Cardinals Sign Tyvon Branch
THURSDAY, 2:27pm: The Cardinals have officially signed Branch, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).
WENDESDAY, 3:26pm: The two sides have reached agreement, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a two-year deal with a base of $7MM, per Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). Branch can earn up to $10MM through incentives.
3:08pm: The Cardinals are expected to sign safety Tyvon Branch, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter) first reported that the two sides were closing in on an agreement. It’ll be a two-year deal worth potentially as much as $10MM, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. The deal includes $5MM in fully guaranteed cash (link). 
Branch, whom the Chiefs signed to a one-year deal last winter, appeared in all 16 of their games last season and started one. The 29-year-old added 43 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble, and four passes defensed. The advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) placed Branch as the 30th best safety in the NFL last year, slotting him ahead of free agents Chris Conte, Eric Weddle, and David Bruton. While he did not start in 2015, many teams believed that Branch was capable of handling a starting role once again. The Cardinals, ostensibly, are one of those teams.
Branch was PFR’s No. 11 ranked safety this offseason, placing him behind George Iloka, Eric Weddle, Rodney McLeod, Tashaun Gipson, Reggie Nelson, Walter Thurmond, Rashad Johnson, Dwight Lowery, Isa Abdul-Quddus, and Husain Abdullah.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Contract Details: Vernon, Jenkins, Mack
Here are some of the latest details on many recent agreed-upon and signed contracts from out of the NFC (all links via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post unless otherwise indicated)…
NFC East:
- Olivier Vernon, DE (Giants): Five years, $85MM. $52.5MM guaranteed. $20MM signing bonus. $7MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2016 league year (Twitter links).
- Janoris Jenkins, CB (Giants): Five years, $62.5MM. $28.8MM guaranteed. $10MM signing bonus. $1.4MM base salary in 2016 (Twitter link).
- Brandon Brooks, G (Eagles): Five years, $40MM. $21MM guaranteed. $11MM signing bonus. $1MM base salary in 2016 and $5MM base salary in 2017 fully guaranteed (Twitter link).
- Chase Daniel, QB (Eagles): Three years, $21MM base value. $36MM max value. $3MM signing bonus. $3MM roster bonus due on March 14. $3MM base escalators in 2017 and 2018 (Twitter link).
- Colt McCoy, QB (Washington): Three years, $9MM base value. Third year can be voided based on playing time. $1.8MM signing bonus. $1MM annually in playing-time incentives (Twitter link).
- Ron Brooks, CB (Eagles): Three years, $5.5MM. $1.55MM guaranteed. $750K signing bonus (Twitter link).
NFC South:
- Alex Mack, C (Falcons): Five years, $45MM. $28.5MM guaranteed. $11.5MM signing bonus (Twitter link)
- Coby Fleener, TE (Saints): Five years, $36MM. $18MM guaranteed. $8MM signing bonus (Twitter link).
- Mike Tolbert, FB (Panthers): Two years, $3.3MM. $700K signing bonus. Up to $200K in annual playing-time incentives (Twitter links).
- Charles Johnson, DE (Panthers): One year, $3MM. $2MM base salary. $1MM in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
NFC North:
- Marvin Jones, WR (Lions): Five years, $40MM. $20MM guaranteed. $8MM signing bonus (Twitter link).
- Alex Boone, G (Vikings): Four years, $26.8MM. $10MM guaranteed. Annual $100K workout bonus (Twitter link).
- Danny Trevathan, LB (Bears): Four years, $24.5MM. $12MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus. $3.5MM roster bonus due on March 14 (Twitter link).
- Michael Griffin, S (Vikings): One year, $2.5MM. $250K signing bonus. $500K of $1.65MM base salary guaranteed. Up to $500K in playing-time incentives (Twitter links).
- Tavon Wilson, S (Lions): Two years, $2.2MM. $500K signing bonus. Up to $500K in annual playing-time incentives (Twitter link).
NFC West:
- Mark Barron, OLB (Rams): Five years, $45MM. $20MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter link).
- William Hayes, DE (Rams): Three years, $17.5MM. $10MM guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus due on March 13 (Twitter link).
- Tyvon Branch, S (Cardinals): Two years, $8MM. $1MM signing bonus. $1.75MM roster bonus in 2016, $1MM roster bonus in 2017 (Twitter link).
- Tim Barnes, C (Rams): Two years, $5.6MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $1.25MM roster bonus due in four days. $750K roster bonus due on third day of 2017 league year guaranteed for injury, skill; becomes fully guaranteed if on roster June 17. Up to $1MM in annual playing-time incentives. $250K annual Pro Bowl incentive (all Twitter links).
- Brian Quick, WR (Rams): One year, $1.75MM. $1.5MM guaranteed ($1.25MM bas salary, $250K roster bonus due on March 15). $2MM stats incentive (Twitter link).
Dwight Freeney Eyes One More Season
Dwight Freeney wants to play one more season, preferably with the Cardinals, Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports (on Twitter).
An unrestricted free agent, Freeney not ruling out a landing with another team but made it clear Arizona’s his ideal destination. The now-36-year-old defensive end told Marvez (Twitter link) he was one week away from retiring last year before they contacted him and signed the three-time first-team All-Pro pass-rusher.
Freeney turned out to be a vital addition after he posted eight sacks in 11 games despite playing for just $970K. That total represented the most for Freeney since his age-31 season in 2011 with the Colts.
After an injury-marred an unmemorable stint with the Chargers, Freeney went on to lead the NFC West champions with eight sacks, registering three more than the next-best Cardinals rusher. He did so despite starting no games.
Serving in pass-rush situations, Freeney delivered, particularly against the Packers. After a three-sack game in the teams’ regular-season clash, Freeney brought down Aaron Rodgers once in the playoff encounter.
It doesn’t look like Freeney will be in a rush to sign with anyone, so the Cardinals can be patient with the Syracuse alumnus and seven-time Pro Bowler.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Cardinals Tender RFA D.J. Swearinger
4:00pm: It’s actually an original round tender for Swearinger, which will pay him $1.671MM, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. But because Swearinger was drafted in the second round, the Cardinals would receive a second-rounder as compensation if they declined to match an offer sheet.
3:53pm: The Cardinals have slapped a second-round tender on safety D.J. Swearinger, who will make $2.55MM in 2016 as a result, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link). There was a report last week that the Cardinals had tendered Swearinger at the lowest level, but that obviously appears false. Now, should any team attempt to sign Swearinger, it will have
to surrender a second-rounder for his services.
Given Arizona’s move to place a low-level tender on fellow safety Tony Jefferson last week, its decision to put second-round value on Swearinger is curious. Jefferson has appeared in all 48 possible regular-season games (17 starts) as a Cardinal, playing in over 70% of their defensive snaps in 2015-16. The production has been there, too — Jefferson graded as the No. 18 safety among 88 qualifiers in 2015, per Pro Football Focus.
Swearinger, on the other hand, joined the Cardinals last season after the Buccaneers waived him. He appeared in seven games (zero starts) and registered 12 tackles. PFF gave him a 55.1 overall grade, far below Jefferson’s 81.3. The 24-year-old Swearinger was Houston’s second-round pick in 2013. He started 22 of 32 regular-season games for the Texans, with whom he picked off four passes and forced three fumbles.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Contract Details: JPP, McClain, Stanton
Here are the latest updates on many recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the NFC:
NFC East:
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (Giants): One year, $10MM. $8.5MM fully guaranteed. $4.25MM signing bonus, $4.25MM base salary. $1.2MM per-game roster bonuses. $300K incentive tied to sacks. $10.5MM max value (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Rolando McClain, LB (Cowboys): One year, $4MM. $1MM available via incentives if McClain plays 75% of defensive snaps (Twitter link via Drew Davidson of the Star Telegram).
NFC South:
- Michael Hoomanawanui, TE (Saints): Three years, $5.2MM. $1.85MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Kyle Wilson, CB (Saints): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Keith Tandy, S (Buccaneers): Two years, $1.85MM. $250K roster bonus guarantees on fifth day of league year (Twitter link via Wilson).
NFC North:
- Andrew Sendejo, S (Vikings): Four years, $16MM. $950K 2016 base salary (fully guaranteed). Contains option for 2019 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Lane Taylor, OL (Packers): Two years, $4.15MM. $600K signing bonus. Contains $1MM in playtime and workout incentives (Twitter links via Wilson).
NFC West:
- Ahtyba Rubin, DT (Seahawks): Three years, $12MM. $5.5MM guaranteed. $4.5MM signing bonu (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Drew Stanton, QB (Cardinals): Two years, $6.5MM. $4.5MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Free Agent Rumors: Massie, Mack, Vikings
The latest free agent rumors:
- Cardinals free agent tackle Bobby Massie is deciding between three teams and he could remain in Arizona, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) says that Alex Mack got a quality deal from the Falcons because multiple teams including the Browns and the Chargers were “in strong” for his services. Meanwhile, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter) says that even though the Chargers reached out, they did not “develop into a major contender.”
- The Vikings are looking at free agent wide receiver Andre Holmes, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com tweets. Holmes, who was with Minnesota as a UDFA in 2011, would give Minnesota a big target.
- The Eagles never had formal contract discussions with Walter Thurmond prior to Monday, Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic tweets. Thurmond is now on the open market and, one way or another, the Eagles need to add depth at the cornerback position.
- Keenan Robinson appears to have posted a farewell message to Washington fans on Instagram. After re-signing Mason Foster, it seems like Washington will be moving on from their other free agent inside linebacker.
Cardinals To Re-Sign Drew Stanton
5:53pm: Stanton agreed to a two-year, $6.5MM deal with “significant upside,” per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). That last bit seems to indicate that there are a fair amount of incentives in the deal.
5:34pm: The Cardinals have re-signed quarterback Drew Stanton, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. It was reported earlier in the week that a deal was looking less and less likely, but Arizona has gotten a deal done to keep their backup QB in place before the start of free agency. 
Earlier today, in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link), Stanton reiterated his fondness for Arizona.
“I feel like this is a good situation here in Arizona. Is there a better opportunity for me elsewhere? I don’t know,” Stanton said.
In 2014, injuries to Carson Palmer thrust Stanton into the starting role for an eight game stretch. While he did not look like a world-beater, Stanton did go 5-3 in that span and he showed that he is one of the league’s stronger backup QBs.
For his career, the 31-year-old Stanton has started contests, completing about 55% of his passes during that time. It’s possible that Stanton could have received offers from other clubs, hence the report yesterday that he was unlikely to return to the Cardinals. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how much Arizona was willing to pay to lock in an insurance policy at quarterback.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Giants To Re-Sign Jason Pierre-Paul
3:45pm: It’s a “real” $10MM deal with a chance for JPP to make $10.5MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Cardinals, he adds, offered “much more.”
1:23pm: Pierre-Paul has confirmed, via Instagram, that he will be returning to the Giants, though he made a note to specifically thank the Cardinals for their interest. Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets that a source close to JPP was surprised the defensive end decided to return to New York, which suggests that another team – probably Arizona – made him a more lucrative offer.
12:46pm: It’s a one-year deal worth up to $10.5MM, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). He adds that the Cardinals made a late push for Pierre-Paul’s services.
12:39pm: The Giants are expected to keep Jason Pierre-Paul, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). JPP will sign a one-year deal with Big Blue, per Rapoport, and he apparently turned down more money elsewhere to stay put in the Meadowlands. 
Other possible suitors were reportedly “hesitant” to offer Pierre-Paul a long-term pact, giving the Giants some optimism that they could get a deal done. They’ve done just that today, though the financial terms of the deal are not yet known.
Pierre-Paul has been one of Big Blue’s fiercest defenders since they drafted him 15th overall in 2010. The 27-year-old end totaled 42 sacks from 2010-14, including a career-high 16.5 during the Giants’ Super Bowl-winning campaign in 2011. However, his career took a terrible turn last summer when he lost his right index finger thanks to a July 4 fireworks accident.
Pierre-Paul returned to the field in November and ended up appearing in eight games, registering 26 tackles and a personal-low one sack. Despite his statistical decline, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) still ranked Pierre-Paul a solid 30th out of 91 qualifying edge rushers. The site remained impressed with his pass-rushing ability, though it gave him a poor grade against the run. He clearly disagrees in regards to the latter, having stated in December that, “I think I play the run better than I play the pass.”
JPP ranked No. 7 on Luke Adams’ list of Top 50 NFL Free Agents.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Ivory, Eagles, Powers
Chris Ivory wants roughly $6.5MM per year and is looking for at least a three-year commitment, Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday tweets. Some might view that as an ambitious ask, but Ivory could net that sort of deal this offseason given that there are many teams with significant cap space to use. On PFR’s list of top free agent running backs, Ivory stands as the No. 4 option behind Doug Martin, Lamar Miller, and Matt Forte.
Here are the very latest free agent rumors:
- The Eagles have reached out to linebacker Nigel Bradham, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The 26-year-old has a history with Philly DC Jim Schwartz.
- Jerraud Powers says he’s unsure about future with the Cardinals as free agency nears, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. “I think it’s close but at the same time, it’s not,” Powers said. “We’ve been in talks, but I don’t know what the waiting process is like. I’m starting to think that maybe they’re just going to move in another direction.” Powers, who made $4.35MM last season, wants a three- or four-year deal. He also says that he wants to join a club with a “winning pedigree” that can contend in 2016.
- The Giants are nowhere near done making moves on the defensive line, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. Raanan cautions to expect several more big moves. Earlier today, the Giants reached agreement with JPP on a new deal.
- Charles Johnson has already visited the Giants and Buccaneers, but he might be signing with a different club based on the tone of this tweet. “2mor u will know my future!!! It’s going to be epic,” Johnson wrote.
Free Agent Rumors: Broncos, Massie, Daniel
Now that defensive lineman Malik Jackson has agreed to join the Jaguars, we can expect the Broncos to make a serious run at Cardinals free agent right tackle Bobby Massie, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Massie could reportedly command north of $8MM per season, so it was unlikely that Denver would have been able to afford both Jackson and the offensive tackle.
Here’s the very latest free agent news:
- Even though the Eagles have re-signed Sam Bradford, the Eagles could still pursue Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Eagles coach Doug Pederson, who is the former OC in KC, is quite fond of Daniel.
- The Vikings are not close on a deal with guard Mike Harris, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). Harris’ camp has been looking for roughly $5MM on a two-year deal while the Vikings are offering $3.5MM over two. Harris is currently planning on testing the market.
- The Bears are one of “multiple” teams that have expressed interest in defensive end Akiem Hicks, per Kevin Fishbain of Pro Football Weekly (on Twitter).
- Four teams have expressed varying degrees of interest in linebacker Demario Davis, a source tells Seth Walder of the Daily News (on Twitter).
- The Bills‘ signing of Richie Incognito means that Buffalo will not be adding free agent guard Jahri Evans, Peter Schrager of FOXSports.com (on Twitter) hears. The Bills hosted Evans on a visit on Monday. Evans has started 153 games for the Saints dating back 2006 and earned four First-Team All-Pro selections.