Bears Willing To Trade TE Zach Miller?
The Bears told rival clubs at the scouting combine earlier this year that if they selected a tight end in the draft, they could be willing to deal veteran tight end Zach Miller, Michael Lombardi reported on The Ringer NFL Show (SoundCloud link).
Chicago did indeed draft a tight end, picking up Ashland’s Adam Shaheen in the second round. Additionally, the Bears signed free agent tight end Dion Sims to a three-year, $18MM deal this offseason that included $6MM in guaranteed money. Other tight ends on Chicago’s roster include Daniel Brown, Ben Braunecker, and MyCole Pruitt.
Miller, 32, finished the 2016 campaign on injured reserve after suffering a broken foot in Week 11. In only 10 games, however, Miller had already surpassed his 2015 reception and yardage totals while scoring four touchdowns. In his two seasons with the Bears, Miller has averaged 52 catches for 592 yards and four touchdowns on a per 16-game rate.
Entering the final year of his contract, Miller is due a $1MM base salary in 2017. Any club that acquires Miller would be responsible for that figure, as well as $1MM in per-game roster bonuses. The Bears, meanwhile, would incur $500K in dead money if they trade Miller.
LeGarrette Blount Had Been Nearing Deal
Had the Patriots not assigned a May 9 tender to LeGarrette Blount, the veteran running back may landed a new deal by now, as at least two clubs were “poised” to work a contract with Blount, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Top 8 Fits For LeGarrette Blount]
While it’s not clear exactly which teams were willing to offer Blount a pact, it’s fair to wonder if the Lions and Giants were involved. Thus far, Detroit and New York are the only two clubs known to have serious interest in Blount, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports recently reported that both teams were “in play” for Blount.
The Patriots’ decision to tender Blount complicates matters, but only slightly. Blount can still negotiate with other clubs but will now count against the 2018 compensatory formula. However, the last compensatory pick is currently tied to a $2.05MM annual salary, so the club that inks Blount would only sacrifice a 2018 comp selection if Blount earns more than that total.
The Lions don’t have to consider any possible compensatory pick forfeiture, as they aren’t projected to earn any comp selections in 2018. The Giants, meanwhile, are currently entitled to a 2018 fourth-rounder as a result of losing defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins. But, as Nick Korte of Over the Cap writes, Big Blue could take measures to sign Blount and ensure they retain a compensatory pick.
If Blount doesn’t sign by July 22, the Patriots will own exclusive negotiating rights through Week 10 of the regular season. If Blount doesn’t sign his tender (or agree to another deal) with New England before then, he’ll be forced to sit out the entire 2017 campaign.
Latest On Ex-Redskins GM Scot McCloughan
Former Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan is working on a severance package with the club, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. McCloughan, who was fired on the first day of the free agent period, had two years left on his contract. Meanwhile, NFL executives believe McCloughan will soon be hired by another team, either in an advisory capacity or another personnel position. Presumably, McCloughan won’t be able to take another job until his severance is finalized.
Even given his ouster in Washington, most around the NFL would agree McCloughan is an excellent talent evaluator. Prior to his stint with the Redskins, McCloughan was the driving force behind the 49ers’ run of success in the early 2010s, and also helped build the Seahawks’ core during his tenure in Seattle.
McCloughan has exhibited openness and honesty about his struggles with alcohol, and reports vary as to whether his alcohol abuse contributed to his exit from Washington. Mike Jones of the Washington Post was told team management would one day use McCloughan’s drinking as an excuse to fire him. Redskins president Bruce Allen reportedly told McCloughan “nobody wants you here” earlier this year, just one documented instance of strain in what was apparently a disastrous relationship.
At present, McCloughan is operating his personal scouting service (as he did before landing the Redskins GM job). McCloughan advised teams during the draft, but didn’t divulge Washington’s scouting insights, only his own, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com writes.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/17
Today’s minor moves:
- The Eagles have waived wide receiver Rasheed Bailey, the club announced today. Philadelphia had signed Bailey, 23, to a futures contract in January. Originally an undrafted free agent out of Division III Delaware Valley State in 2015, Bailey landed with the Eagles before bouncing between the Canadian Football League, the Jaguars, and the Chargers. Bailey, who has yet to appear in an NFL game, would’ve been hard-pressed to earn a roster spot with Philadelphia, especially after the club inked free agents Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith and drafted Mack Hollins and Shelton Gibson.
- The Cardinals announced that they’ve waived the following four players: wide receivers Harvey Binford, Marvin Hall, and Chris Hubert, and safety Trevon Hartfield. Binford, 26, participated in Arizona’s “pro combine” earlier this year. Of the four cut loose by the Cardinals, only Hartfield has ever played in an NFL contest, as he appeared in two games for Arizona last season.
- The Vikings have waived offensive tackle Nick Fett, tweets Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune. Fett, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa State, had just signed with Minnesota earlier this month. His release will make room for veteran receiver Michael Floyd, whom the Vikings signed today.
Questions About Ziggy Ansah’s Age Emerge
There have been whispers about Ezekiel Ansah‘s true age ever since he was drafted in 2013. The Ghana native, some have said, was actually born in 1987, which would mean that he is on the cusp of his 30th birthday rather than his 28th birthday. When the latest round of rumors picked up, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reached out to the Lions for clarity. 
“We believe our published information is accurate — born May 29, 1989,” a team spokesman said in a text message.
As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) notes, teams around the league viewed Ansah’s passport back during the draft process and confirmed his age. This may not be a 100% foolproof way to verify the age of a player born outside of the U.S., but it’s the best info that the league has as its disposal and the belief remains that he was born in 1989.
Ansah certainly doesn’t want any questions about his age to linger as the team looks to sign him to a long-term extension. The difference between 30 and 28 may seem like splitting hairs to some, but it makes a major difference in the NFL and a discrepancy here would likely cost Ansah millions of dollars.
Ansah was hampered by ankle and shoulder issues in 2016, but he should be in for a bounce back year if he stays healthy. In 2015, Ansah recorded 14.5 sacks and earned his first career Pro Bowl nod.
Patriots Apply Tender To LeGarrette Blount
The Patriots have applied a May 9 tender to running back LeGarrette Blount, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The tender is worth 110% of his total pay in 2016, which means that it is a one-year deal with a $1.1MM base with another $1MM in incentives tied to rushing yards. The rarely-used device could pay dividends for the defending champs. 
[RELATED: Top 8 Fits For RB LeGarrette Blount]
The move gives the Patriots exclusive negotiating rights with Blount starting on July 22, provided that he doesn’t sign elsewhere first. Starting on that date and going all the way through Week 10 of the regular season, Blount will not be able to sign with any club but New England. If Blount does sign with a team before 7/22, the signing will count towards the compensatory draft pick formula for 2018. Without the tender, Blount would have been free to sign somewhere else today and that club would not have had to worry about hurting its standing in next year’s draft.
At last check, the Lions and Giants were the two teams with the most interest in the veteran running back. Last week, I ran down eight potential fits for Blount in the event that he does not wind up with the Patriots.
Vikings To Sign WR Michael Floyd
Michael Floyd has found a home. The wide receiver is signing with the Vikings, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal worth roughly $1.5MM, Rapoport tweets. The deal could pay as much as $6MM if he reaches all of his incentives. 
Floyd was once viewed as a future star in Arizona, but his production slipped in recent years and the team gave him the boot last year after he was arrested on a DUI for the second time in his life. The wide receiver was claimed by the Patriots and although he was a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl, the team did express some interest in retaining him. Ultimately, it’s the Vikings making the low-risk, high-reward move for the 2017 season.
Minnesota seems pretty set from WR1-WR4, but Floyd could push Isaac Fruechte and late draft picks Rodney Adams and Stacy Coley for a roster spot. Ahead of that group, the Vikings have Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Jarius Wright, and Laquon Treadwell as their top receivers. Floyd will be confined to house arrest until June, so he’ll have to wait a bit before showing his stuff in Minnesota.
Floyd had 33 catches for 446 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games before the Cardinals cut him loose. In 2013, his best NFL season, he had 65 catches for 1,041 yards and five touchdowns.
The pact marks a homecoming for Floyd who was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and played his high school ball at Cretin-Derham Hall.
Eagles’ Brandon Graham Planning Holdout?
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham is expected to skip organized team activities later this month and might even abstain from mandatory minicamp in June unless the Eagles renegotiate his contract, two NFL sources tell Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Meanwhile, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears that there is no contract dispute between Graham and the team. 
Graham, 29, is midway through a four-year, $26MM deal signed with Philly in 2015. He’s scheduled to carry cap numbers of $7.5MM in each of the next two seasons, but he apparently wants more dollars and/or more years. As it stands, the Eagles would only have to carry $1MM in dead money if they were to release him after the 2017 season, so he’s likely looking for some form of increased security.
Last year, Graham finished out with 5.5 sacks, but he had a much better season than the standard numbers would suggest. Pro Football Focus rated Graham as the No. 2 edge defender in the NFL last season with a stellar 93.3 overall score and he was edged only by Raiders star Khalil Mack. In the two years prior, PFF cast him as a top 15 or 20 edge rusher in the league, so Graham has a history of producing at a high level. Still, with two years to go on his current deal, he won’t have a ton of leverage in talks unless he stays away from the team this summer.
Broncos Sign Rookie QB Chad Kelly
The Broncos have reached agreement on a rookie deal with quarterback Chad Kelly, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. As dictated by his draft slot, the deal will be a four-year deal with a signing bonus worth nearly $65K. 
Kelly, the nephew of Bills legend Jim Kelly, was once considered to be a top QB in the 2017 class. However, a injury concerns and off-the-field issues dropped him down to a Day 3 prospect and nearly pushed him out of the draft altogether. The Broncos selected him with the final pick in the draft – No. 253 overall – making him one of the most intriguing Mr. Irrelevant selections in draft history.
The Broncos have Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian atop the depth chart, but they feel that Kelly could be worth a look as a developmental quarterback. The reality is that they won’t know what they have in the Ole Miss product until he is healthy. A torn ACL kept him from auditioning for teams in the early part of 2017 and a wrist injury shut down his Pro Day just as it was getting started. Someone like Kelly might be better suited for the practice squad, but the Broncos will have to expose him to waivers before stashing him away.
In addition to the Kelly deal, the Broncos have also agreed to terms with sixth-round running back De’Angelo Henderson, a Coastal Carolina product (Twitter link via Klis). To clear a roster spot, Broncos have waived center James Ferentz, as Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post tweets.
Brandon Beane To Control Bills’ Roster?
Will new Bills GM Brandon Beane have final say over the roster? The team’s public answer could differ from the day-to-day reality.
Coach Sean McDermott, who effectively was in charge of this year’s draft, will cede control of the 53-man roster to Beane, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Bills owner and CEO Terry Pegula will communicate this to the public on Friday, but McDermott will retain final say over the 53-man roster, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter links) hears. This is similar to the Chiefs’ model in which GM John Dorsey has a say in the roster, but everything must get the green light from coach Andy Reid.
Right now, we have conflicting reports from two highly-trusted reporters, so it remains to be seen how things will truly be divvied up between the two men. This offseason, McDermott wrestled control of operations away from former GM Doug Whaley and effectively pushed him out of Buffalo. After seizing that kind of power early on in his tenure, some believed that McDermott would continue to call the shots in the front office. Soon, we should have a better idea of how things will shake out in Western New York.
“During our search for a new general manager, Brandon stood out to Kim [Pegula] and I as he embodies the type of leader and type of person we want in our organization,” Terry Pegula said in a statement earlier this week. “Brandon has excelled in a variety of roles for a Panthers team that has consistently competed at a high-level in this league. We feel his vast understanding and experience in many facets of football operations will be invaluable to our club moving forward.”
Before hiring Beane, the Bills also considered Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst, Eagles director of college scouting Trey Brown, and Texans director of player personnel Brian Gaine.