Bears To Re-Up Tracy Porter
A member of four different teams from 2012-15, former Super Bowl hero Tracy Porter looks to be sticking in the same place for the first time since 2011.
The Bears are re-signing the veteran cornerback, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a three-year deal for Porter, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com tweets.
Following his successful Saints tenure that lasted from 2008-11, one that peaked with the memorable interception-return score that lifted the Saints to their only Super Bowl title in 2009, Porter’s bounced around. He joined the Broncos in 2012 and Raiders, Washington and the Bears in the seasons that followed.
The 29-year-old Porter teamed with 2014 first-round Kyle Fuller last season outside, starting 13 games — the second-most of Porter’s career. Porter’s most came when he broke with the starters for the 2013 Raiders in 16 contests.
Set to turn 30 before the season, Porter will again compete for a starting position with the Bears. He finished last season with 12 passes defensed — one shy of the career-high mark he set in Oakland in 2013 — and one interception. Most importantly, Porter returned to a starting lineup on a consistent basis after starting in just one contest in Washington.
A former second-round pick, Porter will have the opportunity to be a full-time starter for the first time since his Saints stint.
Four Teams Express Interest in C.J. Anderson
Broncos free agent C.J. Anderson is generating plenty of intrigue from other teams, as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that the Patriots, Dolphins, 49ers, and Bears have all expressed interest in the running back.
Still, barring some unforeseen circumstances (or an outrageous contract offer), it appears that Anderson will be returning to the Broncos next season. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets that Denver is expected to match “just about any” offer sheet handed to the running back.
The organization slapped the 25-year-old with a low-round tender yesterday, which would be worth $1.671MM next season. The Broncos have the right to match any offer sheet extended to the free agent, but they won’t receive any compensation if he bolts to another team.
An undrafted free agent out of California in 2013, Anderson burst onto the scene during his sophomore season. He compiled 849 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014, and he added another 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Anderson only started six games in 2015, finishing with 720 yards and five scores on 152 attempts. Despite the difficult season, Anderson managed to run for 90 yards and a touchdown during this past season’s Super Bowl.
Bears, Tracy Porter Working Towards Deal
The Bears are working to retain cornerback Tracy Porter before the market opens, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). But the potential list of suitors for Porter is growing, per Rapoport, especially now that Janoris Jenkins is off the board and the Raiders are targeting Sean Smith.
Porter, 29, has a solid season in Chicago, where he rebounded from a down year in 2014 to become a full-time starter once again. He started 13 games, posting one interception and 12 passes defensed. Porter certainly isn’t a star, but he acted as a veteran presence on a Bears defense that needed all the help it could get. A former second-round pick, Porter has spent time with the Saints, Broncos, Raiders, and Washington in addition to the Bears.
The Bears can re-sign Porter at any time, but if he wants to join another club, Porter will have to wait about two more hours to officially agree to a new deal. Chicago, meanwhile is also said to be targeting offensive lineman Jeff Allen and linebacker Danny Trevathan.
Bears, Falcons Pursuing G Jeff Allen
12:19pm: Allen could command between $6MM and $7MM per year, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
12:00pm: The Bears and Falcons are among the teams pursuing guard Jeff Allen, Alex Marvez of FOX Sports tweets. It’s not immediately clear how involved the incumbent Chiefs are in his free agency, however.
Last season, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Allen as the No. 10 guard in the NFL with a strong 88.8 grade for run blocking and a solid 77.4 grade for pass blocking. Those scores put Allen as the second-best available free agent guard this offseason behind veteran Richie Incognito. In total, Allen saw 321 pass snaps and 272 run snaps for KC.
The Eagles were previously listed as a potential suitor for Allen given their need for interior line help and Allen’s connection to new head coach Doug Pederson. At this time, however, it doesn’t sound like they are a leading team for his services.
FA Rumors: McLeod, Vernon, Steelers, Sweezy
Safety Rodney McLeod is one of the top young safeties set to hit the market today, and Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears that the Ravens are a “strong contender” for the Rams’ free-agent-to-be.
While the Ravens could use some help at free safety, since Kendrick Lewis didn’t prove in 2015 that he’s the long-term answer and Lardarius Webb doesn’t have much experience at safety. But the idea that Baltimore would make a play for someone like McLeod is surprising, since the team typically doesn’t foray too aggressively into free agency, and doesn’t have a ton of cap flexibility.
As we wait to see if anything comes of the Ravens’ apparent interest in McLeod, let’s check in on a few other free agent rumors….
- In an interesting piece for TheMMQB.com, defensive end Olivier Vernon, one of the top free agents available, acknowledges that he “probably” won’t be back with the Dolphins in 2016.
- With Heath Miller having retired, the Steelers are exploring the tight end free agent market, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, Coby Fleener, Ladarius Green, and Jared Cook are names worth monitoring for Pittsburgh.
- Over a half-dozen teams remain in the mix for offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who tweets that the Broncos are worth keeping an eye on.
- Offensive tackle Bobby Massie has received interest from the Bears and Giants, but his market isn’t up to $8MM per year yet, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. A Monday report indicated that Massie could end up landing a deal in that range.
- The Rams are intent on trying to re-sign defensive end William Hayes, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Per La Canfora, Hayes has a “nice market,” but wouldn’t rule out a return to the Rams.
- The Bears resumed negotiations on Tuesday with tight end Zach Miller, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Miller’s reported asking price of $5MM per year, which seemed outrageous a few weeks ago, doesn’t look quite as far-fetched after Dwayne Allen got $7MM+ annually from the Colts.
Bears, Falcons, Titans In Hunt For Danny Trevathan
9:04pm: The Bears are in competition with the Falcons and Titans for Trevathan’s services, multiple sources tell Brad Biggs.
6:50pm: The Falcons have joined the Bears as strong contenders for Trevathan, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
2:33pm: The price tag for Trevathan is expected to be at – or slightly above – $7MM per year, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
1:06pm: The Bears are making a strong push for linebacker Danny Trevathan, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. Trevathan enjoyed a huge bounce back year for the Broncos after previously dealing with knee injuries.
Last month, Trevathan said that he was anticipating interest from Chicago. Trevathan and John Fox have history from their time together in Denver, so a reunion with the Bears would make a lot of sense.
“Coach Fox is one of the guys that gave me the opportunity to showcase I can fit within the scheme,” Trevathan said in February. “I’m sure it’ll be there, I’m sure we’ll end up talking, but right now my main focus is this game. Whatever happens, happens. This game could make or break my contracts. It’s up to me to make the most of it.”
Trevathan was Denver’s leading tackler in 2013, but he registered just 11 tackles across three games for the Broncos in 2014 thanks to a left medial tibial impaction fracture. In 2015, Trevathan has looked like his old self. In 15 regular season contests (all starts), the inside linebacker recorded 109 total tackles, six pass deflections, and two interceptions – one of which led to a defensive touchdown.
A former sixth-round pick, the linebacker earned just $660K in 2015. Needless to say, Trevathan is looking forward to a contract that matches his performance. “We’re going to get paid,” said Trevathan in January. In addition to the Bears and Broncos, the Titans have also been said to have interest in the linebacker.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Packers Eyeing Martellus Bennett
It appears Martellus Bennett‘s days in Chicago may be numbered, and one of the Bears’ division rivals is said to be eyeing the veteran tight end. A source tells Luke Rodgers of 247Sports.com (Twitter link) that the Packers have shown some interest in Bennett.
[RELATED: Packers show interest in Matt Forte]
As last week’s reports suggested, agent Kennard McGuire and the Bears have been seeking out potential trade partners for the team in the hopes of finding Bennett an “agreeable landing spot.” However, there’s skepticism around the league that the Bears will be able to find a suitable offer for their tight end. The idea that the division-rival Packers would be able to work out a deal with the Bears seems even more far-fetched, so it’s not surprising that Ed Werder of ESPN (video link) suggests Green Bay would only have interest if Bennett were to be released.
Bennett, who will turn 29 on Thursday, was slowed by injuries in 2015, but still managed to haul in 53 passes for 439 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. Previously, Bennett established new career-highs across the board in 2014 with 90 receptions, 916 yards, and six TDs, earning his first Pro Bowl nod.
In the wake of that Pro Bowl season, Bennett sought a raise and an extension, skipping the Bears’ voluntary OTAs last spring. However, Chicago, having recently hired a new head coach and GM, was unwilling to work out a new deal at that point, and it now sounds as if the team would prefer to move on from Bennett, who reportedly “frustrated coaches and teammates” in 2015.
The Packers aren’t typically very active in free agency, but when they do explore the market, GM Ted Thompson and the team’s decision-makers often prefer players who have been released by other clubs, since those free agents don’t count toward the draft compensatory pick formula for the following season. So Green Bay is worth keeping an eye on if Bennett is ultimately cut by the Bears.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Broncos, Massie, Daniel
Now that defensive lineman Malik Jackson has agreed to join the Jaguars, we can expect the Broncos to make a serious run at Cardinals free agent right tackle Bobby Massie, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Massie could reportedly command north of $8MM per season, so it was unlikely that Denver would have been able to afford both Jackson and the offensive tackle.
Here’s the very latest free agent news:
- Even though the Eagles have re-signed Sam Bradford, the Eagles could still pursue Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Eagles coach Doug Pederson, who is the former OC in KC, is quite fond of Daniel.
- The Vikings are not close on a deal with guard Mike Harris, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). Harris’ camp has been looking for roughly $5MM on a two-year deal while the Vikings are offering $3.5MM over two. Harris is currently planning on testing the market.
- The Bears are one of “multiple” teams that have expressed interest in defensive end Akiem Hicks, per Kevin Fishbain of Pro Football Weekly (on Twitter).
- Four teams have expressed varying degrees of interest in linebacker Demario Davis, a source tells Seth Walder of the Daily News (on Twitter).
- The Bills‘ signing of Richie Incognito means that Buffalo will not be adding free agent guard Jahri Evans, Peter Schrager of FOXSports.com (on Twitter) hears. The Bills hosted Evans on a visit on Monday. Evans has started 153 games for the Saints dating back 2006 and earned four First-Team All-Pro selections.
Alshon Jeffery Signs Bears Franchise Tag Tender
Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has officially signed his franchise tag tender, the team announced (on Twitter). The star receiver can still ink a long-term deal up until July 15th. 
After averaging 87 receptions and 1,277 yards in 2013 and 2014, Jeffery was plagued by injuries in 2015, but he was excellent when healthy, averaging a career-high 89.7 yards per game. Now that he has accepted the tag, he’ll be in line for a salary north of $14MM for 2016.
The Bears started to remodel their team last season but, despite some speculation to the contrary, the team did not shop Jeffery. This offseason, there was little chance that the Bears would let the 26-year-old get away. Had he entered the open market, however, he would have ranked high on PFR’s Top 50 NFL Free Agents list. The current wide receiver market is headlined by Marvin Jones, Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Anquan Boldin, Jermaine Kearse, and Mohamed Sanu.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: RBs, Trevathan, Giants
The Titans reached an agreement on a trade to acquire DeMarco Murray on Monday, and before the week is out, their division rivals in Houston may have a new running back of their own. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Texans are among the teams with “strong interest” in free agent back Lamar Miller. Rapoport adds that the market for the top running backs available, including Miller, Doug Martin, and Chris Ivory, could heat up today.
Here’s more from around the NFL on free agents:
- The Bears and Titans are among the teams that will make it challenging for the Broncos to re-sign free agent linebacker Danny Trevathan, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Trevathan previously said that he expected to receive interest from his old head coach John Fox in Chicago.
- The Giants have been making a push in recent days to re-sign defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and are continuing to talk to him, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. There is plenty of competition though, per Raanan, who notes that the market has been “aggressive,” with a handful of suitors in play.
- While the Giants remain in the hunt for JPP, it doesn’t appear they’re in the mix for defensive end Mario Williams at this time, per Raanan, who adds that Big Blue has inquired on free agent defensive end William Hayes.
- Free agent wide receiver Travis Benjamin has “piqued the interest” of the Texans and a few other NFL teams, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.