NFC Notes: Sanchez, Cutler, Kaepernick, Kuhn
The Eagles appear to be the frontrunners to sign Mark Sanchez, but the quarterback doesn’t have an agreement in place with any team yet. As Sanchez and his suitors weigh the decision, we can rule out Seattle as a potential landing spot. Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com tweets that the Seahawks, who had been mentioned because of the connection to former USC coach Pete Carroll, aren’t in the mix for the former Jet.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- According to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter), the Bears have created a little 2014 cap space by converting $5MM of Jay Cutler‘s $22.5MM base salary into a signing bonus. That allows the team to spread the bonus out in even $1MM hits over the next five seasons, creating $4MM in cap savings for ’14.
- Working out a deal that will keep Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco long-term is a “priority” for the 49ers, head coach Jim Harbaugh said today. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has the details and quotes from Harbaugh.
- Free agent fullback John Kuhn continues to talk to the Packers and other teams, according to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Saints GM Mickey Loomis spoke at length to Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune about his team’s offseason so far, including New Orleans’ additions and subtractions. Discussing the Darren Sproles trade with the Eagles, Loomis suggested that he hopes the move doesn’t come back to “bite” the Saints.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links) passes along some specific details on J.D. Walton‘s two-year contract with the Giants. With an overall base value of $6MM, the deal includes annual base salaries of $1.25MM (2014) and $2.25MM (2015), a $1.25MM signing bonus, a $250K roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2015 league year, and $50K each season in per-game roster bonuses.
Extra Points: NFLPA, Moreno, Contract Details
Newly-minted NFLPA president Eric Winston is just hours into his new role, but he sounds like he’s ready to hit the ground running.
“This union has always been about fighting,” Winston told Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “It won’t change.”
Winston didn’t mince words when it came to the idea of expanding the NFL season from 16 to 18 games, telling Pelissero that the idea is “dead in the water.” He was less definitive when it came to the idea of playoff expansion, but he made it clear that the union will only be on board under certain conditions. Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Knowshon Moreno arguably had the most impressive 2013 campaign of any of this year’s free agent running backs, but his name hasn’t surfaced at all in the last nine days. That changed today, with word breaking that the Dolphins will have Moreno in a for a visit on Friday (Twitter link via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald).
- The Panthers continue to pursue free agent receivers, and will have Lestar Jean in for a visit tonight and tomorrow, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
- The Buccaneers hosted free agent defensive back Chris Owens today, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Owens also met with the Steelers this week, as we heard earlier this afternoon.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap has the full breakdown of many of the new contracts signed in recent days, including, but not limited to, Andrew Hawkins‘ four-year pact with the Browns, Scott Chandler‘s two-year deal with the Bills, James Starks‘ two-year deal with the Packers, Charlie Johnson‘s two-year contract with the Vikings, and Usama Young‘s two-year deal with the Raiders.
- Jerricho Cotchery‘s deal with the Panthers is technically for five years, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun details (via Twitter). I imagine it includes three void years, similar to Roman Harper‘s new contract. Cotchery also received a $2.25MM signing bonus.
- Wilson (Twitter links) also provides details on a pair of minimum salary benefit contracts, noting that fullback Jed Collins will get $710K from the Lions between his $65K signing bonus and $645K base salary. Safety Craig Steltz will get $795K from the Bears between his $730K salary and the $65K roster bonus for 2014.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Draft Rumors: Ebron, Bortles, Desir
North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron figures to be a popular man in the coming weeks and he told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he’s got at least four visits lined up for himself. Ebron, a Newark, New Jersey native, will check in with the Bills, Lions, Ravens, and Panthers in April. Here’s today’s latest draft rumors..
- ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio said on air that the Texans, Jaguars, Browns, Raiders, and Vikings have met with Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles, according to Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal (on Twitter). The signal caller participated in UCF’s pro day this afternoon.
- The Rams, Chiefs, Jaguars, Packers, Lions, and Bears attended cornerback Pierre Desir‘s pro day at Lindenwood University (Missouri), tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Desir recorded 25 interceptions over the course of his career at the Division II school.
- The Browns worked out Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas individually today, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.com. Pauline says Thomas is looking more like a top 45 pick at this juncture.
- Lache Seastrunk says he has visits set up with Steelers and Bills, tweets Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. The Baylor running back posted the best vertical jump (41.5-inches) and broad jump (134 inches) of anyone at the draft combine in February.
- San Jose State quarterback David Fales will meet with the Vikings this weekend, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
- Middle Tennessee State guard Josh Walker will visit the Colts, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The standout lineman also has a visit with the Saints lined up.
Packers Re-Sign James Starks
WEDNESDAY, 4:44pm: The Packers have officially re-signed Starks, the team announced today in a press release.
MONDAY, 9:24pm: Free agent running back James Starks is expected to remain with the Packers on a two-year contract, according to Adam Schefter, who says the deal is imminent (via Twitter).
Starks, 28, played 13 games last season (missed three with a knee injury), making one start, and had 89 carries for 493 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. He rejoins a deep backfield, including Rookie of the Year Eddie Lacy, second-year back Johnathan Franklin and DuJuan Harris, who showed promise in 2012 before missing 2013 because of a knee injury.
NFC North Notes: Suh, Hester, Packers, Vikes
On the heels of suggesting earlier this week that there was no rush to extend defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, Lions president Tom Lewand said today on WJR in Detroit that the team expects to meet with Suh’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, next week in Orlando at the NFL owners meetings (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com). While a Suh extension may not be urgent, it definitely should be on the Lions’ offseason checklist, and it looks like the two sides will take the first steps toward a new deal within the next several days.
Let’s round up a few more links from around the NFC North….
- According to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, the Packers may enter the mix for free agent return man Devin Hester, but not until his asking price drops. Demovsky hears from one NFL personnel evaluator that Hester has been looking for $4MM per year, which is probably unattainable for a 31-year-old return specialist who contributes little on offense.
- In a separate piece for ESPN.com, Demovsky writes that the Packers are still in good salary cap shape, and should have room to extend Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, if and when they so choose.
- Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune explores whether Henry Melton‘s new deal with Dallas could open the door for Kevin Williams to return to the Vikings.
- Earlier this morning, the Lions agreed to sign fullback Jed Collins and the Bears reached an agreement with defensive back Sherrick McManis. Both deals are one-year pacts.
NFC North Notes: Suh, Weems, Contracts
At an appearance at the MGM Grand in Detroit, Lions president Tom Lewand suggested the team isn’t bothered by the fact that there’s no contract extension in place with defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh yet, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. While a new deal for Suh would open up some cap room for the Lions in 2014, the club never viewed an extension as an essential part of its free agency plans.
Let’s round up a few other items from around the NFC North….
- The Bears have asked wide receiver and return man Eric Weems to take a pay cut, and will likely release him if he decides not to accept the cut, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago. The team could create $1.1MM in cap savings by releasing Weems.
- B.J. Raji‘s one-year contract with the Packers includes a $500K signing bonus, a non-guaranteed $3.1MM base salary, $300K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $100K workout bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune details the specifics of Charles Tillman‘s one-year contract with the Bears. It includes a $2.25MM base salary, a $500K signing bonus, $100K in workout bonuses, and $400K in per-game roster bonuses. The total guarantee is $750K.
- The Lions‘ one-year deal for Vaughn Martin is a minimum salary benefit contract, including a $65K bonus, tweets Michael Rothstein. So Martin will earn $795K, while the cap hit for the team will be $635K.
- Via Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes (via Twitter) that Jerome Simpson‘s new deal with the Vikings is worth $1MM — a $900K base salary, plus $50K in workout bonuses and another $50K in roster bonuses.
- Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune examines some possible reasons why the Vikings haven’t addressed the linebacker position in free agency yet.
NFC Notes: Kiwanuka, Melton, Peppers, Rams
A short while after the Giants signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, it was learned Mathias Kiwanuka took a pay cut, as reported by Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Kiwanuka sees his base salary decrease from $4.38MM to $1.5MM (with $700k roster bonus and $125k worth of incentives) and the team nets just over $2MM in cap space, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). The finagling created flexibility to add Rodgers-Cromartie, says NJ.com’s Jordan Rannan, who points out Kiwanuka signed a deal in 2012, restructured in 2013 and took a pay cut in 2014.
Other NFC news and notes:
- Bears free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton, visiting with the Cowboys today, is seeking a short-term, “prove-it” deal, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- Packers free agent acquisition Julius Peppers was a shell of himself last season and looked like an unmotivated player, according to anonymous evaluators quoted by Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Rams free agent safety Darian Stewart visited the Panthers on Monday, according to St Louis Post-Dispatch beat writer Jim Thomas (via Twitter). However, Stewart was not offered a contract, says Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
- The Rams will not receive a compensatory pick for Cortland Finnegan signing with the Dolphins, but they will save $3MM in cap space, writes ESPN.com Rams reporter Nick Wagoner.
- The Lions interviewed Colorado WR Paul Richardson at the Combine and sent a personnel executive to his pro day in Boulder, according to MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke.
AFC Notes: Jets, Spikes, Raiders, Broncos
Losing free agent Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Giants is not sitting well with members of the Jets who blame GM John Idzik for losing the player, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. In a three-pack of Tweets, Mehta says Idzik blew it by letting Rodgers-Cromartie visit the Giants, quotes an employee saying Idzik “operates on his own time and schedule” and adds head coach Rex Ryan “is pissed” about losing out on Rodgers-Cromartie. This on the heels of Ryan reportedly wanting the team to bring back Darrelle Revis, who landed with the division rival Patriots.
In other AFC news:
- Free agents Kevin Boothe and Alex Carrington “are still in the building,” according to San Francisco Chronicle Raiders beat writer Vic Tafur (via Twitter).
- The Bills introduced Brandon Spikes on Monday (contract details here), and ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak relayed some of Spikes’ first comments as a Bill, most notably that Spikes chose Buffalo because of his relationship with Pepper Johnson.
- The Broncos have made a handful of expensive free-agent additions, and ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold explains how they were able lure and afford marquee talent. For starters, the roster consists of 34 players with cap hits of $2MM or less.
- Packers free agent offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse will meet with the Bengals, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter).
Packers To Sign Letroy Guion
3:28pm: Guion’s one-year deal is worth the minimum ($730K) and has a $100K signing bonus, but has a max value of $1MM if roster bonuses are earned, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
2:57pm: The Packers have agreed to terms with defensive lineman Letroy Guion, agent Thomas Kleine announced today on Twitter. According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Guion will ink a one-year deal, meaning he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency again a year from now.
Guion, a longtime Viking, is the second defensive lineman the Packers will sign away from a division rival, having also added Julius Peppers after he was cut by the Bears. Additionally, Guion will be the second defensive tackle Green Bay has signed to a one-year deal in the last week. With B.J. Raji returning to the fold and reportedly set to assume his old nose tackle position, presumably the Packers have other plans for Guion, who played a lot of nose tackle in Minnesota. It’s possible he’ll come off the bench in Green Bay, or see some time at defensive end.
Guion started 28 games for the Vikings over the last two seasons, recording 52 total tackles and three sacks in those two years of part-time action. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics weren’t overly kind to the 26-year-old, ranking him 60th of 69 qualified defensive tackles in 2013, a year after he placed dead last among 85 qualified DTs (subscription required).
The Ravens and Patriots also reportedly had interest in Guion, who was released by Minnesota earlier this month.
Contract Details: Peppers, Cook, McClain
While Julius Peppers‘ three-year deal with the Packers was reported as being worth $30MM over three years, the base value is actually just $26MM, though that could increase if the veteran hits certain escalators, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links). With a $7.5MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary in 2014, the cap hit in the first year will be just $3.5MM. The deal also includes base salaries of $8.5MM in 2015 and $7MM in 2016, with $1MM in workout and roster bonuses in each of those seasons.
Let’s round up a few more contract details from around the league….
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com provides the financial details on the contracts signed by cornerback Chris Cook and kicker Phil Dawson with the 49ers. Cook’s pact is a minimum salary benefit deal with no guaranteed money, according to Maiocco.
- Jameel McClain‘s two-year deal with the Giants has a base value of $4.5M, with escalators that can push up to $6M, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson says the contract includes a $600K signing bonus, base salaries of $1.375M (2014) and $1.75M (2015), and a $400K roster bonus in ’15.
- The Rams‘ new deal with Jo-Lonn Dunbar is a two-year, $2.05MM contract, but could be voided after year one in certain scenarios, as Wilson explains in a pair of tweets.
- The new five-year contract Zach Strief and the Saints agreed to today includes a first-year base salary of just $900K, meaning Strief’s 2014 cap hit is $2MM, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
- Frank Zombo‘s new contract with the Chiefs is a two-year deal, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
- The three-year deal between the Giants and Jon Beason has a base value of $16.8MM, with a $4.4MM signing bonus and $6MM in overall guaranteed money, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.