Arthur Moats, Steelers Agree To One-Year Deal
2:06pm: According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), it’s a minimum salary benefit deal for the Steelers and Moats, who will earn a $730K base salary, plus a $65K signing bonus.
1:28pm: The Steelers will sign Arthur Moats to a one-year deal, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have reached an agreement.
As PFR’s Dallas Robinson noted yesterday when he passed along news of Moats’ meeting with the Steelers, it’s a little surprising that the veteran linebacker didn’t draw more interest this offseason. Moats has only been a part-time player during his first four seasons in the league with the Bills, including just over 300 defensive snaps in 2013, but he’s only 26 years old and performed very well against the run, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Browns To Sign Paul McQuistan
2:04pm: McQuistan’s two-year deal with the Browns is worth $3MM, with $750K in guaranteed money, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
12:04pm: According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, McQuistan’s deal, which has now been confirmed by the team (via Twitter), is for two years rather than one.
11:21am: The Browns have reached an agreement to sign offensive lineman Paul McQuistan, reports ESPN’s John Clayton (link via ESPN.com’s Terry Blount). According to Clayton, the two sides have agreed to terms on a one-year contract.
McQuistan, a former third-round pick, has spent the last three seasons with the Seahawks, starting 40 games for the club since 2011. In 2013, he started the season off at left guard before moving to left tackle for several contests as an injury replacement. McQuistan returned to guard down the stretch, but was only a part-time player, appearing in just 63 offensive snaps during Seattle’s playoff run.
As Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets, GM Ray Farmer and the Browns are “intrigued” by McQuistan’s versatility and ability to play both guard and tackle. Still, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), the 30-year-old would be much better off at one of the guard spots. McQuistan has posted middle-of-the-pack grades as a guard, but ranked 71st out of 76 qualified tackles last season, according to PFF.
DeSean Jackson Rumors: Monday
After rounding up a week’s worth of DeSean Jackson rumors on Saturday night, we passed along a couple more stories on the standout trade candidate yesterday. Jackson figures to be a popular topic at this week’s NFL meetings in Orlando, so it’s no surprise that there are already a few more updates and notes on the Eagles receiver to recap. We’ll track today’s Jackson news and rumors right here, adding the latest items to the top of the page throughout the day:
- A source close to the team confirms to Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com confirms that the Eagles made the decision to try to move on from Jackson at least a month ago, rather than in the last couple weeks.
Earlier updates:
- Although he cautions that there are mixed reports galore on the Jackson front, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says the latest buzz he’s heard in Orlando suggests the 49ers have interest – despite an on-the-record denial – and that the Seahawks would have interest at a significantly lower cost than Jackson’s current salary.
- Jeff McLane (Twitter link) spoke to one NFL coach who has no interest in Jackson, since the coach believes the Eagles‘ apparent willingness to move the receiver means there “has to be something there we don’t know.”
- Jets owner Woody Johnson confirmed yesterday that his team has interest in Jackson, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) notes Johnson also said that a trade’s “not our primary operating motif.”
- Examining Johnson’s comments, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News have each published new stories on the Jackson situation. McLane writes that the team has been “actively shopping” the star receiver since at least last week, while Bowen hears from a front office source on a rival team that the Eagles “wanted a lot” for Jackson when they discussed him last month. At that point, Philadelphia was allegedly seeking more than a second-round pick, but another NFL source who spoke to Bowen now wonders if the Eagles can land more than a fifth- or sixth-rounder.
- The Raiders have interest in Jackson, but may not be inclined to part with a 2014 draft pick for him, tweets Rapoport.
- Among the teams not in the mix for Jackson: The Seahawks and Panthers. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears from a source that Seattle has “no interest at all” in the 27-year-old, while David Newton of ESPN.com reiterates that Jackson isn’t a fit in Carolina, despite the team’s thin receiving corps.
- Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News recognizes why a Jackson trade could make sense for the Eagles, but doesn’t see the logic in releasing him unless there’s a serious non-football issue we haven’t heard about.
Lions Rumors: Ihedigbo, Fairley, Leshoure
As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press wrote last night, James Ihedigbo looks like the Lions’ top choice at safety in free agency, but the team is still waiting for an answer from him. GM Martin Mayhew said today that the club remains in contact with Ihedigbo, and that there’s no timetable on a decision (Twitter link via Birkett). While there’s nothing new to report on the Ihedigbo front, we have plenty of new Lions tidbits to pass along, so let’s dive in….
- Mayhew announced today that the Lions won’t pick up their fifth-year option on Nick Fairley‘s contract for 2015, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. The option, which is a wrinkle of the new CBA for first-round draft picks, will be worth in the neighborhood of $5.5MM, but Mayhew doesn’t see Fairley as a $5MM-per-year player right now due to inconsistency, tweets Birkett.
- The Fairley decision is somewhat surprising, since those fifth-year options are guaranteed for injury only initially, and a strong 2014 would make it challenging for the Lions to retain Fairley in 2015 when he’s an unrestricted free agent. However, Mayhew is hoping to give the defensive lineman incentive to have a great season (Twitter link via Birkett).
- The Lions aren’t interested in trading running back Mikel Leshoure, despite the fact that he’s behind Reggie Bush and Joique Bell on the depth chart, Mayhew tells Twentyman (Twitter link).
- Detroit will “definitely consider” drafting a quarterback this May to back up Matthew Stafford, according to Mayhew (Twitter link via Birkett).
- Mayhew confirmed that he and coach Jim Caldwell met with Sammy Watkins and his family around the time of Clemson’s Pro Day, and that the GM will also be attending Mike Evans‘ Pro Day this week (Twitter link via Birkett).
- In the wake of his father’s death, vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. said today that his involvement with the Lions may increase going forward, according to Birkett.
Bengals Sign R.J. Stanford
The Bengals have signed free agent defensive back R.J. Stanford, according to agent David Canter (via Twitter). Stanford, a former Dolphin, didn’t receive a contract tender this offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent.
After going undrafted out of Utah, Stanford played for the Panthers in his rookie season before joining the Dolphins for two years. According to Pro Football Focus, the 25-year-old appeared in just 173 snaps in those two seasons in Miami, contributing more on the special teams unit, where he contributed 14 total tackles in kick and punt coverage.
Latest On Mike Williams
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams has been at the center of a few off-field stories in recent months and years, with several 911 calls to his house since last summer. However, none of those incidents was as dangerous as yesterday’s, when Williams was hospitalized yesterday after being stabbed by his brother. The Bucs receiver, who said the stabbing was an accident, has reportedly been released from the hospital, and we wish him a speedy recovery. However, the incident casts more doubt on Williams’ long-term future in Tampa Bay.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (via Twitter) that Tampa Bay had been open to dealing Williams, but that off-field troubles, including this most recent incident, will limit outside interest. With a trade unlikely, it’s possible that the Bucs may ultimately decide to simply cut ties with the troubled receiver. Williams is playing on a contract that runs through the 2018 season, but most of the guaranteed money was paid in 2013, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports noted today (via Twitter).
Garafolo and La Canfora (Twitter links) have confirmed that although Williams’ modest $1.8MM base salary for 2014 is guaranteed, his $5.2MM base for 2015 is not fully guaranteed. With no prorated bonus money on the contract, the Bucs could release Williams and carry just $1.8MM in dead money on their cap in 2014.
Of course, before making any decisions on Williams’ future, the team would like to touch base with him. However, GM Jason Licht said today that neither he nor head coach Lovie Smith has been able to talk to Williams since yesterday, despite an attempt to reach out (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times). As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, Licht intends to continue looking into the situation in an attempt to find out how Williams is doing “health-wise [and] how his mindset is.”
Steelers GM On Mitchell, Harrison, WRs, Cap
With the majority of the league’s owners and decision-makers congregated in Orlando, we can expect plenty of interviews this week with NFL general managers. Already this morning, we’ve passed along comments made by Browns GM Ray Farmer, so let’s turn our attention to one of his division rivals. Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has provided a transcript of a discussion with Steelers GM Kevin Colbert. Here are a few notable items:
- The Steelers typically like pursuing free agents coming off their first contract, but the team felt that Mike Mitchell essentially fit that bill, since his second contract was only for one season. Colbert also believes there’s “a lot of room for continued growth” with the Steelers’ new safety.
- Colbert is leaving the door open for a possible reunion with James Harrison, though he cautioned that there may be other outside linebackers that could help the team.
- The Steelers would have liked to bring back Jerricho Cotchery, but wish him luck in Carolina, with Colbert suggesting that the Panthers were “able to do some things financially that we weren’t able to do.”
- Discussing the signing of Lance Moore, Colbert indicated that the former Saint should give the club a little of what both Cotchery and Emmanuel Sanders provided last season: “He’s a very smart, experienced receiver that knows how to work in the slot.” The Steelers GM also isn’t overly concerned about Moore’s dip in production last season, pointing out that there may not have been enough balls to go around in New Orleans after Kenny Stills entered the mix.
- The Steelers hadn’t been anticipating the bump to a $133MM salary cap at all, and it allowed the team to make a couple moves that otherwise may not have been possible.
- Colbert on whether he feels okay about having parted with 2014’s third-round pick in a trade for safety Shamarko Thomas: “If he was in this draft, we certainly would feel good about having used that third-round pick.”
Browns GM Talks Haden, QBs, FAs, Mack
Appearing at the NFL’s owner meetings in Orlando, Browns GM Ray Farmer answered several questions from reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Here’s a round-up of some of the highlights, with Twitter links via Ulrich and Cabot:
- After cornerback Joe Haden fueled speculation by tweeting “It’s a crazy business” last night, Farmer insisted that the team has no interest in trading Haden, and would like to keep him in Cleveland for a long time.
- Farmer defended the team’s decision not to attend the Pro Days of top quarterback prospects like Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Johnny Manziel by arguing that those days are “scripted” and saying that the Browns’ absence keeps teams guessing about Cleveland’s intentions. The general manager added that he’s “not leaning in any direction” with the No. 4 pick in the draft.
- Farmer believes Cleveland will have opportunities to trade up or down in the draft, and confirmed that discussions about those possibilities are already underway.
- Asked if the Browns have interest in Mark Sanchez, Farmer said the team would be interested in “anyone who can help us win,” though he didn’t say whether Sanchez was one such player. For now, the GM says he’s comfortable with Brian Hoyer, and that Hoyer’s competition could come from anywhere, including a player in the draft.
- Farmer confirmed that the Browns had interest in Matt Schaub before Houston sent him to the Raiders.
- According to Ulrich, Farmer paused for a few seconds when asked where the Browns stood with offensive lineman Paul McQuistan and defensive end Alex Carrington, before replying, “We’ll see.” Both free agents visited the team last week.
- Cleveland investigated many options for a No. 2 wide receiver and No. 2 cornerback in free agency, but nothing worked out, according to Farmer.
- The Browns are still focused on working out a long-term deal with Alex Mack, who received the transition tag from the club this offseason.
Rams Interested In Mark Sanchez
The NFL’s quarterback carousel has been busy this offseason, with Mark Sanchez representing the latest roster casualty, when the Jets replaced him with Michael Vick on Friday. However, Sanchez is drawing interest from at least one NFL team. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher tells Jim Corbett of USA Today that his team will at least kick the tires on the former Jet.
“I’d say that there is interest. I can’t say how much. But there certainly would be interest,” Fisher said. “I don’t have a backup with experience on the roster right now.”
Rams starter Sam Bradford is coming off an ACL injury, and his 2013 backup, Kellen Clemens, has signed with the Chargers in free agency. The current No. 2 in St. Louis, Austin Davis, has yet taken a snap in an NFL regular season game. As Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com noted in a weekend piece in which he identified the Rams as a top possibility for Sanchez, the ex-Jets signal-caller also has a connection to Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who was previously the OC in New York for several seasons.
According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Rams GM Les Snead also has interest in Sanchez, so Fisher isn’t on his own. However, if Sanchez plans to sign within the next day or two, it likely won’t be with the Rams, says Werder.
Raiders Acquire Matt Schaub From Texans
MARCH 23rd, 8:00pm: Schaub has restructured his deal with Oakland, lowering his base salary and cap number for this year, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN. The veteran can still earn $15-20MM over the next couple of seasons.
MARCH 21st, 3:48pm: The Raiders have officially acquired Schaub, the team announced (via Twitter). The Texans will receive a sixth-round pick in the deal, says Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
9:09am: Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) confirms that the two sides have agreed to terms, meaning the deal is just pending a physical. Of course, considering this is the Raiders, that’s not necessarily a given.
9:00am: A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Schaub is flying to Oakland right now to take a physical. Assuming there are no snags, the deal could be officially completed later today.
7:45am: The Raiders are expected to trade a 2014 late-round pick to the Texans in exchange for Matt Schaub, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Schefter (via Twitter), the Browns also expressed interest in Schaub, but Oakland has made a stronger push to get a deal done.
Schaub, the Texans’ longtime signal-caller, lost his starting job in Houston in 2013, and the team was expected to make a move with him this offseason, whether it was a trade or release. The 32-year-old’s fate looked particularly sealed when the Texans agreed to terms with Ryan Fitzpatrick yesterday. With Fitzpatrick in the fold and the club likely to draft another quarterback early in May’s draft, there isn’t much room to keep Schaub around.
As for the Raiders, they’ve been linked to Schaub throughout the offseason, with a report last Friday suggesting he and Mark Sanchez were Oakland targets. A separate story on Sunday suggested the Raiders and Texans were engaged in “serious” trade talks, though the Browns were also in the mix. As Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports notes (via Twitter), acquiring Schaub wouldn’t necessarily stop the Raiders from drafting a QB early in the draft, but it would give the franchise some options.
Although he struggled with performance and health in 2013, Schaub is only two years removed from a Pro Bowl season in which he threw for more than 4,000 yards, completing 64.3% of his passes and recording a 22-12 TD-INT ratio. Even during his down year, he completed 61.2% of his passes and averaged 231 passing yards per game, numbers that compare favorably to the ones compiled by Raiders starter Terrelle Pryor.
Assuming his contract remains untouched, Schaub would count for $10.5MM in dead money on the Texans’ books this season if he’s traded, creating nearly $4MM in cap savings. Meanwhile, the Raiders, with their excess cap space, would take on his $10MM base salary, plus a a little under $1MM in per-game bonuses. Schaub’s contract runs through 2016, though he’s extremely unlikely to play out that entire deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.