Scot McCloughan - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: Romo, Redskins, Bucs, Peterson

February 9th, 2017 at 9:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Usually not shy about voicing Cowboys stances, Jerry Jones doesn’t yet know how the team will proceed with Tony Romo, acknowledging multiple moving parts stand in the way of a resolution presently.

“The team we have, especially the offensive side, was built for Tony,” Jones said during his weekly radio spot with KRLD-AM (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). “This is what it is. It’s a juncture we have to address. I don’t know how ultimately we will resolve this and nobody should be alarmed because you don’t have all the answers. There are some issues here that you just have to see how the cards are playing.”

Jones added his close relationship with the 36-year-old passer will help the sides during this process, so that could potentially mean he’s willing to work with Romo rather than trade him to a place he does not want to go. The quarterback is not believed to be considering retirement and wants to play for a contending team. The Cardinals initially appeared on a prospective Romo short list, but Carson Palmer‘s return closes that door. Chiefs GM John Dorsey evaded a Romo query today, Dave Skretta of the Associated Press notes, and Broncos coaches spent time Wednesday saying their 2017 quarterback is already on the roster. Both AFC West teams have been linked to Romo recently, though.

Here’s more from the Romo derby, along with the latest from the NFC.

In a snazzy ESPN.com piece, the Bears are seen as a top realistic destination for Romo. On a list housing several teams, the Bears potentially signing Romo as a free agent and grooming a high draft pick strikes various ESPN staffers as a viable option. Romo, though, may not want to consider the Bears due to their struggles in recent seasons. The Bills are known to have interest, but Romo isn’t believed to reciprocate that. Buffalo finished four games better than 3-13 Chicago in 2016.
Redskins president Bruce Allen is applying pressure to GM Scot McCloughan after recent struggles in free agency and the draft, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports. Allen wouldn’t let McCloughan speak to reporters at the Senior Bowl and, per Jones, won’t permit him to talk with media at the Combine, instead preferring the third-year GM concentrate on repairing the team this offseason.
Some talk’s surfaced about the Redskins moving Bashaud Breeland from cornerback to safety, Jones notes. But the reporter adds some in the organization would rather leave fourth-year player where he is. Breeland’s started 42 games in his three seasons, but the Redskins have more questions at safety than corner at present. Relocating inside linebacker Su’a Cravens to safety remains in consideration as well.
The Buccaneers already assessing own free agents and Roy Cummings of FloridaFootballInsiders.com ran down the players that he feels should be retained. Defensive end Will Gholston isn’t a sack machine but he tops the list because of his age (25; 26 in July) and versatility. Cummings estimates that he’ll earn as much as $5MM/year on the open market, but that could prove to be a bargain in the long run. Other priority free agents listed include safety Bradley McDougald, wide receiver Russell Shepard, and running back Jacquizz Rodgers.
Adrian Peterson‘s $18MM cap figure is more than twice as high as any running back in the league for 2017 and the Vikings will have a challenge in reworking his deal. For insight, ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling spoke with former agent and exec Andrew Brandt, who speculated that a fair deal could have a $5MM-$7MM base plus incentives based on playing time. Whether that kind of deal would be accepted is another question. Because Peterson is such a prideful player, he could opt to test the open market if he feels insulted by whatever Minnesota offers him.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

East Notes: Jets, Gilmore, Giants, Redskins

June 17th, 2016 at 12:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Geno Smith is the Jets current starting quarterback, although the team would clearly prefer Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Second-round pick Christian Hackenberg is the future at the position. So, where does that leave Bryce Petty?

As Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes, the team shouldn’t be giving up on the sophomore signal-caller. While the Jets have considered keeping four quarterbacks for 2016, Petty’s roster spot is no guarantee, and the writer doesn’t believe the organization should give up on the project so quickly.

For what it’s worth, Petty is ready for the challenge.

“You like competition,” Petty said. “So it’s one of those deals like, ‘Okay, they did draft a guy. Now it’s my chance to prove that they took the right guy the year before. … They made a good choice when they drafted me.”

Let’s check out some other notes from the NFL’s East divisions…

The Jets willingness to play hard ball with Fitzpatrick and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson leads to the perception that the team is “not as committed to winning as they ought to be,” writes Steve Serby of the New York Post. The writer believes the real fear is that this sentiment will leak into the locker room, which could make for a toxic environment.
The Bills don’t intend to pay Stephon Gilmore “Josh Norman cornerback money,” writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. If the defensive back is seeking a contract that nears Norman’s five-year, $75MM, the team will presumably let Gilmore walk following the season. On the flip side, the Bills may be willing to pay the former first-rounder $12.5MM a year.
The Giants are a natural fit for former Ravens offensive lineman Eugene Monroe, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The team has an obvious hole on the offensive line, and Monroe’s track record proves that the organization shouldn’t be wary of the veteran’s presence.
Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan has only held his position for 17 months, but the executive has already done an admirable job of turning around the organization. As Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports writes, the offseason acquisition of Josh Norman was McCloughan’s biggest move yet, and the GM is confident that the signing will ultimately prove to be worth it.

NFC Notes: Washington, Rams, Greenway, Giants

April 13th, 2016 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

Although Washington didn’t have a ton of cap flexibility this offseason, the team could have made a bigger splash in free agency if GM Scot McCloughan had been interested in doing so. However, as John Keim of ESPN.com details, Washington’s players have faith in the front office and don’t mind the more patient approach to roster building.

“I’m excited about what he’s doing,” said Washington defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois. “I understand a lot of people say he didn’t bring in a lot of big names. You’ve got to know Scot McCloughan; he doesn’t like big name guys. As you can see with our [defensive backs], we got guys off the street and he brought them in and they did a wonderful job for us. I can only imagine what he’s going to do with the draft. I understand he [wants] 12 picks. I believe that first and second pick are up for grabs to get what he wants.”

As we wait to see what McCloughan has up his sleeve for draft day, let’s round up several more items from around the NFC….

Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas will work out on Friday in Los Angeles for a Rams contingent that includes GM Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
The Vikings‘ new one-year deal with linebacker Chad Greenway is worth $2.75MM, with $750K in guaranteed money, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Ben Goessling of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that the guarantee comes in the form of a $400K roster bonus and a $350K guarantee on Greenway’s $2.3MM base salary.
Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (all Twitter links) has the details on three recently signed Giants contracts, reporting that the deals for linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, running back Bobby Rainey, and offensive tackle Byron Stingily are all one-year, minimum salary benefit pacts. Sheppard gets an $80K signing bonus, Rainey gets a $40K signing bonus (plus $40K in additional bonuses), and Stingily gets a $20K first-game, 53-man roster bonus.
Maryland safety/corner Sean Davis will visit the Buccaneers next week, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Aaron Wilson had reported over the weekend that Davis met – or will meet – with over half the teams in the NFL.
Aaron Wilson passes along word of a couple more pre-draft meetings, reporting (via Twitter) that Incarnate Word linebacker Myke Tavarres has a private workout this Friday with the Eagles, and tweeting that Sam Houston State punter Lachlan Edwards is privately working out for the Cardinals today.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Cowboys, Rams, Bills, Henry, Ford

March 26th, 2016 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s the latest from around the league, beginning with two Southern California training camp teams who aren’t jumping at the chance to reconvene for joint practices.

Despite the teams now training near Los Angeles, Cowboys and Rams aren’t planning to partake in another training camp scrimmage due to the brawl that occurred last year when the teams had joint practices in Oxnard, Calif., Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. The Rams will be training at UC-Irvine this year, but Jason Garrett hasn’t engaged in any discussions on bringing the teams together again.
The Bills expect clarity on Percy Harvin‘s health status in the ensuing two weeks, Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News reports. Doug Whaley and Rex Ryan are open to the UFA returning despite Buffalo’s $6.9MM left in cap space. Harvin, whose troublesome hip issues ended up sidelining him for the season last November, would have to compete with newly signed Leonard Hankerson and players like Olympic long jump hopeful Marquise Goodwin for the Bills’ No. 3 receiver spot, however, and do so having missed 36 games over the past four seasons.
An NFC personnel man rates Arkansas’ Hunter Henry as the most complete tight end to be available in the draft in a long time, Mark Eckel of NJ.com reports. The unidentified evaluator sees Henry as a fit with the Jets, whose tight ends caught just eight passes last season after Jace Amaro missed the year with an injury. “I never liked Amaro,” the personnel man told Eckel. “(Hunter) is tons better than Amaro. Where do I see him going? That’s a tough question. (No. 20) might be a little soon, but he’s a first rounder. He’s definitely a first-rounder.”
Dee Ford figures to have a bigger role with the Chiefs in his third season. How much bigger will likely be determined by Justin Houston‘s health. John Dorsey and Andy Reid saw flashes of brilliance, per Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star, with Reid saying one of last season’s takeaways was finding out that Ford was “a pretty good football player.” The player who would be opposite Ford in a Houston-less look, Tamba Hali, believes the third-year player — who has been mostly buried behind Houston and Hali in his two seasons — needs to develop further mentally. “If I had to speak for him, I would like for him to take the next step in being a professional … basically (the reason) why they drafted him here is to take over the (starting) role. The season’s too long for me to focus on being a starter or a backup,” Hali said. “I think he’s in the position where he can kind of take the torch and go forward. That’s really mental; physically, the kid is gifted and he has it. But mentally we have to just make sure that he understands why we’re in this building and what needs to be done while we’re here.”
Former Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody has been handed a nine-month sentence in his animal cruelty case, as Pat Warren of CBS Baltimore writes. Cody was found guilty of negligence in the death of his canary mastiff who was starved to death. However, he was not found guilty of felony animal abuse because the court did not find his actions intentional, according to his lawyer. PETA issued a statement following the sentencing and implored the NFL to do more to combat animal abuse amongst its players.

Zach Links contributed to this report

NFC Mailbags: Washington, Packers, Panthers, Cowboys, Rams

May 23rd, 2015 at 11:41am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus over to the NFC…

Scot McCloughan made no changes to the Washington front office following his hiring, but John Keim believes there could be a simple explanation for the lack of turnover. McCloughan seemed to have a good “rhythm” with those remaining in the front office, and Keim hypothesizes that if the GM wanted to make moves, his targets may have been unavailable.
Despite Mike Neal‘s $4.25MM cap hit for 2015, Rob Demovsky says the Packers‘ linebacker is likely staying put. The 27-year-old was paid $1MM back in March, so if the team wanted to part ways with Neal, they likely would have done it earlier in the offseason.
The Panthers and outside linebacker Thomas Davis have been having ongoing discussions regarding an extension, according to David Newton. The writer adds that he’d be “shocked beyond belief” if the two sides didn’t come to an agreement prior to training camp, and he notes that Davis could be in line for a two or three-year extension.
Todd Archer was surprised that Cowboys assistant director of player personnel Will McClay‘s wasn’t mentioned more during the offseason GM searches. The writer wonders if other team’s want to see a larger body of work from McClay, who has only been running the Cowboys’ scouting department for a year.
The Rams could easily turn to undrafted rookie Zach Laskey for their fullback spot, writes Nick Wagoner. However, it could be difficult to bump Cory Harkey from the role, and Wagoner believes the tight end will see the bulk of the fullback snaps in 2015.

Washington Notes: Kerrigan, Williams, Scherff

May 11th, 2015 at 12:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan has accrued an impressive 38 sacks during his four seasons in Washington and is a year away from free agency, where he stands to cash in big. Kerrigan might not reach the open market, however, as ongoing extension talks between his agent and Washington “are progressing well,” he told Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (Twitter link). Kerrigan, who racked up a career-high 13.5 sacks last season, will make just over $7MM in the final year of his contract.

In addition to Kerrigan, Washington is at risk of losing three-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Trent Williams to free agency after next season. General manager Scot McCloughan hopes to keep Williams, whom Pro football Focus (subscription required) ranked 18th out of 84 qualifying tackles last season and who will count over $13.7MM against Washington’s cap in 2015.

“We’re going to take care of our own. That’s very important,” McCloughan said, per El-Bashir (Twitter link).

More news and notes on Washington:

Washington agreed to deals with nine of its 10 draft picks from this year’s class earlier Monday. The only one without a contract, first-rounder Brandon Scherff, won’t be unsigned for much longer. An agreement between the team and its highly touted offensive lineman is “very close,” said McCloughan, according to Tom Schad of the Washington Times (via Twitter). It could get done in time for the club’s rookie minicamp this weekend.
Robert Griffin III’s first year under Jay Gruden didn’t go well, but the head coach is expecting improvement from his quarterback in 2015. Gruden believes RGIII knows the system better and won’t have to think as much, tweeted Mike Jones of the Washington Post. For his part, Griffin says he feels better mentally (Twitter link).
Former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims will try out for Washington as a running back or slot receiver this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Sims worked out for teams as a return man prior to the draft.
McCloughan originally wanted to sign 13 undrafted free agents. Two fell through, one on account of retirement, per Schad (Twitter).

Breer’s Latest: Titans, Gurley, Rams, Bears

April 30th, 2015 at 6:13pm CST by Luke Adams

With the draft less than an hour from getting underway, Albert Breer of the NFL Network took to Twitter to pass along a number of draft-related nuggets. Here are the highights from Breer (all Twitter links):

The Titans have fielded offers for the No. 2 pick, but haven’t gotten any to their liking yet and are ready to draft Marcus Mariota. The club isn’t very interested in picks below 15th overall as a central part of any trade package.
Teams like the Browns, Dolphins, and Chargers are eyeing Todd Gurley, and it’s possible one of those clubs – or another suitor – will get anxious and trade up for the Georgia running back, given the interest he’s generating.
Although Washington, the Jets, and the Rams are all viewed as trade-down candidates in the top 10, St. Louis is a little more flexible than the other two teams, who may not want to drop too far. Washington may target an offensive lineman like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers if Scot McCloughan decides to move down, and those players – or Andrus Peat – could be targets for the Giants and Rams as well.
There’s a belief that Giants GM Jerry Reese would prefer a pass rusher to an offensive lineman at No. 9, but depending on how the first few picks play out, the value might not match up.
According to Breer, the run on offensive lineman may happen earlier in the first round than people think, which may motivate one or two teams to trade up. Cameron Erving has a chance to go in the teens. The Panthers and Broncos are among the teams picking late in the first who are seeking offensive linemen.
Cornerback Trae Waynes is generating buzz and could go as high as seventh overall to the Bears. Dupree and Kevin White are also in the mix at No. 7. The draft range for Amari Cooper appears to be between the third and sixth overall pick, so he likely won’t be available for Chicago at No. 7.
The Falcons may decide to move up from No. 8 for an impact defender like Leonard Williams, but if they stay where they are, Bud Dupree could be their man.
Either Sean Mannion or Bryce Petty figures to be the third quarterback off the board, and it’s not likely to happen in the first round.
According to Breer, teams believe Shane Ray will slip but will be picked in the first round, whereas Randy Gregory isn’t viewed as a first-round pick.

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.

East Notes: Wallace, Cowboys, Foles

February 8th, 2015 at 8:44am CST by Rory Parks

The future of Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace has been up in the air virtually since the ink dried on the five-year, $60MM deal he signed with Miami in 2013. Even before the 2014 season began, we heard that Wallace could be on the trading block, and questions regarding his status with the team arose again within the past couple of weeks.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Wallace and GM Dennis Hickey recently had a meal together, suggesting that Miami is open-minded about retaining Wallace and will not release him without first determining whether the situation is salvageable. Jackson breaks down the cap ramifications of whatever decision the team ultimately makes, noting that the Dolphins will absorb a $12.1MM cap hit if Wallace is on the team, $9.6MM if he is cut without a post-June 1 designation, $6.6MM if he is traded, and $5.2MM if he is cut with a post-June 1 designation (which also would entail a 2016 cap hit).

Now let’s take a look at a few more links from the league’s east divisions:

Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com previews the Jets‘ quarterback options this offseason, writing that the team is likely to bring in a veteran quarterback and a rookie signal-caller to challenge Geno Smith. Cimini names Ryan Fitzpatrick as a particularly viable veteran option if he is released by the Texans. Fitzpatrick knows new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey‘s system well from the time the two spent together in Buffalo.
Finding a way to retain both Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray is at the top of the Cowboys‘ priority list this offseason, but Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News writes that Dallas desperately needs to draft upgrades at every level of its defense. George goes on to examine the state of the team’s defensive line, linebackers, and secondary.
Former Pro Bowl tackle Tra Thomas, who served as a coaching intern and offensive assistant coach with the Eagles for the past several seasons, says that the team needs a running quarterback in order to effectively run Chip Kelly‘s offense. As Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com notes, Thomas’ comment is interesting because “it is the closest thing the Eagles have had to a coach…coming out and saying [Kelly] needs a running quarterback,” and because the questions surrounding Nick Foles‘ status with the team are rooted in the fact that he is incapable of beating teams with his legs.
Speaking of the Eagles‘ quarterback situation, NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock has said that former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is a “projection” for every team in the league except Philadelphia (link via Tucker Bagley of PhillyMag.com).
Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com examines the emphasis that new Washington GM Scot McCloughan will place on player development.

NFC Links: Cutler, Cromartie, 49ers

January 17th, 2015 at 12:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Washington general manager Scot McCloughan believes the roster he’s inherited at his new stop is better than the team he had when he joined the 49ers.

“This roster, from what I know, was much more improved than the 49ers,” McCloughan said (via John Keim of ESPN.com).

“Things just weren’t meshing, but you could see each year we were adding good players, and you could see it in the offseason, how hard they worked and how important it was for them to be a family and grow together. All of a sudden, they hit a peak and Coach [Jim] Harbaugh came in there and then took off.”

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes from around the NFC…

With the front office and coaching staff stabilized, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com says it’s time for the Bears to focus on Jay Cutler‘s future with the organization.
Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie spoke on the NFL Network about his impending free agency. “I’m leaving the door open,” Cromartie said (via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). “Right now, until the Super Bowl is over, I’m still an Arizona Cardinal. Until they come to me about a conteact, I’m still an Arizona Cardinal. Once March 10 at 4 o’clock hits, March 12 at 9 a.m. hits, and no one’s offered me a contract, then I’m free game. And I’m open to anything to go out and try to win a championship and help any organization.”
A friend of 49ers defensive end Justin Smith told Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee that there’s a 50-50 chance the veteran will return next season (Twitter link).