Jets Expect To Sign Antonio Cromartie
1:20pm: There are still some details to be worked out, but the Jets expect to land Cromartie and it looks like it’ll get done, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports.
8:45am: The Jets are the “clear leaders” in the Cromartie sweepstakes, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
8:11am: Having already reached agreements with Darrelle Revis and Buster Skrine, two of the top cornerbacks available this offseason, the Jets aren’t done looking for help in the secondary. Reports last night indicated that the team was still engaged in discussions with free agent corner Antonio Cromartie, with Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News characterizing those talks as “serious.”
The two sides negotiated into the “wee hours” of Tuesday night and spoke again this morning, but haven’t yet reached a deal, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (all Twitter links). As Costello cautions, that doesn’t mean Cromartie and the Jets won’t eventually work something out, since the two sides are still talking. In fact, the Jets appear to be one of two finalists for the veteran corner — Costello says Cromartie is expected to choose today between signing with New York or returning to the Cardinals.
Cromartie, who turns 31 in April, has made no secret of the fact that he’d like to sign with the Jets — his Cardinals teammate Patrick Peterson even complained last month that all Cromartie talked about was “freaking New York.” Still, the Cards have maintained interest all along in bringing Cromartie back to Arizona, and the Cowboys were also mentioned yesterday as a possible destination.
Falcons To Sign Leonard Hankerson
2:11pm: It’s a one-year, $1MM deal for Hankerson, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
1:47pm: The Falcons and Leonard Hankerson have reached an agreement on a contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Hankerson is Atlanta’s newest receiver. The wideout himself broke the news, tweeting “#RiseUp #DirtyBirds #DoneDeal.”
Hankerson, 26, spent the first four years of his NFL career in Washington after being selected by the club in the third round of the 2011 draft. He was an occasional target in Washington’s passing game in 2012 and 2013, averaging 34 receptions and 459 yards in those two seasons, but he spent most of 2014 on the PUP list recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, and didn’t see any meaningful action after being activated.
In Atlanta, Hankerson figures to compete for the spot in the lineup vacated by No. 3 receiver Harry Douglas, who finalized a deal with the Titans today after being cut by the Falcons. Hankerson will also be reunited with former Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
Eagles To Sign Walter Thurmond
1:21pm: Thurmond’s one-year deal with the Eagles is worth $3.25MM, including a $2MM signing bonus, and could hit $4MM through incentives, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.
7:07am: A day after formally signing one former Seahawks cornerback, as they finalized their deal with Byron Maxwell, the Eagles have reached an agreement with another. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Philadelphia has agreed to sign free agent corner Walter Thurmond. The team has since confirmed the deal, announcing that it’s for one year (via Twitter).
Thurmond, 27, spent the 2014 season with the Giants, but was one of about two dozen of the club’s players to ultimately land on injured reserve. The Oregon product, who appeared in just two regular season contests in New York before going down with a pectoral injury, spent most of his NFL career in Seattle, playing 34 games (eight starts) for the team from 2010 to 2013.
Although he never played a significant role in Seattle, Thurmond was effective in part-time action for the Seahawks in 2013, recording a +4.8 grade in 480 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Per PFF, he limited opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 67.5, with no touchdowns, on 53 passes thrown into his coverage that season.
We heard prior to the market officially opening that the Eagles were seriously considering adding multiple cornerbacks and a safety in free agency. Having brought Maxwell and Thurmond aboard, the club is now two-thirds of the way there.
Titans Sign Harry Douglas
WEDNESDAY, 12:44pm: The Titans have officially announced their deal with Douglas, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
TUESDAY, 12:04pm: The Titans have reached an agreement with wide receiver Harry Douglas on a three-year contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We heard late last night that Tennessee looked to have a good chance to secure the former Falcon, who was cut by Atlanta last month.
Douglas, 30, enjoyed his best season in 2013, when injuries to Julio Jones and Roddy White increased his role in the Falcons’ offense, allowing him to set new career highs in catches (85) and receiving yards (1,067). Jones and White returned to health for the 2014 season, and Douglas returned to his role as Matt Ryan‘s No. 3 target, but he still managed to rack up 51 receptions in just 12 games.
In Tennessee, Douglas will have a chance to reprise his role as a No. 3 receiver, with Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter expected to see the majority of the targets at the wideout position. Douglas will also reunite with Mike Mularkey, who is now Tennessee’s assistant head coach — Mularkey was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator from 2008 to 2011, overlapping with Douglas’ stint in Atlanta.
Cardinals Sign Sean Weatherspoon
WEDNESDAY, 11:42am: The Cardinals’ deal with Weatherspoon is official, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets.
MONDAY, 7:05am: The Cardinals have reached an agreement with linebacker Sean Weatherspoon and will sign him to a one-year deal when free agency opens on Tuesday, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Per Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link), Weatherspoon’s new one-year deal with the Cards will be worth close to $4MM.
Weatherspoon, 27, was viewed as a priority for the Falcons, though we heard last week that Arizona would be waiting with its arms “wide open” if the linebacker didn’t work something out with Atlanta. The Saints were also believed to have interest in Weatherspoon, who has missed all but seven games during the last two seasons due to an Achilles injury in 2014, and knee and foot issues in 2013.
In spite of Weatherspoon’s health problems, I still listed him as one of the top options when I explored the free agent market for 4-3 outside linebackers last month, noting that he averaged 110 tackles per season in 2011 and 2012. In Arizona’s 3-4 scheme, the former first-round pick looks like a good bet to assume one of the inside linebacker spots.
En route to a playoff berth in 2014, the Cardinals had to make do with a depleted linebacking corps that was without Karlos Dansby (departed via free agency), John Abraham (out with concussion issues), and Daryl Washington (suspended for the season). The club heavily relied on Larry Foote on the inside, but it appears the veteran Foote will be transitioning to the coaching staff for the 2015 season, unless he changes his mind later this summer. A healthy Weatherspoon would go a long way toward solidifying a linebacking group that has seen plenty of turnover in the last year.
Bears Sign Pernell McPhee
WEDNESDAY, 11:36am: The Bears have officially announced their five-year deal with McPhee (via Twitter).
MONDAY, 8:22am: A year after adding veteran defensive ends Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen in free agency, the Bears are making another big splash on the open market in the hopes of improving their pass rush. According to Aaron Leming of BearReport.com (via Twitter), the team is in agreement on a five-year contract with Pernell McPhee that will be worth just under $40MM. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has since confirmed the deal, adding that it includes nearly $16MM in guaranteed money.
McPhee, 26, has seen his stock rise since he was drafted by the Ravens in the fifth round back in 2011. Although he only started six total regular season contests in Baltimore over the course of his rookie contract, McPhee developed into one of the league’s most dangerous pass rushers.
According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), the Mississippi State product racked up an impressive 64 total quarterback pressures – including 21 QB hits – in just 540 defensive snaps last season. PFF ranked McPhee second among all 3-4 outside linebackers, behind only NFL sack leader Justin Houston.
When I identified my top 50 free agents over the weekend, I listed McPhee eighth overall, suggesting that he could be this year’s Everson Griffen, who inked a five-year, $42.5MM deal last March as he made the transition from being a part-time contributor to his team’s primary pass rusher. McPhee’s deal looks like it’ll be in the same neighborhood as Griffen’s, and I’d expect the Bears intend to use him in a much larger role than the Ravens did.
The Colts had been viewed as a possible suitor for McPhee, given the Chuck Pagano connection and the team’s need for a pass rusher. Wilson tweets that Washington was also among the several teams that had interest in the four-year veteran. However, according to Wilson (via Twitter), McPhee was interested in playing for new Bears head coach John Fox, and was impressed by the Bears’ plans for him as a pass rusher.
With Vic Fangio taking over as defensive coordinator on Fox’s staff in Chicago, the Bears are transitioning from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 scheme, so McPhee should fit comfortably. Players like Houston and Allen make far more sense as 4-3 defensive ends than 3-4 outside linebackers, so the position was one the Bears needed to address this offseason. It’ll be interesting to see what other moves the team makes to accommodate Fangio’s system, and how the carryover players adjust to the new defense.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rahim Moore Visiting Texans
Free agent safety Rahim Moore will pay a visit to Houston to meet with the Texans, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). According to Garafolo, if Moore doesn’t strike a deal with the Texans, he could take another visit immediately afterward, though his next destination isn’t yet known.
Moore, who is just 25, 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, Moore may be the most-coveted safety on the market, so unless he gets an offer he likes in Houston, he probably won’t be in any hurry to rush into an agreement.
Two of the Texans’ top three safeties from a year ago are currently free agents, including Kendrick Lewis, the team’s starting free safety. Moore 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.
The Giants are also believed to have real interest in Moore.
Washington Signs Stephen Paea
WEDNESDAY, 11:16am: The deal is official, according to Washington’s official Twitter.
TUESDAY, 3:27pm: It’s a done deal between Washington and Paea, a source tells Mike Jones of the Washington Post (on Twitter). Paea chose Washington over the Cowboys, Lions, and Bucs, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
MONDAY, 12:52pm: Paea has told people that he’ll be signing with Washington, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It’s not clear if the two sides have agreed to terms, but it looks like they’ll finalize a deal when free agency officially opens tomorrow.
12:09pm: After releasing Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen last month, Washington has been hard at work restocking its defensive line, signing Ricky Jean-Francois and pursuing Ndamukong Suh. While the team missed out on Suh, Jen Lada of CSNChicago.com (Twitter link) is hearing that Washington is closing in on a four-year deal with another noteworthy defensive tackle, Stephen Paea.
When I ranked Paea 44th on my list of this year’s top 50 free agents, I called him an underrated presence in the middle of the Bears’ defensive line, and a solid target for teams hoping to generate an interior pass rush. Only Suh and Kyle Williams had more quarterback pressures from the defensive tackle position in 2014 than Paea’s 47, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required).
If he were to finalize a deal with Washington, Paea would likely make the transition from a 4-3 defensive tackle to a 3-4 defensive end. The Cowboys and Cardinals were also mentioned earlier this week as potential suitors with interest in the 26-year-old.
Jets Acquire Ryan Fitzpatrick
11;13am: The Texans will get a conditional seventh-round draft choice that could turn into a sixth-round pick depending on how much playing time the quarterback sees, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
11:08am: Fitzpatrick confirmed to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter) that he has been traded to the Jets.
11:00am: The Texans will trade Fitzpatrick to the Jets for a late-round conditional pick, a league source confirms to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
8:49am: After having missed out on Josh McCown and Brian Hoyer, the Jets have been repeatedly linked to Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, and it appears the team is moving closer to acquiring him.
According to Albert Breer and Kimberley Jones of the NFL Network (Twitter link), a trade between the Jets and Texans could be completed quickly once Houston officially locks up Hoyer. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that the Jets are expected to send the Texans a late-round draft pick for Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick, 32, started 12 games for the Texans last season, and his performance was passable. He completed 63.1% of his passes, posted a 95.3 passer rating, and threw 17 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. However, with Hoyer heading to Houston, Ryan Mallett returning to the team, and 2014 draftee Tom Savage also in the mix, Fitzpatrick wasn’t in the Texans’ long-terms plans.
Assuming the Jets are able to finalize an agreement for Fitzpatrick, the veteran signal-caller would likely compete with Geno Smith for the team’s 2015 starting job. Having already traded away their fifth- and sixth-round picks for 2015, the Jets would likely give up a seventh-rounder in a Fitzpatrick deal, and even that pick could be conditional, depending on how much playing time he earns in New York.
With one year and $3.25MM left on his contract, Fitzpatrick would be fairly priced for the Jets, considering what the market for backup quarterbacks is like these days. The Eagles, for instance, recently sign Mark Sanchez to a two-year deal that averages $4.5MM even before incentives.
Jaguars Sign Sergio Brown
WEDNESDAY, 10:56am: Brown’s signing with the Jaguars is now official, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
TUESDAY, 3:43pm: Brown’s deal with the Jaguars is worth $9MM over three years, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). The deal could be worth up to $11MM, Garafolo adds.
12:25pm: It’ll be a three-year deal for Brown, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
12:01pm: The Jaguars’ free agent blitz continues to roll on, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that safety Sergio Brown is expected to agree to a deal with the team later today.
Brown, 27 in May, made a career-high eight starts in 2014. All in all, the free safety recorded 34 tackles, 6 pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and one sack on the year. Last year, Brown re-signed with the Colts on a one-year deal worth $1.4MM with a $300K signing bonus.
Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was pretty impressed with Brown’s work in 2014, ranking him as the 24th best safety in the NFL with a 5.3 score.