Cole’s Latest: Harrison, Vernon, Mack, Ayers
With the NFL’s legal tampering period underway for 2016, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report has passed along several noteworthy free agent rumors. Let’s round up the highlights…
- While plenty of teams will have interest, the Titans appear to be the club most willing to meet Damon Harrison‘s asking price, according to Cole (video link). The Jets would love to retain their standout nose tackle, but given all the suitors expected to be in play, the price will be high. That may be an issue for the Jets, who have already committed $15MM+ to Muhammad Wilkerson.
- The Dolphins may ultimately decide to pull the transition tag they placed on defensive end Olivier Vernon last week, says Cole (video link). As Cole explains, if the Dolphins decide not to match an offer sheet for Vernon, the pass rusher wouldn’t factor into the compensatory pick formula for 2017, since only departing unrestricted free agents can earn teams extra picks. So if Miami senses the bidding on Vernon will be too high, the team may surrender its right to match an offer, in order to regain the $12MM+ in cap room and line itself up for a mid-round 2017 comp pick.
- Free agent center Alex Mack has generated “extensive interest” from the Falcons, per Cole (video link). Cole says the Jaguars, who signed Mack to an offer sheet in 2014, don’t have as much interest this time around, and adds that the Rams have expressed some interest, but aren’t expected to be serious contenders.
- The “rumor late last week” was that defensive end Robert Ayers was looking for $10MM per year from the Giants, tweets Cole. While it’s possible that was Ayers’ starting point in negotiations, it seems extremely unlikely that he’d actually land that kind of salary. Ayers had a strong year in 2015, but it’s the first time he had more than 5.5 sacks in a season, and he’ll be turning 31 this year.
- Cole confirms (video link) that the Raiders and 49ers will both be in the mix for the top cornerbacks on the free agent market, including Sean Smith and Janoris Jenkins.
Free Agent Rumors: Sean Smith, Niners, Raiders
The very latest free agent news:
- The 49ers have discussed Chiefs free agent cornerback Sean Smith, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). He adds that Smith has been on the Niners’ radar in the past as well. The Chiefs have not reached out to Smith since the start of the tampering period, but they have talked with his agent since the Combine, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes.
- The Chiefs know they will have to raise the current offer to Smith in order to retain him, but it’s not clear if they will, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. The Raiders will also be in play for his services, he adds.
- The Chiefs have expressed interest in former Raiders receiver Rod Streater, Paylor writes. Streater’s best season came in 2013 when he hauled in 60 catches for 888 yards and four scores.
- Seahawks free agent guard J.R. Sweezy is generating a ton of early interest with at least ten teams expressing serious interest, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. The Buccaneers, Falcons, Lions, Dolphins, Saints, 49ers, Jaguars, Bears, and Jets, have all made it known that they will be suitors (link).
- Donald Penn’s agent met with the Raiders but the tackle is expected to hit the free agent market on Wednesday, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.
- The Cardinals have expressed interest in Rams free agent defensive end William Hayes, according to Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). The eight year vet has racked up 21.5 sacks over the last four years.
Mario Williams Seeking $10MM Per Year
Free agent defensive end Mario Williams has told teams he would sign right away if given an offer of $10MM per year, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). The Giants, Dolphins, and Jaguars are among the teams with interest, he adds. 
The Bills released Williams on Tuesday before he could count against their books for $19.9MM in 2016. Williams did not fare well in Buffalo’s transition to a 3-4 scheme last season, recording only five sacks — his fewest since his 2006 rookie campaign. Someone looking at Williams with an optimistic eye could argue that he would do better in a different scheme and under the tutelage of a different coach. A pessimist might say that Williams, 31, is slowing down.
Still, the former No. 1 overall pick has always performed better as a 4-3 end, recording 38 sacks from 2012-14 in Buffalo, and the Giants are among the clubs that could utilize him in that scheme.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agency Rumors: Osweiler, Vernon, Miller
The Texans are expected to make a competitive offer to Brock Osweiler in both guaranteed money and per-year average salary, an NFL source tells Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Recently, the Broncos reportedly upped their offer to Osweiler, submitting one that’s worth more than $45MM over three years. From the sound of it, Houston might be ready to top that. A source tells Robinson that a $15-$16MM per year average for Osweiler will be a legitimate number for his market (link).
Here are the latest free agency rumors:
- We can expect the market for Olivier Vernon to include the Giants, Raiders, Jaguars, Browns, and Titans, Robinson tweets. Vernon was hit with the transition tag by the Dolphins earlier this month and he currently stands to earn $12.734MM on a one-year contract in 2016. However, if he signs an offer sheet that the Dolphins decline to match, they will lose him for nothing as they did with Charles Clay one year ago.
- Dolphins running back Lamar Miller will hit the open market when free agency opens, a source close to the player tells Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. Miller, 24, ran for 872 yards off of 184 carries with eight touchdowns in 2015. Miller is hoping to land a deal similar to DeMarco Murray‘s pact, but Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears his market is in the $4-5MM range rather than $8MM.
- Doug Martin‘s market includes at least six teams, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- The Ravens are bracing for Kelechi Osemele to leave, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. Florio adds that while it has been speculated that the offensive lineman could get $11MM/year on the open market, some think the number will be closer to $9MM.
- Chris Long‘s first visit will be to Washington tomorrow, Trey Wingo of ESPN.com tweets.
- There’s mutual interest between Washington and cornerback Will Blackmon about a return in 2016, Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Mid-Atlantic tweets.
- Texans free agent guard Brandon Brooks could be in line for a deal in the range of $8MM per season, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears. He adds that multiple teams are interested.
Free Agent Rumors: Weddle, Raiders, Patriots
Here’s a roundup of the very latest free agent rumors from around the NFL:
- Reiterating that he wants to sign with a team capable of contending for the Super Bowl, free agent safety Eric Weddle tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he thinks he has another three to five years left in him. According to King, Weddle spoke fondly of the Patriots, Panthers, Raiders, and Steelers, suggesting those teams could be fits for him.
- Within King’s piece, the MMQB.com scribe notes that rival executives around the NFL expect the Raiders, Jaguars, and Falcons to be among the most active teams in free agency this week.
- “Buzz is building” for running back Bilal Powell, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who writes that the free agent Jet should land a respectable contract this week. Florio notes that all three of the Jets’ division rivals – the Dolphins, Patriots, and Bills – make sense as potential suitors for Powell.
- Washington running back Alfred Morris took to Instagram with a message that appears to be a farewell to the organization. Morris will be a free agent this week. The tailback rushed for 4,713 yards in his four seasons with Washington. This past season, he split duties with rookie Matt Jones and was not a key part of the team’s offense.
- The Colts have former Patriots tight end Scott Chandler in for a visit today, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets.
South Notes: Lovie, Bucs, Mankins, Norman
Former Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith is expected to become the new head coach at the University of Illinois, according to Ryan Baker of CBS Chicago (Twitter link). Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports has also confirmed the likely hire. Smith’s move back to the state of Illinois — where he coached the Bears for nine seasons — has repercussions in Tampa Bay, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter link) that Smith’s contract with the Bucs contained offset language pertaining to any football job, not just those in the NFL. Therefore, Tampa is likely to going to recoup some of the $10MM it owes to Smith under the terms of his old deal.
Let’s take a look at more out from Tampa Bay and the NFL’s other South division clubs…
- Free agent offensive lineman Nate Chandler was released by the Panthers earlier this week, but he’s now getting attention from another NFC South team, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Buccaneers are interested in Chandler. As Auman writes, Tampa’s interest in Chandler — who can play both tackle and guard — could be a sign that the club expects veteran Logan Mankins to retire. Mankins hasn’t yet made a final decision, per Auman, but he will let the Bucs know his choice before free agency starts.
- Panthers cornerback Josh Norman isn’t going to accept a long-term deal that he considers to be below his market value, and he’s fine with playing out the season on the franchise tag, writes Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. Norman won’t accept a hometown discount, as he tells Jones, but he dispensed with any notion that he would hold out of training camp in an attempt to spur Carolina into offering more money.
- Safety Earl Wolff, who signed a futures contract with the Jaguars in January, was abducted by a group of armed men in Fayetteville, North Carolina on February 23, according to Thomas Pope of the Fayetteville Observer. Wolff was released unharmed, and one of alleged kidnappers was arrested on Wednesday.
Jaguars Extend Second-Round Tenders To Ryan Davis, Abry Jones
The Jaguars have extended a second-round tender offer to restricted free agent defensive end Ryan Davis, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). A report earlier this week had indicated that Davis would receive the low-end offer, but it appears the Jags went a little higher in an effort to keep the pass rusher.
According to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter), the Jaguars also tendered contract offers to RFA defensive tackle Abry Jones and ERFA tight end Nic Jacobs. O’Halloran reports that Jones, like Davis, got a second-round tender.
Davis, who turned 27 last month, has appeared in 38 games over the last four years for Jacksonville, earning three accrued seasons during that stretch. He has never played more than a part-time role, but he has shown a knack for getting after the quarterback when he sees the field, recording 11 sacks and three forced fumbles in his NFL career. In 2015, Davis played 250 defensive snaps and picked up 3.5 sacks. He also received the top pass-rushing grade from Pro Football Focus out of any of the Jaguars’ edge defenders or interior linemen.
Jones, 24, was also a part-time player on Jacksonville’s defensive line, picking up 17 tackles, a pair of sacks, and a fumble recovery in 2015.
Since Jacksonville had been armed with more than $85MM in projected cap room after cutting Zane Beadles and Chris Clemons this week, it makes sense that the club would want to assign second-round tenders to their RFAs to avoid losing them. Teams aren’t likely to pursue Davis or Jones now that it would cost a second-round pick to sign either of them, and the tenders cost the Jaguars just $2.553MM apiece, an increase of less than $1MM over the low-end ($1.671MM) tender.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jaguars Release Chris Clemons
After releasing guard Zane Beadles earlier this afternoon, the Jaguars have also confirmed the release of a veteran player on the other side of the ball. According to a team release, Jacksonville has parted ways with defensive end Chris Clemons.
[RELATED: Jaguars release Zane Beadles]
Clemons will turn 35 in October and wasn’t productive in 2015, making him a logical candidate to be released this offseason. His three sacks were his lowest total since he became a starter in 2010, and a major step down from the eight he recorded in his first year in Jacksonville. Pro Football Focus ranked Clemons dead last among 110 qualified edge defenders.
Like Beadles, Clemons had no dead money left on his contract, so the Jaguars will clear his entire $4MM cap number for 2016 from their books. Between the two players, Jacksonville creates another $9.5MM in cap savings, adding to the team’s league-high cap room. The Jags now have a staggering $85MM or so in projected cap space, with the new league year around the corner.
While the Jaguars have maintained that they don’t expected to go wild in free agency, the team certainly has the flexibility to be serious contenders for virtually any player on the market. Bruce Irvin, Alex Mack, and Olivier Vernon are a few of the top-tier free agents who would be nice fits in Jacksonville.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jaguars Release Zane Beadles
The team with the most cap room in the NFL will pick up a little more, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars are releasing veteran guard Zane Beadles. John Oehser of Jaguars.com has confirmed the move (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Jaguars re-sign Chad Henne]
Over the Cap currently projects the Jaguars to have more than $75MM in cap room, so it’s not as if the club needs to create additional flexibility. Still, Beadles looked like one of the clearest release candidates on the roster, since the Jaguars can clear his entire $5.5MM cap hit for 2016 from their books by releasing him. The transaction should increase the club’s projected cap room to $80MM+.
Beadles, 29, inked a lucrative five-year contract with the Jaguars two offseasons ago, and has started all 32 of the team’s games at left guard since then. However, the former Pro Bowler hasn’t been overly effective since heading to Jacksonville from the Broncos. In 2015, Pro Football Focus ranked him 64th out of 81 qualified guards.
As Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets, the Jaguars are high on guards A.J. Cann and Brandon Linder going forward. Of course, armed with all their cap room, the Jags can also address the interior of their offensive line next week in free agency.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Roddy, Irvin, Conte, Mack
The Falcons released wide receiver Roddy White earlier today, ensuring that the veteran pass-catcher won’t spend a 12th season in Atlanta. But another NFC club could soon come calling, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) says the Buccaneers are a team to “keep an eye on” as White looks for his new home. The connection makes sense, as new Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter was the Falcons offensive coordinator from 2012-14.
Only one week remains until the start of free agency, so let’s round up the latest rumors…
- In a piece looking at NFL free agency from a broad point-of-view, John Clayton of ESPN.com suggests that Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin should be able to garner $9.5MM per year on the open market, and points to the Jaguars and Falcons as potential suitors. But according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), NFL front offices “would do cartwheels” if Irvin could be had for that price, as the 28-year-old is expected to command a “significantly higher” salary.
- The Buccaneers are meeting with the agent for free agent safety Chris Conte this week as part of an effort to re-sign him before the beginning of free agency, reports Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). A report last week indicated that Tampa would like to retain Conte, who just finished up his first season with the club after four years in Chicago.
- Running back Matt Asiata will hit free agency for the first time next week, and the Vikings seem to want to keep him around, writes Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Minnesota reportedly values Asiata’s pass-blocking acumen, as well as his prowess near the goal line.
- Center Alex Mack opted out of his Browns contract earlier today, and is now the top center available in free agency. One team that isn’t expected to show interest in signing Mack is the Cardinals, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, who notes that the Cards simply have too many internal free agents and other holes to fill to cough up the $10MM salary that Mack will surely request.