HEADLINES

Percy Harvin

Percy Harvin Not A Lock To Play In 2016

April 8th, 2016 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Last week, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk cited a source who said wide receiver Percy Harvin would “definitely” continue his playing career in 2016. Now, it seems that’s no longer a lock. Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link) hears from sources that it’s “unlikely” Harvin will be playing football next season, despite receiving inquiries from multiple teams in recent weeks.Percy Harvin (vertical)

It’s possible that Harvin’s apparent change of heart stems from a lack of viable offers or opportunities, but when Florio posited that theory to his source, the source explained that Harvin simply has a “habit of waffling and wavering and flat-out changing his mind, over and over again.” As such, it remains to be seen whether the former Vikings, Seahawks, Jets, and Bills receiver will sign a new contract in the coming weeks or months.

Harvin joined the Bills on a one-year, $6MM deal last March, but was unable to stay healthy during the 2015 season. Battling through a persistent hip injury, the 27-year-old (28 in May) appeared in just five games, recording 19 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown. Harvin, who has also been plagued by knee issues in the past, returned five kicks as well.

While Harvin will probably never regain the explosiveness he showed during the early years of his NFL career in Minnesota, there are teams that still believe he has something left in the tank, writes Florio. Another $6MM salary is unlikely, but if Harvin does ultimately decide to sign a contract, there should be clubs willing to gamble on his upside on an incentive-laden, one-year deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Percy Harvin To Play In 2016

March 30th, 2016 at 4:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Percy Harvin will “definitely” play in 2016, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of PFT. The wide receiver has been contemplating retirement this offseason. Percy Harvin (vertical)

Harvin joined the Bills on a one-year, $6MM deal in March, but was unable to stay healthy last year. Battling through a persistent hip injury, the 27-year-old (28 in May) only appeared in five games, recording 19 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown. Harvin also fielded five kick returns.

The wide receiver is now a free agent and it’s not a slam dunk that he’ll return to Buffalo, despite his relationship with coach Rex Ryan. Harvin knows this is his last opportunity to have a major impact in the NFL, the source tells PFT, and that could mean that Harvin is looking to hook on with a certified contender. While the Bills could be a factor in 2016, Harvin could look to play with an offense and a quarterback that better suits his skill set.

Harvin was traded from the Seahawks to the Jets in the most surprising in-season trade of 2014. However, Harvin failed to have a huge impact in New York thanks to his hip and knee injuries, totaling 29 receptions for 350 yards and a touchdown in his eight games with the Jets. Harvin also averaged just 24.8 yards per kick return, with no TDs. Roughly one year ago today, Harvin turned down a lucrative offer from the 49ers to join up with Buffalo.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Cowboys, Rams, Bills, Henry, Ford

March 26th, 2016 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s the latest from around the league, beginning with two Southern California training camp teams who aren’t jumping at the chance to reconvene for joint practices.

  • Despite the teams now training near Los Angeles, Cowboys and Rams aren’t planning to partake in another training camp scrimmage due to the brawl that occurred last year when the teams had joint practices in Oxnard, Calif., Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. The Rams will be training at UC-Irvine this year, but Jason Garrett hasn’t engaged in any discussions on bringing the teams together again.
  • The Bills expect clarity on Percy Harvin‘s health status in the ensuing two weeks, Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News reports. Doug Whaley and Rex Ryan are open to the UFA returning despite Buffalo’s $6.9MM left in cap space. Harvin, whose troublesome hip issues ended up sidelining him for the season last November, would have to compete with newly signed Leonard Hankerson and players like Olympic long jump hopeful Marquise Goodwin for the Bills’ No. 3 receiver spot, however, and do so having missed 36 games over the past four seasons.
  • An NFC personnel man rates Arkansas’ Hunter Henry as the most complete tight end to be available in the draft in a long time, Mark Eckel of NJ.com reports. The unidentified evaluator sees Henry as a fit with the Jets, whose tight ends caught just eight passes last season after Jace Amaro missed the year with an injury. “I never liked Amaro,” the personnel man told Eckel. “(Hunter) is tons better than Amaro. Where do I see him going? That’s a tough question. (No. 20) might be a little soon, but he’s a first rounder. He’s definitely a first-rounder.”
  • Dee Ford figures to have a bigger role with the Chiefs in his third season. How much bigger will likely be determined by Justin Houston‘s health. John Dorsey and Andy Reid saw flashes of brilliance, per Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star, with Reid saying one of last season’s takeaways was finding out that Ford was “a pretty good football player.” The player who would be opposite Ford in a Houston-less look, Tamba Hali, believes the third-year player — who has been mostly buried behind Houston and Hali in his two seasons — needs to develop further mentally. “If I had to speak for him, I would like for him to take the next step in being a professional … basically (the reason) why they drafted him here is to take over the (starting) role. The season’s too long for me to focus on being a starter or a backup,” Hali said. “I think he’s in the position where he can kind of take the torch and go forward. That’s really mental; physically, the kid is gifted and he has it. But mentally we have to just make sure that he understands why we’re in this building and what needs to be done while we’re here.”
  • Former Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody has been handed a nine-month sentence in his animal cruelty case, as Pat Warren of CBS Baltimore writes. Cody was found guilty of negligence in the death of his canary mastiff who was starved to death. However, he was not found guilty of felony animal abuse because the court did not find his actions intentional, according to his lawyer. PETA issued a statement following the sentencing and implored the NFL to do more to combat animal abuse amongst its players.

Zach Links contributed to this report

Bills Rumors: Ryan, Taylor, Manuel, Harvin

March 22nd, 2016 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

In 2015, the Bills played the majority of their snaps in a traditional 4-3 scheme, but this year, coach Rex Ryan promises “multiple” defensive fronts (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News).

What other changes are in store for Buffalo in 2016? Let’s find out:

  • Ryan said that the “entire organization believes in Tyrod Taylor, there’s no doubt,” (link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com). However, he says that any extension would need to be in best interest of both parties. “Right now it’s probably hard to bring those two things together with our cap situation,” he adds.
  • This week, Taylor’s agent opened up to Carucci about the ongoing contract talks and noted that the league’s “31 other teams” have been paying close attention to the quarterback. When asked about the agent’s comments, Ryan replied, “The agent’s probably the most disappointed, but there’s a football team to run,” Carucci tweets.
  • Ryan said that he’s not sure that the Bills “have to” take a quarterback in the draft (link via Carucci). He opined that E.J. Manuel is “a solid No. 2 quarterback.”
  • Ryan said that he would “love” to have Percy Harvin back and the team would welcome him back “with open arms,” (link via Carucci). On Monday, GM Doug Whaley said that Harvin was still deciding between playing and retiring, though he “heard” that the wide receiver was leaning towards playing.
  • Ryan said Seantrel Henderson‘s health is getting better and his weight is coming back (link via Rodak). The right tackle finished last season on the non-football illness list after reportedly being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
  • Ryan feels that new Bills assistant Ed Reed could become a head coach in five years (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).

Bills Rumors: Taylor, Harvin, Boldin

March 21st, 2016 at 7:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a quick look at the Bills:

  • Bills GM Doug Whaley says there is “work to do” after the team’s initial contract talks with Tyrod Taylor, but the gap between the two parties is “not insurmountable,” according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Taylor, 26, initially signed a three-year contract last winter with the Bills, but the third year of that pact was voided after he spent most of the 2015 season as the team’s starting QB. Now, he’s entering his contract year. Starting for the first time in his career, Taylor threw for 3,035 yards and 20 touchdowns in 14 games in 2015, completing 63.7% of his passes and tossing just six interceptions. He also rushed for 568 yards and four TDs.
  • Bills free agent wide receiver Percy Harvin is expected to make a decision on his future soon, Rodak writes. Harvin, who played five games for Buffalo in 2015 before injuries ended his season, is still considering retirement. “Last thing I heard was [Bills contract negotiator] Jim Overdorf talked to his agent and hopefully he’s gonna make a decision the next week or two of if he’s gonna play, and if he’s gonna play, if he’s coming back to us,” Whaley said. “We’ll hopefully know in the next week or two.” Still, Whaley has “heard” that Harvin is leaning towards playing in 2016.
  • Whaley says “it would be tough, for what we have” to sign a veteran wide receiver like Anquan Boldin, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. However, he added that he would “never say never.” Boldin has previously said that he would like to continue his career with a title contender. While Boldin hauled in a respectable 69 catches with San Francisco in 2015-16, it was for the second-lowest yardage total of his career (789).
  • Whaley said the Bills do not need to restructure any other contracts, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets.

Free Agent Rumors: Fairley, Hall, Moore, Harvin

March 15th, 2016 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

On the first day of the 2016 legal tampering period last Monday, we learned that the Jets had some interest in defensive tackle Nick Fairley. It doesn’t appear there’s been much movement on that front in the last eight days, but Gang Green isn’t the only club eyeing the ex-Ram.

According to Mark Eckel of NJ.com, there are three or four teams with “serious interest” in Fairley. The Eagles are one of those teams, and the Saints and Jets might be two of the others, though that’s not certain. Eckel’s source is “fairly certain” that the free agent defensive lineman won’t return to the Rams after spending a season with the team.

As we wait to see where Fairley lands, here are a few more free agent rumors from around the NFL…

  • After having visited the Cardinals, free agent cornerback Leon Hall is now set to meet with the Cowboys, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Hall is one of several Cincinnati defensive backs to reach the open market this year — he and Reggie Nelson remain unsigned, while George Iloka and Adam Jones reached new deals the Bengals.
  • Veteran quarterback Matt Moore has been surveying his options on the free agent market, and the Dolphins reportedly prefer not to spend much for a backup QB, but the two sides could still find their way back to one another. According to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald, Moore is meeting with the Fins today, a signal that the player and team are open to a reunion.
  • Moore isn’t the only free agent scheduled to meet with the Dolphins. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets that veteran edge defender Andre Branch will be in Miami for a visit tonight and Wednesday, as the club continues to consider defensive end options.
  • A return to the Bills or a deal with the Ravens are among the possible outcomes for wide receiver Percy Harvin this offseason, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio doesn’t cite any sources, so it’s not clear whether he’s reporting Buffalo and Baltimore as potential landing spots for Harvin, or simply speculating.

Extra Points: Lions, Dolphins, Broncos

February 13th, 2016 at 12:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday afternoon…

Anquan Boldin, Percy Harvin Contracts To Void

February 12th, 2016 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

The contracts for wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Percy Harvin are set to void today, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com details. While Boldin’s deal was technically set to run through the 2018 season, and Harvin’s ran through 2017, language in the contracts called for them to void five days after this year’s Super Bowl, so both players will officially become free agents next month.Anquan Boldin

Both contracts were designed to lessen the charges on the salary cap during the years when Boldin was a Niner and Harvin was a Bill. The void years allowed the 49ers and Bills, respectively, to spread signing bonus money across several years, rather than taking on larger charges in early seasons. San Francisco will carry about $2.73MM in dead money on its cap in 2016 for Boldin, while Buffalo will carry $2MM for Harvin.

In addition to being the date when those two contracts void, Friday also represents the day on which a handful of players will be assured of guaranteed money if they remain on their teams’ rosters. According to Corry, Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas will see his $8.5MM base salary for 2017 – which was initially guaranteed for injury only – become fully guaranteed without an offset today.

Two Cardinals players, cornerback Patrick Peterson and quarterback Carson Palmer, also get new guarantees added to their respective deals by remaining on the team’s roster through Friday. Peterson’s $9.75MM base salary for 2016 will become fully guaranteed, while Palmer will get a pair of guarantees — his $7.15MM salary for ’16 and a $6.35MM roster bonus due next month both become fully guaranteed.

The Seahawks will be another team to watch this weekend — Seattle has six players who will be assured of additional guarantees if they remain on the roster through Saturday, including Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, and Earl Thomas.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Notes: Cap, M. Williams, Staff, Harvin

January 22nd, 2016 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bills prepare for the offseason, GM Doug Whaley cautioned today in an appearance on WGR 550 that re-signing potential free agents won’t be easy, since the team is already over the cap for 2016 (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News). VP Jim Overdorf, who handles the cap and player contracts, wlil have to “work his magic” this spring, Whaley added (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).

The NFL has yet to set its cap number for 2016, and the Bills will certainly lower the number currently on their books by releasing or trading players in the coming weeks and months, but according to Over the Cap’s data, based on a $150MM projected cap for ’16, Buffalo is indeed more than $3MM over the cap, with the second-most cap commitments in the NFL. So the team will have some work ahead of it.

Here’s more out of Buffalo:

  • One player who is expected to be cut, and whose release would create some breathing room under the cap, is defensive end Mario Williams. As Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News notes (via Twitter), a Rex Ryan quote today about his defense being built for “all 11” players rather than just for one is another sign that Williams is likely on his way out.
  • Ryan clarified today that, after this month’s staff changes, Dennis Thurman will continue to be the team’s defensive coordinator, while the head coach will still call defensive plays on game day (Twitter links via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW).
  • Following up on a comment he made earlier this week, Ryan said his brother Rob Ryan turned down an NFL defensive coordinator job and a college DC job to join the Bills’ staff (Twitter link via Rodak).
  • The Bills will “seriously look into” drafting a wide receiver this spring, Whaley said today, though he did acknowledge that’s probably true of every position (Twitter link via Rodak).
  • Whaley also said that the Bills would love to have Percy Harvin back in 2016 (Twitter link via WGR 550). Harvin’s contract with the team voids during the offseason, so he’ll become a free agent.

Bills Notes: Carpenter, Gillislee, Harvin, Easley

December 29th, 2015 at 9:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Bills coach Rex Ryan indicated that he has some pause about keeping kicker Dan Carpenter for next season, although it would take a worthy replacement to push him off the roster, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes. Carpenter has now missed five extra points on the season.

After converting 91.7% of his field goals upon arriving in Buffalo in 2013, Carpenter signed a four-year extension in March 2014 that included $2.15MM in guaranteed money. The Bills can save $1.7625MM by cutting Carpenter after this season, including a $250K roster bonus that they can avoid paying if he’s released prior to the seventh day of the 2016 league year.

As Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News details, Ryan provided a few more noteworthy tidbits on the Bills this week, so let’s round them up…

  • Ryan expects running back Mike Gillislee to be a part of next year’s roster. “Without question, he’s a guy, him, Karlos [Williams], LeSean McCoy, we’re in good hands there” Ryan said. “Maybe we look to expand his role on special teams. Could be something we look into.”
  • Asked about Percy Harvin, Ryan said he has talked to the wide receiver once and texted with him a few times and “gets the sense” he wants to play. There were rumors earlier in the season that Harvin was contemplating retirement.
  • Wide receiver Marcus Easley was placed on injured reserve by the Bills this week, and it sounds like he’ll have a long road back to full health. Calling the knee injury a “major, major” one, Ryan explained that Easley dislocated his knee cap and broke his knee in three spots.
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