Eagles Cut LG Allen Barbre
As training camp gets underway, Allen Barbre will have to find work elsewhere. The Eagles announced that they have released the left guard.
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“Allen Barbre is a pro’s pro,” said top executive Howie Roseman in a statement. “Not only did he help the team with his solid play as a starter at left guard, but his ability to step up and play multiple positions helped us battle through some difficult situations. We had a conversation yesterday and agreed it made sense to allow him to pursue some other opportunities, but the door is open for him to return here as well.”
By releasing Barbre, the Eagles will free up $2.1MM in cap space while leaving $500K on the books in dead money. Roseman’s statement seems to imply that Barbre could potentially return to the team at a lesser rate, so it’s a situation to keep an eye on as we head into August.
Barbre has been talked about as a potential cap casualty for much of the offseason, so the move doesn’t come as a big surprise. Still, the move will leave the Eagles with a lot less experience on the starting offensive line. Now, 23-year-old Isaac Seumalo will practice with the first team at left guard, per offensive coordinator Frank Reich.
The Eagles are also losing some of their versatility on the offensive line by cutting Barbre. The 33-year-old filled in at right tackle for Lane Johnson during his suspension in 2016. The good news in that regard is that the Eagles still have a handful of linemen that can play at different spots along the line. Seumalo and Stefen Wisniewski can fill in at any of the three interior spots while Matt Tobin offers experience at both tackle and guard.
Talks Ongoing For Panthers, Thomas Davis
Before his surprise firing, Dave Gettleman engaged in extension talks with Thomas Davis‘ camp. The new Panthers regime led by Marty Hurney has been in place just over a week, but negotiations have apparently picked up again. The linebacker told reporters on Wednesday morning that talks are “ongoing,” (Twitter link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer). 
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Tight end Greg Olsen backed off from his contract demands on Tuesday, citing a desire to avoid further distractions for Carolina. Davis’ situation is a bit different, however, since he has only one year to go versus the two years left on Olsen’s pact. Davis’ relationship with Hurney may help his cause, though the interim GM has promised to focus on analytics over emotion going forward.
Davis, 34, started in all 16 games last season and led all Panthers defenders in snaps. He proved that he has plenty of good football left as he tallied 106 tackles, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and a touchdown.
Davis’ current deal calls for an $8.25MM cap hit in 2017.
Vikings Sign Everson Griffen To Extension
The Vikings and defensive end Everson Griffen are finalizing a massive four-year extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Griffen confirmed the deal in a Wednesday morning scrum with beat reporters. Griffen’s previous deal had him signed through 2018. The new pact should keep him in Minnesota for the remainder of his career. 
The extension is worth a whopping $58MM with $34MM in guarantees, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The “new money average” on the deal comes out to $14.5MM. We should have a better handle on the value of the deal when information comes out about the cash flow and the amount of money guaranteed at signing.
Griffen, 29, is coming off of his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance after posting 48 tackles, 8.0 sacks, and three fumble recoveries. Since becoming a full-time starter for the Vikings in 2014, he has notched 30.5 sacks in total. The former fourth-round pick has gone from a rotational piece to an indispensable part of the team’s defensive line and he’ll now have a contract to reflect his importance to the team.
Pro Football Focus has graded Griffen as a top-30 defensive end in each of the last three seasons. He has also been remarkably durable, missing only one game in the past six seasons.
Griffen’s old deal called for him to earn $6.9MM in 2017 and $8.4MM in 2018. Those years may be revised in the new deal that takes him through the 2022 campaign.
Lucky Whitehead Won’t Return To Cowboys
After a bizarre mixup led to his release from the Cowboys, Lucky Whitehead‘s agent says he is not interested in a return to Dallas. David Rich told Mike Florio of PFT that his client is hurt by the events that transpired earlier this week. 
“I can’t speak for Lucky, we’d have to have a conversation about it because he loved being a Cowboy so much. I can’t put into words — this dude loved it, loved it as much as I’ve ever had a player love an organization. Loved it,” Rich said. “This guy was arguably the most popular player on the team, which is interesting to have this happen to him, but I don’t think so. . . . [Whitehead and coach Jason Garrett] basically sat across the table, eye to eye, man to man, and he said, ‘I need you to believe me, coach.’ And they said, ‘We think you’re a liar.’”
Whitehead is now on waivers and the league’s 31 other teams will have an opportunity to claim him this afternoon. Even if everyone passes on him, it doesn’t sound like we should expect a reunion for Whitehead and the Cowboys.
It sounds like the Cowboys probably aren’t looking to re-sign Whitehead anyway, choosing instead to move on from the situation as quickly as possible. Coaches reportedly have had issues with Whitehead in the past and fourth-round pick Ryan Switzer figures to handle a lot of Whitehead’s responsibilities this season.
Jaguars, Brandon Linder Agree To Extension
Brandon Linder got paid. The Jaguars and the center have agreed to a five-year extension worth $51.7MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal will make him the highest-paid center in NFL history on a per year basis, besting the average annual value of Cowboys standout Travis Frederick ($9.4MM per year).
Linder started out as a right guard but was moved to center in 2016. He flourished at the new position and the Jaguars wanted to ensure that he was locked up for years to come.
Guard Trai Turner, who was drafted one spot behind Turner in the third round of the 2014 draft, inked a four-year, $45MM extension with the Panthers earlier this month. Despite playing at center, a position that is generally less valued than guard, Linder is set to earn nearly as much on a per year basis. His salary may indicate that the Jags plan on shifting him back to guard at some point down the road.
Last year, Linder graded out as the No. 5 center in the NFL, per the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. The former third round pick missed the majority of the 2015 season due to a shoulder injury, but he missed only two games last year and was on the field for over 900 snaps.
Linder is the first draft pick of GM Dave Caldwell to sign a second deal with the team. Wide receivers Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee and linebacker Telvin Smith are also products of that 2014 draft class and are eligible to sign extensions with the team this year.
Saints Place LB Dannell Ellerbe On IR
The Saints are placing linebacker Dannell Ellerbe on IR, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Once the veteran heals up from his foot injury, he’ll be waived by New Orleans. 
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Ellerbe has struggled to stay healthy over the last three seasons, but he has shown that he can still be a difference maker when he is on the field. In 2016, Ellerbe tallied 44 total tackles and 4.0 sacks for the Saints across nine games. This year, he was expected to compete for the Saints’ starting weakside linebacker job. Now, we could see either rookie Alex Anzalone or the returning Hau’oli Kikaha on the first unit.
Per the terms of his restructured deal, it is believed that Ellerbe’s $1.7MM base salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed and his roster bonus of $750K is guaranteed for injury.
Since 2014, injuries have limited Ellerbe to just 16 total games.
Dolphins Sign Verner, Put Misi On IR
Well, that didn’t take long. Hours after auditioning him, the Dolphins have signed cornerback Alterraun Verner to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). In a related move, linebacker Koa Misi has been placed on injured reserve. 
Misi underwent spinal fusion surgery late last year and the hope was that he would be ready to go for the season opener. Apparently, he’s going to need more time before he can think about getting back on the field.
Misi, 30, managed only 127 defensive snaps in 2016 before going down with injury. In 2015, Misi’s last predominantly healthy season, he totaled 78 tackles and had one pass defensed. Though he’s never had huge sack totals, he did have 12 sacks from 2010 through 2014. Pro Football Focus, for the most part, has always been high on the former second-round pick. In 2014 and 2015, he had scores of 81.5 and 80.8, painting him as a top-30 linebacker in the league. Earlier this year, Misi accepted a pay cut for the second consecutive year, as he agreed to slash his salary by ~$3MM.
The good news is that the Dolphins were not necessarily counting on Misi’s health. The Dolphins signed former Steelers ‘backer Lawrence Timmons to a two-year, $12MM deal in March and used a second-round pick on Ohio State product Raekwon McMillan. Timmons and McMillan project to start along with Kiko Alonso while Mike Hull, Neville Hewitt, Trevor Reilly, and others will come on in support.
Verner did not live up to his big money deal in Tampa Bay, but the Dolphins are not expecting him to be a shutdown corner in 2017. They’ll likely look at Verner as a slot option who could potentially take the job from 2015 fifth-round pick Bobby McCain.
Cowboys, La’el Collins Agree To Extension
The Cowboys and offensive lineman La’el Collins have reached agreement on a new deal. It’s a two-year, $15.4MM extension that will keep him in place through the 2019 season, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Collins would have been a restricted free agent following the 2017 season. With the new contract, Collins has traded in that one RFA year plus his first year of scheduled unrestricted free agency. The Cowboys theoretically could have controlled Collins through the 2019 season with the franchise tag, but by extending him now, they have given themselves cost certainty while leaving the tag available for another star player.
The new deal gives Collins a $7.7MM average annual salary in the additional two seasons, which currently would represent the second-highest AAV of any right tackle in the NFL.
Collins was expected to be a first round pick and potential top ten pick in the 2015 draft. However, he went undrafted after he was linked to the shooting death of a pregnant woman and his agent that he would hold out if he were selected beyond the third round. Once he was cleared of any wrongdoing, he signed with the Cowboys on a modest three-year contract worth roughly $1.6MM. Collins’ new contract will him like a first round pick and reflects the tremendous production he has provided at the professional level.
Collins excelled at left guard as a rookie and was slated to hold down the position again in 2016 before a foot injury ended his season after three games. This year, the 6’5″ lineman will be shifting over to right tackle. It’s a return to Collins’ roots as he started at left tackle for LSU in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Jets Host Orlando Franklin On Visit
The Jets hosted guard Orlando Franklin on a visit Tuesday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Franklin has been looking for work ever since being released by the Chargers in May. 
Franklin met with the Jaguars earlier this offseason, but he hasn’t gotten a ton of bites in general. The Dolphins, who have a clear need for help on the interior line, aren’t interested for one reason or another.
Franklin, 29, came to the Chargers as a free agent prior to the 2015 season, but he did not live up to his five-year, $35.5MM contract. He played in all 16 games last season – something he didn’t do in 2015 – but he also graded out as one of the seven worst qualified guards in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Jets probably can’t offer Franklin an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, but they are a team in need of depth along the offensive line. Franklin would have a good chance of making the Jets’ final cut and he could get opportunities to showcase himself for a more lucrative contract next offseason.
Andrew Hawkins Retires From NFL
Andrew Hawkins is walking away from football. The wide receiver announced that he will retire rather than continuing with the Patriots this offseason (Twitter link). 
Hawkins signed a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal with New England this offseason, but he was facing long odds of making the final cut. Brandin Cooks, Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, and Malcolm Mitchell are already locks to make the roster and the Patriots also have to have a sixth WR spot saved for special-teams ace Matt Slater. Hawkins reportedly passed up more lucrative opportunities with other clubs because New England was his top choice, but he’s opting not to circle back to those teams. Hawkins’ retirement leaves the Patriots with 88 players on their 90-man roster.
Until signing with the Pats, the 31-year-old had spent his entire career in the AFC North. After playing for the Bengals from 2011-2013, he hooked on with the Browns as a free agent prior to the 2014 season. Hawkins was initially a focal part of the offense in Cleveland, racking up 63 catches for 824 yards and two scores in his first season there. After that, however, his role shrank. In 2016, he recorded 33 catches for 324 yards and three scores.
Hawkins recently finished his MBA and he has always been comfortable being on camera. There will be plenty for Hawkins to do now that his playing career is through and he won’t necessarily be confined to football.