2018 March - Pro Football Rumors

Lions Sign DT Sylvester Williams

March 21st, 2018 at 2:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Titans nose tackle Sylvester Williams is signing with the Lions on a one-year deal, reports Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The Lions have since confirmed the signing via press release.

The Lions have been on the lookout for defensive tackles and in contact with some of the best interior linemen left, including Williams. He’ll take over for Haloti Ngata, who left in free agency to sign with the Eagles.

Williams started eleven games and made 15 total appearances for the Titans in 2017, his first campaign outside of Denver since the Broncos made him a first-round pick in 2014. Last season, Williams played on roughly a third of the Titans’ defensive snaps, good for third-most among the club’s defensive linemen. Pro Football Focus gave him high marks against the run and some not-so-great marks for his work on passing downs.

The Lions were said to have agreed to a deal with fellow defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois on Wednesday, but there’s now conflicting word on that front. The addition of Williams may or may not have an impact on Jean-Francois’ potential deal with Detroit.

Before signing with the Lions, Williams took a visit with the Redskins.

Lions To Sign Ricky Jean-Francois?

March 21st, 2018 at 2:30pm CST by Zachary Links

2:30pm: It’s not a done deal yet, according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News (on Twitter).

12:50pm: The Lions have agreed to sign defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois, according to Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com first reported that the two sides were working on a deal.

Jean-Francois comes to Detroit after spending last season with the Packers and Patriots. The 2009 seventh-round pick was cut twice by Green Bay and even dropped from the roster once by the Pats, but he was re-signed by New England and stayed with the team through their trip to the Super Bowl. All in all, he had 12 tackles in 12 games between the two clubs.

In a statement released by his agency earlier this month, RJ-F indicated that he hopes to continue playing for a few more years.

“I plan on continuing to play at the highest level,” the 31-year-old (32 in November) said. “Hopefully I made a strong case for myself this past season. I did absolutely everything I could to help the Patriots during my short time there, and I learned that playbook immediately. It takes a special type of player and discipline to do that so quickly. My priority right now is to find a stable home where I can step in and make a similar impact for a few more seasons before I ride off into the sunset.”

The Lions likely aren’t done adding to the interior defensive line. They have plans to meet with Johnathan Hankins and Alan Branch and former Titans defensive tackle Sylvester Williams is also on their radar.

Ndamukong Suh Won’t Visit Raiders

March 21st, 2018 at 2:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Ndamukong Suh’s visit to the Raiders has been called off, sources tell Ian Rapoport and Mike Silver of NFL.com (on Twitter). The free agent defensive tackle has returned home and is not likely to make a decision today, Rapoport adds. The Rams made a strong impression on Suh, but he’s also considering the Saints and Titans.

The reason for Suh’s visit being cancelled is not immediately clear. Assuming the Raiders stick with a 4-3 scheme, they would presumably like to upgrade from Eddie Vanderdoes as one of their starting interior line spots. Vanderdoes appeared in all 16 games last season and started 13 of those contests, but he suffered a torn ACL in the 2017 season finale and it’s not clear how he is viewed by new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. Suh would have been a phenomenal addition to the defense, but the Raiders now appear to be out of the running.

All three teams would present Suh opportunities to win, but the Rams have the best defense of the bunch. Suh could thrive under Wade Phillips‘ tutelage and put himself in position to cash in again in 2019 if he signs a one-year deal.

Eagles’ Chris Long Considering Retirement

March 21st, 2018 at 1:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have offered to restructure defensive end Chris Long‘s contract, but it’s not a certainty that he’ll play this season. Long is mulling retirement, according to Michael Silver of NFL.com.

The new deal would guarantee Long $3MM in 2018, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That includes a jump in base salary from a non-guaranteed $1MM to $2.5MM guaranteed with the team eliminating his $750K in per-game roster bonuses and $750K in incentives.

The Eagles’ defensive line has been revamped this offseason thanks to the additions of Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata. last year’s first round pick Derek Barnett will return as a backup defensive end, but Long still has an important role carved out for him as a situational pass rusher. Without Long, the Eagles’ D-Line would be weakened, even though it would still project to be among the best in the NFL.

Long was on the field for 588 regular season snaps last year and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 30 ranked edge defender, higher than both Bennett and Barnett.

Emmanuel Lamur To Meet With Dolphins, Raiders

March 21st, 2018 at 11:34am CST by Zachary Links

Vikings free agent linebacker Emmanuel Lamur will visit the Raiders on Wednesday and will travel to meet with Dolphins afterwards (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Lamur has ties to both clubs thanks to defensive coordinators Paul Guenther and Matt Burke who know Lamur from their time with the Bengals.

We first heard of the Raiders’ interest in Lamur last week. He’d be a logical fit for Oakland’s new-look defense, but the Dolphins are also showing interest after parting ways with veteran linebacker Lawrence Timmons. For now, the Dolphins project to start Chase Allen alongside Raekwon McMillan and Kiko Alonso with Neville Hewitt, Mike Hull, and Stephone Anthony in support. That unit will need an impact player or two, either through free agency or the draft.

In other Dolphins news, Kirk Cousins‘ agent reportedly researched the ‘Fins heading into free agency. We also learned that the release of Mike Pouncey was not related to locker room issues.

Jaguars Carve Out Cap Space

March 21st, 2018 at 11:14am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars converted linebacker Telvin Smith‘s $8MM roster bonus into a signing bonus, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The roster bonus was due on Sunday, but the blow to this year’s cap has been lessened thanks to this maneuvering.

[RELATED: Jaguars’ Depth Chart]

The Jaguars also created room on Tuesday by releasing wide receiver Allen Hurns and tight end Marcedes Lewis. Those moves plus the Smith restructuring have created roughly $16.75MM in additional cap space for Jacksonville.

Smith, a former fifth-round pick, has become a major contributor for the Jags. Last October, Jacksonville rewarded him with a four-year extension worth $44MM plus incentives that can push the value of the deal to $50MM. The 26-year-old (27 in April) is fast enough to play in coverage, but has also been stellar against the run.

Colts To Re-Sign G Jack Mewhort

March 21st, 2018 at 10:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts are bringing back guard Jack Mewhort. It’s a one-year deal with a base value of $1.5MM and another $1.5MM in incentives, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Mewhort’s season ended in October thanks to a knee injury, marking his second straight incomplete campaign. However, he did have three quality years as an NFL starter before that and the Colts did not want to let him get away. Mewhort doesn’t turn 27 until October, so he’s still young enough to bounce back and be a difference maker in 2018.

Mewhort will likely compete with Matt Slauson for the starting job at left guard. Beyond that, the Colts currently project to start left tackle Anthony Castonzo, center Ryan Kelly, right guard Joe Haeg, and right tackle Denzelle Good.

Falcons Meet With Pernell McPhee

March 21st, 2018 at 10:23am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons are meeting with outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, according to an announcement from the team. McPhee met with the Redskins on Sunday night but left without signing a deal.

McPhee, 29, spent the past three seasons with the Bears. He tallied 14 sacks and 75 tackles for Chicago even as he was slowed by injuries. He probably has to be kept on a pitch count at this point, but he could thrive in a pass rush rotation.

The Falcons are on the look out for pass rushing help after Adrian Clayborn signed with the Patriots. The Falcons have yet to sign an outside linebacker or defensive end this month.

Saints WR Willie Snead Visiting Ravens

March 21st, 2018 at 10:13am CST by Zachary Links

Saints restricted free agent wide receiver Willie Snead will visit the Ravens on Wednesday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Saints used the lowest tender on Snead, which grants them the right of first refusal on any offer sheet. However, the Ravens would not have to forfeit any draft compensation in the event of an unmatched offer sheet.

Snead, 26 in October, wasn’t much of a factor in the Saints’ offense last year and missed the first three games of the season with a suspension. However, he averaged 70 catches for 940 yards and four touchdowns between 2015 and 2016.

The Ravens have upgraded their wide receiver stable by adding Michael Crabtree and John Brown this month. Neither Chris Moore nor Breshad Perriman did a whole lot last season, so the Ravens are looking to provide Joe Flacco with another weapon.

Chiefs, TE Benjamin Watson Discussing Deal

March 21st, 2018 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs are working on a deal with veteran tight end Benjamin Watson, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Watson was said to be considering retirement as recently as last week, but he is apparently ready to come back for another season.

Watson missed the entire 2016 season due to a torn Achilles, but bounced back in 2017 as he had 61 receptions for 522 yards and four touchdowns. The 37-year-old probably can’t be relied upon as a No.1 tight end at this stage of his career, but he’s make a fine backup to Travis Kelce and give defenses a lot to think about in a two tight end set.

In other Chiefs news, Kansas City has landed former Cardinals defensive lineman Xavier Williams.