Colts, Jeff Locke Agree To Deal
The Colts have agreed to a two-year deal with free agent punter Jeff Locke, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The 27-year-old Locke spent the first four seasons of his career with the Vikings, who had interest in re-signing him, according to Tomasson. He’ll instead take over for the retired Pat McAfee in Indianapolis. While McAfee was among the NFL top punters last year, Locke finished toward the bottom of the league in yards per punt and net average. However, he did rank fifth overall when it came to pinning opposing teams inside their 20-yard line.
PFR’s Dallas Robinson rated Locke as the top punter in a thin free agent class.
Sharrif Floyd’s 2017 Salary Now Guaranteed
Vikings defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd‘s $6.757MM base salary for 2017 is now fully guaranteed, tweets Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Floyd, 26 in May, went down in the Vikings’ 2016 season opener and never returned to action. Since joining the team as a first-round pick in 2013, he has appeared in 44 games with 24 starts, missing two games in 2014, three games in 2015, and just about every game in 2016. The Vikings would probably like to get out of their obligation to Floyd, but recent comments by GM Rick Spielman indicated that the team has accepted the inevitable: he probably won’t get the greenlight from doctors and the Vikings will remain on the hook for his salary.
Floyd will earn his salary under the terms of his fifth-year option. Because that option is guaranteed for injury only, the Vikings can’t release him without paying that full charge.
Vikings To Sign Riley Reiff
The Vikings have agreed to sign offensive tackle Riley Reiff, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Minnesota lost out on fellow free agent Ricky Wagner yesterday, and also failed to re-sign incumbent left tackle Matt Kalil, who joined the Panthers. At present, it’s unclear exactly which position Reiff will play for the Vikings, but if the club doesn’t add another left tackle, Reiff will likely slot in on the blindside. Reiff played left tackle for most of his career before being displaced in 2016.
The Vikings fielded one of the league’s offensive lines last year, a distinction earned both through injury and poor play. Nearly every starting lineman went down with some sort of health issue in 2016, forcing the Vikings to turn to second- and sometimes third-teamers in an effort to keep Sam Bradford upgright. Reiff isn’t a start, but he’ll add stability to Minnesota’s front five.
Reiff had beeen in Detroit since it nabbed him 23rd overall in the 2012 draft. Aside from a 16-appearance, eight-start rookie year, Reiff has lined up with the Lions’ No. 1 unit dating back to his second season. The 28-year-old has appeared in no fewer than 14 games, all starts, in each season since 2013. He also has experience at both tackle spots, though PFF wasn’t that bullish on his work on the right in 2016, as it placed him a below-average 48th among 78 qualified OTs.
Vikings Interested In Alshon Jeffery
Time to add another team to the Alshon Jeffery sweepstakes. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the Vikings have “entered the fold” for the talented wideout. The reporter notes that the receivers is currently in talks with the Colts, Bears, and Eagles. We’ve heard these names thrown around previously.
A suspension and poor quarterback play led to one of the least productive seasons in 2016 for Jeffery, as the wideout hauled in a career-low 52 receptions for 821 yards and two touchdowns. Of course, the 27-year-old would still be an intriguing option for Sam Bradford and the Vikings offense. The team’s receiver depth chart is currently headlined by Stefon Diggs and Jarius Wright, followed by Laquon Treadwell and Isaac Fruechte.
Restricted free agent Adam Thielen led all Vikings receivers last season with 967 receiving yards. Diggs finished the campaign with a team-leading 84 receptions, while tight end Kyle Rudolph caught seven touchdowns.
We listed Jeffery as the best free agent wideout, and Zach Links projected that the receiver would earn the second-highest contract among all free agents.
Free Agency Rumors: Titans, Hightower, Rams
Let’s round up some of the latest free agency rumors:
- The talk of the Titans pursuing linebacker Dont’a Hightower might not be at the levels some have reported, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets. Hightower stands as one of the best free agents left on the board.
- Not a huge surprise, but the Rams are not expected to bring back safety T.J. McDonald, ESPN.com’s Alden Gonzalez writes. I have McDonald ranked as the No. 40 free agent on my Top 50 list, in terms of earning power. He’s not my favorite safety in this year’s free agent crop, but he is young and his hard-hitting style should translate into dollars.
- Despite formally declining his option on Thursday, the Chiefs have expressed interest in retaining quarterback Nick Foles, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets.
- There are still plenty of teams sorting through the offensive tackle market, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. That list includes the Chargers, Jets, Vikings, Giants, and Broncos. It should be noted that JLC’s tweet came before Denver’s acquisition of Ronald Leary. It’s not immediately clear if they’re still looking for high-end linemen.
- Russell Okung probably goofed by not having an agent last offseason, but he has one now, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter links). Cole does not identify the rap by name, but says that he has talked with teams and is not NFLPA-certified.
- Packers free agent guard T.J. Lang is likely going to have to take some trips before signing, Cole tweets. He had hip surgery in January and teams want to check that out before signing him. This jibes with earlier word that Lang will have to wait a bit before signing elsewhere.
NFC Rumors: Rams, 49ers, Lions, Saints
The Rams are receiving “significant interest” as they attempt to trade franchise-tagged cornerback Trumaine Johnson, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link). As of yet, the only club to be directly linked to the Johnson discussions is the Browns, and even that report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com was seemingly tangential and not indicative of definitive interest. Johnson is set to earn nearly $17MM in 2017 under his second consecutive franchise tender.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Free agent defensive tackle Terrell McClain is generating “a lot of interest” from the 49ers, writes Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. McClain is coming off the best season of his career, as he started more 12 or more games for the first time since 2012. In 15 starts, McClain put up 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He’s also been linked to Atlanta, Seattle, Washington, and Miami.
- The Lions reached out to offensive tackle Mike Remmers before signing Ricky Wagner, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Remmers isn’t an elite tackle like Wagner, but he can play both the left and right side and has started 32 games for Carolina over the past two seasons. He rates as PFR’s No. 10 free agent offensive tackle.
- Although the Saints have interest in retaining linebacker Michael Mauti, a deal may not come together until later in free agency, according to Joel Erickson of the Advocate (Twitter link). Mauti, 27, played in eight games for New Orleans last season before being placed on the NFI list with an intestinal issue. While he’s not a contributor on defense, Mauti did play 35% of the Saints’ special teams snaps despite only managing a half-season.
- The meeting between the Vikings and controversial running back prospect Joe Mixon went “very well,” tweets Matt Miller of Bleacher Report. Mixon will meet with the Raiders next, per Miller, after posting a successful Pro Day this afternoon.
Matt Kalil Likely To Sign With Vikings Or Panthers
Free agent left tackle Matt Kalil is expected to sign with either the Vikings or the Panthers, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link), who adds that clubs are waiting for the first left tackle “domino” to fall.
A reunion with the Vikings would see Kalil staying with the only club he’s ever played for during his five-year career. Minnesota selected Kalil fourth overall in the 2012 draft, and witnessed him excel during his rookie campaign. It’s been all downhill since, however, as Kalil has struggled to live up to his first-year production. In 2016, Kalil managed less than 200 snaps before going down with injury.
Kalil, 27, has indicated a preference to stay with the Vikings, and general manager Rick Spielman has also expressed his desire to re-sign the sixth-year pro. “We have a plan in place on everything,” Spielman said last month. “But I also know I have a pretty good history of trying to keep our own guys as well.” Minnesota’s offensive line was perhaps the league’s worst last year, so while Kalil isn’t an elite option, he’s preferable to what the Vikings deployed at left tackle in 2016.
The Panthers’ interest in Kalil has been reported before, as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer linked Kalil to Carolina earlier this week. As of early this month, incumbent Panthers left tackle Michael Oher is still in the concussion protocol — even if he’s healthy, Oher could shift to the right side if Kalil is signed.
Vikings Interested In Nick Foles?
The Vikings are a possible landing spot for quarterback Nick Foles, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Foles isn’t technically a free agent just yet, but the Chiefs are fully expected to decline his 2017 option this week.
It’s no surprise that Minnesota would express interest in Foles, as they reportedly pursued him last year at this time after he was released by the Rams. The question becomes, then, whether Foles would be willing to go the Vikings, where he’d presumably be a clear-cut backup behind Sam Bradford. Foles, PFR’s No. 2 free agent quarterback, might be able to sign with a club that’s willing to let him compete for a starting role, an opportunity he won’t be afforded with the Vikes.
The Vikings’ dalliance with Foles could indicate a negative outlook on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, however, as conflicting reports emerged earlier this year about the former first-round pick’s health. Bridgewater suffered a devastating knee injury last summer, and while it’s possible he’ll miss the 2017 season, the Vikings haven’t issued their own update on Bridgewater’s status.
Veteran quarterback Shaun Hill, who served as Bradford’s backup in 2016, is also an unrestricted free agent.
Free Agency Rumors: Vikings, Okung, Bills
Rounding up the latest free agency news:
- The Vikings are expected to express interest in offensive tackle Russell Okung when free agency starts, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. This doesn’t come as a big surprise since Okung has been previously linked to Minnesota.
- The Bills were in play for Brian Hoyer, but he will not be signing with Buffalo after the team retained Tyrod Taylor, sources tell ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (Twitter link). The Jets and 49ers have strong interest in the veteran QB.
- The 49ers are now among the teams in the mix for fullback Kyle Juszczyk, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. The Ravens would like to keep him, but they are expecting to get outbid for the former fourth-round pick. The Bills are said to be in the lead for him and the Browns are also in pursuit.
- The Raiders working hard today on bringing back right tackle Menelik Watson, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. If he reaches the open market, however, the Broncos are among the teams that will pursue him, Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets.
- The Raiders are trying to get a new deal done with inside linebacker Perry Riley, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.
Vikings, 3 Others Pursuing Domata Peko
After playing 11 years with the Bengals, Domata Peko could be heading elsewhere. A healthy market exists for the 32-year-old defensive tackle, with the Vikings, Eagles, 49ers joining the Bengals in pursuit of Peko, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets.
Tomasson reports the Vikings have reached out to Peko’s representatives regarding a possible free agent pact. Peko’s Bengals tenure overlapped with Mike Zimmer‘s time in Cincinnati, and Tomasson notes the Samoan is a favorite of the Minnesota coach. The Vikings have brought former Bengals Terence Newman and Emmanuel Lamur to the Twin Cities under Zimmer, and the team has some uncertainty at defensive tackle. Linval Joseph‘s counterpart, Sharrif Floyd, saw injury derail 15 games of his 2016 season.
The Eagles could be in the market for a new running mate for Fletcher Cox, with Bennie Logan taking part in the legal tampering period as a first-time UFA. The 49ers are planning to convert to a 4-3 scheme under new DC Robert Saleh, and although they have 5-technique ends DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, the rebuilding team could be hunting for depth on a team that doesn’t have much. The 49ers, though, may need Peko least among his primary suitors after adding Earl Mitchell as well.
Peko did not record a sack last season but registered a career-high five in 2015. However, he’s proven incredibly durable during his lengthy NFL run, having started in 16 regular-season games in each of the past seven seasons. He only graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 106 interior defender last season, playing 593 snaps. The Bengals have Pat Sims and Andrew Billings accompanying Geno Atkins on their defensive tackle depth chart.