Several Teams Comprise Heated Lewis Market
On a player-friendly second tampering-window day, Dion Lewis has yet to make his decision. He’s going to be receiving a notable raise from his previous contract, however, when he does choose his next team.
The 27-year-old running back does not look like he will be returning to the Patriots, who were not believed to be a bidder if the price escalated to a certain point. Now that it apparently has, the Dolphins, Jets, Giants, Titans, Texans, Colts and 49ers are in on Lewis, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
The Jets, Colts and Titans were reported suitors earlier this week, but the remaining teams are now diving into the fray.
The Giants signed previous Pats passing-down back Shane Vereen in 2015 but haven’t found much in the way of backfield success in several years, and the 49ers may well lose Carlos Hyde in free agency. The Dolphins traded away Jay Ajayi and have versatile runner Kenyan Drake. Houston, interestingly, has a Lamar Miller–D’Onta Foreman setup but is evidently eyeing big-name help.
Lewis’ asking price was rumored to be around $6MM per year, and given the events of Tuesday and the number of interested teams here, it’s quite possible the sixth-year veteran could surpass that despite having just one 100-touch season on his resume. However, that also means Lewis could have a few productive seasons left despite being set to turn 28 later this year.
Colts Pursuing Free Agent Defensive Tackles
- CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Colts, Broncos, and Redskins are among the teams looking to add a defensive tackle. The reporter lists free agents Dontari Poe, Star Lotulelei, and Sheldon Richardson as potential targets.
[SOURCE LINK]
Three Teams To Meet With Benson Mayowa
The Redskins aren’t the only team on Benson Mayowa‘s docket. The Jets have the first meeting with the former Cowboys defensive end, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). After the Jets, Mayowa is then slated to take his visit with the Redskins. If Mayowa doesn’t sign with either club, the Seahawks and Colts are also expecting visits with him. 
Mayowa had an up-and-down two-year tenure with the Cowboys, but he still has quite the market after him. When the Cowboys signed Mayowa in 2016, he was a hot restricted free agent property out of Oakland with interest around the league for his perceived potential. He largely excelled in his first season with Dallas, nothing six sacks. However, things tailed off last year as he had just one sack in 14 games.
There aren’t a ton of high-end pass rushers in free agency, particularly after the Lions opted to franchise tag Ezekiel Ansah. The Jets, who have two free agent pass rushers of their own to consider in Mike Pennel and Kony Ealy, could go hard after Mayowa given the dearth of other options available.
Colts A Frontrunner For Dion Lewis?
Despite having surpassed the 100-touch mark just once in a season, Dion Lewis may well have surged to the point of being the top running back available. And the healthy market expected for the 27-year-old back shows no signs of slowing down. However, the Patriots are going to try to keep Lewis, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. However, he notes Lewis’ price may “far outpace” what the Pats are willing to spend to keep him. The Colts, Titans and Jets look to be the early favorites for Lewis. The Titans being run by former Patriots exec Jon Robinson — who was in New England when the Pats acquired Lewis — and the fact Tennessee just released DeMarco Murray would make the AFC South team a logical suitor. The Jets have passing-down veteran Bilal Powell going into the final year of his contract, and the Colts are without a proven back now that Frank Gore is out of the picture.
- Donte Moncrief is likely to exit Indianapolis, and the Ravens are interested, La Canfora hears. The Ravens, as of now, possess less than $5MM in cap space. But with Moncrief perhaps in line for a one-year deal after an inconsistent Colts tenure, La Canfora writes Baltimore is in the mix for the athletic target.
Colts To Let Donte Moncrief Walk?
The Colts aren’t likely to re-sign Donte Moncrief by the time the legal tampering period begins Monday, and Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star notes they probably will let the fifth-year wide receiver walk as a free agent.
Holder writes “all current indications” point to Moncrief departing as a first-time UFA. The current Colts regime appears to have cooled on the former third-round pick.
The inconsistency that’s been associated with Moncrief’s career has frustrated some in the Colts’ organization, and Holder writes Chris Ballard didn’t seem to express much desire to re-sign him.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported the expectation was for a team to sign Moncrief to a one-year deal, which would make sense given his lack of steady production. While Moncrief showed a strong red zone rapport with Andrew Luck, he was effectively demoted last season. After a 64-reception, 733-yard 2015, Moncrief missed seven games in 2016. The talented athlete who still caught seven touchdown passes in 2016 managed just 26 catches last season and two scores on a much worse Colts offense.
Antonio Cromartie Retires From NFL
Antonio Cromartie is calling it a career. The longtime NFL cornerback took to Instagram on Monday morning to announce his retirement from professional football. 
“Today is the day I knew I would eventually have to face, but one I never wanted to accept,” Cromartie wrote. “After 27 years of playing football, today I say farewell. God blessed me with the opportunity to play in the NFL for 11 years, and after much consideration and prayer, I’d like to officially announce my retirement.”
Cromartie entered the league as a first-round pick of the Chargers in 2006. He put himself on the map in the following season when he tallied a league-high ten interceptions en route to his first Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro selections. Later, he went on to spent four seasons with the Jets (2010-2013) and one with the Cardinals (2014) before returning to Gang Green (2015) and finishing out with the Colts (2016).
We haven’t heard Cromartie’s name pop up since his four-game stint in Indianapolis came to a close in October 2016, but the cornerback was apparently hoping to resurrect his career up until today. As his 34th birthday approaches in April, Cromartie will now transition to the next phase of his life.
We here at PFR wish Cromartie, an 11-year NFL veteran, the best in retirement.
Free Agency Notes: Jets, Colts, Lewis, Burton
Here’s a look at the latest free agency buzz:
- Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears the Jets and Colts are “possible destinations” for Patriots free agent running back Dion Lewis. The language in Fowler’s report is admittedly soft, but free agents are technically forbidden from talking to rival teams during this time, so this may be a wink-wink acknowledgement that both teams have engaged in some secretive discussions prior to the legal tampering period on March 12. Recently, Mike Florio of PFT indicated that the Texans, 49ers, and Raiders were also potential destinations for the 27-year-old (28 in September).
- No surprise here, but free agent tight end Trey Burton is a popular man. With the Eagles unlikely to retain him, 16 clubs have already checked in on his status this week, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).
- Some executives who spoke with Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com indicated that Dontari Poe could be a fit for the Buccaneers. Poe, who did well on his one-year platform deal with the Falcons, may also fit the Redskins, Broncos, and Colts, per JLC.
- More from JLC, who cautions of a potential bidding war between the Bears and Chiefs over backup quarterback Chase Daniel. The Saints would like to retain the veteran, but they might not be able to afford him with a big money extension on the horizon for Drew Brees. The Bears and Chiefs both make sense for Daniel given the ties he has to both coaching staffs.
Dion Lewis Expected To Draw Interest From 6-7 Teams
Patriots free agent running back Dion Lewis is expected to draw significant interest on the free agent market, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Lewis, who is reportedly seeking a $6MM annual salary, is likely to draw the eye of the Jets, Texans, 49ers, Raiders, and Colts, per Florio. New York, San Francisco, and Indianapolis are each facing vacancies in their backfields, but a Lewis addition in Houston or Oakland would presumably lead to the release of Lamar Miller or Marshawn Lynch, respectively.
The Patriots had a cavalcade of running backs on their roster in 2017, but Lewis was the best of the bunch. The 27-year-old Lewis posted the most outstanding season of his career in 2017, toting the ball 180 times for 896 yards (both team highs), managing 214 yards on 32 receptions, and scoring 10 total touchdowns (including one in the return game). Lewis ranked first in Football Outsiders‘ DYAR metric, sixth in broken tackles, and sixth in Pro Football Focus‘ pass-blocking grades.
Lewis isn’t the only free agent running back about whom New England needs to worry. Rex Burkhead is also scheduled to hit the open market later this month, so while the Patriots still employ James White, Brandon Bolden, and Mike Gillislee they could see a great deal of turnover in their backfield over the coming weeks.
Colts Notes: Melvin, Staff
- The Colts intend to allow free agent cornerback Rashaan Melvin hit the open market, general manager Chris Ballard told reporters, including Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). That’s perhaps unsurprising given that Melvin is one of the more intriguing and unproven players scheduled to hit free agency next month. Melvin, 28, had appeared in only 12 games and made two starts before joining the Colts in 2016. He’s since started 19 games over the past two seasons, and was outstanding in 2017, grading as the NFL’s No. 17 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. While Melvin could certainly become a diamond in the rough for a team who trusts him as a full-time starter, it’s also possible he turns back into a pumpkin, so there’s risk involved in his free agent case.
- The Colts have continued to fill out Frank Reich‘s staff by hiring Tom Rathman as running backs coach and Kevin Patullo as wide receivers coach, reports Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (multiple stories). Rathman previously served two stints with the 49ers, but he won’t coaching his former pupil Frank Gore, whom Indianapolis does not plan to re-sign. In addition to his work in San Francisco, Rathmaan has also coached in Detroit and Oakland. Patullo, meanwhile, has led quarterbacks and wide receivers in stops with the Jets, Titans, and Bills, but spent 2017 as an analyst for Texas A&M.
Colts To Move On From Frank Gore
Frank Gore wants to continue playing in 2018. However, it will not be with the Colts. Colts GM Chris Ballard had a conversation with Gore and told him that they are planning on going in a different direction in order to get younger at the running back position, according to coach Frank Reich (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Wells). 
Gore will turn 35 in May, which is well past the expiration date for most running backs. However, he was still reasonably productive last year, running for 961 yards with three touchdowns plus 29 catches for 245 receiving yards. Gore has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in all but four of his NFL seasons and topped 1,000 all-purpose yards in every campaign but his rookie year.
Here’s the bad news: Gore’s yards per carry average has dipped as of late and he has not had more than 4.0 yards per tote since he left San Francisco after the 2014 season. In 2017, Gore matched a career worst with 3.7 yards per attempt.
It’s hard to see Gore getting a shot as a Week 1 starter, but teams will reach out with the idea of having him on the lower end of a timeshare. Chris Ivory, who is coming off of a rough couple of years in Jacksonville, is already picking up interest, so that’s a good indicator that Gore’s phone will be ringing in March.