2017 March - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Had Trade Interest In Connor Barwin

March 9th, 2017 at 4:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers discussed a Connor Barwin trade with the Eagles before he was released, tweets Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. As such, San Francisco could make sense as a landing spot for Barwin.

Barwin was in the midst of a six-year, $36MM contract he signed in 2013. Last year, the 30-year-old totaled 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble. He appeared in all 16 regular season games for the sixth consecutive season.

Part of the reason for Barwin’s Eagles ouster is his poor fit in a 4-3 scheme. The 49ers are now moving to a 4-3 front under new coordinator Robert Saleh, although his defense is said to have elements of a 3-4 look. Either way, San Francisco clearly has some level of interest in adding Barwin to its roster.

Titans Agree To Deals With Three

March 9th, 2017 at 4:50pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Looking to bolster their special teams unit, the Titans have made a trio of notable moves in that phase of the game. In addition to re-signing linebacker Nate Palmer, the club has agreed to deals with safety Brynden Trawick and another LB, Daren Bates (Twitter links via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN, Adam Caplan of ESPN and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports).

Trawick is now the highest-paid special teamer in the NFL, having landed a contract worth a max of $6.85MM over two years. The Titans will be the third team for the 27-year-old Trawick, who was with the Ravens from 2013-15 and the Raiders last season. Trawick saw action in 67.7 percent of the Raiders’ special teams plays.

Bates was teammates with Trawick last year in Oakland, where the former was involved in 83.9 percent of the club’s special teams plays. Bates, who spent 2013-15 with the Rams, will make $6MM on a three-year deal.

Palmer, meanwhile, was on the field for 60 percent of the Titans’ special teams snaps a year ago and is now set to remain with the club for the next two seasons. The 27-year-old was with Green Bay in the 2013 and ’15 campaigns.

Each of these moves should aid a Titans club whose ST unit finished a below-average 19th in DVOA last season.

Steelers Re-Sign QB Landry Jones

March 9th, 2017 at 4:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Landry Jones will continue to be Ben Roethlisberger‘s backup. The Steelers announced that they have signed the backup quarterback to a two-year deal.

The 2013 fourth-round pick didn’t take the field during his first two years in the league, but he saw action in 15 games (four starts) over the past two campaigns. Jones has completed 60.3-percent of his career passes for 1,071 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions.

“He has a very good understanding of our offense,” coach Mike Tomlin said last season (via the Steelers website). “He is a good communicator. It’s part of the functions of being a backup quarterback, the talking of schematics and the seeing of what is on the field and the communicating of such. He has grown in a lot of ways in that area in the last several years.”

Earlier this offseason, general manager Kevin Colbert acknowledged that the team would like to keep Jones in Pittsburgh, but he added that the team could also look to bring in some competition behind Big Ben. There could be some pressure surrounding the team’s search for a future starter, as there were rumors surrounding a potential Roethlisberger retirement earlier this offseason.

Chargers To Sign Russell Okung

March 9th, 2017 at 4:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers will sign offensive tackle Russell Okung to four-year, $53MM deal, per Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). The pact contains $25MM guaranteed, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.

Los Angeles is stealing away a division rival’s left tackle in Okung, who previously negotiated his own contract last offseason when he left Seattle for Denver. His four-year, $48MM deal with the Broncos came with an escape clause for the team after 2016 that Denver took advantage of. Okung, to his credit, posted the first 16-start season of his seven-year career with the Broncos. The 29-year-old didn’t play at an especially high level, though, as Pro Football Focus ranked his performance a middling 38th among 78 qualified tackles.

In addition to the Chargers and Broncos, Okung had also been linked to the Vikings, Jets, Giants, Rams, and Seahawks. As such, Okung was able to parlay that level of interest into a deal that appears to be larger than his option would have provided. The total value is $5MM greater, and while we’ll have to wait for exact fully guaranteed figures, Okung was only set to earn $20.5MM guaranteed in his remaining Denver years.

The addition of Okung will likely lead to the release of incumbent Chargers left tackle King Dunlap. The 31-year-old is coming off his second straight injury-shortened campaign, having combined for 19 appearances (12 last season) since 2015. A four-year Charger, Dunlap has started in all 46 of his appearances with the club. If done as as a pre-June 1 designation, cutting Dunlap would save the Bolts $4.875MM and leave with $3.25MM in dead money.

Steelers Waive RB Karlos Williams

March 9th, 2017 at 4:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers have waived running back Karlos Williams, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). The former fifth-rounder never took the field for Pittsburgh during his one-year stint with the organization.

Williams joined the Steelers’ practice squad in October, but the running back was subsequently suspended 10 games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Following his return, the organization inked him to a reserve/futures contract.

Williams played in 11 games with the Bills during his rookie campaign, including three starts. He ultimately ran for 517 yards and seven touchdowns on 93 carries (5.6-yard average), and he added another 11 receptions for 96 yards and two scores. The player’s pair of suspensions have certainly clouded his future in the league.

The Steelers are now rostering a pair of running backs in Le’Veon Bell and Fitzgerald Toussaint.

Latest On Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles

March 9th, 2017 at 4:35pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Even though he’s among the best running backs in NFL history, free agency isn’t unfolding in ideal fashion for seven-time Pro Bowler Adrian Peterson. The careerlong Viking is drawing far less interest on the open market than Jamaal Charles, another highly accomplished, over-30 rusher, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com).

Since Wednesday, four teams that could potentially sign Peterson – the Texans, Patriots, Raiders and Seahawks – have shown little to no interest in adding the 31-year-old. He could conceivably return to the running back-needy Vikings, who drafted him in 2007, but they’re now in on a longtime rival, free agent Eddie Lacy, who spent the first four years of his career in Green Bay.

As is the case with Peterson, Charles has been an elite back throughout his career. But the nine-year Chief dealt with serious knee injuries over the past two seasons and combined for just eight appearances as a result. In three games in 2016, Charles only totaled 12 carries. Nevertheless, his market is more robust than Peterson’s. And while the Seahawks don’t want AP, they are primed to visit with Charles next week.

Rams Cut C Tim Barnes

March 9th, 2017 at 4:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams are in the market for a center. The team released center Tim Barnes on Thursday, agent Matt Brei tweets.

Barnes made 32 consecutive starts for the Rams. Now, he’s free to sign with any club.

Last year, Barnes re-signed with the Rams on a two-year, $5.6MM deal with $2.5MM guaranteed. His $750K roster bonus would have become guaranteed for injury if he remained on the team on the third day of 2017 league year (later this week). That would have become fully guaranteed if he remained on the roster through June 17.

In 2015, he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 29th-best center out of 39 qualifiers. This past season, PFF ranked him 31st out of 38 qualifiers.

Jaguars Sign LB Lerentee McCray

March 9th, 2017 at 4:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Linebacker Lerentee McCray is joining the Jaguars, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The deal is worth $3.5MM with $1MM guaranteed.

The former undrafted free agent had a career-year during his lone season in Buffalo. In 13 games, McCray finished with 16 tackles and one forced fumble while accounting for 163 total snaps. The linebacker previously spent time with the Broncos and Packers.

McCray will join a Jaguars linebacker corps that currently has Myles Jack, Paul Posluszny, and Telvin Smith slotted in as starters. The 26-year-old defender will presumably be in the mix for a reserve role along with Dan Skuta, Marcus Rush, Sean Porter, and Hayes Pullard.

Browns Claim C Marcus Martin Off Waivers

March 9th, 2017 at 4:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns claimed center Marcus Martin off waivers, according to longtime NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter). Martin was waived by the 49ers on Wednesday.

The former third-round pick started 24 of his 26 games over three seasons with the Niners. Martin only played in five games last season before being placed on the injured reserve. In college, the lineman started 33 starts over three seasons with USC.

Martin will now serve as a backup for center J.C. Tretter. Tretter signed with Cleveland today on a lucrative three-year deal. After missing more than half of the 2016 season, Tretter will need a quality understudy. The Browns may feel they have that with Martin.

Titans Make Standing Offer For Brandin Cooks

March 9th, 2017 at 4:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have put their cards on the table. They have a standing offer out to the Saints for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Tennessee has been working to land Cooks for the past week or so. The Eagles dropped out of the Cooks chase – and we can say that with certainty now that they’ve signed Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith – but the Patriots are still very much in pursuit. It’s not yet known what the Titans have offered to the Saints, but it may involve first-round compensation. The Titans own the No. 5 overall selection as well as the No. 18 overall pick. One scenario floated recently involved the Titans swapping their No. 5 pick for the Saints’ No. 11 pick.

The Patriots, meanwhile, are reportedly considering a trade that would involve cornerback Malcolm Butler going to New Orleans in exchange for the superstar wide receiver.

Photo courtesy of PFR on Instagram.