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Richie Incognito

AFC Rumors: Penn, Jags, Vernon, Incognito

March 8th, 2016 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Raiders free agent left tackle Donald Penn says he has not closed the door on coming back to Oakland, as Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group writes.

“I’ve been open with my plan. My plan is to be a Raider,” Penn told NFL Network. “We’re trying to figure out of the feeling is mutual. They tell me it is. They made a great signing, that’s a great pickup for Derek Carr and everybody., We’re going to see what’s going to happen. Only time is going to tell. The good thing is I’m showing interest from other teams.”

The latest from the AFC:

Bills To Re-Sign Richie Incognito

March 8th, 2016 at 1:12pm CST by Zachary Links

1:12pm: The deal is official, per the Bills (on Twitter). The three-year pact is worth $15.75MM, according to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News (on Twitter).

12:56pm: The Bills have reached agreement on a deal that will bring Richie Incognito back to Buffalo. The guard took to Twitter to tell fans that he has a new three-year pact with the club:

“Who’s ready for 3 more years of DOMINATION in Buffalo!!!!,” Incognito tweeted. Richie Incognito

The three-year deal is expected to fall in the range of $5MM per season, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Incognito, who earned a Pro Bowl nod for his strong comeback season in 2015, will turn 33 this July. With a three-year, $15MM deal, it seems as though he has scored a nice payday on what could be the last lucrative free agent contract of his career.

Just days ago, a new deal between Incognito and Buffalo didn’t sound all that likely. The cap-strapped Bills wanted Incognito to give the team something of a hometown discount, since Buffalo was the club willing to give the veteran lineman a second chance last year after the Dolphins’ bullying scandal left him without a job for the entire 2014 season. However, Incognito apparently didn’t see it that way, and his reluctance to take what the Bills were offering was reportedly causing friction between the player and the team. Now, it seems as though the two sides found enough middle ground to get a deal done.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: J. Jones, Incognito, Asiata, Butler

March 5th, 2016 at 8:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier today (SoundCloud link), veteran receiver James Jones said that while he’d like to return to the Packers in 2016, it appears as though he’ll hit the open market once again. Jones, who will turn 32 later this month, had an excellent season in Green Bay, averaging nearly 18 yards per reception and scoring eight touchdowns. His age will be hindrance, but Jones should be able to latch on with another club early in free agency.

Free agency opens in less than four days, so let’s dive into the latest news and rumors…

  • The Bills never made guard Richie Incognito an extension offer during the season, according to Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News, and they’ve since “lowballed” Incognito and have gone several-day stretches without contacting his agent. If that’s the case, it’s perhaps no wonder Incognito is reportedly frustrated with how the talks are proceeding.
  • Like Jones, running back Matt Asiata has spent a lot of time in the NFC North, and he tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) that he’d like to re-sign with the Vikings. If Minnesota doesn’t offer a contract to Asiata’s liking, however, he’s perfectly willing to listen to other clubs when the legal tampering period begins on Monday.
  • Linebacker Donald Butler, released by the Chargers on Thursday, tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that he expected to be released, especially after San Diego drafted fellow linebacker Denzel Perryman last year. Additionally, Butler says he has’t draw much (if any) interest on the free agent market yet.
  • The Steelers don’t often spend in free agency, but every rule has an exception, and Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune argues that the club should look to the open market as they search for a Heath Miller replacement at tight end. Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, and Ladarius Green are a few of the top options who might be available next week.

Bills Frustrated With Richie Incognito Talks

March 1st, 2016 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

As the franchise-tag deadline nears and the Bills are forced to make a decision on left tackle Cordy Glenn, the team is also attempting to get something done with left guard Richie Incognito. However, a league a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the Bills are getting frustrated with those Incognito negotiations.Richie Incognito

As Florio explains, the cap-strapped Bills believe Incognito should be open to giving the team something of a hometown discount, since Buffalo was the club willing to give the veteran lineman a second chance last year after the Dolphins’ bullying scandal left him without a job for the entire 2014 season. However, Incognito apparently doesn’t see it that way, and his reluctance to simply take what the Bills are offering is creating some friction between the player and the team, says Florio.

Incognito, who earned a Pro Bowl nod for his strong comeback season in 2015, will turn 33 this July, so it makes sense that he’d want the opportunity to maximize what could very well be the last lucrative free agent contract of his career. While the Bills deserve some credit for rolling the dice on him last offseason, the team could have tried to lock him up to a multiyear contract at that point, rather than counting on him to give the club preferential treatment once his one-year deal expired.

With several teams around the NFL in need of interior line help, Incognito looks like a good bet to at least test the market and gauge his value during next week’s legal tampering period.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: Broncos QBs, Snacks, 49ers, Hali, Mebane

February 29th, 2016 at 5:19pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A look at the latest rumors as we draw closer to free agency:

  • The quarterback-needy Texans are likely to go after Brock Osweiler if he doesn’t re-sign with the Broncos, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).
  • If Peyton Manning – whom Osweiler has backed up since entering the NFL in 2012 – returns for his age-40 season and the Broncos release him, the Texans and Rams could pursue the future Hall of Famer, writes Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. Should Manning elect against retirement, Denver is expected to cut the two-time Super Bowl champion by March 8 and save $19MM on its cap. A good portion of that money would go to linebacker Von Miller, who is looking for a deal similar to what Miami gave defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh last winter (six years, $114MM, with $60MM in guarantees), reports Marvez.
  • It’ll take a “major reversal” for Jets defensive tackle Damon Harrison to not reach the open market, according to La Canfora (Twitter link). “Snacks” stated earlier this month that he and the Jets were making progress toward a deal, but that no longer appears to be the case. The 27-year-old was Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked interior defender against the run last season (subscription required).
  • Passing along what he heard at the scouting combine, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee lists several prospective free agents the 49ers are thought to be targeting. Guards Kelechi Osemele, Brandon Brooks, J.R. Sweezy, Richie Incognito and Ramon Foster; receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu; cornerbacks Sean Smith, Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins; and running back Doug Martin could all be on the club’s radar.
  • The Chiefs are working hard to retain linebacker Tamba Hali, whom they’ll meet with later this week, reports La Canfora (Twitter link). Hali has so far spent his entire career in Kansas City, which used a first-round pick on him in 2006. The 32-year-old has piled up 86 sacks (6.5 last season) while missing just four regular-season games in his decade-long career.
  • Speaking of players whose careers have been spent in one place, defensive tackle Brandon Mebane hopes to extend his nine-year tenure with the Seahawks. “I’d love to be back out there in Seattle, finish my career in Seattle,” the 2007 third-rounder told 710 ESPN. However, Mebane added that he’ll probably visit other teams. Mebane’s status is one of many issues PFR addressed in its offseason preview of the Seahawks on Sunday. Click here to read it.

AFC East Rumors: Bills, Dolphins, Jets

February 27th, 2016 at 5:56pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Three of the AFC East’s four teams are in the news. Here’s the latest:

  • As free agency approaches, the Bills are working to retain their two best offensive linemen – left tackle Cordy Glenn and left guard Richie Incognito – writes CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. We learned this afternoon that the Bills intend to place the franchise tag on Glenn if he hasn’t agreed to a long-term deal by the March 1 deadline. Contrary to a report from earlier this week, the Bills aren’t currently looking to extend contract-year quarterback Tyrod Taylor, per La Canfora, who adds that they’re instead focusing on locking up cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Moreover, they’ll release defensive end Mario Williams and running back Anthony Dixon, and could restructure the contracts of safety Corey Graham, corner Leodis McKelvin, and possibly defensive lineman Kyle Williams. With some of the cap space those moves would create, La Canfora expects the Bills to pursue free agent-to-be Bilal Powell. The 27-year-old running back played under Bills head coach Rex Ryan as a member of the Jets from 2011-14. Powell averaged a career-high 4.5 yards per carry on 70 attempts last season and added a personal-best 47 receptions.
  • The Dolphins want to rework the contract of defensive end Cameron Wake, according to La Canfora. The problem, he notes, is that Wake would likely match or exceed the $8.4MM he’s scheduled to make as a Dolphin next season if they release him and he reaches the open market. Thus, the 34-year-old lacks incentive to take a pay cut. Not surprisingly, then, talks between the Dolphins and Wake’s agent made no progress at the combine.
  • With two ex-Jets bigwigs in Buffalo (Ryan) and Miami (executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum), representatives of pending Jets free agents said at the combine that the Bills and Dolphins could be landing spots for their clients, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. That seems to corroborate La Canfora’s report that the Bills will try to reel in Powell in free agency. Further, the Bills and Dolphins could go after Jets run-stuffing defensive tackle Damon Harrison if he hits the market, per Costello, though he notes that the teams’ lack of cap space might serve as roadblocks. Even so, Harrison could use those clubs as leverage to scare the Jets into meeting his demands.

Bills Exploring Extension For Tyrod Taylor

February 25th, 2016 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have reached out to Tyrod Taylor‘s agent about a potential contract extension for the signal-caller, reports Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News (via Twitter). “This is a week where we’ll delve more into it,” said general manager Doug Whaley.Tyrod Taylor (vertical)

[RELATED: PFR previews the Bills’ offseason]

Taylor, 26, initially signed a three-year contract last winter with the Bills, but the third year of that deal was voided after he spent most of the 2015 campaign as the team’s starting quarterback. His cap number for 2016 also received a bump to $3MM+ based on a salary escalator.

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 provided plenty of value with his legs, rushing for 568 yards and four TDs.

While Taylor’s performance perhaps didn’t quite cement him as the Bills’ quarterback of the future, it certainly put him in the driver’s seat, so it makes sense that the team would explore the possibility of locking him up to a longer-term deal as he prepares to enter a contract year. It sounds as if talks are still in the early stages, and the Bills likely won’t be in any rush to get something done in the next couple weeks, prioritizing the club’s pending free agents instead.

However, the Bills will probably want to get a sense by the draft of whether or not an extension for Taylor will be doable, since it could affect the team’s plans — Buffalo may be more inclined to select a QB this year if there’s a possibility Taylor won’t be with the franchise beyond 2016.

Here are several more of Thursday’s updates on the Bills:

  • A source close to LeSean McCoy told Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (Twitter link) earlier today that he doesn’t expect the running back to be charged for his role in a Philadelphia nightclub altercation. However, a spokesman for the Philadelphia D.A.’s office insists no decisions have been made, adding that the investigation is still ongoing, per Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (Twitter link). Mike Rodak of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that no resolution is expected tonight or tomorrow.
  • Asked whether the franchise tag is an option for left tackle Cordy Glenn, Bills GM Doug Whaley said all options are open, and that the team doesn’t want to back itself into a corner. Whaley also expressed confidence in the club’s chances of signing both Glenn and guard Richie Incognito, despite cap limitations (Twitter links via Tyler Dunne).
  • The Bills will talk to several players’ agents at this week’s combine about potential pay cuts, according to Dunne, who tweets that the team has little choice. Could one of those pay cut candidates be defensive end Mario Williams? “We’re going to try to find a solution that’s best for the Buffalo Bills,” Whaley said today, regarding Williams (Twitter link via Dunne).
  • Whaley said the Bills are excited about this year’s draft class, since it’s very deep in “areas of perceived needs for us.” The front seven is one of those areas, tweets Dunne.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Dolphins, Marino, Bills, Incognito

January 28th, 2016 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have indicated that they’ll prioritize re-signing Richie Incognito in the coming weeks, and that interest in a new deal is mutual, according to the veteran guard (link via Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com):

“My goal is to come back and play in Buffalo,” Incognito said during an appearance on The John Murphy Show. “I love it there. I love my teammates and I love playing for coach Rex and Greg Roman. I really think that my personality and my hard work approach and physical nature really resembles the spirit of Buffalo. A blue collar town and a bunch of hard working people up there, and they just want to win. That’s my number one goal is just to win and restore the glory of Buffalo.”

Here are a few more items from out of the NFL’s East divisions:

  • Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino was a part of the Dolphins‘ contingent at the Senior Bowl and he’s becoming more and more involved in the team’s personnel decisions, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Originally, Marino was more involved in the PR side of things than the front office. Ultimately, he wants to work his way into more of an executive role and the current higher-ups say they’re delighted with him.
  • At a press conference today, Steelers president and co-owner Art Rooney II revealed that the Eagles have received permission to interview Steelers executive Brandon Hunt for their director of player personnel job (Twitter link via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). According to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter links), Hunt has already met with Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie, and will meet with Tom Donahoe on Friday — Donahoe, a former Steelers GM, is having a major impact on Philadelphia’s search for a top personnel exec, tweets Mosher.
  • Eagles left tackle Jason Peters turned 34 this month, and his cap hit will rise to nearly $10MM in 2016, but new head coach Doug Pederson doesn’t want Peters to go anywhere, as Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com writes. “I think J.P.’s got several good years left in him,” Pederson said. “I think that he does the right things in the offseason to get himself ready to go for another year.”
  • Former Bengals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, now the defensive coordinator in Miami, admitted today that he felt responsible for Adam Jones‘ penalty against the Steelers in the Wild Card game, referring to Pacman as his “guy.” As Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter links) observes, Joseph’s new role means Jones might be on the Dolphins‘ radar in free agency this winter.

Bills Notes: QBs, Glenn, Incognito, Defense

January 27th, 2016 at 10:42am CST by Luke Adams

Bills GM Doug Whaley says he would “absolutely” consider drafting a quarterback early on, as Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News writes. Tyrod Taylor exceeded all expectations in his first year as a starter, but the Bills won’t close the door in taking another promising signal caller, since there’s no guarantee Taylor will remain in Buffalo for years to come.

“We’ll do it because if you look at it, unfortunately we have two quarterbacks on the roster and both of them are entering the last year of their contract,” Whaley said, referring to Taylor and EJ Manuel. “If it presents itself, it makes sense and it’s a guy we like, and we believe in, absolutely.”

Taylor completed 63.7% of his passes last season for 3,035 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also set a new record for Bills quarterbacks with 568 rushing yards on the season. On the other hand, the former Raven had a hard time staying healthy, and detractors have noted his reluctance to throw over the middle of the field.

Here’s more out of Buffalo:

  • While he may consider drafting a quarterback this spring, Whaley isn’t convinced anyone in this year’s group is ready to step in and contribute immediately: “I think it’s a deep crop and I think it’s a crop that’s going to need some time. Now, it depends on their situation, who takes them and what they do. But I would say it’s not as top-heavy as last year where those top two guys would still be the top two guys. How quickly these guys can matriculate into the league, I think it’s going to take a little bit of time. Maybe a year, maybe a half of a year.”
  • Jim Overdorf, the Bills’ cap specialist, is expected to reach out to the agents for potential free agents Cordy Glenn and Richie Incognito soon, Dunne writes in a piece for The Buffalo News. One in-the-know source at the Senior Bowl tells Dunne that the floor for a new deal for Glenn could be about $10MM per year, so the franchise tag will be a viable option for the Bills’ left tackle.
  • Despite receiving a contract extension earlier this month, Whaley knows that there’s some urgency in Buffalo to make the Bills a contender in the near future. Still, as Dunne details in another column, the GM is confident that the club is headed in the right direction.
  • Despite the problems the Bills had in defense in 2015, the team doesn’t think it needs three or four new starters on that side of the ball, tweets Dunne. “I don’t think we need a major overhaul like we did last year with the offense,” Whaley said.

Bills, GM Doug Whaley Working On Extension

January 5th, 2016 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

1:20pm: Dunne has published his full story on the Whaley extension talks, citing a source who says Pegula did not give a one-year ultimatum to the GM and head coach.

12:51pm: General manager Doug Whaley and the Bills are working on a new contract that would lock up Whaley beyond 2016, according to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News (Twitter link). Jeremy White of WGR and Adam Benigni of WGRZ (Twitter links) each reported today that the two sides were working out the final details of the new deal, though Dunne says it hasn’t yet been presented to ownership.Doug Whaley (vertical)

On the heels of a morning report from Dunne’s Buffalo News colleague Vic Carucci, who suggested that owner Terry Pegula was giving Whaley and Rex Ryan one more year to make the playoffs and secure their jobs, news of a possible extension for Whaley comes as a surprise — particularly since Benigni indicates Whaley’s new deal would coincide with Ryan’s, meaning it would run through 2019.

It’s possible that Carucci’s report was inaccurate, though it’s hard to believe the Bills would stand pat again if the team has a sub-.500 season in 2016. It’s also possible that Pegula would consider making changes a year from now even after extending Whaley. For someone who spent $1.4 billion to buy the franchise in 2014, eating a few extra million dollars to replace a GM is probably viable.

Still, if that’s the case, extending Whaley seems somewhat unnecessary, unless the team simply doesn’t want its GM entering the year as a lame duck. Even if Pegula wants to express confidence and optimism heading into 2016, there’s likely a less expensive way to do it.

As we try to sort out what’s happening in Buffalo, here a few more Bills-related updates:

  • Speaking to reporters yesterday, Ryan was unwilling to say definitively that defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman would return in 2016, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
  • Veteran defensive tackle Kyle Williams has told the Bills he wants to continue playing next year, so as his long as his medical information checks out, he’ll likely be back, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.
  • Whaley downplayed the importance of signings outside free agents this offseason, joking that reporters covering the team can probably go on vacation during the first week of free agency. However, he referred to re-signing tackle Cordy Glenn and guard Richie Incognito as a “major point of emphasis” (Twitter links via Dunne and Buscaglia).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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