HEADLINES

Ndamukong Suh

South Notes: Suh, Falcons, K. Jackson

February 8th, 2015 at 9:52am CST by Rory Parks

The financial component of Ndamukong Suh‘s next deal has been discussed at length in recent months, but Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star takes a closer look at the nature of Suh’s game and describes it as something of a double-edged sword. Doyel writes that Suh is exactly the type of player the Colts have tried to avoid in recent years: a violent, cruel, and dirty player who violates the team’s mantra of winning with decency. And yet, it is those traits that, when combined with Suh’s undeniable talent, could lift the Colts from a playoff-caliber team to a Super Bowl team.

Doyel notes that the Colts have a number of talented players on the defensive side of the ball, but no great players, and no players with the type of nasty streak that can lift an entire unit. As has been proven time and time again, big-ticket free agents are rarely the answer in today’s NFL, and the negatives of their salary cap charges often outweigh their on-field contributions. But Doyel believes Suh is the exception to that rule, writing that the Colts can afford Suh even when they say they cannot, and he says the club should do everything it can to bring Suh to Indianapolis.

Now let’s take a look at a few other links from the league’s south divisions:

  • Mike Wells of ESPN.com has a look at a few questions facing the Colts this offseason, predicting that Greg Toler will return to the team but that LaRon Landry will not. In addition to safety, Wells identifies the running game and the pass rush as areas in clear need of improvement.
  • D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looks at the timeline on which Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff will be operating this offseason and the challenges they will face. Ledbetter also names the defensive and offensive lines and linebacking corps as areas of need.
  • In a separate piece, Ledbetter looks at the mixed track record of Korn Ferry, the search firm that the Falcons used in its head coaching search that culminated in Quinn’s hiring.
  • In a pair of articles, Ryan O’Halloran and Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union look at how the Jaguars‘ new offensive coaches will coexist.
  • In the wake of the Titans‘ recent hire of Dick LeBeau, Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean looks at the mixed results the team has had when making “splashy” hires in the past.
  • Nate Davis of USA Today provides a brief offseason outlook for each team in the AFC South, noting that the Texans will be in real need of cornerback help if Kareem Jackson leaves in free agency and that the team could use an upgrade at tight end.

NFC North Links: Packers, Briggs, Bell, Smith

February 7th, 2015 at 1:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Packers kept three quarterbacks on the active roster last season for the first time in five years, but it is unclear whether the team will elect to do so again in 2015, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com. Matt Flynn served as Aaron Rodgers‘ backup but the team was worried that putting Scott Tolzien on the practice squad would leave him vulnerable to being signed away from the roster.

If the Packers need the extra roster spot next season, they will have to make a choice between the two players. However, Rodgers hopes that he will once again get a chance to have both of them in the room with quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt. “Both different personalities, but great teammates,” Rodgers said. “Those guys are a lot of fun. It would be great to have them back.”

Here are some other links from around the NFC North:

  • Longtime Bears stalwart Lance Briggs could be looking for a new team for the first time in his career. However, there is one team that he has already crossed off his list, in the division rival Packers, writes David Just of the Chicago Sun-Times. Briggs said so very succinctly when asked yesterday about the possibility (via Twitter).
  • Lions running back Joique Bell is coming back from offseason surgery, and looking forward to another chance at getting into the playoffs, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com. The biggest thing for Bell is bringing back star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, suggesting that Calvin Johnson will have to restructure his contract to make sure they can re-sign him. “We’ll have to talk to Calvin, see if he can do something,” Bell said. “We just need him back. Come back, Suh.”
  • Vikings safety Harrison Smith is also coming back from surgery and focused on his future. As he is coming closer to free agency, he has made sure the team knows he is interested in staying in Minnesota for a while, writes Matt Vensel of StarTribune.com. “That’s all I’ve thought of doing,” Smith said. “I have no intentions of going anywhere else. I’ll just let [my agency] handle it. I’m just here to play football and we’ll see what happens.”

NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Washington, Lions

February 7th, 2015 at 12:01pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now check out notes from the NFC…

AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Jags, Bengals, Ravens

February 7th, 2015 at 10:54am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s check out some interesting notes from the AFC…

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…

Latest On Ndamukong Suh

February 6th, 2015 at 5:25pm CST by Luke Adams

As we noted this morning, Ndamukong Suh‘s contract with the Lions voids today, the fifth day after the 2015 Super Bowl. Of course, that’s just a formality — Suh doesn’t immediately become available, and will still be able to negotiate only with the Lions for the next several weeks. But it’s the first step in the star defensive tackle potentially reaching the open market four and a half weeks from now.

Plenty can happen between now and then to keep Suh off the market, but the rumor mill is already starting to get active, as March 10 inches closer. Here’s the latest on one of the league’s top free-agents-to-be:

  • The Lions have told the agent of at least one potential free agent defensive tackle that they do expect Suh to return, writes Dave Birkett of USA Today Sports. That may be far from a guarantee, but it is good news for those hoping Detroit can retain its top defensive player.

Earlier updates:

  • It’s simply not feasible for the Lions to franchise Suh, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who hears from sources that the 28-year-old is “highly, highly unlikely” to be tagged by the team. As I’ve noted in previous posts, a franchise tag for Suh would come in at nearly $27MM, which doesn’t even take into account the $9MM+ in dead money from his rookie contract that will count against Detroit’s cap.
  • According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), Suh – who grew up in the Pacific Northwest – would love to play for the Seahawks. However, that’s a “pipe dream” at this point, given Seattle’s cap situation and the club’s need to extend Russell Wilson soon.
  • If he hits free agency, Suh will likely favor West Coast teams that are expected to be in contention in 2015 and beyond, says Cole. Of course, the teams with the most cap room generally aren’t contenders, but may be the most serious threats for Suh. Cole identifies the Raiders as one team that could “overbid” for the former second overall pick, since Oakland will have to start spending soon to meet the minimum salary cap threshold.
  • Count Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson among those who would like to see Suh wearing silver and black in 2015. “I don’t think there’s a team in the NFL that wouldn’t want to see Ndamukong Suh on their team,” Woodson told Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. “I know I would be no different. That guy is one of the best, overall, period in the NFL. Would I like him on our team? Believe it.”

Contracts Void For Suh, Pierre-Paul, Spiller

February 6th, 2015 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

The contracts for several notable players will void today, formally paving the way for them to hit free agency next month, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com details. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and Bills running back C.J. Spiller are among the players who will see the 2015 seasons on their deals void, since the language in their respective contracts called for that to happen on the fifth day after this year’s Super Bowl.

In each case, the fact that the player’s contract is voiding today doesn’t mean he’ll immediately become a free agent. The Lions, for instance, will still be the only team that can negotiate a new agreement with Suh for the next few weeks. If the star defender still hasn’t worked anything out with the team by March 3, Detroit could use its franchise tag on him. If the Lions pass on using a tag, Suh would be able to talk to other teams as of March 7, and could sign elsewhere on March 10.

While these players won’t necessarily be returning to their current clubs, those teams will each carry a cap hit for 2015 due to the contracts. In some cases, that cap number is modest — for JPP and the Giants, it’s just $1.35MM. However, the Lions’ hit for Suh is approximately $9.74MM. In other words, if Detroit has to use the franchise tag – worth $26.895MM – on Suh, the team will be using over $36MM in cap room to a single player.

Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explained in greater detail why a number of players from 2010’s draft class have a voided year at the end of their rookie contracts, and adds a few more names to the list of players whose deals void today: Jaguars defensive end Tyson Alualu, Eagles edge defender Brandon Graham, Chargers running back Ryan Mathews, and Titans edge defender Derrick Morgan will also be eligible for free agency next month after their 2015 years void.

NFC Notes: Lynch, Sherman, Lions, Houston

February 3rd, 2015 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

On a radio appearance, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said that the team has been “in the midst” of contract talks with running back Marshawn Lynch for a while now, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (via Twitter). Earlier this week it was reported that Seattle made a “huge” offer to the Skittles-loving tailback that would likely keep him with the team for the remainder of his career. The 28-year-old running back is set to make $5MM next year, but that offer would reportedly give him $10MM in 2015 alone.

Let’s round up a few more items from across the NFC….

  • Carroll also admitted today that he “might have been misled” regarding Richard Sherman‘s injury situation, suggesting that the Seahawks cornerback may not need to undergo Tommy John surgery after all. “He’s not a pitcher, and he’s not a left-hander,” Carroll said, per ESPN.com. “Sherm might not have to have that kind of surgery. If he was a thrower he would.”
  • Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com takes a look at the free agent decisions facing the Lions on their defensive line, where Ndamukong Suh is far from the only player with an expiring contract. Twentyman figures that if the team can get a deal done with Suh, it figures to be worth around $100MM, with $50MM+ in guarantees.
  • Lamarr Houston‘s $5.9MM base salary for 2015 with the Bears will now be fully guaranteed, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Houston’s contract called for his salary to be locked in on the second day of the 2015 waiver period, which is today. The defensive end’s season ended prematurely when he tore his ACL while celebrating a sack in October. It wasn’t exactly a banner year for Houston, as that sack was his very first of the 2014 campaign.
  • Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff says he has no problem with the way the team’s front office is set up, with new head coach Dan Quinn having final say on Atlanta’s 53-man roster — in fact, according to Dimitroff, he encouraged that. “It’s not about who has final 53 or who has authority over one thing or another,” Dimitroff said (link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution). “It’s about working together. It’s about nice equal footing and a partnership.”
  • The St. Louis group attempting to build a new stadium for the Rams has hired John Lloyd, who has “extensive experience” in the field, as a consultant on the project, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Lions Favorites For Ndamukong Suh

February 1st, 2015 at 11:57am CST by Rory Parks

11:57am: Lions president Tom Lewand said in an interview today, “I think there’s a very, very good chance that we can get something done with [Suh] in the next few weeks,” writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Lewand added that affording Suh and fitting his lucrative contract under the salary cap will not be an issue. According to Birkett, Lewand’s statements are the strongest indication yet that Suh will return to Detroit.

11:19am: The Lions are favored to re-sign Ndamukong Suh, writes ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. The fate of the star defensive tackle, who is eligible for free agency this year, has dominated headlines for much of 2014 and will continue to be a prominent storyline until he signs his next contract.

Suh is regarded as perhaps the second-best defensive lineman in the league, taking a backseat to only Houston’s J.J. Watt, who received 13 MVP votes for his outstanding play in 2014. As such, Suh is expected to command a contract similar to the $100MM deal that Watt signed last year, and Mortensen’s sources believe Detroit will be the team to give him that money.

Of course, the salary cap ramifications of such a deal represent the biggest concern for Detroit, who would apparently be willing to go so far as to part with Calvin Johnson to create enough cap space to re-sign Suh. However, the Lions believe they can manage to keep both Suh and Johnson on the roster.

For his part, Johnson may have expressed a willingness to rework his own deal if it would allow his team to retain Suh, writes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “I’ll do whatever I got to do,” Johnson said. It is unclear if that statement means that Johnson is willing to restructure his contract or if he simply meant that he would be aggressive in trying to convince Suh to stay in Detroit.

According to Mortensen, though, Suh may not need much convincing. Although the Lions suffered a disappointing loss in the first round of this year’s playoffs, they showed the ability to contend for a championship, and a Suh return would allow them to return as many as 18 starters. All of that has led Suh to express his desire to continue his career where it started.

NFC Mailbags: Rams, Panthers, Lions, Giants

January 31st, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at notes from ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…

  • Even if the Rams end up re-signing wideout Kenny Britt, Nick Wagoner believes it wouldn’t be farfetched for the team to take a receiver with their first-round pick.
  • Greg Olsen would like to get an extension worked out before next season, and David Newton says it’d be wise for the Panthers to sign the tight end. The writer points out that signing Cam Newton is the team’s main priority, but re-signing Olsen is not far down the list.
  • Michael Rothstein writes that it’s “feasible” for the Lions to pay Ndamukong Suh more than J.J. Watt, but the writer notes that it would likely depend on the contract’s structure. Rothstein believes the team may have an eye towards the expected cap increases in future seasons, which means the team would prefer a backloaded contract.
  • Besides Jason Pierre-Paul, Dan Graziano isn’t entirely sure which of the Giants free agents the organization would want to re-sign. Antrel Rolle could return, but Graziano doesn’t expect the safety to take a discount. The writer has similar feelings toward safety Stevie Brown and defensive tackle Mike Patterson.
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