Tag: contract

Broncos would like to give Justin Simmons a contract extension

Broncos general manager John Elway hopes to sign safety Justin Simmons to a long-term contract extension this offseason.

After earning $4,710,139 over the first four years of his career, Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March. Denver could place a one-year franchise tag on the defensive back but general manager John Elway would prefer to give him a long-term extension.

“We want him back,” Elway said during his end-of-season press conference Monday. “You know the option’s there. Before we came down, I talked to Justin and said, ‘You know what, we want you back.’ He’s a great football player, but he’s a better man.

“What he does outside of this building and what’s done in Denver has been tremendous. Just the type of guys he is. These are the type of guys that we want on this football team. Obviously, we have the franchise option there, but we’d like to get something done with Justin for the long term.”

Simmons, 26, had a brilliant year this season, totaling 93 tackles and a career-high four interceptions. He also broke up 15 passes.

“I love the defense,” Simmons said Monday. “It works for me; I think I make it work just as well. I think it’s a good relationship. With that being said, it just has to work out. There’s no hiding that I want it to work out. I just hope it does.

“It’ll be exciting regardless. Whatever happens, I know it’s all on the Lord’s will. If it does happen, I’ll just further his kingdom, so it’ll be good.”

Broncos coach Vic Fangio believes that Simmons could show even more improvement in 2020 if he stays in Denver.

“I think he’ll still at the stage of his career where he can still improve more, especially within the inner workings of our defense and mastering some of the things we do even better, which will only come through reps — it won’t come through meetings,” Fangio said.

“Really good football player, a really good person and a really good teammate. He’s everything we want in a player.”

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Will the Broncos re-sign cornerback Chris Harris?

Will the Broncos re-sign cornerback Chris Harris this offseason? The two sides seem to be sending mixed messages.

After the Denver Broncos defeated the Oakland Raiders 16-15 in Week 17, veteran cornerback Chris Harris tweeted a “thank you” to fans. That prompted the question, ‘Why would he thank fans if he wasn’t on his way out the door?’

“Thank You Broncos Country for everything,” Harris tweeted on Sunday evening. “It’s incredible what we’ve accomplished. Undrafted and 9 years later…Love y’all !!!!! 🙏🏾🙌🏾”

Does that mean Harris isn’t coming back?

Not necessarily.

Denver made Harris a three-year, $36 million contract offer earlier this season so the team clearly is open to giving him an extension. The 30-year-old cornerback is open to returning, too.

“I’d love to,” Harris said Monday. “We’re getting the right pieces back — definitely need some more pieces around me to just do what I do. That’s one thing I’m looking at in the offseason.

“My family loves it here. Of course, my kids growing up here — I grew up here. It’s definitely my first home for sure.”

Given that the Broncos are open to an extension and that Harris is open to returning, the only holdup would be contract terms. Denver general manager John Elway was non-commital during his Monday press conference when asked if the team will increase their offer to Harris this offseason.

“We have to go back and look at the money that we have available,” Elway said. “We will go through and make a plan before we get to that. We will budget it out and see what our plan is and put that plan together. I can’t answer that question right now.”

The Broncos are expected to have well over $70 million in salary cap space next year so there should be enough to re-sign Harris. The question is, how much of that cap will Denver be willing to use on Harris? Elway will have to make a decision on that this spring.

“We’re going to look at our budget, see how the pie fits, see how everybody fits in the pie and do the best job of using our money in the best ways that we can but also find the players that we hope can get us back to the playoffs and compete for a World Championship,” Elway said. 

Broncos will pick up Von Miller’s 2020 contract option

The Broncos will pick up Von Miller’s contract option for the 2020 season, GM John Elway said.

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller will have salary cap hits of $25.625 million and $22.225 million over the next two seasons, according to Spotrac.com. Alternatively, Denver could opt out of his contract in 2020 with a “dead cap” hit of $17.85 million, a net saving of $30 million.

When it comes to Miller, though, the Broncos are not interested in saving money. Denver general manager John Elway confirmed during his end-of-season press conference Monday that the team will pick up Miller’s contract option this offseason.

By picking up Miller’s option, the Broncos are guaranteeing $6 million of the linebacker’s $18 million salary in 2020, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. The 30-year-old edge defender earned a Pro Bowl nod after totaling eight sacks this season and he’s eager to return next year.

“I can tell you one thing right now, we’ve got a good team . . . . We’re done with this losing,” Miller said after Sunday’s 16-15 win over the Raiders. “Next year is going to be our year and I’ll be ready to go.”

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Which Saints players can earn contract incentives against the Panthers?

New Orleans Saints players including Teddy Bridgewater and P.J. Williams can earn contract incentives by standing out against the Panthers.

The New Orleans Saints are hours away from closing out the 2019 regular season against the Carolina Panthers, but there’s more on the line for some players than others. Performance-based contract incentives are on the line, and multiple Saints could cash an extra check or two. Others have already missed out on potential cash-ins (like Demario Davis, who was undercut by a badly-designed Pro Bowl ballot from earning $500,000 by getting voted in), while some are just a big play or two away from it.

Fortunately, the Saints have a history of paying out these bonuses even if players come up a little short. Just last year, defensive end Alex Okafor missed out on a $400,000 incentive for logging four sacks (he bagged three), but the Saints cut him a check anyway. Those actions mean a lot to players, and it wouldn’t be surprising in the least if they award some bonuses again this year.

According to The Athletic’s Nick Underhill, several Saints players could trigger bonus payouts by meeting certain criteria in Week 17. Here’s who could bring in some extra money after standing out against the Panthers:

Teddy Bridgewater, quarterback

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Bridgewater can earn as much as $5.25 million through contract incentives, but realistically speaking he’s only going to qualify for $500,00 of that thanks to his extended starting-time earlier this season — and only if he throws a touchdown pass against Carolina. Here’s the breakdown:

  • Earned: $250,000 for improving upon playing-time from 2018
  • Within reach: $250,000 for scoring 10 touchdowns; or $500,000 for 16 touchdowns; or $750,000 for 21 touchdowns. Currently has 9 touchdowns
  • Not likely to be earned: $250,000 per playoff appearance where Bridgewater plays 50 percent of the snaps. Unlikely, unless Drew Brees gets injured again
  • Not likely to be earned: $250,000 for 2,500 yards; or $500,000 for 2,751 yards; or $750,000 for 3,001 yards. Currently has 1,370 yards
  • Not likely to be earned: $2.5 million for playing 50% of the snaps. Currently at 39.1%, would need to start and play more than 130 snaps against the Panthers to catch up
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Panthers rule out D.J. Moore, Shaq Thompson for Week 17 vs. Saints

The New Orleans Saints will face the Carolina Panthers in Week 17 without top wide receiver D.J. Moore or starting linebacker Shaq Thompson.

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The Carolina Panthers preemptively ruled out two players ahead of their Week 17 regular season finale against the New Orleans Saints: wide receiver D.J. Moore and linebacker Shaq Thompson. Additionally, Panthers cornerback Corn Elder and linebacker/defensive end Marquis Haynes are questionable to play. Elder is battling an illness, while Haynes is dealing with a knee injury. This injury news was first reported by the Charlotte Observer’s Alaina Getzenberg.

Moore, who has been sidelined by a concussion, is an especially significant loss considering the success he had against the Saints in their last meeting. He caught six passes to gain 126 receiving yards, including two long touchdown catches, feasting against a New Orleans secondary that was overmatched without top cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Though Lattimore is back in the saddle and playing well, Moore would have expected to run against the same cornerback he fried last time (P.J. Williams, likely starting in place of Eli Apple).

Thompson is another big loss. He signed a four-year, $54.2 million contract extension (with bonuses raising its value to as high as $57 million) just three weeks ago, but he won’t be able to play against the Saints after sustaining late-season foot and shoulder injuries. Without him in the lineup, things could project well for Saints running back Alvin Kamara to continue building on the momentum he gained in last week’s big win over the Tennessee Titans — Kamara finally looked like his old self, running for 80 yards (and scoring twice) while catching six of his seven targets for 30 yards through the air.

We’ll learn more when the Saints and Panthers release their final injury report later on Friday. For now, it looks like the Saints are getting healthier, while the Panthers are getting close to throwing in the towel.

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AJ Green will skip Bengals OTA’s if franchise tagged

Georgia Football great AJ Green will skip OTAs if franchise tagged by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Georgia great AJ Green is one of the most humble, drama-free players in the NFL.

However, when it came time to step up and think about himself first, Green did so.

Good for Green, who has sat the whole season, a contract year, with injury.

Last offseason, Green said multiple times that he would like to stay in Cincinnati and finish his career there.

The two parties have not reached a deal that would allow him to play out the rest of his career in Cincy, and the Bengals have said they would franchise tag Green if they could not reach a long-term deal.

To that, Green responded that he would play the regular season, but will skip OTAs and maybe training camp.

Green, 31, would be paid $18m next season if he is tagged by the Bengals.

Green gets that, but he said it makes him feel like the team is not committed to him.

“But that also shows that they’re not committed, and in that circumstance,” Green told ESPN, “I have to protect myself.”

If the Bengals do tag Green, they will have until July to reach a deal before the tag turns into a one year contract.

If no deal is reached, Green will not participate in much preseason training.

Can you blame him, though? He’s on the wrong side of 30, he has a history of getting injured and he’s still one of the best receivers in the NFL when healthy.

He does not need training camp or OTAs anyway. He’s AJ Green.

Why risk injuring yourself in practice when you’re franchise tagged rather than under a long-term deal?

Ex-Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro, now with Titans, readying to play his old team

Kenny Vaccaro was drafted by the New Orleans Saints out of Texas, but he’ll get a shot at playing his old team with the Tennessee Titans.

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Things haven’t quite gone as planned since Kenny Vaccaro left the Texas Longhorns behind and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints. A series of injury-shortened seasons on under-performing defenses sent him into free agency after his five-year rookie contract expired, and he found his way with the Tennessee Titans — but it would be tough to complain about how his tenure in Nashville, Tenn. has gone.

Vaccaro inked a four-year, $24 million contract extension before the 2019 season and has started all 14 games for the Titans this season. He ranks fourth on the team in total tackles (70), and has teamed up with All-Pro free safety Kevin Byard to form one of the NFL’s stronger tandems on the back end.

Still, he’s not expecting the years of practice he put in against Drew Brees to be much of a benefit on Sunday. Odd as it may feel to find himself playing opposite the black and gold, he wants to take a team-first approach.

“I really have truly been focused on week to week, but now that it’s here is it like, ‘Oh, wow, we are playing the Saints,’” Vaccaro said on Wednesday during an interview with the official Titans website. “But I approach it kind of like the way Logan (Ryan) did when we played the Patriots last year. I am not going to make this about me and playing my former team at all, because it is not about that really – it is about us staying in this playoff race.”

Vaccaro is fresh off the heels of a six-tackle performance in last week’s loss to the Houston Texans, a game in which he bagged his first interception of the season. He’s going to do his best to help his squad this week and avoid making it personal with the team that drafted him — and ultimately passed on him. But don’t be shocked if he and some former teammates find time to embrace and swap jerseys afterwards.

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Report: Sean Payton leveraged Cowboys’ interest to get new Saints contract

The Dallas Cowboys gauged Sean Payton’s interest in joining them during the offseason, which he used to re-up with the New Orleans Saints.

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The news of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton’s five-year contract extension was forgotten in the wake of a serious hand injury to quarterback Drew Brees on that same day, but it’s important to remember as we inch towards the offseason.

Specifically, the Dallas Cowboys-centric news cycle that’s sure to dominate the spring and summer. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is poised to finally move on from lame duck coach Jason Garrett, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported this week that Payton will not be an option — because of that same contract extension. Ironically, Rapoport added that previous interest from the Cowboys played a part in Payton signing on long-term with New Orleans.

“Last year after the season, through back channels, nothing official,” Rapoport said, “the Cowboys made it known that they would be interested in Sean Payton if he was interested in them. And obviously a lot of things would have to happen. Payton considered it, he helped use that leverage to land a new contract that was actually agreed to last winter, not earlier this season.”

While Payton’s friendship with the Jones family is strong (he famously came up in their organization as an assistant to legendary coach Bill Parcells), it’s clear that after considering what Dallas has to offer, he’d like to remain friends rather than employer-and-employee. And that’s perfectly understandable. It’s just too good that Payton not only turned the Cowboys down, but used their interest to expedite negotiations with the Saints and tie him to the team even stronger than before.

The next chapter of Saints football is going to be as fascinating to watch as all the previous entries, because Payton will be there to manage it. He’ll continue to make bold in-game decisions and keep the offseason lively with gambling free agent signings and draft pick valuations. By locking himself to the Saints through 2026, he’s ensured that he’ll continue to make the rules and call the shots in New Orleans — even after Drew Brees has hung up his cleats.

Whether the next Saints quarterback is already on the roster, waiting on another NFL team, or finishing up his college career before entering the draft, fans can rest easy knowing Payton’s will be here to work with them. He’s guided the franchise through a golden age of football, delivered New Orleans its first Super Bowl, and is hard at work to go in its second Lombardi Trophy. All fans can do is enjoy the ride.

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Chris Paul’s big contract a big problem for potential trades

Chris Paul is set to make almost $80 million over the next two seasons, which could keep CP3 with the Oklahoma City Thunder through the end of 2019-20.

Oklahoma City may make Chris Paul available during the trade period, but that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily going anywhere.

It’s no secret that Paul’s contract makes him tough to trade. The Thunder ran into that issue over the summer when they were unable to make a deal to send the 14-year veteran to Miami.

At 34-years-old, age isn’t helping CP3 any either.

But the hope in Oklahoma City has been that Paul would get off to a great start, that potential playoff teams would need some help and, ultimately, that a deal would be able to get done. However, it appears league executives don’t believe that is going to be the case.

According to Tim Haberstroh of NBC Sports, the consensus around the NBA is that Paul will end this season exactly where he started – in Oklahoma City, due in part to his “enormous contract”:

After polling executives, the league-wide sense is that Paul will remain with the Thunder this season simply because of his enormous contract. While it’s theoretically possible that Paul could agree to turn down his $44 million player option for 2021-22 to grease the wheels on a potential trade, right now, that is the longest of long shots.

Thanks to Paul being the president of the players’ union, Haberstroh also notes, the optics of turning down such a sizable option wouldn’t look particularly good:

Besides overcoming the idea of giving up 44 million buckaroos, Paul is also the president of the players’ union and it would be a bad look to set that precedent of turning down that amount of money to make it more palatable to a team.

As pointed out by Bleacher Report, Paul is set to make just under $80 million over the next two seasons ($79.7 million, to be exact), and “holds a $44.2 million option for 2021-22.”

Currently, Paul is averaging 15.7 points and 6.1 assists for the Thunder, shooting right around 45% from the field.

Oklahoma City, though not expected to contend for the playoffs, is currently in seventh place in the Western Conference standings with the Kings and the Suns.

Broncos could have about $74M in salary cap space in 2020

The Broncos could have as much as $74 million in 2020 salary cap space.

The NFL has projected a 2020 salary cap of $196.8-$201.2 million, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Kaplan. This year’s salary cap number was $188.2 million, around $10 million less than the 2020 projection.

The Broncos have about $150 million worth of 2020 salaries scheduled to count against their cap, according to OverTheCap.com. So if the league raises the cap to $200 million, Denver general manager John Elway would have about $50 million to work with.

And if the Broncos don’t use all of their salary cap space this year (around $14 million), that unused cap will roll over into the team’s 2020 total.

Elway could also save around $10 million in 2020 cap space by parting ways with quarterback Joe Flacco, which appears to be a likely move. Flacco was underwhelming before a neck injury prematurely ended his 2019 season.

So Denver could potentially have $74 million in 2020 cap space.

The Broncos’ list of players scheduled to become free agents in March includes cornerback Chris Harris, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, safety Justin Simmons, defensive end Derek Wolfe, center Connor McGovern, defensive lineman Mike Purcell and safety Will Parks.

Denver coach Vic Fangio has hinted that Simmons will get a contract extension. The futures of the team’s other free agents are less certain.

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