NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Largest cap hits in NFL after Calvin Johnson ($24M) retired:

Brees $30M
E.Manning $24.2M
Roethlisberger $23.9M
Ryan $23.75M
Stafford $22.5M

 

Malik Jackson's deal with the Jaguars is for 6 years, $90 million.

 

Teams better be careful, you are not technically allowed to agree to a deal with anybody. Captain Integrity is going to arbitrarily hit somebody hard eventually.

 

49ers sign linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong for next season

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) ? The San Francisco 49ers have signed linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong to a one-year contract extension that takes him through next season.

The team said it also tendered 2016 contracts Tuesday to restricted free agent linebacker Michael Wilhoite and offensive lineman Jordan Devey, an exclusive rights free agent. General manager Trent Baalke had said last April he planned an extension for Wilhoite ? a key defender after Patrick Willis retired last March ? but nothing was ever announced then.

San Francisco is set to begin its first free agency period Wednesday under new coach Chip Kelly, hired in January to replace the fired Jim Tomsula after a 5-11 season and second straight year out of the playoffs.

Armstrong played in five games for the 49ers last year after being claimed off waivers Nov. 25.

 

Colts waive LB Bjoern Werner after 3 unproductive seasons

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? The Indianapolis Colts have waived outside linebacker Bjoern Werner less than three years after drafting him in the first round.

The Colts cut Werner on Tuesday, one day before the start of the new league year. Werner had just 6 1/2 sacks in 38 games since being drafted 24th overall by Indianapolis in 2013.

After starting 15 games in 2014, Werner barely played last season. He got just 150 defensive snaps in 10 games, making 11 tackles and no sacks on a defense desperate for a pass rusher.

Werner is one of two recent wasted first-round picks for Indianapolis. The Colts also traded their 2014 first-rounder to Cleveland for Trent Richardson, who was cut after less than two full seasons in Indianapolis.

 

AP source: Patriots pick up option for tight end Gronkowski

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) ? A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the Patriots have picked up the option that will keep Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski in New England through 2019.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the Patriots had not announced the move.

The 26-year-old Gronkowski alluded to the move on Monday when he tweeted that he was taking a pay cut for the next four years. The deal made in 2012 was a six-year extension worth $54 million, including a $10 million option that would activate the deal for 2016-19. The Patriots paid $4 million of that option last year, making this week's move a formality.

Gronkowski was the team's leading receiver this season, with 72 catches for 1,176 yards and 11 touchdowns.

 

I really like the move. I liked him in Buffalo and whether it's depth or a stop-gap he is a great deal for the Eagles.

 

Vikings release Mike Wallace. Open up $11.5M in cap space. No-brainer.

 

Mario Williams signs 2-year deal with the Dolphins expected to be worth $16M. Cameron Wake still expected to return and start.

 

Cowboys' Romo has shoulder surgery, on track for offseason

IRVING, Texas (AP) ? Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has undergone shoulder surgery and should be ready for offseason workouts when they start in May.

Romo had the procedure Tuesday on the left collarbone that he broke twice last season, causing him to miss 12 games. The recovery time is six to eight weeks.

The first injury came in Week 2 against Philadelphia, and the Cowboys went 0-7 without him on their way to a last-place finish in the NFC East at 4-12. Dallas won in his return at Miami, but he got hurt again in his second game back against Carolina.

Because of Romo's injuries, the Cowboys are likely to sign a backup in free agency to compete with Kellen Moore, who started the last two games in 2015.

 

Raiders to sign Bruce Irvin.

 

Seahawks continue losing impact players...

 

That's what happens when you sign your franchise QB to his first post rookie contract...Russell Wilson gets a $11.5M raise in 2016 and another $300K in 2017, another $3M in 2018 and $1.5M in 2019...that trickles down to their ability to sign their other impact players to long term deals...

They do currently have about $19M (only $11,587 in cap carryover), but almost half of that will need to go to their 2016 draft class...

 

Chris Ivory signs with the Jaguars. Interesting fantasy ramifications.

 

DE Williams signs $16 million, 2-year deal with Dolphins

MIAMI (AP) ? Defensive end Mario Williams signed a $16 million, two-year contract Tuesday with the Miami Dolphins, who now have an abundance of Pro Bowl pass rushers ? for the moment, at least.

Williams reached the agreement a week after being released by the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins sought reinforcement at end because they may lose defensive end Olivier Vernon in free agency, and the status of four-time Pro Bowl end Cameron Wake is in doubt, too.

Miami's defensive front also includes four-time Pro Bowl tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Last week Miami placed a $12.734 million transition tag on Vernon, allowing him to negotiate with other teams. He's widely expected to sign elsewhere, and the Dolphins are now unlikely to match the offer, although they have the right of first refusal.

Wake might be allowed to depart, too. He's 34 and coming off a torn Achilles tendon, and the Dolphins have been negotiating in vain to reduce his $9.8 million salary cap hit.

The pass rush could use an upgrade ? Miami tied for 25th in the NFL with 31 sacks last season.