Justin Forsett - Pro Football Rumors

Falcons Interested In Justin Forsett

February 20th, 2015 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

Assuming Justin Forsett doesn’t sign a new contract with the Ravens before he becomes eligible to talk to other potential suitors in March, the free agent running back will draw “strong interest” from the Falcons, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Atlanta would be able to talk to Forsett’s agent as of March 7, and could sign him starting on March 10.

Forsett, 29, had a breakout season in 2014, setting new career-best marks across the board, including rushing yards (1,266), receptions (44), and touchdowns (eight). While a veteran putting up those kind of numbers for the first time during his seventh season in the league – a contract year – might raise some red flags, Forsett is expected to generate plenty of interest this winter as part of a running back class that doesn’t feature any real top-tier options besides DeMarco Murray.

As McClure points out, Forsett does have a connection to the Falcons’ coaching staff, having played in Seattle while new Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn was working for the Seahawks. However, it may be Forsett’s success in Gary Kubiak‘s zone-blocking scheme that truly piques the Falcons’ interest — Kyle Shanahan is expected to employ a similar scheme in Atlanta in 2015.

Both Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff mentioned during their meetings with the media yesterday in Indianapolis that they could envision Devonta Freeman excelling in Shanahan’s system, so it makes sense that the Falcons would like Forsett too — Freeman is listed at 5’8″ and 206 pounds, while Forsett checks in at 5’8″ and 197.

AFC Links: Johnson, Forsett, Spiller, Richardson

February 14th, 2015 at 4:44pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets declined the option on Chris Johnson earlier today, making him a free agent this offseason. Johnson played only one year in New York, and his release will save the team $3.5MM on the 2015 cap. Johnson figures to be available for even less than the two-year, $8MM contract he signed last offseason, but should be able to find work somewhere.

Here are some links surrounding AFC running backs this offseason:

Johnson was reportedly reluctant to consider the Ravens last offseason despite some interest from the organization, due to the presence of Ray Rice on the roster, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). With his value another year diminished and no starting running back on the roster, he might reconsider Baltimore this time around. Of course, the team will likely try to keep revelation Justin Forsett (via Twitter). While the offense will likely change without Gary Kubiak at the helm, new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is expected to keep the zone blocking scheme in place (via Twitter).
With Johnson out of the picture, the Jets could target Bills’ former first-round draft pick C.J. Spiller, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Chan Gailey was the head coach in Buffalo when Spiller was drafted, and Spiller experienced some of his best success in limited snaps early on there. He could be a great complement to Chris Ivory.
Trent Richardson had a tumultuous end to the 2014 season to say the least, and Matt Bowen of Bleacher Report wonders if he can be fixed. Bowen notes that scouts still swear by Richardson’s college tape. Bowen quotes two scouts as saying he was the best running back they ever graded at the college level. Still, he believes the former third overall pick needs to set new goals for himself in order for him to stay in the league long enough to change his image.

Ravens Notes: Forsett, Yanda, Ngata, Rice

February 11th, 2015 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

Under new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, the Ravens will be staying in the zone-running system that worked so well in 2014, which means running back Justin Forsett could prove most valuable to Baltimore when free agency opens, as Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun writes. There has been some speculation that the tailback could follow Gary Kubiak to the Broncos, but Kubiak has a history of turning bargain backs into stars and he could try to do that all over again in 2015.

Let’s check in on a few other Ravens-related items….

A contract extension for guard Marshal Yanda makes too much sense for the club and the four-time Pro Bowler not to make something happen this offseason, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Yanda is entering the final year of his contract, and as Hensley suggests, by offering him a four-year deal in the range of $30MM, the team could lock him up for the next few seasons and reduce his $8.45MM cap hit for 2015.
In a separate piece for ESPN.com, Hensley examines whether or not punter Sam Koch is in danger of being a cap casualty, ultimately predicting that Baltimore will keep Koch despite his $3MM+ cap hit.
In his look at major salary cap and contract questions facing AFC teams, former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com leads off by exploring whether defensive lineman Haloti Ngata will agree to restructure his contract or accept a pay cut. The Ravens would create $8.5MM in cap savings by releasing Ngata if the two sides don’t reach a compromise.
At one time, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report was nearly positive that Ray Rice wouldn’t play in the NFL again. Now, after speaking to multiple team executives in recent weeks, Freeman is far less certain. One GM tells the Bleacher Report scribe that the former Ravens running back will “100% be on a team” in 2015. However, the Ravens may not see Rice next season — per Freeman, most of the teams thinking hard about signing the veteran are in the NFC.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Sunday Roundup: Wilson, Manning, AFC North

February 1st, 2015 at 12:40pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some notes from around the league on this Super Bowl Sunday:

According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, negotiations on a long-term extension for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will begin “as soon as the Super Bowl ends.” As we have been hearing, Wilson is expected to become the highest-paid player in NFL history, with Aaron Rodgers‘ $22MM average annual salary serving as the starting point for negotiations with Wilson. Rapoport adds that everything Seattle has done this year, including its dealings with Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril, and K.J. Wright, was done with a Wilson deal in mind (Twitter link to NFL Media PR).
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is expected to play in 2015, and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen writes that official confirmation could come from Manning this week.
Falcons star receiver Julio Jones is under contract through 2015, but an extension for Jones will be put on hold until incoming head coach Dan Quinn has had time to fully assess the roster, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Those sentiments come from team owner Arthur Blank, which suggests that Quinn will have a great deal of input into roster decisions and creates more questions about the role of GM Thomas Dimitroff.
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines the state of the Steelers‘ secondary, which looks to be a major area of concern heading into the offseason.
Ravens running back Justin Forsett spoke with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk about a number of topics, including his impending free agency. The tailback made it known once again that he’d like to stay in purple and black. “I would like to stay in Baltimore, but it is a business and I’m looking for a commitment. However that comes, I just want to be able to take care of my family,” the veteran said. Florio also asked Forsett about the possibility of following former Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak to Denver. Forsett was complimentary of Kubiak but downplayed the likelihood of a reunion, noting that the Broncos have multiple tailbacks under contract, including C.J. Anderson. However, as Florio rightly noted, none of the Denver backs amassed 1,266 yards on the ground in 2014 like Forsett did.
There is a mechanism in the collective bargaining agreement by which the Browns could seek to recover a pro-rated portion of Gordon’s signing bonus because of games missed due to suspensions, as Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes. That pro-rated portion for 2015 is just over $564K, however, so it’s not clear if Cleveland will pursue that process.

Zach Links contributed to this post

AFC Notes: Raiders, Colts, Forsett, Burfict

January 26th, 2015 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

Reports last week indicated that the Raiders may ultimately look to the college ranks as their search for a defensive coordinator continues. While no specific names were mentioned at the time, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC Washington has one for us today, tweeting that Oakland is interested in Louisville DC Todd Grantham. According to Russini (via Twitter), the Raiders have lined up a meeting with Grantham, who is considered a favorite for the position.

As we enter the final week of the NFL season, let’s round up a few more notes from around the AFC….

The Colts and running backs coach David Walker have “mutually” agreed to part ways, the team announced today (Twitter link via Mike Wells of ESPN.com). Per Football Outsiders, Indianapolis placed just 17th in offensive DVOA this season, in large part due to the team’s rushing rank (27th).
“I want to have a home and stay there. That’s the plan,” running back Justin Forsett said about the possibility of re-signing with the Ravens. Forsett added that new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is expected to keep many of the same principles that Baltimore’s run game used in 2014 (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict underwent microfracture surgery on his knee, but the surgeon who performed the procedure is optimistic that Burfict could be back to full strength for training camp, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
With new head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Greg Roman expected to install a power running game in Buffalo, the Bills should be careful not to overpay for free-agent-to-be C.J. Spiller, who may not be an ideal fit, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker expects Spiller to land a deal in the range of the ones signed by backs like Ben Tate, Knowshon Moreno, and Darren McFadden a year ago — those players inked short-term deals for $3-4MM per season.
The Dolphins should do what they can to re-sign defensive tackle Jared Odrick, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap in his preview of Miami’s offseason cap decisions. Fitzgerald views Odrick as a potential $5.5-$6.5MM per year player.

Sunday Roundup: Morris, Harman, Graham

January 25th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some links from around the league as the Seahawks and Patriots prepare to head off to Arizona:

We learned earlier today that the Falcons, who will name Dan Quinn as their next head coach on February 2, will also hire Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris for an assistant-defensive coordinator hybrid position. NBC4’s Dianna Marie Russini tweets that Morris will not be the team’s defensive coordinator and that he will serve as an assistant of some kind.
Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com adds that Wade Harman, the Falcons’ assistant offensive line coach in 2014, will be named as the team’s next tight ends coach. Harman served as the Ravens‘ tight ends coach for 15 years before coming to Atlanta in 2014.
Washington has 12 players eligible for unrestricted free agency, and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com offers his thoughts as to which of those players the team should re-sign.
LeGarrette Blount has fallen out of favor with both collegiate and professional organizations in his football career, but Adam Kurkjian of the Boston Herald writes that Blount’s second stint with the Patriots has proven that his true home is in New England.
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe wonders if the Buccaneers’ hiring of Mike Bajakian as their quarterbacks coach signals that they have already decided to draft Marcus Mariota with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Volin points out that Bajakian’s spread-option attack is much better suited to Mariota’s skillset than Jameis Winston‘s.
Marc Sessler of NFL.com writes that Saints tight end Jimmy Graham will use tonight’s Pro Bowl as a gauge to determine whether he should undergo offseason shoulder surgery.
Mike Klis of the Denver Post says the Broncos have reached a crossroads, and he believes the team will have more questions with Peyton Manning than without.
Surprise Pro Bowler Justin Forsett reaffirmed this week that he wants to remain with the Ravens, writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. The journeyman veteran is tired of bouncing around the league and would like to establish a long-term relationship with the team that gave him the best chance to finally enjoy a breakout season.

Torrey Smith, Forsett Hope To Re-Sign With Ravens

January 11th, 2015 at 3:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Ravens suffered an excruciating divisional round loss to the Patriots last night, and could see their offensive coordinator leave for a head coaching position in the next few weeks. However, a pair of key free agents have expressed their desire to remain in Baltimore — both receiver Torrey Smith and running back Justin Forsett‘s contracts are expiring, but both indicated today that they’d like to re-sign with the Ravens.

Smith, 25, said he would prefer to not even reach free agency, meaning that he’d like to sign an extension before the start of the new league year (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun). Smith, a Virginia native, says Baltimore now feels like home after spending four years with the Ravens. For his career, Smith has averaged 53 receptions for nearly 900 yards and eight touchdowns; he didn’t meet those catch or yard marks in 2014, but did haul in 11 touchdowns. The Maryland alum is also the best receiver at drawing defensive pass interference — this season, he drew 12 PI calls, which led to 261 yards in field position for Baltimore.

The free agent receiver market is interesting in that in contains four elite options in Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant, Randall Cobb, and Jeremy Maclin, a second-tier choice in Smith, and then a dramatic dropoff. Thomas and Bryant are increasingly unlikely to reach free agency, as they’ll either be extended or franchised by the Broncos and Cowboys, respectively. But for WR-needy clubs that miss out on Cobb or Maclin, Smith presents a fine alternative, especially for a team looking for a deep threat.

Smith, who graded as the league’s 37th-best receiver among 110 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), might not be in the Ravens’ plans despite his intentions to stay. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in December that the club could let Smith walk in free agency, and given the other options mentioned above, he might not find a strong market for his services. PFR’s Rory Parks examined Smith’s contract case before the season, writing that Antonio Brown‘s five-year, $42.5MM deal with the Steelers could act as a benchmark. After something of a lackluster season, Smith probably won’t be able to match those years or that AAV.

Forsett, meanwhile, sounds a little less certain that he will be retained by the Ravens. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to show what I can do,” Forsett told Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “It’s been a long time coming and I just want to build on it. I would love to stay here and be a Raven, but there’s a business part of that. I’ve experienced a lot of the business side of it, but hopefully we can get something done.” Forsett, 29, played 2014 under a one-year, $730K deal after being released by the Jaguars. Because he was on a minimum salary benefit contract, he isn’t eligible to sign a multi-year deal with Baltimore until free agency begins in March.

Forsett, a veteran of seven NFL seasons, enjoyed a career year in 2014, rushing for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns, adding another 263 yards on 44 receptions — he also graded as PFF’s sixth-best running back. He’ll join an impressive free agent RB class that also boasts DeMarco Murray, Mark Ingram, Frank Gore, and Ryan Mathews, so although Forsett doesn’t have the wear-and-tear that other veteran RBs do, the abundance of options and his advanced age could limit his market. Still, he’s probably the best option for Baltimore in 2015 (especially if zone-blocking aficionado Gary Kubiak stays on as OC), and Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com predicted in November that the team would reward Forsett with a two- or three-year deal with a modest signing bonus.

Extra Points: Draft, Ravens, Eagles, LeBeau

January 10th, 2015 at 9:55pm CST by Luke Adams

USC running back Javorius ‘Buck’ Allen has decided to forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the 2015 draft, Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports reported today (via Twitter). The redshirt junior ran for 1,489 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Trojans in 2014, adding another 458 yards through the air on 41 receptions. For the most part, draft experts are in agreement on Allen’s stock, with ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, and CBSSports.com all ranking the USC back between eighth and 10th among 2015’s running back prospects — that makes him a likely third- or fourth-round pick.

Here’s more from around the NFL, in the midst of the league’s divisional playoff weekend:

Now that the Ravens have been eliminated from the playoffs, Baltimore will have to make free agent decisions on Justin Forsett and Torrey Smith, shore up its secondary, and add a pass-catching tight end, among other things, writes Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider-only link).
In the view of Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), the Ravens should at least give Forsett a one-year deal worth the $3MM that Ray Rice had been scheduled to earn in 2015.
Chip Kelly‘s interview with Chris Polian of the Jaguars for the Eagles‘ general manager position has taken place, a source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link).
Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears from a source close to Dick LeBeau that the longtime coach would still like to be a defensive coordinator, after resigning from his Steelers position today. Cole points to the Cardinals as a possible match for LeBeau if current DC Todd Bowles lands a head coaching job elsewhere.
Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examines the upcoming offseason for the Bears and new general manager Ryan Pace, writing that while Jay Cutler may have made a “convenient scapegoat” in 2014, the team’s problems ran much deeper than Cutler.
A pair of 49ers defenders, cornerback Perrish Cox and outside linebacker Dan Skuta, played large roles for the club in 2014 after spending most of their respective careers in backups. With Cox and Skuta both facing potential free agency, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle takes a look at what’s next for the duo.

La Canfora’s Latest: 49ers, Saints, RGIII

November 30th, 2014 at 10:36am CST by Rory Parks

It is almost a foregone conclusion that 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh will not be prowling the San Francisco sidelines after the 2014 season. Although much of the talk concerning the 49ers’ head coaching situation has centered around Harbaugh’s next destination, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports examines how the team might go about replacing its successful but polarizing general.

Although Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase would be a logical external candidate, La Canfora writes that the 49ers plan to thoroughly evaluate their internal options and that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula would be at the top of the team’s list. Both men have done an exceptional job during their tenure with the club, and 2014 might represent their high-water mark as coaches, given that the 49ers’ defense has thrived in the midst of injuries to some of its best players.

Tomsula is a personal favorite of owner Jed York, and both he and Fangio are expected to receive interest from other clubs looking to fill head coaching positions. However, the team would like to keep as much of its talented defensive staff in place as possible, particularly since Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Greg Roman are expected to follow Harbaugh wherever he goes. Hiring Tomsula or Fangio would also mesh with San Francisco’s preferred operating procedure, as it would be out of character for the team to attempt to attract a big-name, big-money coach from outside the organization.

Let’s take a look at some other relevant issues that La Canfora has touched on this morning:

La Canfora writes that there is a growing rift between Saints head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, and that the team is expected to find a new defensive coordinator–which would be its fifth in Payton’s nine-year tenure–after the season. Citing an unnamed source, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets that La Canfora’s report is “very accurate,” although Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets that he has not heard about the friction between Payton and Ryan.
La Canfora tweets that he expects “substantial change” on the Saints and 49ers rosters after this season given the teams’ high salary cap numbers and large salaries.
If Washington were to try to trade quarterback Robert Griffin III after the season, La Canfora writes that the team is unlikely to get more than a third round pick for him.
We learned earlier today that the Ravens are expected to reward Justin Forsett with a multiyear deal after this season, but La Canfora notes that Forsett’s contract prevents him from signing an in-season extension if Baltimore were inclined to lock him up sooner. As former agent Joel Corry tweets, Forsett’s age (30) will limit the size of his contract, despite his “low mileage.”
Although the Colts have stated they do not have interest in bringing Ray Rice aboard, La Canfora wonders if the team’s need at running back and Rice’s relationship with head coach Chuck Pagano will be enough for them to change their stance.

North Notes: Rice, Ravens, Shanahan

November 30th, 2014 at 8:38am CST by Rory Parks

Four teams have expressed interest in former Ravens running back Ray Rice, writes ESPN’s Adam Schefter. One of those four teams, the Colts, have recently stated that they are not interested in signing the newly-reinstated Rice at this time. The Saints were the other team identified in Schefter’s report–the other two clubs said to have interest were unnamed–but SportsCenter staff, citing Schefter, later tweeted that the Saints, like the Colts, are not expected to pursue Rice.

Those who believe Rice will not play again this season, if at all, most frequently support their position by citing the obvious public relations ramifications that a team signing Rice would have to face. However, as Schefter points outs, there is also a sizable on-field concern to consider. One AFC running backs coach, speaking to Schefter’s colleague Josina Anderson, noted that the speed with which Rice would pick up a new offense could pose a problem. The coach said:

“Some guys learn faster than others. They just do. I don’t know what kind of shape he’s in. There are a bunch of different things. He’s going to have to get into shape, clearly because he hasn’t been hitting this year. You would think there would be some carryover … but he is a good player. He is a good player.”

So while it still seems more likely than not that Rice will not suit up in 2014, the recent interest in his services suggests that there could still be a match between Rice and a playoff contender.

Now for a few more items from the league’s north divisions:

Although we took a look at this mailbag from ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley yesterday, one item of note that should be passed along is Hensley’s belief that the Ravens will reward surprise contributors Justin Forsett and Will Hill with two- or three-year deals with a modest bonus during the offseason.
Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes that Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will garner at least some interest from the six (or more) teams that will likely be looking for a new head coach after this season. Although it may take another year or two of interviews before Shanahan lands a head coaching job, it does appear that he will make that leap in fairly short order.
Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel, in anticipation of today’s much-anticipated matchup between the Packers and Patriots, describes the different approaches that those two clubs take to roster construction and notes that Green Bay is relying on the type of players that New England head coach Bill Belichick may have already given up on.
Ben Goessling of ESPN.com believes left guard is the spot on the Vikings offensive line where a change is most likely.