NFC Links: McCourty, Bridgewater, Packers
Devin McCourty ultimately stayed with the Patriots, but not before being lured by the NFL’s largest market. The Giants‘ offer was comparable to what McCourty ended up signing to stay in New England — five years, $47.5MM — co-owner John Mara told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
The best safety on the market’s refusal to take the Giants’ money began a failed venture that leaves the team with one of the most barren depth charts at any position in the league with the draft less than six weeks away. As of now, the Giants have only Nat Berhe and Cooper Taylor, fifth-round picks in 2013 and 2014, respectively, on their roster. Neither has started a game. Former Giants starters Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps still reside in free agency.
Other news from the NFC …
- Like the Steelers, the Packers are a staunch build-from-within franchise, and this year furthered that philosophy. As a result, corners Tramon Williams and Davon House departed, and coach Mike McCarthy expects Casey Hayward and former Gonzaga basketball talent Demetri Goodson to challenge for those spots, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Unless Carl Bradford or another player enables Clay Matthews to relocate to his former spot outside, the Pro Bowl linebacker may stay an inside linebacker going into the season.
- Packers president Mark Murphy doesn’t expect the Bears’ proposal of both teams receiving a guaranteed overtime possession to pass, reports ESPN’s Jason Wilde. Murphy probably won’t support any of the rules changes, reports Silverstein on Twitter.
- Vikings coach Mike Zimmer wants Teddy Bridgewater to gain weight and develop additional strength before he begins his first full season as the Vikings’ quarterback, writes Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Zimmer said the 2014 first-rounder played at around 210 pounds last season, and the second-year coach prefers the 6-foot-2 signal-caller to be closer to 220.
- After reports surfaced of Adrian Peterson‘s agent declining a Vikings meeting, the All-Pro runner didn’t solicit much of a response from Zimmer. “Well, Adrian is under contract with us, and we’re excited to get him back here with his teammates and get him back playing,” Zimmer told Hartman.
- The NFL held its first Veterans Combine on Sunday night in Arizona with numerous former NFLers participating. The Eagles were among the few teams to talk with offensive linemen after their drills concluded, NFL.com’s Mark Sessler reports on Twitter.
Extra Points: Vikings, Bears, Jags
The Vikings have been no strangers to talented but mercurial wide receivers throughout their history. Mike Wallace, whom they acquired from the Dolphins via trade last week, will be the latest in a recent line that includes the likes of Randy Moss, Koren Robinson and Percy Harvin, to name a few. In the wake of the Wallace acquisition, Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune revisited the tenures of some of the Vikings’ past wideouts. Compared to a couple of them, Wallace’s previous transgressions – a sideline argument with coaches last season, for example – seem tame.
Here’s more on the Vikings and the rest of the NFL:
- Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is hoping second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater bulks up this offseason, according to Sid Hartman, also of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “The big thing with Teddy is he needs to add a little bit more strength, a little more weight on him,” said Zimmer. “He’s about 210 pounds, we’re trying to get him around 218, somewhere in that range.”
- The staff at CSN Chicago took a look at a couple of mid- to late-round prospects who might be on the Bears’ radar entering the upcoming draft. Louisville safety James Sample and Iowa defensive tackle Louis Trinca-Pasat could both be potential fits for a Bears defense that’s in need of help after finishing 30th overall last year.
- The Jaguars’ linebacking corps was among many problem areas that beset them during their three-win 2014 campaign. But, with the signing of ex-49er Dan Skuta, the return of Paul Posluszny from injury and the potential of second-year man Telvin Smith, linebackers coach Robert Saleh is hopeful better days are ahead, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Saleh seems particularly excited about Skuta, saying that the 28-year-old “has a tremendous sense of urgency to his play.”
Extra Points: Texans, Steelers, Browns, Vikings
Texans owner Bob McNair is happy with what his front office was able to accomplish in free agency, write John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, particularly with the acquisitions of Brian Hoyer, Vince Wilfork, Rahim Moore, and Cecil Shorts.
“I’ve been quite pleased with free agency. We’ve accomplished what we set out to do. We signed a quarterback and got help in the defensive line. We wanted a free safety with range, more of a centerfielder, and we wanted to add some speed at receiver,” McNair said. “And we were able to retain Kareem, Derek and Mallett. We did it within the cap, and we didn’t sacrifice our future.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFL:
- Steelers team president Art Rooney II has been overseeing a much different offseason, but does not expect the team to be extremely active late in the offseaon, writes Mark Kaboly of TribLive.com. “We’re still looking at what the options are, and we’ll continue to do that,” Rooney said. “I think we’re at this point not expecting that there’s going to be a lot more activity out there, but we’re certainly continuing to look. If there’s a player that makes sense for us to pursue, we’ll do that.”
- The Browns have been spending their money and assets on the defensive side of the ball recently, and their commitment on that side of the ball is evident when analyzing the salary cap numbers by position, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. The Browns are spending a large amount of money on their secondary, both in terms of cornerbacks and safeties, and are also spending significantly at linebacker. However, they are in saving money at quarterback, and more significantly at running back.
- The Vikings have had lukewarm interest in inside linebacker Brandon Spikes, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (via Twitter). Wolfson hasn’t heard anything about the team’s interest in fellow linebackers Mason Foster and Rolando McClain, but infers that they might be similarly uninspiring options for the Vikings.
Peterson’s Agent Rejects Vikings Meeting
Adrian Peterson‘s ongoing saga in between NFL snaps continued today, with the latest development wedging the two sides further apart. The running back’s agent, Ben Dogra, declined a meeting request from Vikings GM Rick Spielman, Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson reported.
Spielman sought a dinner summit with Dogra at next week’s owners’ meetings. Despite reports the Vikings do not intend to release their star runner leaving the door open for a potential reunion, Peterson does not appear to want to increase the dialogue. The former top-10 pick, however, did have dinner with owners Mark and Zygi Wilf earlier this month, but sources told Robinson he is unhappy in Minnesota.
The Cardinals are considering offering a second-round pick for Peterson, according to Robinson, and giving the disgruntled ball-carrier a new contract.
This latest chapter pushes the sides closer to an impasse. Peterson’s contract takes up a team-high $13MM+ of the Vikings’ 2015 cap with that number set to rise to $17MM in 2017, the final year of his current deal. Teams are not keen on allocating those kind of funds to running backs in 2015.
Peterson turns 30 tomorrow, but the ex-Oklahoma superstar essentially bypassed a year of punishment. He’s rushed for at least 10 touchdowns in each of his seven full seasons and averaged more than 4.5 yards per carry in all but one full season.
The Cardinals’ highest-paid running backs, Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington, are set to occupy barely $1.2MM of cap space between them. The team has just more than $9MM worth of room under its 2015 financial ceiling right now, according to OverTheCap.
The 26-year-old Ellington may be better suited for change-of-pace work at 199 pounds and the yards-per-rush disparity between the 2013 sixth-round pick’s two seasons, the first as a complement rusher and the second as Arizona’s primary carrier. Ellington averaged 5.5 yards per tote as a rookie but just 3.3 last year before going down with a season-ending sports hernia malady.
Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon remain the Vikings’ current contingency plans in the event of a Peterson exit.
NFC Notes: Vikings, Mays, Ireland, Saints
In addition to stressing once again that the Vikings want Adrian Peterson back for the 2015 season, GM Rick Spielman addressed the Mike Wallace trade in a conversation with Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune, calling it “a great deal for both teams.”
“We had to take on the contract, which plays a part in it,” Spielman said. “But we felt, from a draft compensation standpoint, we didn’t lose any picks. We had two fifth-round picks because of the move we made with Buffalo [the Matt Cassel trade], so that’s why you have to keep as many draft picks as possible, and even on draft day, because that gives you the ability to move around on draft day. It gives you the ability to do the move we were able to get accomplished.”
Here are a few more end-of-week items from around the NFC:
- Free agent safety Taylor Mays left Winter Park without a deal with the Vikings, as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune writes. Mays, who played for coach Mike Zimmer with the Bengals, arrived in town on Wednesday and checked out the team’s facility on Thursday. In five NFL seasons with two teams, the 27-year-old made 98 tackles, recorded one sack and forced one fumble.
- It was initially believed that former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland was hired to be the head of college scouting for the Saints, but it turns out that he’s actually serving as the team’s assistant GM, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- While Sam Bradford said earlier this month that he suspected for a few weeks that he might be traded, Nick Foles tells Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com that he didn’t have an inkling he wouldn’t be with the Eagles until the second he got the phone call from Chip Kelly informing him of the deal with the Rams.
- The Buccaneers worked out long snapper Avery Rigg on Thursday but did not sign him, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Rigg could join the team after the draft and rookie minicamp, however.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Thursday
With this year’s NCAA basketball tournament underway, the Colts‘ latest signing is a topical one. According to a team release, Indianapolis has signed Demarco Cox, a 6’8″, 294-pound basketball center who played his college ball at Ole Miss and Georgia Tech. Cox played football in high school before choosing basketball in college, and will be joining the Colts as an offensive tackle. While he may not be a good bet to make the team’s regular season roster, Cox should get a look from the Colts’ coaching staff this summer.
Here are the rest of Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Restricted free agent Dezman Moses re-signed with the Chiefs, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweeted. Kansas City Star reporter Terez Paylor noted Moses’ one-year agreement earlier this month, according to a source (Twitter link). Moses played for the Chiefs in 2013 as a backup linebacker after starting six games for the Packers in 2012. The Chiefs waived Moses during training camp last season after he underwent elbow surgery, and the former undrafted free agent spent 2014 on injured reserve. This marks the second reserve backer Kansas City brought back this offseason after inking Josh Mauga to a new deal earlier this month.
- The Seahawks have brought back defensive lineman D’Anthony Smith, a former third-round pick who was with the team last season, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The ex-Jaguar, who has played 28 regular season NFL games, spent 2014 on Seattle’s injured reserve list.
- Linebacker Reggie Walker has moved from one AFC West team to another, according to agent David Canter, who tweets that the former Charger has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Broncos. After playing a career-high 549 defensive snaps in 2013, Walker returned to a much smaller role for San Diego in 2014, recording 12 total tackles and 0.5 sacks while playing 150 defensive snaps and contributing on special teams.
Earlier updates:
- Former Packers running back DuJuan Harris has signed a one-year deal with the Vikings, according to agent Andy Simms (Twitter link). The 26-year-old Harris, who played sparingly for Green Bay in 2014, was non-tendered by the club earlier this month, making him an unrestricted free agent.
- Free agent offensive tackle Byron Stingily has agreed to terms with the Titans on a multiyear contract that will keep him in Tennessee, the club announced today in a press release. According to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (via Twitter), it’s a two-year contract worth $2.5MM, and it features an additional $800K in incentives. Stingily, who started at right tackle down the stretch for the Titans in 2014, could have an opportunity to claim the starting job in 2015 with Michael Roos and Michael Oher no longer on the roster.
- The Jets have signed free agent tackle James Brewer, the team announced today in a press release. Brewer, who spent his first four years with the Giants, will be making the move from one New York team to the other, and figures to provide depth on the offensive line for the Jets. Brian Costello of the New York Post first reported (via Twitter) that the team had agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Brewer, who started eight games in 2013 but didn’t play much last season.
FA Notes: Dolphins, Jackson, Selvie, Newman
Having decided not to match the Bills’ offer sheet for tight end Charles Clay, the Dolphins may be prepared to spend the money saved on Clay on some other free agents. According to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), in addition to hosting wide receiver Michael Crabtree, Miami is also having quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and center J.D. Walton in for visits.
Jackson, in particular, is an intriguing potential fit for the Dolphins. The team still needs a veteran backup behind Ryan Tannehill, and while Miami’s preference may be to re-sign Matt Moore, Jackson could come a little cheaper.
Here are a few more free agent notes from around the NFL:
- Defensive end George Selvie, who has reportedly drawn interest from the Buccaneers and Vikings so far in free agency, is visiting the Giants today, according to Art Stapleton of The Record (Twitter link).
- The Vikings and cornerback Terence Newman have discussed some contract figures, but weren’t close to a deal as of late last night, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). If the veteran corner were to join the Vikings, he’d reunite with former Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
- Free agent offensive tackle Corey Hilliard is paying a visit to the Jets, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Hilliard, a former Lion, is a solid swing tackle when he’s healthy, but injuries have derailed his last two seasons.
- In a piece for The Sporting News, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a look at the players who have done the best and worst so far in free agency.
Vikings Will Not Release Adrian Peterson
Many of the rumors surrounding Adrian Peterson have focused on teams seeking to acquire the running back via trade. There hasn’t been much suggesting the Vikings would cut their star player, and USA Today’s Tom Pelissero confirmed that news this evening (via Twitter). According to the writer, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman informed Peterson’s agent, Ben Dogra, that the team would not be releasing the embattled running back. Pelissero notes that if the team had actually wanted to part ways with Peterson, they would have done so in September following the player’s indictment on child abuse charges.
According to Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), Dogra texted the following:
“It was important for me to relay the position the Vikings are taking to Adrian. I want to make sure there is absolutely no confusion whatsoever.”
As Garafolo tweets, the wording of the agent’s text was very deliberate, and there have so far been zero public demands for Peterson to be moved. We heard in February that the running back was “uneasy” about returning to Minnesota, and recent reports have suggested that Peterson’s feelings towards the organization haven’t improved.
The Vikings releasing Peterson never appeared to be the logical route, as the organization would presumably rather acquire an asset for their best player as opposed to receiving nothing. While releasing the 29-year-old this offseason would save the organization $13MM, the extra cash wouldn’t do much good this far into free agency. Previous reports have suggested that prospective teams, including the Cardinals, have been scared away by the three years and $45MM remaining on Peterson’s contract.
Peterson’s 2014 campaign was limited to one game, when he ran for 75 yards on 21 carries. In 2013, he finished the season with 1,266 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning him the 11th-best rating among 55 running back candidates on Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Extra Points: 49ers, Hardy, Peterson, Rivers
49ers CEO Jed York appeared on Bloomberg Television on Tuesday to discuss a number of different topics, including the surprise retirement of Chris Borland (via SFGate.com):
“We respect it, and I love Chris. He’s a great kid. And it’s certainly a surprise to us and I think to some of his teammates. But you have to respect the decision. If he fears for his health and safety going forward, I don’t ever want somebody to go out there and do something that they’re not comfortable doing. And I would never try to talk somebody out of retirement. I know it wasn’t an easy decision for him, but we respect him and we wish him the best.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- Greg Hardy spurned the Buccaneers for the Cowboys earlier today, but as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes, it may have been the organization that rejected the player. “At the end of the day, we didn’t feel good about it,” said general manager Jason Licht.
- Count Larry Fitzgerald among those who’d like to see Adrian Peterson wearing a Cardinals jersey next season. The veteran wideout told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that adding the All-Pro running back would be a “game-changer” for the organization. “Obviously, he’s an MVP-caliber player,” Fitzgerald said. “Everybody knows that. Any team he ends up with — or if he stays with the Vikings — is going to have a great back. If he was to come play here, it would obviously mean a tremendous amount for our ballclub.”
- Following news that Philip Rivers wouldn’t consider a new deal with the Chargers until the end of the 2015 season, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the organization has no intention of letting the quarterback depart (via Around The NFL on Twitter). Rapoport notes (on Twitter) that both sides have plenty of leverage during negotiations.
- CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that the Bills actually signed wideout Percy Harvin to a three-year, $24MM deal, but the contract voids to a one-year, $6MM pact. As WGR550’s Joe Buscaglia points out on Twitter, this saves the organization $2MM in 2015 cap through “signing bonus proration,” meaning the player’s cap hit for this season will be $4MM as opposed to $6MM. Furthermore, if the Bills decide to void the contract following 2015 (which they’re expected to do), they’ll get hit with $2MM in dead money.
FA Notes: Mays, Dent, Tamme
Let’s check out some notes regarding some notable free agents…
- Former Bengals safety Taylor Mays will have dinner with members of the Vikings organization this evening, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Mike Zimmer and his front office had been reportedly eyeing the defensive back for some time.
- According to agent Hadley Engelhard, free agent linebacker Akeem Dent has received interest from the Texans (via Mark Berman of Houston’s Fox26 on Twitter). The agent noted that he is “having extensive dialogue with [two] other teams” regarding his client.
- Free agent tight end Jacob Tamme is visiting the Falcons this evening, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The former Colts and Broncos weapon is reportedly considering a pair of offers, and one of those contracts could be from Denver, as Mike Wilkening of ProFootballTalk.com says the Broncos would like to bring back the 30-year-old.