Tim Lelito signs RFA tender with Saints
Early this month, restricted free agent guard Tim Lelito said that he passed up signing an offer sheet with the Cowboys because he expected to be a backup on a well-stocked Dallas offensive line. Lelito said his preference was to be a starter, even if it meant playing out the 2016 season on the $1.671…
Panthers G.M. on Norman: The one year deal became less and less attractive;
Panthers General Manager Dave Gettleman said he was comfortable with cornerback Josh Norman signing the $13.9 million franchise tag. But the more he thought about it, the less comfortable he became. During a pre-draft press conference Thursday, Gettleman said that as time passed and it became obvious that Norman wasn’t going to agree to a…
Jets, Broncos should call Eagles
The Eagles claim that Sam Bradford is the team’s starting quarterback. Technically, he currently is. But a lot can change between April 21 and the launch of the regular season. Change could be brought on by Bradford wanting out. Reportedly miffed that the Eagles traded up in their ongoing search for a franchise quarterback (a…
Eagles boss Howie Roseman used to think trading up was a bad idea
Yesterday, Howie Roseman was willing to swing for the fences. A year ago, Howie Roseman was the guy pumping the brakes. The Eagles’ de facto General Manager wasn’t bashful about giving up future assets to move to the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, including a 2017 first-rounder and a 2018 second…
Jerry Reese doesnt feel this draft is more important than usual
Giants co-owner John Mara said last week that this year’s draft is more important than usual because the team is lacking “impact players.” Those comments followed ones Mara made after the end of the 2015 season that focused on the team’s need to do a better job of player acquisition after missing the playoffs for…
After Norman news, Patrick Peterson tweets, Know your worth;
Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson has never been a free agent. After three years playing under his rookie contract as the fifth overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, Peterson and the Cardinals agreed to a five-year, $70 million extension. But Peterson does have some advice for the highest-profile free agent in the NFL right now,…
Aqib Talib: We dont feel were getting enough respect
One question asked of defending champions is whether they can summon the same level of success the year after winning a title that they did while making their initial run. There are examples on both sides of the fence and in some cases motivation is tough to sustain after reaching the top of the mountain.…
Preston Brown says Bills have simplified defense
Late in Rex Ryan’s first season as the Bills head coach, linebacker Preston Brown said that the team was having an issue getting defensive play calls in early enough to have everyone properly lined up before the snap. It was one of several complaints about the Bills defense over the course of the season and Ryan…
Ryan Grigson admits he may be risk-averse in this draft
Colts General Manager Ryan Grigson might be risk-averse anyway. But with just six draft picks, and a stated need to “really hit this out of the park,” he might become even ore conservative when it comes to character concerns this year. “It’s tough to stay disciplined because when you see players on film that are…
Making sense of J.J. Watts nonsensical view of social media
No one can dispute the massive talents of Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year in only five seasons. He’s the best defensive player in football, and the Texans and their fans should be thrilled to have him. Watt also has an inspiring story, from being under-recruited out of…
Howie Roseman: Trading for second pick was not about the 2016 team
Such that there should have been any remaining doubt after his first month back in charge, but the Eagles are clearly Howie Roseman’s team again. And his year off to think about how he’d do things differently apparently told him it was going to be more than a one-year process. In giving up picks that…
Chris Harris Jr. finds motivation in talk that defense wont be the same
The Broncos have lost a couple of key defensive pieces via free agency. Which has prompted talk that the Broncos won’t be the same on defense. Which has given one of their best defensive players some extra motivation entering the 2016 season. “Just hearing everybody saying, ‘We lost Malik [Jackson], Danny [Trevathan], we won’t be…
Ted Thompson says Packers focus is on best player available;
The Packers will not reach in the draft for a position of need. Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said the Packers’ approach is simple: Rank the players in order of how good they are, and draft the top player still available when their pick comes up. “We try to draft the best player available,” Thompson…
J.J. Watt says hes not a phony, wont change his social media image
Perhaps J.J. Watt overshares, and perhaps some of his social media postings come off as a little tone-deaf sometimes. But the Texans defensive end defended his frequent use of the Internet, saying he didn’t plan to change a carefully crafted image because of criticisms there. “We have social media and people want to see access,…
Doug Martin: Plenty of motivation despite new contract
Buccaneers running back Doug Martin rebounded from two lackluster seasons to finish second in the NFL in rushing in 2015, a performance that set him up to sign a five-year, $35.8 million contract to remain in Tampa during the offseason. History finds no shortage of players who have thrived during a contract push and then…
Thursday morning one-liners
Bills G.M. Doug Whaley wasn’t tipping his hand during a pre-draft press conference. Here’s the first of several stories about how CB Josh Norman might fit a particular team, beginning with the Dolphins. Ohio State TE Nick Vannett visited the Patriots. The Jets’ flirtation with QB Brian Hoyer probably shouldn’t intimidate Ryan Fitzpatrick. Ravens fans (we’re…
Report: 49ers, Steelers, Dolphins among teams inquiring about Josh Norman
The de facto release of Josh Norman by the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday has dropped a top-tier free agent onto the market right before the NFL Draft. Norman became an unrestricted free agent when the Panthers removed the franchise tag on Wednesday afternoon. While there is less money and cap space available now than at…
Panthers did themselves a favor, too, by rescinding tag now
By rescinding the franchise tag from cornerback Josh Norman, the Panthers did Norman a favor, allowing him to look for another team before other teams fill their needs in the draft. But the Panthers did themselves a favor, too. With the tag gone, Norman becomes an unrestricted free agent. If he signs with another team…
Shaq Lawson joins Thursdays PFT Live
The draft is getting closer, and one of the players who’ll be attending the festivities in Chicago will be stopping by PFT Live on Thursday. Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson dials in for a conversation in hour three of the program. Before talking to Lawson, we’ll hear from Eagles insider Geoff Mosher and PFT’s Darin…
Browns made the right move by trading down
Many will criticize the Browns for trading down from the second pick in the draft, in large part because many will criticize the Browns for anything they do. It’s the bizarro pro football Pavlovian response, conditioned over time by the food being yanked away from the dog every time the bell rings. This time, though, the…
Jets add developmental tackle
The Jets announced the signing of offensive tackle Luke Marquardt Wednesday. Marquardt broke into the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the 49ers in 2014 and spent that season on the team’s non-football injury list. He battled a foot injury in college and then again with the 49ers. Marquardt played 30 college games at Azusa…
Panthers have no plan to try to re-sign Josh Norman on the open market
The decision to rescind the franchise tag from cornerback Josh Norman could be viewed as a ploy by the Panthers to sign him to a long-term deal based on the current market for his services, since the current market for the services of a 28-year-old cornerback (29 in December) may be a lot less than…
Cardinals CBs Peterson, Bethel undergo surgeries
Cardinals cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Justin Bethel recently underwent surgeries, the Arizona Republic first reported. A league source confirmed to PFT that Peterson had surgery on his ankle. The Arizona Republic report said both players are expected to be ready for training camp and that Peterson could participate in team activities in May and June.…
Panthers actually did Josh Norman a favor, sort of
Some will say that the Panthers wronged cornerback Josh Norman by not rescinding the franchise tag sooner. But it’s safe to assume that the Panthers used the tag with the intent of trying to work out a fair, long-term deal, and with a willingness to honor the $13.95 million salary if the player had accepted a deal…
The 49ers are planning to keep Colin Kaepernick, unless theyre not
With moves being made for quarterbacks elsewhere, the 49ers are hanging onto theirs. Unless, of course, somebody wants him. Via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke said “Nothing’s changed,” when asked about the status of Colin Kaepernick. That means, ostensibly, that he’s on the roster at the moment, with the ability to find…
Report: DeMarcus Lawrence facing four-game suspension
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said this week that improving the team’s pass rush is a draft priority, something that didn’t come as much of a surprise given the current makeup of their defensive front. The need may be even more urgent than we thought, however. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports…
Culliver says Beckham complains constantly to officials
The list of NFL defensive backs who have issues with Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. keeps growing. The latest to express concern about Beckham is Washington cornerback Chris Culliver, who told CSNMidAtlantic.com that Beckham complains more than any other receiver. “Probably the most complaining person I’ve went against is Odell Beckham,” Culliver said. Whatever Beckham…
Sashi Brown says trade about young nucleus; and sustained success;
The Browns formally announced the trade that everyone has been talking about at around 4:15 p.m. Wednesday. The Browns traded the No. 2 overall pick in next week’s draft to the Eagles for a combination of picks that includes the No. 8 pick this year, a first-round pick in 2017 and a second-round pick in…
Andre Johnson wants to play again, ready for phone to ring
We haven’t heard much about Andre Johnson, since the Colts made it clear they didn’t want him back. While that’s not necessarily a good sign for his prospects for 2016, Johnson isn’t giving up the dream. “I’m just training right now and waiting for an opportunity,” the veteran wide receiver said, via Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com.…
Browns waive Chase Ford a week after adding him to roster
The Browns acquired a slew of draft picks from the Eagles in Wednesday’s trade for the No. 2 pick in next week’s draft and now have 12 picks to use on new players this year. They created some room on the roster for new arrivals by parting ways with a recent addition to the team.…
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