2017 March - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Sign QB Matt Barkley

March 9th, 2017 at 10:53pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers are signing quarterback Matt Barkley, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). There hadn’t been any whispers regarding the 26-year-old since free agency started.

The 2013 fourth-round pick will now be playing for the fourth team of his soon-to-be five-year career. After having played in only four game through his first three seasons in the league, Barkley got an opportunity filling if for an injured Jay Cutler on the Bears last season. The team went 1-5 in the quarterback’s six starts, and he finished the campaign having completed 59.7-percent of his passes for eight touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

This is the second quarterback the 49ers have signed this week, as they previously added veteran Brian Hoyer. Currently, Hoyer and Barkley are the only two quarterbacks on SF’s roster.

Contract Details: Jackson, Whitworth, Hyde

March 9th, 2017 at 10:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at details of some recent free agent contracts:

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson‘s deal with the Buccaneers is a three-year, $33.5MM pact that features $20MM in guarantees and $23.5MM over the first two seasons, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link).
Safety D.J. Swearinger‘s new deal with the Redskins includes $9MM in guaranteed money, reports Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post (via Twitter). The journeyman will earn $3MM in 2018 and $4.25MM in 2019.
Tackle Andrew Whitworth‘s new deal with the Rams is worth $36MM with $15MM guaranteed, but a big chunk of that $15MM could be realized in 2017. As Jason La Canfora tweets, the lineman’s $12.5MM 2017 salary is guaranteed, and he’s owed another $2.5MM bonus. Therefore, the contract could be interpreted as a one-year deal worth $15MM.
Micah Hyde‘s new contract will count $4MM against the Bills salary cap next season, reports ESPN’s Mike Rodak. The safety’s 2017 salary is guaranteed, while the 2018 salary is guaranteed for injury (it becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league year).

Titans To Sign Logan Ryan

March 9th, 2017 at 10:37pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Another big-name cornerback is coming off the market: The Titans have agreed to a deal with Logan Ryan, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). It’s a three-year, $30MM pact, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

The 26-year-old Ryan is the second major addition the Titans have made to the secondary on the first day of the 2017 league year. The team previously agreed to a deal with safety Jonathan Cyprien.

Titans general manager Jon Robinson is already quite familiar with Ryan, whom the executive had a large hand in drafting back in 2013. Robinson was then the director of college scouting for the Patriots, with whom Ryan won two Super Bowls during the first four years of his career.

Although Ryan thrived in New England, it became obvious a parting of ways was in the offing when the reigning champions inked fellow corner Stephon Gilmore to a mega-deal earlier Thursday. But the Patriots’ loss will be a sizable gain for the Titans, who ranked 26th in DVOA against the pass and 30th in aerial yardage allowed last year. At the same time, Ryan registered his fourth straight 16-appearance season and tallied 92 tackles and two interceptions across 13 starts. His performance ranked a stellar 16th among Pro Football Focus’ 112 qualified corners.

With 2016 factored in, Ryan has racked up 40 starts and 13 picks in his career. The ex-Rutgers star will now join college teammate Jason McCourty and Brice McCain, among other corners, in Tennessee.

TE Jordan Cameron Retires

March 9th, 2017 at 10:19pm CST by Ben Levine

After suffering four concussions in four seasons, tight end Jordan Cameron has decided to step away from football. Ryan Bartow of 247Sports.com reports (via Twitter) that the veteran has retired from the NFL.

Cameron entered the league as a fourth-round pick in 2011, and he proceeded to play four seasons with the Browns. The tight end earned a Pro Bowl birth in 2013 following a campaign where he collected 80 receptions for 917 yards and seven touchdowns. He signed a two-year, $15MM deal with the Dolphins prior to the 2015 season, and he played 16 games during his first season in Miami. However, Cameron continued to rack up concussions, limiting him to only three games this past season. The 28-year-old will have finished his career having played in 66 career games.

Dolphins coach Adam Gase told reporters in November that the tight end was still interested in playing, perhaps implying that the organization would have welcomed him back. Instead, the team is currently rolling with Julius Thomas, Anthony Fasano, MarQueis Gray, and Thomas Duarte as their tight ends.

Despite the injury history, we still ranked Cameron as the 14th-best free agent tight end.

49ers, Aldrick Robinson Agree To Deal

March 9th, 2017 at 10:14pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers have agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $6MM with free agent wide receiver Aldrick Robinson, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Like fellow Niners newcomer and receiver Pierre Garcon, Robinson is already familiar with the team’s rookie head coach, Kyle Shanahan. In fact, the 28-year-old Robinson has played a significant portion of his career under Shanahan’s tutelage since entering the NFL as a sixth-round pick of the Redskins in 2011. Shanahan was their offensive coordinator through the 2013 campaign, and the two reunited when Shanahan led Atlanta’s ‘O’ last year.

While Robinson is clearly a Shanahan favorite, the 5-foot-10, 184-pounder won’t bring a track record of high-end production to San Francisco. Robinson, who has also spent time with the Ravens, has totaled just 50 catches in 54 games. He has made those receptions count, though, with an excellent career yards-per-catch average of 18.6. Robinson averaged 16.2 yards per grab last season, when he logged a personal-best 20 receptions and added two touchdowns on 32 targets.

Robinson is the fourth receiver the 49ers have agreed to a deal with this week. In addition to Robinson and Garcon, the Niners have re-signed Jeremy Kerley and picked up Marquise Goodwin.

Dolphins To Meet With Nate Allen

March 9th, 2017 at 10:04pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins are preparing to cut Isa Abdul-Quddus following a failed physical, and the team is already looking at alternative defensive backs. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the team will be meeting with free agent safety Nate Allen tomorrow.

After being selected by the Eagles in the second-round of the 2010 draft, Allen has spent the past two seasons in Oakland. The safety tore his MCL during his first season with the Raiders, limiting him to only five games (three starts). He rebounded in 2016, collecting 33 tackles, three passes defended, and two interceptions in 14 games (four starts). The 29-year-old also has extensive special teams experience.

The Dolphins has a hole in their starting lineup as they look for a safety to pair with Reshad Jones. Walt Aikens is currently slotted in as the starting free safety, while A.J. Hendy is the lone reserve safety on the roster.

A.J. Bouye, Alshon Jeffery Didn’t Consider Signing With Bears

March 9th, 2017 at 9:58pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Bears will emerge from the opening of free agency having added Mike Glennon, Dion Sims, Markus Wheaton and Will Demps, but Thursday didn’t go according to plan for the franchise, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

Chicago attempted to use its boatload of cap space to sign more established players, including top cornerback Stephon Gilmore and A.J. Bouye and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, but the team swung and missed on all counts. While the Bears looked like the favorites to ink Gilmore as recently as Tuesday, he instead joined the Patriots on a mega-deal. Meanwhile, prior to landing his own enormous payday with the Jaguars, Bouye didn’t even give the Bears serious consideration, a source told Biggs.

Like Bouye, Jeffery had no interest in signing with the Bears, multiple sources informed Biggs. He ultimately took a one-year, $14MM offer from the Eagles to leave Chicago, where he spent the first five seasons of his career and emerged as one of the NFL’s top pass catchers.

Should the Bears could continue scouring the open market for potential solutions at either position, some appealing options remain in a dwindling class of free agents. Logan Ryan, Prince Amukamara and Morris Claiborne are among the league’s still-unsigned corners, while Terrelle Pryor is the best wideout without a contract. It’s unclear, though, whether the Bears are interested in any of those players.

Titans To Sign S Johnathan Cyprien

March 9th, 2017 at 9:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans will sign safety Johnathan Cyprien today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It will be a four-year, $25MM deal for the defensive back, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). The reporter adds that Cyprien will make $7MM next season.

Jaguars fans are often frustrated by Cyprien’s play, but he turned one of his best seasons to date in 2016. I had him ranked as the No. 31 free agent on my Top 50 list after he finished out with 126 total tackles, one sack, and four pass deflections. Pro Football Focus gave him a 87.8 overall grade – the best of his career – and placed him No. 7 among all safeties, just ahead of Chiefs star Eric Berry.

In Tennessee, Cyprien will pair with Kevin Byard in the back end, and given that Cyprien is a defender who plays closer to the line of scrimmage, Byard will need to excel at deep safety. Cyprien is an excellent run defender, but playing against the pass has never been his strong point.

With Cyprien’s signing, Rashad Johnson is presumably not in the Titans’ plans going forward.

Giants To Release Will Johnson

March 9th, 2017 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Giants are releasing Will Johnson, the fullback told Dan Duggan of NJ.com. However, the 28-year-old said he could return to the organization on a minimum-salary deal. Johnson had one-year remaining on the two-year, $2.3MM deal he signed last offseason. As Duggan notes, the move will save the Giants about $1MM.

Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) confirmed the news, adding that a return is possible but he will first explore the market. The move will save $610K against the cap.

The team inked tight end/fullback Rhett Ellison earlier this week, and it was apparent that the team would likely move on from Johnson, who would theoretically play a similar role in the G-Men offense. The fullback didn’t take the field in 2016 as he recovered from “slight nerve damage to the deltoid muscle.” Prior to that, Johnson played four seasons with the Steelers, where he only missed a single game.

Johnson has eight career carries for 14 yards and one touchdown. He’s hauled in another 31 receptions for 235 yards and two scores.

“I’d like to come back, but I know they just signed a guy who basically does the same thing I do, so I don’t know if they even want me back,” Johnson said. “They’re aware that I can sign elsewhere. I plan to shop around. There’s not much of a market for me coming off (injured reserve) for a season. So, we’ll see how things turn out.”

Panthers Looking To Sign Russell Shepard

March 9th, 2017 at 9:14pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers are “working on signing” wideout Russell Shepard, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It’s realistic the two sides will reach an agreement, a league source tells Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).

The former special teamer emerged as an offensive threat for the Buccaneers last season. After having collected seven receptions through his first four seasons in the league, Shepard hauled in 23 catches for 341 yards and two touchdowns last year. In 57 career games, the 26-year-old has added another 32 tackles. Shepard was the Buccaneers special teams captain the past two seasons.

The Panthers are presumably pursuing Shepard for his special teams prowess, but he could also slide into the team’s wide receiver depth chart. The veteran could compete with Damiere Byrd to play behind Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, and Brenton Bersin.