HEADLINES

Ndamukong Suh

NFC Notes: Newton, Cowboys, Suh, Rams

March 25th, 2014 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the Panthers would like to eventually reach an agreement with quarterback Cam Newton that keeps him in Carolina for several years, for now the club expects to take advantage of its fifth-year option for 2015, GM Dave Gettleman confirmed today. As a top-10 pick in 2011, Newton will be in line for a fifth-year salary worth the amount of the quarterback transition tag. Here are a few more updates from across the NFC:

  • Like the Panthers, the Cowboys hope to lock up their own 2011 first-rounder, Tyron Smith, for the long-term, but in the meantime, “all signs point to” the club exercising its fifth-year option for 2015 on Smith, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
  • Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dismissed the idea that his team is in rebuilding mode, as Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com details.
  • Lions president Tom Lewand confirmed today that he has been in contact with Jimmy Sexton, the agent for Ndamukong Suh. However, the two sides won’t meet in Orlando to discuss an extension for Suh, since Lewand doesn’t believe it’s an ideal setting to do business (Twitter links via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
  • Jimmy Graham of the Saints and Greg Hardy of the Panthers are still on the franchise tag for now, but Saints owner Tom Benson is very confident New Orleans will work out a multiyear deal with Graham sooner or later, writes Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune. As for Hardy, Gettleman says the Panthers are letting the smoke clear before revisiting a potential long-term contract for the star defensive end, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com.
  • Although the Rams may have some interest in Mark Sanchez, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch believes that interest is tepid at best.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports (via Twitter) that both players the Rams signed on Monday received minimum-salary deals, with Greg Reid inking a three-year contract and Etienne Sabino signing for one year. Neither pact included a bonus.

Lions Notes: Ihedigbo, Hill, Draft, Suh

March 23rd, 2014 at 10:10am CST by Rory Parks

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that free agent safety James Ihedigbo is choosing between the Lions and Bears, and in a separate tweet he writes that a resolution to Detroit’s safety situation could happen tonight but is more likely to come tomorrow. Ihedigbo was said to have narrowed his choice down to three NFC teams, but now it appears two teams remain in the mix. As our own Rob DiRe pointed out yesterday, the Lions are expected to sign one of the three safeties who have recently visited with the team: Ihedigbo, Chris Clemons, or Thomas DeCoud.

A couple of other quick notes out of Detroit:

  • Birkett tweets that the team is still waiting on word from backup QB Shaun Hill, but that Hill was still considering a return to Detroit several days ago
  • Birkett projects the Lions to select UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2014 draft.
  • Mike O’Hara of DetroitLions.com writes that the Raiders’ signing of Matt Schaub means they will not select a QB with the No. 5 overall pick. As a result, Clemson WR Sammy Watkins will have another potential landing spot among the nine teams choosing before the Lions, and the possibility that Watkins could fall to Detroit has become even more remote.
  • O’Hara adds that president Tom Lewand‘s statements that he plans to meet with Ndamukong Suh‘s agent in Orlando this week at the NFL’s annual meetings is a start to the negotiation process with Suh, but nothing more.

NFC North Notes: Suh, Hester, Packers, Vikes

March 19th, 2014 at 11:23am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of suggesting earlier this week that there was no rush to extend defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, Lions president Tom Lewand said today on WJR in Detroit that the team expects to meet with Suh’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, next week in Orlando at the NFL owners meetings (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com). While a Suh extension may not be urgent, it definitely should be on the Lions’ offseason checklist, and it looks like the two sides will take the first steps toward a new deal within the next several days.

Let’s round up a few more links from around the NFC North….

NFC North Notes: Suh, Weems, Contracts

March 18th, 2014 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

At an appearance at the MGM Grand in Detroit, Lions president Tom Lewand suggested the team isn’t bothered by the fact that there’s no contract extension in place with defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh yet, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. While a new deal for Suh would open up some cap room for the Lions in 2014, the club never viewed an extension as an essential part of its free agency plans.

Let’s round up a few other items from around the NFC North….

  • The Bears have asked wide receiver and return man Eric Weems to take a pay cut, and will likely release him if he decides not to accept the cut, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago. The team could create $1.1MM in cap savings by releasing Weems.
  • B.J. Raji‘s one-year contract with the Packers includes a $500K signing bonus, a non-guaranteed $3.1MM base salary, $300K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $100K workout bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune details the specifics of Charles Tillman‘s one-year contract with the Bears. It includes a $2.25MM base salary, a $500K signing bonus, $100K in workout bonuses, and $400K in per-game roster bonuses. The total guarantee is $750K.
  • The Lions‘ one-year deal for Vaughn Martin is a minimum salary benefit contract, including a $65K bonus, tweets Michael Rothstein. So Martin will earn $795K, while the cap hit for the team will be $635K.
  • Via Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes (via Twitter) that Jerome Simpson‘s new deal with the Vikings is worth $1MM — a $900K base salary, plus $50K in workout bonuses and another $50K in roster bonuses.
  • Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune examines some possible reasons why the Vikings haven’t addressed the linebacker position in free agency yet.

NFC Rumors: Sproles, Tuck, Suh, Watson

March 11th, 2014 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Let’s check on the latest miscellaneous notes from around the NFC….

  • The Saints are set to cut Darren Sproles today, but they are still holding out hope on trading him, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. There are more than ten teams interested in the diminutive tailback if he’s cut free, so it’s conceivable that they could find a trade partner.
  • Justin Tuck‘s exploration of the free agent market may end up with him returning to the Giants, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio hears that one team was willing to pay Tuck $3MM per year, but the veteran defensive end would prefer to remain in New York at that price.
  • Talks have yet to start between the Lions and Ndamukong Suh on reworking his deal, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The thinking previously was that Detroit had to re-work the deal before the start of free agency but that’s not the case.
  • Buccaneers linebacker Dekoda Watson is likely to sign elsewhere at the start of free agency, a league source tells Mike Florio.
  • The Bears would like to bring back cornerback/special teams player Sherrick McManis, but the Ravens, Eagles, and Falcons could be in play as well, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
  • With Donte Whitner set to leave the 49ers, San Francisco could turn to safety Ryan Mundy as a fallback, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
  • Free agent left tackle Jared Veldheer has fired his agent in order to hire his brother, James Veldheer, as his new agent, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910. Veldheer is expected to sign with the Cardinals.
  • The Redskins are monitoring Kenny Britt, who could be had on a reasonable deal in a soft market, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. Of course, the Redskins’ likely deal with Andre Roberts lessens their need for Britt.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Rumors: Giants, Saints, Vikings, Lions

March 10th, 2014 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

A few Monday afternoon updates on NFC teams:

  • The Giants have some level of interest in Brandon Pettigrew, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). With Jimmy Graham franchised and Dennis Pitta extended, Pettigrew may be the top unrestricted free agent tight end of the offseason.
  • Assuming Charles Tillman doesn’t re-sign with the Bears, the Panthers look like a potential destination for the veteran defensive back, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
  • The Saints brought safety Louis Delmas in for a visit after he was released by the Lions, but New Orleans doesn’t appear likely to sign Delmas, a source tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
  • Adding a veteran safety doesn’t look like a top priority for the Vikings, but it could be worth keeping an eye on Ryan Clark as a possible fit, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
  • The Redskins have remained in contact with the reps for safety Mike Mitchell, says John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Keim adds that Kenny Britt and Andrew Hawkins are two potential WR targets to keep an eye on for the Redskins.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press says the Lions will definitely sign a wide receiver and a safety in free agency, but it’s not clear yet which specific players the team will land (Twitter link via Pro Football Talk).
  • As Lions GM Martin Mayhew suggested last month, while he’d like to have a new deal worked out with Ndamukong Suh by the time the 2014 league year begins tomorrow, he won’t consider it a setback if nothing is done, writes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. Suh, who recently hired Jimmy Sexton of CAA to negotiate his next deal, has a cap number of $22MM+ for 2014 that the Lions would like to reduce.

Extra Points: Suh, Hester, Talib

March 9th, 2014 at 9:15am CST by Peter Sowards

Ndamukong Suh‘s cap number in 2014 is $22.4MM — that’s nearly 17% of the $133MM salary cap.

However, DetroitLions.com Senior Writer Tim Twentyman said this should not hamstring the team’s efforts to be active in free agency. With less cap space last year entering free agency than they have this year, Twentyman writes that Detroit was still able to land Reggie Bush, Glover Quin and Jason Jones on free agency’s opening day.

“The fact we won’t have an extension done with Ndamukong before free agency begins doesn’t affect that plan one bit,” Lions team president Tom Lewand said. “It doesn’t affect our valuation of the free agents, it doesn’t affect what our projection of our cap situation is going forward, and it doesn’t affect how we project eventually working an extension with Ndamukong out at some point in time.”

Twentyman doesn’t expect a re-done deal by the start of free agency, despite Suh’s recent signing of CAA Sports agent Jimmy Sexton.

More notes from the second day of the legal tampering period…

Ndamukong Suh Signs With CAA

March 7th, 2014 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

As he looks ahead to contract talks with the Lions, Ndamukong Suh has signed with CAA Sports agent Jimmy Sexton, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter). Suh is believed to have hired Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports for marketing purposes, but it looks like Sexton will be handling the defensive lineman’s contract negotiations.

Suh, 27, has two years remaining on his current contract with the Lions, but there’s a very good chance he and the team will address and rework that deal this offseason. Suh’s current 2014 cap hit of $22.41MM isn’t tenable for the Lions, so the two sides may work out an agreement that pushes some of that money back to 2015 — the club could also spread Suh’s salary out beyond 2015 if the two sides agree to an extension that tacks additional years onto the current contract.

Multiple reports earlier this week indicated that Suh had been considering representing himself in those negotiations with the Lions, but hiring an agent like Sexton looks like the right call. Given the leverage Suh has at this point, a contract extension could give him long-term security throughout the rest of his prime, so it’ll be important to maximize his value.

Extra Points: Suh, Johnson, McClain, Smith

March 4th, 2014 at 9:26pm CST by Zachary Links

Ndamukong Suh has long been linked to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, but it sounds like the Lions star might actually opt to represent himself in his contract negotiations, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. While he’d consult with others, including Roc Nation, it sounds like the defensive tackle is giving real thought to sitting across the table from the Lions without a formal agent at his side. An extension would be very complex for Suh if he wants to maximize his value and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) hears that even the Lions don’t want him to enter negotiations on his own. More from around the league..

  • The Seahawks gave safety Jeron Johnson a second-round tender as a restricted free agent, Garafolo tweets. Johnson, 26 in June, could garner interest elsewhere, so it’ll be interesting to see how things to this offseason.
  • Former Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain is scheduled to take a free agent visit with the Bills tomorrow, Rapoport tweets. The LB has a few more visits with other clubs on his docket as well.
  • Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith met with general manager Dave Gettleman earlier today to try and clear the air, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Gettleman was non-committal about Smith’s future with the team when asked about him at the scouting combine last month which didn’t sit well with the veteran.
  • 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh personally scouted Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo at his pro day, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Texans also came to watch the signal caller throw.
  • The Giants will be on the hunt for running backs once free agency officially opens, explains Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News.
  • Andrew Brandt of Sports Illustrated examined the nuances of the franchise tag, the transition tag, and the ripple effects they’ll have on free agency.

NFC Notes: Suh, Bethea, Ware, Graham

March 2nd, 2014 at 3:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is going to be the next player to break the bank, writes Joel Corry of the National Football Post. Suh is under contract through the 2015 season; however, that year is a player option, which Suh will likely decline. 2014, then, is effectively the last year of his current deal. If the Lions do not sign the star lineman to a new contract before next season, the franchise tag will probably not be an option, as his tag figure would be an untenable $26.87MM.

Suh has restructured his contract twice in as many years in order for the Lions to gain more cap space. An extension would serve the same purpose, as well as lowering Suh’s cap number, which is second in the league at approximately $22.4MM. The Lions are still feeling the effects of selecting high in the draft under the previous collective bargaining agreement, when rookie salaries were much higher. The rookie deals of Suh, quarterback Matthew Stafford, and receiver Calvin Johnson have put the team in an unenviable position. Extending Suh, as the Lions did with both Stafford and Johnson, would help to alleviate some of that cap strain.

More items from the NFC:

  • Safety Antoine Bethea could be an option for the Falcons, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The team is expected to release Thomas DeCoud, and has been linked to free agent Louis Delmas. Jairus Byrd could also be intriguing, but both he and Delmas might be too expensive for Atlanta’s tastes.
  • Demarcus Ware, due $26MM over the next two seasons, is too expensive to be traded, but he could brought back to the Cowboys at a lower salary, argues Todd Archer of ESPN.com in a recent mailbag.
  • Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes the Saints’ Jimmy Graham is a tight end, writing that lining up in the slot is simply part of that position’s job description in today’s NFL. Triplett thinks the murky situation could be resolved with a long-term contract in excess of $10MM annually.
  • The Rams could add two quarterbacks to backup Sam Bradford, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Kellen Clemens could return, and the team figures to draft a quarterback somewhere in the third-to-fifth-round range.
  • In a mailbag segment, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com says receiver will be a priority in the draft for the 49ers, and singles out Oregon State WR Brandin Crooks as an option. He also writes that running back LaMichael James could be used more in the slot and on screens as the teams aims to get the speedy back more touches.
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