HEADLINES

LaMichael James

NFC Notes: Suh, Bethea, Ware, Graham

March 2nd, 2014 at 3:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is going to be the next player to break the bank, writes Joel Corry of the National Football Post. Suh is under contract through the 2015 season; however, that year is a player option, which Suh will likely decline. 2014, then, is effectively the last year of his current deal. If the Lions do not sign the star lineman to a new contract before next season, the franchise tag will probably not be an option, as his tag figure would be an untenable $26.87MM.

Suh has restructured his contract twice in as many years in order for the Lions to gain more cap space. An extension would serve the same purpose, as well as lowering Suh’s cap number, which is second in the league at approximately $22.4MM. The Lions are still feeling the effects of selecting high in the draft under the previous collective bargaining agreement, when rookie salaries were much higher. The rookie deals of Suh, quarterback Matthew Stafford, and receiver Calvin Johnson have put the team in an unenviable position. Extending Suh, as the Lions did with both Stafford and Johnson, would help to alleviate some of that cap strain.

More items from the NFC:

  • Safety Antoine Bethea could be an option for the Falcons, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The team is expected to release Thomas DeCoud, and has been linked to free agent Louis Delmas. Jairus Byrd could also be intriguing, but both he and Delmas might be too expensive for Atlanta’s tastes.
  • Demarcus Ware, due $26MM over the next two seasons, is too expensive to be traded, but he could brought back to the Cowboys at a lower salary, argues Todd Archer of ESPN.com in a recent mailbag.
  • Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes the Saints’ Jimmy Graham is a tight end, writing that lining up in the slot is simply part of that position’s job description in today’s NFL. Triplett thinks the murky situation could be resolved with a long-term contract in excess of $10MM annually.
  • The Rams could add two quarterbacks to backup Sam Bradford, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Kellen Clemens could return, and the team figures to draft a quarterback somewhere in the third-to-fifth-round range.
  • In a mailbag segment, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com says receiver will be a priority in the draft for the 49ers, and singles out Oregon State WR Brandin Crooks as an option. He also writes that running back LaMichael James could be used more in the slot and on screens as the teams aims to get the speedy back more touches.

NFC Notes: Orton, Saffold, Hardy, Palmer

February 21st, 2014 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

Kyle Orton has a year remaining on his contract with the Cowboys, but the team isn’t entirely sure that he’ll be back for the 2014 season, Clarence Hill and Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram hear from executive VP Stephen Jones and multiple sources. Orton is mulling the idea of retiring, and figures to make his decision before the new league year begins on March 11. If the Cowboys’ backup does call it a career, quarterback will become an even stronger area of focus for the club in free agency and the draft.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • The Rams will meet with Rodger Saffold‘s agent tomorrow to discuss a new contract for the offensive tackle, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  • Speaking to the NFL Network about free agent defensive end Greg Hardy, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said that GM Dave Gettleman told him they’re working to get something done with Hardy (Twitter link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer).
  • Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians told reporters, including Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (Twitter link), that he thinks quarterback Carson Palmer can play until he’s 36 or 37. That would mean another two or three seasons for the Arizona signal-caller.
  • The 49ers haven’t had trade discussions involving LaMichael James, according to GM Trent Baalke, who says the running back will “continue to be a 49er” (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee). A report earlier this month indicated James could be on the trade block this offseason.
  • We rounded up several NFC East items earlier today.

49ers Roundup: Trades, Iupati, James

February 9th, 2014 at 12:12pm CST by Rory Parks

The 49ers are unlikely to trade any of their players who are set to become free agents at the end of the 2014 season simply because of their contract status, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Although G Mike Iupati may not be with the team beyond 2014, as was noted earlier, and although WR Michael Crabtree is sure to command a high-dollar contract after the upcoming season, San Francisco is not going to trade its key pieces for a little cap relief and draft picks. As they did last offseason, the 49ers will likely wait until late in training camp to assess where they have a surplus of talent and will try to deal from that surplus to add to its 2015 draft haul.

More from the Bay Area:

  • LaMichael James could be one of those players who finds himself on the trading block, according to Maiocco. The team does have a great deal of talent at running back, with Frank Gore, Marcus Lattimore (assuming he’s healthy), Kendall Hunter, and any other additions it may make in the offseason. However, the 49ers would have to first find a replacement in the return game if they were to deal James.
  • The 49ers want to keep free agent safety Donte Whitner, but if they are unable to do so, Maiocco thinks they will pursue a replacement who has the same physical traits as Eric Reid. That way, DC Vic Fangio could use Reid and the new safety interchangeably to add variety to his play-calling and schemes.
  • ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson agrees with Maiocco regarding Iupati. Although Iupati will not be a top priority given that the 49ers will have to lock down Colin Kaepernick, Aldon Smith, and Crabtree sooner rather than later, San Francisco is well-equipped to make a run at Super Bowl XLIX and “[p]ursuing a Super Bowl with Iupati is better than doing it without him.”