Contract Details: DRC, Hauschka, Edelman
We’ve got plenty more contract details to round up, so let’s dive right in….
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun and Albert Breer of the NFL Network pass along several key details on Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie‘s contract with the Giants, which seems to include $12MM in fully guaranteed money, and a little more in salary guaranteed for injury only. Here are the relevant Twitter links to read up on all the specifics.
- Wilson also shares the specifics on Steven Hauschka‘s three-year contract with the Seahawks (Twitter link), Walter Thurmond‘s one-year deal with the Giants (Twitter link), and Dane Fletcher‘s one-year deal with the Bucs (Twitter link).
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has been doing a great job all week getting finalized contract details up in his database, and he passed along several new entries today. Among them: The Raiders‘ two-year deals for LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck, the Eagles‘ extension for Darren Sproles, and the Saints‘ five-year pact with Zach Strief.
- Julian Edelman received a $5MM signing bonus from the Patriots on his new contract, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
- John Keim of ESPN.com has the details on Santana Moss‘ minimum salary benefit contract and Clifton Geathers‘ two-year deal with the Redskins.
- Although Michael Oher‘s four-year deal with the Titans was initially reported as including $9.5MM in guaranteed money, it’s actually a little less than that, and only $6MM is fully guaranteed, with another $3.35MM guaranteed for injury only. Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com has the details.
- Emmanuel Sanders‘ three-year, $15MM contract with the Broncos features $6MM in guaranteed money and cap hits of $6MM (2014), $4MM (2015), and $5MM (2016), tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
- Updating his earlier report on Charles Tillman‘s contract with the Bears, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets that the deal includes $150K in performance incentives (based on total interceptions), so it could max out at $3.4MM instead of $3.25MM.
- Frank Zombo‘s two-year deal with the Chiefs is worth $1.6MM and includes a $100K signing bonus, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. A minimum-salary deal for Zombo with a $100K bonus would work out to $1.575MM, so either that $1.6MM figure is rounded up, or the linebacker received slightly more than the minimum.
Patriots Sign Brandon LaFell
TUESDAY, 10:59am: Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston breaks down the specifics of LaFell’s deal, which actually has a base value of $9MM, including a $3MM signing bonus. While Reiss doesn’t mention them, it’s possible incentives could push the value of the deal up to $11MM, as Rapoport suggested over the weekend. That doesn’t appear to be the case though.
MONDAY, 3:47pm: The Patriots have officially announced the signing of LaFell.
SATURDAY, 9:57pm: LaFell’s deal is expected to be worth roughly $11MM over three years, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter).
9:51pm: In the next move of the game, “Anything you can do I can do better,” the Patriots have reached agreement with wide receiver Brandon LaFell, reports Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com (via Twitter).
Curran tweets that it’s a three-year deal between LaFell and the Patriots.
Though probably not a direct response to the Broncos signing Emmanuel Sanders, there does seem to be a bit of an arms race building between the two teams.
LaFell was selected 78th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Panthers, starting 28 games and totaling 93 catches the last two seasons. He caught a season-high seven passes for 59 yards and a touchdown in Carolina’s 24-20 win over New England last season.
East Notes: Jackson, Browner, Giants, Dolphins
Earlier this month, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer shot down rumors suggesting the Eagles could trade or release DeSean Jackson this offseason, but that didn’t stop the wide receiver from reading those earlier reports himself. According to Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com, Jackson is “troubled” by what has been written about him and is unsure about his standing on the team, while the Eagles have yet to contact him to offer him assurance. While it may not be a significant issue at this point, it has become “a bit of a distraction,” one of Jackson’s confidantes tells McManus.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Brandon Browner‘s three-year deal with the Patriots has a base value of $12.35MM, but can be worth up to $16.8MM. Field Yates and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com break down exactly what the cornerback’s contract looks like, and how he can reach those incentives.
- The Giants had, and may still have, some interest in free agent defensive end Robert Ayers, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Ayers is visiting the Bengals tomorrow.
- The Dolphins haven’t ruled out the possibility of re-signing offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, who is willing to move over to right tackle for his next team, as he said on WQAM (link via Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel). The veteran lineman also suggested he may wait until after May’s draft to sign.
- Cortland Finnegan‘s two-year contract with the Dolphins includes a $2MM signing bonus, a $3.5MM guaranteed base salary in 2014, and a $5.45MM non-guaranteed base in 2015, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Patriots Sign Darrelle Revis
Less than 24 hours after Aqib Talib agreed to sign with the Broncos, the Patriots found his replacement. New England agreed to terms on a contract with star cornerback Darrelle Revis last Wednesday and made it official today, according to Revis’ agents (via Twitter).
The Pats essentially locked up Revis to a one-year, $12MM deal, though the team also has an option for 2015 at a rate of $20MM, meaning it’s technically a two-year, $32MM contract. The option includes a $12MM roster bonus due April 1, 2015, and would feature a base salary of $7.5MM. The catch here is that the club option means New England can’t designate Revis as its franchise player for ’15 and won’t receive a compensatory pick if the option is declined.
Revis, 28, was released earlier last Wednesday by the Buccaneers, ahead of a 3:00pm CT deadline. Had Tampa Bay kept the cornerback beyond 3:00, he would have been owed a $1.5MM roster bonus, and the Bucs would have owed the Jets a third-round draft pick rather than a fourth-rounder, due to the terms of last year’s trade. Once Revis hit the open market, the Eagles and Jets were among the teams mentioned as potential suitors, but New England, having just lost Talib, always looked like the bidder to beat.
After missing 2012 with a torn ACL, Revis once again ascended to the top of Pro Football Focus’ cornerback rankings in 2013 for the Bucs (subscription required). It was the second time the former first-round pick had finished atop PFF’s annual cornerback rankings, and the fourth time he had placed inside the top three. In addition to his impressive grades according to the advanced metrics, Revis recorded 50 tackles and grabbed a pair of interceptions.
Revis’ previous deal included annual cap hits of $16MM, so the Pats were wise to not give up a draft pick to acquire him via trade, instead locking him up for a lesser salary. For Revis, a strong season with the perennially contending Pats could land him another big multiyear contract a year from now. Of course, that’s assuming he even has interest in a long-term deal — his deal with Tampa Bay, with its lack of prorated bonus money, essentially functioned as a year-to-year pact.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter) first reported that Revis would be signing with the Patriots, while Tom Pelissero of USA Today (all Twitter links) added contract details. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agency Notes: Visits, Jaguars, Patriots
A couple of notes from around the NFL to distract on this Selection Sunday…
- Defensive end Alex Carrington will be visiting the Raiders and the Rams, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- The Steelers will host receiver Lance Moore on Tuesday, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Moore was released by the Saints more than a week ago.
- The Jaguars still need to add an offensive lineman and are looking for depth at receiver, writes Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.
- Having lost both Dane Fletcher and Brandon Spikes, the Patriots depth at linebacker is getting thin, opines Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com. Jerod Mayo, Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower were the only linebackers on the current roster to have played more than a single defensive snap last season and because of that, Yates thinks the team should consider bringing in more depth either through the draft or free agency.
- Michael Oher‘s new contract with the Titans is “scary,” says Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Oher signed a four-year, $20MM deal earlier this weekend.
- The Colts may need to cut a receiver after adding Hakeem Nicks, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com. Wells believes the competition for the fifth receiver will be between Griff Whalen and LaVon Brazill.
Visit Updates: Manningham, Britt, Bridgewater
Several notes on player visits:
- Receiver Mario Manningham will meet the Giants on Monday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN. Manningham played for the Giants from 2008-2011 before signing with the 49ers.
- Receiver Kenny Britt will meet with the Redskins after he visits the Patriots, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. We noted earlier today that Washington was attempting to schedule a visit with the free agent.
- Linebacker Will Herring visited the Cowboys on Saturday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. A previous deal between the two parties fell through.
- The Chiefs met with offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).
- Caplan also tweets that fullback Erik Lorig met the Saints, who do not have a fullback on the roster after non-tendering Jed Collins.
- Linebacker Rob Jackson will meet with the Raiders, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter).
- Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater met with the Vikings staff, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
AFC East Notes: Edelman, Sanchez, Cooks
As of last night, the Patriots and free agent receiver Julian Edelman were talking about a contract that would keep Tom Brady‘s most productive receiver in New England. Edelman visited the 49ers Friday, but CBS’ Jason La Canfora believes a deal with the Pats remains the most likely scenario (via Twitter).
Other Pats and Jets news and notes:
- The Patriots were supposed to meet with Steve Smith, but they never got the chance, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.
- In a detailed explanation, Jason Fitzgerald of overthecap.com writes the Jets are playing a game of poker with the Mark Sanchez situation.
- The Jets have been “all over” Oregon State receiver Brandin Cooks in pre-draft preparation, according to ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini (via Twitter). That news could be telling, especially remembering back to last year when the team was reportedly fixated on Tavon Austin before the Rams swooped in. While not as versatile, productive or hyped as Austin, Cooks is also a smallish, playmaking receiver who brings an explosive element, something the Jets 31st ranked passing offense sorely needs, even with the signing of Eric Decker. Cooks, who is capable of working inside or outside, blazed 40-yard dash times in the low 4.3s at the Combine. He’s expected to go in the second round, where the Jets hold the 18th pick.
Brandon Browner Signs With Patriots
SATURDAY, 10:41am: Browner has officially signed with the Patriots, who announced the addition via Twitter.
FRIDAY, 6:18PM: Brandon Browner has now agreed to a three-year deal with the Patriots, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the deal could be worth up $17MM for the 6’4″ cornerback (via Twitter).
Browner will join Darrelle Revis as the new toys for Bill Belichick’s defense. The former Seahawk will go from playing across from Richard Sherman to Revis, allowing him to do most of his work against number two receivers. Unlike Revis, Sherman did not follow number one receivers across the formation.
FA Rumors: Weeden, Browner, DRC, Clark
Count the Cowboys among the teams with interest in Brandon Weeden following the signal-caller’s release from the Browns, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. According to Archer, even though the Cowboys believe Kyle Orton will return next season to back up Tony Romo rather than opting to retire, the team could carry three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster. Here’s more on a few free agents who either remain on the market or recently agreed to deals:
- Albert Breer and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network hear from Redskins sources that Brandon Browner hadn’t arrived at Redskins Park for his free agent visit as of close of business today (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link) hears that Browner remains in New England, attempting to hammer out a deal with the Patriots. We recapped the odd back-and-forth developments in the Browner story in an earlier post.
- Following Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie‘s visit with the Jets, the cornerback will meet with the Giants, assuming he doesn’t yet have a deal in place, reports Conor Orr of The Star-Ledger.
- The Panthers have showed interest in free agent safety Ryan Clark, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
- Wide receiver Steve Smith said on a conference call today that before he agreed to sign with the Ravens, the Chargers made him an offer and the Redskins and Seahawks also expressed interest (Twitter link via Joseph Person).
- B.J. Raji received interest from the Raiders and Chiefs before he agreed to re-sign with the Packers, tweets Ian Rapoport. I imagine it’s no coincidence that the general managers in both Oakland and Kansas City have roots in Green Bay.
Ravens Sign Steve Smith To Three-Year Deal
4:27pm: La Canfora clarifies (via Twitter) that the deal, which has been confirmed by the team, can reach a max value of $11MM if an option bonus is exercised down the road.
4:16pm: Smith’s three-year contract is worth $10.5MM, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who adds that the deal includes a $3.5MM signing bonus (Twitter links).
4:09pm: The Ravens have agreed to sign wide receiver Steve Smith, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The longtime Panther was released by Carolina earlier this week, and will ink a three-year contract with the Ravens, Schefter adds in a second tweet.
Even before he was officially cut by the Panthers, Smith was heavily linked to the Ravens, with multiple reports suggesting there was mutual interest between the two sides. The Buccaneers and Raiders were also mentioned as likely suitors, and the Cowboys, Patriots, and Chargers were reportedly among Smith’s preferred trade destinations when Carolina was trying to move him.
More recently, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the Seahawks were also in the mix to sign Smith, along with the Pats. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears from a source that the veteran receiver actually had a visit lined up with New England, but canceled his flight to remain in Baltimore.
Smith, who turns 35 in May, is 19th all-time in NFL history in receiving yards (12,197) and 25th in receptions (836). While he’s not the same explosive playmaker he was in his prime, he should still be a capable target for Joe Flacco alongside Torrey Smith and Dennis Pitta in Baltimore. Last season, Smith grabbed 64 balls for 745 yards and four touchdowns.
Signing with Baltimore will also give Smith a chance to face his old team next season, as the Ravens are set to host the Panthers in 2014. In Smith’s words: “Put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.