HEADLINES

Sam Bradford

Extra Points: Panthers, Lions, Eagles, Saints

May 30th, 2016 at 3:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Panthers free safety Tre Boston wishes that Josh Norman was still with the team, but he also understands the nature of the NFL.

“Of course, I miss my boy Josh,” Boston said, according to ESPN.com’s David Newton. “But it’s a business. You can’t miss guys too long, because the next thing you know, it lingers onto the team. That’s what we can’t have. We’ve got to move on.”

As the Panthers adjust to life without one of the league’s top corners, let’s take a look around the NFC:

  • So far in OTAs, Eagles rookie Carson Wentz seems to have a better understanding of Doug Pederson’s offense than veteran Sam Bradford, Matt Lombardo of NJ.com opines. That’s a surprising take given that Bradford is entering seventh NFL season (or, his sixth NFL season, if you exclude his lost 2014). It is rare for rookies to fully grasp a new offense so quickly, but it sounds like Wentz may be an exception. The expectation – for now – is that veteran Sam Bradford will at least begin the 2016 season as the Eagles’ starter.
  • At the outset of the offseason, the Lions were concerned about their depth along the defensive line. Since then, however, they have addressed the issue by re-signing starters Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker and drafting Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson in the second round. Robinson could be the future of the position group, with Ngata now 32 years old and Walker playing on a one-year deal, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes.
  • The Saints made a surprising change during OTAs when they shifted second-year defensive tackle Kaleb Eulls to the other side of the ball, as ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett writes. Eulls is currently slotted in as the team’s backup left guard behind Senio Kelemete. “We think he’s got a lot of the attributes that you need,” Payton said of the UDFA out of Mississippi State. “He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s got the size that you’re looking for. … We spent some time in the offseason talking with him and going through that decision. Obviously it’s a big learning curve for him, but I think he’ll handle it.“

Extra Points: Brees, Bradford, Browns, Jags

May 25th, 2016 at 8:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Saints and Drew Brees haven’t had contract extension talks in about a month and a half, the quarterback said Wednesday (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of NFL.com). Brees added that he doesn’t like talking contract during the season, per Larry Holder of NOLA.com (on Twitter). That means the Saints’ hopes of extending the 37-year-old could be put on hold for a while if they don’t lock him up prior to their Sept. 11 opener. Brees is currently scheduled to count $30MM against New Orleans’ cap this year, the final season of his contract.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Although the Eagles traded up in the draft to use the No. 2 overall pick on quarterback Carson Wentz, the expectation is that veteran Sam Bradford will at least begin the 2016 season as their starter. That might not be the case, however, according to new offensive coordinator Frank Reich. On whether Bradford is the Eagles’ clear-cut No. 1 option under center, Reich told CBS Philly, “No, that’s probably not the right impression.” He continued, “This is one of the most competitive industries in the world and so, to say that there’s not competition, that’s just the furthest thing from the truth.”
  • Longtime Browns left tackle Joe Thomas stated at the end of last season that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue his career with rebuilding Cleveland, but the nine-year veteran is now pleased that the team didn’t trade him. “It wouldn’t have surprised me if I had been traded, but I’m happy that I didn’t. So it’s kind of a happy ending,” he told Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Thomas, who has gone to the Pro Bowl every year of his career, is also pleased with the Browns’ new head coach, Hue Jackson. “I was always jealous of the guys that were in Cincinnati running Hue Jackson’s offense because it’s a very offensive line friendly offense, a lot of quick throws, a lot of easy fade balls, a lot of different formations to spread the defense out, confuse them, get them into really vanilla looks, some up-tempo stuff, smash-mouth football, he really wants to run the ball inside the tackles,” he said.
  • Like Thomas, Jaguars left tackle Luke Joeckel is glad he’s still with his current club. “I love Jacksonville. I’d love to stay here. It all comes down to my play. I’m only focused on myself and me playing football, getting better at left tackle,” he said (link via Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com). While Joeckel’s goal is to improve at tackle, there’s a good chance he’ll shift inside to guard if free agent pickup Kelvin Beachum wins the LT job, as expected, per DiRocco. Since the Jags used the second pick of the 2013 draft on Joeckel, the former Texas A&M standout has been a disappointment. Joeckel’s struggles led Jacksonville to decline his fifth-year option for 2017 and sign Beachum.
  • It’s not clear whether right tackle Seantrel Henderson will be a part of the Bills‘ plans in 2016 and coach Rex Ryan admits that he hasn’t spoken to him in some time. “I have no update for you guys on that. So that is a medical thing,” Ryan said (link via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW) “I really have no update. I haven’t seen Seantrel in quite a while.” A seventh-round pick in 2014, Henderson started all 16 games in his rookie season in Buffalo, and had started 10 games for the team in 2015 before he was sidelined with Crohn’s disease.
  • Free agent wide receiver Wes Welker isn’t sure if he wants to continue his NFL career in 2016. “There are some days I wake up I’m like, ‘OK I’m done,’ and other days I wake up and I’m like, ‘Maybe one more year,'” the five-time Pro Bowler said Wednesday, per NFL Media (via Twitter). Welker, 35, joined the Rams midway through last season and posted unimpressive numbers (13 receptions and 102 yards) in eight games.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

East Notes: Eagles, Jets, Washington

May 17th, 2016 at 7:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said Tuesday that he has reached out to Fletcher Cox multiple times, but he hasn’t spoken with the defensive lineman (link via Josh Paunil of PhillyMag.com). Cox, who has one year left on his contract, has been absent from the Eagles’ voluntary May workouts. If the two-time second-team All-Pro misses the club’s mandatory three-day minicamp in June, it’ll cost him upward of $76K.

More from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • Though Jets receiver Eric Decker doesn’t seem thrilled with the idea of life after Ryan Fitzpatrick, he acknowledged Tuesday that the team will have to make the best of it if the free agent quarterback doesn’t re-up with Gang Green. “All I can say is we have to move on without him right now because they are stuck where they are with the business decision, where they want to go with the money, who’s going to break,” Decker told SiriusXM NFL Radio (per ESPN’s Rich Cimini). Decker had one of his best seasons in his first (and only?) year with Fitzpatrick in 2015, catching 80 passes for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns.
  • In holding out for a trade, Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford and agent Tom Condon made a rational business decision, opines Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Bradford’s Eagles teammates understand his point of view, which is why they haven’t attacked him for seeking a better opportunity elsewhere, adds Sielski. “A player can get cut before his contract is up. Teams have no loyalty necessarily to their players. So when players make moves, it’s all business,” said safety Malcolm Jenkins
  • Some members of the Washington organization are wondering if safety Kyshoen Jarrett‘s career is over, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Jarrett, a 2015 sixth-round pick, appeared in all 16 of the team’s games as a rookie, totaling 58 tackles and a forced fumble. He suffered nerve damage to his right shoulder and neck on a Week 17 hit, however, and still doesn’t have much feeling in his arm as a result. For now, the likelihood is that Jarrett will miss the upcoming season, Jones writes.

NFC Notes: Bradford, Bennett, Seahawks, 49ers

May 17th, 2016 at 5:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Given the addition of No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz, Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford is unsurprisingly aware that he’s likely on borrowed time as the team’s starter.

“I’m not completely naive. At some point it’s not going to be my team,” Bradford told reporters Tuesday (via Rob Maadi of The Associated Press).

Bradford looked like a good bet to retain the starting job in Philadelphia for a little while longer after the club kept him from free agency with a two-year, $36MM deal in March, but the Eagles subsequently surrendered a massive haul to move up in the draft for Wentz. Bradford then briefly held out for a trade, which didn’t materialize. The decision to stay away from the Eagles was his agent’s, according to Bradford, who eventually concluded that Philadelphia “is the best place for me.”

“Tom Condon’s been my agent for my entire career,” Bradford said, per Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. “He’s a guy that I really trust. At the time where we were going through this process, he felt like that was the best option for me. And given that I trust him and know that he has my best interest at heart, I’m always going to follow his advice.”

Bradford added that he’ll help Wentz break into the NFL, saying, “I’m not going to hide anything and if I can do something to help him become a better player, I’m going to do it. It’s only right I fill that role right now. If I wasn’t willing to do that it’s not having respect for the game.”

Wentz, meanwhile, stated that there isn’t any tension between him and Bradford.

More on Philly and a couple other NFC franchises:

  • Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett tore into Bradford on Tuesday as a result of his holdout. “I can’t believe Sam Bradford is complaining about making $40 million in the next two years, and because he actually has to compete for a position. This guy… this guy right here definitely sets a bad tone of what a player should be,” Bennett told 710 ESPN Seattle (per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com).
  • Bennett hasn’t been happy with his own contract, a four-year, $28MM pact he signed in 2014. Nevertheless, he told reporters – including The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta – that holding out of training camp isn’t an option. General manager John Schneider realizes Bennett isn’t thrilled with his deal, but he said that players with more than a year left on their contracts aren’t the priority when it comes to extensions. Bennett still has two years remaining on his accord, so a possible extension might not come until next offseason.
  • When asked about the possibility of acquiring Eagles running back and potential trade candidate Darren Sproles, 49ers head coach Chip Kelly said, “I’ve had nobody call me from Philadelphia since December” (Twitter link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle), referring to his late-2015 firing. Sproles, of course, played the previous two seasons under Kelly after the Eagles acquired him via trade in 2014.
  • Colin Kaepernick still hasn’t been cleared to practice after undergoing shoulder surgery last fall, but it’s not going to cost the 28-year-old in the 49ers’ quarterback battle between him and Blaine Gabbert, Kelly said (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “There’s not a race. The first day we’re able to against defenses is today. We’re not naming the starting lineup for the Rams game today.” Kelly added that Kaepernick has “a great grasp of what we’re doing. I’m really impressed by both Blaine (Gabbert) and him and their intelligence and being able to pick up what we’re trying to do.

Extra Points: Hall, Falcons, Wentz, Saints

May 14th, 2016 at 12:30pm CST by Ben Levine

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

  • The Falcons won’t be signing veteran cornerback Leon Hall, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. The 31-year-old auditioned for Atlanta last week, and considering coach Dan Quinn’s comments regarding the player’s injury history, McClure presumes that Hall didn’t check out medically.
  • Despite suggesting that every team deserves an ‘A’ for their draft efforts, Falcons owner Arthur Blank was particularly happy with his team’s haul. “You think from our perspective, I would give our coach and general manager Thomas (Dimitroff) a grade A because I know that every single position they drafted very specifically for exactly what the coach wanted and the coaching needs in terms of defense or in terms of the offense,” Blank told Doug Roberson of AJC.com. “Hopefully, that will play out in a successful way over the next couple of years.”
  • Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz isn’t anticipating any issues with teammate Sam Bradford. “I think the relationship with him, and really, the other quarterbacks in the room, I think it’ll be great,” Wentz told Les Bowen of Philly.com.“I think it’ll be a really competitive atmosphere. Hopefully, we’ll all learn together and grow together and really push each other, and ultimately (that will) lead to benefiting the team and winning a lot of ballgames.” An April report suggested that Bradford wanted out of Philly.
  • ESPN’s Mike Triplett passes along (via Twitter) a trio of veterans auditioning for the Saints: kicker Connor Barth and defensive linemen Matt Shaughnessy and C.J. Wilson.

Bradford’s Agent Wanted Broncos Trade

May 11th, 2016 at 7:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Sam Bradford has reported to the Eagles for their voluntary camp, but just a few weeks ago, his status with the team was anything but certain. After the Eagles traded up to the No. 2 pick in the draft to select a quarterback, Bradford was feeling rather unloved and asked for a trade. The Broncos, who had quite a bit of uncertainty at the position, kicked the tires on the quarterback. Sam Bradford (vertical)

[RELATED: Fletcher Cox Absent From Eagles Workouts]

Ultimately, however, Denver moved on from Bradford upon hearing the Eagles’ spit take-inducing asking price. The Broncos are now prepared to head into 2015 with Mark Sanchez and rookie Paxton Lynch under center, but agent Tom Condon says that he tried hard to help facilitate a deal while it was still a possibility.

“We thought we had a chance to go to a really god football team and be there for a long time,” Condon said on The Rich Eisen Show (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “That opportunity was there and the attempt was made. When the Broncos contacted the Eagles and talked about the trade, they couldn’t agree on a price. At that point our options are pretty limited. So, our next best option is to go back and prepare for the season.”

Bradford has accepted his fate for now, but if things pan out with Carson Wentz as the Eagles expect, he might not be a part of the team’s plans beyond 2016. Bradford’s new two-year deal calls for most of its guarantees to be paid in 2016, so the Eagles could move on from him in 2017 if they deem him expendable.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sam Bradford Reports To Eagles

May 9th, 2016 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

9:24am: While the Eagles’ offseason activities aren’t currently open to the media, Bradford issued a statement today upon returning, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com:

“I’m excited to be back on the field today with my teammates and coaches. The business-side of football is sometimes a necessary consideration. My attention and efforts are focused on the participation in and preparation for a championship season: I am committed to my teammates and the Eagles organization for nothing less.”

8:41am: Appearing on Sports Radio 94WIP in Philadelphia today, Eagles defensive end Connor Barwin said that quarterback Sam Bradford would be reporting to the Eagles’ offseason activities today (Twitter link via Howard Eskin). And it seems Barwin was right — Bradford has indeed reported to the club and is in the building this morning, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.Jan 3, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford (7) prior to the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports

According to Tom Condon – Bradford’s agent, who spoke to Sal Paolantonio of ESPN – the signal-caller has rescinded his trade request in addition to rejoining the team (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). Condon reportedly said during an appearance on Mike & Mike today that Bradford’s camp thought a trade to Denver was a viable possibility until the Broncos drafted Paxton Lynch in the first round.

As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, the Eagles are in the second phase of their offseason conditioning — Bradford missed just two of 10 weeks. The team’s offense will take the field for workouts today, and the former No. 1 overall pick will join the unit.

While Bradford may still be unhappy about his situation in Philadelphia, the Eagles had been insistent that they didn’t want to trade him, and public sentiment wasn’t exactly in favor of the player who just received an $11MM signing bonus from the team two months ago. Bradford continues to be on track to open the 2016 season as the Eagles’ starter. With rookie Carson Wentz looming, it remains to be seen how long Bradford will keep that job, and how long he’ll stick in Philadelphia.

Bradford’s new two-year deal calls for most of its guarantees to be paid in 2016, so the Eagles could move on from him in 2017 if they deem him expendable – and Wentz ready – a year from now.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Eagles, Pace, Cromartie, Jags

May 7th, 2016 at 8:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

According to Connor Barwin, Sam Bradford was caught off guard when the Eagles swapped picks with the Browns to trigger their seminal Carson Wentz selection at No. 2 overall.

Not that it’s a surprise Bradford wasn’t expecting this given his recent actions, but the fourth-year Eagles pass-rusher expects things to cool down for the former No. 1 overall pick and that the presumptive Week 1 starter will return to the team, per Zig Fracassi of Sirius XM Radio (Twitter link).

Signed to a two-year, $35MM deal, Bradford probably represents the Eagles’ best chance of competing right away. He was 7-7 as a starter for last season’s dysfunctional team and completed 65% of his passes, by far a career-high mark. But like 2015 Philadelphia teammate Mark Sanchez, it is a matter of time until the first-round pick takes the reins.

Some speculated the 28-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner will retire a la Carson Palmer and wait for a potential solution to develop, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk doesn’t see this drama paying off for Bradford. The former Ram’s prolonged absence will make his learning curve in Doug Pederson‘s offense steeper.

Here’s the latest from around the league as rookie minicamp weekend continues.

  • Antonio Cromartie and Calvin Pace remain free agents, and Todd Bowles said the “door is not closed” on potentially bringing them back to the Jets, Kimberley Martin of Newsday reports. Pace’s two-year, $5MM deal expired after the 2015 season. The pass-rusher had been a staple on the Rex Ryan-era defenses, having started 16 games from 2008-14. Last season, the now-35-year-old Pace started in 13 games. The Jets cut the 32-year-old Cromartie after just one season. Gang Green, though, remains deadlocked with Ryan Fitzpatrick on a deal that looks to pay the quarterback at least $8MM AAV and as of Saturday possesses $3.2MM in cap space.
  • The Jaguars moved Brandon Linder to center, Gus Bradley told media (including Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union). An 18-game starter at right guard the past two years, Linder missed 13 games due to a shoulder injury last season. After Stefen Wisniewski opted to sign with the Eagles, Linder will be the Jaguars’ fourth center in four years.
  • Meanwhile, Jacksonville’s line looks to have two former Cowboys backups, with Mackenzy Bernadeau set to move into the Jags’ starting left guard position, O’Halloran writes. Like Jermey Parnell in 2015, Bernardeau left Dallas and its loaded offensive front and will have a better opportunity to be a first-string presence for a less-accomplished line. The 30-year-old Bernadeau did not sign a high-end deal for his position like Parnell did a year ago, but he brings a similar profile, having played as a key backup with the Cowboys the past two years. Prior to that, the former seventh-round Panthers pick in 2008 started 27 games at guard for the Cowboys in 2012-13. Bernadeau started 19 contests for the pre-Cam Newton Panther teams in 2009-10.

Extra Points: Bradford, Jets, Giants, Falcons, Lions

May 6th, 2016 at 8:30pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Given quarterback Sam Bradford‘s unhappiness in Philadelphia, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk examined the seemingly far-fetched possibility of the 28-year-old retiring – at least temporarily. Bradford would have to surrender the $11MM signing bonus he received from the Eagles earlier this offseason if he were to walk away, but he would offset that loss somewhat by avoiding any fines or forfeitures that would accompany a potential holdout.

The appeal of retiring from Bradford’s point of view is that he could wait for another team’s starting quarterback to suffer an injury, whether it be this year or in 2017, thus leading that club to approach the Eagles about a trade. It would be similar to the situation Carson Palmer found himself in five years ago as a disgruntled member of the Bengals. Early in the 2011 season, the Raiders lost starter Jason Campbell to an injury and then made a trade with the Bengals to bring Palmer out of his short-lived retirement.

Most teams’ starting quarterback situations are set right now, and the Eagles haven’t shown a willingness to move Bradford in the wake of trading up to No. 2 in the draft for Carson Wentz and signing Chase Daniel, so Florio opines that retirement could be his most sensible option.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • There was potential for a New York-New York trade in the first round of last week’s draft, according to the New York Daily News’ Gary Myers, who reports that the Jets offered their first- (20th overall) and second-rounders to the Giants for No. 10. The Jets had their sights set on Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, but the Giants didn’t want to move down and risk losing out on Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple. Had the Giants accepted the Jets’ offer, they would have either taken TCU wideout Josh Doctson or the best cornerback available (likely Houston’s William Jackson III) at No. 20, per Myers. Doctson ultimately went 22nd to Washington and Jackson landed with the Bengals two picks later. Meanwhile, instead of nabbing Tunsil, the Jets kept their top two picks and used them on Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee and Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg.
  • The Falcons are currently mulling whether to sign free agent cornerback Leon Hall, who visited them this week, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Hall would add depth to a Falcons defensive backfield in need of it, especially given the four-game suspension the league handed Jalen Collins, as McClure writes. The ex-Michigan standout’s entire NFL career has thus far been spent in Cincinnati, where he totaled 26 interceptions from 2007-15, though it doesn’t appear he’ll return to the Bengals. Aside from the Falcons, Hall has also visited the Giants, Cardinals and Cowboys this offseason, but his age (31) and injury history (he has torn both Achilles) are seemingly working against him in landing a contract.
  • With the draft in the books, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com took a look at six Lions veterans whose jobs could now be in jeopardy. Meinke points to quarterback Dan Orlovsky, center Travis Swanson, offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, defensive tackle Gabe Wright and long snapper Don Muhlbach as players who aren’t locks to remain in the Motor City.

NFC Notes: Ansah, Stafford, Bradford, Giants

May 6th, 2016 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Defensive end Ziggy Ansah, who is now under contract through 2017 after the Lions picked up his fifth-year option for 2017, won’t say whether he’s interested in signing a multiyear extension to remain in Detroit long term.

“As of right now, I think you’ve got to take it step by step,” said the standout Lions defender, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. “You’ve got to see how this season goes, and I’m just looking forward as far as having a great season for the team.”

In 2016, Ansah will earn a modest $2.94MM salary, but that 2017 option will pay him $12.734MM, so he’s in line for a nice raise eventually, whether or not he inks a long-term deal with the Lions. The former first-round pick, who recorded 14.5 sacks in 2015 on his way to his first Pro Bowl nod, was the league’s 27th-best edge defender out of 110 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required).

Here’s more from out of the NFC:

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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