Extra Points: Daniels, Allen, Bucs, Eagles
Packers defensive end Mike Daniels is entering a contract year but he’s not thinking too hard about his financial future, as Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel writes.
“All of that is just a distraction,” Daniels said. “That’s just a distraction. I’m here to play football. I’m here to get better. I’m here to watch film, relearn the defense, get bigger, faster, stronger. All that stuff, that’s nothing but a huge distraction. The instant people start putting a focus on something like that, that’s when their play starts to suffer. And I don’t have time for my play to suffer.”
Daniels played in 63.8% of the defensive snaps last season and has 76 tackles and 14 sacks across three seasons. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- After checking in for the Colts‘ first day of offseason conditions, tight end Dwayne Allen is heading back to Arizona to work out on his own there, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Rapoport notes that Allen, who is entering a contract year, doesn’t expect to discuss a new deal with the club until after the season.
- Buccaneers GM Lovie Smith says that he and GM Jason Licht are in “total agreement” as to who the team should draft, Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com tweets.
- Linebacker Mychal Kendricks and running back Chris Polk were not present for the start of the Eagles‘ spring workouts, sources tell Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). Polk has yet to sign his low-level restricted free agent tender offer and therefore cannot partake in activities yet. Kendricks, meanwhile, is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
- Dion Jordan was not present for the Dolphins‘ voluntary workouts today and it’s not immediately clear why, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets. The defensive end is under contract through 2016 with cap numbers of $5.6MM and $6.5MM in each of the next two seasons.
- The Dolphins discussed trading for Matt Barkley before ultimately signing Josh Freeman, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 (on Twitter). That deliberation is what kept the Eagles from signing Tim Tebow even sooner.
- Paul Posluszny‘s 2015 cap number with the Jaguars should go from $9.5M to $6.8MM with his renegotiated three-year deal, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- Toledo safety Jordan Haden, the younger brother of Pro Bowler Joe Haden, has decided not to pursue an NFL career, his father tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The younger Haden drew interest from nine NFL teams, but has elected to work for the family business after sustaining a number of injuries during his college career.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Rams Re-Sign Austin Davis, Other RFAs
With the team’s offseason workout program getting underway today, the Rams locked up several of their restricted and exclusive rights free agents, tweets Howard Balzer of the SportsXchange. According to Balzer, quarterback Austin Davis, safety Rodney McLeod, tight end Cory Harkey, and guard Brandon Washington all re-signed today with the Rams.
Davis, who started 2014 as the third quarterback on the Rams’ depth chart, eventually took over for Sam Bradford and Shaun Hill as the team’s starter for eight games, leading the club to a 3-5 record in those games. He compiled 2,001 passing yards to go along with a 63.4% completion rate and an 85.1 passer rating, earning him a low-end RFA tender from St. Louis. He and Harkey will both earn $1.542MM salaries in 2015.
While Davis is perhaps the most well-known player re-signed today by the Rams, McLeod should be the most important of the group in 2015. The 24-year-old has started all 32 games for the Rams at free safety over the last two seasons, totaling 151 tackles, four interceptions, five fumble recoveries, and four fumble recoveries during that stretch. He got a second-rounder tender from the club, putting him in line for a ’15 salary of $2.356MM.
Washington, who hasn’t seen any real playing time during his stint with the Rams, had been an exclusive right free agent.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are today’s minor transactions from across the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening:
- Howard Balzer of the SportsXchange (all Twitter links) passes along word on a number of exclusive rights and restricted free agents who officially signed their contract tenders today. According to Balzer, the following players are now under contract for the 2015 season: Browns linebacker Craig Robertson (second-round RFA), Browns safety Johnson Bademosi (low-end RFA), Steelers fullback Will Johnson (low-end RFA), Giants cornerback Chandler Fenner (ERFA), Ravens cornerback Tramain Jacobs (ERFA), and Chiefs wide receivers Frankie Hammond and Junior Hemingway (ERFAs).
- The Seahawks have re-signed free agent center Lemuel Jeanpierre, according to Balzer (via Twitter). Jeanpierre, who turns 28 next month, started three games at center for Seattle near the end of the 2014 regular season.
Earlier updates:
- The Titans have reached an agreement on a one-year contract with linebacker Kaelin Burnett, the club announced today (Twitter link). Burnett, who started his career with the Raiders, has played in 22 total NFL games, including five last year for the Titans, primarily as a special teamer.
- Wide receiver Kamar Aiken signed his exclusive rights free agent tender with the Ravens today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The move was a mere formality, allowing Aiken to participate in the club’s offseason program.
- Lions wide receiver and kick returner Jeremy Ross also signed his ERFA tender today, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). Like Aiken, Ross was technically a free agent but wasn’t able to negotiate with any team besides Detroit.
GM: Bills More Likely To Trade Down Than Up
Having sent their 2015 first-round pick to the Browns a year ago to move up to land Sammy Watkins, the Bills are one of two teams that aren’t expected to make a pick next Thursday on day one of the draft. While trading up into the first round from No. 50 is a possibility for Buffalo, general manager Doug Whaley suggested today that it’s not a likely outcome, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com details.
“We’re going to set up our board where we’ll put a demarcation line where if we see guys fall — and we think we have a chance to go up and get, we would consider it,” Whaley said. “But I’ll tell you right now, with the lack of ammunition, I would highly, highly doubt that we [trade up]. We’d be more prone to listen to offers to move back from 50 and pick up more picks, but again, I will never say never.”
Having added Watkins a year ago, and landing pricey playmakers like LeSean McCoy, Charles Clay, and Percy Harvin this offseason, the Bills are likely to focus on adding depth at several positions rather than focusing on a big name at one position, as Whaley explains: “With what we did in free agency, we feel very comfortable with the pieces of the puzzle we have in place and we’re at that point now where we may start getting top heavy so we’re going to need the draft picks to start replenishing the roster.”
Speaking of free agents, the Bills aren’t necessarily done shopping, but they’re in no hurry to secure players like Dawan Landry and Brad Smith, despite eyeing the former Jets. Per Whaley, Buffalo plans to “slow play it,” and will pull the trigger on a deal with a free agent if it’s mutually beneficial for the two sides (Twitter link via Rodak). The team may be inclined to wait until after May 12, when free agents no longer count against the compensatory pick formula for 2016.
Draft Visits: Jets, Jags, Steelers, Lions
Draft day is only a week and a half away, but teams are still bringing in prospects for visits and working them out, as they try to compile as much information as possible on this year’s draft class. Here are a few Monday updates on the latest visits and workouts:
- Leonard Williams, DL (USC); Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB (Florida): Making their previously-reported visits to the Jets this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- Denzel Perryman, LB (Miami): Visiting the Jaguars today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- Darryl Roberts, CB (Marshall); Bryce Callahan, CB (Rice); Steven Nelson, CB (Oregon State): All visiting the Steelers today, according to Wilson (Twitter link).
- Jamison Crowder, WR (Duke): Has had private workouts with Panthers, Buccaneers, and Texans, per Wilson.
- Carl Davis, DT (Iowa): Visiting the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
- David Johnson, RB (Northern Iowa): Visiting the Falcons today, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Marcus Hardison, DL (Arizona State): Visiting the Bengals today and generating a lot of interest around the league, per Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- Bud Sasser, WR (Missouri): Visiting the Broncos today, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
North Notes: Peterson, Ihedigbo, Gipson
Of all the players who didn’t report to their respective teams’ initial offseason workouts today, perhaps the least surprising name on the list is Adrian Peterson. After being reinstated last week, Peterson is said to be seeking a trade, a new contract, or both. Ben Goessling of ESPN.com confirms (via Twitter) that, as expected, the star running back didn’t attend the first day of the Vikings‘ voluntary spring workouts.
While we wait to see who blinks first in the standoff between Peterson and his longtime team, let’s check in on a few more items from around the NFL’s two North divisions, including updates on a couple other players who didn’t report today….
- Every Lions player except for safety James Ihedigbo was in attendance for the first day of the club’s voluntary training program, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Ihedigbo’s absence doesn’t come as a shock, since we heard a couple weeks ago that he was looking for a new contract from the Lions.
- Browns safety Tashaun Gipson is another player that didn’t report to his team’s voluntary program today, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group details. Gipson’s situation is a little different — he received a second-round RFA tender from Cleveland last month, and wasn’t overly thrilled about that. He can still negotiate with other teams that might be interested in signing him to an offer sheet, but he’s running out of time, and any potential suitor would have to part with a second-round pick to land him.
- A.J. Green tells Coley Harvey of ESPN.com (all Twitter links) that his reps and the Bengals talked at the combine about a possible contract extension. However, he’s in no hurry to get something done, and its content to play out his fifth-year option year if necessary. Harvey adds that Marvin Jones, George Iloka, and others whose contracts expire after 2015 also seem fine with playing out the season on those deals.
Pauline’s Latest: Mariota, Browns, Rams
With just 10 days left until the 2015 NFL draft gets underway, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net has plenty of updates for us this morning, including news on visits, workouts, and possible risers and fallers. Here’s Pauline’s latest:
- According to Pauline, trade rumors involving teams looking to move up for Marcus Mariota should “pick up intensity” in the next week or so. Pauline hears the Browns may be the frontrunners for the Oregon quarterback, but the Titans asked Cleveland for a second-round pick in addition to the 12th and 19th picks, and the Browns balked. Cleveland may be willing to part with its two first-rounders to move up to No. 2, but wouldn’t want to give up its second-rounder too.
- The Rams love Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney, but No. 10 would be too high for him. Per Pauline, many around the league believe that St. Louis could trade down in the first round or trade up from the second round in order to try to land McKinney.
- McKinney has also been linked to the Broncos, who are eyeing TCU linebacker Paul Dawson as well.
- A number of teams have red-flagged Boise State running back Jay Ajayi over a knee injury, according to Pauline.
- The domestic violence charges against Frank Clark were reduced – the Michigan defensive end accepted a plea deal – and now Pauline says Clark will likely be drafted higher than most expect, likely within the top 125 picks.
- A pair of Utah offensive linemen, Junior Salt and Jeremiah Poutasi, are working out today for the Panthers, per Pauline (via Twitter).
- The Patriots worked out UConn defensive lineman B.J. McBryde last week, tweets Pauline.
- The Jaguars hosted Monmouth wide receiver/tight end Neal Sterling for a pre-draft visit last week, according to Pauline (via Twitter).
East Notes: Dez, JPP, Giants, Mathis, Jets
Most teams around the NFL begin their voluntary offseason programs today, and a handful of players in the NFC East won’t be in attendance at their respective teams’ workouts. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Cowboys will be without franchise player Dez Bryant and underpaid cornerback Orlando Scandrick, and Jordan Raanan of NJ.com reports that another franchise player, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, will be absent for the Giants.
Meanwhile, Eagles guard Evan Mathis, who attended the team’s voluntary workouts last spring amid trade rumors, won’t do the same this year, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who tweets that Mathis is staying away for now. Asked about his absence, the veteran offensive lineman jokingly replied, “I’m in Antarctica looking for frozen dinosaurs to extract their DNA and splice them with my chihuahuasaur” (Twitter link via McLane).
While we wish Mathis the best of luck on his Antarctic expedition, let’s round up a few more items from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:
- The Jets likely won’t select Breshad Perriman with the sixth overall pick, when one or both of Kevin White and Amari Cooper could still be on the board, but New York is doing its homework anyway, hosting the UCF wideout for a visit today, a league source tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
- There’s a good chance that the Giants will re-sign safety Stevie Brown soon, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. According to Schwartz, Brown would like to return to New York, but wanted to see if he could do better than the one-year deal the Giants offered him. However, it doesn’t appear that any other potential suitors are willing to do a longer-term contract.
- As the Giants continue to consider options at safety, Raanan tweets that Virginia defensive back Anthony Harris – who is capable of playing the free safety position – visited the team this weekend.
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has details on another Giants pre-draft meeting, reporting that Purdue running back Akeem Hunt is visiting the club today.
49ers Notes: Wilhoite, J. Smith, DGB, Miller
At one point earlier this offseason, the 49ers were said to be shopping Michael Wilhoite as a possible trade chip. However, plenty has changed in the last month and a half — when the Wilhoite rumors surfaced, San Francisco was still expecting to have Patrick Willis and Chris Borland back in the mix for 2015 and beyond.
Now, after both Willis and Borland announced their decisions to retire, Wilhoite isn’t going anywhere. In fact, according to general manager Trent Baalke, the Niners are working on a new deal for the linebacker, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. As Branch observes, Wilhoite isn’t even eligible for restricted free agency for another year, but it sounds like San Francisco would like to reach an agreement that would get the 28-year-old locked up for multiple seasons.
Here are a few more Niners notes for a Friday afternoon:
- Cornerback, guard, and wide receiver are often mention as positions the Niners could target in the upcoming draft, but Baalke told reporters today, including Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, that he doesn’t feel like his team has any real holes. “We feel very good at where this roster’s at from the standpoint of going out and playing a game tomorrow,” Baalke said.
- The Niners are still waiting to hear from defensive end Justin Smith on whether or not he wants to return for the 2015 season, but that decision won’t affect the club’s draft plans, according to Baalke (via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News). “We’re in no hurry to get that decision from Justin,” Baalke said. “We’re flexible in where we’re at, in terms of knowing what we need to do going into the draft, whether he’s here or not. Feel good about letting him make the decision that he feels is best for him and his family.”
- Former Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham recently visited the 49ers and the Bengals, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As our Rob DiRe wrote in his breakdown of wide receiver prospects this afternoon, DGB is a first-round talent, but character concerns hurt his value.
- Asked today about players with off-field issues, Baalke wouldn’t say whether or not Green-Beckham is on the Niners’ draft board, and said that fullback Bruce Miller hasn’t been on hand for the team’s offseason program while his legal case – stemming from a March 5 arrest for an alleged domestic violence incident – is being reviewed. Barrows has the details in another piece for the Sacramento Bee.
AFC Notes: Manziel, Talib, Draft, Parker
Following his release from rehab, Johnny Manziel issued a statement through the Browns today, thanking the organization, his teammates, and fans for their patience and understanding over the last several weeks.
“I take full responsibility for my actions and it’s my intention to work very hard to regain everyone’s trust and respect,” Manziel said in his statement. “I understand that will take time and will only happen through what I do and not what I say. … I look forward to seeing my teammates next week and focusing on football and my desire to be the best possible player, teammate, and man that I can be.”
While we wait to see if Manziel’s sophomore year as an NFL player goes any better than his rookie season did, let’s check out a few more items from across the AFC….
- The Dallas police department has suspended its investigation into an alleged aggravated assault involving Aqib Talib due to a lack of evidence, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Assuming no new evidence arises, the Broncos cornerback won’t face charges and should avoid discipline from the NFL for the coming season.
- There’s little doubt that Kevin White and Amari Cooper, the top two wideouts in the draft, will be long gone by the time the Dolphins‘ No. 14 overall pick arrives. However, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) continues to hear that a third receiver, Louisville’s DeVante Parker, will be off the board by that point as well.
- Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong is paying a visit to Pittsburgh today to meet with the Steelers, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.
- Running back C.J. Spiller will suit up for the Saints in 2015, but he’ll “always be a Buffalo Bill at heart,” he tells Tim Graham of The Buffalo News.
- The Broncos, who will be looking to add some depth on the defensive line after losing Terrance Knighton in free agency, brought in Auburn defensive tackle Angelo Blackson for a visit, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Blackson isn’t projected to be selected until the late rounds, if he’s drafted at all, but he had an impressive Pro Day showing and could be a fit for new Denver defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.