HEADLINES

Vontaze Burfict

Extension Talks Between Burfict, Bengals Stalled

July 31st, 2014 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Discussions between the Bengals and Vontaze Burfict on a new contract for the linebacker appear to have reached an impasse, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). We heard way back in May that the two sides had begun to discuss an extension, and earlier today a report suggested that the team still hoped to work something out before the regular season. However, it seems talks have stalled for now.

Burfict, 23, signed with the Bengals in 2012 as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State, and quickly developed into a full-time starter in Cincinnati, leading the team in tackles (177) and earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2013. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), despite racking up penalties, Burfict graded as the league’s fourth-best 4-3 outside linebacker last season, performing particularly well in pass coverage.

Because he wasn’t drafted, Burfict is significantly underpaid heading into his contract year — he’s in line for a $570K base salary, with a cap number that’s only marginally higher than that, as a result of the $1K signing bonus he received back in ’12. However, even though he deserves a raise, Burfict’s leverage is limited by the fact that he’ll only be eligible for restricted free agency in 2015, meaning the Bengals can tender the linebacker an offer that would make it difficult for him to sign elsewhere.

The Bengals are also hoping to address Andy Dalton‘s contract situation in the near future, as well as extending A.J. Green, so perhaps the club will shift its focus on getting something done with those players if talks with Burfict come to a halt.

Bengals Rumors: Dalton, Green, Burfict

July 31st, 2014 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams

Marvin Lewis‘ 2013 offensive and defensive coordinators are both now running teams of their own, with Jay Gruden having departed for Washington and Mike Zimmer coaching the Vikings. But Lewis and the Bengals have plenty of confidence that installing a pair of new coordinators this season won’t have an adverse effect on the club, as the head coach tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

“The timing of when Jay and Mike were offered head coaching positions and they accepted, it couldn’t have played any better for me and made it a much easier transition without much angst, which was good,” Lewis said. “And it was good for our players as well knowing they could continue on with people who knew them. … We are able to come in and pick up where we left off.”

In addition to exploring the integration of Hue Jackson and Paul Guenther into their new roles on the Bengals’ coaching staff, La Canfora also explores a number of other topics of note after his visit to Cincinnati’s training camp. Let’s round up the highlights….

  • La Canfora doesn’t expect a contract agreement between Andy Dalton and the Bengals before the season gets underway, and it’s unlikely that the two sides would continue negotiations during the season. According to La Canfora, there hasn’t been any progress or movement lately, and it doesn’t seem as if Dalton’s camp is interested in a short-term bridge deal or a long-term deal without much money up front (a la Colin Kaepernick‘s extension).
  • The door has been opened for 2011 first-rounders to sign contract extensions after Patrick Peterson and Tyron Smith inked new deals this week, and La Canfora wouldn’t be surprised if A.J. Green ultimately landed an extension before Dalton. For now, the Bengals have the star wideout locked up through 2015 after exercising his fifth-year option, but the team will want to keep him around long-term.
  • The Bengals also continue to work on a new deal for linebacker Vontaze Burfict, with the goal of getting something done before the season gets underway, says La Canfora.
  • Mohamed Sanu could be a beneficiary of Andrew Hawkins‘ free agent departure to Cleveland, according to La Canfora, who says Sanu is “generating a strong buzz” in camp.

Bengals Rumors: Dalton, Extensions, Reynolds

June 11th, 2014 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, the Bengals announced a series of roster moves, signing offensive tackle Will Svitek and cornerback Victor Hampton, and cutting cornerback Brandon Burton and linebacker Bruce Taylor. That’s not the only news coming out of Cincinnati this morning though, so let’s check in on a few other items….

  • Andy Dalton and the Bengals have made some progress in talks on a new contract, but nothing is imminent at this point, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, both sides seem to have confidence that something will get done, but it looks like it will happen closer to – or during – training camp. When I asked yesterday about a possible Dalton extension, about 60% of you said Cincinnati shouldn’t hammer out an agreement with its quarterback yet.
  • Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio and addressed the team’s negotiations with Dalton. Lewis that he’s being kept apprised on the potential numbers and structure of an extension, but that his main responsibility is to ensure that his quarterback isn’t getting too caught up in contract talk.
  • Lewis also added that reaching a deal with Dalton will allow the Bengals to focus on other players who may be next in line for a new contract. The head coach specifically mentioned his tight end and linebacker, so presumably he’s referring to Jermaine Gresham and Vontaze Burfict, both of whom are entering the final year of their contracts.
  • Prior to signing Svitek, the Bengals also worked out veteran offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds, tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan. It’s not clear if Cincinnati chose Svitek over Reynolds, or if the club still may have interest in the ex-Falcon.

Bengals Notes: Dalton, Burfict, Green, Bernard

June 8th, 2014 at 3:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In the wake of Colin Kaepernick‘s extension, it’s going to be tough for the Bengals to offer Andy Dalton anything less than $18MM annually, writes Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Dalton (whom I recently profiled as an extension candidate) would probably need to indicate that he is amendable to a team-friendly structure that would not overwhelmingly restrict Cincinnati’s salary cap space. Former agent Joel Corry believes that Dalton could accept a contract similar to Kaepernick’s, provided that the AAV is similar. “There’s got to be some sort of interplay,” says Corry. “The better the structure, the more flexibility I had on dollars because you can’t have your cake and eat it, too, particularly when you are under contract for years.”

More notes from Cincinnati:

  • Within the same piece, Dehner Jr. observes that Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict would have to accept a heavy discount in order to sign an extension now, as Cincinnati controls his rights in 2014 for a mere $570K, and can slap a first-round tender on him in 2015, holding him as a restricted free agent for about $3.3MM.
  • Dehner Jr. also believes the Bengals are closely watching for negotiations between the Dez Bryant and the Cowboys, as a deal between the two sides could serve as a baseline for talks with receiver A.J. Green, whom the Bengals control for two more seasons.
  • Second-year running back Giovani Bernard is expected to open the 2014 season as the Bengals starter, and he hopes to produce more big plays on offense, per Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. “If you’re a running back, you always want to be able to have explosive runs,” said the 2013 second-rounder. “Maybe not so much just the 10-yard runs or 15-yard runs or the 20. I want to be able to break the 50s, 60s and 70s. And who knows? Maybe the 80s and 90s. Things like that take hard work and dedication. That’s really where your skills come into play is on those explosive runs.”
  • In his latest mailbag, Harvey notes that linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, will be relied on in 2014, and will especially aid in coverage, an area where the Bengals struggled in 2013. Lamur is expected to serve as the starting strong-side linebacker next season.

Extra Points: Cowboys, Burfict, Savage

May 15th, 2014 at 10:04pm CST by Zachary Links

In this week’s chat, a reader asked Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News which Dallas professional sports coach will be the first to get fired. While Rangers skipper Ron Washington is in some trouble, Cowlishaw believes there’s even more pressure on Cowboys coach Jason Garrett to succeed. Another 8-8 season wouldn’t bode well for Garrett’s future but at the same time, Jerry Jones is very fond of him. More from around the NFL..

  • Reps for Vontaze Burfict met with the Bengals this week and sides are making progress on a new deal, sources tell Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). As it stands, the linebacker is set to earn $570K in 2014 before reaching restricted free agency.
  • Tom Savage‘s deal with the Texans is a four-year pact worth $2.52MM, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter). As previously reported, Savage’s signing bonus is just over $300K. The fourth-round pick out of Pittsburgh picked up interest from a number of teams in April including the Patriots, but ultimately Houston snagged him. Now, Savage will vie with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, and T.J. Yates for playing time under center.
  • Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter links) runs down the rookies who will be attending camp with the Eagles: linebacker Blaze Caponegro, tight end Jamie Childers, linebacker Ryan Donohue, linebacker Anthony Larry, center Mackey MacPherson, defensive back Davon Morgan, and tackle Baker Steinkuhler.
  • Dolphins General Manager Dennis Hickey told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that Billy Turner, a third-round tackle out of North Dakota State, will play guard. Hickey went on to say (link) that first-round Ju’Wuan James was a highly-targeted player for the Dolphins, which was a bit of an open secret heading into the draft. Miami is expecting the athletic, strong tackle to “play right away.”

AFC North Notes: Burfict, McCarron, Steelers

April 22nd, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

When longtime Bengals defensive leader Domata Peko spoke yesterday about the teammates he hopes the team locks up to long-term deals, he identified Vontaze Burfict in addition Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. As important as Dalton and Green are to Cincinnati’s offense, you could make a strong case that Burfict is just as integral on the other side of the ball. Last season, the 23-year-old earned his first Pro Bowl nod, racking up an impressive 177 tackles to go along with three sacks, two fumbles, and an interception.

Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the Bengals are indeed engaged in extension talks with Burfict, who is in line for a $570K salary in 2014. The Arizona State product is eligible for restricted free agency after the ’14 season, which means the Bengals would still be in the driver’s seat for re-signing him, but presumably the club would prefer not to let it get to that point.

Let’s check out a few other items from out of the AFC North….

  • Following A.J. McCarron’s visit with the Browns today, the Alabama quarterback will continue a mini-AFC North tour by heading to Baltimore to see the Ravens on Wednesday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We heard earlier today that McCarron would privately work out for the Rams next week.
  • The Steelers are hosting Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell for a pre-draft visit today, according to ESPN.com’s Scott Brown (via Twitter). Cockrell projects as a likely mid- to late-round pick.
  • Minnesota safety Brock Vereen, the brother of Shane Vereen, has met with a number of teams in advance of the draft, including the Steelers and Bengals, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Falcons, Vikings, Colts, Panthers and Jaguars have also met with the younger Vereen.

Andy Dalton, A.J. Green Discuss Contracts

April 21st, 2014 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green were among the Bengals in attendance today for the start of the team’s voluntary offseason workout program, and Cincinnati’s offensive leaders were each asked about their contract situations. Although both players are heading into contract years, the club holds a fifth-year option on Green for 2015, while Dalton is eligible for unrestricted free agency less than a year from now.

Still, the Bengals’ signal-caller expects to remain in Cincinnati far beyond ’14, as he told reporters today. And it sounds as if the team is negotiating longer-term contracts with both players. Here are a few noteworthy quotes from Dalton, Green, and other Bengals, via ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, and Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Sulia link)….

Dalton, on whether he feels he’s the face of the Bengals’ franchise:

“I do. Everything that [coach] Marvin [Lewis] has said, [offensive coordinator] Hue [Jackson] has said, and what everybody here has told me is that, and they’ve told everybody that. So I’m confident with that. I hope to spend a lot of my career here.”

“From everything they’ve told me, they’re not bringing in anybody to compete.”

Dalton, on the value of quarterbacks for NFL franchises:

“It’s a quarterback-driven league, so quarterbacks get rewarded a lot of money. For a lot of these quarterbacks, if you’re the quarterback of the team, you’re the face of the franchise. So these teams obviously believe in their guy and they’re going to pay him that way.”

Dalton, on potentially playing out the final year of his contract without an extension:

“There’s obviously some risk when that goes on, but I am confident in everything that I have been able to do and what I am going to do this year. If it comes to that then it comes to that but I think both sides want to get it done. So, hopefully [an extension] happens.”

Green, on his own contract situation:

“I don’t pay attention to that stuff. I’m still under contract. Like I say, my body of work speaks for itself. Whenever the time’s right, it’s right. That’s one thing I don’t get involved with. I just go out there and play the game and whatever happens, happens.”

Defensive leader Domata Peko on the possibility of the Bengals locking up key players:

“Andy, A.J. and Vontaze [Burfict], man, they deserve to be paid. I can’t wait to see when they sign their deals. It’ll be awesome. That’s good for our team because they’re a big part of our team and we just want to make sure we keep those guys locked down because they’re a hell of a few players.”

Bears’ Mills Tops Performance-Based Pay List

March 24th, 2014 at 6:59pm CST by Matt Feminis

Bears rookie right tackle Jordan Mills, whose base salary was $495k last season, will receive approximately $318k from the performance-based pay pool, more than any other player in the league. Created in order to reward players who make the least and play the most, the performance-based league pool is $3.46MM per team. Each team’s performance-based pay leader can be found here, courtesy of USA Today.

Mills, a fifth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech, started all 16 games for the Bears. However, his starts were more a reflection of the team’s lack of options, as Mills rated as one of the league’s worst starters, ranking last in pass protection (-32.5 rating) and hurries allowed (62). Other notables (dollar figures rounded):

AFC North Notes: Blount, Harrison, Extensions

March 23rd, 2014 at 11:21am CST by Rory Parks

The Ravens have interest in free agent RB LeGarrette Blount, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Wilson writes that the Ravens do not have a visit scheduled for Blount at this time, but they will continue to monitor his market. Baltimore struggled mightily in most aspects of its offense last season, and short-yardage situations were particularly troublesome. Blount would be a boon in that regard, and he would also provide necessary depth given Ray Rice‘s struggles last season–and his legal troubles this offseason–and Bernard Pierce‘s injury concerns. As our Peter Sowards reported yesterday, Blount is scheduled to meet with the division rival Steelers later this week.

More notes from the AFC North:

  • Speaking of the Steelers, Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes that a reunion with James Harrison makes a great deal of sense for a team with little defensive depth and limited salary cap space. Starkey could envision a limited role for Harrison as a situational pass-rusher and short-yardage defender. As our Luke Adams noted several days ago, there is mutual interest in Harrison’s potential return to Pittsburgh.
  • Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com and Pat McManamon of ESPN.com offer some opinions on Browns QB Brian Hoyer and WR Greg Little. Grossi believes that Hoyer has demonstrated enough to go into the season as the starting QB, and McManamon believes the Browns may feel the same way. As for Little, despite the frustration of Browns’ fans, Grossi notes that Little’s reasonable contract, his size, and his durability are all reasons why the Browns will probably hang onto him for another season. McManamon makes a similar point, though he does point out that if the Browns were to draft someone like Clemson WR Sammy Watkins, Little could be on his way out.
  • Coley Harvey of ESPN.com writes that there is nothing on the horizon yet regarding contract extensions for Bengals standouts A.J. Green, Andy Dalton, and Vontaze Burfict, but that negotiations could become more serious once the current phase of free agency concludes.
  • Despite the signing of Marshall Newhouse, Harvey believes the Bengals would “absolutely” consider an offensive tackle in the early rounds of the draft.

Young Stars In Line For Payday

February 14th, 2014 at 8:43pm CST by Matt Feminis

The NFL published its “All-Under-25” team, highlighting the league’s best players under the age of 25. From a contractual standpoint, five stand out as free agents to be at the conclusion of the 2014 season:

  • Rams defensive end Robert Quinn – Everyone knew Quinn was dripping with upside when the Rams picked him the first round of the 2011 draft, and the pass rusher extraordinaire’s third season was something to behold. Quinn was an unblockable one-man wrecking crew, garnering NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and putting himself in position to break the bank on his second deal.
  • Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith – Knocking on the door of elite status at a critical position, Smith is expected to get a mega contract extension to ensure the safety of Tony Romo‘s blind side.
  • Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson – Did not have as many impact plays in 2013, but is a three-time Pro Bowler and legitimate No. 1 coverman at a time when big cornerbacks are in high demand.
  • Bengals middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict – Pre-draft character concerns which knocked him off draft boards and seem like a distant memory now. Burfict played at an elite level, leading the league with 171 tackles. If he behaves himself for another year, he’ll receive an exponential bump from his six-figure 2014 salary.
  • Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey – A stout run defender, Casey’s sack production jumped from 5.5 2011-2012 to 10.5 in 2013 when he was one of the most balanced interior defenders in the league.