Draft Rumors: Ebron, Bortles, Desir
North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron figures to be a popular man in the coming weeks and he told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he’s got at least four visits lined up for himself. Ebron, a Newark, New Jersey native, will check in with the Bills, Lions, Ravens, and Panthers in April. Here’s today’s latest draft rumors..
- ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio said on air that the Texans, Jaguars, Browns, Raiders, and Vikings have met with Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles, according to Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal (on Twitter). The signal caller participated in UCF’s pro day this afternoon.
- The Rams, Chiefs, Jaguars, Packers, Lions, and Bears attended cornerback Pierre Desir‘s pro day at Lindenwood University (Missouri), tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Desir recorded 25 interceptions over the course of his career at the Division II school.
- The Browns worked out Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas individually today, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.com. Pauline says Thomas is looking more like a top 45 pick at this juncture.
- Lache Seastrunk says he has visits set up with Steelers and Bills, tweets Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. The Baylor running back posted the best vertical jump (41.5-inches) and broad jump (134 inches) of anyone at the draft combine in February.
- San Jose State quarterback David Fales will meet with the Vikings this weekend, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
- Middle Tennessee State guard Josh Walker will visit the Colts, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The standout lineman also has a visit with the Saints lined up.
Extra Points: Browns, Goodson, Dolphins, Rams
After initially suggesting that he’d be open to returning to the Seahawks on a “hometown discount,” Golden Tate ultimately landed with the Lions, inking the second-largest deal of the offseason for a wide receiver. In retrospect, Tate may regret making the comment about giving Seattle a discount, as he explained on 710 ESPN in Seattle (link via Terry Blount of ESPN.com).
“I didn’t mean a 40% discount,” Tate said. “I’m going to earn in one year at Detroit what Seattle was going to pay me for two years. Seattle offered numbers that were laughable. I thought, ‘I’ve given you everything and this is what you give me?'”
As Tate looks forward to teaming up with Calvin Johnson in Detroit, let’s check in on a few more odds and ends from around the NFL….
- Free agent offensive lineman Paul McQuistan and defensive lineman Alex Carrington visited with the Browns, tweets Pat McManamon of ESPN.com.
- The Jets have converted Mike Goodson’s $650K roster bonus into a different form of roster bonus that can be obtained if he’s on the roster for all 16 games, as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com details (via Twitter). The move takes the bonus charge off the cap, creating some modest savings for the Jets.
- Before he re-signed with the Jets, Willie Colon drew interest from the Falcons and Vikings, but those teams both ultimately “backed off,” the lineman told reporters today (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).
- The Redskins hosted free agent guard Mike McGlynn for a visit today, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Washington is clearly in the market for at least one interior lineman after cutting Will Montgomery, considering we heard earlier in the afternoon that the club will also host Brian De La Puente.
- The conditional draft pick the Dolphins sent to the Ravens for Bryant McKinnie last season will be a seventh-rounder, a league source tells Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).
- The Vikings‘ offer to Henry Melton was competitive with the Cowboys‘ proposal in terms of salary, but the free agent defensive lineman simply chose Dallas instead, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
- A little over a week into free agency, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch examines where the Rams stand, and takes an in-depth look at Rodger Saffold‘s new contract.
- Javier Arenas‘ one-year deal with the Falcons is a minimum salary benefit contract with a $65K signing bonus, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the details on the new additions to the NFLPA’s executive committee.
FA Rumors: De La Puente, Harrison, Murphy
Brian De La Puente is arguably the best center still available in free agency, and it sounds as if he’s drawing interest from plenty of potential suitors. Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post reports that the Saints, Giants, Broncos, and Patriots remain possibilities for De La Puente, who is scheduled to visit with the Redskins. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) adds that if there’s no agreement in place when the veteran center leaves Washington, more visits are expected.
Here’s more on some of the free agents still on the market:
- We already heard this week that veteran free agent James Harrison is interested in returning to the Steelers, and according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that interest is mutual.
- Having visited for two days with the Buccaneers, wide receiver Louis Murphy is scheduled to meet with the Bengals tomorrow, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- The Giants will host free agent offensive lineman Charles Brown, tweets Adam Caplan.
- After leaving his visit with the Rams without an agreement in place, free agent quarterback Shaun Hill appears to be considering both the Rams and Lions, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- The Bengals confirmed (via Twitter) that free agent defensive end Robert Ayers visited with them today, which means he left that meeting without an agreement in place.
- Ravens safety Brynden Trawick is no longer an exclusive rights free agent, having signed his $495K tender from the team, tweets Aaron Wilson.
FA Notes: Moore, Jordan, Carrington, Ford
We heard earlier in the week that wide receiver Lance Moore would visit the Steelers today, but it sounds like that meeting will happen tomorrow instead, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter). Here’s more on a few free agents looking for jobs:
- Free agent linebacker Akeem Jordan visited with the Redskins today, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Jordan reportedly met with the Titans last week.
- The Rams remain interested in defensive lineman Alex Carrington but have yet to set up a visit, says Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- Speaking to Josina Anderson of ESPN (TwitLonger link), wide receiver Jacoby Ford confirmed that the Jets have expressed interest in him. “I would say they’re the team showing the most interest in me,” Ford said. “Right now we’re still in the exploration phase, weighing things out.”
- In their search for receivers, the Jets called Emmanuel Sanders‘ camp on Saturday to try to reschedule a visit for the free agent, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Jets had originally scheduled a meeting for last week but had to back out due to a scheduling conflict, and by the time the team attempted to set up another one, it was too late.
- As the Cardinals consider cornerbacks like Mike Jenkins and Antonio Cromartie, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link) gets the sense that the club is waiting to see if anyone’s price tag drops.
- The Vikings have inquired on free agent defensive end Robert Ayers, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Extra Points: DRC, Miller, Sanders, Saffold
Following up on a piece he wrote about Jets GM John Idzik‘s deliberate – and perhaps questionable – approach to free agency, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that, after an initial low-ball offer, the Jets made an “11th hour” pitch to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. However, the Giants had essentially locked up the free agent cornerback by that point.
Here are a few more Tuesday updates from around the NFL:
- In a series of tweets, Tom Pelissero of USA Today breaks down the details on Zach Miller‘s pay cut with the Seahawks, which will reduce the tight end’s 2014 compensation by $3MM and his 2015 pay by $2MM.
- After missing out on Emmanuel Sanders, the Chiefs continue to target younger wide receivers in free agency, which rules out some of the older veterans on the market, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- Speaking of Sanders, his agents issued a lengthy statement suggesting that there was never an agreement in place with the Chiefs before the receiver agreed to sign with the Broncos, as Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post details.
- In the wake of the Sanders controversy, former agent Joel Corry points out in a piece for CBSSports.com that both agents and teams can be guilty of reneging on deals.
- Aaron Wilson (Twitter links) passes along the specifics of the Rodger Saffold contract with the Rams, which includes a $5MM signing bonus, a $3MM roster bonus for 2015, and a $3MM guaranteed base salary in 2014. As Joel Corry tweets, the Raiders‘ decision to void their agreement with Saffold will cost the offensive lineman a significant sum.
- Daryl Smith‘s contract with the Ravens includes a $3.5MM signing bonus, and that appears to be the only guaranteed money in the deal, as Aaron Wilson details in a pair of tweets. According to Wilson, the four-year pact can be worth up to $16.1MM, as initially reported, but it has a base value of just $13.6MM.
- Jack Bechta of the National Football Post identifies the Colts‘ signing of Hakeem Nicks and the Buccaneers‘ deal with Alterraun Verner as two of the best bargains in free agency so far. Among our top 25 free agents of 2014, Nicks and Verner are two who will earn markedly less than I anticipated.
FA Rumors: Hester, Melton, Harrison, Mack
Longtime return specialist Devin Hester is finally making his first free agent visit of the offseason, nearly a week after free agency officially began. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear is in Atlanta today meeting with the Falcons. As Field Yates of ESPN.com points out (via Twitter), the Falcons were one of four NFL teams in 2013 that didn’t have a punt return of more than 25 yards or a kick return of more than 50 yards, so targeting Hester makes sense.
Here’s more on some of the free agents still on the board:
- Free agent defensive lineman Henry Melton is on his way to meet with the Rams, reports Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Melton, who left his visit in Dallas without a deal, remains in contact with the Cowboys, but plenty of teams are still in the mix. The Vikings, Raiders, Bears, and Seahawks all have some level of interest, depending on the 27-year-old’s price tag, says Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
- Appearing on the NFL Network, free agent linebacker James Harrison, who was recently released by the Bengals, indicated that “everyone knows” he’d like to return to the Steelers (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk).
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explores why transition-tagged center Alex Mack has yet to generate much interest, and how Mack’s agents could ensure that he becomes an unrestricted free agent a year from now.
- Running back Alfonso Smith has been informed he won’t be returning to the Cardinals, according to a tweet from the free agent himself. Smith had been eligible for restricted free agency this winter, but didn’t receive a tender offer from Arizona.
- Former Jets cornerback Aaron Berry visited the Browns yesterday, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). As Costello notes, Berry played with Browns coach Mike Pettine in 2012 when Pettine was the Jets’ defensive coordinator.
- The Vikings have confirmed that offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse visited Minnesota (Twitter link). Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reported last week that the visit was expected to happen.
NFC Notes: Kiwanuka, Melton, Peppers, Rams
A short while after the Giants signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, it was learned Mathias Kiwanuka took a pay cut, as reported by Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Kiwanuka sees his base salary decrease from $4.38MM to $1.5MM (with $700k roster bonus and $125k worth of incentives) and the team nets just over $2MM in cap space, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). The finagling created flexibility to add Rodgers-Cromartie, says NJ.com’s Jordan Rannan, who points out Kiwanuka signed a deal in 2012, restructured in 2013 and took a pay cut in 2014.
Other NFC news and notes:
- Bears free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton, visiting with the Cowboys today, is seeking a short-term, “prove-it” deal, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- Packers free agent acquisition Julius Peppers was a shell of himself last season and looked like an unmotivated player, according to anonymous evaluators quoted by Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Rams free agent safety Darian Stewart visited the Panthers on Monday, according to St Louis Post-Dispatch beat writer Jim Thomas (via Twitter). However, Stewart was not offered a contract, says Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
- The Rams will not receive a compensatory pick for Cortland Finnegan signing with the Dolphins, but they will save $3MM in cap space, writes ESPN.com Rams reporter Nick Wagoner.
- The Lions interviewed Colorado WR Paul Richardson at the Combine and sent a personnel executive to his pro day in Boulder, according to MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke.
Contract Details: Peppers, Cook, McClain
While Julius Peppers‘ three-year deal with the Packers was reported as being worth $30MM over three years, the base value is actually just $26MM, though that could increase if the veteran hits certain escalators, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links). With a $7.5MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary in 2014, the cap hit in the first year will be just $3.5MM. The deal also includes base salaries of $8.5MM in 2015 and $7MM in 2016, with $1MM in workout and roster bonuses in each of those seasons.
Let’s round up a few more contract details from around the league….
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com provides the financial details on the contracts signed by cornerback Chris Cook and kicker Phil Dawson with the 49ers. Cook’s pact is a minimum salary benefit deal with no guaranteed money, according to Maiocco.
- Jameel McClain‘s two-year deal with the Giants has a base value of $4.5M, with escalators that can push up to $6M, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson says the contract includes a $600K signing bonus, base salaries of $1.375M (2014) and $1.75M (2015), and a $400K roster bonus in ’15.
- The Rams‘ new deal with Jo-Lonn Dunbar is a two-year, $2.05MM contract, but could be voided after year one in certain scenarios, as Wilson explains in a pair of tweets.
- The new five-year contract Zach Strief and the Saints agreed to today includes a first-year base salary of just $900K, meaning Strief’s 2014 cap hit is $2MM, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
- Frank Zombo‘s new contract with the Chiefs is a two-year deal, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
- The three-year deal between the Giants and Jon Beason has a base value of $16.8MM, with a $4.4MM signing bonus and $6MM in overall guaranteed money, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
Free Agency Notes: Visits, Jaguars, Patriots
A couple of notes from around the NFL to distract on this Selection Sunday…
- Defensive end Alex Carrington will be visiting the Raiders and the Rams, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- The Steelers will host receiver Lance Moore on Tuesday, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Moore was released by the Saints more than a week ago.
- The Jaguars still need to add an offensive lineman and are looking for depth at receiver, writes Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.
- Having lost both Dane Fletcher and Brandon Spikes, the Patriots depth at linebacker is getting thin, opines Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com. Jerod Mayo, Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower were the only linebackers on the current roster to have played more than a single defensive snap last season and because of that, Yates thinks the team should consider bringing in more depth either through the draft or free agency.
- Michael Oher‘s new contract with the Titans is “scary,” says Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Oher signed a four-year, $20MM deal earlier this weekend.
- The Colts may need to cut a receiver after adding Hakeem Nicks, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com. Wells believes the competition for the fifth receiver will be between Griff Whalen and LaVon Brazill.
Extra Points: Welker, Burleson, Cromartie
A few assorted notes from around the league:
- Broncos receiver Wes Welker‘s $3MM roster bonus and $3MM base salary became fully guaranteed on Wednesday, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- Receiver Nate Burleson tweets that he is not retiring, noting that he was hampered last season by his broken arm.
- The Jets remain interested in cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. The tweet also notes that fellow cornerback (and Rodgers-Cromartie’s cousin) Antonio Cromartie, recently released by the Jets, is interested in returning to the team.
- Quarterback Shaun Hill will visit the Rams on Monday, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).
- With reports that Anthony Spencer is set to visit the Giants, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes that signing the pass-rusher only makes sense if he comes on the cheap.
- The best recruiting tool for the Buccaneers, who have signed several free agents such as Michael Johnson, Anthony Collins, and Josh McCown, is new head coach Lovie Smith, opines Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.