Ryan Mallett - Pro Football Rumors

Sunday Roundup: Bryant, Chancellor, Broncos

September 20th, 2015 at 10:27pm CST by Rob DiRe

Cowboys dynamic receiver Dez Bryant has a very unclear timeline for his return. Initial reports had him returning in 4-6 weeks, while subsequent stories suggested he could miss as many as 10 or 12 games due to his foot injury. However, amidst these conflicting reports, Bryant himself chose to weigh in on these reports via his personal Twitter account.

“Whenever the media can’t talk to me, reports get made like this,” Bryant tweeted. “10 to 12 weeks… we will just see how long I’m out lol. Go cowboys!!”

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Seahawks general manager John Schneider can sleep a little easier while holding strong in his stance against renegotiating Kam Chancellor‘s contract. Owner Paul Allen supports Schneider in this standoff, reports Conor Orr of NFL.com. That is one less force pressuring the team to soften its stance on negotiations with the superstar safety.
The Broncos may be 2-0 after escaping with narrow wins against both Baltimore and Kansas City, but they have a big question at running back. Starter C.J. Anderson has been ineffective, and backup Ronnie Hillman has emerged as a potentially better option for Denver. Troy Renck and Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post argue about if and when the team should make a change.
Many fans were confused by how quickly the Texans switched from Brian Hoyer to Ryan Mallett after just one game. Kevin Patra of NFL.com passes on a few reasons, courtesy of reporting done by Ian Rapoport. Those reasons include the spark Mallett brought to the team, how he handled losing the starting job, eliminating negative plays, and simply looking for star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Community Tailgate: Texans QB Situation

September 17th, 2015 at 5:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

With the NFL season underway, we have a whole new series of topics to discuss, and PFR’s Community Tailgate is designed to address those topics. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Despite lacking a franchise-caliber quarterback last year, the Texans finished 9-7 and nearly made their first trip to the playoffs since 2012. The team responded in the offseason by trading Ryan Fitzpatrick to the Jets for a conditional late-round pick. Fitzpatrick started 12 games, completed over 63 percent of passes, and threw 17 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 2014. The 32-year-old is career journeyman who has never been a world-beater, but he did fare respectably enough last season to rank as Pro Football Focus’ (subscription required) 12th-best QB out of 28 signal callers who played at least 50 percent of their teams’ offensive snaps.

To replace Fitzpatrick, Houston made a couple of two-year signings: They added free agent Brian Hoyer on a deal worth $4.75MM guaranteed, and re-signed Ryan Mallett for $7MM. Neither was on Fitzpatrick’s level in 2014. As a member of the Browns, Hoyer started 13 games, ranked 24th out of PFF’s 28 qualifying QBs and also put up worse traditional numbers than Fitzpatrick (55.3 completion rate, 12 TDs, 13 INTs). Mallett amassed similarly uninspiring stats in three games with Houston, completing 54.7 percent of passes and averaging a meager 5.3 yards per attempt.

Hoyer and Mallett competed during the summer for the starting job – a battle that Hoyer won. However, his stay atop Houston’s QB depth chart didn’t last long. After going 18 of 34 for 236 yards, a score and a pick in Week 1, head coach Bill O’Brien pulled Hoyer in favor of Mallett in the Texans’ 27-20 loss to the Chiefs. Mallett fared well in relief (8 of 13, 98 yards and a TD). That was enough for O’Brien to name Mallett the team’s starter for this Sunday’s game against the Panthers.

While the season is only a week old, it appears QB is primed to weigh down a fairly talented Texans team in 2015. With that in mind, did the organization handle the position properly during the offseason? Instead of Hoyer and/or Mallett, should they have signed a different free agent? Were they wrong to jettison Fitzpatrick, who is now the Jets’ starter and turned in a solid opening week performance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Texans To Bench Hoyer, Start Mallett

September 17th, 2015 at 1:30pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 1:30pm: The Texans officially announced that Mallett will be the team’s starting quarterback on Sunday against the Panthers.

WEDNESDAY, 1:34pm: Just one game into the 2015 season, the Texans are gearing up to make a change under center. This Sunday against the Panthers, the Texans are planning to start Ryan Mallett over free agent addition Brian Hoyer, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Both Hoyer and Mallett signed two-year contracts with the Texans this past March, with Mallett getting a $7MM deal from the team, while Hoyer received a $10.5MM pact. While Mallett had the advantage of having spent the 2014 season in Houston, Hoyer has the more extensive résumé as a starter, having started 17 career games, including 13 last season for the Browns. Mallett has just two career starts.

Hoyer, who had a 7-6 record last season being replaced by Johnny Manziel in Cleveland, signed a two-year contract with $4.75MM guaranteed. Despite far less in-game seasoning in two career starts (both coming last season), Mallett re-signed on a two-year, $7MM deal shortly after to create a strange scenario where a team signs both of its potential starting signal-callers in free agency. The 29-year-old Hoyer was set to be in the lower third of compensation for starting QBs while Mallett, 27, was to be one of the league’s best-compensated backups.

Despite neither completing passes at a rate higher than 55 percent last year, Hoyer and Mallett were two of the most coveted QBs in a barren veteran class. After Hoyer’s rough start to the 2015 season, the Texans are probably glad that they doubled up on competent signal callers.

Texans To Start Brian Hoyer At QB

August 24th, 2015 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Texans have made a decision in their quarterback battle, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Brian Hoyer will open the regular season as Houston’s starting QB. Hoyer and Ryan Mallett had been vying for the position throughout the offseason and into the preseason.

Both Hoyer and Mallett signed two-year contracts with the Texans this past March, with Mallett getting a $7MM deal from the team, while Hoyer received a $10.5MM pact. While Mallett had the advantage of having spent the 2014 season in Houston, Hoyer has the more extensive résumé as a starter, having started 17 career games, including 13 last season for the Browns. Mallett has just two career starts.

The decision shouldn’t have a real impact on the Texans’ roster or on either quarterback’s short-term contract prospects, since both Mallett and Hoyer – along with third QB Tom Savage – are on multiyear deals. All three signal-callers still appear very likely to make the regular-season roster. It’s also not guaranteed that Hoyer will finish the season as the Texans’ starting quarterback.

Still, if Hoyer takes the job and runs with it, it could have a serious long-term impact on the earning potential of him and Mallett. At $5.25MM per year, Hoyer would be one of the least expensive veteran starters in the league, and he’d be due for a raise after next season if he hangs onto the job and plays well.

Community Tailgate: Texans QB Situation

June 26th, 2015 at 5:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This week, we’ve launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Until this week’s possibly apocryphal discussion of Peyton Manning returning to the AFC South, we hadn’t heard a ton on the subject of the Texans’ quarterback situation. The spot’s been in relatively unsteady hands since former Pro Bowler Matt Schaub‘s rapid swoon helped sink the Texans, who were one Week 17 win away from home-field advantage in 2012, into ownership of the top spot in the Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes during a 2-14 campaign in 2013. And since, the team’s addressed its biggest need area with essential but unspectacular moves. From what turned out to be a one-year rental of Ryan Fitzpatrick before trading the journeyman to the Jets, to selecting Tom Savage in the fourth round last year, to now creating a derby between ex-Tom Brady understudies Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer that doesn’t have many NFL pundits revved up.

He of a 7-6 record last season before being replaced by Johnny Manziel in Cleveland, Hoyer signed a two-year contract worth $10.5MM ($4.75MM guaranteed). Despite far less in-game seasoning in two career starts (both coming last season), Mallett re-signed on a two-year, $7MM deal shortly after to create a strange scenario where a team signs both of its potential starting signal-callers in free agency. The 29-year-old Hoyer is the 21st-highest-paid quarterback in 2015, per OverTheCap, while Mallett, 27, ranks as one of the league’s best-compensated backups in the event Hoyer can beat out the former third-round pick. Despite neither completing passes at a rate higher than 55 percent last year, Hoyer and Mallett were two of the most coveted QBs in a barren veteran class. Yet the Texans acted quickly to sign each, signifying what may again be a dire scenario for a team that re-routed its fortunes back to respectability behind a strong running game and the league’s best defensive player.

The Texans’ defense, which ranked seventh in points yielded in 2014, will aid the winner of this battle. But Houston could still be restricted by limited quarterback play. Longtime Houston Chronicle scribe John McClain notes of each player’s minicamp progression in Bill O’Brien‘s offense with which both Hoyer and Mallett are familiar (Hoyer spent three years under O’Brien in New England). McClain calls Hoyer the safer option, with Mallett presenting “terrific” upside.

So, which which of these ex-Patriots should get the chance to lead the Houston offense this season? Does the 6-foot-6 Mallett’s possibly greater potential need to finally be either validated or exposed as flawed thinking, or should the 6-3 Hoyer’s experience winning in a Browns offense devoid of much weaponry warrant the first shot at the Texans’ gig? Does this become a revolving-door scenario where each jostle for the job all season, or does O’Brien have the patience to let one develop behind a solid offensive line? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Contract Details: Suh, Cobb, Jackson, Graham

March 10th, 2015 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Here’s a round-up of a few notable details on new contracts from around the NFL:

Ndamukong Suh, DT (Dolphins); $60MM guarantee is fully guaranteed at signing (Twitter link via Pro Football Talk).
Randall Cobb, WR (Packers): Four years, $40MM base value. $13MM signing bonus. $3.5MM roster bonus in March 2016, $5.35MM cap hit for 2015 (Twitter links via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com).
Kareem Jackson, CB (Texans): Four years, $34MM base value. $9MM signing bonus. $4MM roster bonus due this weekend (Twitter link via Corry).
Brandon Graham, OLB (Eagles): Four years, $26MM base value. $4MM signing bonus. $14MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
Cary Williams, CB (Seahawks): Three years, $18MM base value. $3.5MM signing bonus. $7MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Wilson).
Mark Sanchez, QB (Eagles): Two years, $9MM. $2MM signing bonus. $5.5MM guaranteed. Escalators for playing time, playoffs (Twitter link via Wilson).
Ryan Mallett, QB (Texans): Two years, $7MM base value. $1.75MM of $2.5MM 2015 salary guaranteed (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
Brian Hartline, WR (Browns): Two years, $6MM base value. $1.5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Tyvon Branch, S (Chiefs): One year, $2.1MM base value. $200K signing bonus. $2MM in playing-time, INT, Super Bowl incentives (Twitter links via Wilson).

Texans, Ryan Mallett Agree To Terms

March 9th, 2015 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

With the free agent period still more than 24 hours away, the Texans are prepared to snatch a pair of top quarterbacks off the board. Having already reached a verbal agreement with Brian Hoyer, the team has also agreed to terms with Ryan Mallett, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Per Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston (via Twitter), it’s a two-year deal, and Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com tweets that it’s worth $7MM.

Mallett, 26, was acquired by the Texans in a trade with the Patriots last offseason, and got a chance to start a couple games for Houston in 2014 before landing on injured reserve due to a pectoral injury. Mallett’s 54.7% completion percentage and 67.6 passer rating likely didn’t have teams burning up his agent’s phone this weekend, but Texans GM Rick Smith and head coach Bill O’Brien both spoke very highly of the ex-Patriot at the combine, suggesting the two sides would probably get something done.

With Mallett, Hoyer, Case Keenum, and Tom Savage all in the fold for the Texans, the team will almost certainly cut ties with Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was the primary starter in 2014. If and when Fitzpatrick becomes a free agent, the Jets will pursue him, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. New York GM Mike Maccagnan was in the Texans’ front office a year ago when the team added Fitzpatrick.

AFC East Rumors: Revis, Jets, Tannehill

March 8th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Rob DiRe

It will be hard to beat the Patriots re-signing Devin McCourty in terms of news, but there are a number of other rumors surrounding the AFC East teams as we approach free agency.

As the “legal tampering” period continues, the Patriots are still the favorites to keep either Darrelle Revis or McCourty, and are “a pretty good bet” to keep both players, according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com (via Twitter). The team already completed a deal with McCourty, and only needs to keep Revis to make good on Curran’s tweet.
While the Patriots may be the favorites, keeping Revis is not a done deal. The Chiefs and Jets are still contenders to sign Revis, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter).
The Jets are looking to add a veteran passer to its quarterback depth chart, and one name that has surfaced as a favorite it Brian Hoyer, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
The team has also targeted Ryan Mallett as a possible addition, although he has far less experience than fellow Tom Brady-backup Hoyer (via Twitter).
La Canfora also examines the impact of the Dolphins signing Ndamukong Suh will have on Ryan Tannehill‘s next contract. He writes the team has left itself little wiggle room to pay Tannehill if he has another productive season that would warrant an Alex Smith-like extension, which came in at four years and $68MM, with $45MM in guaranteed money.
It also surfaced that the Bills are expected to come to terms on a long-term deal with newly acquired quarterback Matt Cassel.

FA Rumors: Bulaga, McCourty, Suh, Raiders

March 7th, 2015 at 11:36pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Packers were able to retain one of their top two free agents tonight, reaching an agreement to bring back wide receiver Randall Cobb, the team may end up losing tackle Bryan Bulaga, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Two league sources tell Silverstein that Bulaga is seeking a contract worth at least $7-8MM per year, and has a good chance of landing such a deal. Per one of Silverstein’s sources, Green Bay isn’t interested in paying $7MM+ annually for Bulaga, and would let him walk if the bidding got that high. The Buccaneers, the Jaguars, and Washington are believed to have interest in the free agent tackle.

Here’s more from around the league on what has been a busy Saturday:

According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), safety Devin McCourty is seeking an annual salary of $9MM per year, like what Jairus Byrd got a year ago. When I listed McCourty as 2015’s second-best free agent earlier today, I noted that if Byrd could land $9MM per year, the Pats safety should be able to do just as well on the open market.
Cole also has an update on Ndamukong Suh, tweeting that one high-placed source is confident that Suh will end up with the Dolphins, while a second source says the Lions are the only other team involved in the bidding. Given how rare it is for a player of Suh’s caliber to reach the open market, I’d be pretty surprised if only two teams were pursuing him, but multiple reports over the last several days have identified Miami and Detroit as the frontrunners.
Cobb had been high on the Raiders‘ list of wide receiver targets, but now that he’s off the market, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) says the team will likely shift its focus to Jeremy Maclin, Torrey Smith, and – if and when he becomes available – Percy Harvin.
The Texans have interest in quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer, and it may not be an either/or proposition for the team, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, who tweets that the club would like to sign both players.
The Cowboys have elected not to tender a contract offer to cornerback Sterling Moore, meaning he’ll be an unrestricted free agent rather than an RFA, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.

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).