HEADLINES

Mark Davis

AFC Notes: Raiders, Texans, Broncos, Workouts

October 31st, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the possibility of losing the Raiders again continues to loom over the city, Oakland is continuing to formulate solutions on a path to a new stadium.

Mayor Libby Schaaf has initiated a process of bringing to light yet another stadium proposal with the goal of having it ready to present in the next couple of weeks, per Phil Matier and Andy Ross of the San Francisco Chronicle, who write this operation’s plan is to present this proposal to a special league committee — rather than the owners — by December.

Despite bringing in a consulting firm, Schaaf faces an uphill battle in procuring a land deal that will please the parties involved. The Raiders’ believing they should not have to pay for that part of the process is not sitting well with the city or Alameda County, Matier and Ross note.

The Bay Area scribes, however, hear that Oakland has the trump card in this standoff: the fact that Raiders owner Mark Davis does not have the votes to move and is lagging behind the Rams and Chargers, the latter once agreeing on a significant partnership for a Carson, Calif.-based stadium, in the Los Angeles sweepstakes.

The league desires a wealthier owner that will make an L.A. return profitable, per the Chronicle’s investigative-reporting tandem, and Davis doesn’t match up. He’s in the process of taking on a partner to help aid this potential relocation financially.

Let’s look at some additional AFC items.

  • Ryan Mallett remains eligible to collect $1.47MM from the Texans in termination pay, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. The Texans are carrying this figure on their 2015 payroll after extracting themselves from the two-year, $7.01MM contract they signed Mallett to in March. The reeling signal-caller can file for his remaining 10 game checks, each totaling $147K+, but the Texans are not on the hook for any money in 2016.
  • Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith‘s indecisiveness on their quarterback situation should put their jobs at risk, writes the Chronicle’s Jerome Solomon.
  • In advance of a matchup with the 6-0 Packers, the Broncos‘ coaching staff was noticeably stricter this week, players told Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post
  • The Colts kicked the tires on former free agent acquisition and starting guard Donald Thomas today, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Thomas played two games for Indianapolis in 2013 before suffering a season-ending injury. The former Patriots lineman sustained another in 2014, and the Colts cut his comeback short when they released him before the season.
  • The Jets worked out former Chiefs center and sixth-round pick Eric Kush on Friday, Wilson reports (on Twitter). Current Kansas City center Mitch Morse beat out Kush for the position this summer.
  • The Browns brought in defensive tackles Joe Vellano, Terry Williams and Toby Johnson for workouts this week, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • J.R. Tavai worked out for the Titans this week, Wilson tweets. The rookie outside linebacker who the Titans cut just before the season also tried out for the Packers earlier this week.

NFL Notes: L.A., St. Louis, Preseason, Arrests

October 9th, 2015 at 9:56pm CST by Rob DiRe

Here are a few other stories of note from around the NFL this Friday night:

  • While no decisions have been made about the Los Angeles market, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report says that he has spoken to five NFL owners, and the preferred situation would be for the Rams and Chargers to join forces there. The Raiders could still get back into the conversation, but Cole says that owner Mark Davis would make it easier for himself if he sold part of the team to relieve financial constraints, which would make the other owners more comfortable with the move.
  • While the Rams are pushing to move to Los Angeles, the city of St. Louis is making its efforts to keep the team in town, but City Comptroller Darlene Green questions the financing the most recent stadium proposal, writes David Hunn of St. Louis Today. “Taxes will increase,” Green said. “And that’s not what was promised to our citizens.”
  • At the recent meetings, NFL owners discussed the idea of reducing the preseason from four games to three, as Cole tweets. The owners also discussed expanding the regular season beyond 16 games, but those two ideas are not tied together.
  • Arrests among NFL players is down 35% since the league expanded its policies and programs from last year, and future NFL chief disciplinary officer Todd Jones is encouraged by the early results, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. He adds that the NFLPA is protesting Jones’ appointment as a direct violation of the collective bargaining agreement.

Zach Link contributed to this post.

Latest On Los Angeles Relocation

June 30th, 2015 at 6:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In the latest development that could eventually lead to the NFL’s return to Los Angeles, Raiders owner Mark Davis and Chargers owner Dean Spanos spent Tuesday in LA meeting with Mayor Eric Garcetti and other officials regarding their joint plan to build a stadium in Carson, Calif., according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.

The respective outlooks in Oakland and San Diego, the cities for the Raiders and Chargers, currently appear bleak. Businessman Floyd Kephart’s stadium proposal to keep the Raiders in Oakland has not been looked on positively, per Farmer, who notes that the Chargers don’t believe they can legally get a stadium initiative on the ballot in San Diego until the tail end of 2016 at the earliest. Moreover, the Chargers don’t have confidence that a stadium initiative would be well received by the San Diego community.

Further complicating matters is that the Chargers and Raiders aren’t the only teams eying California-based relocation. Rams owner Stan Kroenke has his sights set on Inglewood and is competing with the the other two teams’ Carson plans. The league would like a pair of franchises in LA as early as 2016, which would make at least one of the Chargers, Raiders or Rams the odd club out.

In Missouri, Rep. Jay Barnes asked a judge Tuesday to block Gov. Jay Nixon from working on plans for a new stadium in St. Louis, the Associated Press reported. Barnes and other lawmakers claim that the plans for a new stadium are illegal because the hypothetical facility wouldn’t be located next to St. Louis’ convention center, which state law requires.

“The governor does not have the authority to spend taxpayer dollars for an illegal purpose,” said Barnes.

If the Rams do ultimately gain league approval to relocate, Farmer writes that the deep-pocketed Kroenke wouldn’t have any difficulty financing his $2 billion planned stadium.

It’s currently unknown when there will be a resolution for the three teams, according to Farmer, who lists the end of the regular season, Super Bowl week and March’s owners meetings as potential times for owners to vote on proposals by Davis, Spanos and Kroenke. For its part, the league is hoping only two of the Raiders, Chargers and Rams apply for relocation, although it appears likely that all three will.

Raiders Owner Mark Davis On Possible Move

May 19th, 2015 at 3:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Raiders owner Mark Davis told an audience in the Ritz-Carlton lobby that his goal remains keeping his team in Oakland, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets. Of course, while he’s working on that front, the Raiders and Chargers have enlisted the help of Carmen Policy to help facilitate the joint Carson City project. Davis later added that he wouldn’t consider moving the Raiders to St. Louis in the event that the Rams bolt for Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Davis says that the Raiders and Chargers closed on the land deal in Carson last night, as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets. While Davis’ preference might be to stay put, he’s also well-prepared to move if necessary.

Davis said he has $500M to give on a $900M potential stadium in Oakland, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and it remains to be seen if the city is willing to cover that funding gap. When asked what’s needed to keep the Raiders in Oakland, Davis responded (link), “Ask the city of Oakland and the county of Alameda.”

Carson and Oakland are on the table, but he says the chances of the Raiders playing at the Levi’s Stadium, home of the 49ers, are “zero,” as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. He also says there is no way he’d ever sell the team (link).

AFC Links: Raiders, Thomas, Patriots, McPhee

February 21st, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Ben Levine

Following news that the Raiders and Chargers proposed a shared Los Angeles stadium, there were rumors that Raiders owner Mark Davis was using the move as leverage for a new stadium in Oakland. The owner didn’t necessarily confirm that rumor, but he did acknowledge that he’d like to keep the organization in it’s current location (via Vic Tafur of SFChronicle.com):

“That’s our No. 1 priority, to stay in Oakland, always has been and will continue to be,” Davis said. “We’re really trying to stay, and now there’s a great opportunity in Los Angeles. We need to get something done.”

Davis also touched on his relationship with Alex Spanos, the Chargers owner:

“My dad helped Alex (Spanos) get in the league, and while we have been fierce rivals on the field, we have common philosophies and goals,” Davis said. “And we have the same need. We are the two California teams that need a stadium.

“Together, we may be able to get it done.”

Let’s take a look at more rumors from the AFC…

  • As each day goes by, it sounds increasingly unlikely that Julius Thomas will return to the Broncos. Similar to many free agent departures, fingers are already being pointed, and the tight end’s agent believes the organization is to blame. “The Broncos came to me, we tried to get it done, it didn’t work,” said Frank Bauer (via Mike Klis of The Denver Post). “Does Julius love Denver? Yes. Does Julius love the fans there? No question. Does he love the organization and the community? Look at what he does for kids in that town…But for some reason people are trying to tear him down. In my opinion what they’re doing by tearing him down is pushing him away.”
  • While Patriots running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley are set to hit the open market, the team has plenty of depth to compensate for their potential departure. Among that group would be Tyler Gaffney, who missed last season while recovering from an ACL injury. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe believes the team stashed Gaffney for a reason, and he’ll be given every chance to make the team’s roster in 2015 (Twitter links).
  • Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower underwent shoulder surgery this past week and is expected to miss anywhere from six to seven months. Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald writes that the injury could have an impact on negotiations with veteran Jerod Mayo and his $10MM cap hit for 2015.
  • It was anticipated that Ravens linebacker Pernell McPhee would be a commodity in free agency, and ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure tweets that the 26-year-old is going to be more expensive than anticipated.

Raiders Coaching Rumors: Saturday

January 3rd, 2015 at 1:43pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Raiders’ coaching search continues, and while interim head coach Tony Sparano remains in the running, the team has reached out to outside hires as well. The team has already asked for permission to speak with Broncos’ defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.

Here are some other notes surrounding the team’s search:

  • Sparano has remained confident in his abilities to lead the Raiders, but that may not be the best course of action for him, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio compares it to Hue Jackson campaigning for the job three years ago when on the brink of being fired, noting that owner Mark Davis was turned off by his public comments.
  • Defensive line coach Terrell Williams has left the team to join the staff of the University of Florida, reports Steve Corkran of the San Jose Mercury News. Williams spent three seasons with the Raiders, and Corkran notes that other assistants are expected to leave the team soon.
  • Raiders’ assistant coaches are all signed for only ten more days, reports Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). Sparano is the only one under contract for 2015. Tafur writes if Sparano was to get the job, he would have the opportunity to hire a fully new staff to coach under him (via Twitter). Davis has made a habit of only signing assistants to one-year deals, and Sparano was the exception due to interest the Buccaneers had in him (via Twitter).
  • Cardinals’ defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is on the team’s wish list, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes that he could be very choosy in selecting a job (via Twitter). Rapoport picks Atlanta and Oakland as two jobs that he would be interested in taking.

 

La Canfora’s Latest: London, Finley, Raiders

September 28th, 2014 at 10:59am CST by Rory Parks

Thanks to a report from CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, we learned earlier today that the internal struggles of the Dolphins organization goes beyond head coach Joe Philbin‘s reluctance to affirm Ryan Tannehill as the team’s starter earlier this week. That report has since been supported by a similar article from Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, and La Canfora has a few other notes worth passing along:

  • La Canfora writes that the movement to put an NFL franchise in London continues to gain momentum, and he describes how the league would handle some of the logistical challenges inherent in such a a decision.
  • In a series of tweets, La Canfora notes that league commissioner Roger Goodell and Players’ Association head DeMaurice Smith met this week to discuss a new personal conduct policy, which they hope to have in place by the Super Bowl. La Canfora expands on those tweets in a full-length article.
  • In a separate piece, he writes that, although teams continues to explore the possibilities of acquiring free agent TE Jermichael Finley–the Ravens, having lost Dennis Pitta for the season, were the most recent team to monitor his progress–it is “99 percent certain” that Finley will not play in 2014.
  • In an article concerning the uncertainty of the Oakland front office, La Canfora writes that Raiders owner Mark Davis, who “has considered firing his coach and general manager several times in recent years,” continues to speak with his confidants about a potential shake-up. If Davis does end up firing current head coach Dennis Allen, offensive coordinator Greg Olson is a strong candidate to take over as interim head coach.

Cole’s Latest: Boone, Gordon, Los Angeles

August 11th, 2014 at 5:58pm CST by Ben Levine

Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole sat down with Yahoo Sports’ Adam Lefkoe to discuss some of the more intriguing NFL storylines heading into the second week of preseason. Let’s take a look at some of the key notes:

  • If the 49ers/Alex Boone saga continues to drag out, Cole believes the team will “eventually” be offered a third-rounder for the offensive lineman. Cole adds that the two sides are not communicating and that there’s been no discussion regarding a new contract.
  • So what teams would be interested in offering this supposed third-rounder? Cole has heard that the Buccaneers and Giants would certainly be suitors for the 27-year-old, along with a “truckload” of teams that currently need help on the offensive line.
  • Cole believes that the NFL “would like to find a way” for Browns wideout Josh Gordon to play next season. He first cites Ray Rice‘s suspension, saying a more severe punishment for Gordon would just be additional bad press for the league. He also discusses Ricky Williams‘ first positive test for marijuana and the subsequent lack of discipline.
  • Cole hears that Raiders owner Mark Davis is “circulating a proposal” to raise funds to buy land in either Inglewood or Los Angeles. He adds that the team has specifically been looking at the former Hollywood Park location, a spot that Al Davis eyed about 20 years ago.

AFC Links: Ravens, Patriots, Raiders

June 21st, 2014 at 8:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Since being cut by the Chargers in early March, fullback Le’Ron McClain has been keeping in shape, eyeing a return to the NFL. The 29-year-old told Andrew Gribble of Al.com that he’s shed 15 pounds and is at a “great weight.” As a result, McClain, who was listed at 260 pounds at the end of 2013, is looking to change up his game.

“I’m trying to evolve my game also and do more than just blocking and everything,” McClain said. “Just trying to evolve my game as in catching, running routes, just trying to be a difference-maker on the field. That’s what I’ve been working on this offseason.

“Whatever team calls me, they’re going to get that different type of player this year.”

McClain’s best season was with the Ravens in 2008, when he ran for 902 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Let’s see what else is going on around the AFC…

  • Ravens rookie defensive end Brent Urban has been looking good in his recovery from offseason ankle surgery, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The fourth-rounder was supposed to be ready by about training camp, but took plenty of snaps at minicamp.
  • The Patriots young receivers are going to have to make a jump this season, Boston.com’s Zuri Berry said on Comcast Sportsnet New England’s Sports Tonight (via CSNNE.com). “It’s going to be a lot harder for those guys to make those mistakes and get away with it because [the Patriots] have more receivers now,” Berry said. “They have other guys to go to.”
  • Raiders owner Mark Davis had previously been talking business about a new stadium in Oakland. Following initial talks with the real estate firm, Davis told reporters that communications have stalled. “All the talks we have with them are positive, but there’s no progress after the talks,” he said (via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com). “Everybody is trying. Whether it can get done, I don’t know.”