METAIRIE, La. — Sean Payton didn’t play coy when asked about one of the New Orleans Saints’ most glaring needs — a pass-rusher.
Payton was asked in a Q&A with the team’s website whether he considers a pass-rusher as a “need” or a “want.”
Payton replied, “It’s a must.”
Sean Payton says that finding a pass-rusher is a “must” for the Saints. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
“We’ve got to find a pass-rusher,” Payton continued. “Now, whether that comes from free agency or that comes from the draft, we have to be better at affecting the quarterback.
“Last year if you took hurries, sacks, pressures — a study of all three things that can happen with a rush — we were in the bottom third of the league and that has to get better.”
Payton didn’t specify “edge rusher” in that Q&A but it seems pretty apparent that’s what the Saints need most.
They already have a stellar defensive end on the strong side in veteran Cameron Jordan, who ranked among the NFL’s elite last year in all of those disruption categories that Payton mentioned. And the Saints beefed up their interior pass rush last year by drafting tackle Sheldon Rankins in the first round and signing veteran tackle Nick Fairley in free agency.
Fairley is once again a free agent this year — and should be pretty expensive to retain after he had a career-high 6.5 sacks last year. But even if the Saints do bring back Fairley, they will likely try to add an edge-rushing DE in free agency or the draft. Or both.
It will be interesting to see just how much the Saints are willing to spend to fill that “must.” There are some elite pass-rushers scheduled to hit the free-agent market, including the New York Giants’ Jason Pierre-Paul, the Arizona Cardinals’ Chandler Jones and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Melvin Ingram (though that could change if they are franchised or sign long-term deals before the start of free agency next month).
The next tier of pass-rushers includes guys like the New England Patriots’ Jabaal Sheard and the Carolina Panthers’ Mario Addison.
The first round of the draft should offer some good options, as well. Among edge rushers who could possibly be deemed worthy of the No. 11 pick are Stanford’s Solomon Thomas, Michigan’s Taco Charlton, Tennessee’s Derek Barnett, UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley and Alabama’s Tim Williams.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings’ talks about a restructured contract for running back Adrian Peterson aren’t likely to pick up steam until around the NFL scouting combine in the beginning of March, and it remains possible the team will work out a deal to keep him in Minnesota in 2017.
Peterson has said publicly he wants to return to the Vikings next season, and those close to him believe the same thing. He turns 32 in March and ran for only 72 yards in three games of a season during which he was recovering from a torn meniscus. Still, he could return next season if he finds common ground with the Vikings as they pursue a reworked deal in lieu of an option that would pay Peterson $18 million (including a $6 million roster bonus).
Still, this being a business, it’s entirely possible Peterson and the Vikings will part ways at the start of the league year, March 9, rather than work out a deal to keep him in Minnesota. Peterson acknowledged as much during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take last month, when he said, “I see myself in purple,” before adding, “A lot has to take place,” and naming the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans as teams he has considered as possibilities should he not be back with the Vikings next season.
The list of possibilities for Peterson is probably longer than those three teams, but if he did become a free agent, it would take the right set of circumstances — a team close to winning, a role at running back and possibly a personal connection — for him to land there. Here’s a look at some of the places Peterson could end up, some more realistic than others.
Adrian Peterson could be a fit in New York if the Giants look to upgrade a rushing attack that ranked 29th in 2016. Jerry Lai/US Presswire
Could it work? The Giants went 11-5 with the league’s 29th-ranked running game and the second-shortest average drive in the league. The idea of playing in a backfield with Eli Manning and in an offense with Odell Beckham Jr. could be intriguing to Peterson, though a team that threw nearly 600 times last season isn’t about to become a ball-control outfit. Still, there could be a fit here if the Giants think Peterson can help put them over the top.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Running back situation: Jacquizz Rodgers led the team in rushing with 560 yards, but he’s a free agent. Doug Martin and his $7 million cap hit could also be on the way out after a violation for performance-enhancing drugs last season. Charles Sims, who played only seven games in 2016, is in the final year of his contract.
Projected cap space: $65.65 million
Could it work? It might have been no accident that Peterson mentioned the Bucs (remember in 2015 when his agent, Ben Dogra, posed in a Tampa Bay hat next to Peterson’s jersey during his standoff with the Vikings?). They’ve got the cap space to pay him plenty of money, though an up-and-coming young team might look to stick with a back like Rodgers as it builds around quarterback Jameis Winston. Should the Buccaneers have interest, though, they’ve got the wherewithal to get Peterson.
Houston Texans
Running back situation: Lamar Miller ran for 1,073 yards on 268 carries, and Alfred Blue chipped in another 420 yards. Both are under contract, with Miller, 25, carrying a cap hit of $6.5 million.
Projected cap space: $23.42 million
Could it work? It’s no secret in league circles how much Peterson would be attracted to the idea of playing in Houston, where he lives in the offseason and opened a gym last year. The Texans went to the AFC divisional playoffs last season, and they’d certainly be an attractive destination for Peterson. Given Miller’s cap number and his role, though, this one probably only works if Peterson is willing to accept a smaller part in the offense. The tradeoff — a chance to join a contending team in his adopted hometown — could be worth it.
Dallas Cowboys
Running back situation: Ezekiel Elliott is the man here, having led the league with 1,631 yards as a rookie. The NFL’s investigation into domestic-violence allegations still looms over Elliott, but as long as he stays out of long-term trouble, he’ll be a fixture in Dallas for a long time.
Projected cap space: minus-$13.02 million
Could it work? The Cowboys need to get their salary structure in order (though they’ll get cap relief from Tony Romo), and Peterson would need to fill in behind Elliott. Still, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, Peterson has been connected to the Cowboys in NFL circles. He grew up a fan of the team, has an admirer in Jerry Jones and could join the pantheon of players who win a Super Bowl in Dallas. If the Cowboys were interested, that possibility might be enough to get Peterson to accept a secondary role. Making this happen, though, would require quite a few gymnastics.
Denver Broncos
Running back situation: C.J. Anderson is coming off a knee injury. Devontae Booker ran for 612 yards last season, but the Broncos could be looking for a back who can remove pressure from their dicey quarterback situation.
Projected cap space: $31.49 million
Could it work? This is a sneaky possibility for Peterson if he decides to test the market. There’s still an elite defense that carried the Broncos to a championship a season ago, and John Elway has shown he’ll be bold if he thinks a veteran can help put the Broncos over the top. Denver is often mentioned as a landing spot for Romo, but Peterson could make sense here, too, particularly if the Broncos sell him on the idea he might be able to get them back to the Super Bowl.
New England Patriots
Running back situation: The Patriots have used a committee of LeGarrette Blount, Dion Lewis and James White, but Blount is a free agent at age 30. White starred in the Super Bowl, but probably isn’t the kind of back who could carry the ball 300 times as Blount did.
Running back situation: The Packers have to decide if they want to give Eddie Lacy another chance, make Ty Montgomery into their feature back or add another piece to the group after releasing James Starks.
Projected cap space: $41.02 million
Could it work? It’s hard to see it, given how rarely the Packers dip into the free-agent market and how many questions they have to answer on their offensive line, where T.J. Lang is a free agent. They’re also not a team that would offer Peterson a boatload of carries. But general manager Ted Thompson’s occasional forays into free agency have been largely successful, including players such as Charles Woodson, Julius Peppers and Jared Cook. Would the Packers kick the tires on Peterson if he reached the market? It would offer Peterson the chance to do what Favre did: play against the Vikings as a member of a division rival. However implausible it is, Vikings fans have no doubt already considered the scenario. It’s at this point we should mention, of course, where Super Bowl LII will be played next February: Minneapolis.
The Washington Redskins know, if they keep quarterback Kirk Cousins long term, that they must surround him with enough talent to flourish. That’s why deciding what they should pay him, or accepting that figure, has been difficult.
If they do sign him, they can’t blame any future mishaps on Cousins’ contract limiting their ability to improve. It’s just not accurate. If the Redskins sign Cousins and fail to get better, it’s because of other moves that didn’t work out — whether this offseason or from the past.
Kirk Cousins shouldn’t be considered an elite quarterback, but those who are still need help around them. Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports
Cousins will be paid more than his standing among quarterbacks (timing and leverage). But this is the same team that made Josh Norman the highest-paid corner. Norman is good, but is he the NFL’s best corner? He had multiple teams bidding; the price increased and the Redskins paid him. That’s how this works.
Other teams succeed
The Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan took up 18.43 percent of the salary-cap space. The Falcons went from 4-12 the year Ryan signed a deal worth $20.75 million per year (when the cap was $123 million) to 11-5 this past season. Why? A new coach and improved talent acquired through the draft and free agency.
Yeah, the Baltimore Ravens have struggled since signing Joe Flacco long term; the Ravens also have missed on some receivers and tight ends. Last season, Flacco occupied 16.77 percent of the cap — a high amount. Here are others right around Flacco: Matthew Stafford (17.74); Eli Manning (16.87), Ben Roethlisberger (17.29). Brees was nearly 17 percent — but the 7-9 New Orleans Saints had an astounding $43 million in dead money. Yes, Cousins lacks the resume, and playoff success, of most of these quarterbacks. Nobody is wondering if Cousins is elite, either. So if that’s the rationale, that’s fine. Don’t pay him, but these teams have been able to still build around their quarterbacks.
Give the Redskins credit for how they’ve managed the cap under team president Bruce Allen and chief negotiator Eric Schaffer. It’s how they escaped their salary-cap hell of 2012-13. They’ve been a bit more frugal.
The goal is to remain in good shape. The Redskins currently are approximately $64 million under the salary cap; even if Cousins is tagged that leaves them with $40 million (assuming the cap hits the projected $168 million). They have the ability to free up more money if they want.
Also, keep in mind: The cap is projected to keep rising (that assumes TV deals will continue to increase, too, of course. If not, then it won’t rise as much or will stay flat). It could reach $190 million in two years.
The Redskins have other free agents they’d like to keep — at the right price, of course. Regardless of what happens with Cousins,
they might lose DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. They have future contracts to worry about as well, as I wrote about here.
They want to maintain flexibility, which is smart. It allows you to keep the guys around you have worked to develop.
Develop your own
If the Redskins don’t succeed after signing Cousins? Look at other factors. Will the 2016 class produce more than it did this past season? It takes time to measure a class, and if Josh Doctson and Su’a Cravens become top starters? It looks strong. The ’15 class has some hits already — guard Brandon Scherff, receiver Jamison Crowder. If Doctson can’t stay healthy? That’s unrelated to Cousins’ cap space. When you miss in the draft, you have to pay more to fix a problem in free agency.
They’ve drafted 17 players the last two years. They still have control of 13; develop them and they are fine. Otherwise, they have put themselves in a bad spot.
The Redskins have nine draft choices this spring. It’s impossible to hit on all of them, but that would have given them 26 draft picks in three years, with a general manager in Scot McCloughan who prides himself in this area. If they miss on too many, that’s on them.
The Redskins gambled last year by not giving Cousins a long-term deal. It’s their right; they weren’t convinced enough in him long term. They also never made an offer that would even tempt him. So here we are and Cousins is playing the leverage game. That’s his right.
This isn’t about what they must do now. If they don’t believe in Cousins; that’s fine. But if they do make a deal, it doesn’t have to cripple them. Cousins’ future play will help determine that — but so will the other moves they’re still able to make.
CINCINNATI — With free agency around the corner, it’s a good time to review what the Cincinnati Bengals did last season with their free agents and what impact that made on a lousy 6-9-1 season.
The Bengals experienced a significant change after letting two of their top receivers go in free agency and starting a new right tackle. The results weren’t great, but were they avoidable?
Although the Bengals reportedly gave Jones a competitive offer, he ultimately signed a five-year, $40 million contract with Detroit ($20 million guaranteed), giving him a chance to step out of Green’s shadow and into a bigger role.
Jones first season with the Lions started off strong, with 482 yards and two touchdowns in his first four games. His targets and production dipped significantly about midseason, but he still finished with 930 receiving yards and four touchdowns, better than any season he had in Cincinnati.
This was a big loss for the Bengals. When Green went down with a hamstring injury in Week 11, they didn’t have anyone reliable to step into his shoes.
Jones’ presence might have also eased the transition from offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to Ken Zampese and taken some of the pressure off Green in the early part of the season when Tyler Eifert was hurt.
With the offense struggling to maintain consistency, having Jones certainly would have helped in a big way.
Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu
Jason Miller/Getty Images
Did the Bengals miss Mohamed Sanu in 2016? Of course.
Would he have been worth the money he commanded in free agency? Probably not.
Sanu signed a five-year, $32.5 million contract with the Falcons ($14 million guaranteed). For comparison: Green, the Bengals’ No. 1 receiver, received $15 million guaranteed when he signed his four-year $60 million extension in 2015.
Sanu had 33 receptions for 394 yards and no touchdowns in 2015, which weren’t particularly eye-catching numbers. However, the Bengals did miss Sanu’s versatility, which included his ability to run plays from the wildcat formation.
Their offense appeared to lack some of that creativity at times in 2016.
Sanu played an important part in Atlanta’s run to the Super Bowl, with two postseason touchdown receptions. He finished second on the team in receptions (59) and receiving yards (653), and tied for third in receiving touchdowns (4).
Sanu’s playoff success likely made the Bengals think of what might have been, but at that price, and considering the role he played in Cincinnati, it just wasn’t worth it.
Safety Reggie Nelson
AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
After six seasons in Cincinnati, Nelson signed a two-year deal with the Raiders with $4 million guaranteed.
He followed that up with a five-interception season that led to his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth.
Williams and fellow safety George Iloka, who signed a new deal in the offseason, each had three interceptions in 2016.
Still, it’s hard not to wonder what might have been if Nelson was around last season, particularly with his knack for forcing turnovers. Nelson helped the Raiders clinch their first playoff berth since 2002 with an interception against the Chargers.
Considering the Bengals played in so many tight games this season, a play like that could have been the difference in at least one of them.
Did they make the right move? This question might require a few years to truly answer. The Bengals reportedly made an offer to keep Nelson, but the sides ultimately chose to move on.
Williams is only 25, and should be a solid cog in the backfield for years to come. If he continues to improve, this will prove to have been the right move. For now, mark it as an incomplete.
Tackle Andre Smith
Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire
The Bengals allowed Smith to leave in free agency after seven seasons, obviously banking on the thought that their 2015 first-round pick Cedric Ogbuehi could slide into his place.
Smith signed a one-year deal with Minnesota. It included a $2.5 million base salary and a $500,000 roster bonus, with additional incentives for games played. However, a triceps injury landed him on IR after just four games.
The injury makes it difficult to assess how Smith would have played had he been allowed a full season away from Cincinnati. However, the Bengals’ offensive line was nothing short of disastrous in 2016, as Andy Dalton was sacked 41 times — more than twice the amount he had been sacked in 2015.
The mistake the Bengals made wasn’t necessarily allowing Smith to leave. Smith earned dismal grades by Pro Football Focus in both 2015 and 2016. But they did make a miscalculation in believing Ogbuehi was ready to take on a starting role.
He struggled instead and spent the season rotating with veteran Eric Winston at right tackle before being benched for 2015 second-rounder Jake Fisher. Ogbuehi finished the season ranked 70th by Pro Football Focus among all tackles.
A healthy Smith could have perhaps given the line some stability, but it’s hard to predict the ultimate outcome.
Hall was a rotational backup with the Giants. He played in 12 regular-season games as a reserve and at one point was a healthy inactive for the first time in his career. He was moved from cornerback to safety at the end of the season.
Hall’s position as a slot cornerback with the Bengals was filled by 24-year-old Josh Shaw. It’s unlikely his presence would have changed much about how the Bengals’ season ended.
