FA Rumors: Talib, Allen, Carroll, McClain
While one prospective free agent cornerback, Brent Grimes, re-upped with his team earlier this week, we probably shouldn’t expect Aqib Talib and the Patriots to reach an agreement before Talib hits the open market, says Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Howe hears from a source that Talib “wants to be paid as a top-of-the-market corner” in free agency, meaning he’s unlikely to accept any offer from the Pats before he sees what else is out there. New England has made the veteran cornerback a priority since the team’s season ended, but it looks like the Pats will have to compete with other suitors if they want to bring Talib back for 2014.
Here’s more on this year’s free agent class:
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Jared Allen said that when he hits free agency, he’ll be looking for a good organization with a chance to win – as well as a fair contract – and expects to be very involved in the process. The longtime Viking didn’t sound bullish on the idea of joining the Raiders, suggesting that Oakland has a lot of things to “correct” and may not be looking for a veteran defensive end (all Twitter links).
- The Vikings are “expected to take a strong look” at cornerback Nolan Carroll if and when he becomes available, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. We heard last week that the Dolphins have interest in bringing back Carroll, who anticipates testing the open market.
- Jack Bechta, the agent for linebacker Pat Angerer, tells Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star that the Colts will let his client hit the open market next week without attempting to re-sign him. Angerer’s looming departure helps explain the club’s interest in signing free agent linebacker D’Qwell Jackson.
- After visiting with the Bills today, free agent linebacker Jameel McClain will move on to meet with the Giants, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WGR550. According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), the Bills and Giants are two of the five teams interested in McClain.
- The Redskins continue talking to linebacker Perry Riley but aren’t particularly close to reaching an agreement, reports Mark Maske of the Washington Post.
- Seth Walder of the New York Daily News expects the Jets to add a quarterback in free agency, and identifies Josh McCown, Michael Vick, and Tarvaris Jackson as a few potential targets for the club.
- According to head coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens have “aggressive” offers out to all the pending free agents they want to keep (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun).
- Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press takes a look at some free agent options for the Lions as the team hunts for a slot receiver to replace Nate Burleson.
D’Qwell Jackson Decision Expected This Week
D’Qwell Jackson isn’t the most intriguing name among 2014’s class of free agents, but he’s perhaps the most notable player available before next Tuesday. Because he was released by the Browns last month, Jackson can sign with a new team immediately, and he’s expected to make a decision within the next couple days, a source tells Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune.
Jackson has visited with several teams within the last week and has narrowed down his choice to four potential destinations, according to Tesfatsion: The Titans, Broncos, Dolphins, and Colts. The Vikings, Cardinals, and Redskins were among the other clubs said to have interest in the veteran inside linebacker, but they didn’t make the cut for Jackson’s short list.
Jackson had been a starter for the Browns since the club selected him in the second round of the 2006 draft. Despite leading the team in tackles in 2013, Jackson graded poorly as a run defender in Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, and placed 42nd overall out of 55 qualified inside linebackers (subscription required). Still, the Maryland alum was Cleveland’s longtime defensive leader on defense and is still just 30 years old, so he should have a few more solid seasons left in him.
NFC Notes: Graham, Jones, Tate, Guion
The franchise tag is viewed as a way to essentially take an unrestricted free agent off the market, but that’s not technically what the tag does. It simply makes it more costly for another team to sign that free agent away from his current club, since the signing team would have to give up two first-round picks as compensation.
For some players though, that price tag may be worth paying, and there’s a sense around the league that a team may be willing to do so for Jimmy Graham, writes Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. It’s not clear yet which club might make a run at Graham, but teams with late first-round picks like the Seahawks and Patriots have been mentioned as possible candidates, and Freeman says not to rule out the Ravens either. For what it’s worth, a Packers source tells Freeman that Green Bay making a run at Graham “won’t happen.” Still, it sounds as if the Saints may need to fight to keep their star pass-catcher.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- James Jones isn’t expected to be back in Green Bay next season, but the free agent receiver still thinks there’s a chance he could re-sign with the Packers, as he told Around the League on the NFL Network yesterday (link via Dan Hanzus of NFL.com). If he doesn’t continue with the Packers, Jones thinks the Colts and Chargers might be good fits for him.
- With just a few days until he can hit the open market, Golden Tate tells SiriusXM NFL Radio that he hasn’t heard much from the Seahawks, as Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk details. “I’ve kind of just trusted in my agent and him being good at his work,” Tate said. “Todd [France] has had some great deals in the past and so I’m letting him handle it. Just trying to stay stress free and really enjoying being a Super Bowl champ.”
- Veteran defensive tackle Letroy Guion, who only played in about a third of the Vikings‘ defensive snaps in 2013, may be asked to take a pay cut, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Guion has a 2014 base salary worth $3.95MM and a total cap number of $4.3MM.
- If the Buccaneers are going to trade Darrelle Revis this offseason, it will likely happen sooner rather than later. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains why.
Colts Rumors: Jackson, Davis, Bradshaw
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
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
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
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
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 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
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.