthers could realistically benefit from the additions of players like offensive tackle King Dunlap, cornerbacks Kareem Jackson and Walter Thurmond, and safeties Nate Allen and Da’Norris Searcy. Jones also picks out four receivers the team should target in Randall Cobb, Cecil Shorts, Torrey Smith, and Dwayne Bowe.

Sunday Roundup: Fitz, Polamalu, Suh

January 4th, 2015 at 12:34pm CST by Rory Parks

As soon as Larry Fitzgerald‘s 2014 season ended with an unceremonious whimper yesterday, talk regarding his cloudy future with the Cardinals began anew. Our Luke Adams wrote that Arizona is unlikely to cut Fitzgerald, but they could trade him or ask to him to restructure his contract. Although Carson Palmer recently signed a three-year extension with the club, Fitzgerald, who of course would like to add a Super Bowl ring to his Hall-of-Fame resume, will have to consider if his odds of winning it all might not be greater somewhere else before he accepts such a restructure or pay cut (which was deemed unlikely last week).

We noted earlier this morning that the Patriots will once again emerge as a logical landing spot for Fitzgerald. Tom Brady would offer him the caliber of quarterback that he has rarely enjoyed in his career, and New England is seemingly always on the lookout for upgrades at the wide receiver position.

Any decision on Fitzgerald, of course, will likely have to be made before March, when he is owed an $8MM roster bonus. For his part, Fitzgerald says he has not thought about his 2015 destination just yet. “The taste of defeat is the only thing I can think about right now,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s all that’s on my mind. It’s been a great season competing with these fellas and this coaching staff.”

Now for some links from around the league as Day 2 of Wildcard Weekend gets underway.

  • Steelers safety Troy Polamalu says it is fair to wonder if he has played his last game, tweets Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review adds (via Twitter) that there is virtually no chance Polamalu returns next season.
  • Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ponders the futures of several other Steelers veterans, including Ike Taylor and James Harrison.
  • Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network tweets that the Lions hope Ndamukong Suh will test his value on the free agent market and ultimately return to Detroit.
  • Suh may have a number of suitors, and although Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com notes that Washington will have some salary cap room to work with in free agency, Suh should not be one of the team’s targets.
  • Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com writes that the recent front office “shake-up” in the Eagles organization, which ostensibly gave head coach Chip Kelly full control over the team’s roster, does not really present much of a change. After all, as Kulp says, “[W]hat moves have the Eagles made in the two years since Kelly’s arrival that didn’t have his fingerprints all over them?”
  • Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that the 49ers‘ lack of a consistent approach to their head coaching search makes their hiring process just as difficult to understand as the decision to cut ties with Jim Harbaugh.
  • Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star lays out the difficult decisions the Chiefs have to make this offseason, including what to do with Dwayne Bowe and Tamba Hali, the release of whom could give the team some much-needed cap space.
  • Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said that suspended linebacker Daryl Washington has “protocols” to pass before he can be reinstated, and Arians, team president Michael Bidwill, and GM Steve Keim will “sit down and talk about” Washington’s future (Twitter links from Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com).
  • Arians also stated that he believes Cardinals quarterback Logan Thomas has a great future, which is one of the reasons Arians chose not to play him down the stretch and into the playoffs; he did not want to put Thomas through “growing pains” (Twitter link to Urban).
  • In yet another tweet, Urban reports that Cardinals wideout Jaron Brown fractured his scapula in yesterday’s loss to Carolina and is expected to be out four to six months.

AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Revis, Raiders, Jags

January 3rd, 2015 at 9:28am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers have opened up their mailbags and are answering questions from readers. Let’s check out some interesting whispers from the AFC…

  • Adam Teicher wonders if Alex Smith‘s tendency to be a checkdown quarterback may hurt the Chiefs in their pursuit of free agent wideouts. The writer cites the team’s pursuit of Emmanuel Sanders last offseason, who was originally expected to sign with Kansas City.
  • Speaking of the Chiefs and wide receivers, Teicher believes the organization will part ways with veteran Dwayne Bowe if the sides can’t agree on a new contract.
  • If cornerback Darrelle Revis doesn’t end up sticking around with the Patriots, Rich Cimini basically guarantees that the Pro Bowler will eventually reunite with Rex Ryan.
  • The Raiders and free agent center Stefen Wisniewski have discussed a new deal but are not close to an agreement, writes Bill Williamson. The former second-round pick has expressed interest in staying in Oakland, but the writer believes the lineman could ultimately test free agency.
  • As long as the Broncos don’t place the franchise tag on tight end Julius Thomas, Michael DiRocco believes the Jaguars “have a chance” at signing the offensive weapon.

AFC Mailbags: Tannehill, Bowe, Richardson

December 6th, 2014 at 8:50am CST by Ben Levine

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

  • Ryan Tannehill‘s fifth-year option is worth $15MM, and James Walker believes the hefty price could prompt the Dolphins to start extension talks with their quarterback this offseason.
  • Walker can’t envision the Dolphins retaining the same linebacker core next season, and he guesses that either Philip Wheeler or Dannell Ellerbe will be a cap casualty.
  • Looking towards the draft, Rich Cimini thinks there’s a possibility that Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston will be off the board when it’s the Jets time to pick. The writer suggests the team could instead focus on drafting a wide receiver or cornerback with their first-rounder.
  • Adam Teicher opines that Chiefs wideout Dwayne Bowe is likely playing his final four games with the team. Reversely, he believes linebacker Tamba Hali will ultimately stick around.
  • Mike Wells writes that the Colts will pursue a free agent running back, regardless of how Trent Richardson finishes the season.
  • Michael DiRocco is under the impression that the Jaguars will focus on drafting a pass-rusher with their first-round pick. While some may be hoping for an offensive lineman, the writer says the team could select a solid prospect in the middle rounds.

AFC Mailbags: Dolphins, Ravens, Raiders, Chiefs

October 4th, 2014 at 12:50pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier today. Let’s take a look at notes from the AFC…

  • LaMichael James‘ best chances of making the Dolphins 53-man roster is via a role on special teams, according to James Walker.
  • The “slower-than-antcipated” development of Ravens linebacker Arthur Brown has resulted in him being labeled a disappointment, writes Jamison Hensley. However, the writer says that it’s too early to give up on the former second-rounder.
  • Bill Williamson can envision the Raiders giving Charles Woodson one more season if the cornerback wants to continue playing.
  • Adam Teicher says there’s a possibility the Chiefs could cut Dwayne Bowe after the season, but it’s far from a guarantee.
  • The Chiefs should be in no rush to extend linebacker Justin Houston, writes Teicher. The team has until March to reach an agreement, and Teicher notes that the Chiefs have leverage with their franchise tag.

Chiefs Announce Series Of Roster Moves

September 9th, 2014 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chiefs officially finalized a series of roster moves today, according to a team release. Besides confirming the signing of defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson, and the additions of wideout Armon Binns and tight end Adam Schiltz to their practice squad, which had been previously reported, the Chiefs also announced the following moves:

Added to 53-man roster:

Removed from 53-man roster:

Signed to practice squad:

Removed from practice squad:

Chiefs Announce Cuts, Down To 53 Players

August 30th, 2014 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chiefs have announced 22 roster moves, taking their player count from 75 to the required 53-man limit. Via a press release, here’s the full list of players who were removed from the team’s active roster:

Cut:

Placed on injured reserve:

Placed on reserve/non-football injury list:

Placed on reserve/suspended list:

The Effect Of Dwayne Bowe’s Suspension

August 15th, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Luke Adams

While we wait for the NFL to announce its decisions on players like Josh Gordon and Aldon Smith, who will likely face lengthy suspensions for the 2014 season, the league confirmed today that another player will be banned from his team’s Week 1 contest next month — Chiefs wideout Dwayne Bowe was suspended for a game as a result of his arrest for marijuana possession last fall.Dwayne Bowe

On the surface, a one-game penalty for Bowe may not seem like a significant blow for him or his team, but as former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com points out (via Twitter), the remaining base salary guarantees on Bowe’s contract are voided as a result of his suspension. Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap breaks down the specifics, writing that the 29-year-old previously had his full $8.75MM salary for 2014 guaranteed, along with $1.5MM of his $10.75MM salary for 2015. Now that he’s been suspended, those guarantees are no longer in place.

According to Fitzgerald, the elimination of the guarantee on Bowe’s 2014 salary is merely semantic — in Fitzgerald’s view, we’re so close to the start of the regular season that it won’t make a huge difference for the Chiefs, who will rely on the receiver to be one of Alex Smith‘s favorite targets this season. On the other hand, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk outlines a scenario in which the voided guarantee could create a window for Kansas City to part ways with Bowe, likely by releasing him rather than trading him.

Prior to the suspension, Bowe’s contract, which has a cap number of $12MM for the 2014 season and $14MM for 2015, would have counted as $11.75MM in dead money this year and $10.5MM in dead money for next year if the Chiefs had cut him — in other words, the cap savings would have been minimal. Now, Kansas City could release him and take a 2014 cap penalty of just $3MM ($9MM in savings), with the remaining $9MM hitting next year’s cap. As Florio points out, such a move would not only create a sizable chunk of cap space immediately for the Chiefs – perhaps making it easier to sign Smith to a long-term extension – but it could open the door for Bowe to land with a receiver-needy team like the Browns.

For now though, that line of thought appears to just be speculative. While the lack of guaranteed money on Bowe’s 2015 salary will be something to consider for the Chiefs when they decide whether to keep him the veteran wideout around beyond this season, the odds of the club releasing him in the coming weeks are slim. As Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets, as much as the Chiefs talk about liking their young wideouts, Bowe is still their No. 1 option, and cutting him would come off as a signal the club is punting on the 2014 season.

Bowe’s one-game suspension and voided guarantees will give the Chiefs something to think about as they consider their short- and long-term options at receiver. And perhaps one of the team’s other wideouts will shine in the game Bowe misses, setting the stage for a breakout season that makes the former Pro Bowler more expendable at year’s end. At the moment, however, it’s presumptuous to assume that his one-game ban will affect Bowe’s 2014 status in Kansas City.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Bowe, Bortles, Blue

August 15th, 2014 at 12:11pm CST by Matt Feminis

Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe will be suspended for the season opener as a result of his marijuana possession arrest last November, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Bowe is dealing with a “shot” finger, as Andy Reid told the KC Star’s Terez Paylor.

Here’s some more miscellaneous links from around the league:

      • Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles’ second preseason game was televised nationally last night, and praise is pouring in. “It was against the second- and third-team defenders for the Bears, but there was no question Blake Bortles looked the part of a viable NFL quarterback on Thursday night in Chicago,” said CBS’ Will Brinson. Bortles “showed why he’s the future of the franchise, and why the future just might be now,” said Bleacher Reports Ty Schalter. “Bortles has looked to be every bit of the future Pro Bowl quarterback a team expects to get with a top three draft pick,” said USA Today’s Chris Strauss, who calls for the Jags to name Bortles the starter immediately. And ESPN’s Michael DiRocco says Bortles needs first-team reps this week.
      • Could the Ravens be trying to sneak sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning onto the practice squad? Backup Tyrod Taylor is scheduled for most of the work in tomorrow’s preseason game, and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley makes an “educated guess” the team will limit Wenning’s exposure to other teams who might want to poach him. “The presumed plan is to develop Wenning into the primary backup by next season, when Taylor is a free agent,” says Hensley.
      • Another rookie making waves is Texans sixth-round running back Alfred Blue. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli relayed praise for Blue from Bill O’Brien, who assessed the rookie’s skill set: “Good teammate, hardworking guy, football smart, three-down back — he’s got to continue to improve catching the football. But good runner, good vision, good on special teams, understands football, asks good questions. I see some good things from Alfred.” An ACL injury and crowded LSU backfield limited Blue’s college exposure — he carried just 209 times in 40 games — but scouts took notice of his physical ability once he declared for the draft, forgoing another year of eligibility. In his NFL Draft Preview book, Nolan Nawrocki described Blue as “A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness.” Nawrocki added that Blue is a prime candidate to be a “far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.”
      • ESPN’s staff spotlighted each team’s most intriguing skill-position battle. Among the most notable capsules, Mike Reiss talks about the Patriots’ trio of running backs, saying Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen or James White could be featured any given week.
      • Greg Toler and Donte Moncrief are among four standouts in Colts camp identified by IndyStar.com’s Stephen Holder. On Toler, Holder says, “Toler has been all over the field during camp, showing his superior ball skills and ability to play man coverage in the Colts defense. If he continues to perform like this heading into the regular season, the Colts won’t see much of a dropoff from franchise cornerback Vontae Davis to Toler.”
      • The Packers are deeper this season in the eyes of Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn, who analyzes the team’s projected roster position by position.
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