Patrick Willis, Justin Smith Expected To Retire
TUESDAY, 10:05am: The 49ers have officially announced in a press release that Willis is retiring.
MONDAY, 2:14pm: Speaking to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, Smith said today that he still isn’t quite ready to formally announce his retirement.
“I’m going to decide by next week probably,” Smith said. “So you’ll know by then. It’s not 100 percent.”
Multiple reports have indicated that Smith will call it a career, but only the veteran defender himself can make that decision official. Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports notes (via Twitter) that the 49ers would be willing to explore options to limit the physical toll on Smith if he wanted to come back.
9:57am: According to Florio, Willis will in fact retire, with a formal announcement expected to come on Tuesday. Florio confirms that Smith will also call it a career, meaning two longtime cornerstones for the 49ers defense will retire this offseason.
Smith, 35, spent seven years in San Francisco after a seven-year stint with the Bengals. For his career, he appeared in 221 total regular season contests, racking up 87 total sacks and earning spots in five consecutive Pro Bowls from 2009 to 2013.
Willis, who played and started 112 games for the Niners, averaged nearly 119 tackles per season during his NFL career, even taking into account his abridged 2014 campaign.
9:18am: The big 49ers news hinted at by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk earlier today appears to involve linebacker Patrick Willis. According to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter), the 49ers are bracing for the loss of Willis, who is expected to retire from the NFL.
While the Niners had been preparing for the possibility that veteran defensive end Justin Smith decides to call it a career this winter, the news of Willis potentially deciding to end his career comes as a surprise. Prior to a 2014 season cut short by injury, Willis had earned a spot in the Pro Bowl in each of his even seasons, and only turned 30 years old in January.
However, when he landed on the injured reserve list back in November, Willis revealed that the toe on which he was undergoing surgery had been a chronic issue, limiting his effectiveness for years.
“I don’t look to play this game for just another year,” Willis told Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com at the time. “I feel like I have five or six more great years of football left in my body. Unfortunately, this toe was telling me otherwise.”
We’ve yet to hear from Willis himself that he’ll retire, and even if he does decide to bow out of the NFL, it’s not clear that it’s entirely due to the toe issues. However, given his stated desire to play “five or six more” seasons, the veteran linebacker presumably wouldn’t announce his retirement unless he felt his body wouldn’t allow him to continue playing.
With two years still left on his contract, Willis is due a salary north of $7MM for 2015, so if he were to retire, the 49ers would create about $7.425MM in cap savings. While the loss of Willis in the middle of their defense would be significant, the Niners appear to have uncovered a gem in 2014 draftee Chris Borland, who could start for the team alongside NaVorro Bowman in 2015.
A recent report suggested San Francisco was shopping inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite, who stepped in as a starter for the club last season when Bowman and Willis were injured. If Willis does retire, the team may be more inclined to keep Wilhoite in the mix rather than selling him off for a late-round draft pick.
Colts Re-Sign Joe Reitz
The Colts have ensured that offensive lineman Joe Reitz doesn’t hit the open market later today, announcing that they’ve reached an agreement on a new contract for him. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), it’s a three-year contract for Reitz, and can be worth up to $10MM, with a base value of just under $9MM.
Reitz, 29, has been a part-time player for the Colts over the last four seasons, starting 24 games during that stretch. The versatile lineman – and Indiana native – saw time at both guard spots and at right tackle for Indianapolis during the 2014 season, taking over as the club’s starting right tackle during the postseason.
It’s not clear yet whether Reitz will be penciled into a starting role for 2014, but he should have a chance to compete for playing time, and if he’s not a starter, he’ll almost certainly be the first lineman off the bench in the event of an injury.
Cards, Jags, Bucs In Mix For DeMarco Murray?
The NFL’s rushing leader could officially hit the open market in about five and a half hours, and there are a handful of suitors expected to be in the mix for DeMarco Murray. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Cardinals and Jaguars appear to have interest in Murray, and the Buccaneers may be in play as well.
Since Rapoport’s report, however, a pair of local reporters have weighed in, with Kent Somers of Arizona Republic suggesting (via Twitter) that the Cards don’t have real interest in Murray. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Tribune adds (via Twitter) that Tampa Bay has discussed the possibility of signing Murray, but says he has been told Bucs fans shouldn’t get “overly excited” about the possibility.
That leaves the Jaguars, who look like perhaps the strongest outside suitor for Murray, and of course the Cowboys. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier today that the team hadn’t contacted its running back since last week, but Schefter’s ESPN colleague Todd Archer tweets that executive VP Stephen Jones was in touch last night.
Rapoport confirms (via Twitter) that Jones and Murray spoke, with the team making a final push to re-sign him. Archer says it’s not clear what the tenor of the discussion was, or how long it lasted, but the fact that the running back apparently removed all mention of the Cowboys from his Twitter account after the conversation doesn’t seem like a great sign for Dallas.
Chiefs Sign Tyvon Branch
9:50am: The Chiefs have officially signed Branch, the team announced in a press release.
9:39am: Branch’s one-year deal could be worth up to $4MM, with a base value of about half that, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
9:34am: Former Raiders safety Tyvon Branch will be sticking in the AFC West, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that Branch has agreed to a one-year deal with the Chiefs. Oakland parted ways with the veteran safety last week.
Branch, who also visited the Colts and Washington, had been with the Raiders for seven seasons, although the strong safety missed all but five games during the past two years with injuries after starting all 62 of a possible 64 games in his previous four seasons. The 28-year-old carried by far the highest cap number on the Raiders’ roster at $9.7MM this season before his release.
For the Chiefs, Branch will come much cheaper than he did in Oakland, and it appears he could be a less expensive replacement for Ron Parker. Parker spent most of his time at strong safety last year for Kansas City, but he’s capable of moving around to different positions, including free safety, and Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets that the agreement with Branch won’t necessarily affect the Chiefs’ pursuit of Parker. Still, with Parker reportedly drawing plenty of interest around the league, I’d be surprised if Kansas City was able to re-sign him.
Browns Interested In Darrelle Revis
9:29am: The Raiders and Chiefs are also fighting to get into the Revis sweepstakes, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Oakland, of course, has much more financial flexibility than Kansas City, but the Chiefs have the Bob Sutton connection and are closer to contention.
9:12am: The Patriots have a little less than six hours to work out a new agreement with cornerback Darrelle Revis. If the two sides don’t agree to a new deal, the Pats will cut the star corner, rather than pick up his pricey option for 2015. While the Jets have long been considered the only real threat to the Pats in the Revis sweepstakes, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com adds another potential suitor to the mix, tweeting that the Browns have expressed interest in Revis.
On the surface, Cleveland seems like an odd fit for Revis. The team already has one star cornerback in Joe Haden, and spent the eighth overall pick a year ago on Justin Gilbert. However, Buster Skrine appears to be on his way out in free agency, and Gilbert had a shaky rookie season both on and off the field. The Browns head into today’s free agent period armed with a ton of cap space, and Revis has played under Mike Pettine before in New York, back when the current Browns head coach was the Jets’ defensive coordinator.
I’d still rank the Browns a distant third behind (in some order) the Jets and Pats when it comes to potential destinations for Revis, but if Cleveland makes a huge offer, the cornerback could at least consider joining the Browns. A report yesterday indicated the price tag for Revis could be in the neighborhood of three years and $48MM, with $40MM in guaranteed money.
Mutual Interest Between Jets, Buster Skrine
A number of options are in play for the Jets as they look to add a cornerback or two in free agency, even after the team missed out on Cary Williams. According to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (TwitLonger link), the Jets have interest in Browns cornerback Buster Skrine, and there’s “a good chance he could end up in New York.”
Skrine, who turns 26 next month held onto his starting job in Cleveland during the 2014 season, and only one other cornerback in the NFL played more snaps than Skrine’s 1,152 (Williams, with 1,198). With quarterbacks avoiding Joe Haden, Skrine also saw the second-most targets in the NFL (123), and held QBs to a 56.9% completion percentage.
Per Anderson, Skrine continues to weigh offers, so he’s not close to any sort of deal with the Jets yet. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Giants were one of many teams to check in with Skrine, but found his price tag was too high for the role they envisioned for him.
As for other Jets’ CB options, Darrelle Revis remains on track to hit free agency today if he doesn’t work out a new deal with the Pats, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com notes (via Twitter) that oft-mentioned Jets target Antonio Cromartie doesn’t sound like a player who is returning to the Cardinals.
FA Rumors: Giants, Hardy, Ridley, Falcons
With free agency set to open in a matter of hours, the Giants are zeroing in on a running back scheduled to his the open market later today, reports Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. According to Vacchiano, the team is “very serious” about trying to sign Shane Vereen, with one source suggesting it’s possible a deal could get done shortly after the market opens at 3:00pm central time. The report echoes what we heard last night from Albert Breer of the NFL Network, who classified the Giants’ interest in Vereen as “significant.”
As we wait to see whether the Giants can get anything done with the longtime Patriot, let’s check in on a few more Tuesday morning free agency updates….
- One general manager tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that at least six teams are interested in free agent pash rusher Greg Hardy. A Monday report indicated most potential suitors would like to hear what sort of discipline Hardy will face from the league following his legal issues before they make a bid.
- The Vikings have inquired on free-agent-to-be Stevan Ridley, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. However, Ridley would likely only be an option for Minnesota if Adrian Peterson doesn’t return.
- Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link) believes O’Brien Schofield is the most likely free agent to sign with the Falcons. Schofield, an outside pass rusher, played for Dan Quinn‘s defense in Seattle.
- Safety Ron Parker has been linked to a lot of teams within the past few days, so it’s no surprise that McClure says his price is getting pretty steep (Twitter link). It may be too expensive for the Falcons, who could look to re-sign Dwight Lowery instead, per McClure.
- Safety Devin McCourty is no longer a free agent, having re-signed with the Patriots, but if he had reached the open market, the Eagles were one of three teams willing to offer him more than the $9.5MM per year New England gave him, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
Dolphins Trying To Trade Ellerbe, Wheeler
We heard over the weekend that the Dolphins were about to release linebacker Philip Wheeler, and fellow linebacker Dannell Ellerbe has long been viewed as a potential cap casualty as well. For now though, both players remain on Miami’s roster. According to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (via Twitter), the reason the Dolphins haven’t cut either player is that the team continues to try to trade both linebackers before the new league year begins.
Of course, technically, trades can’t be finalized until after the new league year gets underway, but I’d expect the Dolphins hope to reach an agreement on a deal by this afternoon and then make it official shortly thereafter.
While Miami may be holding out hope for a taker for one or both of the linebackers, the odds of a deal appear slim. After all, the club’s intention to release Wheeler has already been reported, so it seems unlikely that any team would give up anything of value for a part-time player with a 2015 salary of nearly $3MM. As for Ellerbe, his base salary for the coming year is $8.425MM, and he spent almost the entire 2014 season on injured reserve with a hip injury, so his trade value isn’t exactly through the roof either.
By the sounds of it, the Dolphins are a good bet to move on from both players whether or not they find a suitor on the trade market.
Terrell Suggs, Ravens Rework Contract
Terrell Suggs is converting $3MM of his $4MM base salary for 2015 into a signing bonus, freeing up some 2015 cap room for the Ravens, a source confirms to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk first reported (via Twitter) that the two sides were working on restructuring Suggs’ deal.
With four years remaining on his deal, Suggs’ new $3MM signing bonus will count for just $750K on each season, creating $2.25MM in cap savings for 2015. It was a logical move for Baltimore since the veteran’s base salary for the coming season was already fully guaranteed, so the team would be paying that $4MM sooner or later. Suggs’ cap hit will be reduced from $6.2MM to just below $4MM in the move, while his cap numbers for 2016 through 2018 each increase by $750K.
After agreeing to a restructure with Suggs, the Ravens are also continuing to explore the possibility of working out a similar arrangement with Haloti Ngata, says Wilson (via Twitter). However, Ngata doesn’t seem to be in any danger of being cut, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the defensive lineman’s contract will likely go unchanged. Ngata likely isn’t enthused about the idea of taking a pay cut, and any other form of restructure would have to involve the team extending his deal beyond 2015.
Latest On DeMarco Murray, Cowboys
When I checked in yesterday on where things stood for this year’s top free agents, running back DeMarco Murray was the highest-ranked player whose destination was still very much up in the air. That remains the case for the NFL’s leading rusher, but it appears a reunion with the Cowboys is becoming less and less likely.
Late last night, Murray deleted all references to the Cowboys from his Twitter profile. On its own, the move wouldn’t necessary be a sign that he doesn’t expect to return to Dallas, but Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports tweets that in this case, it’s a signal of Murray’s frustration — the veteran back wants to re-sign with the Cowboys, but the team isn’t interested in paying big money for him. One source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the club hasn’t even called Murray since last week.
If returning to the Cowboys isn’t a viable option for Murray, he could conceivably take his time to choose his next destination. We heard on Monday that he’s approaching the process slowly and carefully rather than rushing into anything, and that makes sense, considering he’s by far the top player on the market.
Monday’s report also indicated that Murray’s camp is confident about landing an offer worth around $8MM per year. Which team might be willing to pay that kind of money for him? The Jaguars may be one candidate. Even after reaching tentative agreements with Julius Thomas, Jermey Parnell, Jared Odrick, and Dan Skuta, the Jags still have plenty of cap flexibility, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) classifies their interest in Murray as “strong to quite strong.”