LaMarr Woodley - Pro Football Rumors

West Notes: Von, Broncos, Woodley, C. Jones

July 14th, 2016 at 8:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As we learned earlier this evening, the Broncos and linebacker Von Miller appear to be on the precipice of reaching a six-year deal that will contain $70MM in “solid” guarantees, and while it’s unclear exactly what “solid” refers to in this case, it’s fair to assume that Miller will receive $70MM either fully guaranteed or effectively guaranteed. But Miller was apparently seeking a higher total not too long ago — $75MM to be exact, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who adds that Miller set that financial goal after Andrew Luck agreed to a mega-deal with the Colts last month. However the specifics of Miler’s pact turn out, he’s set to become the highest paid defensive player in NFL history on an annual basis, and depending on the nature of the guarantees, could secure the largest amount of guaranteed money the league has ever seen.

Here’s more on Miller, the Broncos, and a few other clubs from the NFL’s West divisions:

While Miller is worth the nearly $20MM per year salary that he’s about to earn, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post opines that Miller might not be the wisest investment for the Broncos. The negotiations between general manager John Elway and Miller’s camp have been sticky at times, and could make a lasting impression as other free agents talk with Denver management. The Broncos, meanwhile, have paused talks with wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders while hammering out details with Miller, and Kiszla argues that no non-quarterback — no matter how talented — can provide surplus value when earning $20MM per annum.
Speaking of troublesome negotiations, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk harkens back to 2013, when the Broncos failed to complete the necessary paperwork on a contract restructure for Elvis Dumervil — after a deadline came and went, Dumervil hit free agency and ultimately signed with the Ravens. So although reports indicate that Miller and Denver are close to working something out, the two sides may want to submit the agreement ahead of time in order to prevent another fiasco.
Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, linebacker LaMarr Woodley lamented the fact that no NFL teams have thus far expressed interest in him, and maintained that he’s kept in shape throughout the offseason. “I can’t make a team call me. So all I can do is prepare myself and keep myself ready, but also I’m going to make sure that my mind is working and that I’m doing other things — things that I can control,” said Woodley, who spent 2015 with the Cardinals. The 31-year-old suggested last month that he’s prepared for life after football if he isn’t able to secure a contract.
NFC West newcomer Chandler Jones will help the Cardinals generate a consistent pass rush during the upcoming season, writes Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. Arizona and defensive coordinator James Bettcher are well-known for “manufacturing” an edge rush, sending players from various directions and from different fronts in order to get to the quarterback. But Jones, who posted 12.5 sacks last year for the Patriots, gives the Cards a player who can beat offensive lineman on his own merit.

Extra Points: Panthers, E. Sanders, Cards, Bills

June 15th, 2016 at 8:51pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

With Josh Norman out of Carolina thanks to a contract dispute and defensive tackle Kawann Short now angling for a big-money deal, Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman fired a warning shot at player agents Wednesday. “I’d like to think agents have figured out they can’t scare me; they can’t squeeze me. I’m not going to panic. It’s a waste of time,” he defiantly told Black & Blue Review (Twitter link).

NFC West Notes: Woodley, Peters, Coleman

June 3rd, 2016 at 6:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

LaMarr Woodley may never again accrue the double-digit sack numbers that he posted during the early portion of his career with the Steelers, but the veteran edge rusher — who spent the 2015 season with the Cardinals — feels as though he still has some productivity left. But as he tells Hugh Bernreuter of MLive.com, Woodley is prepared for life after the NFL if no clubs express interest.

“There’s no stress, because it’s something I can’t control,” said Woodley, who managed 10 games with the Cardinals before a chest injury landed him on injured reserve. “I can control what I can do off the field, but I can’t control what might happen on the field. I have a lot of things I’m involved in. I’m not just waiting by the phone. I’ve worked hard to have a future outside of the NFL.”

Let’s take a look at more from the NFC West, including one additional note on the Cardinals…

Defensive tackle Corey Peters signed a three-year deal with the Cardinals prior to last season, but he has yet to officially suit up for the club after he tore his Achilles (for the second time in two years) last August. Peters’ recovery is going well, as he tells Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com, and the 27-year old figures to compete for time along Arizona’s interior defensive line. However, given the nature of his injury, and the fact that the Cards could clear more than $1.2MM in cap space by releasing him, Peters knows his roster spot must be earned this summer. “I think that the NFL is pretty much always, play well or be replaced, and it’s no different,” Peters said. “That’s kind of the attitude I’ve always taken toward it, so whether it’s coming off an injury or anything else, I think it’s very important to put your best foot forward and put your best work on the field.”
Former Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman has been officially charged with vehicular assault and felony hit-and-run stemming from an October incident, as Sara Jean Green of the Seattle Times reports. Seattle suspended Coleman for all of four days last season, but he went on to play in 14 games for the club, filling a valuable role on special teams. Coleman, a restricted free agent at the end of the season, was non-tendered this spring, so he’s been free to sign with any club.
The Rams worked out former Massachussetts quarterback Blake Frohnapfel today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link), who adds that Frohnapfel previously worked out for the Colts. Frohnapfel also met with the Lions prior to this year’s draft (in which he was ultimately not selected).

West Notes: Woodley, P. Lynch, Cards, Raiders

May 6th, 2016 at 9:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent linebacker Lamarr Woodley offered scathing reviews of two of his former defensive coordinators, the Cardinals’ James Bettcher and ex-Raiders assistant Jason Tarver (now with San Francisco), on the latest edition of his podcast (per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic).

“In Oakland, we had a dumb defensive coordinator and in Arizona, we had a dumb defensive coordinator,” he said.

Woodley didn’t mention either Bettcher or Tarver by name, but given that he only spent one year with both teams, it’s clear he was referring to them.

He continued, “They thought we were like Madden players. They’d draw something up and on paper it looked good, but the players still have to go out there and run it. Those guys didn’t really listen to their players. They wanted to do it their way and their way only.”

Woodley also ripped into Bettcher for his game plan in the Cardinals’ 49-15 loss to Carolina in the NFC championship.

“It wasn’t because we had bad players. No, our defensive coordinator he didn’t have the common sense to talk to his players to make the adjustments. Because he just wanted to do things his way those are the results we got, bottom line,” he said.

Woodley didn’t play in the title round (or any Cardinals game beyond Nov. 22) because he was on injured reserve. The 31-year-old appeared in just 16 contests over the previous two seasons with the Raiders and Cardinals, combining for 15 tackles and a sack. Woodley was a far more productive player from 2007-13 in Pittsburgh, with which he piled up 58 sacks.

And now the latest from the AFC West:

Quarterback Mark Sanchez might not be at the Broncos’ helm for long if first-rounder Paxton Lynch forces the team’s hand, which is something general manager John Elway believes the ex-Memphis standout is capable of doing. “We think he’s going to be ready quicker than a lot of people think,” Elway told Denver Sports 760 (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). On why the Broncos decided to trade up in the first round for the 6-foot-7 Lynch, Elway said, “He’s a young guy with tremendous athletic ability, he’s got the strong arm, can make all the throws, he’s smart, and he’s a guy that can fit into this offense real well.”
While Elway sees the Lynch era approaching, Troy Renck of the Denver Post cautions that patience is in order. As Renck writes, Lynch hasn’t played in a pro-style offense since his freshman year at Memphis – which is the last time he was even in a huddle – and his play calls there were far less complicated than they will be in Denver. Moreover, the Broncos would be unwise to rush Lynch into the lineup to serve as a game manager, Renck opines. The club should instead wait until the 22-year-old is truly ready and let him take advantage of his strengths, namely his big arm and elusiveness.
Raiders defensive end Mario Edwards has been given medical clearance to resume his career, he announced Friday on Instagram (via Marc Sessler of NFL.com). A serious neck injury brought a premature end to Edwards’ rookie campaign after he had started in 10 of 14 appearances and tallied three forced fumbles and two sacks. For his work last season, the second-rounder from Florida State ranked an impressive 32nd out of 110 qualifying edge defenders at Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Cardinals Sign Red Bryant, Place LaMarr Woodley On IR

November 26th, 2015 at 12:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals are placing LaMarr Woodley on IR with a chest injury, as Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. To fill the gap, the Cards will sign defensive tackle Red Bryant.

Last season was something of a lost year for Woodley, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Steelers. After playing strictly as an outside linebacker in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 scheme, Woodley moved to defensive end in Oakland’s 4-3 look, and didn’t adjust particularly well, ranking 44th out of 59 qualified 4-3 DEs per Pro Football Focus. The Michigan alum played in just six games before tearing his biceps and missing the remainder of the season.

Woodley is no stranger to the disabled list as he missed a total of 14 games from 2011-2013 but still amassed 18 sacks during that span. The three years prior to that were Woodley’s absolute best as he recorded 34.5 sacks and established himself as one of the most nightmare-inducing players for NFL quarterbacks. This year, Woodley appeared in 10 games (7 starts) and totaled just 10 tackles with 1 sack. Woodley’s one-year, minimum deal lapses following the 2015 season and it remains to be seen whether the 31-year-old will stay with Arizona, sign elsewhere, or perhaps even consider retirement given his string of injuries in recent years.

Bryant saw time in all 16 games in his first and only season for the Jaguars in 2014. In total, he racked up 23 tackles to go with one pass deflection and one sack. The 31-year-old graded out as a slightly below-average contributor, according to Pro Football Focus‘ metrics, coming in with a -1.6 grade. Overall, that placed him 31st out of 59 qualified 4-3 defensive ends. Before his season in Jacksonville, Bryant spent six years with the Seahawks, starting all but one regular-season contest for the team from 2011 to 2013. This year, Bryant was set to suit up for the Bills, but he was cut loose in early September.

Cardinals Sign LaMarr Woodley

March 10th, 2015 at 1:57pm CST by Zachary Links

1:57pm: The deal is official, according to Cards VP media relations Mark Dalton (on Twitter).

1:44pm: Woodley’s deal is a one-year contract for the minimum salary of $870K, according to Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter).

1:17pm: It’ll be a one-year deal for Woodley with the Cards, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

1:06pm: The Cardinals are expected to sign LaMarr Woodley, according to Peter Schrager and Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

Last season was something of a lost year for Woodley, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Steelers. After playing strictly as an outside linebacker in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 scheme, Woodley moved to defensive end in Oakland’s 4-3 look, and didn’t adjust particularly well, ranking 44th out of 59 qualified 4-3 DEs per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Michigan alum played in just six games before tearing his biceps and missing the remainder of the season.

Woodley is no stranger to the disabled list as he missed a total of 14 games from 2011-2013 but still amassed 18 sacks during that span. The three years prior to that were Woodley’s absolute best as he recorded 34.5 sacks and established himself as one of the most nightmare-inducing players for NFL quarterbacks. Between his time off to heal and his move back to a 3-4 scheme, it seems very possible that Woodley could be in line for a bounce back year in 2015.

Raiders Release LaMarr Woodley

March 5th, 2015 at 3:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

THURSDAY, 3:57pm: The Raiders have officially cut Woodley, the team announced today (via Twitter).

SUNDAY, 2:09pm: The Raiders plan to release edge defender LaMarr Woodley this week, a source tells Fallon Smith of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). The 30-year-old Woodley was entering the final season of a two-year deal he inked with Oakland last March.

2014 was something of a lost season for Woodley, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Steelers. After playing strictly as an outside linebacker in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 scheme, Woodley moved to defensive end in Oakland’s 4-3 look, and didn’t adjust particularly well, ranking 44th out of 59 qualified 4-3 DEs per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Michigan alum played in just six games before tearing his biceps and missing the remainder of the season.

Woodley was due a $1MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2015 league year, meaning the Raiders presumably made this move with the intention of avoiding that payment. Woodley had no guaranteed money coming in 2015, so Oakland will clear his entire cap figure off its books, saving nearly $5.2MM. Pending further transactions, the Raiders should now be armed with nearly $61MM in cap space when the free agent period begins next week.

Always a better fit as a 3-4 OLB, Woodley could conceivably look to latch on with a team that plays that scheme. At his age, and coming off injury, he probably won’t be line for a multi-year deal or much guaranteed money. But a club like the Titans (where former Steelers coordinator Dick LeBeau is running the defense), the Cardinals, or the Colts could take a chance on Woodley, hoping that he might thrive with a return to linebacker. A reunion with Pittsburgh also wouldn’t be surprising, as the cash-strapped Steelers could use a veteran stop-gap at pass-rusher.

Woodley becomes the second high-profile Raider veteran cut in the past week, as Oakland also plans to release safety Tyvon Branch.

West Rumors: Fitz, Raiders, Parker, Wilson

February 20th, 2015 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

While we learned the basic details of Larry Fitzgerald‘s new contract with the Cardinals earlier this week, we didn’t have the specific figures until today, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com breaks down the deal in a series of five tweets. Fitzgerald will receive a $10MM bonus on the second day of the 2015 league year, and has fully guaranteed $1MM and $11MM base salaries for 2015 and 2016, respectively. That $10MM bonus will be considered a signing bonus, meaning it’s prorated over the course of the deal, which extends through 2018, though it’s scheduled to void five days after the 2017 Super Bowl. The contract, which includes a no-trade clause, reduces Fitzgerald’s 2015 cap hit to $10.85M, creating $12.75M in immediate cap room for the Cards.

Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFL’s two West divisions….

Although Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie has publicly stated that the team won’t rule out keeping Matt Schaub in 2015, league sources tell Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that Oakland won’t bring back its high-priced backup. According to Tafur, safety Tyvon Branch and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley could also be on the chopping block, and running back Maurice Jones-Drew would likely have to take a pay cut to return to Oakland.
The Chiefs are engaged in ongoing discussions with the agent for free agent defensive back Ron Parker, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star, who tweets that Parker’s asking price is still about $6MM per year. Paylor reported earlier in the month that Parker would be seeking a $6MM annual salary on a four- or five-year deal.
Cap experts like Joel Corry and Jason Fitzgerald have recently speculated that when Russell Wilson signs an extension with the Seahawks, he could become the first quarterback to receive a fully guaranteed contract. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), that possibility is “very real,” and it’ll be fascinating to see how it plays out.
In his examation of the free agent market for tight ends, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap explains why Broncos TE Julius Thomas may be overvalued next month.

Raiders To Place Woodley, Young On IR

October 24th, 2014 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

At least two Raiders players won’t be around to try to help lead the team to its first victory of the year, according to head coach Tony Sparano, who confirmed today that defensive end LaMarr Woodley and safety Usama Young have season-ending injuries (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle). According to Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter), practice squad players will likely be promoted to the 53-man roster when Woodley and Young are officially placed on injured reserve.

Woodley, who turns 30 next month, suffered a torn bicep on Sunday, prematurely ending his season and likely his stint with the Raiders as well. The veteran defender signed a two-year deal with the team in the offseason, but the contract didn’t include a signing bonus, which means it’ll be fairly easy for Oakland to get out of at season’s end. With Woodley recovering from this injury, it seems more likely that the Raiders would cut him than commit to a 2015 salary that includes a $3.85MM base and a $1MM bonus due on the fifth day of the ’15 league year.

As for Young, he also signed a two-year contract with the Raiders in the offseason. A frequent contributor on special teams, Young had also taken on a more significant role on defense this season, starting three of the club’s first six contests.

Assuming the Raiders add a pair of defenders to replace their injured players, candidates to be promoted from the practice squad include defensive ends Denico Autry and Shelby Harris, along with linebacker Spencer Hadley, cornerback Ras-I Dowling, and defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin.

LaMarr Woodley Likely Done For Year

October 22nd, 2014 at 7:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Raiders defensive end LaMarr Woodley suffered a torn bicep on Sunday and his season is likely over, a source tells Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter). Even though the 0-6 Raiders probably aren’t playing for much this season, it’s still disheartening news for a team that has been down on its luck.

Oakland signed the soon-to-be 30-year-old to a two-year deal worth a potential $12MM over the offseason. The longtime Steeler was asked to adjust to a 4-3 scheme after playing in a 3-4 defense in Pittsburgh and seemed excited about the challenge.

Woodley is no stranger to the disabled list as he missed a total of 14 games from 2011-2013 but still amassed 18 sacks during that span. The three years prior to that were Woodley’s absolute best as he recorded 34.5 sacks and established himself as one of the most nightmare-inducing players for NFL quarterbacks.

Once the Raiders place Woodley on injured reserve, they’ll probably look to make an addition at defensive end. Woodley’s $3.85MM base salary for 2015 is non-guaranteed and he’ll earn an additional $1.5MM in roster bonuses if he remains with the team.