HEADLINES

Peyton Manning

Contract Updates: Manning, Suh, Parker

March 14th, 2015 at 2:58pm CST by Rob DiRe

Peyton Manning‘s contract restructure with the Broncos includes a no-trade clause, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. However, that clause only applies for 2015, so theoretically the Broncos would be free to trade him after this season.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

FA Notes: Spiller, Murray, Thomas, Williams

March 7th, 2015 at 10:22am CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings philosophy heading into this offseason may similar to their strategy last year. The team looked for under-the-radar signings, and they were rewarded by one of their bargain contracts. Defensive tackle Tom Johnson inked a minimum one-year contract with the squad, and he ultimately finished the season with 6.5 sacks.

“Tom Johnson last year, we were patient, and he came in and did a nice job for us as an inside nickel rusher,” general manager Rick Spielman told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “A lot of times, if you can, you sit back and hopefully let the market settle a little bit.”

It sounds like the organization will be just as patient this time around, especially based on coach Mike Zimmer‘s comments.

“You use free agency to try to plug in a couple of holes here a bit,” said Zimmer. “I don’t believe we’re going to go out and pay some guy a whole bunch of money. Like when I was in Cincinnati and a lot of places, we would kind of go with the lower end of free agents, kind of coach them and hope they fit in the system.”

Let’s take a look at some rumors surrounding the league’s top free agents…

  • Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports gives a list of teams that have interest in running back C.J. Spiller (via Twitter): the Patriots, Jets, Dolphins, Cardinals, 49ers, Lions and Washington.
  • Furthermore, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says Spiller will be an option for the Cowboys if DeMarco Murray signs elsewhere. Regardless, Florio quotes Spiller referring to himself as a “former” member of the Bills.
  • Peyton Manning‘s reduced salary doesn’t guarantee that the Broncos will bring back tight end Julius Thomas, writes Florio. The organization is still strapped financially, and Florio notes that come teams, including the Seahawks, Jaguars and Raiders, may have the money to lure him away from Denver.
  • The Lions could soon be in the market for a new defensive tackle, and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press says Cardinals lineman Dan Williams is atop the team’s list of potential Ndamukong Suh replacements.

Peyton Manning Officially Back With Broncos

March 5th, 2015 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Broncos have finally made official (via Twitter) what we’ve known – or at least suspected – for the last several weeks: Peyton Manning will be returning to the team for the 2015 season. Manning was at the team’s facility today to sign his new contract and to take a physical.

As detailed yesterday, Manning has agreed to a deal that reduces his base salary for the coming year from $19MM to $15MM. That extra $4MM will still be available to the future Hall-of-Famer via incentives, but he’d have to reach the Super Bowl to earn any of it — he’ll reportedly receive $2MM if the Broncos win the AFC, and another $2MM if they win the Super Bowl.

Manning, who turns 39 later this month, had another excellent season for the Broncos in 2014, putting up 4,727 passing yards to go along with 39 touchdown passes. However, he was hampered by injuries late in the season and struggled down the stretch, particularly in the team’s divisional playoff loss to the Colts, in which he totaled just 211 passing yards on 46 attempts.

Given the way the season ended, plus the fact that head coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase both found new jobs, there was some doubt that Manning would return for another year. However, John Elway, Gary Kubiak, and the Broncos maintained all along that they’d welcome back the former MVP.

Manning’s new deal frees up an extra $4MM in cap space for the Broncos, but that shouldn’t have a significant impact on the team’s plans for free agency. Several key players are set to the open market in a matter of days, including tight end Julius Thomas, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, safety Rahim Moore, and guard Orlando Franklin.

Peyton Manning To Take Pay Cut

March 4th, 2015 at 7:59pm CST by Luke Adams

7:59pm: Manning can earn $2MM for winning the AFC Championship Game and $2MM for winning the Super Bowl, according to Legwold and Mortensen. Achieving those milestones would bring Manning back to his originally scheduled salary of $19MM for 2015. Manning’s 2016 base of $19MM remains in tact, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter).

4:38pm: According to Mortensen and Legwold (Twitter links), the two sides have agreed to terms on the new deal, pending a physical and the formal signing of the contract tomorrow. The duo adds that Manning’s incentives are tied to winning the AFC championship game and the Super Bowl, which makes sense — for incentives to not count against the team’s cap, they can’t have been achieved the previous year, so tying them to playoff performance rather than individual performance was expected.

3:41pm: The Broncos initially proposed a more severe pay cut to Manning, sources tell Mike Klis of the Denver Post. It doesn’t seem as if his contract will be altered significantly, however – Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the quarterback will have the opportunity to earn the lost $4MM back in incentives, and the deal isn’t expected to change the team’s approach to free agency.

2:35pm: According to the full report from Mortensen and Legwold, the two sides are still finalizing a few details of the agreement, which won’t become official until Manning takes a physical. That’s expected to happen within the next 24 hours.

2:10pm: Peyton Manning and the Broncos have yet to officially announce that the quarterback will return to the team for the 2015 season, but every development over the last several weeks has suggested he’ll be back. With the future Hall of Famer poised to continue his playing career, he’ll also take a modest pay cut for the coming year, according to Chris Mortensen and Jeff Legwold. The ESPN.com duo reports (via Twitter) that Manning is nearing an agreement with the team on a new deal that will pay him $15MM instead of $19MM for the 2015 season.

It’s not clear yet if reducing Manning’s base salary from $19MM to $15MM for 2015 is the only change being made to his contract. If so, his cap number will dip by $4MM as well, from $21.5MM to $17.5MM. However, the two sides may be making additional tweaks to the deal, or it may be torn up entirely in favor of a new agreement, so we’ll have to wait for further details.

Either way though, it appears as if the move will give the Broncos a little more spending flexibility with free agency around the corner. The team has already used its franchise tag on Demaryius Thomas, but still has a handful of key contributors eligible for unrestricted free agency, including tight end Julius Thomas, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, safety Rahim Moore, and guard Orlando Franklin. It remains to be seen how Denver will use its cap savings, but presumably Manning would like the team to bring back his tight end, if possible — Thomas has caught 24 touchdowns from the former MVP over the last two seasons.

Manning’s current contract runs through the 2016 season, with one additional year that features a $19MM base salary and $21.5MM cap hit, identical to the current 2015 figures. Presumably, if the Broncos want to reduce the quarterback’s salary for 2015, they may want to do the same for the following season, though that may end up being a moot point if Manning decides this will be the final year of his playing career.

FA Notes: Weatherspoon, Thomas, Houston, Forsett

February 28th, 2015 at 12:28pm CST by Ben Levine

As we heard yesterday, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn is hoping the organization can keep linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, citing the player’s athleticism and attitude.

“With him, it’s that toughness and the speed that he can play with so, yes, definitely someone that we’re talking to,” Quinn said (via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com). “I know he’s got that kind of attitude. And you know me, just from watching our style of defense, it’s fast and physical. And that’s what Sean is. So, we’re certainly hoping that he can be a big part of it moving forward.”

However, the coach acknowledged that he is worried about the veteran’s past injuries, including an Achilles tear last season.

“I think you always are,” he said. “But at the same time, what’s the rehab like? You can tell when a guy is going for it in that way, too. All that factors in. 

“By the same token, he hit a string of bad luck. Can he come back and play at a level that he’s capable of? That’s what we’re excited to find out.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes pertaining to this year’s free agent class…

  • As expected, the Broncos will likely slap receiver Demaryius Thomas with the franchise tag. Sources tell Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that it’s a “safe bet” the team will place the tag as they try to work on a longterm deal. Meanwhile, Florio wonders if Peyton Manning‘s rumored restructuring could mean a return for tight end Julius Thomas.
  • Following news that the Chiefs and Justin Houston were working on a multi-year deal, Florio says such a deal is unlikely at this point. Instead, the All-Pro linebacker seems destined for the franchise tag, and Florio notes that the 26-year-old’s leverage will rise when similar free agents start receiving lucrative deals.
  • For the time being, Reuben Frank and Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com believe the Eagles shouldn’t invest money in a linebacker like Brandon Spikes. However, if the team decides to move on from DeMeco Ryans, the team would be in the market for a starting linebacker, in which case Spikes could be a viable option.
  • Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome made it clear that he’d like to keep running back Justin Forsett in Baltimore. “We would like to retain Justin,” Newsome said (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). “I’ve learned something since the end of the season about Justin that I didn’t really know. He has mentored some very good, young backs, starting with Arian Foster,Marshawn Lynch, Maurice Jones-Drew when he was in Jacksonville. Having Justin here — and with the opportunity [of] also bringing in hopefully another young running back — to have Justin be around that guy would be an asset also. So, we will work to try to retain Justin.” If the team loses out on Forsett, Hensley suggests free agents Frank Gore, C.J. Spiller, and Mark Ingram as potential replacements.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Coleman, Ravens, Revis

February 26th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on a report that indicated the Broncos and Peyton Manning are engaged in contract discussions, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) notes that the veteran quarterback would like the team to re-sign tight end Julius Thomas, even though that seems increasingly unlikely. Whether Manning takes a pay cut or simply restructures his deal, the move could create $7-9MM in cap room, which would certainly give the club more flexibility to bring back free agents like Thomas and Terrance Knighton.

  • Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall is still a year away from even being eligible for restricted free agency, but he has signed with Rosenhaus Sports, and will be represented by Drew Rosenhaus and Jason Katz, reports Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter).
  • The Chiefs met with the representative for safety Kurt Coleman at the combine, and talks between the two sides were positive, a source tells Herbie Teope of ChiefsDigest.com. Earlier in the month, we heard that Coleman would likely be seeking $1.5-2MM per year, and would prefer to sign with a team that gives him the opportunity to start.
  • There’s a case to be made for the Ravens to try to retain most of their free agents, but Pernell McPhee looks like a goner, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap in his preview of Baltimore’s offseason. You can find PFR’s own look ahead at the Ravens’ offseason right here.
  • Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com also weighs in on the Ravens‘ upcoming moves, focusing on the immediate future and explaining what the team could do to create $15MM+ in cap room.
  • Joel Corry of CBSSports.com breaks down the Darrelle Revis situation, writing that it wouldn’t surprise him if the cornerback left a little money on the table to re-sign with the Patriots, but still drove a very hard bargain. Corry could imagine the first three years of such a deal exceeding Patrick Peterson‘s contract with the Cardinals, but falling short of top contracts like J.J. Watt‘s and Mario Williams‘.

Broncos, Peyton Manning Working On Contract

February 25th, 2015 at 8:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos and representatives for Peyton Manning have been working on revising the quarterback’s contract, multiple sources tell Mike Klis of The Denver Post. While the re-worked contract might take some time to get hammered out, it’s probably the strongest indication yet that No. 18 will return in 2015.

Manning recently told Broncos officials he is ready to play at a “significant level” in 2015 now that the quadriceps injury that plagued him down the stretch of last season is fully healed. Manning’s contract currently calls for an NFL-high $19MM salary for ’15 to go along with a $21.5MM cap figure. With so many key free agents for Denver this season, Manning will have to cut the Broncos a break, whether that means simply converting base salary into bonuses or even taking a pay cut. Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Terrance Knighton are some of the big names set to reach the open market and the entire list includes one-third of the team’s starting lineup.

The Broncos are about $26 million under their projected $148MM salary cap payroll but that doesn’t include the projected $12.8MM salary Demaryius Thomas will get upon receiving the franchise tag. A source tells Klis that Manning’s agent Tom Condon hopes to reach a conclusion on a revised contract by early next week.

La Canfora On Manning, Suh, McCown, Saints

February 25th, 2015 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Weighing in on two of the biggest offseason stories, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com leads off his latest piece by looking at the Peyton Manning and Ndamukong Suh situations. In La Canfora’s view, Manning will ultimately return to the Broncos after the two sides tweak his contract a little. As for Suh, the CBSSports.com scribe doesn’t have any updates on the Lions‘ talks with the defensive star, but says he thinks the Jaguars and Raiders will be major players. For those teams to be involved in the Suh derby, he’d have to reach the open market, which would mean no long-term deal or franchise tag from Detroit.

La Canfora also passes along plenty more tidbits related to free agency, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

  • When it comes to the market’s top pass rushers, La Canfora thinks Pernell McPhee can reach $10MM per year, with Jerry Hughes in the $9MM range, and Brandon Graham and Jason Worilds around $7.5MM. La Canfora also believes that all four of those players will join new teams next month.
  • Free agent quarterback Josh McCown is expected to decide on his new team later this week or early next week, and could land another deal worth $5MM annually. The Bills and Browns look like the best bets for McCown, according to La Canfora.
  • The Saints are working through contract issues with about a half-dozen players on their roster, sources tell La Canfora. If things work out the way the team hopes, Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, and Curtis Lofton would likely stick around on reduced salaries, while Ben Grubbs, Brodrick Bunkley, and David Hawthorne could be let go. As for Junior Galette, La Canfora is hearing that head coach Sean Payton has “expressed a desire” to part ways with him, following his January arrest. However, Galette’s contract still contains a sizeable chunk of guaranteed money, and the team likely can’t void those guarantees.
  • Percy Harvin probably won’t accept a pay cut from the Jets, which means the team will likely cut him. La Canfora expects the wideout to gamble himself in free agency, signing a one-year deal with a team that has a good quarterback in place.
  • The Jaguars will be seeking a top pass catcher, and La Canfora wouldn’t be surprised if the team lands a player like Randall Cobb or Julius Thomas. Per La Canfora, the Packers recognize Cobb’s market could get out of hand, and may focus on re-signing other key free agents, like Bryan Bulaga and Letroy Guion.
  • Chiefs center Rodney Hudson came very close to signing a four-year extension worth $6MM per year during the season. He’s a good bet to exceed that amount in free agency, and the Raiders are one viable suitor.
  • La Canfora anticipates the Ravens will work out a restructured deal with Lardarius Webb, but isn’t as certain about Haloti Ngata, who may play for a new team in 2015.
  • The Jets would have interest in Ryan Mallett if he reaches the open market. However, the Texans have made their interest in the quarterback clear, and Mallett himself said today that he’d like to return to Houston (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).

Combine Pressers: Broncos, Falcons, Panthers, Chiefs

February 19th, 2015 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

As we’ve done several times over the last couple days, we’re rounding up noteworthy comments from head coaches and general managers from their sessions with the media at the combine in Indianapolis. Here are a few of this afternoon’s highlights, with all links going to Twitter:

Broncos general manager John Elway (via Lindsay Jones of USA Today):

  • Elway sidestepped a question about whether or not Peyton Manning‘s contract situation will play a role in the QB’s decision for 2015, but said that he believes the future Hall-of-Famer will return. “We’re hopeful Peyton comes back. We want him back. He has not given me a definitive answer,” Elway said.
  • There’s no deadline for Manning to make his decision, according to Elway. That includes March 9, when his 2015 salary becomes guaranteed.
  • Elway confirmed that the Broncos intend to use their franchise tag on Demaryius Thomas if the two sides don’t work out a longer-term agreement by March 2.
  • Terrance Knighton has recently voiced frustration with the slow process of contract negotiations, and Elway said today that he “can’t calm” that frustration. Per Elway, most deals for free-agents-to-be will be consummated right before the free agent period begins on March 10.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff (via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com):

  • The Falcons are excited about the No. 8 overall pick, and while they could go in any number of directions, adding a pass rusher figures to be their preference.
  • According to Dimitroff, the team has yet to make any decisions on its current players, including free-agents-to-be or potential cap casualties.
  • Dimitroff said today that his first order of business after the club hired Dan Quinn was to discuss the team’s new scheme and how players will fit into that scheme. Presumably, that discussion covered players currently on the roster as well as potential outside targets.
  • The general manager stressed that he’s “very excited” about working with Quinn, who will have control over the 53-man roster. The two men will work together, and if there’s a disagreement, the head coach will make the final call, per Dimitroff.
  • Dimitroff said there’s no doubt in his mind that Josh McDaniels, who interviewed with the Falcons, will be an NFL head coach again.

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera (via David Newton of ESPN.com):

  • The Panthers were pretty quiet last year when it came to adding free agent receivers, but Rivera said today that GM Dave Gettleman will pull the trigger on a wideout in the right situation. The head coach also noted that the team needs to find a way to make plays over the top and to stop those plays on defense, which suggests Carolina will be targeting speedy wideouts and/or cornerbacks.
  • The Panthers aren’t in the market for a quarterback, per Rivera. While that’s not particularly surprising, given the presence of Cam Newton, it’s a little notable since the former first overall pick is entering the final year of his contract.
  • Left tackle Byron Bell, who is eligible for free agency, did some nice things for the Panthers in 2014, according to Rivera. However, the coach didn’t say whether or not the team would look to retain Bell for 2015 and beyond.

Chiefs general manager John Dorsey (via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star):

  • Asked about free-agent-to-be Justin Houston, Dorsey said discussions with the pass rusher’s agent are “ongoing.” The GM didn’t explicitly say that the Chiefs will franchise Houston if a long-term deal can’t be reached, but he did say he plans on having the NFL’s sack leader back in 2015, which strongly suggests that the tag is in play.
  • Kansas City can afford to keep backup quarterback Chase Daniel, who has a cap hit of $4.8MM in 2015, according to Dorsey. However, he didn’t go so far as to say Daniel will return.
  • Third-string quarterback Tyler Bray also remains in the Chiefs’ plans for now, per Dorsey.

West Notes: Davis, 49ers, Knighton, Chargers

February 19th, 2015 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

Vernon Davis is coming off his worst season as a pro, and will count for nearly $7MM against the cap in 2015, but he’ll “absolutely” be returning to the 49ers, general manager Trent Baalke said on Wednesday at the combine, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Referring to Davis’ contract and cap hit, Baalke suggested that the numbers are “not as daunting as you may think.”

Let’s round up a few more notes on the Niners and a handful of other West clubs….

  • The 49ers‘ wide receiver coaches are among the few San Francisco assistants in Indianapolis, which presumably indicates where the team’s offseason priority lies, tweets Barrows.
  • Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton has “made it very clear” to team management that he wants to return to Denver and would be willing to take something of a hometown discount to make it happen. However, as he tells Josina Anderson of ESPN, Knighton doesn’t feel as if that interest is totally mutual. “To be quite honest with you, it’s frustrating and it’s somewhat disrespectful just knowing how important I was to the team and what the defense could’ve been without somebody like me,” Knighton said. “It’s almost like, the longer they wait, the worse it is going to be.”
  • Broncos GM John Elway hasn’t heard back from Peyton Manning on his decision for 2015 but he “had a good talk” with the quarterback and said that he’s feeling better, says Mike Klis of The Denver Post.
  • The Chargers intend to have extension discussions with quarterback Philip Rivers and safety Eric Weddle at the “appropriate time,” according to GM Tom Telesco, but those negotiations aren’t on the team’s agenda for this week, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
  • With a new contract from the Cardinals in hand, Larry Fitzgerald will almost assuredly start and end his career in the same place, a rarity for NFL legends, as Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic writes. The new deal is quite fair to Fitzgerald, Bickley opines, as the $22MM guaranteed for the next two seasons was arguably $6MM more than he would have found on the open market.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Load More Posts