NFC Contract Details: Ayers, Shelby, Perry
Here are a few of the latest contract details from around the NFC on recently agreed-upon and signed deals. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated…
NFC South:
- Robert Ayers, DE (Buccaneers): Three years, $19.5MM. $10.5MM guaranteed. $2.5MM roster bonus due on March 16. $2MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. $1MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2018 league year. $550K annually in sacks incentives (Twitter links).
- Derrick Shelby, DE (Falcons): Four years, $18MM. $7.5MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus. Annual $1MM base escalator from 2017 to 2019 (Twitter links).
- Matt Schaub, QB (Falcons): One year, $1.75MM. $500K signing bonus. Up to $1MM in playing-time and 53-man roster incentives (Twitter link).
NFC East:
- Tress Way, P (Washington): Five years, $7.8MM. $2.35MM guaranteed. $1.25MM signing bonus. Up to $400K in annual escalators from 2017 to 2020 (Twitter link via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post).
- Nigel Bradham, LB (Eagles): Two years, $7MM. $4.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. $500K base escalator for 2017 (Twitter link).
- Kyle WIlber, LB (Cowboys): Two years, $3.25MM. $1MM signing bonus. $1MM playing-time incentive (Twitter link).
- Logan Paulsen, TE (Washington): One year, minimum salary benefit. $35K signing bonus. $45K bonus for being on 53-man roster for first game (Twitter link).
NFC North:
- Nick Perry, OLB (Packers): One year, $5MM. $1.5MM signing bonus. $2.3MM base salary. Up to $1MM in per-game active roster bonuses. $200K workout bonus. Up to $250K in incentives (Twitter links via Wilson and Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
- Marcus Sherels, CB (Vikings): Two years, $4MM. $1.5MM guaranteed. $500K roster bonus due on March 16. $100K in annual punt return average incentives. $50K annual Pro Bowl incentive (Twitter links).
- Rafael Bush, S (Lions): One year, $2.4MM. $250K signing bonus. $250K in per-game roster bonuses. Up to $900K in playing-time bonuses (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
- Don Muhlbach, LS (Lions): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
NFC West:
- Jermaine Gresham, TE (Cardinals): One year, $3.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $500K in per-game active roster bonuses. $500K in incentives for stats, playing time (Twitter link).
Cardinals Re-Sign Jermaine Gresham, Red Bryant
MONDAY, 10:52am: The Cardinals have confirmed their deal with Gresham, and added that they’ve officially re-signed veteran defensive lineman Red Bryant as well (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). Bryant played sparingly in Arizona last year after serving as a full-time starter in Seattle and Jacksonville in previous seasons.
SUNDAY, 2:16pm: Gresham will sign a one-year deal with Arizona after receiving “strong” four-year offers from both the Jets and the Bears, tweets Rand Getlin of NFL.com.
2:02pm: Jermaine Gresham will spend a second year in the desert, as he’s agreed to re-sign with the Cardinals, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Per Rapoport, Gresham accepted less money than he could have earned elsewhere to stay with Arizona.
Gresham spent the first five years of his career with the Bengals before joining the Cardinals prior to last year. In 15 games (12 starts) the 27-year-old tight end posted 18 receptions for 223 yards and one touchdown. Those totals were a far cry from his Cincinnati days, when Gresham averaged 56 catches for more than 500 yards and five scores from 2010-2014, but it’s fair to wonder if he was still feeling the affects of the surgery he underwent last March to repair a herniated disc.
And though his receiving numbers were down, Gresham did contribute in other ways — he graded as the league’s third-best run-blocking tight per Pro Football Focus, helping pave the way for Chris Johnson and David Johnson on the ground. Gresham will return to a Cardinals tight end group that also includes Darren Fells, Troy Niklas, and Gerald Christian.
Free agency went much smoother this time around than it did last year for Gresham, who ranked as PFR’s No. 11 free agent tight end, as he signs less than a week into the free agent period (he also drew interest from the Jets prior to agreeing to terms with Arizona). In 2015, largely due to his back operation, Gresham sat on the market until the end of July before landing with the Cardinals.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Okung, Soliai, Weddle, Hayward
Free agent left tackle Russell Okung has an offer in hand from the Steelers, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link), while Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports (Twitter link) that Okung has no other visits planned at this time. Okung is just one of a few offensive tackles whom Pittsburgh has either met with or plans to meet with, including Ryan Harris and Chris Hairston. Kelvin Beachum, the Steelers’ left tackle for the past few seasons, remains unsigned, and is taking visits with other clubs.
Let’s dive into the latest free agent news…
- Former Falcons defensive tackle Paul Soliai will visit the division-rival Panthers, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Soliai, 32, was released by Atlanta on the first day of the free agent period after spending two years with the club. Carolina has already released defensive tackle Dwan Edwards, so Soliai could be a nice addition to the Panthers’ interior rotation.
- Another free agent defensive tackle — ex-Patriot Sealver Siliga — will take a meeting with the Seahawks, according to Garafolo (Twitter link). Siliga, 26 next month, was not offered a restricted free agent tender by New England despite appearing in 13 games for the club last season.
- The Seahawks will also meet with running back Lance Dunbar, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The 26-year-old Dunbar was off to a nice start with the Cowboys in 2015, catching 21 passes out of the backfield in just four games before a torn ACL knocked him out for the remainder of the season. Seattle will be the second NFC West visit for Dunbar, who’s also met with the 49ers.
- Free agent guard Amini Silatolu will visit the Cardinals today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The former-second pick hasn’t been a full-time starter since his rookie season in 2012, but he’s only 26 years old, and could help fill in at guard if Arizona follows through on its proposed move of Jonathan Cooper to center.
- Eric Weddle is expected to narrow his choice to two teams soon, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The veteran safety is reportedly choosing between the Ravens, Steelers, Cowboys, and Raiders.
- Before agreeing to a three-year deal with the Chargers earlier today, cornerback Casey Hayward also drew interest from the Chiefs and 49ers, tweets Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- Cardinals backup quarterback Drew Stanton said the Colts, Titans, Dolphins, and Cowboys all showed interest in signing him before he agreed to a new deal with Arizona, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Newton, Peterson, Others Get Salary Guarantees
Several NFL players have contracts containing language which states that they’ll get a full or partial salary guarantees for 2016 and/or 2017 if they remained on their respective teams on Friday, the third day of the league year. Let’s check in some of those players (link courtesy of CBS Sports’ Joel Corry):
- Cam Newton, quarterback (Panthers): $13MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed. Friday is also the deadline
for the Panthers to pick up Newton’s 2020 option for $10MM. - Eli Manning, quarterback (Giants): $17.5MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
- Jay Cutler, quarterback (Bears): $16MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
- Adrian Peterson, running back (Vikings): $7MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
- Julio Jones, wide receiver (Falcons): $11.5MM base salary for 2017 is now fully guaranteed.
- A.J. Green, wide receiver (Bengals): $6MM roster bonus is payable.
- Brandon Marshall, wide receiver (Jets): $9.5MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
- Mike Iupati, guard (Cardinals): $6.75MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed, as is $2MM of Iupati’s $8MM base salary for 2017.
- Rodney Hudson, center (Raiders): $7.35MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
- Gerald McCoy, defensive tackle (Buccaneers): $13.25MM base salary for 2017 is now fully guaranteed.
- Marcell Dareus, defensive tackle (Bills): $9.75MM base salary for 2017 is now fully guaranteed.
- Justin Houston, linebacker (Chiefs): $14.75MM of Houston’s $14.9MM base salary in 2016 is now fully guaranteed, as is $6.75MM of his $16.35MM base salary for 2017.
- DeAndre Levy, linebacker (Lions): $5.25MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
- Aqib Talib, cornerback (Broncos): $8.5MM base salary for 2016 is now fully guaranteed.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/11/16
Here are the minor moves on Day 3 of free agency.
- Defensive tackle Josh Mauro signed his exclusive-rights free agent tender with the Cardinals, ArizonaCardinals.com’s Darren Urban tweets.
- The Chargers are set to re-sign defensive lineman Damion Square on a one-year, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (on Twitter). Square was a restricted free agent San Diego elected not to tender, but re-signed him anyway, per Gehlken (on Twitter). The 27-year-old Square played in six games, starting in one, for the Chargers last season after being promoted from the practice squad in November.
Jermaine Gresham, Shea McClellin Visiting Jets
The Jets are hosting tight end Jermaine Gresham and linebacker Shea McClellin on visits, according to multiple reports. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports (via Twitter) that McClellin is visiting Gang Green today, while ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Gresham also met with the team.
Gresham, 27, signed with the Cardinals last season after spending five seasons with the Bengals. His role was reduced in Arizona, and he caught a career-low 18 balls for 223 yards and a touchdown. During his time in Cincinnati, Gresham earned two Pro Bowl nods, averaging 56 receptions per season.
The Jets, meanwhile, got little to no production from their tight ends in 2015. Gresham’s 18 receptions would have easily ranked first for New York, as the team’s TEs combined to catch just eight balls last season.
As for McClellin, the 26-year-old was the Bears’ first-round pick in 2012, and according to Biggs, Chicago would still like to re-sign him. However, the Jets figure to take a hard look at McClellin, since they have a need at inside linebacker, with both Demario Davis and Erin Henderson now on the free agent market.
The Jets are also hosting quarterback Robert Griffin and offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum on visits.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Cards, Hall, Ayers, Jets, Jenkins
With starting cornerback Jerraud Powers eligible for free agency, the Cardinals are considering their options at the position, and have veteran corner Leon Hall scheduled to come in on Monday for a visit, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Hall, 31, started just four of his 14 games for the Bengals last season, but still played in 735 defensive snaps, ranking 33rd among qualified cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus. Cincinnati has already retained free agent defensive backs Adam Jones and George Iloka, so it will be interesting to see whether the team can also re-sign Hall (and Reggie Nelson), or whether the veteran cornerback may land in Arizona, where the Cards could pair him with Patrick Peterson.
Let’s round up a few more free agent rumors from around the league…
- The Jaguars will make a strong effort to close on a deal with Robert Ayers during the defensive end’s visit to Jacksonville, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). However, the Buccaneers and Dolphins will be in play if Ayers leaves his Jags visit without a deal, Robinson notes.
- The Jets are examining free agent defensive linemen, and will bring in Jarvis Jenkins for a visit, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Jenkins, 27, established new career highs with 32 tackles and four sacks last season for the Bears.
- Veteran defensive end Chris Long tells SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link via Alex Marvez of FOX Sports) that he wants to sign with a “playoff” team, adding that he really enjoyed his visits with Washington and the Falcons.
- Linebacker Chad Greenway tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that, while he wants to return to the Vikings, he would consider signing – and finishing his career – with another team. Greenway, who says he has been “laying low” in free agency so far, doesn’t sound close to a deal anywhere.
Compensatory Picks For 2016 NFL Draft
The NFL has officially announced the 33 compensatory picks for the 2016 NFL draft. These picks are awarded to the teams that suffered the most significant free agent losses during the 2015 offseason. So, for instance, the Lions, who lost Ndamukong Suh, get the top compensatory pick this year.
The comp pick formula assigns picks who suffered the largest net losses, so teams that signed multiple free agents have a lesser chance of receiving picks. These selections can’t be traded.
Here’s the full breakdown, by round and by team:
By Round:
Round 3:
- Detroit Lions
- New England Patriots
- Seattle Seahawks
- Denver Broncos
Round 4:
- Green Bay Packers
- Baltimore Ravens
- San Francisco 49ers
- Baltimore Ravens
- Dallas Cowboys
- Denver Broncos
- Green Bay Packers
- Cleveland Browns
- Buffalo Bills
Round 5:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Seattle Seahawks
- Cleveland Browns
- Cleveland Browns
- San Francisco 49ers
- San Diego Chargers
Round 6:
- New England Patriots
- Baltimore Ravens
- Detroit Lions
- San Francisco 49ers
- Dallas Cowboys
- San Francisco 49ers
- New England Patriots
- Seattle Seahawks
- Dallas Cowboys
- Dallas Cowboys
- Buffalo Bills
- Denver Broncos
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- New England Patriots
By Team:
- Dallas Cowboys (4)
- New England Patriots (4)
- San Francisco 49ers (4)
- Baltimore Ravens (3)
- Cleveland Browns (3)
- Denver Broncos (3)
- Seattle Seahawks (3)
- Buffalo Bills (2)
- Detroit Lions (2)
- Green Bay Packers (2)
- Arizona Cardinals (1)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (1)
- San Diego Chargers (1)
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/16
Today’s minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Cardinals have re-signed tight end Ifeanyi Momah, tweets Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange. Momah survived Arizona’s preseason roster cuts in 2015, but suffered a torn meniscus before Week 1, ending his season. Momah received an ERFA tender from the Cards last week.
- Corey Fuller signed his exclusive-rights tender with the Lions, Wilson tweets. Fuller caught four passes for 76 yards last season after posting 212 yards on 14 receptions in 2014.
- A Saints cog from 2012-14, tackle Bryce Harris re-signed with the Falcons, his 2015 employer, according to Evan Woodberry of NOLA.com (on Twitter). The former UDFA played in two games for the Falcons last season.
- The Cardinals cut wide receiver Damond Powell with a non-football injury designation, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
Earlier updates:
- The Cowboys have re-signed cornerback Josh Thomas to a one-year contract, says Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Thomas, originally selected in the fifth round of the 2011 draft by the Cowboys, rejoined the team at the end of last season. In between his two stints in Dallas, he played 51 regular-season contests for the Panthers, Lions, Colts, Jets, and Seahawks.
- Tight end Zach Sudfeld has re-signed with the Jets, agent Jason Bernstein tweets. Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter) adds that it is a one-year deal. Sudfeld was a restricted free agent, so his new deal will presumably be for less than the low-round tender of $1.671MM.
- The Chiefs announced (on Twitter) that they have signed defensive lineman David King and linebacker Efe Obada.
- The Dolphins have re-signed linebacker James-Michael Johnson, per Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter).
- The Chargers re-signed ERFA guard Kenny Wiggins, Balzer tweets.
- The Jets will not tender an offer to punter Ryan Quigley, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets.
Free Agent Rumors: Robinson, Raiders, Weddle
Can Nate Robinson go from the pages of Hoops Rumors to Pro Football Rumors? In a YouTube video released this week, the diminutive former NBA guard announced that he is going to make a run at the NFL. The well-produced video features testimonials from Marcedes Lewis and Brendon Ayanbadejo, former NBA teammates Jamal Crawford and Glen Davis, as well as former football coach Rick Neuheisel, all of whom insist that Robinson is perhaps the only athlete who could make the transition from professional basketball to professional football.
Robinson originally went to the University of Washington on a football scholarship and made a name for himself on the gridiron with his electrifying plays, but it has been many years since he tried his hand at football. The 31-year-old (32 in May) did not say which position he would like to play in the NFL, but he spoke about both offense and defense in the video, inferring that he might try to market himself as being able to play on either side of the ball.
Here’s the latest news on some of this week’s more typical NFL free agents:
- The Raiders are zeroing in on Eric Weddle, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. It’s not immediately clear whether Weddle has a visit scheduled with Oakland. We learned last night that the Steelers are also fond of the veteran.
- The plan is for Akiem Hicks to visit the Bears tomorrow, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
- Safety Rashad Johnson is traveling Friday for a visit with the Titans, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Chargers GM Tom Telesco says he’s ready for the second wave of free agency, as ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams writes. Telesco also says that he is open to newly signed safety Dwight Lowery serving as a stopgap for Eric Weddle.
- Cardinals free agent linebacker Sean Weatherspoon will meet with the Falcons on Friday, per Jay Adams of the Falcons (on Twitter).