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Jahri Evans

Saints Notes: Evans, Spencer, Jordan, Draft

March 25th, 2015 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

Although he was the last head coach to arrive at the NFC coaches’ breakfast in Phoenix this morning, Sean Payton of the Saints may have dropped more noteworthy tidbits for reporters in Arizona than any other NFC coach. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights, via Larry Holder, Nick Underhill, Ian Rapoport, and Mike Garafolo (all links go to Twitter)….

  • The Saints explored the possibility of trading both Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs, since it wasn’t feasible to keep both high-priced guards. With Grubbs having been sent to Kansas City, Evans is poised to stick around, but his contract may still be addressed and modified, per Payton.
  • There were “four or five teams” talking to the Saints about a potential Jimmy Graham trade, including the Dolphins. Asked about whether last year’s positional battle or contract negotiations involving Graham played a part in the team’s decision to trade the tight end, Payton replied, “Zero. None.” The head coach added that he has spoken to Drew Brees about the deal, and the quarterback handled it fine.
  • Payton confirmed that free agent DE/OLB Anthony Spencer visited the Saints on Monday, but said there’s nothing to announce at this point.
  • Payton likes this year’s draft class for wide receivers, and believes the team will take at least one or two defensive linemen or edge defenders in the draft. Adding a tight end, either in free agency or the draft, is also a priority.
  • General manager Mickey Loomis has begun discussions on a potential long-term contract extension for defensive Cameron Jordan.
  • Payton believes there’s a good chance Travaris Cadet would have re-signed with the Saints if the club hadn’t added C.J. Spiller in free agency. The head coach added that he had dinner in Los Angeles with Reggie Bush to discuss a potential reunion before signing Spiller, since the team expected Spiller to “end up somewhere else at a higher number.”
  • Asked about finding a successor for Brees, Payton said he thinks the veteran quarterback has “a lot of good football left,” but he’s open to drafting a QB if there’s value to be had. However, Payton dismissed the idea of trading up for Marcus Mariota, saying that “won’t happen.”
  • Prior to releasing him, the Saints wanted Curtis Lofton to make some adjustments and improvements to his game, and to take a pay cut, but it didn’t pan out.

AFC East Notes: J. Graham, Dolphins, Bills, Jets

March 24th, 2015 at 7:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Before the Dolphins signed Jordan Cameron to a two-year deal to replace the departed Charles Clay, Miami had a different target at tight end — former Saint, and current Seahawk, Jimmy Graham, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who says that the Fins came in second in the Graham sweepstakes. Clearly, Miami wanted to upgrade the TE position this offseason, but this news makes it fair to wonder if the Dolphins assumed all along they would lose Clay to free agency (even though they had designated him as their transition player).

Here’s more from the AFC East…

  • Bills general manager Doug Whaley made it clear to reporters, including Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, that he was displeased that his club didn’t make more additions along the offensive line during the offseason. Buffalo did sign guard Richie Incognito, but Carucci writes that the team also made a bid for Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga, and attempted to trade for Saints guard Jahri Evans.
  • Another AFC East club — the Jets — might not be done making moves, as GM Mike Maccagnan told reporters, including Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (via Twitter), that New York is still targeting players in free agency, and pointed to running back as a position that could use an upgrade (Twitter link).
  • One such free agent could be tight end Kellen Davis, who had a visit with the Jets today, tweets Rapoport. The 29-year-old Davis spent last season in Detroit, appearing in six games.
  • The Dolphins aren’t opposed to retaining free agent running back Knowshon Moreno, Miami GM Dennis Hickey tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). The 27-year-old Moreno tore his ACL last October, but Hickey says the RB’s rehab is “going great.”
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines the contract structure employed by the Bills to ensure that the Dolphins wouldn’t match their offer to Clay.

Extra Points: Hartline, Murray, Browner, Bush

March 10th, 2015 at 3:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest from around the league…

  • Brian Hartline‘s decision ultimately came down to the Browns and the Patriots, the receiver tells Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (Twitter link). Hartline ended up signing a two-year pact with Cleveland yesterday.
  • Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the club wants to re-sign DeMarco Murray, emphasizing that Dallas is still in negotiations with its free agent running back (Twitter links via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
  • The Panthers don’t seem to be showing much interest in edge rusher Derrick Morgan, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • The Titans have interest in cornerback Brandon Browner, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Browner isn’t expected to take a pay cut to remain in New England. Browner is receiving a lot of interest around the league, but he could still return to the Patriots, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
  • Jahri Evans is still a candidate for release in New Orleans, and if the Saints do cut him, expect the Bills to be in on the veteran guard, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • Most observers expected free agent receiver Michael Crabtree to depart San Francisco, but the 49ers do have interest in re-signing him, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 (via Twitter).
  • Having been cut by the Lions earlier in the offseason, running back Reggie Bush is considering a return to the Saints, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, the Patriots and Eagles are among the other teams in play for Bush.

Bills Targeting Bryan Bulaga, Others

March 9th, 2015 at 12:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills aren’t done making big splashes this offseason. Ross Jones of FOX Sports (on Twitter) hears that Buffalo is pushing to sign Mike Iupati or Bryan Bulaga. Other options for the Bills could include guard Jahri Evans and wide receiver Percy Harvin if/when they become available (link).

Recently it was reported that the Raiders, Jets, and Bills appeared to be the front runners for Iupati if he does not return to San Francisco. Recently, two league sources told Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Bulaga is seeking a contract worth at least $7-8MM per year. The Bucs, Jaguars, and Washington were all identified as teams that have interest in the free agent.

Evans would likely represent a cheaper alternative to either Iupati or Bulaga. The Saints are expected to release Evans from his hefty contract, but would like to re-sign him at a cheaper rate. As it stands, Evans’ deal calls for him to have the highest cap hit of any guard in the NFL.

New Bills coach Rex Ryan got to familiarize himself with Harvin this past season in New York. While Harvin has gotten a bad rap for his locker room demeanor, Ryan spoke glowingly of the wide receiver and his behavior while with the Jets. The veteran receiver and return man didn’t have a huge impact on-field in New York, however, totaling 29 receptions for 350 yards and a touchdown in his eight games with the Jets.

La Canfora On Manning, Suh, McCown, Saints

February 25th, 2015 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Weighing in on two of the biggest offseason stories, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com leads off his latest piece by looking at the Peyton Manning and Ndamukong Suh situations. In La Canfora’s view, Manning will ultimately return to the Broncos after the two sides tweak his contract a little. As for Suh, the CBSSports.com scribe doesn’t have any updates on the Lions‘ talks with the defensive star, but says he thinks the Jaguars and Raiders will be major players. For those teams to be involved in the Suh derby, he’d have to reach the open market, which would mean no long-term deal or franchise tag from Detroit.

La Canfora also passes along plenty more tidbits related to free agency, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

  • When it comes to the market’s top pass rushers, La Canfora thinks Pernell McPhee can reach $10MM per year, with Jerry Hughes in the $9MM range, and Brandon Graham and Jason Worilds around $7.5MM. La Canfora also believes that all four of those players will join new teams next month.
  • Free agent quarterback Josh McCown is expected to decide on his new team later this week or early next week, and could land another deal worth $5MM annually. The Bills and Browns look like the best bets for McCown, according to La Canfora.
  • The Saints are working through contract issues with about a half-dozen players on their roster, sources tell La Canfora. If things work out the way the team hopes, Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, and Curtis Lofton would likely stick around on reduced salaries, while Ben Grubbs, Brodrick Bunkley, and David Hawthorne could be let go. As for Junior Galette, La Canfora is hearing that head coach Sean Payton has “expressed a desire” to part ways with him, following his January arrest. However, Galette’s contract still contains a sizeable chunk of guaranteed money, and the team likely can’t void those guarantees.
  • Percy Harvin probably won’t accept a pay cut from the Jets, which means the team will likely cut him. La Canfora expects the wideout to gamble himself in free agency, signing a one-year deal with a team that has a good quarterback in place.
  • The Jaguars will be seeking a top pass catcher, and La Canfora wouldn’t be surprised if the team lands a player like Randall Cobb or Julius Thomas. Per La Canfora, the Packers recognize Cobb’s market could get out of hand, and may focus on re-signing other key free agents, like Bryan Bulaga and Letroy Guion.
  • Chiefs center Rodney Hudson came very close to signing a four-year extension worth $6MM per year during the season. He’s a good bet to exceed that amount in free agency, and the Raiders are one viable suitor.
  • La Canfora anticipates the Ravens will work out a restructured deal with Lardarius Webb, but isn’t as certain about Haloti Ngata, who may play for a new team in 2015.
  • The Jets would have interest in Ryan Mallett if he reaches the open market. However, the Texans have made their interest in the quarterback clear, and Mallett himself said today that he’d like to return to Houston (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).

Saints Negotiating To Keep Jahri Evans

February 23rd, 2015 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

Even accounting for a $143MM salary cap for 2015, the Saints are currently projected to be about $21MM over the threshold, meaning the team will have to make a handful of moves to get under the cap prior to the new league year. One such move may involve releasing high-priced guard Jahri Evans, but according to Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Saints have reached out to Evans’ camp to try to find a way to keep the veteran lineman.

Evans is currently on New Orleans’ books for $11MM for the 2015 season, the highest cap hit for any guard in the NFL. Releasing him, which Terrell reports the Saints were initially prepared to do, would create $6MM in cap savings, leaving $5MM in dead money on the club’s books. Reworking the deal to incorporate a pay cut likely wouldn’t create quite that much cap room, but it would allow the Saints to hang onto a player who has made six consecutive Pro Bowls, and would help the team make some progress toward getting under the cap.

Evans’ current contract runs through the 2016 season, and by the start of the 2017 campaign, he’d be 34 years old, so the Saints may not be inclined to tack any extra years onto the deal. Still, Terrell hears from a source that the veteran’s top choice is to remain with the Saints, and with the possibility of a release lingering as a viable option for New Orleans, he may be willing to reduce his salary in exchange for some additional guaranteed money.

Even if they work out something with Evans, the Saints will have to address the contracts for a number of other players, including their other guard, Ben Grubbs, who counts for $9.6MM against 2015’s cap. Head coach Sean Payton recently indicated that his team doesn’t currently have any plans to restructure Drew Brees‘ contract – which features a $26.4MM cap number – so if that’s the case, then players like Junior Galette, Jimmy Graham, Jairus Byrd, and Marques Colston look like top candidates to have their deals tweaked.

NFC Links: Seahawks, Dez, Evans, Washington

February 2nd, 2015 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

Seahawks safety Earl Thomas suffered a dislocated shoulder during the NFC Championship, and according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), the player will seek a second opinion on the injury. Regardless of the 25-year-old’s decision, Rapoport believes the All-Pro safety is heading towards surgery.

Meanwhile, ‘Hawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed that cornerback Richard Sherman will need to undergo Tommy John surgery for his injured left elbow (via the team’s Twitter account). Carroll also mentioned that cornerback Jeremy Lane has a “significant” broken arm.

If there’s a bright side, it doesn’t sound like the injuries will impact the team next season. According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (via Twitter), Carroll doesn’t believe any of injuries will prevent the trio from being ready for 2015.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…

  • Wide receiver Dez Bryant is confident that he will get a long-term deal done with the Cowboys. “Regardless, I’m a Cowboy,” Bryant told NBCDFW.com, according to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk. “But it is what it is. It’s business. I am a free agent. I’m very confident that something is going to happen, something is going to get done, and have these Cowboys fans excited for a long time. I’m a Cowboy at heart. It’s Cowboys forever.”
  • Saints guard Jahri Evans played the second half of the season with a partially torn triangular fibrocartilage complex in his wrist, tweets Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV in Louisana. The reporter adds that the player underwent surgery in early January and is expected to be ready for OTAs.
  • CSNWashington.com insiders Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler discussed whether veteran linebacker Brian Orakpo would be back with Washington next season. Ultimately, the writers decided it’s best for the franchise to move on from the 28-year-old, with El-Bashir citing the player’s injury history and Tandler noting the team’s need for a younger playmaker at linebacker.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Saints, Bears, Vikings

January 17th, 2015 at 8:43am 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 NFC…

NFC Notes: Bucs, Panthers, Saints, Cutler

December 27th, 2014 at 12:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Wide receiver Louis Murphy agreed to a three-year extension with the Buccaneers yesterday, and the 27-year-old is thrilled to be sticking around Tampa. The former fourth-rounder said as much to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:

“I believe in this team, I believe in coach Lovie (Smith), I believe in the organization. I believe in all the guys in that locker room, regardless of what the record says. I believe we’re going to be contenders in the future and I want to be a part of it. I want to see it turn around.”

Murphy, who currently has 31 catches for 380 yards and a pair of scores, reflected on his tumultuous tenure with the Raiders, Panthers and Giants:

“My dad always told me growing up when preparation and opportunity meets, it equals success. So this year, I wrote it on my bathroom wall. Early on in the game, you can drop a ball and say, ‘Oh, I’ll get another chance at this.’ But with the road that I’ve taken and the road I’ve had to go through, I said, ‘No, I’m not going to let anything slip through the cracks.’ And that’s the mind-set I’m going to keep from here on out.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the NFC…

  • ESPN.com’s David Newton is skeptical about the return of two key Panthers (on Twitter): running back DeAngelo Williams and defensive end Greg Hardy.
  • Saints wideout Marques Colston isn’t thinking about next season. When asked by Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate whether he’s consider returning for less money, the receiver responded that he’d cross that bridge when he comes to it (Twitter link).
  • The Saints will enter the offseason over the salary cap, but veteran guard Jahri Evans isn’t worried about his team’s predicament. “(The front office) will figure a way to figure it out. That’s what those guys get paid to do,” he told Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. “I don’t see myself going anywhere.”
  • The Giants have yet to reach out to defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul regarding an extension, tweets ESPN’s Josina Anderson. The lack of communication is not a concern, however, and Anderson notes that the team will start the process following the season.
  • If one head coach could help turn around the play of Jay Cutler, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio believes it would be the man who drafted him: Mike Shanahan. Of course, that would depend on the Bears keeping the embattled quarterback and not shipping him off to another franchise.

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.
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