Luke Adams | Pro Football Rumors

North Notes: Reed, Steelers, Nelson, Fairley

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 4:52 pm

Longtime Steelers kicker Jeff Reed hasn’t played in a regular-season NFL game since the 2010 season, but the 35-year-old has “every intention” of making a comeback, as he tells R.J. Schaffer of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“I looked into the CFL and the Arena League,” Reed said. “It’s just a lot of work for little pay, and it sounds kind of shallow, but when you’ve played for the most elite level of football and you think you can still do it, why wouldn’t you?”

According to Reed, he was contacted by Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt about possibly coming in for a workout, though Tennessee would prefer to find a younger option. Pittsburgh kicker Shaun Suisham had his best all-around season in 2013, so a reunion for Reed and the Steelers appears unlikely, but the free agent kicker hopes he’ll be one of the first options teams turn to if a replacement is needed for health or performance reasons.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:

According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers have some interest in bringing back Brett Keisel, but the veteran defensive lineman seems unwilling to accept a minimum salary contract at this point. Bouchette adds that he believes Pittsburgh will try to extend Maurkice Pouncey before the regular season gets underway.
Although talks haven’t progressed to the point where a new agreement is imminent, Packers wideout Jordy Nelson believes there’s a reasonable chance he’ll sign a contract extension in time for the regular season, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “Everyone knows deals get done closer to training camp,” Nelson said. Our Peter Sowards examined the standout receiver as an extension candidate last month.
The Lions‘ decision not to exercise their fifth-year option on Nick Fairley was one of the more of the more surprising outcomes this offseason for 2011’s first-round picks, and the defensive tackle himself was a little caught off guard, suggesting that he thought he played well enough to earn that fifth year (link via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press). “My first year wasn’t too good, but my next two came on,” Fairley said. “But like I said, they didn’t pick it up, so we’ve just got to move on and get ready for this year, and things are going to be good.” For now, Fairley is taking a wait-and-see approach to his potential 2015 free agency.
Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com identifies four Ravens veterans whose roster spots may be in jeopardy as the 2014 regular season nears, including quarterback Tyrod Taylor and defensive lineman Terrence Cody.
The Ravens have removed linebacker Ryan Jones from their IR with an injury settlement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Jones had received a modest $1K signing bonus when he joined Baltimore last month as an undrafted free agent.

Minor Moves: Broncos, Colts, Bengals, Chiefs

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 3:56 pm

Here are Tuesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including signings and cuts of players who haven’t seen much NFL action recently (or at all), and the retirement of a former 49ers draft pick:

The Broncos announced a pair of draft pick signings today, meaning they’ve locked up five of their six draftees within the last two days. Third-round offensive lineman Michael Schofield and fifth-round linebacker Lamin Barrow are the latest players to ink their rookie deals with Denver, as the club confirmed in a pair of press releases. Mike Klis of the Denver Post tweets that the Broncos also waived offensive tackle Ramon Harewood.
According to Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter), the Colts have cut quarterback Seth Lobato and cornerback Keon Lyn, both of whom signed with the club last month as undrafted free agents.
The Bengals have just one open spot left on their 90-man roster after signing offensive tackle Chandler Burden today, tweets Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. A Cincinnati-area native who played his college ball at Kentucky, Burden has previously spent time with the Dolphins and Chiefs.
Offensive lineman Jason Slowey, who was drafted in the sixth round in 2012 by the Niners, has announced his retirement, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Slowey had been playing for the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League.
The Chiefs waived offensive lineman Colin Kelly today, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).

0 comments Cincinnati Bengals Denver Broncos Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Transactions Chandler Burden Colin Kelly Jason Slowey Keon Lyn Lamin Barrow Michael Schofield Ramon Harewood Seth Lobato

Bears Sign Spurlock, Edwards; Cut Hixon

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 2:49 pm

2:49pm: The Bears have officially confirmed the signings of Spurlock and Edwards (Twitter link). To clear room on the roster, the club has waived linebacker Tana Patrick and terminated Hixon’s contract with an injury settlement.

2:28pm: The Bears have two of the top receivers in the game in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, but may not have a ton of reliable contributors behind that duo on the depth chart. The team parted ways with Devin Hester and Earl Bennett this offseason, and newly-acquired free agent WR Domenik Hixon tore his ACL during OTAs. Given the need for additional depth at the position, the Bears will bring aboard a pair of receivers, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link), who reports that Micheal Spurlock and Armanti Edwards are signing with the club.

Spurlock, 31, has played for the Cardinals, Buccaneers, Niners, Jaguars, Chargers, Cowboys, and Lions since entering the league in 2006. The veteran wideout didn’t catch a pass during the 2013 season, but returned 22 punts and 15 kicks for Detroit. Spurlock had his most productive season as a receiver in 2012, when he split time between Jacksonville and San Diego, hauling in 23 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown for the year.

As for Edwards, the former third-round pick played quarterback at Appalachian State but has been used more frequently as a receiver and wildcat weapon when he’s seen the field in the NFL. In parts of four seasons with the Panthers and Browns, Edwards has compiled just six receptions for 131 yards.

Spurlock and Edwards both figure to compete for spots on the Bears’ regular-season roster.

0 comments Chicago Bears Newsstand Transactions Armanti Edwards Domenik Hixon Micheal Spurlock Tana Patrick

49ers Sign Blake Costanzo

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 2:09 pm

2:09pm: The 49ers have officially confirmed the signing of Costanzo, announcing in a press release that they’ve waived guard Al Netter to make room on the roster for the new addition.

9:49am: Free agent linebacker Blake Costanzo has agreed to terms with the 49ers, according to agent David Canter (via Twitter). Costanzo, who spent the last two seasons with the Bears, previously played in San Francisco during the 2011 season.

A seven-year veteran, Costanzo has primarily contributed on kick and punt coverage throughout his career. In 2013, he logged 11 special teams tackles for Chicago and recorded a +6.0 grade for the unit, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). The 30-year-old played a similar role during his last run with the Niners, racking up 16 special teams tackles while not playing a single snap on defense.

While salary details haven’t yet been reported, I’d expect a minimum salary contract for the special teams ace. It’ll be a one-year contract, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter).

0 comments Newsstand San Francisco 49ers Transactions Al Netter Blake Costanzo

AFC South Notes: Blackmon, Jackson, Texans

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 1:44 pm

Let’s round up the latest items out of the AFC South….

The Jaguars don’t know when – or even if – wide receiver Justin Blackmon will be reinstated from his indefinite suspension for multiple violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, but the club doesn’t intend to cut him, says Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Although Jacksonville doesn’t anticipate having Blackmon at all during the 2014 season, it sounds like there’s still a chance he could play for the team down the road.
Speaking to reporters today, Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson said his reps haven’t had any contact with the team about a new contract, tweets James Palmer of CSNHouston.com. Jackson, a 2010 first-round pick, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in March if he doesn’t have a new deal in place.
Running back Andre Brown, who signed with the Texans this offseason, has struggled with injury problems so far in his career, but is determined to stay healthy and prove his worth to his new team this season, writes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
After weeks of engaging in mock negotiations on a contract extension for J.J. Watt and the Texans, former agent Joel Corry and former Jets executive Ari Nissim provide their concluding thoughts on the series at the National Football Post.

0 comments Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars Andre Brown Justin Blackmon Kareem Jackson

Saints Sign Brandon Deaderick

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 12:18 pm

After working out for the team yesterday, as reported by Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, veteran defensive tackle Brandon Deaderick has signed a one-year contract with the Saints, the club announced today in a press release. The team release also confirmed the signing of veteran center Jonathan Goodwin, as well as the cuts of offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. and linebacker Spencer Hadley. Those three roster moves were reported yesterday.

Deaderick, a former seventh-round pick who spent three seasons with the Pats before joining the Jaguars last season, also auditioned for the Chiefs last week. In his four years in the NFL, Deaderick has appeared in 47 total contests, including 15 starts, recording 56 overall tackles and 5.5 sacks. He has also forced three fumbles and recovered one. If he makes the Saints’ regular-season roster, Deaderick figures to give the team so depth on the defensive line.

While New Orleans’ signing of Deaderick removes one name from the list of defensive tackles remaining on the market, there are plenty of notable players still available for teams targeting veterans, including Kevin Williams, Johnny Jolly, and Ryan Pickett.

0 comments New Orleans Saints Newsstand Transactions Brandon Deaderick Jonathan Goodwin

Saints Sign Jonathan Goodwin

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 12:15 pm

TUESDAY, 12:15pm: The Saints have officially signed Goodwin, the club announced today in a press release

MONDAY, 2:23pm: It’s expected to be a one-year deal for Goodwin, according to Triplett (via Twitter). Salary details aren’t yet known, but I’d be surprised if it’s worth a whole lot more than the minimum.

1:24pm: The Saints and Goodwin have agreed to terms on a deal, reports Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Triplett, the center will likely put pen to paper on Tuesday.

12:49pm: After spending three years in San Francisco, veteran center Jonathan Goodwin appears to be headed back to the team with whom he earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2009. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Goodwin is expected to sign with the Saints at some point this week. Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune adds that nothing’s set in stone yet, but that the two sides are discussing a deal today.

Goodwin will turn 36 in December, which prompted the Niners to hand the starting center reins to the younger Daniel Kilgore going forward, but the 12-year veteran has remained effective into his mid-30s. Goodwin hasn’t missed a game over the last five seasons, and produced at an above-average level in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), buoyed by solid grades as a run blocker.

The Saints saw last year’s starting center, Brian De La Puente, depart in free agency, and didn’t address the position during the draft, so it wasn’t clear which player would get the nod heading into the regular season. Assuming Goodwin is healthy and productive in training camp, he would seem to be the odds-on favorite for the starting role. He figures to compete with Tim Lelito, who has been taking snaps with the first team during New Orleans’ OTAs.

0 comments New Orleans Saints Newsstand Transactions Jonathan Goodwin

East Notes: Eagles, Finley, Cowboys, Dolphins

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 11:15 am

Veteran center Jason Kelce was one of the first Eagles to tweet out a message in support of the organization when the club released DeSean Jackson earlier in the offseason, but as he explained on Monday (link via Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com), his comments weren’t intended as a shot at the former Philadelphia wideout.

“I really have no personal problems with DeSean. Never did when he was here,” Kelce said. “All I was trying to say is, ‘Listen, this team has been going in a great direction this whole offseason, let’s not lose focus on what we’ve been trying to do the entire offseason. This one instance gets blown out of proportion when really the entire offseason we’ve had great direction, we’ve had great focus by our coaching staff and our organization, let’s have trust in that.”

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

Jermichael Finley’s free agent visit to the Patriots, which was reported yesterday, was “exclusively for medical evaluation of his spinal fusion surgery,” tweets ESPN.com’s Ed Werder. The tight end has been medically cleared by his personal doctor, but team doctors will want to perform their own evaluations.
The NFLPA has been convinced that Sean Lee‘s ACL injury was not the result of contact with Zack Martin and that the Cowboys didn’t break any OTA rules, a source tells Werder (Twitter link).
Middle linebacker is an area of concern for the Dolphins, and while Miami missed out on adding a free agent like D’Qwell Jackson in March, the team is hoping that Koa Misi can make the transition to the inside, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald outlines.
In the view of Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, the Giants did Will Hill a favor by cutting him, since the troubled safety could use a change of scenery. We’ll find out soon whether Hill, who is facing a six-game suspension, will be claimed off waivers or become an unrestricted free agent.

0 comments Dallas Cowboys Miami Dolphins New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles Jermichael Finley Will Hill

49ers, Kaepernick Reopen Extension Talks

By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 9:27 am

The 49ers gained a chunk of cap space this week when Carlos Rogers‘ 2014 cap hit was officially reduced by $6.6MM, and the team appears set to use that room to help facilitate a new deal for quarterback Colin Kaepernick. According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, the Niners and Kaepernick’s reps will have a face-to-face meeting in Santa Clara this week to rekindle extension discussions.

A lack of cap flexibility was just one factor in the Niners postponing extension negotiations with Kaepernick until now. San Francisco tabled talks in April when the Miami Police Department began investigating an incident involving the signal-caller, with the club opting to wait for more clarity on the situation. The fact that the Niners feel comfortable moving forward with discussions now – meeting in person for the first time since the draft combine in February – suggests the team feels nothing will come of that investigation, writes Barrows.

Back in March, San Francisco GM Trent Baalke expressed confidence that the two sides would be able to work out an agreement before training camp opens this summer. If a deal is agreed upon, it figures to put Kaepernick among the highest-paid signal-callers in the NFL — he’s reportedly seeking an annual salary in the neighborhood of $20MM+ on his next contract.

0 comments Newsstand San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick

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By Luke Adams | at June 3, 2014 8:54 am

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Author: Luke Adams