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Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

Colts Rumors: Jackson, Davis, Bradshaw

March 4th, 2014 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

After free agent linebacker D’Qwell Jackson meets with the Dolphins today, his tour will continue with a visit to the Colts, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The former Brown has drawn plenty of interest since being released last month by Cleveland, having already visited the Broncos and Titans as well. As the Colts look forward to making their pitch to Jackson, let’s round up a few more updates out of Indianapolis….

  • Vontae Davis remains the Colts’ top free agent priority, and Stephen Holder of the Indianpolis Star thinks the fact that the team didn’t franchise him signals optimism that a multiyear agreement can be reached. In Holder’s view, a deal similar to the one Brent Grimes inked with the Dolphins (four years, $32MM, $16MM guaranteed) is the likeliest outcome for Davis and the Colts.
  • The Colts have had recent conversations with prospective free agent Ahmad Bradshaw, a source tells Holder. A separate source confirmed that the club hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing back the veteran running back. Indianapolis currently has Trent Richardson and Vick Ballard under contract for 2014, while Donald Brown is also a free agent.
  • Center Samson Satele, whose cap number for 2014 is about $5.07MM, may be cut at some point, but there’s no urgency to making a move quickly, says Holder. With plenty of cap space available, the Colts can afford to keep Satele around, and Holder points out that the center’s presence could even improve the team’s leverage in talks with free agent interior linemen.

Colts Won’t Franchise Vontae Davis

March 3rd, 2014 at 8:32am CST by Luke Adams

The Colts are still engaged in talks with cornerback Vontae Davis in an effort to lock him up to a long-term contract, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, today’s franchise deadline looming, the team won’t use its tag on Davis, La Canfora reports.

The deadline for NFL teams to use their 2014 franchise tags is today at 3:00pm central time. Assuming the Colts and Davis don’t agree to terms on a new deal by this afternoon, the two sides are expected to continue negotiating throughout the week, with Indianapolis attempting to keep the former 25th overall pick from hitting the open market. Even if Davis does become a free agent on March 11, that doesn’t mean he won’t return to Indy — gauging offers from other suitors may give Davis and the Colts a better idea of his value, allowing them to strike a deal.

Although Davis grabbed just one interception in 2013, the 25-year-old ranked among the best cornerbacks in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Only Darrelle Revis and fellow free-agent-to-be Brent Grimes had higher overall grades at the position than the Colts’ standout CB, according to PFF. Given his age and production, Davis figures to draw plenty of interest if he reaches unrestricted free agency.

Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star adds (via Twitter) that the Colts won’t use their franchise tag at all this year, which is unsurprising now that we know the club doesn’t intend to use it on Davis. Because kicker Adam Vinatieri has been tagged twice previously, he’s not a candidate to receive the franchise tag again. The only other viable candidate on the team is Antoine Bethea, but even the relatively modest franchise price for a safety ($8.433MM) looks a little too pricey for Bethea.

AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Martin, Clowney

February 28th, 2014 at 9:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

While some teams received some extra cap relief as the new salary cap number was released, there are some teams that are not benefiting from the extra room just yet. The Jaguars are estimated to now have just over $56MM in cap space this offseason, according to OverTheCap.com. Every team could use a little extra cap space, but the Jaguars are still worried about hitting the minimum 89% cash spending requirement, writes Alfie Crow of BigCatCountry. Crow does explain that they do not have to hit that mark in 2014, but instead must reach the mark over a four-year period.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:

  • The Jaguars have plenty of options if they want to spend their money, either up to the brink of the cap or even just to approach the 89% mark. Nate Davis of USA Today advises that the team’s general manager Dave Caldwell start by courting a big name wideout such as Hakeem Nicks, and handing out a big payday to Browns center Alex Mack in order to replace the retiring Brad Meester.
  • Jonathan Martin will most likely be looking for a new team in the near future, and although he has many friends in the Colts’ locker room, Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes that the team is not in need of a tackle. Pro Football Rumors recognized this unfortunate reality as well, earlier this month.
  • The Titans hold the 11th pick in the NFL Draft, and while the team has many holes to fill, Nicholas Pitakos of TitanSized.com explored the possibility of the team moving up to draft Jadeveon Clowney out of South Carolina. While he sees Clowney as a once in a lifetime prospect, and he is scared of him ending up in the AFC South with either the Texans or Jaguars, Pitakos sees the price just being too costly for the Titans to move up.

FA Rumors: Delmas, Jackson, Decker, Pace

February 27th, 2014 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

A handful of potential free agents, including wide receiver Riley Cooper, center Roberto Garza, and defensive lineman Chris Baker, came off the board today, having agreed to new contracts with their current teams. However, there are still plenty of rumblings about other players who will hit free agency on March 11, not to mention those who are already available. Let’s dive in and round up the latest….

  • Free agent safety Louis Delmas, who was cut by the Lions earlier this month, visited the Saints today, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Because he was released, Delmas is eligible to sign before March 11 if he gets an offer he likes.
  • Recently released linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is in the same boat, and has already lined up weekend visits with the Titans and Broncos, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). La Canfora adds (Twitter link) that the Vikings among the clubs looking to schedule a visit for next week, while Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that eight interested teams have already reached out.
  • Following up on a tweet from Vic Lombardi of CBS4 in Denver that indicated there could be mutual interest between wide receiver Eric Decker and the Colts, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star says (via Twitter) that potential interest is unlikely to materialize into anything concrete.
  • The Jets met with linebacker Calvin Pace‘s reps at the combine in Indianapolis and made it clear they’d like to re-sign him, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. However, the club has not yet engaged in contract talks for Pace, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
  • Costello adds in a tweet that the Jets also have interest in retaining defensive tackle Leger Douzable, who will be an unrestricted free agent.
  • Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com explores the possibility of the Bills using their franchise tag on free agent safety Jairus Byrd, which it sounds like the team is willing to do.
  • Free-agent-to-be Rashad Jennings has signed with VMG Sports and will be represented by Mike Simon, Greg Diulus, and Adam Heller, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. The Raiders running back had previously been repped by Kelley Drye.

AFC Notes: Browns, Raiders, Jackson, Ravens

February 26th, 2014 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah said that he’s hearing “from several different places” that the Browns are targeting quarterback Derek Carr with the No. 26 pick rather than drafting a signal-caller at No. 4 (link via Marc Sessler of NFL.com). Of course, there’s plenty of time for that stance to change over the next two and a half months. More out of the AFC..

  • Raiders owner Mark Davis spoke to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle about the need for a franchise quarterback, the team’s boatload of cap space, and whether or not this is a make-or-break year in Oakland.
  • Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk expects the Broncos and Titans to be in the mix for linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who hit the free agent market today when he was cut by the Browns. Seven teams have reached out to Jackson since his release and he’s currently deciding where to visit first, tweets Jason La Canfora of NFL.com.
  • Torrey Smith is very open to the idea of the Ravens adding a receiver in free agency or the draft, as he tells Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. “The more, the merrier,” Smith said. “The more help you can have no matter what position it is, it’s only going to make us stronger as a unit. Whatever we bring in, whether it’s free agency or a rookie, we’ll welcome him in with open arms.”
  • Although Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star suggested yesterday that Adam Vinatieri could be a franchise tag option for the Colts, that’s not the case, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). As Corry notes, even though Vinatieri didn’t play out two seasons as the Patriots‘ franchise player, he was tagged twice by New England, meaning he’d be eligible for the quarterback’s franchise salary if he were tagged a third time.

Packers Sign Michael Hill

February 26th, 2014 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 26: Hill’s deal with the Packers is now official, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

FEBRUARY 19: A little over a week after he was released by the Buccaneers, running back Michael Hill is heading back to his former team, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Packers have agreed to terms on a new contract with Hill, likely giving him a chance to earn a roster spot on the 2014 squad.

Hill, 24, started the 2013 season on the Packers’ practice squad, and was added to the team’s active roster when Eddie Lacy and John Kuhn went down with injuries early in the season. After Hill rejoined the practice squad, he was signed away by Tampa Bay, where he saw limited action in the season’s second half with the Bucs. When Tampa waived Hill last week, the young running back drew interest from the Chargers, Colts, and 49ers, according to agent Harold Lewis, but he ultimately decided to return to Green Bay.

“He felt like that was home for him,” Lewis told Silverstein. “That’s where he wanted to be.”

Terms of Hill’s new deal aren’t known, but it figures to be a minimum-salary reserve/futures contract.

AFC Notes: Bortles, Ravens, Chiefs, Colts

February 25th, 2014 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

We checked in on the NFC earlier this afternoon, so let’s head over to the AFC now and round up a few of the latest updates….

  • Blake Bortles had formal interviews with eight franchises at the combine in Indianapolis, according to Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel. Of those eight teams, three – the Texans, Jaguars, and Titans – were AFC South squads. The Jets and Raiders also met with the UCF quarterback.
  • With James Ihedigbo expected to leave in free agency, the Ravens would like to add a free safety this offseason, shifting Matt Elam to strong safety, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. Still, the team feels good about its secondary overall, and safety won’t be the top priority in May’s draft.
  • The Chiefs had formal interviews in Indianapolis with Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy and Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links).
  • Cornerback Vontae Davis and safety Antoine Bethea are potential candidates to receive the Colts‘ franchise designation, but the free agent most likely to be tagged might be kicker Adam Vinatieri, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

AFC Notes: Jets, Raiders, Colts, Texans

February 24th, 2014 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Local beat writer Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News doesn’t view the Jets as a likely candidate to sign Michael Vick, but it seems that isn’t the consensus perception around the NFL. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the Jets are considered a “legitimate possible landing spot” for Vick, based on conversations he has had at the combine this week. I expect the Jets to look a tier or two below Vick if they pursue a free agent quarterback, and would be surprised if a reunion between Vick and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg actually materialized, but it sounds like we shouldn’t rule out the possibility.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Raiders owner Mark Davis and the team’s brass met with Johnny Manziel this weekend and came away “very impressed,” tweets Eddie Borsilli of SiriusXM NFL Radio. Oakland is expected to strongly consider drafting a quarterback with the No. 5 overall pick in May.
  • The Colts aren’t expected to splurge in free agency this offseason, but they could take an approach that would allow them to spend in future years, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, who suggests the possibility of signing shorter contracts, or frontloading deals.
  • The Ravens conducted a formal interview with Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman at the combine, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Mike Rodak of ESPN.com examines the Bills‘ options at kicker, where it’s no certainty that Dan Carpenter will return.
  • Jadeveon Clowney isn’t an ideal fit for the Texans, even if the team decides not to take a quarterback, in the view of the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain. McClain’s colleague Jerome Solomon thinks the club’s interest in Clowney should be a moot point, suggesting in a separate Houston Chronicle column that Houston needs to draft a QB with the first overall pick.

AFC South Notes: Johnson, Fitzpatrick, Watt

February 23rd, 2014 at 8:05pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Titans and the representation for runningback Chris Johnson met at the NFL scouting combine, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. Johnson is scheduled to make $8MM in 2014, a price that the team is unlikely to pay. Johnson might not be willing to take a pay cut, and that could result in in the runningback’s release. The cap space the Titans would gain by releasing Johnson could help pay cornerback Alterraun Verner, who made his first Pro Bowl in 2013. Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:

  • New Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt is on record saying that he holds backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in high regard, writes Wyatt. “Fitz is a good quarterback. He is a veteran guy that has played, and he made some plays for this team last year,” Whisenhunt said. “I have a lot of respect for what he has done in this league.” General manager Ruston Webster had the same sentiment.
  • J.J. Watt is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, and the Texans are getting closer to being forced to make a decision about the star defensive lineman’s futre, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. The team has the ability to pick up the team option for a fifth year, but much like the situation in Carolina with Cam Newton, it might be better for both sides to come to terms on a long-term extension. Ganguli does know that the team does not Watt to reach free agency.
  • Other players the Texans have to make decisions on are Antonio Smith, Garrett Graham, and Earl Mitchell, writes Ganguli. The original assumption was that these three might not be in the team’s long-term plans, but the new coaching staff might have different and evolving opinions of them.
  • Colts‘ general manager Ryan Grigson has put out the idea of “Don’t rule anything out” when it comes to the NFL Draft, but Mike Wells of ESPN.com is pretty close to ruling them out of moving back into the first round. He sees the depth of this draft and the many holes the Colts need to fill would make them unlikely to package multiple assets to move up.

AFC South Notes: Colts, Richardson, Draft

February 23rd, 2014 at 2:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts GM Ryan Grigson wants the team’s offensive line play to improve, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com. Although the unit did give up nine fewer sacks than in 2012, injuries abounded and the interior line play was inconsistent. Grigson, who recently sounded lukewarm on the status of center Samson Satele, may have to look to the draft for improvements, as the center/guard free agent market is not all that strong save for Alex Mack. Advanced metrics differ on the play of the Colts’ offensive line — Pro Football Focus rated them as the 24th best unit, while Football Outsiders marked them as middle of the pack in run-blocking, but excellent in pass protection.

  • Improved offensive line play could be the first step in getting more from running back Trent Richardson, and the Colts expect progress from him in 2014, writes Craig Kelly of Colts.com.
  • Within the same piece, Grigson says “don’t rule anything out” when it comes to trading back into the first round of the draft. The Colts traded their 2014 first-round-pick for Richardson.
  • Texans GM Rick Smith is a believer in the “best player available” strategy it terms of drafting players, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. “I think the risk is if you take a player that is not reflective of the value,” said Smith. “Because what you ultimately do is you miss on another player you should have been taking that has that value. That’s why we don’t rank our board with any type of consideration for need because when you do that, you make mistakes.” However, Smith did allow that quarterback is by far the most important position on the field, followed by pass-rusher.
  • The Jaguars would likely want a first-rounder and either a second- or third-round-pick in exchange for moving out of the third overall draft position, writes ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco as part of a mailbag segment. He also notes the Jags will use free agency to bolster their offensive and defensive lines, but will not spend big on marquee names.
  • In his mailbag, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com argues that the Titans will likely draft a running back in the fourth round or later, ostensibly to pair with Shonn Greene. Fellow ball-carrier Chris Johnson is expected to be released.
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