With one day remaining until the first on-field workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the rumor mill was buzzing like a riled up beehive on Thursday.
NFL coaches and executives took center stage once again during media sessions at Lucas Oil Stadium. Agents worked behind the scenes planting rumors, as did the teams. It’s an annual tradition that kicks off “lying season” in the NFL, and one must be prepared to accept the fact that at least half of what you hear isn’t true.
Here’s a look at the biggest takeaways that came out of all the mayhem on Thursday.
1. Colin Kaepernick and 49ers not on same page
The San Francisco 49ers made a big deal out of saying Kaepernick is going to be a big part of the team’s plans the past couple of days.
General manager Trent Baalke told reporters on Wednesday that Kaepernick would “absolutely” be on the team’s roster on April 1, which is the cut-off date upon which his $11.9 million contract becomes fully guaranteed. Chip Kelly also expressed his excitement about working with the quarterback.
Apparently, Kaepernick isn’t into reciprocating those warm, fuzzy feelings. His agents reportedly asked the 49ers for permission to seek a trade on Thursday evening, throwing the organization’s plans in upheaval.
Perhaps that’s exactly what Kaepernick intended all along. We don’t know now what exactly is going on with the quarterback, who is rehabbing from multiple surgeries in Vail, Colo. right now, but we’ll find out soon enough in the days to come.
2. John Elway doesn’t want to lose Brock Osweiler
Elway and the Denver Broncos are giving Peyton Manning every courtesy possible right now as he works though an emotional decision to either stay in the league for another year or retire.
Elway told reporters on Thursday that the Broncos would give Manning all the time he needs, which is admirable, but the clock is ticking in a big way.
This is true for two reasons, and both affect Osweiler. First, if Manning is still on the roster as of March 9 — the first day of the new league year — then his $19 million salary becomes fully guaranteed. Secondly, March 7 is the first day other teams can start negotiating with Osweiler on a free agent deal.
With this in mind, it’s not surprising that Elway had nothing but positive things to say about Osweiler, with whom the Broncos haven’t engaged in contract talks at this time “out of respect” for Manning.
He said the team is “excited about what we saw with Brock” despite a small sample size and noted the Broncos would not have won a championship without the young gunslinger.
If Osweiler were to hit the market, there is no doubt other teams would be willing to take a shot with him as their franchise passer.
Elway doesn’t want that to happen, as he no doubt sees the writing on the wall with Manning (he’s going to retire, folks). With that in mind, he’s doing everything in his power now to engage the quarterback positively without engaging him at the negotiating table.
3. Teddy Bridgewater needs to step up his leadership game
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer wants to see Bridgewater take the next step in his third year, as do Vikings fans everywhere.
While the young quarterback showed some really good things last season taking the Vikings to the playoffs as a sophomore, he still has a long way to go before living up to the expectations of being a first-round draft pick.
Speaking with NFL Network’s “Around the NFL” crew on Thursday, Zimmer touched on what he wants to see happen next season with Bridgewater and his offense:
“I think he’s improved a lot,” Zimmer said, via NFL.com. “But I think there’s sometimes where he needs to believe that this is my time, my team.”
“At the end of the day, when I come back here next year, if I’m still here, I want to be able to say, ‘Teddy really took over this offense. He was really in charge of everything he did here. He took charge of the league. Whatever that means, whether it’s putting us in the right place, throwing the ball more, throwing the ball less. Just taking charge of this thing. Because it’s going to be his baby,” Zimmer said.
Minnesota’s passing attack was the second-least productive of all the 32 NFL teams last year, averaging just 183 yards per game. Bridgewater ranked No. 26 in the league with just 14 touchdown passes.
Clearly, there is plenty of room for improvement here. And if the Vikings are going to take the next step as a team, then Bridgewater must do the same individually — both as a player and a leader.
4. T-Rich getting ANOTHER chance in the NFL?
This is not a joke. Trent Richardson is reportedly getting another chance to make plays as a running back in the NFL.
After one halfway decent season as a rookie with the Cleveland Browns, Richardson was an abject disaster for two years with the Indianapolis Colts before flaming out with the Oakland Raiders last year.
It was widely assumed that his career in the NFL was over at that point, but the Baltimore Ravens have seen fit to give the former No. 3 overall pick another shot to make a roster.
The Ravens managed to punch the ball into the end zone via the ground just eight times last year. Richardson, with 17 rushing scores in three seasons, could be seen as a potential goal-line banger. This is the only line of thinking that makes much sense, but then again, general manager Ozzie Newsome has forgotten more about the game of football than I’ll ever know.
5. Adam Gase expects Ryan Tannehill improvements to be a “bit of a process”
Miami Dolphins fans expecting their new head coach to have an instant impact on the play of Tannehill could be sadly mistaken, if what Gase said proves to be true.
Speaking about his new quarterback, the rookie head coach pumped the brakes on any sudden turnaround. Instead, he preached process and long term improvement.
“It’s not going to be like all of a sudden in two weeks we’re going to be like, all right, I got it,” Gase said, via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. “It’s going to take the entire spring. It’s going to take training camp. It’s going to take regular-season games. This is not going to be one of those things where I’m going to have a great feel for him right away. We’re going to have to go through a little bit of a process. There’s going to be bumps in the road, but that’s football.”
This isn’t likely what fans want to hear, but it’s the right perspective and approach for success.
Gase has shown an aptitude for working with quarterbacks, and he seems to have a feel for the project in front of him. While there can be no doubt about Tannehill’s ability to sling the ball all over the field, he has a long ways to go in terms of pocket awareness and reading the field — both before and after the snap — before he’s going to consistently make good decisions.
6. Bengals don’t want Vontaze Burfict to change too much
La passion. It’s what drives many professional athletes to succeed, and Burfict has plenty of it.
Unfortunately, the linebacker has let his passions rule his mind at times on the football field. This was the case twice in January when Burfict used poor judgement and made dirty hits on Maxx Williams of the Baltimore Ravens and Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The two plays cost him three games next season, but the Bengals don’t want him to change his approach too much.
“He’s come out and said that that he needs to change some elements of (his game),” Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said, via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “But this game is about passion and passionate players are the best players in the league and so we’re not going to tell him not to be a passionate football player. That’s what he is. That’s what makes him good.”
Tobin conceded that some changes will certainly need to be made, but it seems clear the Bengals are wary of messing around with Burfict’s fire too much.
That’s all well and good, but already the team has been burned by that fire. One wonders how many scars it’ll take to figure out the fire is burning just a bit too hot.
7. Browns will embrace Josh Gordon when he’s reinstated
After getting burned more than once by Gordon, who has been suspended three times by the league — the last being an indefinite suspension — for drug and alcohol-related incidents, the Browns are sticking by their man.
Gordon applied for reinstatement in January, and if he is allowed to play again the Browns are excited about getting him back.
Sashi: Josh Gordon is 'tremendously talented. He's accountable for his mistakes … We feel there's a spot on the roster for him. #Browns
— Marc Sessler (@MarcSessler) February 25, 2016
#Browns Sashi Brown said there's a spot for Josh Gordon the roster if he's doing the right things. Says signs are pointing to reinstatement
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) February 25, 2016
Clearly, Gordon has been doing everything right behind the scenes for Cleveland to still welcome him back after being burned three times already. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt that he’s one of the most talented pass-catchers in the NFL.
8. Arian Foster won’t be released because of his contract
Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith spoke to the Houston Chronicle about oft-injured running back Arian Foster, who was for a few years the league’s most complete back.
In the interview, Smith made it clear that Foster will not be a cap casualty this year, even though he is due to earn just under $9 million, which is a huge number for an aging running back with a history of injuries.
“As it relates to all the free agent conversations, I’m never going to tell you one way or the other what we’re doing, but I will tell you this: His salary is not a reason why we would cut Arian.”
The operative word in all this is “salary.”
Smith isn’t saying Foster is guaranteed a roster spot. What he’s saying is that the money isn’t the main issue. Foster’s inability to stay healthy (missed 23 games the past three seasons) could very well lead to his release this summer.
9. Chiefs not keen on letting Derrick Johnson leave Kansas City
Johnson is a really good inside linebacker who could make some dough in free agency this spring. Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey isn’t about to let that happen.
John Dorsey on Derrick Johnson #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/544Z5rXGxg
— Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) February 25, 2016
A four-time Pro Bowler and one-time First-Team All-Pro, Johnson has evolved into one of the most consistent and dynamic linebacker in the NFL the past 11 seasons — all spent with Kansas City. During his career, he’s racked up 820 tackles, 26.5 sacks, 13 interceptions and 21 forced fumbles.
At the age of 33, this is likely the last time Johnson will have a chance to bring home some serious cash as a football player. Dorsey and the Chiefs better bring it with some guaranteed cash to avoid watching him go elsewhere for that final payday.
10. Ted Thompson wants us to believe he’s not adverse to free agency
Thompson, general manager of the Green Bay Packers, has built his team up by way of the draft perhaps more than any other GM in the NFL.
However, he came out on Thursday with a message that Packers fans might be excited to hear.
“We value free agency,” he said, via Michael Cohen of the Journal Sentinel. “We have guys like Julius Peppers, guys that have been free agents. If you can help us win football games and be a good teammate and that sort of thing, you have a place for us. So we’re not opposed to doing that.”
It’s important to note, though, that Thompson rarely makes any waves in free agency — Charles Woodson and Peppers being exceptions to the rule.
Recently head coach Mike McCarthy was rumored to be “fed up” with Thompson about this fact, which could have something to do with the general manager’s statement.
Cap constraints will keep Thompson from going wild, regardless. The Packers aren’t exactly flush with cash heading into the 2016 season at an estimated $21.3 million under the cap.