2014 April - Pro Football Rumors

Poll: Chris Johnson’s Future Home

April 4th, 2014 at 9:55pm CST by Peter Sowards

The Titans gave running back Chris Johnson his unconditional release today, giving the three-time Pro Bowler and 2009 NFL rushing leader the freedom to choose his next team. There was speculation that Tennessee would try to trade Johnson, but a prohibitive salary and the decreased value of running backs led to a lack of substantive interest league-wide.

Now comes the streaming of rumors as to who’s in and who’s out on the Chris Johnson market, much like we saw when former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson became a free agent a week ago today. In this rumors roundup post by PFR’s Luke Adams, we see that four teams — the Jets, Bills, Dolphins and Falcons — all discussed a possible trade for Johnson, but nothing came to fruition.

In this writeup by SI.com’s Chris Burke, the writer outlines eight teams as potential landing spots for the one-time 2,000-yard back: Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Bears, Cardinals, Broncos, Rams, and Jaguars.

Will CJ2K end up with one of these eight teams? Or is there a sleeper team Burke failed to mention that could wind up utilizing Johnson’s services for the foreseeable future? Let us know in this PFR poll.

Which Team Signs Chris Johnson?

New York Jets 32.31% (422 votes)

Denver Broncos 15.31% (200 votes)

New York Giants 11.03% (144 votes)

Dallas Cowboys 9.72% (127 votes)

Other 8.65% (113 votes)

Chicago Bears 6.89% (90 votes)

Arizona Cardinals 6.20% (81 votes)

St. Louis Rams 5.74% (75 votes)

Jacksonville Jaguars 4.13% (54 votes)

Total Votes: 1,306

Pre-Draft Visits: Garopollo, Cooks, Lee

April 4th, 2014 at 7:44pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Browns brought Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in for a private visit earlier today, writes Jeff Schudel of the Morning Journal (he writes March 4, but he most likely means April 4). Schudel examines the idea of the Browns selecting a position other than quarterback at the top of the first round, and looking to grab the rookie signal caller with the 26th pick in the first round, or the third pick in round two.

Schudel writes that Browns star receiver Josh Gordon believes the team will take a quarterback with the fourth pick, and that Teddy Bridgewater would be his choice.

Here are some notes from some other pre-draft visits:

Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks is visiting the Jets, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Cooks also has received interest from the Patriots and the Panthers.
In addition to Cooks, the Patriots have expressed interest in receivers Marqise Lee of USC, Mike Evans of Texas A&M, Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU, and Kelvin Benjamin of Florida State, according to Doug Kyed of NESN (via Twitter).
The Saints have scheduled a visit with Lee, but have not yet set a date to meet with Cooks, reports Larry Holder of NOLA.com (via Twitter).
The Giants worked out quarterback Rusty Smith, reports Howard Balzer of LockerDome.com (via Twitter). Smith appeared in three games for the Titans between 2010 and 2012, throwing no touchdowns and four interceptions.
Balzer also notes that Kurt Coleman visited the Colts, and while he is not an ideal candidate to replace the departed Antoine Bethea, he could add depth to the safety position

Raiders Sign Daniel Zychlinski

April 4th, 2014 at 6:34pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Raiders have announced that they came to terms on a contract with free agent punter Daniel Zychlinski (via Twitter). Zychlinski last punted for Stanford in 2012.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it can be expected that it was a short-term contract, most likely for only one year and for the minimum salary. Zychlinski will be looked at as a camp leg, and it would be a surprise if he earned a spot on the 53-man roster.

NFLPA To Investigate Eagles

April 4th, 2014 at 6:20pm CST by Rob DiRe

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith appeared on ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” earlier today, to discuss the circumstances surrounding DeSean Jackson‘s release from the Eagles. During the interview, Smith mentioned that the player’s association would be investigating whether the Eagles had leaked the story of Jackson’s affiliation with a Los Angeles gang to NJ.com, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

“We’ve been in touch with DeSean, and first and foremost he is a tremendous football player and great young man,” Smith said. “On the issue of how he was released, whether or not there were comments or leaks from the team, misinformation to the media coming from the team, that’s something that we’re going to look at. We’ve always been aggressive about protecting the integrity of our players.”

A spokesman for the NFLPA confirmed Smith’s comments, although it is unclear how long the investigation process will take. It has not yet been reported what a potential punishment would be incurred should the Eagles be found guilty.

In an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Jackson was asked if he thought the Eagles could have potentially leaked the story in order to facilitate his release. Jackson said he did not believe the Eagles would have leaked the story, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (via Twitter).

NFC Notes: Pre-Draft Visits, Contract Updates

April 4th, 2014 at 5:50pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Rams are hosting Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy for a workout, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (via Twitter). Because it is considered a local visit, Ealy will be allowed to work out with the team.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

The 49ers are bringing in wide receiver Albert Wilson out of Georgia State for an official visit, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team has been open about the possibility of using a high draft pick at the position.
The Seahawks have not begun talks of a contract extension with Earl Thomas yet, reports Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune (via Twitter).
Colt McCoy‘s deal with the Redskins is a one-year agreement and carries a $730K base salary with a $65K signing bonus, reports Wilson (via Twitter).
The Packers re-signed John Kuhn to a one-year deal worth $1.03MM, according to Wilson (via Twitter). The contract includes $855K in base salary, and a $100K signing bonus. Additionally, Kuhn can earn a $25K workout bonus and $3,125 in per-game active roster bonuses.
Details of former Toronto Argonauts safety Marcus Ball’s contract with the Saints have been reported by Wilson via Twitter. Ball’s three-year deal will be worth $1.536MM, with minimum salaries and a $6K signing bonus.

AFC Pre-Draft Visits: Bills, Patriots, Titans

April 4th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Bills are hosting a few pre-draft visits today, writes Chris Brown of BufalloBills.com. North Carolina’s star tight end Eric Ebron could be in play for the team in the first round. The Bills are also meeting with defensive end Scott Crichton of Oregon State and LSU’s bruising running back Jeremy Hill. Brown writes that Crichton is projected as a second-round pick and Hill as a mid-round selection.

Here are some other players visiting with AFC teams:

The Patriots are bringing in Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig for their local pro day, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. The team already hosted the top quarterback talents, who they are unlikely to draft, but Retig would more likely be a late-round pick. Retig will be able to workout with the team, because he is part of a local visit.
Another late-round quarterback, Brock Jensen of North Dakota State, has visits scheduled with both the Browns and the Bengals, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter).
The Steelers will be hosting visits from Minnesota safety Brock Vereen, and South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Wilson also reports that Titans hosted Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and Colorado State linebacker Shaquil Barrett. Jernigan is expected to be a first-round pick.
Wide receiver Eric Thomas of Troy University has a visit with the Colts, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

Buccaneers To Sign Major Wright

April 4th, 2014 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

3:47pm: The Bucs and Wright have agreed to terms on a one-year contract, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

3:39pm: Free agent safety Major Wright will sign with the Buccaneers, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times confirms (via Twitter) that the team is expected to lock up Wright, who is on track to become the latest ex-Bear to join former Chicago head coach Lovie Smith in Tampa Bay.

As the Bears’ full-time starter at strong safety last season, Wright grabbed a pair of interceptions, and racked up more than 100 tackles, but earned the dubious honor of ranking dead-last out of 86 qualified safeties, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). According to PFF’s data, quarterbacks completed 77.8% of their passes when throwing at Wright’s coverage, with a QB rating of 146.8.

Still, 2013 may have been an aberration for the former third-round pick. Under Smith, who is now the Bucs’ head coach, Wright’s PFF grades looked significantly better in 2011 and 2012, and at age 25, there’s still plenty of room for growth.

Saints, Champ Bailey Agree To Two-Year Deal

April 4th, 2014 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

3:40pm: Bailey’s two-year contract will have a max value of $7MM, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

2:19pm: Several weeks after locking up the best free agent safety on the market, the Saints have agreed to sign arguably the most accomplished free agent cornerback available this offseason. New Orleans has reached an agreement on a two-year deal with free agent cornerback Champ Bailey, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com first reported (via Twitter) that Bailey was on the verge of deciding on a team.

Bailey, will turn 36 this summer, appeared in just five regular season games in 2013 due to a foot injury, and his exorbitant cap hit made him a cap casualty for the AFC champion Broncos. However, his all-time resumé, which includes 52 career interceptions and spots on 12 Pro Bowl teams, suggests it would be unwise to count him out as a key contributor in 2014.

In his last healthy season (2012), Bailey grabbed a pair of interceptions and racked up 66 tackles. His combination of positive grades against the run and in pass coverage resulted in a top-10 rank at cornerback in ’12, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).

Given the Saints’ cap limitations, it’ll be interesting to see the terms on Bailey’s contract with the team, as well as whether or not any other players rework their own deals to help create flexibility. Signing Bailey seems to signal that the team may not be inclined to match the Falcons’ offer sheet for safety Rafael Bush. A decision on Bush is due by Tuesday.

Bailey will be joining a Saints secondary that includes aforementioned top safety Jairus Byrd, as well as returning players like Keenan Lewis, Corey White, and Kenny Vaccaro. With Byrd and Vaccaro penciled in as the starting safeties, Bailey likely won’t be asked to change positions, which he expressed an openness to consider following the Super Bowl. Instead, the veteran corner could step into Jabari Greer‘s old role — Greer is on the free agent market after being cut loose by the Saints in February.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Titans Notes: RBs, Johnson, Wimbley, WRs

April 4th, 2014 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville today, GM Ruston Webster discussed the release of longtime Titan Chris Johnson and his team’s next move(s). Here are a few of the highlights, as tweeted by The Midday 180:

The Titans will “definitely” be looking to select a running back in next month’s draft, according to Webster. The GM praised the position’s depth, suggesting that he’s confident the club could find the sort of player it will be seeking in the late rounds, if need be.
“There was definitely a trade market for Chris Johnson and at times, I thought we would get it done,” Webster said.
Asked about a report indicating the team has asked Kamerion Wimbley to take a pay cut, Webster said the team hasn’t put a deadline on those talks, and is optimistic about bringing the defensive end back for next season.
Webster expects the Titans to add another wide receiver to compete with Marc Mariani and Michael Preston.

Cardinals Cut LaRon Byrd, Dan Giordano

April 4th, 2014 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cardinals have parted ways with wide receiver LaRon Byrd and linebacker Dan Giordano, announcing today that they’ve cut both players, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com details. Neither Byrd nor Giordano saw any action in 2013 due to injuries.

Of the two players, only Byrd has appeared in an NFL regular season game, recording a single reception for the Cards in 2012. He spent last season on injured reserve after suffering a concussion during the preseason. Giordano had been signed as an undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati, was on the Physically Unable to Perform list in 2013 due to a toe injury.