Cardinals Rumors: Washington, Bidwill
Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington met with the team on Monday, according to Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic, but it’s not yet known how the meeting went. Washington has been cleared by the league to return to football but the Cardinals reportedly are not interested in taking him back. Technically speaking, the linebacker is under contract with the team through 2020 because his contract was frozen during his suspension. However, he has been out of football for years and it’s unlikely that Arizona or any other club would be willing to pay him the $2.9MM he is due in 2017.
Here’s more on Washington and other Cards news:
- Cardinals president Michael Bidwill tells Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (on Twitter) he expects a decision “fairly soon” on whether the team will keep Washington.
- When asked why the team didn’t draft a potential successor for Carson Palmer, Bidwill said, “We’ve got time on the quarterback situation,” (Twitter link). Heading into the draft, the Cardinals were widely linked to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but the Chiefs moved up to the No. 10 pick and selected him before Arizona could get the chance at No. 13. Fellow top quarterback Deshaun Watson also came off the board before their first pick but they later passed up the opportunity to take other top signal callers like Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer and Cal’s Davis Webb. Palmer, 37, is under contract through 2018.
- On Tuesday, the Cardinals signed cornerback Jumal Rolle.
Jets Host LB Gerald Hodges On Visit
The Jets are hosting linebacker Gerald Hodges on a visit today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: Nick Mangold Upset That Jets Didn’t Make Effort To Keep Him]
Hodges spent last season with the 49ers and had a better season than you might realize. All in all, the 26-year-old totaled 80 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions in 15 games (12 starts) with San Francisco. He also graded 21st among Pro Football Focus’ 87 qualified linebackers. Hodges met with the Chiefs and Seahawks in March, but besides those powwows, we haven’t heard of any other team having serious interest in him until today.
The rebuilding Jets added West Georgia linebacker Dylan Donahue in the fifth round of this year’s draft, but he’s likely ticketed to play on the outside. The Jets project to start David Harris and Darron Lee at the inside linebacker spots with Bruce Carter as the first ILB off the bench, but Hodges, a New Jersey native, could push Randell Johnson for a spot on the 53-man roster.
Hodges isn’t the only notable Niner still floating in free agent limbo. Wide receiver Rod Streater and quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert, and Christian Ponder all remain unsigned.
Chiefs Sign OL Andrew Tiller
One of the best remaining free agent offensive linemen is now off the board. The Chiefs announced that they have signed guard Andrew Tiller. 
Tiller visited the Chiefs in late March and left without a deal, but the two sides circled back to each other roughly six weeks later. The Syracuse product started 14 games over the last two seasons for San Francisco and it’s a bit surprising that he had to wait until May to sign somewhere.
The Chiefs now have four true guards on the roster in Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Zach Fulton, Parker Ehinger, and Tiller. In addition to them, they have a pair of guard/tackles in Jah Reid and Mike Person. The arrival of Tiller could displace Person, particularly if Tiller’s deal comes with a significant guarantee. Then again, since Tiller has signed so late in the offseason, he might not have much of a guarantee on his deal.
Tiller graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 43 ranked guard last season. He had nearly even marks for pass blocking and run blocking, according to PFF’s metrics.
Patriots Host RB Christine Michael On Visit
Christine Michael visited the Patriots on Tuesday, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Michael was released by the Packers earlier this month along with fellow running back Don Jackson, creating room for the three running backs selected in the draft. 
[RELATED: Patriots Could Use UFA Tender On LeGarrette Blount]
Michael signed a new contract with the Packers earlier this offseason, but it didn’t take long for them to have a change of heart. The Texas A&M product was once viewed as a high-upside player, but it’s not clear what C-Mike can bring to the table at this stage of his career. The running back averaged 5.1 yards per carry in a limited sample for the Seahawks in 2014, but he has not been able to replicate that success in the last two seasons.
The Patriots, meanwhile, are pretty well set at running back after signing Mike Gillislee and Rex Burkhead. James White, Dion Lewis, Brandon Bolden, and D.J. Foster are also under contract, giving the team six quality veteran RBs on the roster. Michael could be added to the mix as low-cost competition, but it doesn’t seem like his chances of making the team are all that high.
Khaseem Greene Facing Legal Trouble
The Chiefs released linebacker Khaseem Greene on Tuesday for reasons that weren’t entirely related to football. The Rutgers product was indicted on weapons charges for an incident that went down in December in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as Marisa Iati of NJ.com writes. 
[RELATED: Chiefs Sign Former Saints Second Round Pick Stanley Jean-Baptiste]
Prosecutors found surveillance video of Greene, 28, handing a gun to someone outside of a nightclub on December 3, moments before that person fired a gun into a crowd of people. That man, Jason C. Sanders, gave a statement to authorities in which he confessed that Greene handed him the firearm.
Greene was a fourth round pick of the Bears in 2013, but his time in Chicago didn’t last long. After 25 games in two years for the Bears, he bounced around the league and spent time with the Bucs and Lions before signing a futures contract with the Chiefs in January. Even before the indictment, he was far from a lock to make KC’s 53-man roster. If he cannot clear his name in court, it might be a while before we see him in camp with another team.
Extra Points: Browns, Bengals, Oher, Raiders
Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is currently without an agent, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, who adds Gordon has utilized three different agents in three years. Gordon, 26, is in limbo at the moment after applying for reinstatement in March. He’s yet to hear back from the league regarding his status, and Gordon’s fate with Cleveland is also in question. While reports have indicated the Browns may look to trade Gordon, executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown said the club is open to a Gordon return.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Bengals have agreed to pay first-round wide receiver John Ross his entire 2017 base salary even if he lands on the non-football injury list, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Though Ross suffered injuries (including a torn labrum) while playing football, he wasn’t yet in the NFL when those issues cropped, so the NFI list is still a viable option. Clubs aren’t required to pay players on NFI, but will typically negotiate some sort of compensation if a unique situation arises, and that’s especially true if the player was injured upon arrival in the NFL. Cincinnati inked Ross to a four-year deal worth $17.116MM earlier this week.
- Given that Max Unger may miss the start of the 2017 campaign, the Saints could turn to reserve interior lineman Senio Kelemete to man the center position until Unger returns to full health. Taking over the starting job could be financially beneficial to Kelemete, as he can earn a $200K incentive if he plays 50% of New Orleans’ snaps next season, according to Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link). Kelemete, 26, can bring in another $200K for hitting the 60% and 70% snap mark, as well. In 2016, Kelemete played on 57.5% of the Saints’ offensive plays.
- Panthers offensive tackle Michael Oher turned himself in to Nashville police on Tuesday and will now appear in court on June 6, according to Joseph Person and Lavendrick Smith of the Charlotte Observer. Oher was cited for misdemeanor assault last week following an altercation with an Uber driver in which Oher allegedly knocked the driver to the ground. Carolina selected Western Michigan tackle Taylor Moton in the second round, so Oher — who is still dealing with concussion concerns on top of his legal issues — isn’t a lock to return as a starter, or even make the roster, in 2017.
- The Raiders were “impressed” by undrafted safety Marcus McWilson, and are expected to sign him to a contract following his tryout at the club’s rookie minicamp, per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). McWilson, a Kentucky product, played in 13 games for the Wildcats in 2016, racking up 108 tackles (4.5 for loss) and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown. Oakland has already signed 17 UDFAs and two additional tryout players, but hasn’t yet announced the signing of McWilson.
East Rumors: Pats, Blount, Pugh, Mangold
The Patriots could offer a tender to free agent running back LeGarrette Blount in an attempt to retain him for the 2017 season, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap details (Twitter links). Unrestricted free agents that aren’t signed by May 9 are eligible to be tendered a one-year contract by the player’s original club for 110% of his prior year salary (for Blount, that would amount to roughly $1.1MM). Not only would such a maneuver allow New England to be in line for a 2018 compensatory pick if Blount signs elsewhere, but it would give the Patriots exclusive negotiating rights with the veteran back if he doesn’t land a contract by July 22. This option isn’t exclusive to New England — any team can do this with its unsigned UFAs — but Fitzgerald notes that such a move would be a typical Patriots strategy.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- After playing out his fifth-year option in 2017, Giants guard Justin Pugh will become a free agent next spring, and he’s aware of the rising price tags for interior offensive linemen. “The guard market has gone up,” said Pugh, according to Dan Duggan of NJ.com. “Do you even know who some of those guys are that were getting paid? I feel good about where I’m at.” New York is reportedly interested in signing Pugh to an extension, but the 26-year-old will likely have expensive demands after grading out as the No. 16 guard in the league last season, per Pro Football Focus. Kevin Zeitler reset the guard market this offseason after inking a deal with Cleveland that pays him $12MM annually.
- Free agent center Nick Mangold confirmed previous reports that the Jets didn’t make a real effort to keep him on the roster at a lower price before releasing him outright (Twitter links via SiriusXM NFL Radio). Mangold, 33, was later asked about the possibility of joining the Patriots and quipped Bill Belichick isn’t overly fond of him after the pair’s “battles” in the AFC East. On Monday, Mangold indicated he is still working to get back to full health and didn’t rule out the possibility of retiring. Recently, PFR listed Mangold as a potential external option for the Saints if they need a fill-in for injured center Max Unger.
- Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich is changing his jersey number from 94 to 44 so that can appear eligible on offensive plays, as Tom Rock of Newsday writes. While Herzlich didn’t identify which offensive position he’ll be playing, tight end and/or fullback would seem to make the most sense. Herzlich has played tight end on New York’s scout team, per Rock, but otherwise hasn’t seen time on offense since high school.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/9/17
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed exclusive rights tender: LB Patrick Onwuasor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: LB Khaseem Greene
New York Jets
- Waived: WR Deshon Foxx
Oakland Raiders
- Waived: LB Dwayne Norman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: LS Dax Dellenbach (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
Bills Sign LB Carl Bradford
The Bills announced that they’ve free agent linebacker Carl Bradford after hosting him on a visit earlier today.
Bradford, a former draft choice of the Packers, never lived up to his fourth-round billing in Green Bay, as he didn’t appear in a regular season game until his third year in the NFL. After spending his first two campaigns on the inactive list and the practice squad, Bradford finally played in four games for the Packers in 2016 before being waived. The 24-year-old was claimed by the 49ers, with whom he finished out the 2016 campaign.
While Buffalo didn’t add any free agent linebackers to a group that already includes Reggie Ragland, Preston Brown, and Ramon Humber, it did select two ‘backers — Matt Milano (Boston College) and Tanner Vallejo (Boise State) — on Day 3 of the draft. Bradford will likely present the primary competition for those draft picks as the Bills seek to replace some of the production void left by Zach Brown‘s absence.
Because Bradford has only accrued one NFL season, the Bills would hold his rights for the next several years if he makes the roster and plays well. Assuming he sticks for most of the year, Bradford would become a restricted free agent in 2019 and a unrestricted free agent in 2020.
Colts To Add Front Office Staff Members
New Colts general manager Chris Ballard is initiating a revamp of the club’s front office by hiring former Jets senior director of college scouting Rex Hogan, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). Hogan and former Seahawks senior personnel executive Ed Dodds — who is also expected to be hired soon — will be named co-vice presidents of player personnel, per Breer. Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday (Twitter link) reported earlier today that Indianapolis would likely add Hogan and Dodds.
Indianapolis had been expected to make several changes to its personnel department, and those alterations began last week when the club parted ways with scouting director T.J. McCreight and several other members of that department. Given his title in New York, Hogan would seem to be a natural fit to take over McCreight’s duties, and he offers familiarity with Ballard, as well, as the pair previously worked together in Chicago.
Dodds, meanwhile, has been linked to the Colts since March, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported at the time that Ballard was interested in bringing Dodds to Indianapolis. He’d been expected to land a promotion over his current role in Seattle, and he could help fill the void left by former vice president of football operations Jimmy Raye III, who was let go earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the Colts have also hired Brian Decker, a former Green Beret, as player personnel strategist, tweets Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com. As Wickersham detailed in a fascinating piece last summer, Decker previously worked for the Browns’ front office, creating character assessments under former Cleveland decision-makers Joe Banner, Michael Lombardi, and Ray Farmer.