2017 March - Pro Football Rumors

Month: March 2017

Falcons To Sign WR Andre Roberts

March 14th, 2017 at 7:54am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons signed wide receiver Andre Roberts, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He gets a one-year deal worth $1.8MM with $750K guaranteed.

Roberts had a disappointing first season in Detroit, but the Lions were still among the teams in the mix to sign him this month. The Patriots also were said to have interest.

The 29-year-old’s best season came back in 2012 with the Cardinals, when he finished with 64 receptions for 759 yards and five touchdowns. Unfortunately for him, the emergence of Michael Floyd bumped him down the pecking order in Arizona, leading him to join up with the Redskins in 2013. His two years in D.C. and one year in Detroit have not yielded 2012-type numbers. In 2016, Roberts finished out with 14 receptions for 188 yards and one touchdown.

Roberts now figures to be the Falcons’ No. 3 WR behind Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu. Justin Hardy, Devin Fuller, and Nick Williams are also under contract. Receivers Taylor Gabriel and Eric Weems remain in free agent limbo while Aldrick Robinson has followed coach Kyle Shanahan to San Francisco.

NFC West Rumors: Lang, Ware, 49ers, Rams

March 13th, 2017 at 10:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

T.J. Lang saw the Lions change his mind at the last minute and possibly changing the fortunes of the team that beat Detroit in the wild-card round. The ninth-year guard was “99 percent” sure he was going to sign with the Seahawks after the sides’ Saturday summit. But the Lions improved their offer and ended up signing the Michigan native to a three-year, $28.5MM deal.

“I didn’t know Detroit was coming back with a counter-offer,” Lang said in an interview with 97.1-FM (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “When I left Seattle I was about 99 percent sure I was flying back there to sign a contract and Detroit stepped up and things changed pretty quick.”

Lang’s former team did not offer him as much as the Lions did. The Packers proposed a three-year deal worth $21.5MM. While the Lions pact includes $19MM in guarantees, the Packers’ offer housed just $6.5MM guaranteed. Opining on the Packers’ usual free agency-phobic tendencies, Lang said Green Bay’s offer made this decision easier.

“I think just throughout the years they were able to get some guys back in town because they used the whole, we’re good, we’re competitive, we compete for championships every year. Do you want to play with the best quarterback in the NFL-type thing, you’re going to have to take a little less money, and I think it just kind of wore some guys out the last couple years and watching guys leave,” Lang said during the radio interview.

Here’s more from the NFC West.

DeMarcus Ware‘s Rams visit did include discussions with Wade Phillips and new HC Sean McVay, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports. But he adds the sides did not get into serious talks about the now-retired pass-rusher joining the Rams.
UFA tackle Byron Bell visited the 49ers this weekend, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. He did not play during the 2016 after dislocating his ankle on the first day of Titans OTAs last summer. Bell proved versatile for the 2015 Titans, however, starting 16 games but at three different spots — eight at right tackle, seven at left guard and one at left tackle. The 28-year-old Bell has been a career-long starter, serving as the Panthers’ primary left tackle from 2011-14.
Kyle Juszczyk received an even better offer than the fullback-record deal (four years, $21MM) he signed with the 49ers, Peter King of TheMMQB.com reports. The fifth-year fullback’s agent told King one team would have paid Juszczyk more than what the 49ers offered. The Bills, Browns, Eagles and Jets were also in on this competition.
The Seahawks‘ Jared Cook visit will create questions regarding Jimmy Graham‘s long-term spot with the team, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. Graham is already 30, having turned 25 during his rookie year. However, Cook is less than six months younger. Graham will be a UFA in 2018, and the Seahawks have potential third contracts for Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor to consider. Both have observed other safeties surpass their second Seattle contracts in terms of value in recent years. Pete Carroll said at the Combine there is no reason to doubt Graham’s status on the 2017 Seahawks. He will count $10MM against Seattle’s cap this year.
Jarvis Jones‘ Rams visit will occur Tuesday, per Gonzalez. The Rams signed their most recent visitor, cornerback Kayvon Webster, on Monday night.

Rams To Sign Kayvon Webster

March 13th, 2017 at 10:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Well, it looks like Kayvon Webster only needed one visit to find a second NFL employer. The longtime Broncos cornerback will sign with the Rams, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. He’ll earn $8MM over two years and could get up to to $12MM through incentives, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Webster had trips to meet with the Eagles and Dolphins scheduled, but with his Los Angeles summit not yet complete as of tonight, the fifth-year cover man/special-teamer decided on the Rams. The team has eyed Webster for a while, and the Broncos were bracing to lose their 2013 third-round pick due to the 26-year-old’s desire for more playing time. Zach Links had Webster ranked as one of this year’s top 50 free agents.

This will reunite Webster with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips while giving the corner a chance to have a bigger defensive role and possibly put him in position for a bigger contract come 2019, should he prove he has sufficient ability to contribute on defense. The Broncos did not use him much in this capacity, with Webster sitting not only behind corners Chris Harris, Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby but behind rookie safeties Justin Simmons and Will Parks — both of whom played far more than Webster did on defense in 2016.

But Webster was a special teams captain and made multiple impact plays during the 2015 Super Bowl run. He functioned as one of the Broncos’ top specialists in lieu of a steady defensive role. Webster will join a secondary that houses Trumaine Johnson but one that isn’t deep after losing Janoris Jenkins in free agency last year.

Titans’ Cooks Offer Included No. 5 Pick

March 13th, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the more interesting trade sagas in recent memory ended with Brandin Cooks going from the Saints to the Patriots, but the Titans entered the frey and made a strong proposal as well. Tennessee’s offer for the 23-year-old wide receiver featured the Titans and Saints swapping first-round picks (No. 5 for No. 11), with the Titans adding a third-round pick in the deal as well, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.

The proposal that ended up getting it done was the Patriots’ first- and third-round selections for Cooks. Philadelphia lasted long into these talks as well, but the Eagles were believed to have been out before the Patriots ultimately eclipsed the Titans’ offer.

Titans GM Jon Robinson said today he not include the No. 18 overall pick in an offer for Cooks, per ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky (on Twitter). The No. 18 pick being involved would have almost certainly meant the Titans would have given up a first-round pick in this year’s draft without getting one back, like they would have if the Saints had accepted their proposal. Tennessee still holds picks Nos. 5 and 18 due to their deal with the Rams for Jared Goff last year.

Tennessee’s aggressive Cooks push looks like a sign the team will be in the market for a wideout with one of its top two picks. The Titans lost Kendall Wright in free agency but diminished the former first-round pick’s role over the past two seasons. Tajae Sharpe and Harry Douglas remain on the roster, but neither is close to Cooks’ class. Retaining their two first-rounders, the Titans figure to be a team to watch for players like Mike Williams, John Ross or Corey Davis in Round 1.

Kayvon Webster To Visit Eagles, Dolphins

March 13th, 2017 at 9:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kayvon Webster may end up logging as many as three visits during his first time as a free agent. The fifth-year cornerback told Troy Renck of Denver7 (Twitter link) he has visits lined up with both the Eagles and Dolphins. These summits will follow his Rams meeting, which is ongoing, per ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter).

We heard about potential pursuits from Miami and Philadelphia earlier this month. Webster’s Rams visit also went “great,” per Renck (on Twitter). So despite not having much of a defensive role on probably the league’s best cornerback depth chart over the past three seasons, Webster looks to have generated significant interest.

The former third-round pick has also served as a high-end special-teamer for the Broncos, doing so after Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby commandeered cornerback jobs midway through Webster’s Denver tenure. The Broncos seem likely to lose Webster, who is eyeing more playing time.

Webster has a clear connection with the Rams, who just hired Wade Phillips as DC, but Adam Gase was on the Broncos’ offensive staff during the corner’s first two Broncos seasons. Each of the three teams possess greater cornerback needs than do the Broncos, who have Roby, Talib and Chris Harris each signed through 2018. The Eagles lost Nolan Carroll in free agency and moved on from Leodis McKelvin, thinning out their corner corps considerably. Miami has a host of young players on a Byron Maxwell-fronted depth chart.

Webster played on just 60 defensive snaps last season but made several impact plays as a punt gunner during his time with the Broncos. He started two games as a rookie prior to the team adding Talib and Roby.

Falcons To Re-Sign Kemal Ishmael

March 13th, 2017 at 9:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons reached an agreement to retain safety Kemal Ishmael on a one-year deal, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). A part-time starter during his first four seasons in Atlanta, Ishmael agreed to a $2.5MM contract.

Atlanta wanted to retain its former seventh-round find prior to free agency and will do so four days into the process. Ishmael started four games for the NFC champions last season and has opened with the Falcons’ first unit in 19 games during his tenure in Georgia.

Ishmael arrived in 2013’s final draft round out of Central Florida and won’t turn 25 until May. He played 310 snaps for the 2016 Falcons and figures to slot in as a depth piece behind Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal in 2017. Ishmael’s most notable season came in 2014, when he started 10 games for Atlanta and made 96 tackles. He notched four of his five career interceptions that season.

The NFC’s No. 2-seeded team did not have Ishmael for its three playoff games, however, after a shoulder injury sent the 24-year-old defender to IR.

Colts Sign Brian Schwenke

March 13th, 2017 at 9:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts continue to make depth signings as the day progresses, with their latest coming over from a division rival. Brian Schwenke agreed to terms with the Colts on a one-year deal, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. The Colts announced the move.

A fifth-year interior offensive lineman, Schwenke visited the Colts earlier today, joining defensive end Margus Hunt as UFAs to trek to Indianapolis and reach agreements to join the team. Schwenke spent four seasons with the Titans and drew interest from other teams but will end up on a Colts line that has some uncertainty.

While Anthony Castonzo, Jack Mewhort and Ryan Kelly are entrenched starters, the right side of Indianapolis’ front isn’t solidified. Schwenke will likely compete for the right guard position while serving as depth behind Kelly. The Colts have several young players vying for time on the right side of the line, so Schwenke — who started 25 games as Tennessee’s center from 2013-15 — should factor in here. A clear line of demarcation in the former Boston College snapper’s career came when he broke his leg in October of 2015. The Titans then moved Schwenke to guard after signing Ben Jones last year.

Both the Jets and Seahawks pursued Schwenke this offseason, but the soon-to-be 26-year-old blocker will stay in the AFC South.

Broncos Notes: Romo, Webster, Peko, OL

March 13th, 2017 at 7:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Connected to a high-profile quarterback acquisition for the second straight offseason, Broncos GM John Elway didn’t identify the team’s Tony Romo circumstances as being all that different from the ones that had Denver close to adding Colin Kaepernick last year.

“Yeah [it’s a similar situation], because we feel good where we are. There are so many things … everything gets ratcheted. I will just tell you this: There’s been a lot of things out there that are not true as far as what’s going with our quarterbacks. So that’s what happens. Everything gets frothed up,” Elway said, via Troy Renck of Denver7.

Renck adds that the latest coming out of Dallas is Romo is growing restless with the Cowboys’ tactics, with the franchise having backtracked on its intention to release him in order to pivot back to trying to trade the 15th-year quarterback. The Broncos remain unlikely to trade for Romo, per Renck, even after the Texans’ cap space-clearing trade of Brock Osweiler. It would be a “major upset” if the Cowboys found a taker for Romo’s contract in a trade, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

The Broncos nearly traded for Kaepernick last year, but the sides couldn’t agree on a restructured deal. Denver then selected Paxton Lynch in the first round but turned the reins over to Trevor Siemian for most of 2016. That competition would continue for a second straight year if the franchise doesn’t acquire Romo. Vance Joseph said the franchise is in good shape with Siemian and Lynch for “the next four or five years,” per James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link). Lynch is under Broncos control for four more years, with Siemian’s rookie deal running through 2018.

Here’s more from the Mile High City.

Meanwhile, Elway said his understanding is Kayvon Webster wants to play more (Twitter link via Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post). Webster has been public about his desire to have a larger defensive role and he won’t get that opportunity in Denver, being blocked on the cornerback depth chart. Webster, who made our list of this year’s Top 50 Free Agents, has long been expected to leave. The fifth-year corner has served as one of the Broncos’ top special-teamers, but after a rookie season in which fewer obstacles resided in between Webster and a defensive role, the Broncos’ 2014 additions of Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby effectively buried him on the depth chart for the ensuing three seasons. Now employing his previous defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, the Rams are hosting Webster on a visit today.
Domata Peko also received interest from the Bengals, Vikings and Eagles prior to signing his two-year Broncos accord, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post tweets. Peko had obvious connections to the Bengals and the Mike Zimmer-coached Vikings but chose to join the Broncos.
Elway said the team’s starting left tackle might not be on the roster presently, per Renck, but noted recent right tackle signings Menelik Watson and Donald Stephenson are options there. Watson served as an emergency left tackle after injuries ravaged the Raiders’ tackle corps at a point last season, but Oakland primarily utilized him on the right edge. Stephenson began the 2015 season as the Chiefs’ starting left tackle, when he took Eric Fisher‘s spot, but Andy Reid reversed course and placed Fisher back there. Stephenson didn’t get a starting job back and signed with Denver, where he struggled as the team’s primary right tackle starter.
Denver still has interest in re-signing backup outside linebacker Dekoda Watson, according to 9News’ Mike Klis, who confirms the team’s interest in bringing back Vance Walker (Twitter link).
Newly signed Kasim Edebali will likely compete for work behind Von Miller and Shane Ray at outside linebacker, Wolfe writes. He played defensive end in the Saints’ 4-3 scheme and 58.7 percent of New Orleans’ special teams snaps in 2016. The Broncos also have Shaquil Barrett as their top backup at outside ‘backer.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

Jared Cook To Meet With Seahawks

March 13th, 2017 at 6:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the top unsigned UFAs, Jared Cook will make a trip to Seattle to meet with the Seahawks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Cook saw the Packers move on by signing Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks, but he’ll now visit a team that has one of the league’s best tight ends in Jimmy Graham.

Cook is the top tight end available after Bennett took his spot in Green Bay. Despite Aaron Rodgers‘ desire to keep Cook in Wisconsin, the Packers have now replaced him and added his former Rams teammate as depth. The sides broke off talks on Friday, but the Bills and Lions previously resided as top Cook suitors.

Seattle, though, profiles as a more interesting destination due to Graham having proven he can thrive in the Seahawks’ offense last season. The former Saints dynamo rebounded from a severe knee injury and completed a 65-catch, 923-yard, six-touchdown season. Cook would obviously strengthen the Seahawks’ pass offense more, though.

Luke Willson remains unsigned after serving as Graham’s complement last season. Seattle attempted to keep the fifth-year tight end before free agency began, but its offer wasn’t enough to keep Willson off the market. Cook would bring an upgrade if the Seahawks are serious about spending to fortify their passing game.

They lost out on the bidding to land T.J. Lang and still have issues up front, but the soon-to-be 30-year-old Cook showed with Rodgers he can be a difference-maker in big spots. He caught 18 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay’s three playoff tilts. His return from injury last season coincided with the Packers’ six-game run to win the NFC North.

Colts To Sign Margus Hunt

March 13th, 2017 at 6:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts hosted Margus Hunt on a visit today and saw enough to sign the edge player to a two-year contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Hunt saw action as a rotational player for the Bengals last season but never ascended to becoming a regular starter despite Cincinnati having invested a second-round pick in the 6-foot-8 Estonian. The lanky defender played 322 snaps for Cincinnati last season but hasn’t started a game yet as an NFLer.

An SMU product, Hunt has 1.5 career sacks. He profiles as outside pass-rushing depth for a Colts team that’s spent time rebuilding that area over the past few days. Indianapolis added Jabaal Sheard and John Simon to UFA deals late last week and also signed possible depth piece Barkevious Mingo to a one-year contract.

Hunt will transition from the Bengals’ 4-3 to the Colts’ 3-4, one that will have much younger presences on its edges in 2017 than it did previously. The Colts featured Robert Mathis, Erik Walden and Trent Cole as their primary outside linebackers last season. The latter two are free agents, and Mathis retired after the season. Walden is looking for a new team after announcing the Colts aren’t planning to bring him back.

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