HEADLINES

Jerry Hughes

AFC Notes: Ngata, Bills, Spiller, Chargers

February 19th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Speaking to Luke Jones of WNST.net, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expressed plenty of confidence that Baltimore will get a new deal worked out with defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. In all likelihood, the two sides will come to an agreement that reduces Ngata’s $16MM cap number for 2015, and extends his contract beyond the coming season. Of course, the two sides were also working on a new deal last offseason but those talks did not prove to be fruitful. More from the AFC..

  • Appearing today on WGR 550, Bills general manager Doug Whaley said the team has sent a proposal to Jerry Hughes‘ representatives, who countered with a proposal of their own (link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak). There’s an “open line of communication” between the two sides, according to Whaley, who said he’s meeting with Bills VP of football administration Jim Overdof today to determine if the club is close to anything with Hughes.
  • Whaley will meet with C.J. Spiller‘s representatives in Indianapolis to try and hammer out a new deal with the Bills, Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com writes. The rival Jets have been heavily connected to the tailback.
  • Whaley indicated that if linebacker Brandon Spikes wants an every-down role, it probably won’t happen with the Bills. “So that one’s going to be more of, ‘Hey, do you want to come back and be a one-, two-down player, or do you want to try to go out there and see if you can [be] an every-down player?” Whaley said of Spikes in an interview with John Murphy of BuffaloBills.com (audio link).
  • As expected, the Chargers won’t use their franchise tag on anyone this offseason, general manager Tom Telesco said today, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). King Dunlap and Brandon Flowers had been the most viable candidates, but as I wrote last month, a franchise-tag salary would be an overpay for either player.
  • If Raiders owner Mark Davis has to move the team to the NFC to make the move to Los Angeles happen, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) doesn’t see that being a deterrent. On Thursday, the Raiders and Chargers announced a plan to build a shared stadium in the Los Angeles area.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

East Notes: McCourty, Jets, JPP, Eagles

February 16th, 2015 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

Titans cornerback Jason McCourty likes the idea of playing in the same secondary as his twin brother, and tells Dan Duggan of NJ.com that he hopes to get a chance to recruit Devin McCourty, even while acknowledging it’ll be hard to get the safety out of New England.

“As March closes in he’ll get a chance to see what New England wants to do, and I know he wants to be back there. He feels like that’s home. I think that’s where he’ll want to play his entire career,” the Titans defensive back said of his brother, adding: “You know how the business side of it goes. We’ll see. If he becomes a free agent, I’ll be doing everything in my power to try to get him to Tennessee.”

For his part, Devin admits that he’s “excited” to see how the free agent process will play out. The 27-year-old safety is a viable candidate to receive the franchise tag from the Patriots sometime in the next two weeks.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • Taking a look at the Jets‘ options as they explore adding a quarterback, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com notes that the team has an “interesting name” on its radar: Sam Bradford. The Rams have made it clear they’d like to bring back the former No. 1 overall pick, assuming he’s willing to rework his contract, but if Bradford isn’t willing to take a significant pay cut, it’s possible he’ll hit the open market and join a weak class of free agent QBs.
  • As of the start of the month, the Giants and the reps for Jason Pierre-Paul had yet to exchange contract numbers, and nothing has changed on that front as of today, a source tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Raanan writes that the next two weeks will be “vital” to JPP’s potential future in New York as the team decides whether or not to use its franchise tag on the defensive end.
  • If the Eagles can’t find a quality safety in free agency to complement Malcolm Jenkins, it’s possible the team will bring back Nate Allen, but it feels like that relationship has run its course, writes Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. McManus expects the Eagles to address the hole in its secondary in either free agency or the draft, rather than promoting an in-house option to the starting lineup.
  • Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News examines the Bills‘ chances of keeping pass rusher Jerry Hughes on their roster, estimating that the team would likely have to pay Hughes a deal worth $8MM per year, with up to $20MM in guaranteed money.

AFC East Links: Harvin, Hughes, Patriots

February 11th, 2015 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

In examining New York’s wide receiving corps, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes that Percy Harvin “clearly” isn’t a $10MM-per-year player, but concedes that the Jets could probably afford to pay him like one, given their excess of cap room. Still, he doesn’t expect the club to overpay out of desperation, suggesting that Harvin will likely be cut by March 19 — that’s the deadline for the Jets to release the wideout without losing their fourth-round pick to Seattle. The Seahawks would receive a sixth-rounder if New York drops Harvin by March 19.

Here’s more from out of the AFC East:

  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter links), Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes addressed his upcoming free agency, suggesting that returning to Buffalo is his first choice and that he wouldn’t necessarily be disappointed with the franchise tag, since it would provide a substantial financial reward for at least one year.
  • In the view of Tom Curran of CSNNE.com, it’s “absolutely imperative” that the Patriots find a way to keep safety Devin McCourty, though Curran acknowledges that the safety market has “gone through the roof” in recent years. The Pats will have to strongly consider using the franchise tag on McCourty, says Curran.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe also touches on McCourty’s situation in a more in-depth look at some of the key offseason decisions facing the Patriots, writing that the club should franchise McCourty, then try to work out a longer-team deal. Volin also suggests extending Darrelle Revis, re-signing Stephen Gostkowski, and restructuring the contracts of Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, and Danny Amendola. As for the running backs, the Boston Globe scribe thinks New England should try to bring back Stevan Ridley on a one-year, make-good deal, and should walk away from Shane Vereen unless he’s willing to sign a team-friendly pact.

AFC Links: Manning, Ngata, Hughes, Incognito

February 6th, 2015 at 10:54pm CST by Rob DiRe

Even with a coaching change and big decisions to make on Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas, the Broncos’ offseason will more or less be about whether or not Peyton Manning returns in 2015.

If Tony Dungy is correct, Manning will be back next year, according to the Associated Press on IndyStar.com.

“I was with him last week and he didn’t give me any indication one way or another, but he certainly didn’t say anything to me that led me to believe he wouldn’t be playing,” said Dungy. “My gut feeling is that he’ll be back unless he really has a health-related problem. He enjoys the team. He enjoys his teammates. I think he really wants to come back and play well and not let that be the last game of his career.”

Here are some more links from around the AFC:

  • The Ravens have asked star defensive tackle Haloti Ngata to restructure his contract in the past, but for the first time they have leverage to make such a request this offseason, writes Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. Ngata is owed $8.5MM in base salary and will count for $16MM against the cap. Considering the Ravens need to free up money for free agency, the declining Ngata could have to look for a new team if he refuses to restructure his deal, and coming off a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, the team holds all the cards.
  • The top priority for the Bills this winter should be figuring out a way to bring back Jerry Hughes, who has developed into one of the league’s most productive pass rushers, writes Jason Fitzgerald in his preview of Buffalo’s offseason at OverTheCap.com.
  • The Bills will host Richie Incognito for an official visit and physical on Saturday, reports James Walker of ESPN (via Twitter). Incognito has not played since being suspended as part of the bulling investigation with the Dolphins. The team needs help at guard, with Erik Pears and Kraig Urbik unlikely to return to the team, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). The meeting may be merely a formality, as the team is expected to sign Incognito should he pass his physical, according to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter).
  • Cornerback Curtis Brown, a former Steelers third-round pick, will have a workout with the Jets on Tuesday, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • Malcolm Butler may be a Super Bowl hero, but the undrafted Patriots cornerback isn’t going to get hung up on one play. He is already concerned with continuing to improve and become a fixture in the NFL, writes Tom Curran of CSNNE.com. “I’m going to probably enjoy this moment, I’ll never forget it,” said Butler. “Probably for a couple more days or whatever, however it dies down. Have a little time to relax and then get back to work and just try to prove my point that this one play doesn’t [define] me. I don’t want to be known as a great player for one play, so I’ve got more to prove. So, I’ll have a little relax time and get back to work.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Hughes, Dolphins, Jets

February 4th, 2015 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

During the Bills‘ sale process last year, several intriguing names surfaced as potential bidders, but no group ever emerged as a serious threat to Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula, who ultimately assumed control of the franchise. Months later, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News adds one more noteworthy name to the list of one-time suitors for the team. According to Graham, former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter explored the possibility of investing in the Bills while playing his final MLB season. Presumably, Jeter would have been a part of a larger group, considering the final sale price for the franchise was $1.4 billion.

While we try to wrap our heads around the idea of Jeter as a Bills shareholder, let’s check in on several more items from across the AFC East….

  • The Bills will have to think long and hard about whether or not edge defender Jerry Hughes is a good fit in Rex Ryan‘s defensive system, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN. If the free-agent-to-be, coming off consecutive seasons of 10+ sacks, is looking to be paid like a top-10 defensive end, that would mean an annual salary of $8.3MM+ and/or $20MM+ in guaranteed money. That seems a little too pricey if Hughes is relegated to a part-time pass rusher under Ryan.
  • Responding to a piece by his colleague Dave Hyde, Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel explores how difficult it would be to replace a handful of Dolphins starters if the team decides to cut them for cap purposes.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates takes a look at some good and bad cap situations around the NFL, identifying the Jets as a club with one of the most favorable outlooks.
  • If the Patriots cheated by deflating footballs in the AFC’s championships game, they’re hardly alone, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who details a number of rules violations committed by other NFL teams over the years. Per Florio, the NFL is currently investigating four cases of game-integrity violations — Deflategate, the Browns’ sideline texting incident, the Falcons’ artificial crowd noise, and one unknown issue.

East Notes: Hughes, Mariota, Murray

January 20th, 2015 at 10:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Bills coach Rex Ryan says that he “absolutely” envisions impending free agent Jerry Hughes returning to the team next season, writes Ross Jones of FOX Sports. However, the defensive end has said that he’s not interested in taking a hometown discount to stay. While we wait to see how that plays out, here’s more from the East divisions..

  • A person familiar with the Eagles‘ offseason plans says the team “is going to try” to move up in the NFL Draft to select Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, Mark Eckel of The Times Of Trenton writes. It won’t be easy, of course, but the Eagles will at least explore going from No. 20 to No. 1 to get the Ducks star.
  • Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (on Twitter) is skeptical that anyone is privy to Chip Kelly‘s draft plans. He also feels it’s a no-brainer that the Eagles will at least look into Mariota, but it’s far too early for them to start making calls.
  • One team contract negotiator who spoke to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com today indicated that he expects Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to “open his checkbook” and put a 2012 running back market price on DeMarco Murray (Twitter link). The running back position, of course, was valued more highly three years ago than it is now.
  • Michigan State safety Kurtis Drummond has already met with the Eagles and made plans to chat more on Tuesday night, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com (on Twitter).
  • Utah defensive back Eric Rowe apparently has the interest of the Eagles as he has a meeting scheduled with Kelly and Bill Davis, according to Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com (on Twitter).
  • Ryan told reporters, including John Kryk of the Toronto Sun (on Twitter) that he expects to have the Bills‘ coaching staff complete by the end of the week.
  • The Jets spent a significant amount of time with Miami wide receiver Phillip Dorsett after his weigh ins, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (on Twitter).
  • University of Miami linebacker Denzel Perryman told James Walker of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he met with the Dolphins at the Senior Bowl.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC East Notes: Spiller, Jets, Hughes, Revis

January 16th, 2015 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

As we look forward to seeing whether the AFC East champs will represent the conference in this year’s Super Bowl, here are a few notes from around the division, on the Patriots and their rivals:

  • Recent reports have indicated that Chan Gailey is a top contender for the Jets‘ offensive coordinator position under new head coach Todd Bowles, and if Gailey does land in New York, the possibility of heading to a divisional rival may be of interest to Bills running back C.J. Spiller, as he tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “There is that familiarity between me and him in that offense,” Spiller said. “So that would be a perfect match. Who knows what can happen, but I’d be foolish not to have those guys on my list. I had my best years in the league with Chan. So it’d be dumb not to give it serious thought.”
  • Jerry Hughes‘ value to the Bills may not be quite as high in Rex Ryan‘s system as it would have been in Jim Schwartz‘s, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com explains. Still, Hughes has proven his worth with consecutive seasons of double-digit sacks, and general manager Doug Whaley hopes to get something done with the edge defender. “I know [primary contract negotiator Jim Overdorf] has been in contact with his representatives and started the process,” Whaley told WGR 550 on Thursday. “We’re excited and we want him back. He’s a great addition to our defense and hopefully we can get this thing done sooner than later.”
  • Cornerback Darrelle Revis hates being saddled with the “mercenary” label, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, who says that two other AFC teams tried to sign Revis a year ago and were willing to offer more money than the Patriots did. With Revis expected to sign a new contract this offseason, Volin wonders if the veteran cornerback will once again accept less money to stick with the Pats.

Hughes Not Interested In Hometown Discount

December 29th, 2014 at 1:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Even after losing Mike Pettine to the Browns a year ago, the Bills’ defense thrived again in 2014, led by a defensive line that featured three Pro Bowlers in Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus, and Kyle Williams. The one member of that defensive line that didn’t earn a Pro Bowl nod is eligible for free agency this offseason, and defensive end Jerry Hughes doesn’t anticipate taking a “hometown discount” to remain in Buffalo, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.

“Yeah, I’ve never heard of that,” Hughes said, laughing. “I guess that’s a nice little deal, kind of throw that out there. But I’ve never heard of a hometown discount in the business world.”

While he may not have received Pro Bowl recognition like his fellow linemen, Hughes had another strong season for the Bills, recording 9.5 sacks in 2014 after racking up 10 in 2013. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Hughes’ overall play dropped off a little this year, from a +19.9 grade last season to +5.7 this time around. However, a significant chunk of that drop-off can be attributed to his trouble with penalties — he received a -9.1 mark in that category.

Justin Houston of the Chiefs is the best pass rusher eligible for free agency this offseason, but it’s unlikely he’ll hit the open market, with a long-term agreement or the franchise tag a more probable outcome. As such, Hughes could be among the top pass rushers available, along with Jason Pierre-Paul, Jason Worilds, and perhaps Greg Hardy, if his legal troubles are resolved.

Of course, despite Hughes’ apparent lack of interest in a team-friendly contract, the definition of a “hometown discount” differs from player to player. Last winter, Michael Bennett indicated he wouldn’t take a discount, while Golden Tate said he’d be open to the idea, but it was Bennett who signed with the Seahawks for less than expected, while Tate took a big-money offer from the Lions.

East Notes: Hughes, Coughlin, Harbaugh

November 30th, 2014 at 7:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Set to enter unrestricted free agency in March, Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes is enjoying his typically (since joining Buffalo) excellent season, posting 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and grading as the 15th-best 4-3 defensive end among 55 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). As Tim Graham of the Buffalo News writes, both club and player will only guardedly discuss the possibility of an extension. Buffalo management claims it wants to retain Hughes, and Hughes says he’s simply concentrating on football. Still, Graham posits that a $10MM average annual value isn’t out of the question for the pass-rusher. Here are some more notes from the East divisions…

  • The Giants 25-24 loss to the Jaguars today probably signaled the end of head coach Tom Coughlin’s reign, argues Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. New York could secure a top-five selection in next year’s draft depending on the rest of the season’s outcome, and clubs picking that high often choose to undergo a complete overhaul. As Raanan writes, it would be odd to hit the reset button while still employing a 69-year-old head coach.
  • Taking the same tack as Raanan above, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano also believes the Giants need to start at square one, but places more of the blame for 2014’s failures on the shoulders of general manager Jerry Reese. Reese, writes Graziano, provided Coughlin with a roster that was even worse than last season’s, although Coughlin and his assistants did fail to “regenerate the roster from within.”
  • Following today’s report that the Jets could be interested in 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com wonders what a Harbaugh-to-NY move would mean for current GM John Idzik. Harbaugh would presumably would control over the roster if he does take over another team, meaning Idzik, whose work has been maligned this season, could be in trouble.
  • Jeremy Maclin is a free agent at season’s end, and according to Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer, he’s been a perfect fit for Chip Kelly’s locker room culture, meaning that the veteran receiver could be a good bet to return to the Eagles in 2015.

AFC East Notes: Revis, Vick, Bills, Jarrett

November 10th, 2014 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

In advance of this Thursday’s showdown between the 5-4 Bills and 5-4 Dolphins, let’s round up a few Monday items from around the AFC East….

  • Asked if he plans on being a member of the Patriots beyond this season, cornerback Darrelle Revis smiled and replied, “Ask Bill [Belichick],” according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com. The Patriots technically have a second-year option on Revis for 2015, but the structure of his deal makes it extremely likely that New England will cut him, allowing the Pro Bowler to hit the open market and seek out the highest bid once again. It’s not clear yet whether the Pats will be involved in that bidding, says Curran.
  • Sunday’s performance against the Steelers showed that Michael Vick still has plenty left in the tank, as Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report writes. The Jets signal-caller is on a one-year deal, so a strong second half could earn him another shot at a starting role via free agency this winter.
  • The Bills‘ defensive line was excellent once again on Sunday against the Chiefs, but as the offseason approaches, it’s not clear whether the team will be able to keep the entire group together. As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com notes, Jerry Hughes is eligible for free agency in 2015, and Marcell Dareus will have just one year left on his deal.
  • Hughes was one of two AFC East players singled out by Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap this week as having boosted his stock as he nears free agency. The other? Jaiquawn Jarrett of the Jets, who is eligible for restricted free agency, and likely earned himself a tender offer entirely based on his performance against the Steelers.
  • Earlier today, we learned that the Dolphins will be promoting running back LaMichael James to their active roster, as left tackle Branden Albert heads to injured reserve with a torn ACL and MCL.
Load More Posts