Bills To Interview Panthers Exec Brandon Beane
The Bills’ general manager search is underway. Buffalo has asked permission to speak with Panthers assistant GM Brandon Beane about their GM vacancy, a league source tells ESPN.com’s Wendi Nix (Twitter link).
Soon after the Bills fired Doug Whaley, Beane’s name emerged as a potential candidate for the gig. The exec has a shared history with new Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott and while the Panthers will try to keep him, they cannot prevent him from accepting a GM position elsewhere if it includes final say over the 53-man roster. It remains to be seen whether McDermott, who reportedly had control over the Bills’ draft last week, would be willing to cede that control.
The name of Chiefs executive Brett Veach is also circulating in personnel circles as a candidate for the Bills’ GM job, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports hears (on Twitter).
Vikings Pick Up Anthony Barr’s Option
The Vikings are exercising their fifth-year option on linebacker Anthony Barr, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). The move was expected, but we did not have confirmation of it until today. 
In 2016, Barr started in every regular season game for the Vikings and totaled 70 tackles, two sacks, four passes defensed, and one fumble recovery. For the second straight season, he earned a Pro Bowl nomination for his work.
Interestingly, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus gave Barr a dreadful 43.1 overall score, despite him earning the fifth-highest pass rush mark of any qualified linebacker. This comes after being ranked in the top 30 amongst qualified linebackers as a rookie and earning a stellar 91.7 score in 2015.
Barr is now scheduled to earn $12.306MM is 2018, as shown in PFR’s Fifth-Year Option Tracker for 2014 first round picks.
Broncos To Host Jamaal Charles On Visit
Former Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is scheduled to visit the Broncos on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Broncos are “enthused” about the forthcoming meeting, Schefter adds. 
The Chiefs cut Charles after nine seasons with the team in a money-saving move, but he could make his next home with a division rival. The Broncos are currently set to go into the season with C.J. Anderson, Devontae Booker, and Juwan Thompson as their running backs and they could use some additional help after losing Kapri Bibbs to free agency. Charles can’t be counted on for 20+ carries, but he could be a quality complementary piece for a team like Denver.
The two-time first-team All-Pro is entering his age-30 season and it’s not clear what he has left at this stage of his career after two injury-marred campaigns. Charles’ last healthy season came in 2014 and he was less than stellar, though his struggles could be chalked up to a poor offensive line in Kansas City. In 2013, Charles amassed a career-high 1,980 yards from scrimmage and scored 19 touchdowns.
Packers Pick Up Ha Ha Clinton-Dix’s Option
The Packers have exercised Ha Ha Clinton-Dix‘s fifth-year option, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The news was expected. 
In 2016, Clinton-Dix played in every defensive snap for the Packers and picked off five passes en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 20th best safety in the NFL and he should only improve going forward.
The safety is now scheduled to earn $5.597MM in 2018, a sum that is guaranteed for injury only. In this upcoming season, he’ll be under contract at a super reasonable $2.653MM cap number. According to Over The Cap, there are 55 safeties in the NFL who will earn more than Clinton-Dix in 2017.
Steelers Cut QB Zach Mettenberger
Zach Mettenberger is out of a job. The Steelers announced on Monday afternoon that the quarterback has been released. 
Mettenberger has been shown the door following the team’s selection of Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs in the fourth round. As a senior, Dobbs turned in his finest season yet, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He completed 63% of his throwns, his best showing as a full-time starter.
Mettenberger, a former sixth-round pick of the Titans, cycled through three different teams in the 2016 offseason. After being dropped by the Titans, he was claimed by the Chargers. In late August, the Bolts waived him, allowing the Steelers to claim him. He did not see the field for Pittsburgh in 2016 and we have not seen him throw a live action pass since late in the 2015 season with Tennessee.
The Steelers now have a three players on the QB depth chart: Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, and Dobbs.
49ers To Pick Up Jimmie Ward’s Option
The fifth-year option decisions are coming in fast and furious. The 49ers have decided to pick up defensive back Jimmie Ward‘s option for the 2018 season, GM John Lynch told reporters. 
“Yeah, it’s looking like that,” Lynch said when asked if the 49ers would pick up Ward’s fifth-year option (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “(I) had no clue when you guys asked me that the other day. I had no idea. I had been focused on the draft. But, (the question) made me go check.”
This was the expected outcome in San Francisco. Ward is now slated to make $8.526MM in 2018, a figure that is guaranteed for injury.
In 2016, Ward moved to cornerback and made eleven starts before being shut down for the year with a shoulder injury. The 25-year-old (26 in July) had two interceptions, 12 passes defensed, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery while grading out as the league’s No. 45 cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF gave him roughly even marks in coverage and run defense.
Broncos Exercise Bradley Roby’s Option
The Broncos have officially exercised cornerback Bradley Roby‘s fifth-year option. The move was expected, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS first reported last month. 
[RELATED: 2018 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
That $8.526MM salary will place Roby inside the top-20 in terms of annual cornerback figures, just ahead of fellow Broncos corner Chris Harris. Roby may or may not be worth that kind of cash and he’ll have to prove himself in 2017 if he wants to see that money. The option, of course, is guaranteed for injury only. Roby is slated to be third on Denver’s CB depth chart behind Harris and Aqib Talib, but the good news for him is that he won’t face competition from Kayvon Webster any longer.
Roby played on roughly 60% of Denver’s defensive snaps in 2016 thanks to the team’s frequent usage of the nickel set. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus weren’t high on him, but PFF did give Roby solid marks in his first two seasons.
Roby is now slated to earn ~$8.5MM in 2018.
Chiefs Exercise Dee Ford’s Option
Chiefs announce they have exercised the fifth-year option on Dee Ford. The outside linebacker will be under team control through 2018. 
[RELATED: 2018 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
Ford was selected No. 23 overall in 2014 after being named First-Team All-SEC at Auburn and garnering MVP awards at the Senior Bowl. Ford didn’t do much in his first two seasons, but he broke out last year as Justin Houston missed the majority of the season. In 15 games (14 starts), Ford racked up 38 total tackles and 10 sacks.
Per the rules of the fifth-year option for first round picks, Ford’s 2018 season will be guaranteed for injury only. If he remains on the roster, he’ll earn $8.718MM in that season. For 2017, he’s slated to carry a $2.596MM cap figure.
49ers To Sign C Tim Barnes
Former Rams center Tim Barnes will sign with Niners today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). Barnes visited the Niners in late April and just over one week later, he has himself a contract. 
The Rams surprised many when they cut Barnes earlier this offseason. After starting two seasons in the NFL, Barnes didn’t find a ton of interest once he hit the open market. Now he’ll join the Niners and it’s not clear whether he’ll be given a chance to compete for a starting job. Jeremy Zuttah, who was acquired via trade with the Ravens, currently projects as the team’s primary center.
In 2015, Barnes ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 29th-best center out of 39 qualifiers. This past season, PFF ranked him 31st out of 38 qualifiers.
Packers To Cut RB Christine Michael
The Packers are reshaping their running back depth chart. Moments after cutting Don Jackson, the Packers are also releasing Christine Michael, league sources tell Adam Schefter and Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
Michael signed a new contract with the Packers this offseason – a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal with a paltry $25K signing bonus. Already, Green Bay has decided that it would be better off without him. After cutting the 26-year-old, Ty Montgomery stands as the team’s only running back under contract.
Green Bay claimed Michael off waivers from the Seahawks last fall and the former-second round pick proceeded to handle 31 carries for the Packers down the stretch. Before joining GB, Michael spent seven weeks as Seattle’s clear-cut No. 1 running back and posted two multi-score games during that run.