Contract Details: P. Robinson, Robertson, Cook
Listed below are some specific details on several of the latest contracts recently agreed upon or signed by NFL free agents. All links courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated.
AFC:
- Patrick Robinson, CB (Colts): Three years, $14MM. $6MM guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. $2MM roster bonus due this Tuesday. $1MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year — becomes fully guaranteed if on roster beyond this Friday (all Twitter links).
- Chris Hairston, OL (Chargers): Two years, $2.9MM. $550K signing bonus (Twitter link).
- Brandon Thompson, DT (Bengals): One year, $840K. $50K signing bonus. $30K workout bonus. $150K incentive for playing time (Twitter link).
- Leonard Hankerson, WR (Bills): One year, minimum salary benefit. $40K workout bonus. $40K first-game 53-man roster bonus (Twitter link).
- Steven Johnson, LB (Steelers): One year, minimum salary benefit. $25K signing bonus. $55K first-game 53-man roster bonus (Twitter link).
NFC:
- Craig Robertson, LB (Saints): Three years, $5MM. $1.965MM guaranteed. $1.2MM signing bonus. $250K roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. $275K due on fifth day of 2018 league year. Up to $1.5MM in annual incentives (Twitter links).
- Jared Cook, TE (Packers): One year, $2.75MM. Up to $900K in incentives for catches, TDs, and Pro Bowl (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Courtney Upshaw, OLB (Falcons): One year, $1.25MM. $390K signing bonus. $100K in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $250K in incentives for playing time and playoffs (Twitter links).
- Mike Morgan, LB (Seahawks): One year, $1MM. $200K signing bonus. $150K incentive for playing time (Twitter link).
- Jamarca Sanford, S (Saints): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus. $130K of $885K salary is guaranteed (Twitter link).
Bears Re-Sign Sam Acho
After spending the 2015 season with the Bears, linebacker Sam Acho will be returning to Chicago for at least one more year. Acho’s agency, SportsTrust Advisors, announced today (via Twitter) that the veteran free agent has agreed to re-sign with the Bears.
Acho, 27, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Cardinals before signing with the Bears for 2015. From a statistical standpoint, Acho’s best season was his rookie year in 2011, when he racked up seven sacks and forced three fumbles. The former fourth-round pick didn’t record a single sack in 2015 for the first time in his career.
While he didn’t make a major impact as a pass rusher during his first year in Chicago, Acho was a solid special-teamer, defensive depth piece, and locker-room presence for the Bears. Pro Football Focus assigned him a solid grade as a run defender, even as his pass rush grade dipped.
Acho earned seven starts in 2015, but if Pernell McPhee, Lamarr Houston, and Willie Young are healthy for the entire 2016 season, I wouldn’t expect him to see the field any more often going forward than he did last year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Cowboys, J. Jones, Bills, Packers
After landing defensive end Benson Mayowa from the Raiders, the Cowboys remain in the market for help on the edge, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, Dallas is bringing in veteran defensive end Jason Jones for a visit. Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link) hears from Jones that he’s flying in tonight and meeting with the team tomorrow.
It’s no surprise that the Cowboys continue to seek defensive end help, since both Greg Hardy and Jeremy Mincey are free agents. As for Jones, the 29-year-old has been a full-time starter in Detroit for the last two seasons, picking up a total of 9.5 sacks in his last two seasons. In 2015, Pro Football Focus ranked him 43rd out of 110 qualified edge defenders, assigning him solid grades as both as a pass rusher and a run defender.
As we wait to see whether Jones ends up landing a deal in Dallas, let’s round up several more updates on free agency…
- In addition to meeting with Jones, the Cowboys will also host offensive lineman Joe Looney, sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Looney can play guard and center, and would be a candidate to replace Mackenzy Bernadeau as an interior depth piece in Dallas.
- Defensive end Kroy Biermann is paying a visit to the Bills today, a source tells Conor Orr of NFL.com (Twitter link). Biermann, 30, has spent his entire eight-year NFL career as a Falcon, picking up a total of seven sacks in the past two seasons.
- After signing Jared Cook, the Packers likely won’t do much else on the free agent market. However, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets that Green Bay has been “poking around” on running backs, including Ronnie Hillman.
- The Cowboys have interest in safety Dashon Goldson, and Washington is also open to the free agent safety’s return, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), who expresses surprise that Goldson remains unsigned.
- Cornerback Brandon Boykin said today that he had offers from about four other teams before he agreed to sign with the Panthers, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) believes that two of those offers were from the Chiefs and Falcons.
Packers Sign Jared Cook
10:46am: It’s a done deal, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, who tweets that Cook signed his new contract moments ago.
9:31am: It will be a one-year deal worth $3.6MM for Cook with the Packers, tweets Rapoport. Pelissero clarifies (via Twitter) that $3.65MM is the max value, with incentives.
According to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link), the Falcons, Panthers, and Bears also had interest in Cook before he agreed to sign with Green Bay.
8:05am: The Packers are set to become the last team in the NFL to sign a player to a free agent contract in the 2016 league year, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that tight end Jared Cook is in Green Bay and is expected to sign with the Packers.
Cook visited Green Bay earlier in the free agent period, and was one of the few outside free agents in whom the Packers displayed any interest. According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link), the veteran tight end completed a deal with the club last Thursday, and things are just being formalized today — Cook will sign after taking a physical.
Having spent his last three seasons with the Rams, Cook was released by the team in February, allowing him to hit the open market early. Although he perhaps didn’t live up to his lucrative contract in St. Louis, Cook still posted relatively solid numbers during his three seasons with the club. From 2013 to 2015, he averaged approximately 47 receptions, 595 yards, and three touchdowns per year.
Tight end Richard Rodgers had something of a breakout season for the Packers in 2015, catching 58 balls for 510 yards and eight touchdowns. However, he was used as more of a check-down target rather than a downfield threat. Cook, who will turn 29 next month, gives the club a bit more of a dynamic pass-catching target at the position, something the Packers haven’t really had since they employed Jermichael Finley.
Of course, the Packers aren’t typically very active in free agency, as their lack of activity up until now has shown. When they do explore the market though, GM Ted Thompson and the team’s decision-makers often prefer players who have been released by other clubs, since those free agents don’t count toward the draft compensatory pick formula for the following season. Cook fits that bill.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Saints Match Bears’ Offer Sheet For Josh Hill
MONDAY, 10:39am: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com provides some specific details on Hill’s new contract, tweeting that it’s worth $7.1MM over three years, with a max value of $8.15MM via incentives. As noted below, it includes $3.25MM in guarantees.
FRIDAY, 3:13pm: The Saints have officially retained tight end Josh Hill, exercising their right of first refusal and matching the offer sheet he signed with the Bears on Tuesday, the team announced today (via Twitter). New Orleans will bring back Hill on the terms of that deal he signed with Chicago.
ESPN’s Mike Triplett and Adam Caplan provided several details on Hill’s offer sheet from the Bears earlier this week, reporting that the three-year deal can be worth up to $7.5MM, and features $3.25MM in guaranteed money.
Hill had already counted for $1.671MM on the Saints’ books for 2016, so if the first-year cap hit on his new deal is higher than that – as it almost certainly will be – it’s another contract New Orleans will have to squeeze under its cap. Having also confirmed a three-year deal for linebacker Craig Robertson, the team figures to announce a corresponding release or contract restructure soon, in order to create cap room for the new additions.
Hill, 25, is coming off a career-high 16-catch season, though he averaged just 7.5 yards per reception. The three-year veteran set personal marks in yards (176), YPC (12.5) and touchdowns (five) during a 14-catch showing in 2014. Prior to signing with the Bears, whom he met with Monday, Hill visited the Jets last week.
By bringing back Hill, the Saints have now signed three tight ends to new contracts this month — Coby Fleener inked a five-year deal to replace Ben Watson as the team’s No. 1 tight end, and Michael Hoomanawanui agreed to a three-year pact to return to New Orleans. Hill will join that duo to create plenty of pass-catching and blocking options for the Saints’ offense.
As for the Bears, they still have Zach Miller and Rob Housler among their tight end options, but the team may look to fortify the position in free agency and/or the draft.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Husain Abdullah Announces Retirement
Free agent safety Husain Abdullah had been one of the best players still available at his position, but he has decided to call it a career rather than signing with a new team. Abdullah announced in an Instagram post today that he will retire, citing concussion concerns as a key reason for the decision.
“There are numerous deciding factors in my decision, with personal health being foremost,” the 30-year-old said within his statement. “Sitting for five weeks last year after suffering the fifth concussion of my career, I had a lot to contemplate. My goals moving forward are to be of benefit to my family, my community, my country and hopefully the world. Having a sound mind will be vital in accomplishing these goals.”
An undrafted free agent out of Washington State, Abdullah made his debut for the Vikings in 2008, serving primarily as a special-teamer during his first couple years in the NFL. However, he started 24 games at safety during his final two years in Minnesota, in 2010 and 2011, grabbing a career-high three interceptions in ’10.
Abdullah stepped away from football during the 2012 season after suffering multiple concussions in 2011, but returned for the Chiefs in 2013, and spent three years in Kansas City. His best season as a Chief came in 2014, when he stepped in as a starter during Eric Berry‘s absence, recording 71 tackles, 10 passes defended, and an interception for a touchdown.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Saints Expected To Extend Sean Payton Through 2020
SUNDAY, 9:30am: John DeShazier of NewOrleansSaints.com is passing along news of the extension, as well as several quotes from Payton.
“We kind of knew that it was going to happen. Honestly, we’re in the middle of free agency and working on a few of these defensive players and at some point, (Saints General Manager) Mickey (Loomis) said, ‘Hey, I’ve got to get this to you.’
“I wasn’t, like, waiting every day like, ‘Where’s the paperwork?’ because there’s a protocol with the attorneys. I think, for us, it was a formality after that last week at the end of the season. It would get done.
“That stability, I don’t take for granted. I very much appreciate the opportunities we have to coach, and to work with players and to work within the framework of a good group, a good organization. We’re all fortunate to be doing something we love.”
When asked when the extension would be officially signed, Payton said, “I think soon. I just got it. I don’t walk around and carry it.”
WEDNESDAY, 7:42am: Payton’s new five-year deal will be worth a little more than $45MM, exceeding $9MM per year, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com.
7:34am: Although he arrived nearly a half-hour late at Wednesday morning’s NFC coaches breakfast in Boca Raton, Florida, Saints head coach Sean Payton found time to break some news. As Bob Glauber of Newsday tweets, Payton said he has agreed to a five-year contract through the 2020 season with the Saints. While he has yet to actually put pen to paper to make the extension official, he plans to do so soon.
News of an extension for Payton doesn’t come as a huge surprise. The veteran head coach indicated last month that he and the Saints were getting close to a new deal. At the time, I observed that Payton’s current deal is set to expire after the 2017 season, meaning he still has two years left on it. That contract is believed to be worth $8MM+ per year, which makes him one of the league’s highest-paid coaches. It’s unlikely that the new extension would pay him any less than that.
During Payton’s nine seasons with the Saints, the team has an 87-57 record during the regular season. Payton has also led the club to a 6-4 record in five playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl win following the 2009 season. New Orleans has now gone 7-9 in consecutive years after averaging 12 victories per season in Payton’s previous four years.
Rumors about Payton’s potential departure from New Orleans have swirled repeatedly in recent years, but even this winter, when it seemed as if the two sides may be set to part ways, they ultimately agreed to continue the relationship. Payton’s new extension doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be with the Saints through the 2020 season (or beyond), but at this point it doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere anytime soon.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jets Sign Darryl Morris
SATURDAY, 8:45am: The Jets have officially announced the signing, although specific terms still haven’t been reported.
FRIDAY, 8:35am: The Jets have added a little cornerback depth to their roster, signing former Texans cornerback Darryl Morris to a contract, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but it would be surprising if it was more than a minimum salary contract.
Morris, 25, spent the last two seasons in Houston after playing for the 49ers in his rookie season in 2013. He saw some extended playing time on defense in 2014, earning his first career start and recording 31 tackles to go along with seven passes defended and an interception. In 2015, he returned to primarily a special teams role, playing fewer than 100 defensive snaps for the Texans.
The Texans had the option of assigning Morris an RFA tender earlier this month to keep him from becoming an unrestricted free agent, but the team non-tendered him instead. A low-end RFA tender for the Texas State alum would have been worth $1.671MM.
The Jets released veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie this offseason and have not re-signed free agent corner Darrin Walls, so the team has been in the market for some depth at the position.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Saints Sign Jamarca Sanford
MARCH 25, 6:02pm: The Sanford signing became official today, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
MARCH 17, 10:53am: The Saints have struck a deal with veteran safety Jamarca Sanford, and will re-sign him to a one-year contract, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Sanford had been an unrestricted free agent.
Sanford, 30, was a full-time starter for the Vikings from 2011 to 2013, but has mostly settled into a special teams role since joining the Saints in 2014. Last season, he was New Orleans’ third safety behind Jairus Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro for the majority of the year, earning just over 100 defensive snaps and making one interception.
With Byrd and Vaccaro set to return for the 2016 season, Sanford doesn’t have a clear path to a starting job, but his spot on the depth chart may be a little more secure with Rafael Bush – who missed nearly the entire 2015 season with a torn pectoral muscle – having left New Orleans to sign with the Lions.
NFC Draft Updates: Giants, Cowboys, Saints
Earlier this week, when Mississippi wideout Laquon Treadwell cited five teams who had shown interest in him, one of the five he mentioned was “New York,” creating some uncertainty about which New York team he meant. As expected, it seems he was referring to the Giants and not the Jets — Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that the first-round prospect will pay a pre-draft visit to the Giants.
Unlike the Giants, the Jets have a clear No. 2 option on their depth chart at wide receiver, with Eric Decker complementing Brandon Marshall. The Giants, having lost Rueben Randle this week, will be looking for someone to step up and take that No. 2 role behind Odell Beckham, but it remains to be seen whether that player would be Treadwell — the Giants have been considered more likely to use their first-rounder on an offensive lineman or a defender.
Let’s round up a few more draft updates from around the NFC…
- The entire Cowboys coaching staff was in attendance to work out Ohio State prospects today, according to the Buckeyes’ director of player personnel, Mark Pantoni (Twitter link). Ezekiel Elliott and Joey Bosa are among the high-end Ohio State players the Cowboys could consider in next month’s draft.
- Speaking of the Cowboys, they worked out Florida safety Keanu Neal this week, per Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). Neal would likely be a second-round target if Dallas is interested in him.
- Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed will visit the Saints in April, a league source tells Kristian Garic of WWL 870AM (Twitter link). Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate also provides an update on the Saints’ draft prospects, tweeting that San Jose State running back Tyler Ervin will privately work out for the team.
- We heard on Thursday that the 49ers recently put Shaq Lawson through a workout, but he wasn’t the only Clemson defensive end to get a look from the team. According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, GM Trent Baalke also worked out Kevin Dodd. Both players are expected to visit the Niners in the coming weeks.