HEADLINES

Author: Luke Adams

Saints Sign Nick Fairley

July 9th, 2016 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 9th, 9:35am: More than three months after the deal was signed, Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate has some details on Fairley’s $1.75MM worth of incentives.

There are three ‘playing time thresholds’ that Fairley could reach, with each bonus adding $250K to his salary. There are also three ‘sack thresholds’ worth $250K each. Finally, if the veteran manages to play 35-percent of his team’s snaps and record at least four sacks, he’ll make another $250K.

MARCH 29th, 11:46am: Fairley gets a one-year, $3MM deal from the Saints, including a $2.235MM signing bonus, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Fairley can earn an additional $1.75MM via incentives, and his contract technically runs through 2018 for cap purposes — the final two years will void.

MONDAY, 10:00am: The Saints have officially signed Fairley, the team announced today in a press release.

8:41am: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley will be signing with the Saints, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Fairley has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with New Orleans. Rapoport had indicated last week that the Saints were the frontrunners to land the ex-Ram.Nick Fairley

A free agent a year ago, Fairley signed a one-year pact with the Rams, and was a rotational piece on the team’s talented defensive line in 2015, appearing in less than 40% of the defensive snaps. Although he wasn’t a full-time player and his counting stats were modest (29 tackles and 0.5 sacks), the former first-round pick graded out as a top-25 interior defender, according to Pro Football Focus.

This time around in free agency, Fairley once again signed a one-year pact, but he may get an opportunity to play a little more in New Orleans, since the Saints’ defensive line isn’t as deep and talented as the Rams’ unit. Per Rapoport (via Twitter), the 28-year-old chose the Saints over offers from the Patriots and Texans. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle adds (via Twitter) that the Eagles offered Fairley a contract as well.

Fairley is the latest addition for a Saints team that has been busy lately adding pieces to its defense — the club also signed linebackers James Laurinaitis and Craig Robertson last week. It’s not clear how New Orleans is squeezing all these deals in under the cap, since the team had less than $1MM in cap room available at last check. It seems likely that the team has restructure at least one big contract – perhaps Cameron Jordan‘s or Jairus Byrd‘s – and it has yet to be reported.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Whitner, Boldin, Eagles, Saints

May 13th, 2016 at 7:32pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been more than a month since free agent safety Donte Whitner paid a visit to the Rams, but Whitner continues to be “in play” for L.A., tweets Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News. Since the veteran safety was cut by Cleveland, there was no need for any team to wait until after May 12 to sign Whitner — he wouldn’t have counted toward the compensatory draft pick formula either way.

  • A report earlier this week indicated that the 49ers have not made an effort to re-sign wide receiver Anquan Boldin. However, general manager Trent Baalke said today that the door isn’t closed on a possible reunion between the two sides (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today). While Baalke likes his team’s young receiving talent, the Niners are still exploring all their options.
  • On Thursday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the Eagles received verbal commitments from Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, with both quarterbacks agreeing to accept offset language in their rookie contracts if they were drafted at No. 2 by Philadelphia. Today, Florio followed up on that story by writing that the NFL has no comment on the subject — it’s not clear whether the Eagles violated negotiating rules, or whether the league plans to do anything about it.
  • Veteran free agent outside linebacker Matt Shaughnessy will work out for the Saints this weekend, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Shaughnessy, a third-round pick in 2009, has appeared in 75 total NFL contests for Oakland and Arizona, but missed the entire 2015 campaign due to injury.
  • Reports continue to link the Raiders to Las Vegas, but Falcons owner Arthur Blank isn’t yet entirely sold on the idea. “I think whether or not there are enough people in Las Vegas to support a team is a question,” Blank told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “I haven’t seen the data on that to support it or not support it. It’s certainly a dynamic market. It’s a growth market. It’s got tremendous tourism, a lot of convention business. So it’s certainly a consideration.”

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Ravens, Jerraud Powers Agree To Deal

May 13th, 2016 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

3:54pm: Powers’ new one-year deal with the Ravens is worth $1.75MM, tweets Ian Rapoport.

1:58pm: The Ravens have agreed to terms on a deal with free agent cornerback Jerraud Powers, reports Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter). It will be a one-year deal for Powers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).Jerraud Powers

[RELATED: Ravens sign Ronnie Stanley]

Powers, 28, spent the first four years of his NFL career in Indianapolis before making a move to Arizona in 2013. He spent the last three seasons with the Cardinals. Having started 82 of his 87 career regular-season games, the former third-round pick had been one of the more accomplished cornerbacks still available on the free agent market.

In 2015, Powers started 13 games for the Cardinals, picking up an interception to go along with 50 tackles, nine passes defended, and a pair of fumble recoveries. However, Pro Football Focus wasn’t overly high on his play, ranking him 79th out of 111 qualified cornerbacks, assigning him mediocre grades for both his pass coverage and run defense.

During the legal tampering period in March, Powers told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com that he’d like to sign a three- or four-year deal, and hoped to join a title contender. While he visited the Giants and Cardinals, Powers didn’t see his market develop as he hoped, and has now had to settle for a one-year pact with a team hoping to rebound in 2016.

From the Ravens’ perspective, it’s no surprise that the team would wait until now to add a veteran cornerback like Powers. Baltimore has always prioritized gathering as many compensatory draft picks as possible, and as of Thursday, teams can sign veteran free agents without it affecting the comp-pick formula for 2017.

The Ravens re-signed Shareece Wright earlier in the offseason, and still have Jimmy Smith penciled in at one of their starting cornerback spots, but with Lardarius Webb making the move to safety, the team had been on the lookout for another corner to fortify the position.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Pick Signings: Jags, Texans, Jets, Bills

May 13th, 2016 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2016 NFL draft wrapped up less than two weeks ago, and already nearly 70% of the players selected in the draft have signed their rookie contracts. We have a few more draftees to add to that list, so let’s dive in and round up the latest updates on draft pick signings…

  • No. 36 overall pick Myles Jack has formally signed his rookie contract with the Jaguars, the team announced today. Jack, who was initially viewed as a potential top-10 pick, will be in line for a rookie deal worth $6.334MM, with a $2.807MM signing bonus, according to Over the Cap.
  • The Texans have wrapped up their deal with second-round center Nick Martin, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Martin figures to step in for former center Ben Jones, who departed Houston for the division-rival Titans in free agency.
  • The Jets announced today that they’ve officially signed third-round outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins, as Randy Lange of NewYorkJets.com details. That leaves first-round linebacker Darron Lee as the only Gang Green draft pick who remains unsigned.
  • The Bills continue to work backwards through their draftees — after signing their two sixth-round picks, the Bills have now locked up fifth-round running back Jonathan Williams, according to the team’s website.
  • The Broncos now have two more draft picks under contract, signing third-round safety Justin Simmons and fourth-round running back Devontae Booker to their four-year rookie deals, per Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link).

Ravens Sign Ronnie Stanley

May 13th, 2016 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens are the latest team to lock up their first-round pick from this year’s draft, announcing today (via Twitter) that offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley has signed his rookie contract. More than half of 2016’s first-rounders are now under contract, with 17 signed and 14 still unsigned.Ronnie Stanley

Stanley, who was the first offensive tackle off the board this year, was selected with the sixth overall pick by the Ravens. There was speculation that if a video showing Laremy Tunsil smoking marijuana out of a gas-mask bong had not been leaked just before the draft, Baltimore would have drafted the Ole Miss tackle over Stanley, but both players were very high on the team’s board, and the Ravens are happy to have a potential long-term left tackle to protect Joe Flacco‘s blind side.

According to Over the Cap’s data, Stanley will be one of six rookies who receives a four-year contract with a total value exceeding $20MM. The Notre Dame alum’s deal is set to be worth $20.484MM, with a signing bonus of about $13.098MM. Baltimore will also have a team option for Stanley’s fifth season in 2020, which the team can exercise or decline in 2019.

As our tracker shows, the Ravens have now secured nine of their 11 draftees, with only third-round edge defender Bronson Kaufusi and sixth-round QB/WR Keenan Reynolds not locked up yet.

The Ravens also announced a few more roster moves today, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, who tweets that the team has cut wide receiver Marlon Brown, defensive end Nordly Capi, and defensive backs Jermaine Whitehead and Nick Perry. Brown received a failed physical designation.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Rumors: Kuhn, Lions, Browns, Bears

May 13th, 2016 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk points out, there have been conflicting reports lately about the possibility of fullback John Kuhn returning to the Packers for another season, with one outlet suggesting the team has moved on, while another says there’s “mutual interest” between the two sides. Kuhn has been a Packer since 2007 and has earned Pro Bowl nods in each of the last two years, but he’s no lock to be on Green Bay’s roster in 2016.

Let’s check in on a few more odds and ends from around the NFL’s North divisions…

  • Former Saints scout and Jets pro personnel director Brendan Prophett is joining the Lions as their new director of pro scouting, according to Neil Stratton of Inside The League (Twitter link). The move isn’t official yet, but it appears to be the latest change that new GM Bob Quinn is making to Detroit’s personnel department.
  • The Browns agreed to terms with 11 undrafted free agents last week, but only 10 ultimately signed deals, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, who tweets that the club’s agreement with Missouri defensive back Kenya Dennis fell through. In addition to the 32 players on Cleveland’s roster who will participate in the team’s rookie minicamp, the Browns are also bringing in 14 tryout players — one of those players is former fifth-round quarterback Ricky Stanzi.
  • The Bears have also brought in several veteran free agents to participate in their weekend minicamp, including four offensive lineman, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (all Twitter links). Veteran offensive lineman Jeff Linkenbach, who has started 36 career games in Indianapolis and Kansas City, is the most notable name of the group.
  • Former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who expects to play wide receiver in the NFL, will receive permission from the Navy to join the Ravens this season, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com details.
  • Western Kentucky defensive tackle Jontavius Morris worked out for the Lions on Thursday, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.

East Notes: Hardy, Dolphins, Cardona, Jets

May 13th, 2016 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

As we heard on Thursday, agent Drew Rosenhaus continues to lobby on behalf of his client Greg Hardy, who is still seeking an NFL job. Despite Rosenhaus’ insistence that the former Cowboys defensive end is working to correct his pattern of bad behavior, teams around the NFL remain skeptical, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, who tweets that the “prevailing opinion” among general managers is that nobody wants Hardy.

Quoting multiple general managers, Werder reports that one GM said ownership would have to be involved on any Hardy deal, and most owners would steer clear (Twitter link). Another GM said Hardy would be a “very hard sell,” while another called the veteran pass rusher “toxic.” That last GM added: “[He’s] obviously desperate and saying the right things” (Twitter links).

As we wait to see if Rosenhaus’ sales pitch lands Hardy a job anywhere, let’s round up a few more notes from around the NFL’s East divisions…

  • While defensive coordinator Vance Joseph insists the Dolphins are good to go at cornerback, the team has internally discussed adding another veteran, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, who suggests that Leon Hall and Antonio Cromartie are among the possibilities. Both Jackson and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald took a closer look at the cornerback situation in Miami, exploring whether or not another free agency addition seems likely.
  • Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona, who played his college ball at Navy, is expected to continue his NFL career in 2016. Paul Pabst of the Dan Patrick Show tweeted today that Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced that Cardona’s request to continue playing in the NFL has been approved. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links) cautions that one more “layer of approval” is still required — it’s looking good for Cardona, but it’s not official yet, says Reiss.
  • Brian Costello of the New York Post identifies five boom-or-bust players who will have a significant impact on the Jets‘ fortunes in 2016, including newly-signed running back Matt Forte.

Browns Sign Corey Coleman, Other Draftees

May 13th, 2016 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

No NFL team has more draftees to lock up than the Browns, who selected 14 players in this year’s draft, averaging two picks per round. The team has begun to put a dent into its rookie class, announcing today that six draft picks, including first-round wide receiver Corey Coleman, have officially signed contracts.Corey Coleman

Here’s the full list of Cleveland draftees that have formally put pen to paper so far:

In addition to securing their top pick, the Browns have now signed their last five selections as well, leaving eight unsigned players in between — that list includes second-round pass rusher Emmanuel Ogbah, along with three third-round picks and four fourth-rounders.

Coleman, who figures to be catching passes from either Robert Griffin III or Josh McCown in his rookie season, will get a four-year deal worth about $11.655MM, with a signing bonus of $6.676MM and a first-year cap hit of $2.119MM, according to Over the Cap’s data. Coleman’s contract will also feature a fifth-year option for 2020, allowing Cleveland to control him for an extra season.

The Browns’ selection of Coleman at No. 15 overall last month was the result of multiple trades down, first from No. 2, then from No. 8.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Sign Vernon Butler

May 13th, 2016 at 8:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have completed signing their 2016 draft class, announcing today that first-round defensive tackle Vernon Butler has officially put pen to paper on his rookie contract. Butler had been the last of Carolina’s five draftees to formally sign his new four-year deal.Vernon Butler

Of course, unlike the rest of the Panthers’ draft picks, Butler’s four-year pact will include a fifth-year option for 2020. His deal will also be the richest of any of Carolina’s rookie contracts — per Over the Cap, it will be worth nearly $8.397MM, with a signing bonus of about $4.307MM and a first-year cap charge of approximately $1.527MM.

For the Panthers, Butler will add another imposing presence on the interior of a defensive line that already looks strong at that spot. The former Louisiana Tech lineman will join a rotation headed by Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei, with Paul Soliai and others also in the mix.

With their draft picks secured, the Panthers will be able to focus on other things during this weekend’s rookie minicamp. As David Newton of ESPN.com details, the club still has five openings on its 90-man roster, and with 35 tryout players in attendance at the minicamp, there’s a good chance that a handful of those players will earn contracts within the next few days.

This weekend also represents the first opportunity the Panthers will have to see if any of their young players are capable of handling some of the snaps that went to cornerback Josh Norman in 2015, Newton writes in a separate piece. Noting that GM Dave Gettleman used three of his five picks on corners, Newton examines that subplot, along with a few others to keep an eye on in Carolina.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Pick Signings: Packers, Panthers, Browns

May 12th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

News on draft pick signings continues to trickle in, so after pass along word of several draftees inking their rookie contracts earlier today, we’ve got a few more updates to round up. Let’s dive in…

  • The Packers have signed third-round linebacker Kyler Fackrell, the team announced today in a press release. Green Bay has now secured all but one of its seven draft picks, with only first-round defensive tackle Kenny Clark still unsigned.
  • The Panthers have also signed each of their draft picks except for their first-rounder, having formally locked up fifth-round cornerback Zack Sanchez today, per David Newton of ESPN.com. Sanchez, the 141st overall pick in the draft, is in line for a four-year contract worth $2.612MM, with a signing bonus of about $272K, according to Over the Cap’s data.
  • The Browns begin getting their draftees under team control today by signing fifth-round wideout Jordan Payton and seventh-round linebacker Scooby Wright to their rookie deals, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network. Cleveland still has plenty of business left to conduct — the team drafted 14 players, so 12 remain unsigned.
  • For the full breakdown of which draft picks have signed and which haven’t, check out our complete list.
Load More Posts