Pro Football Rumors Seeking Part-Time Writers
We’re looking to add part-time contributors to the Pro Football Rumors Rumors writing team. The position pays on an hourly basis. Applicants must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NFL teams, with no discernible bias.
- Knowledge of the salary cap and transaction-related concepts.
- At least some college education.
- Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both strongly preferred.
- Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
- Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
- Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
- Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick writing with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers or links to other relevant articles.
- Ability to use an RSS feed reader. Ability to use Twitter. Both of these are crucial.
- Strong weekend availability is crucial. You must frequently be available to work between 5-11 pm central time on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.
If you’re interested, email pfrapplications@gmail.com by May 14 (11:00pm central time) and take a couple of paragraphs to explain why you qualify and stand out. Many will apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to every applicant.
Lions, Matthew Stafford Begin Negotiations
It’s early, but contract talks are underway between the Lions and Matthew Stafford, GM Bob Quinn told Alex Marvez of The Sporting News. The quarterback is entering the final year of his deal. 
“We’re in the early stages,” Quinn said. “It’s really too early to kind of give any update but we’re going through the process. These things don’t happen overnight. I feel confident we can get something done.”
Stafford could be in line to become the league’s highest-paid quarterback, supplanting Andrew Luck at the top. Luck signed his five-year, $122.97MM extension last summer, just prior to his 27th birthday. Stafford, meanwhile, is 29, but the rising cap and dearth of quality quarterbacks could result in him netting an even richer deal.
Last year, Stafford performed like a top quarterback as he threw for 4,327 yards and 24 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. The University of Georgia product had the tenth-best completion percentage in the league (65.3%) amongst qualified QBs and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 signal caller.
The Lions are hoping for a repeat of that in 2017, but they would like to lock him up now before they are faced with a pricey decision to make on the franchise tag. Tagging Stafford in 2018 would cost upwards of $26MM. Doing it again for 2019 could cost nearly $32MM. Obviously, those cap numbers are unpalatable and the Lions would greatly prefer a long-term deal at a lower yearly rate.
Patriots To Audition S Taylor Mays
The Patriots are going to take a look at free agent Taylor Mays. The safety has a tryout for the Patriots at their rookie minicamp, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
The Bengals signed Mays last year with the knowledge that he would have to serve a four-game suspension for substance abuse. In the summer, they released him when they learned that Mays had yet another drug suspension heading his way. It all added up to an eight game ban, but we did not see Mays back on the field in 2016. Mays spent time in a treatment facility instead and he is hopefully back on the right path.
In his last season, 2015, Mays bounced all around the NFL and was yo-yo’ed on and off of the Raiders’ roster multiple times. The 28-year-old recorded 23 tackles and 5 passes defensed in his 14 Raiders games. The Patriots are now curious to see what the former second-round pick can offer.
It’s not common for veterans to partake in rookie minicamp, but it’s also not unprecedented. While Mays tries to catch on with the Pats, former Vikings running back Matt Asiata will be participating in the Lions’ rookie camp.
Latest On Bills’ General Manager Search
Panthers executive Brandon Beane‘s interview for the Bills’ general manager position will take place on Thursday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twittter link).
Beane is one of two known candidates for the Buffalo vacancy, as the club also has plans to meet with Texans director of player personnel Brian Gaine on Thursday. Meanwhile, while the Bills haven’t formally requested a meeting with Panthers director of player personnel Don Gregory, he is “on [Buffalo’s] list,” tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, who adds the Bills could look to interview Gregory in the near future.
Running back LeSean McCoy has his own preferred candidate for the GM position, as he took to Twitter on Wednesday to advocate for Chiefs co-director of player personnel Brett Veach for the Bills position. Veach worked for the Eagles when McCoy was drafted in the second round of the 2009 draft, and was in fact pushing for McCoy to be Philadelphia’selection, tweets former NFL scout Dan Hatman. Needless to say, McCoy has no say in the Buffalo search process, and Veach hasn’t been contacted as of yet.
Jaguars Hosting Safety Aaron Williams
The Jaguars are meeting with free agent safety Aaron Williams today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Williams, 27, has suffered severe neck injuries in each of the past two seasons, and despite the inherent risk in continuing his career, Williams has no plans to retire at this time. A six-year NFL veteran, Williams has been a starter for the majority of his NFL tenure, posting seven interceptions and 183 tackles through 59 total games. Health concerns have only allowed him to play in 10 contests from 2015-16, however.
In Jacksonville, Williams would be a clear-cut reserve, as the Jaguars have invested heavily in the safety position during the past two offseasons. Tashaun Gipson and Barry Church are each in the midst of multi-year contracts, so Williams wouldn’t have a shot at a starting job. However, he’d give the Jaguars high-level depth, and could also contribute on special teams and in three-safety looks.
Williams, whom Buffalo released on the first day of the 2017 league year, is PFR’s No. 9 free agent safety.
49ers Would’ve Drafted Reuben Foster No. 3
The 49ers were willing to select Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster with the third overall pick if edge rushers Myles Garrett and Solomon Thomas were already off the board, and likely would have done so had the Bears not traded a bevy of draft choices to move up to No. 2, as Peter King of TheMMQB.com reports in a typically excellent piece from inside the San Francisco draft room.
Much of the 49ers front office — with the exception of chief strategy office Paraag Marathe — believed Chicago wanted to trade up for Thomas, and were surprised when the Bears ultimately selected North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky. San Francisco was comfortable with Foster at No. 3 despite an injured shoulder and off-field issues that included a diluted sample at the scouting combine, but still hoped to move back as far as No. 8 before drafting him. Instead, the Niners took 150 cents on the dollar (according to Chase Stuart of Football Perspective) in order to move down one spot.
After selecting Thomas third overall, the 49ers figured Foster would be gone by the middle of the first round, as general manager John Lynch pegged Cincinnati as a likely destination while head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t think Foster would get past Baltimore at No. 16. But as Foster continued to tumble throughout the first round, San Francisco began to discuss a trade with the division rival Seahawks. Ultimately, the 49ers dealt No. 34 and No. 111 for Seattle’s No. 31, and used that newly-acquired pick to add Foster, the third overall player on their board.
While getting Foster at the end of the first round can certainly be considered a coup, the Alabama ‘backer’s injury issues might not be in the rearview mirror. A source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that Foster’s shoulder surgery “didn’t take,” while some clubs are reportedly worried Foster’s rookie campaign could be a lost cause due to health questions. While the 49ers found Foster’s medicals to be adequate, one source tells Schefter that Foster’s shoulder “could give out on any hit.” Indeed, some NFL teams “medically rejected” Foster due to concerns about his shoulder, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports.
Additionally, it’s not a great look for Lynch and the 49ers staff that they were willing to use the third overall pick on a player who ultimately fell to the end of Round 1. Clearly, picking Foster at No. 3 would have been a reach based on the end results of the draft, and it’s fair to question whether San Francisco’s personnel department had thoroughly evaluated Foster (and his potential for being drafted in the top half of the first round).
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/3/17
Today’s minor moves:
- The 49ers are the first team to sign a 2017 draft pick, as they’ve agreed to terms with fourth-round running back Joe Williams, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Williams, a Utah product, will compete for playing time behind Carlos Hyde during his rookie season. He should be in line for a four-year deal worth roughly $3.029MM and a signing bonus of about $329K.
- The Jets have claimed offensive lineman Alex Balducci off waivers from San Francisco, per the league’s transaction wire. Balducci, 23, played defensive line at Oregon, but shifted to offense under his collegiate head coach Chip Kelly with the 49ers. In 2016, Balducci appeared in two games, but played on only six total snaps (three on offense, three on special teams).
- Defensive lineman Zach Moore was the third former 49er (joining Balducci and Mike Purcell, who landed with the Rams) to land with a new club today, as the Panthers claimed the 26-year-old off waivers today. Moore is a former sixth-round pick of the Patriots who’s bounced around during three seasons in the NFL, as he’s also spent time with the Vikings and Cowboys. He’ll add depth in Carolina, but seems unlikely to make a roster that is relatively deep at defensive end.
- The Chiefs have signed free agent cornerback De’Vante Bausby, the club announced today. Bausby, 23, was waived by Chicago on Monday. The former undrafted free agent bounced on and off the Bears’ active roster in 2016, ultimately starting four games for Chicago and posting 11 tackles while playing on roughly 10% of the team’s defensive snaps. Kansas City currently has seven cornerbacks on its roster, but didn’t select one in last week’s draft, so Bausby may have a shot to make the squad. He’ll likely need to pick up special teams duty, something he didn’t do last season.
- The Colts announced today that they’ve waived guard Isiah Cage. Cage, 23, signed with Indianapolis last spring after going undrafted out of Division III Wisconsin Eau-Claire. Less than a month after inking a deal with the Colts, Cage suffered was waived/injured and reverted to the club’s injured reserve list, where he spent the entirety of his rookie campaign. This time around, Cage will become a free agent if he passes through waivers unclaimed.
- The Seahawks have re-signed fullback/tight end Brandon Cottom, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Cottom, 24, originally signed with Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He’s spent time on the Seahawks’ active roster and practice squad, but landed on injured reserve in 2016 after tearing his Achilles.
- The Rams announced that they’ve waived defensive back Jerome Couplin, long snapper Andrew East, running back Brandon Wegher, and tight end Bryce Williams. Couplin and Wegher both have NFL experience, but neither has appeared in a game since 2015.
- The Vikings have waived safety Cedric Thompson, tweets Courtney Fallon NFL.com. Thompson, a fifth-round pick in 2015, has bounced between Miami, New England, and Minnesota, but has yet to appear in an NFL game.
Gary Barnidge May Visit Panthers, Jaguars
If tight end Gary Barnidge leaves his visit with the Bills without a contract, he figures to take several more trips. Barnidge is halting his free agent tour to attend the Kentucky Derby on Sunday, but may meet with the Panthers and Jaguars in the near future, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Were Barnidge to sign with Carolina, he’d return to the club where he spent the first four years of his NFL career. Barnidge, 31, was a bit player during his stint with the Panthers, as he only totaled 18 receptions during his time with the team. The Panthers were linked to a number of tight ends during the draft, but ultimately stood pat with Greg Olsen, Ed Dickson, and Chris Manhertz.
Jacksonville, too, neglected to draft a tight end last week even after trading Julius Thomas to the Dolphins earlier this offseason. At present, the Jaguars’ tight end depth chart is comprised of Marcedes Lewis, Mychal Rivera, Ben Koyack, Neal Sterling, and Alex Ellis. Barnidge would likely become Jacksonville’s No. 1 tight end upon signing.
Bardnidge broke out during the 2015 campaign when he hauled in 79 receptions for 1,043 and nine touchdowns for the Browns. His numbers dipped last season, but he still managed 55 receptions, 14th among NFL tight ends.
Two Teams Interested In Darrelle Revis
Two unidentified clubs are interested in free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). However, neither team is willing to pay Revis more than the $6MM he’s earning from the Jets, per Cole. Because Revis’ deal with New York contained offset language, that means Revis would have to agree to play for no extra cash aside from what he’s already raking in from Gang Green.
It’s unclear if Revis would be willing to play for what would essentially be free, but neither club that’s expressed interest in Revis believes it will be able to lure Revis into signing a contract. Indeed, both clubs first simply want to see what kind of physical shape Revis is in, as well as determine if he’s motivated to play in 2017. Revis, 31, hasn’t drawn any concrete interest since being released by the Jets earlier this year, although he’s reportedly indicated it would be a “dream come true” to play for his hometown Steelers.
Revis, 31, ranks as PFR’s No. 1 free agent corner at the moment, and while he’s certainly not the shutdown corner he was in days gone by, Revis is still a viable starting option. He graded out as the league’s No. 64 corner in 2016, per Pro Football Focus, which would place him right at the tail end of acceptable play. However, one general manager recently told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News he wouldn’t go after the veteran cornerback even if he agreed to play “for free.”
Speculatively, clubs that could still use a cornerback following the completion of free agency and the draft include the Cardinals, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Lions, Redskins, Eagles, Texans, and Colts.
Broncos Re-Sign DL Billy Winn
The Broncos have agreed to re-sign defensive lineman Billy Winn, the club announced today.
Denver signed Winn last summer to serve as depth along its defensive line following the loss of Vance Walker to an ACL injury, and Winn provided just that. The 28-year-old appeared in all 16 games (two starts) and played on roughly 30% of the Broncos’ defensive snaps. In that time, Winn 19 tackles and one fumble recovery while grading as the league’s No. 97 interior defender among 127 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
The Broncos have steadily added to their defensive line over the past few months, as they signed free agents Domata Peko, Zach Kerr, Kasim Edebali, and Bobby Richardson while expending a second-round draft pick on Florida State’s DeMarcus Walker. Last year’s second-round pick, defensive end Adam Gotsis, is also expected to play a larger role in 2017. As such, Winn could have a tougher time earning a spot on Denver’s final roster than he did in 2016.
One defender who won’t be competing for a roster spot in 2017 is Bobby Richardson, whom the Broncos announced was waived today. Richardson, 24, started 11 games as a Saints rookie in 2015, but hasn’t seen an NFL field since. He had just signed with Denver in February.