Texans To Sign Cecil Shorts
5:30pm: Shorts will receive $2.5MM guaranteed, tweets Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com.
2:52pm: Shorts’ two-year deal with the Texans is worth $6MM, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link).
1:52pm: After hosting him for a visit today, the Texans have reached an agreement on a contract for wide receiver Cecil Shorts, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). According to McClain, it’s a two-year deal for Shorts, whose agreement with Houston was first reported by Zac Jackson of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
Shorts, 27, has spent the first four years of his NFL career in Jacksonville, totaling 176 receptions for the Jaguars. His best season came in 2012, when he racked up 979 yards on just 55 receptions, reaching the end zone seven times. The former fourth-round pick has been nagged by injuries over the last two years, and averaged just 10.5 yards per catch in 2014.
On the surface, Shorts will be tasked with replacing Andre Johnson on the depth chart in Houston, though no one will expect him to replicate the longtime Texan’s production. As McClain observed earlier today (via Twitter), even after adding a veteran wideout in free agency, Houston will likely address the position in the draft as well to ensure that the group – led by DeAndre Hopkins – isn’t too thin.
Shorts is the second notable wideout to make the move from one AFC South team to another this offseason. After being cut by the Texans, Johnson landed with the Colts.
Contract Details: Morgan, Gilchrist, Cameron
Here are some details on several of the new contracts agreed to or signed by free agents within the last few days:
AFC deals:
- Derrick Morgan, OLB (Titans): Four years, $27MM base value. $10.5MM fully guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- Marcus Gilchrist, S (Jets): Four years, $22MM base value. $10MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
- Jordan Cameron, TE (Dolphins): Two years, $15MM base value. $5MM fully guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Paul Fanaika, OL (Chiefs): Three years, $6.5MM. $1.75MM signing bonus. Incentives and escalators available (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Alan Branch, DT (Patriots): Two years, $4.3MM base value. $700K signing bonus. Option for 2016 (all Twitter links via Wilson).
- Tyrod Taylor, QB (Bills): Two years, $3.35MM base value. $1.15MM fully guaranteed. $400K signing bonus. Third year voids (all four Twitter links via Wilson).
NFC deals:
- Jasper Brinkley, LB (Cowboys): Two years, $6.5MM base value. $2MM guaranteed, $2MM option bonus in 2016 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Akeem Ayers, LB (Rams): Two years, $6MM base value. $2.75MM guaranteed. $1.3MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Andrew Gachkar, LB (Cowboys): Two years, $5.2MM base value. $1.2MM signing bonus. Up to $1MM in annual incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Nick Fairley, DT (Rams): One year, $5MM base value. $1.5MM roster bonus in 2015. Sack and playoff incentives available (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Erik Pears, OL (49ers): Two years, $4.7MM base value. $1MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Kurt Coleman, S (Panthers): Two years, $2.8MM base value. $600K signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- O’Brien Schofield, DE (Falcons): One year, $1.7MM base value. $255K signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Chris Conte, S (Buccaneers): One year, $1.5MM base value. $1.25MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com).
Browns Sign Randy Starks
4:27pm: The Browns have officially signed Starks, the team confirmed in a press release.
1:19pm: The Browns have reached a contract agreement with former Dolphins defensive tackle Randy Starks, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). According to La Canfora, Starks will join the Browns on a two-year contract worth about $4MM annually.
Starks, 31, went to two Pro Bowls with the Dolphins and was an interior anchor on the defensive line since joining the team in 2009, missing just one game in his six seasons in Miami. However, the team released him last week to help accommodate the signing of Ndamukong Suh — Starks had been in line for a 2015 salary of $6MM before his release.
In Cleveland, Starks will help solidify a Browns defensive line that underwhelmed in 2014. In addition to signing Starks, the team also hopes to get a healthy John Hughes back in the lineup for a full season, which should help offset the likely loss of free agent defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin.
Making the transition from the Dolphins’ 4-3 scheme to Cleveland’s 3-4 system, Starks looks like a good bet to return to a defensive end role after playing defensive tackle in Miami in recent years.
FA Notes: Freeman, Irving, Moore, Mays
Tim Tebow isn’t the only free agent quarterback attempting an NFL comeback. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets that ex-Buccaneers signal-caller Josh Freeman recently worked out for the Jets and has several other clubs taking a “hard look” at him. Freeman’s NFL success, which included a 4,000-yard season in 2012, was viewed as more sustainable than Tebow’s, so it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see a team give him a shot this summer.
Let’s check in on a few other free agent items from around the NFL….
- Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter links) has updates on a pair of free agent defenders, reporting that linebacker Nate Irving is visiting the Colts, while defensive back Sterling Moore is on track to visit the 49ers after meeting with the Steelers.
- There’s mutual interest between the Dolphins and quarterback Matt Moore, who has backed up Ryan Tannehill in recent years, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. However, Moore only wants to return at fair market value, so the free agent quarterback will probably be more inclined to explore his options than to re-sign with Miami for a hometown discount.
- Washington continues to show interest in safety Taylor Mays, and the sides are trying to work out a possible visit, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com.
- Ron Parker drew plenty of reported interest during his few days on the open market, but the Chiefs safety said today that the Falcons were the team with the most interest in him, besides Kansas City, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- Speaking to reporters today, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), Tyrunn Walker said he was offered a three-year contract by the Patriots but opted for a one-year pact with the Lions instead. I’m guessing the Pats’ offer likely didn’t include any guaranteed money beyond the first year, so opting for Detroit instead will give Walker more freedom, and could land him a larger deal next winter if he has a good year for the Lions.
Raiders Release Matt Schaub
As expected, the Raiders have parted ways with quarterback Matt Schaub, terminating his contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). As a veteran player, Schaub won’t have to clear waivers before becoming an unrestricted free agent, and will have the opportunity to immediately sign elsewhere.
Schaub, 33, was acquired by the Raiders in a trade with the Texans last offseason, but lost out on the starting quarterback job to rookie Derek Carr, and served as the No. 2 option in Oakland. After new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave brought former Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder in last week to back up Carr, Schaub’s release was viewed as inevitable.
Schaub had been set to earn a $5.5MM base salary for the 2015 season, but by releasing him, the Raiders will clear that entire amount from their books. As for the veteran signal-caller, he should have some backup opportunities around the league now that he’s not tied to that $5.5MM cap hit.
Texans To Sign Vince Wilfork
3:25pm: Wilfork’s two-year contract is worth $9MM, with $5MM in guaranteed money, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
2:33pm: After spending his entire NFL career with the Patriots, Vince Wilfork be joining another AFC team for the coming season. The veteran defensive tackle announced on Twitter today that he’ll be signing with the Texans. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), it’s a two-year deal for Wilfork and the Texans.
“We will be starting a new chapter in our lives as Houston Texans,” Wilfork said in his statement, after thanking the Kraft family and the Patriots. “The coaching staff in Houston has made his new exciting transition feel like home to us.”
Wilfork, 33, has spent all 11 years of his NFL career in New England, playing 158 regular season games for the Pats, and starting 148 of those. An anchor in the middle of the defensive line in New England for the last decade, Wilfork looked like he may be leaving the team a year ago, before the two sides worked out a new deal to keep him around for the club’s Super Bowl 2014 season. However, the Pats declined to exercise his option for the 2015 season, making him a free agent.
In Houston, Wilfork will be joining a front seven that already features J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, which should make for an interesting defensive front in 2015. Wilfork figures to play the nose tackle position in Houston, after the team didn’t get a whole lot out of Ryan Pickett and Jerrell Powe at that spot in 2014. Second-year pro Louis Nix may be the future for the Texans at nose tackle, but Wilfork represents a very nice stopgap option until Nix is ready to assume the role.
The former Patriot will also be reuniting with a number of familiar faces in Houston. Outside of Texans head coach Bill O’Brien, Romeo Crennel and Mike Vrabel are among the other one-time members of the Patriots’ organization who are now in Houston.
Wilfork’s deal with the Texans is the second notable contract agreement today for the team. Houston is also bringing aboard free agent wideout Cecil Shorts.
Tim Tebow Worked Out For Eagles
3:05pm: According to Schefter (via Twitter), Tebow’s workout in Philadelphia is over, and the team doesn’t have any plans to sign him at this point.
1:47pm: Just in case you thought things might be returning to normal for Chip Kelly and the Eagles after a wild first week of free agency, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets a nugget to dispel that notion. According to Schefter, former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow is working out for Philadelphia today.
Tebow, the former Broncos first-rounder, hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since he played for the Jets in 2012. If the Eagles were to take a flier on the 27-year-old and use one of their 90 offseason roster spots on him, he would be reunited with Mark Sanchez, whom he backed up during his stint in New York.
Of course, a tryout doesn’t mean a contract will follow, but the fact that Kelly and the Eagles are even considering a player as divisive as Tebow is just the latest twist in a month that has been full of surprising moves out of Philadelphia.
Tebow, who has been trying to continue his NFL playing career for the last several years, worked as an NCAA analyst for ESPN during Bowl season this winter.
Greg Hardy Rumors: Monday
When I ranked Greg Hardy 11th in my list of top 50 free agents of 2015, I noted that no player’s value was more difficult to pin down than Hardy’s, given his off-field troubles and his uncertain status for the start of the coming season. The market so far has reflected the difficult nature of assigning a value to Hardy — of our top 25 free agents, only the former Panthers defensive end remains unsigned.
Here’s the latest on the free agent pass rusher:
- Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (Twitter link) hears from sources that the Cowboys are in talks with Hardy about a possible deal. Hardy would be an intriguing fit for a team that only had a pair of players record more than three sacks in 2014 — Henry Melton (five) has left Dallas via free agency, and Jeremy Mincey (six) will turn 32 later this year.
- The Dallas coaching staff has been in touch with Hardy’s old coaches to learn more about his character, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 Washington (Twitter link), who adds that the Cowboys like what they’ve heard so far.
- After poking around the Hardy market over the weekend, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com came away with the sense that the Cowboys and Seahawks could emerge as legit suitors for the defensive end. However, despite the fact that several teams are monitoring the situation, nothing is imminent and it would be a surprise if any team reached an agreement before the NFL announces its ruling on possible discipline, says La Canfora (Twitter links).
- The Jaguars are unlikely to pursue Hardy, a league source tells Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. GM David Caldwell didn’t rule out the possibility when he spoke to reporters last week, but it doesn’t look as if the team will seriously consider the 26-year-old.
- Earlier today, Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported that many teams believe Hardy will be suspended by the league for the first six games of the 2015 season
Washington Signs Jeron Johnson
2:00pm: Washington has officially signed Johnson, the team announced today (via Twitter).
11:54am: Washington continues to bolster its defense through free agency, with safety Jeron Johnson announcing today (via Twitter) that he reached an agreement to join the team. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), Johnson’s new deal with Washington will be for two years and is worth $4MM.
Johnson, a Boise State product, never saw any real significant playing time on defense for a Seahawks team that featured Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but he was a solid backup and excelled on special teams. The 26-year-old recorded eight tackles on kick and punt coverage during the 2014 season.
For Washington, Johnson represents the latest free agent addition in an offseason that has featured several defensive signings so far. Washington has bolstered its defensive line by bringing aboard Terrance Knighton, Stephen Paea, and Ricky Jean-Francois, and also signed cornerback Chris Culliver to a four-year contract.
Johnson will likely get the opportunity to compete for the strong safety spot that was manned primarily by Brandon Meriweather and Phillip Thomas in 2014. Meriweather is a free agent and won’t be back in D.C., but Thomas is still around, and Duke Ihenacho, who missed most of last season with a broken heel, is also due back.
AFC North Notes: Steelers, Ravens, T. Williams
The five-year, $99MM extension Ben Roethlisberger signed with the Steelers last week pays him more than $35MM in 2015, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who provides some details on the quarterback’s new deal. Bouchette reports that Big Ben gets a $31MM signing bonus, and could earn up to $9MM in incentives in later seasons, potentially increasing the total value of the contract to $108MM.
Here’s more from around the AFC North:
- Free agent defensive back Sterling Moore, who paid a visit to the Buccaneers last week, has a meeting lined up with the Steelers this week, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. Non-tendered by the Cowboys, Moore arrives in Pittsburgh tonight and his visit with the team will continue tomorrow, per Anderson.
- The Ravens ultimately signed Kendrick Lewis to address their need at safety, but the club also had interest in Ron Parker before he decided to return to Kansas City, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Speaking of Ravens’ secondary targets, Wilson reports in a separate piece for the Sun that Baltimore is currently eyeing cornerback Tramon Williams, who has also received interest from the division-rival Browns.
- In a piece naming 10 of his favorite team-friendly deals of free agency so far, Grantland’s Bill Barnwell places the Ravens‘ signing of Justin Forsett atop his list.
- Free agent wide receiver Cecil Shorts is paying a visit to the Texans this week, but the Ohio native doesn’t have a visit lined up with the Browns, tweets Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
- Earlier today, Cabot reported that the Browns attempted to trade for Larry Fitzgerald before he worked out a new contract with the Cardinals.