Four Teams Express Interest in C.J. Anderson
Broncos free agent C.J. Anderson is generating plenty of intrigue from other teams, as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that the Patriots, Dolphins, 49ers, and Bears have all expressed interest in the running back.
Still, barring some unforeseen circumstances (or an outrageous contract offer), it appears that Anderson will be returning to the Broncos next season. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets that Denver is expected to match “just about any” offer sheet handed to the running back.
The organization slapped the 25-year-old with a low-round tender yesterday, which would be worth $1.671MM next season. The Broncos have the right to match any offer sheet extended to the free agent, but they won’t receive any compensation if he bolts to another team.
An undrafted free agent out of California in 2013, Anderson burst onto the scene during his sophomore season. He compiled 849 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014, and he added another 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Anderson only started six games in 2015, finishing with 720 yards and five scores on 152 attempts. Despite the difficult season, Anderson managed to run for 90 yards and a touchdown during this past season’s Super Bowl.
Dane Fletcher Plans To Retire
4:32pm: New England officially released Fletcher with a failed physical designation, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss reports (on Twitter).
4:16pm: Former Patriots and Buccaneers linebacker Dane Fletcher plans to retire, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets.
Fletcher, who did not play in a game last season, plans to open a gym in Montana, according to Howe.
Last May, Fletcher agreed to re-sign with the Patriots after spending the 2014 season with the Bucs. But the career reserve who started 10 games in five seasons did not suit up for the Pats in 2015. Fletcher tore his ACL in Tampa Bay’s final regular-season game in 2014 and his mom reportedly talked him out of retirement last spring, when he signed a one-year deal to return to the Pats.
The 29-year-old Fletcher opened last season on the PUP list but served as a key special teams player in New England from 2010-13 after catching on with the Patriots initially as a UDFA.
Fletcher made five starts for the AFC champion Pats in 2011 and four with the Bucs in ’14.
Patriots, Ramon Humber Agree To One-Year Deal
The Patriots and linebacker Ramon Humber have agreed to a one-year contract, reports Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter). Financial details are not yet available.
Humber, whom the Saints waived last month, served as a key special teams cog for the club after it signed him during the 2010 season. Since signing with the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State in 2009, the 28-year-old has appeared in 92 regular-season games and made 18 starts at linebacker.
Market Intensifying For RB Bilal Powell
2:59pm: The market for Powell is intensifying, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, who suggests (via Twitter) that the Patriots are no longer in the mix.
1:22pm: The Broncos are also interest in Powell, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link).
8:20am: The Cowboys, Patriots, Ravens, and the incumbent Jets are showing interest in running back Bilal Powell, league sources tell Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Jets could be looking at a full makeover at running back with Stevan Ridley on the open market and Chris Ivory on his way to the Jaguars. 
Powell averaged a career-high 4.5 yards per carry on 70 attempts last season and added a personal-best 47 receptions. If he does leave, it will be a disappointment for head coach Todd Bowles, who has been a vocal supporter of the running back.
“He’s been more of a complete back than even I thought he was coming in. He can block. He can run. He’s not just a pass catcher. He does a bunch of things for us,” Bowles said in January.
The 27-year-old has spent all five of his career NFL seasons with the Jets. In terms of overall yards and usage, his best season came in 2013 when he carried the ball 176 times for 697 yards and one touchdown. Last season, Powell had 70 rushing attempts for 313 yards, giving him a 4.5 yards-per-attempt average.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Mohamed Sanu
There are many teams in on Bengals free agent wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). That list of suitors includes the Giants, Patriots, Falcons, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Washington. 
The Bengals lost Marvin Jones to the Lions on Wednesday morning and it sounds like they could conceivably lose their other top wide receiver to free agency. Jones netted an average annual value of $8MM and it has been speculated that Sanu could command $5MM/year, particularly because of the lack of talent at the position in this year’s crop. In 2014, Sanu hauled in 56 catches for 790 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, however, he saw a dip in production with just 33 catches for 394 yards and no touchdowns.
Sanu earned honorable mention on PFR’s Top 50 List of NFL Free Agents. At the wide receiver position, Sanu was ranked as the No. 7 wide receiver available, behind Jones, Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Anquan Boldin, and Jermaine Kearse.
In other Bengals news, Reggie Nelson will get interest from the Vikings and Buccaneers when free agency opens, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. Cincinnati, as it turns out, does not want the safety back at this point. The Bengals floated a two-year offer to Nelson earlier this week and the safety did not accept, sources tell Jim Owczarski of the Enquirer tweets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Schwartz, Boykin, Falcons
Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz has a decent chance of returning to the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets. Schwartz’s deal could fall in the neighborhood of $7.5MM, she adds. Meanwhile, Michael Silver of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Schwartz likely won’t return to the Browns.
While we wait to see how Schwartz’s free agency plays out, check out this roundup of the latest free agent rumors:
- There’s not much momentum between the Steelers and Brandon Boykin, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The Falcons, however, are among the teams with interest in the cornerback.
- Defensive end Chris Clemons is on his way to visit the Seahawks, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. If things go well, he could sign and make his return to Seattle.
- Defensive end William Hayes is in play for the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets. Hayes, along with new acquisition Mario Williams, would boost the defensive line if Olivier Vernon leaves in free agency as expected.
- Chiefs free agent wide receiver Jason Avant says that he isn’t done yet and wants to continue his career, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. Avant caught 15 passes for 119 yards during the regular season. In the Chiefs’ 27-20 AFC divisional-round loss to the Patriots, Avant caught four passes for 69 yards.
- Left tackle Donald Penn has talked with the Seahawks, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets.
- The Cowboys and Seahawks are among the teams interested in defensive lineman Cedric Thornton, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
- Mike Harris is now considering a one-year deal with the Vikings, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. Harris could battle with Brandon Fusco at right guard, Tomasson adds.
AFC Contract Details: Osemele, Irvin, M. Jackson
Here are the latest updates on many recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the AFC:
AFC West:
- Kelechi Osemele, G/T (Raiders): Five years, $58.5MM. $25.4MM fully guaranteed. Max value of $60MM via Pro Bowl incentives. Guaranteed base salaries of $6.7MM in 2016 and 2017. $6MM roster bonuses in 2016 and 2017 (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post).
- Bruce Irvin, OLB (Raiders): Four years, $37MM. $14.5MM fully guaranteed. $19MM total guarantee. $6MM roster bonus in 2016, $2.25MM roster bonus in 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Joe Barksdale, T (Chargers): Four years, $22MM. $10.5MM fully guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. Fully guaranteed $3.5MM salary in 2016. $3MM of $4.5MM salary in 2017 fully guaranteed (Twitter links via Wilson).
AFC South:
- Malik Jackson, DL (Jaguars): Six years, $85.5MM. $31.5MM fully guaranteed. $42MM total guarantee. $10.5MM of $13.5MM base salary for 2018 becomes fully guaranteed in March 2018 (Twitter links via Pelissero).
- Dwayne Allen, TE (Colts): Four years, $29.4MM. $4MM signing bonus. $16MM total guarantee (including injury guarantee). $5.5MM roster bonus in 2016. $2MM roster bonus on fifth day of 2017 league year (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Ben Jones, C/G (Titans): Four years, $17.5MM. $3.5MM signing bonus. $7.5MM guaranteed. $2.5MM of $3.5MM salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed. $500K roster bonus due in March 2016 (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Chris Clark, T (Texans): Two years, $6MM. $1MM signing bonus. $750K roster bonus due on March 16 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Adam Vinatieri, K (Colts): Two years, $6MM. $1MM of $3.25MM salary for 2016 is guaranteed. Can earn $500K in field-goal percentage incentives each year (Twitter link via Wilson).
AFC North:
- Shareece Wright, CB (Ravens): Three years, $13MM. $4MM signing bonus. Up to $1MM annually in playing-time incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- William Gay, CB (Steelers): Three years, $7.5MM. $1.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ben Watson, TE (Ravens): Two years, $7MM. $2MM signing bonus. $3MM fully guaranteed. $1MM roster bonus due April 1, 2016. $1MM escalator for 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Tank Carder, LB (Browns): Two years, $2.5MM. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
AFC East:
- Mario Williams, DE (Dolphins): Two years, $17MM. $4MM signing bonus. Fully guaranteed $4.485MM salary for 2016. $3.5MM of $8.45MM salary for 2017 guaranteed for injury; becomes fully guaranteed on fifth day of 2017 league year. Deal includes incentives for sacks, playing time, Pro Bowls (all Twitter links via Wilson).
- LaAdrian Waddle, T (Patriots): Two years, $2.35MM. $250K signing bonus. $200K annually in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter links via Wilson and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
Patriots Re-Sign LaAdrian Waddle
The Patriots and tackle LaAdrian Waddle have agreed to a two-year deal, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal, which quietly took place on Tuesday, includes a $250K bonus and gives the lineman $2.425MM before incentives, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. 
Waddle, a former undrafted free agent, was cut by the Lions in December after playing two-plus seasons with the team. Soon after, he was picked up by the Patriots. The 24-year-old (25 in July) has battled injuries in recent years, including a torn ACL in 2014. Last year, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Waddle as the worst qualified offensive tackle in the NFL with an overall grade of 23.5.
Specific terms of the deal are not yet known, but I would expect that a large portion of Waddle’s contract will be non-guaranteed. Waddle will likely compete for a reserve tackle role in camp this summer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Bengals Free Agent WRs
The latest out of Cincinnati:
- There is mutual interest between the Patriots and Mohamed Sanu, according to sources who spoke with Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Howe writes that Sanu could command $5MM/year, particularly because of the lack of talent at the position in this year’s crop. In 2014, Sanu hauled in 56 catches for 790 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, he saw a dip in production with just 33 catches for 394 yards and no touchdowns.
- The Titans are also showing interest in Sanu, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
- Marvin Jones is “atop the Giants‘ wide receiver wish list,” according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter). Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press says that the Lions feel similarly about Jones (link).
Extra Points: Hasselbeck, Powell, Vernon
Former Colts quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is set to join the cast of ESPN’s Sunday Countdown, sources tell Jason McIntyre of the Big Lead, who adds that a retirement announcement from Hasselbeck could come as soon as tomorrow. Indianpolis informed Hasselbeck that it would not re-sign him late last month:
More from around the league before the craziness starts tomorrow:
- The Patriots are interested in free agent running back Bilal Powell, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Jets, Powell’s club for the duration of his career, already lost one RB earlier tonight when Chris Ivory agreed to sign with the Jaguars.
- Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports is the latest to confirm rumors that the Dolphins may rescind Olivier Vernon‘s franchise tag, noting that if the club works out an extension with Cameron Wake, Vernon could become an unrestricted free agent.
- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo underwent successful collarbone surgery and is expected to recover within six-to-eight weeks, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).