Extra Points: Smith, Munnerlyn, Neal
Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told reporters, including Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter), that he wanted a three-year deal with the Vikings rather than four years so that he could get another contract before he turns 30. He added (link) that it was very tough for him to say goodbye to the Panthers, but Carolina couldn’t afford to give him the same contract. More from around the NFL..
- Steve Smith‘s visit with the Ravens is going well so far, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Steelers were eyeing Mike Neal in free agency before he re-signed with Green Bay, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The linebacker got a two-year, $8MM deal from the Packers with a $2.5MM signing bonus.
- Charlie Whitehurst had the same offer from the Chargers before he picked the Titans, tweets Paul Kuharsky of ESPN. The quarterback inked a two-year deal with a $4MM base with another $4MM in incentives and $2MM guaranteed.
- New 49ers addition Jonathan Martin told reporters, including Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter), that he never considered retirement.
- Former Bucs left tackle Donald Penn is flying to Oakland tonight to visit the Raiders, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Penn has been heavily linked to the Raiders since his release.
- The 49ers don’t have much salary cap space and it’s hard to see them signing both a cornerback and a wide receiver, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
- Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter) expects the market for Saints free agent center Brian de la Puente to heat up now that the first wave of free agency has come and gone.
- Henry Melton‘s possible legal trouble won’t prevent the Bears from re-signing him, but they could use it as ammunition as they try to knock his price down, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
Phil Emery On Henry Melton, Charles Tillman
The Bears have been active in retooling a defense that struggled in 2013, already adding a number of pieces to a unit that fell behind the offense for one of the few times in team history. The revamping on the defensive side of the ball does not necessarily have room for some of the Bears recent defensive stalwarts.
Julius Peppers was already released, and is now looking to free agency for his next contract. Henry Melton, who was involved in an altercation that has led to a civil suit being filed against him, has been visiting with teams but has yet to receive a substantial offer. The Bears could still utilize him, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com, but his legal issues make his return to the team uncertain. Bears general manager Phil Emery spoke about where Melton currently stands with the organization:
“We pretty much left it with [agent] Jordan [Woy] that he was gonna go through this process, and when he got through it and he had a pretty good idea of what his market is, we could talk at that time,” Emery said. “Of course, the clock is ticking. So our resources or what we have at the time may have changed. But we’ll see where we’re at when that’s all finished.”
Charles Tillman struggled with injuries in 2013, missing eight games due to torn triceps. Even still, Tillman has been a tremendous talent, arguably the best defensive back in team history according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. The 33-year-old cornerback was disappointed that he did not receive a contract extension to keep him with the team.
He has been taking visits, garnering little interest from around the league. He was closely linked to the Buccaneers, but the signing of Alterraun Verner diminishes his value to the team. The Bears have not ruled out the idea that Tillman could return.
“No different than yesterday,” Emery said. “It’s an ongoing process.”
Dickerson writes that Tillman still has a chance to make an impression on a short-term deal with the Jaguars, Panthers, Cowboys, and Redskins if he is not open to returning to the Bears.
NFC Contract Details: Quarless, Collins, Saffold
We rounded up a handful of AFC contract details earlier this afternoon. Now, let’s turn our attention to the NFC:
- Andrew Quarless‘ two-year contract with the Packers is worth $3MM in total, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The base salaries are $800K and $1.3MM, while the remaining money is made up of a $350K signing bonus, $200K in per-game roster bonuses, and $75K in annual workout bonuses.
- Pelissero tweets that only $9MM of Anthony Collins‘ five-year deal with the Bucs is fully guaranteed at signing, which is $6MM less than what was reported earlier. I’m guessing that $6MM is guaranteed for injury only.
- Although Rodger Saffold‘s new five-year contract with the Rams is worth $31.7MM, it can max out at $35MM+, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Willie Young‘s three-year contract with the Bears includes a $1MM roster bonus and $150K in workout bonuses, tweets Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Meanwhile, the Bears‘ signing of Ryan Mundy has the club on the hook for a two-year, $3MM contract, with $650K guaranteed, says Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (all Twitter links). That $650K guarantee comes in the form of a roster bonus, while the pact includes base salaries of $800K (2014) and $1.45MM (2015), plus workout bonuses of $50K annually.
- Eric Wright‘s one-year contract with the 49ers sounds like a minimum salary benefit deal, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). For a player with Wright’s experience, that’s an $855K base salary to go along with a $20K reporting bonus and another $25K if he makes the team.
- Joe Berger‘s one-year deal with the Vikings is worth $920K, with a $65K signing bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). That makes it a minimum salary benefit contract too.
- Anthony McCoy will have a base salary of $950K on his one-year contract with the Seahawks, tweets KJR’s Curtis Crabtree.
FA Rumors: Clark, Browner, Finnegan
Ryan Clark‘s visit with the Redskins went well, but there’s no deal yet, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. However, Washington is still talking with the former Steelers safety. More from around the league..
- The Saints are among teams looking at cornerback Brandon Browner, according to ESPN’s John Clayton (via Mike Triplett’s Twitter). The recently reinstated cornerback is also reportedly visiting with the Redskins and Patriots.
- Former Rams and Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan will visit with the Dolphins tomorrow, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network.
- Bears GM Phil Emery planned to speak with Henry Melton‘s agent after the defensive end met with teams and gauged his market, tweets Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. However, the clock is ticking for Chicago as their cap room is dwindling.
- The Redskins have had talks with Reed Doughty, but it doesn’t sound like anything is imminent, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. It’s still a “work in progress,” a source tells Jones.
- 49ers free agent running back Anthony Dixon tweets that he’s on his way to Buffalo to visit the Bills.
- It sounds like Antonio Cromartie‘s meeting with the Cardinals was more of a feeling out than anything, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
- The door isn’t shut on Alex Mack and the Colts, but the odds have gone down drastically, tweets Mike Wells of ESPN.
Bears Re-Sign Dante Rosario
The Bears have re-signed tight end Dante Rosario, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Bears GM Phil Emery recently said that he was optimistic about Rosario’s chances of returning to Chicago.
Rosario, 29, was re-signed to a one-year deal by the Bears in late February only to be released on March 10th and neither side has explained that bizarre chain of events. The tight end had seasons of 26 and 32 catches several years ago with the Panthers, but didn’t act as a receiver often in part-time action for the Bears in 2013. He was very productive as a run blocker, however, recording Pro Football Focus’ second-highest run-blocking grade among tight ends, despite playing just 186 snaps (subscription required).
Rosario had signed a one-year, minimum salary deal with the Bears, without any bonus money last time around, so it’s possible that the previous deal was dissolved in order to give him some guaranteed cash.
Domenik Hixon, Bears Agree To One-Year Deal
11:01am: Hixon has agreed to terms with the Bears on a one-year deal, the team announced today (Twitter link).
10:39am: Panthers free agent wide receiver Domenik Hixon is expected to sign with the Bears as soon as today, a source tells Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Hixon is in Chicago visiting with the Bears today.
Hixon, 29, had a limited role with the Panthers last season, hauling in just seven catches for 55 yards. He had a more prominent role in years past with the Giants. In 2012 with Big Blue, Hixon caught 39 balls for 567 yards and two scores.
Bears, Willie Young Agree To Three-Year Deal
The Bears have reached a three-year deal with defensive lineman Willie Young, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). According to Pelissero, the contract is worth $9MM, including a $2MM signing bonus and $3.95MM in total guaranteed money. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun provides the deal’s annual base salaries in a tweet.
Young, 28, was a full-time starter for the Lions for the first time last season, and played very well for the team. While he was only credited with three sacks, he pressured the quarterback a total of 60 times and ranked 16th among 52 qualified 4-3 defensive ends, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The Bears were forced to make Julius Peppers a cap casualty earlier this week and missed out on signing Michael Bennett, but have retooled their defensive line nicely, adding Young and Lamarr Houston.
WR Rumors: Smith, Nicks, Edelman, Hixon
A notable wide receiver came off the board last night when Eric Decker agreed to terms with the Jets, but another one is expected to hit the open market today, as word broke this morning that the Panthers will release Steve Smith. Baltimore, Oakland, and Tampa Bay have been mentioned as potential landing spots for Smith, and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer cautions not to rule out the Chargers or Patriots as well (Twitter link). Here are a few more wide receiver rumors to start off your Thursday:
- As we heard this morning, the Panthers are eyeing Hakeem Nicks to potentially replace Smith, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (via Twitter) that the team is currently offering a deal worth about $4.5MM per year.
- If Smith eventually lands with Baltimore, it increases the chances that Julian Edelman will re-sign with the Patriots, according to La Canfora (via Twitter). However, the CBS scribe adds in another tweet that Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer has been attempting to recruit Edelman to Cleveland.
- The Patriots continue to monitor the market, and will almost certainly land a receiver eventually, whether it’s Smith, Edelman, Nicks, or someone else, tweets La Canfora.
- We heard earlier this week that the Bears were in talks with wide receiver Domenik Hixon, and now Josina Anderson of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that the free agent is on his way to Chicago to visit the team. Assuming the visit goes well, Hixon would like to sign with the Bears, Anderson adds in a second tweet.
Bears Notes: Peppers, Rosario, McCown
During the press conference introducing new Bears defenders Lamarr Houston and Ryan Mundy, general manager Phil Emery addressed a number of topics pertaining to his team’s offseason plans (many of which were tweeted out by the Chicago Tribune’s Rich Campbell). Emery talked about the defensive end position, saying the team was “going to be patient and see how it all works out.” The general manager also touched on the team’s former defensive end, Julius Peppers, who was cut by the Bears yesterday. Emery said that Peppers was not designated as a post-June 1st cut, which means he’ll count for $8.4MM in dead money this season but would be off the books the following year.
More from Campbell, Brad Briggs of the Chicago Tribune and Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times…
- Emery said there’s a good chance that tight end Dante Rosario would return, stating “We like Dante.” Rosario was released by the team earlier this week.
- For their number-two running back, Emery seeks a player who can specifically pass protect.
- In regards to cornerback, the general manager makes it sound like the team will address the position through the draft. “The draft has a lot more depth than what’s available in the free agent class,” Emery said.
- The team will also look towards the draft for a quarterback, but Campbell adds that they may also sign someone for the position. Former Bears’ quarterback Josh McCown signed with the Buccaneers earlier today.
- Talking about free agent cornerback Charles Tillman, Emery said “it’s an ongoing conversation.”
- The Bears brought safety Cody Grimm in for a workout, tweets Biggs.
- The Bears never presented McCown with an offer, and Biggs (via Twitter) says the team never would have matched the Buccaneers’ offer.
- According to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter), Mundy had a two-year offer from the Giants to stay put but chose to go to the Bears instead.
NFC North Rumors: Tate, Neal, Haralson,
A quick look at the NFC North..
- Golden Tate is visiting with the Lions today, according to Michelle Beisner of NFL Network (via Ian Rapoport on Twitter). The former Seahawks notable is coming off of his most productive season ever in which he hauled in 64 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns.
- The Bears could target Packers free agent defensive end Mike Neal, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The Bears already added Lamarr Houston at the other bookend. Neal appeared in all 16 games last season for Green Bay last season and made ten starts.
- The Packers are expected to consider free agent pass rusher Parys Haralson, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter).