Draft Notes: Winston, Borland, Visits
Some assorted draft notes from around the league…
- Jameis Winston‘s decision to skip out on the NFL draft may have been based on pressure from the league. According to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, the NFL may have been fearing “protests” regarding Winston’s selection in the draft, with the league advising the prospect to keep a “low profile.”
- Following the surprise retirement of Chris Borland, Cole says teams are becoming cautious of players who are “too smart for football.” Specifically, players who have future careers outside of football may be less desirable than players who are “desperate” to become professional athletes.
- Georgia running back Todd Gurley told reporters that he’s set to meet with the Panthers after having already met with the Lions, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Gurley revealed that he’s also meeting with five other teams.
- Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon is scheduled to meet with the Ravens, according to Yahoo’s Rand Getlin (via Twitter).
- Meanwhile, Getlin reports (on Twitter) that Duke wideout Jamison Crowder is gaining some interest, as the player has workouts planned with the Patriots, Buccaneers, Panthers and Texans.
- Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes told ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein that he’s set to meet with the Vikings and Jaguars in April (Twitter link). Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the defensive back also has private workouts scheduled with the Titans and Panthers.
- According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.com (via Twitter), Boise State running back Jay Ajayi had dinner with the Chargers brass on Tuesday night.
- The Jets have scheduled a one-on-one meeting with Missouri defensive end Shane Ray, according to Pauline (on Twitter).
- Purdue tight end Gabe Holmes had a private workout today with the Cardinals, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The session went well, as Wilson says Holmes “caught everything.”
- Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty has visits set up with the Cowboys, Chargers and Rams, according to Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez (via Twitter).
Extra Points: Saints, Greenway, Tebow, Eagles
After years of loading up on salary, the Saints have now swung back in a far different direction – shedding veterans who make too much money and loading up on draft picks, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora wondered if coach Sean Payton is loading up on draft picks to make a play for Marcus Mariota and he spoke with football execs who felt that the Oregon quarterback would be a terrific fit with what he wants to do at the quarterback position. While the Saints have Drew Brees under center, 2015 could be the last go ’round for the veteran in New Orleans.
Let’s round up a few more notes from across the league….
- Veteran linebacker Chad Greenway tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link) that his agent and the Vikings are working on a new contract that would keep him in Minnesota for the 2015 season.
- In the wake of Tim Tebow‘s workout with the Eagles earlier this week, Albert Breer of the NFL Network takes a closer look at the former first-round pick’s efforts to get back on an NFL roster.
- The Eagles have made a lot of moves this offseason but their wide receiver situation remains a bit murky, as Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine writes. The group of remaining free agents is not very interesting, headlined by Greg Jennings, Michael Crabtree and Dwayne Bowe. Given that the Eagles don’t have a ton of cap space to work with, it seems unlikely that they’re going to sign a wide receiver, Kapadia writes.
- Following Chris Borland‘s surprise retirement, Matt Bowen of Bleacher Report, a former NFL player, spoke to a handful of fellow NFL veterans, and most of them said the rewards of playing in the NFL outweigh the risks. However, Borland’s decision “definitely has heightened awareness that the balance could be shifting.”
- For now, it seems that the Dolphins‘ offense has taken a step backward, Chris Perkins of the Sun Sentinel writes. Assuming that Charles Clay leaves for Buffalo, Miami is left with question marks when it comes to touchdowns in the red zone, even with Jordan Cameron in the fold. Meanwhile, there are also some uncertainties surrounding the power running game, the deep passing game, and even the quarterback (to an extent).
- The Jaguars have signed president Mark Lamping to a five-year contract extension, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (on Twitter). Lamping’s deal was set to expire in a few weeks, so the new pact has been in the works for some time (link).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
FA Rumors: Moore, Rubin, Jennings, Selvie
If Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News were in charge of the Cowboys, he would have tendered a contract offer to cornerback Sterling Moore. Cowboys coaches didn’t see enough from Moore in 2014 to want him back, apparently, but at a cost of $1.542MM, he could have given them inexpensive depth at the position. Moore, who visited the Steelers earlier this week, is in San Francisco today meeting with the 49ers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Here’s more on a handful of free agents around the NFL:
- The Seahawks are still in the market for defensive line help and they’ll host Browns free agent defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin today, Rapoport tweets. Back in December, Rubin said that he wanted to stay in Cleveland for life. So far, nothing like that has materialized.
- Wide receiver Greg Jennings told Stephen A. Smith on Sirius XM/Mad Dog Sports Radio that he’d be open to a reunion with the Packers, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. Jennings said that he’d never “tear down” a bridge, but Demovsky notes that Jennings might have done that already with some harsh comments towards the Packers and Aaron Rodgers upon joining the Vikings.
- We heard earlier this week that the Vikings have interest in defensive end George Selvie, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that Minnesota appears to have backed off a little, while the Buccaneers are now “very much” in the mix for Selvie.
- Free agent offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds is paying a visit to the Rams, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). St. Louis has holes at multiple spots on its offensive line, and Reynolds is capable of playing both guard and tackle.
- Washington, the Vikings, and the Bengals are all vying to sign free agent safety Taylor Mays, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. A source tells Tomasson that Cincinnati “desperately” wants to re-sign Mays, who is considering his options.
- The Ravens have maintained interest in potentially re-signing defensive lineman Lawrence Guy, who is visiting the Jets tomorrow, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Former Dolphins defensive end Rakim Cox has been invited to the veterans combine, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
FA Notes: Newman, Johnson, Clay, Lowery
As Peter King of The MMQB.com observes in his latest column, spending big in free agency often doesn’t translate to wins in the next season or two. As such, this year’s spenders – such as the Jets, Eagles, Dolphins, and Jaguars – should be wary about how much of an on-field impact their signings will have in 2015. A team like the Ravens, on the other hand, has enjoyed great success by consistently letting big free agents leave for other teams, then collecting compensatory picks for those players and replenishing the roster with young talent.
Here are a few more free agent updates:
- Veteran cornerback Terence Newman will turn 37 in September, but he intends to continue his playing career. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Newman visited the Vikings yesterday, and is headed to New England today to meet with the Patriots.
- When Michael Johnson‘s new four-year contract with the Bengals was initially reported, figures of $20MM and $24MM were cited as the overall value of the deal. Rapoport offers some clarity on that front, tweeting that the $20MM base value increases to $24MM if Johnson records 10 or more sacks during the 2015 season.
- Rex Ryan has been the “driving force” behind the Bills‘ pursuit of tight end Charles Clay, a source tells Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News. Having become familiar with the Dolphins tight end over the last few years of AFC East divisional games, Ryan badly wants Clay in Buffalo, and the Bills continue to prepare an offer sheet for Miami’s transition player.
- Safety Dwight Lowery admits that the Falcons haven’t shown much interest in re-signing him, and says he hasn’t spoken to new head coach Dan Quinn, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. Atlanta is still without a starting free safety, so it’s possible the team will circle back to Lowery at some point.
- Referring to an article in Australia’s Courier-Mail, former Seahawks defensive lineman Jesse Williams suggested in a tweet that he didn’t actually speak to the outlet. The Courier-Mail piece indicated that Williams himself said he expected to re-sign with Seattle, so it’s not clear whether or not a new deal with the club is actually in the works.
- Earlier today, I listed a few of the top free agents still on the board at each position.
Vikings Re-Sign Mike Harris
11:18am: Harris has confirmed to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) that he simply signed his one-year RFA tender.
10:34am: The Vikings have re-signed offensive tackle Mike Harris to a new contract, the team announced today (Twitter link). Harris, who had been eligible for restricted free agency, received a one-year tender offer from the team worth $1.542MM, but it sounds as if the two sides may have worked out a new deal entirely, perhaps for more than just one season.
Harris, 26, played two seasons for the Chargers before spending the 2014 campaign with the Vikings, and has earned a handful of starts in each of his three years in the NFL. The UCLA product, who took over as Minnesota’s right tackle down the stretch last season, has started 17 of the 32 games he has played since entering the league.
The Vikings figure to continue to utilize Harris as a swing tackle going forward, though his versatility means he could get the opportunity to earn a starting job somewhere along the offensive line in camp.
NFC North Notes: T. Williams, Gurley, Waynes
The Packers were willing to pay Tramon Williams $5MM annually, but dropped out of the bidding for their free agent once the price became too expensive, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter link). Per McGinn, Williams entered the weekend with a target contract of $30MM over four years — the cornerback ultimately scored a three-year, $21MM deal from the Browns, so he came close to his goal in terms of AAV.
Let’s take a look at some more news from the NFC North…
- The Lions were set to host Georgia running back Todd Gurley today, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Gurley, coming off a torn ACL, is projected to be one of the first two RBs taken in next month’s draft.
- Elsewhere in the NFC North, the Vikings are also lining up pre-draft visits, and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes will soon meet with Minnesota. Waynes is viewed as the top CB available by most draft analysts.
- In an interesting piece for ESPN Wisconsin, Jason Wilde examines why the Packers are usually reticent to sign unrestricted free agents, but are generally able to retain their own. The article has many insightful quotes from Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson and is worth a full read.
Vikings Interested In George Selvie
MONDAY, 12:54pm: It looks like the Vikings will indeed get a visit lined up with Selvie this week, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
SUNDAY, 4:45pm: After missing out on free agent Michael Johnson earlier today, the Vikings are still hopeful of improving their defensive end position. According to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota has interest in George Selvie, and could meet with him later this week.
The Vikings first contacted Selvie on March 7, the first day of the legal tampering period, and have begun talking with him ever since, adds Tomasson. The 28-year-old Selvie has started 29 games for the Cowboys over the past two seasons, posting 10 sacks and 60 tackles. The former Jaguar, Panther, and Ram graded as the league’s 37th-best 4-3 DE among 59 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but those metrics showed a stark difference between Selvie’s run defense (where he excelled) and pass-rush (where he struggled).
Regardless, based on last year’s production, Selvie would be an improvement on Brian Robison, who’s been a starter at defensive end for the Vikings since 2011. Robison’s sack numbers have dropped in recent seasons, and he rated as the sixth-worst 4-3 DE in 2014 per PFF. I noted in my preview of Minnesota’s offseason that Robison could be a candidate for release, as the Vikings would save $2.65MM against the cap by cutting him now, or $4.65MM by designating him as a post-June 1 release.
The Vikings currently have about $12.6MM in available cap space, and given that Selvie shouldn’t command an exorbitant base salary or signing bonus, a deal should be able to get worked out, at least from a financial perspective.
King’s Latest: Peterson, Hardy, Winston
After publishing a Wednesday Morning Quarterback last week to recap a crazy first day of NFL free agency, Peter King of TheMMQB.com returns to his usual Monday Morning Quarterback piece this week, and the latest installment includes several noteworthy tidbits from around the league. Let’s round up the highlights….
- Addressing a report about the Cardinals‘ possible interest in Adrian Peterson, King cites a “reliable Cardinals source” who indicates Arizona hasn’t had any contact with the Vikings about Peterson. “There is no way we could live with those numbers,” the source said, referring to the three years and $45MM left on the running back’s contract. “We just got Larry Fitzgerald’s contract under control. No way we’d add that salary.”
- One general manager tells King that Greg Hardy is on his club’s free agent list, “but pretty far down.” Many teams believe the veteran defensive end will be suspended by the league for the first six games of the 2015 season.
- Jameis Winston isn’t currently planning to attend the 2015 NFL draft in Chicago, preferring to spend it with family and friends down south, says King.
- King thinks a team like the Falcons or Buccaneers would be a nice fit for free agent pass rusher Dwight Freeney.
- The Jets likely would have blown any rival offer for Darrelle Revis out of the water, so even if the Patriots had been willing to get into the neighborhood of New York’s five-year, $70MM proposal, the Jets probably would’ve just upped the ante.
- The Cowboys started out at a $5MM-per-year price tag for DeMarco Murray, and were willing to stretch that to $6MM annually, but never considered matching the Eagles‘ final offer, which got up to $8MM+.
NFC Notes: 49ers, Housler, Peterson, Johnson
The 49ers came into the offseason with holes at wide receiver, running back, and defensive line. General manager Trent Baalke filled each one of those holes during the first week of free agency, and will now be able to go into the NFL draft with his options open, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
“When you get pigeonholed like that, other teams can maneuver, if they need to, to get ahead of you,” Baalke said last week. “So you’re always trying to get into that draft with the mindset that nobody can lock you in and say, ‘Boy, they’ve got to take this (position).’ Or, ‘They’ve got to take this position.’ You’re trying to get into it with the idea of we can go wherever we want to go and feel pretty good about it.”
- The Falcons will be on the board with the eighth pick in this year’s NFL Draft, and former NFL executive Bill Polian expects the team to select a pass rusher, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s probably the strength of this draft,” Polian said Wednesday. “So, it is a good time to be in that market. The odds are pretty good, I think, that somebody good in that position is going to be there for (the Falcons). That’s what you like to have. You like for the need line and the talent line to cross.”
- Former Cardinals tight end Rob Housler had a visit with the Falcons, but nothing has come of it so far. The team has not yet agreed to terms with the 6’5″ pass catcher, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- As the Cardinals remain a logical trade partner with the Vikings for Adrian Peterson, Jordan Schultz of the Huffington Post writes that the two sides have been informally chatting about potential deals (via Twitter). Schultz writes that the parameters currently involve Peterson and a seventh-round pick for the Cardinals second-round pick. He also notes that the Cardinals, not the often linked Cowboys, are Peterson’s team of choice.
- Safety Jeron Johnson is visiting with Washington tomorrow, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Caplan expects the former Seahawks safety to start if he signs there. After backing up Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor for 46 games over the past four years, both Caplan and Matt Williamson agree that Johnson could be a great value in free agency (via Twitter).
NFC Links: White, Wallace, Seahawks
Corey White will head to Dallas after the Saints waived him Friday, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer. White had less than four years’ experience, which sent him to the waiver process where the Cowboys picked up the cornerback’s contract.
The soon-to-be 25-year-old White, a fifth-round Saints pick in 2012, started 19 games with New Orleans the past three seasons, including nine last year. The Cowboys, who did not place a tender on then-restricted free agent corner Sterling Moore last weekend, also have interest in bringing in ex-Saints corner Patrick Robinson, Archer added.
Moore rated 22nd among cornerbacks on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) last year, while the site ranked White as its third-worst corner.
White’s cap number more than doubles entering his fourth year, going from $614K to $1.6MM, per OverTheCap.
Elsewhere in free agency’s first official weekend …
- New Vikings No. 1 receiver Mike Wallace did not agree to renegotiate his contract, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Wallace’s Dolphins deal signed in 2013 calls for him to count $9.9MM against the Vikings’ salary cap, which could be the highest figure on the team, depending on what happens with Adrian Peterson ($15.4MM).”I was traded as is, with my contract. We didn’t even discuss anything like that,” Wallace said, via Tomasson.
- Currently the Seahawks‘ No. 2 quarterback behind Russell Wilson, B.J. Daniels figures to get competition here and may have his role expanded to non-quarterback responsibilities, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. The third-stringer behind Wilson and current unrestricted free agent Tarvaris Jackson, Daniels was signed to a futures contract after the 2013 season. Pete Carroll told Condotta the athletic QB could be in line to have a role at wide receiver along with time as a return man. Daniels, a 49ers seventh-round pick in 2013, rushed for more than 2,000 yards in college at South Florida.
- Five cornerbacks on the 2013 Super Bowl champion Seahawks signed for a sum of $126.25MM this week, notes Condotta. Although only Byron Maxwell (six years, $63MM, Eagles) and Walter Thurmond (one year, $3.25MM, Eagles) played for the team in Super Bowl XLVIII, Brandon Browner (three years, $15MM, Saints), Perrish Cox (three years, $15MM, Titans) and Ron Parker (five years, $30MM, Chiefs) were on the roster at various points that season or in training camp.
- OverTheCap provided an analysis of what kind of compensatory draft picks this year’s free agent class can net their former teams. It tabbed Ndamukong Suh, Darrelle Revis, Maxwell and Julius Thomas to result in picks at the end of the 2016 draft’s third round for the Lions, Patriots, Seahawks and Broncos. This year’s compensatory selections are set to be announced later this month.