Michael Vick - Pro Football Rumors

AFC East Notes: Vick, Wilfork, Clay

December 24th, 2014 at 7:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Michael Vick‘s season in New York likely didn’t go as planned, and the quarterback doesn’t sound like he’s anxious for a return to the Jets next season.

“I don’t know, I couldn’t say right now,” Vick said yesterday (via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). “I’d have to talk to my agent and see what’s the best situation for me. Obviously, this organization has to do what’s best for them. I really can’t say right now, but hopefully I have a chance to play somewhere and continue to give that effort.”

“I still feel like I can start. I still feel like I can play at a high level, like I said. I think with the right talent around me and good structure I feel like I can win some games.

“I still feel like I have a lot left in the tank. I can’t say it’s five years worth, but maybe it’s a good solid two. I’m just going to train for that, get ready for that and set my mindset. If it doesn’t happen and I have to grind my way back up to a starting position, then that’s what it will be. I think at the end of the day my mindset is to just continue to play football. I love the game. I want to continue to play until it’s all out of me.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the division…

One thing you can say about Geno Smith is that the quarterback does not lack confidence. Smith told reporters (including ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) that he envisions himself being the Jets quarterback for “a long time.”
One part of Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork‘s restructured contract called for a $2.5MM boost should the former Pro Bowler play at least 70 percent of the team’s defensive snaps this season. As Tom E. Curran of CSNNewEngland.com points out, if the team decides to sit Wilfork this weekend, he likely won’t reach the required number.
The Bills released Alan Branch in late August, and he caught on with the Patriots soon after. The defensive tackle has played well in New England, but his former coach isn’t bitter about the player’s production for a rival. “I see him playing with a lot of enthusiasm,” Doug Marrone told Curran. “Obviously we’re happy for him. Obviously, you don’t like playing against good football players and Alan’s a very good football player. You see him making plays and you see him out there having fun and he brings a lot of energy and he’s a solid football player and he’s playing well.”
James Walker of ESPN.com says Dolphins tight end Charles Clay wants to stay with Miami. The upcoming free agent told Walker that he’d love to ink a long-term extension, and the writer believes there would be mutual interest. However, both sides may have different opinions on the player’s value.

East Notes: Philbin, Clark, Jets, Vick

December 23rd, 2014 at 3:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Count Jets coach Rex Ryan among those who believes that Joe Philbin deserves to stay on board as Dolphins coach. “I’ll tell you what, it’s obviously great. It’s obviously well-deserved,” Ryan said, according to James Walker of ESPN.com. “He’s a helluva football coach. Obviously, Miami made a great decision bringing him back. I can tell you, going against him, that’s a heck of a football team and that’s a really well-coached team.” Dolphins owner Stephen Ross gave Philbin the endorsement for next season after Miami’s close victory over the Vikings. More from the AFC and NFC East..

Safety Ryan Clark says that he wants to keep playing beyond this season, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (on Twitter). He has yet to have talks with Washington, however.
While sources say no decision has been made on GM John Idzik and Ryan, it is clear Jets owner Woody Johnson is seriously considering cleaning house, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. The Jets are 3-12 heading into their season finale.
Jets quarterback Geno Smith says he’s confident that he’ll be starting for Gang Green in 2015, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). From the outside, it seems likely that the Jets will at least explore other options under center.
As we’ve heard earlier, Jets quarterback Michael Vick says that he has “a good, solid two years” left in his career (via Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com on Twitter).

NFC Notes: Glennon, Vick, Rolle, Austin

December 18th, 2014 at 3:43pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of playoff hopefuls will square off in two NFC divisional matchup this weekend, but it’s hard to view Cardinals/Seahawks and Saints/Falcons as equally important games. While the winner of the West showdown will have the inside track on the No. 1 seed for the postseason, the winner of the South contest will inch slightly closer to .500, and move closer to becoming the league’s worst division winner.

While we look forward to those two games and others, let’s check out the latest links from around the conference….

In the offseason, head coach Lovie Smith repeatedly referred to Mike Glennon as the Buccaneers‘ “quarterback of the future,” but he wasn’t willing to continue bestowing that title on Glennon this week, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. “His future right now is, he’s on our football team,” Smith said of Glennon. “We’re not talking on the future right now. The future is about that last press conference — after the season.”
With his one-year Jets deal set to expire soon, Michael Vick has considered his 2015 destination, and is intrigued by the idea of joining his hometown team in Washington, as he tells Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin. “I’m open to playing for anybody that wants to win. But obviously, going back home, I mean, that’ll be a dream come true,’‘ Vick said with a smile. “But I would hate to get my hopes up for something that wouldn’t happen. So I can’t even think about it right now.”
Nick Powell of NJ.com attempts to determine what a new contract for Antrel Rolle would look like as the Giants safety nears free agency.
Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who is on the Fritz Pollard list of top minority head coaching candidates, indicated today that he’ll interview with any teams interested in him as a head coach this offseason, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright, whose new four-year extension with the team was announced earlier today, said sticking with Seattle was his preference all along, and the Seahawks’ offer exceeded the dollar number had had in his head (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).

Extra Points: Peterson, Vick, Cribbs, McCown

November 19th, 2014 at 9:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Ahead of the Buccaneers‘ showdown with the Bears, coach Lovie Smith says that he’s focused on turning things around in Tampa Bay, not on reuniting with his old friends from Chicago, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Still, Smith has fond memories of his time with the Bears and he doesn’t harbor any ill-will towards them. “My memories of my time are in Chicago are all great. I have lifetime friends from Chicago. I don’t have many bad memories on any place I have ever been. We won a lot of games. That is what I remember. And the fans there were awesome when we were winning all those games,” said the coach. More from around the league..

Jets quarterback Michael Vick has plenty of football left in him, writes NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling. “I would love to play again, at least get it out of my system for two more years,” Vick said, via NFL Media’s Kimberly Jones. “Because I know I got it in me.”
If Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has learned from his mistakes, he’s sure not showing it, writes Christine Brennan of USA Today. If the goal the past week was to get back on the field as soon as possible, blowing off a meeting with the NFL commissioner was not the way to do it, no matter what the players’ union was whispering in his ear, Brennan writes. Peterson’s appeal is set to take place on December 2nd, but it sounds like a longshot to say the least.
Josh Cribbs‘ deal with the Colts is a two-year pact, according to Mike Chappell of the Indy Star (on Twitter). The 31-year-old has made a name for himself in the NFL as a kick return specialist.
Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune looked back at Josh McCown‘s journey from last year to this year. McCown emerged as a very capable fill-in for the Bears last season when Jay Cutler went down. Over the offseason, he joined up with the Bucs and despite some hiccups, he is coming off of a very solid road win over Washington.

Michael Vick Wants To Re-Sign With Jets

November 13th, 2014 at 7:57am CST by Zachary Links

Michael Vick showed the Jets what he’s capable of with a stellar performance against the Steelers on Sunday. The pending free agent would like to give Gang Green more of that in 2015 and wants to stay on beyond this season, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).

Unsurprisingly, the Jets have had no contact with the veteran quarterback about a new contract. With uncertainty surrounding the job security of General Manager John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan, Cole says that it’s unclear who would make the call to retain Vick. I would also surmise that owner Woody Johnson might prevent Idzik from making such a significant move as it would limit the options of a potential replacement if he were fired. If offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg manages to stay on board, Cole says that Vick’s chances of staying will improve given the rapport and familiarity the two have with each other.

In any case, it appears that Vick’s preference is to remain with the Jets as he alluded to in a chat with reporters earlier this week. The 35-year-old likes being in New York and Cole says that he would probably like to finish his career with the Jets. With little clarity in the Jets’ front office, however, I think that it’s hard to see Vick’s wish being granted, or even addressed, in the coming weeks.

AFC East Notes: Revis, Vick, Bills, Jarrett

November 10th, 2014 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

In advance of this Thursday’s showdown between the 5-4 Bills and 5-4 Dolphins, let’s round up a few Monday items from around the AFC East….

Asked if he plans on being a member of the Patriots beyond this season, cornerback Darrelle Revis smiled and replied, “Ask Bill [Belichick],” according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com. The Patriots technically have a second-year option on Revis for 2015, but the structure of his deal makes it extremely likely that New England will cut him, allowing the Pro Bowler to hit the open market and seek out the highest bid once again. It’s not clear yet whether the Pats will be involved in that bidding, says Curran.
Sunday’s performance against the Steelers showed that Michael Vick still has plenty left in the tank, as Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report writes. The Jets signal-caller is on a one-year deal, so a strong second half could earn him another shot at a starting role via free agency this winter.
The Bills‘ defensive line was excellent once again on Sunday against the Chiefs, but as the offseason approaches, it’s not clear whether the team will be able to keep the entire group together. As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com notes, Jerry Hughes is eligible for free agency in 2015, and Marcell Dareus will have just one year left on his deal.
Hughes was one of two AFC East players singled out by Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap this week as having boosted his stock as he nears free agency. The other? Jaiquawn Jarrett of the Jets, who is eligible for restricted free agency, and likely earned himself a tender offer entirely based on his performance against the Steelers.
Earlier today, we learned that the Dolphins will be promoting running back LaMichael James to their active roster, as left tackle Branden Albert heads to injured reserve with a torn ACL and MCL.

Jets Notes: Smith, Ryan, Idzik

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:27pm CST by Rob DiRe

Although Geno Smith has now been benched twice this season and Michael Vick is currently the starter, Conor Orr of NFL.com writes that Smith is more likely to be the long-term solution at quarterback.

He notes that his colleague Ian Rapoport reported the Jets could turn back to Smith as early as next week against the Steelers. While it may not be likely, there is still some hope within the organization that he could become the franchise quarterback.

Here are some other notes from around the spiraling Jets:

Coming out of West Virginia University, many scouts and executives who met with Smith felt that he lacked the ability to become the face of a franchise. His poise in the midst of adversity was questionable at the time, and after turning the ball over 37 times in his first 24 starts and being sent to the bench, those comments ring true, writes Adam Caplan of ESPN.
Jets’ general manager John Idzik’s job has come into question with the recent struggles, and Amy Trask of That Other Pregame Show on CBS asked why they made the hire at the time (via Twitter). Former Jets’ linebacker Bart Scott believed the reason the job was so hard to fill was because the new general manager knew he would have to inherit Rex Ryan.
Jets’ fans have started a website FireJohnIdzik.com and have raised $10,000 to post a billboard near MetLife Stadium to push for their case, reports Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter).

Injury Updates: Sunday

November 2nd, 2014 at 5:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While we don’t cover every injury here at PFR, we will detail health concerns that could force teams to make significant roster moves. We’ll keep a running list of such injuries here, with the newest updates being added to the top:

Cowboys’ defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford suffered a troubling knee injury that involves MCL damage, reports Tim MacMAhon of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter).
Texans‘ running back Arian Foster suffered a groin injury during the loss to the Eagles earlier today, but fortunately it does not look to be serious, reports Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter).

Earlier Updates

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles left today’s contest against the Texans and will not return, the team announced. A source tells Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that the club fears Foles may have a clavicle injury. Mark Sanchez is on in relief of Foles at QB.
Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph will not return today after suffering a concussion, tweets John Clayton of ESPN. Meanhwhile, running back Arian Foster headed to the locker room with a head injury, per Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Jets quarterback Michael Vick also went to the locker room after suffering an injury against the Chiefs, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). With Geno Smith inactive, Matt Simms has taken over at QB.
Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans suffered a non-contact injury, and had to be carted off the field, according to Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Dolphins running back Lamar Miller suffered a shoulder injury against the Chargers and is questionable to return.

Sunday Roundup: Suh, Jets, Steve Smith

September 28th, 2014 at 12:32pm CST by Rory Parks

It has been fairly obvious for some time that Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh would be leaving Detroit at the end of the year, and ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter confirms that the Lions are preparing to move on without him. However, Schefter adds another wrinkle, writing that Suh would love to play in New York, either for the Jets or Giants.

However, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com tweets that the Jets have too much money tied up in their defensive line to be a serious suitor, and Mike Florio of Pro Football talk adds that there is no indication that the Giants would want Suh. Citing Schefter, Florio does add that the Bears and Cowboys will definitely be interested.

Now for some more links from around the league:

In a full-length piece, Cimini writes that the Jets‘ most pressing contract concern might center around linebacker David Harris, the “glue” to head coach Rex Ryan‘s defensive unit. Although Muhammad Wilkerson‘s contract situation has received more attention, Harris will be a free agent at year’s end, whereas Wilkerson will still be under club control.
Steve Serby of the New York Post writes that the Jets‘ worst-case scenario–that Geno Smith would continue to struggle with his turnover problem, triggering calls for Michael Vick to take over–has come true. Given that Ryan is coaching for his job, another poor showing from Smith this week could lead to Vick’s promotion. Like Serby, Cimini believes that Smith’s job could be on the line today.
Not only are the Jets inconsistent on the field, they are also facing internal struggles. In a separate piece, Schefter writes that some members of the Jets front office are disenchanted with the way GM John Idzik has built his roster. Not only do they believe Idzik was not aggressive enough in pursuing upgrades at cornerback, an issue that has received a lot of publicity, but they also feel that Idzik should have used his ample salary cap space to further address the wide receiver, pass rusher, and return specialist positions.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that the Ryan Tannehill/Joe Philbin dilemma is not the only player/coach rift on the Dolphins.
Rich Tandler of ESPNWashington.com says to look for the Redskins to promote safety Philip Thomas from the practice squad to the active roster–assuming they do not go outside the organization for help–and that one of the tight ends currently on the practice squad, Ted Bolser and Je’Ron Hamm, could also be on the way up, depending on the status of Jordan Reed and Niles Paul.
Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune tweets that the Buccaneers have only two players remaining from their 2010 club: Gerald McCoy and Demar Dotson.
In a series of tweets, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes that the Panthers did not cut Steve Smith because they thought he could no longer perform at a high level. Instead, they worried that Smith would be “divisive” in the team’s young locker room. Smith refused to take a pay cut and ultimately asked for his release.

Rex Ryan Non-Committal On Quarterbacks

September 24th, 2014 at 9:30pm CST by Rob DiRe

Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan is sticking with Geno Smith for the time being, but has left the door open for Michael Vick to take over as the team’s starter, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

“I feel like (Smith) will start the rest of the games,” Ryan said. “But again, things happen. And we’ll see.”

Still, if the time comes, backup Vick will be ready to step in and try to help the team win.

“They’ve seen what I can do,” Vick said. “They know what I can do and I know what I can do. And if I get an opportunity, I’m going to do it and make sure I’m good at it.”

Vick is supportive of Smith, and has been since the moment he arrived in East Rutherford. However, he acknowledges that whether it is himself or Smith, the team needs better play from the quarterback position.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that I can help this football team win games,” Vick said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that (Smith) can help this football team win games. So, whether it’s him or whether it’s me at some point, we’re going to get it done. We got to get it done. There’s no other option.”

While Smith was supposed to take a huge step forward this year, he has struggled the past two games against the Packers and the Bears. The Jets are almost halfway through the toughest six game stretch of their season, and a win over the Lions could alleviate many of the questions surrounding the team’s quarterback situation. A bad loss could bring Ryan one step closer to inserting Vick into the starting lineup.