HEADLINES

T.Y. Hilton

Extra Points: Bills, Mathis, Hilton, Gregory

June 13th, 2015 at 7:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

After adding a pair of potential starters in free agent Richie Incognito and third-round pick John Miller earlier this offseason, Bills head coach Rex Ryan is content with his offensive guards. However, that won’t necessarily stop the team from trying to improve at the position. That improvement could come in the form of 10-year veteran Evan Mathis, whom the Eagles cut earlier this week.

“I think he’s a good football player; there’s no doubt,” Ryan said of Mathis, according to ESPN’s Mike Rodak. “We’ll do our due diligence, so to speak, but I’m pretty happy with our guards.”

If the Bills do pursue Mathis, their cap situation ($6.1MM in space, not including practice-squad signings and in-season injury replacements) could serve as a hindrance, Rodak notes.

More from around the NFL…

  • Colts star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is entering the final year of his contract, but he isn’t concerned about his long-term future. “If they want to pay me, they’ll pay me,” said Hilton, per Blake Schuster of the Indianapolis Star. “It takes both sides to come to an agreement. I leave that up to my agent and just go out there and have fun.” The 25-year-old Hilton, who has back-to-back seasons of 80-plus catches and 1,000-plus yards, will cash in soon with either the Colts or another club.
  • Don’t expect the Cowboys to use second-round pick Randy Gregory as more than a pass-rushing defensive end, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys don’t want Gregory dropping into coverage, per Machota, who also notes that Gregory will have to continue adding bulk in order to hold up against the run.
  • Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns went from undrafted free agent to solid contributor last year partly because he was able to capitalize on injuries to his fellow Jags wideouts. With Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Bryan Walters and Damien Copeland slowed by injuries during organized team activities, Hurns once again took advantage of his situation as a healthy member of the Jags’ offense, according to Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com. The fact that Hurns has been on the field learning new coordinator Greg Olson’s system could give him a leg up as he competes with his teammates for playing time. “I just feel really good in this system,” said Hurns. “[Greg Olson] has done a great job of opening things up to letting us run different routes. It’s a fun offense to play in.”

AFC South Notes: Orakpo, Luck, Hilton

June 11th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

Prized Titans offseason acquisition Brian Orakpo is still being held out of practice, but Whisenhunt says it’s more precautionary than anything, as Glennon writes.

“I think probably right know he could go,” the coach said. “But we’re holding him back, just because we want to make sure we don’t do anything now and we’ve got him when we get rolling in (training) camp.”

While we wait for Orakpo’s practice debut, here’s more out of the AFC South..

  • Colts owner Jim Irsay told reporters, including Mike Chappell of the Indy Star (on Twitter), that quarterback Andrew Luck will be in Indianapolis “for a very long time.” Irsay has repeatedly expressed confidence that he will eventually lock his franchise QB up for the long term.
  • After listening to Colts GM Ryan Grigson talk today, Mike Chappell of CBS4 (on Twitter) is convinced that T.Y. Hilton will wait until the end of the season for a new deal. On Wednesday, Irsay gave reporters the impression that he could get a new pact done with Hilton before the start of the year.
  • The Colts would be smart to make Luck a big offer now, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk opines. Waiting to get a deal done with Luck, he argues, will only increase the quarterback’s leverage. The odds of Luck suffering a career-threatening injury that would diminish his value go down the closer he gets to completing his contract. The Colts could capitalize on that fear now and convince Luck to take a deal that will give him security against something catastrophic, just as the Dolphins did with Ryan Tannehill.

Colts Open To New Deals For Hilton, Pagano

June 10th, 2015 at 6:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Colts owner Jim Irsay didn’t close the door on the possibility of deals getting done for both wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and coach Chuck Pagano, Mike Wells of ESPN.com tweets. Irsay also made it clear that “it takes two parties” to get a deal done, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star tweets.

Back in February, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported that the Colts were expected to be proactive when it comes to locking up members of their 2012 draft class. Hilton, he said, would likely be the first player addressed, but others from that class include tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen and – of course – star quarterback Andrew Luck. Hilton, 25, enjoyed his best season to date in 2014, hauling in 82 catches for 1,345 yards and seven touchdowns. That performance earned him his first career Pro Bowl selection. Hilton still has a year to go on his third-round rookie contract.

Pagano, meanwhile, has has been the Colts’ head coach for the last three seasons. In each campaign, Pagano has led the Colts to a 11-5 regular season mark and a playoff appearance. Last year, the Colts made it to the AFC Championship Game but succumbed to the Patriots.

Extra Points: Collins, Fletcher, Jets

May 7th, 2015 at 10:37pm CST by Zachary Links

How busy is commissioner Roger Goodell? So busy that LSU coach Les Miles couldn’t get through when he tried to call and vouch for La’el Collins, as Jim Kleinpeter of The Times-Picayune writes. “Why wouldn’t that (supplemental draft) be what it’s for. Explain to me why that’s not perfect for this (situation). Some guys would have passed and some said yeah. He (Collins) would have gotten his spot,” Miles said. “This is a guy who is still going to make money, long term. I’d like to see an adjustment made now.” Ultimately, Collins did not get into the supplemental draft, but he has found a home with the Cowboys. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • There’s nothing official yet, but there’s a “good chance” that Patriots will sign linebacker Dane Fletcher, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com tweets. The Pats have been seeking guys with experience to give depth to the linebacker position.
  • Some wondered aloud if the Colts were taking T.Y. Hilton‘s eventual replacement when they selected Phillip Dorsett out of Miami. The choice came as a surprise to some, but not to Hilton himself, Zak Keefer of the Indy Star writes. “There’s nothing I can do about that. That’s who they picked. That’s cool with me…Nothing in this league should surprise anybody,” said Hilton, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. “(It was) a pick that they thought we needed, so I guess that’s what we needed to help this team.”
  • Dom Green, who was recently let go as the Chiefs’ assistant college scouting director, is up for a job with the Jets‘ personnel department, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

AFC South Notes: Colts, Hilton, Titans

February 19th, 2015 at 9:47pm CST by Zachary Links

A quick look at the AFC South..

  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) expects the Colts to be “very proactive” when it comes to locking up the members of their 2012 draft class, who are now eligible for contract extensions. Wideout T.Y. Hilton will likely be first up, according to La Canfora. Other players from that class include Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, and – of course – Andrew Luck.
  • Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter) feels that the Colts must address their safety situation in both free agency and the draft. The Colts need to solidify the position and they have no viable safeties in-house.
  • We learned last month that veteran safety Bernard Pollard has asked the Titans for his release, and coach Ken Whisenhunt says that sort of thing is “not uncommon” at this time of year, per Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. “[Bernard’s] not healthy right now, so there is no decision to be made,” Whisenhunt said of the safety’s request.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC South Notes: Titans, Jackson, Hilton

February 17th, 2015 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

Three years ago, the Rams struck gold in the draft when they took advantage of Washington’s desire to land Robert Griffin III by turning the second overall pick into a huge haul of future picks. The Titans hold the No. 2 overall pick in 2015, in a class with two consensus top signal-callers well above the rest of the players at the position. However, even with teams like the Browns and Eagles reportedly interested in moving up to select Marcus Mariota, NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock doesn’t foresee any team mortgaging the franchise for either of this year’s top quarterbacks (Mariota and Jameis Winston).

“Washington went and got the guy they thought could help them win a Super Bowl,” Mayock said on Monday’s conference call, per Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. “Because of what’s happened with that kid, both with injuries and the way he’s played, I think a lot of teams are very nervous about the perception of mortgaging your future.”

As the Titans consider their options for what to do with that second overall pick, let’s check in on a few more notes from out of the AFC South….

  • Earlier this week, Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson said he doesn’t love the idea of receiving the franchise tag, and I pointed out that the team isn’t likely to use it on him anyway. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle agrees with that assessment, suggesting that while the Texans will do their best to keep Jackson, the franchise and transition tags won’t be in play.
  • T.Y. Hilton, who is heading into the final year of his rookie contract, is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, and it appears a new agent will be handling those negotiations. That new agent? Hilton’s old agent. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the Colts wideout has re-hired Drew Rosenhaus, whom he fired back in June. Maverick Carter and Erik Burkhardt represented Hilton in between his stints with Rosenhaus.
  • With the scouting combine taking place in Indianapolis this week, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star evaluated the drafts of Colts GM Ryan Grigson. The stellar 2012 draft featuring Andrew Luck, Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, and Hilton predictably got an A grade. The 2013 draft didn’t pan out the same way, but the 2014 draft featuring three starters – Jack Mewhort, Donte Moncrief, and Jonathan Newsome – got a B grade.

2015 Proven Performance Escalator Raises

January 16th, 2015 at 8:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time in said snaps for the duration of his first three years in the league. If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s restricted free agent qualifying offer — that figure was $1.431MM last year, and will inflate commensurate with the salary cap increase. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their 2015 salary rise due to the PPE, courtesy of Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap.

Bengals: George Iloka, S; Mohamed Sanu, WR

Bills: Nigel Bradham, LB

Broncos: Malik Jackson, DL; Danny Trevathan, LB;

Browns: Billy Winn, DL

Cardinals: Bobby Massie, T

Chargers: Johnnie Troutman, G

Colts: Dwayne Allen, TE; T.Y. Hilton, WR

Dolphins: Lamar Miller, RB; Olivier Vernon, DE

Eagles: Brandon Boykin, CB; Nick Foles; QB

Falcons: Lamar Holmes, T

Jets: Demario Davis, LB; Antonio Allen, DB

Packers: Mike Daniels, DL

Panthers: Josh Norman, CB

Patriots: Alfonzo Dennard, CB

Raiders: Miles Burris, LB

Rams: Chris Givens, WR; Trumaine Johnson, CB

Ravens: Gino Gradkowski, C

Saints: Akiem Hicks, DT; Corey White, CB

Seahawks: J.R. Sweezy, G; Russell Wilson, QB

Steelers: Kelvin Beachum, T

Texans: Brandon Brooks, G; Jared Crick, DL; Ben Jones, G

Titans: Coty Sensabaugh, CB

Vikings: Robert Blanton, S: Rhett Ellison, TE; Josh Robinson, CB; Jarius Wright, WR

Washington: Alfred Morris, RB

South Notes: Graham, Hilton, Panthers, Titans

June 13th, 2014 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

Jimmy Graham‘s hearing on the positional designation for his franchise tag is scheduled to get underway on Tuesday, and at least one Saints beat writer believes the Saints should win the decision. Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune points to Graham’s production during the rare instances when he was covered by a cornerback last season, arguing that his numbers in those cases don’t compare favorably at all to the league’s best receivers. The idea of determining a player’s value based on his position rather than his overall contributions to the team seems a little archaic to me, so I appreciate that Holder’s argument centers more around the pressure Graham puts on a defense rather than where he lines up — even if that may ultimately not affect the arbitrator’s decision. We’ll have to wait and see if the NFL management council makes a similar case during next week’s hearing.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:

  • After parting ways with agent Drew Rosenhaus, Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton has hired Maverick Carter and Erik Burkhardt to represent him, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Hilton still has two years left on his rookie deal.
  • In the wake of Jordan Gross‘ retirement, the Panthers still aren’t sure who will be protecting Cam Newton‘s blind side at left tackle this season, writes Steve Reed of The Associated Press.
  • Northern Colorado signal-caller Seth Lobato auditioned for the Titans yesterday, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Lobato went undrafted last month and signed with the Colts as a free agent, but was cut by the team earlier in June.
  • Former Dolphin Will Yeatman, who was converted from a tight end to an offensive lineman a couple years back, has visited the Texans this week, as well as the Vikings, according to Wilson. Yeatman is recovering from an ACL injury but is expected to be ready for the season.

AFC South Notes: Texans, Hilton, Jaguars

June 9th, 2014 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Like Eric Fisher a year ago, No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney will have offsets in his rookie contract with the Texans, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links). Draft picks are typically agreeing to terms quicker than ever because the new CBA doesn’t leave much room for negotiations, but the presence of offsets in deals for first-round picks was one possible point of contention. Still, with offsets in the deals for Clowney and No. 4 pick Sammy Watkins, the Rams and Jaguars should be able to push for similar contracts for Greg Robinson and Blake Bortles, as Breer notes (via Twitter).

Here’s more from out of the AFC South:

  • The Texans may release a quarterback before training camp, head coach Bill O’Brien told reporters, including Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. With Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Savage viewed as locks for the regular-season roster, either Case Keenum or T.J. Yates is expected to be the odd man out.
  • Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton, who has two years left on his rookie deal, has fired agent Drew Rosenhaus, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). It’s the second time Rosenhaus has made headlines in the last 24 hours — he’s also on the receiving end of allegations made by Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson.
  • The Jaguars have cut offensive tackle Demarcus Love to make room to sign wide receiver Brandon Wimberly, tweets John Oesher of Jaguars.com. Wimberly participated in the club’s rookie minicamp as a tryout player last month.