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Eugene Monroe

Dolphins Plan To Pursue Monroe, Albert

February 26th, 2014 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

Overhauling the offensive line will be one of the Dolphins’ top priorities this offseason, and the team intends to get started on that process in free agency. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins like free-agent-to-be left tackles Eugene Monroe and Branden Albert, and plan to pursue both players in the hopes of landing one of the two.

Bryant McKinnie and Jonathan Martin handled left tackle duties for the Dolphins in 2013, and neither player was particularly effective, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). McKinnie will be eligible for free agency himself, and Martin is extremely unlikely to return to Miami following last season’s bullying scandal, so left tackle represents a major hole for the club. And as I suggested earlier this week, Monroe and Albert both qualify as first-tier options on this year’s free agent market.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that both Monroe and Albert even make it to free agency. A report from two weeks ago indicated that the Chiefs were likely to let Albert walk, but GM John Dorsey said last week that’s not necessarily the case, confirming that the team has talked to the veteran’s representatives. As for Monroe, he expressed last week that he’s not interested in accepting a discount to remain in Baltimore, but head coach John Harbaugh has still conveyed optimism about the two sides working something out.

With those two players high on their wish list, the Dolphins hope to land a left tackle in free agency, then address the right tackle position in the draft, according to Jackson, who notes that Notre Dame’s Zack Martin could be an option at No. 19 overall. Considering Richie Incognito and John Jerry certainly won’t return, Miami will also need to revamp its guard rotation, though it sounds like shoring up the outside of the offensive line ranks higher on the team’s to-do list than bolstering the inside.

Free Agency Notes: Pitta, Maclin, Cooper

February 22nd, 2014 at 7:47pm CST by Peter Sowards

Taking care of free agent tight end Dennis Pitta is the top priority for the Ravens, according to Bo Smolka of CSN Baltimore.

With the contract extension for linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs in the books, GM Ozzie Newsome said at his Scouting Combine news conference that Baltimore is “concentrating” on locking up the fourth-year BYU player for the foreseeable future.

Smolka notes that Baltimore has until March 3 to apply the franchise tag on Pitta, and they can expect a fight if they do so — Pitta lined up as an in-line tight end less than 25% of the time and will argue he deserves the $11.6MM wide receiver designation, as opposed to the $6.8MM tight end figure.

We talked yesterday about Ravens coach John Harbaugh being optimistic that the team can retain Pitta, as well as offensive tackle Eugene Monroe. Newsome is arguably the finest general manager in the league, so don’t bet against the possibility of him bringing back both players at team-friendly prices.

Some other free agent notes to pass along, in particular dealing with Philadelphia…

  • The Eagles are prioritizing Jeremy Maclin over Riley Cooper, NFL sources have told Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • In a perfect world, McClane says Philadelphia would sign Maclin to a one-year deal, then try to sign another receiver with starting ability.
  • In his Thursday interview at the NFL Combine, GM Howie Roseman said it would be a tough sell to keep both players. “You can only put a limited amount of resources into the position before it starts taking out from other places,” he said.
  • This previous PFR post takes an in-depth look at the two receivers with the help of Pro Football Focus.

Ravens Rumors: Pitta, Monroe, Jones, Draft

February 21st, 2014 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve passed along a couple Ravens updates from the combine already today, but Aaron Wilson’s latest piece for the Baltimore Sun includes so many notable nuggets on the team that we’ll need a new post to round them all up. Let’s dive in….

  • The Ravens are in discussions with tight end Dennis Pitta and offensive tackle Eugene Monroe about new contracts, and coach John Harbaugh is optimistic about locking up both players. “To my knowledge, both of those guys really want to be here and we really want them here,” Harbaugh said. “That’s a good formula for working things out.”
  • If the Ravens tag Pitta as their franchise player, he’s expected to file a grievance to try to get the wide receiver tag, a source tells Wilson.
  • Harbaugh didn’t close the door on the possibility of bringing back both Monroe and Michael Oher, though a previous report suggested Oher is unlikely to return if Monroe re-signs.
  • Defensive tackle Arthur Jones is expected to receive heavy interest on the open market, and may be too expensive for the Ravens, as Harbaugh acknowledges: “It’s probably the one contract that he’ll have a chance to sign, a real big one. Guys that sign two big contracts, that’s very unusual. Three almost never happens, so you never feel bad about a guy getting an opportunity. You never want to lose a good player. But from a personal standpoint, you have to feel good about that. Whether we can match that or not, that’s all in the math.”
  • The Ravens will meet with Boston College running back Andre Williams, who also has meetings scheduled with the Jaguars, Bills, and Bengals, tweets Wilson.
  • Arizona running back Ka’Deem Carey also met with the Ravens, as well as the Steelers, at the combine, tweets Wilson.

Ray Rice Expected To Be Suspended

February 20th, 2014 at 8:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

THURSDAY, 6:55pm: A source tells theMMQB.com’s Robert Klemko that Atlantic City police have an unreleased video of Rice knocking his fiancée unconscious before dragging her (via Twitter). Klemko said he expects a suspension for Rice.

MONDAY, 1:32pm: Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome says running back Ray Rice will be back with the team in 2014, and remains a “big part” of the team’s plans, according to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times. Rice was arrested Saturday as part of a domestic dispute, and his off-the-field trouble only adds to his recent struggles. Rice, 27, is coming off his worst statistical season as a starter, as he rushed for just 660 yards and four touchdowns, and ranked as the worst running back in the league according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics. As he enters the third year of a five-year-deal, one could speculate that his roster spot might be in jeopardy, but Newsome seemingly squashed this notion, only allowing that the organization was not finished gathering information on the incident.

Some other Ravens-centric news items:

South Notes: Caldwell, Griffin, Washington

February 20th, 2014 at 8:46pm CST by Peter Sowards

Despite owning 10 selections in the 2014 NFL Draft — including No. 3 overall — Jaguars second-year GM David Caldwell cites a robust class of eligible draftees as a reason to trade down and stockpile picks.

“We have 10 picks already and when we did the Eugene Monroe trade, we felt it would be a deep draft,” Caldwell said at his NFL Scouting Combine interview, according to John Oehser of Gaguars.com. “We feel really good about having an extra four and an extra five.”

In addition to its regularly allotted picks in Rounds 1-7, Jacksonville acquired a fifth-round pick with the trade of receiver Mike Thomas to the Lions, along with the aforementioned fourth- and fifth-round picks from the Ravens in the Monroe trade.

With NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock calling this draft class the deepest in the last 10 years, and Steelers GM Kevin Colbert saying it’s the deepest he’s ever seen, one would be hard-pressed to argue with Caldwell’s philosophy, especially with a lineup devoid of blue-chip talent.

More notes from the AFC and NFC South….

  • Titans safety Michael Griffin and receiver Nate Washington are due to make $6.2MM and $4.8MM in 2014, respectively, but it “sounds like they’re going to be OK,” according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (Twitter link).
  • However, Wyatt doesn’t feel so optimistic about right tackle David Stewart, who is scheduled to earn $6.4MM next season. The Titans would not endure a cap hit of any kind if they release Stewart, who is in the final year of a six-year deal and has missed four games in each of the past two seasons due to injury.
  • Saints GM Mickey Loomis said he plans on filling as many needs as possible in free agency, then finding the best players available in the draft, writes John DeShazier of NewOrleansSaints.com. The New Orleans staff has all the reports written on the 2014 NFL draft class, said Loomis, and that it is now in the “fine-tuning” stage of the evaluation process.
  • DeShazier notes that the BPA strategy has paid dividends with Loomis at GM, unearthing gems like Jahri Evans and Marques Colston in the fourth and seventh rounds of 2006, along with Pierre Thomas and Junior Galette as undrafted free agents in 2007 and 2010.

Extra Points: Fox, Monroe, Cowboys, Cap

February 20th, 2014 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

There will be plenty of meetings between teams and player agents this week, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) that clubs will also have the opportunity to touch base with their coaches’ agents. The Broncos have a meeting scheduled this weekend with agent Bob LaMonte to discuss a new deal for head coach John Fox, according to Rapoport. Here’s more from around the league, as updates from the Indianapolis combine dominate the NFL news wire:

  • Speaking to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times, offensive tackle Eugene Monroe confirmed that he and the Ravens have entered discussions about a new contract, and said those talks in and of themselves are a positive sign. Although Monroe cautioned that it’s still early, the free-agent-to-be said it would be “awesome” to continue as a Raven.
  • While the Cowboys are expected to explore extensions for wide receiver Dez Bryant and offensive tackle Tyron Smith this offseason, those talks haven’t gotten underway yet, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
  • In the wake of the new $130MM salary cap projection put forth by Adam Schefter this morning, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has adjusted his estimates for 2014’s restricted free agent tenders and franchise tags.
  • New Browns GM Ray Farmer told reporters, including Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland, that he’s looking forward to meeting with quarterback prospect Johnny Manziel.
  • While he likely won’t have much say in the decision, Jarrett Bush tells Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) that he’d be “shocked” if the Packers don’t re-sign fellow defensive back Sam Shields.
  • The Seahawks aren’t expected to use the franchise tag this year, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
  • In a piece for the National Football Post, Joel Corry identifies 10 players who are candidates to restructure their contracts this offseason.

AFC North Notes: Cotchery, Ravens, Rice

February 19th, 2014 at 8:07pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we learned that center Alex Mack has some questions for the Browns before he discusses re-signing with them. “I think the most important thing is Alex really would want to meet the coaches,” agent Marv Demoff said. “He was pretty close to [former offensive line coach George] Warhop, and liked [former head coach Rob] Chudzinski. Everything he had in Cleveland is changed. Warhop was a constant for five years. He’s gone. There’s a different head coach, different offensive coordinator, different offensive line coach. If you’re looking at this from an intelligent point of view, there’s more to it than money. You have to believe in what you’re doing. I want Alex first to be able to sign off and say I’m fine with all the changes and where they’re headed.” Tonight’s look at the AFC North..

  • Free agent Jerricho Cotchery has switched agents, going from Jack Scharf to Brian Levy of Goal Line Football, according to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). Last year with the Steelers, the 31-year-old hauled in 46 catches for 602 yards and ten touchdowns. It was Cotchery’s highest yardage total since 2009 with the Jets and his first 16-game season since 2008.
  • The Ravens are in a lose-lose situation with running back Ray Rice, writes ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. If the Ravens stand by Rice in the face of the ugly allegations, they’re going to face increasing pressure from fans and negative media attention to cut him. If the Ravens cut Rice, they will lose a significant chunk of their salary cap as they try to rebound from their disappointing 8-8 season.
  • The Ravens have reached out to left tackle Eugene Monroe about re-signing him to a new deal, but Monroe notes that it’s “still early” in the process, writes Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times.

AFC Notes: Monroe, Texans, Jaguars, Talib

February 19th, 2014 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

As we heard earlier this week, re-signing offensive tackle Eugene Monroe will be a priority for the Ravens this offseason. However, the team shouldn’t expect to bring back Monroe at a discount. As Chris Wesseling of NFL.com details, Monroe recently told WNST-AM in Baltimore that he intends to maximize his value — either on the open market in March, or before that, if he and the Ravens can reach an agreement.

“Everyone in the business should understand – even coaches when they’re going through their deals negotiating contracts – you have to get the absolute best because you put forth your best effort all the time, every single day in this league,” Monroe said. “So there are definitely no discounts, and you have to have you and your family’s best interests at heart in terms of negotiating these deals.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • League sources “increasingly believe” that the Texans are leaning toward Johnny Manziel with the first overall pick, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, who hears that the team has been “quietly falling in lust” with the Texas A&M signal-caller. With over two and a half months still to go until the draft though, nothing is close to being set in stone yet.
  • Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com spoke extensively to Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell about his team’s future, and the piece produced several noteworthy quotes from the Jacksonville GM. Among them: Caldwell suggested he’d rather deal with the backlash for not drafting a quarterback third overall in May than pick the wrong guy.
  • While it’s still possible that the Redskins will make a play for free-agent-to-be Aqib Talib, their new contract agreement with DeAngelo Hall reduces their need for a cornerback, which could be good news for the Patriots, as Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes.
  • Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune explores whether Eric Decker might be for a fit for the Chargers, but concludes that the free agent receiver figures to be too expensive for San Diego.
  • In an open letter to Joe Philbin, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald questions why the Dolphins’ head coach has been silent throughout the offseason, even since the publication of the Ted Wells report.

Ravens Rumors: Pitta, Monroe, Oher, Ngata

February 18th, 2014 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

We passed along word last night that the Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta remain “far apart” in contract negotiations, but that isn’t the only noteworthy tidbit from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Ravens insider provided several more rumors in his latest piece, so let’s round up the highlights:

  • Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said during Monday’s presser to announce Terrell Suggs‘ new contract that the team has entered negotiations with many of its own free agents: “We’ve engaged in discussions with several of our players. With the combine coming up, the majority of the agents will be there and we will be there. I’m sure we’ll have some more talks, but we’ve engaged in several conversations with several players.”
  • A source predicts to Wilson that the Ravens will designate Pitta as their franchise player, which will likely be followed by Pitta filing a grievance in an effort to be designated as a wide receiver rather than a tight end. Like Jimmy Graham of the Saints, Pitta lined up as a receiver for more than half of his 2013 snaps.
  • The Ravens are prioritizing re-signing offensive tackle Eugene Monroe and have begun negotiations with his camp, says Wilson. If the team is able to lock up Monroe, fellow free agent tackle Michael Oher is unlikely to be retained.
  • Baltimore would also like to bring back middle linebacker Daryl Smith, though no deal is imminent.
  • Defensive lineman Arthur Jones is expected to draw “heavy interest” on the open market, and the Ravens may not have the cap flexibility to re-sign him, according to Wilson.
  • The Ravens explored the possibility of lowering Haloti Ngata‘s cap number, but have been unable to reach a “realistic” financial compromise, a source tells Wilson. Cutting the defensive tackle isn’t viewed as a viable option for the team.

Hensley On Ravens Free Agency, Draft

January 26th, 2014 at 3:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

ESPN.com’s AFC North reporter Jamison Hensley had several interesting Ravens notes in a recent chat:

  • Hensley believes that linebacker Daryl Smith is likely to be re-signed due to his low price tag. Smith was vital to the Raven’s defense in 2013, admirably replacing Ray Lewis after spending the previous nine seasons with the Jaguars. He led the team in tackles and broke Lewis’ single-season record for pass deflections.
  • The Ravens would like to see receiver Jacoby Jones return, but cannot afford another $4 million price tag for a third receiver/return specialist.
  • Offensive tackle Michael Oher‘s fate is intertwined with that of fellow lineman Eugene Monroe. If the Ravens can’t re-sign Monroe, they will approach Oher about a potential return.
  • Hensley expects the Ravens to target a receiver in the first round of the draft to pair with Torrey Smith.
  • Safety and center are two areas where the Ravens might look to improve via free agency. Because Baltimore is still aiming to develop Matt Elam and Gino Gradkowski at those positions, veteran free agent options — like centers Jonathan Goodwin or Roberto Garza and safeties such as Louis Delmas or Chris Clemons — might make the most sense. Jeff Siedel of CSN Baltimore agrees that the Ravens must have other options at center behind Gradkowski, who struggled last season.