NFC Notes: Jackson, Hawkins, Coleman, Giants, Panthers
Former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson claims the team never specified why he was cut. “I was sitting there waiting for the reason why, but that’s basically all I can (recall) from the conversation,” Jackson told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. “. … I got off the phone. I was like, ‘Are you sure? That’s it?’ We hung up. That was it.”
While the Eagles haven’t addressed the issue directly, more details of Jackson’s behavior have emerged thanks to Joseph Santoliquito of CBS Philly.
In other news and notes from around the NFC. . .
- Receiver Lavelle Hawkins worked out for the Buccanneers, according to Aaron Wilson of National Football Post. Hawkins, who was cut by the Patriots last year, played for Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford at Cal.
- Wilson also reports that former Eagles safety Kurt Coleman worked out for the Colts.
- The Bears are not actively seeking to replace second-year right tackle Jordan Mills, writes ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright in a mailbag piece. Says Wright: “…the Bears are fairly happy with Mills, and expect him to improve in his second year. Mills to me has a very bright future in the NFL, and has the right attitude in terms of doing what it takes day in and day out to be a pro.”
- The Packers’ biggest defensive weakness is a lack of speed at inside linebacker, writes ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, who suggests Alabama’s C.J. Mosley for the 21st pick.
- The Panthers could very well draft two receivers and two offensive tackles, speculates ESPN.com’s David Newton, who also says the “Double Trouble” running back tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart should remain intact for two more seasons.
- The Giants earned a B-minus grade in free agency in the eyes of NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan, who recaps and reviews the team’s signings.
NFC South Notes: Bucs, Godfrey, Draft Visits
The Buccaneers, who agreed today to send Mike Williams to the Bills, talked to all 31 teams about a trade, but only had two clubs interested in a deal, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. As was the case with DeSean Jackson, potential off-field issues likely dissuaded many teams from getting involved, but unlike Jackson, Williams’ 2014 cap hit was extremely affordable, allowing the Bucs to get something for their diminished asset.
Here’s more on the Bucs and their division rivals in the NFC South:
- The Buccaneers will be in the market for receiving help now that Williams is gone, and the club has already started considering options, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, who tweets that the team took a look at longtime Titans receiver Lavelle Hawkins. Hawkins, who last played for the Chargers, had 47 receptions for Tennessee in 2011.
- With Thomas DeCoud visiting the Panthers, there are question marks about Charles Godfrey’s future with the team, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer details. Godfrey’s cap number jumps to $7.1MM in 2014, and he’s returning from an Achilles injury that sidelined him for most of last season.
- The Panthers and Saints will be hosting USC wideout Marqise Lee for pre-draft visits, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
- Alabama-Birmingham offensive tackle Kaycee Ike will have a private workout with the Falcons on April 15, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
FA Notes: DeCoud, Reynolds, Coffman, Packers
A pair of notable safeties have come off the board today, with Patrick Chung heading back to New England, and Danieal Manning putting the finishing touches on a deal with Cincinnati. Like those players, Thomas DeCoud didn’t have an expiring contract, but found himself on the open market last month when his team decided to release him. And it appears a potential suitor has emerged for DeCoud as well. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the former Falcon is visiting the division-rival Panthers on Monday.
While we wait to see if DeCoud ends up reaching a deal in Carolina, let’s check out a few more free agency items:
- Rapoport passes along a little more free agent safety news, tweeting that Kurt Coleman, who met with the Jets earlier this week, is visiting the Colts tomorrow.
- Before the Titans signed Eric Olsen for offensive line depth, the team engaged in contract talks with free agent guard Garrett Reynolds, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). However, the two sides couldn’t work out an agreement.
- Chase Coffman was already an unrestricted free agent, but now it looks like a lock that he won’t be returning to his old team. The Falcons have informed the tight end that they won’t be offering him a contract, Coffman tweeted this morning.
- The Packers are the only team that hasn’t signed an unrestricted free agent from the 2014 class, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. While the team did bring players like Julius Peppers and Letroy Guion aboard, those players were released by other clubs, rather than having their contracts expire. As Hodkiewicz notes, the team’s offseason reflects GM Ted Thompson‘s philosophy, which places more value on the compensatory picks acquired by losing free agents than on signing free agents themselves.
NFC Notes: Wharton, Rudolph, Lions, Bowman
Let’s check in on a few afternoon items from around the NFC….
- The Panthers‘ offseason offensive line exodus may not be done yet. Veteran free agent guard Travelle Wharton suggests to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) that he’s leaning toward retirement, though he hasn’t made a final decision yet. Over the last few weeks, Jordan Gross and Geoff Hangartner have also decided to retire, leaving the Panthers with some holes in their line.
- We heard last month that locking up Kyle Rudolph long-term is a “big priority” for the Vikings, and it sounds like the tight end is fully on board with the idea too. “I want to stay here,” Rudolph told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). “Hopefully, [an extension] is something we can get done this offseason.”
- With less than $2MM in cap space remaining even before today’s deal with Dan Orlovsky, the Lions may have to restructure multiple contracts in order to fill out their roster, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
- According to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago (via Twitter), Zackary Bowman‘s new minimum-salary contract with the Giants includes a $65K signing bonus.
Draft Updates: Clowney, Bortles, Robinson
With no throws to make or brooms to evade, Jadeveon Clowney‘s Pro Day may not have had the fanfare of Johnny Manziel‘s event at Texas A&M, but plenty of coaches and executives showed up to watch Clowney at South Carolina today. Following his Pro Day, Clowney will make visits to work out for the Rams and Falcons, he confirmed today, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
Here’s more on May’s draft and the 2014 class of prospects:
- The Browns are conducting their private workout with Blake Bortles today, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
- Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson is visiting the Rams in St. Louis today, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears from several sources that Clemson cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who had dinner with GM Trent Baalke following his Pro Day, is drawing “heavy interest” from the 49ers.
- The Panthers worked out Wyoming defensive back Marqueston Huff today and will do the same for Wyoming wideout Robert Herron and quarterback Brett Smith on Thursday, says Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter links).
- According to Brandt (via Twitter), Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning has nine workouts lined up with nine NFL teams, including the Jaguars, Browns, and Patriots.
- Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (all Twitter links) passes along details on three prospects visiting the Titans: Auburn running back Tre Mason, who left Nashville today; West Virginia running back Charles Sims, who will visit later this week; and UCLA edge defender Anthony Barr, who will be in town next Tuesday.
- The Bills hosted Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby, Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk, and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier today, according to the team.
NFC Notes: Soliai, Seahawks, Vikings, Lions
New Falcons defensive tackle Paul Soliai signed one of the more unexpectedly lucrative long-term deals of the offseason last month, agreeing to a five-year, $33MM contract with Atlanta. Agent David Canter was responsible for negotiating that deal, and he walked ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure through the process that led to he, Soliai, and the team agreeing to that figure.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Although the Seahawks haven’t retained notable players like Golden Tate, Red Bryant, and Chris Clemons this offseason, GM John Schneider tells ESPN 710 Seattle that he’s pleased with the team’s free agent period, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times outlines.
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears from multiple sources that the Vikings are “heavily leaning” toward LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger in the second round of May’s draft, with a preference for a linebacker like Khalil Mack in the first round.
- The Lions continue to pursue defensive upgrades, with the team focused on improving at cornerback and finding a “flamethrower” at outside linebacker. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News has the details on the team’s secondary search, while Kyle Meineke of MLive.com passes along head coach Jim Caldwell‘s quotes on the need for an outside pass-rusher.
- Former Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan made a pre-draft visit with the Lions today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Twentyman adds in a second tweet that Lewan will meet with the Rams next, while Gil Brandt of NFL.com says (via Twitter) the Michigan tackle worked out for the Falcons yesterday.
- According to Brandt (via Twitter), former Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy worked out for the Panthers today and will do the same for the Falcons tomorrow.
- The 49ers are eyeing safeties in next month’s draft, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
DeSean Jackson Updates: Monday
With most of this year’s notable free agents off the board, DeSean Jackson‘s release breathed some new life into the free agent market, and rumors swirled around Jackson and his potential landing spots for much of the weekend. Yesterday, we asked which club would eventually land the standout receiver, and you made the Raiders your pick, with the Redskins not too far behind. Do today’s updates and rumors reflect that result? Let’s dive in and round up the latest….
- ESPN’s Ed Werder jumps into the fray, saying there is no deal between the Redskins and Jackson, noting that he will continue meeting with the Redskins tomorrow as well as keep talking with other interested teams (Twitter link).
- A source close to Jackson says it’s a “done deal” between the Redskins and the receiver, tweets Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com also chimes in, saying that while the two parties had a good meeting, Jackson has more visits lined up tomorrow, and a number of teams are still competing for the playmaker (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- Werder, who reported earlier (as we note below) that two mystery teams are believed to be deep in negotiations with Jackson, adds the Jets and Panthers to the list of clubs expected to be involved, and says the Patriots, Saints, and Packers are out (Twitter link).
- Jackson will visit the Redskins today, and the trip is expected to extend through Tuesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who adds that the Raiders and Bills are also in the hunt.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com thinks Redskins owner Dan Snyder and GM Bruce Allen will “put on the hard sell” to sign the former Eagle. King adds that Allen could include details in the team’s contract offer that would provide Washington some insurance in the event of any off-field incidents.
- On the other hand, Mark Maske and Mike Jones of the Washington Post write that the Redskins may not be willing to be break the bank for Jackson. The Post duo hears that while the team is “all-in” in its pursuit of the receiver, it has to be at the right price.
- According to ESPN’s Ed Werder (Twitter link), two teams who have yet to be publicly identified as having interest in Jackson are deep in talks with the receiver.
- Among the teams not expected to pursue Jackson: The Lions, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, and the Browns, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
NFC Notes: Moore, Panthers, Bailey, Rams
We’ve taken a turn around the NFC North and the NFC East, so let’s cover the news items in the rest of the NFC:
- Receiver Marlon Moore, formerly of the Dolphins and 49ers, will have a tryout with the Buccaneers, tweets Howard Balzer. Moore is more of a special teams contributor than an offensive weapon.
- Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders will visit with the Saints, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
- The Panthers, who could still use help at receiver and on the offensive line, will “keep their eye out for free agent bargains,” but are mostly preparing for the draft, says Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
- The 49ers have several cornerbacks who have had run-ins with the law, including the recently-arrested Chris Culliver, and veteran Champ Bailey could be a valuable addition to replace some of the leadership lost with the departures of Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown, writes Matt Barrows the Sacramento Bee.
- Another NFC West team looking to add to its secondary is the Rams, opines ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. “It would have been nice [to add a veteran], but honestly that market got priced out of what we were looking for,” said head coach Jeff Fisher. Wagoner expects the team to add a cornerback at some point in the draft.
Poll: DeSean Jackson’s Landing Spot
Former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson was released by the club on Friday, and the rumors have since been streaming in nonstop. In fact, the PFR team had posts rounding up the rumors surrounding the former Cal standout for over a week now, including this article with a link saying the Jets have had internal discussions about adding Jackson.
Now that Jackson is a free agent and is free to choose his landing spot as he so pleases, the football world is waiting with bated breath. Rarely does a player of Jackson’s caliber make it to free agency in his prime, but in the aftermath of the Aaron Hernandez-saga and Jackson’s prohibitive salary, the Eagles simply made a business decision to move on without one of the most talented players in football.
Here are Pro Football Rumors’ most recent Jackson-related rumors roundup posts:
Now, based on the information we have presented in prior rumors posts, we want to know where you think Jackson will be spending next season (and potentially beyond). Does he stay in the NFC East with the Redskins? Does Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie bring Jackson back to the Bay Area?
You decide.
Where Does DeSean Jackson Sign?
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Oakland Raiders 32% (774)
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Washington Redskins 26% (628)
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Other 16% (383)
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New York Jets 11% (254)
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Kansas City Chiefs 6% (136)
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Carolina Panthers 5% (109)
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Buffalo Bills 4% (100)
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1% (30)
Total votes: 2,414
Extra Points: Browns, Latimer, Dolphins
It is typically true that a poor showing during an NFL prospect’s pro day is a great deal more noteworthy than a strong one. After all, pro days are arranged to optimize performance, with familiar conditions, familiar targets, etc. So when Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater delivered an underwhelming audition at his pro day, it created a bit of a stir among national writers who were suddenly more quick to point out his faults than his strengths.
In a recent mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com expressed his belief that the Browns will not only pass on Bridgewater with their No. 4 overall pick, but with their No. 26 overall pick as well. Instead, Grossi projects the Browns to take Clemson WR Sammy Watkins with the fourth pick in the draft (although he does tweet that the Browns have to consider a QB in the first three rounds). Now for some more notes around the league:
- Despite using the transition tag, rather than the franchise tag, on free agent center Alex Mack, the Browns seem to have kept him off the market just the same. Grossi tweets that Mack has not received offers from any other club.
- Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer looks at five positions the Panthers need to address in the rest of the offseason, beginning with a No. 1 wideout.
- Indiana WR Cody Latimer has a private visit scheduled with the Ravens and Seahawks, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Latimer is considered a rising prospect and caught 72 passes for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns last season. As we saw in a piece that our Luke Adams wrote on Thursday, Latimer will be a very busy young man, with at least seven teams having scheduled a visit with him.
- Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel put together a very detailed mailbag post, beginning with an examination of what the Dolphins might do if one of the top QB prospects falls to them with the No. 19 overall pick in the draft.