2017 March - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Alshon Jeffery

March 9th, 2017 at 10:37am CST by Sam Robinson

While the Bears are still discussing a possible re-up with Alshon Jeffery‘s representatives, the market’s top wide receiver is drawing aggressive interest from elsewhere. Both the Colts and Eagles are making “strong pushes” to add the sixth-year wideout, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport notes (on Twitter) Jeffery continues to discuss a deal to stay in Chicago but is weighing multiple other offers.

The Eagles have been connected to just about every marquee receiver on the market but have watched DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Kenny Stills and Kenny Britt agree to sign with other teams. A Jeffery addition would salvage what’s been a wideout-geared offseason for the Eagles thus far.

Indianapolis has more than $47MM in cap space, much more than Philadelphia, but doesn’t have as big of a need at wideout. T.Y. Hilton profiles as a different type of receiver than does Jeffery, but he still led the league in receiving in 2016. The Colts also employ solid No. 2 man Donte Moncrief and drafted Phillip Dorsett in the first round two years ago.

Some trepidation from teams regarding Jeffery’s availability history may be affecting his market, and Jeffery’s best two seasons came in 2013 and ’14 as a No. 2 wideout. But the previously franchise-tagged target figures to cash in, probably for more than $10MM per year based on this layered interest. The Bears, though, would be hit hard if Jeffery left, considering Kevin White has not proven to be reliable. The former first-round pick has missed almost every game during the first two years of his career.

Jets Tender RFA Wesley Johnson

March 9th, 2017 at 10:36am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets have tendered center Wesley Johnson at the second-round level, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Johnson, 26, appeared in 15 games last season with eight starts. He did a solid job of holding down the fort while Nick Mangold was out of action and it makes sense that Gang Green would protect him. Mangold, of course, is now out of the picture, so he should play a significant role in 2017.

Bills To Release Aaron Williams

March 9th, 2017 at 10:27am CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills are set to release Aaron Williams after six seasons, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This comes a few months after the safety’s season ended due to a neck injury.

This move stands to cost the Bills nearly $5MM in dead money since Williams has two years and some guaranteed money left on the four-year contract he signed to stay in Buffalo. The team will save just $1.775MM by making this move, perhaps illustrating the franchise’s feeling about future Williams contributions. The Bills may designate Williams as a post-June 1 cut to split up the dead money hits. Said move would allow them to save $4.2MM in 2017, but the extra cash wouldn’t be available until June begins.

Williams has incurred consistent neck scares during his career, seeing this type of injury sideline him for most of the 2015 season as well. He played in just 10 games in 2015-16 combined and now faces questions about his future. The 26-year-old Williams started 52 games for the Bills after coming to Buffalo as a second-round pick in 2011.

Browns To Sign J.C. Tretter

March 9th, 2017 at 10:26am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns have agreed to sign former Packers offensive lineman J.C. Tretter, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Tretter offers versatility along the line, but he will indeed serve as Cleveland’s center, per Garafolo.

It’s a three-year, $16.75MM deal for Tretter, who will see $10MM in guarantees, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This has been just a portion of a busy day for Browns offensive linemen.

Cleveland is investing heavy resources on its front five on the first official day of free agency, as the club has already agreed to a long-term extension with left guard Joel Bitonio. They also signed Kevin Zeitler to a guard-record $12MM-AAV deal.

Tretter’s signing will have more wide-ranging implications for the rest of the offensive line, and could specifically signal a displeasure with former first-round pick Cameron Erving. Erving struggled during his first season as a full-time starter at the pivot, and while he could potentially move to another position (right tackle or guard), he may simply shift to the bench.

Tretter was never a permanent member of Green Bay’s offensive line during his time there, but he exceeded expectations when asked to start. In 2016, the 26-year-old graded as the No. 9 center in the league, per Pro Football Focus, and started nine games while filling in for Corey Linsley. Linsley is expected to return as the Packers’ center in 2017, leaving the club little room to play Tretter.

Tretter, a former fourth-round draft choice, ranked as PFR’s No. 6 free agent interior offensive lineman.

Rams To Sign WR Robert Woods

March 9th, 2017 at 10:18am CST by Zachary Links

Robert Woods intends to sign a five-year, $39MM deal with the Rams, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The pact will include $15MM in guaranteed cash.

Woods, 24, spent the past four years in Buffalo after being selected in the second round 2013 draft. Playing opposite Sammy Watkins, Woods settled as a dependable No. 2 receiver in an offense that always worked primarily through the running game. During his time in Buffalo, Woods averaged 51 receptions, 613 yards, and three touchdowns per seasons.

In Los Angeles, Woods is (for now) the No. 1 receiver on the depth chart, as the Rams have lost free agent Kenny Britt to the Browns. Woods will play alongside a group that includes Tavon Austin, Mike Thomas, and Pharoh Cooper as 2016 No.1 overall pick Jared Goff attempts to right the ship at quarterback under new head coach Sean McVay.

PFR had Woods ranked as one of the 15 best receivers available in this year’s free agent class.

Ravens Re-Sign Ryan Mallett

March 9th, 2017 at 10:17am CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Ravens have agreed to re-sign backup quarterback Ryan Mallett. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) first reported the news.

Mallett also had interest from the Jets, Bears, and 49ers and was mulling opportunities with all four clubs as recently as Wednesday night, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link) On Thursday, he reached a decision.

Next season will be the third campaign in Baltimore for Mallett, who first joined the team late in 2015. Mallett had previous stops in New England, which chose him in the third round of the 2011 draft, and Houston.

The ex-Arkansas star attempted only four passes as a member of the Patriots, with whom he backed up Tom Brady, before garnering more playing time as a Texan. The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder fared poorly in Houston, though, as he completed just 53.6 percent of passes, threw five touchdowns against six interceptions, and averaged only 5.3 yards per attempt across nine appearances and six starts. His tenure there ended shortly after he overslept and missed a team charter flight.

Now 28, Mallett hasn’t been particularly effective with the Ravens in six games and two starts (59.2 percent completion rate, two TDs against three picks, and 5.7 YPA), but the team is apparently comfortable with him in a reserve role behind Joe Flacco.

Browns Still In On Terrelle Pryor?

March 9th, 2017 at 10:14am CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the Browns have already agreed to sign wide receiver Kenny Britt, they’re not completely out of the race for fellow pass-catcher Terrelle Pryor, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. It still appears “unlikely” that Cleveland will re-sign Pryor, however. Mike Garafolo of NFL.com echoes this sentiment, pointing toward a future that sees Pryor depart northeast Ohio (Twitter link).

The Browns opted not to use the franchise nor the transition tag on Pryor, instead allowing him to become a free agent despite possessing gobs of cap space. While reports have indicated Pryor is looking for $12MM on the open market, it’s unclear if any club is actually willing to meet that demand — indeed, his ceiling may be in the $10MM range. So far, he’s been linked to the Steelers, Giants, 49ers, Eagles, and Titans.

As a 27-year-old who possesses size (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) and speed, Pryor is one of the most attractive free agent receivers on the market. Despite having to work with five quarterbacks in 2016, most of whom were mediocre or worse, Pryor (an ex-QB himself) piled up 77 receptions, 1,007 yards and four touchdowns on 140 targets in his first serious action as a receiver.

Latest On Tony Romo

March 9th, 2017 at 10:14am CST by Sam Robinson

Now set to be a UFA after months of conjecture about a trade that never materialized, Tony Romo might not be entering as an aggressive of a sweepstakes as many envisioned. The teams thought to be his top suitors, the Broncos and Texans, aren’t moving swiftly to discuss the soon-to-be 37-year-old quarterback, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com reports (on Twitter).

Robinson notes it’s a “more laid-back” pursuit of Romo. He describes the Broncos’ attitude as lukewarm to this prospect while labeling the Texans as potentially out of the running already. The Broncos have yet to have one meeting to discuss a Romo acquisition, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.

Other teams could make a play for Romo, but Denver and Houston profile as the two most logical landing spots. Romo has eyed both, and the Broncos were reportedly ready to consider the longtime Cowboys passer once he became a free agent while the Texans led the figurative race in the minds of insiders at the Combine, but this could be a slower-developing process.

Denver did draft Paxton Lynch in the first round last year and received competent play from Trevor Siemian in 2016, and Houston still has Brock Osweiler signed to a now-onerous contract. Word out of Houston has been a less bullish stance on a Romo union than what’s come out of Denver. Nothing indicating an aggressive Texans push for Romo has emerged this offseason.

Eagles To Sign Torrey Smith

March 9th, 2017 at 10:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have landed Torrey Smith. The veteran wide receiver will get a three-year, $15MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

The Ravens were said to be nearing a deal to bring Smith back to Baltimore. Apparently, that fell through. Now, the Eagles have added Smith as another weapon for quarterback Carson Wentz to work with.

The Eagles have been in the market for a deep-threat wide receiver this offseason and Smith fits the bill. The bigger question now is whether they have given up on their Brandin Cooks pursuit. The Patriots are reportedly mulling a deal which would see Malcolm Butler go to New Orleans (perhaps as part of a package) in exchange for Cooks.

Smith, 28, floundered during the past two seasons in San Francisco, but he’s now heading to a much better offensive environment. The Eagles reportedly mulled a trade for Smith last season, but no agreement was ever reached. Smith, who’s averaged 17 yards per catch during his six-year career, will slot in as Philadelphia’s top pass-catcher for the 2017 campaign.

We ranked the veteran as the eighth-best available wideout.

Eagles Will Not Tender Kenjon Barner

March 9th, 2017 at 10:06am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles will not place an RFA tender on running back Kenjon Barner, tweets Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Barner, 28 next month, has spent the past two seasons with the Eagles, racking up more than 55 carries during that time. While he’s managed 4.6 yards per carry in that span, he was never able to garner a larger workload. A low tender offer would have cost nearly $2MM, so it’s possible Philadelphia will non-tender Barner now before re-signing him on a cheaper deal.

For now, the Eagles’ backfield is comprised of Ryan Mathews, Wendell Smallwood, Darren Sproles, Byron Marshall, and Terrell Watson, though Mathews is thought to be a candidate for release.