Ravens, Jets Discuss Eric Decker Trade
The Jets say they’ll trade or release Eric Decker before the week is through. With that in mind, they’re reaching out to clubs to try and get something for the veteran and the Ravens are among those teams, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Jets To Trade Or Release Decker]
The Ravens’ level of interest in acquiring Decker via trade is not immediately clear. From a football perspective, Decker would make plenty of sense for the Ravens after they lost Steve Smith to retirement and did not select a wide receiver in this year’s draft. However, the Ravens might not want to take on the two years remaining on his five-year, $36.25MM contract. In theory, the Ravens could wait things out and try to land Decker as a free agent if he is released.
Decker, 30, had 154 catches, 1,989 yards, and 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Jets. Unfortunately, he missed the majority of 2016 due to injury. Now that he’s healthy, Decker is looking to get back to his old form with another team.
The Ravens project to have Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman, Chris Moore, and Michael Campanaro as their top receivers in the fall.
Daryl Washington Wants To Play For Cowboys
The Cowboys have discussed signing Daryl Washington and the interest is apparently mutual. In a conversation with Charean Williams of PFT, Washington made the case for why Dallas should sign him. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Considering LB Daryl Washington]
“Why not be a Cowboy?” Washington said. “I’m settled in here. It’s home. Let’s try to get one this year. Come on Mr. [Jerry] Jones, you’ll be glad you took a chance on me. We’ll hold up that Lombardi Trophy together.”
Washington has yet to work out for the Cowboys, but Williams hears that the team is still doing its due diligence on the linebacker. After learning that pass rusher David Irving is facing a four-game ban for PEDs, Washington could be a low-cost boost for the front seven, but the Cowboys will want to first glean that he is in football shape. For his part, Washington says that he is the same size (235 pounds) that he was in Arizona and believes that he can be the same type of player even though he has been out of the game for years.
Washington has not played a down of football since the 2013 season, but he accepts responsibility for his own predicament.
“I take full responsibility for everything I went through,” Washington said. “I don’t blame anybody. But I’m not here to talk about it; I’m here to show you what type of person I am now and where I’m trying to go.”
FB Zach Line Cleared For Contact
Free agent fullback Zach Line has been cleared to do everything following hip surgery, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The green light means that he can participate in full-contact drills in camp. 
Line visited the Jets in March but he left without a deal. Now that he’s fully healthy, it’s possible that Gang Green could circle back to him. The Jets don’t have a true fullback on the roster and they have at least some interest in a blocking specialist to lead the way for Matt Forte, Bilal Powell, and the rest of the gang.
Line graded out as the league’s 12th best fullback last year, according to Pro Football Focus, though only 17 fullbacks played enough to qualify for their rankings. Line had roughly even grades for run blocking and pass blocking in his 211 snaps.
To date, Line has spent his entire playing career with the Vikings. Over those four years, he has been used primarily for blocking with just 13 carries and seven receptions to his credit.
Giants’ Odell Beckham Pushing For New Deal
Odell Beckham Jr.’s absence from voluntary organized team activities is directly tied to his desire for the Giants to give him a new contract, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Meanwhile, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan that Beckham is expected to attend minicamp. Unlike OTAs, players who miss minicamp are subject to hefty fines. 
Beckham has been one of several Giants players who have missed OTAs, but his absence has garnered the most attention. It has been suspected that a contract dispute is at the heart of his absence, but today’s report from Schefter is our first confirmation of that.
Beckham, one of the game’s very best wide receivers, is slated to make $1.8MM in 2017 per the terms of his rookie deal. The Giants have picked up his fifth-year option for the 2018 season which should pay him ~$8MM, but ODB is looking for dollars and certainty beyond that point. After three straight seasons with at least 1,300 receiving yards, the 24-year-old is likely looking for a deal that will reset the market at his position.
In theory, the Giants don’t have to rush to give Beckham a new deal. Between the aforementioned option and the franchise tag, Beckham could be under team control through at least the 2021 season.
Jeremy Maclin’s Bills Visit Enters Day Two
It’s not a done deal yet, but this might be a good sign for Jeremy Maclin and the Bills. The wide receiver’s Tuesday visit has extended into a second day, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets. 
[RELATED: Bills Meet With Jeremy Maclin]
Earlier this week, it was reported that Maclin would meet with the Bills on Tuesday before possibly heading to the Ravens on Wednesday. Right now, it’s not clear whether a Baltimore trip is still on Maclin’s docket for today. If Maclin was initially scheduled to leave Buffalo on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, then this could be a sign that things are progressing between the two sides. Ultimately, the Ravens, Eagles, Browns, and other interested teams might not get their opportunity to meet with the receiver.
In 2015, Maclin had 87 catches for more than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns for the Chiefs. Even though he is not far removed from that performance, KC cut him in order to avoid paying his $9.75MM base salary for 2017. Last season, Maclin had 44 catches for 536 yards and two scores in 12 games.
AFC Notes: Smith, Jets, Bolts, Steelers
The Jets reached out to retired wide receiver Steve Smith about playing in 2017, the former Panther and Raven told Kim Jones of NFL Network (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). It’s unclear when that occurred, and it seems like an odd move for a rebuilding team that has spent the offseason dumping 30-somethings (including receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker). Regardless, the 38-year-old Smith isn’t coming back, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that the Jets were merely doing their due diligence when they contacted him.
More on Gang Green and two other AFC clubs:
- The Chargers announced Tuesday that first-round receiver Mike Williams will miss the rest of their offseason program with a mild disc herniation in his lower back. Williams has been dealing with the injury since suffering it on the first day of minicamp nearly a month ago, and head coach Anthony Lynn implied in late May that the ex-Clemson star was behind the 8-ball as a result. Now, Williams could be at risk of beginning training camp on the physically unable to perform list, notes Kevin Patra of NFL.com.
- A report in 2015 linked Steelers linebacker James Harrison to performance-enhancing drugs, and though the NFL didn’t find any evidence against him, it’s still suspicious of the pass rusher, writes Joshua Axelrod of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The NFL tested Harrison for PEDs for the third time this offseason on Tuesday, leading the 39-year-old to suggest on Instagram that the league is insulting his intelligence by claiming the tests are random.
- The league is looking into the dispute that occurred between Jets linebacker Darron Lee and his girlfriend at the Governors Ball music festival last Saturday in New York City, per Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday. The Jets also investigated the altercation, but they quickly cleared Lee of any wrongdoing. “He had an argument with his girlfriend,” said head coach Todd Bowles. “What do you want me to discipline him (for)? He had an argument with his girlfriend and somebody took a photo.” Bowles added that he spoke with “10 people” about the incident before deciding discipline wasn’t in order for Lee.
Cyrus Kouandjio To Visit Lions
Free agent offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio announced Tuesday on Twitter that he’s flying to Detroit to visit the Lions, who could use another bookend in light of Taylor Decker‘s shoulder injury.
The 6-foot-7, 323-pound Kouandjio hit the open market when the Bills cut him in late May, which came after a three-year stint in Buffalo that included mixed results on the field and an odd off-field incident in April. The 23-year-old was found partially undressed in a field in Elma, N.Y., not far from the scene of a car accident and taken to a nearby hospital. Kouandjio wasn’t arrested, though, and he noted in his tweet that he’s on his best behavior.
If he signs with the Lions, Kouandjio would give the team another option at either tackle position to help make up for the absence of Decker, who could miss a portion of the regular season. Kouandjio was a standout at Alabama and a second-round pick in 2014, but he only started in seven of 25 appearances with the Bills. In 12 games and a career-high seven starts last year, his performance ranked a respectable 34th among Pro Football Focus’ 78 qualified tackles.
NFC Notes: Eagles, Saints, Redskins, Rams
The Eagles reportedly have interest in a reunion with free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, but their lack of cap space (around $5MM) is likely to stand in the way, writes David Murphy of Philly.com. Plus, with other proven pass-catching options in Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Jordan Matthews and Zach Ertz, the Eagles don’t need Maclin as much as other teams that are chasing him. Therefore, Philadelphia won’t have the motivation to get into a bidding war for Maclin and use what little spending room it has left on him, reasons Murphy.
Elsewhere around the NFC…
- The Saints had interest in pass rusher Elvis Dumervil before he signed with the 49ers on Monday, reports Nick Underhill of the Advocate (on Twitter). It took the 33-year-old Dumervil nearly three months to find a new home after the Ravens released him in March, but San Francisco was the only team to bring him in for a workout. Dumervil potentially could’ve helped a New Orleans club whose defense finished just 27th in sacks last season.
- A pay cut for Redskins safety DeAngelo Hall is seemingly inevitable, suggests Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com. The Redskins would like to knock $2MM to $3MM off the 33-year-old’s salary, per Tandler. Hall’s currently set to make $4.25MM, which is high for someone who has appeared in just 17 of 48 regular-season games dating back to 2014 and could begin 2017 on the physically unable to perform list.
- Although Rams pass rusher Connor Barwin‘s took a one-year deal earlier in the offseason, his goal is to play through the 2020 campaign. “Yeah, I think I want to play 12 years,” he told Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. “This will be nine, so I think I have four more. I’d like to do three stints of four – Houston, Philly and L.A.” Barwin played under new Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips with the Texans from 2011-12, and the 30-year-old expects their reunion to prolong his career. “I loved playing for Wade [while with the Texans in 2011-12], just in general,” said Barwin. “But I think playing in this system will be good for me to keep playing for a couple more years, because it takes advantage of what I do well. It allows me to still play every single snap. Play first down, second down, rush the passer on third down, but be able to cover guys when I need to — tight ends, running backs, that sort of thing.
Tramaine Brock Charged With Felony Domestic Violence
Free agent cornerback Tramaine Brock was charged Tuesday with felony domestic violence and misdemeanor child endangerment stemming from an April arrest, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office accused Brock of punching his girlfriend in the face and attempting to strangle her multiple times, including when she was holding their 1-year-old child, and he could face up to five years in prison.
Brock is expected to plead not guilty, per Barrows, but it’s clear his NFL career is in serious jeopardy. Almost immediately after Brock’s arrest, the 49ers released the corner, thereby ending his seven-year tenure with the franchise.
In discussing the choice to cut ties with the 28-year-old Brock, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said: “We spent the day trying to figure out all the information as much as you can. You never do get all of it, but there was enough there that we felt it was a decision we had to make and move on from (Brock).”
While the 49ers weren’t willing to continue with Brock on the heels of his arrest, other teams were reportedly “keeping tabs” on him after he reached free agency. Given his strong play in the past, including 31 starts and four interceptions from 2015-16, there were rumblings that Brock would be in line for a contract worth $10MM-plus per year if he were to escape charges. That didn’t happen, though, and it’s now possible Brock has played his last down in the league.
Chiefs Sign Tanoh Kpassagnon
The Chiefs have signed one of their top draft picks, second-round defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). As the 59th overall selection, Kpassagnon’s four-year deal is worth $4.32MM and includes a $1.28MM signing bonus.
Kpassagnon played the previous four years at Villanova, where he broke out in 2015 with 9.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. He logged even better production last year – 21.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks – en route to first-team All-America honors. While his sack numbers with the Wildcats were gaudy, the 6-foot-7, 289-pound Kpassagnon is “raw” and “lacks natural pass rush talent,” according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
With Kpassagnon under contract, the Chiefs have signed five of their six picks. Kansas City’s lone straggler is the most important member of its 2017 class, first-round quarterback Patrick Mahomes, for whom it traded up 17 spots to land at No. 10. That bold move came at a high price for the Chiefs, who sent their 2018 first-rounder and a third-round pick this year to Buffalo.