One of the keys to the surprising success of the Dallas Cowboys' 2014 season was a balanced offense fueled by the NFL's second-ranked ground game. The Cowboys consistently won the battle at the line of scrimmage thanks to a massive offensive line that paved the way for DeMarco Murray's historic rushing season and kept the pocket clean for quarterback Tony Romo, who led the league in passer rating and Total QBR.
Cowboys leaning offensive lineman in draft, Giants release Mathias Kiwanuka & other NFL news
Giants cut veteran DE Kiwanuka, Spiller’s return to Bills is still a possibility, and the rest of the NFL news.
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However, with Doug Free and Jermey Parnell set to hit free agency next month, Dallas has no player under contract at right tackle for next season. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer that "it certainly is" a strong possibility that the team will select an offensive lineman with their first-round pick, even though there is an obvious need to upgrade a defense that ranked 22nd in Football Outsiders' efficiency ratings.
This preference for help in the trenches also comes despite the fact that the Cowboys have used their first-round pick on an offensive lineman in three of the last four drafts -- Tyron Smith (2011), Travis Frederick (2013) and Zack Martin (2014). With the 27th overall pick, Dallas likely won't be able to snag one of the top offensive linemen, but this year's class is considered deep and there is a good chance the team would be able to find another gem late in the first round.
New York cuts Kiwanuka
The New York Giants released defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka on Tuesday afternoon, reports NFL.com's Kimberly Jones. The veteran has spent his entire nine-season career with Big Blue, winning two Super Bowls during that time.
This past season the 31-year-old had a career-low 2.5 sacks and 28 tackles in 11 games before a knee injury ended his campaign in late November. The advanced metrics were not kind to Kiwanuka the past two years. According to Pro Football Focus, he rated as the second-worst 4-3 defensive end in 2013 and the third-worst in 2014.
Kiwanuka was supposed to count $7.45 million against the salary cap next season, the fourth-highest cap charge on the team. The Giants will gain $4.825 million in cap space by cutting him, per Over the Cap.
Spiller: Return to Buffalo is a ‘possibility’
Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller will be a free agent next month, but hasn't ruled out a return to Buffalo yet. During an appearance on Sirius XM radio on Tuesday, Spiller said there is "a possibility [he] could be in a Bills uniform" next year, despite reports that the two sides remain far apart in contract talks. He seemed to put the onus on the organization to get a deal done, noting that "the ball is in their court" and that he prefers to stay in Buffalo.
The 27-year-old is coming off an injury-plagued 2014 campaign during which he missed nearly half the season due to a broken collarbone, and was largely ineffective when he did get on the field. The 2010 first-round pick rushed for 300 yards on 78 carries -- averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per rush -- and scored just two touchdowns in nine games. Spiller earned a base salary of $3.5 million last year in the final season of his rookie deal.
Green Bay will use veterans on special teams
One of the few weakness of the NFC North champion Green Bay Packers this past season -- and one that ultimately cost them a trip to the Super Bowl -- was the mediocre play of their special teams unit, which ranked 30th in Pro Football Focus' ratings. It ultimately cost special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum his job, and resulted in the hiring of Ron Zook to fill the position.
The team isn’t done making changes to its special teams, however. Head coach Mike McCarthy told ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky that they “need to adjust [their] special teams philosophy” heading into next season. McCarthy specifically mentioned the need to use more starters and veterans on the coverage units. In 2014, there wasn’t a defensive or offensive starter that ranked among the top-14 players in special teams snap counts, per Demovsky.
Baltimore won’t break bank for Smith
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith will likely be one of the more coveted wideouts on the market this winter, and should command a lucrative contract in free agency. This will probably make it difficult for Baltimore to retain Smith, a sentiment that was echoed by Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti at a press conference on Tuesday.
Bisciotti reiterated that the organization has to formulate its spending philosophy within the constraints of the salary cap, and that it cannot engage in high-priced bidding wars for free agents. Per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Wilkening, he told reporters that “we’ve got to find a number, and some of the numbers that are thrown out there, quite frankly, we can’t match.”
Smith was the team’s second-leading receiver in 2014 with 49 catches and 767 receiving yards, hauling in a career-best 11 touchdowns last season. Baltimore currently has an estimated $5.7 million in cap space for 2015, according to Over the Cap.
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