Day In Review: 3/10/15
It’s been an extraordinarily busy first day of NFL free agency, and we’d like to thank the readers of Pro Football Rumors for making this our busiest traffic day since our inception last year. Thanks for reading! And remember: you have until Friday to tell your friends about PFR and have a chance at winning $100. Click here for details.
Let’s take a look back at the top headlines from the past 24 hours:
Major Trades:
- Seahawks acquired TE Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round pick from the Saints in exchange for C Max Unger and a first-round pick.
- Rams acquired QB Nick Foles, a 2015 fourth-round pick, and a 2016 second-round pick from the Eagles in exchange for QB Sam Bradford, a 2015 fifth-round pick, and a conditional 2016 pick.
- Lions acquired DT Haloti Ngata and a seventh-round pick from the Ravens in exchange a fourth- and a fifth-round pick.
- Three previously reported trades became official today: RB LeSean McCoy to the Bills, WR Brandon Marshall to the Jets, and QB Matt Cassel to the Bills.
Major Signings:
- 49ers – WR Torrey Smith (five years, $40MM)
- Bengals – G Clint Boling (link)
- Colts – LB Trent Cole (two years, $16MM) and RB Frank Gore (three years, $12MM)
- Giants – RB Shane Vereen (three years, $12MM)
- Jaguars – CB Davon House (four years, $25MM)
- Jets – CB Darrelle Revis (five years, $70MM) and CB Buster Skrine (four years, $25MM)
- Packers – T Bryan Bulaga (five years, ~$35MM)
- Titans – S Da’Norris Searcy (four years, $24MM)
Notable New Free Agents:
Retired:
- QB Jake Locker (link)
- LB Jason Worilds (link)
- LB Patrick Willis (link)
East Notes: Bills, Hoyer, Cromartie, Jets, Fins
According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Bills spent some time today weighing quarterback alternatives in case they weren’t comfortable with Matt Cassel‘s physical. Brian Hoyer and Matt Moore were among the potential options considered, sources tell Caplan. Ultimately, the Bills passed Cassel on his physical and the swap with the Vikings became official.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- In Darrelle Revis and Buster Skrine, the Jets have already added two corners today, but they might not be finished. The club is still talking with Antonio Cromartie, who is known to be interested in playing for New York, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). Manish Mehta of the New York Daily news classifies the discussions as “serious,” suggesting a Revis-Cromartie reunion may be in the cards (Twitter links).
- While admitting that he talked to Frank Gore during the past few days, LeSean McCoy denied that he told the former 49er to back out of his deal with the Eagles and sign with the Colts instead, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. McCoy, rather, says he told Gore that he’d handle the ball a lot and called Chip Kelly a “mastermind.”
- Updating a previous item, the Dolphins have put an offer in to free agent cornerback Brice McCain, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. We heard earlier tonight McCain was in Miami, and it sounds like something could get done.
- Free agent quarterback Tyrod Taylor is paying a visit to the Bills, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Taylor, who has been the Ravens’ backup in recent years, would be in the mix with Cassel and E.J. Manuel if he were to sign with Buffalo.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Revis, Cameron, Lofton, Parker
Allowing that it could just be a rumor, the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe says (Twitter links) says he’s heard that the Patriots dropped out of the running for Darrelle Revis last night, forcing the Jets to bid against themselves. If so, it doesn’t seem to have lowered the CB’s price, as Revis secured a three-year, $48MM deal from New York.
More from the AFC…
- Even after landing Ndamukong Suh, the Dolphins aren’t done, and their two main free agent targets at this point are tight end Jordan Cameron and cornerback Brice McCain, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who adds that McCain is currently in town. Cameron would presumably take the place of Charles Clay if the latter signs with the Bills.
- Having recently been released by the Saints, linebacker Curtis Lofton will visit the Raiders, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link).
- While they are in on Lofton, the Raiders don’t have any interest in free agent safety Ron Parker, per Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Browns have are pursuing cornerback Perrish Cox, whom we earlier heard has a visit set up Washington, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. In fact, Cox will visit Cleveland on Thursday, says Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- The Patriots will host linebacker Colin McCarthy for a visit, says Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter). A former Titan, McCartthy the entirety of the 2014 season on injured reserve.
Seahawks GM On Graham, Unger, Williams
The Seahawks have certainly had an eventful Tuesday, orchestrating perhaps the day’s biggest news by acquiring tight end Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round pick from the Saints in exchange for center Max Unger and a first-round selection. Seattle general manager John Schneider spoke to reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, about today’s events, so let’s take look at the highlights:
On how discussions for Graham began:
“We started talking to them probably maybe three days ago, just about general things—lots of different players. This time of year there are a lot of teams that are just trying to move some pieces around to figure some things out as we get close to the deadline to cut down for salary cap purposes to start the new year, and it was no different than a regular call like that. Then he was one of the players who was brought up and we continued to pursue it.”
On his level of surprise at hearing Graham’s name come up in talks:
“Yeah, we think he’s a heck of a player, but there are a lot of names that are talked about. You just never know how serious people are, but it just depends on the different scenarios that you talk through, then the level of intensity or interest either increases or decreases based on the different scenarios that are discussed.”
On losing Unger as part of the deal:
“Any time you’re making these types of trades for a player like this, it’s not just going to be a handover. Both teams had specific needs, for us, we’re going to miss Max’s leadership, he was a core part of what we were doing around here the last several years. He was here when we got here—coach Carroll and his staff actually move him to center for guard, and he really took off. But we have to continue moving this thing forward. We always talk about not having any finish lines, and this is just part of it—tough decisions, but exciting futures as well.”
On how the trade will affect Seattle’s salary cap:
“In some respects it actually helps us. When you take out a first round draft choice like that, the cost of a first-round draft choice is close to 3.5 million. So if we were going to go out and sign a tight end in free agency, and have a huge signing bonus, big paragraph 5, a lot of guaranteed money, that would have hindered some of the things we would have been able to do.”
On signing Cary Williams:
“We’re going to miss (Byron Maxwell) but we had to be ready to go. I think it’s a testament to coach Carroll, Kris Richard, all of the guys that have worked so hard with our defensive backs; he’s a sixth-round draft choice that leaves for a monster, monster contract and we’re going to miss Byron a lot and we’re excited for him but we’re also very excited to add Cary. We felt like we needed to do it early because of the competition at the cornerback position and feel blessed we were able to finish it up last night.”
Lions To Re-Sign Isa Abdul-Quddus
7:49pm: Abdul-Quddus confirmed that he’s returning to Detroit, tweeting that he’s “very excited to be back” with the Lions.
6:53pm: After striking a deal to bring in defensive line reinforcements earlier in the day, the Lions plan to bring back a member of their secondary, as they’re finalizing a one-year deal with safety Isa Abdul-Quddus, per Paul Schrager of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Dave Birkett of Lions.com confirms the news, saying that while isn’t done yet, it’s close (Twitter link).
Abdul-Quddus isn’t a big-name player, but as Birkett notes, he’s a valuable backup and a key player on special teams, where he racked up five tackles. He did end up starting four games last season, and posted 22 total tackles on the year. The Lions originally claimed the 25-year-old off waivers from the Saints last February.
While he earned a base salary of $645K in 2014, Abdul-Quddus will probably see a slight bump through his new deal, and could perhaps approach $1MM.
NFC Rumors: Cox, Boykin, Orakpo, Moore
Let’s take a look at the latest news from the NFC…
- Free agent cornerback Perrish Cox will visit with Washington tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The 28-year-old Cox started 14 games for the 49ers last season, but isn’t expected back in San Francisco, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle adds (via Twitter).
- On the lookout for help at the receiver position, the Panthers will meet with ex-Packers Jarrett Boykin, tweets Rapoport. Boykin was phased out of Green Bay’s offense in 2014 in favor of rookie Davante Adams.
- We’ve already heard that Brian Orakpo will meet with the Titans today, and if he’s allowed to leave without a contract, the edge rusher will visit with the Cardinals, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Giants are “heavily considering” signing safety Rahim Moore, according to Cecil Lammey of ESPN.com (via Twitter). With Antrel Rolle looking for a big deal in free agency, Moore could be a fit in New York’s secondary.
- Though Washington has interest in running back Justin Forsett, he has yet to receive an offer or schedule a visit, per Keim (on Twitter).
Percy Harvin To Visit Bills
Both Percy Harvin and Rex Ryan were dumped by the Jets in the past few months, but a reunion between the two could be on the horizon. Harvin, who was officially released by New York earlier today, will take his first free agent visit with the Bills, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
Buffalo has been of the league’s most active teams during the past weeks, as they’ve traded for LeSean McCoy, retained Jerry Hughes, and signed Jerome Felton. But the club could still use an upgrade at receiver, especially in the slot between Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods. When he’s at his best, Harvin is one of the most dangerous slot men in the NFL, and given that offensive coordinator Greg Roman is expected to implement a run-heavy scheme, Harvin could be utilized out of the backfield, as well.
Harvin has played for three teams during his five-year career, starting with the Vikings before being moved to the Seahawks and Jets, each time thorough trade. New York released Harvin today, clearing more than $10MM in cap space and guaranteeing that it would only send a sixth-round pick to Seattle rather than a fourth-rounder (as per terms of the deal). While the 26-year-old Harvin won’t come to close to matching his previous double-digit salary, I could see him securing $6-7MM per year.
Eagles Sign Byron Maxwell
TUESDAY, 6:17pm: The Eagles have announced the transaction (via Twitter), making it official.
SUNDAY, 3:54pm: Maxwell was clear to ESPN’s Josina Anderson by phone (Twitter link): “I’m going to Philly.”
3:49pm: In his article reporting Frank Gore’s signing with the Eagles, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Seahawks are making a “last-ditch effort” to retain Maxwell.
3:02pm: After spending the past week clearing out cap space, the Eagles are close to landing one of their top targets. Philadelphia is nearing an agreement with free agent cornerback Byron Maxwell, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Jayson Braddock of KBME Houston was the first to report the deal, and says that it’s a five-year contract worth $53-54MM, with $25MM guaranteed (Twitter links).
Maxwell, widely viewed as the best FA corner available, ranked as the No. 9 overall free agent on PFR’s Top 50 list. The 27-year-old enjoyed his first season as full-time starter for the Seahawks, starting 12 games as Seattle made it second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. The Eagles were seen as the favorites to land Maxwell, although the Jets have also been listed as a possible suitor. In Philadelphia, he’ll join a secondary where the only other sure starter on the roster is safety Malcolm Jenkins.
The Eagles are also said to be targeting former Patriots safety Devin McCourty, who isn’t encumbered by the franchise tag. Philadelphia certainly has money to spend, having traded LeSean McCoy and his contract to the Bills and released Cary Williams and Trent Cole. Projected to be major players in free agency, the Eagles have almost $45MM in cap space to work with. Philadelphia has other concerns this offseason, as key contributors Jeremy Maclin and Brandon Graham are pending free agents. Both are sure to get hefty offers on the open market starting on Tuesday, and while Maclin looks more likely to return than Graham, the Eagles have the money to retain both.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, will lose their No. 2 corner for the second consecutive season, having seen Brandon Browner sign with the Patriots last March. Seattle reportedly has interest in adding Packers free agent Tramon Williams to their Legion of Boom, but the draft could be another avenue by which the club could add secondary talent.
Seahawks Sign Cary Williams
6:08pm: The Seahawks have confirmed the transaction, making it official, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
8:08am: The three-year pact will be worth $18MM, including $7MM in year one, a source tells Wilson (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 7:26am: Williams is expected to sign a three-year deal with the Seahawks, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, who tweets that the lack of state income tax in Washington played a part in the cornerback’s decision.
MONDAY, 10:03pm: After drawing interest from numerous clubs, Cary Williams has decided to join the Legion of Boom and sign with the Seahawks, according to Aaron Wilson on the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). After being released by the Eagles, Williams considered the Ravens, Titans, and Jets before settling on Seattle.
The 30-year-old Williams has started all 16 games in each of the past three seasons, racking up nine interceptions during that time. Miscast as a No. 1 corner with the Eagles, Williams is a perfectly complementary option at defensive back, and he’ll be playing in the best secondary in the league when he arrives in Seattle. The Washburn alum will flip-flop clubs and roles with Byron Maxwell, who agreed to terms on a six-year deal with Philadelphia yesterday.
The Seahawks were also reportedly considering Tramon Williams as an option to replace Maxwell, but they’ll settle for a player who merely shares the surname. Seattle added more secondary help earlier today, agreeing to a deal with ex-Jaguar Will Blackmon, who isn’t a candidate to start.
FA Rumors: Carter, Helu, Gresham, McCain
Free agent linebacker Bruce Carter is drawing interest on the open market, and he’ll first visit the Buccaneers, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). If he doesn’t sign with Tampa, he’ll head to Houston to meet with the Texans, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Here’s more from the free agent front…
- The Buccaneers will meet with center Stefen Wisniewski, per Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Tampa just signed center Evan Dietrich-Smith last offseason so Wisniewski could be viewed as a guard.
- Cornerback Tramon Williams will visit with the Saints tonight, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN. The veteran CB is wrighing a return to Green Bay and has also drawn other interest.
- Running back Roy Helu probably won’t be returning to Washington, per John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link), but he does have other suitors, including the Patriots, Raiders, and Jets (link).
- The Patriots are interested in another free agent running back, C.J. Spiller, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, but their interest isn’t considered serious.
- As we’ve heard earlier, the Raiders want to sign tight end Jermaine Gresham, Caplan (via Twitter) would be surprised if a deal doesn’t get done.
- The Vikings were hoping to meet with cornerback Brice McCain, but he’s meeting with a mystery team and taking a physical, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link).