Gerald McCoy - Pro Football Rumors

NFC South Notes: Panthers, Falcons, Bucs

May 30th, 2019 at 9:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although initial reports indicated Gerald McCoy‘s visit with the Panthers would begin on Thursday, he’ll actually begin meeting with the club on Friday, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The Ravens and Browns have already hosted McCoy, and despite a slew of other reported interest, it appears McCoy will decide between Baltimore, Cleveland, and Carolina, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggests (Twitter link). McCoy, 31, has reportedly drawn offers as high as $11MM per year, although that figure is difficult to believe at face value, especially given Ndamukong Suh — McCoy’s replacement in Tampa Bay — collected only $9.25MM on a one-year deal.

Here’s more from the NFC South:

The Panthers are planning to run more 3-4 looks on defense, at least when they’re in base on early downs, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. Rumors of a scheme change in Carolina have been bubbling for months, but head coach Ron Rivera hadn’t yet confirmed the move. Per Newton, the Panthers began experimenting with 3-4 fronts after Rivera took over play-calling for the final month of the season. According to Warren Sharp’s personnel data, Carolina ranked near the bottom of the league in 2018 in facing three-plus receivers — if that trend continues next year, the Panthers will spend a good deal of time in their new 3-4 base defense.
Defensive end Takkarist McKinley has been experimenting at linebacker during the Falcons‘ organized team activities, reports D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. McKinley, a first-round pick in the 2017 draft, has been lining up over the tight end on certain plays. “There will be some packages where can be a linebacker,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “The value in that (presents the question of) is he a rusher or is he a dropper?” The 23-year-old McKinley posted eight sacks and 50 pressures on 617 snaps last season.
Cam Newton has continually expressed optimism that he’ll be ready for training camp after undergoing offseason shoulder injury, and the Panthers quarterback recent took a step in the right direction. Newton has begun throwing a regulation size football, per Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. The 30-year-old signal-caller sat out the final two games of the 2018 season while dealing with shoulder pain that eventually led to his operation.
New director of athlete performance Greg Skaggs will head a sports science department on the Buccaneers‘ staff, tweets Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link). Skaggs and his crew will work on training and conditioning techniques in an effort to “optimize player health and production.”

Panthers To Meet With Gerald McCoy

May 29th, 2019 at 4:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Gerald McCoy is “tentatively” scheduled to meet with the Panthers this week, a source tells Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Carolina will host McCoy beginning on Thursday night, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

The Panthers first expressed interest in McCoy last week, and that interest “has not waned,” reports Rodrigue. A number of teams, including the Falcons, Saints, Colts, and Bengals have all reportedly at least considered a McCoy addition, but he’s only met with the Browns and Ravens thus far. Cleveland and Baltimore are McCoy’s preferred destinations, although he’s likely to be swayed by financial specifics.

While Carolina already boasts Kawann Short and Dontari Poe at defensive tackle, the club still has room for McCoy along the interior. Short and Poe each played between 50-60% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps in 2018, so McCoy could certainly fit into a rotation. McCoy would likely take playing time away from former first-round pick Vernon Butler (who’s already had his 2020 fifth-year option declined) and reserve Kyle Love.

McCoy, 31, ranked fourth among defensive tackles with 21 quarterback hits in 2018 and finished as the NFL’s No. 28 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.

Browns, Ravens Top Gerald McCoy’s List

May 29th, 2019 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns and Ravens are in the lead for Gerald McCoy‘s services, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, if neither club offers him the contract he wants, it’s possible that things could open up for other teams.

One of those teams could be the Panthers, who have a desire to upgrade at defensive tackle and have been lurking, according to Rapoport. With less than $10MM in projected cap space, the Panthers don’t have a ton of breathing room, but they could get creative with some contract adjustments and/or a backloaded contract for McCoy.

Pairing McCoy with Kawann Short would give the Panthers a potent attack on the inside, but Dontari Poe‘s contract may stand in the way. Signed to a three-year, $28MM deal in 2018, cutting Poe today would leave the Panthers with a whopping $9.2MM cap charge versus just $166K in savings. Instead, the Panthers may prefer to stay the course with Short, Poe, and quality backup Kyle Love.

Latest On Gerald McCoy, Ravens

May 28th, 2019 at 9:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Browns hoped they could have Gerald McCoy signed before he left Cleveland, they now have serious AFC North competition. The Ravens are trying to execute the same strategy.

McCoy’s Tuesday visit will continue to Wednesday morning, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The Ravens hope to have a deal with the decorated defensive lineman by Wednesday, per ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. The Browns, though, have remained in contact with McCoy since he left their facility, Hensley adds.

The six-time Pro Bowler (but zero-game playoff participant) wants to land with a contending team. The Browns have enjoyed a busy offseason loading up for what could be their most talented team since rebooting in 1999, but the Ravens are the defending AFC North champions. This has become an interesting pursuit. No other McCoy visits are known to be scheduled, though numerous teams have inquired.

Baltimore obviously lost plenty of talent from its No. 1-ranked defense this offseason, but most of the shakeups occurred in Baltimore’s secondary or linebacking corps. Brent Urban, however, signed with the Titans after starting 16 Ravens games last season. McCoy would join Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce, who recently signed his second-round RFA tender, on Baltimore’s front. Third-year players Chris Wormley and Willie Henry reside on the Ravens’ line as well. Baltimore also signed UDFA Gerald Willis, who was viewed as a mid-round draft prospect.

The Ravens hold $13.7MM in cap space but have not signed their top three draft choices. A multiyear deal should not be ruled out, with that likely serving the Ravens’ interests better, as The Athletic’s Jeff Zreibec writes (subscription required). Baltimore is expected to hold more than $55MM in 2020 cap space. Another potential draw for McCoy: the employment of defensive line coach Joe Cullen, who was the Buccaneers’ D-line coach from 2014-15.

Poll: Where Will Gerald McCoy Sign?

May 25th, 2019 at 6:46pm CST by Micah Powell

Since being released by the Buccaneers earlier this week, Gerald McCoy has received his fair share of interest from about a quarter of the league’s teams. Once Tampa Bay quickly signed Ndamukong Suh as his replacement, the veteran defensive tackle became arguably the most impactful free agent left on the market.

It’s not hard to see why the nine-year veteran is receiving so much attention. Since entering the league in 2010, the Oklahoma product has earned six Pro Bowl selections and a First Team All-Pro nod (2013) while recording at least five sacks in every season since 2012. He is the only defensive tackle who can make that claim.

The list of teams interested in McCoy’s service is a long one that includes the Browns, Ravens, Panthers, Colts, Bengals, Saints, Falcons and Patriots, who have reportedly pulled out of the running recently. As of this writing, only the Browns and Ravens have been linked to visits. According to reports, McCoy is more interested in playing for a contender and making the playoffs for the first time in his career than a pay day.

His fit in Cleveland would be an intriguing one. That would mean the Browns would roll out a defensive line that would feature McCoy, Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson. That is one formidable front four. The Browns have been connected to McCoy for some time, but they decided against trading for the defensive tackle while he was under contract for $13MM in the upcoming season. After his Bucs release, the Browns might be able to sign him at a lesser rate without giving up any draft capital.

Staying in the AFC North, Baltimore would provide McCoy a contender as the reigning division champs and a loaded defense to work in. In 2018, Baltimore allowed the fewest yards and the second-fewest points in the league, and would become even better on paper with the addition of McCoy.

Drew Brees is making his own pitch for McCoy to join the Saints. “He’s a stud, he’s a great player,” Brees said this week. “I mean you’re basically asking me if I would love having a Pro Bowl defensive tackle that I’ve spent the last eight years trying to run around and avoid, not have hit me, join our team. Yeah, of course.” McCoy would team with the recently signed Malcom Brown up the middle for a team considered by many to be a Super Bowl frontrunner in 2019.

The Colts have the cap space to sign McCoy and have been relatively quiet so far this offseason. The longtime star would fill an immediate role as a leader on a young and up-and-coming defensive unit that features the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard.

Both the Panthers and Falcons have little in the way of cap room to sign McCoy, but that hasn’t stopped the NFC South squads from readying their pitches for the six-time Pro Bowler.

The Bengals are also interested in McCoy, but they are arguably the furthest away from competing for a playoff spot among the other teams listed. Though pairing McCoy with fellow standout Geno Atkins up the middle would instantly propel Cincinnati into the conversation in the AFC North.

So which team will be the one to land the impact defensive tackle? Is it one of the squads already rumored to be interested, or will a mystery team emerge and secure McCoy’s signature? Vote in the poll (link for app users) and let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Extra Points: McCoy, Cooper, Bears

May 24th, 2019 at 9:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Gerald McCoy spent nearly a decade with the Buccaneers, who have not made the playoffs since 2007. As a result, he is prioritizing a certain type of team as a first-time free agent. McCoy said he plans to sign with a contender, ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson reports.

“I want to win,” McCoy said. “I’m not worried about where I’m living. Wherever I got to go to win. … Everybody’s open.”

Thus far, the Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Colts and Panthers have emerged as McCoy suitors. The Browns and Ravens have received or will receive meetings, Cleveland’s occurring over the past two days and Baltimore’s set for Tuesday. The $11MM-AAV offer is believed to have come from a non-contending team. Despite the Browns’ NFL-long playoff drought (16 years), their offseason improvements have this year’s edition profiling as a playoff threat, joining the Ravens and Colts in that regard. Interestingly, the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots no longer appear to be interested in the six-time Pro Bowler.

Here is the latest from around the league:

Julio Jones and the Falcons are engaged in contract negotiations, and these talks may well be impacting another NFC team’s re-up discussions with a No. 1 wideout. The Cowboys look to be under the impression Amari Cooper is waiting on the Jones deal before moving forward in his negotiation, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. The Cowboys and Cooper are at a stalemate presently, and although Cooper may not have much of a case to be paid more than Jones, the Alabama alums’ age difference (Jones is 30; Cooper will turn 25 next month) may bring their next prices closer together.
The Bears are doing some rearranging up front. Former second-round picks Cody Whitehair and James Daniels are switching positions, with Whitehair set to slide to left guard and Daniels to center, J.J. Stankevitz of NBC Sports Chicago notes. A 2016 draftee, Whitehair has started all 48 games in his career and has spent most of that run as the Bears’ snapper. Whitehair played guard at Kansas State, while Daniels — a 2018 draft choice — was primarily a center at Iowa. Both played well last season in their old jobs, Whitehair grading as Pro Football Focus’ No. 10 center and Daniels ending his rookie year as PFF’s No. 29 guard.
Additionally, Bears backup running back Taquan Mizzell is now a wide receiver, Stankevitz adds. Mizzell is also in his third Bears season; he only received nine carries in 2018.

Ravens To Host Gerald McCoy On Visit

May 24th, 2019 at 4:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

In what has quickly become a crowded pursuit, Gerald McCoy will make another trip to meet with an AFC North team. The Ravens are up next on the veteran defensive tackle’s docket, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter).

McCoy will make a trip to Baltimore on Tuesday, per Stroud, but this does not mean the Browns are out of the mix. The sides wrapped up their visit recently, and the Browns remain in contention to sign the nine-year Buccaneer.

The Browns booked the first meeting with McCoy, but it looks like it will take a contract — at least, in terms of per-year value — worth nearly what McCoy was making with the Bucs to secure his services. While more will go into McCoy’s second NFL landing spot than finances, it is believed the 31-year-old interior defender has drawn an offer of $11MM per year. However, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports that proposal is not from a team coming off a winning season. Still, with more than a quarter of the NFL interested, McCoy won’t come cheap.

The Cleveland visit went well, with Cabot reporting the Browns tried to sign him before the summit concluded. McCoy would prefer to land with a team that has realistic playoff opportunities. With the Bucs having not made the playoffs since 2007, McCoy has never suited up for an NFL postseason game. If the Browns end up adding McCoy, they will have four Pro Bowlers on their defensive line; only four other teams have employed that many on a defensive front since 1970, according to the NFL Network.

For the Ravens, McCoy would add another big name to a defense that lost a few but gained one (Earl Thomas) this offseason. While the Ravens did lose Brent Urban, the big names lost were either linebackers or defensive backs. Baltimore uses a 3-4 scheme and has well-regarded nose tackle Brandon Williams. The Ravens could use some depth up front, however, and a McCoy signing would likely move one of Baltimore’s incumbent ends to the bench.

McCoy would likely factor in as an end in Ravens base sets and move inside in sub-packages. He played the bulk of his 731 snaps (498) at either left or right defensive tackle last season, though 141 did come at left end to reveal some possibilities for the next team that deploys McCoy.

Gerald McCoy Draws $11MM/Year Offer

May 24th, 2019 at 9:41am CST by Zachary Links

Gerald McCoy has drawn offers as high as $11MM per season, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Furthermore, Stroud hears that McCoy has garnered interest from ten teams since his release from Tampa.

So far, McCoy has been connected to the Browns, Ravens, Falcons, Saints, Colts, Bengals, and Panthers. The Patriots were also said to have interest in the defensive tackle, but on Thursday night we learned that they are no longer in the mix.

It’s unlikely that McCoy will be able to match his previous $13MM/year salary, but he might get something close to that from one of these clubs. Of course, in some of these cases, negotiating will be a bit like trying to extract blood from a stone since clubs like the Falcons and Saints have little in the way of available cap space.

First up for McCoy is a Friday visit with the Browns.

Patriots Out On Gerald McCoy?

May 23rd, 2019 at 6:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the Patriots had been previously mentioned as a possible suitor for Gerald McCoy, New England is not currently in the mix for the free agent defensive tackle, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Additionally, the Browns are not considered the frontrunners to land McCoy, per Cabot.

Roughly a quarter of the NFL has reportedly expressed interest in McCoy since he was released by the Buccaneers earlier this week. The Browns, Ravens, Falcons, Saints, Colts, Bengals, and Panthers have all at least considered reaching out to the veteran interior defender, but the only team known to have actually scheduled a visit with McCoy is the Browns.

McCoy was under contract for $13MM in Tampa Bay, and it still seems unlikely he’ll be able to match that total on the open market. (If a team had been willing to pay that salary, the Buccaneers likely could have found a trade partner). But given the level of interest in him, McCoy could push for a lucrative one-year pact. For reference, fellow defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who just replaced McCoy in Tampa Bay, landed one year and $9.25MM.

McCoy, 31, ranked fourth among defensive tackles with 21 quarterback hits in 2018 and finished as the NFL’s No. 28 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.

Panthers Inquire On Gerald McCoy

May 23rd, 2019 at 4:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers inquired on free agent defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). No visit has been scheduled just yet, but he’s squarely on Carolina’s radar.

For those keeping score at home, that makes eight known teams with interest in the former Bucs standout:

The Bucs chose to release McCoy this week rather than pay him $13MM for 2019 or attempt to negotiate a pay cut. Even though Tampa preferred Suh (on a cheaper deal), McCoy was still quite productive in 2018 as he posted six sacks and brought his career total to 54.5.

The Panthers may struggle to find cap space for McCoy, but a lack of funding isn’t stopping contenders like the Saints, Patriots, or Falcons from pursuing him.