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Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

Extra Points: Mariota, Richardson, Culliver

March 12th, 2015 at 6:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets have scheduled a pre-draft visit with Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). Mariota says he’ll be meeting with the Bucs, Eagles and Titans at his pro day, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) adds. Mariota’s pro day performance was underwhelming, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets, though as we saw last year with Teddy Bridgewater, we shouldn’t necessarily put a ton of stock into that. More from around the NFL..

  • After being officially waived by the Colts earlier, Trent Richardson gave an explanation for why it didn’t work out in Indianapolis, according to Mike Wells of ESPN (via Twitter). “Me and the GM didn’t see eye to eye,” said Richardson. “My next step, I’ll be the starter. Indy didn’t fit me.” The embattled halfback also confirmed that he was continually fined by the organization for being overweight (via Twitter). Richardson had told head coach Chuck Pagano he would have flown himself to New England for the AFC Championship game, but was told he would inactive regardless (via Twitter).
  • Long snapper James Winchester joined the Chiefs despite three other teams competing to sign him, writes Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). The Chiefs now have three long snappers on the roster.
  • Washington is bringing in cornerback Chris Culliver for a visit, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). However, La Canfora warns that a return to the 49ers for Culliver should not be ruled out, and that his value is rising with fewer top cornerbacks left on the market (via Twitter).
  • While both Shelley Smith and Stefen Wisniewski visited with the Seahawks, neither offensive lineman is expected to sign today, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
  • The 49ers have not closed the door on bringing Stevie Johnson back, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). San Francisco released Johnson earlier this week after signing Torrey Smith, but it sounds like they might consider bringing him back at a cheaper rate.

Latest On Terrance Knighton

March 12th, 2015 at 6:04pm CST by Zachary Links

6:04pm: Washington is closing in on a deal with Knighton, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).

3:07pm: Terrance Knighton is still in the nation’s capital and negotiating with Washington, but there are five other teams still chasing him, Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports tweets. Meanwhile, a source tells Getlin (on Twitter) that it’s unlikely that Knighton will sign with anyone today. It could be a while before we learn where he lands, according to Getlin’s source.

Knighton’s first visit with Washington went well, Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post hears. The Colts, Patriots and Chargers have expressed varying degrees of interest in Knighton, Renck writes, and he also identified the Seahawks and Ravens as teams with interest yesterday.

The Raiders appeared to be nearing a deal with Pot Roast, but on Tuesday we learned that he won’t be going to Oakland or returning to Denver. When Luke Adams listed PFR’s top 50 free agents recently, he ranked Pot Roast 16th on our list. The six-year veteran was an integral part of a Broncos team that had the league’s second-best run defense in 2014, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Knighton 12th among 81 qualifying D-tackles last season. Knighton, 29 in July, recorded 33 total tackles with two sacks and three pass deflections last season.

Earlier today, a head coach told Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 that teams were afraid to sign Knighton because of his physical condition.

Colts Waive Trent Richardson

March 12th, 2015 at 4:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts announced that they have waived running backs Trent Richardson and Michael Hill.

Richardson had a bizarre ending to the season with the Colts, to say the least. The running back did not make the trip to New England with the team for the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. There was no specific reason for his absence at the time and it was only classified as a move made for personal reasons at the time. Richardson was actually a healthy scratch in favor of Hill for the team’s previous playoff game against the Broncos.

The Colts acquired the powerful tailback in a trade with the Browns in September of 2013. Indianapolis. looking to fortify their run game, sent Cleveland their first-round choice in 2014. Needless to say, the deal didn’t work out well for the Colts. The former No. 3 overall pick recorded 316 rushing attempts for 977 yards and six touchdowns across two seasons, while adding 55 receptions for 494 yards and a touchdown in 29 games (20 starts). In his time in blue and white, he averaged just 3.1 yards per carry. Richardson was owed just north of $3.18MM for 2015.

Hill was signed by the Colts as a free agent in January and appeared in two postseason games on special teams when T-Rich was not on the roster. In his two-year (2013-14) NFL career, Hill has recorded nine rushing attempts for 23 yards and two receptions for 23 yards in eight games played.

Both Richardson and Hill will have to pass through waivers before joining another team.

Contract Details: Maxwell, Murray, McPhee

March 12th, 2015 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

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:

AFC South Notes: Orakpo, Colts, Jackson

March 12th, 2015 at 7:49am CST by Luke Adams

As we wait for Thursday’s free agent action to ramp up, let’s check in on some items from around the AFC South….

  • After visiting the Titans yesterday, Brian Orakpo remains in Tennessee and has yet to officially set up a time to visit the Cardinals, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter links). A visit to Arizona is the plan for Orakpo if and when he leaves the Titans meeting, but as he said yesterday, “anything can happen.”
  • The Colts have signed Kendall Langford and Trent Cole and brought back Mike Adams in free agency, but after adding veteran running back Frank Gore, wide receiver Andre Johnson, and guard Todd Herremans on offense, the team figures to focus primarily on its defense in next month’s draft, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. One exception, Holder notes (via Twitter), will be drafting a young running back, if the right guy is available.
  • Kareem Jackson‘s new deal with the Texans includes $16MM in fully guaranteed money, but practically speaking, the full guarantee is $20MM, since the cornerback gets a $4MM roster bonus today, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
  • According to Peter King of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter), a source close to Marcus Mariota advised King not to minimize the Titans‘ interest in the quarterback, suggesting they’re “very serious.” Whether that reported interested is legit or a smokescreen remains to be seen.

Colts Interested In Antrel Rolle

March 11th, 2015 at 6:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts are among the teams interested in free agent safety Antrel Rolle, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com (via Twitter). After landing Andre Johnson and Frank Gore, it appears that the Colts are not yet done trying to make splashy additions.

On Tuesday, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com reported that the Bears are the highest bidder for the 32-year-old free safety’s services. At this point, however, he doesn’t have a deal in place. Rolle is a key free agent for the Giants due to their lack of battle-tested alternatives on the depth chart, but it has been said that the veteran is not expected to entertain a hometown discount. Rolle is after a three-year deal, something the incumbent Giants might not be able to entertain.

Rolle didn’t have a banner year according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Rolle got an overall grade of -13.9, placing him 81st out of 87 qualified safeties. Of course, with a lack of quality safeties on the open market this offseason, beggars can’t be choosers.

Colts To Sign Andre Johnson

March 11th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Zachary Links

4:57pm: Johnson didn’t take much of a pay cut. He was due to make $10.5MM this year with the Texans and his new deal with the Colts will give him $10MM fully guaranteed, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets.

3:11pm: Andre Johnson announced on Instagram that he has signed with the Colts. It’s a three-year deal worth $21MM, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Johnson, who is entering his age-34 season, caught a team-high 85 balls in 2014, but that was his lowest total for a full season in about a decade. The former third overall pick also averaged just 62.4 yards per game, the third-lowest mark of his 12-year career. Houston reportedly asked Johnson to accept a reduced role in the offense going forward, which prompted discussion of a trade. Ultimately, the Texans could not find a taker for him and his contract, leading to his formal release on Monday.

Johnson was talking with fellow veteran Frank Gore about joining up with the Eagles, but when Gore backed out of his agreement with Philly to presumably sign with the Colts, their attention shifted to Indianapolis. Now, star quarterback Andrew Luck’s offense will be souped up in 2015 with the additions of two high-profile veterans.

The Chargers were among the teams working hard to lure Johnson and set up his next meeting, but the Colts managed to sign him before he could meet with anyone else, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.

Any team acquiring Johnson via trade from the Texans would have been responsible for his $10.5MM base salary and $1MM roster bonus on top of giving up assets, so it wasn’t a surprise to see him released instead. Houston created $8.825MM in cap savings by releasing Johnson, even without designating him as a post-June 1 cut.

Even though he appeared to lose a step in 2014, Johnson still graded out as an above-average wide receiver according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). All in all, he finished No. 40 out of 110 qualified wide receivers.

Contract Details: Maclin, Thomas, Hughes, Odrick

March 11th, 2015 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few details on some of this week’s noteworthy new contracts:

AFC deals:

  • Jeremy Maclin, WR (Chiefs): Five years, $55MM. $22.5MM fully guaranteed. $12MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com).
  • Julius Thomas, TE (Jaguars): Five years, $46MM. $21MM fully guaranteed. $28.3MM in first three years (Twitter link via Albert Breer of the NFL Network).
  • Jerry Hughes, DE (Bills): Five years, $45MM base value. $7MM signing bonus. $11.775MM fully guaranteed. $1MM annually in sack-based incentives (Twitter links via Corry and Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
  • Jared Odrick, DL (Jaguars): Five years, $42.5MM. $22.5MM guaranteed. $5MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • Brandon Flowers, CB (Chargers): Four years, $36.4MM base value. $20.5MM guaranteed. $8MM signing bonus. $2.25MM first-year cap hit (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Curtis Lofton, LB (Raiders): Three years, $18MM base value. $10MM guaranteed. $6.5MM in first year, including $3.5MM roster bonus (Twitter links via Pelissero and Wilson).
  • Kendall Langford, DT (Colts): Four years, $17.2MM base value. $2.5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports).
  • Brian Hoyer, QB (Texans): Two years, $10.5MM base value. $3.75MM roster bonus to be paid this month. $5.25MM annual cap hits (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).
  • A.J. Hawk, LB (Bengals): Two years, $3.25MM base value. $500K guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).

NFC deals:

  • Torrey Smith, WR (49ers): Five years, $40MM base value. $8MM signing bonus. $8.75MM fully guaranteed. $3.6MM first-year cap hit (Twitter links via Corry).
  • Bryan Bulaga, T (Packers): Five years, $33.75MM base value. $8MM signing bonus. $3.6MM first-year cap hit (Twitter links via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
  • Stephen Paea, DT (Washington): Four years, $21MM. $7.85MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Corey Peters, DT (Cardinals): Three years, $9MM base value. $5.75MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
  • Justin Durant, LB (Falcons): Three years, $10.8MM base value. $4.5MM in 2015. $3MM available in incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Dwan Edwards, DT (Panthers): Two years, $4MM base value. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Sean Weatherspoon, LB (Cardinals): One year, $3.58MM base value. $1.25MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Major Wright, S (Buccaneers): Two years, $3MM base value (Twitter link via Pelissero).

Extra Points: Suh, Wilson, Revis

March 11th, 2015 at 3:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross says he’s confident that the Dolphins did not break any rules in the lead up to the Ndamukong Suh signing, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. The Dolphins appear to have struck an agreement with the defensive tackle during the “legal tampering” period, but the league specifically asked that handshake deals not go down during that time. Of course, other teams certainly exchanged figures prior to Tuesday, but Suh was one of the most prominent free agents available. More from around the NFL..

  • Seahawks GM John Schneider said the team has met with the agents for Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, though the reps for each player know Seahawks have other things to do, as well, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (Twitter links).
  • A year ago, the Raiders were willing to assume all of Darrelle Revis‘ existing contract with the Buccaneers but the cornerback’s camp convinced the team that he wouldn’t report, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
  • The Patriots dropped out of negotiations with Revis upon hearing he was seeking $16MM per year and $40MM guaranteed, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets.
  • The Chargers offered Andre Johnson more money than he got from the Colts, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network tweets. It’s not known how much San Diego offered, but the Colts got Johnson for $21MM over three years.
  • Tom Benson, principal owner of the Saints and the NBA’s Pelicans, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday to remove all stock in the sports franchises from the trust funds that he set up for his daughter and grandchildren, Andy Grimm of The Times-Picayune writes.

Free Agent Rumors: Gilchrist, Morgan, Robinson

March 11th, 2015 at 2:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Running backs Felix Jones, Michael Bush, and Mikel Leshoure are among the players scheduled to participate in the NFL’s veteran combine later this month, tweets Mark Maske of the Washington Post. The Arizona Republic has the full list of combine participants. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • The Jets are in contract talks with free agent safety Marcus Gilchrist, a source tells Darryl Slater of the Star-Ledger. Gilchrist arrived Tuesday for a free agency visit with the Jets that has continued into Wednesday, as scheduled. Gilchrist, 26, has spent his entire career with the Chargers, who drafted him in the second round in 2011.
  • The Titans remain in the mix to sign Derrick Morgan despite his free agent visits and apparent interest from the Cowboys, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets. They’re also still working to re-sign kicker Ryan Succop.
  • Free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson has received some interest from the Vikings, Dolphins, Saints, Steelers, and Panthers, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Vikings have touched base with free agent cornerback Tramon Williams, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) hears the same thing, but his source says it doesn’t sound “very serious.”
  • Linebacker Andrew Gachkar‘s anticipated visit to the Vikings is on hold as of right now due to what a source only will say is related to “some issues right now,” Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets.
  • New Jaguars defensive lineman Jared Odrick told reporters, including Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links), that “tons of teams” went after him. The Colts and Chiefs, he said, were among the teams chasing him.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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