AFC South Notes: Titans, Free Agents, Texans
Addressing a couple of the free agents the Titans brought in for visits earlier this month, general manager Jon Robinson confirmed that the team met with offensive lineman Louis Vasquez and safety Rashad Johnson, and didn’t rule out the possibility of working out a deal with either player (Twitter links via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com).
According to Robinson, he’s still in communication with Vasquez’s agent. As for Johnson, the GM suggested that the two sides are in something of a holding pattern — I’m speculating, but that makes it sound as if the Titans haven’t been willing to increase their offer to the veteran safety, and he has yet to receive a better offer from another team.
As we wait to see if Tennessee lands either Vasquez or Johnson, let’s check in on some other notes from out of the AFC South…
- Titans head coach Mike Mularkey said that quarterback Marcus Mariota has been a solid recruiter so far in free agency, reaching out to players himself and acting as a part of the “welcome committee” (Twitter link via Wyatt). The team has been pretty active so far in free agency, having signed or re-signed Rishard Matthews, Ben Jones, Byron Bell, Antwon Blake, Al Woods, Brice McCain, and Sean Spence, among others.
- The Titans are in the market for a new director of player development, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, who notes that Tre’ Stallings is no longer with the club.
- Antonio Allen‘s one-year deal with the Texans is worth just $800K and doesn’t feature a significant bonus, but it didn’t qualify for the minimum salary benefit, so the full $800K will count against Houston’s cap, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle clarifies (via Twitter).
- In a piece for the Chronicle, Wilson examines Arian Foster‘s comeback from a torn Achilles, writing that the longtime Texans running back remains “passionate” about football and aims to be back on the field in 2016. Having been released by Houston, Foster will be looking for a new team.
Seahawks Re-Sign Mike Morgan
The Seahawks have brought back one of their own free agents, with owner Paul Allen announcing today (via Twitter) that the team has re-signed linebacker Mike Morgan. Terms of the agreement aren’t yet known.
Morgan, 28, has primarily served as a special teams player for the Seahawks since joining the team in 2011. However, he did earn a pair of starts in 2015, recording his first career sack in Week 6 against the Panthers. Pro Football Focus assigned him a solid pass coverage grade, though it was a small sample size — he appeared in fewer than 100 defensive snaps.
Before agreeing to re-sign with the Seahawks, Morgan reportedly had a Friday visit to Pittsburgh to meet with the Steelers on his schedule. That visit may have prompted Seattle to make an offer to retain the veteran linebacker, though it’s unlikely to be too lucrative a deal — Morgan earned $1MM on a one-year deal in 2015, and I don’t expect he’ll be in line for much of a raise for 2016.
The Seahawks lost a starting linebacker earlier this month when Bruce Irvin inked a four-year contract with the Raiders, so depending on what the team does during the rest of the free agent period, and in the draft, Morgan could find himself vying for a larger role next season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns, Rahim Moore Agree To Deal
SATURDAY, 10:58am: The deal is for one year and $1.85MM, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The safety will earn a $400K signing bonus.
WEDNESDAY, 3:33pm: Former Broncos and Texans safety Rahim Moore will be signing with the Browns, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It has been a busy day so far in Cleveland, where the Browns have released veterans Karlos Dansby and Dwayne Bowe, and added free agent linebacker Demario Davis.
Moore signed a three-year, $12MM contract with the Texans just a year ago, but his first and only season in Houston was a disappointment, as he lost his starting job to Andre Hal halfway through the year. He was cut by the Texans earlier this month.
Still, although Moore is coming off a poor 2015 campaign, the UCLA product was Denver’s primary free safety from 2011 to 2014, starting 48 regular-season contests during that stretch. He was also very impressive in his final season in Denver, racking up 51 tackles to go along with four interceptions in ’14.
While there’s no guarantee that Moore will bounce back in Cleveland in 2016, he’ll certainly come cheaper than the Browns’ former free safety, Tashaun Gipson, who inked a $35MM+ contract with the Jaguars. Moore figures to compete for a starting job in Cleveland’s secondary alongside veteran strong safety Donte Whitner.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Texans, Jonathan Grimes Agree To Deal
SATURDAY, 9:40am: Grimes’ one-year deal with the Texans is worth $900K, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
FRIDAY, 10:42am: The Texans are bringing back running back Jonathan Grimes, according to agent Sunny Shah, who tweets that his client has agreed to a one-year contract to return to Houston. The deal will allow Grimes to return to the free agent market a year from now.
Grimes, 26, wasn’t the primary option in Houston in 2015, even with Arian Foster out for the majority of the season, but he did earn a slightly increased role. In 14 games, he set new career highs in rushing attempts (56), rushing yards (282), receptions (26), receiving yards (173), and total touchdowns (two). Despite not receiving a ton of touches, the William & Mary product averaged 5.0 yards per carry and has a fan in head coach Bill O’Brien, as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
Foster is no longer in the picture heading into the 2016 season, but the Texans’ backfield should still be fairly crowded. The team signed Lamar Miller to a four-year deal, and the financial terms on that contract suggest he’ll be in line for a majority of the carries. In addition to Grimes, Alfred Blue – who had 183 carries in 2015 – will also return, and so will young speedster Akeem Hunt.
Having reached an agreement with Grimes, the Texans are also looking ahead to the draft today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, who writes that the team worked out Texas A&M offensive linemen Germain Ifedi and Mike Matthews. Ifedi projects as a possible first-round pick, while Matthews is a potential late-round selection.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Patriots Sign Donald Brown
SATURDAY, 8:45am: It’s a one-year deal for Brown worth $965K, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The deal includes an $885K salary, a $50K signing bonus, and a $30K workout bonus. His cap number is worth $680K.
The Patriots also gave the running back $300K in guaranteed money, which Volin suggests could be an indication that Brown’s going to stick around for the regular season.
FRIDAY, 1:24pm: The Patriots have formally announced their deal with Brown.
WEDNESDAY, 2:21pm: The Patriots have added a running back to their offense, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports, who tweets that the team has agreed to terms with veteran free agent Donald Brown.
With veterans LeGarrette Blount and Steven Jackson eligible for free agency, Brown will join a backfield that currently features James White, Dion Lewis, and Brandon Bolden, among others. While the move shouldn’t preclude a reunion with Blount, or another veteran addition, Brown will provide some insurance on the depth chart.
Brown, who turns 29 next month, had been set to enter the final season of the three-year contract he signed with the Chargers back in 2014. However, he was released by San Diego earlier in March.
Although he made a handful of starts during his two years with the Chargers, particularly when the club’s backfield was hit hard by injuries, Brown never made a significant impact. In total, he accumulated 452 rushing yards on 144 attempts (3.1 ypc), and added 299 receiving yards on 37 catches.
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NFC Contract Details: Starks, Galette, Mathis
Here are several of the latest contract details on deals which were agreed upon or signed within the last week. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated.
NFC North:
- James Starks, RB (Packers): Two years, $6MM. $1.5MM signing bonus. $300K in annual per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $600K in annual Pro Bowl and rushing-yard incentives (Twitter link).
- Andre Smith, T (Vikings): One year, $3.5MM. $500K of $2.5MM base salary guaranteed. $250K in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $1MM in playing-time and Pro Bowl incentives (Twitter link).
- Terence Newman, CB (Vikings): One year, $2.5MM. $1MM guaranteed. $250K in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $500K in playing-time incentives (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Mitch Unrein, DL (Bears): Two years, $2.26MM. $500K guaranteed. $300K signing bonus. $200K roster bonus due April 1. $500K base escalator for 2017 (Twitter link).
- Matt Asiata, RB (Vikings): One year, $840K. $60K signing bonus. Up to $500K in playing-time, rushing-yard, and catch incentives (Twitter link).
- Marc Mariani, WR (Bears): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
NFC East:
- Nolan Carroll, CB (Eagles): One year, $2.36MM. Can be worth up to $3MM. $1MM in per-game active roster bonuses. $600K for eight games active. Up to $640K in playing-time and Pro Bowl incentives (Twitter link).
- Junior Galette, OLB (Washington): One year, $1.6MM. Can be worth up to $4.1MM. $1MM base salary. $500K in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $2.5MM in playing-time, Pro Bowl, and sack incentives (Twitter link).
- Will Blackmon, CB (Washington): Two years, $2.05MM. $150K signing bonus (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com).
- Josh LeRibeus, G/C (Washington): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
NFC West:
- Evan Mathis, G (Cardinals): One year, $4MM. Can be worth up to $6MM. $3MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus. $1MM guaranteed base salary. $1MM in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $2MM in playing-time, Pro Bowl, and All-NFL incentives (Twitter link).
AFC Contract Details: Okung, Penn, Pacman
Here are several of the latest contract details on deals which were agreed upon or signed within the last week. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated.
AFC West:
- Russell Okung, T (Broncos): Five years, $53MM. No guaranteed money. Option after year one. $2MM base salary, $1MM workout bonus, and $2MM Week 1 roster bonus for 2016. Up to $3MM in incentives available in 2016 ($1.5MM for 80% of snaps, $3MM for 90% of snaps). Option must be exercised between fifth day after Super Bowl and first day of 2017 league year. If option is exercised, $2MM salary for 2017 and $9.5MM salary for 2018 become fully guaranteed, and an $8MM roster bonus is paid out (links via Pro Football Talk, ESPN’s Josina Anderson, Tom Pelissero of USA Today, and Wilson)
- Donald Penn, T (Raiders): Two years, $11.9MM, $5.5MM guaranteed. $2MM roster bonus due 20th day of 2016 league year. $300K in annual weigh bonuses (six weigh-ins worth $50K each). Up to $750K in annual playing-time, Pro Bowl, and playoff incentives (Twitter links).
- Andre Holmes, WR (Raiders): One year, $2MM. $750K guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $250K of $1.25MM base salary guaranteed. $250K workout bonus. Up to $1MM in catch, yardage incentives (Twitter links).
AFC North:
- Adam Jones, CB (Bengals): Three years, $22MM. $6MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus. $4MM roster bonus due March 18. $500K in annual per-game active roster bonuses. $500K playing-time escalator for 2017. $750K playing-time escalator for 2018. $200K punt return average incentive for 2018. 2018 option to be exercised by last day of 2017 league year. (Twitter links).
- Demario Davis, LB (Browns): Two years, $8MM. $4.1MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus. Annual $100K workout bonus (Twitter link).
- Ryan Harris, T (Steelers): Two years, $3.9MM. $675K signing bonus (Twitter link).
- Pat Sims, DT (Bengals): Two years, $2.3MM. $250K guaranteed roster bonus due March 18. $200K in annual playing-time incentives. $200K playing-time escalator for 2017 (Twitter links via Wilson and Pelissero).
AFC East:
- Andre Branch, DE (Dolphins): One year, $2.75MM. $2.5MM guaranteed base salary. $250K in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $250K in incentives (Twitter link).
- Nate Ebner, S (Patriots): Two years, $2.4MM. $500K guaranteed. $125K in annual per-game roster bonuses. $250K first-day camp reporting bonus. Up to $500K in playing-time, Pro Bowl incentives (Twitter links via Wilson and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com).
- Frank Kearse, DT (Patriots): One year, minimum salary benefit. $30K signing bonus. $30K first-day camp reporting bonus. $20K in per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Robert Blanton, S (Bills): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
AFC South:
- Antwon Blake, CB (Titans): One year, $1.5MM. $200K signing bonus. Up to $750K in playing-time incentives (Twitter link).
Cowboys Sign Benson Mayowa To Offer Sheet
5:22pm: The deal is for three years and contains a $3.3MM signing bonus and base salaries of $700K, $2.5MM and $2.75MM, per Getlin (on Twitter). The final year of the contract, 2018, is voidable based on sack and playing-time incentives (Twitter link).
4:08pm: The Cowboys have signed Mayowa to an offer sheet, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. The Raiders have until Wednesday at midnight ET to match the offer.
2:49pm: The Cowboys are expected to sign defensive end Benson Mayowa to an offer sheet today, assuming his physical goes well, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Todd Archer of ESPN.com first reported that Mayowa was making the trip to Dallas, while Rand Getlin of the NFL Network tweeted that a physical would be a part of the visit.
Assuming the Cowboys finalize an offer sheet and Mayowa signs it, the Raiders would have five days to decide whether or not to match it. The team assigned the defensive end a low-end tender, worth $1.671MM. Because Mayowa came into the league as an undrafted free agent, the Raiders wouldn’t be entitled to any compensatory draft picks if they opt not to match an offer sheet.
Mayowa, 24, has only made three starts so far in his NFL career, but he has appeared in 30 total games for the Raiders and Seahawks. In 2015, he recorded 16 tackles, a sack, two fumble recoveries, and a safety.
We’ll have to see whether the Cowboys and Mayowa officially get something done, and what the terms of the deal are, but if the Raiders want to keep him in the fold, they’ll have the flexibility to match. Per OverTheCap.com, Oakland entered the day with the seventh-most cap room in the league — I don’t believe that figure includes Donald Penn‘s new contract with the team, but the Raiders should still have more cap flexibility than the Cowboys.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams Sign Quinton Coples
FRIDAY, 4:32pm: The Rams’ signing of Coples is official, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets.
WEDNESDAY, 1:51pm: It will be a two-year contract with a base value of $6.5MM for Coples, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link), who adds that the deal can max out at $9.75MM.
1:37pm: The Rams are signing defensive end Quinton Coples, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have agreed to terms on a two-year contract. Coples paid a visit to the Rams earlier this week, having previously met with the Panthers.
Coples, selected 16th overall in the 2012 draft, was cut by the Dolphins last month before his fifth-year option for the 2016 season became fully guaranteed. The veteran edge defender had previously spent most of his career with the Jets, before being claimed off waivers by Miami last fall.
Coples had his best year as a pro in 2014, but even that amounted to just 35 tackles and 6.5 sacks, modest totals for a first-round pass rusher. When Todd Bowles took over as the Jets’ head coach a year ago, Coples was further marginalized in New York. Due to his poor fit in Bowles’ defense – and perhaps an alleged incident on a team flight, though Bowles denied that – the 25-year-old was waived by the club in November.
A fresh start should benefit Coples, and the Rams look like a good fit for him. With Robert Quinn, William Hayes, Aaron Donald, and Michael Brockers penciled in as the starters up front, Los Angeles should have a formidable defensive line even if Coples doesn’t contribute much. The former first-round pick will likely be a better fit in the Rams’ 4-3 system than he was as a 3-4 outside linebacker, so we’ll see if he can muster a bounce-back season in 2016.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Fitzpatrick, Steelers, Norwood
Only five players on our list of this year’s top 50 free agents remain unsigned, and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (No. 19) is the highest-rated player of that group. The Jets and Fitzpatrick have been at an impasse since free agency opened, with Fitzpatrick seeking a sizable raise and New York offering a more modest deal.
Speaking today to reporters, including Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link), Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan said that Fitzpatrick remains a “very good fit” for the team, adding that the goal is to eventually re-sign him. According to Rich Cimini of ESPN (Twitter links), Maccagnan declined to put a time frame on those talks, suggesting there’s no real deadline. The GM also confirmed that the Jets’ visit with Robert Griffin III was “due diligence,” and that the club remains focused on getting something done with Fitzpatrick.
As we wait to see if the two sides can reach an agreement, let’s check in on a few other free agent updates from across the NFL…
- The Steelers are hosting free agent linebackers Spencer Paysinger and Mike Morgan for visits today, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Neither player projects as a probable starter, so Pittsburgh is presumably looking to fill out its depth chart after losing Sean Spence to the Titans. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes (via Twitter) that the Dolphins would like to bring back Paysinger, but he wants to see if he can get more than the minimum salary from another club.
- Free agent wide receiver Jordan Norwood ended his visit with the Lions today without a deal in place, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. According to Birkett, Norwood – who also met with the Jets – has a visit with another team set up for next week, and has yet to make a decision.
- Offensive tackle Andre Smith, who signed with the Vikings, said today that his agent told him he would have a visit with the Cardinals, but that trip never happened (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press).