AFC Notes: Aiken, Glenn, Fins, Texans, Jets
On the surface, it looks like a no-brainer decision for the Ravens to assign wide receiver Kamar Aiken a second-round RFA tender, but the franchise has been willing to roll the dice on the low-end tender for restricted free agents in the past, and could use all the cap space they can get this offseason, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
If the Ravens use the second-round tender (worth $2.553MM), they would be entitled to a second-round pick if Aiken signs elsewhere. The low-end tender ($1.671MM) would only give Baltimore the right of first refusal, with no potential compensation.
With Aiken coming off a 75-catch breakout season, it probably makes sense for the Ravens to pull the trigger on the second-round tender — there’s a dearth of talent on the wide receiver market this offseason, and Baltimore risks losing Aiken or paying him even more if a rival team signs him to an offer sheet.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- It wouldn’t be a surprise if one or more franchised players – including Bills tackle Cordy Glenn – sign their tenders by the end of the day, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald takes a detailed look at the Dolphins‘ plan to improve their defense this offseason, noting that the team would like to add starters at linebacker (preferably MLB), cornerback, and safety, while also picking up a run-stopping defensive end. Miami’s limited flexibility will make it a little tricky to add viable starters at all those spots, though the team figures to use the No. 8 overall pick in the draft to address at least one if its defensive needs.
- With Arian Foster expected to be cut in the near future, the Texans will need to explore free agency and the draft for a potential solution at running back, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. In McClain’s view, it might make more sense for the club to sign a veteran free agent rather than counting on finding a starter in the draft.
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News field Jets-related inquiries in his latest mailbag, writing that he doesn’t expect the club to draft running back Ezekiel Elliott, and noting that GMs around the league are skeptical that any team would give up a first-round pick in a trade for Muhammad Wilkerson.
FA Rumors: Freeman, Laurinaitis, Matthews
Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (SoundCloud link), Colts free agent linebacker Jerrell Freeman said he loves Indianapolis and would be open to re-signing with the Colts. However, Freeman also acknowledged the possibility that he might be playing in a different city. The veteran linebacker alluded to the fact that, as an unrestricted free agent, this will be his first real opportunity to have some freedom and flexibility when it comes to signing a contract, since the Colts didn’t appear to seriously pursue a long-term extension with him a year ago when he was a restricted free agent.
“I’d been playing for the league minimum for three years,” Freeman said. “Then I ended up signing the [RFA] tender, which I guess was best for the team…. I’m in free agency now, so I guess I have to do what’s best for me.”
Here’s more on a handful of free agents and free-agents-to-be:
- After paying a visit to the Saints, linebacker James Laurinaitis left without a contract, but there still appears to be some mutual interest between the two sides, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Per Triplett, Laurinaitis has drawn interest from multiple clubs since being cut by the Rams last month.
- As Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk details, Dolphins free agent wideout Rishard Matthews is aiming to be a No. 2 receiver in 2016, so Matthews figures to prioritize suitors that will give him the best opportunity for playing time.
- Washington nose tackle Terrance Knighton admitted during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (SoundCloud link) that he let his emotions get the best of him in free agency a year ago, adding that he heads to the market this year prepared to better recognize the business aspect of the process. According to Knighton, he hasn’t received a strong indication from Washington that the team wants him back, but he’s “not going to stress about” it.
- After being released by the Bills this week, defensive end Mario Williams figures to garner interest from many teams around the NFL. Paul Schwartz of the New York Post takes a look at the Giants as one possibility for Williams, while D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explores the veteran pass rusher’s potential fit with the Falcons.
Dolphins, Cameron Wake Not Close To New Deal
While there was previously some optimism that the Dolphins and Cameron Wake would come to an agreement on an extension, it appears that those talks are currently at a standstill. Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes that the two sides are “not on same page” over a new contract, noting that the “discussions have not gone well.”
There’s an apparent disconnect on the intent of the proposed contract extension. The Dolphins were hoping to reduce Wake’s $9.8MM cap figure for 2016, while the defensive end assumed that any extension would ultimately result in more guaranteed money. This “divide” between the two sides is still significant, according to Salguero. Since the negotiations aren’t progressing, the two parties are prepared to enter next season with Wake’s current contract.
The 34-year-old is entering the final year of the four-year, $49MM contract he signed in 2012. There’s no certainty that Wake will return when his contract expires, and Saguero notes that the team could opt to cut or trade the four-time Pro Bowler. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad route for Wake, as writers have previously pondered whether he’d earn more than his $8.4MM base salary on the open market.
Wake appeared in only seven games last season, compiling nine tackles, seven sacks, and four forced fumbles.
FA Rumors: Vinatieri, Gates, Hayes, Moses
The Colts are working on a new contract for future Hall-of-Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that this was an “open secret” at the combine in Indianapolis. A report last month indicated that the team wanted to bring back Vinatieri, who expressed a desire to continue playing — perhaps for multiple years.
“Not only a season, but Lord willing, a couple of years,” Vinatieri said at the time. “There will come a time when it’s over for me. I don’t think that time is yet. I enjoy playing. I enjoy doing my thing.”
As we wait to see if the Colts and Vinatieri can hammer something out within the next few days, let’s round up several more notes and rumors on free-agents-to-be….
- The meeting at the combine between Antonio Gates and the Chargers went well, reaffirming the mutual interest between the two sides for a new deal, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. According to Gehlken, it’s likely just a matter of time until the veteran tight end finalizes a new contract with the Chargers.
- If another team signs Olivier Vernon to an offer sheet that the Dolphins decide not to match, expect the team to pursue a lower-priced defensive end like William Hayes, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Per Salguero, Hayes is a player Miami likes “very much.”
- The Chiefs have expressed interest in bringing back free agent linebacker Dezman Moses, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Moses is one of several Kansas City defensive players eligible for free agency, though he’ll probably come cheaper than most, since he’s primarily a special teams contributor.
- The Saints would like to re-sign UFA kicker Kai Forbath, a source tells Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate. If Forbath does sign a new deal with New Orleans, I imagine it would be a modest one that wouldn’t preclude the team from bringing in competition.
- Rams safety Rodney McLeod is one free agent who will be “in demand” next week, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who tweets that plenty of NFL people like McLeod.
Dolphins Put Transition Tag On Olivier Vernon
10:49am: The Dolphins have officially submitted the paperwork on Vernon’s transition tag, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
10:34am: The Dolphins are set to place the transition tag on defensive end Olivier Vernon in advance of this afternoon’s deadline, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). The transition tag for Vernon will be worth $12.734MM, nearly $3MM less than the non-exclusive franchise tag.
It’s a bit of a surprising decision from the Dolphins, who used the transition tag a year ago on tight end Charles Clay and ended up losing him to the Bills for nothing. While the non-exclusive franchise tag gives a team the right to two first-round picks if the player signs an offer sheet with another team, the Dolphins won’t receive any compensation if Vernon signs an offer sheet that Miami decides not to match.
The transition tag provides rival suitors some incentive to structure their offers in a way that will make it unappealing for the player’s current team to match it. That was the case a year ago for the Bills, who heavily frontloaded their offer sheet to Clay, fully guaranteeing $24.5MM of a total $38MM and including a $10MM second-year roster bonus.
Vernon, 25, is coming off a season in which he recorded 7.5 sacks to go along with 61 tackles. While his counting stats weren’t eye-popping, Vernon ranked as the league’s third-best edge defender according to Pro Football Focus’ grades, behind only Khalil Mack and Von Miller.
In his first four seasons in the NFL, Vernon has notched a total of 29 sacks, including a career-best 11.5 in 2013. Since he won’t turn 26 until October, the former third-round pick should have plenty of prime seasons left, which could make him an appealing target for some of the many NFL teams in need of pass-rush help.
While it’s possible that Vernon will simply return to the Dolphins on a one-year deal, or a multiyear extension, assigning the transition tag to him will help the club get a sense of his value on the open market. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), Miami has been willing to pay Vernon about $12MM per year on a long-term contract.
If no other teams are willing to top that price by a significant margin, the defensive end could return to the Dolphins. On the other hand, teams like the Jaguars and the Giants have far more cap space than Miami, and could make Vernon an offer that the Fins are unwilling to match.
Meanwhile, with Vernon on their cap with a charge of nearly $13MM, the Dolphins will likely make a few more moves to create room in the near future. Restructuring Ndamukong Suh‘s contract is a given, but it will be interesting to see whether the club also addresses contracts like Cameron Wake‘s and Jordan Cameron‘s in the coming days.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Vernon, Crosby, Bears, Draft
The fate of defensive end Olivier Vernon will shape how the Dolphins approach their offseason, writes Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald. The Dolphins have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to place the franchise tag ($15.7MM) or transition tag ($12.7MM) on Vernon. But doing either of those things would make it especially difficult for them to keep fellow pass rusher Cameron Wake and running back Lamar Miller, which they want to do. If he hits the open market, Vernon could end up with a long-term deal in the range of $12MM to $14MM annually, per Beasley, who adds there’s an outside possibility Miami will slap the franchise tag on the 25-year-old and then trade him.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Packers are unlikely to use the $4.572MM franchise tag on longtime kicker Mason Crosby, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. As of last week, there was optimism the Packers and Crosby would agree on a contract and render the tag unnecessary. If that doesn’t happen by March 7, Crosby will be free to start negotiating with other teams.
- Even though he’s coming off a personal-best eight-sack season, the Bears could release edge rusher Lamarr Houston, one well-placed AFC executive told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Cutting Houston would open up over $4MM of cap space for the Bears this year. When PFR’s Dallas Robinson previewed the Bears’ offseason earlier this month, he named Houston as a possibility for the chopping block.
- Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche has visits with 19 teams set up, according to Tony Pauline of WalterFootall.com. That number has increased from the 15 Pauline reported Sunday.
FA Rumors: Irvin, Forte, C. Long, Gipson, J. Howard
Armed with over $70MM in cap space and in need of defensive upgrades, the Jaguars have emerged as early contenders for soon-to-be free agent linebacker Bruce Irvin, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Irvin, who has spent the first four years of his career in Seattle, is familiar with Jags head coach Gus Bradley – formerly the Seahawks‘ defensive coordinator. Bradley helped Irvin to a career-high eight sacks in the defender’s rookie year, 2012, before leaving for Jacksonville. Irvin has since added 14 more sacks over the last three years. When PFR’s Luke Adams previewed the Jaguars’ offseason three weeks ago, he listed Irvin as a logical fit for the Jags.
Here’s the latest on some other players looking for new contracts as free agency nears:
- Thirty-year-old running back Matt Forte will have a difficult time eclipsing $3MM per annum on his next deal, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The five-time thousand-yard rusher racked up 1,287 total yards (898 rushing, 389 receiving) and seven touchdowns last season, and is poised to join his second franchise after spending the first eight years of his career in Chicago.
- Free agent defensive end Chris Long is generating interest and will start visiting teams after his first child is born (due date Wednesday), tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Long, 30, has 54.5 sacks in his first eight seasons, all of which were spent in St. Louis. The Rams released Long earlier this month after injuries limited his effectiveness the previous two years.
- Safety Tashaun Gipson expects his Browns tenure to end after four years, per teammate Donte Whitner. “I don’t think he’s too hopeful he’s going to be back,” said Whitner (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). We learned over the weekend that Gipson could parlay his ball-hawking prowess (14 career interceptions) into a big contract.
- Chiefs defensive lineman Jaye Howard is looking for $8MM to $9MM per year, Biggs reports. Howard, 27, set career highs in starts (14), tackles (57) and sacks (5.5) during the 2015-16 season, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him a solid 24th among 123 qualifying interior D-linemen.
- The Dolphins could pursue Bears tight end Zach Miller in free agency, writes Biggs. Miller played under new Dolphins head coach Adam Gase when the latter was the Bears’ offensive coordinator last season and totaled career bests in all notable categories. If Chicago loses Miller, it could replace him with one of the Colts‘ free agent tight ends, Dwayne Allen or Coby Fleener, per Biggs.
Free Agent Rumors: Cromartie, Iloka, Norman
An NFL Network report over the weekend suggested that free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie was expected to meet soon with the Bills and old head coach Rex Ryan. However, news of that alleged meeting caught Cromartie by surprise, as Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin details.
“I want to know where he got this report from, ’cause this is news to me,” Cromartie said, referring to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
Still, Cromartie conceded that heading to Buffalo “would be a great opportunity,” adding that he loves Ryan, who coached him during his first stint with the Jets. “I think he’s doing something good up in Buffalo to try to get that organization turned around,” Cromartie said of Ryan.
As we wait to see whether Cromartie officially makes a free agent visit to Buffalo, let’s round up some more of Monday’s free agent rumors….
- Bengals safety George Iloka, who is expected to be pursued by the Lions, also figures to draw interest from the Vikings, who are coached by former Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.
- No real progress has been made on contract talks between cornerback Josh Norman and the Panthers, so it continues to look as if Norman will get the franchise tag, says David Newton of ESPN.com.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald goes in-depth to break down all the possible scenarios for Olivier Vernon and the Dolphins, concluding that the team would be best off using its franchise tag on the defensive end.
- Joe Panos, the agent for Texans guard Brandon Brooks, tells Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com that Houston has made it clear that his client is a priority in free agency. “In the next couple days we’ll trade proposals,” Panos said.
- Former Eagles and Browns executive Joe Banner (Twitter link) believes there’s at least a 90% chance that quarterback Sam Bradford will re-sign with the Eagles.
Cole’s Latest: Kaepernick, Jenkins, Wallace
A report earlier today indicated that the Texans are not expected to trade for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and Jason Cole of Bleaher Report (Twitter link) confirms that information, relaying that he was “told strongly” that Houston will not be dealing for Kaepernick. However, the Texans could have interest in Kaepernick if he is released by San Francisco.
Here’s more from Cole:
- Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins has fired his agent, according to Cole (video link), after Jenkins found Los Angeles’ latest offer of five years and $45MM unacceptable. Jenkins must now wait five days to hire a new agent, during which point the Rams cannot negotiate with him. As Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News writes, Los Angeles can still the place the franchise/transition tag on Jenkins in advance of Tuesday’s deadline (though the latest reports have the Rams leaning towards using the tag on fellow corner Trumaine Johnson). Jenkins, per Cole, is expected to hire the Schwartz and Feinsod agency for representation.
- Vikings GM Rick Spielman is set to meet with the agent for receiver Mike Wallace at the combine in the hopes of convincing Wallace to accept a paycut, Cole reports (video link). Wallace is scheduled to count $11.5MM against the cap in 2016, and Minnesota can clear out all that money by releasing him.
- There is mutual interest between the Dolphins and free agent offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz “down the line,” tweets Cole. The Giants released Schwartz earlier this month, so he’s free to sign with any club immediately.
- North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz drew rave reviews at the combine, according to Cole (video link), and while he looks like the favorite to be the first quarterback off the board in April’s draft, Cal’s Jared Goff is still in the running, as well.
- Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had offseason surgery on his lower back, per Cole (video link), but the operation was considered minor by both club and player. Jordan should be ready for New Orleans’ offseason program.
East Notes: Eagles, Cousins, Jets
We recently rounded up the latest reports concerning Sam Bradford‘s status with the Eagles, so let’s dive into some more notes from the league’s east divisions, starting with more out of Philadelphia:
- The Eagles were the only team to avoid drafting an offensive lineman in the 2014 and 2015 drafts, but Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer expects that to change in 2016. Head coach Doug Pederson has spoken highly of this draft’s class of offensive linemen, and although the team could address its deficiencies along the O-line in free agency, Philadelphia is likely to use at least one of its nine draft choices on a guard or a tackle who could begin his career on the interior of the line.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com examines the risks involved for Washington if the team were to offer a long-term deal to Kirk Cousins. Fitzgerald does not believe Washington should go higher than $15MM per year for Cousins, and he says that if the two sides cannot come to an agreement on a multi-year deal, the team should place the transition tag on its quarterback.
- Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum is now the Dolphins‘ executive vice president of football operations, and former Jets head coach Rex Ryan is now the Bills‘ head coach. As Brian Costello of The New York Post writes, that situation may be creating some additional leverage for impending Jets free agents like Damon Harrison who have ties to Ryan and Tannenbaum and who might have a landing spot in Buffalo or Miami if they do not get paid by New York.
- The Jets‘ plan remains to continue negotiating with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the team is not interested in trading for Colin Kaepernick, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
- The Patriots are looking hard at running backs, both in the draft and in free agency, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. New England is typically loathe to spend more than $1MM on a running back, but Volin believes the team may splurge a bit on a veteran this year, considering how badly the Pats were handicapped by the lack of a running game in their loss to Denver in the AFC Championship Game.
- However, the Patriots will not dramatically alter their usual low-key approach to the offseason just because they do not have a first-round pick, according to Christopher Price of WEEI.com.