Patriots Hosting Rex Burkhead On Visit
The Patriots are hosting running back Rex Burkhead on a visit today, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This marks the second known visit for Burkhead after he met with the Falcons over the weekend. 
With LeGarrette Blount and Brandon Bolden in free agent limbo, the Pats are in the market for a running back or two. Right now, the Pats’ RB depth chart is topped by James White and Dion Lewis with 2016 UDFA D.J. Foster in support. Burkhead could be given a chance to compete for the top job in NE if he joins the Pats and Blount is not re-signed.
Last year, after Giovani Bernard went down, Burkhead proved to be a solid and efficient tailback. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry on the year for the Bengals, setting himself up as one of the young running backs on the open market this year.
Burkhead was our No. 7 UFA running back this year, behind Eddie Lacy, Adrian Peterson, LeGarrette Blount, Latavius Murray, Jamaal Charles, Darren McFadden, and Jacquizz Rodgers. He was slotted ahead of notables like Rashad Jennings, Danny Woodhead, and DeAngelo Williams.
Dont’a Hightower Visits Titans
Dont’a Hightower visited with the Jets this weekend and he’s spent time with Titans, but it doesn’t necessarily sound like he’ll be signing with either team. After both meetings, the Jets and Titans left convinced he’ll re-sign with the Patriots, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This jibes with an earlier report which said an unknown team in the mix for Hightower has the same impression. 
At this point, it sounds like the linebacker may be looking to drum up a high-priced offer to take back to the Patriots. However, if the Titans and Jets do not believe they can lure him away, they might be unwilling to submit a formal offer.
Right now, league-wide belief is that Hightower will circle back to the Pats on a deal worth about $10MM per year. That would be less money than anticipated before March 9, but other players at the top of the market have also had to settle for less. For example, top wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Terrelle Pryor both settled for unimpressive one-year deals after rumblings of lucrative multi-year pacts.
Hightower finished the 2016 campaign with 65 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 13 games. Before the start of free agency, we listed him as the best available linebacker in our free agent positional rankings.
Eagles Sign QB Nick Foles
The Eagles are reuniting with quarterback Nick Foles. It’s a two-year, $11MM deal with $7MM guaranteed, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Foles now returns to the place where he first (and last) found NFL success. This time, however, he won’t be starting. He’ll serve as a backup for rising sophomore Carson Wentz. With five years of NFL experience, Foles should be able to impart some wisdom on the youngster. He’ll also be able to take over in the event of an injury and on paper he is probably one of the league’s better No. 2 QBs.
The acquisition of Foles may mean that Chase Daniel is on the verge of getting traded. Daniel has been in trade rumors for weeks now and neither he nor Foles would be happy as the third quarterback on the depth chart. Daniel, entering his age-31 season, still doesn’t have a major body of work to show teams, but he is well respected in the league and could net the Eagles a draft pick.
Foles, 28, appeared in three games for the Chiefs in 2016 (one start), completing 36 of 55 attempts for 410 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. While his single start was an impressive showing, it’s been a while since he’s played that well in a larger sample size. After tossing 27 touchdowns with the Eagles in 2013, Foles’ next two campaigns were middling, and he wasn’t able to keep his starting job with the Rams.
Colts To Sign LB/DE Jabaal Sheard
The Colts are signing former Patriots linebacker Jabaal Sheard, sources tell Field Yates and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a three-year, $25.5MM deal with $12.75MM guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
The Colts needed a front seven player like Sheard. Now, he’s projected to start at one bookend with Henry Anderson on the other side. Hassan Ridgeway, Arthur Jones, and Kristjan Sokoli are there in reserve, but one of those last two players could wind up displaced from the roster. The Colts finished with only 33 sacks last season, and the defensive line allowed 1,926 rushing yards (eighth-most in NFL).
The Dolphins were also linked to Sheard, but they probably lost interest after acquiring William Hayes in a trade with the Rams on Thursday. We didn’t hear much about a Patriots reunion for him. Towards the end of the season, the feeling was that Sheard would not be back in New England.
Despite getting benched midway through the season, the defensive end still had a productive year for the Patriots in 2016. The 27-year-old finished the campaign with 33 tackles and five sacks, adding on to the eight sacks he collected with New England in 2015.
Vikings To Sign OT Mike Remmers
The Vikings are set to sign tackle Mike Remmers, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. It’s a five-year, $30MM deal, according to his agent Brett Tessler (on Twitter). Of course, we still need to wait and see what the guarantees on his deal look like. 
Remmers bounced around the NFL over his first few seasons, but he seemingly found a home with the Panthers. After having played only six games during his first three seasons in the league, Remmers started all 32 games for Carolina over the past two years. This uptick in productivity certainly helped the free agent’s case, as PFR ranked the 27-year-old as the 10th-best free agent tackle.
In Minnesota, Remmers joins a tackle corps that includes the newly-acquired Riley Reiff, guard/tackle Jeremiah Sirles, T.J. Clemmings, Rashod Hill, and Willie Beavers. The Vikings’ offensive line has been snakebit by injuries in recent years and as expected they went out-of-house twice to fill their two starting tackle spots.
It remains to be seen how this Vikings O-Line will gel as a unit, but on paper, it’s looking pretty solid. From left to right, they’ll start Reiff, Alex Boone, Joe Berger, Sirles, and Remmers.
Remmers also had interest from the Lions.
Broncos To Sign RT Menelik Watson
The Broncos are signing right tackle Menelik Watson to a three-year deal, Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. It’s a three-year deal worth $18.3MM, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Watson toured Denver’s facilities today and, apparently, liked what he saw.
The former second-round pick played 27 games for the Raiders after entering the league in 2013, including 17 starts. The 28-year-old ultimately played in 10 games (five starts) this past season. Pro Football Focus only ranked the lineman 56th among 78 tackle candidates, but he did rate positively for his run blocking.
Watson now joins a Broncos offensive line that features tackles Michael Schofield, Donald Stephenson, Ty Sambrailo, and Billy Turner.
PFR ranked Watson as the eleventh-best free agent offensive tackle this year.
Redskins Sign Terrelle Pryor
The Redskins have signed Terrelle Pryor, He’ll get a one-year deal worth up to $8MM in 2017, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The full breakdown is less a little less favorable: he gets a $3MM signing bonus and a $3MM base salary ($6MM in effective guarantees), plus $2MM in bonuses, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio hears those are “easily attainable” bonuses while Jason La Canfora of CBSSports (on Twitter) hears they are not likely to be earned.
Washington lost both DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, with their pair of 1,000-yard receivers agreeing to join the Buccaneers and 49ers, respectively. Washington became the first team in NFL history to lose two 1,000-yard wide receivers in the same offseason. Today, they softened the blow by adding another 1,000+ yard receiver.
Pryor emerged as one of 2016’s top breakout players, going for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns on a team with arguably the worst quarterback situation in football.
Heading into free agency, the expectation was that Pryor would cash in on a multi-year deal. Instead, he has settled for a one-year prove-it contract. Agent Drew Rosenhaus tried to push the Browns to pay Pryor like a star, but the Browns held their ground. They instead signed Kenny Britt to a multi-year free agent deal and left Pryor with a softer market.
This week, we’ve seen wide receivers largely fall flat on what was hyped up to be a booming market at the top. Alshon Jeffery signed a one-year, $14MM deal with the Eagles and Kenny Stills re-upped with the Dolphins on a four-year, $32MM pact. Heading into this week, there was buzz of Stills getting $12MM annually and Pryor not being far behind. Instead, this year’s best WRs had to settle for less. The only top receiver that met or perhaps exceeded expectations was Britt.
The agreement was first reported by JP Finlay of CSNWashington (on Twitter).
Redskins Considering Mike Mayock For GM
Yes, you read that right. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock is a candidate to become the next general manager of the Redskins, according to Adam Schefter and Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). As previously reported, the Redskins are also considering ex-Bucs GM Mark Dominik.
For what it’s worth, Mayock denies having “official contact” with Washington. To us, that sounds like a technical denial rather than an outright one.
“There has been no official contact between myself and the team and no interviews about the job,” Mayock said in a statement (Twitter link). “My focus and energy – as it typically is this time of year – is squarely focused on the NFL Draft and NFL Network’s coverage of that event…this year in my hometown of Philly!”
Mayock, a former NFL safety, is one of the game’s most colorful personalities. Considered to be a leading expert in talent evaluation (at least, in the field of broadcasting), Mayock could bring a lot to the table as the Redskins approach the draft during this turbulent time.
What Mayock doesn’t offer, however, is front office leadership experience. He has been working in sports broadcasting since the mid-90s and has been with the NFL Network for about 12 years, but he has never overseen a draft room, managed a salary cap, or otherwise been responsible for the roster of any football team at any level. Scouting acumen counts, but – as the Jets are finding out with GM Mike Maccagnan – it doesn’t guarantee success.
Interestingly, Washington is not likely to hire a GM until after the draft, Schefter writes. He adds that Mayock has been considered for other front office jobs at various points in his career, but has passed on those opportunities to remain on TV. It’s not clear whether he has been in the mix for top front office jobs or just scouting positions. It’s also not clear how serious any of those offers were. For what it’s worth, the 49ers hired a GM with zero front office experience this winter and they seem confident about it working out.
This week, the Redskins relieved Scot McCloughan of his duties as GM. Depending on who you ask, the move was made either because McCloughan has an ongoing issue with alcohol or because of in-fighting and jealousy.
If Mayock gets the job, you can expect the Redskins to target players with bubble butts, sand in the pants, and oily hips. Perhaps even a few guys who are natural benders and downhill thumpers.
Falcons Re-Sign CB Blidi-Wreh Wilson
The Falcons are re-signing cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson to a one-year deal, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. The former third-round pick initially joined the Falcons 
in late November.
Wreh-Wilson only appeared in a single game in 2016 after being released by the Titans in August. However, from 2013 through 2015, the 27-year-old appeared in 34 games (14 starts) with Tennessee. His best season came in 2014, when he compiled 57 tackles, 10 passes defended, and one interception.
The veteran may have an opportunity to carve out a role behind Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen. He’ll be competing with Sharrod Neasman and Akeem King for snaps in the Atlanta secondary.
Extra Points: Lang, Jones, Jeffery, Cyprien
Some assorted notes from around the NFL…
- Free agent guard T.J. Lang will not be visiting the Broncos following the team’s signing of lineman Ronald Leary, tweets Mike Kliss of 9News. The second-best free agent interior lineman still has plenty of suitors, as he’s set to meet with the Lions and Seahawks. The Packers, his former team, also have interest.
- Had the Cardinals not extended Chandler Jones, the pass rusher would have eaten up over $14MM of spending space as their franchise player in 2017. He’ll instead take up around $10MM of cap room in 2017, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.
- Alshon Jeffery‘s one-year, $14MM deal with the Eagles is the largest non-franchise tag one-year pact in NFL history, according to the NFL Media Research Group (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Jeffery’s pact eclipsed Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s one-year, $12MM deal with the Jets.
- The Jaguars didn’t make a contract offer to strong safety Jonathan Cyprien, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets. After spending four seasons in Jacksonville, the 26-year-old joined the Titans on a four-year, $25MM contract.
- The Rams‘ release of defensive end Eugene Sims came with a failed physical designation, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets. The 31-year-old was let go by the team early this morning.
- Akeem Spence said the Buccaneers expressed interest in bringing him back next season, but the defensive tackle needs a “fresh start,” tweets ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. Spence ultimately inked a three-year, $10.5MM deal with the Lions.
- Rudy Ford ran a 4.25 at today’s Auburn Pro Day, tweets agent Blake Baratz. The safety was told earlier this week that he wasn’t healthy enough to participate at the combine. Baratz declares Ford “the most underrated prospect in the draft.”