Panthers Release DeAngelo Williams
MARCH 10th, 4:16pm: The Panthers officially announced that Williams has been released. The running back will be designated as a post-June 1st cut, which will save Carolina about $2MM against the cap, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter).
FEBRUARY 23rd, 3:49pm: While Williams’ release looks inevitable, the Panthers may not make it official for a little while. As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com points out (via Twitter), Carolina would have to wait until the new league year begins on March 10 if the team wants to designate the running back as a post-June 1 cut.
2:45pm: Williams’ release isn’t official, a Panthers spokesman tells David Newton of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Of course, considering the running back himself announced it, it seems like a good bet that it will become official soon enough.
2:10pm: The Panthers have parted ways with longtime running back DeAngelo Williams, according to Molly Grantham of WBTV. Williams himself confirmed to Grantham that he was cut by the club last week during a meeting with Carolina head coach Ron Rivera and GM Dave Gettleman.
“We sat down and [they] told me ‘The fact of the matter is we’re going to have to release you,'” Williams said. “I said you know, ‘Why?’ and he said, ‘Because we don’t run the ball enough. Just like you said back before the season started, we don’t run the ball enough to keep you and both [Jonathan Stewart], so we’re going to release you.'”
Williams, a former first-round pick, is coming off the worst season of his career, one marred by injuries. The 31-year-old played only six games, and wasn’t productive when he did play, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry on 62 total attempts. The Panthers had been prepared to head into the 2015 league year with three running backs among their top 10 cap numbers — Stewart, Williams, and Mike Tolbert counted for about $18MM combined, so the team had been expected to make some sort of move to address that situation.
With three years still left on his contract, including two void years, Williams would count for $6.6MM against Carolina’s cap in 2015 if the team doesn’t designate him as a post-June 1 cut. I’d expect Williams to be treated as a post-June 1 cut, allowing the Panthers to spread his cap hit over two seasons. If the team does that, the veteran running back will count for about $4.33MM in dead money on the ’15 cap, creating $2MM in cap savings.
For his part, Williams – who is eligible to sign with another team as soon as the move is official – recognizes that the Panthers are making a business decision, and says he’s not upset by the move.
“I don’t feel bitter at all. [Stewart] had the hot hand at the end of the season. He’s a great running back, obviously. I don’t feel bitter at all. It’s a business,” Williams said. “And that business comes back and reminds us year after year – whether it be Steve Smith, whether it be Jordan Gross, whether it be myself – it’s going to happen to every guy in that locker room, so it doesn’t bother me at all.”
Extra Points: Hartline, Murray, Browner, Bush
The latest from around the league…
- Brian Hartline‘s decision ultimately came down to the Browns and the Patriots, the receiver tells Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (Twitter link). Hartline ended up signing a two-year pact with Cleveland yesterday.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the club wants to re-sign DeMarco Murray, emphasizing that Dallas is still in negotiations with its free agent running back (Twitter links via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
- The Panthers don’t seem to be showing much interest in edge rusher Derrick Morgan, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- The Titans have interest in cornerback Brandon Browner, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Browner isn’t expected to take a pay cut to remain in New England. Browner is receiving a lot of interest around the league, but he could still return to the Patriots, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
- Jahri Evans is still a candidate for release in New Orleans, and if the Saints do cut him, expect the Bills to be in on the veteran guard, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Most observers expected free agent receiver Michael Crabtree to depart San Francisco, but the 49ers do have interest in re-signing him, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 (via Twitter).
- Having been cut by the Lions earlier in the offseason, running back Reggie Bush is considering a return to the Saints, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, the Patriots and Eagles are among the other teams in play for Bush.
Panthers Re-Sign Dwan Edwards
The Panthers announced on Twitter that they have re-signed defensive tackle Dwan Edwards. David Newton of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that it’s a two-year deal.
Edwards, 34 in May, appeared in all 16 games for the Panthers last season. In total, he racked up 43 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 2 pass deflections, and an interception. Edwards, who previously saw some time at defensive end earlier in his career, has spent the last three seasons in Carolina and his new deal might just be enough for him to retire with the Panthers. Over the course of the last ten seasons, Edwards has also played with the Ravens and Bills.
AFC FA Rumors: Harvin, Raiders, Adams
The Raiders‘ interest in wide receiver Percy Harvin will be contingent on meeting him and also finding out his price tag, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. Even with Harvin’s connection to Bill Musgrave, the Raiders have to inspect the baggage before going any further with him. The latest free agent rumors..
- Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter) still anticipates the Colts re-signing safety Mike Adams, but no deal is done just yet. Adams, who turns 34 later this month, has said that he wants to retire with the Colts.
- Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter) suggested that the Raiders are pursuing Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (via Twitter) believes that the Raiders are the favorites when it comes to him.
- Linebacker Arthur Moats spoke with the Bengals and Cardinals and seemed set to go to the Falcons before deciding to re-sign with the Steelers, Ross Tucker of NBCSN tweets.
- The Titans are still working to retain both defensive end Derrick Morgan and kicker Ryan Succop as the clock ticks towards the opening of free agency, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
- McCormick (on Twitter) isn’t sure that the Titans will land him, but he expects them to seriously pursue Jason Worilds.
- Linebacker Andrew Gachkar has received interest from the Vikings, Panthers, and Raiders, and may end up visiting all three teams later this week, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. Washington has also talked to Gachkar’s camp, but hasn’t made an offer yet, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). The 26-year-old had his best season for the Chargers in 2014, playing nearly 400 defensive snaps.
Contract Details: McCourty, Jones, Moats, Ginn
Here are a few noteworthy contract details on deals recently agreed upon:
- Devin McCourty, S (Patriots): Five years, $47.5MM base value. $15MM signing bonus. $28.5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- Jacoby Jones, WR (Chargers): Two years, $5.5MM base value. $1.6K signing bonus (Twitter link via Pro Football Talk).
- Arthur Moats, OLB (Steelers): Three years, $7.5MM base value. $1.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ted Ginn Jr., WR (Panthers): Two years, $4.2MM base value. $1.7MM signing bonus. Up to $1.5MM in incentives (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Derek Carrier, TE (49ers): Three years, $2.985MM base value. $400K signing bonus. About $1MM in escalators (Twitter link via Pelissero).
Minor Moves: Monday
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
- The Packers have informed running back DuJuan Harris they will not extend him an exclusive rights tender, Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel tweets.
- The Ravens are expected to assign an exclusive-rights free agent tender to running back Fitzgerald Toussaint, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
- The Steelers have offered one-year deals to restricted free agents Antwon Blake, Will Johnson, and Robert Golden, Scott Brown of ESPN tweets. All three will get the lower tender, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter).
- The Cardinals announced they’ve re-signed Alameda Ta’amu to a one-year contract, as Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports tweets. The Cards decided not to tender him but they have retained him at a lower salary.
- The 49ers will restructure their deal with safety Craig Dahl, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). It’s now a one-year, $1.3MM deal with a $200K signing bonus, a $175K roster bonus, and a $50K workout bonus.
- The Buccaneers announced that they have re-signed defensive ends Larry English and Lawrence Sidbury, tight end Luke Stocker and linebacker Jason Williams.
- The Ravens have assigned a $510K exclusive rights tender to offensive lineman Ryan Jensen, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Wilson (link) also hears that the Ravens have given wide receiver Kamar Aiken a $585K exclusive rights tender.
- The Ravens gave cornerback Tramain Jacobs a $510K tender, per Wilson (link).
Earlier updates:
- The Bills announced that they have extended the contract of kicker Jordan Gay, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (via Twitter).
- The Browns announced that they have tendered qualifying offers to four of their restricted free agents: free safety Tashaun Gipson, defensive back Johnson Bademosi, defensive lineman Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, and linebacker Craig Robertson, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. It’s a second-round tender for Robertson, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). Gipson also gets the second-round tender, according to Ulrich (link).
- The Ravens have sent a second-round restricted tender $2.356MM to Pro Bowl kicker Justin Tucker, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- The Steelers announced that they have agreed to terms with veteran tight end Matt Spaeth on a two-year deal. The 31-year-old appeared in 15 regular-season games in 2014 (eight starts) and caught three passes for 46 yards and a touchdown, and also started the Steelers’ playoff game against Baltimore.
- The Buccaneers are not expected to tender an offer to fullback Jorvorskie Lane, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. They could bring Lane, an ERFA, back on a different deal later, however. Lane had a tough year in 2014. He was hit with a two-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances in October and his season ended in November after he underwent surgery on his injured right leg.
- The Broncos have placed the low-level contract tender on restricted free agent defensive back Tony Carter, extending him a one-year offer worth $1.542MM, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The move gives Denver the right to match any offer sheet Carter signs with another team, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), there may be strong outside interest.
- The Cowboys have placed one-year tenders of $1.542MM each on restricted free agent punter Chris Jones and restricted free agent running back Lance Dunbar, sources tell Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News. Dunbar is the Cowboys’ third running back and tendering him gives Dallas some insurance if DeMarco Murray signs with another team in free agency. He also gives them a reserve back in the event that they have to cut ties with Joseph Randle.
- The Browns announced that they have re-signed offensive lineman Ryan Seymour. Seymour, 25, appeared in 11 games during the 2014 season, starting three at center. Nick McDonald was originally the team’s choice at center after Alex Mack went down with a broken leg, but Seymour eventually got his chance at the job.
- The Panthers have re-signed wide receiver/kick returner Brenton Bersin to a one-year deal, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Bersin was an exclusive rights free agent.
- The Panthers announced that they re-signed Fozzy Whittaker on a two-year deal, according to Person (on Twitter). The tailback had 32 carries for 145 yards last season and also contributed on kick returns. Linebacker Ben Jacobs and center Brian Folkerts got one-year deals to remain in Carolina (link). Tackle Kevin Hughes is the only Panthers ERFA who wasn’t tendered an offer (link).
Panthers Re-Sign Joe Webb
The Panthers announced that they have re-signed jack of all trades player Joe Webb on a one-year deal. Webb originally signed with the Panthers as a quarterback last offseason, also on a one-year pact.
“Joe gives us continuity at the quarterback position,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “He is also a very versatile player. Not only has he played quarterback, but he has played wide receiver and on special teams, and gives us some depth there because of his athleticism and intelligence. We are very excited for him to continue to be part of what we’re trying to build here.”
Webb, 28, helped the offense get ready for the season while Cam Newton recovered from ankle surgery. Once Newton returned, Webb pitched in at wide receiver and on special teams. He had a 16-yard reception, returned two kickoffs for 53 yards and added a touchdown-saving tackle on a kickoff return in the Panthers’ division-clinching victory against Falcons to wrap up the regular season.
Panthers Sign Ted Ginn Jr.
12:01pm: It’s a two-year deal for Ginn, the Panthers announced in their press release confirming the signing.
11:15am: Ginn confirmed on Instagram that he’s returning to Carolina, posting a photo of him signing his new deal with the Panthers.
8:18am: Wide receiver and return man Ted Ginn Jr., who spent the 2013 season with the Panthers, is back in Charlotte today and is expected to sign a new deal to return to the team, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. The years and dollars on Ginn’s new contract with the Panthers aren’t yet known.
Ginn agreed to a three-year, $9.75MM contract with the Cardinals a year ago, coming off a season in which he was an all-purpose threat for the Panthers, accumulating 36 catches, 26 punt returns, 25 kickoff returns, and even four carries. In his first and only season in Arizona, Ginn didn’t have the same impact, outside of one 71-yard punt return touchdown back in September. For the season, Ginn posted a career-low 19.0 yards per return on kickoffs, and caught just 14 balls on offense. He was cut by Arizona last month.
Presumably, by adding him back to the mix, the Panthers are hoping Ginn can recapture his 2013 form. The Browns, Titans, and 49ers were also linked to the 29-year-old since his release by the Cards.
Panthers Sign Michael Oher
MONDAY, 10:58am: Oher’s two-year deal with the Panthers is worth $7MM, including a $2.5MM signing bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
FRIDAY, 1:00pm: The player who protected Cam Newton‘s blind side in 2014 – Byron Bell – won’t return to the Panthers for 2015, and now the team has signed the player who was the inspiration for The Blind Side. The Panthers announced today in a press release that they’ve added offensive tackle Michael Oher on a two-year contract.
After spending his first five seasons in Baltimore, Oher inked a four-year, $20MM contract with Tennessee last winter that was widely viewed as an overpay at the time. Sure enough, after one disappointing season with the Titans, the club cut him loose a month ago, allowing him to test the open market early. Oher reportedly visited with the Panthers last week.
Although he was mostly solid during his time with the Ravens, Oher struggled in 2014 with Tennessee, battling injuries and underperforming at right tackle for the club. In 11 games, the 28-year-old allowed six sacks and 26 quarterback hurries before he landed on the injured reserve list, ending his season.
It’s not clear yet whether the Panthers envision Oher as their new left tackle, but with Bell out of the picture, the former first-round pick looks like the early favorite for the position.
South Notes: Weatherspoon, Colts, Saints
As the 2015 free agent period inches a little closer, let’s check in on a few Friday mornings items from around the league’s two South divisions….
- ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure tweets that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons reached an agreement on a new contract with linebacker Sean Weatherspoon very soon. Weatherspoon, who missed the entire 2014 campaign with a ruptured Achilles, is due to hit the open market next week.
- Former Eagles offensive lineman Todd Herremans is paying a visit to the Colts today, according to Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com (via Twitter). Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that there are other teams interested in bringing in Herremans for visits, but Indianapolis is first on his schedule.
- The Saints don’t plan to extend an RFA tender to defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker, a league source tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. One of three potential restricted free agents for the club, Walker is still drawing interest from New Orleans, but the team would prefer to bring him back at a lesser rate. According to Triplett, running back Travaris Cadet and offensive tackle Bryce Harris may ultimately be in the same boat, with the cap-strapped Saints potentially unwilling to make an offer of $1.5MM+ to either player.
- Greg Olsen‘s new deal with the Panthers is an extension that adds three new years from 2016 to 2018, but it will still have an impact on his 2015 cap hit. According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Carolina created $1.5MM in cap room with the move, reducing Olsen’s cap number from $7.8MM to $6.3MM.