2018 March - Pro Football Rumors

Falcons, Packers Interested In TE Ed Dickson

March 13th, 2018 at 9:30am CST by Dallas Robinson

Both the Falcons and Packers have interest in free agent tight end Ed Dickson, according to Vaughn McClure and Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter links).

Dickson, 30, didn’t play a large receiving role during his first three years with the Panthers, but an injury to starting tight end Greg Olsen allowed Dickson to play on 80% of Carolina’s offensive plays last season. While he wasn’t a world-beater, Dickson did manage 437 yards and a touchdown, solid numbers considering he’d managed just 370 receiving yards from 2014-16.

Atlanta needs another tight end after cutting Levine Toilolo, while Green Bay also has interest in another free agent tight end in Jimmy Graham. Richard Rodgers is due to become an unrestricted free agent, which will leave Lance Kendricks and Emanuel Byrd as the only two tight ends on the Packers’ roster when the new league year begins Wednesday.

Dickson worked intermittently as a starter in his first four years of the league with the Ravens, seizing opportunities behind the often-injured Dennis Pitta. Dickson started all 16 games his sophomore season in 2011 and had five touchdowns to with 54 receptions and 528 yards receiving — all career highs.

Saints Will Not Tender CB Delvin Breaux

March 13th, 2018 at 9:26am CST by Zachary Links

Saints do not plan to tender restricted free agent Delvin Breaux, a source tells Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter). The cornerback is now set to hit the unrestricted free agent market on Wednesday.

Breaux has had an up-and-down tenure with the Saints. He was stellar in 2015, grading out as a high-end starter per Pro Football Focus’ metrics. However, he did not deliver an encore in 2016 and his 2017 season was lost to injury.

In October, the Saints designated Breaux to return from IR. He began practicing, kickstarting a three-week window for the team to place him on the 53-man roster. However, a setback required an extra 3-6 weeks of recovery and the Saints were unwilling to tie up a roster spot as he got the required rest. The Saints did not activate him within the window, meaning that his season was done.

Given his background, the CFL star turned NFL notable should have a ripe market for his services. However, since this is an unusually deep market for cornerbacks, he may have to wait until some of the bigger names find their homes.

Meanwhile, the Saints are planning to use the lowest tender on restricted free agent wide receiver Willie Snead. Given his performance in 2015 and 2016, it seems likely that another team will scoop him up.

Saints Use Lowest Tender On WR Willie Snead

March 13th, 2018 at 9:19am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have tendered restricted free agent wide receiver Willie Snead at the lowest level ($1.907MM), a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). New Orleans will have the first right of refusal, but there will be no draft compensation for the Saints in the event of an unmatched offer sheet

Snead, 26 in October, was hardly a factor in the Saints’ offense last year. However, he averaged 70 catches for 940 yards and four touchdowns over the previous two seasons. Last year, as an exclusive rights free agent, he pushed for an an amended contract and didn’t get it. Now, he’s a long way from that big-money contract he wanted, but there should still be a market for his services.

New Orleans has two locked-in receivers in Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn, but the club could see a bit of overhaul on its wideout depth chart. In addition to Snead, wide receiver Brandon Coleman is also a restricted free agent.

In other Saints news, the team has decided against a tender for restricted free agent cornerback Delvin Breaux. Breaux, a former CFL standout, turned in a strong season for the Saints in 2015. Unfortunately, things tailed off from that point and he lost his entire 2017 season to injury.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie To Visit Redskins, Saints

March 13th, 2018 at 9:18am CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will meet with the Redskins today, and is scheduled to visit the Saints next, according to Ian Rapoport of NFLcom (Twitter link).

Last year, Rodgers-Cromartie earned a 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus, his lowest showing since 2012. He graded out as the 58th ranked cornerback in the NFL, portraying him as someone who is on the fringe of starter quality. His on-field performance was the least of his issues, however.

Rodgers-Cromartie clashed with former coach Ben McAdoo last week – apparently, on four separate occasions – before being suspended “indefinitely” for conduct detrimental to the team. He was brought back after just one game, but his outbursts were an indicator of a much deeper problem in the Giants’ locker room.

In both Washington and New Orleans, Rodgers-Cromartie would offer immediate improvement in the slot. The Redskins, notably, dealt their slot corner — Kendall Fuller — when acquiring quarterback Alex Smith earlier this year.

Buccaneers Re-Sign RB Peyton Barber

March 13th, 2018 at 9:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Bucs have re-signed running back Peyton Barber to a one-year, $630K contract through 2018, a league source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). As of this writing, he could be in the mix to start at running back, but the Bucs are expected to continue to explore their options.

Barber, an Auburn product, missed the 53-man cut last year but was quickly added to the team’s practice squad after clearing waivers. Before the first game of the season, Barber earned a promotion to the varsity squad.

In 2017, Barber averaged 3.9 yards per carry with three touchdowns. He also added 16 catches for 114 yards. Barber becomes the second players on the Buccaneers offense to re-sign with the team this offseason, though it was for considerably less money. The team locked up wide receiver Mike Evans with a five-year, $82.5MM extension last week.

Barber did his best work late in the season including a 100+ yard performance against the Packers in early December. It served as the team’s first 100-yard rushing performance of the season. Barber’s biggest competition for a starting role on the Buccaneers’ current roster would be Jacquizz Rodgers. Tampa Bay has already released Doug Martin and Charles Sims is due to become an unrestricted free agent.

It’s likely the Buccaneers could still be on the lookout for upgrades at running back after ranking No. 27 as a team last year with 1,450 yards rushing. Entering Tuesday, Tampa Bay ranked fifth in the NFL with $62.13MM in available cap space. Some of the top running backs set to hit the open market include DeMarco Murray, Jonathan Stewart, Danny Woodhead, Isaiah Crowell, Dion Lewis and Carlos Hyde.

Ravens To Release RB Danny Woodhead

March 13th, 2018 at 9:06am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Ravens will release running back Danny Woodhead, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Woodhead inked a three-year deal with Baltimore last offseason, but he’ll only make a third of the way through that contract. By releasing the veteran back, the Ravens will pick up $1.8MM in cap space while incurring $1.5MM in dead money. That extra cap space is critical for Baltimore, who currently have roughly $6MM in available funds.

Woodhead, 33, suffered a hamstring injury on the first drive of his Ravens career, and subsequently spent the first half of the season on injured reserve. After coming back, Woodhead managed 33 receptions for 200 yards while rushing for 56 yards on the ground.

In other Ravens news, Baltimore has elected to decline Austin Howard‘s option. Howard should find a strong market for his services given the dearth of quality tackles available.

Eagles Restructure OT Lane Johnson’s Deal

March 13th, 2018 at 9:03am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have significantly improved their cap situation. The Eagles have created $7.5MM in cap space for 2018 by restructuring tackle Lane Johnson‘s deal, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. His new cap hit is now $4.98MM, down from $12.48MM, with Johnson also collecting a $4.192MM signing bonus.

Johnson will now have a base salary of $790K for 2018, down from $10.25M (Twitter link). He’ll earn the same amount of money in total, so it’s a win-win for the team and player.

The Eagles entered the offseason with one of the most dire cap situations in the entire NFL. Now, they have given themselves some much-needed flexibility. In theory, the move could allow them to retain defensive end Vinny Curry, though they might look to apply their new found money elsewhere after acquiring Michael Bennett from the Seahawks.

Cowboys Meet With Dez Bryant

March 13th, 2018 at 9:02am CST by Dallas Robinson

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has indeed met with veteran receiver Dez Bryant, but the club has not asked him to accept a pay reduction at this point, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Bryant is due a $12.5MM base salary in 2018, and will count for $16.5MM on Dallas’ salary cap. If he’s released, the Cowboys would save $8.5MM but still be on the hook for $8MM in dead money. Dallas could designate the 29-year-old Bryant as a post-June 1 release and in turn save $12.5MM in 2018 space, but that extra room wouldn’t be available until June. As such, it wouldn’t help the Cowboys sign free agents in March.

Bryant has managed to get into the end zone 14 times over the past two seasons, but he hasn’t topped 1,000 yards since the 2014 season. 2017 also marked the first year that Bryant was able to stay healthy for all 16 games since that 2014 season. Bryant only posted 69 receptions and 838 yards, however, which isn’t in line with a salary that makes him the NFL’s eighth-highest-paid wideout.

Lions Re-Sign S Tavon Wilson

March 13th, 2018 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions re-signed safety Tavon Wilson to a 2-year, $7MM deal, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Wilson was scheduled for free agency, but he’s now under contract with Detroit through the 2019 season.

Wilson, who turns 28 this month, has appeared in 25 games for the Lions with appearances at both free safety and strong safety. Last year, he totaled 55 tackles, two sacks, and one interception.

The advanced metrics were not high on his play as Pro Football Focus ranked him as one of the ten worst qualified safeties in the NFL. In the year prior, however, he earned a strong 83.8 grade and was also held in high regard for his previous seasons with the Patriots. Old friend Bob Quinn brought him to Detroit after drafting him in New England and their partnership will continue for another two seasons.

Saints, Drew Brees Agree To Two-Year Deal

March 13th, 2018 at 8:53am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints have agreed to a two-year deal with quarterback Drew Brees, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The new pact is worth $50MM and contains $27MM in guarantees. The deal is technically for three years and $70MM, but the 2020 season will void and is in place only for salary cap purposes, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Additionally the 2019 season is an option year, and the deal contains a full no-trade clause, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Brees’ current contract with New Orleans will void on March 14, the first day of the 2018 league year, and if no new deal had been reached, the Saints would have incurred $18MM in dead money on their salary cap. By hammering out an extension, the Saints will keep that dead money total at a relatively manageable $6MM in 2018 while retaining their franchise quarterback.

Although he was allowed to speak to other clubs beginning on Monday, Brees was never seriously expected to leave New Orleans. However, he did reportedly speak with the quarterback-needy Vikings, which could have given him a bit of leverage in talks with the Saints.

While Brees didn’t post his typically gaudy offensive statistics in 2017, that was largely by design, as he attempted only 536 pass attempts, his lowest in a full 16-game slate since 2005 (his final year with the Chargers). New Orleans built an offense that doesn’t have to fully rely on Brees, as the club ranked first in rushing DVOA and second in pressure rate allowed. Buoyed by Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara, and a strong offensive line, Brees ranked second in passer rating and adjusted net yards per attempt, and third in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA, which measures value on a per-play basis.

Brees expressed his desire to return to the Saints following their loss to the Vikings in the NFC Divisional playoffs. A contract that will give Brees $25MM annually will match Raiders quarterback Derek Carr in terms of average annual salary for third among NFL players, placing him behind Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford ($27MM) and 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5MM).