In just over a month the new league year will get going around the National Football League. This means that teams have already started to turn the page from what was an exciting 2014 season. This also means that it is time for us all to start focusing on the offseason.
That’s exactly what Sportsnaut plans to do over the next few weeks. But before we do that, let’s check in on 10 of the biggest questions surrounding what will be a hectic 2015 offseason around the NFL.
1. Where Will Adrian Peterson Play?
There is very little doubt that Peterson will play in the NFL next season (if the league lets him). The larger question at hand is where. The first issue that has to be addressed is in Minnesota. There’s no way that the Vikings bring Peterson back at his $15.4 million cap hit in 2015.And while a contract restructure is possible, it makes more sense for the Vikings just to move on and anoint Teddy Bridgewater the team’s leader moving forward. If so, what does that mean for Peterson?
It’s not a secret that the Dallas Cowboys are going to be interested in Peterson should he hit the open market. This is only magnified by the fact that Jerry Jones and company are likely going to lose DeMarco Murray in free agency. Peterson would be a stopgap option, but he would also provide a cheaper short-term alternative to Murray. It’s also important to note that the future Hall of Fame running back would love to finish his career in Texas.
If not the Cowboys, there are obviously other options out there. Simply because of their salary cap situation, the Oakland Raiders could make some sense. Unlike the signing of Maurice Jones-Drew last season, Peterson isn’t a washed-up former star. He still has a lot in the tank and could help create some balance with Derek Carr under center in that offense. The Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals are all—based on pure conjecture—potential destinations as well.
2. How Will the Best Free Agent Class at Wide Receiver Play Out?
The 2015 free agent class at wide receiver includes some of the biggest names at that position in the NFL. From Demaryius Thomas to Dez Bryant, it’s the best wide receiver class in recent league history. This doesn’t mean that all these players who are set to become free agents will actually hit the open market.
Dallas has indicated that it will franchise Bryant should the two sides not come to an agreement on a long-term deal. Meanwhile, it’s highly likely that Denver will do the same with Thomas. Outside of those two elite play-makers, there are other top-tier options that should be available.
Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia Eagles), Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers), Randall Cobb (Green Bay Packers) and Torrey Smith (Baltimore Ravens) will all be on the open market. Many of these receivers would be No. 1 options on a majority of the teams around the NFL. It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.
3. How Will the Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Quandary End?
Fresh off his promotion as the head of Philadelphia’s player personnel department, head coach Chip Kelly has refused to guarantee that Nick Foles will be the team’s starting quarterback next season. Mark Sanchez is also slated to become a free agent and should find himself in a favorable position on the open market. This has led some to believe that Philadelphia will be looking outside of the organization for a starting quarterback.
Enter into the equation Kelly’s former pupil at Oregon, Marcus Mariota. Numerous reports since season’s end indicate that the Eagles will attempt to trade up in the 2015 NFL draft to acquire Mariota. And while that’s a pipe dream considering where Philadelphia is slated to draft (20th overall), there’s an expectation that Kelly will do what it takes to nab the reigning Heisman winner.
If Philadelphia were to make a play for Mariota, it means that Foles will be on the trade block. Coincidence or not, the St. Louis Rams are reportedly among the teams interested in his services.
Either way you spin it, this is going to be a rather interesting offseason for the Eagles in general. A college head coach taking on a player personnel role with his former star staring at him right in the face.
4. Who Will be Traded?
We covered Nick Foles above, but there are other possibilities out there. Adrian Peterson could potentially find himself on the trade block if the Vikings are looking to acquire something in return for the veteran. Depending on the San Francisco 49ers defensive scheme under new coordinator Eric Mangini, future Hall of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis could be on the block. In addition to Willis in San Francisco, under-performing tight end Vernon Davis could find himself on the trade block.
Other potential trade candidates include: LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles), Mike Wallace (Miami Dolphins) and Brandon Marshall (Chicago Bears).
While this is obviously pure conjecture and trades are rare around the NFL, there promises to be a few sizable deals when all is said and done. It will be interesting to see who ends up moving cities via this underrated aspect of the offseason.
5. Will Ray Rice Play in 2015?
The short-form answer to this question has to be a resounding no. Not only is Rice playing a position that undervalued in the NFL today, his last experience actually playing in the NFL didn’t go too swimmingly. Prior to missing the entire 2014 season due to his well-documented domestic violence case, Rice averaged just 3.1 yards per rush in 2013. Now take into account the PR disaster that would come with signing Rice, and it’s highly unlikely that a team would take a chance on the 28-year-old running back.
If Rice were to latch on with a team, it would have to be the perfect situation. Organizations like the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos—solid veteran locker rooms—would be the likeliest destinations. Even then, Rice would likely be nothing more than a major back-up option.
6. Will DeMarco Murray Get Paid?
Courtesy of USA Today: On the surface, it appears Murray should find himself a decent payday.
Considering that Dallas has made it known that its priority is retaining Dez Bryant, there’s a strong likelihood that Murray will hit the open market. This is only magnified by the fact that the Cowboys most recent offer to the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year is said to be worth just $16 million over four seasons.
Outside of Adrian Peterson ($14.3 million), Jamaal Charles ($9.1 million), LeSean McCoy ($9 million) and Arian Foster ($8.7 million), there is not a single running back in the NFL averaging over $8 million per season. In fact, of the top-five running back deals signed following the 2012 offseason, the average annual deal is $5 million per season.This tells us a story of the undervaluation of the running back position in the NFL today.
Murray is a cut above the running backs—namely Reggie Bush and Chris Johnson—who signed long-term deals over the past couple years. The question then becomes by just how much. And while the running back position isn’t anywhere near as important as it was in previous eras, there could be an argument made that Murray is a generational talent. This leads me to believe that a deal between $7 and $8 million over five seasons could be in the cards. Of the teams that have the money to spend under the cap, the Oakland Raiders come to mind as a viable option here. Again, that’s nothing but conjecture on my part.
7. Who Will be the Veteran Salary Cap Casualties?
In looking mainly at top-dollar guys (cap hits), there are a ton of salary cap casualty possibilities. Larry Fitzgerald ($23.6 million), Sam Bradford ($16.6 million), Andre Johnson ($16.1 million), Haloti Ngata ($16 million), Adrian Peterson ($15.4 million) and Dwayne Bowe ($14 million) all come to mind first. None of these players will be returning to their current squads with those cap numbers. And while some may look to restructure, we could be witness to some big-name players change cities this offseason.
It happens every single season. Veterans see a dip in production, which inevitably indicates that they’re not worth the value of their contracts. This will be magnified even further in 2015 with the obscene amount of bloated salary cap figures heading into the new league year.
8. Will There be a Complete Overhaul in San Francisco?
To say that San Francisco blew up its coaching staff would actually be a bit too simple-minded. After all, the team did promote two Jim Harbaugh holdovers—Eric Mangini and Geep Chryst—to coordinating positions. That’s a sign that CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke at least wanted to keep some continuity on the coaching staff.
As it relates to on the field, there could be a more wholesale overhaul than on the coaching staff. Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati, Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox are all set to become free agents in March. Of that group, it’s highly unlikely that San Francisco retains more than two players. In all likelihood, there will be some high-value free agents moving on here.
Looking at San Francisco’s roster and its current salary cap situation, there are potential casualties up and down the roster. Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, Steve Johnson, Ahmad Brooks and Justin Smith may not be back with the team in 2015.
Like every team around the NFL, there’s a certain happy medium San Francisco needs to find. It has some solid young talent on its roster, but York has made it clear that immediate contention is the name of the game. Look for San Francisco to rid itself of some of these bloated contracts while hitting the free agent market semi-hard once March comes calling.
9. How Will the Oakland Raiders Handle Their Surplus of Cap Room?
On the other side of the bay, Oakland is in an enviable salary cap situation. Because of the way general manager Reggie McKenzie structured free-agent contracts over the past couple seasons and got rid of bloated veteran contracts, the Raiders are set to hit the March with about $50 million in cap room. This doesn’t even include the potential release of veterans the team signed over the past couple seasons.
What better year to hit the free agent market than in 2015? For all intents and purposes this is the best free-agent class in recent league history. From the likes of Jeremy Maclin and DeMarco Murray to Darrelle Revis, there is not a single potential free agent that Oakland won’t be in the mix for. It will definitely be interesting to see how McKenzie goes about this, especially considering he’s a strong advocate of building through the draft.
10. Rule Changes
There’s little doubt that the NFL Competition Committee needs to take on some potential rule changes when the new league year starts. Anything from the Calvin Johnson Rule to being able to review penalties should be on the table here. More than that, it will be interesting to see what new rules the league brings up to “protect the offensive player.” After all, we have seen that a great deal in recent years.
That’s exactly what Sportsnaut plans to do over the next few weeks. But before we do that, let’s check in on 10 of the biggest questions surrounding what will be a hectic 2015 offseason around the NFL.
1. Where Will Adrian Peterson Play?
There is very little doubt that Peterson will play in the NFL next season (if the league lets him). The larger question at hand is where. The first issue that has to be addressed is in Minnesota. There’s no way that the Vikings bring Peterson back at his $15.4 million cap hit in 2015.And while a contract restructure is possible, it makes more sense for the Vikings just to move on and anoint Teddy Bridgewater the team’s leader moving forward. If so, what does that mean for Peterson?
It’s not a secret that the Dallas Cowboys are going to be interested in Peterson should he hit the open market. This is only magnified by the fact that Jerry Jones and company are likely going to lose DeMarco Murray in free agency. Peterson would be a stopgap option, but he would also provide a cheaper short-term alternative to Murray. It’s also important to note that the future Hall of Fame running back would love to finish his career in Texas.
If not the Cowboys, there are obviously other options out there. Simply because of their salary cap situation, the Oakland Raiders could make some sense. Unlike the signing of Maurice Jones-Drew last season, Peterson isn’t a washed-up former star. He still has a lot in the tank and could help create some balance with Derek Carr under center in that offense. The Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals are all—based on pure conjecture—potential destinations as well.
2. How Will the Best Free Agent Class at Wide Receiver Play Out?
The 2015 free agent class at wide receiver includes some of the biggest names at that position in the NFL. From Demaryius Thomas to Dez Bryant, it’s the best wide receiver class in recent league history. This doesn’t mean that all these players who are set to become free agents will actually hit the open market.
Dallas has indicated that it will franchise Bryant should the two sides not come to an agreement on a long-term deal. Meanwhile, it’s highly likely that Denver will do the same with Thomas. Outside of those two elite play-makers, there are other top-tier options that should be available.
Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia Eagles), Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers), Randall Cobb (Green Bay Packers) and Torrey Smith (Baltimore Ravens) will all be on the open market. Many of these receivers would be No. 1 options on a majority of the teams around the NFL. It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.
3. How Will the Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Quandary End?
Fresh off his promotion as the head of Philadelphia’s player personnel department, head coach Chip Kelly has refused to guarantee that Nick Foles will be the team’s starting quarterback next season. Mark Sanchez is also slated to become a free agent and should find himself in a favorable position on the open market. This has led some to believe that Philadelphia will be looking outside of the organization for a starting quarterback.
Enter into the equation Kelly’s former pupil at Oregon, Marcus Mariota. Numerous reports since season’s end indicate that the Eagles will attempt to trade up in the 2015 NFL draft to acquire Mariota. And while that’s a pipe dream considering where Philadelphia is slated to draft (20th overall), there’s an expectation that Kelly will do what it takes to nab the reigning Heisman winner.
If Philadelphia were to make a play for Mariota, it means that Foles will be on the trade block. Coincidence or not, the St. Louis Rams are reportedly among the teams interested in his services.
Either way you spin it, this is going to be a rather interesting offseason for the Eagles in general. A college head coach taking on a player personnel role with his former star staring at him right in the face.
4. Who Will be Traded?
We covered Nick Foles above, but there are other possibilities out there. Adrian Peterson could potentially find himself on the trade block if the Vikings are looking to acquire something in return for the veteran. Depending on the San Francisco 49ers defensive scheme under new coordinator Eric Mangini, future Hall of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis could be on the block. In addition to Willis in San Francisco, under-performing tight end Vernon Davis could find himself on the trade block.
Other potential trade candidates include: LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles), Mike Wallace (Miami Dolphins) and Brandon Marshall (Chicago Bears).
While this is obviously pure conjecture and trades are rare around the NFL, there promises to be a few sizable deals when all is said and done. It will be interesting to see who ends up moving cities via this underrated aspect of the offseason.
5. Will Ray Rice Play in 2015?
The short-form answer to this question has to be a resounding no. Not only is Rice playing a position that undervalued in the NFL today, his last experience actually playing in the NFL didn’t go too swimmingly. Prior to missing the entire 2014 season due to his well-documented domestic violence case, Rice averaged just 3.1 yards per rush in 2013. Now take into account the PR disaster that would come with signing Rice, and it’s highly unlikely that a team would take a chance on the 28-year-old running back.
If Rice were to latch on with a team, it would have to be the perfect situation. Organizations like the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos—solid veteran locker rooms—would be the likeliest destinations. Even then, Rice would likely be nothing more than a major back-up option.
6. Will DeMarco Murray Get Paid?
Courtesy of USA Today: On the surface, it appears Murray should find himself a decent payday.
Considering that Dallas has made it known that its priority is retaining Dez Bryant, there’s a strong likelihood that Murray will hit the open market. This is only magnified by the fact that the Cowboys most recent offer to the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year is said to be worth just $16 million over four seasons.
Outside of Adrian Peterson ($14.3 million), Jamaal Charles ($9.1 million), LeSean McCoy ($9 million) and Arian Foster ($8.7 million), there is not a single running back in the NFL averaging over $8 million per season. In fact, of the top-five running back deals signed following the 2012 offseason, the average annual deal is $5 million per season.This tells us a story of the undervaluation of the running back position in the NFL today.
Murray is a cut above the running backs—namely Reggie Bush and Chris Johnson—who signed long-term deals over the past couple years. The question then becomes by just how much. And while the running back position isn’t anywhere near as important as it was in previous eras, there could be an argument made that Murray is a generational talent. This leads me to believe that a deal between $7 and $8 million over five seasons could be in the cards. Of the teams that have the money to spend under the cap, the Oakland Raiders come to mind as a viable option here. Again, that’s nothing but conjecture on my part.
7. Who Will be the Veteran Salary Cap Casualties?
In looking mainly at top-dollar guys (cap hits), there are a ton of salary cap casualty possibilities. Larry Fitzgerald ($23.6 million), Sam Bradford ($16.6 million), Andre Johnson ($16.1 million), Haloti Ngata ($16 million), Adrian Peterson ($15.4 million) and Dwayne Bowe ($14 million) all come to mind first. None of these players will be returning to their current squads with those cap numbers. And while some may look to restructure, we could be witness to some big-name players change cities this offseason.
It happens every single season. Veterans see a dip in production, which inevitably indicates that they’re not worth the value of their contracts. This will be magnified even further in 2015 with the obscene amount of bloated salary cap figures heading into the new league year.
8. Will There be a Complete Overhaul in San Francisco?
To say that San Francisco blew up its coaching staff would actually be a bit too simple-minded. After all, the team did promote two Jim Harbaugh holdovers—Eric Mangini and Geep Chryst—to coordinating positions. That’s a sign that CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke at least wanted to keep some continuity on the coaching staff.
As it relates to on the field, there could be a more wholesale overhaul than on the coaching staff. Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati, Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox are all set to become free agents in March. Of that group, it’s highly unlikely that San Francisco retains more than two players. In all likelihood, there will be some high-value free agents moving on here.
Looking at San Francisco’s roster and its current salary cap situation, there are potential casualties up and down the roster. Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, Steve Johnson, Ahmad Brooks and Justin Smith may not be back with the team in 2015.
Like every team around the NFL, there’s a certain happy medium San Francisco needs to find. It has some solid young talent on its roster, but York has made it clear that immediate contention is the name of the game. Look for San Francisco to rid itself of some of these bloated contracts while hitting the free agent market semi-hard once March comes calling.
9. How Will the Oakland Raiders Handle Their Surplus of Cap Room?
On the other side of the bay, Oakland is in an enviable salary cap situation. Because of the way general manager Reggie McKenzie structured free-agent contracts over the past couple seasons and got rid of bloated veteran contracts, the Raiders are set to hit the March with about $50 million in cap room. This doesn’t even include the potential release of veterans the team signed over the past couple seasons.
What better year to hit the free agent market than in 2015? For all intents and purposes this is the best free-agent class in recent league history. From the likes of Jeremy Maclin and DeMarco Murray to Darrelle Revis, there is not a single potential free agent that Oakland won’t be in the mix for. It will definitely be interesting to see how McKenzie goes about this, especially considering he’s a strong advocate of building through the draft.
10. Rule Changes
There’s little doubt that the NFL Competition Committee needs to take on some potential rule changes when the new league year starts. Anything from the Calvin Johnson Rule to being able to review penalties should be on the table here. More than that, it will be interesting to see what new rules the league brings up to “protect the offensive player.” After all, we have seen that a great deal in recent years.
