Giants Sign Corbin Bryant
The Giants have signed defensive tackle Corbin Bryant and waived interior offensive lineman Khaled Holmes, tweets James Kratch of NJ.com.
The 29-year-old Bryant brings a fair amount of experience to New York, having appeared in 56 games with the Steelers and Bills since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Northwestern in 2011. Fifty-five of Bryant’s appearances have come in Buffalo, where he started in 16 of 24 games from 2015-16. Bryant missed half of last season, an eight-game, six-start showing, and received poor marks from Pro Football Focus for his performance. The year before, though, he saw action in each of Buffalo’s contests, piled up a career-high 45 tackles across 10 starts, and drew a positive grade from PFF.
Now, Bryant will attempt to catch on with a Giants team that lost starting D-tackle Johnathan Hankins to the Colts in free agency. Big Blue still has standout nose tackle Damon Harrison, of course, and used a second-round pick on former Alabama D-tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. Backups Jay Bromley and Robert Thomas are also on hand to offer some experience, but not as much as Bryant.
Holmes, who joined the Giants on a reserve/futures deal in January, has seen his career stall since the Colts cut him after the 2015 season. The 2013 fourth-rounder started in nine of 17 appearances as a Colt over three seasons.
Nick Fairley Awaiting Third Opinion
Defensive tackle Nick Fairley signed a four-year, $28MM contract to remain with the Saints earlier this offseason, but there’s a chance his heart issue could prevent him from ever playing a down under that deal. Fairley is currently awaiting the results of a third medical opinion, according to head coach Sean Payton, and it could determine whether the 29-year-old will be able to continue his career (via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com).
The first specialist Fairley consulted with informed him that he “shouldn’t play football again,” Payton said Thursday. However, the second opinion Fairley received “was a little different.”
Continued Payton: “The things we know are this — it’s obviously something significant and serious that we’ve gotta pay attention to, obviously both for Nick and for the club. So we’re hopeful, and yet we’re guarded, because of the type of condition we’re talking about.”
Concerns over Fairley’s heart came to light at the time he was undergoing a physical after agreeing to a contract in March, per Payton. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop the Saints from re-upping the six-year veteran. For now, the Saints are leery of paying the half of Fairley’s $8MM bonus that they still owe him, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). New Orleans wants more “clarity” on Fairley’s situation before it commits the money to him, according to Garafolo, who adds that the club would have a difficult time recouping the money it has already paid him if it attempted to. The reason: All 32 teams have known about Fairley’s condition since prior to the 2011 draft, in which he went 13th overall to the Lions.
Jeremy Maclin Leaves Ravens Visit
Free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin left his Ravens visit on Thursday without a deal, head coach John Harbaugh told Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun and other reporters. The Ravens remain hopeful that they’ll reel in the former Eagle and Chief, but it doesn’t appear Maclin is on track to sign anywhere imminently.
“He was in here all morning into early afternoon, getting to know us, us getting to know him. He’s going to go back,” Harbaugh said. “We didn’t press him to stay. Talking to his wife is really important. He’s got a wedding this weekend, so he wants a little more time to make up his decision.”
Since the Chiefs released Maclin last weekend, he has had two-day meetings with both the Bills and Ravens. The Eagles and Browns have also drawn connections to Maclin, but the former isn’t pursuing him and the latter hasn’t booked a visit with the 29-year-old. Buffalo and Baltimore, on the other hand, clearly want Maclin. One of Maclin’s former Eagles teammates, Bills running back LeSean McCoy, has tried to sell him on Buffalo. Retired receiver Steve Smith Sr. has acted as a recruiter for the Ravens, meanwhile, and Maclin watched Game 3 of the NBA Finals with some of his potential Baltimore teammates on Wednesday.
Of course, money will likely play a significant role in where Maclin signs. It’s unclear whether either the Bills or Ravens have made offers, but it’s worth pointing out their cap situations. Buffalo has just over $12.41MM in available room, beating out Baltimore’s $5.62MM.
Extra Points: Jets, Kap, OBJ, Megatron
The Jets moved on from linebacker David Harris and wide receiver Eric Decker solely for financial reasons, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Jets owner Woody Johnson, realizing that the team wasn’t going to compete this year even with Harris and Decker, decided it would make more sense to save $13.75MM than spend it on the two veterans. Committing to a rebuild is a commendable approach, writes Mehta, though he questions the way the Jets handled the Harris situation. Jets bigwigs assured Harris back in March that he’d return to the team for an 11th year, but they then approached him about a pay cut 72 hours before releasing him, per Mehta. Johnson’s desire to save money drove that decision, and Harris is now looking for work at a time when free agency has died down. Harris’ agents complained Tuesday that the Jets didn’t just release the defender over the winter, as doing so probably would’ve led to a stronger market for his services.
As for two of Johnson’s highest-ranking employees, general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles, they should be in line to return in 2018 if the rebuilding club’s young players progress this year, writes Mehta. But Brian Costello of the New York Post passes along somewhat different information, relaying that Maccagnan will probably stay on but that “Bowles is viewed as a goner by nearly everyone.” Talent-wise, the deck is stacked against Bowles as he enters his third season with the Jets and the penultimate year of his contract. “They have the worst roster in the league and it’s not close,” one executive told Costello. Harris’ release added another hole to the roster, and his exit hit Bowles “hard,” according to Costello.
- Colin Kaepernick‘s inability to find a job as a backup quarterback continues to be a popular topic, and one of his friends, Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin, weighed in on the matter after Seattle signed Austin Davis instead of Kaepernick. “The organizations, they’re going to be giving the younger guys the first and second look. They know what Colin can do,” Baldwin told the Associated Press on Tuesday. “They know he’s a starter in this league. They’re going to give every opportunity for the young guys to compete, show their talents, and then whatever falls he’ll get his opportunities once all this dust settles.” While many believe Kaepernick is unemployed largely because the then-49er refused to stand for the national anthem last season, Baldwin doesn’t see that as a significant factor. “To some degree, but I think that’s really minor,” Baldwin said. “There are 32 teams out there. Not all of them really care about that. I have no doubt in my mind he’ll have a job here rather quickly.”
- With one report suggesting that Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. hasn’t attended OTAs because he wants a raise, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk contends that it would likely take a multiyear deal with at least $30MM guaranteed to lock him up. Meanwhile, Steve Serby of the New York Post proposes a six-year, $103.5MM contract – including $47.5MM guaranteed – that would make Beckham the game’s highest-paid wideout.
- Contrary to a prior report, Calvin Johnson did not repay the Lions $320K of his $3.2MM signing bonus when he retired in March 2016. The former receiver actually forked over a much larger sum, at least $1MM, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
NFC Notes: OBJ, Rodgers, E. Decker, Lions
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday morning that Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been away from OTAs because he wants a new contract. That isn’t the case, according to The Record’s Art Stapleton, as a source told him that Beckham’s absence amounts to nothing more than a player exercising his right to skip voluntary workouts. Regardless of where the truth lies, the Giants are motivated to keep the 24-year-old superstar for the long haul. Contract negotiations haven’t begun yet, co-owner John Mara revealed Tuesday, but he added, “Obviously we want him to be a Giant for the rest of his career.”
More from the NFC:
- Even though he has fallen to fifth among quarterbacks in average yearly salary ($20MM), the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers isn’t pushing for a raise. At the same time, the 33-year-old realizes a contract extension might be around the corner. “Well, that stuff usually takes care of itself, and I have a fantastic agent, he does a great job. He worries about that stuff,” Rodgers said Tuesday (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com). “When it comes to setting the market values, I let that stuff take care of itself. I know my value in this league, and I know the team appreciates me. I’m going to continue to make myself an indispensable part of this roster. When you do that, when your time comes up to get a contract, you usually get a contract extension.” With his deal on track to expire after the 2019 season, extension talks between the Packers and Rodgers could begin soon, observes the Associated Press, which notes that cap room won’t be an issue for the club when it comes to locking up the two-time MVP.
- With Eric Decker‘s Jets tenure on the verge of ending, the Lions would be wise to add the receiver, opines Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Decker’s history of quality production would continue as part of Detroit’s Matthew Stafford-led offense, argues Rothstein, who points out that Decker is familiar with coordinator Jim Bob Cooter from their time together in Denver in 2013. Further, given that the Lions only found the end zone 54.2 percent of the time in the red zone last year, acquiring the tall, touchdown-scoring Decker would be a boon. Of course, the Lions might have to win a bidding war for Decker, which isn’t a guarantee considering they’re toward the bottom of the league in cap space (just over $9MM).
- With La’el Collins moving from left guard to right tackle, the Cowboys will need someone to take over his previous position. That could be tackle Chaz Green, who has been working as the Cowboys’ first-team left guard during OTAs, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. Green, whom injuries have limited to four appearances in two seasons, told George that the Cowboys approached him about changing positions last week. The 2015 third-round pick is embracing the move, saying: “It’s an opportunity with the ones [first team]. I don’t care where I am. I just want to put my best foot forward and show that I cannot drop off when I’m out there and better yet help the team when I’m out there.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/7/17
Wednesday’s minor NFL moves:
- The Bengals announced that they’ve signed fifth-round pick J.J. Dielman, the 176th selection in this year’s draft. With the former Utah interior offensive lineman under contract, the Bengals have now locked up 10 of their 11 picks. Only third-round defensive end Jordan Willis is without a deal.
- The Redskins are expected to sign cornerback Lou Young, as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Washington would be the fifth team for Young, an undrafted free agent in 2014. Young made his regular-season debut last year with the Panthers and appeared in six of their games, but he only played 11 defensive snaps.
- The Packers have signed cornerback Daquan Holmes and waived fellow corner David Rivers with an injury designation, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Holmes went undrafted this year out of American International. Rivers also went unpicked this year, after playing college football at Youngstown State.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC Rumors: Maclin, Ravens, Chiefs, Jets
Free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin just wrapped up a two-day trip to Buffalo, and his visit with the Ravens is also likely to span a pair of days, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links). The Ravens “want” Maclin, notes Zrebiec, and Josina Anderson of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that they’re “very interested.” But Zrebiec cautions that the Ravens aren’t the only team vying for Maclin, suggesting they’ll face competition from Buffalo and others if they enter negotiations with the 29-year-old.
More from Baltimore and two other AFC cities:
- Even though the Ravens have lost two of their top pass catchers from last season in retired receiver Steve Smith and just-released tight end Dennis Pitta, they’ll “significantly” improve their aerial attack by adding Maclin or soon-to-be former Jet Eric Decker, opines Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. It’s “critical” the Ravens pick up one of the two, argues Hensley, given that they lost out on the likes of Brandon Marshall and Pierre Garcon earlier this offseason. Now, with the extra cap space they’ve gotten this week by releasing Pitta and cornerback Kyle Arrington, they could be in position to give a much-needed boost to their receiving corps.
- The Jets have spent the offseason throwing veterans overboard, with Decker and linebacker David Harris being the latest to go, and have seemingly put themselves in position to land the first overall pick in next year’s draft. One league executive seems to believe they’re a shoo-in to finish 32nd this year, telling Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, “I think the Jets might have the worst roster I’ve seen in a decade” (Twitter link).
- Maclin’s release could leave a void in the Chiefs’ receiving corps, but head coach Andy Reid seems content with the team’s current options, writes Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. “I’ve got a ton of trust in the young guys that they’ll step up and do a good job for us,” Reid said. “We’ve got enough talent here to do whatever we need to do. I don’t worry about that.” One beneficiary of Maclin’s exit could be second-year man Demarcus Robinson, a fourth-round pick in 2016 who only played five offensive snaps as a rookie. Despite his lack of experience, Robinson has impressed Reid this offseason. “He’s the young one that’s come up here a little bit and had a pretty good offseason,” Reid commented. “We’ll see how he does once we get going in the preseason.
Redskins, Kirk Cousins Making Progress
The July 15 deadline for Redskins franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins to sign an extension is approaching, and there are finally signs that a deal could get done. There has been an “improved, encouraging tone” in recent talks between the two sides, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN. Discussions have gone so well that there’s hope the Redskins will be able to re-sign Cousins after the season if they’re unable to reach an agreement with him by next month, according to Schefter.
“There’s no doubt it’s been more positive lately,” a source familiar with these negotiations told Schefter. “Everything has been much more positive in the past several months.”
It’s unclear if the Redskins have upped their offer from the reported five-year, $20MM-per-annum contract they were willing to give Cousins earlier this offseason. But one thing is certain, per Schefter: Owner Daniel Snyder wants Cousins in the fold for the long haul. Perhaps at Snyder’s behest, team president Bruce Allen and Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, had a face-to-face meeting at last month’s owners meetings. That was the first time the two sat down together since the Redskins first placed the franchise tag on Cousins last offseason.
In 2017, his second straight year as Washington’s franchise player, Cousins is slated to rake in a $23.94MM salary. While that’s a tenable amount for a quarterback of the 28-year-old Cousins’ caliber, tagging him again next offseason won’t be nearly as easy. Doing so would cost the Redskins upward of $34MM, leading Schefter to point out that Cousins is the one with the leverage in discussions between him and the team. Unsurprisingly, then, the Redskins seem more willing than they were in the past to recognize Cousins’ long-term value, writes Schefter.
Cousins, who entered the NFL in 2012 as a fourth-round pick and a backup to Robert Griffin III, has certainly looked like part of the solution for the Redskins since he took over for RG3 as their No. 1 signal-caller prior to the 2016 season. The ex-Michigan State Spartan has started 32 straight games, thrown 54 touchdowns against 23 interceptions, amassed over 9,000 yards (4,917 last year) and completed 68 percent of passes since grabbing the reins in Washington.
AFC Notes: Smith, Jets, Bolts, Steelers
The Jets reached out to retired wide receiver Steve Smith about playing in 2017, the former Panther and Raven told Kim Jones of NFL Network (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). It’s unclear when that occurred, and it seems like an odd move for a rebuilding team that has spent the offseason dumping 30-somethings (including receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker). Regardless, the 38-year-old Smith isn’t coming back, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that the Jets were merely doing their due diligence when they contacted him.
More on Gang Green and two other AFC clubs:
- The Chargers announced Tuesday that first-round receiver Mike Williams will miss the rest of their offseason program with a mild disc herniation in his lower back. Williams has been dealing with the injury since suffering it on the first day of minicamp nearly a month ago, and head coach Anthony Lynn implied in late May that the ex-Clemson star was behind the 8-ball as a result. Now, Williams could be at risk of beginning training camp on the physically unable to perform list, notes Kevin Patra of NFL.com.
- A report in 2015 linked Steelers linebacker James Harrison to performance-enhancing drugs, and though the NFL didn’t find any evidence against him, it’s still suspicious of the pass rusher, writes Joshua Axelrod of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The NFL tested Harrison for PEDs for the third time this offseason on Tuesday, leading the 39-year-old to suggest on Instagram that the league is insulting his intelligence by claiming the tests are random.
- The league is looking into the dispute that occurred between Jets linebacker Darron Lee and his girlfriend at the Governors Ball music festival last Saturday in New York City, per Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday. The Jets also investigated the altercation, but they quickly cleared Lee of any wrongdoing. “He had an argument with his girlfriend,” said head coach Todd Bowles. “What do you want me to discipline him (for)? He had an argument with his girlfriend and somebody took a photo.” Bowles added that he spoke with “10 people” about the incident before deciding discipline wasn’t in order for Lee.
Cyrus Kouandjio To Visit Lions
Free agent offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio announced Tuesday on Twitter that he’s flying to Detroit to visit the Lions, who could use another bookend in light of Taylor Decker‘s shoulder injury.
The 6-foot-7, 323-pound Kouandjio hit the open market when the Bills cut him in late May, which came after a three-year stint in Buffalo that included mixed results on the field and an odd off-field incident in April. The 23-year-old was found partially undressed in a field in Elma, N.Y., not far from the scene of a car accident and taken to a nearby hospital. Kouandjio wasn’t arrested, though, and he noted in his tweet that he’s on his best behavior.
If he signs with the Lions, Kouandjio would give the team another option at either tackle position to help make up for the absence of Decker, who could miss a portion of the regular season. Kouandjio was a standout at Alabama and a second-round pick in 2014, but he only started in seven of 25 appearances with the Bills. In 12 games and a career-high seven starts last year, his performance ranked a respectable 34th among Pro Football Focus’ 78 qualified tackles.