HEADLINES

Jonathan Martin

AFC East Notes: Wendell, Mankins, Dolphins

February 20th, 2014 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

As Thursday’s slate of head coach and general manager press conferences gets underway at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, let’s check in on a few updates out of the AFC East, including a certain Dolphins head coach finally breaking his silence on the Ted Wells report….

  • The Patriots have yet to enter negotiations with free agent center Ryan Wendell about a new deal or talk to Logan Mankins about an extension to reduce his cap number, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Volin adds in a second tweet that both players would likely be receptive to those talks.
  • Speaking to reporters at the combine today, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin indicated that no decisions have been made yet on whether the team will bring back players like Richie Incognito, John Jerry, and Mike Pouncey (Twitter link via Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe). While that may be true, it seems pretty clear that Incognito and Jerry, who are eligible for free agency, won’t be back.
  • Philbin also told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has reached out to Jonathan Martin and will meet with him. Philbin was noncommittal on Martin’s future with the club.

Dolphins Updates: Incognito, Martin

February 17th, 2014 at 9:12pm CST by Rob DiRe

The bullying allegations outlined in the Wells Report have greatly changed the free agent stocks of Dolphins’ offensive linemen John Jerry and Richie Incognito. Here at Pro Football Rumors, we’ve looked at how the report has changed the way teams view these players. Between the character questions and looming suspensions, the amount of money Jerry and Incognito stand to lose could be significant.

While Jerry’s prospects are still as slim as they were, things have changed slightly for Incognito. Pundits have been speculating the severity of the embattled guard’s suspension, with many floating the idea that he might be forced to sit out another year. Now there is a possibility he will not be suspended at all, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

According to the CBA, Article 46, Section 4 a player cannot be disciplined by both the Commissioner and the team for the same act. Incognito was suspended by the Dolphins for eight games in 2013, as allegations were first becoming public. This could preclude the NFL from adding an additional suspension. Florio adds that the NFLPA planned on fighting any suspension on these terms.

Florio continues to write that the league could argue the original suspension was for his behavior towards Jonathan Martin, but could still suspend him for other offenses.

While avoiding suspension would certainly help Incognito’s chance of landing with another team, he may have already further hurt his case via his own Twitter rants in the aftermath of the report becoming public. He returned to Twitter today, with an apology. Still, the few defenders who thought his “edge” or “mean streak” was an asset could have trouble reconciling his social media accounts with the idea that he still had some redeemable character qualities.

The victim, Martin, was also thought to have suffered from the report. His release from the club was considered a certainty. It seemed best for both parties to allow him to move on if the team could not trade him.

Cutting Martin seems unlikely, writes Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post. Abramson spoke to employment attorney William Amlong of Fort Lauderdale.

“Cutting him would be idiocy because then you do have a lot of great potential for litigation,” Amlong said. “If I were representing him, my argument is going to be that maybe this guy is not the greatest tackle in the world yet, but he’s a second-year guy and he has enough potential. If they didn’t have any plans to cut him before he started complaining and now they do, that’s not good.” 

Martin’s agent is set to meet with the Dolphins at the Scouting Combine this week. Abramson notes that the best solution Amlong provided was for the team to pay Martin the $1.87MM he’s owed for the final two years of his contract, and then they would be free to release him.

Ted Wells Report: Future With Dolphins

February 15th, 2014 at 7:17pm CST by Rob DiRe

Since the Ted Wells Report was released, the Richie Incognito–Jonathan Martin controversy has returned to the forefront of sports talk radio and hundreds of sports blogs and columns. In addition to those two, Dolphins guard John Jerry and their Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey seem to be equally implicated as part of the bullying that allegedly went on. It seems that everybody has to weigh in on what this means to the modern NFL locker room, and has somehow been paired with the other big NFL story, the acceptance of Michael Sam into the NFL.

These stories are plenty important, but what they are replacing is the normal NFL offseason chatter about who is going where and what team is looking at which player. Until some semblance of a contract materializes for Incognito or Jerry, or a trade happens for Martin, these players are only important as it pertains to the Wells Report. However, all four have been seriously hurt in terms of their football stock.

Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross has been open in that he believes it is unlikely that either Incognito or Martin will return to the team in 2014, though the club does own Martin’s rights. The second-round pick out of Stanford still may have some value, writes Darrin Gantt of Pro Football Talk, since he is still a cheap option at right tackle. James Walker of ESPN.com writes of Martin: “He’s young, cheap and can play left and right tackle. Those players do not grow on trees.” Walker also notes that because other teams know that the Dolphins will release him Martin they cannot trade him, that does significantly lower his trade value.

Former coach Jim Harbaugh was an avid defender of Martin, which may prompt speculation that San Francisco could be a destination. However, the 49ers are set at tackle, with Joe Staley and Anthony Davis on each side. The Colts also have that connection, with Pep Hamilton and a number of former Stanford players there. Of course, they also have a lot of money already invested in tackle play, with Anthony Castonzo and Gosder Cherilus.

Incognito and Jerry are both free agents, making them easy decisions for the Dolphins — both will most likely be let go. Incognito was probably set for a pretty large contract extension with the Dolphins, due to his high level of play and status as a “leader” in the team’s locker room. Now, his value is minimal. He didn’t make many friends with the Rams before he joined the Dolphins, so he does not have a lot of coaching staffs to fall back on. The Raiders’ offensive coordinator Greg Olsen could put a good word in for him, as the Raiders are in need of offensive line help.

Vinnie Iyer of SportingNews.com does note that in the landscape of the modern NFL, Incognito has a better chance of being accepted into another locker room than Martin. “Incognito doesn’t come out of the investigation looking like Mr. Nice Guy, but he hasn’t tried to. There’s a reason his mean streak is one of his biggest assets as a player,” Iyer writes. “For teams needy of interior line help, such as the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts or San Diego Chargers, he’s Mr. Nice Price.”

Jerry was also a candidate to be retained by the Dolphins before being implicated in the Wells Report, but his return is now unlikely, writes Charlie McCarthy of Fox Sports Florida. Jerry doesn’t have the history of performance that Incognito did. What he does have in his favor is a far less noticeable role in the bullying of Martin, but still he will find it difficult to sign a deal similar to one he could have had with the Dolphins had he not been implicated. Both Incognito and Jerry’s free agency could be further hurt if the league decides to suspend them for a few games during the 2014 season.

Finally, there is Pouncey, who despite his age, might be the most accomplished of the four, and definitely has the brightest future. Much like Jerry, he is able to downplay his role in the bullying, but unlike Jerry he is under contract for 2014. Also unlike Jerry, he has performed on the field as one of top lineman at his position over his short career thus far, reaching the Pro Bowl this past year. Still, a week ago James Walker of ESPN.com listed Pouncey as one of the players on the Dolphins who has outperformed his contract and is deserving of a raise. After his name became involved in the Wells Report, and with a looming suspension possible, that raise seems highly unlikely.

Dolphins Owner Responds To Wells Report

February 14th, 2014 at 6:53pm CST by Matt Feminis

After taking the day to review the Wells report detailing the Dolphins bullying scandal centered around Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross issued a statement via the team’s website (full report here), saying, “I now have had a chance to read the report and obviously, the language that was used and the behavior as described is deeply disturbing.”

While Ross did not directly address the futures of Incognito or Martin, neither will play another down for the team, which is expected to place an increased emphasis on character under new GM Dennis Hickey. Although he’s a rookie GM, Hickey has a reputation as a trustworthy information gatherer in the college scouting process, according to former Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik, who was quoted in a story by the Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins at the time of Hickey’s hire in Miami.

“He got accurate information because people trust him,” Dominik said. “When he goes to a school he can talk to a coach to get accurate information about the kid’s character, his background.”

AFC Notes: Martin, Bonuses, Colts, Kolb

February 14th, 2014 at 4:15pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the publication of the Ted Wells report, Jonathan Martin’s agent Kenny Zuckerman reiterated to several reporters today, including ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), that his client fully intends to continue his NFL career in 2014. Jim Harbaugh, Martin’s former coach at Stanford, believes that the offensive tackle should fare better in another team’s locker room, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee details. Meanwhile, Mike Garafalo of FOX Sports tweets that Martin’s camp will meet with the Dolphins as soon as next week at the scouting combine.

Richie Incognito‘s lawyer has publicly suggested that the Wells report is “replete with errors,” while Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears from a Dolphins source that offensive line coach Jim Turner is almost certainly done in Miami (Twitter link). There may still be more twists and turns coming in this story, but for now we’ll focus on a few other non-Dolphins items around the AFC:

  • While it won’t affect teams’ salary cap figures, plenty of clubs are set to pay out deferred bonus money this weekend. The Patriots will pay Tom Brady $5MM of his signing bonus, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Brian McIntyre reports (via Twitter) that the Chiefs and Dolphins will also pay out bonus money on Saturday, including $6MM to Tamba Hali and $5MM to Dwayne Bowe for Kansas City.
  • With Trent Richardson and Vick Ballard set to return to the Colts’ backfield, it wouldn’t be surprising to see prospective free agent Donald Brown land elsewhere, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
  • A history of concussions has placed Kevin Kolb‘s NFL future in doubt, and Bills coach Doug Marrone told WGR 550 today that he still isn’t sure if Kolb is planning to return to the team. ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak has the details. With a $1MM roster bonus owed to the quarterback next month, the Bills may end up releasing Kolb or restructuring his deal.
  • Within his latest look around the NFL, Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei revisits the Browns‘ front office situation, providing details about Ray Farmer‘s GM candidacy with the Dolphins, Cleveland’s head coaching search, and Joe Banner‘s future job prospects.
  • The Titans should try to re-sign cornerback Alterraun Verner, safety Bernard Pollard, and defensive end Ropati Pitoitua, but should be content to let wide receiver Kenny Britt and a few other free agents walk, suggests Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.

AFC East Notes: Wells Report, Patriots, Jets

February 14th, 2014 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

Ted Wells and the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP have released their report on the Dolphins‘ bullying scandal, and their findings can be found right here. If you don’t have time to read the full, 140-page report, here’s the abridged version: While Richie Incognito promised that the truth would “bury” Jonathan Martin, the Wells report certainly doesn’t do that, instead emphatically rejecting “any suggestion that Martin manufactured claims of abuse after the fact to cover up an impetuous decision to leave the team.” That decision to leave the team was indeed “the result of persistent bullying and harassment by some of his teammates,” according to the report.

Here’s more on the Dolphins and the rest of the AFC East:

  • In addition to implicating Incognito, the Wells report also suggests that fellow linemen Mike Pouncey and John Jerry participated in “a pattern of harassment” directed at Martin, another young offensive lineman, and an assistant trainer. Considering the Dolphins seem intent on washing their hands of the situation by moving on from Incognito and Martin, it stands to reason that Pouncey and Jerry may not return to the team either.
  • The Dolphins and the league both released statements following the publication of the report indicating that they’re looking into the matter further.
  • Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald attempts to determine the best route for improving the Patriots’ wide receiving group, ultimately suggesting that re-signing Julian Edelman and perhaps adding another free agent makes more sense than targeting receivers in the draft.
  • While Rex Ryan‘s Jets typically acquires safeties on the cheap, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com believes it’s time for the team to start investing a little more money into the position.

AFC Notes: Texans, Butler, Chargers, Ravens

February 13th, 2014 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Texans receiver Andre Johnson likely won’t have any input on how his team uses its first overall pick, but he says if it were up to him, he’s “probably trade it,” according to David Nuno of ABC13 in Houston (hat tip to Pro Football Talk). Johnson’s comments are a little interesting, since many experts believe the Texans will draft a quarterback with that pick. Of course, the veteran receiver also had high praise for Johnny Manziel, one of the candidates for that No. 1 pick, calling him a “great player” and pointing out that there’s a reason he earned the nickname Johnny Football (link via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).

Here’s more from across the AFC:

  • Chargers GM Tom Telesco spoke to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com about the team’s approach to free agency, which he says will definitely be a “piece of the puzzle” for the club this offseason. According to Williams, the Chargers and linebacker Donald Butler have resumed discussions on a new deal in the hopes of working out an agreement prior to free agency.
  • Although they’ve filled their holes at wide receiver primarily with late draft picks or small free agent expenditures in recent seasons, the Ravens may make the position a priority this year, and they should have plenty of options, says Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald expresses plenty of skepticism about the idea that Jonathan Martin could return to the Dolphins for the 2014 season, which was reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport last night. In Salguero’s view, the Dolphins may be selling that idea to try to improve Martin’s trade value.
  • With new San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer expected to be sworn in on March 3, the Chargers are eager to resume their push for a new stadium, says Bernie Wilson of The Associated Press.

Jonathan Martin Return To Dolphins Still Possible

February 12th, 2014 at 7:55pm CST by Zachary Links

After a tumultuous 2013 season, the Dolphins are eager to move on from the chaos and move forward in 2014. They’ve openly said that Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin are highly unlikely to be back in Miami for this upcoming season, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (via Twitter) hears that the door could still be open for Martin.

Martin’s reps have talked with Miami and while a return can’t be handicapped as likely at this point, Rapoport hears that it’s not impossible that he’ll be staying put this year. For his part, Martin says he wants to continue playing in the NFL even though it would seem from the outside that the rigors of the game and the locker room gave him trouble lsat season.

“I understand opportunities in the NFL are fleeting,” Martin said. “I’m hopeful that I get another opportunity and I can make the most of it, because this is what I love to do. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t playing football.”

The 24-year-old tackle is on an affordable contract, with a cap number of about $1.3MM in 2014 and $1.52MM in 2015. A trade is also possible because even though his trade value isn’t sky high, clubs do have interest in the former second-round pick and may look to work directly with Miami in order to avoid worrying about waiver priority and competition from other clubs.

Extra Points: Incognito, Gross, Suggs, Pats

February 7th, 2014 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Executives and players who spoke to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report expressed confidence that Richie Incognito would continue to find NFL work going forward, but weren’t as certain about Jonathan Martin’s future. Lingering questions about Martin’s trustworthiness and mental health make him a bigger question mark around the league than Incognito, whose off-field question marks are at least more familiar for NFL teams.

“He’s not a good guy, but we’re not a league of good guys,” one GM said of Incognito. “There are some bad guys in football, but it’s football, not the Salvation Army. He can play, if the commissioner allows it, he’ll get another job.”

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Several contracts around the league voided today, adding more players to the 2014 free agent list, as expected. In a series of tweets, Joel Corry and Brian McIntryre listed a few of the notable players whose deals voided, including Brian Orakpo, Brandon Meriweather, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, B.J. Raji, and Corey Webster.
  • Another player whose deal was set to void today was Panthers offensive lineman Jordan Gross, who remains undecided on whether or not he’ll continue his career, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. As Corry notes (via Twitter), voiding Gross’ contract would result in $5.6MM of dead money on Carolina’s cap, so the team probably would’ve liked to push that deadline into March, if possible. It’s not clear yet whether the club managed to do anything like that though.
  • The latest piece from Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report is chock full of interesting tidbits, including word that the Ravens still believe Terrell Suggs is a valuable asset, meaning the team is more likely to try to restructure his deal than to release him. Pompei also notes that many NFL team execs are happy this year’s draft was pushed back, since they’ll need that extra time to evaluate the record number of underclassmen among 2014’s class.
  • While Michael Bennett, Anthony Spencer, and Jason Worilds are among the intriguing pass-rushing options in this year’s free agent class, Orakpo and Greg Hardy make up the top tier, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
  • A day after looking at the Seahawks’ future, Joel Corry of The National Football Post turns his attention to what’s next for the Broncos.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com provides a brief snapshot of every position on the Patriots’ offense, assessing whether or not the team will address each spot in free agency or the draft.

Jonathan Martin Plans To Continue NFL Career

January 29th, 2014 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

After being at the center of a high-profile bullying scandal involving Richie Incognito and the Dolphins this season, offensive lineman Jonathan Martin hopes to continue his NFL playing career next season, as he told Tony Dungy of NBC Sports this week (interview transcript via James Walker of ESPN.com). Martin hasn’t spoken with the Dolphins since leaving the team and appears unlikely to return to Miami, but would like to play somewhere.

“I understand opportunities in the NFL are fleeting,” Martin said. “I’m hopeful that I get another opportunity and I can make the most of it, because this is what I love to do. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t playing football.”

According to Jason Cole of the National Football Post, Martin would like to work with the Dolphins to find a suitable trade destination. While Miami likely wouldn’t receive much of a return for Martin, who will become trade-eligible in March, two NFL general managers at last week’s Senior Bowl told Cole the former second-round pick would have a little trade value.

It’s also possible that the Dolphins will simply release Martin, but potential suitors may be more inclined to work out a deal with Miami to avoid competing with other teams in the waiver process. The 24-year-old tackle is on an affordable contract, with a cap number of about $1.3MM in 2014 and $1.52MM in 2015.