2014 February - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Sign Royce Adams

February 12th, 2014 at 4:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Browns have signed Royce Adams to a contract, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter). The deal will be a reserve/futures contract, though it’s not clear if it will included any guaranteed money.

As McIntyre notes in a second tweet, Adams played wide receiver during his senior year at Purdue, but spent most of his time at cornerback, which is where he played during an NFL stint with the Jets. While Adams was listed as a receiver in the NFL’s transaction notice, he was referred to as a defensive back in the Browns’ official release, so it’s not 100% clear how he’ll be used. Either way though, he figures to compete for a roster spot in camp.

The signing of Adams will go down as the first official move made by the Browns under the overhauled front office, led by new GM Ray Farmer.

Vikings Sign Simoni Lawrence

February 12th, 2014 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 4:09pm: Lawrence’s deal with the Vikings includes a $10K signing bonus and is for three years, tweets Brian McIntyre.

TUESDAY, 2:25pm: The Vikings have signed linebacker Simoni Lawrence to a contract, the team announced today (Twitter link). TSN.ca’s Matthew Scianitti had reported yesterday (via Twitter) that the CFLer would ink a deal with Minnesota.

Lawrence, who played his college ball at Minnesota, went undrafted in 2010. While he has signed with several NFL teams since then, including the Rams, Bears, and Buccaneers, he has yet to appear in an NFL game. Most recently, the 25-year-old linebacker played for the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, recording 52 tackles, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles during the 2013 season.

Terms of Lawrence’s deal weren’t disclosed, but it figures to be a reserve/futures contract, a type of deal that we explained in greater detail yesterday.

Raiders Sign Kory Sheets

February 12th, 2014 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Two and a half months after being named the MVP of the CFL’s 2013 Grey Cup, running back Kory Sheets is heading south. The former Saskatchewan Rough Riders back has signed with the Raiders, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter). Sheets had worked out for the Raiders last month.

In two seasons with Saskatchewan, Sheets racked up 2,875 rushing yards in a pass-heavy league, averaging 5.6 yards per rush and rushing for 23 touchdowns. The 28-year-old Purdue alum figures to have signed a reserve/futures contract, perhaps with a small guarantee included. He’ll compete for a roster spot in Oakland this summer.

Sheets has previously signed contracts with the 49ers, Dolphins, and Panthers, seeing his only NFL action in 2009 with Miami.

Michael Bennett Won’t Give Seahawks Discount

February 12th, 2014 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Golden Tate recently expressed a willingness to accept a hometown discount to return to the Seahawks for 2014 and beyond, but fellow free agent Michael Bennett doesn’t sound as enthused about that idea. Noting on the NFL Network on Tuesday night that “this isn’t Costco,” Bennett suggested that, in his opinion, there’s “no such thing” as a discount in the NFL (link via ESPN.com’s Terry Blount).

“There is no discount really because you go out there and you don’t give a discount on effort,” Bennett said. “You go out there and you give the best effort every day and you fight for your teammates, and you want to be compensated for the way that you perform and the kind of teammate you are.”

While Tate’s stance may endear him more to Seahawks fans, it’s hard to argue that Bennett should give up his own potential payday, particularly coming off a Super Bowl season in which he recorded 8.5 sacks to go along with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The 28-year-old was a key piece of the Seahawks’ defensive line, spending time both in the middle and on the end, while playing on a one-year, $4.8MM deal.

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported earlier this month that the Seahawks were expected to re-sign Bennett, and ESPN.com’s John Clayton (video link) said today that the odds of the two sides reaching an agreement are still “pretty good.” But the Bears, who have Michael’s younger brother Martellus Bennett on their roster, are lurking as a potential bidder for the free-agent-to-be, and Clayton figures it’ll take at least a $6-7MM annual salary to lock up the elder Bennett.

In addition to attempting to re-sign 2014 free agents like Bennett and Tate, the Seahawks figure to explore long-term extensions for Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman this offseason. However, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there have been no talks yet between Sherman and the team about a new contract. Florio points out that Sherman and his agent likely plan to let the club sort out this year’s free agents before pushing for a long-term deal.

Extra Points: Bills, Knighton, Eagles, Ravens

February 12th, 2014 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

After we heard yesterday that New York State had appointed several members to a committee tasked with exploring the possibility of a new stadium for the Bills, team president and CEO Russ Brandon released a statement indicating that the franchise’s primary focus is on upgrading Ralph Wilson Stadium (link via The Buffalo News). Mike Rodak of ESPN.com also passes along several comments made by Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz on WGR 550, explaining why a new stadium might not be viable in the short term.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton reportedly intends to seek a new contract this offseason, but the odds of him receiving one aren’t great, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
Wide receiver will be a position to keep an eye on in Philadelphia this offseason, as the Eagles decide whether they’ll bring back Jeremy Maclin and/or Riley Cooper. Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer takes an in-depth look at the position.
Given the presence of new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak and the high value the club places on special teams, free-agent-to-be Jacoby Jones has multiple reasons to consider a return to the Ravens, says Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com.
While it won’t necessarily be anywhere near the top of the team’s to-do list this offseason, the Ravens should make an effort to upgrade their defensive line if they can, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk expects it to be a buyer’s market for free agent receivers this offseason, and thinks that the Patriots, among other teams, could benefit.
Don’t expect much excitement from this year’s restricted free agent market, writes ESPN.com’s John Clayton, who says that this year’s class of restricted free agents is among the least impressive in recent memory.
Anthony Kuehn of the Detroit Free Press takes an in-depth look at the Lions’ 22 free-agents-to-be.

Steelers Rumors: Worilds, Woodley, Ben

February 12th, 2014 at 1:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert met with several members of the Pittsburgh media today to discuss the team’s coming offseason, and a handful of beat writers diligently tweeted out several of Colbert’s more noteworthy quotes. So let’s dive right in, and round up the highlights, via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (all links go to Twitter)….

Asked about the chances of the Steelers re-signing Jason Worilds and retaining LaMarr Woodley, Colbert said it would be possible to bring both back, but expressed some caution about Woodley’s injury issues in recent years. Our Matt Feminis explored the Worilds/Woodley situation in Pittsburgh in a piece a couple weeks ago.
The Steelers have plenty of things on their to-do list for before March 11, according to Colbert, who said that list may include “terminations, restructurings and extensions,” and added that the team wants to re-sign some of its own free agents.
Although Colbert didn’t name any players specifically, he conceded that asking players to take pay cuts is one subject the team is currently discussing. As Bouchette notes, defensive back Ike Taylor is a candidate for a salary reduction.
Even with several older players on sizable salaries, the club doesn’t ever plan to blow things up and enter full-scale rebuilding mode, said Colbert.
The Steelers aren’t presently as deep as they’d like at either safety or cornerback, according to Colbert.
Colbert believes the 2014 draft class is perhaps the deepest he’s seen in 30 years, but has some concerns that a number of the underclassmen who declared their intent for the draft may have left school too early.
Although Ben Roethlisberger turns 32 this year, selecting a quarterback won’t be a priority for the Steelers in this year’s draft, according to Colbert. The GM also declined to discuss whether contract discussions with Big Ben are planned or ongoing, but said the team needs to “make the most” of the years it has left with its franchise quarterback.

Latest On Mark Sanchez

February 12th, 2014 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

It has long been considered unlikely that Mark Sanchez will still be a New York Jet by the time the 2014 season gets underway, and in a video report for ESPN.com, Rich Cimini confirms that the two sides still seem likely to part ways. Here are the highlights from Cimini’s report:

There’s no chance that Sanchez will return to the Jets on his current $13.1MM cap number, but the team could ask him about taking a significant pay cut to remain on the roster. Still, after talking to both camps, Cimini gets the sense that a fresh start may be in the best interests of both sides, with Sanchez likely seeking a change of scenery.
Sanchez is owed a roster bonus of $2MM on March 25, so the Jets will make their move before that date. While the club will explore trade options, finding a taker is a real long shot — releasing him is far more likely. In that case, Sanchez would count as $4.8MM in dead money on New York’s 2014 cap.
Assuming Sanchez ultimately does end up on the open market, he could land a deal worth $3-4MM with a chance to be a starter, general managers tell Cimini. That’s a similar sentiment to one we heard expressed in a New York Post report last month, and taking into account the rather weak free agent market for quarterbacks, it doesn’t sound like a stretch.

Rams Hire Gregg Williams As DC

February 12th, 2014 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 12: The Rams have officially announced Williams as their new defensive coordinator, with a press conference scheduled for tomorrow morning.

JANUARY 29: As reported by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter) and confirmed by the team (Twitter link), the Rams decided not to bring back defensive coordinator Tim Walton for the 2014 season. According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Rams intend to replace Walton with veteran coach Gregg Williams.

Williams, 55, was the head coach of the Bills from 2001 to 2003, though he’s perhaps better known for his role in the Saints’ bounty scandal. As the defensive coordinator of a unit that allegedly awarded bonuses to players for hits that inflicted injuries on opposing players, Williams received a year-long suspension from the NFL in 2012.

If and when his hiring is made official, it won’t be the first time Williams has accepted the same position from the Rams. He had been poised to act as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2012, having been hired before the league handed down the one-year suspension. Williams was eventually let go by St. Louis last January without having ever coached for the team, and spent the 2013 with the Titans as a defensive assistant.

NFC South Notes: Gonzalez, Graham, Panthers

February 12th, 2014 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano was in the news again today, with a report suggesting that his candidacy in the Browns’ coaching search contributed to the rift between CEO Joe Banner and owner Jimmy Haslam. The Bucs themselves aren’t making headlines at the moment, but here are a few of the latest items on their division rivals in the NFC South:

In a recent ESPN The Magazine interview, retiring tight end Tony Gonzalez left the door slightly open for a possible return to the Falcons later in the 2014 season, “if the team is hot in November, 9-2 or something.” However, it doesn’t sound like GM Thomas Dimitroff is anticipating having Gonzalez back. Speaking to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, Dimitroff simply said, “I believe Tony Gonzalez has retired and he’ll have a fantastic career in the media business.”
While Jimmy Graham was split out as a receiver for about two-third of his snaps in 2013, that fact alone doesn’t tell the whole story about his position, writes John McTigue of ESPN.com (Insider link). In McTigue’s view, Graham will still be considered a tight end if and when the Saints designate him as their franchise player, but when he eventually receives a long-term deal, he should get wide receiver money.
When I asked earlier in the week whether Graham should be viewed as a tight end or wide receiver for franchise salary purposes, over 60% of you went with TE.
With three of the four defensive backs who finished the season as starters eligible for free agency, the Panthers will have to make their secondary an area of focus this offseason, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. As Newton suggests, this year’s cornerback class is strong enough that Carolina could likely find a starter in the second round of the draft.

Broncos Extend John Elway, Add GM To Title

February 12th, 2014 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Broncos have extended their relationship with executive VP of football operations John Elway, signing him to a three-year contract extension, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. In addition to locking him up for three additional years, the Broncos have also added the position of general manager to his current title, says Klis.

Elway’s deal had been set to expire after the 2014 season, so the new agreement ensures that he remains under contract through the 2017 season. As for the new title, as Klis explains (via Sulia), Elway had already been tasked with making the final decisions related to roster-building, so being known as the GM doesn’t figure to change his responsibilities much.

Since assuming the role of executive VP of football operations in 2011, Elway has seen the Broncos compile a 34-14 record, including two 13-3 seasons, and earn a spot in this month’s Super Bowl. While that game didn’t turn out well for Denver, Elway’s tenure, which included the hiring of coach John Fox and the acquisition of future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, has been very fruitful for the franchise thus far.

Speaking of Fox, he appears to be the next one in line for a contract extension from the Broncos. According to Klis, the team is expected to work out a new multiyear contract with its head coach.