2014 February - Pro Football Rumors

Riley Cooper, Eagles Nearing Agreement

February 26th, 2014 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles and prospective free agent Riley Cooper are close to reaching an agreement on a new contract, reports Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. According to McLane, the team and the wide receiver could officially strike a deal on a multiyear contract within the next few days.

Cooper, 26, had a breakout season in 2013, the final year of his rookie contract. After being at the center of a preseason controversy when he used a racial slur, Cooper looked very good on the field, setting career-highs in receptions (47), receiving yards (835), and receiving touchdowns (8). A report last week suggested the former fifth-round pick was expected to have several interested suitors if he reached free agency, perhaps receiving multiyear offers in the $5MM per year range. It’ll be interesting to see what sort of figures Cooper and the Eagles agree upon, if he’s content not to test the open market.

In addition to Cooper, Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin is also eligible for unrestricted free agency in March, creating what GM Howie Roseman called a “complicated” situation. There have been conflicting reports on which player the team has prioritized this offseason, but according to McLane, a new deal for Cooper doesn’t necessarily mean the club will let Maclin walk. McLane still expects Philadelphia to sign Maclin to a one-year, make-good pact. The Eagles freed up a little cap room earlier today when they extended Jason Peters‘ contract, so perhaps the club will take advantage of that extra flexibility to retain both its key free agent receivers.

This year’s deep class of free agent receivers had the potential to create a buyer’s market, particularly with several more attractive alternatives available in May’s draft. However, at least a couple of the top-tier options seem likely to come off the board before March 11. Anquan Boldin and the 49ers are also reportedly nearing an agreement that will keep Boldin off the market.

Chris Snee Not Retiring, Open To Pay Cut

February 26th, 2014 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Although a January report suggested there was a chance he’d retire this offseason, veteran guard Chris Snee intends to continue his career, and hopes to play at least one more season for the Giants, as he tells Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

“I don’t want my last memory to be a dismal performance in Carolina,” Snee said, referring to the Giants’ Week 3 loss against the Panthers. “There’s a changing of the guard, I want to help this team right the ship.”

Snee, who underwent hip surgery following that game in Carolina, has been the Giants’ starter at right guard for nearly a decade, since the team drafted him 34th overall in 2004. The 32-year-old has earned a spot in the Pro Bowl four times over that period and had been a key member of the offensive line until the 2013 season, when he played poorly even before he was sidelined due to the hip injury. Still, as he recovers from hip and elbow surgery, Snee sounds convinced that he still has something left in the tank.

“Am I the guy who was controlling the line of scrimmage four years ago?” Snee said. “No, but do I think I can play at a high level and compete with most of the guards in the league? Absolutely. I think I would regret not giving it my all, that’s what I’ve always done for this organization, give it everything I have. That’s what I’ll do, I’ll try to do that for one more year.”

While Snee sounds ready to return to New York, the team will have a decision to make as well. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported earlier today that the Giants expected Snee to remain on the team for 2014, but the veteran’s cap number will have to be addressed. He’s owed a base salary of $6.75MM, plus additional bonus money that takes his total cap hit up to $11.3MM. That number isn’t palatable, and the club could create nearly $7MM in cap savings by cutting him. Still, it sounds like Snee is open to the idea of taking a pay cut in the final year of his contract and optimistic about getting something done.

“If there was no interest from [the team’s] point of view I’d probably say thanks for everything and call it a career,” Snee said. “At this point it’s not about money for me. I’m a Giant, I couldn’t imagine myself playing for any other organization…. I’m not worried about if the deal will get done but when. I’ve had no issues before restructuring, I just want to win so I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Even the Giants are confident that Snee can return to the field for the club in 2014, the team is expected to survey the free agent market for guards, as we heard this afternoon.

Chargers Sign Cordarro Law

February 26th, 2014 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 26: The Chargers have officially finalized their deal with Law, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).

FEBRUARY 14: Linebacker Cordarro Law is set to make the jump to the NFL, having reached a deal with the Chargers, according to Farhan Lalji of TSN.ca (Twitter link). Neither the team nor the league has officially announced the move, but it appears the two sides are at least in agreement. A league source tells Lalji that Law will receive a signing bonus on his new deal.

Law, 25, drew NFL interest this winter after a standout season with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, in which the outside linebacker racked up 14 sacks. The Jaguars, Patriots, and Ravens were among the teams who auditioned Law or at least had some interest in him this offseason, according to various reports. The former Southern Miss standout went undrafted in 2012 and was picked up by the Seahawks before being cut and heading north of the border.

Packers Sign Michael Hill

February 26th, 2014 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 26: Hill’s deal with the Packers is now official, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

FEBRUARY 19: A little over a week after he was released by the Buccaneers, running back Michael Hill is heading back to his former team, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Packers have agreed to terms on a new contract with Hill, likely giving him a chance to earn a roster spot on the 2014 squad.

Hill, 24, started the 2013 season on the Packers’ practice squad, and was added to the team’s active roster when Eddie Lacy and John Kuhn went down with injuries early in the season. After Hill rejoined the practice squad, he was signed away by Tampa Bay, where he saw limited action in the season’s second half with the Bucs. When Tampa waived Hill last week, the young running back drew interest from the Chargers, Colts, and 49ers, according to agent Harold Lewis, but he ultimately decided to return to Green Bay.

“He felt like that was home for him,” Lewis told Silverstein. “That’s where he wanted to be.”

Terms of Hill’s new deal aren’t known, but it figures to be a minimum-salary reserve/futures contract.

Browns Release D’Qwell Jackson

February 26th, 2014 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

3:16pm: According to Jackson, the Browns tried to restructure his contract, but he wasn’t on board with the proposed figures and wanted to go “somewhere with stability,” tweets Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

2:37pm: The Browns have officially released inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, the team announced today in a press release. Cleveland would have owed Jackson a $4MM roster bonus on March 16 had he remained on the roster, so the team opted instead for the cap savings.

“We had positive discussion with D’Qwell and his agent over the last several days, and we came to the mutual agreement to go in different directions,” GM Ray Farmer said in a statement.

Jackson, 30, has been a starter for the Browns since the club selected him in the second round of the 2006 draft. Despite leading the team in tackles in 2013, Jackson graded poorly as a run defender in Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, ultimately placing 42nd overall out of 55 qualified inside linebackers (subscription required). Still, the Maryland alum had been the Browns’ longtime leader on defense, so the team will have big shoes to fill in the middle of its linebacking corps.

As for the cap implications, Jackson had been in line to earn a modest base salary of less than $4MM for 2014. However, various bonuses would’ve pushed his ’14 cap number up to about $9.43MM. With the release, the Browns will create about $5.23MM in cap savings, reducing Jackson’s cap hit to $4.2MM.

Jackson will now be an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team even before March 11. As PFF notes (via Twitter), he may draw more interest from clubs running a 4-3 defense, since he graded well the last time he played in that system.

NFC West Notes: Cards, Browner, Kaepernick

February 26th, 2014 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

With less than two weeks remaining until 2014’s free agent period opens, let’s check out what’s going on in the NFC West….

The Cardinals and free agent pass-rusher Mike Neal have mutual interest, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). However, Weinfuss notes that “a bunch” of other clubs also have interest in the 26-year-old, who has spent the first four years of his career in Green Bay.
Brandon Browner‘s agent and lawyer, Peter Schaffer, intends to file a lawsuit next week challenging the NFL’s indefinite suspension of his client, reports Mike Florio or Pro Football Talk. Before the Seahawks cornerback was suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, he had been scheduled to hit restricted free agency this offseason. As such, Schaffer’s complaint will also include a motion asking the court to allow Browner to become a free agent on March 11.
There are no real updates to report on the contract extension negotiations between Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, “things went fine” in the early stages of the talks, and the two sides will continue the conversation.
Alabama’s Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Louisville’s Calvin Pryor both had formal interviews with the Rams at the combine, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details. While the club won’t select either of the top two safeties in the draft with the No. 2 pick, one or both of them could receive strong consideration if they’re still on the board at No. 13.

Extra Points: Revis, Falcons, Eagles, Cap

February 26th, 2014 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported yesterday that rival teams are calling the Buccaneers to inquire on the availability of Darrelle Revis, with a number of execs believing a trade is possible. However, Roy Cummings of the Tampa Bay Times is skeptical. Speaking to Cummings, new head coach Lovie Smith said the Bucs will rely heavily on man coverage: “Whether we win or lose is going to be based on how we play man coverage” (Twitter links). That approach suggests that the team is likely to keep the league’s best cover corner on the roster, though we’ll have to wait to see if new GM Jason Licht is in agreement.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

In an article examining the likelihood of the Falcons releasing safety Thomas DeCoud, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggests that if the team can’t secure a free agent safety by DeCoud’s guarantee date (March 15), hanging on to him remains possible.
While multiple reports have suggested the Eagles will likely prioritize re-signing Jeremy Maclin over Riley Cooper, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears that it’s the other way around, and based on what he’s hearing, “it’s not even close.”
Not many agents and teams were close to reaching free agent or extension agreements at this year’s combine, according to Jack Bechta at the National Football Post. Bechta, who represents multiple free agents himself, speculates that the increased gap in between the combine and the free agent period this year may be contributing to slower-than-usual negotiations.
With 2014’s projected cap number up to $132MM, or perhaps even higher, ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert has updated his look at the salary cap space each team is expected to have heading into the new league year. As Seifert’s chart shows, the new cap projections mean that the Raiders now have $66MM+ of space.
Former Packers executive Andrew Brandt explains a few aspects of the NFL’s salary cap in a piece for TheMMQB.com.

Texans Sign Zach Potter

February 26th, 2014 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

1:27pm: Potter has officially signed with the Texans, agent Vance Malinovic confirms to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link).

12:51pm: The Texans are signing tight end Zach Potter, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who cites a league source. Terms of the agreement aren’t known, but it figures to be a minimum salary contract with a chance to earn a roster spot for Potter.

Potter played his college ball at Nebraska as a defensive end before spending parts of four NFL season in Jacksonville, where the Jaguars converted him to a tight end. Acting primarily as a blocker and special teams player, Potter has recorded 11 career receptions for 83 yards. After signing with the Rams last May, the 27-year-old didn’t survive the team’s final cuts prior to Week 1, and sat out the 2013 season.

NFC East Rumors: Kelce, Giants, Redskins

February 26th, 2014 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Standout offensive tackle Jason Peters re-upped with the Eagles today, agreeing to a contract extension that adds four more years to his current deal, keeping him under contract through 2018. While Peters was the first Philadelphia offensive lineman to reach a new agreement this offseason, he likely won’t be the last, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Both reporters believe it’s just a matter of time until the Eagles also announce an extension for center Jason Kelce, whose rookie contract is set to expire a year from now.

Here are a few more Wednesday updates on the Eagles’ three division rivals:

As the Giants look to upgrade their offensive line, the club is eyeing potential free agent guards, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. While New York does think veteran Chris Snee will return in 2014, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the team could target players like Jon Asamoah, Geoff Schwartz, Chad Rinehart, Zane Beadles, and Shawn Lauvao in free agency, says Raanan.
A few former teammates thought Corey Webster would retire after his contract with the Giants voided this month, but Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports 1 says (via Twitter) the veteran cornerback plans to play in 2014. Due to injuries and poor play in 2013, Webster is unlikely to land much more than a minimum contract in free agency.
Redskins linebacker Bryan Kehl, who is eligible for free agency next month, has yet to discuss a new deal with the team, tweets Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, the club continues to talk to free agent linebacker Brian Orakpo, but no agreement is imminent, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post.
Although safety is an area of need for the Cowboys this offseason, Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News explains why the team shouldn’t consider addressing the position in the first round of the draft.

Freeman On Clowney, Texans, Harbaugh

February 26th, 2014 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

The latest edition of Mike Freeman’s Ten-Point Stance column at Bleacher Report features several notes from the scouting combine, including the latest on which direction the Texans may be leaning with the first overall pick. Let’s dive in and round up a few of the highlights from Freeman’s piece….

While he cautions that smokescreens or flat out lies are common at this time of year, Freeman reports that a number of sources say the Texans are now favoring Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 1 pick. “We’ve never really seen anything like Clowney,” said one Texans official. “There’s the chance he could redefine the position the way Reggie White or Bruce Smith did.”
The view around the league suggests the Texans are starting to “slowly fall in lust” with Clowney, says Freeman. Still, in addition to Freeman’s own concerns that the latest rumblings could be a smokescreen, it’s worth pointing out that he reported nearly the same thing about Houston and Johnny Manziel just a week ago. It’s probably fair to assume that Manziel and Clowney aren’t the only players the Texans will reportedly covet before May 8.
Several team officials believe the apparent rift between 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and the team’s front office is reminiscent of Bill Parcells‘ situation in New England. Parcells ended up making his way to the Jets, where he assumed greater control of personnel decisions, and it looks like Harbaugh will eventually want a similar position, either in San Francisco or elsewhere, writes Freeman.
Despite reports to the contrary, the Dolphins aren’t interested in bringing back Jonathan Martin, and are simply trying to create the impression that they are, says Freeman. Even though it appears neither the team nor Martin wants a reunion, it could be in the best interest of both sides to present that as a realistic possibility in order to create some trade value for the young lineman. A trade, rather than a release, would ensure that the Dolphins get something for Martin, and would mean the 24-year-old gets his full rookie-contract salary rather than having to settle for the league minimum as a free agent.
Freeman keeps hearing that not many teams will trade up in this year’s draft, since the class is believed to be incredibly deep. In other words, if a team misses out on one target, there will usually be two or three viable alternatives. However, Freeman isn’t convinced that this will reduce draft-day trades, noting that it could make clubs more inclined to trade down, meaning the cost to move up wouldn’t necessarily be as steep as usual.