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Golden Tate

King On Albert, Monroe, Raiders, Byrd, Vick

March 10th, 2014 at 7:28am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column at TheMMQB.com, Peter King tackles free agency, writing that cornerbacks and offensive tackles look poised to become the biggest beneficiaries of the extra cap space around the NFL. As King writes, Sam Shields‘ four-year deal from the Packers improves the negotiating positions of the top corners on the market, meaning Alterraun Verner, Vontae Davis, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Aqib Talib should all get $8MM+ per year. Here’s more from King on free agency:

  • While the Giants are pursuing Verner, King is skeptical they’d pay the free agent cornerback $10MM per year, which is what he may cost.
  • The Dolphins look ready to “blow the opposition out of the water” for offensive tackle Branden Albert, perhaps with a long-term offer worth $10-11MM year. In that event, the Cardinals would strongly pursue Jared Veldheer, and the Raiders would likely shift their attention to Rodger Saffold, according to King, who adds that the tackles will likely be the first free agent dominoes to fall.
  • The offensive tackle shuffle could leave the Ravens with the player they’ve wanted all along: Incumbent starter Eugene Monroe. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported last night that the Ravens remain in contact with Monroe and are still hopeful they can re-sign him.
  • King hears that Veldheer and fellow Raiders free agent Lamarr Houston are very interested in testing the free agent market and “getting a golden parachute out of Oakland.”
  • Jairus Byrd is seeking $9MM per year, but King can’t figure out which team will be willing to pay him that.
  • King identifies the 49ers as a dark horse candidate for Michael Vick, if Vick doesn’t find an opportunity to start.
  • Discussing receivers, King writes that the Browns should be in the mix for Eric Decker and also could be a good landing spot for Julian Edelman. He adds that Golden Tate will likely “get more action” than expected.

NFC Notes: Graham, Jones, Tate, Guion

March 5th, 2014 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

The franchise tag is viewed as a way to essentially take an unrestricted free agent off the market, but that’s not technically what the tag does. It simply makes it more costly for another team to sign that free agent away from his current club, since the signing team would have to give up two first-round picks as compensation.

For some players though, that price tag may be worth paying, and there’s a sense around the league that a team may be willing to do so for Jimmy Graham, writes Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. It’s not clear yet which club might make a run at Graham, but teams with late first-round picks like the Seahawks and Patriots have been mentioned as possible candidates, and Freeman says not to rule out the Ravens either. For what it’s worth, a Packers source tells Freeman that Green Bay making a run at Graham “won’t happen.” Still, it sounds as if the Saints may need to fight to keep their star pass-catcher.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • James Jones isn’t expected to be back in Green Bay next season, but the free agent receiver still thinks there’s a chance he could re-sign with the Packers, as he told Around the League on the NFL Network yesterday (link via Dan Hanzus of NFL.com). If he doesn’t continue with the Packers, Jones thinks the Colts and Chargers might be good fits for him.
  • With just a few days until he can hit the open market, Golden Tate tells SiriusXM NFL Radio that he hasn’t heard much from the Seahawks, as Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk details. “I’ve kind of just trusted in my agent and him being good at his work,” Tate said. “Todd [France] has had some great deals in the past and so I’m letting him handle it. Just trying to stay stress free and really enjoying being a Super Bowl champ.”
  • Veteran defensive tackle Letroy Guion, who only played in about a third of the Vikings‘ defensive snaps in 2013, may be asked to take a pay cut, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Guion has a 2014 base salary worth $3.95MM and a total cap number of $4.3MM.
  • If the Buccaneers are going to trade Darrelle Revis this offseason, it will likely happen sooner rather than later. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains why.

AFC East Notes: Mallett, Byrd, Howard, Trades

March 2nd, 2014 at 10:51am CST by Rory Parks

Tom Brady is signed through the 2017 season, and the Patriots will be facing the same series of questions until that contract is up: should we draft his eventual replacement? Is the replacement already on the roster? Should we sign a veteran backup? Within the framework of those questions, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald examines the status of current backup Ryan Mallett, who will be a free agent after the 2014 season.

There have been rumors that the Texans may be interested in Mallett, given his familiarity with the offense that Houston’s new head coach Bill O’Brien plans to install, and the Vikings might also have some interest. But despite Mallett’s potential and the fact that he has been mentored by Brady and Bill Belichick, his impending free agency might reduce the the return the Patriots could expect in a trade.

Further complicating the situation is the fact that, if New England were to take a QB in this year’s draft, that player’s rookie deal would expire at the same time as Brady’s. But with Mallett unlikely willing to wait until Brady plays out his contract before finally getting a shot, the Patriots probably have no choice but to trade him now or let him walk after this season. As such, the Pats will keep their eyes peeled for the next young quarterback to impress them the way Mallett did in 2011.

Some more notes from the AFC East:

  • The Bills have nearly $25MM in cap space, and Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News examines how the team might utilize that flexibility. Most notably, Gaughan writes that Buffalo has enough space to retain Jairus Byrd, whether they bring him back on a long-term deal or put the franchise tag on him. GM Doug Whaley said the team will “go after” all of its own free agents, and Gaughan observes that the most significant of those free agents beyond Byrd are Scott Chandler and Dan Carpenter. The team could create even more cap space–about $3.1MM– with the expected release of backup quarterback Kevin Kolb. Right tackle Erik Pears is also in danger of being cut, and his release would save about $2.9MM.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com expects the Jets to re-sign tackle Austin Howard before free agency opens on March 11. He also notes that, with all their cap space–which will increase following the expected release of Santonio Holmes–the Jets will also attack the free agent market for quarterbacks and wide receivers. Cimini expects the team to pursue quarterbacks Michael Vick and Josh McCown and wideouts Golden Tate, Emmanuel Sanders, and Hakeem Nicks.
  • James Walker of ESPN.com says it is “difficult to believe” that the Dolphins are seeking to trade Dion Jordan, Cameron Wake, and Mike Wallace, particularly since the team is in “win now” mode. We heard several days ago that Miami was shopping those players, rumors that the team quickly denied. Walker thinks the most “tradeable” of that group is Jordan, who had a difficult time finding a good fit on the Dolphins defense last year. However, Walker adds that Miami is not likely to give up on such a special talent after just one season.

 

 

 

Seahawks Notes: Tate, Bennett, Salary Cap

March 1st, 2014 at 6:24pm CST by Peter Sowards

As the Seahawks said goodbye to receiver Sidney Rice and defensive lineman Red Bryant, they said hello to approximately $12.8MM in savings, freeing the defending Super Bowl champions to be active participants in upcoming free agency.

Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reached out to cap expert Jason Fitzgerald of OvertheCap.com, and Fitzgerald offered a plethora of knowledge, shining light on the possible plans of GM John Schneider in the coming months.

  • According to Fitzgerald, the team will have about $17.8MM in cap room. He predicts a safe spending level between $10-10.5MM after setting aside $1.5MM for rookie draft picks and a minimum $6MM cushion.
  • Fitzgerald views tight end Zach Miller and defensive end Chris Clemons as “too expensive” on their current deals, set to earn $7.5MM and $6MM in 2014, respectively.
  • With a cap number hovering around $76MM in 2015, Fitzgerald does not envision Seattle having any problems taking care of quarterback Russell Wilson, left tackle Russell Okung, cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Earl Thomas going forward. With the exception of Okung, who has two years left on his current deal, each player is eligible for free agency next offseason.
  • Free agent Golden Tate should not be that expensive to re-sign, says Fitzgerald, likening him to Eagles receiver Riley Cooper, who just received a five-year, $25MM contract with $10MM guaranteed.
  • Defensive lineman Michael Bennett, however, “is a trickier one” because he excelled at a premium position last season in a contract year. Fitzgerald doesn’t know if the Seahawks can retain Bennett’s services if the former Texas A&M Aggie goes for a $9-10MM/year contract.

West Notes: Woodson, Dawson, Tate, Schwartz

February 28th, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jaguars aren’t the only team that are getting the short end of the stick with the surprisingly high salary cap, as the Raiders now have a whopping $66.512MM in cap space according to OverTheCap.com. While the Raiders will get a little extra cap room, the new cap number mitigates the team’s advantage this offseason, writes Nick Gill of SportsMedia101.com. The extra cap room will allow the 31 other franchises more flexibility to re-sign their own free agents, so the Raiders will never be able to court them in the open market. It also will give other teams more money to compete with the Raiders for the free agents that do become available this offseason.

Here are some other notes from our two divisions out west:

  • One of the seemingly easy moves for the Raiders was thought to be re-signing Charles Woodson, but the contract talks have been rougher than expected, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. After receiving $3.3MM in salary and incentives in 2013, Woodson believes he has proven he is still a valuable NFL safety. While Woodson wants to play, he said he would consider retirement if the price was not right.
  • Staying in the bay area, the 49ers have seen a market unfold for signing kicker Phil Dawson, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. With Nick Folk being franchised and Graham Gano getting a long-term deal, both kickers will be making north of $3MM per season. Dawson has been better than both kickers over the past two seasons.
  • While the 49ers work on retaining their kicker, their rival Seahawks have cleared cap space and have opened up some space that could be used on receiver Golden Tate, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “Hopefully, I can call Seattle home for a few more years,” said Tate. “But we’ll see. I know that coach (Pete) Carroll has expressed that he would like to have me on the team, and I have expressed that I would like to stay on this team because I see this team winning for a long time. But we will see. Only time will tell.’’
  • The Chiefs met with the representation of guard Geoff Schwartz during the scouting combine, writes Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. The Chiefs are interested in retaining Schwartz, but Paylor writes that the two are not close to an agreement. Schwartz played in 14 games in 2013, filling in at both guard and tackle.

NFC Links: Tate, Cowboys, Wynn, Falcons

February 28th, 2014 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Free-agent-to-be Golden Tate suggested there’s mutual interest between him and the Seahawks in a new contract, but said “only time will tell” if he remains in Seattle, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Tate added that he doesn’t consider Riley Cooper’s contract as a sign of what sort of deal he may get, since the two receivers’ situations are “very, very different.”

Here’s more from around the NFC on a busy day in the NFL:

  • In a piece for CBSSports.com, Jason La Canfora explains why offensive tackle Tyron Smith may be better off waiting on a long-term deal, whereas the Cowboys will look to lock him up as soon as possible.
  • Speaking of the Cowboys, they have interest in bringing back free agent defensive tackle Jarius Wynn, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Despite the fact that offensive lineman Joe Hawley has never had an extended run as a starter in his four years in Atlanta, ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure thinks the Falcons will prioritize re-signing the prospective free agent.
  • McClure also reports (on Twitter) that offensive tackle Jake Matthews met with the Falcons at the combine in Indianapolis. Matthews is expected to be one of the first tackles off the board in May’s draft, and Atlanta holds the sixth overall selection.

Golden Tate Willing To Take Discount

February 4th, 2014 at 11:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Wide receiver Golden Tate helped the Seahawks capture their first Super Bowl championship but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be back for the encore attempt this fall as he is an unrestricted free agent. Seattle will face a bit of a numbers crunch this offseason, but Tate told Ian Furness and Jason Puckett of Sports Radio 950 KJR that he’s willing to take a little bit less to make it all work.

“I probably shouldn’t even say this right now but I’m going to say it anyway just because I love Seattle, honestly, I would rather take a little less to be happy and win ball games than to take way more and go to a crappy city where the fans don’t give a crap about the team. You win a game once a month of something like that. I would much rather stay in the situation that I have now for a little less than to go and try to break the bank somewhere else,” Tate said (transcript from Pro Football Talk’s Curtis Crabtree).

With limited breathing room, the Seahawks will try to retain Tate and Michael Bennett while also working on extensions for Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman. Tate says that he doesn’t want to be “disrespected” by the terms of his next deal, but he is willing to take less than another team might give him on the open market.

Poll: Who Should The Seahawks’ Top Priority Be This Offseason?

February 3rd, 2014 at 9:32pm CST by David Kipke

Yesterday, we passed along a report that suggested the Seahawks’ top priority this offseason is extending All-Pro safety Earl Thomas. However, giving Thomas a new contract would likely affect the team’s ability to negotiate a new contract with cornerback Richard Sherman this offseason. Both Thomas and Sherman are eligible for free agency a year from now, and if the Seahawks want to extend both players this offseason, they would likely have to cut receiver Sidney Rice.

Additionally, the Seahawks must decide if they want to table negotiations with the aforementioned players in order to retain receiver Golden Tate and/or defensive end Michael Bennett, who are hitting free agency this offseason. While the club may be able to re-sign or extend multiple players, it likely won’t be able to fit all of them under the cap.

Who do you think the Seahawks should prioritize this offseason?

Seahawks Notes: Tate, Free Agents, Cable

January 28th, 2014 at 4:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Media Day is in the books, and after rounding up a few Broncos-related notes earlier in the afternoon, we’ll now turn our attention to their NFC opponents. Here’s the latest on the Seahawks:

  • Golden Tate will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this winter after catching a team-high 64 balls for the Seahawks. But while he should draw some interest around the league, Tate would like to return to Seattle, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “I would really like to stay,” Tate said. “It’s a great city, a great group of guys. From top to bottom, I can’t say enough great things about Seattle…. I really would like to stay here, but we’ll see. Only time will tell.”
  • Tate, defensive end Michael Bennett, and cornerback Walter Thurmond are among the Seahawks who could greatly improve their free agent value with a big game this Sunday, writes Joel Corry of CBSSports.com, adding that there are a few Broncos in a similar position.
  • Asked if he’d like to be an NFL head coach again, Seahawks offensive line coach and assistant head coach Tom Cable replied, “I would, and I will be,” according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com (Twitter link). Cable previously coached the Raiders to a 17-27 record from 2008 to 2010.