Falcons Re-Sign Eric Weems
SATURDAY, 9:25am: The two-year pact has an average annual value of about $1.5MM, tweets ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. Presumably, the total value of the contract is just south of $3MM. McClure notes that the contract is one of the most lucrative among special teasers, and he adds that the contract has incentives for production at wide receiver.
FRIDAY, 4:33pm: The Falcons have reached an agreement with wide receiver and special teamer Eric Weems on a new two-year contract that will keep him off the open market, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Weems had been eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.
Weems, who turns 30 in July, was a key special teams player for the Falcons in 2014, recording 12 tackles in kick and punt coverage. The veteran also played over 200 offensive snaps, and while he didn’t see a ton of targets, two of his 10 receptions on the season went for touchdowns. The Falcons also used to utilize Weems as kick returner, but he probably won’t be asked to resume those duties as long as Devin Hester is around.
Financial terms of the deal aren’t yet know, but I’d expect a fairly modest salary figures for Weems.
Texans Rumors: Jackson, Newton, Reed
Here’s the latest out of Houston late on the Friday night before free agency gets underway:
- According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), it appears likely that Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson will reach the free agent market, where he’ll be among the more coveted defensive players available.
- Several Texans beat writers, however, report that the team is still in negotiations with Jackson, and Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston tweets that the two sides are hopeful about getting a deal done at some point this weekend.
- Per Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle and Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (Twitter link), offensive tackle Derek Newton also continued to discuss a new deal with the Texans on Friday, and hopes to re-sign. According to Ganguli, it’s “very possible” that both Jackson and Newton remain with the team.
- Outside linebacker Brooks Reed will hit the free agent market and isn’t expected to re-sign with the Texans, says Smith. Ganguli points out (via Twitter) that while the Texans have been engaged in talks with a few of their free-agents-to-be, including Jackson and Newton, they haven’t negotiated with Reed’s agent at this point.
Rams Tender Rodney McLeod, Two Others
Earlier tonight, we heard that the Rams tendered offers to ensure that exclusive rights free agents Chase Reynolds and Brandon Washington remain with the team. However, those weren’t the only free agent tenders issued by the team on Friday. According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter links), the club also tendered offers to safety Rodney McLeod, quarterback Austin Davis, and tight end Cory Harkey.
McLeod, who was eligible for restricted free agency, was the only player of the trio to receive a second-round tender, worth $2.356MM. The offer ensures that if McLeod gets an offer to sign elsewhere, the Rams would have the opportunity to sign an offer sheet, and would receive a second-round pick as compensation if they chose to let him go. When I previewed the Rams’ offseason earlier in the week, I identified the safety as one of the free agents the team would make an effort to retain, since he has established himself as a solid starter and is still entering his prime.
Davis and Harkey were both eligible to be restricted free agents as well, and they received the minimum-level tender from the team — that’s a one-year offer worth $1.542MM. Of the two, Davis seems more likely to draw interest from another club, and if he were to sign an offer sheet, the Rams wouldn’t receive any compensation if they didn’t match the offer. Depending on what St. Louis decides to do with prospective free agent quarterback Shaun Hill, Davis could return to the team as the No. 2 signal-caller behind Sam Bradford next season.
Offensive lineman Tim Barnes, another potential restricted free agent, didn’t receive a tender offer from the Rams, meaning he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next week, tweets Thomas.
Seahawks Extend Marshawn Lynch Through 2017
6:20pm: Lynch has officially signed his extension, according to Rapoport (via Twitter), for $24MM over two years. Lynch will make $12MM in 2015. After that, there’s a “distinct possibility” Lynch will retire, tweeted Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, even though the deal will run through the 2017 campaign.
5:50pm: Per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Lynch’s new deal is for three years and $31MM. Lynch will receive $12MM in 2015 ($4.5MM in salary and a $7.5MM signing bonus), and base salaries of $9MM in 2016 and $7MM in 2017. He’ll also get a $3MM roster bonus in 2017 if the Seahawks retain him beyond the fifth day of the league year. Should Lynch retire after next season, he’ll owe the team $5MM of the signing bonus, though Florio doesn’t think the Seahawks would pursue the money.
3:35pm: After a few weeks of uncertainty, Marshawn Lynch has decided to continue his NFL career, and has reached an 
agreement with the Seahawks on a new deal, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). It appeared last month that the two sides were close to a resolution, though the situation remained fluid until now.
If the terms of Lynch’s new deal are identical the reported Seahawks offer from last month, the running back is expected to earn around $12MM in the first year of the deal and $9MM in year two. However, it’s not yet known if the two sides continued to negotiate over the last couple weeks, and perhaps altered some of the terms of that arrangement.
Regardless of the financial terms of Lynch’s new deal, it appears “Beast Mode” will be back in Seattle for the 2015 season after having contemplated retirement following the team’s Super Bowl loss to New England. Recent reports indicated that chronic back troubles could ultimately prompt Lynch to hang up his cleats, but it seems as though both he and the team are confident in his health going forward.
The Seahawks went through a protracted contract dispute with Lynch prior to last season, but the two sides ultimately inked a new deal that guaranteed the running back $6.5MM. Lynch went on to rush for than 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns, catching another 37 passes out of the backfield as Seattle earned its second consecutive Super Bowl berth. Once the Seahawks officially get Lynch to sign on the dotted line, they’ll presumably turn their attention to extending other notable players such as Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Lynch is currently en route to Seattle to meet with team owner Paul Allen, at which point the two sides will presumably finalize the new contract. Until the mercurial running back makes it official, there’s always a chance things could fall apart, but it sounds like he has made up his mind.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Titans Likely To Be Aggressive In Free Agency
Armed with nearly $50MM in cap room as Tuesday nears, the Titans are planning to be “extraordinarily aggressive” in free agency this month, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). According to Cole, the team may be involved in the bidding on some high-end free agents, including Ndamukong Suh, Greg Hardy, and Darrelle Revis, if the cornerback makes it to the open market.
While I wouldn’t expect the Titans to be the favorites to land players like Suh or Revis, who will probably receive competitive offers from teams closer to Super Bowl contention, Hardy is an interesting name. Given his off-field issues, and the fact that the league has yet to announce whether or not he’ll be suspended, some teams may shy away from Hardy, which could open the door for a team like Tennessee.
Hardy played in a 4-3 system in Carolina, so there may be some adjustment necessary if he were to join a team like the Titans, whose scheme leans more toward a 3-4, but the 26-year-old’s ability to get to the quarterback makes him a potential asset for any NFL team.
Speaking to reporters last month at the combine in Indianapolis, GM Ruston Webster cautioned that the most effective way to build a strong roster is through the draft, but did admit that he expects the club to try to fill some holes through free agency. According to Cole, the edict to spend may come down from above — the Bleacher Report insider says owner Tommy Smith has made it clear to his management team that he wants to be active in free agency.
Stephen Gostkowski Signs Franchise Tender
Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski has signed his one-year franchise contract tender from the club, ensuring that he’s locked into a 2015 salary of nearly $4.6MM, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Gostkowski and the Pats could still work out a longer-term deal that reduces that figure, but the team won’t be able to rescind the one-year offer at any point now Gostkowski has signed it.
Gostkowski, 31, has led the NFL in field goals in each of the last two seasons, making 73 of his 78 total attempts during that stretch, for a 93.6% mark. Gostkowski has also made all 95 of his extra point tries over the last two years. That success prompted the Pats to designate him as their franchise player, rather than using the tag on safety Devin McCourty, who now appears set to reach the open market.
The move makes Gostkowski the first of six players who were hit with the franchise or transition tag to sign the one-year tender. Dez Bryant, Justin Houston, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Demaryius Thomas have yet to sign their franchise offers, while Charles Clay hasn’t signed his transition offer.
LaRon Landry Suspended For 10 Games
Former Colts safety LaRon Landry has been suspended for the first 10 games of the 2014 season, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). While Yates didn’t specify what Landry is being disciplined for, it appears to be for another violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, which calls for a 10-game ban for second-time violators.
Under the NFL’s drug policy, which was tweaked last year, first-time violators for steroids, stimulants, HGH, and other banned substances are subject to suspensions of four games without pay — Landry served a suspension of that variety this past season while he was still a Colt. Assuming Landry returns to the NFL following his 10-game penalty, he’d have plenty of incentive to avoid failing another test. A third violation of the policy would result in a banishment for a minimum of two years.
Having been released by the Colts earlier in the offseason, Landry is currently an unrestricted free agent, and the suspension certainly won’t help his stock this month. A team may still take a flier on him in the hopes of stashing him away on the reserve/suspended list until he’s eligible to return, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the veteran safety had to wait until halfway through the 2015 season to find a deal.
AFC FA Rumors: Hawk, Cole, Hartline, Chiefs
After rounding up several free agent rumors from around the NFC earlier this afternoon, it’s time for a look at the AFC. Here’s the latest:
- Former Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk is set to visit with the Bengals next week, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (via Twitter). Cincinnati re-signed linebacker Rey Maualuga this week, but with Vontaze Burfict‘s recovery timetable still uncertain following microfracture surgery, the team could use some more depth at the position.
- Assuming Trent Cole leaves Tampa Bay without a deal from the Buccaneers, he’ll head to Indianapolis next week to meet with the Colts, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Like the 49ers, who also have interest in Cole, the Colts are a 3-4 team, so it’ll be interesting to see if the veteran edge defender views the club as a good fit.
- According to Jason Walker of ESPN.com (via Twitter), agent Drew Rosenhaus said today that the Chiefs are in the mix for wide receiver Brian Hartline, adding them to a group of suitors that includes the Dolphins, Browns, and Texans. Meanwhile, the Browns have about a “50/50” chance of landing Hartline, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who says Cleveland could balk at the wideout’s asking price.
- We can also add the Chiefs to the list of teams interested in free agency safety Tyvon Branch, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Kansas City is on Branch’s list of scheduled meetings, following his visit to Washington.
- The Jaguars are expected to have a look at fullback Jerome Felton once free agency begins, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The team decided not to tender a contract offer to restricted free agent fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou, and could be on the lookout for a replacement.
NFC FA Rumors: Vikings, Seahawks, House
On the eve of 2015’s “legal tampering period,” during which teams can talk to agents for players who are eligible for unrestricted free agency on Tuesday, let’s round up a few FA updates from around the NFC….
- Having started his career in Minnesota, Tarvaris Jackson hasn’t played a game for the Vikings since 2010, but he’d have interest in returning to the team, he tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I still go (to Minnesota) to train every summer,” Jackson said. “Coming there, I think I could definitely help Teddy out. I love being in Minnesota. It’s a place that I’ll never forget. It’s a part of my life. … I don’t know why (the Vikings) wouldn’t be interested in me.” The Vikings will certainly be in the market for a backup after trading Matt Cassel, so they could take a look at Jackson, who has spent the last couple seasons backing up Russell Wilson in Seattle and is a free-agent-to-be.
- Speaking of Seattle, don’t be shocked if the Seahawks emerge as a viable landing spot for tight end Julius Thomas, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. A player like Thomas would certainly be a nice addition to Seattle’s offense, giving Wilson a top red zone option.
- Agent Kenny Zuckerman confirmed today that Packers cornerback Davon House expects to reach the open market, and Zuckerman thinks his client will draw “a lot of interest,” writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. That doesn’t rule out a return to Green Bay, but it looks like other teams will get the opportunity to pursue House.
- Cornerback Walter Thurmond, who is coming off a season-ending pectoral injury, is not expected to re-sign with the Giants, and Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com expects the Falcons to strongly consider the veteran. Thurmond formerly played on Dan Quinn‘s defense in Seattle.
- Expect the Buccaneers to kick the tires on free agent safety Chris Conte, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, pointing out that Conte played for current Bucs head coach Lovie Smith in Chicago.
Dolphins Rumors: Odrick, LBs, Wallace, Shorts
Barry Jackson’s latest article for the Miami Herald includes plenty of buzz on the Dolphins, so let’s dive right in and round up some of the highlights….
- As the Dolphins prepare to make an aggressive bid for Ndamukong Suh, the team has kept its own free-agent-to-be defensive tackle, Jared Odrick, in limbo. Miami had yet to make an offer to Odrick as of Friday morning, and while it’s still possible he returns, the Dolphins may view him as a backup plan to Suh, and he should attract plenty of interest elsewhere. Jackson lists the Colts, Chiefs, Raiders, Bears, and Jaguars as the clubs expected to have interest in Odrick, suggesting a deal in the range of $7MM per year is realistic.
- With David Harris back under contract for the Jets, the Dolphins figure to turn their attention to linebackers like Mason Foster and Dan Skuta. Jackson names Nate Irving and Brandon Spikes as a couple other potential free agents who may draw interest from Miami.
- The Dolphins would like to upgrade over Koa Misi at middle linebacker, but could move Misi to the strong side if they can find a replacement.
- As of Thursday, the Fins remained “genuinely uncertain” about Mike Wallace‘s future, a source tells Jackson. There’s some support in the front office for keeping the veteran wideout, but his cap hit is an issue.
- Cecil Shorts is among the free agent receivers the Dolphins have discussed internally, per Jackson.