February 2014 4for4 Player News Articles
The Ravens have locked up tight end Dennis Pitta, with the team confirming an agreement on a five-year contract.
The contract is worth $32 million, according to league sources.
Pitta and the Ravens got the deal done before Monday's deadline to use the franchise tag. That would have potentially been a complicated situation for the Ravens if they had to designate Pitta as a franchise player, because of the financial difference between the $6.709 million tight end tag and an $11.5 million wide receiver tag.
A grievance was expected to be filed through the NFL Players Association if the Ravens had designated Pitta as a tight end, on the basis that he often lines up wide of the formation like a receiver.
Pitta missed most of 2013 due to a hip injury and he was sorely missed in the Ravens’ passing game. Upon his return, he saw 33 targets in four games, putting him on pace to finish with the 3rd-most targets in the league. It’s not a solid sample size, but it’s still an indicator of what may come. (For what it’s worth, he finished with the 12th-most targets in 2012.) The big plus for Pitta heading into 2014 is the arrival of new OC Gary Kubiak who has been very TE-friendly throughout his career, specifically with the development of both Shannon Sharpe in Denver and Owen Daniels in Houston.
WR Jeremy Maclin and Eagles have reached agreement on a one-year deal, per source.
Maclin's return makes the Eagles' depth chart after DeSean Jackson rather murky. When healthy, Maclin is better than Riley Cooper, but the ACL injury is a worry. Still, Maclin is just 25 years old and since he injured his knee before the season, he should be close to 100 percent in 2014. His ADP will land in the middle rounds (6th-9th). By taking the one-year deal, Maclin will be highly motivated to produce big numbers so he can cash in next spring.
ESPN Boston discusses Patriots free agent LeGarrette Blount: Mutual interest in his return. A player who seemingly has more value to the Patriots than most others, which makes us think it's a greater likelihood he's back.
It would be best for Stevan Ridley's value if Blount were to move on, but the team would like to re-sign him after he outperformed Ridley in 2013. Blount was the #19 RB over the final eight games and had an incredible 166-yard, 4-TD effort against the Colts in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Will the Indianapolis Colts' 2014 starting running back be Trent Richardson? Will it be Vick Ballard? What about re-signing Donald Brown and making him the starter?
“At any point in time you'll know how we do things with the Colts, it's the best players play,” Colts general manager Ryan Grigson said. “Iron sharp as iron. We're going to try to have the most competition at each position group and whoever wins that spot is going to be the starter and it's who is going to get us to that next level, which is Super Bowl XLIX and that's the mindset. You're either all in or all out."
If the 2013 season is any indication, Donald Brown should be the starter, but he's a free agent and may not return. The Colts have a first round pick invested in Richardson, so they want him to be the starter. But can he play well enough that starter's snaps are justified?
League source tells me Riley Cooper will sign a 4-year deal tomorrow with Eagles.
With Jeremy Maclin out for the season, Cooper had a good year, finishing #24 in standard formats and #31 in PPR. For a five-game stretch from Week 6 to Week 10, Cooper was the #2 receiver in fantasy football, but he definitely faded down the stretch, posting #54 WR numbers the rest of the way. If the Eagles bring Maclin back, it'll be tough to get too excited about Cooper's prospects given his inconsistency in 2013.
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid answered some questions from reporters Thursday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. One of the topics was the possibility of reducing the workload on running back Jamaal Charles.
Reid indicated the Chiefs intended to do that by playing Knile Davis more than they did last season, when he was a rookie. In the regular season the Chiefs gave the ball to Davis 81 times between pass receptions and handoffs. More than half of those touches came in the season’s final four games after Davis became more comfortable with the NFL and the things the Chiefs asked him to do.
“As we went on, we were able to do that with Knile," Reid said. “Knile was a rookie and he was learning every week and getting better every week. As the season went on we were able to give him the ball a little bit more. Coming into this season, we’ll be able to mix it up a little bit better than what we did early in the season last year."
Owners shouldn't make too much of this. Charles will still be one of the most heavily used (and most productive) running backs in fantasy. For his part, Davis is developing into a must-handcuff for Charles owners.
The Ravens will have adjustments to make to Gary Kubiak's system, which emphasizes zone-blocking schemes, athletic linemen and running the football.
A zone-blocking running game could be good for Bernard Pierce, who was known as a solid one-cut runner coming out of college. With Ray Rice's future somewhat in question (due to his domestic violence incident), Pierce could see a much larger role in 2014.
One year after getting Peyton Manning-like input into the offense and personnel decisions, Romo is expected to be even more involved and have more power in the offense under Linehan.
“Yes. He’ll have more (power),” owner Jerry Jones said. “I am just answering his question. How and where and what it has to do with depends on how comfortable he is. Romo was a tremendous supporter of Bill Callahan (last season’s play caller). He was absolutely ecstatic over us getting Scott Linehan. He had serious discussions with Detroit’s quarterback (Matt Stafford) and got a great feel for Linehan’s imagination and what Linehan does to maximize skills in the individual players and his flexibility of coming up with schemes within schemes within the base or rules of an offense. Having said all of that, the most excited guy in the organization was Tony Romo to have the prospect of getting Linehan. And so they will be locked at the hip.”
Under Linehan, the Lions threw the ball 62.2% of the time in the last two seasons. Over the same span, the Cowboys threw it 64.3% of the time, so the Cowboys may not be that much more "pass happy" under Linehan, though the number of plays they run could increase, helping the offense as a whole. The Lions have averaged 1,105 plays in the last two seasons, while the Cowboys averaged just 968 plays, so Detroit ran 14% more plays than Dallas over that span.
The agent for New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas said Tuesday the team has reached out to discuss Thomas' future with the Saints. But Lamont Smith, Thomas' agent, wouldn't comment on what those talks meant for Thomas' future.
Thomas is entering the final year of his contract with the Saints and is set to count $2.9 million against the 2014 salary cap. With the Saints in a financial bind heading into 2014, Thomas could be a candidate to become a salary cap casualty as the Saints would save all of Thomas' $2.9 million cap figure with no dead money attached.
Thomas was an important cog in the Saints' offense in 2013 (224 touches, leading the team), but the Saints could replace his production with Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram (who looked a bit better last season) and Khiry Robinson. Robinson would likely see the biggest jump in workload if Thomas is not around in 2014.
Jimmy Graham and the Saints remain several million dollars per season apart according to Mike Garafalo.
Graham will get the franchise tag if they can't come to an agreement, and if that's the case, Graham is expected to challenge his position as a tight end (and not a wide receiver). Dennis Pitta is in a similar position, so there is a reasonable chance that this argument finally gets resolved this offseason.
Marcus Lattimore feels close to 100 percent and is counting down the days until he can run free and easy for the San Francisco 49ers.
"The left knee, it feels like nothing ever happened," Lattimore told The Associated Press by phone. "The right knee, it feels great. Both feel balanced. I've got my speed and I rarely get any soreness" after workouts.
For Lattimore, that's major progress after facing questions following his injuries while at South Carolina. He was one of the Southeastern Conference's rushing leaders in 2011 when he tore ligaments in his right knee in a game at Mississippi State and missed the Gamecocks' final six games.
After surgery and a furious rehab regimen and saw him return to the practice field a month ahead of schedule, Lattimore was ready for his junior season. That ended in October against Tennessee when he got hit on his left knee, again needing surgery to repair ligament damage.
Along with Kendall Hunter, Lattimore is a threat to Frank Gore's workload. Gore is under contract for one more season, so don't be surprised if he holds off the youngsters for a bit longer.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams has entered a written plea of not guilty and been granted an arraignment waiver in a case in which he faces misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and trespassing.
The charges stem from a Dec. 13 incident in which Williams caused approximately $200 of damage to the front door of an acquaintance, according to Hillsborough County court records.
Williams has been a troublemaker since his injury during the 2013 season and is on thin ice with new HC Lovie Smith.
The Titans have agreed to terms with RB Jackie Battle, per sources. He'll be back in 2014.
With Chris Johnson likely on his way out, the Titans are securing some depth by re-signing Battle. He's a capable back that can carry the load in a pinch.
49ers beat writer Tim Kawakami reports on the extension negotiations between the 49ers and QB Colin Kaepernick:
Kaepernick said during Super Bowl week that he’s open to striking a balance between what he wants and what’s best for the team salary structure, and from what I’ve heard, nothing said over the weekend contradicted that.
Of course, the parameters of “balance” could mean different things to both sides–does that mean Kaepernick will ask for $20M per instead of $22M? Or does it mean he’ll talk about $16M-17M per with steps to get him up to $20M?
Either way, it sounds like $15M to $16M is the floor for an average salary here.
New coach Mike Pettine provided an interesting answer when asked an open-ended question about how he likes the quarterbacks on his roster.
“Brian Hoyer,” were the first words out of his mouth. “We’re looking forward to getting him back to where at least he’ll do some limited work in the spring. I’ve always admired Brian from afar. He’s proven he can be successful in the NFL, but at the same time, you’re always looking to make the team better and that’s the most important position.”
Most around the league expect the Browns to use their No. 4 pick on a quarterback, but Hoyer, coming off ACL surgery, still potentially could open the season as a starter.
The Browns are widely expected to use the #4 pick on a quarterback, but of the QB-needy teams, the Browns may be in the best situation with Brian Hoyer back in the fold. Hey played pretty well before tearing his ACL in Week 5.
Titans HC Ken Whisenhunt lauded Chris Johnson's durability, but he was even more sunny when talking about Shonn Greene.
"I like what I've seen out of him off the tape," Whisenhunt said.
Greene is an uninspiring option, but may be fantasy relevant in 2014 if Johnson departs and the team doesn't bring in talent at the running back position.
Peter King on the Ray Rice situation...
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said something telling about the alleged altercation between running back Ray Rice and his fiancée, Janay Palmer, at an Atlantic City casino last weekend. “Right now, I feel very good about his side of the story.” If so, then Rice must have given team officials a version that involves either self-defense or overt provocation by Palmer. Not that either one of those explanations would justify domestic abuse, if there was abuse. And regardless of the circumstances, if Rice did lay a hand on Palmer, he’ll be branded an abuser and likely face league or team discipline because of it. And rightfully so. What’s disappointing for the Ravens, and for Rice, is that he’d become to some the face of the franchise, a leading spokesman in the fight against bullying and an unselfish person in the community. Rice and Palmer were both charged with simple assault-domestic violence after the incident, and a court date has not been set. Rice already had one 2014 challenge on his hands—making sure his 660-yard season was a fluke. This problem will dwarf that one.
Rice owners are bracing for the worst. He will likely face league discipline if he struck his fiance.
Cardinals WR Michael Floyd is coming off his first 1,000-yard season. But it wasn’t the yards or catches that impressed Arians the most, it was the injuries Floyd played through – most notably the shoulder problem that the wideout had when he went off for a career-high 193 yards in Jacksonville.
“I think Michael is starting to reach his potential,” Arians said. “He still needs to be more consistent each week. He played through injuries for the first time which is a huge step for a young player to play through injuries. A lot of times they just sit themselves down. He wanted to win, he wanted to help us win. I thought he made great strides. This year, can he do it again?”
Floyd broke out in his second season with a 66 catches for 1,054 yards and five TDs, gaining at least 90 yards and/or finding the endzone in seven of his last 11 games. He should continue to progress as he enters his third year in the league.
Cardinals HC Bruce Arians changed the role of wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald last season, having him play inside and moving him around. Arians said Fitzgerald got more comfortable with it during the season and it helped to play inside where his size could be an advantage. Arians had done it previously in Pittsburgh with Hines Ward and in Indianapolis with Reggie Wayne.
A major factor in making the shift for Fitzgerald, Arians said, was the receiver’s age. Fitzgerald turned 30 in August.
“Guys lose a step at age 30,” Arians said. “It’s just natural. As hard as they train and everything, at 30 it’s just a different ballgame. They accept it, they want to become better players, they say help me become a better player than when I was 26. This is how you do it.”
Ravens reserve wide receiver Deonte Thompson arrested charged with possession of marijuana according to Gainesville, FL Police Department.
Life goes on, and the Green Bay Packers appear to have moved on from wide receiver James Jones.
A source said Jones hasn't been offered a new contract and, in all likelihood, won't be.
"I don't think Ted Thompson wants him," Frank Bauer, Jones' only agent since being drafted by Green Bay in the third round in 2007, said at the NFL scouting combine.
Although Bauer said Jones was admired by many inside the Packers' personnel department, the team is set to let him depart when unrestricted free agency begins March 11.
Just as Jones was one of the players that ultimately made Greg Jennings expendable last March, Jarrett Boykin is one of the players making Jones expendable this March.
"I'm as high on Boykin as anybody in our building," coach Mike McCarthy said Friday. "He had a heck of a year, and I still think he has another jump in him."
McCarthy indicated that Boykin, 24, was a capable No. 3 wide receiver and, with continued improvement, might even become a No. 2.
The Packers may let Jones walk, but they could also bring him back on a one- or two-year deal if he doesn't get what he wants in the open market. Boykin is an up and coming wideout, but if the Packers' 2013 season proved anything, it's that it's good to have depth everywhere, including receiver.
It appears that most, if not all, of the Colts players who missed extensive playing time last season should be back for the start of training camp.
WR Reggie Wayne (knee), tight end Dwayne Allen (groin), running back Vick Ballard (knee), offensive guard Donald Thomas (quad) and cornerback Greg Toler (foot) are expected back and would be good to go.
“From all the reports that I’ve been getting from our trainers and from the doctors in the meetings we’ve had, everyone’s going in the right direction. We’re optimistic about everyone,” Grigson said.
Wayne was the #19 WR in standard formats and the #17 WR in PPR through the first seven weeks prior to tearing his ACL. He's 35 and coming off of a major knee injury. He may be able to play, but it's hard to envision him returning to his usual form in time for the 2014 season.
The team's brass is confident that Rueben Randle will make a "significant jump" in his third season, which would seem to suggest Nicks won't be back. Reese also said Jerrel Jernigan finally looked like the player he selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Hakeem Nicks is likely to leave via free agency, so Randle (and Jerrel Jernigan) should see a big bump in snaps. Randle was the #28 WR through the first 11 weeks, but faded down the stretch (12-151 in the final six weeks). The Giants passing game is likely to bounce back, and if Randle is getting starter’s snaps, he’s a good bet to produce. Jernigan racked up 19 catches for 237 yards and two TDs in the final three games, making him the #2 WR in fantasy in that span.
Ravens HC Jim Harbaugh said backup running back Bernard Pierce is expected back by the first day of training camp. Pierce had rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder.
Pierce could be in for a big role in 2014 if Ray Rice's off-field issues continue to spiral downward.
Rams GM Les Snead indicated Zac Stacy's workload will only go up.
After toying around with Daryl Richardson for a few weeks, the Rams turned to Stacy in Week 5, and he never looked back, posting #8 RB numbers the rest of the way. He scored eight TDs in his final 10 games and will enter the 2014 season as the Rams’ bellcow back.
Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy expressed optimism Friday that unrestricted free-agent tight end Jermichael Finley will be able to resume his NFL career and hope that the team would be able to re-sign the tight end.
The 26-year-old Finley, who suffered a bruised spinal cord in an Oct. 20 game against the Cleveland Browns at Lambeau Field and underwent single fusion cervical spine surgery in November, is set to become a free agent on March 11. He has not yet been cleared by the doctor who performed the surgery, Pittsburgh Steelers doctor Joseph Maroon, but McCarthy indicated in an interview Friday that the Packers’ team doctor, Patrick McKenzie, is encouraged by Finley’s prognosis.
Widely expected to land elsewhere, it sounds as if the Packers are open to the possibility of re-signing Finley. His fantasy value would be maximized in Green Bay's offense.
Texans running back Arian Foster's rehab is going well, general manager Rick Smith and head coach Bill O'Brien said Friday.
"He's working hard, he's in the building, he's in the training room consistently," Smith said. "The reports I'm getting from Geoff [Kaplan, head trainer] indicate he's going to be fine."
Foster struggled with several injuries last season, starting with a calf strain during organized team activities then a back injury that healed in time for him to start the regular season. Foster also dealt with a hamstring injury and then finally a back injury which knocked him out for the rest of the season when he decided to have surgery.
Foster's back injury required microscopic lumbar disectomy surgery, which was performed by Robert Watkins in California in November.
With new coach Jim Caldwell, and especially offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, there may be a more pronounced emphasis on the Lions' run game and perhaps roles for more than two backs. Caldwell has had successful run offenses in Indianapolis and Baltimore, as did Lombardi in New Orleans.
“If you go back and look at what the Saints did, they used multiple backs in a lot of different ways,” Mayhew said. “I’m encouraged about that for [Mikel Leshoure]. It could bode well for him in terms of getting more playing time and having a more specific, defined role in our offense.
Reggie Bush owners should be concerned. It sounds as if Lombardi wants to run a Saints-like committee in Detroit and that's going to cut into Bush's workload. Joique Bell is expected to return, one way or another.
Broncos QB Peyton Manning is expected to visit with doctors in Denver next week to evaluate his neck fusion. Manning has said repeatedly he plans on playing in 2014 unless the doctors tell him not to. He had a similar exam following the 2012 season.
Source says police have yet-to-be-released video of Ray Rice knocking fiancée unconscious before dragging her. Expect a suspension.
Chiefs GM John Dorsey says he “expects A.J. Jenkins to have a really nice second season."
At the Combine, Cardinals HC Bruce Arians said, "Tight ends for me block first, catch second."
This doesn't bode particularly well for Rob Housler, who had a late-season stretch of decent play (#15 TE from Week 10 to Week 14) after an injury kept him out of the first two games.
Pete Carroll really hyped up RB Christine Michael. Called him the Seahawks biggest breakout candidate.
Michael is the heir apparent to Marshawn Lynch, but Lynch's contract runs through 2015.
Seahawks are releasing WR Sidney Rice, per league source. Rice signed a five-year, $41 million contract in July 2011.
Buccaneers HC Lovie Smith discusses WR Mike Williams' penchant for poor off field behavior...
"There's a pattern here and it's disturbing," new coach Lovie Smith said when asked about the situation at the NFL combine in Indianapolis on Thursday. "No one is bigger than this football team. He has to understand that.
"Have I been disappointed in Mike Williams? Of course," said Smith, who acknowledged that the team had worked to help resolve the situation. "There's a standard. We're just not going to put up with it, no matter who it is. You have to be good on the field and off the field. Simple as that. And if you're not doing what you need to do one or the other, you have problems and that's where Mike has to take care of a few things."
Among other things, the article discusses Williams' lavish house parties and other off-field troubles. We're not optimistic that Williams can quickly develop the maturity required to succeed under Smith.
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has agreed to plead guilty Friday in an Oakland, Calif., courtroom to the lesser charge of reckless driving, which will end his pending DUI case.
"We are resolving the case Friday by pleading to a wet reckless," said Ivan Golde, Lynch's attorney. "We have a strong case for trial and could win the case, but the last thing he needs is to go through a public trial.
"He's a Super Bowl champion, and he has endorsements pending. For a guy in his position, it just doesn't make any sense to go through a public trial. He has a lot at stake here. You know Marshawn. He's not a media guy. It wouldn't have been good for him to go through all that."
Lynch also will receive two years of probation as part of the plea bargain, along with a monetary fine that will be determined by the judge.
Lynch, 27, was arrested in the early morning on July 14, 2012, by the California Highway Patrol after an officer allegedly observed him driving north on Interstate 880 in Oakland weaving in and out of lanes in a Ford van and nearly colliding with two cars.
Golde said Lynch recorded a .08 blood-alcohol level on the field sobriety test, the lowest level that is above the legal limit.
Reckless driving shouldn't garner any sort of suspension from the league. Lynch's 2014 status appears to be safe.
After the season, BuffaloBills.com writer Chris Brown said on WGR 550 the coaching staff was unable to convince Steve Johnson to buy into the team concept.
"I don't know that anybody felt on the staff thought that they could effectively get in his head, relate to him, know what he was feeling, thinking all the time" Brown said of Johnson on Jan. 3, after the team fired receivers coach Ike Hilliard. "I think it's because Stevie's just a different breed of cat.
"I don't think it's any reflection on this coaching staff. I think this coaching staff did a really good job of kind of aligning themselves with the players, where they felt they were all in this thing together and they were all allies. ...
"But I think Stevie's a hard guy to reach, and when you're trying to build a thing where it's all for one and one for all, and it's hard to reel a guy into that, it makes you wonder just where they feel they're going with him."
The article discusses how HC Doug Marrone has since reached out to Johnson to clear the air. This is a situation to keep an eye on this offseason. Johnson was the #56 WR in 2013.
On the topic of RB Montee Ball...
"Obviously we think very highly of him," Broncos coach John Fox said at his NFL combine news conference Thursday. "I thought he had tremendous growth as a rookie running back in this league. He got better with every week. We look for a big improvement next year and think he's very, very capable."
Ball actually outperformed Knowshon Moreno on a per carry basis (4.7 to 4.3 YPC) but Moreno was significantly better in the passing game. The big question mark with Ball is his habit of putting the ball on the ground, though he cleaned that up down the stretch and in the postseason. If he's the lead back for the Broncos, his ADP will likely rise into the 3rd round, at least.
Packers HC Mike McCarthy on Eddie Lacy: "What I look for Eddie to do is be a three-down player."
Lacy finished as the #7 RB in his rookie season and did it in essentially 14 games. Removing Week 2 (where he was concussed and only carried the ball once), Lacy averaged 14.9 fantasy points, which is the 6th-best average, just behind Adrian Peterson. He is a great talent and plays in a potent offense that should be even better in 2014 with a (hopefully) healthy Aaron Rodgers under center.
Bruce Arians says Andre Ellington has gained 10 pounds; says Cardinals will 'build offense around him' in 2014.
This paints a different picture of Ellington's potential usage than the comments from GM Steve Keim yesterday. Ellington is probably in the same boat as Giovani Bernard — considered “too small” to be an every-down workhorse, though Arians will have the final say on playing time. Ellington was the #25 RB in 2013 on 10.4 touches per game, but averaged 12.4 touches in his last 11 games. In that span, he averaged 9.3 FP, which are low-end RB2 numbers.
Cardinals GM Steve Keim really talks up Stepfan Taylor as a complement with Andre Ellington. High expectations for him.
If the Cardinals are counting on Taylor to share carries with Ellington, it's good news for Ellington.
The 12 interviews taped for Pro Football Talk on NBCSN at Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday included Raiders coach Dennis Allen, and Allen suggested that Rashad Jennings is more likely to remain a Raider than Darren McFadden.
When listing the team’s priority free agents, Allen specifically mentioned Jennings, who joined the team in 2013 on a one-year deal. Allen didn’t mention McFadden, a first-round pick on 2008 whose rookie contract is expiring.
Rashad Jennings was the #6 RB from Week 9 to Week 15 (when he was playing starter’s snaps for the Raiders) and that included a missed game against the Jets in Week 14. If Oakland re-signs Jennings and lets Darren McFadden walk (as expected), Jennings will definitely be in the RB2 conversation.
Colts RB Trent Richardson underwent shoulder surgery following the season, per source. Told it was “just a scope.” Shouldn’t hurt offseason.
Even if Richardson is handed the starting gig in Indy, there's no guarantee that he won't be passed by Vick Ballard or another back by midseason. That goes double if the Colts re-sign Donald Brown. T-Rich just hasn't looked very explosive since entering the NFL.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid says RB Knile Davis is getting better from his fractured fibula. Says he should be ready for the season and OTAs in March.
Broncos HC John Fox on RB Ronnie Hillman's role: "I think he’s a tremendous talent, he does give us great explosion as a runner."
The Broncos still appear to be high on Hillman, so he could work into a timeshare with Montee Ball if the team lets Knowshon Moreno walk.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman: First thing Norv Turner did was put in 10 plays for Cordarelle Patterson.
Spielman may be joking about the specific number of plays for Patterson, but the sentiment is clear: Turner wants to get Patterson more involved. Things are looking bright for the second-year receiver. He was the #10 WR from Week 10 to Week 17 in his rookie season. He scored seven touchdowns in that span (three rush, four receiving) while racking up 29 catches for 323 yards to go along with 10 carries for 156 rushing yards. With Josh Gordon coming off of a breakout season under new Turner, Patterson should be a fantasy starter sooner rather than later. His TD rate will be difficult to maintain, but he should see a jump in touches in 2014. Patterson is very raw as a route runner and needs to develop quickly in that facet of the game if he's to have the type of season that many are predicting.
Cardinals GM Steve Keim said RB Andre Ellington will get more work but reiterated team will use multiple backs, not make Ellington "featured."
Ellington should see a bump in touches if the Cardinals don’t re-sign Rashard Mendenhall or bring in another established RB via free agency. Ellington is probably in the same boat as Giovani Bernard — considered “too small” to be an every-down workhorse. He was the #25 RB in 2013 on 10.4 touches per game, but averaged 12.4 touches in his last 11 games. In that span, he averaged 9.3 FP, which are low-end RB2 numbers. It's a good sign that Keim confirmed that Ellington will get more work in 2014 -- expect 12-15 touches per game.
The Jets' brain trust is skeptical of Stephen Hill’s ability to become a reliable piece to the puzzle in 2014 and beyond, so it’ll be incumbent upon GM John Idzik to help fortify the offense with at least one big-bodied pass catcher in the draft.
NFL announces that Fred Davis has been suspended indefinitely for violating the substance abuse policy.
Davis is a free agent but it doesn't look like he has much of a future in the NFL.
The long history of knee problems experienced by San Diego Chargers wide receiver Danario Alexander has grown even more extensive.
Alexander has required "multiple" surgeries on his right knee because of infection after undergoing a second reconstruction of his anterior cruciate ligament in January, a source told FOX Sports 1.
This setback has cast doubt upon whether Alexander -- a pending unrestricted free agent -- will be able to play in 2014.
At this point, we're not expecting much from Alexander in 2014. Hopefully, he can get the issues with his knee straightened out and eventually return to football.
While the Texans were the worst team in the NFL last season and the 32-year-old Johnson’s entering his 12th season, the seven-time Pro Bowler hasn’t given any thought to ending his career anytime soon.
“I know I’m not a second-, third-, or fourth-year guy. Everything comes to an end at some point,” said Johnson, who started all 16 games in 2013, recording 109 receptions for 1,407 yards and five touchdowns. “But right now I don’t know when it might end. I’m feeling fine. I’m feeling healthy. So I’m going to continue to play as long as I can.
“Everybody knows that day when it’s over. When that day comes, I’ll have no problem stepping away. But right now I feel fine. I feel like I still have a few more years left in me.”
Johnson finished the season as the #12 WR but failed to find the endzone in the final seven weeks after scoring all five of his touchdowns in Week 9 (9-229-3) and Week 10 (5-37-2) against the Colts and Cardinals, respectively. With the #1 overall pick in their pocket, the Texans should get an upgrade at QB, though a rookie passer is always a bit of a risk. Johnson will turn 33 in July and is starting to show signs of slowing down. But he should continue to be a quality fantasy starter for at least another year or two.
Geno Smith prepared for the NFL scouting combine by working out with quarterback guru Chris Weinke at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. A year later, Smith is taking the same approach to his offseason.
The New York Jets' quarterback was seen Monday at IMG, working in a private session with Weinke, IMG's director of football operations. You probably remember Weinke as the former Heisman Trophy winner from Florida State. Smith has been working with Weinke in recent days, trying to stay sharp and fine-tuning his throwing mechanics. Weinke also is tutoring Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater, one of the top prospects in the upcoming draft.
Smith finished as the #20 QB in his rookie season, but his per game production (12.5 PPG) left something to be desired. He got off to a good start, posting #14 QB numbers through the first five games, but he was just the #24 QB the rest of the way. He showed a better-than-expected ability to run around the goal line, resulting in six rushing TDs. Smith's prospects would improve if the Jets are able to upgrade a woeful receiving corps.
Redskins TE Jordan Reed has recovered from the concussion symptoms that ended his rookie season prematurely, and he is back to training in preparation for his second NFL season. He very well could take over as the starting tight end, although Logan Paulsen also is no slouch. While Reed is a versatile pass catcher, Paulsen is more complete as a blocker, and also has the ability to line up at fullback. We can probably expect to see a number of formations that feature both of them on the field at the same time, just as we did last season. Remember, former tight ends coach Sean McVay is now the offensive coordinator, so if anyone knows how to maximize Reed and Paulsen’s talents, it’s him. Jay Gruden obviously will be heavily involved in the running of the offense, but his schemes in the passing game had a lot of similarities to Washington’s under Kyle Shanahan. Gruden’s playbook did play well to the strengths of tight end Jermaine Gresham, who last season recorded 46 catches for 461 yards (fourth on the Bengals’ roster) and four touchdowns.
Reed was on pace for 80-887-5.3 (#7 TE-type numbers) prior to his injury, but didn't even crack the 50% snaps played mark until Week 6. In the five games where he played at least 50% of his team's snaps, he averaged 6.2-76-.40 or #3 TE-type numbers. The main concern with Reed is his injury history, specifically with concussions. According to NBC Washington, Reed suffered two concussions while at Florida. If he can stay healthy, he's a likely top 5 fantasy TE, but that's no sure thing.
Two questions facing the Rams this offseason are whether Sam Bradford is the right man to be the franchise quarterback, and whether the Rams and Bradford will agree to a new contract. Rams coach Jeff Fisher says he doesn’t know the answer to the latter question, but the answer to the former is an emphatic yes.
Fisher said on Mike and Mike in the Morning that Bradford is making good progress in recovery from the torn ACL that cut short his 2013 season, and will be the starting quarterback for the Rams when the season starts.
“Sam’s doing great with the rehab,” Fisher said. “He’s really excited. He took on a leadership role last year and he’s maintained that and he’s our quarterback, and we’ve said that.”
In seven games, Bradford averaged 16.9 FP, which was the 15th-highest average among QBs. Fantasy-wise, he may have turned a corner, but he's going to have to put together a full, productive season to get a sizable extension from the Rams.
No progress yet for Jimmy Graham and Saints. If, as expected, he’s tagged as a TE, expect an immediate grievance to be tagged as a WR.
All "move" TEs line up in the slot or outside quite a bit, that's just part of the job these days in the NFL. Meanwhile, very few WRs spend time lined up inside, so it's not clear why a TE like Graham (or Dennis Pitta, who may also file a grievance) feel they have solid ground on which to stand.
Ravens running back Ray Rice and his fiancee were arrested over the weekend after a fight at a casino in Atlantic City, according a statement from the Atlantic City Police Department.
Casino security called officers to the Revel Casino at about 2:50 a.m. Saturday after a domestic dispute between Rice and Janay Palmer that was recorded by video surveillance, according to a statement from police. Footage appeared to show both parties involved in a physical altercation.
“The complaint summons indicates that both Rice and Palmer struck each other with their hands,” the statement said.
Both refused medical attention and did not report any injuries. Rice, 27, and Palmer, 26, were charged with simple assault-domestic violence and were released on a summons to appear in court.
Rice's attorney, Andrew Alperstein, described the allegations as a “very minor physical altercation” with Palmer.
This incident probably won't impact his 2014 status, but it's not the way that Rice wants to start the offseason after a disappointing 2013.
The 49ers acquired wide receiver Anquan Boldin in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens and paid him a $6 million salary. Now, the sides are negotiating a multi-year extension that could prevent Boldin from being available when free agents can begin negotiating with other teams on March 8.
Boldin actually increased his production upon Michael Crabtree’s return. He averaged 4.7-66-.45 without Crabtree and 5.7-83-.43 with Crabtree in the lineup. The 49ers are likely to re-sign him, but he’ll probably be a solid fantasy WR3 wherever he lands.
Two Dolphins people dispute a CBS report that Joe Philbin will have a shorter leash on Ryan Tannehill and might play Matt Moore. But the Dolphins feel strongly that Tannehill must improve his chemistry with Mike Wallace. One Dolphins official said Tannehill can throw a ball anticipating where Brian Hartline will be, but cannot consistently with Wallace.
Giants beat writer Dan Graziano on RB David Wilson: "A source close to the situation told me this week that Wilson is recovering very well from his neck surgery, lifting weights and working out and that there's 'no reason to believe he won't be playing' in 2014."
The Giants RB situation could once again be muddled heading into the 2014 season. Andre Brown is a free agent and Wilson is coming off of neck surgery. Until a pecking order is established, this is probably a situation to avoid at this point.
Eagles beat writer Zach Berman on TE Zach Ertz: "Look for Ertz to be the primary receiving tight end next season. Ertz, the 2013 second-round pick, finished with 36 catches for 469 yards and four touchdowns last season and improved as the season progressed. I wouldn’t surprised if those numbers doubled in 2014. Ertz, 23, is a developing player with Pro Bowl potential."
The article also states that the Eagles consider Brent Celek a vital part of the team's running game, but that his salary (~$4 million) is high for a blocking TE. Celek has some ability in the passing game, but he's not the natural receiver that Ertz is. For his part, Ertz was a mediocre run blocker in his rookie season. Ertz's upside will be capped somewhat if Celek is still around in 2014.
When asked about the Colts' running game heading into 2014, beat writer Mike Wells had this to say:
"You would have thought this would be a no-brainer when the Colts acquired Trent Richardson from Cleveland. But as everybody knows, Richardson never found a comfort zone with the team. It’ll be a wide-open competition for the starting running back position. Vick Ballard, like receiver Reggie Wayne, has to prove he can regain his form after suffering a torn ACL. Don't be surprised if Donald Brown decides to test the free-agency market to earn more money and a bigger role on a team. He'll likely start behind Richardson and Ballard on the depth chart if he re-signs."
The only surprise here is that Wells believes that Donald Brown would start third on the depth chart after he (vastly) outplayed Trent Richardson in 2013. If this is the case, it's doubtful that Brown will re-sign. He has earned a shot at a starting gig somewhere (or at least as a back that will get a dependable amount of touches).
Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson also had four receiving touchdowns to go along with three rushing and two on kickoff returns. He was eased into the game plan and proved to be just as dynamic in the final month of the season as former Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin. Patterson could be in line for a monster sophomore season with Turner as his offensive coordinator given how Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon led the league last year in receiving yards with Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden and Brian Hoyer as his quarterbacks.
Patterson is very raw as a route runner and needs to develop quickly in that facet of the game if he's to have the type of season that many are predicting. Patterson was the #10 WR from Week 10 to Week 17 in his rookie season. He scored seven touchdowns in that span (three rush, four receiving) while racking up 29 catches for 323 yards to go along with 10 carries for 156 rushing yards. His TD rate will be difficult to maintain, but he should see a jump in touches in 2014.
Expect Ray Rice to return to his marquee position in the Ravens offense.
With Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak’s run-first offense, Rice will see plenty of action in 2014. And the offense’s success will largely rest on his stocky legs.
“I think as he goes, we’ll go,” Kubiak said of Rice in an interview with BaltimoreRavens.com.
“Our goal is to get him going, and he’s excited to get going and put last year behind him.”
Kubiak shared the carries between Arian Foster and backup Ben Tate in Houston. And he’ll do the same in Baltimore with Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce.
“I think in this league nowadays you need a couple of guys,” Kubiak said. “It’s hard to hand it to one guy 30 times a game; they just get worn down. It’ll take both of them. They’re very talented and if we can get both of them going, the better we’ll be.”
The article doesn't really shed a ton of light on the situation, other than the fact that Kubiak seems committed to getting Rice going again. But then he compares Pierce to Arian Foster. Rice looked like an "old" 26 year-old, but said after the season that he struggled all year with a hip injury.
Joseph Fauria turned out to be a terrific after-the-draft find for the Lions and is he's expected to play an important role in new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi's system.
Lombardi knows a thing or two about good tight end play. He worked with All Pro tight end Jimmy Graham in New Orleans during Graham's first four years in the league.
Lombardi says he's brought the Saints playbook with him to Detroit and that's something that immediately got the attention of Fauria last week.
"I have a similar background to (Graham) with basketball and similar height and the way we play. I'm not calling myself Jimmy Graham, but I strive to have the kind of production he has. I think I can contribute very similarly to how he has with the Saints."
Fauria would need to make a leap to become a starting-caliber fantasy TE1. He was merely a redzone threat in his first season, though if Brandon Pettigrew leaves in free agency, the opportunity would be there for Fauria.
The Lions have informed Nate Burleson he's being released today. Move saves about $5.5M in cap room, leaves the locker room short a leader.
The Lions have a hole at WR2, so unless they're counting on Kris Durham they must have a plan to make a move in free agency or in the draft. There is definitely the opportunity for success for whoever wins that job.
Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac on the possibility that WR Emmanuel Sanders leaves via free agency:
"I think they will stick with what they have, plus draft a tall receiver in the first or second round. I think they will let Sanders leave in free agency for a number of reasons and are perfectly comfortable thinking Markus Wheaton will not only replace him, but also be a much better receiver. Their intent is to take a tall receiver early -- they have already indicated that to Ben Roethlisberger -- another indication that Sanders will be gone."
If the Steelers do replace Sanders with an early round draft pick, Wheaton will likely take over in the slot but may not be on the field in two-WR sets.
Joseph Maroon, the neurosurgeon who performed surgery on the Jermichael Finley's bruised spine, informed the Packers that there’s a “99.9%” chance the fusion will fully heal. At that point, agent Blake Baratz said this week, Maroon would clear Finley for “full football activity.”
“In some players, it takes four weeks while in others in can six months or longer,” Baratz said. “In Jermichael's case because of how he has developed and (how) his initial X-Ray looked, Dr. Maroon believes sometime in the next 4-8 weeks his should fully heal.”
“Jermichael would love to play his entire career in Green Bay. However, he also understands that this is a business and you can only control what you can control. Hopefully everything works out between the Packers and Jermichael but none of us have a crystal ball.”
Finley's fantasy value would be highest if he returned to the Packers, but that seems unlikely at this point.
Eddie Lacy was the NFL offensive rookie of the year, but new Packers RB coach Sam Gash thinks he can teach him some things about advancing his career beyond first-year success.
"Just point him in the right direction and let him go," Gash said. "Just talk to him about the little things, the part about being a pro. He’s a young guy and he plays hard, but there’s an art to being a pro. I’m definitely not going to mess him up. That’s something I learned a long time, let runners run."
Gash said as soon as he got the job he called Lacy and introduced himself. He said he began watching some tape of Lacy recently and based on his conversation with the rookie and what he saw on tape, he said he thought there were similarities between Lacy and Curtis Martin.
"Even though he’s bigger, same mentality," Gash said. "Curtis didn’t like watching football. If anybody watched his Hall of Fame speech, he was a guy who didn’t necessarily like watching football, but he was instinctive and just a great player.
"Eddie is pretty similar in his mentality. But you watch him on film, which I’m just starting to do, he’s an exciting prospect."
Lacy finished as the #7 RB in his rookie season and did it in essentially 14 games. Removing Week 2 (where he was concussed and only carried the ball once), Lacy averaged 14.9 fantasy points, which is the 6th-best average, just behind Adrian Peterson. He is a great talent and plays in a potent offense that should be even better in 2014 with a (hopefully) healthy Aaron Rodgers under center.
The Cleveland Browns on Tuesday promoted Ray Farmer to General Manager and announced that Joe Banner will be stepping down in the next two months as he transitions out of his role as CEO.
Farmer will immediately take the over the team’s football operations and lead the Browns during free agency and the draft.
Additionally, the team announced that General Manager Michael Lombardi is departing the organization.
This has more of a real-world impact than a fantasy impact, but it's important news nonetheless. The organization hasn't given its hires much time to work. Rob Chudzinski and Co. were canned after one season and now this.
If he’s healthy, Chiefs TE Travis Kelce should get plenty of playing time in 2014. The Chiefs also have veteran Anthony Fasano and Sean McGrath at tight end, but neither is the versatile receiving threat Kelce could be.
Beat writer Mary Kay Cabot was asked how WR Josh Gordon will fare in new OC Kyle Shanahan's offense.
"If Gordon fares as well as seven-time Pro Bowler Andre Johnson in Shanahan's West Coast-oriented scheme, the reigning receiving yardage leader (1,646) will continue to tear it up. With Shanahan as Texans' coordinator in 2008-09, Johnson led the NFL in receiving yards in both years (1,575 in 2008) and (1,569 in 2009). He also led the league in receptions in 2008 (115). During those two seasons combined, Johnson led the NFL in receiving yards (3,144) and ranked second in receptions (216).
So more trips to Honolulu should be in store for Gordon, who flourished in the vertical passing game last season."
Gordon actually outscored Calvin Johnson in PPG (16.2 vs. 15.8) and finished as the top fantasy receiver in 2013 despite missing the first two games due to suspension. He’d be a no-brainer top 5 wideout heading into 2014 if not for his history of off-field issues, a change at offensive coordinator and continuing issues at quarterback. If he can finally get some consistency at QB (and stay out of trouble), the sky is the limit for this kid. It’s pretty amazing what he did with Brian Hoyer, Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden throwing him the ball.
Chiefs QB Alex Smith didn't have the entire playbook at his disposal until midseason.
“It was our first year in the offense, we didn’t turn the ball over, we were opportunistic in the red zone, but yes we didn’t really have the entire playbook at hand, and that’s to be expected in the first year with a lot of new faces. So as the year went on and we got more comfortable and coach Reid got more comfortable with us and his staff, he started to trust us with more and we showed that we could handle it. By the end, I was feeling really good about things.”
Smith posted the #12 average (17.3 PPG) on the season. Prior to the Chiefs' Week 10 bye, he averaged 213 yards and 1.0 TD. After the bye (and including the playoffs), he averaged 253 yards and 2.6 TD. That's 22.7 PPG -- for reference, Drew Brees averaged 22.6 PPG in 2013. Smith is likely to be a great value on draft day.
Under new OC Norv Turner, the Vikings' plan for RB Adrian Peterson could look slightly different than how the 2012 NFL MVP has been used in the past. He talked about wanting to get Peterson the ball in space more often, which could sound like sweet poetry to Vikings fans who have wondered why Peterson hasn't been used as a receiving threat more over the years. The best season of Peterson's career as a receiver, not surprisingly, came in 2009, when he caught 43 passes for 436 yards from Brett Favre, who used running backs as receivers with great success during his career.
"He’s run the ball in closed-in quarters with a lot of defenders there and he makes a lot of long runs, making people miss or running over people," Turner said. "It’s hard to do, but we would like to get him in space and getting the field spread a little bit better for for him."
If Turner is able to get Peterson in the open field more often, either by throwing him the ball or by reducing the number of defenders in the box, it could help take some of the wear off a running back who just had his third surgery in as many years and will be 29 in March.
Peterson has only averaged 2.0 receptions in his career, and has been curiously underutilized in the passing game since day one. He's not quite the natural receiver as LaDainian Tomlinson was, but as a Turner-RB comparison, Tomlinson averaged 3.7 receptions throughout his career.
On the topic of Dolphins RBs Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas...
“They’re a good complement to each other, and we like Miller’s speed and explosiveness,” the Dolphins staffer said. “Miller has the higher ceiling, but you wish he ran with a more physical [style]. And both have to improve as blockers.”
Most believe the Dolphins will add a running back, with LeGarrette Blount and Donald Brown among free agents available.
Miller is ranked #31 in John Paulsen's Never-Too-Early RB Rankings due to concerns about certainty of workload. Miller averaged 12.7 touches per game, while Thomas saw an average of 8.3 touches.
According to the Jaguars, RB Jordan Todman an exclusive-rights free agent (not a restricted free agent).
Via NFLPA records, Todman’s contract expired after the 2013 season. Via NFL.com’s player page, Todman has only one accrued season, despite being in the league for three total years. All players with fewer than three accrued seasons are exclusive-rights free agents when their contracts expire.
As an exclusive-rights free agent, Todman has two options: Play for the Jaguars or play for no one. While he’s not subject to fines if he doesn’t accept his exclusive-rights tender, Todman can’t join another team. Which means he’s not really a free agent at all.
If the Jaguars let Maurice Jones-Drew walk, they could turn to Todman as their RB1. His YPC (3.4) wasn’t impressive, but it was the same as MJD’s indicating that the offensive line was more of a problem than either of the running backs. As a starter, he did have a nice game against the Bills in Week 15 (29 touches, 153 yards), showing that he can carry the load if necessary.
Buccaneers receiver Mike Williams, who missed the final 10 games of last season with a hamstring injury, now finds himself facing off-field problems as well, with an arraignment in court later this month on misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and trespassing from an unspecified December incident.
Williams, 26, is due in court Feb. 24, according to the Hillsborough County clerk's office. Williams could not immediately be reached for comment. The charges were first reported by Bay News 9 on Friday.
The Colts announced today that they hired Rob Chudzinski as special assistant to the head coach.
“Rob and I have a long professional relationship and his résumé speaks for itself,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and will be a tremendous help to our entire team moving forward. Needless to say, we’re excited to have ‘Chud’ joining our family.”
We're not sure what a 'special assistant' does, but it's fair to say that Chudzinski will have plenty of input on the offensive side of the ball. Known to run a TE-friendly offense, the hire is likely good for Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, but if both players are healthy they'll likely cap each other's upside.
Are the Redskins better off giving some more of Alfred Morris’ workload to Roy Helu? Maybe a few carries per game to keep Morris fresher in the fourth quarter. But in the big picture it doesn’t make much sense to move a lot of carries from a back who averages 4.7 yards per carry to one who averages almost half a yard less.
New HC Jay Gruden ran a two-back system in Cincinnati, but Morris is quite a bit better than BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Helu does not have the talent of Giovani Bernard. We're expecting Morris to be the lead back, though his inactivity on third down puts a dent in his value in PPR formats.
Miami will probably have to live with its uninspiring collection of running backs and tight ends for another year, and things could still get interesting with the quarterback position as well. Joe Philbin's job is riding on QB Ryan Tannehill progressing. I wouldn't doubt a little more pressure from highly paid back–up Matt Moore ($4M salary; $5.5M in cap) in 2014, with Philbin professing his belief in Moore to several of the GM candidates and demanding more from Tannehill.
"He definitely wants to push Tannehill more," said one source who has spoken to Philbin about the quarterbacks, "and if he doesn't see improvement he said he might go to Moore at some point. He definitely has a lot of faith in Moore, and they're paying him a lot of money."
Tannehill will certainly enter the season as the starter, but if the team doesn't get off to a good start, he could potentially be replaced by Moore. Tannehill is a committee-type, but fantasy owners should keep this in mind as they head into 2014 fantasy drafts.
As expected, Texans HC Bill O'Brien, who will call plays on offense, won't have an offensive coordinator, at least for the first year he coaches.
Browns OC Kyle Shanahan said he was “a big fan” of Brian Hoyer’s coming out of Michigan State in 2009 and reviewed him again when New England let Hoyer go in 2012. By then, Shanahan had his hands full with RG3 and Kirk Cousins as rookies.
“I think Brian’s a very capable guy,” Shanahan said. “Everyone’s looking for one of those top five guys. If you’re not one of those top five guys, then odds are you’re trying to get replaced. Obviously, no one here has proven they are one of those top five guys.
“But he has shown he can play in this league. You’ve got to see what his ceiling is and how high a level he can reach. Everyone wants a franchise quarterback. I truly believe that’s the only way to have sustained success in this league. I’m not saying he is. But he hasn’t shown that he can’t be. So I’m looking forward to studying him more. It’s nice to be in this building so I can look at a lot of practice tape, also.”
Hoyer is atop the Cleveland depth chart at this point, but the Browns are expected to draft a QB early.
Vikings OC Norv Turner on a running offense: "It's all about balance. We need to be good at all things. Balance is the most critical thing."
No one should be worried about Adrian Peterson's workload. Turner likes to run the ball and only goes pass-happy when he doesn't have enough talent at running back.
Danario Alexander devoted months to knee rehab, working to return from an August injury as soon as possible.
It won't happen as soon as first hoped.
The Chargers wide receiver recently underwent additional surgery to repair the right knee injury that ended his 2013 season, sources said. The revision ACL surgery, performed in January as a follow-up to the primary reconstruction done in August, delays the original timetable for the impending free agent's return to football activities.
It doesn't look likely that Alexander will be healthy to start the 2014 season. It's a shame too -- he and Keenan Allen would have made a dangerous duo for the Chargers. He was outstanding down the stretch in 2012.
Colts RB Trent Richardson spent too much time thinking when he took the handoff than running with the type of speed and force that made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 draft.
“Learn the system, not just memorizing it,” Richardson said. “Learning the whole concept of the system. There's a difference between having it memorized and feeling comfortable with the system. I’m going talk to a lot of veteran players, talk to Adrian (Peterson), talk to (LaDainian Tomlinson) , talk to Emmitt Smith to make sure I’m the best I need to be next year.”
The Colts went from pulling off the biggest trade of last season when they acquired Richardson from the Cleveland Browns for a first-round pick to currently having the move favor the Browns after Richardson only averaged 2.9 yards a carry. The thought of the dynamic duo of Richardson and quarterback Andrew Luck has yet to come together. Richardson ended up losing the starting running back position to Donald Brown on Dec. 1, 2013.
We're not terribly optimistic that T-Rich will be able to turn it around. Other than the 11 rushing TDs, he wasn't very good (3.6 YPC) in Cleveland. And while some would blame the Indianapolis offensive line for Richardson's struggles (2.9 YPC), Donald Brown (5.3 YPC) ran just fine behind the same unit. Brown is a free agent and should be re-signed, but the Colts appear to be "all in" on Richardson after giving up a first round pick for him.
In order to hit the ground running, Pierre Garcon told Redskins.comTV that he had already scheduled trips to work out with Robert Griffin III during the offseason.
"We've already got that date set up. We've already got a place," he said with a grin. "We’re going to go to Arizona, work out there. We’ll probably do some more in Ashburn. Probably go to Baylor a little bit.
"We’re definitely going to be around. Probably go to Miami. I’m trying to talk him into going to Miami. South Florida is home."
This is not at all uncommon, but it's still good to hear that RG3 and Garcon will be working out this summer.
Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said receiver Sidney Rice, who suffered an ACL injury at St. Louis on Oct. 28, is recovering quickly.
“He’s had an unbelievable recovery from his surgery,’’ Carroll said. “Within weeks he was back up with almost total reflection and extension and it’s just almost an unheard of type of recovery. It’s so far ahead of schedule, so that’s great for Sid. We’ll see how that turns out, but right off the bat we’ve never seen anybody (recover) like that.’’
Rice is due to make $9.7 million next season, leading to lots of speculation that the Seahawks may cut him, or ask him to restructure his contract.
Rice is still expected to be cut. If Golden Tate also leaves via free agency, Doug Baldwin will be a nice sleeper in 2014 fantasy drafts. If Tate returns, the Seattle WR corps will be difficult to trust outside of a (hopefully) healthy Percy Harvin.
Cowboys QB Tony Romo has made excellent progress and will soon move into the next stage of his rehabilitation, sources said.
The Cowboys quarterback had surgery to relieve the pressure of a herniated disk on Dec. 27, two days before the team ended the regular season with a loss to Philadelphia.
Romo should be a nice value in fantasy drafts due to the depth at the position.
Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Matt Cassel has decided to void his contract for the 2014 season, a source with direct knowledge said in an email to KSTP.
Cassel has until Friday to void his contract, in which case he will become a free agent. There's still a possibility he can re-sign with the Vikings with different terms on the contract.
At this point, Cassel is the Vikings' best bet at QB heading into the 2014 season. We'll see if he returns on a two-year deal or perhaps a one-year deal at a higher salary. Greg Jennings averaged 5.9-70-.57 (fantasy WR2 numbers) in seven games where Cassel played heavy snaps.
The Cowboys are expected to part ways with Miles Austin to save $5.5 million against the salary cap.
That would mean Terrance Williams would start alongside Dez Bryant in an offense expected to increase the number of passes thrown with new play-caller Scott Linehan.
Williams was a big-play threat for Romo last season with 12 catches of 20 or more yards. Overall, Williams had 44 catches for 736 yards and five touchdowns, with three of those scores going for at least 20 yards.
Williams has good speed, and improved his route running as the season progressed. Becoming reliable is the key for Williams in his development. Bryant dealt with similar questions after his rookie season, and as you saw in 2013 he produced his first Pro Bowl season.
With Austin basically sidelined from Week 4 to Week 10, Williams was the #12 WR in fantasy, racking up 24 catches for 438 yards and five TDs in that seven-game span. He faded upon Austin’s return to starter’s snaps, but showed enough in his rookie season to make him an interesting late-round sleeper in 2014. The Cowboys figure to throw a lot under new OC Scott Linehan, who was pass-happy while in Detroit.
Ray Rice is using last season’s adversity as fuel for a redemption campaign in 2014.
The Ravens’ running back battled a hip injury, which limited his ability to make cuts and accelerate. The injury persisted all season and hindered Rice’s ability to explode for big gains.
“I played through an injury and I probably should have thought twice about it, but I’m glad I was able to push through the season and not have any surgical procedures,” said Rice, who was speaking at an event promoting BODYARMOR Superdrink. “One thing I know my body needed was rest, and we had a tough turnaround, and we didn’t do what we wanted to this year, but I’m positive that things are looking better for next year already. We’ll get this thing rolling again."
For an offense that is built around the run, the Ravens were never able to adapt to Juan Castillo’s zone-based schemes. The Ravens’ rushing offense finished last in the NFL in yards per carry. Castillo, who was hired to be the team’s run game coordinator, has been tabbed as the offensive line coach for next season. The Ravens’ running game should be buoyed by the hiring of offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak.
Kubiak’s stretch-zone scheme suits the Ravens’ personnel more naturally. Opposed to relying on the passing game of Joe Flacco, Kubiak prefers balance and using the run to set up the pass. The offensive linemen will be called upon to move laterally, and the running backs must thrive in a one-cut system.
Rice is only 27 years old, so he shouldn't be hitting the wall age-wise. It sounds as if he never fully recovered from the hip injury, so a bounce back season is entirely possible if he can stay healthy in 2014. Kubiak's arrival should help as well.
The arrival of new Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak could provide a boost to the production of tight end Dennis Pitta.
Kubiak's offensive game plans over the years with the Houston Texans -- and previously with the Denver Broncos -- have been friendly toward athletic tight ends like Pitta.
“I remember studying Dennis, and I’m very impressed with him as a player," Kubiak said. "I know he went through a tough year this year with getting injured, but that position has always been a big part of our offense. I’m sure it won’t be any different.”
We had Pitta as a mid-TE1 prior to the injury, so that's roughly where he'll be ranked heading into 2014 with a TE-friendly coach like Kubiak.
Seahawks Inactives
Michael Bowie OT
Kellen Davis TE
Caylin Hauptmann OT
Jordan Hill DT
Benson Mayowa DE
Christine Michael RB
Bryan Walters WR
Percy Harvin is active as expected and reportedly "100%."
Broncos Inactives
Joel Dreessen TE
Zac Dysert QB
Sione Fua OG
Ronnie Hillman RB
Quentin Jammer CB
Chris Kuper G
Vinston Painter OT
Source tells Fox Sports that Kyle Shanahan is Browns' new offensive coordinator.
Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the Redskins for the last four years. The unit was 22nd in yards gained in the year before his arrival and he led the offense to two straight top 10 finishes in that category in 2012 and 2013.
Browns WR Josh Gordon received a personal invitation from Larry Fitzgerald to attend his annual pre-camp all-star training session in Minnesota, in which former stars such as Michael Irvin, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders help current top players perfect their skills. The camp runs for about six weeks in the summer, and Pro Bowl-caliber players come and go.
"I'm definitely going to make the trip,'' said Gordon. "I talked to Larry and he personally invited me out. Michael invited me, Jerry invited me, so I've got to go. It's going to be fun. It will be in the summer time and help get ready for training camp and hopefully tear it up this season.''
It's great to hear that Gordon -- who has had off field issues in the past -- seems focused and committed to perfecting his craft. The sky is the limit.
