2014 March - Pro Football Rumors

FA Rumors: Steve Smith, Andre Brown, Hatcher

March 13th, 2014 at 8:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens will be in hot pursuit of Steve Smith when he’s officially released by the Panthers, and a deal could end up materializing quickly, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Here’s more:

It sounds like there’s a decent chance free agent running back Andre Brown could end up signing with the Raiders, continuing the offseason’s apparent free agent swap between Oakland and the Giants, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
Assuming Jason Hatcher doesn’t sign with the Raiders, the defensive lineman will visit the Redskins, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Cornerback Brandon Browner will visit with the Redskins tonight, according to Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
The Panthers have interest in bringing back free agent receiver Brandon LaFell, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Although fullback Henry Hynoski is visiting the Lions today, he has remained in contact with the Giants, tweets Rapoport.
ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter links) has the details on the Titans‘ upcoming free agent visits: LaMarr Woodley intends to visit Friday if he doesn’t sign with the Raiders, while Pat Sims and Antonio Smith will visit today.
The Vikings have made a call inquiring on free agent guard Daryn Colledge, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Colledge, who will visit the Rams today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), was recently cut loose by the Cardinals for cap savings.

Bucs, Panthers, Bengals In Mix For Collins

March 13th, 2014 at 7:55am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent offensive tackle Anthony Collins is choosing between the Buccaneers, Panthers, and returning to the Bengals, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. According to Auman, all three teams’ offers for Collins include comparable money.

Collins, 28, has been linked to the Buccaneers since before the free agent period officially began, and was viewed by some observers as a near-lock to sign with Tampa Bay. However, the Bengals remain in the hunt to keep their own player, and the Panthers, in search of a replacement for the retiring Jordan Gross, are a surprise contender for Collins’ services.

Having spent his first six NFL seasons in Cincinnati, Collins has never had an extended run as a full-time player, starting no more than seven games in any season for the Bengals. However, he was excellent in his 673 offensive snaps last season, never recording a negative grade in a game, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). If he can maintain that type of performance in full-time action, he could be one of the steals in this year’s tackle market.

WR Rumors: Smith, Nicks, Edelman, Hixon

March 13th, 2014 at 7:36am CST by Luke Adams

A notable wide receiver came off the board last night when Eric Decker agreed to terms with the Jets, but another one is expected to hit the open market today, as word broke this morning that the Panthers will release Steve Smith. Baltimore, Oakland, and Tampa Bay have been mentioned as potential landing spots for Smith, and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer cautions not to rule out the Chargers or Patriots as well (Twitter link). Here are a few more wide receiver rumors to start off your Thursday:

As we heard this morning, the Panthers are eyeing Hakeem Nicks to potentially replace Smith, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (via Twitter) that the team is currently offering a deal worth about $4.5MM per year.
If Smith eventually lands with Baltimore, it increases the chances that Julian Edelman will re-sign with the Patriots, according to La Canfora (via Twitter). However, the CBS scribe adds in another tweet that Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer has been attempting to recruit Edelman to Cleveland.
The Patriots continue to monitor the market, and will almost certainly land a receiver eventually, whether it’s Smith, Edelman, Nicks, or someone else, tweets La Canfora.
We heard earlier this week that the Bears were in talks with wide receiver Domenik Hixon, and now Josina Anderson of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that the free agent is on his way to Chicago to visit the team. Assuming the visit goes well, Hixon would like to sign with the Bears, Anderson adds in a second tweet.

FA Visits: Woodley, Munnerlyn, Browner

March 13th, 2014 at 7:25am CST by Luke Adams

Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen were out to dinner with edge defenders LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck Wednesday night with the Raiders, and things are moving in the right direction with both players, says Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter links). Here’s more from around the NFL on free agent visits:

While it sounds as if Woodley’s meeting with the Raiders went well, the ex-Steeler is on his way to Tennessee to meet with the Titans today, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com.
Panthers free agent cornerback Captain Munnerlyn visited the Vikings last night and also has appointments planned with the Jets and Buccaneers, tweets Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.
After reaching an agreement yesterday with ex-Buc Darrelle Revis, the Patriots will host another free agent cornerback for a visit today, according to Mark Ockerbloom of Fox 25 Boston, who tweets that Brandon Browner will meet with the team.
Defensive lineman Anthony Spencer is visiting the Redskins, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
The Panthers brought free agent defensive back Roman Harper in for a visit, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
Free agent linebacker Darryl Sharpton is meeting with the Titans today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
The Lions are hosting free agent safety James Ihedigbo for a visit, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who notes (via Twitter) that Ihedigbo has a history with new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.

Vikings Sign Linval Joseph

March 12th, 2014 at 10:10pm CST by Rob DiRe

WEDNESDAY, 10:10pm: More details from Joseph’s contracts, via tweets from Ben Goessling of ESPN.com: $6.6MM cap number in 2014, $4.6MM in 2015, $6.3MM in 2016, $6.85MM in 2017 and 2018. In addition to a $3MM signing bonus, Joseph will also receive a $2.4MM roster bonus.

TUESDAY, 5:04pm: Joseph’s deal with the Vikings will be worth $31.5MM over five years, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

4:36pm: The Vikings have signed defensive tackle Linval Joseph, reports Fox Sports 1 Senior NFL Reporter Alex Marvez (via Twitter). Joseph spent his first four years as a part of a star-studded defensive line for the Giants, and had expressed interest in returning to the team in 2014.

Joseph had become a hot name this offseason, being named as one of Luke Adams’ top free agents. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Extra Points: Phillips, Lions, Tate, Ducasse

March 12th, 2014 at 10:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent defensive end Shaun Phillips tells Josina Anderson of ESPN (on Twitter) that as much as he wants to return to the Broncos, he knows it’s not in the cards with the signing of DeMarcus Ware. “It’s definitely not mutual now just because they found a baller and we play the same position. DeMarcus (Ware) is a baller. He’s a great player and a great pick-up for them. More than likely I won’t be back there. You never know, but more than likely I will not be there.,” the veteran said. More from around the NFL…

The Lions officially signed unrestricted free agent Kevin Ogletree and exclusive rights free agents Kris Durham, Julian Stanford, and Matt Veldman, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
Golden Tate took to KJR Sports Radio in Seattle to discuss free agency and his decision not to return to the Seahawks (via Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune on Twitter). He spoke fondly of his time with Seattle, but also mentioned that the team “didn’t reward (him) enough.” He said that he gave the team an opportunity to offer a lesser contract, but the team didn’t bite. He also mentioned the 49ers interest, but claimed he “couldn’t do that to Seattle right after winning.” Tate signed with the Lions earlier today.
Free agent cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, who is meeting with the Vikings today, also has visits scheduled with the Jets and Buccaneers, reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
Free agent offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse is expected to visit with the Vikings next week, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Ducasse started off his Jets career as a skilled athlete with little polish, but he was able to round out his game over time.
Antoine Bethea told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) that the interest between himself and the Colts “wasn’t mutual.” Before he signed with the 49ers, he says that he got some contact from the Packers, Chiefs, and Lions.
Cornerback Chris Cook will visit the 49ers tomorrow, a source tells Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (on Twitter).

AFC East Notes: Revis, Smith, Starks

March 12th, 2014 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

News broke earlier tonight that Darrelle Revis will be joining the Patriots, and Albert Breer of NFL.com has a couple of interesting notes on the big move. According to Breer, nothing prevents the Patriots from franchising the corner in 2015 (via Twitter). Revis’ tag for 2015 would be $14.4MM, a 20% raise on his current salary, but that may be moot, since the Patriots hope to lock up the ex-Buccaneer to a long-term deal after a “feeling-out period,” Breer says in another tweet.

More news from around the AFC East…

The Jets never engaged in any substantive conversations on Revis, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. General Manager John Idzik never even got the opportunity to talk to Revis’ camp.
Furthermore, Jets head coach Rex Ryan wanted to “badly” bring back the cornerback, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Mehta adds that the decision was “over his head.”
Shelley Smith is meeting with the Patriots after he left New York without a deal from the Giants, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Thomas adds that Smith also has a visit scheduled with the Dolphins.
With Revis’ deal taking up $12MM of the Patriots‘ ~$17MM cap space, Vince Wilfork has to restructure his contract or seek employment elsewhere, opines Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
Specifics for Randy Starks‘ contract from Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter): $2MM signing bonus, $3MM guaranteed base in 2014, $5MM in 2015 with $2MM in incentives. Those incentives kick in if the Dolphins win 10 games and Starks plays 65% of the snaps.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Rodger Saffold Fails Physical, Won’t Join Raiders

March 12th, 2014 at 9:10pm CST by Zachary Links

9:10pm: The Raiders announced that Saffold failed his physical and will not be joining the team, tweets Scott Bair of CSNCalifornia.

WEDNESDAY, 8:20pm: Saffold will actually earn $15.87MM in guaranteed money, according to OvertheCap.com. The base salaries of the contract are as follows: $7.8MM (2014), $5.6MM (2015), $5.7MM (2016), $7.3MM (2017) and $7.3MM (2018). The 2015 base salary is guaranteed only for injury, but will become fully guaranteed three days after the 2014 Super Bowl.

The tackle will receive a $5MM signing bonus and a $3MM roster bonus.

TUESDAY, 6:49pm: ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan expands on Schefter’s report of Saffold’s contract, noting that the Raiders will pay him $21.5MM in guaranteed money, including $16MM in his first season and $27.65MM over the first three years (via Twitter).

3:16pm: Former Rams tackle Rodger Saffold reached agreement on a five-year, $42.5MM pact that includes $21MM in guaranteed money with the Raiders, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

St. Louis reportedly wanted to keep Saffold but the increased salary cap gave other clubs the room to take the offensive lineman away from them. The Dolphins and Redskins were among the clubs with interest in Saffold but the Raiders have appeared to be the frontrunners for some time now.

Cardinals Sign Dwyer, Larsen, Benard

March 12th, 2014 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals made a couple of signings of Wednesday evening, inking running back Jonathan Dwyer to a one-year deal and offensive lineman Ted Larsen to a two-year deal. The team also re-signed linebacker Marcus Benard to a one-year deal. Darren Urban of azcardinals.com reported all of the signings (via Twitter).

The Cardinals add depth at running back with Dwyer after Rashard Mendenhall announced his retirement earlier this week. The 24-year-old had his best year in 2012 with the Steelers, running for 623 yards and two scores while also catching 18 balls for 106 yards. The former sixth-rounder was cut prior to the first game in 2013, but re-signed after LaRod Stephens-Howling went down with an injury. He went on to run for 197 yards on 49 carries. Dwyers reunites with Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, who was Dwyer’s offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh from 2010-2011. Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review said the Steelers had no interest in bringing Dwyer back (via Twitter).

Larsen, 26, was drafted in the sixth-round by the Patriots in 2010. He played with the team as a guard during the preseason, but was waived by the team in September. The Buccaneers claimed the rookie, who went on to play 60 games for the team over four years. Larsen has played both guard and center during his career.

After not playing during the 2012 season, Benard caught on with the Cardinals last year. He appeared in 12 games with the team, compiling 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The 28-year-old had his best season with the Browns in 2010, when he had 7.5 sacks.

Cardinals To Re-Sign Matt Shaughnessy

March 12th, 2014 at 8:04pm CST by Luke Adams

8:04pm: Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 has details on the contract (via Twitter): the deal is worth $4.4MM over two years with another $2.2MM in incentives.

6:23pm: The Cardinals and Matt Shaughnessy have agreed to terms on a two-year deal, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). The new agreement will keep the free agent linebacker in Arizona after he drew some interest from the Patriots.

After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Raiders, Shaughnessy signed in Arizona last season and started 12 games for the club, accumulating 36 tackles, three sacks, and three fumble recoveries. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), Shaughnessy performed well against the run, but was only the league’s 34th-best 3-4 outside linebacker out of 42 qualified players.

While the Cardinals have agreed to contracts with a few players since free agency began, including offensive tackle Jared Veldheer, Shaughnessy is the first player the team has brought back or added to a linebacker corps that will be without Karlos Dansby in 2014.