49ers Eyeing Free Agent Linebackers
12:52pm: The 49ers are also considering longtime Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, who says the team has discussed the possibility of signing the veteran free agent. Barrows also notes that the club is looking at another FA linebacker, former Buccaneer Mason Foster.
10:04am: Earlier this offseason, the 49ers brought in one former Viking who has run into off-field legal troubles, when they signed wide receiver Jerome Simpson. Now, the team appears to be eyeing another player who fits that bill.
Former Vikings linebacker Erin Henderson had a private workout in Arizona this weekend separate from the veterans combine, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (all Twitter links). According to Anderson, representatives from a number of teams attended Henderson’s workout — one of those teams was San Francisco, and Henderson has lined up a visit with the 49ers later this week. Henderson’s meeting with the Niners was first reported by NFL Draft Diamonds.
The Niners are in need of linebacker help, particularly on the inside, after both Patrick Willis and Chris Borland unexpectedly announced this month that they’d be retiring from the NFL. A report in early March indicated that San Francisco was shopping Michael Wilhoite, who stepped in last year as a starter when Willis and NaVorro Bowman went down with injuries, but now it appears the team may keep Wilhoite around. The Niners figure to add some depth to complement Wilhoite and Bowman.
Henderson, 28, is a talented player, having racked up 112 tackles, four sacks, and two interceptions for the Vikings in just 14 games in 2013. However, he has been arrested multiple times for DUI-related incidents, and has been suspended by the league for his off-field behavior. The Maryland product didn’t play in the NFL in 2014 following his latest legal issues.
Saints GM: Drew Brees Not Going Anywhere
The Saints have parted ways with several veteran players this offseason, trading away former All-Pros like Jimmy Graham and Ben Grubbs, sending young, inexpensive wideout Kenny Stills to Miami, and releasing top tackler Curtis Lofton. As the team overhauls its roster though, general manager Mickey Loomis insists that former Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees isn’t on the trade block, as he tells Jim Corbett of USA Today.
“Anybody who thinks we’re trading Drew Brees, that’s just not true,” Loomis said.
Despite a cap hit of $26.4MM for the coming season, the second-highest cap number in the NFL, Brees was never considered a real trade candidate within the last weeks, even as Loomis and the Saints significantly retooled the roster. In fact, around the time news of the Stills trade broke, one report indicated that Brees and young receiver Brandin Cooks were the only players on the New Orleans roster who were untouchable.
Still, Brees only has one year remaining on his contract after the 2015 season (featuring a $27.4MM cap hit for 2016), and turned 36 in January. There’s been some speculation that the Saints could use their excess of 2015 draft picks to make a play for Marcus Mariota, eyeing him as Brees’ long-term replacement. That always looked like a long shot though, and Loomis’ comments suggest it’s not in the Saints’ plans.
The more realistic and likely scenario has the team using those extra draft picks to stock up on defensive talent, perhaps using one or two selections to give Brees a little more help on the offensive side of the ball. Although Graham and Stills are gone, the Saints re-signed Mark Ingram, brought in C.J. Spiller and Pro Bowl center Max Unger, and wideouts Cooks and Marques Colston are still around, so the veteran signal-caller should have no shortage of weapons.
Extra Points: RFAs, Goodell, Bush, Taylor, Colts
As Mike Wilkering of Pro Football Talk observes, while most of 2015’s top unrestricted free agents are off the board, there are still plenty of intriguing restricted free agents available. 20 of this year’s RFAs remain unsigned and received the low-end tender from their respective clubs, meaning a rival suitor wouldn’t have to give up a draft pick to sign them away.
Often, restricted free agents won’t draw a ton of interest and will simply return to their previous teams, but that’s not always the case. A year ago, RFAs like Andrew Hawkins and Rafael Bush signed offer sheets with other teams — Bush’s sheet was matched by the Saints, but the Bengals didn’t match Hawkins’ offer from the Browns.
This year, low-end RFAs like Ravens safety Will Hill, Eagles running back Chris Polk, Raiders wideout Andre Holmes, and Washington kicker Kai Forbath remain on the market. A handful of players – such as Browns safety Tashaun Gipson and Ravens kicker Justin Tucker – also received second-round tenders, but rival teams aren’t likely to give those players big contracts and surrender a second-round pick for them.
As we wait to see whether any restricted free agents change teams, let’s check in on a few more notes from around the NFL….
- Roger Goodell didn’t reveal much to Peter King of TheMMQB.com during his sitdown with him, but the commissioner did strongly suggest the extra point will undergo some changes before next season, and added that the DeflateGate investigation is nearing an end.
- As King hinted at in his column, Goodell informed owners at this week’s league meetings in Phoenix that Todd Jones, former Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, is joining the NFL as as special counsel for conduct, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Jones will pair with Lisa Friel as the league’s new personal conduct czars.
- After running the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds at this weekend’s veteran combine in Arizona, Michael Bush admitted that his NFL career is probably over, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk details.
- Free agent cornerback Ike Taylor isn’t seeking out offers from teams to continue his playing career, and while he hasn’t made the decision to retire quite yet, the longtime Steeler is exploring potential television opportunities, writes Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Michael Silver of NFL.com takes a look at the roster-building approach employed by Colts GM Ryan Grigson, as Indianapolis enters win-now mode by signing several veteran free agents like Andre Johnson, Frank Gore, Trent Cole, and Todd Herremans.
Latest On Los Angeles Relocation
At the league meetings this week in Phoenix, the subject of Los Angeles is expected to come to the forefront, with NFL executive vice president Eric Grubman set to report the league’s findings on relocation possibilities to owners this morning.
“This will be the first time that I’ll have the opportunity to give specific answers,” Grubman said on Sunday evening, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “Up until now, I’ve had to walk a tight rope of giving a briefing without parting with any information that was confidential. No teams were out in the open. No sites were out in the open. Now we have a lot more to work with.”
As we wait to hear what Grubman and the league have to say, here are a few notes on the possibility of L.A. relocation, via the Twitter account of Albert Breer of the NFL Network (unless otherwise indicated):
- The Rams, Chargers, and Raiders will be free to answer questions today about their potential Los Angeles plans, but it’s more likely that those clubs will address questions about their current home markets, with the league handling L.A. inquiries.
- The Rams appear to have the strongest plan for relocation to L.A., but by the league’s criteria they’re the least qualified of the three teams to move there, which complicates the issue.
- The likely outcome when the dust settles is two teams in Southern California, whether that means two in Los Angeles, or one in L.A. and one in San Diego. While there are many scenarios in play, one interesting one is the Rams moving to L.A. and the Raiders moving to St. Louis, with the Chargers staying put. That would leave Oakland out in the cold, and as Grubman noted in Bair previously-linked piece, Oakland has yet to get “specific” or “aggressive” in its plan to keep the Raiders.
- The NFL is doing its own market assessment on San Diego, Oakland, and St. Louis, and is planning on making April visits to each city.
- Giants co-owner John Mara predicted that at least one team will be in Los Angeles in 2016, and Breer agrees with that assessment, noting that the three-team competition makes for better projects. However, we likely won’t get any concrete answers this week — we should know more by October or November.
Bills Rework Kyle Williams’ Contract
MARCH 21: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has released the full details of Williams’ contract (Twitter link). Williams will get $4.5MM in bonus money and a $4.5MM base salary in 2015, per Wilson. His base salaries in 2016 and 2017 will be $6MM and $6.3MM, respectively. He’ll also receive a $500,000 bonus on the fifth day of the league year in both ’16 and ’17.
MARCH 17: According to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the new year added to Williams’ contract is a “dummy” year for cap purposes and is voidable, so it was more of a restructuring than an extension by the Bills.
MARCH 11: Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams wasn’t scheduled to hit the open market until after the 2016 season, but that didn’t stop the team from working out a contract extension with him today. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Bills reached an agreement with Williams on a one-year, $10.5MM extension, ensuring that the standout defensive lineman remains under contract through the 2017 season.
While the club will still eventually need to work out a deal with its other star defensive tackle, Marcell Dareus, Williams’ new contract ensures that he, Mario Williams, and Jerry Hughes are all locked up through at least 2017. Hughes re-signed with the Bills earlier this week, agreeing to a five-year deal that keeps him under contract through 2019, and ensuring that one of the league’s most dangerous defensive lines remains intact.
Given the lack of urgency for a new deal for Williams, the Bills may have ulterior motives for working something out with the veteran defensive tackle. While we’ll have to wait for the specifics, the extension could help lower Williams’ $6.4MM cap hit for 2015, which would create additional flexibility for the team to pursue other players.
Buffalo is said to be making a push to sign pass catchers Charles Clay and Percy Harvin.
No Deal Yet For Panthers, Alan Ball
SATURDAY, 10:00am: According to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, Ball left Charlotte on Friday without signing a contract.
THURSDAY, 11:21am: According to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter), the Panthers and Ball haven’t yet reached a deal, though the cornerback is visiting the team today. A league source tells Wilson (Twitter link) that Carolina has offered a contract worth the terms reported below, and Ball is weighing that offer and others.
10:03am: The Panthers have signed cornerback Alan Ball to a one-year, $2MM contract, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. According to Wilson, Carolina gave Ball a $1MM signing bonus and a $50K workout bonus to go along with a $950K base salary. The deal also features up to $500K in playing-time incentives.
Ball, who turns 30 next month, spent the last two seasons in Jacksonville, and was quietly one of the best parts of the Jaguars’ secondary. In 2013, Ball recorded a +7.5 Pro Football Focus grade in over 1,000 snaps, ranking 22nd among 110 qualified cornerbacks (subscription required). His 2014 season was cut short by a biceps injury, which landed him on injured reserve after seven games, but he still held his own in the first half of the season, recording 22 tackles and an interception.
With the Jags moving in a younger direction at cornerback, led by 2013 draftees Dwayne Gratz and Demetrius McCray, the team was willing to part ways with veterans like Ball and Will Blackmon this offseason, opening the door for the Panthers to land Ball.
In Carolina, Ball figures to challenge incumbent corners Bene Benwikere, Josh Norman, and Melvin White for playing time.
Falcons Re-Sign Kroy Biermann
SATURDAY, 8:55am: Biermann’s deal is for one year and $1.925MM, with a $500K signing bonus, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (via Twitter).
WEDNESDAY, 3:27pm: Having already brought in a pair of new defensive ends by signing Adrian Clayborn and O’Brien Schofield, the Falcons locked up one of their own today. According to a team release, Atlanta has re-signed veteran edge defender Kroy Biermann.
Biermann, 29, started a career-high 15 games for the Falcons last season, racking up 77 tackles and 4.5 sacks to go along with a forced fumble. In 867 defensive snaps, he recorded a -5.7 grade on Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but that was largely due to a poor rating in pass coverage — he was an above-average run defender and held his own as a pass rusher.
Financial terms of Biermann’s new deal aren’t yet known.
Minor Moves: Friday
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the league, with the latest minor moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Seahawks have re-signed long snapper Clint Gresham, announcing the move on his Instagram account, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). His contract includes $300,000 signing bonus, with the veteran minimum salaries of $745,000, $760,00 and $900,000 over three year, according to Condotta (via Twitter).
Earlier Updates:
- The Saints have re-signed reserve swing tackle Bryce Harris to a one-year contract, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). The 26-year-old played a career-high 393 offensive snaps in 2014, starting at left tackle for the Saints down the stretch, but he ranked just 72nd out of 84 qualified tackles, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Harris may play a similar role in 2015, but he probably isn’t a lock to make the roster.
- Former Northern Arizona punter Andy Wilder, who went undrafted last spring, has signed a contract with the Buccaneers, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter). Wilder and Chase Tenpenny may get the opportunity to challenge incumbent punter Michael Koenen for the job this summer.
East Notes: Bills, Gresham, Barwin, Scandrick
As the working week winds down, let’s round up a handful of Friday updates out of the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Charles Clay was arguably the Bills‘ top target in free agency this month, and the team made sure that they landed him by signing him to an offer sheet that the Dolphins were unwilling to match. However, Clay wasn’t the only tight end the team was considering. According to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, the Bills were “giving serious thought” to signing Jermaine Gresham before he underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc. Per Carucci’s source, the club would even have been willing to add both Clay and Gresham to the roster, if the former Bengal had been healthy.
- Speaking to Howard Eskin on 94WIP in Philadelphia, outside linebacker Connor Barwin, who just received a new deal from the Eagles, said he’d like to play out the rest of his career in Philadelphia. Barwin estimated that he has another “four to six” years left in the NFL, as Andrew Porter of CBS Philly details.
- Orlando Scandrick, the Cowboys‘ top cornerback, is scheduled to make just $10.5MM over the next four seasons, prompting Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com to wonder if the team should address Scandrick’s contract. As a point of comparison, Archer focuses on Keenan Lewis‘ situation in New Orleans, where the Saints didn’t increase Lewis’ overall pay, but guaranteed a good chunk of his salary and improved his cash flow.
- Earlier this afternoon, the Dolphins re-signed safety Louis Delmas and running back LaMichael James.
Dolphins Re-Sign Louis Delmas, LaMichael James
12:35pm: The Delmas signing has been confirmed by agent Drew Rosnehaus (via Twitter), while the team announced its new deal with James (Twitter link). Delmas’ one-year contract with Miami is worth up to $3.5MM, tweets Breer.
12:23pm: The Dolphins have re-added a pair of players to their roster, according to reports. Per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), the club is re-signing safety Louis Delmas, while Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports (via Twitter) that the team has brought back running back LaMichael James as well.
Delmas, who turns 28 in April, started 12 games at safety for the Dolphins last season, racking up 60 tackles and grabbing one interception, which he returned for an 81-yard touchdown. He also recovered a pair of fumbles and recorded a sack. In his 844 defensive snaps, Delmas graded as about an average safety, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), receiving middle-of-the-pack marks for both his run defense and his pass coverage.
James, 25, entered the league in 2012 as a second-round pick by the 49ers. Despite his draft pedigree, the Oregon product was never able to produce in San Francisco, and was virtually buried behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter on the team’s depth chart. James played in just 14 games during his first two seasons, contributing mostly on special teams — he racked up only 39 rush attempts and five receptions during that span. When he found himself behind Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde on the Niners’ depth chart last year, James requested and was granted his release.
The Dolphins signed James to their practice squad in September and eventually promoted him to their active roster, but he didn’t see much action in Miami either — the Oregon product had just three carries in 2014. James had been eligible for restricted free agency, but was non-tendered by Miami and presumably re-signed at a lesser rate.