HEADLINES

Michael Oher

Panthers, Michael Oher Agree To Extension

June 17th, 2016 at 8:16am CST by Zachary Links

Panthers tackle Michael Oher signed a three-year contract extension worth $21.6MM in new money, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The deal works out to averages of $7.2MM per year with $9.5MM guaranteed. Michael Oher (vertical)

[RELATED: Panthers Extend Ron Rivera]

Earlier this month, the Panthers locked up center Ryan Kalil and the team didn’t take long to turn their attention to the left tackle position. Oher, for his part, had an excellent campaign in his first year with Carolina, rebounding from a down 2014 with the Titans to grade as a top-30 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. Helping block for one of the best running games in the league (as well as protect league MVP Cam Newton), Oher was a key factor in the Panthers ranking 12th in adjusted line yards, up from 21st in 2014.

Having recently hired Drew Rosenhaus for representation, Oher made it known that he was interested in a new deal:

“It would show that the organization believes in me,” Oher said of what a new deal would mean. “I still have to prove myself. I’m still just trying to prove myself to them and just make sure I’m one of these guys because they do it right.” 

Oher was originally scheduled to count for $4.5MM on Carolina’s cap in 2016. Now that he and Kalil have secured pay raises, it’s clear that the Panthers are reallocating the money saved when the team pulled the $13.952MM franchise tag from cornerback Josh Norman. More extensions for team vets are likely on the way.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers, Michael Oher Exploring Extension

June 7th, 2016 at 7:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have expressed interest in inking left tackle Michael Oher to a multi-year deal, sources tell Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. There’s no word on how far along discussions are — or, in fact, if talks have even officially begun — but Carolina is apparently intrigued by the idea of extending Oher before he reaches free agency next spring.Michael Oher (Vertical)

[RELATED: Panthers sign punter Mike Scifres]

Carolina has already extended one offensive lineman this week, agreeing to a deal yesterday that will keep center Ryan Kalil with the club through the 2018 season. As Jones details, the Kalil extension, and the reported interest in a pact with Oher, is an indication that general manager Dave Gettleman & Co. are intent on spending some of the money saved when the Panthers rescinded the $13.952MM franchise tag on cornerback Josh Norman.

Oher, for his part, had an excellent campaign in his first year with Carolina, rebounding from a down 2014 with the Titans to grade as a top-30 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. Helping block for one of the best running games in the league (as well as protect league MVP Cam Newton), Oher was a key factor in the Panthers ranking 12th in adjusted line yards, up from 21st in 2014.

Having recently hired Drew Rosenhaus for representation, Oher is clearly interested in a new deal. “It would show that the organization believes in me,” Oher said of what a new deal would mean. “I still have to prove myself. I’m still just trying to prove myself to them and just make sure I’m one of these guys because they do it right.” Scheduled to count for $4.5MM on Carolina’s cap in 2016, Oher would be in line for a healthy raise if he and his team are able to hammer out a deal with the Panthers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Slay, Lions, Bills, Griffin, Oher

February 19th, 2016 at 9:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Lions cornerback Darius Slay has made it clear that he’d like to sign an extension with Detroit, and it looks like some movement may be coming on that front. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), Slay’s new agent Drew Rosenhaus will meet with the Lions at the scouting combine to discuss a new contract. As Cole notes, it probably makes sense for Detroit to strike a deal now — and add some guaranteed money in 2016 while they’re flush with cap space — instead of waiting until next offseason and running the risk of having to franchise Slay.

Here’s a few more notes from around the NFL:

  • Restricted free agent Corbin Bryant believes he can be part of the solution in Buffalo, and the Bills defensive lineman wants to be retained, as Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News writes. Because of cap trouble, Dunne expects the Bills to tender Bryant, a restricted free agent, at the lowest level, but he notes (via Twitter) that the two sides haven’t had any talks as of yet.
  • While Bryant is set to hit restricted free agency, Bills linebacker Nigel Bradham is an unrestricted free agent, and he’s willing to accept a one-year, “prove-it” deal to return to Buffalo, reports Dunne (Twitter link). Bradham was a much better fit under former Buffalo DC Jim Schwartz than he is in Rex Ryan‘s system, but general manger Doug Whaley wants Bradham to return, per Dunne.
  • Free agent safety Michael Griffin has hired David Mulugheta and Andrew Kessler as his new agents, as Rand Getlin of NFL Network reports (Twitter link). The 31-year-old Griffin was released last week after nine seasons with the Titans.
  • Like Slay did earlier this year, Panthers tackle Michael Oher has hired Rosenhaus as his representative, tweets Getlin. Oher, coming off a surprisingly successful first season in Carolina, has a $4.5MM 2016 cap charge in the second year of a two-year deal, and could be a candidate for an extension.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Jones, Oher

June 18th, 2015 at 10:05am CST by Zachary Links

Buccaneers running back Doug Martin has a lot of goals for the 2015 season, including one that might surprise you.

“The name ‘Muscle Hamster’ is the worst nickname possibly ever given to somebody,” Martin told Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. “I hope it changes, and I hope that I play to a level where my nickname changes. That’s what my goals are.”

As Martin gets to work on that, let’s check out more from the NFC South..

  • Falcons star Julio Jones says he won’t be holding out to get a better deal like Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure writes. “[Agent] Jimmy Sexton, he’s going to negotiate that with [general manager] Thomas [Dimitroff] and [Falcons owner] Mr. [Arthur] Blank. That’s the side they handle. My side, I’ve got to handle on the football field. I’ve got to keep showing up every day and putting in work,” Jones said. Atlanta picked up Jones’ fifth-year option, meaning that he’ll earn $10.2MM for 2015. The Falcons will have the option of slapping him with the franchise tag in 2016 if they don’t work out a new deal. If that happens, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Jones’ position change a bit.
  • The movie “The Blind Side” made Michael Oher a household name but the Panthers offensive tackle believes that the film has had an adverse affect on his career, ESPN.com’s David Newton writes. “I’m not trying to prove anything,” Oher said. “People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie. They don’t really see the skills and the kind of player I am. That’s why I get downgraded so much, because of something off the field. This stuff, calling me a bust, people saying if I can play or not … that has nothing to do with football. It’s something else off the field. That’s why I don’t like that movie.” Unable to live up to his first round billing, the Ravens released Oher this offseason, leading him to hook on with Carolina.
  • Kevin Williams will earn a base salary of $1MM with a $500K signing bonus on his deal with the Saints, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). He can earn another $600K through playing time incentives. In 2014, the former first-round pick ranked in the middle of the pack among defensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required). PFF’s grades placed Williams 40th out of 81 qualified DTs, as he finished the season with 38 tackles and three sacks.

NFC Links: Ngata, Nelson, Guion, Panthers

May 29th, 2015 at 10:01am CST by Ben Levine

Following nine years in Baltimore, Haloti Ngata is now adjusting to a 3-4 scheme in Detroit. The veteran understands the learning curve, but the former Ravens standout is excited to start his career with the Lions nonetheless.

“It’s definitely difficult,” Ngata told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “You’re going to, when you get fatigued, you get back to your old technique, your old ways of doing things. I saw it on film (Tuesday) — I just kind of seen some of my technique going back to what I used to do in Baltimore. So just knowing that once I’m fatigued, I’ve got to still focus, understand what my technique is, what they want me to do on the defense and try to attack all the time.”

Let’s take a look at more notes out of the NFC…

  • Packers wideout Jordy Nelson has been tight-lipped in regards to his apparent offseason hip surgery. As ESPNWisconsin’s Jason Wilde notes, the Pro Bowler isn’t focused on the injury, and he’s instead looking forward to a productive season. “Obviously, if it didn’t bother me, I probably wouldn’t have had the surgery. But nothing major,” Nelson said. “I had an opportunity to get some things cleaned up. We did it, and I think it was a good move and feel good about where we’re at moving forward.”
  • Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion still hasn’t heard from the NFL regarding punishment for his offseason arrest, reports ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. The writer notes that Green Bay is “bracing for the possibility” that the former fifth-rounder will be out for some time.
  • ESPN.com’s David Newton believes the Panthers want one player to step up and replace Greg Hardy‘s production, as opposed to the platoon used most of last season. Ron Rivera seems to have his eyes on one candidate: Frank Alexander. “Frank’s doing a nice job,” Rivera said. “He’s showing that he’s hungry. He’s got a lot to prove personally. He feels that way and [is] working that way. This is his make-or-break season.”
  • Michael Oher joined the Panthers on a two-year deal, and the former first-rounder is thrilled with his decision. “It seemed like they wanted me,” Oher told Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. “I got the (same) feeling going into my rookie year of not wanting to let guys down and guys with a winning culture. For me, it’s about getting back to the basics and fundamentals of doing everything right. Looking myself in the mirror knowing what I have to do and getting better from within.”

Panthers Sign Michael Oher

March 9th, 2015 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

MONDAY, 10:58am: Oher’s two-year deal with the Panthers is worth $7MM, including a $2.5MM signing bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

FRIDAY, 1:00pm: The player who protected Cam Newton‘s blind side in 2014 – Byron Bell – won’t return to the Panthers for 2015, and now the team has signed the player who was the inspiration for The Blind Side. The Panthers announced today in a press release that they’ve added offensive tackle Michael Oher on a two-year contract.

After spending his first five seasons in Baltimore, Oher inked a four-year, $20MM contract with Tennessee last winter that was widely viewed as an overpay at the time. Sure enough, after one disappointing season with the Titans, the club cut him loose a month ago, allowing him to test the open market early. Oher reportedly visited with the Panthers last week.

Although he was mostly solid during his time with the Ravens, Oher struggled in 2014 with Tennessee, battling injuries and underperforming at right tackle for the club. In 11 games, the 28-year-old allowed six sacks and 26 quarterback hurries before he landed on the injured reserve list, ending his season.

It’s not clear yet whether the Panthers envision Oher as their new left tackle, but with Bell out of the picture, the former first-round pick looks like the early favorite for the position.

Michael Oher Visits With Panthers

February 25th, 2015 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Ravens and Titans offensive tackle Michael Oher recently visited the Panthers, league sources with knowledge of the situation tell Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Oher, 28, was let go by Tennessee earlier this offseason.

Oher signed with the Titans last offseason after playing his first five seasons with the Ravens. He played in eleven games in 2014 for the Titans before being placed on injured reserve. His deal with the Titans was definitely ill-advised and widely panned at the time, but Oher could bring a lot of upside on a more reasonable deal.

Oher’s best days came with the Ravens where he started all 80 games across five seasons. His best football came during the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII championship run. It was not a surprise to see Oher dropped by the Titans though, especially with Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan in the mix. Oher allowed six sacks and 26 quarterback hurries in eleven games in 2014 before landing on IR.

AFC Links: Woodson, Titans, Pats, Skrine

February 7th, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s check out some assorted notes from around the AFC…

  • Following his tenure with the Packers, veteran cornerback Charles Woodson inked a contract with the Raiders. Woodson admitted that his agent had reached out to the Lions during the 2012 offseason, but there was little interest from the franchise. “I was kind of throwing some lines out there to see where the interest was,” Woodson said (via ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein). “Most teams, coming out of Green Bay, everybody thought I was pretty much done. Washed up. Couldn’t run anymore. I heard all of the adjectives to describe me…They were one of those teams that probably thought that.”
  • Michael Oher was just one of many offseason additions that didn’t work out for the Titans in 2014, writes ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky. Linebacker Wesley Woodyard lost his job to a rookie, running back Dexter McCluster made little impact offensively, defensive lineman Al Woods ultimately settled into a backup role and linebacker Shaun Phillips was cut in November.
  • In a series of tweets, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap partially attributes the Patriots cap-conscious approach to the team’s inability to keep running back Curtis Martin. The franchise’s lack of cap flexibility during the 1998 offseason had a lasting impact on the organization, and the team vowed to never be in that kind of situation again.
  • Count Browns defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil among those who’d like to see defensive back Buster Skrine back with the team next season. “Buster is one of my favorite guys on the defense,” O’Neil previously said (via Kevin Jones of ClevelandBrowns.com). “He embodies ‘Play Like a Brown.’ I don’t ever want to let good players walk out the door.”

NFC Links: Eagles, Lynch, Suh, Panthers

February 7th, 2015 at 9:28am CST by Ben Levine

Former offensive tackle Tra Thomas was a member of the Eagles coaching staff this past season, but the 40-year-old wasn’t retained for 2015. Thomas spent time as a full-time assistant on both offense and defense, and he felt like he was actually making an impact on the players.

As a result, it was a surprise when he learned he wouldn’t be back with the organization next season.

“I was a little bit surprised just because when I switched over to the outside linebackers, they improved last year,” Thomas said on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philly (via Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com). “The last season, they put up 16 sacks, and then you switch me over to the other side, I start working with ’em, and then this past season we put up 26.5 sacks. Connor Barwin went from five sacks to 14.5 sacks. So I was a little bit surprised just because you can look at the numbers and see that there was improvement in that group. But it’s just the way it goes.

“I went in and asked Coach [Kelly] what my situation was gonna be, and what I was told was that position I had was just kind of something they made up for me to get me some experience on this side of the game, and that it’s not gonna exist next year.”

More from the Eagles amid notes from the NFC…

Titans Release Michael Oher

February 5th, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have waived (injured) veteran offensive tackle Michael Oher, according to the team’s official website. Oher signed with the Titans last offseason after playing his first five seasons with the Ravens. He played in eleven games in 2014 before being placed on injured reserve.

It was not a surprise to see Oher exit the team after just one season. His contract was considered pricey at the time of the signing, and after the team drafted Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan with its first-round pick, the need for Oher was mitigated. With a large cap number, the Titans were able to move on from Oher to create space for incoming free agents. Oher allowed six sacks and 26 quarterback hurries in eleven games in 2014 before landing on IR.

According to OverTheCap.com, the man who inspired the a Hollywood movie has a $5MM cap number in 2015 with an increase to $6MM the following two years. However, Tennessee will save $2MM this offseason and more going forward with this move. By reducing that large cap number, the team was able to move on from Oher to create space for incoming free agents. Had Oher remained on the Titans’ roster on Friday, $3.35MM of his $4MM base salary would have been fully guaranteed.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

Load More Posts