NFL Off Season News /Rumors And Discussion

[NewYorkKnight]

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler believes it is possible Antonio Brown catches 150 passes this season.

Marvin Harrison currently holds the NFL record with 143 receptions in 2002, but it is not crazy to think Brown could blow by that mark. Brown caught 136 balls last year, and he managed 9.91 receptions per game while Ben Roethlisberger was healthy, which would have been good enough for 159 catches over a full season. With Martavis Bryant suspended, Brown will be the unquestioned focal point of the offense. If he and Ben stay healthy, he could set some records. Brown is the clear-cut No. 1 fantasy receiver this season.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Newsday's Kimberley Martin reports both Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall are back at the Jets' facility on Tuesday.

Decker skipped last week's work to express his displeasure with how the Jets are handling Ryan Fitzpatrick's contract saga. Marshall reportedly missed the voluntary work for other reasons, but it is possible Fitzpatrick's situation played a role. Either way, both are back this week, and Fitzpatrick is still unsigned.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

The Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer reports it is a "near certainty" Alshon Jeffery plays out 2016 under the terms of the franchise tag.

GM Ryan Pace has called contract talks "cordial" and "productive," but Wiederer's sources say "there are no indications" the Bears will push for a long-term deal this summer. The move makes sense for Chicago. Jeffery has had conditioning questions in the past and struggled through an injury-riddled campaign last season. He is also skipping voluntary work this year despite signing his franchise tag in early March. With no idea how healthy or motivated Jeffery is for this season or beyond, the Bears might be happy moving forward with sophomore Kevin White as their No. 1 after this year. Even while hurt last year, Jeffery showed he has top-flight talent, but he needs to prove he can stay on the field.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

The Jets' three-year offer to free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick is reportedly worth up to $36 million.

The base value of the deal is $24 million with $12 million in the first year and over $15 million guaranteed. While the $12 million in available incentives makes the deal look more reasonable, The New York Daily News' Manish Mehta called them "fugazi incentives," indicating there is little chance they would ever be reached. A one-year deal with an option for 2017 could be the compromise both sides are waiting for, but this saga looks destined to drag out well into the summer.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports the NFL will move the Pro Bowl to Orlando in 2017.

A press conference to announce a multi-year deal to play the game in central Florida will be held Wednesday. Rather than changing the format to make the game more enticing to fans and players alike, the NFL is hoping another move -- the game was hosted in Miami in 2009 and Glendale in 2014 -- will spur interest. Aside from 2009 and 2014, the game has been hosted at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu every year since 1979.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Free agent S/CB Walter Thurmond is retiring after six seasons in the NFL.

The Philadelphia Daily News' Les Bowen reported this was a possibility in March. Thurmond is only 28 and coming off his best and healthiest season as a pro after switching to safety for the Eagles last year. With an injury history as long as anyone, it is possible Thurmond decided to call it quits rather than risking his health on another short-term deal. It would not be surprising if he changes his mind next spring. Thurmond finishes his career with 160 tackles, three sacks and four interceptions in 52 appearances.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Ryan Tannehill said "the sky is the limit" for sophomore WR DeVante Parker.

"I think you saw, the last six to eight games of the year, his confidence start to build," Tannehill said. "He's starting at that point now. We can build from where he is at now, and the sky is the limit for him." This is the second time Tannehill has talked up his second-year receiver in as many weeks. Even though the receiver corps is deep with talent, Parker should play a huge role this year.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

ESPN Seahawks reporter Sheil Kapadia does not believe Thomas Rawls (ankle) will play in the preseason.

The Seahawks have been tight-lipped about Rawls' recovery from a broken ankle, but they have consistently targeted Week 1 for his return. That suggests he will not see any work in the preseason, and he could be extremely limited deep into training camp. Rawls has RB1 upside, but this injury makes him a very risky pick. Christine Michael and C.J. Prosise could have larger than expected roles.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Dehner expects Brandon LaFell to start over rookie Tyler Boyd this season.

This could change if Boyd has a big training camp, but for now LaFell is running with the ones and in the driver's seat to replace Marvin Jones opposite A.J. Green. A second-round pick out of Pitt, Boyd is a finesse receiver with limited run-after-catch skills whose fit in the slot is questionable. The Bengals have a boatload of unaccounted-for targets after losing Jones and Mohamed Sanu in free agency, and Tyler Eifert to offseason ankle surgery.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Dolphins coach Adam Gase said he wants his running backs to play all three downs.

This sentiment explains why the Dolphins want Jay Ajayi to focus on improving in the passing game. An every-down back in college, Ajayi has the skills to be a three-down player in the NFL. He will lose third-down snaps to rookie Kenyan Drake, but Ajayi could establish himself as a workhorse if he shows well in the passing game in camp.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Eagles DT Fletcher Cox is expected to report for this week's mandatory minicamp.

Cox skipped the entirety of the voluntary offseason program, but he was likely unwilling to pay the $76,580 fine to skip the mandatory sessions, especially since it is still unclear what leverage he gained by skipping the voluntary work. The Eagles have been clear about their desire to give Cox a big-money deal. It would be surprising if the two sides do not work something out before camp.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Panthers signed C Ryan Kalil to a two-year, $16.75 million extension through 2018.

He'll earn $13 million guaranteed. This deal, which makes Kalil one of the five highest-paid centers in football, may not have been possible if the team had kept Josh Norman under the franchise tag. 31-year-old Kalil has been one of the most reliable centers in football throughout his career and has only missed one game over the last three seasons. The Panthers now have Kalil under control for the next three years at a total of $24.5 million.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

J.J. Watt (groin, core) returned to practice on Monday.

He missed last month's OTAs while recovering from a pair of offseason surgeries. The 27-year-old led the NFL in sacks in 2015. Watt, who has never missed a game, has earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in three of his last four seasons. His availability for training camp was never in doubt.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Franchise-tagged OLB Von Miller said there has been "a lot of progress" in contract talks over the last couple days.

The Broncos and Miller have until July 15 to reach a long-term deal. It will probably go down to the wire but now there's a sense of optimism that the sides will come to an agreement. Right now the reigning Super Bowl MVP is playing under the $14.1 million franchise tag.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said third-year WR Jeff Janis is "doing a lot of good things" at OTAs, but reemphasized that Janis needs to keep working on "the fundamentals" of wide receiver.

A playoff hero against Arizona (7-145-2), Janis scored a 60-yard touchdown on a deep jump ball at Monday's OTA session, beating Packers top CB Sam Shields. With Jordy Nelson (ACL) on the shelf, Janis is gobbling up first-team reps. "Special teams he had an excellent year last year, graded out as one of our top players," said McCarthy. "I’d like to see him take that same step as a wide receiver." 6-foot-3, 219 with 4.42 speed, Janis oozes physical tools but still needs to earn the trust of Aaron Rodgers.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Eagles OC Frank Reich said No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz's "aptitude is off the charts."

"I’m not sure I’ve been around a guy that has as high an aptitude as him at this age," Reich continued. "It’s really, really good and he has the work ethic to go along with it." That "aptitude" has allowed Wentz to pick up the offense "very fast." Coach Doug Pederson seems committed to making Wentz sit behind Sam Bradford, but his resolve will be tested if Wentz shows good command of the offense in camp. No matter who is under center to start the season, it is likely Wentz makes starts as a rookie.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said sophomore WR Devin Funchess is "light years" ahead of where he was as a rookie.

A hamstring injury stunted Funchess' development in camp last season and prevented him from playing an early-season role despite the absence of Kelvin Benjamin (ACL). Benjamin is back this year, but there is still an opportunity for Funchess to take on a bigger role with Ted Ginn likely to take a step back and Jerricho Cotchery no longer around. He is a solid upside pick late in drafts.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the NFL is "actively" looking into the events which lead to Broncos CB Aqib Talib being shot.

A league source told Schefter that still-alive commissioner Roger Goodell "doesn’t like guns, he doesn’t like guns in the hands of intoxicated players, and he especially doesn’t like guns in the hands of intoxicated players who have a history with guns like Talib has." There have been rumors Talib accidently shot himself, but the incident report from Dallas Police called the shooting an "aggravated assault." Even so, Talib likely has a long way to go before this issue is resolved.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

49ers coach Chip Kelly said Carlos Hyde "can be a three-down back."

"Our style and scheme adapts to whoever it is," Kelly said, "but he certainly has the skillset to be an outstanding running back at this level, because he can do everything." Hyde has never been heavily involved as a pass catcher in either college or the pros, but the 49ers do not have much talent behind him on the depth chart. If he can stay healthy, which has been a major concern to this point in his career, he should be the workhorse for a team with real concerns at quarterback.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Second-year WR Nelson Agholor is being investigated for an alleged sexual assault.

An exotic dancer accused Agholor of assaulting her at Cheerleaders Gentleman's Club in Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon. According to David Gambacorta of Philadelphia Magazine, Agholor was joined by two Eagles teammates at the strip club on Thursday, the same day the team finished its OTAs. The Eagles released a statement on Friday: "We are aware of the police investigation involving Nelson Agholor. The organization has been in contact with Nelson and with the proper authorities in Philadelphia. Because of the legal nature of this matter, we will have no further comment." Agholor is coming off a highly disappointing rookie year and doesn't need any off-field distractions. He's expected to interview with police as part of the investigation.