Lions Sign Drayton Florence
The Lions didn’t do much to address their secondary this offseason, but with the preseason about to get underway, the team has added a veteran cornerback to the mix. According to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Lions announced today that they’ve signed Drayton Florence.
Florence, a second-round pick back in 2003, had a previous stint in Detroit in 2012, and has also played for the Chargers, Jaguars, Bills, and – most recently – the Panthers. In Carolina last season, the 33-year-old made 26 tackles, defended nine passes, and grabbed a pair of interceptions, ranking an impressive 19th among 110 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Rothstein had pointed to Florence, who visited the Titans and Ravens this offseason, as a possibility for the Lions two months ago.
Although he has 104 career starts, Florence seems more likely to assume a role as the third or fourth cornerback for the Lions, assuming he earns a spot on the club. Corner currently looks like one of the thinnest positions on the roster, with Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay projected to start for the team. The Lions parted ways with Chris Houston in June due to health concerns.
After waiving Jonathan Baldwin yesterday, Detroit had an open spot on the 90-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary to make room for Florence.
North Notes: Steelers, Dalton, Vikings, Packers
The Steelers missed the playoffs for a second straight season in 2013, the first time that has happened since 2000, but president Art Rooney II tells Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he’s happy with the moves the club made in the offseason.
“I like where we are,” Rooney said. “Obviously, the proof is in the pudding, but I think we addressed a lot of concerns, and now it’s a matter of developing this group into a winning team.”
Here are a few more items from around the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The $5MM roster bonus included in Andy Dalton‘s new extension with the Bengals will be paid out today, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com.
- Dalton’s deal is the second quarterback extension in a row with a modest signing bonus, notes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, adding that it will be interesting to see if that trend continues for the next wave of QBs to sign new deals. Veterans like Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, and Eli Manning could push for sizable signing bonuses, which may help young signal-callers like Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, and Robert Griffin III get similar deals.
- New Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer has been running through extensive hypothetical in-game scenarios with GM Rick Spielman in an effort to prepare himself for key decisions he’ll face in each game, as Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com details in an interesting piece.
- For the first time in Aaron Rodgers‘ career with the Packers, offensive coordinator Tom Clements will be working from the coaches’ booth rather than the sideline this season, allowing him to get a better look at everything happening on the field, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Pats Showcasing Ryan Mallett For Trade?
Multiple pundits, including NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, have praised Ryan Mallett‘s play in training camp within the last week or two, prompting others to wonder if the Patriots are trying to pump up the quarterback’s trade value as he enters a contract year. That campaign appears set to continue tonight, as Mallett will start the team’s first preseason game in place of Tom Brady, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
Mallett, who has been Brady’s backup in New England for multiple seasons, has drawn trade interest during the past couple years, and became more expendable after the club drafted Jimmy Garoppolo this past May. The Pats won’t just give him away, of course, but Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that Mallett “might as well be wearing a For Sale sign around his neck” this summer.
One AFC executive who spoke to Breer wasn’t overly bullish on the signal-caller’s value, suggesting that it wouldn’t be ideal to trade for a quarterback entering the final year of his contract unless an injury made it necessary (Twitter link). In the exec’s view, a fourth- or fifth-round draft pick seems about right for Mallett. For his part, the Pats backup has said he feels as if he’s a starting-caliber NFL quarterback, but he isn’t unhappy with his situation in New England, as Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe details.
Mallett, 26, has only thrown four passes in NFL regular season games, during a brief stint in relief of Brady in 2012. As such, any teams with interest in him will likely be keeping a close eye on his performance tonight and in the rest of the preseason. I wouldn’t expect the Pats to move him quite yet, but Mallett’s situation will be worth watching over the next few weeks, and even all the way to the trade deadline.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
We’ll round up Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Raiders announced that they have signed journeyman safety Larry Asante and waived/injured fellow safety Shelton Johnson. Asante joins the Raiders following stops with the Browns, Buccaneers, and Colts. For his career, the 6’0″, 210-pounder has played in 17 games and totaled 12 tackles (nine solo), one interception, one pass defensed, and one forced fumble. He played in five games last season for the Colts, seeing time primarily on special teams.
- Saints defensive tackle Tyrone Ezell and linebacker Marcus Thompson have cleared waivers, tweets Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune.
- Former BYU linebacker Spencer Hadley has signed with the Raiders, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle, who tweets that the club has waived-injured linebacker Marshall McFadden to make room on the roster.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) passes along a couple new roster updates, reporting that the Cowboys have waived undrafted rookies Dashaun Phillips and Joe Windsor to make room for their defensive back signings (noted below). According to Wilson, the Lions also cut Cody Wilson from their IR with an injury settlement.
Earlier updates:
- The Vikings have cut undrafted tight end A.C. Leonard, who left practice last week with a headache, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- Just a day after signing him, the Seahawks have waived defensive back Trey Wolfe, replacing him with DB Michael Dobson, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Dobson participated in the club’s rookie minicamp in the spring.
- In order to make room for new signee James Shaw, whose deal was reported yesterday, the Steelers have waived-injured wide receiver Danny Coale, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
- Another signing reported yesterday, the Titans‘ addition of defensive lineman Lanier Coleman, was finalized today, with Tennessee also agreeing to terms with tight end Chase Coffman, per Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. To clear two spots on the roster for the new players, the Titans waived-injured tight end Dorin Dickerson and cut quarterback Tyler Wilson (Twitter links). Wilson was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Raiders, and was signed by the Titans off Oakland’s practice squad last season.
- The Cowboys have added a pair of defensive backs to their roster to bolster a secondary that has been hit hard by injuries in training camp, signing Korey Lindsey and Johnny Thomas, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram had indicated yesterday that Dallas was eyeing those two free agents. The club will need to cut two players to make room for Lindsey and Thomas.
Bon Jovi Group Resubmits Bid For Bills
WEDNESDAY, 4:34pm: Kryk confirms that the Toronto group has indeed resubmitted its initial bid for the Bills (Twitter link). There has been no word yet on whether the new bid will allow the group to continue on in the process.
TUESDAY, 1:13pm: The Toronto group pursuing the Bills, which is headed by Jon Bon Jovi and also includes Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment chairman Larry Tanenbaum and the Rogers family, will be resubmitting its bid for the franchise, according to John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. Kryk reports that Morgan Stanley – the firm overseeing the Bills’ sale – actually rejected the group’s first bid because the figure was “uncompetitively low” and the firm wanted more assurances that the group intended to keep the Bills in Western New York.
The new proposal by the Toronto group is expected to be in the $1-1.1 billion range, according to Kryk, who adds that if this new bid is deemed insufficient by Morgan Stanley, the group will be out of the running for the franchise. Otherwise, the firm figures to invite the Bon Jovi-led group to participate in the final stage of the sale process, which should also include Donald Trump, Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula, and any other potential bidders that may be permitted to enter the mix.
While the Bills’ sale remains in the fairly early stages, there have already been a number of surprising twists. After reports suggesting that a number of contenders were expected to make bids for the franchise, only the three aforementioned parties are believed to have submitted initial bids in time for last week’s deadline. Since then, both Bon Jovi and Trump have publicly discussed their bids, which may violate the non-disclosure agreement they signed with the franchise. Pegula is the only known bidder who has not publicly discussed the process.
Per Kryk, Pegula’s bid is believed to be in the $1.3 billion range. It appears that Morgan Stanley is hoping for a competitive offer from the Toronto group if only to give Pegula some competition, but the group’s ceiling may be limited — Bon Jovi has been unwilling thus far to accept a minority role in the group, despite the fact that his partners are wealthier. Principal owners must have at least a 30% financial stake in an NFL franchise, so the Toronto group’s maximum bid may be around $1.2 billion, says Kryk.
Lions Waive Jonathan Baldwin
WEDNESDAY, 4:24pm: Baldwin’s time as a Lion was short-lived — the team has waived the wide receiver with a failed physical designation, tweets Brian McIntyre.
TUESDAY, 6:21pm: The Lions’ claim of Baldwin is not yet official as the team still needs to evaluate his “medical situation,” coach Jim Caldwell told reporters, including Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
MONDAY, 3:37pm: The Lions have claimed wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin off waivers from the 49ers, according to Michael Schottey of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Baldwin was cut by San Francisco over the weekend, but had to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent because of his limited service time.
Baldwin, who turns 25 next week, became the third wideout selected in the 2011 draft after A.J. Green and Julio Jones when the Chiefs picked him 26th overall. He ultimately went ahead of fellow wide receivers Torrey Smith, Randall Cobb and Cecil Shorts, but his numbers haven’t come close to matching the production of those players.
Baldwin only caught 41 passes for 579 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his two seasons in Kansas City. The Chiefs traded him to the 49ers last August for another first-round pick, A.J. Jenkins. Baldwin didn’t see the field much with San Francisco, as he had three receptions in seven games during the 2013 season.
In Detroit, Baldwin will be given the opportunity to earn a spot on the Lions’ receiving corps, where there should be at least a couple openings up for grabs in the preseason.
Saints Sign Greg Jones
The Saints have filled the open spot on their 90-man roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed veteran fullback Greg Jones. The club made a series of moves yesterday that left just 89 players on the roster, creating an opening for Jones.
A former second-round pick, Jones spent nine seasons with the Jaguars before playing for the Texans in 2013. Primarily serving as a blocker, the 33-year-old has nonetheless accumulated 272 career carries, racking up 913 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), Jones was the league’s best blocking fullback in 2010, and has ranked among the top 10 in that category in the years since.
With Jed Collins departing in free agency, New Orleans signed fullback Erik Lorig to a four-year deal that included $1MM in fully guaranteed money earlier in the offseason. However, Lorig has not been in attendance at the Saints’ training camp for the last several days, and the team has not explained his absence or commented on any injury he may have sustained.
Jones also visited the Falcons this offseason.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Pats, Mallett, Dolphins
Let’s round up a few Wednesday items from around the AFC East….
- Terry Pegula, one of the bidders on the Bills, announced yesterday that his company closed on a $1.75 billion sale of petroleum acreage in West Virginia and Ohio. In a press release, Pegula delivered a rare comment about his financial reserves, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. “Our team truly is a leader in the domestic oil and gas industry,” Pegula said. “Our affiliate companies still retain significant oil and gas assets in Colorado, Wyoming, New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. “We are not going away.” It’s probably not a coincidence that Pegula chose to boast about his major transaction in the midst of the bidding process.
- Tom Brady‘s contract often gets mentioned as an example a particularly team-friendly deal for a star quarterback, but in Jason Fitzgerald’s view, Patriots offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer has an even more favorable contract. In his latest piece for Over the Cap, Fitzgerald also identifies Logan Mankins as the player with the worst contract on the Pats.
- Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett has been receiving positive reviews for his performance in camp this summer, but as long as Brady remains healthy and in New England, Mallett isn’t likely to see the field much. As the former third-round pick enters a contract year, he’s not worried about his situation, and is looking forward to seeing regular game action in the preseason, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com. “You can’t control what you can’t control,” Mallett said. “It’s the uncontrollable. You have to deal with it. I was dealt the hand I was dealt, so I’m playing cards.”
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald passes along 15 notes and observations from Dolphins training camp. Meanwhile, Bill Barnwell of Grantland takes an in-depth look at Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is entering a critical year as he attempts to convince the Dolphins that he’s the team’s signal-caller of the future.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Jake Ballard To Retire
Tight end Jake Ballard has opted to end his playing career, announcing his retirement today. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk passes along Ballard’s statement, in which he says it was an honor to spend time with the Giants, Patriots, and Cardinals.
“I love this game and have put my heart and soul into it for as long as I can remember,” Ballard said. “After sustaining a serious knee injury while playing for the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, my body never felt the same. Having a quality of life after football is very important to me and I have witnessed it taken away from others. I will miss the game tremendously, but I am ready for this next chapter in my life.”
Prior to sustaining that ACL injury, Ballard had his best season as a pro in 2011, compiling 604 receiving yards on 38 receptions and scoring four touchdowns. The 26-year-old had re-signed with the Cardinals this offseason, so Arizona will open up a roster spot now that Ballard is heading toward retirement.
Jaguars To Sign Ramses Barden, Chad Hall
Former third-round pick Ramses Barden will get another chance to catch on with the NFL team, having reached an agreement to sign with the Jaguars, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Jags will also add receiver Chad Hall, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link). Mark Long of The Associated Press tweeted earlier today that Jacksonville was auditioning Barden and Hall.
Barden, 28, was selected 85th overall by the Giants in the 2009 draft, but only managed to record 29 receptions for the team over the course of five seasons. The 6’6″ wideout inked a futures deal with the Bills in January, but lost his roster spot this offseason when Buffalo decided to cut him. Hall, meanwhile, has spent time with the Eagles and Chiefs, catching 16 career passes in parts of three NFL seasons.
For the Jaguars, whose receiving corps has been depleted by injuries and absences this summer, Barden and Hall will likely just provide some camp and preseason depth, but perhaps they’ll also have the opportunity to compete for roster spots if they impress this month.
As O’Halloran notes, to make room for the incoming players, the Jags have cut safety Jerome Junior and waived-injured wideout Nathan Slaughter, who suffered a foot injury.