Geno Smith To Visit With Seahawks
Free-agent quarterback Geno Smith is set to visit with the Seahawks, a source told Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. It’ll be the second visit for Smith, who met with the Chargers earlier this week but left without a deal. 
The Seahawks are in need of some depth behind Russell Wilson after parting ways with backup quarterback Trevone Boykin earlier this week. Boykin was arrested Wednesday on charges of aggravated assault stemming from an incident earlier this month. Russell Wilson currently stands as the only quarterback on the Seahawks’ roster. Austin Davis was the only other quarterback on the team’s active roster outside of Wilson last season and remains a free agent.
Smith, 27, has spent his entire career in New York, with the first four years of his career spent with the Jets and last season spent as the backup for Eli Manning and the Giants. Smith wound up making a start last season as Eli Manning’s consecutive starts streak came to an end in controversial fashion. He appeared in two games in total, completing 58.3% of his passes while throwing a touchdown without an interception.
The Jets took Smith in the second round of the 2013 draft out of West Virginia. He started 29 games through his first two seasons but was relegated to backup duties behind Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015 before departing the Jets.
Kendall Wright To Visit With Vikings
The Vikings hosted free-agent wide receiver Kendall Wright for a visit, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The former Titans and Bears wideout has also visited with the Chiefs this offseason.
Wright, 28, spent last season with the Bears and hauled in 59 catches for 614 yards and a touchdown. We had Wright ranked as our No. 15 wide receiver available in free agency this offseason. Of the players on the list, he’s ranked as the third-best still available, behind Jordan Matthews and Brice Butler.
The Bears signed Wright to a one-year, $4MM deal last offseason and his stat line in his one year in Chicago was his best since 2014 with the Titans when he had 715 yards receiving and six touchdown catches. The Bears had already added Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel in free agency this offseason. Wright spent the first five years of his career in Tennessee after being taken with the 20th overall pick of the 2011 draft.
Wright would provide another weapon for newly-signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to go with the likes of Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs and former first-round pick Laquon Treadwell. Minnesota indicated earlier this offseason that it would not be re-signing wide receiver Michael Floyd. Behind Treadwell, the Vikings also have Stacy Coley, Cayleb Jones and Brandon Zylstra at wide receiver.
East Notes: Jets, Gregory, Cravens, Giants
The Jets have an incredibly important decision upcoming that could dictate the course of their franchise for at least the next decade as they’re likely to take a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming draft, which they traded up to get.
Jets coach Todd Bowles noted that whomever the team decides on, whether it be Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson, the art of drafting a quarterback is far from a perfect science.
“It’s all an educated guess,” Bowles said at the NFL owner’s meetings, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “… You see the film. You know the player. You see what they do. (If) somebody comes in and break their leg on the first day, you can’t do anything about that. That’s just bad luck. So, it’s an educated crap-shoot, so to speak. But you have a certain feel for certain people and definitely certainly positions.
No matter whom the Jets take with their first pick, that quarterback may not be needed to start from the onset as the team’s already signed Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater this offseason.
Here’s more from around the AFC/NFC East
- With Randy Gregory taking the necessary steps to apply for reinstatement to the league, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he hopes that Gregory will suit up for the team in 2018, per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). Jones went on to tell Hill that he’s not confident Gregory will be reinstated for next season, though, due to the rigorous process he’s about to undergo.
- Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post opines that the Redskins‘ haul from the Broncos for safety Su’a Cravens had much to do with the team’s lack of leverage in the situation. The Redskins and Broncos swapped fourth- and fifth-round picks for Cravens, with the Redskins picking up an additional fifth-round pick. Many had worried whether Cravens would be welcomed back into the Washington locker room. He sat out last season after suddenly announcing his retirement prior to the regular season. The Redskins took Cravens in the second round of the 2016 draft out of USC.
- Brian Costello of the New York Post looks at a couple ways the Jets quarterback battle could shake out. With Bowles already declaring that McCown will enter camp as the starter, Costello opines that Bridgewater could serve as a lottery ticket, with the soon-to-be-drafted quarterback serving as an investment and McCown as the insurance policy. Costello also notes the team could look to trade one of the veteran quarterbacks if it feels comfortable with all three entering the season.
- Giants coach Pat Shurmur has an interesting relationship with North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb, which is detailed by Ryan Dunleavy of NJ Advanced Media. Shurmur’s son, Kyle, was a quarterback for Vanderbilt and played against Chubb and NC State in the 2016 Music City Bowl where Chubb recorded a sack on Kyle Shurmur. Chubb is certainly in play to be taken by the Giants with the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft as they have a void at defensive end following the trade of Jason Pierre-Paul.
Latest On Lamar Jackson
In a fairly surprising move, quarterback Lamar Jackson elected not to run a 40-yard dash at Louisville’s pro day workout Thursday morning. The former Heisman Trophy winner came equipped with a reason for his decision, though. Jackson also decided to not run the 40-yard dash at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.
“Game speed is going to tell it all,” Jackson told Mike Mayock during an NFL Network broadcast of Louisville’s pro day. “You got to catch me first.”
All 32 teams in the league were represented at Louisville’s pro day. Some notable coaches and executives in attendance, noted by NFL.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter), included Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and quarterbacks coach Shane Steichen, Patriots vice president of player personnel Nick Caserio and Titans general manager Jon Robinson.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was in attendance as well, according to Mark Caboly of The Athletic (on Twitter), while the Dolphins didn’t feel the need to show up in full force as he’s eligible to work out at the teams’ facility because he lives in the Miami metro area, per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen (on Twitter).
Jackson, who has yet to hire an agent, is widely considered to go in either the first or second round of the upcoming draft. He’s amongst a talented class of quarterbacks that includes Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and the reigning Heisman winner, Baker Mayfield.
There’s been speculation that teams would look to shift Jackson to wide receiver once in the NFL and multiple teams had asked him to work out at the position earlier this month. That speculation certainly could’ve driven Jackson’s decision to not run the 40-yard dash at the combine or his pro day.
Bills To Sign WR/PR Kaelin Clay
The Bills have signed wide receiver and return specialist Kaelin Clay, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Clay spent part of last season with the Bills before being waived and picked up by the Panthers.
Buffalo announced the signing Thursday afternoon.
The Utah alum was drafted by the Buccanneers in the sixth round of the 2015 draft but was released in September of that season. He spent time on the Lions’ practice squad before latching on with the Ravens toward the end of his rookie season. He helped turn some heads by collecting an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown in his first game with the Ravens.
Clay, 26, spent 2016 on injured reserve and was signed to a one-year deal by the Panthers prior to the 2017 season. He was then traded to the Bills for cornerback Kevon Seymour before eventually ending up back in Carolina. In nine appearances with the Panthers last season, Clay returned another punt for a touchdown and also had five catches for 56 yards receiving.
The Bills are currently projected to have Micah Hyde return punts next season. They also have Marcus Murphy projected to return kickoffs. Clay’s addition also adds depth to the team’s receiving corps with the status of Zay Jones to open the season uncertain following an arrest earlier this month on suspicion of felony vandalism.
NFC North Notes: Tate, Ansah, Vikings
The Lions have yet to discuss an extension with wide receiver Golden Tate as he enters the final year of his deal, but GM Bob Quinn left the door open to that possibility.
“I think all those things in my time here have happened in the summer,” Quinn said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I think our concentration and our focus right now is on the draft. Things that come down the road after that, they’ll come and go and we’ll talk through it.”
Tate has at least 90 catches in all four of his seasons in Detroit and he has topped 1,000 yards receiving in each of those years except for 2015. Tate’s asking price could be higher than initially expected given the boom of the slot receiver market, but he won’t cost anywhere near as much as Jarvis Landry with his 30th birthday coming up in August. The Lions initially signed the 29-year-old to a five-year, $31MM deal back in 2014.
Here’s more from around the NFC North:
- Sticking with the Lions, Quinn said he “hopes” Ezekiel Ansah signs his franchise tender prior to training camp and that he never gave the team any reason to believe he wouldn’t, via Birkett. Ansah is expected to play under a franchise of $17.14MM this season. Birkett also noted that the team had hoped Ansah and new head coach Matt Patricia would develop a relationship before they began working on any long-term deal. The former top-10 pick logged 12 sacks last season, which was the second-most in his five-year career.
- Vikings coach Mike Zimmer expressed interest in continuing to call the team’s defensive plays, rather than hand the duties over to defensive coordinator George Edwards. This could certainly impact any future head-coaching opportunities for Edwards after the Vikings boasted the top-ranked defense in last year’s regular season. Zimmer said in December he was considering letting Edwards calling the plays. Zimmer also spoke on the matter to Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf in a post-season meeting. “I think it’s something I do good,” Zimmer said at the NFL owner’s meetings, via Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “I don’t want to be a second-guess coach; when George calls something, I don’t want to say, ‘Oh, I hate that call.’ I’ve had that in the past. It’s not good for that.
- On Wednesday, we learned that the Vikings re-signed cornerback and punt returner Marcus Sherels
Zach Links contributed to this report
Latest On 49ers, Reuben Foster
While speaking at the NFL owners meetings, 49ers CEO Jed York seemed to indicate that linebacker Reuben Foster‘s spot on the team was safe following a pair of offseason arrests. But York also suggested that Foster is on thin ice with the organization.
“From my conversations with John (Lynch) and Kyle (Shanahan), I know Reuben is very cognizant of where his position is right now,” York said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “And his time with the 49ers could potentially be over if he continues to do things outside of the team that aren’t what we want him to be a part of.”
There is still a decision to be made as to whether Foster will face criminal charges from the Santa Clara County District Attorney stemming from his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence in February.
“We have to wait until that happens but that will obviously be something that we get together and discuss whatever comes down when those issues come up and figure out where we move from there,” York continued.
Foster was also arrested in January in Alabama for possession of marijuana.
“We’d love Reuben to be on this team,” York said Wednesday, per Branch. “And we’d love him to participate for us, but if he’s not doing things off the field that allow us to be able to rely on him — or he’s doing something that we’re not comfortable with off the field and it’s proven that’s what’s going on — I think the guys have said then you’re just going to have to move on.”
Foster had a productive rookie season for San Francisco after being selected with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Alabama. He started 10 games, collecting 59 tackles, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the top rookie linebacker in the NFL.
Cowboys Sign OT Cameron Fleming
The Cowboys have officially signed free agent offensive tackle Cameron Fleming to a one-year deal worth up to $3.5MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
The reported news of the Cowboys signing Fleming comes on the heels of the team restructuring the deals of tight end Jason Witten and center Travis Frederick, opening up around $10.5MM in available cap space. Fleming gives the Cowboys much-needed depth at tackle as they struggled last season while Tyron Smith missed three games due to injury.
Dallas also returns La’el Collins at right tackle. Chaz Green and Jarron Jones were the only other player on the Cowboys roster at tackle, with Byron Bell still unsigned in free agency.
The Patriots took Fleming in the fourth round of the 2014 draft and he’s appeared in 40 games in four seasons, making 20 starts. Fleming started six games last season and started in the AFC Championship game and Super Bowl as well.
Fleming was ranked as the No. 24 offensive tackle in the NFL for last season, per Pro Football Focus. The Cowboys had Fleming in for a visit earlier this week and the Patriots also showed interest in retaining him. The Cowboys could also opt to start Fleming at right tackle and move Collins to left guard.
Redskins Likely To Sign LB Pernell McPhee
Free-agent linebacker Pernell McPhee informed the Falcons, following a visit with them, that he intends to sign with the Redskins, sources told Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). ESPN’s John Keim also reported that a deal between McPhee and the Redskins is likely, though nothing is official yet (on Twitter).
The former Bears edge rusher had visited with the Redskins earlier in the week. We had McPhee ranked as the No. 4 edge rusher available in this year’s free-agent class and he was the top player still available at the position based on our rankings.
Washington had extra cap space thanks in part to trading for Alex Smith and letting Kirk Cousins walk in free agency. McPhee joins linebacker Zach Brown (three years, $21MM) and cornerback Orlando Scandrick (two years, $6.85MM) as the team’s free-agent signs on defense.
The Redskins were projected to go with Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith at outside linebacker prior to the news of McPhee’s likely addition. Defensive tackle looks to be next up on the team’s offseason wishlist as they’ve hosted free agents Sylvester Williams and Bennie Logan for visits.
McPhee, 29, struggled to stay on the field in three seasons with the Bears, missing a total of 12 games in his time with the team. Last season, he appeared in 13 games and recorded four sacks. The Bears cut McPhee in late February after signing him to a five-year deal prior to the 2015 season.
McPhee was one of the most sought-after free agents in the 2015 offseason. He was coming off a career-best 7.5 sacks in 2014 with the Ravens and had missed just four games in his four-year tenure with Baltimore. The Ravens originally took McPhee in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of Mississippi State.
Eagles Never Got Offer They Liked For Nick Foles
The Eagles had placed a hefty asking price on Nick Foles going into the offseason. It was reported that they were seeking at least a first- and fourth-round pick. Apparently, the Eagles never got an offer that made them feel close to dealing the reigning Super Bowl MVP. 
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson helped shed some light on the situation surrounding Foles’ status while speaking to Steve Wyche of the NFL Network on Saturday at the NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando.
“Nothing too crazy. It had to be the right deal for us to do that,” Pederson said to Wyche. “But there wasn’t anything coming down our way for Nick.”
While speaking to Wyche, Pederson also said the Carson Wentz is “ahead of schedule” in his rehab from a torn ACL. Wentz was well on his way to serious MVP consideration before sustaining the injury in Week 14 against the Rams.
Foles will once again be relegated to the backup role once Wentz resumes duty. Pederson indicated that didn’t seem to be an issue for the 29-year-old Foles.
“He’s totally fine being that mentor, sort of in that backup role, helping Carson along the way,” Pederson continued. “That’s who Nick is. That’s who he is. And when called upon, he’s going to perform, but he understands this is Carson’s team and he’s going to support him every way he can.”
The Cardinals had reportedly sent in a call to the Eagles regarding Foles around the time they struck a deal with Sam Bradford. It was also reported in early March that an AFC team offered a second-round pick in exchange for Foles.