Contract Details: Jordan, Chester, Harris
A handful of salary and bonus details for recently-signed contracts have been reported so far today, so let’s round up the highlights. Deals whose details have been reported but aren’t noted here, such as Jerrell Powe‘s with Washington or Trindon Holliday‘s with the Raiders, are one-year, minimum salary pacts with no guaranteed money.
- Cameron Jordan, DE (Saints): Six years, $61.969MM (five years, $55MM in new money). $16MM signing bonus. $6MM roster bonus on fifth day of 2016 league year. Salary cap figures of $4.169MM (2015), $12.8MM (2016), $10.3MM (2017), $12.5MM (2018), $12.3MM (2019), and $9.9MM (2020) (link via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post).
- Chris Chester, G/C (Falcons): One year, $2.8MM. $550K signing bonus. $1.55MM base salary. $700K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com).
- Ryan Harris, T (Broncos): One year, $920K base value. $50K signing bonus. $870K base salary. Up to $500K in incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Michael Buchanan, DE/OLB (Bills): Two years, $1.285MM. $25K roster bonus in 2016. No guaranteed money (Twitter link via Wilson).
Extra Points: Winston, Liuget, Harris
Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is high on rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, as Jenna Laine of Sports Talk Florida writes. However, he says the real test of his abilities is yet to come. “He’s a first-overall pick. Of course you see the talent,” McCoy said of Winston. “You’ve got to give it some time, guys. Everything is real basic right now. Until we put on pads and I can actually chase him, then I’ll tell you how good he is.”
- There has been a lot of positive momentum in the Chargers‘ efforts to sign defensive end Corey Liuget to a contract extension, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. The two sides are getting closer, according to a source that spoke with Gehlken.
- Titans cornerback Brandon Harris suffered a torn ACL during today’s practice, according to a source that spoke with Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (on Twitter). Harris, who signed a one-year deal with the Titans during the offseason, now faces a lengthy rehab process. The 25-year-old earned 112 defensive snaps for the Titans in 2014, recording 11 tackles and three passes defended. He was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2011 draft and although he wasn’t expected to play a starring role this year, he was being counted upon for depth at the cornerback position.
- Falcons coach Dan Quinn supported the team’s quick decision to release linebacker Prince Shembo, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Naturally, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who went through the Michael Vick federal dog fighting investigation of 2007, was involved in the decision to release Shembo.
- The Ravens were glad to snag cornerback Tray Walker in the fourth round of this year’s draft, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The Ravens knew that the Texas Southern product was drawing widespread interest, so they were over the moon to get him at No. 136. “He’s a guy that we had targeted,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “We really hoped to get him in the draft. He’s a guy that we wanted to get in the mid-rounds. We were looking to try to draft him, and we were able to do it.“
- The Dolphins should be happy that they got Ryan Tannehill‘s deal done before Cam Newton‘s new pact with the Panthers, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. The total money given to Tannehill may not have changed, but the contract security likely would have been different.
- The Chargers and mayor Kevin Faulconer met to discuss the possibility of a new stadium on Tuesday, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes. “Today we and our negotiating team met with Chargers chairman Dean Spanos and his adviser Mark Fabiani for more than an hour,” Faulconer’s spokesperson Craig Gustafson said in a prepared statement. “It was a productive discussion on a variety of issues, and both parties agreed to meet again within the next several days.”
Minor Moves: Tuesday Night
This afternoon, Luke Adams rounded up the minor transactions of the day. Here’s a look at the latest moves to come to light this evening..
- Nose tackle Brandon Deaderick, a former member of the Saints, was signed by the Texans, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (via Twitter). The Texans also signed defensive end Jasper Coleman and waived running back Mack Brown, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter).
- The Browns were awarded defensive lineman Tory Slater off waivers from the Seahawks, according to a source that spoke with Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). To make room, linebacker Rodman Noel has been waived, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter).
- The Lions will re-sign UDFA running back Rasheed Williams, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). Williams, who was released not long ago, will be back at OTAs on Wednesday with Detroit.
- Washington announced that it has re-signed tackle Willie Smith. Smith, 28, originally entered the NFL as a college free agent July 28, 2011, and has since appeared in 29 career games with 11 starts with the Raiders, Chargers, and Washington. To make room, fellow tackle Tovar Allen was let go.
- The Rams signed sixth-round wide receiver Bud Sasser, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
- No surprise here, but Prince Shembo went unclaimed off waivers from the Falcons, as Wilson tweets. Wilson is facing animal cruelty chargers for allegedly killing a dog.
- The Cowboys cut safety Keelan Johnson, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
- Former Chiefs tight end Sean McGrath, who recently un-retired, has signed with the Colts, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). To make room on the roster, former tight end Jean Sifrin was waived, according to Wilson (link).
- Former Missouri defensive tackle Lucas Vincent was waived by the Titans today, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter).
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Here are Tuesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Titans have agreed to sign tight end Phillip Supernaw, waiving defensive tackle Lucas Vincent in a corresponding move, according to the team (via Twitter). Supernaw, who was cut by the Ravens in May, has spent time in Baltimore, Kansas City, and Houston during his NFL career.
- The Bills have signed former Patriots edge defender Michael Buchanan, waiving punter Spencer Roth to create a roster spot, tweets Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. Buchanan didn’t see the field much after drafted by the Pats in the seventh round in 2013, but the 24-year-old made the most of his limited playing time in his rookie year, picking up a pair of sacks and recovering a fumble.
- The Colts have made a change at the back of their roster, signing undrafted free agent defensive lineman Camaron Beard and waiving cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz, per a team release. Shabazz only lasted a few weeks with Indianapolis, having been signed by the club as a rookie free agent following the draft.
- The Falcons have added rookie linebacker Boris Anyama, who played his college ball at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, the team announced today in a press release. The signing gets Atlanta’s roster back up to the maximum 90 players.
- The Panthers have signed defensive back Jocquel Skinner, waiving tight end Kevin Greene, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com. Skinner became a free agent after being cut by the Buccaneers in April.
Falcons To Sign Chris Chester
SATURDAY, 11:50am: The Falcons have officially announced the signing.
FRIDAY, 9:33pm: Chester will get a one-year, $2.8MM deal from the Falcons, tweets McClure.
8:29pm: Released two days ago by Washington, veteran guard Chris Chester didn’t last long on the free agent market. According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Chester is signing with the Falcons after paying a visit to the team today.
Chester, 32, started at right guard for Washington last season, but with 2014 third-rounder Spencer Long ready to take over that role and Chester’s cap number approaching $5MM, the veteran became expendable. Still, while Spencer, a former second-round pick, may not have been in Washington’s long-term plans, he can still be a positive contributor.
In 2014, Chester played the eighth-most offensive snaps among guards (1,091), and ranked 33rd among 78 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). With a +6.4 grade as a pass blocker, Chester was better in that aspect of the game than he was as a run blocker, though that’s not necessarily consistent with his career performance.
Earlier today, we heard that Chester was set to visit Atlanta and Philadelphia, but it appears head coach Dan Quinn and the Falcons didn’t let him leave to meet with the Eagles. As I noted this afternoon, the Falcons have Harland Gunn, who has made one career start, penciled in as a potential starter at one of their guard spots following the departure of Justin Blalock, so bringing in a veteran like Chester makes sense.
When he officially joins the Falcons, Chester will reunite with Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons’ new offensive coordinator who previously held the same position in Washington.
Minor Moves: Friday
Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Browns have cut long snapper Christian Yount, the team confirmed today in a press release. Yount has acted as Cleveland’s regular long snapper since 2011, and his release leaves the team with just one LS, inexperienced Charley Hughlett, on its roster. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com first reported (via Twitter) that the Browns were expected to part ways with Yount.
- The Colts have waived linebacker Shawn Loiseau, the team announced today in a press release. Loiseau, who has yet to appear in an NFL regular season game, spent the entire 2014 campaign on the injured reserve list due to a torn ACL.
- After being waived with an injury designation by the Ravens on Thursday, cornerback Julian Wilson cleared waivers today and was placed on Baltimore’s IR, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Wilson also passes along an update on the Falcons, tweeting that the team waived linebacker Derrick Malone. Malone, who joined the club as an undrafted rookie earlier this month, wasn’t the only Atlanta linebacker to be waived today — the team also cut ties with Prince Shembo.
Falcons Waive Prince Shembo
The Falcons have parted ways with linebacker Prince Shembo, just hours after he was charged with a felony (aggravated cruelty to animals), the team announced today in a press release. The club’s statement on the situation was short and to the point:
“We are aware of the charges that have been filed against Prince Shembo. We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved in something like this. Accordingly, we have decided to waive Prince Shembo.”
As Tony Thomas of WSB-TV reported earlier today (via Instagram), Shembo is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend’s dog. According to Denica Williams, Shembo’s former girlfriend, she left Shembo and her Yorkie unattended at the linebacker’s home, and the dog was unresponsive when she returned (link via Alexis Stevens of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Per a necropsy, the cause of death was blunt force trauma, and the animal also had a fractured rib, a fractured liver, and several other injuries.
It’s not the first time that Shembo has run into off-field trouble. The former Notre Dame linebacker was investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a Saint Mary’s College freshman in 2010, though he was never charged in that case. Lizzy Seeberg, Shembo’s accuser, killed herself 10 days after the alleged incident.
On the field, Shembo had a solid rookie season for the Falcons, recording 50 tackles in 347 defensive snaps. However, it would be a surprise if another team took a flier on the 23-year-old anytime soon, as least until his legal case plays out.
Chris Chester Visiting Falcons, Eagles
Having been released by Washington earlier this week, veteran guard Chris Chester is drawing interest from multiple teams already, and has visits lined up with the Falcons and Eagles, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
As I noted when he was cut on Wednesday, while Chester wasn’t consistently above-average at the right guard spot in Washington, he wasn’t a major liability either. In 2014, the 32-year-old played the eighth-most offensive snaps among guards (1,091), and ranked 33rd among 78 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required).
The Falcons currently have Harland Gunn, who has made one career start, penciled in as a potential starter at one of their guard spots following the departure of Justin Blalock, so it makes sense that they’d at least kick the tires on Chester. Atlanta’s offensive line wasn’t one of the team’s strong spots last year, and the club didn’t address the position in the draft until the seventh round.
As for the Eagles, their line is more impressive on paper, but Evan Mathis‘ status remains up in the air. As Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com writes, there’s no guarantee that the two-time Pro Bowler even starts the regular season on Philadelphia’s roster, given the discord between Mathis and the team. Former Eagles right guard Todd Herremans also must be replaced this season.
Extra Points: Brees, Cowboys, Rice
Drew Brees has said that he wants to play football until he is 45, but he admits that goal is a little bit unrealistic. “45 is a long way away,” the Saints quarterback said on ESPN’s SVP and Russillo, according to Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate. “I’m 36 right now, and I know I got maybe a little overzealous last year when I threw out the number 45.” Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, and Steve Deberg hung in there until they were 44, but those final years were mostly spent playing in reserve roles. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Along with free agent running backs Daniel Thomas, Ben Tate, and Felix Jones, Ronnie Wingo also worked out for the Cowboys today, as Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram tweets. Wingo was released by the Falcons earlier this month to help make room on the roster for incoming rookies.
- A judge dismissed domestic violence charges against former Ravens running back Ray Rice, as The Associated Press writes. Rice completed the terms of his pretrial intervention, which included $125 in fines and anger management counseling.
- Joe Barksdale, who signed a minimum-salary deal with the Chargers, was offered more from the Rams earlier in the offseason, Jim Thomas of the Post Dispatch tweets. Back in March, Barksdale looked like a decent bet to land a deal similar to the $6MM-per-year pacts signed by Austin Howard and Anthony Collins in 2014. However, that kind of market never materialized for the veteran. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the former Ram just 48th out of 84 qualified tackles last season.
- Falcons linebacker Joplo Bartu was fined $50,000 for an alcohol-related offense, but only after his two-game suspension was rescinded, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Bartu, who had 83 tackles in 2014, was handed a two-game suspension in March for his DUI arrest. Earlier this month, the linebacker brought new information to the league and his punishment was altered. However, future violations of the law will carry more significant discipline for him.
- Ravens rookie lineman Leon Brown hopes to land a roster spot with his hometown team, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The 6-foot-5, 332-pound former junior college All-American also had an invite to try out for the Jaguars, but he chose the Ravens instead. Brown, an Alabama product, went undrafted this year.
Corry On Market For Bryant, Green, Jones
Wide receivers Dez Bryant, A.J. Green, Julio Jones, and Demaryius Thomas all have uncertain contract situations going forward. With Green and Jones in contract years and Bryant and Thomas having been franchise tagged, former agent Joel Corry (of CBSSports.com) looked at the market for all four players. The entire piece is worth a read, but here’s a glance at the highlights..
- Jones could be the first to get a new deal since signing him to an extension is a top priority for the Falcons now that the draft is over. Jones is a virtual lock to receive the franchise tag in 2016 (~$14MM) and a second one in 2017 would cost nearly $17MM. The average of those two years, Corry writes, could be used as justification for a long-term deal in the $15MM per year range with over $40MM in guarantees.
- Ryan Clady‘s negotiations could shed some light on Thomas’ situation with the Broncos. Clady secured salary escalators in his deal, and a similar approach could give Thomas the ability to earn more than $15MM per year.
- Jones or Thomas getting deals in advance of the July 15 franchise player deadline for long-term deals could benefit Bryant because of the way the Cowboys have been lowballing him. Bryant became the first player in Dallas history to have three straight seasons with at least 85 receptions, 1,200 receiving yards, and 12 touchdown receptions, so he should have a good amount of leverage. However, from a negotiation standpoint, Corry feels that Bryant has done himself a disservice by showing up frequently at the team’s facilities this offseason.
- Signing Green long-term may be easier said than done because of the Bengals‘ preferred structure with lucrative veteran contracts. Historically, the team’s contracts are light on guaranteed money due to the absence of base salary guarantees. Andy Dalton‘s recent deal, which Russell Wilson apparently wants to avoid for himself, is a prime example.