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Robert Griffin III

NFC East Notes: RGIII, JPP, Scandrick

April 20th, 2015 at 7:47pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s a lot of talk over whether Washington will exercise Robert Griffin III’s fifth-year option by May 3rd, but he’s not fretting it too much, as Jeff Darlington of NFL.com writes. “I wouldn’t be bummed,” Griffin said. “Either way, we’re going out there to prove it this upcoming year — not next year. I just want to win. I want to win games and have fun doing it. The rest will take care of itself. They can pick up the option — or they can decide not to pick up the option. It’ll work out either way. I’m focused on this year.” More from the NFC East..

  • The Giants have not made a long-term offer to Jason Pierre-Paul, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. JPP, who had 12.5 sacks last season, was locked in on a one-year deal earlier this offseason. Now, the 26-year-old perhaps has a little bit of extra incentive to perform as he looks to land a big deal after this season.
  • As we learned this morning, Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick, whose modest $1.5MM salary places him below even most teams’ No. 2 corners, didn’t report to the first day of Dallas’ offseason program. As Albert Breer of the NFL Network points out (via Twitter), Scandrick has a $500K de-escalator in his deal tied to workouts, so he’ll risk a third of his 2015 salary if he continues to stay away from the team.
  • Washington safety and linebacker Shaq Thompson, who could be in play at No. 20 in the draft, visited the Eagles today, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).

NFC East Notes: RGIII, Murphy, Carr

March 27th, 2015 at 10:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Scot McCloughan has been putting his stamp on Washington’s roster since he took over as the team’s general manager in January. That’s not going to stop anytime soon, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (video link). McCloughan didn’t draft a single one of Washington’s players, which means he has no built-in loyalty toward those individuals and could look to replace anyone on the roster, per El-Bashir. One of those players is quarterback Robert Griffin III, whose future in Washington beyond next season is nebulous. RGIII has a player option for 2016 worth over $16MM, and El-Bashir speculates that Washington is either still discussing what to do with that option or has decided not to pick it up. The club has until May 3 to make its decision known.

Let’s take a further look at the most recent news regarding Washington and one of its NFC East rivals:

  • Washington used a 2014 second-round pick on outside linebacker Trent Murphy, who had just 2.5 sacks as a rookie. Now there’s speculation that Washington will spend another high selection on an outside linebacker this year, perhaps its first-rounder (fifth overall). Despite that, head coach Jay Gruden still believes in the 24-year-old Murphy, writes El-Bashir. “He’s very young up top, his frame, and he’s going get a lot stronger,” said Gruden. “He’s got the hands. He’s got the hips. He’s got the flexibility to be an effective pass rusher.”
  • Pittsburg State cornerback De’Vante Bausby is an unheralded draft prospect to keep an eye on for Washington, El-Bashir tweeted. Washington attended his pro day Thursday.
  • The Cowboys’ pass defense ranked 26th in the NFL last season, but Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News reports that the team hasn’t hosted any cornerback prospects as the draft nears. The Cowboys have instead focused on running backs and linemen.
  • Speaking of Dallas’ corners, Sturm took a look at Brandon Carr‘s situation. Carr’s agent said earlier this week that the 28-year-old is not going to take a pay cut for 2015, when he’s due to count $12.7MM against the salary cap, which means Dallas could eventually cut him loose. Doing so after June 1 would save the Cowboys $8MM on next season’s cap. However, Sturm thinks Carr will ultimately stick around at a reduced rate – perhaps with the help of a contract extension – as the Cowboys aren’t in position to find another corner to adequately replace the seven-year veteran and the 1,000-plus downs he’ll play in 2015.

Gruden On Draft, Culliver, Kerrigan, Williams

March 25th, 2015 at 6:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Second-year Washington head coach Jay Gruden had plenty to say Wednesday as he and the club continue focusing on ways to improve on their 4-12 record from last season. Let’s take a look at some of the salient points Gruden addressed:

  • New general manager Scot McCloughan didn’t exactly give a ringing endorsement to much-maligned quarterback Robert Griffin III on Tuesday. Neither did Gruden on Wednesday, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Per Jones, Gruden said he’s been studying the draft’s top two quarterbacks – Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston – in case one falls to Washington at fifth overall.
  • Despite Gruden’s statement, Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (Twitter link) doesn’t believe Washington will take a quarterback at No. 5 based on the coach’s tone.
  • In other draft news, Boyer tweets that Washington will likely go that route to address outside linebacker, per Gruden. Washington has a hole to fill at OLB after losing Brian Orakpo to free agency earlier this month.
  • Cornerback Chris Culliver, whom Washington signed to a big contract in free agency, drew praise from Gruden. According to Boyer (Twitter link), Gruden considered Culliver second only to Darrelle Revis among free agent corners. Culliver spent the first three years of his career in San Francisco, intercepting seven passes for the 49ers. He had a career-best four picks last year, when Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him a terrific 14th among 108 qualifying corners.
  • Regarding the future of free agent wide receiver Santana Moss, Gruden said, “I would not hesitate to call him,” tweeted Boyer. Moss, who will turn 36 in June, is mulling retirement after 14 NFL seasons. He has spent the last decade in Washington and totaled nearly 600 catches and 47 touchdowns. Moss went scoreless last year and had just 10 receptions in 10 games.
  • Moss aside, Gruden sounded less interested in bringing back other unsigned players who were previously with Washington, according to Boyer (via Twitter). “If they’re not on our roster right now, we don’t have any plans for them to be with us,” said Gruden.
  • Finally, Gruden indicated that Washington is discussing long-term extensions with the agents for outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and offensive tackle Trent Williams, tweeted Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. The duo will eat up over $20MM in cap space in 2015, the final year of their respective deals. Kerrigan, 26, is coming off a career campaign that saw him rack up 13.5 sacks, giving him 38 over his four-year career. Williams, also 26, has made three straight Pro Bowls and finished last season ranked 18th out of 84 qualifying tackles, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Latest On Fifth-Year Option Decisions

March 24th, 2015 at 3:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Before May 3, NFL teams will have to make decisions on 2012’s first-round draftees. Assuming those players are still on their rookie contracts and haven’t been waived since being drafted, they have fifth-year options on their deals for the 2016 season.

The salaries for those team options are determined by position, with the top 10 draftees being paid amounts equal to 2015’s transition tag figures. So quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Ryan Tannehill will be in line for ’16 salaries of $16.155MM if and when their options are picked up.

Although the deadline to exercise those options is still weeks away, several decision-makers have weighed in at this week’s league meetings in Arizona, discussing what they intend to do. Here’s the latest:

  • Unsurprisingly, Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman confirmed that he’ll exercise the $11.058MM option for 2016 on linebacker Luke Kuechly, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “I’d have to be brain-dead not to,” Gettleman said.
  • The Bills will be picking up their fifth-year option on cornerback Stephon Gilmore, general manager Doug Whaley tells Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Since Gilmore was the 10th overall pick in 2012, his option for the 2016 season will be worth $11.082MM.
  • Like Luck and Tannehill, Robert Griffin III‘s option for 2016 would be worth $16.155MM. Washington GM Scot McCloughan said today that the team hasn’t yet made a decision on that option, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (via Twitter). The option salaries are only guaranteed for injury, so Washington could theoretically pick up RGIII’s option, then cut him before the 2016 league year if he doesn’t play well this season.
  • The Lions remain undecided on whether or not they’ll pick up Riley Reiff‘s fifth-year option for 2016, GM Martin Mayhew told reporters on Monday, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Reiff has been very good at left tackle for Detroit over the last couple seasons, so it seems extremely unlikely that the team would turn down his option. Still, the Lions unexpectedly declined to pick up Nick Fairley‘s fifth-year option a year ago, so it’s not a lock yet.

NFC East Notes: RGIII, Mariota, Hardy, Eagles

March 20th, 2015 at 9:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Buccaneers, Titans, and Jets have very clear needs at quarterback, and top prospects Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota could represent great options at the top of the draft for those teams. The Jaguars and Raiders hope they filled that hole in the draft last season.

The one team that could possibly go either way is Washington. Even with Robert Griffin III in the fold, if they have the chance to draft Mariota with the fifth pick, it might make sense, writes John Keim in his mailbag for ESPN. Even if the team does draft a quarterback with intention of replacing Griffin, Keim believes both Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy would still have a place on the depth chart.

For the record, he doesn’t see the team getting a chance at either of the two top passers.

Here are some more notes from around the NFC East:

  • Keim has not written off the RGIII era in Washington just yet. He addresses the team’s options should Griffin return to his 2012 Pro Bowl form. Keim writes that the team will engage Griffin in long-term extension talks should he perform at a high level this season, and would be able to franchise the former first-round pick if they cannot come to an agreement. He writes that the only decision coming is whether or not to exercise Griffin’s fifth-year option by May 3rd, at a price tag of about $16MM.
  • After jettisoning DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin off the team over the past two offseasons, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has built a receiving corps focused on more than speed and experience. Kelly places a high priority on other facets of the position, including toughness, blocking, and running hard routes, writes Jeff McClane of Philly.com. He adds that Kelly understands the value of an elite receiver who can get himself open and make difficult catches, but wasn’t ready to pay Maclin as if he was one of the truly elite pass catchers in the league.
  • The Cowboys made a stride to significantly improve their defense by signing Greg Hardy, but the move is met with mixed feelings by many in Texas and across Cowboy nation. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawling is among those disappointed in the team, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “I’m a big Cowboys fan. I love them to death and I want them to beat the Eagles every time they play,” said Rawlings. “But at some point, being a sports fan gets trumped by being a father, husband, wanting to do what’s right for women, so this is not a good thing. I don’t think I’m going to be buying Hardy jerseys any time soon.”

Combine Pressers: Washington, Lions, Chargers, Ravens

February 18th, 2015 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Head coaches and general managers continue to speak to the media at press conferences in Indianapolis, and we’ve already rounded up the highlights from several of them so far today. Here are a few more noteworthy comments from some NFL decision-makers, with all links go to the Twitter accounts of various reporters in attendance:

Washington head coach Jay Gruden:

  • In perhaps the most newsworthy moment of any of today’s pressers so far, Gruden said that Robert Griffin III will open the 2015 campaign as Washington’s starting quarterback. There’s still plenty of time for things to change between today and September, but on a day when Jay Cutler couldn’t get a vote of confidence from the Bears, it’s notable that Washington seems committed to RGIII.
  • According to Gruden, the Washington front office is in contact with the reps for high-priced players like Pierre Garcon, Barry Cofield, and Stephen Bowen about possible contract restructures. Discussing Garcon specifically, the head coach stressed that the veteran wideout is still very much in the club’s plans.
  • Echoing the mantra of new GM Scot McCloughan, Gruden said Washington’s philosophy will be to target the best available players in the draft.

Lions GM Martin Mayhew:

  • While he admitted that a new deal with Ndamukong Suh isn’t done, Mayhew remains confident that the two sides will work something out. According to the GM, the defensive scheme, coaches, and players are all a good match for Suh, and the club will definitely “keep working on it.”
  • The Lions still haven’t decided whether or not they’ll resort to the franchise tag if the team and Suh don’t reach an agreement by March 2. Detroit also remains undecided about the fifth-year option for offensive tackle Riley Reiff, and hasn’t yet made any final determinations on any free agents except center Dominic Raiola, who won’t be re-signed.
  • Mayhew can envision a situation where both Suh and Nick Fairley return to Detroit, but he can also imagine a scenario in which neither player is back. The Lions aren’t sure yet how seriously they’ll pursue Fairley, but will meet with his agent, Brian Overstreet, this week.
  • The general manager also has a combine meeting lined up with the agent for free-agent-to-be Matt Prater.
  • According to Mayhew, the team is engaged in dialogue with some players about contract restructures to clear some cap room. Although the GM didn’t identify anyone specifically, one of those players could be Reggie Bush — Mayhew said the team hasn’t determined yet what the running back’s future with the team is.

Chargers GM Tom Telesco:

  • The Chargers plan to meet with the agent for free agent running back Ryan Mathews at the combine this week, according to Telesco. The GM added that the Chargers are “a different team” when Mathews is healthy and on the field.
  • The team is currently planning for D.J. Fluker to play right tackle in 2015, rather than continuing to try him at guard. San Diego figures to have some holes to fill on its offensive line this offseason, so having a set plan for Fluker should help identify the spots that need to be addressed.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh:

  • According to Harbaugh, the team’s free agents want to return to Baltimore, and the team wants them back. “That bodes well for us,” Harbaugh said.
  • It’s not clear if the head coach’s comment applies to every Ravens free-agent-to-be, but when he was asked specifically about Torrey Smith, Haloti Ngata, and Lardarius Webb, Harbaugh said, “They want to be back [and] we want them back, so we should have a good chance.” Smith is eligible for free agency, while Ngata and Webb are candidates for contract restructures or pay cuts.
  • Harbaugh also expects wide receiver Steve Smith to be back with the Ravens in 2015. The former Panther has two years left on his contract, but will turn 36 in May, so retirement may be a viable option soon.

NFC East Notes: Dez, Eagles, Washington

December 29th, 2014 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

Suggesting that reports about the Cowboys‘ off-field concerns about Dez Bryant are exaggerated, team owner Jerry Jones tells Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com that “nobody in the world” knows about his concerns for a potential Bryant contract extension besides Jones and executive VP Stephen Jones. As Jones puts it, there are concerns for any pricey, long-term deal, not just Bryant’s.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever signed a contract that I didn’t have things to worry about, but nobody talked about them,” Jones said. “You can’t make business decisions, especially multi-million dollar business decisions without having a nice little worry list over on the right. Everybody does. So it’s wrong to say that that is an issue. That’s not an issue relative to overall getting it done. We just want to get it done.”

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • Eagles general manager Howie Roseman received praise from head coach Chip Kelly, who says Roseman does “an outstanding job” managing the cap, as Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com details. More importantly, Roseman got an endorsement from owner Jeffrey Lurie, who said the GM has done a great job, and will be back for 2015, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Speaking today to reporters, including Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link), Kelly said it will be a priority for the team to retain running back LeSean McCoy, wideout Jeremy Maclin, and outside linebacker Brandon Graham this offseason. Meanwhile, as McLane tweets (Twitter link), Trent Cole said he’d be willing to rework his contract to return to the Eagles.
  • Washington wide receiver Santana Moss will turn 36 in the summer, and doesn’t have a contract for 2015, but he thinks he can still play in the NFL, and will attempt to continue his career, preferably in Washington, writes Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com.
  • Quarterback Robert Griffin III would also like to stick with Washington, despite an up and down 2014 season, says Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Unlike Moss, Griffin is under contract for another year, but he has been cited as a potential trade candidate, given his seemingly shaky relationship with head coach Jay Gruden.
  • Washington running back Roy Helu believes there’s a 50/50 chance he re-signs with the team, telling John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that he’s excited about the possibility of hitting the open market.
  • Washington will take a few days before making any decisions one way or the other on the members of Gruden’s staff, including defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, Jones writes for the Post.

Jay Gruden To Remain With Washington

December 28th, 2014 at 5:50pm CST by Rob DiRe

Washington is expected to stay true and keep head coach Jay Gruden going into 2015, reports Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 D.C. (via Twitter).

Despite a lack of success in his first season, as well as constant quarreling with starting quarterback Robert Griffin III, Russini writes that nothing has changed since an earlier report that the team was leaning toward keeping Gruden.

Griffin is also slated to return as the team’s quarterback. Both his future with the tem and his coach’s were in doubt at times during the last month of the season.

The victory against the Eagles in Week 16 likely put both parties in better standing with owner Dan Snyder, and although Washington was thoroughly beaten by the Cowboys today, it likely wasn’t enough of a disappointment to make the owner change his mind

East Notes: RGIII, Eagles, Cutler

December 21st, 2014 at 8:43am CST by Rory Parks

It was not long ago that the respective futures of Robert Griffin III and Jay Gruden in Washington were in doubt. After one strong game against the Eagles on Saturday night, that no longer seems to be the case. Following a last-minute, 27-24 victory over their playoff-hopeful division rivals, Washington’s head coach and quarterback are set to return for 2015.

As Jason Reid of the Washington Post wrote just hours after the team’s victory, “Jay Gruden and Robert Griffin III are expected to return next season.” Reid went on to note that Washington’s reliance on the on the run game and DeSean Jackson allowed Griffin to be more comfortable in the pocket than he has been all season, which could have created a blueprint for the team’s success moving forward.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds that there was never any real doubt among the Washington administration that Griffin would be back, as the team continues to hope that he can be the franchise quarterback it once anticipated. So, as Florio writes, “the only remaining question is whether they pick up his eight-figure option for 2016 by May 3. If the goal is to support him, they either need to exercise the option or extend his contract.”

Now for some more noes from the league’s east divisions:

 

NFC Links: Gore, Cutler, Griffin, Sanchez

December 20th, 2014 at 4:51pm CST by Rob DiRe

49ers‘ running back Frank Gore has seen a decline in his play this season, and his future in San Francisco is in question. Aside from his rookie season and injury-shortened 2010, Gore is on pace to post career lows in yards, attempts, touchdowns, yards per carry, and longest run. He has also been phased out of the passing game, with career lows in targets, catches, and receiving yards.

Gore will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and spoke to Eric Branch of SFGate.com regarding his future with the team. “If they want to bring me back, they will,” Gore said. “They’ll come to me in a respectful way. We’ll sit down, see what they want me to do. See what my role is and if I like it, I’ll sign. If I don’t, I’ll try to see what other teams think of me.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Joel Corry of the National Football Post takes a look at the financial implications that would take place if the Bears decided to trade Jay Cutler. Because of his contract, he writes the Bears would be unlikely to get much in return for the embattled quarterback, but writes that the Titans, Jets, Buccaneers, Rams and Texans could all have at least some interest in acquiring Cutler at the right price.
  • Despite some rumors that Washington would fire head coach Jay Gruden after only one season, the former Bengals’ offensive coordinator is confident that he will get a second season with the team, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com. “I feel good about my chances of coming back next year,” Gruden said. “I feel good about some of the core group of guys we have here and building a football team, and I think we can get this thing turned around a lot sooner than later if given the opportunity.”
  • Gruden returning is not a given, but after that the biggest question of Washington’s offseason is at the quarterback position. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com would not be surprised to see Robert Griffin III back in Washington next season, noting that his salary is fully guaranteed for 2015 (via Twitter). He writes that Gruden wants to win, and Griffin could be his best option at quarterback (via Twitter).
  • With Nick Foles closer to being healthy each week and the Eagles still in the thick of the playoff race, Mark Sanchez needs to be better, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While he writes that Sanchez is not concerned about his own stock, the team’s playoff chances are directly related to how well Sanchez plays. Whether Sanchez’s top priority is making the playoffs or getting a starting job in 2015, he needs to be better over these next two games.
  • The Panthers will not activate defensive end Frank Alexander for this weekend’s game against the Browns, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox sports 1 (via Twitter). Alexander came off of his suspension this week, after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Garafolo writes that the team is expected to activate him on Monday.

 

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