Free Agent Stock Watch: Michael Crabtree
Two weeks ago, we compiled our top 50 free agent list. Since that time, almost all of the players on that list have either signed with a new club, re-signed with their original team, or retired. The most intriguing name remaining is Michael Crabtree, who checked in at No. 29 and who is still looking for a new home.
Last July, our Luke Adams examined Crabtree as an extension candidate. In that piece, Adams described Crabtree’s breakout 2012 campaign, in which he established career highs in receptions (85), receiving yards (1,105), and touchdowns (9). Crabtree was just as dynamic in the postseason that year, compiling 285 yards and three touchdowns through the air and helping San Francisco reach the Super Bowl, where he nearly hauled in a game-winning touchdown on the team’s final drive.
But it has all been downhill from there for Crabtree. In the spring of 2013, the former Texas Tech star–who famously held out until October of his rookie season, thereby becoming the longest rookie holdout in 49ers history–underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, and he did not get back on the field until December. He ultimately played just five games in the 2013 season, catching 19 balls for 284 yards and a score.
2014 was a season that most 49ers fans and players would sooner forget, and Crabtree is no exception. He managed to stay on the field for all 16 games, but he caught just 68 passes for 698 yards and four touchdowns. Those are not especially poor numbers, especially in an offense that largely struggled, but they are not the sort of statistics befitting someone of Crabtree’s talents.
As a result, Crabtree, like a number of his fellow veteran wide receivers, has had difficulty generating much interest on the open market this offseason. He visited the Dolphins several days ago, and the Chargers and Washington have also been rumored as potential landing spots. The Dolphins, who recently traded Mike Wallace and who released Brian Hartline earlier this year, would appear to be a strong fit. At this point, though, it does not appear that anything is imminent.
Age, at least, is on Crabtree’s side. He just turned 27 in December, and he has proven that he can be a capable downfield threat when healthy. But it could be that teams simply do not believe Crabtree can ever be healthy enough to replicate his 2012 form. Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com opined (via Twitter) this morning that Crabtree is a descending wideout since the Achilles injury. Although that may be something of a harsh assessment, it is not a stretch to say that Crabtree was just as much a cause of the 49ers’ anemic offense last year as he was a victim of it.
As a result, he may have to settle for a one-year deal to prove himself. A team with an established quarterback and another quality receiving option or two may provide the ideal platform for Crabtree to showcase his talents, but at this point, it is uncertain whether a suitor like that is out there. So Crabtree, like Hakeem Nicks, will continue to hope for an opportunity to show that he has put his injury history behind him and can be the dynamic player of a few seasons ago.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Latest On Kroenke’s Inglewood Proposal
The March NFL owners meetings begin tomorrow in Phoenix, and as Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times writes, Rams owner Stan Kroenke is bringing finished schematic plans for his proposed Inglewood stadium with him. Kroenke’s proposal would put a futuristic, highly-interactive and highly-integrated stadium in Los Angeles, which has not hosted an NFL franchise in 21 years.
Of course, the assumption is that Kroenke, if he were able to build his $1.86 billion palace, would bring the Rams to LA. But there are complications. For one, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, there are some in the league who want to “make returning football to Los Angeles a California solution — involving the Chargers and/or Raiders. Not the Rams.” The Chargers and Raiders joined forces last month and announced their plan to share a stadium in Carson.
Meanwhile, there has been progress in the efforts to build a new stadium on the riverfront in St. Louis, but as Thomas notes, the land acquisition and financing necessary for those plans to come to fruition are yet to be done. Kroenke, on the other hand, has already purchased the land in Inglewood, and while he is not quite ready to put a shovel in the ground, Farmer writes that the major pieces of the project are now fully drawn. It would take less than three years to build the stadium, and any team that relocates to Los Angeles could play in the Coliseum or Rose Bowl in the meantime.
One of the more interesting aspects about Kroenke’s proposal is that it is “two-team compliant.” Although Kroenke has enough money to fund the project on his own and does not need to partner with another franchise, the NFL believes Los Angeles is a two-team market and would like any stadium built in the area to be capable of hosting two clubs. Kroenke undoubtedly does not wish to share the wealth generated by a project for which he is assuming the risk by himself, but it is nonetheless an interesting twist in an already fascinating saga.
The league has said that no team would be allowed to relocate before the 2016 season, and it is unlikely that any vote to move a franchise–such a move would require support from three-quarters of the league’s 32 owners–would take place before the fall. But this week, what we have known for months will become even more clear: Los Angeles is primed to get an NFL team for the first time in over two decades, and while San Diego, Oakland, and St. Louis have all made progress in their efforts to keep the Rams out of Hollywood, Kroenke continues to lead the race.
East Notes: Hardy, Washington, Pats
The Cowboys‘ signing of Greg Hardy understandably raised a few eyebrows in this era of heightened scrutiny of players with histories of domestic violence. Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings called the signing a “shot to the gut,” and Dan Lebowitz, executive director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University, wonders if the decision to allow someone like Hardy a path to redemption is compassionate or irresponsible.
Nonetheless, as Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News writes, even the most ardent critics of the Hardy decision realize that if the Cowboys did not believe Hardy could contribute on the field, he would not be there. Josh Brent and Joseph Randle would not be there. The Cowboys, who also signed Michael Sam to their practice squad last season, are not trying to be a vehicle for social dialogue, they are simply trying to build a better football team. And since Dallas is well-acquainted with the type of controversy that Hardy brings, their latest high-profile acquisition has a good chance to do just that.
Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:
- Washington‘s free agent acquisitions this offseason were generally greeted with more enthusiasm than last year’s class, and John Keim of ESPN.com looks at how the major signings of 2014 panned out and what to expect from them moving forward.
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com believes Washington, just like last year, will bring in a kicker to compete with incumbent Kai Forbath. But despite Forbath’s relative lack of leg strength, which manifests itself in opposing teams’ starting field position, Tandler does not see anyone unseating Forbath at this point.
- Given the departure of Vince Wilfork, the fact that Chris Jones and Sealver Siliga both underwent offseason surgery, and Dominique Easley‘s appearance on the injured reserve list in December, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com expects the Patriots to further solidify their defensive tackle corps this offseason.
- Echoing sentiments that have been widely shared across the league, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News writes that this offseason has narrowed the gap between the perennial class of the AFC East, the Patriots, and the rest of the division.
Jets Sign Marcus Gilchrist
MARCH 18th, 12:16pm: The Jets announced that the signing is official, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
MARCH 12th, 10:23pm: The Jets are not done adding to their secondary, as they are finalizing a four-year deal with former Chargers safety Marcus Gilchrist, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Gilchrist was drafted by San Diego in the second round of the 2011 draft, and he started all 16 games for the club in each of the past two seasons. He fared poorly according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) in 2014, ranking 72nd out of 87 eligible safeties. However, he graded out much better in 2013, finishing as the 20th-best safety out of 88. He has tallied five interceptions in his four-year career, so he has not been much of a playmaker despite his strong tackling abilities and mentally-sound play.
But he does further bolster a unit that has already been rejuvenated with the recent additions of Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie,and Buster Skrine. As Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork tweets, Gilchrist’s versatility is especially appealing to the Jets. Gilchrist played 401 snaps in the slot, 306 snaps at strong safety, and 201 snaps at free safety last season, and he and Calvin Pryor will team up to create a fairly strong pair of interchangeable safeties. Of course, the secondary as a whole has been transformed from an embarrassingly undermanned group to perhaps the best set of defensive backs in the league in just a couple of days.
Cowboys Sign Jasper Brinkley
TUESDAY, 9:13am: The Cowboys have officially signed Brinkley, per the team’s official website.
THURSDAY, 10:41pm: The Cowboys have struck a two-year deal with former Vikings linebacker Jasper Brinkley, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Brinkley started 11 games for Minnesota last season, compiling 54 tackles and one sack. The 30-year-old played for Arizona in 2013 before returning to the team that drafted him in the fifth round of the 2009 draft.
As Archer writes, Brinkley is a two-down middle linebacker, so his presence will allow the Cowboys to shift Sean Lee from inside linebacker to weak-side linebacker as he recovers from a torn ACL that ended his 2014 campaign before it started. Brinkley is the second free agent to join Dallas’ linebacker corps this offseason. The team also signed Keith Rivers while losing Justin Durant and Bruce Carter to the Falcons and Buccaneers, respectively.
The Cowboys will also have to decide whether they want to bring back Rolando McClain, who was a surprising contributor in 2014 but who is facing a four-game fine for violating the league’s substance abuse policy for the third time.
Bengals To Sign Michael Johnson
1:21pm: Schefter hears that Johnson won’t make quite $24MM, tweeting that the four-year deal will in fact be worth $20MM, with $6MM coming in 2015.
11:25am: It is a four-year, $24MM deal for Johnson, according to Tomasson (via Twitter).
10:08am: The Bengals and DE Michael Johnson have agreed to terms, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that it is a four-year deal.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for Johnson, who was drafted by Cincinnati in the third round of the 2009 draft. The Georgia Tech product played for the Bengals for five seasons before signing a five-year, $43.75MM deal with the Buccaneers last offseason. Tampa Bay released Johnson just a few days ago, saving themselves $2MM of cap room and setting the stage for Johnson’s reunion with Cincinnati. Rapoport (via Twitter) adds that Johnson made $16MM during his one year in Tampa Bay, and there are no offsets in his contract, so whatever he earns from the Bengals will be in addition to that $16MM figure. As Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets, Johnson was already due $7MM from the Buccaneers and is now set to make around $14MM in 2015 alone.
Johnson had a breakout season in 2012, contributing 11.5 sacks and grading out as the 14th-best 4-3 defensive end according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). He combined with Carlos Dunlap to form an imposing pair of bookends along the Bengals’ defensive line. Cincinnati put the franchise tag on Johnson after the 2012 campaign, and although his sack totals fell off considerably in 2013, PFF listed him as the 4th-best 4-3 DE in the league, largely as a result of his excellent play against the run. The performance made him a hot commodity last offseason, and he ultimately signed with Tampa Bay as the Buccaneers looked to bolster their front seven.
But Johnson’s lone season in Tampa was disappointing to say the least. He accrued just four sacks and even his run defense full off a cliff as he finished near the bottom of the league’s defensive ends per PFF. However, his talent is undeniable, and the Vikings recently brought him in for a visit that by all accounts left both sides with a good feeling. In the end, though, the attraction of playing for his original club was just too much. As Johnson said, “[Cincinnati] is my home. I feel like outside of Selma (Johnson’s Alabama hometown) this is my home” (Twitter link to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press).
Cincinnati, meanwhile, gets a quality player who should bring a lift to its defensive line, and a player who the team knows will fit into its system. Furthermore, the Bengals will get a third-round compensatory choice for losing Johnson last season, even though he is now back on the team, and because he was re-acquired after having been released, he will not count against the team’s compensatory pick formula next year. All in all, Johnson and the Bengals appear to have made out very well today.
Sunday Roundup: Ngata, Cameron, Rams
We have seen one major signing thus far today, as Michael Johnson and the Bengals agreed to reunite. As we wait for more free agent dominoes to fall, let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the league:
- Justin Rogers of MLive.com looks at how the Lions might work out an extension for newly-acquired DT Haloti Ngata. It is still unclear whether Detroit will even approach Ngata about an extension–the team may view him as a one-year stopgap, although the draft picks they sent to Baltimore suggest that is not the case–but Rogers believes a new three-year, $26MM deal might work well for both sides. Ngata himself said he believes he has three good years left, and such an extension would give Detroit a little more cap space for 2015 while creating manageable $7.5MM cap numbers in 2016 and 2017.
- Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com says the Browns‘ strategy in attempting to re-sign Jordan Cameron did not make much sense. The Browns could have put the transition tag on Cameron for cheaper than the deal they offered, but they did not use the tag before the deadline and then made Cameron an offer for more than the tag value.
- Despite the team’s flurry of activity in the first week of free agency, the Rams have a few major holes to fill, and most of those holes are along the offensive line. As Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, the team has about $11MM in cap space, which should give them enough room to sign two out of the three of Stefen Wisniewski, Justin Blalock, and Joe Barksdale.
- Speaking of the Rams‘ offensive line, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes that recently-released Jake Long could be back as the team’s right tackle on a shorter, cheaper deal, but that likely would not happen until after the draft. As far as the team’s quarterback situation is concerned, Wagoner believes all options in the draft–trade up, trade down, etc.–are on the table, despite the acquisition of Nick Foles.
- Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter) lauds the 49ers‘ signing of Reggie Bush, who will pair with Carlos Hyde to create a strong 1-2 punch in the backfield. Miller adds that the team’s acquisitions in free agency will allow them to once again pursue the best player available in the draft rather than drafting for need.
- Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Ravens had interest in Mike Wallace before he was traded to Minnesota. Baltimore thought that Miami might cut Wallace, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent.
- There is no new deal in place between the Saints and Keenan Lewis, but Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets that Lewis feels better about his long-term security with the club after meeting with unspecified team officials this week.
- While they will not receive any compensatory picks in this year’s draft, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com points out that the Bills are in line for multiple compensatory selections next year.
McKenzie, Woodson On Raiders’ Offseason
The Raiders, armed with a boatload of cap space, had hoped to make a big splash in free agency. They wanted Ndamukong Suh, they wanted DeMarco Murray, and they wanted Randall Cobb, among others. But while the Raiders were unable to land the biggest of the big names, they have acquired a number of quality players that should give the team a lift in 2015. Rodney Hudson is one of the league’s best centers, and Dan Williams and Curtis Lofton will give the front seven a much-needed boost. Roy Helu, meanwhile, has a ton of upside and could be one of the offseason’s biggest steals.
At the Raiders’ Commitment to Excellence dinner honoring free safety Charles Woodson last night, GM Reggie McKenzie and Woodson himself spoke about what the team has accomplished so far. Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group passes along a few interesting notes on what those two had to say (all links go to Twitter, unless otherwise noted):
- McKenzie said that the plan this offseason was to acquire younger players who are still in their prime years. Last year, of course, the Raiders targeted older players who could provide leadership and help to change the team’s culture.
- The older players that were acquired last season largely served their purpose, and some, like Donald Penn, Justin Tuck, and Woodson were retained, as they are still capable contributors. Otherwise, Oakland sought young “starter-types.”
- Confirming what we had already learned, McKenzie said the team did make a strong push Suh but will not pursue Greg Hardy.
- McKenzie spoke specifically about Hudson and new safety Nate Allen. He said that the Raiders jumped at the chance to sign Hudson, who is a skilled pass-blocker and run-blocker, and he cited Allen’s range, versatility, and instincts as the major factors in his signing.
- Both McKenzie and Woodson spoke of the positive energy that the new acquisitions bring with them, and Woodson discussed how a staff assembled of former players contribute to that energy.
- Woodson added that he helped to recruit a few of the team’s new additions, though most of them had already agreed to terms.
- In a full-length piece, McDonald provides a quote from Woodson that accurately summarizes the team’s offseason: “There’s no question that Suh would have been huge. He would have been a great addition to the team,” Woodson said. “At the same time, if you don’t get a Suh, you can get three or four other players to make up for it. And what that does is build depth.”
- For his part, McDonald tweets that this free agent class could end up being a great one, just like last year’s draft class. Given the quality of the signings and the impact they should have on the team’s overall depth, it appears McDonald’s optimism is well-founded.
East Notes: Cowboys, McCloughan, Wilkerson
After losing DeMarco Murray to the Eagles, the Cowboys will have more financial flexibility the rest of the offseason. However, Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News does not believe the team will be especially aggressive during the remainder of the free agency period. Executive vice president Stephen Jones, echoing his sentiments from last season, said that the team will be “efficient” in free agency, and Sabin has no reason to doubt him.
Indeed, letting Murray go is reflective of the team’s overall philosophy, as Sabin writes in a separate piece. Although Dallas would have liked to bring Murray back, it was not going to break the bank to re-sign him, given the other needs that need to be addressed. Furthermore, the Cowboys have allowed a few of their stronger defensive contributors to depart in their renewed commitment to build through the draft and to stay away from the disappointment that often accompanies highly-lucrative contracts. And assuming they do continue their “efficient” approach to the rest of the offseason, they should be able to net several valuable compensatory selections in next year’s draft.
Now for some more links from the league’s east divisions:
- Speaking of changing philosophies, Mike Jones of the Washington Post describes how new Washington GM Scot McCloughan has adhered to the plan he laid out at the beginning of the offseason: draft and build your own and re-sign your own, while wisely addressing any remaining gaps in free agency. Jones points out that McCloughan has made a number of solid but largely unheralded moves while staying away from the big-ticket items that would have filled a need but that would have handicapped the team’s salary cap.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes that the Giants still have a number of first-unit spots to fill, but most of their efforts to address those needs in free agency have been thwarted. Schwartz writes that the team will likely have to wait until the draft to fill its remaining holes on the offensive line and at pass rusher, but he says the Giants must sign a starting safety, even though the most appealing options are off the board.
- Brian Costello of the New York Post applauds what new Jets GM Mike Maccagnan has accomplished this offseason, and he looks at what Maccagnan has left to do. At this point, any moves in free agency will be necessary but low-key depth signings, and the expectation is that an extension for star defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson will get done this spring.
- To truly make their offseason a resounding success, Gary Myers of the New York Daily News believes the Jets should do whatever it takes to land Marcus Mariota in the draft.
Dolphins Want To Keep Charles Clay
Even after signing Jordan Cameron tonight, the Dolphins hope to keep Charles Clay in the fold, tweets Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. At the very least, Miami will keep the transition tag on Clay, thereby making it tougher for the Bills to sign him (Twitter links to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and ProFootballTalk).
Per Carucci, Clay returned to Miami tonight after spending the last three days in Buffalo. We heard several days ago that the Bills were planning to make a strong push for the tight end’s services, but we learned within the last few hours that Clay and the Dolphins were discussing a long-term deal that would keep Clay in Miami. The Dolphins recently cut Brian Hartline and may yet part ways with Mike Wallace, but as Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post tweets, the combination of Cameron, Clay, and Dion Sims would help to offset the team’s lack of depth at wide receiver.
But Carucci adds in a separate tweet that Buffalo is by no means out of the running for Clay. Carucci believes the Bills could either sign Clay as an unrestricted free agent, if Miami ultimately chooses to remove the transition tag, or they could present him with an offer sheet that the Dolphins would not be willing to match. The Browns, on the other hand, lost out on Cameron and are apparently no longer a threat to sign Clay either (Twitter link to Carucci).