Josh McCown Visiting Cowboys
The Cowboys are looking into finding a backup quarterback for Dak Prescott. Of course, they already have a No. 2 QB, but he might not be around for much longer. The Cowboys are hosting Josh Mccown on a visit today, according to a source who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
For a while now, there has been talk of mutual interest between Dallas and the veteran signal caller. McCown will turn 38 in July and he certainly has the experience to hold down the fort, if necessary, and also help to mentor Prescott. Unlike Tony Romo, he’s at a point in his career where it makes sense to take on a backup role for a winning club.
McCown made five appearances (three starts) with the Browns last year as he battled injuries. In that small sample, he completed 54.5% of his passes, averaged 6.7 yards per attempt, and threw six touchdowns against six picks. I have McCown listed as one of the ten best quarterbacks available in free agency this week.
Speaking of Romo, here’s the latest on him: He wants to join the Broncos, the Texans‘ front office is split on him, and the Chiefs are not among the clubs with interest.
Redskins Re-Sign TE Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis isn’t going anywhere. The tight end has inked a new three-year deal with the Redskins, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. In total, the deal is worth $15MM. The Redskins have confirmed the deal via press release. And, if you were wondering, Davis has personally confirmed the transaction via Snapchat.
Davis was set to explore the open market on Thursday but he’ll instead stay put and collect a solid paycheck. All along, Davis has been open about his desire to remain in D.C.
“You know I’m letting my agent deal with that at the moment with hopes that I’ll be back with the Washington Redskins,” Davis said last week. “I’ll just be optimistic about it. I would love to stay here because it’s such a great organization. The locker room’s amazing. I’m extremely happy here, and it would only make sense to stay here and continue to be a Washington Redskin.”
Davis, a former standout at Maryland, signed with the Redskins last year on a one-year, $2.38MM deal. Now, he’s theoretically getting double the salary to stay through 2019.
In his first season with the team, Davis had 44 catches for 583 yards and two touchdowns. The 33-year-old was coming off of two down years with the Broncos and 49ers, but played closer to his 2013 Pro Bowl form. Davis was our No. 4 ranked tight end heading into this week.
Chargers To Re-Sign S Jahleel Addae
Safety Jahleel Addae is expected to re-sign with the Chargers on a four-year deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Addae was originally scheduled to hit the open market on Thursday.
The deal is for $22.5MM, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (on Twitter), who adds that $10MM of this amount is guaranteed.
Addae, 27, was ranked as one of our top ten safeties in this year’s class and although he did not make the cut for our Top 50 Free Agents list, he did earn honorable mention. If he had turned in a full season last year, he probably would have been slotted higher.
Addae broke is collarbone in September and wound up appearing in only eight games. For his career, he has 48 appearances and 27 starts on his resume. In his half-season, he finished out with 48 tackles and his first career interception.
Even though he’s just 5’11” and 195 pounds, Addae is a hard-hitter and the Chargers were unwilling to risk losing him. He’s now back in the fold through the 2020 season.
PFR’s Top 50 NFL Free Agents
It’s free agency week! This year, thanks to the salary cap increase, the dollars will be flying and players will make more than you ever could have expected. Our lists for offense and defense rank free agents based on overall ability, but our Top 50 ranks players based on earning power. Here, you’ll get a good sense of what the market will be like this week and who the big fish are.
The league’s “legal tampering” window will open on Tuesday at 11:00am CT. Technically, teams and players aren’t permitted to finalize agreements on contracts during that legal tampering window, but that’s often treated as a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule. We will almost certainly see handshake agreements go down on Tuesday and Wednesday before they become official on Thursday, the technical beginning of free agency.
Our list of 2017’s top 50 free agents doesn’t include restricted free agents, or franchise tagged players, since they’re effectively restricted free agents as well.
With those caveats out of the way, let’s dive right in! Here are Pro Football Rumors’ top 50 NFL free agents for 2017, along with a few predictions on how much they might earn and what teams could be in the mix to sign them:
1. A.J. Bouye, CB (Texans): Bouye is an overnight sensation, going from unknown to elite talent in the blink of an eye. No one knows exactly what to make of Bouye, but his upside is too much for teams to pass up. The Texans declined to use the franchise tag on the 25-year-old (26 in August), but they’re still hoping to get a deal done this week. The Jets are said to have interest, but it’s not clear if they’ll have the room to get something done. Cornerback-needy teams like the Panthers, Saints, Jaguars, Titans, Bears, and Eagles can be expected to at least kick the tires on this year’s top player in the secondary. Could something like Janoris Jenkins‘ five year, $62.5MM contract ($28.8MM fully guaranteed) from last year be within reach? Jenkins had a longer history of success than Bouye, but consider these facts: Bouye nearly two years younger than Jenkins was at time of signing and the salary cap has risen by about $12MM.
Signed with Jaguars for five years, $67.5MM.
2. Alshon Jeffery, WR (Bears): He was hurt for most of 2015 and he slumped along with the entire Bears offense in 2016, but his natural ability is still evident and he is a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. At one point, it seemed like Jeffery could wind up as the league’s highest-paid wide receiver. That won’t be the case, but he will likely get more cash than any other wide receiver in this year’s class. The Eagles and Titans have been hot on his tail for some time now. The 49ers could also get involved and a return to the Bears cannot be ruled out either. Ultimately, Jeffery should wind up fetching at least $10MM per year and perhaps as much as $12MM per year on his next deal.
Signed with Eagles for one year, $9.5MM.
3. Kenny Stills, WR (Dolphins): Jeffery isn’t the only wide receiver who could fetch $12MM per year. Stills isn’t necessarily the best wide receiver on his own team, but he is just on the cusp of his 25th birthday and his ability to stretch the field is tantalizing. It doesn’t sound like the Dolphins are ready to be the highest bidder for his services and it’s not hard to imagine a team like the Eagles landing him. Naturally, there’s quite a bit of overlap between the potential suitors for Jeffery and Stills: the Eagles, Titans, Bears, and 49ers will probably come calling. The Rams may not have enough room to squeeze in Stills, but they could certainly use a playmaker like him if they do not re-sign Kenny Britt. Stills reportedly likes the West Coast (who doesn’t?) so the Niners and Rams could have a leg up on the others if the bidding is close.
Re-signed with Dolphins for four years, $32MM.
4. Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): The market is capped for non-rush linebackers, but Hightower is pretty much the best at what he does and is also lauded for his intangibles. The Patriots have always embraced the “next man up” philosophy, so it is possible they will allow him to go elsewhere. The Dolphins have been frequently connected to Hightower, but that might be too ambitious for a team that has multiple major needs to address. The Colts might also make sense, but the price might be too rich for their blood. A Patriots return appears to be the most likely outcome, but anything is possible.
Re-signed with Patriots for four years, $35.5MM.
5. Kevin Zeitler, G (Bengals): Zeitler has age on his side and he’s one of the safest free agents in the top ten after three consecutive years of dominance. Interior offensive linemen don’t get as much love as their counterparts on the outside, but they are still incredibly vital and Zeitler’s next contract will reflect that. If he doesn’t circle back to the Bengals, the Jaguars, Cardinals, Packers, and Seahawks all make varying degrees of sense for Zeitler. From a football standpoint, you can add the Jets to that group too, but I’m not sure they can meet a ~$12MM/year asking price.
Signed with Browns for five years, $60MM.
6. Logan Ryan, CB (Patriots): There are bigger names available at the cornerback position, but Ryan slots ahead of many of them after a career year. It also doesn’t hurt that this fresh-faced Super Bowl champ only just turned 26 in February. If the Patriots don’t tie him down, Ryan’s earning power could conceivably vault him past Trumaine Johnson in terms of guaranteed cash. The Jaguars and Titans would be wise to zero in on Ryan if they can’t land Bouye and it’s possible that some of their evaluators might even prefer Ryan over the Houston standout. Ryan’s next deal will probably pay him eight figures per year and it should be a lengthy pact.
Signed with Titans for three years, $30MM.
7. Terrelle Pryor, WR (Browns): There is strong mutual interest in a new deal between Pryor and the Browns. Still, the Browns passed on the opportunity to franchise tag the Ohio State product and he now appears poised to test the open market. With pretty much just one year to show, how will Pryor fare in free agency? His next deal should pay him at least $10MM/year and he could get up to $12MM/year. In addition to the Browns, the usual suspects for this year’s high-end WRs will explore signing Pryor (say it with me): Eagles, Titans, and 49ers. There’s conflicting word about whether the Steelers will get involved. The Giants are known to have interest, but I don’t think they’ll be splurging on free agents like they did one year ago.
Signed with Redskins for one year, $6MM.
8 .Ricky Wagner, OT (Ravens): There’s already talk of Wagner fetching around $10MM/year and it’s not like this year’s free agent market is flush with young, quality tackles. When you also consider the lack of quality tackles in the draft, it’s apparent that Wagner is about to get PAID, in all caps.Believe it or not, $10MM/year might be his floor. When all is said and done, he’ll be the league’s biggest earner at right tackle. The Bears are particularly interested in Wagner, so he could go from the AFC North to the NFC North this week.
Signed with Lions for five years, $47.5MM.
9. Calais Campbell, DL (Cardinals): Campbell was supposed to be an afterthought in Arizona after the addition of Chandler Jones. Perhaps motivated by a perceived slight, Campbell turned in a stellar year. Now, the Cardinals would very much like to keep him, but they can only go so far as they back up the Brinks truck for Jones and look into retaining other key free agents. If Jones does not agree to a cap-smoothing long-term deal between now and March 9th, the odds of Campbell leaving increase. The Jaguars are said to be a leading contender for Campbell while the Titans, Broncos, Colts, and Bears could also use a force like him. His age (31 in September) gives him a bit of a ceiling in terms of overall compensation, but he should still do nicely this month.
Signed with Jaguars for four years, $60MM.
10. Stephon Gilmore, CB (Bills): In terms of pure talent, Gilmore might be the best cornerback available. Trouble is, no one knows what to make of him after a down 2016. Some have openly theorized that Gilmore was playing it safe to avoid injury in his pivotal contract year. It’s also possible that Buffalo’s injuries in the front seven put undue stress on the secondary. The Bears are reportedly high on Gilmore and he may represent a cheaper option than Bouye or Ryan. A Bills return would also make sense here.
Signed with Patriots for five years, $65MM.
NFC Rumors: Bucs, Redskins, Seahawks
Buccaneers wide receiver and special-teams captain Russell Shepard currently has interest from six teams, including the Bucs, a source tells Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. About half of those teams see him as a No. 3 receiver, with a chance of being a No. 2. The other teams have offered to make him “one of the highest-paid special-teams players in the league with multiple offensive packages,” the source told Laine. I would surmise that this news comes from Shepard’s agent, so it should perhaps be taken with a grain of salt.
More NFC rumors:
- The Redskins have interest in receiver Marquise Goodwin, per Mike Jones, Master Tesfatsion and Liz Clarke of the Washington Post. The onetime Olympian (track and field) has thus far spent his four-year career in Buffalo, where he has totaled 49 receptions and six touchdowns in 39 games. Goodwin set career highs last year with 15 appearances, 29 catches, 68 targets and 431 yards. He also tied a personal best with three touchdowns.
- Despite non-tendering him, the Seahawks still would like cornerback DeShawn Shead back in 2017, his agent tells Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Shead started in all 15 of his regular-season appearances last year, but the torn ACL he suffered in the Seahawks’ divisional-round loss to the Falcons led the club to non-tender him. Clearly, though, they want like him in the fold at a lesser salary than he would have made if healthy.
- Along with Shead, the Seahawks have interior offensive lineman Brian Schwenke on their radar, writes Condotta. Schwenke’s a four-year Titan with 41 appearances and 28 starts on his resume. The 25-year-old took part in a career-high 16 games last season, but he only picked up three starts.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Packers DT Letroy Guion Suspended
Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion has been suspended for the first four games of the 2017 season, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The exact reason for the ban is not yet known. Guion was previously suspended for the first three games of the 2015 season due to a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. 
Guion, 30 in June, made 15 starts for the Packers last year and racked up 30 total tackles. He’s currently set to enter the second season of a three-year deal worth $11.25MM. Depending on the nature of the suspension, his guaranteed cash could be in jeopardy.
In other Packers news, the team reached out to cornerback Davon House on Tuesday. House became a free agent this week when the Jaguars cut him loose.
Eagles Pursuing CB A.J. Bouye
The Eagles are expected to have some money to spend once they drop a few pricey veterans and they are already keying in one of this year’s biggest free agents. The Eagles have interest in Houston cornerback A.J. Bouye, a person familiar with the situation tells Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. The two sides made contact on Tuesday, the first day of the legal tampering period. 
My updated list of this year’s Top 50 Free Agents has Bouye in the No. 1 spot due to his earning potential. I listed the Eagles as a logical landing spot for him as they look to retool their secondary. The Eagles have parted ways with starter Leodis McKelvin and Nolan Carroll could go elsewhere this month. Bouye would represent a major upgrade to Philly’s defense.
Janoris Jenkins‘ deal from last year has been mentioned as a comp for Bouye. He inked a five-year, $62.5MM contract with the Giants which included a staggering $28.8MM fully guaranteed. Bouye is younger than Jenkins was at the time of signing and the cap is higher than last year, so it’s entirely possible he could match.
The former undrafted free agent had arguably his best season in 2016. The 25-year-old finished the campaign with career-highs in tackles (63) and passes defended (16) while also collecting one sack and one interception. Bouye has only missed four games over the past three seasons.
Ravens Cut Shareece Wright, Kendrick Lewis
The Ravens have released cornerback Shareece Wright and safety Kendrick Lewis, per a team announcement. The moves will save a combined $4.9MM in cap space. 
Wright signed with the 49ers prior to the 2015 season but wound up being a healthy scratch for the first four games of the year. He was then scooped up by the Ravens and wound up being the team’s best corner in those eleven regular season games. After that, he was rewarded with a three-year deal worth up to $16MM including $5MM guaranteed. This past season, however, his performance slipped and he missed one-quarter of the games.
Prior to this season, Lewis had been plenty productive. After spending the first four seasons of his career in Kansas City, the 2010 fifth-round pick had a standout campaign in 2014 with the Texans. The defender finished the year with 84 tackles, six passes defended, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions. His 2015 with Baltimore wasn’t too shabby either. Last year, unfortunately, was pretty much a lost season for Lewis as he appeared in just six games.
Cardinals Re-Sign TE Jermaine Gresham
The Cardinals and tight end Jermaine Gresham have reached agreement on a four-year deal, the team announced. NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the veteran “doubled up” his $3.5MM salary from last season. Gresham is the first notable tight end to come off the market during the legal tampering period. 
On my most recent rankings of this year’s free agent tight ends, I listed Gresham as the ninth-best TE available, behind Martellus Bennett, Jared Cook, Jack Doyle, Vernon Davis, Luke Willson, Dion Sims, Anthony Fasano, and Jacob Tamme. The 28-year-old (29 in June) had 37 catches and 391 yards last year, but he doesn’t offer much in the way of blocking.
The Cardinals still have a number of notable free agents to address, including Calais Campbell, Tony Jefferson, and linebacker Kevin Minter.
Browns Rumors: Garoppolo, Pryor, Zeitler
It sounds like talk of Jimmy Garoppolo being pulled off the trade block was not entirely accurate. Still, if he is still available, it could take an awful lot to pry him loose. It might take as much as a No. 1 pick this year plus a No. 1 pick in next year’s draft, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. That’s a price the Browns are very unlikely to meet, Cabot adds. 
The Browns would very much like to have Garoppolo and their dream scenario right now would be to land him via trade while drafting pass rusher Myles Garrett No. 1 overall. Failing that, they have their eyes on getting Garrett at the top of the draft and landing either Mitch Trubisky or Deshaun Watson at No. 12. That scenario will become a little more realistic if teams like the 49ers, Jets, and Bears address their QB situations before the draft. The Browns could also conceivably use their draft stockpile to trade up from No. 12 and get their desired signal caller.
In other Browns news, one source estimates that Terrelle Pryor is seeking somewhere between $13MM and $15MM per year. If that’s the asking price, Cabot believes the Browns will let him walk. Reportedly, he has been contacted by the Giants, 49ers, Titans, and Eagles. The Steelers, depending on who you ask, may also have interest.
A Pryor return may or may not be in the cards, but the Browns will likely pursue Bengals free agent guard Kevin Zeitler, a league source tells Cabot. Zeitler played for coach Hue Jackson in Cincinnati and that connection could help lead to a deal.