Luke Kuechly - Pro Football Rumors

Jamie Collins Looking To Top Kuechly’s Salary?

November 1st, 2016 at 10:32am CST by Zachary Links

Yesterday, the Patriots shocked the football world when they shipped linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns for a future draft pick. While there has been speculation about Collins’ work ethic and possible friction with Bill Belichick, the deal was also driven by the Pats’ realization that they won’t be able to re-sign him to a team-friendly deal this offseason. The Patriots didn’t formally offer Collins a new deal (despite reports to the contrary), but they floated the idea of an $11MM/year contract, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter).

After trading for the pending free agent, the Browns are obviously looking to lock Collins up for the long term. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Collins is looking to eclipse the $12.36MM/year that Luke Kuechly is making on his current deal with the Panthers. Collins’ camp views him as a hybrid player and will push for a deal that would put him in the top four amongst all linebackers in terms of AAV. Collins reportedly told the Patriots that he wanted “Von Miller money” at one point during talks, so it sounds like his demands have come back down to earth a little bit.

Meanwhile, former Pats assistant Mike Lombardi discussed the Collins deal on the latest edition of The Bill Simmons Podcast (audio link). During the interview, Lombardi shed some light on why New England was willing to bail on the talented linebacker in the middle of the season:

“The one thing you have to do, Donnie Walsh said this to me in 1990s, or the late 80s, ‘You’ve got to know what you’re trading before you make a trade.’ And that’s the one caveat that Belichick knows; he knows what he’s trading. He’s trading a guy who is very talented, but very moody, very inconsistent with his effort, and so for him to pay that player that type of money sends a message to the locker room that, look, I tolerate this and I reward this. He’s never doing that. And when Belichick, every message he sends in terms of a contract is a message to the locker room.”

Extra Points: Kuechly, Osemele, Sweezy, McCain, Geno

February 17th, 2016 at 9:18pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Panthers star linebacker Luke Kuechly will undergo surgery on a partially torn left labrum, David Newton of ESPN.com reports. The injury occurred in Week 17 against Tampa Bay, but it didn’t hamper Kuechly’s ability to play during the postseason. The timetable to recover from Kuechly’s injury ranges from three to six months, per Newton. Although Kuechly could miss the Panthers’ offseason workouts, the three-time first-team All-Pro will be ready for training camp in July, a source told Newton.

The latest from around the NFL…

The Ravens want to keep pending free agent offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele, but they won’t franchise tag him and will likely find him too pricey to re-sign, Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. Brown lists the Saints, Seahawks and Vikings as potential fits for the 26-year-old.
Speaking of the Seahawks, guard J.R. Sweezy – who has started 45 games over the last three seasons – will encounter “an active market” for his services if he hits free agency March 9, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
Cornerback Brice McCain, whom the Dolphins cut last week, will visit with two unnamed teams in the coming days, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.
The Jets will try to trade Geno Smith if they pick a quarterback on the first or second day of the draft this year, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Smith carries a ~$1.6MM cap hit this year and could interest a team in need of a backup.
Offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod, who was cut by the Bears on Tuesday with a failed physical, has a tear in his shoulder that likely needs surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. However, he’ll be ready for 2016.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Panthers Sign Luke Kuechly To Extension

September 13th, 2015 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

SUNDAY, 10:45am: Former NFL agent Joel Corry passes along a few notes on Kuechly’s new deal in a series of tweets. The exact average annual value of the contract is $12,359,059, an homage to Kuechly’s No. 59 jersey number. The deal includes over $34MM of guarantees, of which $26MM is fully guaranteed ($6MM of that $26MM figure is an option bonus that isn’t technically guaranteed, but Kuechly’s receipt of that bonus money is certain).

THURSDAY, 5:56pm: It’s official – the Panthers have announced the deal in a press release.

THURSDAY, 1:42pm: A pair of local Panthers reporters, Steve Reed of The Associated Press and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links), indicate that the deal isn’t quite done, with Person reporting that the two sides are “hammering out [the] final details.” It sounds to me like the Panthers and Kuechly have agreed to the general parameters of a contract, but the linebacker has yet to put pen to paper. We’ll keep you posted on the latest as it breaks.

THURSDAY, 11:36am: After reporting yesterday that the Panthers and Luke Kuechly were nearing a new deal, Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports says today (via Twitter) that the two sides have reached an agreement. The star linebacker will get a five-year, $62MM contract, according to Getlin. That makes Kuechly the NFL’s highest-paid inside linebacker, as he surpasses Bobby Wagner‘s $10.75MM annual salary.

Kuechly, 24, has established himself as one of the game’s best defenders since entering the league in 2012. The Boston College product has started all 48 regular season contests during his three-year career, averaging 167 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and 10 passes defended per season. The former ninth overall pick has received his fair share of accolades, winning the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s also been named to a pair of Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams.

Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required) confirms Kuechly’s dominance. After ranking seventh in his rookie season and eighth in 2013, Kuechly placed first among all qualified inside linebackers last season, with a +28.4 overall grade. That grade was buoyed by a strong performance against the pass, as he easily ranked as the league’s best coverage inside linebacker, per PFF.

Despite his impressive résumé, Kuechly was never in line for the sort of megadeal that the league’s best quarterbacks or pass rushers can land. However, as I wrote last month when a report suggested extension talks between the two sides were heating up, Kuechly had a strong case to land an average annual salary of $12MM, after Wagner set a new standard for inside linebackers earlier this year. The new deal will pay the Panthers’ star $12.4MM per year.

It’s not yet clear how long the Panthers have now locked up Kuechly — he still had two years remaining on his rookie contract, including a fifth-year option worth $11.058MM in 2016, so five new years would take him through the 2021 season. However, that ’16 year may be included in the initial reports on his new deal. We’ll wait for further word to find out for sure.

In any case, it’s the latest contract extension in an offseason full of them for the Panthers. So far this year, the team has also locked up quarterback Cam Newton, tight end Greg Olsen, and Kuechly’s fellow linebacker Thomas Davis. GM Dave Gettleman had indicated earlier this year that this offseason would be less about bringing in outside players and more about Carolina securing its core pieces for the future.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers, Luke Kuechly Nearing Extension

September 10th, 2015 at 11:28am CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 11:28am: The Panthers and Kuechly are expected to have an agreement in place within the next 24 hours, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

WEDNESDAY, 9:00pm: The Panthers and linebacker Luke Kuechly are closing in on an extension, according to Rand Getlin of NFL Network (on Twitter). The two sides have reportedly been in serious discussions for about a month now.

Kuechly, 24, has established himself as one of the NFL’s best defenders since entering the league in 2012. The Boston College product has started all 48 regular season contests during his three-year career, averaging 167 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and 10 passes defended per season. The former ninth overall pick has received his fair share of accolades, winning the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s also been named to a pair of Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams.

For the Panthers, there’s no real rush to get something finalized with Kuechly, since he remains under contract through the 2016 season. However, his cap hit for ’16 is $11.058MM, the value of his fifth-year option. By hammering out an extension, Carolina can reduce that figure.

Kuechly’s floor was likely set in August, when Bobby Wagner signed a new four-year, $43MM contract with the Seahawks. Wagner’s deal made him the highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL, surpassing Lawrence Timmons‘ $9.56MM annual salary, and Kuechly figures to set a new standard when he signs, since he has been even more productive than Wagner. A new-money, per-year salary in the ballpark of $12MM doesn’t seem out of reach for the Panthers linebacker.

South Rumors: Castonzo, Kuechly, Brooks

August 18th, 2015 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The latest news and rumors out of the AFC South and NFC South focus on a handful of candidates for contract extensions. Let’s round up the highlights….

Earlier in camp, Colts owner Jim Irsay singled out T.Y. Hilton and left tackle Anthony Castonzo as two players the team would like to sign to contract extensions before the regular season. The team has now finalized a new deal with Hilton, and GM Ryan Grigson acknowledged today that the club has active negotiations ongoing with Castonzo, tweets Mike Wells of ESPN.com.
This morning, we heard that extension discussions between the Panthers and Luke Kuechly were “heating up,” but head coach Ron Rivera doesn’t want to assume his standout linebacker will get a new contract right away. Rivera tells ESPN.com’s David Newton that the odds of something getting done by Week 1 are still about 50/50. Personally, I’d be surprised if the two sides hadn’t agreed to terms by then.
Sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle that the Texans would like to lock up guard Brandon Brooks to an extension, though it will depend how expensive he gets. If Brooks were to reach free agency in 2016, he would likely be in heavy demand as one of the best players available at his position, alongside perhaps Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele.

Talks Heating Up Between Panthers, Kuechly

August 18th, 2015 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers and Luke Kuechly don’t appear to be on the verge of agreeing to terms on a new contract for the star linebacker, but extension negotiations between the two sides are “heating up,” a league source tells Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. According to Jones, one source estimated last week that there was a 50/50 chance of a deal getting done prior to the season, but talks have become more serious since then.

Kuechly, 24, has established himself as one of the NFL’s best defenders since entering the league in 2012. The Boston College product has started all 48 regular season contests during his three-year career, averaging 167 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and 10 passes defended per season. The former ninth overall pick has received his fair share of accolades, winning the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s also been named to a pair of Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams.

For the Panthers, there’s no real rush to get something finalized with Kuechly, since he remains under contract through the 2016 season. However, his cap hit for ’16 is $11.058MM, the value of his fifth-year option. Carolina will likely want to reduce that figure by working out an extension this year or next.

Kuechly’s floor was likely set earlier this month, when Bobby Wagner signed a new four-year, $43MM contract with the Seahawks. Wagner’s deal made him the highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL, surpassing Lawrence Timmons‘ $9.56MM annual salary, and Kuechly figures to set a new standard when he signs, since he has been even more productive than Wagner. A new-money, per-year salary in the ballpark of $12MM doesn’t seem out of reach for the Panthers linebacker.

NFC Notes: Galette, Falcons, Panthers

July 30th, 2015 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

Former Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette is visiting Washington today, and a person familiar with Galette’s thinking tells Mike Jones of the Washington Post that last year’s NFC East cellar-dwellers are the leaders to sign the free agent pass rusher. With that in mind, Jones breaks down the pros and cons of a possible Galette signing for Washington, noting that he’d certainly be an upgrade on the field, and likely wouldn’t cost a ton. However, the team will have to be certain that Galette won’t be a problem off the field and in the locker room.

Within his piece, Jones notes that the Buccaneers are also believed to be a potential suitor for Galette, though Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted earlier this week that there was no indication the Bucs were interested in signing the ex-Saint.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

The Falcons have tended to steer clear of players with off-field red flags over the years, but team owner Arthur Blank said he supported the club’s decision to select cornerback Jalen Collins in the second round this year, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Multiple teams flagged Collins due to his marijuana use, and the rookie admitted after the draft that he failed at least three drug tests at LSU.
Linebacker Luke Kuechly is the next Panthers player in line for an extension, but he tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer he’s not thinking about his contract. “This stuff gets done when it gets done,” Kuechly said. “We trust the guys in the building. So it’ll get done when it needs to get done.” GM Dave Gettleman has said he won’t negotiate extensions during the season, so Kuechly will have to wait until 2016 for a new deal if nothing gets finalized within the next few weeks.
In a separate piece for the Observer, Person identifies five Panthers players on the regular-season roster bubble, including veteran receiver Jerricho Cotchery.
With Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor reportedly mulling a holdout, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines Chancellor’s contract to see where he fits in the safety market.

NFC Notes: Peterson, Panthers, Levy, Dez

July 27th, 2015 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

A couple reports this offseason suggested that Adrian Peterson was at least briefly contemplating retirement, but it doesn’t sound like the Vikings running back is leaning toward leaving the game anytime soon. Speaking to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, Peterson said he feels like he can continue playing until he’s “36 or 37 years old — and at a high level.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

The Panthers have finalized contract extensions for a number of key players this offseason, including quarterback Cam Newton, linebacker Thomas Davis, and tight end Greg Olsen. Linebacker Luke Kuechly appears to be next in line for a new deal, but if the two sides don’t reach an agreement within the next few weeks, it’ll have to wait until 2016. Panthers GM Dave Gettleman tells Bill Voth of the Black and Blue Review that he won’t negotiate extensions during the season: “Once the regular season begins, that’s it.”
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) believes there’s a good chance the Lions lock up linebacker DeAndre Levy to a new contract at some point before the season begins. According to Rapoport, Detroit views Levy as an “essential” piece.
One source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report that the way the Cowboys structured Dez Bryant‘s new contract to protect themselves is “brilliant.” However, Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News argues that Cole’s report overstates the concerns the Cowboys have about the star receiver’s off-field conduct.
Byron Maxwell‘s name usually doesn’t come up when NFL fans and observers debate the top cornerbacks in the league. But after the Eagles signed him to a deal that pays him like a top-five corner, Maxwell is confident that he can be in that mix, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Following New Orleans’ release of pass rusher Junior Galette, Bill Barnwell of Grantland examines the Saints‘ cap situation, openly wondering about Drew Brees‘ future with the franchise.

NFC South Notes: J. Jones, McKay, Kuechly

July 17th, 2015 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

After checking in on the AFC East earlier this afternoon, let’s shift our focus to the NFC South and pass along a few items from out of the division….

Falcons receiver Roddy White tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter links) that if he were the team’s GM, he’d get fellow wideout Julio Jones locked up now. “The more they wait, the more it’s going to cost them,” White said. “It’s important that he feels comfortable.” There’s a sense that Atlanta could get something done with Jones this summer, but the club will have the franchise tag available to use on the 26-year-old in 2016, if necessary.
Falcons president Rich McKay is now eligible to apply for reinstatement, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. McKay was suspended from the NFL competition committee as part of the team’s penalty for pumping fake noise into the Georgia Dome during the 2013 and 2014 seasons — the NFL also fined the Falcons $350K and took away its fifth-round pick in the 2016 as part of the punishment. At this time, it’s unknown whether McKay has applied for reinstatement.
Justin Houston’s new deal with the Chiefs deal likely won’t impact Panthers Pro Bowler Luke Kuechly, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Unfortunately for Kuechly, there hasn’t been enough advancement in the inside linebacker market to really give him momentum. “The problem is the market’s been stagnant,” former agent Joel Corry said. “There’s no one to advance the ball. So Kuechly’s the one’s who’s going to be setting new standards.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Mailbags: Washington, Glennon, Panthers, McClain

June 6th, 2015 at 11:33am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes from the NFC…

If DeSean Jackson struggles in 2015, John Keim could envision the wideout playing elsewhere in 2016. Washington selected Jamison Crowder in the fourth round, so they have young wideouts to move forward with. However, if the veteran produces, Keim could see the Pro Bowler sticking around.
Pat Yasinskas believes Mike Glennon will spend this season with the Buccaneers, even if the quarterback has a good preseason and improves his trade value. The 25-year-old is a solid backup, and the writer believes the team would have already dealt Glennon if they had any intention to move him.
With the Cam Newton deal wrapped up, David Newton would expect the Panthers to sign linebacker Thomas Davis to a new deal prior to training camp. Since Luke Kuechly will definitely be on the roster for the 2016 season, the writer believes the team won’t rush to sign the former Defensive Player of the Year.
When asked why Rolando McClain took so long to opt for surgery, Todd Archer clarified that surgery is always a “last-case option.” However, the writer questions why the Cowboys linebacker hasn’t been at Valley Ranch for rehab.