NFC West Notes: Williams, Cards, 49ers
Free agent cornerback Cary Williams visited the Seahawks yesterday, and was “blown away,” according to agent Harold Lewis. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) quotes Williams’ agent as saying the former Eagles was “very impressed” with Seattle’s pitch, though the corner will still continue on with his other visits, including the Jets and Titans.
As we wait to see where Williams land, let’s check in on a few other items from out of the NFC West….
- Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reported earlier today that he wouldn’t be surprised to see the Falcons and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon reach an agreement on a new deal soon. However, if the two sides can’t finalize anything, expect the Cardinals to be waiting with their arms “wide open,” tweets McClure.
- Besides Weatherspoon, Stefen Wisniewski and A.Q. Shipley are a couple players expected to draw interest from the Cardinals, according to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Arizona (via Twitter). The Cards are looking for potential upgrades on the interior offensive line, and both Wisniewski and Shipley look poised to become unrestricted free agents.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap attempts to make sense of the motives for the 49ers and Aldon Smith, following reports of Smith’s contract restructure.
West Rumors: Cole, S. Johnson, Myers, Dockett
Since being released by the Eagles yesterday, Trent Cole has garnered a decent amount of free agent interest, as he was scheduled to meet with the Buccaneers today. Two more NFC teams could be interested in signing the 32-year-old edge rusher, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports that both the 49ers and the Seahawks have inquired about Cole. As PFR’s Luke Adams notes in the link above, Cole is viewed as a better fit for a 4-3 defense (which both Tampa Bay and Seattle utilize). San Francisco, though, fields a 3-4 look, so it presumably believes Cole is still an option at outside linebacker.
Let’s take a look at some more notes from San Francisco and the rest of the West divisions…
- With Jerome Simpson now in the fold, the 49ers might not have a role for fellow receiver Stevie Johnson. Indeed, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 tweets that the 28-year-old Johnson is expected to be released in the coming days. With no remaining guarantees on the books, Johnson would leave no dead money on San Francisco’s cap, and his release would save the club more than $6MM.
- Whereas Johnson hasn’t yet been released, former Texans center Chris Myers has already been handed his walking papers, officially being cut by Houston yesterday. But Myers could stay in the AFC, where the Raiders are set to lose free agent Stefen Wisniewski, as Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports (Twitter link) that Oakland does have interest in bringing in the 33-year-old Myers. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that he senses the Raiders will target Chiefs center Rodney Hudson, with Myers serving as backup option.
- After being released by Arizona, defensive lineman Darnell Dockett signed with the 49ers earlier today, but he insists that staying with the Cardinals was initially possible. “I was willing to restructure my contract,” Dockett said on FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). “I was willing to take less money than what SF was offering.” Dockett ultimately inked a two-year, $7.5MM deal with San Francisco.
49ers Sign Darnell Dockett
9:13am: According to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Arizona (via Twitter), Dockett gave the Cardinals the opportunity to match the 49ers’ offer before officially agreeing to terms with San Francisco.
8:47am: Veteran defensive lineman Darnell Dockett has made the move from one NFC West team to another, signing with the 49ers days after being released by the Cardinals. Agent Drew Rosenhaus broke the news on Twitter, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has since reported (via Twitter) that Dockett’s new deal with San Francisco is a two-year pact.
Dockett, who is entering his age-34 season, was sidelined for the entire 2014 campaign due to an ACL tear. In 2013, the former third-round pick started all 16 games for the Cards, logging 46 tackles and 4.5 sacks. However, Dockett’s cap number for 2015 was nearly $10MM, which forced the club to cut him.
According to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, the Cards wanted Dockett back, and had a one-year offer on the table to the veteran earlier this week worth up to $4MM, with a a base value of $2.5MM. In fact, Dockett drew interest from the entire NFC West, though he didn’t visit the Rams or Seahawks. Ultimately, the Niners’ offer won out — Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, citing Rosenhaus, tweets that the two-year deal is worth $7.5MM, including $4MM in year one, with $2MM guaranteed.
For the 49ers, Dockett represents a nice addition for a defensive line that may need replenishing this offseason. The team’s two primary defensive ends in 2014, Justin Smith and Ray McDonald, may not return for the 2015 season. Smith is mulling retirement, while McDonald was cut in December due to poor off-field conduct. The Niners also pursued Ricky Jean-Francois last week before the former Colt landed in Washington.
NFC Notes: Ryans, Mariota, Rolle
Cardinals GM Steve Keim is determined not to let emotions dictate his free agent decisions, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. “The problem is you can’t get too emotionally attached to players,” Keim said. “When the time comes to make another decision, you make a poor business decision and try to overpay for players that might not deserve it.” Here’s more from the NFC..
- DeMeco Ryans is coming off of Achilles surgery, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) expects him to stay on with the Eagles. However, Rapoport could see the two sides re-working Ryans’ $7MM salary before the start of the season.
- There’s a limit to how many picks the Eagles (or any team) can trade, but the rules change once the 2015 draft opens, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. According the the league office, trades conducted before the draft begins can include draft picks in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Once the draft starts, trades can include picks from 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. If the Eagles want to make a deal for Marcus Mariota, they’ll have much more flexibility once the Bucs are officially on the clock at No. 1.
- Pending free agents safety Antrel Rolle took to Twitter to let everyone know that he hasn’t had discussions with any teams yet, including the Giants.
- D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looked at players that the Falcons might be interested in adding in free agency, including Chiefs free safety Ron Parker, Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan, and outside linebacker Jason Worilds.
- Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News looked at what the Cowboys defense has to seek out this offseason.
- Cutting Pierre Thomas only makes sense if the Saints really plan to spend on a running back, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes.
Vikings Notes: AP, QB, Jennings, Munnerlyn
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman were among a contingent that flew to Houston today to meet with Adrian Peterson, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today details. Now that the running back has been moved back to the exempt list, open communication is once again permitted, and this will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in months, according to Pelissero. While Peterson hasn’t asked to be traded or released, he is “uneasy” about the possibility of returning to Minnesota, so the goal of today’s meeting for the club is likely to ease some of those concerns.
As we wait to hear how the meeting in Houston goes, let’s round up a few more Vikings-related notes….
- Sources tell Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports that while Peterson hasn’t ruled out the possibility of continuing to play for the Vikings, he has also considered trade destinations, and may be open to restructuring his contract to accommodate a deal. Robinson identifies the Cardinals, Colts, Cowboys, Chargers, and Buccaneers as Peterson’s preferred destinations if he leaves Minnesota.
- The Vikings reached an agreement earlier today with the Bills on a trade that will send Matt Cassel to Buffalo, which means the club will be in the market for a backup quarterback this month. According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Vikings already have a specific backup in mind. Goessling suggests keeping an eye on Charlie Whitehurst, who was with Norv Turner in San Diego — Turner also has a connection to free-agent-to-be Brian Hoyer.
- Spielman has said the Vikings aren’t likely to make a big splash in free agency, but as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune observes (via Twitter), the Cassel deal is the latest move toward creating the cap room necessary to keep all free agent options open.
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that the Vikings will likely restructure Greg Jennings‘ contract at some point this month. Conversely, Goessling hears that the team hasn’t approached cornerback Captain Munnerlyn about reworking his deal (Twitter link). Given the cap room created by the Cassel trade, restructuring Munnerlyn’s contract may not be necessary, says Goessling.
McCoy/Alonso Notes: Wednesday
The Bills and Eagles shocked the NFL world on Tuesday evening, reportedly agreeing to a trade that will send LeSean McCoy to Buffalo in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso. Trades can’t officially be finalized until the new league year begins next Tuesday, but by all accounts, this deal will happen at that point. We rounded up a few initial reactions to the move last night, but there are several more updates to today to pass along. Here’s the latest:
- After the swap is formally completed, the Bills are expected to rework McCoy’s contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). While that may reduce the running back’s cap number for 2015, don’t expect him to take a pay cut — Rapoport suggests that the goal will be to ensure that McCoy gets some guaranteed money beyond 2015.
- The Eagles called at least one other team to gauge interest in McCoy before reaching an agreement with the Bills, a source tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians confirmed today that he knew Shady was available, but said he “wasn’t a fit” in Arizona (Twitter link via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com).
- Alonso did not ask for a trade, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link).
- A source familiar with C.J. Spiller‘s situation tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (TwitLonger link) that the news was “certainly surprising.” The source added that Spiller is still “processing the personal part,” but suggested it may be a blessing in disguise for the running back to get a fresh start elsewhere.
- More on the pending deal: Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com breaks down the trade’s winners and losers, Peter King of TheMMQB.com shares his thoughts on the swap, and Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com writes that the move is the latest indication that the Eagles are completely Chip Kelly‘s team.
NFC West Teams Vying For Darnell Dockett
Former Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett is expected to decide on his new team today, and his old team remains in the mix, along with the rest of that club’s division rivals. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that Dockett will likely decide between the Cardinals and 49ers, though the Rams and Seahawks are also interested in signing him.
Dockett, who is entering his age-34 season, was sidelined for the entire 2014 season due to an ACL tear. In 2013, the former third-round pick started all 16 games for the Cards, logging 46 tackles and 4.5 sacks. However, Dockett’s cap number for 2015 was nearly $10MM, which forced the club to cut him. According to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, the Cards had a one-year offer on the table to Dockett earlier this week worth up to $4MM, with a a base value of $2.5MM.
If Dockett lands with the 49ers, he’d be joining a team with a 3-4 defensive scheme similar to the one in Arizona, and would likely take over the defensive end role vacated by Ray McDonald, who was cut last season due to his off-field conduct. If the Rams or Seahawks emerge as a viable dark horse candidate and land Dockett, he’d have to make the adjustment to a 4-3 system. However, while the 33-year-old visited the 49ers this week, it doesn’t appear that he paid a visit to St. Louis or Seattle, so those clubs look like long shots at this point.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus had suggested on Monday that there was a strong market developing for his client, and that a decision was expected by week’s end.
Extra Points: Spiller, Bryant, Maxwell
Not long after acquiring LeSean McCoy, the Bills called C.J. Spiller to let him know that they would be parting ways this offseason. At this time, suitors with interest in Spiller include the Cardinals, Jets, Dolphins, and the 49ers, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that franchise tagging Dez Bryant doesn’t mean that the team will allow him to play the year out as they will continue to work on a long-term deal. Jones went on to say that the team really wants DeMarco Murray back and he can’t fault a player for seeing what his options are (link). Of course, there’s a significant gulf between what Murray is asking for and what Dallas has been willing to offer so far.
- Seahawks free agent corner Byron Maxwell is signing with agent Alvin Keels, as Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets. Keels also represents Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor.
- NFLPA attorney Arthur McAfee is trying to get the three nominations from player representatives to make a run the position of executive director, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
- Sean Gilbert is officially on the ballot in the NFLPA executive director election, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). John Stufflebeem is also on the ballot, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Right now, there are four candidates officially on the ballot: Stufflebeem, Gilbert, Andrew Smith, and DeMaurice Smith.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com explored the Los Angeles situation in depth this week, ultimately concluding that it’s far too early to know whether the Rams, Chargers, or Raiders – or some combination of the three – will ultimately move to L.A. However, there’s more momentum for a move than there has been in the last two decades, and NFL executive Eric Gruber expects to see at least one franchise in the country’s second-largest market within the next five years.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC South Notes: Pollard, Jags, A. Johnson
Having been granted his release from the Titans yesterday, as he requested, safety Bernard Pollard explained to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean that he wasn’t a fit on a roster that was heavy on young players, and wasn’t close to being a legit contender.
“This was a business move for me. I don’t see fans argue when teams cut players under contract. This is a business. I am my own agent, and I have to do what is right for me and my family. I want more hardware, I want another ring,” Pollard said. “I thought it was a great decision to come here. But looking at where this thing is going, a lot of mistakes have been made and they need to be fixed to put a defense together. I am 30, and I have two or three years left in me. I want to go somewhere and play where I can play a key role.”
Here’s more from out of the AFC South:
- The Jaguars are expected to be in the market for a running back this offseason, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Jacksonville plans to move Toby Gerhart around, using him at H-back as well as running back.
- A source close to Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson said this is “definitely” the end of him in Houston, per Rapoport (on Twitter). As we heard last night, the team has given the veteran wideout permission to seek a trade, and it looks like Johnson will end up being released if a deal can’t be reached.
- Rapoport also ran down some possible landing spots for pending free agent running back DeMarco Murray. A pair of AFC South teams were among the potential suitors identified by Rapoport, who rattled off the Colts, Jaguars, Cardinals, and Seahawks.
- Earlier today, we learned that the Jaguars are “very interested” in free-agent-to-be Brian Orakpo.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
FA Rumors: Pats, Dockett, Langford, Freeney
Let’s check in on a few Monday rumors on current free agents, as well as free-agents-to-be….
- With this afternoon’s franchise and transition tag deadline looming, the Patriots are more likely to use their tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski than safety Devin McCourty, sources tell Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston. Reiss cautions that the situation is “fluid” and that things could change by 3:00pm central time. However, if the Pats do decide to trade Gostkowski, it would mean McCourty could potentially hit the open market next week, as far and away the best safety available. It would be surprising if the Pats let McCourty get away, but that would at least seem to bode well for the return of Darrelle Revis.
- According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, free agent defensive lineman Darnell Dockett is generating “a lot of interest” on the free agent market, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Rosenhaus is expecting Dockett to have a new home by the end of the week. As for the Cardinals, who released Dockett last week, they’re still hoping to bring the veteran defender back — Somers reports that they’ve offered a one-year deal worth up to $4MM through incentives, with a base value of $2.5MM.
- Former Rams defensive tackle Kendall Langford, cut by St. Louis last week, is visiting the Lions today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). It’s an interesting tidbit of news, as Detroit attempts to lock up its own free agent defensive tackles, such as Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. For now, we should probably assume that Langford is just a Plan B, or a potential depth piece, but we heard earlier today that the team won’t franchise Suh, so there’s no guarantee he returns to Detroit.
- After mulling the possibility of retiring, veteran Chargers pass rusher Dwight Freeney has decided to continue his playing career and return for a 14th season, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Freeney doesn’t have a contract for 2015, so he’ll have to find a taker, but I imagine he’ll still draw plenty of interest — despite recording only 3.5 sacks in 2014, the 35-year-old recorded 53 overall quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required).
- Linebacker Brad Jones, who was released by the Packers last month, recently visited the Titans and has a visit lined up today with the Eagles, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Of the two veteran linebackers cut this offseason by Green Bay, A.J. Hawk received most of the headlines, but Jones is another player who could still contribute elsewhere.