Cardinals Release Daryn Colledge
7:32pm: The release of Colledge will be designated as a post June 1 cut, so his $4.55MM cap hit will be spread over two years, per Kent Somers of azcentral.com (via Twitter).
7:06pm: The Cardinals have released offensive guard Daryn Colledge, according to a tweet from the eight-year pro: “Wanna thank you the fans and the Cardinals for an amazing opportunity. A great organization headed in the right direction. Wish ya the best.”
Colledge would have counted $7.28MM against the cap in 2014, but the move carries with it a dead money hit of $4.55MM. Overall, Arizona will save roughly $2.73MM, per OverTheCap.com.
Never having missed a game as a professional, there figures to be a decent market for Colledge, who turns 33 in August. FOX Sports 1 Senior NFL reporter Alex Marvez, who knows South Florida well, projects the Dolphins as a potential landing spot (via Twitter). Colledge and Miami head coach Joe Philbin were together with the Packers from 2006-’10.
Packers, Sam Shields Reach Four-Year Deal
6:57pm: Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com predicts a cap hit just north of $5.62MM in 2014 for Shields.
6:10pm: The deal calls for Shields to earn $15MM in 2014 and $30MM by 2016, wrote Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. The Packers had over $34MM in cap room before the this deal.
An undrafted free agent in 2010, the former Miami Hurricane has 13 interceptions in four seasons and set a career-high with 17 passes defended in 2013. Shields played last season on a one-year restricted free agent tender of $2.02MM.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the deal with the following tweet: “Congrats to RSR client Sam Shields & the Green Bay Packers on the new contract!”
6:07pm: Shields’ deal includes a $12.5MM signing bonus, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter).
6:00pm: The Packers have signed free-agent cornerback Sam Shields to a four-year contract, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio tweets that the deal is worth $39MM.
ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky confirmed the deal’s length and overall figure, but said he does not know the guarantees and structure yet.
Reports had pointed to Shields hitting the open market, though some Packers beat writers viewed the reports as a marketing ploy by agent Drew Rosenhaus.
Free Agency Notes: Vikings, Johnson, Gerhart
With more than $40MM in cap room available, Vikings GM Rick Spielman and his staff will be busy adding talent to their roster once free agency officially opens at 3:00pm Tuesday. In addition to cornerback Alterraun Verner, Minnesota has also called to express interest in former Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson, tweets ESPN.com reporter Ben Goessling. Following up on that tweet was ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan, who tweeted that at least six teams should be involved for Johnson’s services.
More free agency notes from Minnesota and elsewhere around the league…
- Fullback Jerome Felton is pessimistic that the team will be able to re-sign running back Toby Gerhart, per Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com.
- A league source told Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio that free agent quarterback Michael Vick is not likely to have interest in the Vikings or Jaguars after the re-signings of Matt Cassel and Chad Henne.
- The Bears and defensive lineman Michael Bennett have mutual interest, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Bennett is the older brother of Chicago tight end Martellus Bennett.
- Free agent safety Mike Mitchell has drawn interest from the Bears, Eagles, Broncos and Falcons, reports Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer.
- Recently released linebacker Jameel McClain has already visited the Bills and Giants, and is expected to visit the Vikings on Monday, said CSNBaltimore.com’s Bo Smolka.
- Due to the increased salary cap, Caplan tweets that it will be hard for the Rams to re-sign offensive lineman Rodger Saffold.
- Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News opines that the Cowboys should go ahead and release defensive cornerstone DeMarcus Ware, saving the team $7.8MM against the cap in 2014.
Browns Notes: Manziel, Mack, Ward
At first glance, a headline of “Browns didn’t interview Johnny Manziel at NFL Combine” figures to draw the ire of Cleveland fans. The team needs a franchise quarterback, and Manziel projects to be a top-5 selection (The Browns own the No. 4 and No. 26 picks).
“We didn’t speak to him at the combine,” Browns coach Mike Pettine said Monday at the Cleveland Auto Show, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I didn’t personally. He was not part of the formal interviews.”
However, as Cabot points out, the Browns still have ample time to bring Manziel in for an individual workout and interview, as well as the Texas A&M pro day on March 5.
It’s possible — and likely — that the Browns used their allotment of 60 combine interviews to speak with players whom they don’t plan on bringing in for private meetings.
More from the Browns and Cabot…
- Center Alex Mack becomes the highest-paid center in the NFL with the application of the transition tag today, notes Cabot, in line to earn at least $10.039MM guaranteed in 2014 if not signed to an offer sheet.
- Pettine doesn’t look at the transition tag as a one-year deal, but as a way to sign Mack long-term. “We felt that that was the best avenue for us to go,” Pettine said. “He’s an outstanding player. We want him to be a Cleveland Brown for a long time. The [transition tag] will allow us the opportunity to potentially do that.”
- Since NFL rules dictate that each team can only tag one player per offseason, strong safety T.J. Ward did not receive a franchise or transition tag. “I wouldn’t read into it,” Pettine said. “It only eliminates the ability to have tagged him. He’s an outstanding player and he’s a Cleveland Brown and we’ll make the decision for what’s best for him moving forward.”
NFC Notes: Seahawks, Bryant, Rice, Harbaugh
The Super Bowl champion Seahawks debuted their season highlights tonight, and coach Pete Carroll left the door open on a possible return of two recently released players, defensive lineman Red Bryant and receiver Sidney Rice.
“Maybe we have a chance to get them back,” Carroll said via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. “Maybe we don’t. We’ll have to wait and see.”
The two were slated to earn a combined $17MM in 2014 before receiving the ax.
Other notes from the NFC…
- 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh addressed rumors he will leave the team after next season. “No,” Harbaugh told SI.com’s Michael Rosenberg. “Zero opportunity or chance of that in my mind.” Harbaugh flatly denied the assertions that he wants more money and power, and he spoke of the respect shared between himself and GM Trent Baalke.
- Cowboys quarterback Kyle Orton is set to earn $3.25MM in 2014, but the team still doesn’t if he plans on playing, according to ESPNDallas.com’s Todd Archer. Orton would have to repay $3MM of the $5MM signing bonus he received in 2012, so signs point to his return, but no declarative statement has been made.
- Attempting to ease cap woes, the Cowboys converted base salary to bonus money for cornerback Orlando Scandrick and Sean Lee, per FOX Sports 1 NFL insider Mike Garafolo (Twitter link). This type of conversion lowers a cap number by spreading the hit over the length of the contract. Garafolo continued, saying the team will continue to rework contracts, and that Scandrick had $3.75MM converted. Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that Dallas created $4.75MM in space with Lee and $8.5MM total.
- With a $6.75MM salary and $11.3MM cap number in 2014, Giants offensive lineman Chris Snee reiterated his willingness to take a pay cut and “mentor the young guys,” from ESPN Giants reporter Dan Graziano.
Byrd Notes: Falcons, Browns, Jets, Bills
The deadline for teams to apply their franchise and transition tags has come and gone, and the Bills announced earlier today they would not tag three-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd.
Now it’s time for beat writers from safety-needy teams to look at whether the former Oregon product who played the 2013 season on a franchise tender would be worth his hefty price tag.
When D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution ranked his five free agent targets for the Falcons, he ranked Byrd No. 1. Atlanta will be $26.7MM beneath the salary cap once Tony Gonzalez‘s $7MM slot is removed, and Ledbetter cites the potential upgrade Byrd would present over incumbent free safety Thomas DeCoud, whom the Falcons are expected to release, as justification.
But, there’s only so much money you can invest in one position, as ESPN Atlanta Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure points out. Strong safety William Moore enters year two of a five-year, $29.51M contract, and Byrd figures to command a substantially larger deal.
Other Byrd notes from around the league…
- When the Browns placed the transition tag on center Alex Mack earlier today, they gave up their exclusive rights of T.J. Ward, another top-tier safety hitting free agency. ESPN Browns reporter Pat McManamon looks at the potential for a Byrd/Ward swap of sorts, reuniting Byrd with Cleveland head coach and former Buffalo defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
- The Jets haven’t paid top dollar for a safety since Kerry Rhodes‘ $33.5MM deal in 2008, ESPNNewYork.com reporter Rich Cimini notes, but Byrd is worth investigating. Cimini’s gut tells him the team will likely look again to Dawan Landry and Antonio Allen in 2014, but with 22 interceptions since 2009 and six against the Jets, Byrd should draw the organization’s eye.
- Aaron Williams, a second-round pick in 2011, tops the list of likely replacements for Byrd in Buffalo, with younger players Duke Williams, Jonathan Meeks and Jujuan Harley as long shots, per ESPN Bills reporter Mike Rodak.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Michael Vick
The career arc of Michael Dwayne Vick is akin to the scariest roller coaster of which you used to dream as a young girl or boy — a series of sky-scraping peaks, each followed by a calamitous crash back down to earth at rocket speeds.
Vick enters the 2014 offseason as a free agent, the second time in his career he’s held that designation. PFR’s Luke Adams lists Vick, along with Chad Henne, Matt Cassel and Josh McCown, as the only first tier free agent quarterbacks. Rarely does a franchise quarterback make it to free agency.
His story is well told. The No. 1 overall pick in 2001 from Virginia Tech, Vick transcended the quarterback position. While not the most efficient or accomplished passer, his athleticism forced defenses to scheme for both his arm and his legs. He made the Pro Bowl in three of his six years in Atlanta, becoming the first QB to rush for 1,000 yards in 2006, though the Falcons missed the playoffs for the second straight season.
Then, Vick became a convicted felon and spent 548 days in prison.
Upon his release, a number of teams came out and, for one reason or another, publicly stated their disinterest in signing Vick. But the Eagles, lobbied by then-starting QB Donovan McNabb and looking to add a dynamic element to their offense, signed Vick to a modest two-year contract.
Vick played sparingly in 2009 as McNabb’s backup, then looked to back up Kevin Kolb in 2010 until an injury Week One sidelined McNabb’s heir apparent. The next 15 weeks were the best football Vick has ever played, finally becoming the efficient passer that had eluded him during his days in Atlanta, setting career-bests in completion percentage and passer rating.
But, as has been the case so many times with Vick, it came down to his (in)ability to stay on the field. Injuries forced him to the bench in each of the following three seasons, and he was kept there in 2013 by the stellar play of second-year passer Nick Foles.
In Vick’s favor is the improvement he showed in Philadelphia, making strides in every passing metric. Now we’ll see how much the rest of the league thinks of him.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported last month that the Buccaneers and Jets are likely to have some level of interest in Vick. The Jets offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, worked with Vick in Philadelphia as the Eagles OC from 2009-’12.
However, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported that a reunion between Vick and Mornhinweg is not likely, despite the obvious connection. Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times says the Bucs need to take some chances and implores the team to sign Vick.
Vick, who turns 34 this summer, told Dan Handuz of NFL.com that he’ll “absolutely” be starting Week One next season. If his market isn’t what he thinks it will be, the Bengals would be a potential suitor — they offered Vick a two-year deal worth about $2.3MM in 2009, according to FOXSports.com.
At this stage in his career, Vick is likely still one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the world. But, teams will be wary of making a substantial financial investment in an aging veteran who has only played all 16 games once in his 11 season. Thanks to a weak free agent QB crop, though, he’ll likely get a shot to at least compete for the starting job, and we may get to watch the “Michael Vick Experience” once again.
Extra Points: Benton, Dolphins, Amendola
The Dolphins have promoted John Benton to offensive line coach and named Jack Bicknell Jr. the team’s assistant offensive line coach, the team announced today.
Benton was originally hired by the Dolphins on January 29. He replaces Jim Turner, who was fired earlier this month for his involvement in the Richie Incognito–Jonathan Martin bullying scandal.
Bicknell spent the 2013 season as the Steelers‘ offensive line coach. Before that, he had NFL stops with the Chiefs and Giants, and 24 seasons coaching at the collegiate level.
Here are some more bits and pieces from a relatively slow Saturday night…
- Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report reported earlier today that the Patriots have “floated” receiver Danny Amendola in trade talks. However, Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com said he “would not bet on Amendola being dealt this offseason.”
- Regardless of what happens in free agency, Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News says Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans would be the Lions’ best choice “in terms of both talent and need.”
- Denard Robinson played just 52 out of 1,056 snaps last year due to inconsistent play, but the Jaguars hope he has an impact in the running back rotation in 2014, according to Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union.
- As Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer points out, the Eagles handed out $133MM in contracts in the span of three days last week to four offensive players acquired by current Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
- A mix-up on draft day last year led to miscommunication between the Cowboys‘ coaching and scouting departments, but Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News said the team has since streamlined its operations and eliminated any possibility of disconnect.
- Answering questions from fans in a Twitter mailbag, ESPN Raiders reporter Paul Gutierrez said it makes “all the sense in the world” for the team to sign free agent defensive end Jared Allen.
- In a similar format, ESPN Browns reporter Pat McManamon said safety Jairus Byrd would be a nice addition to Cleveland’s defensive backfield, but there’s still the possibility he gets re-signed or franchised (again) by the Bills. Byrd and Browns coach Mike Pettine spent a year together in 2013 when Pettine was the Bills‘ defensive coordinator.
Seahawks Notes: Tate, Bennett, Salary Cap
As the Seahawks said goodbye to receiver Sidney Rice and defensive lineman Red Bryant, they said hello to approximately $12.8MM in savings, freeing the defending Super Bowl champions to be active participants in upcoming free agency.
Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reached out to cap expert Jason Fitzgerald of OvertheCap.com, and Fitzgerald offered a plethora of knowledge, shining light on the possible plans of GM John Schneider in the coming months.
- According to Fitzgerald, the team will have about $17.8MM in cap room. He predicts a safe spending level between $10-10.5MM after setting aside $1.5MM for rookie draft picks and a minimum $6MM cushion.
- Fitzgerald views tight end Zach Miller and defensive end Chris Clemons as “too expensive” on their current deals, set to earn $7.5MM and $6MM in 2014, respectively.
- With a cap number hovering around $76MM in 2015, Fitzgerald does not envision Seattle having any problems taking care of quarterback Russell Wilson, left tackle Russell Okung, cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Earl Thomas going forward. With the exception of Okung, who has two years left on his current deal, each player is eligible for free agency next offseason.
- Free agent Golden Tate should not be that expensive to re-sign, says Fitzgerald, likening him to Eagles receiver Riley Cooper, who just received a five-year, $25MM contract with $10MM guaranteed.
- Defensive lineman Michael Bennett, however, “is a trickier one” because he excelled at a premium position last season in a contract year. Fitzgerald doesn’t know if the Seahawks can retain Bennett’s services if the former Texas A&M Aggie goes for a $9-10MM/year contract.
Seferian-Jenkins Has Fractured Foot
Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, considered to be a first-round prospect by most draft prognosticators, has a stress fracture in his foot and will not be back to full strength for six to eight weeks, according to Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune (via Twitter).
It’s unclear when the 21-year old from Fox Island, Washington suffered the injury. Tight ends did their on-field work today at the NFL Scouting Combine, but Seferian-Jenkins was not among the participants.
SI.com’s Doug Farrar listed Seferian-Jenkins as one of his first-day combine sliders due to a “last minute medical issue” that forced the 6’6″ athlete to bow out. Farrar mention’s the DUI Seferian-Jenkins received in March 2013 as another issue, as well as his decreased production from 2012 to this past season.