2014 March - Pro Football Rumors

Saints Sign Jairus Byrd

March 12th, 2014 at 5:52pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 5:52pm: Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter) says Byrd will earn $12.3MM in year one, including the $11MM signing bonus. Byrd has a $6MM roster bonus due next March that will be fully guaranteed next week and a $2MM base and $100K workout bonus that year (link). In 2016, $6MM of his $7.4MM base salary is guaranteed only for injury. In total, Byrd will earn $20.4MM in his first two years (link).

TUESDAY, 11:18pm: Byrd’s deal includes an $11MM signing bonus, tweets Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.

8:53pm: The Saints are giving Byrd a six-year, $54MM contract, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal includes a healthy $28MM guaranteed.

8:27pm: The Saints announced that they have signed Jairus Byrd to a six-year deal. In a free agent market chock full of quality safeties, Byrd was the very best and one of the best free agents available at any position.

Byrd was said to have serious interest in signing with the Redskins and Eagles and a return to the Bills was said to be possible, but he’ll be headed to New Orleans instead. The Dolphins and Rams also reached out to Byrd’s camp, though the same could probably be said for a lot of teams.

It’ll be interesting to see what kind of maneuvering the Saints had to do in order to sign Byrd since they were really tight against the cap this offseason. Even though the expected release (or trade) of tailback Darren Sproles should free up some cash for New Orleans, the team was still about $2.4MM from the limit heading into today.

Byrd will now team up with Kenny Vaccaro to give the Saints one of the most threatening safety duos in the entire NFL. Byrd, 27, missed a good chunk of the season with injury but still wound up with 37 tackles and four interceptions across eleven games. Last year in Buffalo, Byrd made $6.3MM after receiving the franchise tag from the Bills.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Browns To Sign Isaiah Trufant

March 12th, 2014 at 5:46pm CST by Luke Adams

5:46pm: Trufant got a two two-year, $1.54MM deal from the Browns that includes $1MM guaranteed, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

7:50am: The Browns have agreed to terms with ex-Jet Isaiah Trufant, his agent Doug Hendrickson announced on Twitter last night (hat tip to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News). The veteran cornerback was an unrestricted free agent this winter after spending the first four seasons of his NFL career in New York.

Trufant, 31, has only started one game out of 39 career contests, and has never appeared in more than 121 defensive snaps in a season, so it’s not as if his arrival will prompt the Browns to close the door on Darrelle Revis or other potential cornerback additions. Still, Trufant should represent a decent and modestly priced depth piece for Mike Pettine’s defense in Cleveland, and he could end up contributing on special teams as well.

Bills Sign Keith Rivers

March 12th, 2014 at 5:40pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bills have signed free agent linebacker Keith Rivers to a two-year, $5MM deal, tweets James Walker of ESPN. Half of that deal is guaranteed, adds Tim Graham of Buffalo News (via Twitter).

Rivers played 16 games for the Giants in 2013, compiling 45 tackles and one sack. The former first-round pick was drafted by the Bengals in 2008 and played three seasons with the team. Prior to the 2012 season, Rivers was traded to New York for a fifth-round pick.

Broncos Sign DeMarcus Ware

March 12th, 2014 at 5:38pm CST by Luke Adams

5:38pm: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter) has the particulars. It’s a three-year, $30MM deal with $20MM guaranteed and a $5MM bonus. Ware will get base salaries of $3MM, $7MM, and $7MM.

3:36pm: Ware has officially signed with the Broncos, tweets Lindsay Jones of USA Today.

1:00pm: Continuing their defensive overhaul, the Broncos have agreed to sign veteran free agent DeMarcus Ware to a three-year, $30MM deal, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The contract, which will be finalized after Ware takes a physical, includes $20MM in guaranteed money, according to Schefter. That $20MM in guaranteed money is all in the first two years of the pact, says Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

Ware, 31, was released by the Cowboys earlier this week due to the $16MM cap number for 2014 on his previous deal. The team discussed the possibility of Ware taking a pay cut, but the longtime Cowboy expected to do well on the open market if the club released him, and he was certainly right. According to Schefter (via Twitter), Ware will earn $13MM in 2014 on his new deal, which is slightly more than he would have earned on his previous contract in Dallas.

Ware, once among the NFL’s elite front seven personnel, is on the verge of turning 32 and isn’t the type of game-changing talent that he once was. However, even if his days of flirting with 20 sacks per season are behind him, the former 11th overall pick is still capable of terrorizing quarterbacks, and figures to make of one half of a formidable pass-rushing duo in Denver, where Von Miller will play on the other end of the line.

The Broncos’ agreement with Ware is the third major splash the team has made on the defensive side of the ball since free agency opened. The club also splurged on the secondary, signing safety T.J. Ward away from the Browns and cornerback Aqib Talib away from the Patriots. With Peyton Manning nearing the end of his career, Denver is clearly in win-now mode, and is going all-in over the next couple seasons in an attempt to win a Super Bowl.

With Ware coming off the board at $10MM per year, veteran pass rushers like Jared Allen, Justin Tuck, and LaMarr Woodley have to be happy, as it should improve their position in negotiations. I wouldn’t expect any of those three to match Ware’s price tag, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter links) that Denver would have made a similar three-year offer for Allen if Ware had turned it down.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Owens, Jackson, Vikings

March 12th, 2014 at 5:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Several teams considered the possibility of signing Terrell Owens but decided against it, tweets Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. The 40-year-old recently said in an interview that he believed he was still capable of playing.

Before he signed with the Falcons, defensive end Tyson Jackson drew interest from the Dolphins, Browns, and Redskins, Jackson said today (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure).
Free agent cornerback Captain Munnerlyn is set to visit the Vikings, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
Free agent wide receiver Julian Edelman is drawing “heavy interest” on the open market so far, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
Free agent safety Ryan Clark told SportsCenter that he is headed to Washington for a visit with the Redskins, tweets Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com.
The Redskins are in on defensive tackle Jason Hatcher, but he reportedly has a number of suitors and it’s hard to say if Washington can afford him, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

AFC Rumors: Chiefs, Jordan, Raiders

March 12th, 2014 at 5:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs aren’t one of the four teams that have reached out to free agent center Alex Mack, but teams are getting creative with their proposals to the Browns free agent, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Here’s a look at the latest out of the AFC..

Donte Whitner told reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), that he has encouraged the Browns to look into signing Ted Ginn Jr., who would like to come to Cleveland. The Bucs are hosting the speedy return man today.
The Patriots and Vince Wilfork have discussed an extension this offseason, but an agreement isn’t close, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network. Talks aren’t active at the moment, but could pick up again as the Pats need additional room (link). Adrian Wilson could also potentially be cut for cap savings.
Linebacker Dekoda Watson says he had interest from nine-ten other teams before he signed with the Jaguars, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com. The Bills, Patriots, 49ers, and Browns were among the interested clubs.
Chiefs free agent linebacker Akeem Jordan is scheduled to visit the Titans on Monday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). We heard earlier this week that Jordan has interest from half a dozen teams.
The Falcons and Raiders had interest in Linval Joseph before he signed with the Vikings, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN. Ultimately, neither club came close to Minnesota’s offer.
Chris Clemons‘ first visit will be to the Jaguars, tweets Terry Blount of ESPN. The Seahawks recently released the veteran defensive end.

Titans Release David Stewart

March 12th, 2014 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

The Titans have released offensive tackle David Stewart, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). The move had been expected, as the team is able to clear Stewart’s entire $6.4MM cap number for 2014 from its books by cutting him.

Stewart, who turns 32 this summer, battled leg and shoulder injuries toward the end of the 2013 season, and was released with the “failed physical” designation, according to Wyatt (Twitter link). If he can get healthy for 2014, he still has the ability to be a positive contributor — in 813 offensive snaps last season, Stewart recorded a +2.8 grade, according to Pro Football Focus. However, Wyatt expects the longtime Texan to retire (Twitter link).

Corey Graham, Bills Agree To Four-Year Deal

March 12th, 2014 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

4:50pm: Graham’s deal could max out at over $19MM if he reaches certain incentives, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who tweets that the deal is worth $5.5MM for 2014.

4:33pm: The Bills and free agent cornerback Corey Graham have reached an agreement on a four-year contract, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Graham reportedly visited with the Redskins today, and was also said to be drawing interest from the Eagles and Giants.

Graham, 28, alternated between a full- and part-time role for the Ravens over the last two seasons, including a stint as a starter during the club’s Super Bowl run a year ago. In 705 defensive snaps during the 2013 season, the Buffalo native logged 74 tackles, picked off four passes, and recorded a +4.0 grade, according to Pro Football Focus. That performance was strong enough to rank him 34th out of 110 qualified corners, according to PFF, and should earn him a starting role in Buffalo.

For the Bills, it’s their second notable contract for a defensive back this month. Although Jairus Byrd left Buffalo in free agency, the team locked up safety Aaron Williams to a long-term extension a week ago.

Patriots Release Isaac Sopoaga

March 12th, 2014 at 4:43pm CST by Zachary Links

4:43pm: The Pats have officially released Sopoaga, along with offensive lineman Markus Zusevics, the team announced today. Zusevics was on a minimum-salary deal and his release won’t affect the club’s cap, but New England should save $2.5MM with the release of Sopoaga.

2:46pm: The Patriots have informed defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga that he will be released, tweets ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss.

The Patriots acquired Sopoaga, 32, in October via a trade with the Eagles. It was a low-risk move for the Pats, who got the veteran and a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round selection. Statistically, it was Sopoaga’s weakest season in years as he registered just eight tackles and one sack.

Seahawks To Re-Sign Tony McDaniel

March 12th, 2014 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

4:26pm: McDaniel’s new two-year deal has a max value of $6.3MM, according to Rapoport (via Twitter).

4:21pm: The Seahawks and defensive lineman Tony McDaniel have reached an agreement on a new contract, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com had reported earlier today that talks between the two sides were “heating up.”

In 2013, his first season in Seattle, McDaniel recorded 26 tackles and two sacks at left defensive tackle. The 29-year-old appeared in all 16 games last season, something he hasn’t accomplished since 2009, and also was a regular starter for the first time — 15 of his 20 career stats came in 2013 with the Seahawks.

The Cowboys were among the teams with interest in McDaniel before he agreed to re-sign with Seattle.