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Vernon Davis

Vernon Davis To Skip Training Camp?

July 12th, 2014 at 6:37pm CST by Ben Levine

The last time we heard about Vernon Davis and his quest for a new contract, it sounded like the tight end would attend 49ers training camp with or without an extension. However, a source tells Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that, at the current time, the Pro-Bowler will not be reporting. “At the current time” is key; as Florio points out, the tight end could easily change his mind.

The writer adds that the 49ers will not negotiate with Davis or guard Alex Boone (who is also seeking a new contract) unless the player’s show up to training camp. The team will be allowed to fine the duo $30K for each day missed and could pursue previously paid signing bonuses.

The 30-year-old skipped the team’s mandatory minicamp last month and explained his reasoning on Peter King’s MMQB.com…

“It’s all about getting paid what you deserve,” Davis said. “It’s not that complicated. I want the 49ers to win the Super Bowl, and I want to be on the field this summer working towards that goal, but I have to worry about my future first.”

The tight end also defended his decision to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution…

“It hasn’t been difficult at all,” he said. “There are no worries. There is nothing that I can stress about. It’s obvious that we want a new contract. I want a new contract. It’s just like any athlete, we all want a new contract. But I’m not going to stress over it.

“It’s not the end of the world if I don’t get it. If I get it, that’s good. It’s moving slowly, but surely. At the end of the day, if I don’t get the deal, at least I tried and I put my foot down. If I don’t get it at the moment, I’m not going to lose any sleep.”

Fallout From Jimmy Graham Ruling

July 2nd, 2014 at 7:45pm CST by Rob DiRe

Arbitrator Stephen Burbank’s ruling on the Jimmy Graham case will obviously cost the star tight end a significant amount of money, but it would still be best if he is able to work out a long-term deal with the Saints, writes Andrew Cohen of OverTheCap.com. While Graham will be franchised at the bargain rate of $7.035MM, going forward the franchise tag will cease to be an option.

The team was prepared to make Graham the highest paid tight end in the league, and while a second franchise tag is not completely out of the question, to franchise him for a third time would cost upwards of $20MM, the average of the top five highest paid players in the NFL, regardless of position. While Graham can hold out or try to force a trade, he has lost a good amount of leverage. His price tag might have gone down, but there is still plenty of money to make.

The ruling will effect more than just Graham and the Saints, but the ripples of this decision spread out throughout the league.

Here are some other notes from the fallout of Burbank’s ruling:

  • The Burbank decision should immediately lead to two things in the NFL, writes Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com. His first point is the obvious, that the team needs to sign Graham to a long-term deal. The second is perhaps more interesting. Duncan calls for “an amendment to the Collective Bargaining Agreement defining each NFL position to avoid future disputes in free agency.” When other tight ends encounter the same problems in the future, they should be able to point to something definitive, rather than their designation on their own social media page and Burbank’s belief that a four-yard split still enables them to sit back in pass protection.
  • Speaking of Twitter pages, Browns‘ star Jordan Cameron made a significant edit to his after the ruling cited Graham’s social media accounts. Cameron’s bio now reads “Pro Bowl pass catcher for the Browns.” Before today, “pass catcher” instead read “tight end,” reports John Breech of CBSSports.com. We’ll have to wait and see if Cameron’s splits start at five yards instead of four this season, as per the advice of Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter).
  • Vernon Davis is another tight end looking for a new contract, although the Burbank ruling does not effect him tremendously, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Davis is under contract with the 49ers, not a free agent, and he does not dispute his status as a tight end. However, if he is dissatisfied with being the third-highest paid tight end, Williamson assumes being dropped to fourth on that list will only add to the fire.

NFC Links: Graham, Davis, Giants

June 27th, 2014 at 3:42pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been more than a week since the beginning of Jimmy Graham‘s hearing over his franchise tag designation. Those who are antsy for a solution may have to wait a bit longer – sources tell ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio that a ruling isn’t expected until next week. Even then, the losing party will likely appeal the decision. The entire process could stretch beyond July 15, the deadline for inking a long-term deal.

Additionally, we learned some more interesting information about the hearing. Florio reports that Saints head coach Sean Payton testified against Graham, but the specifics weren’t known. We can likely assume one thing, however – if Graham loses his case, Payton’s going to have some difficulty convincing his tight end to participate in “wide receiver drills” during training camp.

Let’s see what else is happening around the NFC…

Extra Points: Davis, Hankins, Vernon, Brown

June 27th, 2014 at 12:00pm CST by Matt Feminis

“Vernon Davis sounds resigned as if he’ll report to 49ers training camp in 26 days without a new contract,” writes Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, and the tight end does not sound stressed about it.

Here’s more lunchtime links:

  • Giants 2013 second-round pick Johnathan Hankins came on strong down the stretch last season and is poised to inherit the nose tackle position vacated by Linval Joseph, who signed a free-agent deal with the Vikings, writes NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan.
  • Eagles defensive end Cedric Thornton was terrific against the run last season, but he’s making a concerted effort to improve his hand use and pass-rushing ability. In a story by CSNPhilly.com’s Geoff Mosher, Thornton says part of his motivation came from his wife telling him, “You only had one sack.”
  • Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon‘s stock is on the rise, says ESPN’s James Walker: “The former third-round pick exploded on the scene and led the Dolphins with 11.5 sacks…Vernon had another strong offseason, capped by his 2 1/2 sacks in Miami’s team scrimmage last week. Not only that, Vernon beat Dolphins Pro Bowl left tackle Branden Albert for two of his sacks…Vernon looks poised to hold onto his starting job and keep former No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan on the bench.”
  • Tarell Brown‘s one-year, $3.5MM deal is the Raiders’ best contract, while Sebastian Janikowski‘s four-year, $15.1MM deal — which “ranks in the top 10 of the Raiders annual salary structure, top 3 in total value for the team among veterans, and first overall among kickers in the NFL” — is the worst, in the opinion of OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald.
  • Chiefs injury plagued tight end Tony Moeaki is on the bubble, explains ESPN’s Mike Rodak.
  • Same goes for Jaguars safety Josh Evans, thinks ESPN’s Michael DiRocco: “Evans will have to prove early in camp that he’s completely healthy and is more consistent than he was as a rookie. If he doesn’t, he’ll lose reps and could end up being the first David Caldwell draft pick who gets cut.”

Bay Area Notes: Davis, 49ers, Raiders

June 26th, 2014 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up today’s items from out of the Bay Area on the 49ers and Raiders….

  • 49ers tight end Vernon Davis says he’s “not stressing” over his holdout, and hopes to see the arbitrator rule in Jimmy Graham‘s favor on his positional designation hearing, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Of course, as we noted earlier this week, the Graham decision may not have any real bearing on Davis’ situation, since the Niners tight end didn’t line up as a receiver nearly as often.
  • Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com takes an in-depth look at which 53 players he expects to enter the regular season on the 49ers‘ roster, running through the squad position by position.
  • A deal that will keep baseball’s Athletics playing at the Coliseum in Oakland is not yet official, but has been agreed upon, and is now subject to the approval by the Coliseum Joint Powers Authority, which is scheduled to vote on the pending extension Friday, according to MLB.com’s Jane Lee. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, that’s not great news for the Raiders, who want their own stadium, and won’t be able to build a new one in the current location if the A’s have the inside track on that spot. Florio suggests that we shouldn’t be shocked if owner Mark Davis “finally commences the launch sequence” to potentially move the Raiders to another city.

NFC West Notes: Peterson, Seahawks, 49ers

June 25th, 2014 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

The league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which features fifth-year options for first-round picks, is ensuring that 2011 first-rounders will have a hard time securing contract extensions this year, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. As Somers notes, agent Joel Segal has discussed a new deal for Patrick Peterson with the Cardinals, but the two sides haven’t made significant progress. With two years still remaining on their rookie contracts thanks to those 2015 options, Peterson and his fellow 2011 first-rounders have little leverage at the moment, as teams aren’t feeling the pressure to offer anything but discounted deals.

Here’s more from around the NFC West:

  • The Seahawks have signed former University of Washington receiver Kevin Smith to fill the last spot on their 90-man roster, reports Adam Jude of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Smith has bounced around among several teams over the last few weeks, having spent time with the Cardinals and Jaguars as well. He was cut by Jacksonville last week.
  • Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wasn’t surprised to hear the 49ers had Brandon Flowers in for a visit but he also wasn’t surprised that they couldn’t do enough to drag him away from the Chargers. Williamson thinks San Francisco will be fine going into the season with its current group of cornerbacks, but if another established CB becomes available, the team will investigate.
  • Former 49ers coach Mike Singletary wants Vernon Davis to talk it out with San Francisco brass, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “I think one of the most important things for Vernon is to make sure that right now with all of the things that are out there – the negative media, however it is – the most important thing in any holdout is the communication,” Singletary said Tuesday on NFL Network’s Total Access.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Davis, Graham, 49ers, Redskins

June 24th, 2014 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Vernon Davis seems to be keeping a close eye on the outcome of Jimmy Graham’s positional designation hearing, but the Graham decision shouldn’t have a real impact on the 49ers’ contract talks with their tight end, says Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. As Maiocco points out, Graham has a much stronger case to be considered a wide receiver, since he lined up in the slot or split out wide on two-thirds of his snaps, while Davis did so on only about 30% of his snaps.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • With no decision on Graham yet from arbitrator Stephen Burbank, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if the process may extend beyond July 15, the deadline for Graham and the Saints to reach a multiyear agreement. Even if Burbank’s ruling comes this week, it won’t be final until the losing side has the chance to appeal the decision. If New Orleans doesn’t sign Graham to a long-term deal by July 15, the star pass-catcher can only ink a one-year contract for 2014.
  • The 49ers‘ draft was almost universally lauded, and Bill Williamson of ESPN.com looks at what San Francisco hopes each pick will contribute in 2014. Second-rounder Carlos Hyde was thought to be a “steal” at pick No. 57, and is expected to receive opportunities at running back right away. Third-round center Marcus Martin has a chance to win the starting job, and fourth-round linebacker Chris Borland could earn playing time in the absence of the injured NaVorro Bowman.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap provides his take on the Redskins‘ best and worst contracts, identifying one of this year’s free agent signees – Jason Hatcher – as the player with the least team-friendly deal.
  • Jason Avant is expected to provide a veteran presence among the Panthers’ young receiving corps, but leadership alone wasn’t enough to keep him with the Eagles, where the 31-year-old quickly realized he wasn’t a fit in Chip Kelly’s scheme. “When they stop calling your number and guys start running some of the routes that you run,” Avant told Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer, “I knew from the beginning that I didn’t fit his style of offense, in that I’m a crafty guy that gets open in an atypical way.”
  • In the view of Falcons head coach Mike Smith, a player’s salary should be “nobody’s business,” but quarterback Matt Ryan says he isn’t feeling increased pressure now that he’s on a $100MM+ deal, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

49ers Notes: Davis, Boone, Hunter

June 17th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As anticipated, Vernon Davis and Alex Boone can now officially be classified as holdouts, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Neither player showed up to the 49ers’ mandatory minicamp today, and both men will be subject to fines of nearly $70K if they miss all three days of the camp. Both Davis and Boone are unhappy with their contracts and are looking to negotiate new deals, so it figures to be a busy summer for the Niners, who already locked up Colin Kaepernick and will likely explore extensions for Michael Crabtree and Mike Iupati.

Here’s more out of San Francisco:

  • Kaepernick expressed his support for Davis and Boone, suggesting that he won’t harbor any ill will toward either player for missing the team’s practices this week. “I would love to see all of our players there, but at the same time, they have to do what’s best for them and make their own decisions,” Kaepernick said, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group.
  • Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee views Boone’s case for a new contract as stronger than Davis’, but suggests that both players could be hard-pressed to reach agreements this year, given the Niners’ current cap situation. San Francisco probably can’t afford to pay ever player who deserves a raise, so the team will have to identify its top priorities.
  • While his teammates eye new deals, running back Kendall Hunter is trying to avoid thinking about his situation as he enters a contract year, writes Inman. “You can’t think about that,” Hunter said of his impending free agency. “I just want to play football and help the team.”

Vernon Davis Not Attending 49ers’ Minicamp

June 17th, 2014 at 11:23am CST by Luke Adams

As had been expected, tight end Vernon Davis is not in attendance at the 49ers’ mandatory minicamp today, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Subbing in for Peter King at the MMQB.com earlier this week, Davis had strongly suggested that he wouldn’t be present at the Niners’ camp, explaining that he hopes to renegotiate his contract with the club.

“It’s all about getting paid what you deserve,” Davis wrote on Monday. “It’s not that complicated. I want the 49ers to win the Super Bowl, and I want to be on the field this summer working towards that goal, but I have to worry about my future first.”

By failing to attend this week’s minicamp, Davis will be subject to about $70K in fines, after having already forfeited $200K in workout bonuses for missing the team’s OTAs. It remains to be seen whether the tight end will be in attendance when San Francisco begins training camp next month, but if he’s not, he’d have to pay further fines.

Although Davis may feel as if he’s not being paid what he deserves, he’s still among the league’s highest-paid tight ends by annual average value and has two years remaining on his current deal, so his leverage in contract talks will be limited. I expect the 30-year-old to relent before the Niners do, particularly since the team also has to address a potential new contract for Alex Boone and extensions for Michael Crabtree and Mike Iupati, all of which are arguably more pressing than a new deal for Davis.

NFC Notes: Graham, Lynch, 49ers, Vikings

June 16th, 2014 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Both Jimmy Graham and the Saints have plenty to lose depending on what an arbitrator rules this week on Graham’s franchise tag positional designation. Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes it’d be in the best interest of both sides to reach a long-term agreement before that ruling is made. In Triplett’s view, a multiyear deal with a value of $10-11MM seems about right.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett told NFL AM today (link via NFL.com) that he hopes the standoff between Marshawn Lynch and the club is short-lived, though he threw some support behind his teammate: “Obviously he’s one of the best running backs in the game, and he feels like he should be paid like one of the best backs in the game. And, of course, I agree with him.” Of course, even without a new contract, Lynch already ranks among the league’s top five RBs when it comes to average annual salary.
  • In addition to discussing his contract situation, Vernon Davis also shed some light on his long-term plans at TheMMQB.com today, writing that in 10 years his goal is to “host my own show, start acting, and continue to build a business empire.”
  • Although it’s not 100% clear whether or not Davis will show up at the Niners‘ minicamp this week, offensive lineman Alex Boone will only be in attendance if he has a new deal in place, which appears unlikely, tweets Bill Williamson of ESPN.com.
  • While the Vikings expect a big season from Kyle Rudolph, the team also needs a second tight end to step up and fill the void left by John Carlson’s departure, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
  • Rather than choosing a team in free agency that lacked talent on the defensive line so he’d have a better chance at playing time, Alex Carrington elected to sign with the Rams this offseason in order to surround himself with talent, as he explains to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
  • The Packers have a decent chunk of cap space still available, but will need to decide how to use it, writes Wes Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com, adding that extensions for Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb or a new deal for Jermichael Finley are all possibilities.
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