Vikings Sign Lestar Jean
The Vikings have officially signed free agent wideout Lestar Jean to a contract, the team announced today in a press release. Jean had been eligible to receive a contract tender from the Texans, but Houston elected to pass, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Jean, 26, spent three seasons with the Texans but never played a significant role in the offense, appearing in under 300 snaps during his time in Houston and spending the 2011 season on injured reserve. The Florida Atlantic alum visited the Panthers and Dolphins this offseason before agreeing to terms with the Vikings.
Bills Sign Jarius Wynn To One-Year Deal
12:51pm: The Bills have officially signed Wynn, the team announced today in a press release.
11:46am: The Bills further fortified their defensive line today, agreeing to terms on a contract with free agent defensive end Jarius Wynn, according to Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News. Gaughan tweeted earlier today that the club was hosting Wynn on a free agent visit.
Wynn, 27, started his career with three seasons in Green Bay before spending the last two seasons with the Titans, Chargers, and Cowboys. The former sixth-round pick has never been more than a part-time player, though he has recorded at least two sacks in each of his last three seasons. In his five-year career, he has yet to receive a positive grade from Pro Football Focus, having earned a score of -11.0 in just 369 defensive snaps in 2013 (subscription required).
Josh Wilson, Greg Jones Visit Falcons
Having visited with the Lions on Monday, free agent cornerback Josh Wilson is on to Atlanta today to meet with the Falcons, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter). And Wilson isn’t the only free agent in town — fullback Greg Jones also visited the club today, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
Wilson, 29, has started every game for the Redskins over the last three seasons. Although his Pro Football Focus grade (subscription required) wasn’t overly impressive in 2013, he made a number of big plays on defense, forcing a pair of fumbles and recovering three, to go along with two sacks, an interception, and 92 tackles.
Jones, meanwhile, was one of the better blocking fullbacks in the league in 2013 for the Texans. The 32-year-old spent most of his career with the Jaguars, and usually sees at least a handful of carries and receptions per season. Atlanta hasn’t used a fullback too often in recent years, but perhaps the team’s apparent interest in Jones suggests that the Falcons are keeping their options open for 2014.
South Notes: Bucs, Draft Visits, Jaguars
We’ve already checked in on a pair of AFC South teams this morning, with posts on the Titans and Jaguars, but there are a few more items related to teams in that division and its NFC counterpart, so let’s dive right in….
- As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times details, wide receiver Mike Williams is determined to prove that the Buccaneers made a mistake by trading him to the Bills, and claims that not all of the stories about his off-field incidents are actually true.
- The torn ACL suffered by Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas occurred during a private workout with the Saints, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
- According to Wilson (Twitter links), Lavelle Hawkins and Major Wright both received minimum salaries from the Buccaneers, though Hawkins didn’t get a signing bonus, while Wright got one worth $65K.
- Ball State cornerback Jeff Garrett will work out for the Colts on April 16, tweets Wilson.
- We rounded up reports this morning of several notable prospects who are visiting the Jaguars, but we didn’t quite get them all. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that the team is also hosting BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy and Notre Dame defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt while Ed Werder of ESPN.com says (via Twitter) Blake Bortles is due to visit on Thursday.
Titans Notes: Draft Visits, Locker, RBs
Earlier this morning, we heard that UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr has a visit scheduled this week with the Jaguars. However, before he heads to Jacksonville, Barr will visit with the Titans today, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). The young linebacker is one of several prospects the Titans are hosting, so let’s turn to Wyatt for a few more updates on the club….
- Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and Colorado State linebacker Shaquil Barrett recently paid pre-draft visits to the Titans, says Wyatt (Twitter links).
- Tennessee offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James also has a visit lined up with the Titans this week, according to Wyatt (via Twitter).
- As he continues to recover from foot surgery, Jake Locker recognizes that he’s entering a make-or-break season in Tennessee (link via Wyatt). The Titans have no plans to exercise Locker’s fifth-year option, so the signal-caller will have to prove with his play on the field in 2014 that the club doesn’t need to pursue potential replacements.
- Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt confirmed that his team is still on the lookout for running back help, as Wyatt details. “We are not at our number that we’d carry into training camp,” Whisenhunt said. “So we are going to look at … having enough players at that position.” Given the lack of notable running backs left on the free agent market, it may be a position the club addresses in the draft.
Jaguars To Host Bridgewater, Carr, Others
8:44am: Rapoport and Schefter pass along word of a few more pre-draft visits for the Jaguars, with Rapoport tweeting that linebacker Anthony Barr will be in town tomorrow, while Schefter reports (via Twitter) that quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Jimmy Garoppolo are also on the schedule.
8:37am: As we noted last night, one of 2014’s top quarterback prospects, Johnny Manziel, is set to pay the Jaguars a visit this week, but he won’t be the only notable prospect in town over the next couple days. Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com reports that quarterback Derek Carr will also meet with the Jags, while Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that linebacker Khalil Mack will visit the team, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says (via Twitter) offensive tackle Greg Robinson will also be in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars hold the No. 3 overall pick in next month’s draft and appear to be considering a variety of players and positions. Manziel and Robinson are perhaps the more likely members of this group to be top-three picks, but Mack is viewed as the best linebacker available, and Carr is, at worst, considered the best signal-caller available outside of the top three of Manziel, Blake Bortles, and Teddy Bridgewater.
Schefter adds that Mack will travel on to St. Louis to meet with the Rams following his visit with the Jaguars.
Saints Match Falcons’ Offer Sheet to Rafael Bush
MONDAY 3:33pm: The Saints have matched the offer sheet Bush signed with the Falcons, the player tweeted. Agent Brian Anderson confirmed the news, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
SATURDAY 9:50am: The offer sheet is worth $4.5MM over two years, according to The Advocate’s Ramon Antonio Vargas, who says Bush would prefer if the Saints let him go to Atlanta where he has the chance to start.
THURSDAY 3:53pm: Nearly a month ago, the Saints issued a contract tender to restricted free agent Rafael Bush, giving the team the chance to match any offers the safety received. Now, the Saints have been presented with that opportunity. According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Bush has signed an offer sheet with the Falcons, giving the Saints five days to either match the offer and retain him, or let him go to Atlanta.
Bush, 26, started six games in the Saints’ secondary last season, compiling 47 tackles and five passes defended. Though his numbers weren’t flashy, the three-year veteran graded well as a cover man, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), whose metrics ranked him 24th among 86 qualified safeties.
The Saints’ tender to Bush was a one-year offer worth $1.431MM. Because the team opted to tender him at the lowest amount, no compensatory picks will change hands if New Orleans decides not to match his offer from Atlanta. Terms of the Falcons’ offer sheet aren’t known yet, but I’d expect it to be a multiyear offer with about the same annual average value as the Saints’ tender.
So far this offseason, the restricted free agent market has been fairly quiet. Only Andrew Hawkins received an offer sheet, with the Bengals electing to let their receiver go to the Browns.
Ravens Sign Justin Forsett
MONDAY 10:02am: Like Cody, Forsett also received a veteran-minimum deal for $730k, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
FRIDAY 11:12am: A day after agreeing to terms with tight end Owen Daniels, the Ravens have added more depth to the offense by bringing aboard another player who spent time with Gary Kubiak in Houston. Baltimore has signed running back Justin Forsett to a one-year contract, the club announced today in a press release.
Forsett, who will join his fourth team in four years by inking a deal with the Ravens, played for current Baltimore offensive coordinator Kubiak in 2012 with the Texans. Although the 28-year-old’s usage has declined over the years since he tallied 118 carries and 33 receptions for the Seahawks in 2010, he’ll provide some depth in the Ravens’ backfield, and could contribute on third downs as well.
Given Ray Rice‘s legal troubles and the fact that Bernard Pierce continues to recover from a shoulder injury, the Ravens had been in the market for a running back. Signing Forsett will help fortify the position, but it won’t necessarily preclude the club from drafting a back in the middle rounds next month, tweets Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
Ravens Re-Sign Terrence Cody
MONDAY 9:55am: Cody’s one-year deal is for $730k, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
FRIDAY 2:01pm: The Ravens have re-signed free agent defensive tackle Terrence Cody, the team announced today. It’s the latest move in a busy Friday for the Ravens, who also officially inked Owen Daniels and Justin Forsett to deals.
After starting all 16 regular season games for the Ravens in 2011, Cody has played a part-time role for the club in the two seasons since then, and will likely provide defensive line depth once again in 2014. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the 25-year-old played 240 defensive snaps in 12 games in 2013, logging 17 tackles.
While the former second-round pick may not have lived up to expectations so far in Baltimore, Cody’s a familiar face for the Ravens’ defensive line rotation, and should be inexpensive — terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed, but anything more than the minimum salary would be a surprise.
Buccaneers To Sign Major Wright
3:47pm: The Bucs and Wright have agreed to terms on a one-year contract, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
3:39pm: Free agent safety Major Wright will sign with the Buccaneers, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times confirms (via Twitter) that the team is expected to lock up Wright, who is on track to become the latest ex-Bear to join former Chicago head coach Lovie Smith in Tampa Bay.
As the Bears’ full-time starter at strong safety last season, Wright grabbed a pair of interceptions, and racked up more than 100 tackles, but earned the dubious honor of ranking dead-last out of 86 qualified safeties, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). According to PFF’s data, quarterbacks completed 77.8% of their passes when throwing at Wright’s coverage, with a QB rating of 146.8.
Still, 2013 may have been an aberration for the former third-round pick. Under Smith, who is now the Bucs’ head coach, Wright’s PFF grades looked significantly better in 2011 and 2012, and at age 25, there’s still plenty of room for growth.