Eagles To Sign LB Paul Worrilow
The Eagles have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker Paul Worrilow, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). It’s a one-year deal, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
Worrilow, 27, played on the majority of the Falcons’ snaps from 2013-15, but has since been relegated to backup duty. A former undrafted free agent, Worrilow spent the 2017 campaign with the Lions, where he started eight games but saw only 25% playtime, third-most among Detroit linebackers. Instead, most of his action came on special teams, where Worrilow played more than 60% of the Lions’ snaps. All told, Worrilow managed 20 tackles, one fumble recovery, and one pass defensed during his lone season in the Motor City.
Philadelphia ranked 16th in special teams DVOA a season ago, and the club has since added reserve linebackers with ST experience. Worrilow joins fellow free agent addition Corey Nelson and incumbent Kamu Grugier-Hill as ‘backers who will see most of their time on special teams, as Nigel Bradham, Jordan Hicks, and Mychal Kendricks are currently projected to start in the Eagles’ base 4-3 defense.
Jets To Sign C Travis Swanson
The Jets are expected to sign former Lions center Travis Swanson, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Swanson will almost certainly join New York as a reserve, as the Jets already signed former Redskin Spencer Long last month to be their starting center. While Swanson could also conceivably play guard, Gang Green is also set — for now — with James Carpenter and Brian Winters. While Winters is under contract through the 2020 campaign, Carpenter is only signed through 2018, and New York could create $4.7MM in cap space by cutting ties with the 29-year-old.
But based on his 2017 production, Swanson may be better served as a depth piece. Although he was a Detroit starter for the past three years, Swanson was not effective last season, as Pro Football Focus graded the former third-round pick as a bottom-five center. Football Outsiders, meanwhile, charted the Lions with the fewest adjusted line yards when running behind its center in 2017.
With Swanson now off the board, the interior line market is now extremely weak. The best unsigned options remaining include Alex Boone, Jahri Evans, Luke Joeckel, Brian Schwenke, and Shawn Lauvao.
Latest On Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski
Multiple teams are planning to call the Patriots in regards to tight end Rob Gronkowski‘s availability, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link).
Despite February rumors that Gronkowski could choose to retire this offseason, most subsequent reports have indicated the 28-year-old All Pro intends to return in 2018. Gronkowski has reportedly been working out at Tom Brady‘s Sports Therapy Center, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) reported Monday that nothing has changed in terms of Gronk’s status. Indeed, there may never be a formal announcement from Gronkowski — he may simply show up for offseason workouts and continue his career.
While Gronkowski seems intent on playing in 2018, it’s possible that he won’t be suiting up in New England. As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick hasn’t been afraid to deal stars in the past. Edge rusher Chandler Jones, defensive lineman Richard Seymour, guard Logan Mankins, and linebacker Jamie Collins are among the players Belichick & Co. have traded, often times for what seemed like pennies on the dollar.
Plus, Belichick and Gronkowski’s relationship appears to be at a low point, as Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com recently reported the Patriots head coach may not believe Gronkowski is “all in” at this juncture. Gronkowski, for his part, is reportedly frustrated with Belichick and others in the New England organization, and is put off by the club’s “high-strung” culture. Those differences, per Darlington, aren’t believed to be irreconcilable.
Gronkowski, of course, is still a dominant player when healthy. In 2017, Gronk was on the field for 14 games, and managed 69 receptions, 1,084 yards, and eight touchdowns, all of which placed him within the top-five among tight ends. He’s signed through the 2019 campaign, with base salaries of $8MM and $9MM over the next two respective seasons.
Extra Points: Dolphins, Chargers, Panthers
While the Dolphins may hope to select a quarterback in the first round of next month’s draft, many in the organization believe 2018’s Big Four — Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen — will be off the board by the time Miami’s slot comes at No. 11, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Views on projected starter Ryan Tannehill vary even among the Dolphins’ decision-makers, per Salguero, but he’ll be under center for Miami in Week 1 if the team doesn’t land a signal-caller in the draft, as the only other quarterbacks on the Dolphins’ depth chart are Brock Osweiler, David Fales, and Brandon Doughty. Jay Cutler, who started 14 games for Miami in 2017, won’t be re-signed, leaving Tannehill and his recovering knee as the only viable starting option.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- After being suspended four games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, Chargers defensive tackle Corey Liuget is not in danger of being released, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, who adds Los Angeles will not seek to restructure Liuget’s contract. Liuget, 28, is slated to earn $8MM for the upcoming season, so he’ll lose out on $2MM in base salary. The former first-round pick appeared in 12 games in 2017, posting 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks while grading as the NFL’s No. 32 interior run defender, per Pro Football Focus. Liuget was especially proficient as a pass rusher, as his 81.8 grade ranked 15th among defensive tackles
- Although the Panthers are unlikely to make any more major moves in free agency, they are still open to re-signing backup quarterback Derek Anderson, per David Newton of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Aside from starter Cam Newton, the only other signal-caller on Carolina’s roster is Garrett Gilbert, who has never attempted an NFL pass. Anderson, who earned $2.25MM annually on his previous Panthers contract, has spent the past seven years as Newton’s backup. The backup quarterback market is rapidly thinning, but available options include Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, and Geno Smith.
- Running back Mike Davis‘ new one-year deal with the Seahawks is worth $1.35MM, reports Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Davis received a $350K signing bonus — the only guaranteed portion of the contract — an can earn $200K in per-game roster bonuses. Seattle opted not to tender Davis a restricted free agent, but will now retain at a cost about $600K cheaper than the lowest RFA tender. Davis, 25, is part of complicated Seahawks’ backfield that also includes Chris Carson, J.D. McKissic, and C.J. Prosise.
- The NFL has instituted a rule banning players from lowering their helmet to initiate contact, tweets Mark Maske of the Washington Post, who adds players can be ejected for doing violating the rule. The league will continue to work on the details of the rule and announce further revisions in May, as Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com writes.
Latest On Panthers’ Sale
The process of selling the Panthers franchise is moving along at an expected rate, and a vote on a new owner is expected to take place during late-May meetings in Atlanta, according to David Newton of ESPN.com, who adds a reported sale price of $2.5 billion could potentially be a bit inflated.
Per Newton, the two most likely candidates to purchase the Panthers remain South Carolina businessman Ben Navarro and Steelers minority owner/hedge fund billionaire David Tepper. Private equity manager Alan Kestenbaum and businessman Michael Rubin are also considered suitors, and Kestenbaum will visit Charlotte on Wednesday to tour the Carolina facilities, reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
Three other unidentified candidates may have also interest in the Panthers, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who speculates North Carolina software mogul Jim Goodnight and British businessman Joe Lewis could be in the running. Cowboys executive Stephen Jones said three “really qualified” suitors are part of the Carolina bidding process, but didn’t reveal those individuals.
NFC East Notes: Giants, Redskins, Cowboys
Although the Giants are not actively shopping wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., team owner John Mara (once again) didn’t dismiss the idea of dealing the star pass-catcher. “Do I want [Beckham] to be traded? Absolutely not,” said Mara, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter link). “I want him to be a Giant. I can’t promise that’s going to happen. We’re not looking to get rid of him, OK? I’d like him to be a Giant. But if you’re asking me for a 100% guarantee, nobody has that.” Beckham may reportedly consider a holdout if he’s not extended by the start of the 2018 season, but he’s clearly not in the good graces of New York’s decision-makers at the moment. Mara recently indicated he’s “tired of answering questions” about OBJ, who was involved in a video that may have involved drug use earlier this year.
Let’s take a look at more from the NFC East:
- Free agent defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is in a holding pattern with the Redskins after meeting with the club last week, as John Keim of ESPN.com writes. Asking price could be an issue, as Keim indicated Washington views Hankins as a potential complementary piece of its run defense rather than a key cog. As such, Hankins may not be in the Redskins’ plans unless his cost comes down. Fellow interior lineman Bennie Logan remains under consideration, but given that Washington has yet to schedule a visit, its interest clearly isn’t serious. If neither Hankins nor Logan end up in the nation’s capital, the Redskins should be expected to target defensive tackle help through the draft.
- New Cowboys linebacker Joe Thomas‘ two-year deal is worth up to $3.6MM, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Thomas, who had spent his entire career in Green Bay, received a $1MM signing bonus and will also have $400K of his base salary guaranteed. The Packers opted to non-tender Thomas as a restricted free agent rather than pay him an original round tender of $1.907MM, and Thomas won’t meet that mark with Dallas, either, as Demovsky reports Thomas will collect just $1.6MM total in 2018. Thomas, 26, will likely spend most of his time on the Cowboys’ special teams unit, but will provide depth in case Sean Lee or Jaylon Smith go down with injury.
- Texas A&M receiver Christian Kirk has schedule a pre-draft visit with the Cowboys, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Because he’s likely considered a local prospect, Kirk shouldn’t count against Dallas’ allotment of 30 prospect meetings. The Cowboys have already added Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson to a pass-catching corps that also includes Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, and — for now — Dez Bryant, but Kirk could give the club another dimension on offense. Kirk averaged a 78/952/9 line during three seasons with the Aggies.
AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Pierre-Louis
The Dolphins are searching for help via the trade market at the league meetings in Orlando, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Although Miami made several free agent additions over the past two weeks, the club is still hoping to add depth at tight end, linebacker, running back, and defensive tackle, per Salguero. While no trade is imminent, the Dolphins could conceivably trade from their stable of defensive ends. Miami currently has Cameron Wake, Robert Quinn, Charles Harris, William Hayes, and Andre Branch on its depth chart, meaning it could potentially absorb the loss of at least one pass rusher. Branch, who is scheduled to earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $7.9MM in 2018, would be a logical candidate to be moved, per Salguero.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- Free agent linebacker Neville Hewitt met with the Jets today, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Hewitt, 24, spent the majority of the 2018 campaign on the Dolphins’ practice squad, but was promoted in time to play the final six games of the regular season. While he played only 11 snaps on defensive snaps, Hewitt saw 66.5% playtime on special teams. Miami opted not to tender Hewitt as a restricted free agent, allowing him to hit the open market two weeks ago. In New York, Hewitt would likely continue with special teams duty, although the Jets’ lack of talent at outside linebacker could enable him to get snaps on the edge.
- Linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis‘ new two-year deal with the Jets is worth $5.25MM, reports Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Pierre-Louis had essentially been a linebacker in name only until 2017, as special teams had been his primary area of focus. But the former fourth-round pick saw a career-high 25% playtime on defense, managing 25 tackles during that time. Pierre-Louis will add depth at inside linebacker behind former first-round pick Darron Lee and free agent acquisition Avery Williamson.
- In case you missed it, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels recently explained his decision not to become the Colts’ head coach.
NFC North Notes: Packers, Lions, Vikings
Allen Robinson narrowed his potential destinations to the Bears and Packers before ultimately deciding on Chicago, as the star wideout tells Mike Kaye of First Coast News. While a number of clubs — including the Redskins, Browns, Ravens, Panthers, and incumbent Jaguars — were linked to Robinson before free agency officially opened, Green Bay was never mentioned as a suitor. The revelation is interesting on a few different levels, but chief among them is that the Packers clearly feel a need to upgrade their receiving corps. So far this offseason, Green Bay cut ties with franchise icon Jordy Nelson, but hasn’t made any additions to its wideout depth chart. Robinson, 24, eventually landed a three-year, $42MM deal from the Bears.
Here’s more from the NFC North:
- The Lions‘ decision to release Eric Ebron was strictly a financial call, general manager Bob Quinn told reporters, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Ebron had been scheduled to earn a base salary of $8.25MM in 2018, and that figure would have become fully guaranteed on the first day of the league year. Indeed, Ebron’s high salary also warded off any potential trade suitors, per Quinn, while Detroit never discussed an extension that would have reduced Ebron’s upcoming cap charge (Twitter link via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News). Ebron, a first-round pick in 2014, has subsequently inked a two-year, $13MM pact with the Colts.
- Given that he’s currently in Ghana, Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah has no immediate plans to sign his franchise tag, per Birkett (Twitter link). However, Ansah does eventually plan to ink the tender and has no intention of dragging out the process. When he does eventually sign, Ansah will earn a fully guaranteed $17.143MM base salary for the 2018 campaign, and will have until July to hammer out a long-term extension with Detroit. Ansah finished the 2017 season with 12 sacks, 44 total tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
- The Vikings have indicated they’d like to re-sign cornerback Terence Newman, but it sound as though money will be the determining factor in any such agreement, according to Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). While Newman will be 40 years old when the 2018 season gets underway, he was able to stay healthy for all 16 games last year. Newman, who ranked as the No. 66 CB among 119 qualifiers in 2017 (per Pro Football Focus), would reinforce a Minnesota secondary that also includes Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Mackensie Alexander.
- Despite a previous report to the contrary, the Lions are not interested in free agent defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, tweets Birkett. Detroit has already upgraded its defensive tackle rotation by signing Sylvester Williams and Ricky Jean-Francois, but Hankins isn’t in the team’s plans.
Saints Host TE Benjamin Watson
The Saints hosted free agent tight end Benjamin Watson on Tuesday, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As of last week, Watson was reportedly discussing a deal with the Chiefs, but the veteran pass-catcher is now taking visits elsewhere, leaving the status of his talks with Kansas City unclear.
Watson should be extremely familiar to the New Orleans staff, as the 37-year-old played for the club from 2013-15. That 2015 season marked the most successful campaign of Watson’s lengthy NFL career, as he set career-highs in receptions (74), yards (825), and touchdowns (six) while catching passes from Drew Brees. Watson inked a two-year deal with the Ravens the following spring, and after a torn Achilles sidelined him for the 2016 season, Watson bounced back with a 61/522/4 line last year.
The Saints have yet to address their tight end group this offseason, although it’s a unit that could use improvements. Starter Coby Fleener managed only 22 catches a year ago but will almost certainly make New Orleans’ roster following the guarantee of his 2018 base salary, while the rest of the club’s depth chart — which includes Josh Hill, Michael Hoomanawanui, and Garrett Grayson — doesn’t offer much upside. Saints head coach Sean Payton called reinforcing tight end a “must,” tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, so additions could be made via the draft if Watson or another free agent isn’t signed.
Dolphins Host LB Terence Garvin
The Dolphins have met with free agent linebacker Terence Garvin, according to veteran reporter Howard Balzer (Twitter link).
Garvin, 28, originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia in 2013. After spending three years with the Steelers, Garvin has played for the Redskins and Seahawks over the past two seasons. Primarily a special teams maven, Garvin saw the most defensive playtime (18%) of his career in 2017, as injuries forced him into starting duty with Seattle. Garvin managed nine tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in 15 games (three starts) for the Seahawks.
Miami, for its part, is currently projected to start Kiko Alonso and 2017 second-round pick Raekwon McMillan in nickel packages, with Stephone Anthony, Mike Hull, and Chase Allen in reserve. Garvin would likely spend most of his time with the Dolphins on special teams, where Miami last season ranked 12th in DVOA, per Football Outsiders.