HEADLINES

Month: April 2024

AFC North Rumors: Ravens, Jernigan, Browns

March 30th, 2017 at 2:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens should only trade Timmy Jernigan if they can get a second-day draft pick in return, and that seems unlikely, Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun writes. There has been speculation that the defensive tackle could be on the block and coach John Harbaugh didn’t do much to slow down that talk when asked about it earlier this week. Jernigan, who is entering his contract year, appeared in every regular season game last season and totaled five sacks. He seemed to run out of gas towards the end of the season and his playing time was slashed down the stretch, but he still stands as Baltimore’s only interior pass-rush threat.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Saints To Sign S Rafael Bush

March 30th, 2017 at 1:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are signing safety Rafael Bush, according to Nick Underhill of The Advocate (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal, per a team announcement. This marks a return to New Orleans for Bush after spending the 2016 season with the Lions. "<strong

Heading into Thursday, we had Bush ranked as the sixth-best safety available on the open market. Bush primarily saw time at free safety during his first New Orleans stint, but last year the Lions utilized him at a number of spots in the secondary. All in all, he finished out with 48 tackles, two interceptions, three passes defensed, and his first career sack. He appeared in every regular season contest, including four starts. Bush finished out as the 65th best safety in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. It was a solid showing after a torn pectoral muscle limited him to only one game in 2015.

Bush now joins a crowded safety depth chart that includes starters Vonn Bell and Kenny Vaccaro plus reserves Robenson Therezie, Chris Banjo, Shiloh Keo, and Erik Harris. Bush now becomes the first “new” secondary player to join the Saints in this calendar year.

Seahawks Rumors: Sherman, Carroll, Shead

March 30th, 2017 at 12:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest on Sherman and the Seahawks:

  • When asked about the trade rumors surrounding him, Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman seemed to take a different tone than he did just a few weeks ago. “I wouldn’t want to leave this city and my guys, but understand it’s a business and organizational philosophies change,” (Twitter link via Gee Scott of 710 ESPN). Previously, Sherman was laughing off the trade talk. Now, he seems to be making peace with the idea that he could be shipped elsewhere. Earlier this week, coach Pete Carroll acknowledged that the Seahawks have discussed a potential Sherman trade with other teams, but added that he doesn’t see it happening.
  • On many levels, trading Sherman would be a monumental gamble for the Seahawks, Kapadia writes. The Seahawks are ready to compete for a Super Bowl right now and he’s a star player who has never missed a game in his NFL career. It’s also hard to see a deal coming together given his salary and the team’s likely asking price. Kapadia wonders aloud if the Seahawks’ public posturing could be a way to send a message to Sherman, letting him know that he is not untouchable. Of course, that could also backfire and create an ugly situation.
  • Carroll would be “really surprised” if Seahawks cornerback DeShawn Shead made it back for Week 1 as he recovers from his knee injury, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com tweets. Shead was non-tendered this offseason suffered an ACL and meniscus tear in the playoffs. However, the team later re-signed him to a one-year, $1.5MM deal with $1MM fully guaranteed at signing. Shead started 15 games for Seattle in 2016 and probably figures to be a big part of their gameplan for 2017. Unfortunately, it might take a while before they can get him back on the field.

Extra Points: Hardy, Giants, Kizer

March 30th, 2017 at 11:35am CST by Zachary Links

An Indoor Football League team held a fan vote to determine whether it would sign Greg Hardy and the results are in. Fans of Salt Lake Screaming Eagles have voted against signing the controversial defensive end, as ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell writes. The vote barely went against Hardy with 50.1% of fans voting against him, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Charlotte Observer tweets.

If the vote went through, the 28-year-old would have been in uniform for Friday night’s game against the Colorado Crush. As far as we know, the upcoming Spring League will be Hardy’s next stop in football. If that doesn’t work out, he can always shift his attention back towards MMA.

Here’s more from the NFL, as well as news on the Spring League:

  • Giants offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan attended Notre Dame’s pro day to get a look at quarterback DeShone Kizer, James Kratch of NJ.com writes. Drafting Kizer would be an opportunity for the Giants to reprise Green Bay’s Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers scenario, meaning that they would forge ahead with Eli Manning as the starter while taking their time to groom his successor. The Giants are slated to pick at No. 23 and again at No. 55 in the second round. Kizer could be available at No. 23 but odds are he won’t be there near the backend of the second round.
  • The coaching staffs for the upcoming Spring League will include Donnie Henderson, Terry Shea, Steve Fairchild, and Denny Creehan, as Mike Florio of PFT writes. Henderson previously served as the defensive coordinator of the Jets and Lions and most recently was with the Bills’ coaching staff. Shea, a former offensive coordinator for the Bears and quarterbacks coach for the Chiefs, Dolphins, and Rams, has not coached high-level football in nearly a decade.
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Details On Chase Daniel’s Saints Deal

March 30th, 2017 at 10:42am CST by Zachary Links

Chase Daniel will be making solid money for a backup quarterback, but not in the conventional way. His Saints contract will pay him a guaranteed base salary of $900K, according to a source who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT. The real money comes in the form of guaranteed cash still owed to him by the Eagles. Chase Daniel (vertical)

Daniel’s deal with Philly included $5MM in guaranteed salary, so he’ll collect on $4.1MM from his former team with the remainder coming from New Orleans. On top of that, he can earn as much as $3MM through incentives, but I would speculate that those bonuses will be tied to playing time. If that’s the case, the only real opportunity to make that extra money will be if Drew Brees gets hurt and Daniel fills in. Because the Eagles agreed to reduce his offset to $2MM, they would get the first $1.1MM of any incentive payments, according to Florio. All in all, that means Daniel can personally max out at $6.9MM for the coming year.

Florio also hears that Daniel was offered better contracts by other teams. Ostensibly, Daniel chose New Orleans for the opportunity to replace the aging Brees as well as his familiarity with the organization. It’s not clear which teams were also in the mix for his services, but Daniel did meet with the Jets before agreeing to sign with the Saints.

AFC West Rumors: LT, Raiders, San Antonio

March 30th, 2017 at 9:10am CST by Zachary Links

LaDainian Tomlinson has joined the Chargers as a “Special Assistant to the owner of the team,” according to a press release. It sounds like Tomlinson will not have a part in front office decisions as his job will focus more on fan relations. His presence could help smooth over tensions with San Diegans who are feeling scorned by the team’s relocation to Los Angeles.

“L.T. is one of the most beloved and iconic Chargers of all time,” said Chairman Dean Spanos in the statement. “His active involvement in our fight for Los Angeles is vital, and he represents the very best of what it means to be a Charger on the field and in the community.”

Here’s more from the AFC West:

  • It sounds like we won’t see major progress in the Raiders‘ extension talks with Derek Carr until May or later. “He knows what we’re trying to do in free agency, and he’s never saying, ‘I need to know now. It’s not like that,” GM Reggie McKenzie said, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “More likely, the serious talks will happen after the draft. The communication has been ongoing, just talking about the philosophy of a contract and the thought process around it. Hopefully when the serious talks start going, then it’s going to be easier.” McKenzie also indicated that an extension could be on the way for right guard Gabe Jackson. The Raiders will also discuss a new deal with Khalil Mack, but they have more time on that front thanks to his option for the 2018 season.
  • Multiple cities have reached out to the Raiders expressing interest in being their temporary home, including San Antonio, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets. It’s possible that we could see the Raiders make a pit stop on the way from Oakland to Las Vegas.
  • The Broncos will add a third quarterback, but that player is likely to be a young veteran or a rookie.
  • The Chiefs hosted linebacker Rey Maualuga on a visit this week.

NFC Rumors: Eagles, Vikes, Giants, Redskins

March 29th, 2017 at 10:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

When the Eagles re-signed quarterback Sam Bradford to a two-year deal in the spring of 2016, the club structured the contract in such a way that enabled them to trade Bradford before the end of the pact, owner Jeffrey Lurie told Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Lurie equated the Bradford deal to buying a draft pick, as the Eagles gave the veteran signal-caller an $11MM signing bonus that would immediately accelerate on Philadelphia’s salary cap in the event of a trade. The Eagles, of course, did end up dealing Bradford to the Vikings for a 2017 first-round pick.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • After conceding that he has “no idea” if Teddy Bridgewater will be able to play in 2017, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said his club will likely bring in a backup quarterback fairly soon, report Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press and Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter links). Along with Bridgewater, the only QBs on Minnesota’s roster are Bradford and 24-year-old Taylor Heinecke, who has never attempted an NFL pass. Shaun Hill, the Vikings’ No. 2 quarterback last season, is an unrestricted free agent. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt McGloin, and Case Keenum are among the best available free agent signal-callers who would be open to a reserve role.
  • The Giants are open to adding a veteran kicker to compete with unproven option Aldrick Rosas, per Dan Duggan of NJ.com (Twitter link). Rosas, 22, is the only kicker on New York’s roster, and he’s never attempted a kick in the NFL. The Giants signed the former undrafted free agent to a futures deal in January. Robbie Gould, Big Blue’s kicker in 2016, signed a two-year, $4MM contract with the 49ers earlier this month.
  • Redskins head coach Jay Gruden was upset to hear about the dismissal of former general manager Scot McCloughan. as Liz Clarke of the Washington Post writes. “I was disappointed,” Gruden said. “I like Scot. I liked working with Scot. I think he’s a good person and a great talent evaluator. Anytime you lose someone, it’s disappointing. But at the end of the day, it’s professional football. Anyone who has been around it understands that change is going to happen.” Washington isn’t planning to hire a new GM until after the draft.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/29/17

March 29th, 2017 at 9:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Cardinals announced that they’ve signed wide receiver Harvey Binford. Binford, 26, participated in Arizona’s “pro combine” last weekend. A former Arena League player, Binford spent last summer with Green Bay but was waived in August. He worked out for the Packers again late last year, but failed to land a contract.
  • The Packers have signed guard Justin McCray, the club announced today. Like Binford, McCray has also played in the Arena League. McCray began his career as an undrafted free agent signing with the Titans in 2014, and spent that entire season on Tennessee’s practice squad.

NFC West Rumors: Cards, Seahawks, Rams

March 29th, 2017 at 9:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians feels only one 2017 quarterback prospect is ready to play immediately, but he wouldn’t divulge the identity of said player, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. Arizona may be amenable to finding Carson Palmer‘s long-term successor this year, especially after the veteran quarterback flirted with retirement before announcing his intention to return. “It would be one of the best situations for a young quarterback to walk into,” said Arians, noting a youthful signal-caller could sit behind Palmer for a year or two, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

  • After spending the first four seasons of his career as a running back, Andre Ellington will play receiver for the Cardinals next year, Arians confirmed today (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reported earlier this month Ellington would likely play more receiver than running back in 2017. With Ellington moving to the WR room, the Cardinals may need to another back, as Kerwynn Williams is the only runner on the roster behind David Johnson.
  • Running back Marshawn Lynch did not ask Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll to remove him from the reserve/retired list when the pair talked 10 days ago, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Lynch, of course, is reportedly considering a comeback but wants to play for the Raiders, not Seattle. Before any such move can take place, the Seahawks need to process Lynch off the retired list.
  • Kicker Steven Hauschka “capped out three times higher” than what the Seahawks were willing to pay, Carroll told reporters, including Condotta (Twitter link). The Bills signed Hauschka to a three-year, $8.85MM deal that includes $4MM in full guarantees, while Seattle went with a far cheaper option. Blair Walsh is the Seahawks’ new kicker after inking a one-year pact worth just north of $1MM.
  • Although general manager Les Snead will make the final call on draft day, new Rams head coach Sean McVay and his staff will play a large role in setting the team’s board, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter links). Los Angeles has needs all over the roster, but won’t make a selection until Round Two after trading the farm for Jared Goff in 2016. Under McVay and new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, the Rams will be running new schemes on both sides of the ball, meaning communication between the field staff and the front office will be crucial as the draft approaches.
  • Evan Boehm will enter camp as the Cardinals‘ starting right guard, Arians told reporters, including Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link). Now entering his second NFL season, Boehm started only one game last year and played in just 10.6% of Arizona’s offensive snaps. The Cards are seeking to replace Evan Mathis and Earl Watford, who departed via retirement and free agency, respectively.

Saints Re-Sign TE John Phillips

March 29th, 2017 at 8:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints have re-signed tight end John Phillips to a one-year deal, the club announced today.John Phillips (Vertical)

Phillips joined the Saints last November after New Orleans claimed him off waivers from Denver. Over the next two months, Phillips appeared in eight games (four starts) for the Saints, and played on 18.8% of the club’s offensive snaps. The 29-year-old mostly served as a blocker during that time, as he posted only five receptions on seven targets. Phillips does offer special teams value, as well, as he saw time on roughly a fifth of the Saints’ ST snaps in 2016.

In 2017, Phillips will likely play the same role he did last year, acting as New Orleans’ third tight end behind Coby Fleener and Josh Hill. A seven-year veteran, Phillips has never been much of an offensive force, but he did manage 15 catches back in 2011. In addition to the Saints and Broncos, Phillips has also spent time with the Chargers and Cowboys.

Although terms of Phillips’ deal weren’t released, he likely signed a pact at or near the veteran minimum.

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