Buccaneers To Sign Chris Baker
The Buccaneers are expected to sign free agent defensive lineman Chris Baker “barring any snags,” tweets Peter Schrager of FOX Sports.
Baker registered 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons and profiled as one of the top interior defenders available in free agency. He ranked 18th among interior defenders (4-3 defensive tackles, 3-4 nose tackles and 3-4 ends) in the opinion of Pro Football Focus last season. Baker, 29, started all 16 games for the first time in his career in 2016.
In Tampa Bay, Baker will team with Gerald McCoy to form a fearsome defensive interior. The Buccaneers don’t blitz very often, so generating any sort of pressure — from the interior or otherwise — is often dependent on the front four getting to the quarterback. In addition to Baker and McCoy, the Bucs’ line also consists of Robert Ayers, Noah Spence, and Jacquies Smith, among others.
Baker becomes the second free agent to make the trip from Washington to Tampa Bay, joining wide receiver DeSean Jackson in that regard.
Cardinals Re-Sign A.Q. Shipley
The Cardinals announced that they’ve re-signed center A.Q. Shipley to a two-year deal.
Shipley, 30, is coming off another two-year contract that paid him less than $800K per season, but he could be in for a raise after a 2016 campaign that saw him grade as the league’s No. 14 center, per Pro Football Focus. Shipley isn’t big-bodied like most offensive lineman — he’s officially listed at 5’11” — and while Arizona has expressed interest in replacing him in the past, the former seventh-round pick keeps producing consistent results.
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said last week he hoped his club would retain Shipley, who earned an honorable mention on PFR’s list of the top free agent interior lineman.
Texans Not Interested In Adrian Peterson
The Texans are now the latest team to deny having interest in Adrian Peterson, as the club reportedly has “never once talked about him,” reports Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. Reports linking Peterson to Houston have all been generated by the Peterson camp, per Barshop.
The Patriots, Seahawks, and Giants have also said they’re not pursuing Peterson, while the Raiders are apparently not as interested in a possible union as Peterson is in joining Oakland. Certainly, price could be a factor — Peterson was set to make $18MM in 2017 under his old Vikings contract, and may have difficulty accepting a steep paycut. But given his contract demands and lack of ability to play in the passing game, it could be awhile before Peterson lands a deal.
Peterson, who was limited to only three games in 2016, ranks as PFR’s No. 32 free agent and No. 2 available running back.
Latest On Brandon Williams
Although several clubs want to take a meeting free agent defensive tackle Brandon Williams, his agents are working on a contract with the Ravens, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
The 28-year-old Williams has so far spent his entire career with the Ravens, who selected him in the third round of the 2013 draft. Williams has been durable, having appeared in 16 games in each of the past three seasons, and productive. In addition to piling up 16 starts for the second straight year, he ranked as Pro Football Focus‘ 39th-best D-tackle among 127 qualifiers last season.
Williams, who rates as PFR’s No. 4 free agent interior defender, is expected to command a Damon Harrison-esque contract: five years, $46.25MM.
Patriots To Re-Sign Alan Branch
The Patriots have reached agreement with defensive tackle Alan Branch on a two-year deal that can be worth up to $12MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Branch, 32, has spent the past three years in New England, and has started 15 games in each of the past two campaigns. The Patriots reportedly believed they had made a “solid offer” to Branch last week, and Branch apparently agreed, as he’s now under contract through the 2018 season. In 2016, Branch graded as the league’s No. 25 defensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus, which gave him excellent marks against the run.
Branch, a former second-round pick, was ranked as PFR’s No. 8 free agent interior defender. He’ll slot back into a Patriots defensive line that includes Malcom Brown, Trey Flowers, Geneo Grisson, and Vincent Valentine.
Giants, Jaguars Eyeing Rhett Ellison
The Giants and Jaguars are interested in tight end/fullback Rhett Ellison, who could be looking at a $5MM annual salary, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com and Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links).
$5MM would represent a significant raise for Ellison, who re-signed with the Vikings in 2016 for just $1.75MM. Ellison, 28, has averaged just 10 receptions per season during his five-year run in Minnesota, so it’s certainly surprising that enough clubs’ interest would drive his price into the $5MM area. In 2016, Ellison appeared in 15 games but only secured 14 targets in the passing game.
The Giants are known to be interested in the tight end market, and have been mentioned as a possible suitor for Martellus Bennett and other free agents. The Jaguars, meanwhile, are on the hunt for a tight end after trading Julius Thomas to the Dolphins earlier this year.
Ravens Interested In Morris Claiborne
The Ravens have expressed interest in free agent corner Morris Claiborne, tweets Matt Miller of Bleacher Report.
Claiborne, 26, transformed himself from a former draft bust to a legitimate top corner in his fifth NFL season, ranking as Pro Football Focus 12th-best corner last year year. Re-signed to a one-year deal worth only $3MM in 2016, Claiborne played in seven and posted one interception. Injuries forced Claiborne to miss more than half of the regular season, though he did return for the postseason.
Baltimore currently boasts Jimmy Smith, Tavon Young, Sheldon Price, Maurice Canaday, and Kyle Arrington at corner. The club made an addition to its secondary on Wednesday by signing safety Tony Jefferson, but cornerback help is still on the docket.
Broncos To Sign Ronald Leary
The Broncos will sign free agent guard Ronald Leary “assuming no last-minute snags,” tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Leary will ink a four-year deal worth $35MM, with $20MM in guarantees, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
The Cowboys were never expected to retain Leary, who was blocked at guard by La’el Collins and Zack Martin, so instead he’ll head to a club in dire need of offensive line reinforcements. Guard was thought to be top priority for Denver this offseason, and they’ve now landed one of the top three guards on the market. Thought to be targeting $8MM per season, Leary will instead blow past that figure and nearly reach the $9MM mark.
Leary, who entered the NFL in 2012 as an undrafted free agent from Memphis, has spent his entire career with the Cowboys. He started in 35 straight appearances over his first three seasons, but he dealt with a groin injury in 2015 and Collins usurped his No. 1 role. With Collins on the shelf for most of this season, Leary made 12 starts in 13 games and ranked an impressive 25th in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards.
While Denver now appears to be set on the interior offensive line with Leary, Matt Paradis, and Max Garcia, tackle is still a problem. The Broncos are still talking with Russell Okung after declining his option, and could need a new right tackle as well if they decide to release Donald Stephenson.
Hypothetically, Leary could be blocking for a familiar face in 2017, as the Broncos are viewed as a logical destination for free agent quarterback Tony Romo. Romo had been under center in Dallas for the entirety of Leary’s run with the club.
Chargers To Re-Sign Kellen Clemens
The Chargers and quarterback Kellen Clemens are in agreement on a one-year deal, tweets freelance reporter Michael Gehlken.
Clemens, 33, will return for a fourth season as Philip Rivers‘ backup, a job that’s been among the league’s simplest in recent years. During his three-year run with the Chargers, Clemens has attempted all of 10 passes in relief of Rivers. A former second-round pick, Clemens does have 21 career starts to his name, all coming with the Jets and Rams.
Giants To Re-Sign Orleans Darkwa
The Giants will re-sign running back Orleans Darkwa, tweets Kimberley Martin of Newsday. Darkwa was not tendered a restricted free agent contact and is now presumably back on a cheaper deal.
Over the past two seasons, Darkwa has managed 30+ carries per season in New York, but has only managed four yards per carry. The 25-year-old will now head back to the Giants and attempt to carve out a role for the 2017 campaign, a task that may have been made simpler by Big Blue’s release of veteran back Rashad Jennings. Currently, the Giants’ backfield is comprised of Shane Vereen, Paul Perkins, and George Winn.