North Rumors: Bradford, Browns, Johnson
Earlier today, Eagles coach Chip Kelly told reporters that he got offered a first-round pick for newly-acquired quarterback Sam Bradford. Speculation immediately began to bubble that the Browns were that mystery team, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com isn’t so sure that Cleveland’s talks with the Rams went very far. One source with knowledge of the Browns’ offseason quarterback plans said St. Louis never felt Cleveland was serious about a Bradford trade. While there were few calls back and forth, there was never much of a push because the Browns weren’t overly aggressive. There was correspondence, but the Browns probably could have had Bradford if they were willing to part with at least one second-round pick for him. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC North..
- A source close to defensive end Michael Johnson said it’s early in the process but there’s a good chance the Vikings will be in the running him, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “Mike Zimmer’s his guy,’’ said the source, referring to the Vikings coach. “He almost went (to Minnesota) last year.’’ Johnson was waived by the Bucs on Wednesday afternoon.
- New Lions defensive tackle Haloti Ngata says he’s open to an extension, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets. “Definitely. We’re open to anything,” Ngata said. The Ravens were talking with the veteran for some time about an extension but weren’t able to get far.
- Bears GM Ryan Pace made it clear that he is looking at safeties and wide receivers in free agency, but he refused to name names, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets.
- The Lions are hosting quarterback Alex Carder on a visit today, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Carder was signed as a UDFA in 2013 by Detroit and has bounced around a bit in other football leagues ever since. He recently spent some time with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League.
Rams Rumors: Blalock, Fairley, Williams
A quick look at the Rams..
- Free agent guard Justin Blalock plans on visiting the Rams but the Lions are also in the mix for him, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets. The Lions and Blalock haven’t finalized their plans for a meeting, but there have been discussions, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Rams have reached out to Lions free agent defensive tackle Nick Fairley but no visit has been scheduled yet, according to Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). Earlier today, we learned that the Lions will not be re-signing Fairley.
- Giants free agent linebacker Jacquian Williams (on Twitter) says that his agent recently spoke with the Rams. Earlier this week, Williams told his Twitter followers that he has interest from five teams in total.
East Rumors: Revis, Mariota, Washington
The Jets had a significantly higher offer on the table for cornerback Darrelle Revis than the Patriots did, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets. Howe isn’t exactly sure of what the gap was, but the Pats apparently didn’t approach the five-year, $70MM pact that includes $39MM in guaranteed cash. Howe (link) was also told that the Patriots did not give Revis permission to explore his value from the competition before the official opening of free agency on Tuesday like they did with Browner. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..
- John Clayton of ESPN.com (on Twitter) is convinced that Washington will take quarterback Marcus Mariota if he falls to No. 5 overall.
- Sal Paolantonio of ESPN said on 97.5 The Fanatic that relative of Nick Foles relative said the quarterback is ecstatic to no longer be a member of the Eagles, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. “I just talked to a member of Nick Foles’ family. He is absolutely pumped, overjoyed he’s out of Philly,” Paolantonio said. Foles is now a member of the Rams following Tuesday’s trade.
- New Washington defensive lineman Stephen Paea says the Lions, Broncos, and Buccaneers were also in the mix for his services, as John Keim of ESPN.com writes.
- When asked if the Bills ever considered cutting running back Fred Jackson, GM Doug Whaley flatly said “no,” Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. Whaley also said that he does not have a framework of a deal with fullback Jerome Felton, Joe Buscaglia of WGR tweets.
- Earlier today, we rounded up the latest on Cowboys free agent running back DeMarco Murray.
FA Rumors: Harrison, Williams, Wilson
Many speculated that James Harrison could follow former coach Dick LeBeau to the Titans, and on Wednesday we received confirmation of that. “We are certainly interested,” agent Bill Parise said of his client’s interest in the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. “James feels very, very strongly about coach LeBeau. And I know Dick feels the same way. It’s a natural thing. I’m sure the Steelers are still in play, too. It will probably be one of those. I hope it’s one of those. We are not ruling anybody out, but the two logical fits are Tennessee and Pittsburgh. Those are the team teams that make the most sense.” More from around the league..
- Former Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams is scheduled to visit the Steelers on Friday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Safety Jimmy Wilson told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he will be visiting the Chargers on Friday. However, agent Drew Rosenhaus is still in talks with the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.
- The Rams are still working on Kenny Britt, but there are other teams interested in him as a second choice or a Plan B at wide receiver, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets. Meanwhile, the Rams are thinking that they could get Joe Barksdale on the rebound, Thomas tweets. The thinking there is that the offensive tackle might be over-estimating his market value.
- Former Eagles free safety Nate Allen will visit the Raiders later today, John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game tweets.
- Pass rusher Adrian Clayborn is scheduled to visit the Falcons today, a league source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Seahawks free agent linebacker Heath Farwell, 33, says he plans to continue to play and he believes defensive tackle Kevin Williams, 34, feels the same way, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Farwell wouldn’t name any teams except to say the Vikings aren’t one that has reached out and that the Seahawks have expressed interest in bringing him back.
NFC Notes: Bradford, Eagles, Seahawks, Saints
Before the Eagles finalized their acquisition of Sam Bradford, there were other teams in the mix for the former first overall pick, says Peter King of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), the Browns may have been one of those teams. However, no other club was willing to give up as much as Chip Kelly and the Eagles, who had eyed Bradford for weeks and believe he has the goods to be a franchise quarterback, according to Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
As we recover from what’s been a surprising and hectic day of action around the NFL, let’s round up a few more leftover NFC items….
- Former Dolphins guard Shelley Smith, who was just cut by the team earlier today, already has a visit lined up with the Seahawks for Wednesday, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Seattle is in the market for some interior line help after trading Max Unger and losing James Carpenter in free agency.
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis acknowledged that the team will “obviously” look to add another tight end after trading Jimmy Graham, and added that he never asked Drew Brees to restructure his contract this offseason because it “wasn’t necessary for us” (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- The 49ers aren’t in the running for their own free agent cornerback Perrish Cox, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter link) suggests keeping an eye on linebacker Akeem Ayers as a potential free agent target for the Rams, and Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link) agrees that the club has interest.
Eagles, Rams Swap Nick Foles, Sam Bradford
6:14pm: More clarification, this time from Schefter: Philadelphia will give up its 2016 second-rounder in the deal no matter what, according to ESPN’s NFL insider. However, as noted below, the team will get a fourth-rounder back from the Rams that year if Bradford plays less than 50% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps in 2015. If he’s injured and doesn’t play at all, the Eagles get a 2016 third-rounder from the Rams.
So the picks initially announced by the Eagles are not conditional, and will definitely all change hands.
6:01pm: Continuing to try to clarify the compensation, Rapoport tweets that the Eagles get a conditional pick back if Bradford doesn’t play in 50% of the team’s snaps in 2015.
5:55pm: Unexpectedly, it’s the Eagles giving up a little extra draft compensation in the swap. Philadelphia announces (via Twitter) that it’s getting Bradford and a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Rams in exchange for Foles, a ’15 fourth-rounder, and a ’16 second-rounder.
However, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Eagles will get that 2016 second-rounder back if Bradford isn’t their starter. And Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that if Bradford doesn’t start eight games in 2015 for the Eagles, the team gets a fourth-round pick — if he gets reinjured, Philadelphia gets a third-round pick.
All in all, it’s a bit of a confusing swap, but the upshot is that the less the Eagles get out of Bradford, the less they’ll end up giving to the Rams.
5:18pm: The deal is now official, according to Schefter (via Twitter), though the draft pick compensation remains unclear. By all accounts, the Eagles will get extra compensation in 2016, and the two teams will also swap picks in 2015.
3:57pm: The teams will be swapping undisclosed picks in 2015, and at least one team will be sending out 2016 draft choices, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
3:04pm: The Eagles are on the verge of acquiring quarterback Sam Bradford from the Rams in exchange for Nick Foles and draft picks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). While Albert Breer previously said on (on Twitter) that the Rams would be sending a second-rounder to Philadelphia, the report clarifies that the draft-pick compensation is still being worked out (Twitter link).
It was no secret that Chip Kelly and the Eagles were seeking a potential replacement for Foles, with the team linked to prospect Marcus Mariota. The team also recently re-signed quarterback Mark Sanchez, but it was assumed the veteran would be competing for a back-up role.
Bradford has battled injuries over the past two seasons, including an ACL injury that forced him to miss the entire 2014 season. In his last full season, the former first-overall pick threw for 3,702 yards, 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. During that 2012 campaign, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Bradford 21st among 38 quarterback candidates.
Foles, a former third-round pick, had his breakout season in 2013, when he threw for 2,891 yards, 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions. A broken collar bone ended his 2014 season, and the 26-year-old finished with 2,163 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in eight games.
West Notes: Wisniewski, Chargers, Raiders
The Rams have touched base with the reps for free agent center Stefen Wisniewski, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets. Wisniewski could be a replacement for Scott Wells, who was released on Monday night.
Let’s check out more rumors from the West divisions:
- The Chargers are still in communication with running back Ryan Mathews, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link), but nothing is close to happening at the moment.
- As does seemingly half the league, the Raiders have interest in free agent safety Ron Parker, per Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Despite reports that the Raiders are nearing an agreement with Terrance Knighton, Williamson tweets that the situation is still “fluid.”
- Also from Williamson (Twitter link), Malcolm Smith is expected to have a “fast market,” and the Raiders could be in on him.
- 49ers fullback Bruce Miller was last week on a spousal abuse charge, reports Jenna Laine of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Miller, who signed an extension last March, could be in line for a suspension via the league’s domestic violence policy.
Rams Release Jake Long, Scott Wells
6:04pm: The Rams officially announced the release of Long and Wells, Wagoner tweets.
5:38pm: The Rams informed offensive tackle Jake Long and center Scott Wells that they will be released, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The moves will save the team about $12MM in cap space.
The Rams will continue to speak with Long as he rehabs from his torn ACL and “discuss options,” tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL. Long, a former No. 1 overall pick, had been in St. Louis for the past two seasons after spending the first five years of his career with the Dolphins. The Rams had acknowledged that the 29-year-old would no longer be playing left tackle, as the club planned to move 2014 No. 2 overall selection Greg Robinson to that spot. Still, St. Louis had indicated that Long might still be retained, possibly to play on the right side.
But with Long scheduled to count $10.5MM against the cap in 2015, it simply didn’t make financial sense to keep him around. Injury concerns also surely played into the Rams’ thinking, as Long has torn his ACL in each of the prior two seasons, playing in just 22 games during that timeframe. With needs elsewhere on the roster, St. Louis couldn’t afford to sink money into such risky player. But if Rapoport is correct, a reunion between Long and the Rams could be in the cards, albeit at a much lower salary.
Wells, meanwhile, is a more durable player, having started 28 out of 32 games from 2013-14, but he was largely ineffective during that time — last season, in fact, he rated as the worst center in the league per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). At this point in his career, the 34-year-old Wells could struggle to find many offers on the open market. As for the Rams, they could potentially look to find a new center in free agency, where Stefen Wisniewski is the best available option.
NFC Rumors: Iupati, Weatherspoon, Hill, Blalock
Mike Iupati has been a staple of the 49ers’ offensive line for his entire career, imposing his will on defensive linemen and linebackers in the running game, but his time with the team is likely coming to an end, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). The Raiders, Jets, and Bills seem to be the front runners for Iupati if he does not return to San Francisco.
Here are some more rumors from some NFC teams:
- The Falcons are preparing to lose linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, as the Cardinals are expected to offer him a two-year contract somewhere between $3MM and $4MM annually, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN. He writes that the Falcons were close to a deal on Friday but talks fell apart.
- The Vikings and quarterback Shaun Hill have mutual interest, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN (via Twitter). There are other teams in the mix as well, but Hill is believed to have serious interest in joining the Vikings.
- Two of the other teams that have expressed interest in Hill are the Rams and Buccaneers, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- The Rams have also shown interest in guard Justin Blalock, writes Thomas (via Twitter).
- Linebacker David Hawthorne could be a possible cap casualty for the Saints, writes Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).
Rams Tender Rodney McLeod, Two Others
Earlier tonight, we heard that the Rams tendered offers to ensure that exclusive rights free agents Chase Reynolds and Brandon Washington remain with the team. However, those weren’t the only free agent tenders issued by the team on Friday. According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter links), the club also tendered offers to safety Rodney McLeod, quarterback Austin Davis, and tight end Cory Harkey.
McLeod, who was eligible for restricted free agency, was the only player of the trio to receive a second-round tender, worth $2.356MM. The offer ensures that if McLeod gets an offer to sign elsewhere, the Rams would have the opportunity to sign an offer sheet, and would receive a second-round pick as compensation if they chose to let him go. When I previewed the Rams’ offseason earlier in the week, I identified the safety as one of the free agents the team would make an effort to retain, since he has established himself as a solid starter and is still entering his prime.
Davis and Harkey were both eligible to be restricted free agents as well, and they received the minimum-level tender from the team — that’s a one-year offer worth $1.542MM. Of the two, Davis seems more likely to draw interest from another club, and if he were to sign an offer sheet, the Rams wouldn’t receive any compensation if they didn’t match the offer. Depending on what St. Louis decides to do with prospective free agent quarterback Shaun Hill, Davis could return to the team as the No. 2 signal-caller behind Sam Bradford next season.
Offensive lineman Tim Barnes, another potential restricted free agent, didn’t receive a tender offer from the Rams, meaning he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next week, tweets Thomas.