NFC Notes: Washington, Cowboys, Falcons, Rams
With Alfred Morris having agreed to a deal with NFC East rival Dallas earlier this week, Washington is prepared to go forward with Matt Jones as its starting running back.
“That’s what we envision, yes,” said head coach Jay Gruden (link via Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Mid-Atlantic). “We like Matt. We think he’s a smart football player and he runs very, very hard. Now we just have to make sure the ball security is there [because] he can catch the ball out the backfield. He’s a very good solid football player that we have high hopes for.”
In his rookie year last season, Jones – a third-round pick from Florida – averaged just 3.4 yards per carry on 144 attempts (compared to Morris’ 3.7 and 202, respectively) and totaled as many fumbles (four) as touchdowns. Washington is expected to add a complement to Jones in either free agency or the draft, according to Gruden, who said the team is interested in re-signing the still-available Pierre Thomas.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Even with Morris in the fold, the Cowboys have a less-than-ideal running back situation, opines Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN.com. The Cowboys will try a balanced attack to aid quarterback Tony Romo – who has gone 38-11 as a starter while throwing 30 times or fewer and 41-38 otherwise – but Taylor doesn’t expect a backfield trio of Morris, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar to fare particularly well. Thus, the team should use a second- or third-rounder on a running back and let the others compete for backup roles behind the rookie, Taylor believes.
- The Falcons and free agent linebacker O’Brien Schofield are at “an impasse,” tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Schofield said earlier this month that he and the Falcons weren’t “seeing eye-to-eye on a contract,” and the club may have found a replacement for him Friday when it signed Courtney Upshaw. The Falcons have offered Schofield a deal, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, but the Upshaw signing could seal his fate in Atlanta. Schofield, 28, joined the Falcons last year and then made 30 tackles and two sacks in 16 appearances (11 starts) during the season. Upshaw has the greater track record of the pair, having started 29 more games (51 to 22) in two fewer seasons.
- Remarkably, despite being shot in the head twice last November, the door hasn’t yet closed on Stedman Bailey‘s career. The Rams receiver “is currently in the evaluation process, seeking numerous opinions from neurologists and the like,” head coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday (link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). “Just to see if he can not only play, but continue with a rigorous physical rehab program that will put him in position to play.” Bailey has continued to stay involved with the team, as Thomas writes, with Fisher adding, “He’s been in the building. We’ve seen him. He’s doing well. He seems like the same old Sted, and he’s very lucky as we’ve all noted to be alive.”
- Washington is undecided about the future of receiver Andre Roberts, reports John Keim of ESPN.com. Washington stands to save a solid amount if it cuts Roberts ($3MM before June 1, $4MM if he’s given a post-June 1 designation), but the team isn’t allowed to release him right now because he’s recovering from a torn meniscus. Roberts might not be ready until training camp, per Gruden. Even without his health taken into account, Roberts is probably Washington’s No. 4 wideout – which doesn’t seem to bode well for his chances to stay on the roster. The 28-year-old was productive from 2010-14, when he caught a combined 218 passes and 13 touchdowns for Arizona and Washington; he’s coming off a career-worst season, however, having hauled in a mere 11 catches in nine games. He also failed to find the end zone for the first time in his six-year NFL tenure.
Saints Sign Craig Robertson
FRIDAY, 3:14pm: The Saints have officially announced their three-year deal with Robertson (via Twitter).
WEDNESDAY, 8:54am: The Saints and Robertson are in agreement on a three-year contract, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The deal isn’t official yet, but word of the agreement comes as no surprise after Payton talked this morning as if Robertson would be on the team.
TUESDAY, 6:43pm: The Saints and free agent linebacker Craig Robertson are “working on” a deal, and head coach Sean Payton expects it to get done, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com corroborated Triplett’s report (on Twitter).
If the Saints sign Robertson, he’ll be the second notable addition to their linebacking corps since last week. New Orleans 
previously picked up James Laurinaitis, who is clearly the more established of the two. Nevertheless, Robertson has had a productive four-year career, all of which has been spent in Cleveland, and easily outdid Laurinaitis by Pro Football Focus’ standards last season. The site ranked Robertson 37th and Laurinaitis 83rd in overall performance among 97 qualifying linebackers.
For his career, Robertson – a former undrafted free agent from North Texas – has appeared in 58 of a possible 64 games and made 37 starts. Nine of those starts came in 2015, when Robertson amassed 59 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception in 12 appearances. Prior to that, Robertson racked up 85 or more tackles in three straight campaigns, including a personal-best 99 in 2014. He also has six career INTs.
Robertson was an inside linebacker in Cleveland, but the Saints already have both Laurinaitis and Stephone Anthony as middle men. It’ll be interesting, then, to see how the club deploys those three (if it signs Robertson) – not to mention OLBs Hau’oli Kikaha and Dannell Ellerbe.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Saints Sign James Laurinaitis
MARCH 25, 9:55am: Laurinaitis’ three-year deal has a base value of $8.5MM, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (all Twitter links). More details on the deal:
- Signing bonus: $1.8MM
- Workout bonus: $50K annually
- Roster bonuses: $250K in 2017 and 2018 (due on third day of respective league years)
- Incentives: Up to $500K annually via playing time and team ranking
- Annual base salaries $900K (2016), $2.45MM (2017), $2.45MM (2018)
- Annual cap hits: $1.55MM (2016), $3.35MM (2017), $3.35MM (2018)
MARCH 17, 3:35pm: The Saints have officially confirmed their agreement with Laurinaitis, announcing that it’s a three-year contract for the veteran linebacker (Twitter link).
MARCH 16, 8:30pm: The Saints and free agent linebacker James Laurinaitis have agreed to a deal, tweets Rand Getlin of NFL.com. Details of the contract aren’t yet available.
After the Rams released Laurinaitis last month, the 29-year-old made two confirmed visits. One was with the Saints, who beat out the other – the NFC South rival Falcons – for his services.
Laurinaitis will add durability and productivity to a Saints defense that ranked 31st in the NFL last season. The ex-Ohio State 
standout has never missed a game or a start since entering the league in 2009, suiting up 112 consecutive times. He’s also fresh off his seventh 100-tackle campaign in a row and has racked up 16.5 sacks and 10 interceptions during his career.
Laurinaitis added 109 tackles, an interception, a sack and a forced fumble last season, but Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated his performance a below-average 83rd out of 97 qualifying LBs. He graded out especially poorly against the run, which doesn’t seem to bode well for the Saints – who allowed the league’s highest yards-per-carry average last season (4.9).
In New Orleans, Laurinaitis will join a corps of linebackers that was likely to feature Stephone Anthony, Hau’oli Kikaha and Dannell Ellerbe in starting roles. It’s unclear how the addition of Laurinaitis – a middle linebacker who played 99.7 percent of the Rams’ defensive snaps last season – will impact Anthony. After the Saints took him in the first round of last year’s draft, Anthony started all 16 of their games, made 112 tackles, forced two fumbles, and added a sack and an interception while manning the middle of their defense.
In addition to Laurinaitis, the Saints inked linebacker Nate Stupar on Wednesday. He’s mainly a contributor on special teams, however. Previously, the Saints made changes to their LB group by releasing David Hawthorne and Ramon Humber in February.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC Contract Details: Patriots, Ravens, Texans
Here are the contract details on some notable AFC deals which were agreed upon or signed within the last week:
- Shea McClellin, LB (Patriots): Three years, $8.95MM. $2.5MM signing bonus. $3.5MM guaranteed. $1MM salary in 2016 guaranteed. Annual $300K roster bonus. $100K workout bonus in 2016, $200K workout bonuses in 2017 and ’18. (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Chris Long, DE (Patriots): One year, $2.375MM. $1MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $625K roster bonus (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
- Chris Carter, LB (Ravens): One year, $1MM. No guaranteed money. $500K split salary (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Jonathan Grimes, RB (Texans): One year, $900K. $200K guaranteed roster bonus. Deal includes a de-escalator clause (Twitter links via Wilson).
AFC Notes: Browns, Pats, Raiders, Ravens
There was speculation late last season that Peyton Manning would retire and take a prominent front office position, perhaps in Cleveland. Manning has since retired and the Browns’ presidency is currently vacant, but it doesn’t sound as if the 39-year-old will end up with them.
“Whatever Peyton decides to do, and I have no idea what that is, I have not literally talked to him since wishing him good luck before the Super Bowl,” owner Jimmy Haslam, a friend of Manning’s, said (link via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). “Whatever organization gets him will be fortunate whether it’s a pro organization, a business, media, but I think we’ve got a great organization in place in Cleveland and we’re excited to go forward.”
Here’s more form the AFC:
- Even though Patriots owner Robert Kraft has made an effort to persuade the NFL into giving back the first-round pick it took from the team as a result of the Deflategate scandal, club president Jonathan Kraft told Tom Curran of CSNNE.com that it’s a losing battle. On why the Pats haven’t sued the league in an effort to recoup the pick, Jonathan Kraft said, “It’ll take longer than the time before the draft happens and the money isn’t the issue here, the issue is getting your draft pick back and at some point you have to realize it’s not gonna happen and the best revenge will be putting the best team on the field next year and hopefully having a very successful season.”
- The Raiders have made some major additions in free agency this year, but they swung and missed on landing safety Eric Weddle – who signed with the Ravens. Not surprisingly, then, head coach Jack Del Rio acknowledged Tuesday that safety is an area of concern for the club, saying, “[W]e need to acquire some people” (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle).
- Safety issues aside, the Raiders’ roster looks more impressive on paper than it has in years. However, the organization’s future in Oakland remains uncertain. When asked to update the Raiders’ situation there, owner Mark Davis said, “There’s nothing … I’m still trying to get something with the stadium” (link via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). Davis also spoke highly of Los Angeles and Las Vegas as potential homes for the Raiders, as Maiocco writes, but he shot down the notion of relocating the franchise to St. Louis. “The Raiders brand is a different brand, I believe,” he said. “I just don’t believe St. Louis would maximize it.”
- Ravens head coach John Harbaugh suggested Tuesday that there would be competition at the left tackle spot going into next season, implying that Eugene Monroe isn’t locked in as the starter, but owner Steve Bisciotti sang a different tune. Bisciotti said “without hesitation” that the job is Monroe’s, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports (on Twitter).
- In Ravens-related draft news, Bisciotti stated that he doesn’t expect the club to trade up from the sixth pick and into the top five, but he wouldn’t be averse to moving back (Twitter link via Zrebiec).
Bills, Leonard Hankerson Nearing Deal
The Bills are “really close” to re-signing free agent wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, general manager Doug Whaley told the team’s official website (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).
The 27-year-old Hankerson joined the Bills in late December after they claimed him off waivers from AFC East rival New 
England. Hankerson was active for one game apiece for both teams, but he didn’t catch a pass with either.
Prior to his 2015 stints with the Bills and Patriots, Hankerson appeared in eight games for the Falcons before they waived him on Dec. 15 and compiled 26 catches for 327 yards and three touchdowns. The receiver’s best season came with Washington in 2012, when he hauled in 38 passes for 543 yards and three scores.
If he remains with the Bills, the 2011 third-round pick from Miami could find playing time as part of a receiving corps that’s relatively barren aside from Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods. The Bills lost previous No. 3 wideout Chris Hogan to the Patriots in free agency, and Percy Harvin remains unsigned.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Draft Notes: Panthers, Cowboys, Eagles, Colts
The Panthers worked out three Clemson defenders – end Shaq Lawson, cornerback Mackensie Alexander and linebacker B.J. Goodson – on Tuesday, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter links) and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Lawson had a “fantastic” workout with the team and looks like a top-15 pick in the making, per Miller. That would put Lawson well out of the range of Carolina, which has the 30th selection.
More on the draft:
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t expect the club to take a quarterback or running back with the fourth overall pick, as Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets.
- Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III says the Dolphins “have shown heavy interest” in him, tweets Jesse Re Simonton of the Miami Herald. Hargreaves, a surefire first-round pick, has a meeting with Miami scheduled for today.
- The Eagles made significant financial commitments to Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel earlier this month, but owner Jeffrey Lurie indicated that he wants to draft a quarterback at least every other year, per Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The Eagles haven’t selected a QB since taking Matt Barkley in the fourth round of the 2013 draft.
- On drafting a running back, Colts general manager Ryan Grigson said, “We’re not done yet” (Twitter link via Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star). The position could be a priority for the Colts, Holder tweets. Notably, the Colts had the second-worst yards-per-carry average in the league last season (3.6) and have an underwhelming stable of running backs led by Frank Gore, who will turn 33 in May.
- TCU receiver Josh Doctson has visits and/or workouts set up with the Vikings, Browns and Bengals, reports Getlin (Twitter link). The Vikings reportedly think highly of the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Doctson.
Patrick Robinson To Visit Cowboys
SATURDAY, 8:49am: Robinson will indeed be visiting the Cowboys on both Sunday and Monday, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
FRIDAY, 7:34pm: The Cowboys are working to set up a visit with free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson, reports Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. As of earlier this month, the Giants, Dolphins, Bears and Eagles were all reportedly interested in Robinson, though New York, Miami and Philadelphia have since made notable changes to their cornerback groups.
If Robinson visits Dallas, he’d be the third corner to do so since free agency began. The first, Nolan Carroll, ultimately 
re-signed with the Eagles. Longtime Bengal Leon Hall visited the Cowboys earlier this week, but no deal appears imminent.
The Cowboys had interest last offseason in Robinson, notes George, though he ended up taking a $2MM deal with the Chargers. Robinson appeared in all 16 of San Diego’s games, made 10 starts, and put up 49 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. His play over 713 defensive snaps with the Bolts earned him a terrific 30th-place ranking among corners at Pro Football Focus (111 qualifiers). Robinson also played 31.7 percent of the Chargers’ special teams snaps.
Prior to last season, Robinson spent the first half-decade of his career with New Orleans after it chose him in the first round of the 2010 draft. The 28-year-old appeared in 58 regular-season games (32 starts) with the Saints and accumulated nine interceptions, including a personal-best four in 2011.
In the event Robinson signs with the Cowboys, it could spell the end of Brandon Carr‘s four-year tenure with the team. As of last week, the Cowboys were “intent” on decreasing Carr’s $13.8MM cap hold for next season. His place on the roster reportedly hinges on whether he takes a pay cut and/or whether the club adds another veteran corner. At the moment, Dallas’ top three corners are Carr, the recently re-signed Morris Claiborne, and Orlando Scandrick.
The potential Robinson visit is the third headline the Cowboys have created today. They’ll bring in running back Alfred Morris for a Monday visit, and they signed Raiders defensive end Benson Mayowa – a restricted free agent – to an offer sheet.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC Notes: Haden, Fins, Bryant, Pats, Titans
Browns cornerback Joe Haden underwent left ankle surgery Wednesday and “should be ready for the start of the 2016 regular season,” the club announced via press release. Haden suffered the injury in Week 8 of last season, but it only began causing him pain recently, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. The two-time Pro Bowler played just five games in 2015 because of various injuries, including a concussion. Prior to that, he sat out most of training camp with a hamstring injury and, given his ankle issues, could once again miss some portion of camp this summer.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- Prior to re-signing with Arizona on Thursday, running back Chris Johnson met with the Dolphins, and he says they made it tough for him to stay with the Cardinals. “The visit went real great. It was a real, real close decision,” he told Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt of SiriusXM. “I liked everything they had going on there. But my heart was with Arizona” (Twitter links).
- Wide receiver Martavis Bryant‘s contract will toll during his lengthy suspension, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That means the Steelers won’t lose a year of control over Bryant. He’ll remain two years away from free agency after the league reinstates him – if it does. He’s eligible for reinstatement after next season.
- The Patriots have named Brian Flores their linebackers coach, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (Twitter link). Flores has been a Pats employee since 2004, most recently serving as their safeties coach. Taking over Flores’ previous position will be Steve Belichick, the son of Bill Belichick, per Reiss (on Twitter). Steve Belichick was a defensive assistant with the club in his prior role.
- Titans offensive lineman Byron Bell lined up at three positions – left tackle, left guard and right tackle – last season, but it doesn’t sound as if he’ll do that much shuffling this year. “He’ll probably play right tackle for us now, but he is a guy that has versatility,’’ general manager Jon Robinson said (link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com). The Titans agreed to re-sign Bell on Thursday.
- The Dolphins have hired Jim Washburn as a senior defensive assistant/pass-rush specialist, a league source tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). The Dolphins are Washburn’s fourth NFL employer since he broke into the league as Tennessee’s defensive line coach in 1999. He was Detroit’s assistant D-line coach from 2013-15.
Draft Rumors: Dolphins, Washington, Nkemdiche, Ogbah
Having lost running back Lamar Miller and struck out on potential replacements C.J. Anderson, James Starks and Chris Johnson in free agency, the Dolphins could select a go-to rusher with the 13th pick of the draft. Their potential target? Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott, says Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole (video link). Elliott is the type of cutback runner rookie head coach Adam Gase covets for his offense, Cole notes.
More of the latest draft-related info:
- Ohio State’s Michael Thomas is the No. 1 wide receiver on Washington‘s board, according to Cole (video link). Washington is enamored of Thomas’ mix of size (6-foot-3, 212 pounds), speed (4.57 forty-yard dash) and competitiveness, per Cole. Thus, he could be the club’s target at No. 21 overall in the first round.
- The stock of Mississippi defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche – arguably a top-10 talent – is dropping because of character concerns, and he could end up a second-round selection, Cole reports (video link). Nkemdiche was charged with possession of marijuana after he fell out of an Atlanta hotel window in December.
- Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah has lined up visits with the Bears and Buccaneers, he told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
- The Bengals, Patriots and Jets sent defensive line coaches to observe Michigan D-lineman Willie Henry‘s workout on Friday, reports Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com.
- The Patriots also met with Michigan linebacker Desmond Morgan on Friday, as did the Vikings and Lions, per Pauline.
- The Lions “spent hours” with Eastern Michigan running back Darius Jackson after his Friday workout, according to Pauline.
- The Lions and Titans met with Cal receiver Trevor Davis on Friday, Pauline writes.
- Davis isn’t the only Cal wideout the Titans are eyeing, Pauline notes. They met with Kenny Lawler, too, and so did the Jets.