Cardinals Acquire Chandler Jones From Pats
The Cardinals and Patriots have agreed to a trade that will send defensive end Chandler Jones to Arizona. In exchange for Jones, the Pats will receive offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick. 
The Cardinals had been seeking an impact pass rusher this offseason, and they’ll get one in Jones. In 2015, the 26-year-old appeared in (and started) 15 games for the Patriots, totaling 44 tackles to go along with a career-high 12.5 sacks. The former first-round pick also added four forced fumbles, two passes defended, and his first career interception, earning a Pro Bowl spot for the first time.
Jones had been one of several players eligible for an extension and in line for a huge payday in New England, so it will now be the Cardinals’ responsibility to lock up the pass rusher on his next deal. Currently, Jones is under contract on a fifth-year option worth nearly $7.8MM in fully guaranteed salary for the 2016 season. He’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency next winter if he’s not extended or franchised.
The Cardinals reportedly made a run at Jason Pierre-Paul and did their homework on Olivier Vernon – before his market exploded – as part of their hunt for a pass rusher this offseason. By acquiring Jones, they get a player who will be more affordable than those top free agents for 2016, and one who has also been more productive in recent years. Since his rookie season in 2012, Jones has piled up 36 sacks, compared to 29 for Vernon and 22 for JPP.
As for the Patriots, they also receive a former first-round pick in the swap — Cooper went seventh overall in the 2013 draft. After missing his rookie season due to a broken fibula, the 26-year-old has started just 11 games for the Cardinals in the past two years, failing to carve out a long-term role in Arizona. However, he still has plenty of talent, and could play either guard or center on the Patriots’ line.
New England also adds an early draft pick in the deal to help make up for the team’s lost first-rounder. The Patriots’ own second-rounder falls at 60th overall, while the Cards held the 61st pick, so the Pats will now have back-to-back selections midway through day two, and it’s fair to wonder if they’ll use one of those picks on a pass rusher to help make up for the loss of Jones.
By making the swap, the Patriots will clear Jones’ entire $7.799MM cap number from their books for the 2016 season, replacing that figure with Cooper’s more affordable $2.389MM cap hit. The move signals that New England will likely focus on locking up its other top extension candidates on defense, including Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, and Malcolm Butler.
It’s also worth considering that Jones was involved in an unusual off-field story in January, when he reportedly had a bad reaction to synthetic marijuana and required medical attention. While that may have been an isolated incident, the league’s strict policy on substances of abuse could have contributed to the Patriots’ reluctance to lock up Jones to a lucrative long-term deal.
Adam Schefter and Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link) first reported that a trade was agreed upon. Both teams have since confirmed the deal via press release. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Contract Details: Weddle, Sensabaugh, Hayward
Listed below are several of the latest contract details on recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the NFL. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless other indicated.
AFC:
- Eric Weddle, S (Ravens): Four years, $26MM. $13MM guaranteed ($9MM fully guaranteed). $7MM signing bonus. $1MM roster bonus due on April 4. $4MM base salary guaranteed for injury at signing; becomes fully guaranteed if on the roster on the fifth day of the 2017 league year. $1MM annual Pro Bowl incentives from 2017 to 2019 (Twitter links).
- Casey Hayward, CB (Chargers): Three years, $15.3MM. $6.8MM guaranteed. $2.5MM signing bonus. $3.3MM roster bonus due on March 18. $1MM roster bonuses due on third day of 2017, 2018 league years (Twitter links).
- Chris Hogan, WR (Patriots): Three years, $12MM. $7.5MM guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus paid on March 14. $500K in annual per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Mackenzy Bernadeau, OL (Jaguars): Two years, $3MM. $250K signing bonus. $250K option bonus to be exercised 22 days before first day of 2017 league year (Twitter links).
NFC:
- Coty Sensabaugh, CB (Rams): Three years, up to $19MM. $6.5MM guaranteed. $3.5MM roster bonus due on March 18. $1MM roster bonus due third day of 2017 league year (becomes fully guaranteed this Friday). $1.5MM annually incentives for playing time, fumble recoveries, interceptions, and playoffs (all Twitter links).
- J’Marcus Webb, G/T (Seahawks): Two years, $6MM. $2.45MM guaranteed. $1.2MM signing bonus. $500K in annual per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Zach Miller, TE (Bears): Two years, $5.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus. $500K roster bonus due on March 18. $500K in annual per-game roster bonuses. Up to $1MM in annual incentives for playing time, catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns (Twitter links).
- Chris Conte, S (Buccaneers): One year, $3MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus due on March 17. Up to $1MM in incentives for playing time, stats, and playoffs (Twitter link).
- Josh Robinson, CB (Buccaneers): One year, $2MM. $500K roster bonus due on March 18 (Twitter link).
- Sealver Siliga, DT (Seahawks): One year, $1.05MM. $200K signing bonus. $50K Week 1 active roster bonus. Up to $350K in incentives (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Bradley Sowell, T (Seahawks): One year, $1MM. $200K signing bonus. Up to $500K in playing-time incentives (Twitter link).
- Dan Orlovsky, QB (Lions): One year, minimum salary benefit. $160K guaranteed. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
- Red Bryant, DL (Cardinals): One year, minimum salary benefit. $55K Week 1 roster bonus. $25K workout bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
Free Agent Rumors: Raji, Packers, Pats
The latest free agent rumors:
- Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter) heard that Packers lineman B.J. Raji had “five legit offers,” though as Silverstein notes, “legit” is in the eye of the beholder. Raji, he hears, had to weigh those offers versus wanting to spend time with his family plus his own health concerns.
- Free agent receiver Nate Washington met with the Patriots on Monday, according to FOX 26’s Mark Berman (via Twitter). Washington was ranked as Pro Football Rumors’ No. 13 free agent wide receiver in early March.
- Browns free agent linebacker Craig Robertson is on his way to visit the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Robertson just got done visiting with Seattle. As Schefter notes, the Browns have already lost five unrestricted free agents this month and they could be on their way to losing free agent No. 6 if Robertson signs elsewhere.
- Cornerback Antwon Blake will visit the Patriots on Tuesday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. Blake visited the Titans today and also has a visit scheduled with the Lions on Wednesday.
- The Giants are looking for cornerbacks, particularly corners that can play in the slot, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. He adds that Patrick Robinson and Jerraud Powers are two players to keep an eye on. The Eagles, Dolphins, and Bears have also been connected to Robinson.
- Free agent defensive end Chris Clemons completed his visit with the Dolphins, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
AFC FA Rumors: Weddle, Holmes, Fitzpatrick
The Steelers were among the teams rumored to be in the hunt for safety Eric Weddle, who ultimately agreed to join the division-rival Ravens, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears that Pittsburgh didn’t make a formal contract offer to the safety. According to La Canfora, the Steelers stopped monitoring Weddle’s market over the weekend, shifting their focus to landing an offensive tackle.
Meanwhile, the Patriots were also a team frequently cited as a potential suitor for Weddle, but New England wasn’t one of the finalists for his services, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Schrager notes that Weddle and his agent spent a few hours this morning “going back and forth with two teams.” One of those clubs was the Ravens, but the identity of the second team remains unclear.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- The Raiders are making a push to bring back wide receiver Andre Holmes, tweets Bill Williamson of Fanrag Sports. Williamson cautions that nothing is done yet, and there’s no guarantee Holmes will return to Oakland, but the two sides appear headed toward a reunion for now.
- While there’s a belief that the Jets will eventually increase their offer to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and find a middle ground, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Fitzpatrick may not give them the opportunity, possibly having been insulted by a lowball offer. Of course, for that to happen, the free agent quarterback will need to find a suitable offer elsewhere.
- According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter), Patriots head coach Bill Belichick called Akiem Hicks last night in a last-ditch effort to keep him in New England. The defensive tackle ultimately signed with the Bears instead, and Howe suggests that the Pats’ offer was for more years, but at a lower annual salary.
- Former Ravens safety and special-teamer Brynden Trawick, who was non-tendered by Baltimore, is paying a visit to the Bengals, tweets Joe Goodberry of CincyJungle.com.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald isn’t sure why the Dolphins are interested in veteran defensive end Chris Clemons.
Chris Long To Visit Patriots
MONDAY, 11:57am: Long is expected to visit three teams this week – including the Patriots and Cowboys – before regrouping to weigh his options and make a decision, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
SUNDAY, 10:01pm: The Patriots haven’t added any big names this offseason, but that might change soon. Free agent defensive end Chris Long will visit the team and hold a workout Monday, ESPN’s Trey Wingo reports (on Twitter).
Long’s previous team, the Rams, cut him Feb. 19 after he endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons. The soon-to-
be 31-year-old suited up for just 18 of 32 regular-season games during that span, but he’s reportedly “100% healthy” and says that he only wants to sign with a Super Bowl contender. The Patriots certainly fit the bill in that respect, and they have a connection to Long in in defensive assistant Brendan Daly, who was the D-line coach in St. Louis from 2009-11 (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com). Further, the Pats lost a talented defensive lineman Sunday when Akiem Hicks agreed to a deal with the Bears.
Unlike Hicks, Long has been a pass-rushing force at his best. The former second overall pick added 41.5 sacks from 2010-13, including a career-high 13 in 2011, before dropping to a combined four over the past two years. In New England, the eight-year veteran would further beef up a pass rush that already features Chandler Jones, Jabaal Sheard and Rob Ninkovich coming off the edges. The Patriots finished last season with the second-most sacks in the NFL (49).
Since his Rams tenure ended, Long has visited with Washington and the Falcons. He also has a meeting with the Cowboys scheduled for the upcoming week.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Okung, Galette, Raji, Forte
Free agent offensive tackle Russell Okung has offers on the table from the Lions, Steelers, and Giants, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Okung is talking to Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak today. Meanwhile, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link) hears that the Giants are probably an underdog for the former first-round pick, who has no other visits scheduled for now.
While La Canfora doesn’t indicate that the Seahawks have made a formal offer to Okung, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Seattle is out of it. We heard last week that the Seahawks were making a push to bring back their tackle, and it’s possible he’ll give his longtime team a chance to match offers he receives from rival suitors. Since he’s representing himself, Okung’s time on the market has lasted a little longer than it otherwise might have, but it looks like there’s a decent chance of him getting something done this week.
Let’s round up a few more free agent rumors from around the NFL…
- Junior Galette remains in a holding pattern, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post, who reports that the pass rusher would like a one-year deal that would pay him in the $7-9MM range. Jones writes that Washington has made one-, two-, and three-year offers to Galette, but they’re all low on base salaries and heavy on incentives.
- The Panthers are in the market for players to contribute to their defensive tackle rotation, and David Newton of ESPN.com says that the team has interest in B.J. Raji. Carolina also brought in Paul Soliai for a visit over the weekend, as we previously heard.
- In a conversation with reporters, including Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Matt Forte said today that the Buccaneers and Cowboys were among his suitors, and the Patriots and Packers also expressed “minor interest.” Forte, who ultimately signed with the Jets, added that not receiving an offer from the Bears was a “hard pill to swallow.”
- According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill is the latest in a series of interior defenders to visit the Seahawks, who are looking to beef up the middle of the line in the wake of Brandon Mebane‘s departure.
East Notes: Bills, Cowboys, Dolphins, Pats
The latest from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- The Bills have fired defensive line coach Karl Dunbar after one year on the job, reports Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday (Twitter link). Dunbar had worked under head coach Rex Ryan with both the Jets and Bills since 2012.
- The Cowboys are “intent” on decreasing cornerback Brandon Carr‘s $13.8MM cap hit, so whether he sticks with the team will hinge on his willingness to take a pay cut – something he may be open to – writes David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. Carr, who will turn 30 in May, joined the Cowboys in 2012 and has since intercepted six passes, though he hasn’t registered a pick since 2013.
- The Dolphins haven’t closed the book on signing a veteran wideout at some point to replace the departed Rishard Matthews, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. As Jackson notes, available options include big names like Anquan Boldin, Marques Colston Roddy White and Percy Harvin.
- The Patriots didn’t make a push to sign tight end Ben Watson before he agreed to a deal with Baltimore earlier this week, but they might have done so had he come cheaper, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Watson, who got two years and $8MM from the Ravens, was the Patriots’ first-round pick in 2004. He was with the franchise through the 2009 campaign, catching 167 passes and 20 touchdowns.
- Patriots guard Tre’ Jackson missed both of the team’s playoff games with a knee injury. As a result, he has undergone a knee scope within the last month, per Reiss, who adds that it’s unlikely to affect the 23-year-old’s long-term availability. Jackson, a fourth-rounder last year, appeared in 13 games and made nine starts as a rookie.
East Notes: Fitzpatrick, Patriots, Giants
We heard earlier today that the Broncos have, in fact, reached out to free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but like the Jets, Denver is unwilling to meet Fitzpatrick’s current salary demands. As Brian Costello of The New York Post writes, Denver’s “stinginess” in that regard could push Fitzpatrick back to New York, since other quarterback-needy clubs like the Browns, 49ers, and Rams have expressed no interest in the 33-year-old. Costello does have a point, and as he writes in a separate piece, it is probably time for both sides to come out of their respective trenches and compromise, with a contract worth about $10MM per year and some incentives based on statistics or playoff appearances looking like a fair middle ground.
Now let’s take a look at some more links fro the league’s east divisions:
- Count Jets wideout Brandon Marshall as one big-name member of Gang Green that wants Fitzpatrick to return to the team. As Seth Walder of The New York Daily News writes, Marshall fears losing Fitz to free agency, saying, “The way we communicate, the way we practice together, the way we bring other guys together, I’ve never seen that anywhere else. And I’ve been a lot of places. And I’ve had a lot of quarterbacks. So that’s the toughest thing for me when I think about him potentially putting on another jersey.”
- The Patriots, as usual, have been relatively quiet during the first wave of free agency, and as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe observes, that approach makes sense, as New England already has its top players under contract and is saving to re-sign some of its key contributors whose contracts expire at the end of the 2016 season (like Malcolm Butler, Jamie Collins, and Rob Ninkovich). Volin suggests, however, that the team may want to take care of Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman now to head off any possible discontent (Gronkowski has recently expressed frustration with his contract on Twitter, and while Edelman has not publicly voiced any concern with his current deal, the fact that Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola are set to make more money than him in 2016 could change things in a hurry).
- Unlike New England, the Giants made a huge splash in the early stages of free agency, and Ralph Vacchiano of The New York Daily News commends the club for its extravagances. Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, though, notes that Big Blue is not done spending, and he puts together a list of second-tier players the Giants could target, a list that includes players like Andre Holmes, Rashad Johnson, and Andre Branch.
- Raanan passes along a note on Keenan Robinson‘s new deal with the Giants, pointing out that the contract is actually a one-year, $2.6MM pact. It had previously been reported that Robinson had inked a one-year, $3.5MM deal, but Raanan says that $900K of that figure is comprised of not likely to be earned incentives. Raanan’s piece provides details on all of the Giants’ free agent contracts thus far.
- Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald welcomes the Dolphins‘ new, more measured approach to free agency this offseason, a stark contrast to the team’s recent free-spending ways. Although one can take issue with some of Miami’s decisions–the Mario Williams signing, for instance–the change in strategy is still refreshing.
Patriots To Re-Sign Nate Ebner
The Patriots plan to bring back key special teams presence Nate Ebner, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter). It’s a two-year deal for the fifth-year defensive back, Tom Curran of CSNNE.com tweets.
Terms of the deal are not yet disclosed. The team sought to keep Ebner, a sixth-round selection in 2012, on an accord worth around the veteran minimum.
Ebner’s played in at least 15 regular-season games in three of his four seasons with the Patriots. His 11 special teams tackles last season ranked third on the Patriots, behind Pro Bowler Matt Slater‘s 17 and Brandon King‘s 12.
Latest On James Laurinaitis
2:28pm: The amount of interest in Laurinaitis appears to have been exaggerated. Per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the report below indicating five teams have already met with the free agent linebacker came from a Twitter account posing as Laurinaitis’ father (Twitter link). The Saints and Falcons appear to be in the mix, but it’s probably not safe to assume any of the new teams are pursuing Laurinaitis.
12:00pm: Add the 49ers to that list of questionable inclusions. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes that the linebacker hasn’t met with the 49ers, and it’s uncertain whether the player will even meet with the organization.
10:18am: ESPN’s John Keim tweets that a person within the Washington organization wasn’t aware of a meeting with Laurinaitis. The writer notes that he’s “putting no stock” in the comments by the linebacker’s father.
9:18am: James Laurinaitis has been a busy man since being cut by the Rams last month. We knew that the linebacker had already traveled to New Orleans and Atlanta to meet with the Saints and Falcons, respectively. However, it doesn’t sound like his travels ended there.
According to the Laurinaitis’ father (via Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com), the 29-year-old has met with five other teams: the Patriots, Bears, 49ers, Giants, and Washington.
The Ohio State product was a consistent force in the Rams’ defense for the past seven years. The linebacker started every possible game during his tenure in St. Louis, and he never finished with less than 100 tackles in a single season. This past year, Laurinaitis compiled 109 tackles, one sack and one interception. The linebacker has averaged 122 tackles, two sacks and five passes defended per season.
Despite these consistent numbers, the advanced stats have not been particularly friendly. For his 2015 performance, Pro Football Focus ranked Laurinaitis 83rd among eligible linebackers, which placed him third on the Rams (behind Mark Barron and Akeem Ayers). He still earned a spot on our rankings of the best free agent inside linebackers, placing seventh.