Kevin Minter To Visit Bengals
Cardinals’ free agent linebacker Kevin Minter, is scheduled to visit the Bengals on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Minter is currently visiting with the Colts. 
The Colts’ powwow was Minter’s first free agent visit, so a trip to Cincinnati would mark his second, assuming he doesn’t first strike a deal with Indianapolis. I had Minter ranked No. 22 on my Top 50 rundown of this year’s free agents, but the market for top linebackers has been slow to develop. In terms of ability, Minter was our No. 3 ranked available linebacker, behind only Dont’a Hightower and Zach Brown. Both AFC East standouts remain in limbo.
Minter, 26, totaled 81 tackles and 3.5 sacks for the Cardinals last season. Arizona has replaced outside linebacker Alex Okafor with Jarvis Jones, but they would probably like to keep Minter if they can afford him.
Broncos Notes: Romo, Webster, Peko, OL
Connected to a high-profile quarterback acquisition for the second straight offseason, Broncos GM John Elway didn’t identify the team’s Tony Romo circumstances as being all that different from the ones that had Denver close to adding Colin Kaepernick last year.
“Yeah [it’s a similar situation], because we feel good where we are. There are so many things … everything gets ratcheted. I will just tell you this: There’s been a lot of things out there that are not true as far as what’s going with our quarterbacks. So that’s what happens. Everything gets frothed up,” Elway said, via Troy Renck of Denver7.
Renck adds that the latest coming out of Dallas is Romo is growing restless with the Cowboys’ tactics, with the franchise having backtracked on its intention to release him in order to pivot back to trying to trade the 15th-year quarterback. The Broncos remain unlikely to trade for Romo, per Renck, even after the Texans’ cap space-clearing trade of Brock Osweiler. It would be a “major upset” if the Cowboys found a taker for Romo’s contract in a trade, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
The Broncos nearly traded for Kaepernick last year, but the sides couldn’t agree on a restructured deal. Denver then selected Paxton Lynch in the first round but turned the reins over to Trevor Siemian for most of 2016. That competition would continue for a second straight year if the franchise doesn’t acquire Romo. Vance Joseph said the franchise is in good shape with Siemian and Lynch for “the next four or five years,” per James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link). Lynch is under Broncos control for four more years, with Siemian’s rookie deal running through 2018.
Here’s more from the Mile High City.
- Meanwhile, Elway said his understanding is Kayvon Webster wants to play more (Twitter link via Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post). Webster has been public about his desire to have a larger defensive role and he won’t get that opportunity in Denver, being blocked on the cornerback depth chart. Webster, who made our list of this year’s Top 50 Free Agents, has long been expected to leave. The fifth-year corner has served as one of the Broncos’ top special-teamers, but after a rookie season in which fewer obstacles resided in between Webster and a defensive role, the Broncos’ 2014 additions of Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby effectively buried him on the depth chart for the ensuing three seasons. Now employing his previous defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, the Rams are hosting Webster on a visit today.
- Domata Peko also received interest from the Bengals, Vikings and Eagles prior to signing his two-year Broncos accord, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post tweets. Peko had obvious connections to the Bengals and the Mike Zimmer-coached Vikings but chose to join the Broncos.
- Elway said the team’s starting left tackle might not be on the roster presently, per Renck, but noted recent right tackle signings Menelik Watson and Donald Stephenson are options there. Watson served as an emergency left tackle after injuries ravaged the Raiders’ tackle corps at a point last season, but Oakland primarily utilized him on the right edge. Stephenson began the 2015 season as the Chiefs’ starting left tackle, when he took Eric Fisher‘s spot, but Andy Reid reversed course and placed Fisher back there. Stephenson didn’t get a starting job back and signed with Denver, where he struggled as the team’s primary right tackle starter.
- Denver still has interest in re-signing backup outside linebacker Dekoda Watson, according to 9News’ Mike Klis, who confirms the team’s interest in bringing back Vance Walker (Twitter link).
- Newly signed Kasim Edebali will likely compete for work behind Von Miller and Shane Ray at outside linebacker, Wolfe writes. He played defensive end in the Saints’ 4-3 scheme and 58.7 percent of New Orleans’ special teams snaps in 2016. The Broncos also have Shaquil Barrett as their top backup at outside ‘backer.
Zach Links contributed to this report.
Bengals To Host Andre Smith On Visit
Andre Smith‘s one season away from Cincinnati didn’t go well, but the Bengals are interested in a possible reunion. The former Bengals first-round pick will visit with his initial NFL team soon, Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports (on Twitter).
This comes after Smith met with the Bills, so the 30-year-old tackle’s generated some curiosity among teams despite his rough stint with the Vikings. Smith played in a career-low four games after signing his one-year deal to venture to Minnesota. He spent most of last season on IR due to a triceps injury, missing most of what was a brutal year for the Vikes’ offensive front.
Smith signed a one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Vikings after playing for the Bengals during the first seven seasons of his career. Smith served as Cincinnati’s regular right tackle starter for most of this decade. The Bengals have Jake Fisher, Cedric Ogbuehi and Eric Winston as right-edge options. None performed well in the opinion of Pro Football Focus last season, though Smith didn’t either.
Although, Smith has some experience as a left tackle, and the Bengals lost stalwart blindside man Andrew Whitworth last week. So one of the aforementioned incumbents could well be set to move to the left side full-time after Whitworth joined Kevin Zeitler in leaving southwest Ohio for a more lucrative opportunity elsewhere.
Connor Barwin To Visit Bengals
Defensive end Connor Barwin is set to meet with the Bengals on Monday, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). This will be the veteran’s first visit since he was released by the Eagles last week.
The former second-round pick joined the Eagles in 2013 after signing a six-year, $36MM contract ($8MM guaranteed), and he proceeded to make his only Pro Bowl appearance in 2014. The 30-year-old didn’t miss a game during his four-year tenure in Philly, starting all but one game. Barwin finished 2016 with 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumbles.
Signing with the Bengals would be a bit of a homecoming for Barwin, who played 51 games for the Cincinnati Bearcats between 2005 and 2008.
As Caplan notes, the Bengals need help at both defensive end and linebacker, and Barwin is capable of filling either hole. The team is currently rostering three defensive ends (Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, Will Clarke) and six linebackers (Vincent Rey, Rey Maualuga, Vontaze Burfict, Marquis Flowers, Nick Vigil, Paul Dawson).
The 49ers reportedly had interest in Barwin before he was let go by the Eagles.
Bengals To Host Joe Mixon
- The Bengals will host controversial Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon on a private visit, reports Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. Cincinnati was one of four clubs — including Cleveland, Detroit, and New Orleans — that met with Dixon last week. Because Mixon was not invited to the combine, the Bengals want the opportunity to speak “extensively” with Mixon about his character, per Terrell.
OL Andre Smith To Visit Bills
Free agent offensive tackle Andre Smith is set to visit the Bills, reports ESPN’s Jeff Darlington (via Twitter). The reporter also notes that Smith could wind up with his former team, the Bengals.
The former first-round spent the first seven seasons of his career in Cincinnati before signing a one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Vikings last offseason. Smith would ultimately play in four games (four starts) for Minnesota before going down for the year with a triceps injury.
The 30-year-old has 86 career games (77 starts) under his belt. He hasn’t played in all 16 games since 2013, and he’s missed 21 games over the past three seasons.
The Bills don’t have a lot of depth at offensive tackle. Behind Cordy Glenn and Cyrus Kouandjio, the team is only rostering Michael Ola.
AFC Contract Details: Gilmore, Kirkpatrick
The latest contract details from the AFC (all Twitter links):
- Cornerback Stephon Gilmore‘s five-year, $65MM accord with the Patriots includes an $18MM signing bonus, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. The arrangement comes with a fully guaranteed $31MM through 2018 and $9MM guaranteed for injury only in 2019. It contains up to $500K in per-game roster bonuses each year, as well (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
- Fellow corner Dre Kirkpatrick‘s Bengals deal, worth $52.5MM over a five years, includes $15MM in 2017, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The contract features another $2.5MM in incentives. It’s essentially a pay-as-you agreement after 2018, notes CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who adds that Kirkpatrick got $7MM to sign, $12MM in guarantees, and will make $23.2MM during the first two years of the contract.
- Guard Ronald Leary‘s pact with the Broncos is worth $36MM over four years and will receive $18.75MM guaranteed, writes Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Leary will collect a $3.5MM signing bonus.
- Newly re-upped Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills landed a $7MM signing bonus, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Fullback Patrick DiMarco‘s four-year deal with the Bills features $4.8MM in guarantees, more than the originally reported $4MM, per Wilson. It also comes with a $2MM bonus and an annual workout bonus worth $59K.
- Safety Nate Allen‘s contract with the Dolphins is for one year and $3.4MM, relays Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.
- The Titans gave linebacker Nate Palmer $2.3MM over two years, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. He also received a signing bonus worth $850K.
- Tight end David Johnson‘s agreement with the Steelers is worth $2.05MM over two years, per Wilson. It includes a $235K signing bonus and a $915K roster bonus.
Bengals Re-Sign Eric Winston
Eric Winston is sticking around Cincinnati. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell reports (via Twitter) that the veteran offensive tackle has signed a one-year deal with the Bengals.
The 2006 third-round pick has bounced around the NFL since leaving the Texans following the 2011 season, spending time with the Chiefs, Cardinals, Seahawks, and Bengals. The NFLPA president apparently found a home in Cincinnati, where he’s appeared in 29 games over the past two seasons (four starts). Winston didn’t earn great marks from Pro Football Focus for his performance in 2016, although the website was fond of his run blocking skills.
Winston will presumably return to a backup role in 2017, shadowing starting tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher.
Extra Points: Raiders, Holmes, Whitworth
The latest from around the NFL:
- The Raiders are still in the mix for wide receiver Andre Holmes, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com tweets. At least five other teams have shown interest in signing him this week.
- Left tackle Andrew Whitworth left the Bengals for the Rams because of his desire for long-term security, agent Pat Dye tells Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. Whitworth’s deal with L.A. is a three-year, $36MM pact with $15MM guaranteed. The Bengals refused to go past one-year at $10MM.
- Jairus Byrd will be designated a June 1 cut, Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets. The Saints informed Byrd of his release earlier this week.
- The Bengals are not interested in offensive lineman D.J. Fluker, Jim Owczarski of The Enquirer tweets.
- Kevin Zeitler says his best contract offers came from the Saints and Browns, Alex Marvez of SiriusXM tweets. His agent recommended Cleveland based on the money offered and that’s the direction he ultimately went in.
Bengals To Re-Sign Dre Kirkpatrick
One of the top cornerbacks on the UFA market won’t end up spending much time there. The Bengals agreed to a deal to retain sixth-year corner Dre Kirkpatrick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The contract is for five years and nearly $52.5MM, reports Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter).
This comes after the Bengals put together “strong money” in an offer to hold off the Steelers for Kirkpatrick. The former first-round pick drew interest from the Steelers and Titans but will stay in Cincinnati. The Bengals eased the former Alabama product into a role, developing him as an off-the-bench presence until inserting Kirkpatrick into the lineup in 2015. He’s been a full-time starter for the past two seasons and has nine career interceptions, three of the thefts coming last year.
This should help set the cornerback market, coming after Stephon Gilmore‘s agreement to join the Patriots. Several corners remain on the market, but the top targets are beginning to go. A.J. Bouye has just agreed to join the Jaguars, leaving players like Logan Ryan, Prince Amukamara and Morris Claiborne as the top outside cover men left.
The Kirkpatrick deal could become even more critical to the immediate future of the Bengals’ secondary depending on what happens with Adam Jones. His latest arrest has cast some doubt on another season in Cincinnati despite the Bengals re-signing Jones last year in free agency.