Charles Clay, Dolphins Talking Long-Term Deal
The Bills are contemplating signing tight end Charles Clay to a lucrative offer sheet, but the team may not get the opportunity to do so, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), who reports that the Dolphins are talking to their transition player about a long-term contract. If Clay were to reach an agreement with Miami on a multiyear deal, it would take him off the free agent market.
Having designated Clay as their transition player, the Dolphins tendered him a one-year offer worth $7.071MM, which gives the team the right to match any offer sheet the tight end signs with another suitor, such as the Bills. However, the Fins wouldn’t receive any draft-pick compensation if they don’t match that offer sheet, and Buffalo has reportedly been trying to structure its offer sheet in a way that would make it difficult for Miami to match it.
Complicating matters is the fact that the Dolphins currently have another top free agent tight end, Jordan Cameron, in Miami on a free agent visit, and there’s mutual interest between the two sides. While Cameron represents a nice fallback option if the Fins lose Clay, the former Browns tight end is drawing interest from other clubs, including Cleveland. The Browns are also said to have interest in Clay.
The Bills, meanwhile, are badly in need of some help at the tight end position after releasing Scott Chandler and letting Lee Smith walk in free agency. If Buffalo ends up empty-handed in the Clay and Cameron sweepstakes, it’s not clear where the team would turn next. For his part, GM Doug Whaley told SiriusXM NFL Radio today his Bills are still debating whether to make Clay an offer, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
Contract Details: Maxwell, Murray, McPhee
Here are some key details on some of the notable contracts agreed to or signed around the NFL this week:
NFC deals:
- Byron Maxwell, CB (Eagles): Six years, $63MM base value. $25MM fully guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- DeMarco Murray, RB (Eagles): Five years, $40MM base value. $42MM max value. $18MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Albert Breer of the NFL Network).
- Pernell McPhee, OLB (Bears): Five years, $38.75MM base value. $8.675MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Antrel Rolle, S (Bears): Three years, $11.25MM base value. $4.9MM guaranteed. $3.9MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Tom Johnson, DT (Vikings): Three years, $7MM base value. $2.75MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Matt Prater, K (Lions): Two years, $4.55MM base value. Third-year team option for 2017 (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
AFC deals:
- Davon House, CB (Jaguars): Four years, $24.5MM. $10MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- James Carpenter, G (Jets): Four years, $19.1MM base value. $5MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Owen Daniels, TE (Broncos): Three years, $12.25MM base value. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Mike Adams, S (Colts): Two years, $4.25MM base value. $1.2MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Wilson).
49ers Re-Sign Blaine Gabbert
THURSDAY, 2:48pm: The 49ers have officially confirmed their new deal with Gabbert, along with the previously reported re-signing of tight end Garrett Celek.
TUESDAY, 10:19pm: It’s a two-year, $2MM deal for Gabbert, per Chris Mortensen of ESPN (Twitter link).
7:20pm: A year after acquiring him from the Jaguars for a sixth-round pick, the 49ers are re-signing backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). A source tells Anderson that Gabbert is “staying in San Francisco.”
Gabbert, a former 10th overall pick, served as Colin Kaepernick‘s primary backup last season, though he only saw the field in mop-up duty, since Kaepernick stayed healthy all year. The two signal-callers are currently the only two QBs on San Francisco’s roster, so it looks like the former Jaguar will have the inside track on the No. 2 job for 2015, though there could be another move coming for the Niners.
While we haven’t yet seen what Gabbert could do away from Jacksonville, his track record suggests that the 49ers would be in trouble if he saw any extended action in 2015. For his career, the 25-year-old has completed 53.2% of his passes and thrown more interceptions than touchdowns, en route to a 5-22 record as a starter.
Texans, Rahim Moore Agree To Deal
2:39pm: It’s a three-year, $12MM contract for Moore, according to McClain (via Twitter). That figure is unexpectedly low, so assuming no one inadvertently flipped any numbers along the way, it looks like a very nice deal for the Texans.
2:18pm: The Texans and Moore are now in agreement on a new deal, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
10:54am: Upon making a visit to Houston to meet with the Texans, Rahim Moore appears to be moving toward joining the team. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle was the first to tweet that it looks like the Texans are closing in on an agreement with the young safety, with Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston confirming (via Twitter) that the two sides are indeed moving closer to a deal.
Moore initially ranked as the 28th-best overall free agent and the second-best safety in this year’s class, in our estimation. However, with Devin McCourty back in New England and players like Antrel Rolle and Da’Norris Searcy also off the board, Moore looks like the most-coveted safety currently on the market. The UCLA product was Denver’s free safety for the majority of the last four seasons, and was very impressive in 2014, racking up 51 tackles to go along with four interceptions.
Two of the Texans’ top three safeties from a year ago are currently free agents, including Kendrick Lewis, the team’s starting free safety. While the team may not end up bringing back Lewis or Danieal Manning, adding Moore to a secondary that also includes Johnathan Joseph, D.J. Swearinger, and newly-resigned cornerback Kareem Jackson would give Houston a nice collection of defensive backs.
If Moore finalizes a contract with the Texans, I expect it will be worth something closer to Searcy’s new agreement with the Titans (~$6MM per year) rather than McCourty’s contract with the Patriots ($9.5MM per year). However, Moore is still just 25 years old, so he should do well on this deal.
As for the Broncos, they’re hosting Darian Stewart for a visit today as they consider their options for replacing Moore.
Saints Re-Sign Ramon Humber
Two days after we learned that there was mutual interest in a new deal between Ramon Humber and the Saints, the two sides have reached an agreement. According to the team’s VP of communications, Greg Bensel (via Twitter), New Orleans has re-signed the linebacker to a two-year contract.
After releasing Curtis Lofton, the Saints will bolter their linebacking corps by ensuring that Humber remains under contract. The 27-year-old started six games for the team in 2014, appearing in 453 total defensive snaps. For the season, he had 50 tackles and a sack.
Chiefs Release Dwayne Bowe
1:52pm: Bowe has officially been released by the Chiefs, tweets Rapoport. The wideout issued a statement on Twitter thanking the organization for his time spent in Kansas City.
THURSDAY, 1:00pm: The Chiefs are cutting Bowe today, tweets Schefter.
TUESDAY, 12:15pm: Indications point to the Chiefs releasing Bowe this week, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that it’ll probably take place on Wednesday.
THURSDAY, 2:11pm: Having franchised Justin Houston earlier this week, the Chiefs currently sit more than $5MM over the 2015 cap, and will need to cut some salary from their books by Tuesday. One likely candidate to be affected by those cut-cutting moves? Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Chiefs are expected to either release or trade Bowe this month.
Bowe, 30, was part of the underachieving and record-setting group of Chiefs wide receivers that managed to go the entire 2014 season without catching a single touchdown pass. It was the third straight mediocre season for Bowe, who has averaged approximately 59 receptions and 743 yards per season since 2012, on the heels of back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons in 2010 and 2011.
The Chiefs have already signaled a commitment to retooling their wide receiving corps, parting ways with Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins earlier in the offseason. It appears that Bowe will be next, in some form or other. With three years still left on his contract and annual base salaries of $10.75MM, $9.75MM, and $9.75MM, Bowe likely won’t attract much attention on the trade market — especially when other more established wideouts like Andre Johnson and Brandon Marshall are also being shopped.
If the Chiefs ultimately decide to cut Bowe, it would create $5MM in cap savings, which would go a long way toward getting the team under the cap for the 2015 league year. However, it would still leave $9MM in dead money on the books. Designating Bowe as a post-June 1 cut would create more 2015 cap room, but the team would have to wait until after June 1 to actually gain access to that cap room, and it would push some of Bowe’s dead money onto Kansas City’s 2016 cap.
If Bowe were to become available, he would likely generate plenty of interest, even during a month when many noteworthy receivers are expected to hit the open market. Potential suitors for the former first-round pick may suspect that his poor production in recent years can be attributed in part to a Chiefs offense that relies on short, safe passes, limiting Bowe’s upside.
Saints Shopping Kenny Stills, Others
1:43pm: A source with knowledge of the situation tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Drew Brees and Brandin Cooks are essentially the only Saints not being shopped, as the team retools.
1:17pm: The Saints have been one of the league’s more active teams this week, working out trades that shipped a pair of Pro Bowlers, Jimmy Graham and Ben Grubbs, out of New Orleans. And it doesn’t look like they’re done yet. According to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (via Twitter), the team is exploring trades involving wide receiver Kenny Stills. Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, meanwhile, hears from a source that the team is shopping practically every player on its roster (Twitter link).
Peter King of TheMMQB.com wrote earlier this week that when Mickey Loomis and Seahawks GM John Schneider discussed trades prior to working out the Graham deal, the New Orleans GM “brought up the names of a couple of Saints receivers.” While King didn’t identify specific players, it certainly sounds like one of those receivers was probably Stills.
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 I expect the team’s asking price would be fairly high.
Ravens To Re-Sign Justin Forsett
1:36pm: The deal will pay Forsett about $3MM per year, a source tells Wilson (on Twitter).
1:27pm: The Ravens have reached an agreement with free agent running back Justin Forsett, ensuring the veteran remains with the team for at least the 2015 season, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Schefter, it’s a three-year deal for Forsett.
The Ravens have maintained interest throughout the process but were said to be ready to bow out of the bidding if it got too rich for their blood. At one time, some connected Forsett to the Broncos where he could reunite with Gary Kubiak, but he downplayed the likelihood of a reunion, noting that the Broncos have multiple tailbacks under contract, including C.J. Anderson. At the same time, he made it clear to anyone who would listen that he wanted to rejoin the Ravens.
“I would like to stay in Baltimore, but it is a business and I’m looking for a commitment. However that comes, I just want to be able to take care of my family,” the veteran said.
While he won’t have Kubiak, new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is expected to keep many of the same principles that Baltimore’s run game used in 2014. Forsett was never regarded as one of the league’s better halfbacks, but after gaining 1,266 yards on the ground, he established himself as a bonafide starter and he’ll look to have a repeat performance for Baltimore in 2015.
The 29-year-old played 2014 under a one-year, $730K deal after being released by the Jaguars. Because he was on a minimum salary benefit contract, he wasn’t eligible to sign a multi-year deal with Baltimore until the official start of free agency. If not for that, it’s likely that the two sides would have hammered something out in advance of March 10th.
Eagles Expected To Sign DeMarco Murray
12:44pm: If and when it becomes official, Murray’s deal with the Eagles is expected to be worth $42MM over five years, with $21MM guaranteed, according to Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Schefter adds (via Twitter) that $18MM of that guarantee is for both skill and injury.
12:04pm: There’s a lot of guaranteed money in the Eagles’ offer to Murray, and significantly more than the Cowboys are offering, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports and Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Schrager adds (via Twitter) that Philadelphia is prepared to pay Murray like a top-five running back.
11:21am: Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) also expects the Eagles to get a deal done with Murray, adding that it will likely come in around $6MM per year.
11:16am: Murray, en route to Philadelphia, is expected to sign with the Eagles, tweets Schefter. While nothing is official yet, the Cowboys are calling around for other running backs in anticipation of Murray signing with the Eagles, Schefter adds (via Twitter).
8:54am: The meeting between the Eagles and Murray will take place early this afternoon and will include Chip Kelly, who isn’t at Oregon’s Pro Day, tweets Peter Schrager of FOX Sports. Meanwhile, John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game tweets that the Raiders wanted Murray and were “very aggressive financially,” but still appear to be on the outside looking in
8:05am: Free agent running back DeMarco Murray is visiting Philadelphia today, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com says the NFL’s leading rusher intends to sign with the Eagles. That doesn’t mean it’s a done deal yet. Schefter notes that Murray would consider a final, last-minute offer from the Cowboys, so there’s a chance this is a negotiating tactic. However, it looks like Murray is prepared to jump from one NFC East team to another if Dallas doesn’t make a satisfactory offer.
The Raiders and Jaguars have also been frequently mentioned as potential Murray suitors, but at the moment it appears that the running back’s top two choices are the Cowboys and Eagles, in some order. As Schefter notes, part of the reason Murray is interested in Philadelphia is because of his belief in the team’s chances to win — Oakland and Jacksonville are a little further away from contention.
Based on yesterday’s round of Murray rumors, it sounds as if the Cowboys’ most recent offer to their running back was in the $5MM per year range. Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports confirms today (via Twitter) that Dallas would like to keep Murray at around that price, so if the Eagles are willing to go to $6MM per year or higher, there will be pressure on Jerry Jones and company to increase that offer.
One interesting wrinkle that affects the Murray situation is the status of Ryan Mathews. The former Chargers back reportedly agreed to terms with the Eagles yesterday, but has yet to officially sign his contract. It would be surprising if the team backed out of an agreement with Mathews if there was one in place, but it’s still worth monitoring as Murray heads to Philadelphia.
Chiefs Acquire Ben Grubbs From Saints
The Chiefs and Saints have agreed to a trade that will send veteran guard Ben Grubbs to Kansas City in exchange for a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Grubbs, who had a $9.6MM cap hit for the Saints in 2015, had long been viewed as a potential cap casualty, with Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reporting in February that the team would likely let him go. Trading Grubbs will have the same effect on New Orleans’ cap as releasing him would’ve — he’ll count for $6MM in dead money, creating $3.6MM in cap savings. However, by finding a taker, the team will at least get a mid-round pick in return for its two-time Pro Bowler.
Grubbs becomes the latest victim of a cap crunch in New Orleans, with today’s deal coming on the heels of the departures of players like Jimmy Graham (traded) and Curtis Lofton (released). Still, the team now appears likely to keep Jahri Evans, since hanging on to one high-priced guard is more palatable than having both on the roster. Assuming he remains in New Orleans, Evans will play next to newly-acquired center Max Unger next season.
As for the Chiefs, they don’t have a ton of cap flexibility, so it’s possible they’ll end up reworking Grubbs’ contract to accommodate him, notes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap (via Twitter). They won’t have to take on Grubbs’ dead prorated bonus money when they acquire him, so his cap hit in Kansas City would be just $6.6MM ($6.5MM base salary; $100K workout bonus) for the coming season, assuming the deal is untouched. The Auburn product, who turned 31 this week, also has one more year left on his contract, for a 2016 salary of $7.2MM.
Kansas City is adding a player who is just one year removed from earning a Pro Bowl spot. In 2014, Grubbs ranked in about the middle of the pack, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades, which placed him 35th out of 78 qualified guards (subscription required). The team’s addition of Grubbs comes on the heels of its contract agreement with offensive lineman Paul Fanaika.