Dolphins Acquire Kenny Stills From Saints
1:30pm: The Saints have officially confirmed the trade, as reported (Twitter link).
12:40pm: As part of the swap, Ellerbe has agreed to restructure his deal for the Saints, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
11:51am: The Dolphins will send linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and a third-round pick to New Orleans for Stills, per Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) first reported that the Saints would be getting a linebacker and a draft pick in the deal.
Ellerbe had been viewed as a likely cap casualty, given his $8.425MM base salary for 2015. I’d be surprised if the Saints are willing to pay him that much, or have the cap flexibility to accommodate that sort of number, so there may be a pay cut or restructure involved in the move.
The Dolphins will still carry $4.2MM on their 2015 cap in dead money for Ellerbe, but create $5.65MM in cap savings by moving him.
11:38am: The Saints are in the process of finalizing a trade that will send wide receiver Kenny Stills to the Dolphins, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). We heard yesterday that the young wideout was among the many players the Saints were shopping as they overhaul their roster.
Stills, who turns just 23 next month, became an integral part of the Saints’ passing attack in 2014, hauling in 63 passes for 931 yards and three touchdowns. The Saints’ top deep threat, Stills have averaged 16.5 yards per catch since entering the league in 2013, and is on an inexpensive rookie contract for two more years, so it’s surprising that the team would be willing to move him.
Nonetheless, yesterday’s reports indicated that the Saints were shopping practically everyone on their roster, with the exception of Drew Brees and Brandin Cooks. Already this week, the team has completed deals that shipped longtime Saints Jimmy Graham and Ben Grubbs out of town.
As for the Dolphins, if they can finalize a trade for Stills, he’d be the second notable pass-catcher added by the team in the span of 24 hours. Miami also signed tight end Jordan Cameron to a contract last night.
After the Dolphins parted ways with Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson earlier in the offseason, it looked like Ryan Tannehill may not have many weapons at his disposal for the 2015 season, with Mike Wallace and Charles Clay also hanging in the balance. However, Wallace remains on the roster for now, despite his large cap hit, and Clay was given the transition tag by the club, though he may end up signing elsewhere now that Cameron is in the mix.
Fisher: Rams Were Offered First-Rounder For Bradford
When Eagles head coach Chip Kelly claimed earlier this week that he was offered a first-round pick for Sam Bradford immediately after acquiring him, he was met with plenty of raised eyebrows and outright skepticism. However, appearing today on PFT Live (Twitter link), Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said that his team was also offered a low first-round pick for Bradford, but that the Rams agreed to the deal with Philadelphia because he wanted Nick Foles.
A quick look at the draft order for 2015 reveals that there are no teams near the bottom of the first round with a need at quarterback. The Patriots, Saints, Packers, Colts, Broncos, Cowboys, Ravens, Panthers, Lions, and Steelers wouldn’t have interest in Bradford, and it’s extremely unlikely the Cardinals or Bengals would either. That means the first logical team to have potentially offered a first-rounder to the Rams is probably the Eagles at No. 20.
Fisher indicated today (Twitter link) that he wasn’t sure if the team that offered the Rams a first-round pick for Bradford was the same team that offered the Eagles a first-rounder for Bradford. That comment suggests that it wasn’t Philadelphia that made the Rams the offer. The Browns, with two first-round picks – including No. 19 – and a reported interest in Bradford, make the most sense.
Of course, while it’s entirely possible that the Browns – or another team – offered a first-round pick to both the Rams and Eagles, and both teams turned it down, it’s also possible that no such offer was on the table for either club. Fisher adamantly denied at the combine that the team was considering moving Bradford, so it’s not as if we should believe everything he says. As for Kelly, if he intends to move forward with Bradford as his starting quarterback, he has some motivation to display faith in the former first overall pick.
FA Rumors: J. Johnson, Parker, Falcons, 49ers
Free agent safety Jeron Johnson is generating some interest around the league, and will pay a visit to Washington, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). 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.
Let’s round up a few more Friday free agent news items and rumors from around the NFL….
- The Bears would like to sign safety Ron Parker, but he left Chicago last night without a deal, a source confirms to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, who tweets that the former Chief appears to be in no rush to sign.
- Having already met with the Seahawks and Broncos, Shelley Smith will make his next visit to Atlanta to meet with the Falcons, a source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The free agent offensive lineman is scheduled to arrive tonight and have his official visit tomorrow.
- The 49ers saw one of their free agent cornerbacks, Chris Culliver, find a deal in Washington today, but according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, they’ve spoken to another – Chris Cook – about returning (Twitter link). Still, Maiocco’s source says there have been no recent conversations between the two sides.
- Free agent center Stefen Wisniewski remains in Seattle for now, but a visit to the Rams is “very possible,” tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In addition to visiting the Seahawks, Wisniewski also met with the Bucs earlier this week.
- Offensive lineman Erik Pears, who visited the 49ers this week, is also receiving interest from the Jets and Broncos, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Pears started all 16 games for the Bills at right guard last season.
- The Chargers are continuing to eye the free agent market in search of upgrades at wide receiver, after having lost Eddie Royal to Chicago, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Former Giants guard John Jerry is making a free agent visit to Tennessee today to meet with the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Having waited out the first wave of free agency, the Titans have been very active today, locking up Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan, Ryan Succop, and Karl Klug to new contracts.
Saints Cut Corey White
A day that started off with a flurry of Titans news has now been taken over by the Saints, who have made their third notable headline of the day. According to Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV (via Twitter), head coach Sean Payton has notified defensive back Corey White that he’s been let go. White will have to pass through waivers before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
White, 24, began the 2014 season as a starting cornerback for the Saints, logging 53 tackles and grabbing a pair of interceptions on the season. However, he was demoted toward the end of the year, and recorded a -17.8 grade for the season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That grade placed him 106th out of 108 qualified corners in 2014.
The former fifth-round pick was in line for a $1.542MM base salary in 2015, so the team will create that amount in cap savings by cutting him, leaving just $44K in dead money on the cap. Newly-signed veteran Brandon Browner will help fill the void left in the Saints’ secondary.
Trent Richardson Files Grievance
Trent Richardson hasn’t yet cleared waivers, but he has already filed a grievance against his old team related to the suspension he received from the Colts at the end of the 2014 season, according to Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
During the postseason, the Colts suspended Richardson for two games for conduct detrimental to the team after the running back missed a morning walkthrough before the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. The move voided the guarantee on the former third overall pick’s $3.184MM base salary for the 2015 season, so Richardson and the NFLPA will attempt to recoup that money through the grievance.
Richardson reportedly was dealing with a family emergency involving “serious complications” to his girlfriend’s pregnancy when he was absent for the Colts’ walkthrough, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
Regardless of whether or not Richardson gets his guaranteed salary back from the Colts, he’s expected to pass through waivers shortly, and it sounds like he’s happy to be out of Indianapolis. The 24-year-old told Mike Wells of ESPN.com (Twitter link) yesterday that he and GM Ryan Grigson “didn’t see eye to eye.”
“My next step, I’ll be the starter,” Richardson said. “Indy didn’t fit me.”
While that’s an optimistic outlook for Richardson, I can’t imagine any team will sign expecting him to be the starter at this point, though he could compete for the role somewhere. One team that might be interested? The Titans, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link). A source tells McCormick not to be surprised if the team kicks the tires on Richardson once he clears waivers and becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Titans Re-Sign Karl Klug
11:32am: It’s a two-year deal for Klug, tweets Wyatt.
9:30am: A busy morning in Tennessee continues, as the Titans have reached their fourth contract agreement of the day, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. According to Wyatt (via Twitter), the team has reached a long-term deal to re-sign defensive lineman Karl Klug.
Klug, who turns 27 at the end of the month, has been a rotational player on the Titans’ defensive line since being drafted by the team in the fifth round in 2011. Although he recorded seven sacks in his rookie season, Klug’s sack totals have been more modest since then — he’s combined for just 7.5 in the three seasons since. In 2014, Klug played 338 defensive snaps for the Titans, earning a slightly above-average +1.9 grade for his play from Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The Titans also reached contract agreements with their own free agents Derrick Morgan and Ryan Succop today, as well as landing former Washington pass rusher Brian Orakpo.
Rams Sign Nick Fairley
11:17am: It’s a one-year, prove-it deal for Fairley, who can earn up to $7.5MM in 2015, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The contract has a base value of $5MM, which isn’t far off from what the veteran defender would have been paid if the Lions had picked up his fifth-year option.
Playing with such a talented group of defensive linemen, Fairley has a nice opportunity to have a big year and earn a more lucrative deal a year from now, if he can stay healthy.
11:09am: One of the league’s best defensive lines will be even scarier entering the 2015 season. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), former Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley will join the Rams, having agreed to terms on a new deal with the team. The team revealed the move at Nick Foles‘ introductory press conference today (Twitter link).
Fairley had his 2014 season derailed by injuries, but he was very effective when healthy, and received plenty of interest this week. The 27-year-old paid a visit to the Bengals, and a Wednesday report indicated that about a half-dozen teams were interested in him before free agency even began on Tuesday.
A former 13th overall pick, Fairley had his best season in 2013, when he recorded 35 tackles and six sacks to go along with a pair of forced fumbles. Despite that impressive showing, the Lions elected not to exercise his relatively inexpensive ($5.477MM) fifth-year option for the 2015 season, allowing him to reach free agency. It’ll be interesting to see if Fairley signs for more or less with the Rams than he could have received from the Lions, who have now lost both Fairley and Ndamukong Suh.
As for the Rams, defensive line certainly wasn’t a pressing area of need for a team that has Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald, Chris Long, and Michael Brockers on its roster, but the team did cut Kendall Langford earlier in the offseason and was looking to add another interior piece. In Fairley, St. Louis lands one of the top defensive tackles on the market, and will move forward with a front four that’s extremely capable of both getting to the quarterback and stuffing the run.
Washington Signs Chris Culliver
11:02am: Washington has officially signed Culliver, the team announced today (Twitter link). As we noted earlier, the cornerback’s deal features an impressive $16MM in fully guaranteed money.
8:11am: Another top free agent has come off the board, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Washington has agreed to terms on a four-year contract for former 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver. Per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the deal will pay Culliver about $8MM per year, just below the annual rates earned by fellow free agent corners Brandon Flowers and Kareem Jackson.
One of two Niners starting cornerbacks eligible for free agency, along with Perrish Cox, Culliver is coming off his first full season as a starter in San Francisco. The 26-year-old adapted to the new role admirably, recording 45 tackles, four interceptions, and 15 passes defended.
Culliver also limited opposing quarterbacks to a completion percentage of 50.7% and a 66.5 passer rating when they threw into his coverage, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF’s grades placed Culliver as the 14th-best cornerback out of 108 qualified players.
For Washington, Culliver will help shore up a secondary whose cornerbacks got burned on a regular basis in 2014. Bashaud Breeland, E.J. Biggers, and David Amerson saw the majority of the snaps at the position for the team, and all three corners ranked in PFF’s bottom 10 at the position. Biggers is also eligible for free agency.
When I listed PFR’s top 50 free agents last Saturday, I ranked Culliver 24th, and fourth among cornerbacks, behind Byron Maxwell, Flowers, and Jackson. Culliver becomes the third defender in our top 50 to sign with Washington this week, following Stephen Paea and Terrance Knighton to D.C.
Titans, Anthony Fasano Agree To Terms
The Titans continue to dominate Friday’s NFL news cycle, having reached a deal with their fifth player of the day, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the team agreed to terms with tight end Anthony Fasano. Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan, Ryan Succop, and Karl Klug have also struck deals with Tennessee so far today.
Fasano, 30, split time with Travis Kelce in Kansas City last season and was significantly out-targeted by the 25-year-old (87 to 36), catching just 25 balls to Kelce’s 67. Despite not being as involved in Kansas City’s passing game, Fasano logged about the same number of offensive snaps as the sophomore tight end, frequently serving as a blocker on both run and pass plays. Still, his grades as a blocker weren’t great, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Chiefs released him last month.
In addition to paying a visit to Tennessee this week, where he agreed to sign with the Titans, Fasano also drew some interest from the Bills, who released Scott Chandler and saw another tight end, Lee Smith, depart via free agency.
With the Titans, Fasano looks like a good bet to be slotted in second on the team’s tight end depth chart, behind Delanie Walker.
Contract Details: Culliver, Browner, Cameron
Here are some key contract details for a few notable new pacts agreed to and/or signed over the last few days:
NFC deals:
- Chris Culliver, CB (Washington): Four years, $32MM base value. $16MM fully guranteed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- Brooks Reed, LB (Falcons): Five years, $22.5MM base value. $6.9MM fully guaranteed. $4.7MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Brandon Browner, CB (Saints): Three years, $15MM base value. $7.75MM fully guaranteed. $3.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ryan Mathews, RB (Eagles): Three years, $11MM base value. $5MM guaranteed. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Terrance Knighton, DT (Washington): One year, $4MM. $2MM signing bonus (link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).
AFC deals:
- Jordan Cameron, TE (Dolphins): Two years, $15MM base value. $5MM fully guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. $2.5MM per-game roster bonuses in 2015 (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
- Rahim Moore, S (Texans): Three years, $12MM base value. $4.5MM guaranteed. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter links via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle and Wilson).
- Justin Forsett, RB (Ravens): Three years, $9MM base value. $2.1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).