Contract Details: Orakpo, D. Williams, Allen
Here are some key details on some of the notable contracts agreed to or signed by free agents this week:
- Brian Orakpo, OLB (Titans): Four years, $31MM base value. $8.5MM fully guaranteeed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- Dan Williams, DT (Raiders): Four years, $25MM base value. $15.2MM guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter links via Wilson and Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Nate Allen, S (Raiders): Four years, $23MM base value. $6.9MM fully guaranteed (Twitter links via Wilson)
- Lance Kendricks, TE (Rams): Four years, $18.5MM base value. $6.75MM fully guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Malcolm Smith, LB (Raiders): Two years, $7MM base value. $3.75MM fully guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Blaine Gabbert, QB (49ers): Two years, $4MM base value. $500K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Henry Melton, DT (Buccaneers): One year, $3.75MM base value. $3.25MM fully guaranteed. $1.25MM available in incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Adrian Clayborn, DE (Falcons): One year, $3MM base value. $750K signing bonus. $1.25MM available in incentives (Twitter links via Wilson).
Chiefs Re-Sign Jason Avant, Two Others
The Chiefs have re-signed three players who finished the 2014 season with the team, according to a press release. The club announced that wide receiver Jason Avant, tight end Richard Gordon, and safety Kelcie McCray will all be returning to Kansas City.
Avant, who turns 32 next month, joined the Chiefs late last season after being cut by the Panthers, and grabbed 13 balls for 152 yards in his five games with the club. He’ll reunite with Jeremy Maclin, his old Eagles teammate, under Andy Reid in Kansas City this season.
Gordon also joined the Chiefs late in the season, playing 17 offensive snaps for the team over the last two weeks of the year. He also saw a little time on special teams, though not nearly as much as McCray, who logged nine tackles in kick and punt coverage for the Chiefs.
Steelers Sign DeAngelo Williams
4:44pm: It’s a two-year deal for Williams and the Steelers, the team announced (via Twitter).
3:23pm: After paying a visit to the team’s facility today, running back DeAngelo Williams will sign a new contract with the Steelers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported (via Twitter) that it looked as if the two sides would strike a deal, and the veteran back himself has since tweeted about his new team as well, assuring his followers that he has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Williams, a former first-round pick, is coming off the worst season of his career, one marred by injuries. The 31-year-old played only six games for the Panthers, and wasn’t productive when he did play, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry on 62 total attempts. Carolina had been on track to head into the 2015 league year with three running backs among their top 10 cap numbers — Jonathan Stewart, Williams, and Mike Tolbert counted for about $18MM combined, so it came as no surprise when the club decided to part ways with Williams, a longtime Panther.
For the Steelers, Williams certainly won’t be asked to carry the load — that task will fall to Le’Veon Bell, the AFC’s leading rusher in 2014. Williams figures to have the inside track on the backup role in Pittsburgh, with Dri Archer serving as a change of pace and all-purpose weapon.
Raiders To Sign Christian Ponder
3:45pm: With the Ponder deal set to be finalized, the Raiders are expected to cut Schaub unless a team is willing to give up a draft pick for him, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that he wouldn’t be surprised if McGloin is eventually cut as well.
3:24pm: The Raiders are expected to sign Ponder to a one-year deal, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
2:48pm: Former Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder became an unrestricted free agent for the first time this week, and his first visit will be to Oakland to meet with the Raiders, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Bill Musgrave, who worked with Ponder in Minnesota for multiple seasons, was hired back in January as the Raiders’ new offensive coordinator
Ponder, who turned 27 last month, started 36 games during his four years with the Vikings, though he was essentially the team’s No. 3 signal-caller in 2014, behind Teddy Bridgewater and Matt Cassel on the depth chart. With a career 59.8% completion rate and 75.9 passer rating, Ponder likely isn’t being considered for any starting roles or even QB competitions this offseason, but he’s a former 12th overall pick and could still be a solid backup.
Derek Carr is set to enter the 2015 season as the Raiders’ starter, but the backup situation in Oakland is uncertain, particularly with a new coaching staff in place. Matt Schaub remains under contract, but the team could clear his entire $5.5MM cap hit from its books by cutting him. Matt McGloin is also under contract.
Browns Sign John Hughes To Extension
3:28pm: Hughes’ extension includes $3.56MM in guaranteed money, including a $2.5MM signing bonus, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, who tweets that the four-year deal can max out at $15MM.
3:12pm: While most players signing new deals this week saw their old contracts expire, defensive lineman John Hughes has agreed to a new pact with a year remaining on his rookie deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport reports that the Browns locked up Hughes to a four-year deal worth $14.4MM in new money.
Hughes, a 2012 draftee, became extension-eligible this winter for the first time, and the Browns didn’t waste much time in locking him up. The former third-round pick has started just seven games in his first three seasons in Cleveland, but appeared poised for a bigger role in 2014 before he landed on the injured reserve list for a good chunk of the season due to an MCL injury.
Although he only logged 212 defensive snaps for the Browns in 2014, Hughes was productive in his limited action, per Pro Football Focus’ metrics, which gave him a +5.2 grade (subscription required). The 26-year-old was similarly productive in 2013, ranking among PFF’s top 10 3-4 defensive ends despite playing only 402 defensive snaps.
NFL Issues Performance-Based Bonuses
The NFL has announced and issued its performance-based pay bonuses for the 2014 season, according to a press release from the league. The bonuses, which are based on a player’s playing time relative to his salary level, come from a pool of $3.633MM per team. Here are the top performance-based pay amounts for the past season:
- Seantrel Henderson, T (Bills): $373,671
- Corey Linsley, C (Packers): $339,566
- Russell Bodine, C (Bengals): $318,612
- Avery Williamson, LB (Titans): $315,120
- E.J. Gaines, DB (Rams): $308,338
- Zach Fulton, G (Chiefs): $303,352
- Kelvin Beachum, T (Steelers): $297,687
- Preston Brown, LB (Bills): $293,179
- Michael Wilhoite, LB (49ers): $292,406
- Paul Worrilow, LB (Falcons): $287,413
Broncos Sign Darian Stewart
3:02pm: The Broncos have officially confirmed their deal with Stewart, via a press release.
2:25pm: After losing Rahim Moore to the Texans, the Broncos have reached an agreement with a free agent safety of their own. Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports (via Twitter) that the team has struck a two-year deal with former Ravens safety Darian Stewart.
Stewart met with the Broncos earlier this week and visited the Falcons today. The Giants were also said to have interest in the 26-year-old, but Stewart apparently didn’t make it to New York for a visit.
Prior to the 2014 season, Stewart had alternated between reserve and starting roles in St. Louis during four seasons with the Rams. The Ravens made him a full-time starter last year, and he delivered 56 tackles to go along with an interception and a forced fumble. According to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), Stewart ranked as a solid starter, placing 30th out of 87 qualified safeties.
Saints Sign C.J. Spiller
2:31pm: Spiller’s four-year contract is worth $18MM, with $9MM in guaranteed money, including a $5MM signing bonus, according to Getlin (via Twitter). The deal could also void after three years, depending on the running back’s performance.
1:29pm: The Saints have officially announced the arrival of Spiller (Twitter link).
11:53am: As they finalize a deal with the Dolphins to send Kenny Stills to Miami, the Saints have added a piece to their offense. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the club has agreed to terms with running back C.J. Spiller, who will join a backfield that also features Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson. It’s a four-year deal for Spiller, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
Spiller, 27, spent his first five NFL seasons in Buffalo after being selected by the Bills with the ninth overall pick in the 2010 draft. He showed flashes of brilliance during those five years, particularly in 2012, when he racked up 1,244 rushing yards on 6.0 yards per carry, earning a spot in the Pro Bowl. However, his final season with the Bills was marred by injuries, and it became clear the team wouldn’t bring him back after the LeSean McCoy trade.
In New Orleans, Spiller will join a Saints offense that figures to look very different in 2015. While the team decided to retain Ingram, an unrestricted free agent, Jimmy Graham has been traded to the Seahawks, and Stills is on the verge of being dealt to the Dolphins. According to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), the Saints are telling their traded players they’re going all-in on building a defense, but the team appears to have found some wiggle room to add one more offensive piece in Spiller.
The addition of Spiller, who ranked 26th on PFR’s list of top 50 free agents, almost certainly eliminates the possibility of the Saints bringing in Reggie Bush, who had received some interest from his old team.
AFC Rumors: Fins, Bush, Pats, Gresham, Titans
After signing Jordan Cameron and completing a deal for Kenny Stills, the Dolphins may not be done making moves, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, who notes that the team continues to work on a possible long-term deal for tight end Charles Clay. Beasley adds that the team appears to be open to keeping Mike Wallace, but that may hinge on the wideout’s willingness to redo his contract, so it looks like that situation remains uncertain for the time being.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Running back Reggie Bush is moving forward with his Patriots visit, and is meeting with the team today, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. We heard yesterday that a meeting with the Pats was on Bush’s schedule. The former Lion, who has also visited San Francisco this week, could be a good fit in a Shane Vereen-type role. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) believes there’s a good chance the Patriots could come away with either Bush or Percy Harvin, noting that the team has interest in both players.
- According to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com (via Twitter), the Patriots aren’t currently in on any trade talks for Eagles guard Evan Mathis. We heard yesterday that New England had expressed interest in Mathis, who appears to be on the trade block.
- A source tells Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link) that despite the team trying to lock him up this week, talks between the Raiders and tight end Jermaine Gresham are “dead for now.”
- Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link) hears that free agent offensive tackle Joe Barksdale is an option the Titans will consider. Tennessee lost two tackles this offseason, as Michael Roos retired and Michael Oher was released.
Titans Sign Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan
1:39pm: The Titans have now officially announced their deals with Orakpo, Morgan, and the three other players they agreed to sign today (Twitter link).
7:05am: After staying relatively silent throughout the first few days of 2015’s free agent period, the Titans have made their big splash on Friday morning, fortifying their defense with a pair of pass rushers, per multiple reports. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the team has agreed to terms with former Washington linebacker Brian Orakpo. Meanwhile, Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean reports (via Twitter) that the club has also reached a deal to re-sign its own marquee free agent, Derrick Morgan.
Both players will be signing lucrative four-year contracts with Tennessee. Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports has the terms on both deals, tweeting that Orakpo’s four-year pact will have a $32MM base value, with $13.5MM guaranteed, and can be worth up to $35MM overall. Morgan’s deal is worth just a little less, with a max value of $30MM, a base value of $27MM, and $10.5MM in guarantees, tweets Garafolo.
The pair of signings are extra intriguing for a Titans defense that will be bringing aboard former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau for the coming season. Having made the switch to a 3-4 scheme a year ago, the Titans went through some growing pains en route to a 2-14 record, but LeBeau is expected to help smooth things out in 2015, and having a pair of talented pass rushers like Orakpo and Morgan on the outside should only help that transition.
Orakpo, 28, is coming off a disappointing 2014 season that ended after just seven games when he tore his pectoral muscle and was placed on injured reserve. Still, despite the fact that he logged just 0.5 sacks last year, the former first-round pick was viewed as one of the top free agent players a year ago, when he was coming off a 10.5-sack season and earned a franchise tag from Washington.
Orakpo, who had a multi-day visit to Tennessee this week and was expected to eventually visit the Cardinals if he didn’t work something out with the Titans, was ranked as the NFL’s fourth-best 3-4 outside linebacker in 2013 by Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). Per PFF, Orakpo racked up an impressive 51 total quarterback pressures in ’13.
As for Morgan, his return to Tennessee is a little surprising, since he is considered a better fit as a 4-3 defensive end, and has never really lived up to his first-round billing in five seasons with the Titans. However, despite modest sack totals (his 6.5 in 2014 matched a career high), Morgan graded as a top-10 outside linebacker according to PFF, which ranked him eighth in 2014 and credited him with 49 total quarterback pressures.
Morgan paid visits to the Falcons and Buccaneers this week, and was reportedly scheduled to hit Dallas for a meeting with the Cowboys next. Instead, he’ll be returning to Tennessee, where LeBeau will be tasked with getting the most out of the former 16th overall pick, who will be entering his age-26 season.
When I ranked PFR’s top 50 free agents last weekend, both Orakpo and Morgan squeezed into the top 20, at 19th and 20th respectively. Outside of Greg Hardy, who has his share of off-field question marks, the two players looked like the clear-cut top pass rushers still available as we neared the end of the first week of free agency. The Titans did well to get them both, and if the club were to add to its front seven next month by drafting a player like USC’s Leonard Williams to complement Jurrell Casey, the defense in Tennessee could look significantly more dangerous heading into the 2015 season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.