Dolphins Exploring Trade Market For RBs
Having missed out on several running back targets already this month, the Dolphins continue to explore every option for adding a player to their backfield. A league source tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that the Dolphins’ search for a running back has led them to the trade market, where they’ve had conversations with multiple teams about a possible deal.
Salguero’s source did not specify particular teams the Dolphins have spoken to, or players they’ve inquired about, but it doesn’t appear any deal is imminent anyway.
The Dolphins saw Lamar Miller depart in free agency, signing a four-year deal with the Texans. Miami then attempted to land restricted free agent C.J. Anderson, but the Broncos ultimately decided to match Anderson’s four-year, $18MM offer sheet from the Fins, who were also in the running for Chris Johnson before he opted to re-sign with the Cardinals.
The Dolphins like incumbent running back Jay Ajayi, a 2015 fifth-rounder, but have been seeking a complementary back in order to avoid the Boise State product having to carry too significant a load.
While a trade is one option for Miami, the team could also return to the free agent market. Salguero mentions Arian Foster as one possibility, but he’s far from the only option — LeGarrette Blount, Ronnie Hillman, Steven Ridley, and Tim Hightower, among others, remain unsigned.
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NFC Notes: C. Jones, Brees, Bucs, Cowboys
Speaking today to reporters, including Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians admitted he was “shocked” to learn that Chandler Jones was available, revealing that the Patriots instigated the trade discussions that led to a deal earlier this month. While Chandler has just one year left on his contract, Arians is confident he’ll remain in Arizona for a while: “When he hits free agency, we’ll have the dollars to make sure he stays.”
Let’s round up a few more items of interest from around the NFC…
- In the wake of news that Sean Payton will be extended through the 2020 season by the Saints, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets that New Orleans is also discussing a deal that would lock up quarterback Drew Brees for the next five years. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com recently explained why signing Brees through 2020 might make the most sense for the Saints.
- Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter believes Mike Glennon is capable of starting in the NFL, and prefers to keep him in the mix, but he acknowledged today that the team is fond of Ryan Griffin as well, hinting that Griffin would also be capable of backing up Jameis Winston if Glennon is dealt (Twitter links via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times and Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune).
- Koetter also said today that the Buccaneers intend to add a fullback to their roster, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).
- The free agent market for a backup quarterback was a little too pricey for the Cowboys, but the team still wants to address the No. 2 spot on its depth chart behind Tony Romo, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com details. According to Jerry Jones, there “will be options” for Dallas, including potentially landing a veteran or adding a signal-caller within the first couple days of the draft. Kellen Moore currently projects as Romo’s backup.
Roger Goodell Talks Pats, Chiefs, China, Vegas
With the NFL’s owners meetings winding down in Boca Raton, Florida, commissioner Roger Goodell took to the podium this morning to announcing the rules changes approved by the league and to take questions from reporters. We won’t get into the rule changes here, but we’ll round up several of the more noteworthy comments Goodell made in response to those reporters’ inquiries. Let’s dive in…
- Goodell confirmed that he received Robert Kraft‘s letter asking for the Patriots to get their draft picks back. However, after “considering his views,” Goodell has decided that New England’s Deflategate penalties won’t be altered, since the commissioner doesn’t feel as if new information has surfaced.
- The NFL and NFL Players Association are not close – “by any stretch of the imagination” – to reaching an agreement on player discipline that would strip Goodell of some or all of his power and authority.
- Goodell expects to serve as the arbitrator for the Chiefs‘ appeal of their tampering penalties, adding that he’ll make sure that appeal happened before the draft if the team pushes for that.
- No discipline is expected for the Falcons and/or their coaches after secondary coach Marquand Manuel asked cornerback prospect Eli Apple at the combine if he liked men.
- Although several reports have suggested that the Rams are expected to host the NFL’s 2018 regular-season game in China, Goodell said several teams are interested and no decisions have been made yet. However, he did confirm that the league will play a game in China in ’18.
- Asked about the possibility of the Raiders moving to Las Vegas, Goodell didn’t close the door on the possibility of having an NFL franchise there, suggesting that the league’s 32 owners would have a decision to make if a formal proposal was put on the table. The city’s economic reliance on gambling, and the potential impact on the NFL, would certainly be a significant factor in that decision.
- While no decisions have been made on Josh Gordon‘s potential reinstatement, Goodell expects his staff to update him on the Browns wide receiver’s case next week.
FA Rumors: RGIII, Browns, Rams, Falcons
Will Robert Griffin III ultimately sign with the Browns after visiting Cleveland last week? According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via Twitter), the prevailing feeling at the owners’ meetings in Boca Raton is that the Browns will indeed be able to get something done with RGIII. There’s no agreement in place yet, but Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets that there’s a possibility of a deal by the end of the week.
As we wait to see if the two sides can strike a deal, let’s round up a few other items related to free agency, including another one on Griffin…
- Asked about the possibility of pursuing RGIII, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher acknowledged that it’s something his team may have to consider (video link via TheRams.com). However, it didn’t sound like there was much urgency on that front for Fisher and the Rams, who have plenty of confidence in Case Keenum as their starter.
- Falcons head coach Dan Quinn confirmed this morning that his club remains in negotiations with free agent linebacker Philip Wheeler, who may end up returning, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- Asked today about the possibility of bringing back defensive end Greg Hardy, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said that Dallas is “focused on some other guys right now,” per Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Although there hasn’t been much movement on the Chad Greenway front so far, the veteran linebacker remains confident that he’ll be able to work out a new deal with the Vikings, as Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. While Greenway’s first choice is to remain in Minnesota, he did acknowledge that he has received some inquiries from other teams, but he’s not in a rush to make a decision.
- Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said he was “shocked” that both Chris Johnson and Jermaine Gresham accepted less money to re-sign in Arizona, adding that there was no special sales pitch for either player (Twitter links via Peter Schrager of FOX Sports).
Jets Restructure James Carpenter’s Contract
The Jets have completed a simple restructure on James Carpenter‘s contract, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com, who tweets that the team converted a portion of the veteran guard’s 2016 salary into a signing bonus. The move had been necessary to create room for the addition of nose tackle Steve McLendon.
Carpenter’s $4.45MM base salary had already been partially guaranteed, but the Jets assured the lineman of a little more of that money up front by turning $3.69MM of it into a signing bonus, leaving a minimum salary of $760K. For cap purposes, that signing bonus prorates over the next three seasons, meaning it reduces Carpenter’s 2016 cap charge by $2.46MM, and increases his 2017 and 2018 charges by $1.23MM apiece.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), the Jets’ new deal with McLendon features a cap number of $2.5MM for 2016, including a $1.75MM base salary and a prorated portion of his $2.25MM signing bonus. In other words, the reduction of Carpenter’s cap hit gives the team almost the exact amount it needed to accommodate McLendon’s contract.
Further restructures, cuts, or trades will be required for the Jets in the coming weeks, as OverTheCap.com had the team at just $2.282MM in cap space prior to the Carpenter and McLendon transactions. Of course, adding a player like Ryan Fitzpatrick to the club’s books will require a few million dollars in cap room. At the very least, New York will need to create the space necessary to sign its rookie class and to allow for a little in-season flexibility.
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Bears Sign TE Josh Hill To Offer Sheet
WEDNESDAY, 6:58am: ESPN’s Mike Triplett and Adam Caplan provide a few more details on Hill’s offer sheet from the Bears, reporting that the three-year deal can be worth up to $7.5MM, and features $3.25MM in guaranteed money.
TUESDAY, 4:38pm: Hill’s offer sheet is worth in the neighborhood of $2MM annually, per Biggs, who notes that the Saints have less than $1.3MM in cap space (Twitter link).
4:01pm: The Bears have signed restricted free agent tight end Josh Hill to an offer sheet, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links). According to Biggs, Hill got a three-year deal, which New Orleans will have five days to match. Because 
the Saints assigned Hill a low-end RFA tender, they won’t receive any compensation if they decide not to match Chicago’s offer.
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.
The Bears have a No. 1 tight end in Zach Miller, but they may have created a need in the top two last week when they traded Martellus Bennett to the Patriots. Rob Housler is currently the top reserve behind Miller, though adding Hill could put his spot in jeopardy. The Saints, meanwhile, signed ex-Colt Coby Fleener to a five-year, $36MM deal when free agency opened and have Michael Hoomanawanui as a backup.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: Raji, Brees, Seahawks, Rams
Packers president Mark Murphy was surprised by B.J. Raji‘s decision to walk away from football, but he respects the former NFL defensive lineman’s decision, as ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky writes.
“Oh yeah, he had been communicating with [team contract negotiator Russ Ball] and we thought we had a deal done,” the Packers president said. “I think it surprised his agent. I’ll tell you, I really respect B.J. It’s not an easy decision. The easy thing to do is take the money. Especially the letter he wrote, he obviously thought things through. No, I was surprised. I’m happy for him. He obviously gave it some thought.”
While Raji won’t be playing in 2016, he left the door open for a return in the future, and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy believes the big defensive tackle will eventually return. “It would have to be at the right time,” McCarthy said, per Demovsky.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Saints quarterback Drew Brees says that extension talks are ongoing, though he does not know when or if a deal will be worked out, as Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune writes. “I don’t know that it is something that will be done next week or before the end of the year or next year or when,” Brees said on 104.5-FM in Baton Rouge. Brees, 37, is entering the final year of a five-year, $100MM deal he signed in 2012.
- Asked today about the message Kam Chancellor posted to Instagram last week indicating that he’s “not going anywhere,” Seahawks GM John Schneider confirmed that the safety will “absolutely” be a Seahawk in 2016, though he didn’t offer any specifics on whether a specific conversation or incident prompted Chancellor to post that message. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times has the details.
- Schneider also said today that the Seahawks have not yet received Marshawn Lynch‘s retirement papers, but said there’s no rush to make a roster move involving Lynch — for cap purposes, the club may wait until after June 1 to do anything with Lynch (Twitter link via Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com).
- Having lost Rodney McLeod in free agency, the Rams continue to monitor the market in search of potential help at the free safety position, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
- Lions GM Bob Quinn indicated today that the team’s extension discussions with 2013’s draft class likely won’t really heat up until after the draft, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). Ezekiel Ansah and Darius Slay are, of course, the two most noteworthy extension candidates who fit that bill.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
49ers Sign Zane Beadles To Three-Year Deal
MARCH 22: The 49ers have officially confirmed the signing of Beadles.
MARCH 17: The 49ers have made an addition to their offensive line, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has agreed to terms on a deal with free agent guard Zane Beadles. Per Caplan, Beadles will get a three-year, $11.75MM contract from San Francisco.
Beadles, 29, inked a lucrative five-year contract with the Jaguars two offseasons ago, and started all 32 of the team’s games at left guard in 2014 and 2015. However, the former Pro Bowler wasn’t overly effective after heading to Jacksonville from the Broncos. In 2015, Pro Football Focus ranked him 64th out of 81 qualified guards, and the Jags ultimately moved on from him, releasing him earlier this month.
In San Francisco, Beadles seems like a logical fit to step in on the offensive line for Alex Boone, who played primarily at left guard in 2015 before departing for the Vikings in free agency last week. Because he was cut by his previous team, Beadles won’t count against the compensatory draft pick formula for 2016.
The 49ers have been relatively quiet in free agency so far, and actually entered the day with the most cap room in the NFL, according to OverTheCap.com. Teams that entered the offseason with more space than the Niners, such as the Raiders, Jaguars, and Giants, have been among the most active spenders in free agency, leaving San Francisco at the top of that list.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dolphins Sign Kraig Urbik
3:29pm: Urbik’s deal with the Dolphins is now official, the team has announced (via Twitter).
2:00pm: The Dolphins and Urbik have agreed to terms, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network.
12:14am: The Dolphins are bringing free agent guard Kraig Urbik to team headquarters in Davie and plan on signing him to a contract if everything – including medical tests – goes well, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Urbik, 30, was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2009 draft, but never appeared in a regular season game for Pittsburgh and was waived a little over a year after being drafted. Upon landing with the Bills in 2010, Urbik got the opportunity to see the field, and spent the next six seasons in Buffalo, starting 57 of the 84 games he played for the club.
In 2015, Urbik started four games for the Bills but was relegated primarily to reserve duty. With free agent signee Richie Incognito and 2015 third-rounder John Miller manning the guard spots, Urbik became somewhat expendable in Buffalo, particularly with the team needing to create every bit of cap space it could. He was released at the start of March.
Because Urbik was cut prior to the free agent period, he won’t count toward the compensatory draft pick formula if Miami signs him. For the Dolphins, Urbik would be the second veteran free agent added to the mix at guard. The team also signed former Bears left tackle Jermon Bushrod, intending to move him inside.
Out of 81 qualified guards in 2015, the Dolphins’ two starters – Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner – both ranked in the bottom 15 based on Pro Football Focus’ grades, so it’s no surprise that the team has made it a priority this offseason to add players capable of potentially beating out Thomas and Turner for starting jobs.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Trade Rumors: Kaepernick, Chargers, Tulloch
Earlier this afternoon, we passed along a report indicating that the Jets may be shopping defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. However, those aren’t the only trade discussions said to be taking place around the league. Here’s the latest on a few others:
- 49ers general manager Trent Baalke confirmed on Tuesday that the team has given Colin Kaepernick‘s representatives the go-ahead to talk to other teams about a possible trade. But the Niners are “nowhere near” getting a deal done, Baalke tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Asked why the 49ers are allowing Kaepernick to explore trade options if they want him back, the GM explained: “I think sometimes it helps players work through anything they may have. It gives them a chance to see what their options really are. It also gives us a chance to say we didn’t hold you back from doing that.”
- Chargers GM Tom Telesco confirmed on Tuesday that multiple teams have approached San Diego about acquiring the No. 3 overall pick. Telesco isn’t sure if anything will come of those discussions, but says he’s all ears, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune details. “They usually ask if I’m interested, and I say, ‘Yes,'” Telesco said. “I’ve had multiple teams ask. That’s where it starts. … It’s certainly an option. We’ll just follow it through and see where it goes.”
- Like San Diego, the Titans remain open to trading their first-round pick, with GM Jon Robinson suggesting today that he had “a couple of conversations” at the owners’ meeting about the No. 1 selection (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). As Schefter outlines, Robinson tried to downplay his recent comments about wanting a “king’s ransom” for that first overall pick, noting that it doesn’t mean the team isn’t willing to move down.
- Although it still appears that linebacker Stephen Tulloch isn’t in the Lions‘ plans for 2016, the team is trying to trade him rather than release him, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The fact that the Lions plan to cut Tulloch if they can’t find a trade partner means that it may be difficult for the team to find an offer.