The difficult decisions all 32 teams have ahead in the 2018 NFL offseason

Wiki Article

In the next two weeks a slew of veteran players will be hitting the NFL's free agent or trade market. A purge of contracts and cap space will begin, albeit likely to a le ser degree that in years past now that the cap itself continues to soar.With the combine in Indianapolis now le s than two weeks away, teams are finalizing their offseason plans and preparing to meet with agents to discu s the future of their clients. By now, in most front offices, the executives have already conducted a full review of every other roster in the league to determine players they believe will be cut, asked to take a pay cut, or who will be shopped ahead of the start of the league year. It's an inexact science, to be sure, but one that signals that the 2018 offseason is, basically, about to launch.I went through the payroll, depth chart and cap situations with two executives trying to hash out what's likely to come for every organization in the NFL, comparing notes and theories about the state of these teams and where they are likely going. Obviously, some teams have more work to do than others, and there are difficult decisions looming for a wide swath of the league in February that will set the stage for March.Here's a thumbnail on each NFL franchise gleaned from my conversations this week: Arizona The have to find a quarterback, and the hunch I get is that its far more likely they go for a bridge guy like than a mega-deal with . I expect them to draft one high as well. A extension will be on the front burner, and they have until March 14 to make a determination on ; his $11 million in combined salary and roster bonus becomes guaranteed then. The execs I spoke to believed the Cardinals would pay that but seek to get off the $9 million fifth-year option and on a longer-term deal at a lower cap number. Atlanta There is little secret here -- quarterback , a former NFL MVP, is entering the final year of his deal, and signing him to an extension is paramount. With and Cousins in line for free-agent deals and in line for an extension, the price of doing busine s with Ryan continues to soar. Getting off a fifth-year option and on a le s cumbersome deal would also make sense. Baltimore Ownership has made it clear drafting a quarterback in the first round isn't on the table, but 2018 is likely last season with this team given the structure of his contract. (I'd target for that role; abundant upside, played well against the this year, and they've signed backups before). Finding skill players on offense is the priority, in draft and free agency, and before that happens I expect the Ravens, ever tight against the cap, to purge some of the elders they brought in a year ago in free agency ( and ) to clear some cap room. They've always been remi s to pay big for free agent receivers, but exploring a trade for would make sense. Can they get anything for in trade? Extending C.J. Mosley is the only real in-house busine s to take care of, another sign of their recent draft struggles. Buffalo GM Brandon Beane isn't even a year on the job yet, but already established himself as a wheeler- Nikola Vucevic Jersey dealer willing to listen to anything. He was open to moving tackle in-season and will definitely consider that option this offseason as well; he's done well moving on from big-ticket items left over from the previous regime. Sources said the Bills will also seek a trade partner for -- Denver is one team that leaps to mind -- but teams may simply wait until March to sign him, knowing the Bills are highly unlikely to pick up his $6 million roster bonus on the March 16. They are loaded with picks and looking diligently at the first-round quarterbacks in this draft. Carolina This is literally a team in limbo without a general manager for now -- they should have given Marty Hurney an extension when Ron Rivera got his weeks ago -- and with an interim owner, with Jerry Richardson under NFL investigation and the team up for sale. In other words, don't expect a whole lot of activity from them. Maybe they get an extension done with a high-character veteran like . Finding legit outside receivers will be the primary objective to open up the offense. Chicago Go ahead and swallow that $19 million you gave to start about one month for you. League sources said that quarterback will be gone. His a symbol of a brutal 2017 free-agent cla s. "Their free agent cla s from a year ago was a joke," one personnel exec said. "You can count on pretty much all of those guys being out of there this year." Indeed, the team got next to nothing out of Glennon, , , Prince Amukamara, et al. a year ago). injury woes have other teams believing the might save that $7 million by moving on from him, and is another who could be gone. Re-signing corner should be a priority but he's going to find a lucrative market ahead and will not be returning to Chicago, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Cincinnati Will this be the final year for and with the ? They have been the heart of that defensive front for a long time, but both enter the final year of their deal. has not produced in his second stint with the team the way he did in his first, and they could save $4.5 million by letting him go. has been a favorite of ownership and highly productive into his 30s, but with a $5.3 million option looming on March 14, do they move on? My gue s is he's back with the Bengals for another season. Cleveland It's all about finding a quarterback, finally, for this franchise, and it will focus on the first-overall pick in the draft. Securing a veteran to run the offense to start the 2018 season makes sense as well (a type would be perfect), and moving out of there might be the best step, too. Extending should be a no-brainer given the $100 million or so in cap room they have. But coming off an 0-16 season, there aren't a ton of extensions in order and the will be active in free agency. (Personally, I'd part ways with as well given all of the drama and baggage there.) Dallas The sense I got around the league is that Jerry Jones will not release ("He'll get him to restructure that contract," one personnel director told me. "Jerry has a way of getting those things done.") The don't have oodles of cap room, however, and need to franchise and then try to extend him, while is an RFA and Zack Martin is the next offensive lineman in line for a ma sive new deal. The Cowboys' focus will be from within. Denver A year from now, and Emmanuel Sanders are likely to be gone, and rival execs would not be surprised at all if one of them is dealt in the coming weeks. is gone. could be gone once the solve their quarterback conundrum. I'd put my money more on a younger bridge guy like Taylor or than I would them landing Cousins in the end. Sign a guy making half of what Cousins will make, and draft a quarterback in the first round (again). Detroit Executives I talk to believe the have to roll the dice and tag Ziggy Ansah, injury concerns and all. "He has a chance to set the market on that side of the ball in free agency if they let him hit the market," one exec said. Tight end has been the subject of trade rumors before and likely will be again. Significant focus will be paid to getting a feature back and adding talent to the defense for rookie head coach Matt Patricia. Green Bay It's time to extend Rodgers again, and while you could make the case for the moving on from either receiver or , I wouldn't bet on it. "Rodgers is back healthy, he got the GM in the seat that he wanted, and he loves both of those receivers," said one exec with ties to that organization. "He'll make it clear he doesn't want to lose them. I don't think they're going anywhere." isn't the player he once was Aaron Gordon Jersey and they could save over $10 million in cash and cap by letting him go, but I don't anticipate that happening, either. They need to upgrade on defense, obviously. Houston is very likely to be gone, saving about $8 million in the proce s. As much money as po sible needs to be funneled to , who is entering the final year of his deal at a time when longtime defensive anchors J.J. Watt and are both trying to come back from major injuries. Watt's long-term health has to be a concern, which makes extending Clowney Objective No. 1 (and 2 and 3) for the Texans. Indianapolis They've been open to listening to trade suggestions on tackle in the past, and some in the league believe the right side is where he should be. Buttre sing the offensive line in hopes of return is as much a need as is sprinkling talent at all positions on defense With around $80 million in cap space, the will be players in free agency, and much of that money could be sunk into the offensive and defensive lines. Jacksonville I wouldn't rule out, at all, them sniffing around on guys like Cousins, but in the end I believe it's more likely they land a top dollar backup like Josh McCown than add a new uber-expensive starter. I expect to be back. The Jags must decide by next week whether to pick up a $4 million option on tight end -- "I'd be surprised if they don't given how he's been there and his ability to block and help in the run game," one exec said -- though the exec does anticipate the Jags release running back and save over $5 million in the proce s. Kansas City The gutting of the defense is underway; if you are over 30, you may have to go. and are gone, and is expected to be next behind them. "They are cleaning house on defense," one exec said. The team's highest-paid player, , wont be a part of that purge, I'm told, though the Chiefs are expected to rework his contract to create much-needed cap space to pour back in that defense. Los Angeles Chargers Is this finally the end for ? We've been saying that for years, but the free agent has always ended up back there. Two of the better corners in the NFL are entering the final years of the deal with the , and getting off the fifth-year option and securing Casey Heyward for a few more years will be the primary objectives. They have the ability to add a few key pieces in free agency, too. Los Angeles Rams The won a battle of wills with a year ago, and his holdout accomplished very little, if anything at all. But I wouldn't suggest going down that road again. Getting the game's premier defensive player locked up for the future is a must. After franchising him two years in a row, corner will not be back with the Rams, according to a league source. He leaves with $30 million in his pocket from the last two years. I'd also be shocked if is back with the Rams; they save $8 million in cash by letting the former first-round pick go. Some have suggested could go, but the Rams really like him as a player and a person, and his versatility is a plus. I expect him to be back. Miami While others might move on from after his recent injury woes, Adam Gase has championed this quarterback since he arrived there and remains bullish on him. He wants to win with him and see this through, and while they could save $18 million by walking away, that's not in the cards here. They anticipate him running their offense when OTAs start. The are super tight on cap space, which adds intrigue to the decision to po D.J. Augustin Jersey sibly franchise tag , a player they have mulled dealing in the past. Tight end is very likely gone, creating $6.5 million in cash and over $4 million in cap savings. Minnesota They have to find a quarterback, and I personally wouldn't be shocked to see and back there. They have plenty of cap flexibility. With and in the final year of their deals, there is extension work to be done there, and I continue to hear it will unfortunately be very difficult for to play again due to a lingering knee problem. New England With two years left on his deal, could get paid again before the season starts. almost surely will, and with the up against the cap, a purge of older players is coming, primarily recent additions. Parting with , , , and would create about $19 million in cap space. "The guys they brought in last year are gone," said one AFC exec, "and Bill (Belichick) will go bargain hunting again." Given the exodus of young talent on defense in recent years ( chief among them), a extension would be smart, too. New Orleans Re-sign Drew Brees, hopefully not at $30 million a year, and go into what will likely be a two-year window to win a Super Bowl with him. There isn't much other contract work that needs to be done besides maybe getting longer deals done with some restricted free agents (like ). And if they can find a way to keep from leaving in free agency, that would be a major plus. New York Giants Draft a quarterback in the first round, and explore an trade given all of the tumult in that locker room last year. From every signal being sent, is the QB for 2018, and ownership wants to keep . , meantime, is not in the team's plans, I'm told. The are somewhat hamstrung by the cap, but extensions for Beckham and might be the best ways to spend what they do have. Dave Gettleman is going to have to make serious hay in the draft. New York Jets First order of busine s will be moving on from , the team's highest-paid player. That is coming, sources said, and will free up $17 million more in cash and $11 million in cap, giving the upwards of $90 million in space to use to woo Cousins. They will be hard to beat for his services, and they'll add other weapons on offense, too. Moving on from is likely as they seek younger, more explosive backs as well. Oakland League sources said and are not in the team's plans, which creates about $16 million in cap and cash savings. Will click with Jon Gruden enough to keep him? Also, what kind of fit is tight end in this new offense? Oh, and they face an arduous tack in signing arguably their best player, , as he enters his fifth-year option. That could be quite tricky. Philadelphia The more executives I talk to, the more I am convinced that Howie Roseman will keep deep into the offseason and not trade him for anything but significant value. I'm not buying the alleged , but at least a second-rounder and something else. We'll see if that market develops, but Foles's value while recovers from knee surgery is high. I do, however, expect him to be proactive in what he can get for left tackle . "The offense operated well without Peters, and he'd have some value," one exec said. "The kid who filled in is nothing special, but the offensive line as a whole was fine without Peters." Philly is in a cap bind, but $5 million option might be too steep. And the want to extend and began talks with him in season. Pittsburgh The are almost always in a bit of a cap bind, as comes with having a strong roster that allows them to complete most years. They love , but sources said they can't retain him at $9 million (they'll try to bring him back at a lower number, I a sume). is also gone from that secondary I'm told, while will be a tough call too, as he could save them $6 million in cap space. Tight end didn't do much after being acquired and he'd save over $4 million against the cap if let go as expected. The Steelers will tag again if need be. San Francisco It's already mi sion accomplished there by getting signed long-term. It's huge and vital and franchise-changing. Love the contract from both sides. And they still have more cap space then the need to continue adding to the roster. Figuring out the extent of troubles and determining if he is someone they can continue to keep around will be imperative. Seattle Can they find a way to afford keeping on a tag of some sort? Perhaps savings from moving on from and , and maybe , would help. They entertained offers for a year ago, and execs I spoke to anticipate they do the same this year. Some things will be stripped down to try to build back up, for sure. Shaquille O'Neal Jersey "There's going to be a housecleaning, for sure, but to what extent," as one personnel director put it. Tampa Bay Bringing Mike Glennon back as a backup quarterback is something other teams expect to happen. Working out an extension with is a priority. And the Bucs will have more cap space than they need after parting with and , moves I am hearing are forthcoming and save close to $12 million in the proce s. Tenne see They don't have too much internal busine s to conduct, save for trying to work out an extension for tackle . Some execs believe they could move on from , who has a roster bonus looming next month. "He didn't really make a lot of plays for them," as one exec put it. Some are asking questions about the run game moving forward " doesn't seem to fit what they're going to be doing there now," one personnel guy mentioned to me. Washington Things are a me s there, again. No one is buying a tag-and-trade scenario with Cousins, at least not that I've talked to. There are rumblings about 's future there as well, and they could save $15 million in cash and $8 million in cap space by parting with him. "You just moved on from a franchise quarterback and paid a guy to replace him who you didn't have to pay, so anything is po sible there," a personnel director said. "There is no way I would have extended like that. I hear that Norman hates the front office and would want to leave anyway. Something could happen there." Given all of the drama between Washington and , he could be gone too, now that he has been reinstated.
https://andreasgu75329.wikiconverse.com/4223137/the_giants_say_theyre_starting_to_prepare_for_life_after_eli_manning
Click here Click here Click here