2018 March - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Sign CB Rashaan Melvin

March 16th, 2018 at 4:36pm CST by Micah Powell

The Raiders are expected to make an upgrade to their defensive secondary by signing free agent cornerback Rashaan Melvin, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the move is a one-year deal worth $6.5 MM (Twitter link).

Melvin, a 2013 undrafted free agent out of Northern Illinois, spent the past two seasons with the Colts, where he’s had a pair of solid campaigns. Following a breakout season in 2016, Melvin was just as productive this year, finishing with 36 tackles, three interceptions, and 13 passes defended. Pro Football Focus was particularly fond of his performance, ranking him 17th among 120 eligible cornerbacks. PFR ranked Melvin as the No. 12 free agent cornerback.

The move makes Melvin a starter in Oakland on one sideline with 2017 rookie Gareon Conley expected to man the other, barring further moves. The two sides met on Friday and a deal did not take long to get done.

The move is the latest in a flurry of transactions for the Raiders under new head coach Jon Gruden. On Thursday, the team signed former All-Pro receiver Jordy Nelson and released veteran Michael Crabtree. Less than an hour before Melvin signed with the team, former Bills cornerback Shareece Wright was also signed to the secondary.

[RELATED: Raiders Depth Chart]

Jets Re-Sign DT Mike Pennel

March 16th, 2018 at 4:28pm CST by Micah Powell

The Jets continued their busy offseason on Friday by announcing the re-signing of defensive tackle Mike Pennel to a three-year deal worth up to $12 MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

Claimed by the Jets in February 2017 after being released by the Packers, the fourth-year defender played in all 16 games with New York and made three starts, registering 35 total tackles. In his four seasons in the league, Pennel has recorded one sack to go along with 75 tackles in 53 total games. In 2016, Pennel served a pair of four-game suspensions for substance abuse violations.

So far in free agency, the Jets have bolstered their defensive by signing cornerback Trumaine Johnson and linebacker Avery Williamson. The team has also announced the re-signing of Morris Claiborne in addition to Pennel.

Chargers To Sign K Caleb Sturgis

March 16th, 2018 at 4:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers are expected to sign former Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Eagles had interest in re-signing him, but he’s headed to sunny Los Angeles instead.

The Chargers were on the lookout for a new kicker this year and also considered former Raider Sebastian Janikowski. Sturgis is more than a decade younger, but both are coming off of lost seasons. Janikowski didn’t kick at all while Sturgis’ Week 1 hip injury knocked him out of action for the rest of the year.

The Bolts ran through four kickers last season and they’re hoping to use just one – Sturgis – in 2018.

Raiders Sign CB Shareece Wright

March 16th, 2018 at 4:16pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have signed Shareece Wright to a one-year deal. The cornerback personally announced the news on his Instagram account and the deal has been confirmed by Michael Gehlken of the Review Journal (on Twitter).

Wright will serve as cornerback depth in Oakland. There, he’ll reunite with safety Marcus Gilchrist, who signed with the Raiders this week. Both players were in the same Chargers draft class in 2011 and spent four years together.

Wright appeared in 12 games for the Bills last season and started in five of those contests. He finished out with 42 tackles, one interception, and five passes defensed.

Packers Sign Bears’ Kyle Fuller To Offer Sheet

March 16th, 2018 at 4:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have signed Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller to an offer sheet, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. The Bears placed the transition tag on Fuller, so Chicago will have five days to match. The Bears tried to keep Fuller in place with a one-year, $12.9MM placeholder, but they may lose the former first-round pick to a rival.

While the franchise tag entitles the incumbent team to two first-round draft picks in the event of a player leaving, the transition tag grants a club only the right of first refusal. The upside to the transition tag is that it is slightly cheaper. The franchise tag for cornerbacks this year was nearly $15MM.

Last year, Fuller racked up 68 tackles and ranked as PFF’s No. 22 ranked cornerback over notable names like Ronald Darby, Byron Maxwell, Jason McCourty, Richard Sherman. However, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing over the three previous seasons. The former No. 14 overall selection did well as a rookie in 2014 and followed that up with a decent showing in 2015, but his entire 2016 campaign was lost due to a knee injury. The Bears had the option of keeping Fuller under the fifth-year option for just $8.526MM. In hindsight, it’s a move they regret.

The Packers may lose cornerback/safety Morgan Burnett and Davon House to free agency, so they’re in need of some help in the secondary. Fuller would represent a major upgrade over both and would become the team’s top cornerback with Kevin King guarding the opposition’s No. 2 wide receiver.

An unknown team also attempted to sign Fuller to an offer sheet, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears, but one that was not accepted.

Chargers To Meet With Mike Pouncey

March 16th, 2018 at 3:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Dolphins center Mike Pouncey will visit the Chargers on Saturday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This marks Pouncey’s first free agent visit since being released by Miami.

Pouncey, one of the better known centers in the NFL, has been plagued by hip issues in recent years. He did not miss any games last season, but it was obvious that he was not at full strength and he struggled as a result.

Miami asked Pouncey to accept a 50% pay reduction, which he declined. That would have left Pouncey with about $4.5MM in 2018 and he felt that he could do better. Given that at least 13 NFL centers are currently making more than that on a yearly basis, Pouncey is probably right in that regard.

The Chargers recently lost versatile interior lineman Kenny Wiggins to free agency and they could use an upgrade in the middle over 2016 UDFA Spencer Pulley. Pulley graded out as one of the very worst qualified centers in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. Still, the Chargers will have to take a very close look at Pouncey’s medicals due to his hip issues.

On Thursday, the Buccaneers also reached out to Pouncey to express their interest.

AFC Notes: Kaepernick, Texans, Titans

March 16th, 2018 at 3:46pm CST by Zachary Links

When Colin Kaepernick‘s choice to work out in Houston this week raised some eyebrows in the football world. We now know why he was in town. Texans owner Bob McNair was deposed on Friday in Kaepernick’s collusion lawsuit against the NFL and Kaepernick sat in on the deposition, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).

Kaepernick, who was ranked as one of my ten best available quarterbacks before the start of free agency, has yet to receive any bites from teams as he continues his legal proceedings against the NFL.

Here’s more from the AFC:

The Titans are after Ndamukong Suh and that could lead to a shakeup on the defensive line, as veteran NFL reporter Paul Kuharsky notes (on Twitter). The nose tackle is set to carry a $5MM base salary in 2018 and $2.5MM of that sum becomes fully guaranteed on Sunday. Williams would not only be redundant in the event of Suh signing – he’d also be taking of cap space that may need to be allocated for the former Dolphin.
Free agent offensive tackle Matt Tobin met with the Patriots on Friday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Broncos are working on re-signing free agent offensive lineman Billy Turner, sources tell Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter).

Texans Claim WR Sammie Coates

March 16th, 2018 at 3:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Texans have claimed wide receiver Sammie Coates off waivers from the Browns, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Because Coates is not a vested veteran, he hit the waiver wire instead of unrestricted free agency.

With a 4-12 record, the Texans are fourth in the league’s waiver wire order, behind only the Browns, Giants, and Colts. It’s not immediately clear if any other teams attempted to claim Coates, but the Texans had the advantage over 27 other clubs.

Coates had just six catches for 70 yards with no touchdowns last year for Cleveland. His best season to date came in 2016 with the Steelers when he had 21 catches for 435 yards and two scores.

The Texans currently have Will Fuller, Braxton Miller, and Bruce Ellington as their top receivers after star DeAndre Hopkins. The Texans have nine receivers under contract in total, but there is certainly a chance for him to stick and make the final cut.

While Coates prepares to battle for a spot with the Texans, former Steelers teammate Markus Wheaton is on the market and meeting with the Seahawks.

NFC Notes: Lions, Ngata, Giants

March 16th, 2018 at 3:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a quick look at the NFC:

Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata inked a one-year, $2.6MM fully guaranteed deal ($3MM maximum value) with the Eagles this week, but he had the same offer on the table from the Lions, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (video link). He chose the Eagles because he felt they were a better scheme fit for him. In Philadelphia’s two-gap system, Ngata is hoping to get back to his old form as he backs up Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan.
The Giants restructured linebacker Alec Ogletree‘s contract to prorate the $7MM roster bonus he was due over the remaining four years of his contract, a source tells Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter). His cap hit will be reduced from $10MM to $4.75MM in 2018, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter).
Bears tight end Dion Sims remained on the team’s roster today and now has $4MM of his $6MM base salary fully guaranteed for 2018, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) notes.

Vikings Sign Sheldon Richardson

March 16th, 2018 at 3:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings have now landed premier free agents on both sides of the ball. Sheldon Richardson has agreed to a one-year deal with Minnesota, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Richardson’s deal includes an $8MM base salary and $3MM more in available incentives.

The Vikings were the only team known to have met with Richardson and it didn’t take long for a deal to come together. The Vikings wined and dined Richardson a bit on Friday and pitched him with new quarterback Kirk Cousins in tow.

The Vikings used much of their cap space on Cousins, but they still had enough left to sign one of the most talented defensive linemen in this year’s free agent crop, thanks in part to the restructuring of Latavius Murray‘s deal. The 27-year-old (28 in November) had just one sack last season, but the advanced metrics showed that he was still starting caliber, even in a down year.

Richardson did his best work with the Jets, particularly in 2014 when he racked up eight sacks. His production was a bit up-and-down as he was moved at times from defensive tackle to the outside and even to linebacker, but he was a consistent threat.

Richardson, presumably, was after a multi-year deal, but the one-year pact with Minnesota will give him a chance to rebuild his value and potentially cash in next March. He joins an already stacked Vikings D and will pair with Linval Joseph in the middle. Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen will serve as the starting bookends with Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, and Ben Gedeon filling out the front seven.

The Seahawks have now lost two high-profile defensive linemen in Richardson and Michael Bennett (via trade with the Eagles), but Richardson’s departure should at least net them some return in compensatory picks.

[RELATED: Vikings Depth Chart]