Extra Points: Vikings, Bears, Jags
The Vikings have been no strangers to talented but mercurial wide receivers throughout their history. Mike Wallace, whom they acquired from the Dolphins via trade last week, will be the latest in a recent line that includes the likes of Randy Moss, Koren Robinson and Percy Harvin, to name a few. In the wake of the Wallace acquisition, Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune revisited the tenures of some of the Vikings’ past wideouts. Compared to a couple of them, Wallace’s previous transgressions – a sideline argument with coaches last season, for example – seem tame.
Here’s more on the Vikings and the rest of the NFL:
- Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is hoping second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater bulks up this offseason, according to Sid Hartman, also of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “The big thing with Teddy is he needs to add a little bit more strength, a little more weight on him,” said Zimmer. “He’s about 210 pounds, we’re trying to get him around 218, somewhere in that range.”
- The staff at CSN Chicago took a look at a couple of mid- to late-round prospects who might be on the Bears’ radar entering the upcoming draft. Louisville safety James Sample and Iowa defensive tackle Louis Trinca-Pasat could both be potential fits for a Bears defense that’s in need of help after finishing 30th overall last year.
- The Jaguars’ linebacking corps was among many problem areas that beset them during their three-win 2014 campaign. But, with the signing of ex-49er Dan Skuta, the return of Paul Posluszny from injury and the potential of second-year man Telvin Smith, linebackers coach Robert Saleh is hopeful better days are ahead, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Saleh seems particularly excited about Skuta, saying that the 28-year-old “has a tremendous sense of urgency to his play.”
North Notes: Jennings, Bears, Browns
Some Saturday evening notes from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Wide receiver Greg Jennings, whom the Vikings released last week after two seasons in Minnesota, thrived during the first seven years of his career as a member of the Packers. Nevertheless, according to Jason Wilde of ESPN, don’t expect the 31-year-old to return to Green Bay. Although the Packers – who already have high-paid wideouts Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb – previously expressed interest this offseason in veteran free agents Andre Johnson and Percy Harvin, both of whom have since signed elsewhere, Wilde doesn’t see Jennings as a fit for the team because of the ugly way he left in 2013. Jennings took shots at the Packers after signing with the Vikings, as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky detailed earlier this week, and Wilde doesn’t expect Packers management to forgive and forget in Jennings’ case. That’s despite Jennings saying Tuesday that he’d be “open” to a reunion with Green Bay.
- The Bears have a number of needs to address entering the upcoming NFL draft, with wide receiver and pass rusher chief among them. Luckily for general manager Ryan Pace, those areas happen to be two of the strongest and deepest in the draft class, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The Bears could target a wideout or pass rusher with the seventh overall pick, where receivers Amari Cooper (Alabama) and Kevin White (West Virginia) and defenders Randy Gregory (Nebraska), Dante Fowler (Florida) and Shane Ray (Missouri) are likely to be available. If not, they still might be able to find second- and third-round receivers and pass rushers capable of coming in and making an immediate impact.
- As of now, the Browns’ starting quarterback in 2015 is probably either going to be Josh McCown or Johnny Manziel. Understandably, their fans aren’t content with either option, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com answered some of their QB-related inquiries in a mailbag. According to Cabot, the Browns could land Baylor’s Bryce Petty with the 19th overall pick in the draft. Their new quarterbacks coach, Kevin O’Connell, has trained Petty in the past – which means O’Connell has plenty of info on Petty and might be in position to steer Browns management either toward the 23-year-old or away from him.
Bears Re-Sign Dante Rosario
Veteran tight end Dante Rosario has re-signed with the Bears on a one-year deal, the team announced today (via Twitter).
Rosario, 30, was the second tight end on Chicago’s depth chart last season, behind Martellus Bennett. The former fifth-round pick caught 16 balls for 116 yards, but primarily served as a blocker during his 323 offensive snaps. Although his Pro Football Focus grades weren’t spectacular in 2014, Rosario has traditionally been a very solid run blocker.
FA Notes: Connolly, Gresham, Ellis, Barksdale
After passing along several updates on free agency this morning, we’re back this afternoon with another round-up. Here’s the latest on a handful of players still on the market:
- The Patriots would like to re-sign Dan Connolly, but the veteran offensive lineman is also receiving interest from the Seahawks and Bears as a center, and from the Dolphins and Buccaneers as a guard, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The 32-year-old has been a mainstay in New England for the last few years, but had a down year in 2014, placing among the bottom 10 guards in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
- Tight end Jermaine Gresham is meeting with a doctor tomorrow to determine the severity of a back injury, and could be headed for surgery later this week, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). Greshman still expects to be ready for training camp, but that’s a giant red flag for potential suitors, and explains why he remains unsigned. Teams in need of a tight end – such as the Bills, Raiders, and Browns – figure to monitor Gresham’s situation, tweets Rapoport.
- Free agent defensive lineman Kenrick Ellis could potentially make the move from one New York team to another. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter), the former Jet is visiting the Giants today.
- The Titans have maintained interest in Joe Barksdale, arguably the top tackle left on the market, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Since hitting free agency last week, Barksdale has frequently been linked to the Titans and the Rams, who are still interested in re-signing him.
- Veteran free agent Samson Satele is looking for a team that will give him the opportunity to compete for a starting center job, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
Bears To Sign Thomas Gafford
The Bears are currently the only team in the NFL without a long snapper on their roster, but it appears that will soon change. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter) the team is set to sign Thomas Gafford, who has spent the last seven seasons with the Chiefs.
Gaffold, 32, had served as Kansas City’s long snapper since the 2008 campaign, but with his contract expiring this offseason, the Chiefs have elected to go in a different direction, bringing in James Winchester, Brandon Hartson, and Jorgen Hus to compete for their job.
As for the Bears, they’re moving on from Jeremy Cain, and worked out Trevor Gillette, Dax Dellenbach, Chris Maikranz, and Drew Howell before deciding to sign Gafford, according to Biggs. Gafford is expected to sign a one-year contract with Chicago on Wednesday after taking a physical with the club.
FA Notes: Clay, Canty, Spencer, Irving, Moore
There hasn’t been much movement on the Charles Clay front lately, but the Bills are still steadfast in their hopes of signing him to an unmatchable offer sheet, a source tells Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. Buffalo appears confident in landing the Dolphins transition player, as the source tells Carucci that it’s a 90% certainty that the Bills will acquire the tight end.
Rex Ryan is reportedly pushing for Clay, as the Bills head coach knows how difficult Clay is to defend from the former’s time with the Jets. Per Carucci, Buffalo is currently going over both their cap numbers and those of the Dolphins, in an attempt to structure a contract that Miami can’t match.
Let’s take a look at the what’s happening on the rest of the free agent market:
- Defensive lineman Chris Canty will visit the Seahawks tomorrow, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). The 32-year-old was released by the Ravens last month, and while a reunion with Baltimore is possible, he’s also met with the Jets as he explores his options.
- Canty isn’t the only defender who will take a meeting with Seattle, as LB/DE Anthony Spencer will also visit the Seahawks, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Seattle had success in bringing in veteran defensive lineman Kevin Williams last season, so perhaps they’re trying to find another diamond-in-the-rough between Canty and Spencer.
- While his visit with the Colts today went well, linebacker Nate Irving is still weighing all his options, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN. The former Bronco has also been linked to the Dolphins and the Cardinals.
- After asking a source whether receiver Denarius Moore could return to the Raiders, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (via Twitter) got a clear response: “Not a chance.” The 26-year-old hasn’t drawn any known interest during the free agent period.
- Although we heard on Thursday that the Bears were discussing a multi-year deal with linebacker Mason Foster, no such pact is imminent, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who adds that nothing is close between the two sides.
Bears Sign Vlad Ducasse
The Bears have agreed to a one-year deal with offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse, the club announced on Twitter. Ducasse will receive $80K in guarantees, per Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link), meaning that the 27-year-old probably signed for the minimum salary benefit.
Ducasse spent the first four seasons of his career with the Jets before joining the Vikings in 2014. Selected out of UMass in the second round of the 2010 draft, Ducasse never lived up to his draft pedigree, starting just five games during his time with New York. He topped that number in ’14 alone, starting six contests in Minnesota while playing at both guard positions. In total, Ducasse played in 13 games last season, totaling 417 snaps, but graded as the league’s No. 61 guard among 78 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
In Chicago, Ducasse will presumably act as a backup to both former Jets teammate Matt Slauson at left guard and Kyle Long at right guard. The Bears might not be done adding offensive line help, as recent reports have indicated they’re interested in free agent center Samson Satele.
NFC Notes: Brown, Mays, Lewis, Satele
With Ron Parker, Kendrick Lewis, Rahim Moore, and Antrel Rolle all signing deals over the past few days, the safety market has evaporated before the Giants’ eyes, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
Without many options on the roster or left in free agency, Raanan believes the team will have to do their best to re-sign veteran Stevie Brown, who played with the team in 2012 and 2014, missing the season in between. Brown intercepted eight passes in 2012, ties for second in the NFL that season.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- While discussing some of Washington’s options left in free agency, John Keim of ESPN forgot to mention that the team had interest in safety Taylor Mays (via Twitter). While there was mutual interest, there has been no official visit.
- Cornerback Keenan Lewis now wants to retire with the Saints despite his previous demand at a guaranteed contract or a release, NOLA.com’s Katherine Terrell reports. New Orleans’ No. 1 corner also denied an NFL.com report that indicated the Saints are re-working his contract. Lewis has three years left on his deal with base salaries totaling $10.8MM.
- The Vikings hosted former Buccaneer and Bengal Michael Johnson for a visit today, according to the Vikings’ public relations and communication department (via Twitter). The team could place Johnson at defensive end opposite Everson Griffen.
- The Bears could be in the market for a veteran center, and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune suggests that Samson Satele is a name to keep an eye on (via Twitter).
- The Panthers have filled a number of holes this offseason, and with draft picks, injury replacements, and contract extensions still to be accounted for, general manager Dave Gettleman will likely have to wait another year before making a huge extension, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. He does, however, give five names to watch as possible value signings the team could target this offseason, including Osi Umenyiora, Mathias Kiwanuka and Charles Tillman.
- Holding the No. 1 draft choice isn’t the only perk of finishing with the league’s worst record. The Buccaneers hold the No. 1 waiver priority thanks to their 2-14 record last year, and they intend to capitalize on it, reports the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. “It’s a huge deal,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht told Stroud. “Bigger than people realize.” The Texans signed three players with their No. 1 position last season.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
FA Rumors: J. Johnson, Parker, Falcons, 49ers
Free agent safety Jeron Johnson is generating some interest around the league, and will pay a visit to Washington, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Johnson, a Boise State product, never saw any real significant playing time on defense for a Seahawks team that featured Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but he was a solid backup and excelled on special teams.
Let’s round up a few more Friday free agent news items and rumors from around the NFL….
- The Bears would like to sign safety Ron Parker, but he left Chicago last night without a deal, a source confirms to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, who tweets that the former Chief appears to be in no rush to sign.
- Having already met with the Seahawks and Broncos, Shelley Smith will make his next visit to Atlanta to meet with the Falcons, a source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The free agent offensive lineman is scheduled to arrive tonight and have his official visit tomorrow.
- The 49ers saw one of their free agent cornerbacks, Chris Culliver, find a deal in Washington today, but according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, they’ve spoken to another – Chris Cook – about returning (Twitter link). Still, Maiocco’s source says there have been no recent conversations between the two sides.
- Free agent center Stefen Wisniewski remains in Seattle for now, but a visit to the Rams is “very possible,” tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In addition to visiting the Seahawks, Wisniewski also met with the Bucs earlier this week.
- Offensive lineman Erik Pears, who visited the 49ers this week, is also receiving interest from the Jets and Broncos, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Pears started all 16 games for the Bills at right guard last season.
- The Chargers are continuing to eye the free agent market in search of upgrades at wide receiver, after having lost Eddie Royal to Chicago, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Former Giants guard John Jerry is making a free agent visit to Tennessee today to meet with the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Having waited out the first wave of free agency, the Titans have been very active today, locking up Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan, Ryan Succop, and Karl Klug to new contracts.
Contract Details: Maxwell, Murray, McPhee
Here are some key details on some of the notable contracts agreed to or signed around the NFL this week:
NFC deals:
- Byron Maxwell, CB (Eagles): Six years, $63MM base value. $25MM fully guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- DeMarco Murray, RB (Eagles): Five years, $40MM base value. $42MM max value. $18MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Albert Breer of the NFL Network).
- Pernell McPhee, OLB (Bears): Five years, $38.75MM base value. $8.675MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Antrel Rolle, S (Bears): Three years, $11.25MM base value. $4.9MM guaranteed. $3.9MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Tom Johnson, DT (Vikings): Three years, $7MM base value. $2.75MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Matt Prater, K (Lions): Two years, $4.55MM base value. Third-year team option for 2017 (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
AFC deals:
- Davon House, CB (Jaguars): Four years, $24.5MM. $10MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- James Carpenter, G (Jets): Four years, $19.1MM base value. $5MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Owen Daniels, TE (Broncos): Three years, $12.25MM base value. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Mike Adams, S (Colts): Two years, $4.25MM base value. $1.2MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Wilson).