NFC North Notes: Suh, Weems, Contracts
At an appearance at the MGM Grand in Detroit, Lions president Tom Lewand suggested the team isn’t bothered by the fact that there’s no contract extension in place with defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh yet, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. While a new deal for Suh would open up some cap room for the Lions in 2014, the club never viewed an extension as an essential part of its free agency plans.
Let’s round up a few other items from around the NFC North….
- The Bears have asked wide receiver and return man Eric Weems to take a pay cut, and will likely release him if he decides not to accept the cut, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago. The team could create $1.1MM in cap savings by releasing Weems.
- B.J. Raji‘s one-year contract with the Packers includes a $500K signing bonus, a non-guaranteed $3.1MM base salary, $300K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $100K workout bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune details the specifics of Charles Tillman‘s one-year contract with the Bears. It includes a $2.25MM base salary, a $500K signing bonus, $100K in workout bonuses, and $400K in per-game roster bonuses. The total guarantee is $750K.
- The Lions‘ one-year deal for Vaughn Martin is a minimum salary benefit contract, including a $65K bonus, tweets Michael Rothstein. So Martin will earn $795K, while the cap hit for the team will be $635K.
- Via Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes (via Twitter) that Jerome Simpson‘s new deal with the Vikings is worth $1MM — a $900K base salary, plus $50K in workout bonuses and another $50K in roster bonuses.
- Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune examines some possible reasons why the Vikings haven’t addressed the linebacker position in free agency yet.
Extra Points: DRC, Miller, Sanders, Saffold
Following up on a piece he wrote about Jets GM John Idzik‘s deliberate – and perhaps questionable – approach to free agency, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that, after an initial low-ball offer, the Jets made an “11th hour” pitch to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. However, the Giants had essentially locked up the free agent cornerback by that point.
Here are a few more Tuesday updates from around the NFL:
- In a series of tweets, Tom Pelissero of USA Today breaks down the details on Zach Miller‘s pay cut with the Seahawks, which will reduce the tight end’s 2014 compensation by $3MM and his 2015 pay by $2MM.
- After missing out on Emmanuel Sanders, the Chiefs continue to target younger wide receivers in free agency, which rules out some of the older veterans on the market, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- Speaking of Sanders, his agents issued a lengthy statement suggesting that there was never an agreement in place with the Chiefs before the receiver agreed to sign with the Broncos, as Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post details.
- In the wake of the Sanders controversy, former agent Joel Corry points out in a piece for CBSSports.com that both agents and teams can be guilty of reneging on deals.
- Aaron Wilson (Twitter links) passes along the specifics of the Rodger Saffold contract with the Rams, which includes a $5MM signing bonus, a $3MM roster bonus for 2015, and a $3MM guaranteed base salary in 2014. As Joel Corry tweets, the Raiders‘ decision to void their agreement with Saffold will cost the offensive lineman a significant sum.
- Daryl Smith‘s contract with the Ravens includes a $3.5MM signing bonus, and that appears to be the only guaranteed money in the deal, as Aaron Wilson details in a pair of tweets. According to Wilson, the four-year pact can be worth up to $16.1MM, as initially reported, but it has a base value of just $13.6MM.
- Jack Bechta of the National Football Post identifies the Colts‘ signing of Hakeem Nicks and the Buccaneers‘ deal with Alterraun Verner as two of the best bargains in free agency so far. Among our top 25 free agents of 2014, Nicks and Verner are two who will earn markedly less than I anticipated.
FA Rumors: Hester, Melton, Harrison, Mack
Longtime return specialist Devin Hester is finally making his first free agent visit of the offseason, nearly a week after free agency officially began. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear is in Atlanta today meeting with the Falcons. As Field Yates of ESPN.com points out (via Twitter), the Falcons were one of four NFL teams in 2013 that didn’t have a punt return of more than 25 yards or a kick return of more than 50 yards, so targeting Hester makes sense.
Here’s more on some of the free agents still on the board:
- Free agent defensive lineman Henry Melton is on his way to meet with the Rams, reports Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Melton, who left his visit in Dallas without a deal, remains in contact with the Cowboys, but plenty of teams are still in the mix. The Vikings, Raiders, Bears, and Seahawks all have some level of interest, depending on the 27-year-old’s price tag, says Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
- Appearing on the NFL Network, free agent linebacker James Harrison, who was recently released by the Bengals, indicated that “everyone knows” he’d like to return to the Steelers (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk).
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explores why transition-tagged center Alex Mack has yet to generate much interest, and how Mack’s agents could ensure that he becomes an unrestricted free agent a year from now.
- Running back Alfonso Smith has been informed he won’t be returning to the Cardinals, according to a tweet from the free agent himself. Smith had been eligible for restricted free agency this winter, but didn’t receive a tender offer from Arizona.
- Former Jets cornerback Aaron Berry visited the Browns yesterday, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). As Costello notes, Berry played with Browns coach Mike Pettine in 2012 when Pettine was the Jets’ defensive coordinator.
- The Vikings have confirmed that offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse visited Minnesota (Twitter link). Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reported last week that the visit was expected to happen.
Ravens, Jaguars Make Offers To Ed Dickson
The Ravens have made a contract offer to Ed Dickson in the hopes of bringing back their tight end, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. According to Wilson (via Twitter), Dickson has also received an offer from the Jaguars, and continues to weigh his options.
Although the Ravens re-signed Dennis Pitta to a five-year contract earlier in the offseason, the team doesn’t have much depth at the tight end position behind Pitta, and Dickson has a level of familiarity with the club, having spent his first four NFL seasons in Baltimore. Dickson also drew interest from the Bills before they re-signed Scott Chandler, and the Jets and Giants have kicked the tires on the former third-round pick as well.
Although Dickson had a nice pass-catching season in 2011, hauling in 54 balls, including five for touchdowns, he has assumed more of a blocking role in recent years. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), that hasn’t been his strong suit, as a poor run-blocking grade last season left the 26-year-old ranked dead last among 64 qualified tight ends.
NFC Rumors: Idonije, Clark, Penn, Spencer
Defensive lineman Israel Idonije spent the first nine years of his NFL career with the Bears before joining the Lions as a free agent a year ago. Now back on the market, Idonije appears to be considering a reunion with his old team. Albert Breer of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that the veteran will be visiting with the Bears tomorrow, while ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright adds (via Twitter) that Idonije will be taking a physical in Chicago, and the club hopes to lock him up. While we wait for further developments on that front, let’s check in on a few other items from around the NFC:
- Free agent safety Ryan Clark tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today that his agent continues to negotiate with the Redskins and that he has also received interest from the Ravens and Jets.
- As of earlier this afternoon, free agent tackle Donald Penn was still in Washington, with the Redskins still working to sign him, says Ross Jones of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- Free agent defensive lineman Anthony Spencer left his meeting with the Giants today without reaching a deal with the team, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
- The Lions hosted safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix for a pre-draft visit today, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Considered one of the top two safeties in this year’s draft class, Clinton-Dix could be a candidate for Detroit at No. 10.
- The NFLPA will elect a new president to replace Domonique Foxworth on Wednesday, and Ben Watson of the Saints is a name to watch, tweets Albert Breer.
Giants Sign Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
4:55pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears that $14MM of DRC’s deal will be guaranteed, including a $10MM signing bonus (Twitter link). The signing is now official, adds Vacchiano (via Twitter).
4:20pm: Schefter (via Twitter) pegs the value of the deal at $39MM, with $15MM in guaranteed money. Unless Vacchiano’s figure is off, perhaps $39MM is the max value of the contract after incentives.
3:56pm: The Giants have agreed to sign Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to a five-year contract, reports ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), the deal is worth $35MM.
Rodgers-Cromartie, who turns 28 next month, represents the latest addition to a secondary that has been significantly retooled in the last week, with the Giants also adding cornerback Walter Thurmond and safety Quintin Demps. After signing a one-year deal with the Broncos last year, DRC enjoyed a very good season in Denver, grabbing three interceptions and breaking up 19 passes while ranking fifth overall among 110 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required).
While Rodgers-Cromartie seemed to be flirting with the idea of retirement based on comments he made prior to the Super Bowl, he was always a lock to draw significant interest in free agency. The Broncos reportedly made DRC a six-year, $54MM offer before landing Aqib Talib, though that offer didn’t include a significant amount of guaranteed money. The Jets also pursued the veteran cornerback, with Rodgers-Cromartie’s decision essentially coming down to the two New York franchises, though the Browns were also believed to be in the hunt.
With the exception of Alex Mack, who was designated as the Browns’ transition player and therefore isn’t unrestricted, Rodgers-Cromartie was the last of my top 25 free agents to come off the board. Comparing his new annual salary to other corners on that list, DRC was closer to Alterraun Verner territory than to the big deals signed by Talib, Vontae Davis, and Sam Shields. However, the guarantee is more important than the per-year amount, so we’ll have to wait to see exactly how DRC’s five-year breaks down financially.
With Rodgers-Cromartie off the board, the free agent class of cornerbacks has thinned out considerably. Recently released players like Antonio Cromartie, Carlos Rogers, Champ Bailey, and Dimitri Patterson are among the more notable names still on the market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Giants Re-Sign Spencer Paysinger
Linebacker Spencer Paysinger has accepted his restricted free agent tender from the Giants and is now under contract with the team for 2014, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. The Giants tendered Paysinger for the lowest RFA amount, meaning he’ll be on a one-year, $1.431MM deal.
Paysinger, 25, saw an increased role for the Giants in 2013, starting 11 games for the team and playing both middle linebacker and outside linebacker. The Oregon product graded better playing on the weak side than in the middle, according to Pro Football Focus, whose grades had Paysinger ranked 16th out of 35 4-3 outside linebackers (subscription required).
The Giants have now re-signed 2013 starters Paysinger and Jon Beason, and have added a third free agent linebacker in Jameel McClain.
Cardinals Re-Sign Bryan McCann
The Cardinals have re-signed defensive back and special teams player Bryan McCann, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). McCann finished the season with Arizona last year after the team re-added him to its roster in November.
McCann, 26, didn’t play a snap on defense for the Cardinals last season, but contributed in kick and punt coverage, and has past experience as a return man. Agent John Biggins expressed optimism last month that his client could find a starting job for 2014, or at least carve out a regular role as a nickelback, but McCann’s first challenge will be earning a spot on the Cardinals’ regular season roster.
While terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, I’d expect a minimum-salary contract, perhaps with a modest bonus.
Packers To Sign Letroy Guion
3:28pm: Guion’s one-year deal is worth the minimum ($730K) and has a $100K signing bonus, but has a max value of $1MM if roster bonuses are earned, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
2:57pm: The Packers have agreed to terms with defensive lineman Letroy Guion, agent Thomas Kleine announced today on Twitter. According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Guion will ink a one-year deal, meaning he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency again a year from now.
Guion, a longtime Viking, is the second defensive lineman the Packers will sign away from a division rival, having also added Julius Peppers after he was cut by the Bears. Additionally, Guion will be the second defensive tackle Green Bay has signed to a one-year deal in the last week. With B.J. Raji returning to the fold and reportedly set to assume his old nose tackle position, presumably the Packers have other plans for Guion, who played a lot of nose tackle in Minnesota. It’s possible he’ll come off the bench in Green Bay, or see some time at defensive end.
Guion started 28 games for the Vikings over the last two seasons, recording 52 total tackles and three sacks in those two years of part-time action. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics weren’t overly kind to the 26-year-old, ranking him 60th of 69 qualified defensive tackles in 2013, a year after he placed dead last among 85 qualified DTs (subscription required).
The Ravens and Patriots also reportedly had interest in Guion, who was released by Minnesota earlier this month.
Weeden, Cowboys Agree To Two-Year Deal
2:59pm: Weeden’s two-year deal with the Cowboys will be worth the minimum salary, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). That would mean a base salary of $570K in 2014 and $660K in 2015. Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that Weeden also spoke to the Ravens and Bengals before landing with the Cowboys.
2:50pm: The Cowboys have agreed to terms on a two-year contract with former Browns signal-caller Brandon Weeden, according to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link). Weeden and fellow Browns QB Jason Campbell were both released last week, making them unrestricted free agents.
A report earlier this offseason suggested that Weeden, no longer in the franchise’s plans in Cleveland, was seeking a trade, and with a new regime in place it seemed extremely unlikely that the former first-round pick would still be with the team in 2014. Since being selected 22nd overall in 2012, Weeden has lost 15 of his 20 NFL starts, completing 55.9% of his passes and throwing more interceptions (26) than touchdowns (23).
For the Cowboys, Weeden appears to be third on the depth chart behind Tony Romo and Kyle Orton. There were rumblings within the last few weeks that Orton was considering retiring, but last we heard, the club still expects him to return for the final year of his contract. If Orton were to decide to end his playing career, Weeden would presumably become Romo’s primary backup.