March 2015 - Football Wiretap

Tom Brady Earning $10M Per Year Below Market Value

Oct 1, 2015 7:33 PM

Tom Brady has one of the most team-friendly contracts in the NFL due to a restructured contract in 2013 and a subsequent extension.

Before the renegotiation, Brady was scheduled to make $30 million through a couple of high salaries. After the renegotiation, that number became $33 million, consisting of a $30 million signing bonus (the last deferred payment of which was paid in February to the tune of $5 million) and salaries of $1 million for 2013 and $2 million for 2014. Thus, the Patriots got better cap flexibility due to the prorated bonus while Brady received significantly better cash flow and an extra $3 million to boot.

The deal added an extension with "out years" in 2015, 2016 and 2017 at salaries of $7 million, $8 million and $9 million respectively, which are low for a quarterback of Brady's caliber.

At the end of last season, there was a renegotiation to bring the salaries for those years up by $1 million per season.

Brady is earning roughly $10 million per year below his market value.

Andrew Brandt/Sports Illustrated

Tags: New England Patriots, Misc Rumor

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Adrian Peterson Believes He Could Have Gone To NFL From High School

Oct 1, 2015 2:11 PM

Adrian Peterson believes he could have gone directly from high school to the NFL.

"Not to sound cocky or anything, or confident, but yeah, I do feel like I could have came out my senior year of high school and played in the NFL,'' Peterson said Monday on a conference call with Denver-area area media leading up to Sunday's Minnesota Vikings-Denver Broncos game. "I really do. And I'll just say this, people were like 'well, physically you just weren't ready.' I came in my freshman year and I was up for the Heisman, had a pretty good season, was the leading rusher."

Peterson rushed for 2,960 yards and 32 touchdowns as a high school senior in 2003 and then went on to rush for 1,860 yards with 15 touchdowns -- 5.9 yards per carry -- as a true freshman for Oklahoma.

"And there were guys that went in the league that year, like Cedric Benson, I felt like my freshman year I should have won the Doak Walker Award [for the nation's top college running back], but they gave it to him -- I kind of got off topic there. But anyway ... I feel like I was a better player than him. And so it's like, 'I'm a true freshman, and if Cedric can go in [to the NFL] and play, then why couldn't I do it?'''

Jeff Legwold/ESPN

Tags: Minnesota Vikings

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Jarryd Hayne Has Better Skill-Set For Punts, Not Kickoffs

Sep 30, 2015 4:46 PM

The San Francisco 49ers are using Jarryd Hayne on punt returns, but they don't believe his skills translate as well on kickoffs.

“Punt return and kickoff return are two different skillsets,” 49ers special-teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said on Wednesday. “It’s kind of like (how) you look at a running back. Some running backs are really good at running inside zone or an (isolation) running power. And some running backs are really good on the outsize zone and toss sweeps.

“So it’s kind of two different skillsets. Not to say that Jarryd can’t do it, but that’s not his strong suit.”

Matt Maiocco/Comcast

Tags: San Francisco 49ers

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Marshawn Lynch 50-50 For Week 4, Could Mean More Thomas Rawls

Sep 30, 2015 4:51 PM

Marshawn Lynch is 50-50 on whether he'll play this Monday against the Detroit Lions.

Lynch is dealing with a hamstring injury.

Thomas Rawls was productive for the Seattle Seahawks in the absence of Lynch in Week 3.

Adam Schefter/ESPN

Tags: Seattle Seahawks, Fantasy, Injury

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Leonard Fournette Won't Sit Out 2016 To Prepare For NFL Draft

Sep 30, 2015 1:08 PM

LSU's Leonard Fournette has rejected suggestions he sit out his junior seasons in college to ensure he enters the NFL injury-free.

Jadeveon Clowney was given similar advice before his junior season.

Marshall Faulk believes Fournette should stay on Clowney's three-year path.

"I'm telling you, sitting out, it takes a while to get you back into the speed of things," Faulk told The Dan Le Batard Show. "Just watch. Adrian Peterson, he sat out last year, he's going to have good game-bad game, good game-bad game. You saw him put the ball on the turf a couple times Sunday. You need the reps. I hope that LSU is smart about how they use him. He pretty much has no quarterback. He has no quarterback in the sense of a guy that can really throw the ball down the field to take some of the pressure off of him. I see that they're kind of shrinking his carries, but he's a workhorse, bell-cow kind of guy. He will be the first running back or the first player taken when he does come out, though."

Chase Goodbread/NFL.com

Tags: Draft, Draft Misc, NCAA

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NFL's Appeal Of Tom Brady Suspension Won't Be Heard Until 2016

Sep 29, 2015 7:11 PM

The NFL and NFL Players Association' request to expedite an appeal hearing on Tom Brady's eliminated suspension has been denied.

The move virtually guarantees Brady will play the entire regular season and postseason without the threat of being suspended for his role in Deflategate.

 

The appeal then will be heard as early as the week of Feb. 1, 2016.

 

Brady was initially suspended for the first four games of the season.

On Sept. 3, U.S. District Court Judge Richard M. Berman overturned the suspension.

The NFL appealed Berman's decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

ESPN

Tags: New England Patriots, Suspension

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PFF Gives Aaron Rodgers Negative Grade For Week 3

Sep 29, 2015 12:05 PM

Aaron Rodgers had an overall grade of -0.8 by Pro Football Focus.

Rodgers had 333 passing yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions and a 138.5 passer rating, which are simply video game numbers.

But PFF three of his touchdowns were thrown short of the end zone on speed outs to Randall Cobb that make for a zero-graded throw.

Rodgers had a fumble in the second quarter that earned a negative grade and he also had a throw early in the third quarter that should have been a pick-six for the Kansas City Chiefs.

"The greatness of Rodgers’ performance last night was in the intangibles," writes Stockwell. "Recognizing the blitz, drawing the defense offsides, catching the Chiefs in bad situations and exploiting those scenarios with simple passes to open receivers. But you cannot — and we do not try to — quantify intangibles, or what comes pre-snap. Our system grades what can be graded — the execution of the play post-snap — and in that regard Rodgers did not stand out in the same way that his statistics did."

Ben Stockwell/Pro Football Focus

Tags: Green Bay Packers, IQ, Stats

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Giants Working Out Wes Welker, Hakeem Nicks

Sep 30, 2015 4:44 PM

The New York Giants are working out Wes Welker and Hakeem Nicks.

The Giants are thin at wide receiver as Victor Cruz works his way back from injury.

Welker was most recently with the Denver Broncos.

Josina Anderson/ESPN

Tags: New York Giants, Free Agent Rumor, Misc Rumor

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NFL Players Can Play Daily Fantasy

Sep 29, 2015 7:08 PM

NFL players are allowed to play daily fantasy games provided the prizes are below a certain amount.

“[F]antasy football games and League or Club-sponsored skills competitions (e.g., racquetball tournaments, ‘Club Olympics’ events) for prizes generally are not considered to be gambling or a gambling-related activity, provided that there is no wagering on the outcome,” the league’s policies for players state. “NFL Personnel may not, however, accept prizes with a value in excess of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250) in any fantasy football game. This prohibition is intended to avoid any appearance of impropriety which may result from participation in fantasy football games by individuals perceived to have an unfair advantage due to their preferential access to information.”

The $250 rule, according to the league office, applies to all NFL and team personnel — players, coaches and executives.

The NFL Players Association’s marketing arm is signing a group licensing deal with DraftKings, meaning players will be actively marketing the product as well.

Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk

Tags: Legal

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Panthers Acquire Jared Allen From Bears

Sep 28, 2015 4:54 PM

The Carolina Panthers have acquired Jared Allen from the Chicago Bears for a sixth round pick.

Allen didn't fit the Bears' 3-4 scheme and he'll now get a chance to work in Carolina's 4-3.

The Bears paid Allen an $11.5 million roster bonus.

Jay Glazer/Fox Sports

Tags: Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Misc Rumor, Trade Rumor

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Terrelle Pryor Working Out For Seahawks As Wide Receiver
Terrelle Pryor was previously with the Seahawks as a backup quarterback.

Jason La Canfora/CBS Sports

Drew Brees Expects To Play In Week 4
Ian Rapoport reported Drew Sunday that Brees is a "long shot" to play in Week 4 after suffering a rotator cuff injury.

Kevin Patra/NFL.com

Derek Carr Receives Aaron Rodgers Comparison From Tramon Williams
Tramon Williams was impressed playing against Derek Carr in Week 3.

Conor Orr/NFL.com

Broncos Find Compromise With Pistol Formation
Denver's offense played faster than they have all season and Peyton Manning was able to fade into his comfort zone.

Conor Orr/NFL.com

Ben Roethlisberger Out 4-6 Weeks With Sprained MCL
The Steelers were relieved Ben Roethlisberger didn't tear his ACL.

ESPN

Raiders' Carr, Murray, Cooper Make NFL History
No trio 25 years old or younger have as many passing, rushing and receiving yards as Derek Carr, Latavius Murray and Amari Cooper did in Week 3.

Gregg Rosenthal/NFL.com

Group Of Influential Owners Opposed To Rams' Move To Los Angeles
Both the Chargers and Rams appear to have enough votes to block a move by the other party.

Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk

Tom Brady: Way Too Early To Think About 2007 Comparisons
The Patriots have scored 119 points over their first three games, more than they did over the same timeframe in 2007.

Josh Alper/Pro Football Talk

Ed Hochuli Denies Making Not 'Old Enough' Comment To Cam Newton
Ed Hochuli could be subject to discipline if it is proved that he told Cam Newton he "wasn't old enough" to get a call.

David Newton/ESPN

Ben Roethlisberger Out At Least Weeks With Knee Injury
The Steelers are guarded optimistic that Roethlisberger didn't suffer a torn ACL.

Nick Wagoner/ESPN

Jimmy Graham Insists He Isn't Frustrated With Role
The chemistry between Jimmy Graham and Russell Wilson remains a work in progress.

Kevin Patra/NFL.com

NFLPA Investigating Concussion Suffered By Brandon Fusco
The ATC spotter in Minnesota apparently missed Brandon Fusco had suffered a concussion during Week 2's game.

Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk

DeMarco Murray Expected To Play In Week 3
DeMarco Murray suffered a hamstring injury during Wednesday's practice.

Dan Hanzus/NFL.com

Drew Brees Out For Week 2 With Rotator Cuff Injury
Luke McCown will start at quarterback for the Saints in place of Drew Brees.

RealGM Staff Report

NFL Refutes Report Of Tom Brady Serving Four-Game Suspension In 2015
Craig Carton said a "very influential person in the NFL" told him "there's no doubt in his mind" Tom Brady will serve a four-game suspension this season after the NFL's appeal is heard.

Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk

Johnny Manziel: Disappointing Not To Start Week 3
Josh McCown suffered a concussion in Week 1, leading the Browns to insert Johnny Manziel.

Ryan Wilson/CBS Sports

Jimmy Graham Unhappy With Lack Of Targets
Jimmy Graham has been targeted on just 13 percent of his routes compared to 32 percent last season with the Saints.

Khaled Elsayed/Pro Football Focus

Broncos Remain 'Committed' To Gary Kubiak's Offense
The Broncos plan to stay committed to Gary Kubiak's playbook despite struggles by Peyton Manning and their switch to the up-tempo, shotgun-style offense.

Marc Sessler/NFL.com

Colin Kaepernick In 'Comfort Zone' This Season
Colin Kaepernick has found a sense of comfort this season playing for Jim Tomsula, who replaced Jim Harbaugh in the offseason.

Paul Gutierrez/ESPN

NFL Could Move Only One Team To Los Angeles Indefinitely
The Rams are the team most likely to relocate if just one franchise is moved.

Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk