East Notes: Incognito, Edelman, Rolle
Neither Jonathan Martin nor Richie Incognito figures to play for the Dolphins in 2014, but Martin said earlier this week that he wants to continue his playing career, and Incognito conveyed the same sentiment today, tweeting, “I need a job.” Unlike Martin, whose agent will likely work with the Dolphins to find a trade partner, Incognito is a free agent this offseason, so he’ll be able to sign with any team willing to bet that his role in last year’s bullying scandal won’t be a locker-room distraction.
Let’s check in on a few more items from out of the AFC and NFC East…
- Asked by Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald if he wants to re-sign with the Patriots, Julian Edelman didn’t exactly vow to return at all costs, but his response (“Who doesn’t? It’s a great franchise”) did suggest a desire to remain in New England.
- With one year left on his contract with the Giants, Antrel Rolle doesn’t plan on going anywhere and would be open to discussing an extension, says Zach Braziller of the New York Post.
- Because of the schemes run by Chip Kelly, the Eagles may find it easier to recruit free agents on offense, writes Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com, who adds that Philadelphia could be a tougher sell for free agent defensive linemen.
Lions Sign Darren Keyton
The Lions have signed center Darren Keyton to a reserve/futures contract, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter). Because Keyton didn’t finish the 2013 season on an active NFL roster, he was eligible to sign a reserve deal, which will ensure he’s under contract with the Lions when the new league year begins in March.
Keyton, who attended Central Michigan, went undrafted in 2013 and joined the Lions last spring. After spending training camp and the preseason with Detroit, he was one of the last players cut when the club finalized its regular season roster. It looks like he’ll get another chance to compete for a spot on the roster or at least the practice squad in 2014.
Fitzgerald Open To Restructuring Contract
3:44pm: Cardinals president Michael Bidwill confirmed to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link) that the team has spoken to Fitzgerald’s agent and is “excited” about the possibility of working something out.
1:31pm: The Cardinals are expected to approach Larry Fitzgerald this offseason about the possibility of restructuring his contract, and the star receiver is open to the idea, he tells Fox Sports 910 in Arizona (Twitter link). According to Fitzgerald, he’ll “absolutely” be willing to restructure his deal if “that’s what needs to be done.”
Fitzgerald, 30, signed an eight-year, $120MM extension with the Cardinals in 2011, keeping him under contract through the 2018 season. According to an Arizona Republic report earlier in the month, Fitzgerald isn’t interested in accepting a pay cut, so reworking his deal would likely just involve converting a portion of his base salary into a bonus that could be prorated over the course of the contract. While that would reduce Fitzgerald’s massive $18MM cap number for 2014, the Cardinals would increase the cap hits down the road in that scenario, so we’ll have to see if the two sides can reach a compromise.
On Tuesday, word broke that the Patriots mulled the idea of acquiring Fitzgerald last offseason. Like the Cards, the Pats don’t have a ton of cap flexibility, but it’s still possible that they could consider pursuing him again, especially if he’s willing to reduce his 2014 cap number.
Fitzgerald appeared in all 16 games for a sixth straight season in 2013, racking up 82 catches, 954 yards, and 10 touchdowns with Carson Palmer throwing him the ball.
NFC West Rumors: Kaepernick, 49ers, Peterson
Colin Kaepernick is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but it doesn’t sound like he intends to pry every last penny out of the 49ers if and when the two sides negotiate a long-term deal. Appearing on KNBR’s Murph & Mac, today, Kaepernick said that a “balance” was necessary for the sake of the team, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee details.
“You want to be paid fairly for what you feel like you’re doing in comparison to your peers,” Kaepernick said. “But at the same time, you have to realize, if we want to get Anquan Boldin back, if we want Donte Whitner to come back, we’re going to have to make moves to get them back. And there has to be room for everyone. And that’s something I’m going to let my agent and the organization try to figure out.”
Here’s more on Kaepernick and the Niners, along with notes on a couple other NFC West clubs:
- Following up on Kaepernick’s comments about a possible extension, Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group writes that the 49ers quarterback is taking a smart approach to negotiations.
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com takes a look at the 49ers‘ cap situation, including which players may not return in 2014 at their current salary.
- Appearing at the Waste Management Phoenix Open Annexus Pro-Am, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson addressed his contract situation, saying that he’d like a deal that would keep him in Arizona “for a while,” according to Craig Grialou of ArizonaSports.com. Peterson is extension-eligible for the first time offseason, though the Cardinals could also simply exercise his fifth-year option for 2015 and put off negotiations for another year.
- At least three coordinators involved in this weekend’s Super Bowl could be future head coaches, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe in a piece that discusses Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell and DC Dan Quinn.
- Earlier today, we heard that Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald will be open to restructuring his contract this offseason.
Browns Interviewing OC Candidates
THURSDAY, 3:15pm: In addition to meeting with DeFilippo, the Browns are also interviewing Loggains for the OC job today, reports Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 2:13pm: The Browns will also interview DeFilippo on Thursday for their offensive coordinator opening, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
1:05pm: Shanahan has an interview with the Browns scheduled for Wednesday, according to ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen (via Twitter).
12:12pm: The Browns have finalized the hirings of several coaches within the last week, including a new defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, and head coach. The team is still in the market for an offensive coordinator though, and appears to be eyeing a candidate who has missed out on two other OC jobs this winter: Kyle Shanahan. According to John Keim of ESPN.com, the Browns spoke to Shanahan this morning about their offensive coordinator opening.
Shanahan has had success in the past as the offensive coordinator in Houston and, more recently, in Washington. However, “numerous stories” about friction between Shanahan and Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III may have affected his ability to land a new job, league sources tell Keim. Shanahan was in the mix for OC jobs with the Dolphins and Ravens in recent weeks, before both teams decided to go in another direction.
Gary Kubiak, Cam Cameron, Alex Van Pelt, and Dowell Loggains are among the other names to have surfaced within the last few days as potential OC candidates for Cleveland, but Kubiak was hired by the Ravens and Cameron and Van Pelt appear to be staying put at LSU and Green Bay, respectively. NFL Network’s Albert Breer mentioned last night (via Twitter) that Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo could also be in the picture, and adds today (via Twitter) that the Browns also have interest in Bill Callahan. While the Cowboys have said Callahan isn’t available, that may change now that Scott Linehan has joined the Cowboys’ staff, says Breer.
AFC Notes: Welker, Bailey, Pats, Jaguars
Already this week, Peyton Manning and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie have addressed the possibility of retiring after the Super Bowl if the Broncos win. Wide receiver Wes Welker was the latest to be asked about that scenario, but the former Patriot quickly shot down the idea.
“Of course it would be a good way to end it, but I am still having fun,” Welker said, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “I am still enjoying the game. I feel good, and as long as I am out there having fun, I will continue to play.”
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Champ Bailey told reporters today, including Lindsay Jones of USA Today (Twitter link), that cornerbacks his age either “retire, stink it up or move to safety.” Bailey is hoping he doesn’t end up doing any of those things in 2014.
- While the Patriots could have a couple candidates for the franchise tag this offseason in Julian Edelman and Aqib Talib, the team would have to make significant moves to accommodate an eight-figure, one-year salary for either player, says Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.
- Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell spoke to Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union about what he took away from scouting last week’s Senior Bowl. According to Caldwell, defensive back and offensive line were areas of strength at the event.
- The Jaguars figure to target pass-rushers in the draft, and Virginia’s Brett Urban could be an option, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.
- With center Alex Mack and safety T.J. Ward facing free agency this offseason, the Browns will have to hope they don’t follow Mike Adams’ lead, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. As McManamon notes, Adams won 28 games in five years with the Browns, then signed as a free agent in Denver, where he’s won that many games in just two seasons.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald examines the free agent decisions facing new Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey in his first couple months on the job.
Welcome To Pro Football Rumors
Welcome to Pro Football Rumors! A clearinghouse for relevant, legitimate NFL news and rumors, PFR will focus on free agency, the draft, and the trade market, following the model of MLB Trade Rumors and Hoops Rumors. I’ll be the site’s head writer and editor, and will be joined by eight part-time writers who will bring you the latest NFL updates 365 days a year.
We’ve already been updating the site with stories for about a week, so here’s a look at some of the notable headlines from the last few days, as we approach the Super Bowl:
- There are rumblings around the NFL that Peyton Manning will call it a career if he and the Broncos win the Super Bowl, but Manning’s public stance is that, win or lose, he plans to return for the 2014 season.
- The Browns became the NFL’s last team to hire a head coach, tabbing ex-Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine as their man.
- After initially suggesting that he’d seriously consider retiring if the Broncos win on Sunday, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie backed off those comments, and appears poised for a lucrative multiyear contract on the free agent market.
- Dennis Hickey, formerly of the Bucs, became the new Dolphins’ general manager. Hickey will be tasked with finding a home for offensive lineman Jonathan Martin, who wants to continue his NFL career after last season’s highly publicized bullying scandal.
- The Panthers signed coach Ron Rivera to a three-year contract extension, locking up Riverboat Ron through the 2017 season.
We’ll be rolling out plenty of features in the next several weeks and months, and will keep on top of all the latest rumors this offseason, with free agency set to begin in March and the draft scheduled for May. For now, you can check out our complete list of 2014 free agents, and our rundown of important offseason dates for 2014. You can also follow us via Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and Google+. If you’d just like to receive updates on a specific team, you can find the appropriate feed right here.
NFC North Notes: Tillman, Bell, Keisel, Lions
Charles Tillman earned about $8MM in 2013, the last year of his contract with the Bears. Although he had another solid season when he was healthy, recording three INTs and forcing three fumbles in eight games, Tillman likely won’t be offered a similar salary by the Bears in free agency, given his age and the team’s limited flexibility. Still, as Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times details, the 32-year-old defensive back appeared on 670 The Score in Chicago on Wednesday and didn’t sound like someone eager to play elsewhere.
“In perfect world, I will finish as a Bear,” Tillman told Laurence Holmes. “I guarantee I will retire a Chicago Bear. I guarantee that.”
While we wait to see if the two sides can work out a deal that will keep Tillman in a Bears uniform, let’s round up a few other notes from out of the NFC North….
- “I would like to just bypass all this and sign a long-term deal,” Joique Bell said of his impending free agency, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. Since he only has three years of experience, Bell will be a restricted free agent, meaning the Lions will have the ability to match any offers he receives. Still, it sounds as if the running back would rather negotiate a multiyear contract directly with the Lions, rather than hoping they match.
- While longtime Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel hopes to re-sign with Pittsburgh, he would definitely consider joining the Lions this spring, as he tells 105.1FM in Detroit (quotes via Justin Rogers of MLive.com). “They’ve got a great team,” Keisel said. “I really like their quarterback. They’ve got Megatron. Who wouldn’t want to play with those guys?”
- Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com takes a closer look at the Bears‘ situation at cornerback, where Tillman isn’t the only player facing free agency.
- Kellen Davis, who will play for the Seahawks in this weekend’s Super Bowl, tells Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times that he felt “a little bit slighted” by the Bears when Chicago cut him last March.
2014 NFL Free Agents
Pro Football Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2014 NFL free agents is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2013 season. The player’s 2014 age is in parentheses.
Players who finished the 2013 season on an NFL roster but don’t have contracts for 2014 are listed below. Players eligible for restricted free agency are marked with (R), players who received the franchise tag are marked with (F), and players who received the transition tag are marked with (T). Exclusive rights free agents are not included. All other free agents are assumed to be unrestricted.
If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us. For instant free agent updates, be sure to follow us on Twitter @pfrumors.
Updated 8-27-14 (4:16pm CT)
Justin Tuck Looking Forward To Testing Market
Justin Tuck has spent all nine seasons of his NFL career with the Giants, but it seems as if he’ll be shopping for a new home this March. Speaking to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post this morning, Tuck indicated that he was looking forward to exploring his options in unrestricted free agency.
“I will see what the market is for me,” Tuck said. “I’ve never been in this situation before, and it’s a great opportunity for myself. I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t see what the market is, and I will.”
At the conclusion of the Giants’ season a month ago, Tuck suggested that he’d be open to the idea of re-signing in New York and perhaps eventually retiring as a Giant. However, he seems less enthused about that idea now, acknowledging that while he intends to meet with the Giants next month to discuss a new deal, he and the team will both do what’s in their best interests, which may mean parting ways.
With about $116MM on the books for 2014, and a long list of pending free agents, the Giants won’t have a ton of flexibility to make Tuck a competitive offer. Still, it remains to be seen what sort of years and dollars the defensive end could land. He’s coming off a strong bounceback season that saw him play in all 16 games and record 11 sacks, but he’ll also turn 31 in March, so his age and injury history may raise red flags for potential suitors.