NFL Notes: Buccaneers, Dolphins, Giants

Buccaneers

Buccaneers second-round RB Ronald Jones said he thinks he’s doing “pretty well” in terms of learning pass protection calls, which should go a long way towards him seeing a lot of playing time this year.

“I think right now I’m just still identifying [protection calls] based on the schemes that we’re running and things like that,” Jones said, via Buccaneers.com. “Once we put the pads on we’ll really see, but I think right now I’m doing pretty well.”

Bucs HC Dirk Koetter admitted that pass protection is really the area all rookie running backs need to work on upon entering the league.

“All running backs coming into the NFL have work to do mostly in protection,” Koetter said. “Most colleges don’t have a whole lot that they ask these guys to do protection-wise, but he is going to do fine. He will get it.”

Dolphins

The Dolphins signed veteran DT Akeem Spence this offseason and he says he plans to work with the other defensive linemen to help them get up to speed in terms of new DL coach Kris Kocurek‘s philosophy.

“Like I tell the guys, if there is anything you want to know about me or Kris, just ask,” Spence said, via the Miami Herald. “I’m here to help the guys progress. They’ve never played for Coach Kris. Sometimes Kris gets to hollering and they don’t know what he’s talking about, so I can pull them to the side (and say), ‘Hey, this is what he means.’ (I’m) just trying to get the group better. Yes, I am the veteran in the d-line room. So these guys, they do look to me like (Davon) Godchaux, J. Phillips, Gabe (Wright) and those guys.”

According to Spence, Kocurek is looking for the defensive tackles to be attacking opposing offensive linemen, as opposed to playing more of a read scheme.

“The defensive tackles next to the ends should be the first two guys off the ball, attacking the guards shoulders, knocking them back and creating penetration so that way your linebackers can play downhill,” Spence explained. “Everybody can be downhill. You’ve got your ends setting hard edges attacking the tackles at the tip of their pads, setting edges.”

“That way our defense is one-gap sound, playing downhill. The defensive tackles are playing in the backfield and that should show on the film, guys getting knocked back. If not, then we’re playing read 3-4 and Kris is probably somewhere throwing his hat off screaming all types of obscenities.”

Giants

Former NFL agent Joel Corry tells Paul Schwartz of the New York Post that he can see Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr targeting a five-year, $95 million with around $60 million guaranteed in contract talks with the team.

“Considering it’s still the norm to extend four, five years, six years out, I’m gonna say five-year extension, so that’s adding five more years,” Corry explained. “Let’s put the new money at about $95 million over the five years, that’s $19 million a year. Put the overall guarantees at around $60 million and anywhere between $40 million and $45 million fully guaranteed at signing.”

Corry admitted that Beckham “would probably be better off’’ with a shorter, three-year extension for about $55 million, with $40 million in guaranteed money, as this would give him a solid return and ensure he can test the open market before he’s 30.

“If his first three years are any indication of what he’s going to be down the road, he’d reap the benefit of the market changing,’’ Corry said. “Julio Jones did the five-year extension, and he’s unhappy with his deal right now. Maybe Beckham should look at the Julio Jones situation and not do the conventional five-year deal. Be able to get another bite of the apple when he’s truly hitting his prime.“