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  • Alex Mack Talks Free Agency
  • David Carr Aims To Sign With Team For ’14
  • Michael Bennett To Test Open Market

Extra Points: Jackson, Carlson, Quarless

March 6th at 9:11pm CST by Zach Links

The agent for D’Qwell Jackson says that his client asked for his release from the Browns and adds that his client is happy to be with the Colts, tweets Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald. Cleveland would have owed Jackson a $4MM roster bonus on March 16th but they cut him loose well in advance. This could be a case of Jackson’s agent trying to put a positive spin on things – it’s more likely that the Browns asked him to take a pay cut that was too steep for his liking.

  • The Jets and Packers are among the clubs with interest in tight end John Carlson, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. We learned earlier that Carlson, who was cut loose by the Vikings, is meeting with the Cardinals today.
  • The Packers are talking to tight end Andrew Quarless about a new deal before he hits the open market on Thursday, writes Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel. Of course, there’s also uncertainty surrounding the future of fellow tight end Jermichael Finley this offseason, but bringing back Quarless, who hauled in 32 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns, could give them more certainty at the position.
  • There’s mutual interest between the Bears and linebacker D.J. Williams in working out a new deal, tweets Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The two sides are talking and that’s expected to continue through the weekend. The former University of Miami standout spent his whole career in Denver up until 2013 when he joined Chicago. Unfortunately, his season ended when he ruptured his pectoral tendon against the Giants in Week 6.
  • Brandon Smith got a two-year deal from the Bills, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The cornerback was an exclusive rights free agent for Buffalo and accepted his offer earlier today.
  • The Cowboys are interested in TCU prospect Jason Verrett, writes ESPN.com’s Calvin Watkins. The cornerback is a potential late-first round/early-second round pick, despite the fact that he is recovering from a torn labrum. ”[The doctors] feel like it’s gonna be a very short process,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “Everybody that’s done it has been able to be back before camp. On the high road, I think that’s what he’s anticipating. That he’ll be back before camp.”
  • Steve Serby of the New York Post is less-than-thrilled about the idea of the Jets signing Michael Vick.
  • Former Jaguars wide receiver Mike-Sims Walker was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.

Titans, Ropati Pitoitua Agree To Deal

March 6th at 9:00pm CST by Zach Links

9:00pm: It’s a three-year, $9.6MM deal including a $2.175MM bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. His base salaries are as follows (link): $975K in 2014, $2.125MM in ’15, and $2.95MM in ’16 with a $600K roster bonus due in March 2015. The deal marks a nice bump in pay for Pitoitua who earned $1.1MM last season and has made ~$3MM over the course of his career.

5:46pm: The Titans have agreed to terms with defensive end Ropati Pitoitua, sources tell Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean (via Twitter). Pitoitua, who was one of the club’s priorities after a strong year in 2013, gets a three-year deal from the Titans (link).

The 6’8″, 290 pound Samoan had a career high four sacks, four passes defended, and 34 tackles this season across 16 games (13 starts). After rotating between the Jets’ injured reserve and practice squad between 2008 and 2011, Pitoitua had his breakthrough season with the Chiefs in 2012 when he got to start ten games at right defensive end. He’ll be a part of the Titans’ transition to a hybrid defense under new defensive coordinator Ray Horton.

 

Keisel Prepared To Move On From Steelers

March 6th at 7:26pm CST by Zach Links

Larry Foote might not be the only veteran starter the Steelers lose from their defense. Defensive end Brett Keisel could be on his way out too, writes Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The eight-year starter hasn’t been contacted by the Steelers about returning next season and is preparing to play elsewhere, according agent Eric Metz.

While the unrestricted free agent will be 36 in September, Keisel is coming off an effective season in which he ranked out 13th among all NFL 3-4 defensive ends in Pro Football Focus’ pass rush evaluations. Keisel missed four games late last season with a painful plantar fasciitis condition in his left foot that was worsened by a tear, but he returned to have two sacks in the final two games, plus a critical fumble recovery against the Packers. Some players might retire rather than battle through injury after such a long career, but Keisel has no such plans.

“He’s productive, healthy and has every intention to continue to play football,” said Metz.

Keisel finished 2013 with four sacks (giving him 8.5 over the last two seasons), a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and 29 tackles. He made $2,825,000 in base salary last season, with a salary cap charge of $4.9MM, but the Steelers — if they have any interest in having him back — probably don’t want to pay much more than the minimum of $955K, plus a small signing bonus, Robinson writes. For what it’s worth, Keisel’s agent says his client wants to finish his career in Pittsburgh.

Alex Mack Talks Free Agency

March 6th at 5:42pm CST by Zach Links

Browns center Alex Mack is getting ready for the start of free agency on Tuesday afternoon with the knowledge that he could be donning a different jersey for the first time in his career. Mack isn’t saying that he’s looking to jump ship after not seeing the playoffs in five years with Cleveland, but he’s also eager to explore his opportunities elsewhere, writes Brent Sobleski of USA Today.

“My time in Cleveland was interesting to say the least,” Mack said. “It was never boring. But there is no guarantee anywhere you go. It’s not a given what happens in Cleveland now or for any other team. I like where my future is going. Mr. [Jimmy] Haslam, he’s a really good owner. I got a really good feeling about him. He’s a direct person who knows what he wants to do. There’s something to be said of that. It’s now a clean slate.”

Sobleski notes that three teams could be of particular interest to the second-team All-Pro center. The Buccaneers, now under the direction of head coach Lovie Smith, feature Mack’s former college head coach Jeff Tedford as the offensive coordinator and his previous offensive line coach with the Browns, George Warhop. The Colts, who cut starting center Samson Satele earlier today, hired former Browns’ head coach Rob Chudzinski as a special assistant. The Raiders could also be a consideration as Mack grew up a Raiders fan as a child in Santa Barbara, California.

The Browns met with Mack over the weekend. Along with Haslam, Ray Farmer, and Mike Pettine, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and offensive line coach Andy Moeller were in attendance.

Cowboys Want Ware To Take Pay Cut

March 6th at 4:58pm CST by Zach Links

THURSDAY, 4:58pm: Ware is open to listening to the Cowboys’ proposal, but will be reluctant to shave too much money off his salary, a source tells Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. If Ware doesn’t accept a pay cut and the Cowboys cut him, the veteran pass rusher expects to draw plenty of interest in free agency.

TUESDAY, 5:04pm: The Cowboys contacted DeMarcus Ware today to let him know they definitely wanted to keep him, but not at $13MM per year, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (via Twitter). As it stands, Ware would account for a $16MM cap hit in 2014 and is owed $26MM in total between ’14 and ’15.

Ware, once among the NFL’s elite front seven personnel, is on the verge of turning 32 and isn’t the type of game-changing talent that he once was. The linebacker-turned-defensive end is a seven-time Pro Bowler and a four-time First-Team All-Pro, but he clearly lost a step in 2013. As Andrew Cohen of OverTheCap explains, the Cowboys could theoretically keep Ware on board with his current contract thanks to the Sean Lee, Orlando Scandrick, and Tony Romo contract adjustments putting them right around the ~$133MM cap limit. However, it would make much more sense for Dallas to shave a bit off of his deal and put that cash to better use elsewhere.

AFC Notes: Edelman, Dolphins, Texans

March 6th at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

We rounded up several updates on AFC teams this morning, but a few more have trickled in throughout the day, so let’s dive in and tackle those new items….

  • The Patriots and wide receiver Julian Edelman discussed a new deal today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link via ESPN’s Field Yates). If the two sides don’t reach an agreement by Tuesday, Edelman will be free to sign with any team.
  • Names like Eugene Monroe and Branden Albert have frequently been linked to the Dolphins leading up to the free agency, but Miami will need to add more than just a left tackle, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. Salguero explores a few other possible offensive line targets for the Dolphins in free agency.
  • The Texans are considering many quarterback options to back up the signal-caller they’re expected to select with their first-round pick, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. According to McClain, the Texans may sign two veteran QBs to go with the rookie they bring in.
  • There still hasn’t been any real movement in contract talks between the Titans and Alterraun Verner, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, who expects the free agent cornerback to reach the open market (Twitter link).
  • Former Dolphins trainer Kevin O’Neill is poised to fight his termination, writes Chris Perkins of the Sun Sentinel. O’Neill was among those implicated in the Wells Report.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

David Carr Aims To Sign With Team For ’14

March 6th at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Former first overall pick David Carr was cut by the Giants before last year’s regular season got underway and didn’t play in 2013, but the free agent quarterback intends to return to the NFL in 2014, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. Smith reports (via Twitter) that Carr is “fully committed” to landing with a team this season, and hopes to sign somewhere after the draft.

The 2014 draft, coincidentally, is where David’s brother Derek Carr will begin his NFL career, and it was Derek’s ongoing training sessions that inspired David’s comeback, tweets Smith. In fact, according to Smith (via Twitter), David’s ideal situation would be landing on the same team as his brother, acting as Derek’s backup.

At this point in his career, the former Texans starter is certainly no more than a No. 2, and may even have to settle for a No. 3 role. Still, Carr received multiple offers from NFL teams last season after being released by the Giants, which he turned down when his daughter was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes (Twitter link via Smith). The Fresno State product will turn 35 in July, so no NFL club will want its season to hinge on his right arm, but I expect he’ll find work somewhere, or at least a chance to compete for a roster spot.

Jaguars Expect To Re-Sign Chad Henne

March 6th at 4:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The “expectation inside EverBank Field” is that the Jaguars will reach an agreement with Chad Henne on a new contract within the next couple days, reports Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). If Henne remains unsigned by Saturday, his agent can begin talking to teams besides the Jaguars, but it sounds like it may not reach that point.

Henne, 28, started 13 games for the Jaguars last season after taking over the job from Blaine Gabbert. The veteran signal-caller completed 60.6% of his attempts, compiling 3,241 passing yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with his 14 interceptions.

While those numbers aren’t spectacular, they make Henne one of the more desirable options among a underwhelming group of free agent quarterbacks that also includes Michael Vick, Josh McCown, and Matt Cassel. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) suggested earlier today that the Jaguars shouldn’t be ruled out as a potential suitor for Vick or McCown. However, if Jacksonville finalizes a new deal with Henne, the team will likely turn to the draft to add a second quarterback.

Depending on how high the Jaguars select a quarterback, Henne may head into 2014 competing for the starting job in Jacksonville, assuming he re-signs with the club.

Contract Tenders: Saints, Colts, Cardinals

March 6th at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Players who have three years or less of NFL experience and no contract for 2014 continue to receive contract tenders from their current teams. For exclusive rights free agents, these tenders essentially represent the contracts they’ll be playing under in 2014, since ERFAs aren’t permitted to negotiate with any of the league’s other 31 teams. Restricted free agents, on the other hand, can accept these one-year contract offers, but will also have the freedom to negotiate with other suitors and perhaps sign an offer sheet once the free agent period begins.

Here are Thursday’s contract tenders from around the NFL:

  • The Saints have extended a $1.431MM tender offer to safety Rafael Bush, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Since Bush is a restricted free agent and went undrafted, New Orleans wouldn’t receive any draft compensation if the 26-year-old signs elsewhere.
  • The Colts extended tenders today to restricted free agents Josh Gordy and Joe Reitz, and to exclusive rights free agent Cam Johnson, says Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter). The two RFA tenders are expected to be worth $1.431MM, while Johnson’s tender will be worth the minimum.
  • Nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu received a tender from the Cardinals and has signed it, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Ta’amu, who is recovering from an ACL injury, was an exclusive rights free agent.
  • Earlier today, we passed along word of contract tenders made by the Bills and Browns.

Chiefs Cut Dominique Jones, Robert James

March 6th at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chiefs waived a pair of players today, cutting tight end Dominique Jones and linebacker Robert James, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links). Both players had been on minimum-salary contracts and won’t have any dead money counting against the club’s cap for 2014.

Jones, 26, joined the Chiefs in the second half of the 2013 season and appeared in 43 snaps over the course of two games against the Redskins and Raiders. James, a fifth-round pick in 2008, didn’t see action during the regular season for Kansas City.

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