Bills Meet With Vontae Davis
The Vontae Davis tour is underway. The cornerback is taking his first free agent visit on Thursday with the Bills, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
The former Colts standout was released by November amidst health issues and a possible clashing between him and the coaching staff. This week, Davis was given medical clearance by doctors, paving the way for him to meet with interested clubs.
Like fellow cornerback David Amerson, Davis has the unique distinction of being an impact free agent who is available here in February. The Bills face the possibility of losing E.J. Gaines in free agency if they cannot re-sign him, so they’ll be keenly interested in someone like Davis who can bolster their depth – even if Gaines stays – and also contribute at safety.
Davis, who turns 30 in May, has not done much over the last two seasons. However, he did earn back-to-back Pro Bowl nods in 2014 and 2015.
Kirk Cousins To File Grievance If Tagged?
The Redskins are reportedly considering using the franchise tag on Kirk Cousins even though they have already acquired his replacement in Alex Smith. If that happens, Albert Breer of The MMQB‘s “understanding” is that Cousins’ camp would quickly file a grievance against the team. 
Players often bemoan the franchise tag, but there is no precedent for getting it turned over. In the case of Cousins, the camp would argue that the Redskins are violating the spirit of the rule, since the tag is supposed to be used in order to give teams additional time to get a long-term deal done. After years of lowball offers and the acquisition of Smith, it’s clear that the Redskins have zero intention of giving Cousins a multi-year contract. Instead, the Redskins would only use the non-exclusive tag on Cousins to collect draft compensation from the team that signs him.
The Redskins would be taking a major gamble by tagging Cousins. Although several QB-needy teams are planning to line up for Cousins in March, it’s possible that none of them will be willing to cough up two first-round picks for him. This year’s QB free agent crop may include decent consolation prizes like Case Keenum and A.J. McCarron. Meanwhile, draft prospects Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen may have franchise QB potential. Instead of sacrificing two first-round picks for Cousins, a team picking outside of the top two could use that draft capital to move up for those younger options. They’d also be much cheaper. This year’s No. 1 overall pick is slotted to earn $32.8MM on a four-year deal with a $21.9MM signing bonus. A franchise-tagged Cousins would cost $34.5MM for the upcoming season and command at least $30MM/year on a long-term contract.
And, even if Cousins is tagged and loses his grievance, he’ll have a great deal of leverage on his side. Cousins could delay signing the tender for weeks or months, forcing Washington to carry the $34.5MM number against its salary cap since he cannot be traded before putting pen to paper. Cousins could also tell a potential trade partner that he is unwilling to sign a long-term deal, which would scare any GM off of giving up two first rounders. If the Redskins tag Cousins and remove it later, they’ll lose the right to gain a 2019 compensatory pick, which they would get if Cousins leaves right away as an unrestricted free agent.
NFC East Notes: Giants, Spagnuolo, Cowboys
The Giants don’t have a ton of cap room to work with this offseason, but former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo seems to think that there’s enough defensive talent in-house to turn things around.
“We hit the injury bug,” Spagnuolo told Alex Marvez and Bill Polian on SiriusXM. “The most compelling thing to me was having to play five (middle) linebackers throughout the season…That’s no different than having to put five different quarterbacks in there. That’s the guy that kind of runs the show.”
Coach Spags was hoping to be a part of that turnaround and was disappointed to learn that he would not be a part of Pat Shumur‘s staff in New York. For his part, the defensive guru says he is intent on returning to coaching in the NFL.
“I’ve got a lot of football left in me,” Spagnuolo said. “I’m gonna coach again. I want to. I’m passionate about the game. I enjoy dealing with the players, teaching, mentoring — that’s what I think coaching is all about. “Sometimes it’s not a bad thing to sit back for a year. That may happen, it may not. There’s a slight chance of maybe working in 2018 still. But, if not, I’ll use this time wisely.”
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Center/guard Joe Looney didn’t start a game last season, but he’s among the free agents that the Cowboys need to retain, David Moore of The Dallas Morning News writes. On two occasions last season, Looney did a solid job of filling in for guard Ron Leary and he also showed his value as a part of the team’s jumbo package – the formation in which Dallas replaces a tight end with an extra lineman. Retaining Looney shouldn’t cost much as his previous two-year deal paid him a total of $1.675MM.
- Paul Perkins was not the answer for the Giants at running back and they’ll need to invest in the position this offseason. Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com looked at some possible options for the G-Men, including unrestricted free agents Dion Lewis, Carlos Hyde, Frank Gore, Jerick McKinnon, and Isaiah Crowell. Dunleavy notes that McKinnon would be a natural fit for the Giants thanks to his history with Shurmur, though he’s not necessarily built to be workhorse at RB. If the Giants want to go bargain bin shopping, names like LeGarrette Blount, Darren Sproles, Eddie Lacy, and Damien Williams might work for their limited budget. Last year’s rushing leader, Orleans Darkwa, is scheduled to reach free agency next month, and it’s not clear whether Shurmur sees him as a fit for his offense.
- The Eagles need to re-sign defensive tackle Beau Allen, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com writes. Allen’s 20 tackles and one sack aren’t eye-popping numbers, but he was a key member of the D-Line and earned a respectable 74.5 overall score from Pro Football Focus. If Allen walks, there is no clear option to replace him, but the Eagles will have to plan carefully as they are roughly $9MM over the salary cap.
- On Wednesday, Redskins safety Su’a Cravens was granted reinstatement by the NFL.
Steelers GM: We May Sign ILB
With Ryan Shazier‘s football future up in the air, the Steelers have a clear need at inside linebacker. On Thursday morning, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said that signing an ILB in free agency is “a potential,” (Twitter link via Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette). He also indicated that the team likely will continue to restructure contracts in order to create salary cap room. 
[RELATED: Top 3 Offseason Needs: Pittsburgh Steelers]
As PFR’s Sam Robinson noted in his rundown of the Steelers’ top three offseason needs, inside linebacker is a huge need for Pittsburgh this year. The Steelers have fortified the group through the draft in recent years, using a first-round choice on linebacker in four of the past five drafts. Shazier and T.J. Watt panned out, but Bud Dupree cannot be counted on as a high-end contributor and Jarvis Jones is no longer on the roster. Going with a proven commodity over a first-round pick may be more expensive, but it’s probably the right move for Pittsburgh with other areas to address at No. 28 overall.
The Steelers recently carved out $13.5MM in cap space by converting the 2018 base salaries of David DeCastro and Stephon Tuitt into roster and signing bonuses and there are opportunities to go even further. Wide receiver Antonio Brown ($7.875MM), defensive end Cameron Heyward ($9MM), cornerback Joe Haden ($9MM), Shazier ($8.72MM) and center Maurkice Pouncey ($7MM) all have sizable salaries that can be restructured. With that additional space, the Steelers should be able to ink a new multi-year agreement with running back Le’Veon Bell and also add an impact linebacker.
Latest On A.J. McCarron’s Free Agent Status
Originally, it was reported that Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron would learn about his free agent status on Thursday. However, that’s not exactly the case. Thursday is the anticipated date for a ruling, but Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com (on Twitter) now hears that’s just a possibility. It’s now uncertain as to when we’ll hear the outcome of McCarron’s grievance. 
If McCarron is classified as an unrestricted free agent, he’ll become one of the hottest names in an unusually talent-rich quarterback crop. Kirk Cousins is, of course, the top prize and Case Keenum figures to be the top alternative for teams that miss out on the Redskins signal caller. But, with Drew Brees expected to re-sign with the Saints, McCarron would factor in as one of the three best UFAs at the position.
Browns head coach Hue Jackson missed out on acquiring McCarron at the trade deadline, but the new regime could get a second chance at bringing him to Cleveland. The Jets, Cardinals, Broncos, and other QB-needy teams are also keeping a watchful eye on McCarron’s case.
If McCarron remains a restricted free agent, he’ll likely be stuck holding the clipboard for another season. Cincinnati reportedly plans to use a first-round tender on McCarron if he loses his grievance and coach Marvin Lewis says he’ll continue to start Andy Dalton in 2018. The Browns were willing to cough up a second-round pick and a third-round pick for McCarron during the season, but there’s no way that they’ll part with their No. 1 overall pick for the right to acquire him on a one-year, $4MM+ deal. Even teams picking later in the draft like the Cardinals (No. 15) or the Bills (No. 21) would likely pass on that scenario.
Jon Gruden On Crabtree, Lynch, Cable
With a non-guaranteed $7.7MM salary, Michael Crabtree is among this year’s potential high-profile salary cap casualties. However, in a recent interview, Raiders coach Jon Gruden indicated that Crabtree is a part of the team’s plans. 
“I got to bump into Crabtree. Hopefully we can get the best out of Crabtree and his career,” Gruden told Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group.
Crabtree, 31 in September, turned in the weakest numbers he’s had in a healthy season since 2010. His 58 catches for 618 yards and eight touchdowns is nothing to sneeze at, but it was a drop-off from his 89 grabs for 1,003 yards and eight scores in 2016. Still, Gruden believes that he can get Crabtree back on track, which would make him worth his current contract. Alternatively, the Raiders could ask Crabtree to take a minor pay cut.
Here’s more from Gruden’s sit down with McDonald:
Do you think Marshawn Lynch will be on the roster this year?
I don’t know. I bumped into him. Some of these players that live locally do come to the facility to get a workout, see the trainer. I’ve been downstairs and met several guys. I have talked to Marshawn briefly. We’ll see. We’ll keep everybody posted. Right now, he’s our leading ballcarrier. He’s our back, and we’re counting on him. Hopefully we get an opportunity to work together. that’s a man that has a lot of respect in this league as a player and I certainly have respect for him also.
What excites you about this roster?
I think we’ve got a great young quarterback. I think that’s enough to be excited about. I think a lot of our center. I think the quarteback-center (Rodney Hudson) battery is as good as I’ve ever had in football. I’m really excited about the two guards (Kelechi Osemele, Gabe Jackson), obviously. That’s the strength of this team. And Khalil Mack, I think he’s a proven superstar football player. I think the excitement around working with Amari Cooper is just certainly pretty cool.
Does Tom Cable’s hiring mean the Raiders will be a zone-scheme team when it comes to running the ball?
No. I think Cable’s background is one of the outside zone, the inside zone, but he’s also a very versatile coach. He’s proven that. He can run gap schemes. He’s going to run what we’re good at running. If we have a good back, and some good linemen and a tight end and a fullback, we’ll have a good running game with Tom Cable. But we’ve got to get the components in place so he can be all he can be. That’s something we’re working on right now. He’s a versatile coach, certainly he’s an expert in the zone scheme and I’m excited about that, but there’s a lot of ways he’s run the ball in his background.
Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald To Play In 2018
Larry Fitzgerald isn’t going anywhere. In a radio interview, Cardinals coach Steve Wilks told 98.7 FM in Arizona that the wide receiver will return for the 2018 season. 
“It’s a very exciting time for all of us. To all the Arizona Cardinals fans around the world, it’s very exciting because Larry mentioned to me last night that he is coming back for the 2018 season,” Wilks said. “I’m extremely excited…You’re talking about a future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer. I couldn’t be more excited to have Larry coming back next year. He is totally committed — those are his words — so we’re ecstatic to have him be part of the Arizona Cardinals.”
The 11-time Pro Bowler is now set to take the field for his 15th NFL season. Even at his advanced age, Fitzgerald is still among the best at his position. After moving to the slot in 2015, the veteran has topped 100 catches and 1,000 yards in each season and has cemented his status as one of the game’s all-time greats. This past season, despite being the league’s oldest wideout, Fitzgerald caught a career-high 109 passes and tallied 1,156 receiving yards with six touchdowns.
Thanks to the one-year extension signed in November, the Cardinals have Fitzgerald under contract for $11MM in 2018. The deal includes a no-trade clause and incentives that can give him an extra $1MM if he reaches No. 2 on the league’s all-time receiving list. Fitzgerald can hit that marker with 92 catches to top tight end Tony Gonzalez’s 1,325 career catches. That’s very doable since Fitzgerald has averaged 108 grabs over the past three years. He also only needs 390 receiving yards to pass Terrell Owens’ 15,934 for No. 2 all-time.
This week, the Cardinals promoted assistant receivers coach Kevin Garver to WR coach, a move that reportedly pleased Fitzgerald and may have nudged him towards playing. Quarterback Carson Palmer and coach Bruce Arians are gone, but Garver will be among the familiar faces for Fitz in 2018.
Sebastian Janikowski To Continue Playing
Sebastian Janikowski is done with the Raiders, but he’s not done playing. The kicker’s agent says he’ll try to catch on with another team after learning that the Raiders will not be bringing him back for 2018. 
“He plans on getting another job,” agent Paul Healy tells Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Unfortunately, he had this back issue. He’s healthy now, and he’s ready to go.”
Janikowski, who turns 40 on March 2, will leave the Raiders as one of the most well-known figures in franchise history. He also has his place in the record books with franchise records of 268 regular season games played and 1,799 points scored. Meanwhile, he has the most field goals from 50+ yards in NFL history with 55.
Janikowski did not see the field in 2017 thanks to a back injury, but his rep says that won’t be an issue for him going forward. You can expect Seabass to draw interest from teams in need of a reliable leg (the Seahawks, perhaps?) this offseason.
Rapoport On Bryant, Cobb, Nelson, Murray
It’s cutting season, and there are several big name veterans on the chopping block. Here’s the latest from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video links):
- Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is a candidate for release, but Rapoport’s understanding is that Dallas plans to move forward with him, in part because of all of the resources they have already invested in him. It’s far from a lock that he’ll return under his current contract, however. Bryant, who will turn 30 during the upcoming season, is due a base salary of $12.5MM in 2018. The Cowboys could ask Bryant to accept a pay cut/extension that will make his contract a bit more palatable.
- The Packers have two big-name WRs of their own who could be cap casualties. Rapoport gets the sense that either Randall Cobb or Jordy Nelson will be shown the door. Based on recent production, it could be Cobb who is cut loose. Cobb is slated to carry a $12.72MM cap hit in the final year of his deal, but the team can save $9.47MM with just $3.25MM in dead money if they release him.
- Rapoport speculates that the Titans could cut running back DeMarco Murray, which makes sense given the presence of Derrick Henry. Murray is slated to count for $6.75MM against the cap this year and next, but those are completely non-guaranteed seasons. In 2017, the 30-year-old finished with 659 fewer rushing yards than he amassed in 2016, a Pro Bowl campaign. His yards-per-carry average also dipped from 4.4 to 3.6.
- Tyrod Taylor is a release candidate for the Bills, but Rapoport rightly notes that the team is more likely to trade him given the need for quarterbacks around the league.
West Notes: 49ers, Reid, Seahawks, Bennett
It doesn’t seem likely that safety Eric Reid will be back with the 49ers in 2018, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. The veteran still views himself as a starter, but the Niners would probably only want him to return as a backup. Right now, the only way Branch sees Reid returning is if Jimmie Ward is penciled in at cornerback rather than safety.
Others on the outs in Branch’s estimation include defensive end Aaron Lynch and defenisve lineman Tank Carradine. Cornerback Dontae Johnson could conceivably return, but only in a backup capacity. The biggest name in the free agent bunch – Carlos Hyde – is expected to prioritize money in his next deal, so the cash-flush Niners will need to spend in order to keep him.
Here’s more from the West divisions:
- Michael Bennett‘s roster bonus is worth $3MM and it’s due on March 18, the fifth day of the new league year, according to ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson (on Twitter). His deal also calls for up to $1MM in per-game active bonuses for 2018. Bennett, 32, graded out as the No. 36 edge defender among 108 qualifiers in 2017, per Pro Football Focus, so he is probably worth the cost the Seahawks. Seattle may lose Sheldon Richardson in free agency and could cut Cliff Avril, making Bennett more important to the roster than ever.
- The 49ers took care of one pending free agent on Wednesday when they agreed to a three-year extension with center Daniel Kilgore.
- Kilgore referred to his three-year contract with the 49ers as “a team-friendly deal in which we can go out and get some good free agents,” (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee). Exact financial terms of his contract are still unknown.