Rams Claim DT Mike Purcell Off Waivers
The Rams claimed Mike Purcell off waivers from the 49ers, according to the league transactions wire. The nose tackle was one of 13 players released by the team on Tuesday.
Purcell, 26, appeared in 15 games for the Niners last season, including five starts. He finished out the season with 26 tackles and one forced fumble. The Wyoming product was on the field for 280 snaps in total with good portion of his playing time coming on special teams.
Purcell will now look to make the Rams’ roster as a reserve defensive tackle along with Dominique Easley, free agent pickup Tyrunn Walker, Louis Trinca-Pasat, and sixth-round pick Tanzel Smart.
Eagles Claim LB Off Waivers From Redskins
The Eagles have claimed linebacker Steven Daniels off waivers from the Redskins, the team announced. Daniels was let go by Washington on Tuesday along with three other players. 
[RELATED: Eagles Among Top Fits For LeGarrette Blount]
In his final year at Boston College, Daniels tallied 82 total tackles, including 16.0 tackles for a loss and 6.0 sacks. The Redskins went on to use a seventh-round pick of him in 2016, but he never saw live action thanks to a torn labrum.
The Eagles did not select a linebacker in the draft this year (provided that you count first-round pick Derek Barnett as a defensive end), so it seems that Daniels has some shot of making the final cut.
Cardinals Sign OL Tony Bergstrom
The Cardinals have signed Tony Bergstrom to a one-year deal, according to a team announcement. The offensive lineman spent last year with Houston, but he was released by the team last month. 
Bergstrom appeared in 15 games as a backup for the Texans, but he did not see a whole lot of burn. The soon-to-be 31-year-old offers experience at both tackle and guard, so he could see increased opportunities in Houston.
The Cardinals added two offensive linemen in last week’s draft by selecting Pittsburgh’s Dorian Johnson in the fourth round and Vanderbilt’s Will Holden in the fifth round. With the two rookies and Bergstrom now in the fold, the Cardinals have 10+ offensive linemen under contract.
Jaye Howard Receives Offer From Bears
Former Chiefs defensive lineman Jaye Howard passed his Bears physical and received a contract offer from the team, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, he left without signing and he’ll now visit other teams. The Bears, according to Schefter, remain an option for Howard. 
Howard, 28, was released by the Chiefs late last month in a move that saved the team $3.8MM. The Bears were the first team to bring Howard in for a visit and it’s not immediately clear which teams are now slated to meet with him. Because the Chiefs released him with a failed physical designation, the fact that he got a medical greenlight from the Bears is notable. Howard missed half of last year’s games due to a hip ailment, but it sounds like he’ll be ready to play in Week 1.
Last year, Howard recorded 23 tackles and one sack and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 55th best interior defensive linemen out of 127 qualified players. He had 5.5 sacks in 2015, but the advanced metrics have never been wild about his play.
Top 8 Fits For RB LeGarrette Blount
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen veteran running backs Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and Marshawn Lynch find new homes. However, LeGarrette Blount is still without a job. 
The Lions and Giants are known to be in on Blount, but we can’t help but wonder if there could be other potential fits out there for the player who I consider to be the best running back currently on the market. The PFR staff huddled up on Wednesday to run down possible landing spots for the power back:
- Giants – The Giants have been connected to Blount for some time now and the interest is said to be mutual. The Giants are looking for a bruising running back to complement Paul Perkins and Blount, presumably, wants to join a potential contender, so it’s a solid match. Eli Manning‘s 2016 struggles are well documented, but a well-balanced offense would help him find Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall as much as possible.
- Lions – On paper, the Lions should have had a strong running game with Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick leading the way. Unfortunately, injuries cost both players significant time last year and rookie Dwayne Washington didn’t set the world on fire when given the opportunity. Zach Zenner had some flashes of brilliance, but the lesson learned here is that you can never have enough depth. Blount would be a great counter balance to Abdullah’s speed and Riddick’s reception focused game and he could be called on as the No. 1 guy if the injury bug strikes again.
- Packers – Running back was a clear need for the Packers heading into the draft, but they did not select a top RB from this year’s deep pool of talent. Now, they need running backs even more after releasing Christine Michael and Don Jackson earlier this week. WR-turned-RB Ty Montgomery figures to be the lead guy in Green Bay, but the Packers could use some experience behind him. It’s not clear if the Packers have reached out to Blount’s reps yet, but they should.
- Ravens – You might have missed it in the midst of the free agency frenzy, but the league suspended Kenneth Dixon for the first four games of the season after a PED policy violation. The Ravens can use free agent pickup Danny Woodhead as their lead back in the opening month, but it would make sense to add some depth along with Javorius Allen, Lorenzo Taliaferro, and Terrance West, particularly since Woodhead missed the majority of last season.
- Dolphins – The Dolphins aren’t an obvious fit, but it’s possible that they could be in the market for a running back if Damien Williams continues to stay away from the team. The downside here is that Jay Ajayi is the clear No. 1 guy and Blount would have to fight Kenyan Drake for carries. In a scenario where Miami signs Blount and Williams is eventually brought back into the fold, there would be even less work to go around.
- Chiefs – After moving on from Charles, the Chiefs might want to add some veteran help to a depth chart featuring Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West, and rookie Kareem Hunt. C.J. Spiller currently projects as the RB4, but he hasn’t been able to stick with a team in some time.
- Redskins – The Redskins are shopping Matt Jones and that could free up a spot for someone like Blount. The Redskins have four other backs in Rob Kelley, Chris Thompson, Keith Marshall, and Mack Brown, but there are no superstars in the bunch.
- Eagles – Ryan Mathews is scheduled to carry a $5MM cap number in 2017 and the Eagles can wipe $4MM of that off of the books by cutting him. Releasing the speedy but aging Darren Sproles would also yield $4MM in savings with zero dead money. At this stage of the offseason, Blount would represent a much cheaper option than either guy. Beyond Sproles and Mathews, there’s not much experience between Wendell Smallwood, Byron Marshall, Terrell Watson, and fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey.
Connor Byrne and Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Ryan, Jets, McCown
The Bills parted ways with Rex Ryan last December in part because of the coach’s declaration that the season was over when the playoffs were still in reach, Albert Breer of The MMQB writes. Ryan was believed to be on the hot seat in Buffalo, but that incident apparently sealed his fate. Months later, the Bills have a new head coach in Sean McDermott and Ryan has a new job as an analyst for ESPN.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- New Jets quarterback Josh McCown said his understanding is “it’s full competition between the three” QBs currently on the roster, meaning that he’ll duke it out with Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty for the main gig (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY). McCown, 38 in July, has $6MM fully guaranteed on his Jets deal. The Cowboys also wanted him, but they didn’t offer nearly as much.
- Jets owner Woody Johnson says he will judge his team based on development this season rather than wins and losses, as USA Today’s Andy Vasquez writes. “Really, the way I want to be judged, hopefully from the fans’ standpoint, is just watch how we improve during the year,” Johnson said Tuesday on ESPN Radio. “Look at each individual on the team and if they’re getting better, that’s a mark of progress. That’s what we’re looking for.” That could be good news for coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan since the Jets’ roster is among the worst in the league.
- Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler didn’t get the long-term deal that he wanted, but he reported to the team’s voluntary workouts this week.
- Dolphins running back Damien Williams wants a raise, but he doesn’t have much leverage.
Malcolm Butler Reports To Patriots OTAs
After a strange offseason, Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler is back to work. Butler has reported to Foxborough to participate in voluntary workouts, as NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports.
[RELATED: Details On Mike Gillislee’s Deal With Patriots]
Butler was a restricted free agent this offseason and the Patriots contemplated life without him after adding Stephon Gilmore in March. The Saints had serious interest in Butler, but they were unwilling to part with the No. 11 overall pick in the draft to get him. There were some discussions about a sign-and-trade scenario that would give the Patriots lesser draft compensation for the cornerback, but those talks did not result in a deal.
After signing his RFA tender, Butler will play out the season on his $3.91MM one-year tender. While he was hoping for a lucrative long-term deal – like the one the Saints were willing to give him – he’s not going to stay away from the team to express his frustrations.
RELATED:
Dolphins’ Damien Williams Wants Pay Bump
Damien Williams has yet to sign his restricted free agent tender and there’s a reason for that. The running back is trying to pressure the Dolphins into giving him more money, as Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes. 
This offseason, Williams only drew interest from the Patriots as an RFA. Ultimately, the Pats inked Mike Gillislee to an offer sheet rather than Williams and the deadline passed without any other team stepping up. Williams wants more than the one-year, $1.8MM tender, but he has no real leverage at this stage of the offseason. If Williams wants to play in the NFL in 2017, it’s Dolphins or bust.
“So we have his rights,” said Dolphins executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum. “He hasn’t signed his tender. He is a restricted free agent and our tender is still out there.”
With Jay Ajayi entrenched as the No. 1 ball carrier, Williams is slated to share backup duties with rising sophomore Kenyan Drake. He may choose to stay away from the team for a bit this offseason, but it’s hard to see him winning this battle.
Bills To Interview Texans Exec Brian Gaine
Texans director of player personnel Brian Gaine will interview for the Bills’ GM job on Thursday, John McClain of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Gaine has Houston’s permission to interview.
[RELATED: Bills Hosting TE Gary Barnidge On Visit]
The Eagles were eyeing Gaine for a high-profile position prior to the 2015 season and the Texans gave him a promotion to keep him from leaving. Since then, Gaine has been linked to a number of GM vacancies. With Rick Smith in charge, Houston might not have a higher title left to keep Gaine from wanting to bolt.
It’s not clear how much say the next GM of the Bills will have over the 53-man roster. New head coach Sean McDermott reportedly wrestled control of the draft away from Doug Whaley and he might not be willing to give up that power.
Gaine is now the second exec scheduled to interview for the opening, following Panthers assistant GM Brandon Beane.
Former Ravens RB Justin Forsett Retires
Justin Forsett is retiring. The longtime NFL running back is hanging up his cleats after nine seasons. 
“It’s time. I’m officially announcing my retirement from the game I love,” Forsett wrote. “Its been an amazing ride and I’m grateful for every moment. My career has brought so many great people into my life, and I asked some of them to join me in saying goodbye. Against all odds, critics, and naysayers, I accomplished something great. Scouts measured my height and said I was too short. They measured my 40-yard dash and said I was too slow. They looked at my build and said I wouldn’t last. But they couldn’t measure my heart, my faith, and my perseverance. I am living proof that dreams come true and God answers prayers, and I thank God everyday for the opportunity to live out my dream.”
Forsett was a backup for the first six years of his career until 2014 when he got his big opportunity with the Ravens. As Baltimore’s lead back, he ran for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.
After being held back by injuries in 2015, the Ravens cut him loose early in the 2016 season. In 44 combined carries for the Lions and Ravens in the fall, he posted just over 3.0 yards per rush on 44 tries. When he later hooked on with the Broncos, he averaged a mere 3.6 yards per carry on 43 attempts. Entering what would have been his age-32 season, it was clear that Forsett’s best football was behind him.
Forsett will be fondly remembered for his impressive 2014 campaign and his positive locker room influence. PFR wishes Forsett all the best in retirement.