Vikings Have Interest In CB Bryce Callahan
The Vikings are among the teams interested in Bears restricted free agent cornerback Bryce Callahan, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (on Twitter). The Bears used the lowest tender on Callahan, which grants them only the right of first refusal without draft compensation. 
Callahan would provide the Vikings with another option at nickel corner. As it stands, Mackensie Alexander is their only nickel corner with experience. Through two seasons, he has not quite lived up to expectations.
Last year, Callahan graded out as the No. 31 cornerback in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. He also gave the Vikings an up-close look at what he can do when he returned a punt for a touchdown and deflected two passes against the Vikings in 2017.
Goessling points out that some other options on the market at nickel corner include Rams free agent Nickell Robey-Coleman and Jaguars free agent Aaron Colvin. Goessling also noted that the Vikings had shown interest in Robey-Coleman, 26, last offseason. Terence Newman and Marcus Sherels make up the members of the Vikings cornerbacks set to become free agents.
The Bears have a lot of question marks regarding their secondary leading up to the opening of the new league year, especially if Callahan were to depart. The team has already placed its transition tag on Kyle Fuller and fellow starter at cornerback Prince Amukamara is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Ravens Exercise CB Brandon Carr’s Option
The Ravens are picking up cornerback Brandon Carr‘s option, a source tells Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Carr signed a four-year deal with the Ravens last offseason, but really it’s a contract with a series of options. The Ravens had the choice to hit the eject button this offseason, but declined.
Carr, 31, is now scheduled to earn a base salary of $4.5MM and a roster bonus of $1.5MM in 2018. All told, he’ll count for $7MM against the Ravens’ salary cap. Had Baltimore declined Carr’s option, it would have created $4MM in cap space.
In his first campaign with the Ravens, Carr started all 16 games for the tenth consecutive season. An extremely durable player, Carr ranked as the No. 69 cornerback among 121 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Meanwhile, Carr finished a respectable 34th in Football Outsiders’ success rate while posting four interceptions, the latter of which tied a career-high.
While Carr is sticking around, the Ravens have parted ways with running back Danny Woodhead and offensive tackle Austin Howard earlier today.
Saints Will Not Tender CB Delvin Breaux
Saints do not plan to tender restricted free agent Delvin Breaux, a source tells Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter). The cornerback is now set to hit the unrestricted free agent market on Wednesday. 
Breaux has had an up-and-down tenure with the Saints. He was stellar in 2015, grading out as a high-end starter per Pro Football Focus’ metrics. However, he did not deliver an encore in 2016 and his 2017 season was lost to injury.
In October, the Saints designated Breaux to return from IR. He began practicing, kickstarting a three-week window for the team to place him on the 53-man roster. However, a setback required an extra 3-6 weeks of recovery and the Saints were unwilling to tie up a roster spot as he got the required rest. The Saints did not activate him within the window, meaning that his season was done.
Given his background, the CFL star turned NFL notable should have a ripe market for his services. However, since this is an unusually deep market for cornerbacks, he may have to wait until some of the bigger names find their homes.
Meanwhile, the Saints are planning to use the lowest tender on restricted free agent wide receiver Willie Snead. Given his performance in 2015 and 2016, it seems likely that another team will scoop him up.
Saints Use Lowest Tender On WR Willie Snead
The Saints have tendered restricted free agent wide receiver Willie Snead at the lowest level ($1.907MM), a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). New Orleans will have the first right of refusal, but there will be no draft compensation for the Saints in the event of an unmatched offer sheet
Snead, 26 in October, was hardly a factor in the Saints’ offense last year. However, he averaged 70 catches for 940 yards and four touchdowns over the previous two seasons. Last year, as an exclusive rights free agent, he pushed for an an amended contract and didn’t get it. Now, he’s a long way from that big-money contract he wanted, but there should still be a market for his services.
New Orleans has two locked-in receivers in Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn, but the club could see a bit of overhaul on its wideout depth chart. In addition to Snead, wide receiver Brandon Coleman is also a restricted free agent.
In other Saints news, the team has decided against a tender for restricted free agent cornerback Delvin Breaux. Breaux, a former CFL standout, turned in a strong season for the Saints in 2015. Unfortunately, things tailed off from that point and he lost his entire 2017 season to injury.
Buccaneers Re-Sign RB Peyton Barber
The Bucs have re-signed running back Peyton Barber to a one-year, $630K contract through 2018, a league source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). As of this writing, he could be in the mix to start at running back, but the Bucs are expected to continue to explore their options. 
Barber, an Auburn product, missed the 53-man cut last year but was quickly added to the team’s practice squad after clearing waivers. Before the first game of the season, Barber earned a promotion to the varsity squad.
In 2017, Barber averaged 3.9 yards per carry with three touchdowns. He also added 16 catches for 114 yards. Barber becomes the second players on the Buccaneers offense to re-sign with the team this offseason, though it was for considerably less money. The team locked up wide receiver Mike Evans with a five-year, $82.5MM extension last week.
Barber did his best work late in the season including a 100+ yard performance against the Packers in early December. It served as the team’s first 100-yard rushing performance of the season. Barber’s biggest competition for a starting role on the Buccaneers’ current roster would be Jacquizz Rodgers. Tampa Bay has already released Doug Martin and Charles Sims is due to become an unrestricted free agent.
It’s likely the Buccaneers could still be on the lookout for upgrades at running back after ranking No. 27 as a team last year with 1,450 yards rushing. Entering Tuesday, Tampa Bay ranked fifth in the NFL with $62.13MM in available cap space. Some of the top running backs set to hit the open market include DeMarco Murray, Jonathan Stewart, Danny Woodhead, Isaiah Crowell, Dion Lewis and Carlos Hyde.
Eagles Restructure OT Lane Johnson’s Deal
The Eagles have significantly improved their cap situation. The Eagles have created $7.5MM in cap space for 2018 by restructuring tackle Lane Johnson‘s deal, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. His new cap hit is now $4.98MM, down from $12.48MM, with Johnson also collecting a $4.192MM signing bonus. 
Johnson will now have a base salary of $790K for 2018, down from $10.25M (Twitter link). He’ll earn the same amount of money in total, so it’s a win-win for the team and player.
The Eagles entered the offseason with one of the most dire cap situations in the entire NFL. Now, they have given themselves some much-needed flexibility. In theory, the move could allow them to retain defensive end Vinny Curry, though they might look to apply their new found money elsewhere after acquiring Michael Bennett from the Seahawks.
Lions Re-Sign S Tavon Wilson
The Lions re-signed safety Tavon Wilson to a 2-year, $7MM deal, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Wilson was scheduled for free agency, but he’s now under contract with Detroit through the 2019 season. 
Wilson, who turns 28 this month, has appeared in 25 games for the Lions with appearances at both free safety and strong safety. Last year, he totaled 55 tackles, two sacks, and one interception.
The advanced metrics were not high on his play as Pro Football Focus ranked him as one of the ten worst qualified safeties in the NFL. In the year prior, however, he earned a strong 83.8 grade and was also held in high regard for his previous seasons with the Patriots. Old friend Bob Quinn brought him to Detroit after drafting him in New England and their partnership will continue for another two seasons.
Ravens To Decline Austin Howard’s Option
The Ravens are not picking up the option for right tackle Austin Howard, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Howard is not a world-beater, but as Rapoport notes, he is entering a very thin right tackle market and he started all 16 game last year. 
Howard joined the Ravens on a three-year, $16.5MM free agent deal last year. Baltimore, who is right up against the salary cap, will now create $3MM in savings by parting ways with Howard. The club has opened up nearly $5MM by getting rid of Howard and running back Danny Woodhead today.
Howard, who has also spent time with the Eagles, Jets, and Raiders, graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 36 offensive tackle during his first season with the Ravens. Overall, Baltimore’s offensive line was extremely effective, grading as top-five unit in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards and adjusted sack rate.
Because his option was declined (and he wasn’t actually released), Howard will still count towards the 2019 compensatory pick formula.
Broncos To Sign Case Keenum
The Broncos have agreed to sign Case Keenum, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a two-year deal for at $36MM, as Mike Florio of PFT details. All $36MM of the deal is guaranteed for injury and $25MM of the contract is fully guaranteed.
We heard on Monday that Keenum might not wait for Kirk Cousins to sign first and that is exactly the case. Keenum saw an opportunity and an offer that he liked with the Broncos, and he took it.
The deal means that there are likely three teams in on Cousins – the Jets, Vikings, and Cardinals. The Broncos were thought to be suitors, but Cousins was apparently too rich for their blood.
One year ago, no one would have expected Keenum to be one of 2018’s most sought-after free agents. The Vikings signed the former Rams signal caller to a one-year, $2MM deal in March with the idea that he would back up Sam Bradford and, eventually slide down to third on the depth chart when/if Teddy Bridgewater returned to full health. When Bradford went down in September, Keenum exceeded all expectations and put together the best season of his career.
The 30-year-old graded out as Pro Football Focus’ ninth-ranked QB in 2017, putting him above the likes of Jimmy Garoppolo, Aaron Rodgers, Marcus Mariota, Matthew Stafford, and Tyrod Taylor. With Keenum at the helm, the Vikings earned a first-round bye and beat the Saints in a playoff thriller before succumbing to the Eagles in the NFC championship game. Of course, after four seasons of mediocrity, teams are wondering whether this was an aberration or a real sign of things to come. The Broncos, of course, are in the latter camp.
Keenum, a career journeyman who inked a one-year, $2MM pact with Minnesota last offseason, posted the best season of his career in 2017 while leading the Vikings’ offense to a No. 5 finish in offensive DVOA. The 30-year-old ranked seventh in passer rating and ninth in adjusted net yards per completion during the 2017 regular season, and finished first in Football Outsiders‘ individual DVOA metric.
Keenum now reunites with Broncos senior personnel advisor Gary Kubiak, who brought him into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Texans and eventually made him his starting quarterback. Broncos head coach Vance Joseph was also on that same Texans coaching staff.
[RELATED: Broncos Depth Chart]
Bears Sign Allen Robinson
Early Tuesday morning, the Bears and wide receiver Allen Robinson agreed to a three-year, $42MM deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal was made official Wednesday night. Robinson was arguably this year’s top available wide receiver, edging Sammy Watkins.
The Bears lost a major target last offseason when Alshon Jeffery left in free agency to sign with the Eagles. Now, he provided young quarterback Mitch Trubisky with a true high-end option.
Robinson had spent his entire career with the Jaguars until today. After a breakout 2015 campaign that saw him haul in 80 catches for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns, Robinson took a step back in 2016 with “only” 73 catches for 883 yards and six scores. Then, he tore his ACL during his team’s Week 1 contest against the Texans last season. Robinson believes he’ll be back at full strength this year and if that’s the case, he’ll be terrorizing the NFC North.
Despite suffering a serious knee injury, Robinson was still able to garner $14MM annually, a figure which will place him inside the top-10 among wide receiver contracts. While it remains to be seen how Robinson’s new deal is structured — it’s possible the Bears can escape the pact after a year, depending on how bonuses are allocated — the 24-year-old was able to cash in even with a injury on his ledger.
Chicago, for its part, was in desperate need of wide receiver additions. Both Dontrelle Inman and Kendall Wright are unrestricted free agents, while Cameron Meredith and Josh Bellamy are restricted free agents. The Bears used original round tenders on both Meredith and Bellamy, meaning other clubs can potentially poach them without compensation heading to Chicago. Meanwhile, former first-round pick Kevin White has struggled to stay healthy during his NFL tenure and is currently recovering from injury.
The Jaguars reportedly considered deploying the franchise tag on Robinson, which would have parked him in Jacksonville at a one-year cost of roughly $16MM. Instead, the Jags let Robinson hit the open market, and now boast a wide receiver corps topped by Allen Hurns (who is a candidate for release), Keelan Cole, and Dede Westbrook. Fellow pass-catcher Marqise Lee is also an unrestricted free agent.
[RELATED: Bears Depth Chart]