Monroe On The Outs

When the Baltimore Ravens traded for former first-round pick Eugene Monroe back in 2013, they likely envisioned him being their long-term fixture at left tackle.  With a couple injury ravaged seasons, the team made the prudent decision to select former Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley with the sixth-overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.

The writing was clearly on the wall for Monroe, and that writing is in bold type now as the former Jacksonville Jaguar has been held out of minicamp practices as the team is trying to execute a deal for him.

Monroe tweeted last the week that the “Ravens continue to distance themselves from me and my cause.” He’s been an outspoken proponent of the NFL removing medical marijuana from its list of banned substances.

If they can’t consummate a deal, it’s likely that Monroe will be released, as he is due a $6.5 million salary for 2016.

As for which teams could have interest in the veteran, the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins make sense.  Each can use depth on their offensive line (really, who can’t) and you can make a case for each of those teams with the exception of San Francisco to be playoff contenders in 2016.

With his current salary, it’s highly unlikely that any team would give up compensation without Monroe agreeing to a restructured contract.

Marshall Agrees To Contract Extension

The defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos built one of the best defenses of all time with shrewd drafting, key free agent acquisitions and a little luck.

One of the “lucky” acquisitions was that of linebacker Brandon Marshall.  Marshall is often known as “The Other Brandon Marshall,” but he’s turned into one of the best linebackers in football.

After being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth-round of the 2012 NFL Draft, he was later waived and picked up by Denver.

Just a few years later, he just inked a four-year, $32 million deal with reportedly $15 million guaranteed.

Although the Broncos still have major issues with getting linebacker Von Miller a new deal, the team locking up the 26-year old Marshall should make their fans happy.  He fits into defensive coordinator Wade Phillips scheme perfectly and he’s been better than anyone has expected.

“These two linebackers might be the fastest linebackers in the league,” Pro Bowl cornerback Chris Harris said of Marshall and former Broncos inside linebacker Danny Trevathan. “I don’t know if they’ve seen anybody who’s faster from sideline to sideline as Danny and [Marshall].”

There were questions before last season if he was a fit in Phillips’ scheme.

“I don’t understand the people that say, ‘Hey, this is our scheme and that guy can’t play in it,’ a guy that can play, and is a good player, but, ‘He can’t play in our scheme.’ To me, there’s something wrong with your scheme,” Phillips said. “You adapt the scheme to what the players can do, not what you can think of.”

Marshall getting a big contract gives hope to late round picks and recent cuts everywhere that they can turn their careers around with hard work and the right situation.

Cox Deal Hurts Broncos and Jets

It’s not about the money, right?

We know that’s not entirely the case, but there is a bit of truth in it when it comes to NFL contracts.

Once a player gets to a certain level of wealth, the amount of money of a new deal isn’t as material as much as what the money represents.

That they are the best at their position.

The Denver Broncos problem with Von Miller’s contract got just a little bit bigger when Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox signed his six-year, $103 million deal with reportedly $63 million guaranteed.

Miller was reported to have been offered just under $40 million in guaranteed money and he’s the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

The divide between Miller and the Broncos seems to be getting bigger as the days go on and as the new deals for defensive players come in.

Although nobody believes that Miller will miss the season as he’s threatened to hold out, every deal consummated is making it that much tougher on Broncos czar John Elway.

“I’m still optimistic,” Denver head coach Gary Kubiak said Thursday. “Negotiations are part of the business.”

While the Broncos are having issues with Miller, the Jets are in a similar position with New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson.

The Cox deal all but guarantees that the Jets will not be putting a deal together with Wilkerson.

The two sides were significantly apart before Cox’s mega-deal came in and with the team selecting defensive linemen Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams in the first round in recent years, there simply isn’t enough money for the ultra-productive Wilkerson.

With the team believing that they are close to being a playoff contender, it’s unlikely that they will try to move Wilkerson assuming he doesn’t cause too many waves.