Patriots’ Bennett Wants To Continue Playing
Last year, tight end Martellus Bennett told the Packers that he was planning on retiring after the season. As a result, the Packers released Bennett midway through the year, paving the way for the Patriots to claim him. The change of scenery has apparently changed his plans as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Bennett wants to continue playing. 
Whether the Patriots will seek to move forward with him, however, is unclear. Bennett is due a $2MM roster bonus on March 14, so New England may look to cut bait before that date. Meanwhile, his $6.2MM cap hit isn’t exorbitant and could be worthwhile if he is healthy and fully committed to football.
Bennett had a great year for the Patriots in 2016, hauling in 55 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Packers, he didn’t deliver after signing a three-year, $21MM deal with them in free agency. In seven games, he had just 24 receptions, 233 yards, and zero touchdowns. Some in Green Bay believed that Bennett starting phoning it in after Aaron Rodgers went down with a broken collarbone, which led the team to bail on him in November. The Patriots had Bennett on the field for two weeks before having to place him on IR.
The Patriots need to make two determinations. The first is whether Bennett is able to play and wants to play. If the answer to both is yes, the second is taking a guess at his free agent value. If the Pats see Bennett getting less than $6.2MM on the open market – which is quite possible since the perception is that he quit on the Packers – there could be room to negotiate.
East Rumors: Cowboys, Lawrence, Bills
The Cowboys have yet to talk to DeMarcus Lawrence’s agent about an extension, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). They are expected to meet with Lawrence’s agent, David Canter, at the combine, but they may experience some sticker shock when they happens.
As Pelissero notes, Canter negotiated Olivier Vernon‘s five-year, $85MM free agent deal with the Giants two years ago, and it’s his “understanding” that he’ll look for at least $17MM/year to match Vernon. If that’s not on the table, Lawrence is apparently comfortable playing under the franchise tag for defensive ends, which is projected to be more than $17.5MM for the coming season.
Lawrence has back surgery and a suspension in his history, but he tallied 14.5 sacks in 2017, which nearly doubles Vernon’s total from his contract year. Vernon earned an outstanding 92.6 overall score from Pro Football Focus in his walk year, but Lawrence bested that with a 94.1 showing in 2017, putting him behind only Cameron Jordan and Von Miller in the edge rusher category.
Here’s more from the East divisions:
- At this point, it doesn’t seem likely that the Bills will cut Tyrod Taylor before they have a replacement lined up at quarterback, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Rapoport hears that the Bills are comfortable with paying Taylor’s $6MM roster bonus just to keep him on the roster, giving them the option of either trading him or keeping him to start this season in front of a rookie. If they pay out Taylor’s bonus, his contract will effectively boil down to a one-year, $10MM deal, which should make him attractive to QB-needy teams who lose out on this year’s top free agents or are unable to bid that high.
- It would make sense for the Patriots to retain tackle LaAdrian Waddle and/or tackle Cameron Fleming, Doug Kyed of NESN opines. The Pats won all five games that Waddle started in last year and he did not surrender a sack. Both Waddle and Fleming are familiar with the Pats’ blocking schemes and that is important for New England, particularly with Nate Solder scheduled for free agency.
Buccaneers Release K Nick Folk
Nick Folk is officially ticketed for free agency. On Thursday, the Buccaneers announced that they have released the kicker. 
The move doesn’t mean a whole lot for Folk since his one-year, $1.75MM deal was already set to expire this offseason. However, it is an indication that the team will be moving forward with a new place kicker.
Earlier this week, Folk received medical clearance from doctors, allowing him to get back on the practice field. If Folk can demonstrate that he is healthy, he figures to receive attention from teams in search of a veteran leg. In 2016, Folk nailed 27 of 31 field goal attempts and connected on 24 of 26 extra points. He was released by the Jets for cap reasons, which ultimately paved the way for him to join up with the Bucs. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned in Tampa Bay.
Before an undisclosed injury ended his season in October, Folk converted just six-of-eleven field goal attempts and seven-of-nine extra points. In his final game of the 2017 campaign, the 33-year-old missed three field goals as the Patriots went on to win by five points.
NFC North Notes: Bears, McPhee, Vikings
Pernell McPhee is unlikely to be back with the Bears unless he accepts a pay cut, ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson writes. The outside linebacker has been plagued by knee problems since joining Chicago in 2015 and the team can save $7.075MM by cutting him with just $1MM in dead money. A revised deal makes more sense, Dickerson argues, since the team needs him for keeping the locker room in check.
Here’s more from the NFC North:
- The Vikings and defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd are going to the mat over a salary dispute, as Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune writes. Floyd spent 2017 on the non-football injury (NFI) list as he tried to return from a nerve issue in his right knee. The Vikings paid him $2MM in base salary and adding a $6K workout bonus to his 2017 pay. However, Floyd says he is owed his entire $6.757MM salary for last season since he says his issue should not have been classified as “non-football”. Had Floyd started the season on the PUP list and eventually gone to IR, he would have received his full salary for the year. At this point, it’s unlikely Floyd will be able to resume his career, Goessling writes.
- There is much debate about whether the Bears should use the franchise tag on cornerback Kyle Fuller, but the transition tag might make more sense in this instance, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. The franchise tag value at cornerback is projected to cost roughly $15MM, while the transition tag will be closer to $13MM. The transition tag means that the Bears would not receive draft compensation if another team inked Fuller to an offer sheet, but they would have the right of first refusal and they have enough cap space to match any reasonable proposal.
- On Tuesday, we learned that the Bears will decline Josh Sitton‘s option for 2018.
Dolphins Plan To Keep Mike Pouncey
The Dolphins plan to keep Mike Pouncey. For now. 
Despite speculation that Miami could cut the center or ask him to take a pay cut, that’s not something the Dolphins are currently planning on, a league source tells Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald.
Pouncey appeared in all 16 of the Dolphins’ games last year, despite dealing with a hip injury may require replacement surgery at some point. One doctor went so far as to tell Pouncey that he would have to retire as a result of the malady, but the Dolphins apparently believe that he’ll hold up just fine in 2018.
Some would argue that Pouncey is no longer worth a $9MM cap hit, particularly since the Dolphins would be left with just $2MM in dead money by releasing him. Last year, Pro Football Focus graded Pouncey as the league’s No. 25 center, a sharp contract with his No. 11 ranking in 2015. Still, the snapper is a favorite of coach Adam Gase, so his spot looks to be secure.
Salguero cautions that Pouncey’s status with the team could change if his injury is re-aggravated, but all signs currently point to the center staying in place.
Raiders Meet With Vontae Davis
Vontae Davis is not taking his free agency lightly. On Wednesday, Davis touched down in Oakland to meet with the Raiders, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 
This marks Davis’ fourth known free agent visit of the last week. In recent days, the veteran cornerback has met with the 49ers, Browns, and Bills. There could still be more meetings down the pike for the former first round pick.
The Raiders have a clear need in the secondary after releasing cornerback David Amerson. Safety Sean Smith is expected to also get a pink slip in the coming weeks and Davis could also contribute there.
For now, the only real certainty at cornerback is rising sophomore Gareon Conley. T.J. Carrie, who started in all but one of Oakland’s games last year, is slated to be an unrestricted free agent in March. Carrie graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 22 ranked corner in 2017, but new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther may or may not see him as a fit for his scheme.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Jeffery, Cousins
Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery had surgery on Wednesday morning to fix a torn rotator cuff, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Jeffery first suffered the injury in training camp and played through the pain all the way to a Super Bowl championship.
Jeffery’s toughness is commendable, but rotator cuff tears come in various degrees and his wasn’t of the most severe variety. By getting the surgery in February, the receiver should be ready well in advance of training camp.
Last offseason, the Eagles signed Jeffery to a one-year prove-it deal when the open market didn’t yield the kind of contract offers he wanted. The contract paid big dividends for both sides. The Eagles saw Jeffery catch 57 passes for 789 yards and nine touchdowns during the regular season. Jeffery, meanwhile, was rewarded with a fat four-year, $52MM extension in December.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Many have assumed that the Redskins wouldn’t be eligible for a compensatory pick by tagging and then rescinding a Kirk Cousins franchise tender, but that may not be the case, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com writes. The Panthers and Dolphins both received 2017 draft compensation after revoking franchise and transition tags from cornerback Josh Norman and defensive end Olivier Vernon, respectively, in 2016. The Redskins have intimated that they could tag Cousins, but it is still viewed as improbable.
- Duce Staley missed out on becoming the Eagles‘ new offensive coordinator, but the team has given him a new title. In 2018, he’ll serve as the team’s “assistant head coach” in addition to his duties as running backs coach, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. This week, the Eagles promoted Mike Groh to OC, though head coach Doug Pederson will continue to call the plays.
- Wide receiver Brandon Marshall and cornerback Eli Apple are among the Giants‘ tough decisions this offseason, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes. Raanan sees Marshall getting cut, which is consistent with what Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com recently reported, and believes that Apple will be traded since he could yield a middle round pick in return. Veterans Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Ereck Flowers, and John Jerry will likely stay, in Raanan’s estimation, while wide receiver Dwayne Harris seems likely to get cut in order to save $2.4MM against the cap.
Ravens’ Crockett Gillmore Moving To OL
Pending free agent Crockett Gillmore could be changing teams in 2018. He could also wind up changing positions. The tight end is looking to transition to the offensive line, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). 
Gillmore is training with former NFL player LeCharles Bentley, who runs an academy for offensive linemen. Gillmore has long talked about wanting to transition to the O-Line, according to Zrebiec, and has added “considerable bulk” in order to make the move.
Gillmore, 27 in November, had 33 catches for 412 yards and four touchdowns in 2015. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered him ever since. In 2016, he appeared in only seven games thanks to back and knee issues. Then, last year, a July knee injury cost him all of 2017.
It’s not immediately clear how the position change will impact his status with the Ravens. Gillmore is slated to hit the open market on March 14, the first day of free agency.
Giants Re-Sign G John Greco
The Giants have re-signed guard John Greco, according to a team announcement. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 
You can expect to see a fair amount of roster turnover under Dave Gettleman‘s watch, but Greco was apparently a player worth keeping for the new GM. Historically, Gettleman has placed importance on big linemen – he calls them “hog mollies” – and the 6’4″, 315-pound Greco fits the bill.
“Tom Coughlin made a great statement to me fairly early when he came in [as Giants coach]: big men allow you to compete,” Gettleman said in 2016 (via Greg Bedard of SI.com). “And the more you look at it, the more you watch film—I was a pro [personnel] guy for 15 years, all I did was watch film—and it’s true. If you’re not strong on either side of the line with the big guys, it’s going to bite you. It’s going to cost you. That was the one thing I knew we had to do.”
Greco, 33 in March, joined the Giants midway through the season and appeared in six games. For his career, Greco has 85 appearances and 66 starts to his credit over ten years with the Browns, Rams, and Giants. Greco’s 105 snaps were not enough to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ rankings, but his 77.6 grade would have placed him in the top 20 at his position.
Panthers Appoint Marty Hurney As GM
Marty Hurney is the Panthers’ GM. Again. 
On Wednesday, the Panthers announced that they have removed the interim tag from Hurney’s title. He’ll move forward as the team’s top decision maker, which was the expected outcome this offseason.
Hurney’s first run as the Panthers’ GM came from 2002-12. When the Panthers made the surprising move to fire Dave Gettleman in the summer, they re-hired Hurney in an interim capacity. At the time, the team said that part of Hurney’s job would be to “help the team identify its next general manager.” Apparently, Hurney discovered the team’s new GM while shaving.
“We are very fortunate to have Marty as our general manager after he did an exceptional job in the interim role this past season.” Panthers COO Tina Becker said. “Marty’s guidance and vision helped build the foundation for this team, and his work this season was instrumental in returning the team to the playoffs. We believe he will continue to craft a roster that will win games and contend for a championship.”
Hurney has not managed a draft since 2012, but as the team’s press release notes, that draft brought linebacker Luke Kuechly (No. 9 overall) and cornerback Josh Norman (fifth round) to Carolina. Hurney is also responsible for the drafting of notables such as quarterback Cam Newton, defensive end Julius Peppers, offensive tackle Jordan Gross, cornerback Chris Gamble, linebackers Thomas Davis, and Jon Beason, and running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.
Before giving the job to Hurney, the Panthers interviewed Bills scout Lake Dawson twice while 49ers executive Martin Mayhew and Texans exec Jimmy Raye III at least once. By interviewing a minority candidate (in this case, multiple minority candidates), the Panthers satisfied the Rooney Rule.