Mike Iupati - Pro Football Rumors

Cardinals Restructure G Mike Iupati’s Deal

October 4th, 2016 at 8:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have restructured guard Mike Iupati‘s deal, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The two sides agreed to convert $2MM of his salary into a signing bonus, creating $1.5MM in 2016 cap room.

Iupati, 29, left the 49ers to join the rival Cardinals prior to the 2015 season. The deal, worth $40MM over five years with incentives, naturally eats up a good amount of cap room. The Cards don’t have any regrets about the signing, however, as Iupati earned his fourth-straight Pro Bowl nod in 2015.

Through four games this season, David Johnson is averaging 4.7 yards per carry and he owes a great deal of credit to Iupati’s blocking on the interior line. At the quarter mark, Pro Football Focus has Iupati ranked as the 12th best guard in the NFL.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Newton, Peterson, Others Get Salary Guarantees

March 11th, 2016 at 8:38pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Several NFL players have contracts containing language which states that they’ll get a full or partial salary guarantees for 2016 and/or 2017 if they remained on their respective teams on Friday, the third day of the league year. Let’s check in some of those players (link courtesy of CBS Sports’ Joel Corry):

Cam Newton, quarterback (Panthers): $13MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed. Friday is also the deadline for the Panthers to pick up Newton’s 2020 option for $10MM.
Eli Manning, quarterback (Giants): $17.5MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
Jay Cutler, quarterback (Bears): $16MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
Adrian Peterson, running back (Vikings): $7MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
Julio Jones, wide receiver (Falcons): $11.5MM base salary for 2017 is now fully guaranteed.
A.J. Green, wide receiver (Bengals): $6MM roster bonus is payable.
Brandon Marshall, wide receiver (Jets): $9.5MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
Mike Iupati, guard (Cardinals): $6.75MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed, as is $2MM of Iupati’s $8MM base salary for 2017.
Rodney Hudson, center (Raiders): $7.35MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
Gerald McCoy, defensive tackle (Buccaneers): $13.25MM base salary for 2017 is now fully guaranteed.
Marcell Dareus, defensive tackle (Bills): $9.75MM base salary for 2017 is now fully guaranteed.
Justin Houston, linebacker (Chiefs): $14.75MM of Houston’s $14.9MM base salary in 2016 is now fully guaranteed, as is $6.75MM of his $16.35MM base salary for 2017.
DeAndre Levy, linebacker (Lions): $5.25MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
Aqib Talib, cornerback (Broncos): $8.5MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Corey Peters Tears Achilles, Out For Year

August 21st, 2015 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 12:39pm: The Cardinals have officially placed Peters on injured reserve, ending his season, tweets Urban.

THURSDAY, 1:11pm: After losing multiple defensive starters to various injuries and suspensions during the 2014 season, the Cardinals are now down a starting defensive lineman in 2015. Head coach Bruce Arians confirmed today that nose tackle Corey Peters has suffered a torn left Achilles, and will be sidelined for the season (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). Peters has yet to officially be placed on injured reserve, but figures to land there shortly.

It’s a devastating blow for Peters, who tore his right Achilles at the end of the 2013 season. He returned from the injury last season to play 15 games for the Falcons, but didn’t have quite the same impact on the field, recording 26 tackles and two sacks – down from 46 and five in 2013 – as he transitioned into a reserve role.

Another year removed from that 2013 Achilles injury, Peters was poised to take over for Dan Williams as the Cardinals’ starting nose tackle this season. Instead, he’ll spend the first season of his three-year contract with Arizona on the IR list, with fourth-round rookie Rodney Gunter stepping into the starting lineup (Twitter link via Urban).

Arians also addressed Mike Iupati‘s health, telling reporters that the veteran guard is getting his meniscus repaired. The recovery timeline for the procedure varies, so Iupati could be on the shelf for anywhere from three to eight weeks (Twitter link via Urban).

Cardinals Guard Mike Iupati Injured

August 19th, 2015 at 7:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals left guard Mike Iupati is likely to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery this week that would sideline him for 6-8 weeks, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Iupati joined Arizona on a substantial free agent deal this season with the expectation that he would bolster the interior of their offensive line. He still figures to be a difference maker for the Cards, but his debut won’t come until October or later.

The Raiders were said to be “hot after” Iupati this offseason and he also had serious interest from the Bills and Jets. The Cardinals, meanwhile, weren’t really mentioned as a leading suitor for his services, but they were lurking in the shadows and on March 11th, they agreed to sign him to a five-year, $40MM pact. At one time, 2013 first-round choice Jonathan Cooper was expected to hold down the fort at guard, but so far he hasn’t realized his potential, so the Iupati signing made a lot of sense for the Cards.

The three-time Pro Bowler graded out as the 14th best guard in the NFL out of 78 qualified players, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Iupati, a former first-round pick who’s started missed only five games during his career, is regarded as a much better run-blocker than pass-blocker.

Cards, Mike Iupati Agree To Five-Year Deal

March 11th, 2015 at 11:43am CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 11:43am: The Cardinals’ five-year deal with Iupati is now official, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.

TUESDAY, 4:24pm: Iupati’s deal is worth $40MM over five years with incentives that can take the total package up to $41MM, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. In total, the deal has $22.5MM in guaranteed cash.

MONDAY, 5:40pm: Free agent guard Mike Iupati has told people he plans to sign with the Cardinals, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Iupati was widely viewed as the top available interior offensive lineman of the offseason. Financial terms of the possible agreement are not yet known.

The Raiders were said to be “hot after” Iupati and he also had serious interest from the Bills and Jets. The Cardinals, meanwhile, weren’t really mentioned as a leading suitor for his services. The marriage makes quite a bit of sense, however, as Arizona could use a boost on the interior of their offensive line. That’s a role that 2013 first-round choice Jonathan Cooper was expected to fill, but so far he hasn’t realized his potential. Assuming Iupati stays on the left side, Cooper could wind up shifting over to right guard.

The three-time Pro Bowler graded out as the 14th best guard in the NFL out of 78 qualified players, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Iupati, a former first-round pick who’s started missed only five games during his career, is regarded as a much better run-blocker than pass-blocker. The Cardinals, therefore, could look to add a running back in the coming days, and have been tied to both Adrian Peterson and DeMarco Murray.

Iupati will be just the latest player to leave the Bay Area in recent days. Justin Smith and Patrick Willis are expected to retire, Frank Gore will sign with the Eagles, Stevie Johnson will be released, and Michael Crabtree isn’t expected to be retained.

Bills Preparing For Run At Charles Clay

March 10th, 2015 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

4:26pm: Clay will in fact be visiting the Bills, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Buffalo will attempt to structure its offer sheet to Clay so that it’s difficult for the Dolphins to match, adds Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). In fact, the Bills value Clay so highly that they’d be happy with landing him and little else, tweets Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.

2:14pm: The Bills plan to prepare the strongest possible offer sheet for Clay, tweets Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, adding that the Browns are also interested in Clay.

7:20am: The transition tag isn’t expected to stop the Bills from making a run at tight end Charles Clay, says Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Clay, who received the one-year transition tender worth $7.071MM from the Dolphins last week, is still free to negotiate with other teams starting this afternoon, and according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Buffalo is preparing to make the tight end an offer.

While that offer could come as soon as today, Garafolo (via Twitter) cautions that things may not play out quite that quickly. For an unrestricted free agent, teams will race to get him to put pen to paper to finalize a deal, but for a transition player, the Dolphins will have five days to match any offer sheet, so there’s no rush to get anything done immediately. Garafolo expects the Bills to try to bring Clay in for a visit later this week.

In other Bills-related news, La Canfora notes that the team also hopes to sign former Vikings fullback Jerome Felton, who is a free agent this winter. With former Niners offensive coordinator Greg Roman ready to take over control of Buffalo’s offense, the Bills are expected to add some sort of fullback this offseason, whether it’s Felton or someone else.

Finally, speaking of San Francisco, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News adds (via Twitter) that – despite multiple reports to the contrary – the Bills weren’t actually among the teams pursuing former Niners guard Mike Iupati, who is expected to sign with the Cardinals.

North Rumors: Forsett, Bengals, Iupati, Ravens

March 9th, 2015 at 7:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of the NFL’s North divisions:

The Falcons, Washington, and the Colts are interested in Ravens free agent running back Justin Forsett, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome recently made it clear that he’d like to keep Forsett in Baltimore.
If the Buccaneers cut defensive end Michael Johnson, the Bengals are hoping to orchestrate a reunion with him, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
The Vikings never inquired on guard Mike Iupati, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets. The former 49ers standout is now reportedly headed to the Cardinals.
Instead of using a restricted tender on special-teams ace Anthony Levine, the Ravens would like to bring him back on a longer-term contract, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.

FA Rumors: Murray, Raiders, Orakpo, Hill

March 9th, 2015 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

While DeMarco Murray may not land an eight-digit annual salary, his camp sounds confident that there are teams willing to pay $8MM per year for his services, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. However, as Getlin notes it’s not clear yet whether the Cowboys are one of those teams. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Murray is willing to move on from Dallas if a better opportunity presents itself, but the running back is approaching free agency slowly and methodically rather than rushing into any decision.

While we wait to see if Jerry Jones opens up his check book for the NFL’s leading rusher before Murray hits free agency tomorrow, let’s check in on some few other free agent news….

The Raiders are “hot after” Mike Iupati, widely considered to be the top free agent guard available this winter, reports Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Oakland figures to be up against the Bills and Jets, among other teams, in the bidding for Iupati. Landing the 49ers veteran after agreeing to terms with center Rodney Hudson would certainly help the Raiders solidify their offensive line.
The Falcons were mentioned a week ago as a potential favorite for Brian Orakpo, and it doesn’t appear that’s changed. Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington tweets that she’s hearing Atlanta is the current frontrunner for the free agent pass rusher.
The Titans are still in play for Derrick Morgan, but so are about a half-dozen other teams, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter), the Cowboys and Raiders are among the teams showing interest in quarterback Shaun Hill, who also has reportedly has an offer on the table from the Vikings.
The Steelers have no immediate plans to re-sign veteran outside linebacker James Harrison, who could potentially be a late-summer addition for the club, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
We can add the Chiefs to the growing list of teams that has inquired on free agent cornerback Cary Williams, tweets Nick Jacobs of TWC SportsChannel in Kansas City.
Washington hasn’t been in contract with wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, but the free-agent-to-be has heard from a few other teams, says John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Bills Targeting Bryan Bulaga, Others

March 9th, 2015 at 12:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills aren’t done making big splashes this offseason. Ross Jones of FOX Sports (on Twitter) hears that Buffalo is pushing to sign Mike Iupati or Bryan Bulaga. Other options for the Bills could include guard Jahri Evans and wide receiver Percy Harvin if/when they become available (link).

Recently it was reported that the Raiders, Jets, and Bills appeared to be the front runners for Iupati if he does not return to San Francisco. Recently, two league sources told Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Bulaga is seeking a contract worth at least $7-8MM per year. The Bucs, Jaguars, and Washington were all identified as teams that have interest in the free agent.

Evans would likely represent a cheaper alternative to either Iupati or Bulaga. The Saints are expected to release Evans from his hefty contract, but would like to re-sign him at a cheaper rate. As it stands, Evans’ deal calls for him to have the highest cap hit of any guard in the NFL.

New Bills coach Rex Ryan got to familiarize himself with Harvin this past season in New York. While Harvin has gotten a bad rap for his locker room demeanor, Ryan spoke glowingly of the wide receiver and his behavior while with the Jets. The veteran receiver and return man didn’t have a huge impact on-field in New York, however, totaling 29 receptions for 350 yards and a touchdown in his eight games with the Jets.

Jets Rumors: Iupati, Culliver, Branch

March 9th, 2015 at 10:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are aggressively pursuing Pro Bowl guard Mike Iupati, sources tell Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Jets, of cousre, are in need of a boost on the interior of their offensive line and they have to set their sights elsewhere after former target Orlando Franklin shook hands with the Chargers on a deal. Unsurprisingly, there are a handful of other teams with serious interest in Iupati, Mehta hears, so they’ll have some serious competition for the 27-year-old (28 this summer). More on the Jets..

The Jets have interest in free agent cornerback Chris Culliver, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter). Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk was hearing late last month that Culliver might field more offers than expected. The Eagles will not be among the teams pursuing him, however.
The Jets also have interest in safety Tyvon Branch, a source tells Costello (link). Branch has visited the Colts and Washington and has a visit coming up with the Chiefs. Branch, 28, was with the Raiders for seven seasons before his release.
The Jets have expressed interest in Chargers free agent safety/cornerback Marcus Gilchrist, Mehta tweets. Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter) adds that he has been fielding interest from several teams. Washington is among the teams have have remained in contact with him and the Chargers want to retain him, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.
Cary Williams is visiting with Titans coaches today and he hopes to make a call between the Jets, Seahawks, and Titans, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Agent Harold Lewis said that Williams was “blown away” by his visit with Seattle. In total, eight teams have interest in Williams, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets.