HEADLINES

Month: March 2014

Packers, Sam Shields Reach Four-Year Deal

March 8th, 2014 at 6:57pm CST by Peter Sowards

6:57pm: Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com predicts a cap hit just north of $5.62MM in 2014 for Shields.

6:10pm: The deal calls for Shields to earn $15MM in 2014 and $30MM by 2016, wrote Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. The Packers had over $34MM in cap room before the this deal.

An undrafted free agent in 2010, the former Miami Hurricane has 13 interceptions in four seasons and set a career-high with 17 passes defended in 2013. Shields played last season on a one-year restricted free agent tender of $2.02MM.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the deal with the following tweet: “Congrats to RSR client Sam Shields & the Green Bay Packers on the new contract!”

6:07pm: Shields’ deal includes a $12.5MM signing bonus, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter).

6:00pm: The Packers have signed free-agent cornerback Sam Shields to a four-year contract, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio tweets that the deal is worth $39MM.

ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky confirmed the deal’s length and overall figure, but said he does not know the guarantees and structure yet.

Reports had pointed to Shields hitting the open market, though some Packers beat writers viewed the reports as a marketing ploy by agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Free Agency Notes: Vikings, Johnson, Gerhart

March 8th, 2014 at 5:46pm CST by Peter Sowards

With more than $40MM in cap room available, Vikings GM Rick Spielman and his staff will be busy adding talent to their roster once free agency officially opens at 3:00pm Tuesday. In addition to cornerback Alterraun Verner, Minnesota has also called to express interest in former Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson, tweets ESPN.com reporter Ben Goessling. Following up on that tweet was ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan, who tweeted that at least six teams should be involved for Johnson’s services.

More free agency notes from Minnesota and elsewhere around the league…

NFC North Notes: Packers, Lions, Allen, Verner

March 8th, 2014 at 4:55pm CST by Rob DiRe

While Packers‘ free agents Sam Shields and B.J. Raji have been getting all of the attention early on this offseason, Bill Polian of ESPN writes that neither player is the top free agent the Packers must try to re-sign. According to Polian, Evan Dietrich-Smith is the free agent with the highest grade. He wrote that while Shields is a good cover corner, he is not a great tackler, and that Raji would only fit in a defense that would not require movement from its nose tackle.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC North:

  • The Lions have a need at safety, but they will not have the resources to go after a big name in free agency, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. He sees James Ihedigbo, Ryan Clark, and Donte Whitner as affordable options. Other interesting and cheap options could include Steve Gregory and Chris Clemons. If the team would like to attract a bigger name, they could look at converting either Champ Bailey or Rashean Mathis to safety from corner.
  • While Jared Allen and his agent have not talked to the Vikings about returning yet, the free agent defensive end has not ruled them out as a potential landing spot, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter).
  • The Vikings called to gauge interest in Alterraun Verner, reports Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Vikings defensive back coach Jerry Gray was previously Verner’s defensive coordinator with the Titans. The team has also expressed interest in defensive tackle Paul Soliai, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (via Twitter).

AFC East Notes: Byrd, Verner, Dolphins

March 8th, 2014 at 4:23pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Bills did not place the franchise tag on safety Jairus Byrd, electing to instead sign safety Aaron Williams to a long-term contract. However, Williams says that Byrd still wants to return to the Bills, writes Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk.

Williams said that the two safeties have a great friendship and talk all the time. Byrd and the Bills are still able to come to an agreement on a deal to keep him in Buffalo for a long time.

Here are some other free agency notes from around the AFC East:

Hakeem Nicks Cleared By Doctors

March 8th, 2014 at 3:36pm CST by Rob DiRe

Hakeem Nicks biggest red flag has been injury issues, and to combat those ideas, his agents have “circulated medical assurances to all clubs from two of the nation’s leading specialists that past foot and knee injuries should not inhibit the wide receiver’s 2014 season,” writes Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.

Dr. Robert Anderson and Dr. James Andrews both wrote that there are no signs that his previous injury issues are likely to recur and affect the ability for Nicks to resume his career.

While injuries have hindered his career, when healthy Nicks has been among the most productive young receivers in the game, and was especially effective during the Giants’ most recent Super Bowl run. Our own Luke Adams listed him as the 12th best free agent option, and as the top receiver as he is one spot ahead of Eric Decker.

Even still, Decker is expected to receive a much larger contract than Nicks, making the former Giant more likely to be attainable on a low-risk, high-reward contract.

According to Mortensen’s sources, Nicks would be willing to accept a one- or two-year contract to prove that he is the top flight receiver we saw in 2010 and 2011, and not the middling talent that was on the field a year ago.

Ben Tate Says Return To Texans Unlikely

March 8th, 2014 at 3:21pm CST by Rob DiRe

Texans running back Ben Tate appeared on Sirius XM NFL Radio today to talk free agency. On the show, he mentioned that his chances of returning to Houston for the 2014 season are “less than a 2% chance” (via Twitter).

Tate has been stuck behind Arian Foster on the depth chart in recent years, but as our own Luke Adams wrote in his piece on the market for free agent running backs, Tate is thought to possess the skills to become a starter for another team. Adams placed him as a second-tier running back in this free agent class, writing that the longtime Texan could be a low-risk, high-reward player for a team in need of a playmaker in the backfield.

In a poll of Pro Football Rumors readers on who the best running back available is, Tate is tied with Knowshon Moreno as the top back in this free agent class. If our readers are correct, he will make some NFL team very happy as he will likely be an affordable option to carry the football.

Bears Notes: Free Agents, Earl Mitchell

March 8th, 2014 at 2:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Bears have some time to gauge the market values of free agents to be, which will be important in their plans on how to proceed come Tuesday, writes Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times. They will be able to evaluate whether they can be in the mix for big name free agents such as Michael Bennett or T.J. Ward, but also if they have the resources to re-sign their own players, such as Henry Melton, Charles Tillman, and Josh McCown.

The planning will also decide whether the team plans to release defensive end Julius Peppers or to renegotiate his contract, as his $18.2MM cap figure will not be a figure the Bears are comfortable paying him.

Here are some other notes about the Bears’ offseason:

  • Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes that if the Bears are unable to retain Henry Melton, a potential replacement could be found in Texans’ defensive tackle Earl Mitchell (via Twitter).
  • Dan Weiderer and Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune put together a guide to free agency for the Bears. They highlighted some important in-house options the team should look to hold on to, including Melton, Tillman and McCown. Jordan Palmer, who was the team’s third quarterback last year, could return as Jay Cutler‘s backup in 2014. They do note that while the Bears could look to replace Peppers, they most likely would not cut him until they had a potential replacement lined up.
  • For Weiderer and Campbell, there are a number of free agents the team should chase in free agency, highlighting Bennett and Mitchell could be great choices. Other big name free agents in the secondary could bring the Bears to pursue Jairus Byrd, T.J. Ward, Aqib Talib or Alterraun Verner. They also could see the Bears investing in cheaper options, highlighting Jason Hatcher, who has experience with defensive line coach Paul Pasqualoni.

B.J. Raji To Test Free Agency

March 8th, 2014 at 2:19pm CST by Rob DiRe

While earlier this week it sounded as if B.J. Raji and the Packers would be able to agree to a one-year deal to bring the giant defensive lineman back to Green Bay in 2014, it now looks like Raji will hit free agency, reports Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk.

Ian Rapaport of NFL.com originally reported that his return to the Packers was not a done deal (via Twitter). The one-year deal being talked about was reportedly worth between $4MM and $6.5MM with incentives, but the former first-round pick could command more money on a longer term contract on the open market.

There is also some contention about how Raji is being utilized under Dom Capers in Green Bay, and if Raji secures a one-year “prove it” deal with a team that will allow him to put up bigger sack numbers, he may choose to go there and re-establish his value before hitting free agency again in 2015.

Jets, Cumberland Agree To Three-Year Deal

March 8th, 2014 at 1:58pm CST by David Kipke

SATURDAY, 1:58pm: According to Ian Rapaport of NFL.com, the Cumberland contract will be for three years and $3.7MM with $1MM guaranteed (via Twitter).

FRIDY, 7:41pm: The New York Jets and tight end Jeff Cumberland have agreed to a three-year contract, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Mehta had reported earlier today that the Jets were engaged in “serious negotiations” with Cumberland.

The organization has expressed significant confidence in Cumberland heading into the 2014 season. After signing with the Jets as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Illinois, Cumberland finally began to show flashes of prominence in the tail end of the 2013 campaign. Although he had played largely in a secondary role to Kellen Winslow this past year, Cumberland still hauled in 26 receptions for 398 yards and four touchdowns.

Mehta also reports (via Twitter) that the Jets re-signing of Cumberland doesn’t mean the Jets won’t still explore other free agent tight end options, such as Brandon Pettigrew, Ed Dickson, and Scott Chandler. The Jets also figure to target high-value receiving talent in free agency next week, having been linked to Emmanuel Sanders and Jeremy Maclin, before he re-signed with the Eagles

Red Bryant, Jaguars Agree To Four-Year Deal

March 8th, 2014 at 1:55pm CST by Rob DiRe

3:50pm: Ian Rapaport of NFL.com reports that Bryant deal is worth $17MM over four years (via Twitter).

2:01pm: Former Seahawks defensive lineman Red Bryant has reached an agreement with the Jaguars on a four-year deal, as reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).

The Seahawks released Bryant earlier this offseason, but the team left open the possibility of re-signing their run stopping defensive end during free agency.

This move reunites Bryant with Jaguars’ head coach Gus Bradley, who was the Seahawks defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2012.

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