2014 February - Pro Football Rumors

Lions Notes: Raiola, Cornerbacks, Cooter

February 7th, 2014 at 5:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, the Lions re-signed center Dominic Raiola to a one-year contract. While the financial terms of the deal aren’t known, the 35-year-old is said to have gotten a “nice raise” out of the deal. Raiola has been a fixture on the Lions’ O-Line and has started every game in the last 12 seasons for the franchise with the exception of a handful of contests in 2008. More out of Detroit..

The Lions were smart to re-sign Raiola to a new deal, opines ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein. The Lions still need to fill holes at wide receiver, tight end, cornerback, and safety, so getting the center position out of the way gives them one less thing to worry about. The veteran is one of the few Detroit players left from the 0-16 season in 2008 and has been completely focused on trying to return to the playoffs. As an added bonus, if the Lions draft a center this year, the Lions can bring him along slowly and Raiola can help groom him for the future.
Detroit will continue to pursue larger cornerbacks, new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin tells Justin Rogers of MLive.com. “As the league has changed, I think you have to try to get, if you can, a bigger cornerback,” Austin said, “a guy that can match up with the bigger receivers, a guy that has some physical toughness to him who’s not afraid to tackle, and a guy that has great ball skills.” However, Austin isn’t ruling out smaller corners with playmaking skills.
The Lions will hire former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback and Broncos assistant Jim Bob Cooter to be their next QB coach, according to Bruce Feldman of CBS Sports (via Twitter).

Chiefs Release Dunta Robinson

February 7th, 2014 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chiefs announced today that they have released defensive back Dunta Robinson, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). Robinson had been on the books for a cap number of about $5.11MM, but the move will free up $3MM+, leaving $2MM in dead money on Kansas City’s cap.

Robinson, 31, signed with the Chiefs last March after being cut by the Falcons, but didn’t play well during his first, and seemingly only, season with the team. Despite starting at cornerback for the Falcons from 2010 to 2012, Robinson started just two games for Kansas City in 2013, and was torched by T.Y. Hilton for multiple long completions during the first round of the playoffs. The former 10th overall pick had been scheduled to become a free agent after the 2015 season, but he’ll instead hit the open market this offseason.

The veteran was hit with the franchise tag in 2009 by the Texans and signed to a $54MM deal with the Falcons ($22.5MM guaranteed) in 2010. Last winter, KC gave him three-year, $13.8MM deal. Today, Robinson was let go to save $3MM and change while making roster room for former CFL wide receiver Weston Dressler. It’s an unfortunate position for Robinson to be in but from the Chiefs perspective, they can replace Robinson cheaply thanks to the depth of this year’s free agent class at cornerback.

Zach Links contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Incognito, Gross, Suggs, Pats

February 7th, 2014 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Executives and players who spoke to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report expressed confidence that Richie Incognito would continue to find NFL work going forward, but weren’t as certain about Jonathan Martin’s future. Lingering questions about Martin’s trustworthiness and mental health make him a bigger question mark around the league than Incognito, whose off-field question marks are at least more familiar for NFL teams.

“He’s not a good guy, but we’re not a league of good guys,” one GM said of Incognito. “There are some bad guys in football, but it’s football, not the Salvation Army. He can play, if the commissioner allows it, he’ll get another job.”

Here’s more from around the league:

Several contracts around the league voided today, adding more players to the 2014 free agent list, as expected. In a series of tweets, Joel Corry and Brian McIntryre listed a few of the notable players whose deals voided, including Brian Orakpo, Brandon Meriweather, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, B.J. Raji, and Corey Webster.
Another player whose deal was set to void today was Panthers offensive lineman Jordan Gross, who remains undecided on whether or not he’ll continue his career, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. As Corry notes (via Twitter), voiding Gross’ contract would result in $5.6MM of dead money on Carolina’s cap, so the team probably would’ve liked to push that deadline into March, if possible. It’s not clear yet whether the club managed to do anything like that though.
The latest piece from Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report is chock full of interesting tidbits, including word that the Ravens still believe Terrell Suggs is a valuable asset, meaning the team is more likely to try to restructure his deal than to release him. Pompei also notes that many NFL team execs are happy this year’s draft was pushed back, since they’ll need that extra time to evaluate the record number of underclassmen among 2014’s class.
While Michael Bennett, Anthony Spencer, and Jason Worilds are among the intriguing pass-rushing options in this year’s free agent class, Orakpo and Greg Hardy make up the top tier, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
A day after looking at the Seahawks’ future, Joel Corry of The National Football Post turns his attention to what’s next for the Broncos.
Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com provides a brief snapshot of every position on the Patriots’ offense, assessing whether or not the team will address each spot in free agency or the draft.

Eagles Sign Joe Anderson

February 7th, 2014 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have officially signed wide receiver Joe Anderson, the team announced today (Twitter link). While the specifics of the deal weren’t revealed, it figures to be a reserve/futures contract worth the minimum.

Anderson, 25, played six games for the Bears last season before being placed on injured reserve in November. While he has yet to record an NFL reception, he returned five kicks for Chicago in 2013, for a total of 82 yards. The 6’1″ receiver was eligible to sign a reserve deal with the Eagles since he didn’t finish the year on an NFL team’s active roster, and will likely compete for a roster spot in Philadelphia this summer.

Vikings Release Erin Henderson

February 7th, 2014 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Vikings have officially released linebacker Erin Henderson, the team announced today (Twitter link). Henderson had one year left on his contract, but only $250K of his salary was guaranteed, so Minnesota creates $2.1MM in cap savings with the move.

Henderson played a major role on the Vikings’ defense in 2013, starting 12 games and finishing second on the team in tackles with 112. He also recorded four sacks and a pair of interceptions. However, his off-field issues prompted the roster move for the Vikings — the 27-year-old was arrested twice since November on suspicion of DUI.

Since he has more than four years of NFL experience, Henderson won’t have to pass through waivers, and will get a head-start on March’s free agent period. As for the Vikings, they’ll have an extra $2MM+ to work with as they eye potential replacements for Henderson in free agency and/or the draft.

NFC Notes: Zastudil, Moss, Cowboys, 49ers

February 7th, 2014 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Cardinals punter Dave Zastudil signed a two-year extension with the team last month, and today Brian McIntyre provides the financial details for that contract (via Twitter). According to McIntyre, the deal will be worth $2.95MM over two years, with a $545K bonus, a 2014 cap hit of $1,252,500, and $450K in possible incentives.

Let’s check in on a few more items from around the NFC….

Most recent Redskins rumors have revolved around the team’s negotiations with its defensive free-agents-to-be, but the club has also had talks with wide receiver Santana Moss about a new deal, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Moss has indicated that he’d like to remain in Washington.
In a chat with readers, Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News said on Thursday that the Cowboys won’t be major players in free agency, but that the team will be active in reworking contracts over the next several weeks, with Tony Romo among the restructure candidates.
Safety is a major area of concern for the Eagles this offseason, as Sheil Kapadia and Tim McManus outline at PhillyMag.com.
Based on their recent free agent history, the 49ers are unlikely to be aggressive and make a big splash when the free agent period begins next month, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, who says the team is more likely to target players who fall through the cracks.
Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com speaks to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com about the cap situations for the three contenders in the NFC West, the Seahawks, 49ers, and Cardinals.

Raiders Re-Sign Lamar Mady

February 7th, 2014 at 12:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raiders have re-signed exclusive rights free agent Lamar Mady, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. The 23-year-old guard, who spent his rookie season with Oakland in 2013, accepted his minimum-salary tender and will be on the books for one year and $495K.

Signed last April by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent, Mady played seven games for the club last season. Assuming he spends the 2014 season in the NFL, the Youngstown State will be an exclusive rights free agent for one more year before being eligible for restricted free agency in 2016.

Dolphins Sign Seven To Reserve Contracts

February 7th, 2014 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins have officially signed seven players to reserve/futures contracts, the team announced today (Twitter link). Defensive tackle Isaako Aaitui, running back Cameron Marshall, wide receiver Ryan Spadola, tight ends Kyle Miller and Emmanuel Ogbuehi, and offensive tackles Jason Weaver and Michael Ola have all inked deals with the club.

Of those seven players, six finished the 2013 seasons as members of the Dolphins’ practice squad. Ola, who tweeted last month that he’d reached an agreement with Miami, spent the last two years playing for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.

Jaguars GM Talks Free Agency, Draft, Monroe

February 7th, 2014 at 11:35am CST by Luke Adams

As we noted last night, Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell told fans at EverBank Field yesterday that suspended wide receiver Justin Blackmon will be back with the team at some point. However, that was far from the only noteworthy comment made by the general manager yesterday. John Oesher of Jaguars.com and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union passed along several other items from Caldwell, which we’ll round up right here:

Caldwell identified the offensive and defensive lines as areas the team will focus on free agency, indicating that the 2014 class of FAs looks “pretty solid” at both positions. “I think it depends on guys who get signed before free agency and we just have to wait and see who’s available,” Caldwell said.
After being very selective and patient in free agency a year ago, the Jaguars figure to be more active out of the gate this time around. Said Caldwell: “We need to target guys and be aggressive with that and then just let the market settle where opportunities present itself a week or two later.”
Asked if there’s a league-wide consensus on the top few players in the draft, Caldwell indicated that the Jaguars have a pretty good idea of the top five players on their own board, but added that those names wouldn’t necessarily be the same for every NFL team.
The Jaguars will be very open to moving down in the draft from No. 3 if the right opportunity presents itself.
While he conceded that trading tackle Eugene Monroe early last season “stung a little bit,” Caldwell doesn’t regret the move, since it landed the team a pair of mid-round draft picks.
According to Caldwell, a quarterback’s height isn’t a major factor in Jacksonville’s evaluations, with the team prioritizing characteristics like timing, accuracy and decision-making instead.

Matt Cassel Voids Contract, Will Be FA

February 7th, 2014 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 10:45am: Cassel has officially exercised his right to void the final year of his contract, and will become a free agent next month, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

WEDNESDAY, 8:17am: While Matt Cassel has another year remaining on his contract with the Vikings, the deal allows him to opt out and become a free agent this offseason if he decides to void it by this Friday. And that’s exactly what he’ll do, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). Jennie Olson of KSTP.com also hears from a source that Cassel has decided to void his contract.

Cassel’s deal included a $3.15MM base salary and a $3.7MM overall cap number for 2014, so if and when he officially voids the contract, he’ll be looking to sign a deal that increases that salary or at least gives him a little more long-term security. The 31-year-old had an unexpected run as the Vikings’ starter this season and played reasonably well, completing 60.2% of his passes to go along with 1,807 yards and 11 TDs (to nine INTs). That performance would make him a strong backup for nearly any team in the league, and could result in a starting opportunity, depending on where he signs.

As Wolfson notes in his tweet, Cassel may ultimately end up back on a new deal with the Vikings, who will be looking for a long-term solution at quarterback after underwhelming showings by Christian Ponder and Josh Freeman. The ex-Chiefs QB may not be that long-term answer in Minnesota, but he provided the club its most consistent production at the position in 2013, which should at least be enough to earn him a chance to compete for a starting role if he returns.