Free Agent Visits: Ayers, C. Long, Whitehead
With most top available pass rushers having flown off the board early on in the free agent period, defensive end Robert Ayers is in position to cash in with a team that missed out on that first wave of edge rushers. Ayers has a visit lined up with the Buccaneers, but that’s not the only meeting on his schedule.
Accordingn to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link), Ayers plans to remain in Florida following his visit with the Bucs, heading to Miami for a visit with the Dolphins. Miami has already signed one veteran defensive end in Mario Williams this week, but the team has also lost Olivier Vernon and Derrick Shelby, who each saw significant playing time in 2015. So the club could use another end to add to a group that already features Williams and Cameron Wake.
As we wait to see if Ayers ends up landing with a team in the Sunshine State, let’s round up the latest news on a few more free agent visits…
- Defensive end Chris Long, who has already paid a visit to Washington, will visit with the Falcons today, according to ESPN’s Trey Wingo (Twitter link). Wingo’s colleague, Adam Schefter, reported on Wednesday that Long would be meeting with the Cowboys this week, but it appears that visit is either on hold or is not happening.
- The Buccaneers are hosting linebacker Tahir Whitehead on a visit today, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. If Tampa Bay were to get something done with Whitehead, he would be a nice addition to a linebacking corps that features Lavonte David.
- Free agent offensive tackle Andre Smith is expected to visit the Vikings next week, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Wolfson cautions that the situation is fluid, but says Smith is definitely on Minnesota’s radar. The Vikes have already fortified their offensive line by striking a deal with Alex Boone, but they continue to look for upgrades.
- The Seahawks are hosting defensive tackle Cam Thomas for a visit today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who notes that Seattle may view the former Steeler as an affordable replacement for Brandon Mebane, who agreed to sign with San Diego.
Free Agency Rumors: Dolphins, Penn, Bushrod
Before he agreed to terms with Philadelphia, new Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham also received interest from the Browns, Buccaneers and Jaguars, as he tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Bradham further stated that his former team, the Bills, backed out of contract talks.
Meanwhile, in addition to having lost out on Bradham, the Browns swung and missed on receiver Rishard Matthews, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Caplan reports that Cleveland was one of several teams in play for Matthews, who agreed to sign with Tennessee on a three-year deal.
After a busy day around the NFL, we still have a few more rumors related to free agents who signed today, and free agents who are still on the market. Let’s dive in…
- The Dolphins aren’t looking to invest much money in a backup quarterback, Marvez tweets. Matt Moore is paying a visit to the Cowboys this week, and it seems Moore may not be back in Miami for the 2016 season.
- The Giants have shown interest in free agent left tackle Donald Penn, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link). The reliable Penn has started 16 games in eight straight seasons, including the last two in Oakland.
- Offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod, whom the Bears cut last month, is garnering “ample interest” in spite of recent shoulder surgery, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). He’s planning to visit the Dolphins and Vikings, La Canfora adds.
- Prior to re-signing with the Bengals, cornerback Adam Jones drew the Vikings’ attention, he told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. On Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, Jones said, “I love Zim. He really treated me well through this, but this is the place where I know.”
- At least four teams – including the Bears – have expressed interest in return man Marc Mariani, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports that the 49ers and Raiders are also among those clubs in the mix for Mariani, who played the last two seasons in Chicago.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/9/16
Not every move on free agency’s first day is a big splash. Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Dolphins have signed offensive tackle Sam Young to a one-year, $760K deal, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Young, a six-year veteran, is coming off his first 16-game season. He has made nine starts over the last two years, giving him 16 for his career.
- Although the Rams did not tender offensive lineman Brian Folkerts, they re-signed him, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets. A 26-year-old center/guard hybrid, Folkerts spent 2015 in St. Louis and 2013-14 with the Panthers.
- The 49ers have signed quarterback Thaddeus Lewis to a one-year deal, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. Lewis, 28, was on the Eagles’ roster when Chip Kelly was their head coach last season. The two are now reunited in San Francisco. Lewis has appeared in seven NFL games, though none since 2014, made six starts, and tossed five touchdowns against four interceptions.
- The Rams have re-signed safety Cody Davis to a two-year deal, according to the Los Angeles Daily News’ Vincent Bonsignore (Twitter link). Davis joined the team as an undrafted free agent from Texas Tech in 2013 and has since appeared in 43 games (zero starts).
- The Bears have re-signed running back Jacquizz Rodgers and offensive tackle Nick Becton to one-year contracts, per their Twitter account. Rodgers totaled 41 yards on 14 carries for Chicago last season. He spent 2014 in Atlanta, with which he rushed for over 1,100 yards and five touchdowns. Becton appeared in five games for the Bears last season. His only other appearance came in 2013 with the Chargers.
Four Teams Express Interest in C.J. Anderson
Broncos free agent C.J. Anderson is generating plenty of intrigue from other teams, as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that the Patriots, Dolphins, 49ers, and Bears have all expressed interest in the running back.
Still, barring some unforeseen circumstances (or an outrageous contract offer), it appears that Anderson will be returning to the Broncos next season. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets that Denver is expected to match “just about any” offer sheet handed to the running back.
The organization slapped the 25-year-old with a low-round tender yesterday, which would be worth $1.671MM next season. The Broncos have the right to match any offer sheet extended to the free agent, but they won’t receive any compensation if he bolts to another team.
An undrafted free agent out of California in 2013, Anderson burst onto the scene during his sophomore season. He compiled 849 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014, and he added another 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Anderson only started six games in 2015, finishing with 720 yards and five scores on 152 attempts. Despite the difficult season, Anderson managed to run for 90 yards and a touchdown during this past season’s Super Bowl.
Dolphins Acquire Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso
3:10pm: The Eagles have confirmed the trade on Twitter. Maxwell, Alonso and the 13th pick in the draft will go to Miami for the eighth selection.
10:33am: Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) confirms that the deal, as currently constructed, would send Maxwell, Alonso, and the 13th overall pick to the Dolphins in exchange for the eighth overall pick. We’ll have to wait until the deal becomes official sometime after 3:00pm CT today, but it doesn’t appear any other picks will be involved.
9:50am: Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter link) is one of a handful of writers to report that the Eagles/Dolphins trade will once again move forward as planned.
9:41am: Maxwell’s shoulder has been cleared by the Dolphins’ medical staff, according to his agent Alvin Keels (Twitter link). As such, the trade between Miami and Philadelphia should be back on.
7:36am: Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald stresses (via Twitter) that the trade is “not off” yet. The Dolphins are continuing to gather more information to determine their comfort level going forward, says Salguero.
7:06am: According to Werder (via Twitter), the trade would have seen the Dolphins and Eagles swap first-round picks, with Philadelphia moving up from No. 13 to No. 8. Werder adds, however, that the deal can be considered “dead” for the time being.
7:00am: The agreed-upon trade between the Dolphins and Eagles that will send Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso to Miami is in limbo, as the new league year approaches, according to multiple reports.
A source initially told Chris Mortensen and Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the trade may be off due to concerns from the Dolphins’ side about Maxwell’s shoulder, which he injured at the end of last season. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) indicates that, while the deal is “held up” as the Dolphins take a closer look at Maxwell’s shoulder, it’s not off yet. Rapoport describes Miami’s examination Maxwell’s health as “concerning, but not abnormal.”
On Monday, the Dolphins and Eagles reached an agreement on a trade involving Maxwell and Alonso, but that agreement was pending physicals. Since no trade can be finalized until the new league year begins at 3:00pm central time today, neither team is necessarily locked into it quite yet.
Still, with both clubs having been pursuing other moves that are somewhat dependent on this trade going through, it would be a major upset if it fell apart — the Dolphins’ concerns about Maxwell’s shoulder would have to be pretty serious.
While we haven’t yet heard what sort of compensation the Eagles will be getting in the deal, it’s worth considering that perhaps news of the Dolphins’ apprehensions has leaked in an effort to encourage Philadelphia to agree to a lesser draft pick in the trade in order to get it done.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this deal as the day progresses.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dolphins Release Brent Grimes
WEDNESDAY, 3:00pm: The Dolphins have tweeted confirmation of Grimes’ release.
2:52pm: The Dolphins are cutting Grimes, per Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
9:15am: According to Kelly (via Twitter), the Dolphins have now asked Grimes if he’d be willing to stay in Miami. With the Dolphins/Eagles trade in jeopardy, Miami is presumably exploring a contingency plan in case that deal falls through. As Kelly notes though, the “damage is done” with Grimes, so it’s hard to imagine him wearing a Dolphins uniform in 2016. We’ll see how the situation plays out.
MONDAY, 1:26pm: The Dolphins are expected to release cornerback Brent Grimes in the near future, sources tell Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. According to Kelly, the Dolphins approached Grimes about restructuring his contract, and the defensive back declined, preferring to his unrestricted free agency.
While the move has not yet been made official, it seems the two sides are “past the point of no return,” Kelly writes. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com chimes in on the story as well, tweeting that the Dolphins figure to officially cut Grimes when they acquire his replacement.
[RELATED: Dolphins, Eagles discussing Byron Maxwell trade]
Of course, it was Rapoport who reported earlier today that the Dolphins have engaged in discussions with the Eagles about a possible trade for cornerback Byron Maxwell. If Maxwell heads to Miami, releasing Grimes would make sense, both in terms of creating a spot on the depth chart and freeing up some cap room to accommodate the move.
Still, it doesn’t sound like anything is done yet between the Dolphins and Eagles, and it’s possible Miami has another replacement in mind for Grimes. Pro Football Talk tweets that the decision to cut Grimes could mean that the Dolphins are confident they have a shot to land free agent cornerback Adam Jones, who played under new Miami defensive coordinator Vance Joseph in Cincinnati. Because the legal tampering window is now open, the Dolphins can engage in talks with Jones’ reps.
Grimes is coming off his third straight Pro Bowl season, so if Miami cuts him, it would be a bit of a surprise. Still, he’ll turn 33 this July, his cap hit is one of the team’s largest, and the new coaching staff may not view him as an ideal fit.
If and when Grimes’ release becomes official, the Dolphins would create $6.5MM in cap savings, or $8MM if he’s designated a post-June 1 cut. He’s currently set to count for $9.5MM against the team’s 2016 cap, with $3MM in total dead money.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams To Re-Sign William Hayes
The Rams have agreed to re-sign William Hayes, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It’s a three-year deal, per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal will pay him a max of $21MM over that three year stretch, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). 
A few teams were in on Hayes before he re-upped with Los Angeles, including the Dolphins, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. Having played alongside guys like Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn on the Rams’ defensive line, Hayes was somewhat overlooked in recent seasons, but he garnered some attention for himself in his contract year. The veteran end, who turns 31 this May, has picked up between four and seven sacks in each of his four years with the Rams. Multiple teams in need of pass-rushing help were in on the bidding for Hayes, but he ultimately decided to join the Rams for their 2016 season in L.A.
We rated Hayes as the No. 9 edge defender in this year’s free agent class, behind Olivier Vernon, Bruce Irvin, Jason Pierre-Paul, Mario Williams, Charles Johnson, Greg Hardy, Tamba Hali, and Robert Ayers.
The Rams also re-signing strong safety Mark Barron and hitting Case Keenum with a first-round tender, so it’s clear that they’re making a concerted effort to hang on to their own players.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jets, Dolphins Interested In Matt Forte
The Jets and Dolphins are among the teams pursuing running back Matt Forte, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rapoport adds that Forte’s market will likely heat up once some of the other free agent backs in this year’s class sign deals.
[RELATED: Follow Pro Football Rumors on Instagram]
Forte would make plenty of sense for the Jets, who lost Chris Ivory to the Jaguars earlier today and could lose Bilal Powell to free agency with three rival teams in pursuit. The Dolphins, of course, could lose starting running back Lamar Miller to free agency and it has been long expected that they would consider Forte to fill the role. Earlier today, it was reported that the Texans are pushing hard to sign Miller.
Forte announced last month that he wouldn’t be returning to the Bears. In his 120 regular season contests with the Bears, Forte piled up 8,602 rushing yards and another 4,116 yards through the air, to go along with 64 total touchdowns. The 30-year-old earned a pair of Pro Bowl nods, including one in 2013, when he accumulated more than 1,900 total yards and 12 touchdowns, both career highs.
While Forte still managed to gain nearly 1,300 yards from scrimmage in 2015, rookie Jeremy Langford showed that he was capable of carrying the load for the Bears in three games the veteran missed due to injury. The Bears informed Forte that he will not be retained.
Free Agent Rumors: Schwartz, Boykin, Falcons
Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz has a decent chance of returning to the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets. Schwartz’s deal could fall in the neighborhood of $7.5MM, she adds. Meanwhile, Michael Silver of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Schwartz likely won’t return to the Browns.
While we wait to see how Schwartz’s free agency plays out, check out this roundup of the latest free agent rumors:
- There’s not much momentum between the Steelers and Brandon Boykin, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The Falcons, however, are among the teams with interest in the cornerback.
- Defensive end Chris Clemons is on his way to visit the Seahawks, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. If things go well, he could sign and make his return to Seattle.
- Defensive end William Hayes is in play for the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets. Hayes, along with new acquisition Mario Williams, would boost the defensive line if Olivier Vernon leaves in free agency as expected.
- Chiefs free agent wide receiver Jason Avant says that he isn’t done yet and wants to continue his career, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. Avant caught 15 passes for 119 yards during the regular season. In the Chiefs’ 27-20 AFC divisional-round loss to the Patriots, Avant caught four passes for 69 yards.
- Left tackle Donald Penn has talked with the Seahawks, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets.
- The Cowboys and Seahawks are among the teams interested in defensive lineman Cedric Thornton, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
- Mike Harris is now considering a one-year deal with the Vikings, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. Harris could battle with Brandon Fusco at right guard, Tomasson adds.
AFC Contract Details: Osemele, Irvin, M. Jackson
Here are the latest updates on many recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the AFC:
AFC West:
- Kelechi Osemele, G/T (Raiders): Five years, $58.5MM. $25.4MM fully guaranteed. Max value of $60MM via Pro Bowl incentives. Guaranteed base salaries of $6.7MM in 2016 and 2017. $6MM roster bonuses in 2016 and 2017 (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post).
- Bruce Irvin, OLB (Raiders): Four years, $37MM. $14.5MM fully guaranteed. $19MM total guarantee. $6MM roster bonus in 2016, $2.25MM roster bonus in 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Joe Barksdale, T (Chargers): Four years, $22MM. $10.5MM fully guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. Fully guaranteed $3.5MM salary in 2016. $3MM of $4.5MM salary in 2017 fully guaranteed (Twitter links via Wilson).
AFC South:
- Malik Jackson, DL (Jaguars): Six years, $85.5MM. $31.5MM fully guaranteed. $42MM total guarantee. $10.5MM of $13.5MM base salary for 2018 becomes fully guaranteed in March 2018 (Twitter links via Pelissero).
- Dwayne Allen, TE (Colts): Four years, $29.4MM. $4MM signing bonus. $16MM total guarantee (including injury guarantee). $5.5MM roster bonus in 2016. $2MM roster bonus on fifth day of 2017 league year (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Ben Jones, C/G (Titans): Four years, $17.5MM. $3.5MM signing bonus. $7.5MM guaranteed. $2.5MM of $3.5MM salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed. $500K roster bonus due in March 2016 (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Chris Clark, T (Texans): Two years, $6MM. $1MM signing bonus. $750K roster bonus due on March 16 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Adam Vinatieri, K (Colts): Two years, $6MM. $1MM of $3.25MM salary for 2016 is guaranteed. Can earn $500K in field-goal percentage incentives each year (Twitter link via Wilson).
AFC North:
- Shareece Wright, CB (Ravens): Three years, $13MM. $4MM signing bonus. Up to $1MM annually in playing-time incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- William Gay, CB (Steelers): Three years, $7.5MM. $1.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ben Watson, TE (Ravens): Two years, $7MM. $2MM signing bonus. $3MM fully guaranteed. $1MM roster bonus due April 1, 2016. $1MM escalator for 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Tank Carder, LB (Browns): Two years, $2.5MM. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
AFC East:
- Mario Williams, DE (Dolphins): Two years, $17MM. $4MM signing bonus. Fully guaranteed $4.485MM salary for 2016. $3.5MM of $8.45MM salary for 2017 guaranteed for injury; becomes fully guaranteed on fifth day of 2017 league year. Deal includes incentives for sacks, playing time, Pro Bowls (all Twitter links via Wilson).
- LaAdrian Waddle, T (Patriots): Two years, $2.35MM. $250K signing bonus. $200K annually in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter links via Wilson and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).