As Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap outlines in his latest piece for The Sporting News, the Ravens are currently projected to earn three compensatory draft picks in 2016, which may not have been possible if the team had been active in free agency. Now that the May 12 deadline has passed though, veteran free agents are no longer tied to the compensatory pick formula, meaning we could see Baltimore and other clubs sign some veterans off the scrap heap in the near future.
In his Sporting News piece, Fitzgerald examines a few noteworthy names still on the market, including wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Wes Welker, running back Chris Johnson, and linebackers Lance Briggs and Brandon Spikes. Fitzgerald also mentions Michael Vick, and we’ve got an update on Vick in our latest round of free agent notes. Let’s dive in…
- Vick has been training with Chris Chambers at Chambers’ fitness center, and the former Dolphins receiver said he encouraged agent Joel Segal to let him work with the quarterback for a few weeks before Vick and Segal entertained offers. “There was a lot of political stuff with him and Geno Smith with the Jets last year,” Chambers said of Vick, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Last two weeks, he has done phenomenal. There are several teams that want him. He wanted to be on a winning team. He wants to play three years. Eventually, he wants to start again.”
- As Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange observes (via Twitter), with the Falcons opting to sign Tyler Polumbus after working out Joe Barksdale earlier this month, Barksdale’s options may be dwindling. The Rams reportedly still have some interest in bringing back the free agent tackle, but didn’t tender him a contract offer at the May 12 deadline, Balzer tweets. For what it’s worth, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com details, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn says his team is still “actively talking to” Barksdale.
- Free agent offensive lineman Chris Spencer, who has 95 career starts on his NFL résumé, tore his Achilles the day before the draft and almost certainly won’t be able in 2015, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. While Spencer wants to continue his NFL career, he acknowledged that his top priority for now is getting healthy. “Before this happened, I was thinking I might sign back with the Titans at some point,” Spencer said. “But right now, football is on the back burner until I get through this and see where it stands.”