Here's a look at some of the top rumors for Monday, Dec. 28:
As Brock Osweiler prepares to make his sixth consecutive start on Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals, it seems he will remain the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback moving forward. Fox Sports' Jay Glazer noted Sunday morning that while Osweiler has a Grade 2 separation in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, it is "Osweiler's team the rest of the way, barring some sort of a collapse." Glazer added that he thinks GM John Elway "is helping make that decision," and that the team is trying to keep Peyton Manning's presence from becoming a distraction -- all of Manning's recovery workouts have been done with team staff or practice squad members instead of players on the active roster. The team has yet to fully show its hand, but this report mirrors what ESPN's Adam Schefter indicated three weeks ago. Osweiler's performance has certainly been up and down -- the team hasn't scored in the second half since Week 12 -- but Manning wasn't much better even when healthy this season. He still leads the league in interceptions (17) despite having played in just nine games. It's sure starting to feel like we've seen the last of Manning in a Broncos jersey. The question is: Have we already seen Manning's last appearance in the NFL? The future Hall of Famer certainly wouldn't want his farewell game to be his four-interception debacle against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10, but it's hard to see him getting healthy enough to put together another quality campaign. Schefter noted last week that there is "serious skepticism" around the league that Manning will want to keep playing.
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton publicly reaffirmed his commitment to New Orleans last week, saying he sees himself coaching the Saints "long past this season," but whispers continue to swirl about his potential departure. People close to Payton told NFL Media's Ian Rapoport "never say never" when asked about Payton possibly moving on, and Rapoport noted that executives around the league think Payton is "searching for a landing spot in case." Rapoport added that Payton has privately discussed the possibility of taking the San Diego Chargers' head-coaching job if it becomes available. NFL Media's Albert Breer chimed in, noting that "word has it" Payton is most likely to land with the Indianapolis Colts or any team that moves to Los Angeles if he winds up leaving the Saints. Most rumors suggest the Chargers are in the lead among teams seeking a move to L.A., so his interest in joining the Bolts would make sense. In that scenario, Payton would also have the benefit of working with a top-flight starting quarterback in Philip Rivers. As far as other teams that could move to Los Angeles, the Oakland Raiders seem unlikely to have an opening at head coach after the improvement shown in Jack Del Rio's first season with the team. The St. Louis Rams have disappointed this season, but there's no indication that Jeff Fisher's job is in danger, and three straight wins -- including Sunday's upset of the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field -- will surely help his position.
Payton's status won't be the only pivotal issue the Saints will face this offseason. Rapoport reported Sunday morning that quarterback Drew Brees -- whose cap hit in 2016 will be $30 million -- "has to take a hometown discount" in order to stay with the team moving forward. Rapoport added that the team is still frustrated by Brees' insistence on maximizing his contract in 2012, feeling that it caused depth issues elsewhere on the roster. Seeing Brees leave New Orleans would perhaps be even more jarring than Payton's potential departure, but it sounds like the team is serious about cleaning up its cap, even if it means breaking up with a franchise icon. Brees is approaching his 37th birthday, but his dazzling performance on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars -- while playing through a torn plantar fascia -- showed his play is far from falling off a cliff in the way Manning's did this season. A trade (or release, but there would likely be a trade market) of Brees would incur a cap hit of $10 million in dead money, but it would create $20 million in cap savings. Per Spotrac, the Saints are already $4.7 million over next year's projected salary cap of $150 million, with only the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins holding a higher cap charge for 2016.
The Detroit Lions could be facing a similar standoff with an iconic player this offseason, as whoever the team hires to be its new GM will have to decide how to handle wide receiver Calvin Johnson’s $24 million cap hit in 2016. Johnson has frequently been discussed as a potential cap casualty, but MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke writes “the likeliest outcome” is that Megatron returns, whether “it takes a pay cut, or a restructuring, or some combination of the two.” Much of Meinke’s reasoning is that owner Martha Firestone Ford doesn’t want a full rebuild in Detroit, and dismissing the team's No. 1 wideout would probably fit in that category. While the 30-year-old is still a top receiver, his price tag is impossible to live up to this point, so it’s hard to consider him completely safe. Ford's wishes could put the new GM in a difficult position of trying to find some cap savings while hanging on to one of the best players in franchise history. One way or another, we'd expect the team to approach Johnson about a pay cut, but if Megatron believes Ford is on his side, he might be unwilling to accept a smaller salary. If push comes to shove, the team would save around $11 million against the cap by releasing Johnson this offseason while eating nearly $13 million in dead money.
After a surprising home loss to the Rams on Sunday, the Seahawks look like they could use the return of Marshawn Lynch, who hasn't played since Nov. 15 due to an abdominal injury that required surgery.
It's unclear when Beast Mode will be ready to play, but it sounds like he's making progress. Empower Gym head instructor Tareq Azim, who is leading Lynch through his recovery, told Rapoport, "At the pace he's going, if he keeps doing what he's doing, I have no doubts that he'll be leading the team and the organization when he needs to be there." Azim didn't indicate a specific date, but it sounds like he expects Lynch to be ready for the playoffs. Seattle's running game hadn't missed a beat with Thomas Rawls as the starter, but Rawls is out for the season with a broken ankle. Outside of Russell Wilson's six carries for 39 yards, the Seahawks gained a dismal 21 yards on 16 carries in Sunday's loss as the team scored just 17 points. The offense has been scorching lately behind the red-hot Wilson, but it's obvious that some balance will be needed to avoid a letdown in the playoffs. Lynch's potential return -- and his form when that time comes -- could wind up being one of the biggest factors in the NFC playoffs.
We've heard before that the future of Buffalo Bills GM Doug Whaley is up in the air, but it now sounds like Whaley will be back with the team next season. Rapoport reported Sunday morning that Whaley is "on very solid ground" and has a "better chance" of getting an extension -- he has one year remaining on his contract -- than getting fired. Likewise, Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News hears from a source that Whaley's job is likely "safe" this offseason. Last week, head coach Rex Ryan voiced his expectation of "drastic changes" this offseason, but it seems like those changes won't be coming in the front office. Instead, it's probably fair to expect a shakeup of the roster with hopes of cleaning Buffalo's ugly cap situation. Defensive end Mario Williams and his 2016 cap hit of $19.9 million will probably be first on the chopping block, with a potential savings of $12.9 million against the cap.
Another GM whose job status has been questioned is the Atlanta Falcons' Thomas Dimitroff. Rapoport reported Sunday morning that the team has made "no decision yet, but Dimitroff could stay," as long as owner Arthur Blank is satisfied with Dimitroff's plan when the two sit down for a discussion following the season. Rapoport added that the team's coaches "believe there is a talent deficiency on the roster," but Dimitroff won't necessarily take the fall for it. Even if Dimitroff survives this offseason, he lost much of his sway when head coach Dan Quinn was given final say on personnel decisions upon his hiring in February. That would seem to make Dimitroff the first scapegoat if the Falcons' struggles continue next season.
The Philadelphia Eagles' trade for quarterback Sam Bradford certainly didn't go as planned this season, as the QB's poor play and injuries helped Philly miss the postseason for the second consecutive year.
But will the pending free agent be back with the team in 2016? Head coach Chip Kelly has been firm in stating he wouldn't have traded Nick Foles and a second-round pick for Bradford if the team didn't intend to keep Bradford long-term, and he reiterated that sentiment on Monday morning. "We certainly want Sam back and we'll try to do everything we can to get him here," Kelly said on 94.1 WIP. However, Kelly noted the team hasn't started contract negotiations with Bradford yet, saying "that always happens after the season." It's certainly a peculiar situation to watch, especially considering Kelly's offense struggled with Bradford this season and his scheme would seem to be more dangerous with a more mobile signal-caller at the helm. Bradford said following Saturday's loss to the Washington Redskins that he wants to return to the Eagles, but added, "that's not my choice." Bradford's situation will be just one of many intriguing storylines surrounding the QB market this offseason.
It seems the future of Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson could be up in the air. Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times noted he would be "surprised" to see Jackson return to the team at his full salary ($12.2 million cap hit in 2016) next year. Auman suggests "a pay cut could work well for both sides," but it also wouldn't be surprising to see Jackson released this offseason. The 11-year veteran will turn 33 in January and struggled with injuries this season, playing in just 10 games. Second-year wideout Mike Evans took over the mantle as the team's top wideout as a rookie, making Jackson somewhat expendable, particularly at his current price. Tampa Bay could save about $7.6 million against the cap, with a $4.8 million charge in dead money, by releasing Jackson after the season. But it would certainly make sense to bring Jackson back with a pay cut if the receiver is amenable.
With Week 17 on the horizon, almost every team in the playoff picture still has incentive to win its regular-season finale. One team that's locked into its seed, however, is Washington, which will remain the No. 4 seed in the NFC regardless of results around the league. That raises the question: Will Washington rest its starters Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys? Head coach Jay Gruden was noncommittal about the idea on Sunday, saying the team will try to beat Dallas but must "be smart" about injuries, per Liz Clarke of the Washington Post. Gruden also indicated that whether or not quarterback Kirk Cousins plays will depend on the health of those around him. Right tackle Morgan Moses strained his elbow in Sunday's win over the Eagles and may not be available in Week 17. Gruden's plans aren't extremely crucial, but the situation is worth monitoring. A Cowboys win could affect April's draft order, while a serious injury to a Redskins starter could give Washington little chance at winning a playoff game.