Muhammad Wilkerson

AFC East Notes: Bills, McCoy, Jets, Richardson

November 4th, 2016 at 9:58am CST by Zachary Links

Bills running back LeSean McCoy returned to practice on Thursday and that could be a sign that Shady will be activated for Monday night against Seattle. McCoy was sidelined for last week’s loss to the Patriots, leaving backup Mike Gillislee in the top role.

“I feel good,” McCoy said (link via NFL.com). “First day back out here. Ran some routes. I feel a lot better today than I have.”

Coach Rex Ryan echoed those thoughts, calling McCoy’s practice “a positive sign.” So far this year, the tailback has 112 carries for 598 yards and a career-best 5.3 yards per attempt.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

Tyrod Taylor‘s unconventional five-year extension gave the Bills an escape hatch if he flopped and a team-friendly deal in the event that he became an elite quarterback. So far, neither one of those scenarios have played out and that stands to benefit Taylor, ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak writes. Without a better option, the Bills pretty much have to trigger Taylor’s $27.5MM option – barring a dramatic second half slide. And, because he hasn’t been exceptional this year, Taylor isn’t missing out on a larger payday on the open market. As Rodak notes, Taylor has been the NFL’s best running QB, totaling a league-high 319 rushing yards and 17 rushing first downs plus three rushing touchdowns. At the same time, he has completed only 58.7% of his passes.
Scouts believe that Sheldon Richardson is a better player than Muhammad Wilkerson, but the Jets brain trust believes that they are mostly interchangeable in Todd Bowles’ system, Manish Mehta of the Daily News writes. That is something to keep in mind as the Jets go into the offseason with the belief that they probably have to trade one of the two players. After Wilkerson inked a lucrative five-year extension over the summer, it seems like Richardson is more likely to go. In theory, Gang Green could try and carve out room to keep Wilkerson, Richardson, and young star Leonard Williams, but it’s clear that they need to convert that defensive line surplus into help in other areas.

East Notes: Jets, Wilkerson, Garoppolo, Giants

July 21st, 2016 at 11:14am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC East:

After inking a new multi-year deal with the Jets, defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson says that he’ll be ready for the Jets’ season opener against the Bengals on September 11th, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes. “Rehab is going well,” he said. “I’m running four times a week and just taking it day by day. I’m focusing on my leg and rehabbing each and every day. When the coaches feel it is time for me to get out there on the field and I am ready to go, I will be out there.” On Friday, Wilkerson shocked everyone when he inked a five-year deal worth $86MM, good for a $17.2MM AAV. The deal also calls for $54MM to go to the defensive lineman over the next three years.
When Jimmy Garoppolo lines up under center for the Patriots in September, rival teams will be keeping an eye on him as a possible trade target, as Albert Breer of The MMQB writes. Not much is known about Tom Brady‘s fill-in just yet, but evaluators are optimistic about what they might see. “He’s looked sharp when he’s had the opportunity,” said one NFC personnel exec who got a long look at him. “I also really liked him during the draft, so some of that was ‘leftover’ evaluation. … Strong arm, quick arm, accurate, can move in the pocket, mobile, all the things you like to see in a young developmental QB.”
Will the Giants sign a veteran safety? Given that no safety currently on the roster has more than three years of NFL experience, it could make some sense for the Giants, NJ.com’s James Kratch writes. However, Kratch doesn’t feel that available veterans like Bacarri Rambo, Donte Whitner, or Antrel Rolle would necessarily bring much more to the table. Rolle is on record as saying that he would like to return to the Giants. Whitner, ranked as the league’s No. 24 safety among 89 qualifiers in 2015 by Pro Football Focus, would make sense for a number of teams. Safety James Ihedigbo is also on the open market and waiting for the right opportunity.

Details On Muhammad Wilkerson’s Deal

July 19th, 2016 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

On Friday, the Jets shocked the football world when they announced that they struck agreement with Muhammad Wilkerson on a multi-year deal before the franchise tag contract deadline. Not only did the Jets hammer out a deal with a player that seemed as good as gone after 2016, they added to the drama by announcing the pact after the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline had passed.

The basic parameters of the contract were known almost instantly. The five-year deal was worth $86MM in total ($17.2MM average annual value) and $54MM coming to the defensive lineman over the next three years. Overall, the 26-year-old received $53.5MM guaranteed for injury. Now, we have the full breakdown of the contract, via Darryl Slater of NJ.com:

Signing bonus: $15MM
Roster bonus: $4.5MM in 2016 (paid on July 20)
Total guarantee: $53.5MM (the total guarantee at signing number, plus 2018 base salary)
Total guarantee at signing: $36.75MM (2016-17 base salaries, signing bonus, roster bonus)
2016: $2.5MM base salary, $10MM salary cap figure
2017: $14.75MM base salary, $18MM salary cap figure, $26.75MM dead money figure
2018: $16.75MM base salary*, $20MM salary cap figure, $9MM dead money figure
2019: $15.25MM base salary, $18.5MM salary cap figure, $6MM dead money figure
2020: $16.25MM base salary, $19.5MM salary cap figure, $3MM dead money figure
$250K workout bonus every year from 2017-20.

*Wilkerson’s $16.75MM base salary for 2018 is guaranteed for injury only at the time of signing. That salary becomes fully guaranteed if he is on the roster on the third day of the 2018 league year.

In some respects, Wilkerson netted himself a solid deal, but as Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap (Twitter links) notes, his deal comes with less up front cash than the contracts given to Olivier Vernon and Fletcher Cox. Vernon got $40MM fully guaranteed and $52MM guaranteed overall on his five-year, $85MM deal with the Giants. Cox, meanwhile, got $36.299MM fully guaranteed and $55.5MM+ effectively guaranteed when he inked his massive six-year, $103MM deal with the Eagles in June.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Franchise Tag Leftovers: Mo, Miller, T. Johnson

July 16th, 2016 at 7:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As of last weekend, Muhammad Wilkerson and his camp had all but accepted that a long-term deal with the Jets was not to be, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. But beginning on Wednesday night, when New York began to make a last-ditch effort to retain its franchise player for the long haul, things began to change, as the club sent a new offer to Wilkerson’s agent. Though the star defensive end was angling for a six-year contract, Wilkerson was open to a five-year pact as long it contained an average value and guarantees similar to that of Fletcher Cox, who signed an extension with the Eagles last month. The club responded by emailing a final proposal at 3:15am ET Friday morning, and Wilkerson and his team accepted in time for the paperwork to be completed by Friday’s 4pm ET deadline.

Here’s more on several of the franchise-tagged players:

Despite his off-the-field drama, Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson is likely to be more expensive than Wilkerson whenever the club looks to extend him, writes Darryl Slater of NJ.com. While Wilkerson has never been involved in any off-the-field incidents, Richardson served a four-game suspension in 2015 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and is facing a one-game ban in 2016 for a conduct policy infraction. Still, given that the salary cap is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years, Wilkerson should be able to score a large contract. Of course, New York has increased its leverage by locking up Wilkerson and drafting Leonard Williams in the first round last year.
While Von Miller is fully guaranteed $42MM under the terms of his extension with the Broncos, the All Pro edge rusher is essentially guaranteed $78.5MM given the structure of the contract, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details. Because of the payout schedule, Denver would have to accept $32.8MM in dead money in order to cut Miller before March 2018. The next year, $9MM of Miller’s $17.5MM fully guarantees in March, meaning the Broncos would need to be willing to release Miller rather than pay him for one more season at an effective cost of $8.5MM. Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News, meanwhile, points out that Miller’s relatively cheap signing bonus ($17MM) means he doesn’t have much dead money protection in the final two years of the deal.
The Rams made the right call in not extending cornerback Trumaine Johnson, argues Vincent Bonsignore of InsideSoCal.com. Johnson was largely part-time player prior to 2015, and while he posted a breakout campaign during his first season as a full-time starter, there’s still some uncertainty regarding his play. And given that Johnson had no incentive to sign a new deal that averaged less than his $13.9MM franchise tag, Los Angeles didn’t have much room to negotiate. Instead, the club can use 2016 as a measuring stick, and either franchise Johnson again after the season, or re-engage talks about a long-term deal.
As Florio opines in a separate piece, the franchise tag isn’t a bad proposition for the players who didn’t agree to extensions with their respective clubs. Though none of Alshon Jeffery, Kirk Cousins, Eric Berry, or Johnson scored long-term security, they will each be among the highest-paid players at their positions for the upcoming season.

Reactions To Muhammad Wilkerson’s Deal

July 16th, 2016 at 9:12am CST by Ben Levine

The Jets surprised the NFL yesterday by inking Muhammad Wilkerson to an extension. The five-year deal is worth $86MM, including $37MM in guaranteed money.

Predictably, the league’s pundits have plenty of reactions to the extension. Let’s take a look at the opinions and rumblings from around the NFL…

ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes that this is the biggest “upset victory” for the Jets since their win over the Patriots during the 2010 playoffs. The writer notes that it never made any sense to trade the 26-year-old star, and he commends general manager Mike Maccagnan for understanding the player’s value.
Cimini also points out that fellow defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson is now a “valuable bargaining chip.” If the team is pessimistic about signing him to a long-term extension, Cimini believes we could see Richardson on the trading block by next offseason.
Maccagnan’s “last order of business” is signing quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, writes Steve Serby of the New York Post. With newfound cap space, the team could easily offer the signal-caller a one-year deal worth $12MM, which would allow Fitzpatrick to hit free agency again next offseason.
The Wilkerson extension was a “major victory” for Maccagnan, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com was “stunned” by the extension, as he thought Wilkerson was the least likely of the extension candidates to sign a new deal. Of course, he also notes that the Jets still weren’t going to emerge as total winners, as the team could have saved about $3MM annually by signing Wilkerson a few years ago.

Jets, Muhammad Wilkerson Agree To Extension

July 15th, 2016 at 8:35pm CST by Zachary Links

In an absolute shocker, the Jets announced that they have agreed to a buzzer-beating extension with Muhammad Wilkerson. The extension will pay him $86MM across five years, Of that sum, $37MM is fully guaranteed with $54MM coming to him over the next three years. In total, he has $53.5MM guaranteed for injury.

For weeks, we have been hearing that the Jets and Wilkerson were oceans apart on a new deal. In fact, Wilkerson lashed out at the team for what he perceived as general apathy from the front office:

“Do I feel that they want me back? As of right now, no. I don’t feel like they want me,” the 26-year-old said. “I’m a talented guy. Everybody knows that. I feel like they’re going to get the best they can out of me and just let me go. That’s how I feel. Do I like that feeling? No. I’m a New Jersey guy, born and raised and would love to raise my family here.”

With this deal, Wilkerson is now the third-highest paid defender in terms of average annual value ($17.2MM). Only Von Miller ($19.08MM) and Ndamukong Suh ($19.06MM) will earn more on a yearly basis. The Temple product slides ahead of Fletcher Cox ($17.1MM), Olivier Vernon ($17.0MM), Justin Houston ($16.8MM), and J.J. Watt ($16.7MM).

The $16.75MM in guarantees remaining after the first two years will kick in March 2018, which will give the Jets an interesting decision to make on Wilkerson’s future when the time comes. For now, the pact saves the Jets $5.701MM on this season’s cap, which could pave the way for a one-year deal with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Had the Jets not re-signed Wilkerson, they would have been carrying him at a $15.7MM cap number in 2016 under the franchise tender.

According to reports, Wilkerson was looking to match — or top — the six-year, $103MM extension inked by Cox in June. The Jets, meanwhile, were reportedly not willing to approach those terms, choosing instead to bank on their excellent crop of defensive lineman including Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams, and free agent addition Steve McLendon. The Jets even shopped Wilkerson, but were unable to find a suitable trade partner.

Wilkerson, 26, enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2015, racking up a career-high 12 sacks and forcing three fumbles, to go along with 64 tackles. Arguably the best defensive player for the Jets last season, Wilkerson also earned his first Pro Bowl berth.

The Jets reportedly restarted negotiations with Wilkerson by way of an intriguing offer Wednesday night . New York then sent a revised offer via email to Wilkerson’s camp Friday at 3:15 a.m. After that, the two sides spent the entire day negotiating and came to an agreement just before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.

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Impact Rookies: New York Jets

Details provided by Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC East Notes: Brady, Jets, Bills, Bush

July 15th, 2016 at 5:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In response to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady abandoning his Deflategate fight on Friday and accepting his four-game suspension to begin the season, owner Robert Kraft issued a statement blasting the NFL for its handling of the matter. Kraft expressed frustration with the notion that Brady “was denied his right to a fair and impartial process. The League’s investigation into a football pressure matter was flawed and biased from the start, and has been discredited nearly unanimously by accredited academics and scientists.”

Kraft continued: “The penalty imposed by the NFL was unprecedented, unjust and unreasonable, especially given that no empirical or direct evidence of any kind showed Tom did anything to violate League rules prior to, during or after the 2015 AFC Championship Game. What Tom has had to endure throughout this 18-month ordeal has been, in my opinion, as far removed from due process as you could ever expect in this country.”

Unsurprisingly, Kraft went on to pledge both his and the franchise’s full support to Brady, saying, “This entire process has indelibly taken a toll on our organization, our fans and most importantly, Tom Brady. His reluctant decision to stop pursuing further action and to put this situation behind him is what he feels is best for the team in preparation for this season and is fully supported by me and our entire organization.”

Here’s more from around the AFC East, whose three other teams are likely feeling a little better about their chances in light of the Brady news:

Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson‘s stunning Friday extension with the Jets could spell trouble for Sheldon Richardson‘s long-term prospects with the club, opines CBS Sports’ Joel Corry, who wonders if the latter will end up on the trading block next year (Twitter link). Richardson, 25, is signed through the 2017 campaign at less than $10MM in combined salary, and he has palatable cap hits of $3.115MM and $8.069MM, respectively.
On the other hand, Albert Breer of TheMMQB (on Twitter) expects Richardson to stay with the Jets through at least his current contract. The Jets would then have an opportunity to decide whether to go forth with Richardson or Wilkerson, who has $37MM in guarantees coming his way through 2017, or even both. Gang Green will also have further time to develop fellow lineman Leonard Williams – its first-rounder last year – during that period, Breer points out.
Thanks to Karlos Williams‘ four-game suspension, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter) looks for the Bills to pursue free agent running back Reggie Bush. With Williams set to miss a quarter of the season and fellow backup Jonathan Williams dealing with his own off-field issues, the Bills suddenly don’t look nearly as deep in the backfield, though they’re still positioned well with LeSean McCoy, 2015 breakout Mike Gillislee and Dan Herron in the fold. Bush, meanwhile, hasn’t yet found work since tearing his ACL as a member of the 49ers last November.

NFL Franchise Tag Contract Deadline Primer

July 15th, 2016 at 10:12am CST by Zachary Links

**Updated Friday morning, 10:12am CT**

This afternoon, we’ll know the fates of seven franchise-tagged players for the 2016 season and beyond. If their respective teams do not sign them to long-term contracts by 4pm ET/3pm CT, Broncos linebacker Von Miller, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, Chiefs safety Eric Berry, Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson, and Ravens kicker Justin Tucker will all play out the 2016 season on their one-year franchise tenders.

Will some of these players will reach lucrative multi-year deals between now and Friday afternoon? Or could we see all seven players nudged towards free agency in 2017? Here’s a complete rundown of what’s happening with each of these seven players as the deadline approaches:

Von Miller, Broncos

This offseason, Von Miller went from Dancing With The Stars to wrestling with the Broncos. Naturally, there is strong mutual interest in a new multi-year deal between Denver and the reigning Super Bowl MVP and the two sides even seem to have agreed upon terms of about $114.5MM over six years. However, there remains a significant gulf between the two sides when it comes to guaranteed money and cashflow in the first couple of years. As we’ve seen before, NFL contract terms are often not what they appear to be on the surface. In this league, you can be promised a small fortune, but it doesn’t mean much unless a significant portion of it is guaranteed and comes early on in the deal when the team values you most.

Back in June, the Broncos offered up a six-year, $114.5MM deal with nearly $40MM guaranteed in the first two years. However, Miller wanted more in the way of guaranteed cash and wanted a higher payout in the first three years. Soon after, Miller doubled down on his threat to hold out in 2016 if he does not get the multi-year deal that he is after and his teammates say that he’s not bluffing. Would one of the league’s best defensive players and fiercest competitors really stay home all year long rather than chase another ring and earn more than $14MM? It’s hard to imagine, but there’s also considerable incentive for Miller to stick to his guns in this situation.

If Miller opts to sit out the 2016 season, the Broncos will only be able to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on him and will not have the exclusive franchise tag at their disposal. Typically, a team that is able to pry a player away on the non-exclusive tag would have to forfeit two first-round picks to the former team. However, per the terms of the CBA, the compensation price would drop from two first-round picks to a first and a third if Miller were to sit out. Some teams would consider forfeiting two first-round choices to land Miller and even more teams would mull it over if that price drops to a first- and third-round choice.

Reportedly, Miller still harbors resentment towards the Broncos for the way that talks have gone this offseason. However, things could be changing now that Denver has updated their offer to give Miller $70MM in “solid guarantees.”

Because of Miller’s holdout threat, there’s arguably more at stake for the Broncos than the other six teams negotiating with their franchise-tagged stars.

Kirk Cousins, Redskins

After a breakout 2015 season, Kirk Cousins wants to be paid like a top NFL quarterback. The Redskins, meanwhile, want to see him do it all over again in 2016 before committing major dollars to him across a five or six-year period.

After watching Brock Osweiler go from backup to baller this offseason, Cousins’ camp is salivating at his potential payday on the open market. For Cousins to forego a shot at free agency down the line, his agents are demanding $43.89MM in guarantees over the first two years of the pact, for starters. Wonder where that number comes from? That’s the combined value of the 2016 franchise tag ($19.95MM) and the franchise tag in 2017 ($23.94MM), if the Redskins were to use it again. If Washington wanted to go for an unprecedented three-peat of franchise tags, it would cost them $34.47MM (!) in 2018.

Cousins earned just $660K in 2015, making him one of the league’s very best values last year. Now, he’s looking to cash in on his next deal and he’s made it clear that he’s willing to bet on himself in 2016. As of this writing, the two sides are not expected to come to an accord by Friday afternoon.

Alshon Jeffery, Bears

Alshon Jeffery is regarded as one of the league’s top wide receivers – when he’s healthy. That’s likely the sticking point for the Bears, who want to see the 26-year-old give them a complete season before they give him enough money to buy his own private island. The 6’3″, 216-pound receiver missed six games during his rookie season because of hand and knee injuries. Last year, he sat out seven contests due to calf, hamstring, groin, and shoulder ailments.

However, despite missing a good chunk of the 2016 season, Jeffery still racked up 54 catches for 807 yards and four touchdowns. Since his breakout campaign in 2013, the former second-round pick has averaged 89 receptions, 1,312 yards, and eight touchdowns per 16 games. Jeffery might not have a perfect attendance record, but he is a true game-changer when he is on the field.

Right now, it doesn’t sound like the Bears are going to get a deal done with Jeffery. GM Ryan Pace doesn’t have any qualms about moving on from players of the past regime and he could theoretically allow Jeffery to walk thanks to the presence of Kevin White.

Continue reading about the rest of this year’s franchise-tagged stars:

Muhammad Wilkerson, Jets

The Jets have shown very little interest in re-signing Muhammad Wilkerson to a long-term deal and, frankly, their lack of movement on that front is perplexing. Sure, the team already has a star lineman in Sheldon Richardson with another budding talent in Leonard Williams, but Wilkerson is a proven commodity who has delivered for the team ever since his rookie debut in 2011.

“It’s shocking. It’s frustrating,” Wilkerson said of the barely existent contract talks last month. “Because I feel like I’ve earned it and I deserve it. It would be different if I was just a mediocre player. I feel like each and every week I’m dominating and it’s showing. The stats speak for themselves. Basically, what more do I need to do? You know what I mean?”

We know exactly what you mean, Mo. The 26-year-old enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2015, racking up a career-high 12 sacks and forcing three fumbles, to go along with 64 tackles. Arguably the best defensive player for the Jets last season, Wilkerson also earned his first Pro Bowl berth. Still, the Jets seem quite comfortable with letting him ply his craft somewhere else after the 2016 season.

The two sides are reportedly making an effort to talk as the deadline approaches, but an accord still seems like a longshot.

Eric Berry, Chiefs

As the face of the franchise, many viewed a lucrative multi-deal between Berry and the Chiefs to be a foregone conclusion. However, we’re less than 24 hours away from the deadline and there’s no pact in place.

This offseason, Vikings safety Harrison Smith set a new bar at the position with his five-year, $51.25MM contract, giving him a higher AAV than Jairus Byrd, Devin McCourty, and Earl Thomas. Understandably, Berry wants to top Smith, even though the Vikes standout was rated by Pro Football Focus as the league’s best safety in 2015.

Lately, talks have been moving slowly between the two sides and that’s partially due to KC’s tight cap situation. While a backloaded Berry deal would actually help create some breathing room against the cap limit for 2016, it would simultaneously put the squeeze on for 2017. Of course, the Chiefs have other players and needs to address, including a contract for nose tackle Dontari Poe. If you asked us to wager on Berry signing a long-term deal with KC back in March, we would have bet the house. A deal was thought to be unlikely as of Thursday evening, but the latest word on Friday morning is that talks are active and the two sides are planning to work up until the deadline to get something done.

Trumaine Johnson, Rams

For weeks, we’ve been hearing that a long-term deal between Trumaine Johnson and the Rams is unlikely. On Thursday morning, word leaked out that a deal is still pretty darn unlikely. On Friday morning, we heard more of the same.

This offseason, the Rams had a choice between giving the franchise tag to either Johnson or fellow cornerback Janoris Jenkins. While Johnson was invited to make the move from St. Louis to Los Angeles, Jenkins was allowed to test the open waters and wound up signing a five-year, $62.5MM deal with the Giants. Logically, Johnson’s reps view Jenkins’ deal as a perfect comp and they are not interested in taking a dollar less. While things have gotten chippy for others (see: Miller and the Broncos), talks have remained civil between Johnson and L.A. The cornerback seems content to play out the 2016 season under the $13.952MM tender.

Johnson, 26, had just 20 career starts on his NFL résumé prior to 2015, but he established himself as a reliable starting cornerback last season, picking up 71 tackles, seven interceptions, and 17 passes defended, grading out as the No. 17 CB in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.

Justin Tucker, Ravens

Just as one of the seven dwarfs always seems to get forgotten, there hasn’t been much talk nationally about Justin Tucker’s negotiations with the Ravens. The Ravens took the somewhat unusual step of tagging their kicker with the franchise tag this offseason and the two sides have been working on a long-term deal ever since. Earlier this week, Tucker expressed confidence that a deal would get done by the Friday deadline, though he admitted that momentum has stalled:

“As of right now, there hasn’t been a whole lot happening, but there’s still time. Like I’ve said before, I’m optimistic that something will get done. It’s a matter of when, not if,” Tucker said. “I know there’s a lot of things to juggle from their perspective, so all I can do is just be patient and let the process unfold how it’s going to unfold,” he said. “There’s no sense in complaining about it. I’m definitely in a very fortunate position, and I just hope that I can take this one year and turn it into four or five, or perhaps even more.”

On Thursday, things apparently regressed between the two sides. Tucker is said to be so upset with the tenor of the talks that he’s promising not to re-sign with Baltimore after the 2016 season if no extension is reached by the deadline. Baltimore’s latest proposal to Tucker was not only for less than their past offers, but less than what the Packers are paying fellow kicker Mason Crosby. Baltimore’s latest proposal to Tucker was not only for less than their past offers, but less than what the Packers are paying fellow kicker Mason Crosby.

Tucker, meanwhile, is likely looking to top the contract signed by Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski last year. Gostkowski’s deal four-year, $17.2MM deal gave him significant guarantees up front while reducing the Pats’ present-day cap hit. A similar deal could still be on the way for Tucker, but if they can’t come to terms, he’ll play out 2016 on a one-year, $4.572MM contract. If that’s the case, Tucker could be taking his leg elsewhere.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Franchise-Tagged Players

July 14th, 2016 at 10:48am CST by Zachary Links

Barring an unlikely change in momentum, extensions are not expected to be reached for franchise-tagged players Kirk Cousins, Eric Berry, Alshon Jeffery, Muhammad Wilkerson, and Trumaine Johnson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Schefter’s latest word echoes other reports on these five players, but two names are conspicuously absent from this list: Von Miller and Justin Tucker. It’s not clear if the Broncos and Ravens are on the cusp of deals with their respective franchise-tagged stars, but their odds of reaching deals could be looking better than the rest of the pack at this time.

As Mike Florio of PFT notes, things have been eerily quiet when it comes to Miller and the Broncos, which could be an indication that talks are moving along behind the scenes. In recent weeks, the acrimony between the two sides has been leaking out to the press, so this recent lack of news could be taken as good news when it comes to these contract talks.

The Broncos could theoretically trade Miller if they are unable to reach a long-term deal with him in the next day or so, but the team is focused only on retaining him. Meanwhile, Miller’s threat to sit out the 2016 season reportedly remains “very real” and several teammates believe that he will spend the year at home if he does not get his way. Late last week, the Broncos improved their offer to Miller, giving him more in the way of guarantees and better cashflow in the early part of the deal. Those are the key issues left to resolve as the two sides have largely agreed on the framework of a six-year, $114.5MM deal.

As the Ravens’ franchise player, Tucker will make $4.572MM this year if he and the team don’t agree to a new contract by tomorrow’s deadline. Some believe that the two sides haven’t struck a deal yet because Tucker is likely looking to eclipse the Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski as the NFL’s highest-paid kicker.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC East Notes: Fitz, Carpenter, Ragland, Fins

July 12th, 2016 at 10:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

There’s no been “no progress” in talks between the Jets and both defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, sources tell Brian Cosetllo of the New York Post. The Wilkerson news isn’t surprising, because despite the fact that New York is reportedly planning a “last-ditch” effort to retain Wilkerson for the long term, the two sides have been far apart for some time. The Fitzpatrick front, then, is a bit more interesting, and Costello says there’s a “thought” that the veteran quarterback is waiting for another team to suffer an injury, hoping he can parlay such a scenario into a payday. The Jets, however, may need to set a deadline for negotiations, as Costello writes that it might be unfair for the club to essentially hold Geno Smith in reserve, waiting for Fitzpatrick to sign.

Here’s the latest from the AFC East:

In a separate piece, Costello profiles Jets offensive guard James Carpenter, who signed with the club prior to the 2015 season, and has already agreed to restructure his contract. By reworking his deal, Carpenter has made it more difficult for Gang Green to part ways with him, as he increased his cap hit in each of the next two seasons by $1.23MM. As Costello writes, Carpenter excelled in the run game last season, and was particularly adept in blocking for running back screens, which should prove a useful skill during the upcoming season given that New York added Matt Forte over the offseason.
One of the key questions facing the Bills this season is whether they have enough depth on the defensive side of the ball, writes Joe Buscaglia of WKBW. While the club has solid starting options, Buffalo could be in trouble if injuries hit. And of course, health concerns have already struck the roster, as first-round pass rusher Shaq Lawson is expected to miss several regular season games after undergoing shoulder surgery. General manager Doug Whaley said in May that the Bills could target a veteran free agent — he specifically name-checked Dwight Freeney — if the club’s young players didn’t develop as hoped, and it’s fair to assume Buffalo would also check in on veteran options if injuries deplete the team’s depth.
Bills second-round linebacker Reggie Ragland could end up being the best AFC East newcomer, opines Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Ragland will act as a captain of the Buffalo defense, as he’ll start on the inside next to Preston Brown. Reiss points to former Rex Ryan pupil David Harris as the model for Ragland, but it’s an open question as to how much Ragland can contribute given that he could simply be a two-down player, at least to begin the season.
The presence of new head coach Adam Gase might not be enough to help turn around Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s career, argues Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Tannehill will be playing in his third offensive scheme in just his fifth NFL season, so no amount of coaching may be able to help him live up to the contract extension he signed last summer.

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