2014 March - Pro Football Rumors

Ravens Sign Dennis Pitta To Five-Year Deal

March 4th, 2014 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 4: Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link) and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (all Twitter links) have provided the financial details on Pitta’s deal. The deal includes $16MM in guaranteed money — an $11MM signing bonus, plus guaranteed base salaries of $1MM and $4MM in 2014 and 2015 respectively. The deal will be worth $3.2MM on the cap in 2014, followed by year-by-year hits of $6.2MM, $7.2MM, $7.7MM, and $7.7MM.

FEBRUARY 28: The Ravens have reached an agreement with prospective free agent Dennis Pitta on a five-year contract, the team officially announced today. The deal is said to be worth $32MM, for an average annual value of $6.4MM. The new contract will keep Pitta off the open market, and save the club from having to use its franchise tag on him.

Pitta, 28, underwent hip surgery in 2013 that forced him out of action for nearly the entire season. The veteran tight end returned in Week 14 and caught 20 balls for 169 yards and a touchdown in his last four games. While it wasn’t the performance he wanted in his contract year, Pitta exhibited his value to the Ravens in 2012, setting career-highs in receptions (61), receiving yards (669) and touchdowns (7). He also scored three times during Baltimore’s playoff run, including a TD catch in the team’s Super Bowl win.

After accepting his restricted free agent tender for $2.023MM last offseason, Pitta was a candidate for the franchise tag this time around. However, designating the BYU product as their franchise player could’ve been problematic for the Ravens, since Pitta, like fellow free-agent-to-be Jimmy Graham, probably would’ve filed a grievance in an attempt to earn a higher pay check. Since he split out as a receiver for more than half his snaps in 2013, Pitta would have had a case to earn the franchise salary for a receiver ($11MM+) rather than for a tight end (less than $7MM). Instead, the two sides reached a compromise, agreeing to a long-term contract with a per-year salary in the ballpark of the tight end’s franchise figure.

Since the Saints are unlikely to let Graham get away, this agreement means there likely won’t be any top-tier free agent tight ends available when free agency begins in March. Jermichael Finley, Scott Chandler, Brandon Myers, and Brandon Pettigrew are among the top options expected to draw interest from clubs in need of a tight end, assuming they hit the open market.

As for the Ravens, they cleared nearly $5MM in 2014 cap space yesterday by parting ways with fullback Vonta Leach and linebacker Jameel McClain, creating additional flexibility and opening the door to re-sign Pitta. With an agreement in place for their tight end, the Ravens can shift their focus to locking up another key free agent, left tackle Eugene Monroe.

Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter) first reported that Pitta and the Ravens had reached a five-year agreement, and was also first to report the overall value of the contract. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link) and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) added details along the way.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dolphins Place ERFA Tender On Pat Devlin

March 4th, 2014 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins have issued a contract tender to quarterback Pat Devlin, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). As an exclusive rights free agent, Devlin has to accept the offer if he wants to play in the NFL next season.

As Miami’s third-string quarterback behind Ryan Tannehill and Matt Moore, Devlin is better known for his role in HBO’s Hard Knocks than his accomplishments as an NFL signal-caller. Since signing with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of Delaware in 2011, the 25-year-old has yet to see any regular-season NFL action.

Still, Joe Philbin and the Dolphins seem to like Devlin enough to give him a chance to stick around for another season. The young QB figures to earn the minimum salary of $570K for 2014.

Titans Re-Sign Bernard Pollard

March 4th, 2014 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 12:37pm: Pollard can earn up to $6.4MM on his new two-year deal, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, the contract includes an $850K signing bonus, a $500K roster bonus, and $200K in workout bonuses.

MONDAY, 4:50pm: Pollard’s new contract with the Titans is for two years, tweets Wyatt.

2:43pm: The Titans appears to have reached an agreement with prospective free agent Bernard Pollard, according to the veteran safety himself. Pollard announced via Twitter that he’ll return to Tennessee: “Thank God!!! I’ll be a Titan for the next couple years!!! TitanUp.”

Pollard, 29, inked a one-year deal worth $2MM last season and outperformed his contract, racking up 99 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 passes defended while starting all 16 games for the Titans. According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Pollard ranked as the league’s 21st-best safety out of 86 qualified players at the position.

With Pollard seemingly locked up, the Titans can shift their focus to other positions, including in the secondary. Tennessee didn’t use its franchise tag on Alterraun Verner today, so the team will have to either lock him up within the next week or risk having him depart via free agency later in the month. The two sides aren’t currently close to an agreement, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter).

AFC East Notes: Byrd, Bills, Patriots, Jets

March 4th, 2014 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2014 free agent period just one week away from officially getting underway, let’s round up a few of the latest AFC East headlines related to free agency….

While it looks like there’s a strong possibility of Jairus Byrd leaving the Bills in free agency, the safety hasn’t ruled out the possibility of returning to Buffalo, as he tells Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. “The door is not closed on anything,” Byrd said. “I’m not closing the door on any opportunities at all. The lines of communication [with the Bills] are still open…. We’re talking. So it’s not anything that’s hard feelings or anything like that. The conversations that we’ve had, we know what’s going on. We’re all on the same page. We’ll go from here.”
Byrd also cautioned that “you can’t really believe everything you hear” when asked about an Associated Press report that suggested he turned down an offer from the Bills that would have paid him $10MM over the next three years.
The Patriots may end up re-signing free-agents-to-be Julian Edelman and/or Aqib Talib, but the team didn’t see any value in using the franchise tag on either player, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Volin also thinks it only makes sense for New England to release Danny Amendola this offseason if the receiver is designated as a post-June 1 cut.
Seth Walder of the New York Daily News examines a few potential free agent wide receiver targets for the Jets, including Hakeem Nicks, Emmanuel Sanders, and Golden Tate.

Chargers Cut Le’Ron McClain

March 4th, 2014 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers have released fullback Le’Ron McClain, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter). McClain, who was entering the last year of his contract, was on the books for a $3.33MM cap number, which will be reduced to $833K in dead money, saving the Chargers $2.5MM in cap room.

A two-time Pro Bowler, McClain saw his role in the offense reduced during the course of his two-year stint in San Diego. The veteran fullback played just 154 snaps for the Chargers in 2013, a significant step down from the playing time he saw earlier in his career with the Ravens and Chiefs. Still, in his limited ’13 action, the 29-year-old graded positively as a pass blocker and run blocker, according to Pro Football Focus.

McClain won’t have to pass through waivers, so he’ll immediately become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any NFL team.

Falcons Re-Sign Corey Peters

March 4th, 2014 at 11:14am CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 11:14am: Peters’ one-year contract for 2014 has a base salary of $1MM, plus $500K in per-game roster bonuses, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).

TUESDAY, 1:23pm: The Falcons have re-signed free agent defensive tackle Corey Peters, the team announced today (Twitter link). The financial details of the contract aren’t yet known, but it’ll be a one-year deal, according to the club.

Peters, who is coming off his four-year rookie contract in Atlanta, started 15 games for the team last season, recording 46 tackles and five sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Peters ranked as the 30th defensive tackle of 69 qualified players, performing better against the run than the pass. The 25-year-old suffered a torn Achilles late in the season, and is still recovering from that injury, but expects to be ready for training camp.

With the Falcons expected to retool a defensive line that struggled to pressure the quarterback in 2013, Peters may see his role altered slightly for 2014, but the former third-round pick should still be a valuable part of the club’s run defense, assuming he’s back to full health.

Jason Worilds Accepts Transition Tender

March 4th, 2014 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

Less than 24 hours after receiving the transition tag from the Steelers, linebacker Jason Worilds has accepted the one-year transition tender, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). La Canfora reports that Worilds and the Steelers have made progress on a long-term deal, and figure to continue working toward that goal.

If the two sides don’t reach a multiyear agreement, Worilds will be on a one-year contract worth $9.754MM for 2014. Signing the tender offer means Worilds can’t field offers from rival suitors in free agency, though the Steelers could still choose to explore the trade market for the young linebacker, if they so choose. That’s unlikely though, and if I had to guess, I’d predict that Worilds will eventually ink a long-term deal with the Steelers that reduces his 2014 cap hit.

With Worilds currently locked in at a cap number near $10MM, the Steelers will have to cut costs elsewhere to create some breathing room. That may involve doing something with LaMarr Woodley‘s contract, since Woodley is on the books for a $13.59MM cap number in 2014. It also could mean the end of Ike Taylor‘s tenure in Pittsburgh, as the veteran cornerback’s cap number jumps to an untenable $11.94MM in 2014. Taylor acknowledged earlier today that he knows his future with the Steelers is uncertain, as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review details.

Colts Rumors: Jackson, Davis, Bradshaw

March 4th, 2014 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

After free agent linebacker D’Qwell Jackson meets with the Dolphins today, his tour will continue with a visit to the Colts, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The former Brown has drawn plenty of interest since being released last month by Cleveland, having already visited the Broncos and Titans as well. As the Colts look forward to making their pitch to Jackson, let’s round up a few more updates out of Indianapolis….

Vontae Davis remains the Colts’ top free agent priority, and Stephen Holder of the Indianpolis Star thinks the fact that the team didn’t franchise him signals optimism that a multiyear agreement can be reached. In Holder’s view, a deal similar to the one Brent Grimes inked with the Dolphins (four years, $32MM, $16MM guaranteed) is the likeliest outcome for Davis and the Colts.
The Colts have had recent conversations with prospective free agent Ahmad Bradshaw, a source tells Holder. A separate source confirmed that the club hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing back the veteran running back. Indianapolis currently has Trent Richardson and Vick Ballard under contract for 2014, while Donald Brown is also a free agent.
Center Samson Satele, whose cap number for 2014 is about $5.07MM, may be cut at some point, but there’s no urgency to making a move quickly, says Holder. With plenty of cap space available, the Colts can afford to keep Satele around, and Holder points out that the center’s presence could even improve the team’s leverage in talks with free agent interior linemen.

Eagles Release Jason Avant

March 4th, 2014 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have released wide receiver Jason Avant, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported last month the the team was expected to part ways with the veteran receiver.

Avant, 30, had been in line for a $1MM roster bonus later this month, so the team will clear that figure from its books for 2014, as well as the receiver’s $2.25MM base salary. Overall, Avant will count for $710K in dead money rather than a $3.96MM cap number, creating $3.25MM in cap savings for Philadelphia.

Already this offseason, the Eagles have re-signed Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper, who figure to be the Nos. 2 and 3 receivers behind DeSean Jackson, so paying nearly $4MM to a fourth receiver wasn’t feasible. The team will likely replace Avant with a low-level free agent or a pick in May’s draft.

Avant, who grabbed 38 balls for 447 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2013, will hit the open market immediately, joining this year’s class of free agent receivers. While he’s not a top-tier option, the longtime Eagle’s veteran leadership and ability to play out of the slot should make him a solid third or fourth receiver for another team.

Jaguars Release Uche Nwaneri

March 4th, 2014 at 9:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars have released longtime starting guard Uche Nwaneri, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Nwaneri had a cap number of $5.895MM for 2014, which will be reduced to $2.189MM in dead money, creating $3.706MM in cap savings for the team.

Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union writes that the Jaguars made the move for performance reasons, which makes sense given the huge chunk of cap space already available to the team. Still, while Nwaneri wasn’t one of the league’s top guards, he ranked a respectable 34th among 81 qualified players in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, and had an overall grade of +18.0 over the last five seasons.

Nwaneri had been under contract through the 2015 season, and was owed a roster bonus worth $1MM for 2014. Rather than playing out his deal and collecting that bonus money, he’ll immediately hit the open market, where he’ll be competing for jobs with players like Geoff Schwartz, Travelle Wharton, Jon Asamoah, and Zane Beadles. I examined the free agent market for guards in a piece yesterday.

As for the Jaguars, they’re now in the market for starters at right guard, left guard, and center this offseason.