DeSean Jackson Updates: Monday
With most of this year’s notable free agents off the board, DeSean Jackson‘s release breathed some new life into the free agent market, and rumors swirled around Jackson and his potential landing spots for much of the weekend. Yesterday, we asked which club would eventually land the standout receiver, and you made the Raiders your pick, with the Redskins not too far behind. Do today’s updates and rumors reflect that result? Let’s dive in and round up the latest….
- ESPN’s Ed Werder jumps into the fray, saying there is no deal between the Redskins and Jackson, noting that he will continue meeting with the Redskins tomorrow as well as keep talking with other interested teams (Twitter link).
- A source close to Jackson says it’s a “done deal” between the Redskins and the receiver, tweets Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com also chimes in, saying that while the two parties had a good meeting, Jackson has more visits lined up tomorrow, and a number of teams are still competing for the playmaker (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- Werder, who reported earlier (as we note below) that two mystery teams are believed to be deep in negotiations with Jackson, adds the Jets and Panthers to the list of clubs expected to be involved, and says the Patriots, Saints, and Packers are out (Twitter link).
- Jackson will visit the Redskins today, and the trip is expected to extend through Tuesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who adds that the Raiders and Bills are also in the hunt.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com thinks Redskins owner Dan Snyder and GM Bruce Allen will “put on the hard sell” to sign the former Eagle. King adds that Allen could include details in the team’s contract offer that would provide Washington some insurance in the event of any off-field incidents.
- On the other hand, Mark Maske and Mike Jones of the Washington Post write that the Redskins may not be willing to be break the bank for Jackson. The Post duo hears that while the team is “all-in” in its pursuit of the receiver, it has to be at the right price.
- According to ESPN’s Ed Werder (Twitter link), two teams who have yet to be publicly identified as having interest in Jackson are deep in talks with the receiver.
- Among the teams not expected to pursue Jackson: The Lions, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, and the Browns, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
NFC Notes: Moore, Panthers, Bailey, Rams
We’ve taken a turn around the NFC North and the NFC East, so let’s cover the news items in the rest of the NFC:
- Receiver Marlon Moore, formerly of the Dolphins and 49ers, will have a tryout with the Buccaneers, tweets Howard Balzer. Moore is more of a special teams contributor than an offensive weapon.
- Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders will visit with the Saints, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
- The Panthers, who could still use help at receiver and on the offensive line, will “keep their eye out for free agent bargains,” but are mostly preparing for the draft, says Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
- The 49ers have several cornerbacks who have had run-ins with the law, including the recently-arrested Chris Culliver, and veteran Champ Bailey could be a valuable addition to replace some of the leadership lost with the departures of Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown, writes Matt Barrows the Sacramento Bee.
- Another NFC West team looking to add to its secondary is the Rams, opines ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. “It would have been nice [to add a veteran], but honestly that market got priced out of what we were looking for,” said head coach Jeff Fisher. Wagoner expects the team to add a cornerback at some point in the draft.
NFC Mailbag Roundup: Cowboys, Packers
Thanks to ESPN dedicating a seasoned reporter to each NFL team, there’s never a shortage for content. Today is mailbag day, where the reporters answer Twitter questions from fans in posts on the ESPN NFL Nation site. We’ve perused the mailbags and are bringing you the most relevant information from the NFC:
- Todd Archer thinks $11MM a year for Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant might be a little high, in part because of the money tied up in quarterback Tony Romo. However, if the contract is structured in such a way to encourage Bryant to prove it every year — with yearly roster bonuses, for example — it would make more sense.
- Rob Demovsky takes on the Packers center situation, saying the team can’t pay everyone big money on the offensive line. Guards T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton are each on their second contracts, while tackles Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod earn first-round pick salaries. Demovsky pegs center candidate J.C. Tretter as “smart, athletic, extremely versatile and a tough guy,” and says Don Barclay and possibly a draft pick with challenge Tretter for the job.
- In an interesting bit of news, Demovsky reports that the Packers will gain $350K in salary-cap space for this season and every season through 2017 thanks to an insurance policy that kicked in when quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed seven games with a fractured left clavicle.
- Cornerback Charles Godfrey currently carries a $7.1MM salary cap figure, and David Newton says the Panthers want Godfrey on the roster, but not at that number. Godfrey suffered an Achilles injury in Week 2 that prematurely ended his 2013 season, and his recovery from the injury will go a long way to figuring out his status on the team.
- Mike Triplett says there’s probably a “good chance” the Saints will add another veteran receiver.
- Michael Rothstein does not agree with the Lions‘ choice to not exercise the defensive tackle’s $5.5MM option for 2015.
- Dan Graziano says North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron “remains a strong possibility” for the Giants with the No. 12 overall pick.
- Ryan Clark remains an option at free safety for the Redskins, John Keim writes, adding that he thinks the team will draft someone at the position.
- Ben Goessling doesn’t think the Vikings were willing to spend what the Giants ended up spending for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Saints To Re-Sign Luke McCown
The Saints have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with backup quarterback Luke McCown, according to agent Mike McCartney (via Twitter). The announcements comes on the heels of head coach Sean Payton expressing this morning that he’d like the club to re-sign the veteran signal-caller.
McCown, who has also played for the Browns, Bucs, Jaguars, and Falcons, will be returning to New Orleans for a second season. In 2013, the 32-year-old didn’t see much action behind a healthy Drew Brees, appearing in just three games for the Saints. McCown misfired on his only pass attempt of the season.
The Saints also have youngster Ryan Griffin under contract, and Payton had high praise for him this morning as well (Twitter link via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com). Still, McCown will probably enter the summer as the favorite to be Brees’ primary backup.
Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but McCown undoubtedly won’t make out as well as his older brother Josh McCown, who signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Bucs earlier this month. Luke’s contract is more likely to be a minimum salary benefit deal, which is what he played on in 2013.
Saints Rumors: Graham, Lorig, McCown
There was speculation after Jimmy Graham received the franchise tag from the Saints a few weeks ago that the standout pass catcher could draw interest from a team willing to part with two first-round picks to sign him, but so far nothing has materialized. Instead, Saints head coach Sean Payton believes Graham will eventually reach a long-term agreement with the club, suggesting that “a lot of us feel it’s not a matter of if, but when” (Twitter link). Here are a few Wednesday updates related to Graham and more Saints-related issues:
- Payton tells Pro Football Talk that he believes a deal with Graham before the grievance deadline of April 22 is likely. However, the head coach believes the franchise tag system is “antiquated” and said this morning that it was only a matter of time before a player like Graham battled his position designation (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
- The Saints didn’t go into free agency intending to sign a fullback, but jumped at the opportunity to sign a “very good” football player in Erik Lorig, said Payton (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett).
- According to Payton, New Orleans will always pay attention to quarterbacks in the draft, but the club would like to re-sign veteran backup Luke McCown (Twitter links via Triplett).
- Tim Lelito will be in the mix at center for the Saints, according to Payton, but the situation is still unfolding and the club could bring in a veteran (Twitter link via Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune).
- Payton also said today that there’s always a premium on cornerbacks and pass-rushers, and teams always have interest in adding another one (Twitter link via Holder).
NFC Notes: Newton, Cowboys, Suh, Rams
Although the Panthers would like to eventually reach an agreement with quarterback Cam Newton that keeps him in Carolina for several years, for now the club expects to take advantage of its fifth-year option for 2015, GM Dave Gettleman confirmed today. As a top-10 pick in 2011, Newton will be in line for a fifth-year salary worth the amount of the quarterback transition tag. Here are a few more updates from across the NFC:
- Like the Panthers, the Cowboys hope to lock up their own 2011 first-rounder, Tyron Smith, for the long-term, but in the meantime, “all signs point to” the club exercising its fifth-year option for 2015 on Smith, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dismissed the idea that his team is in rebuilding mode, as Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com details.
- Lions president Tom Lewand confirmed today that he has been in contact with Jimmy Sexton, the agent for Ndamukong Suh. However, the two sides won’t meet in Orlando to discuss an extension for Suh, since Lewand doesn’t believe it’s an ideal setting to do business (Twitter links via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
- Jimmy Graham of the Saints and Greg Hardy of the Panthers are still on the franchise tag for now, but Saints owner Tom Benson is very confident New Orleans will work out a multiyear deal with Graham sooner or later, writes Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune. As for Hardy, Gettleman says the Panthers are letting the smoke clear before revisiting a potential long-term contract for the star defensive end, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com.
- Although the Rams may have some interest in Mark Sanchez, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch believes that interest is tepid at best.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports (via Twitter) that both players the Rams signed on Monday received minimum-salary deals, with Greg Reid inking a three-year contract and Etienne Sabino signing for one year. Neither pact included a bonus.
Extra Points: Graham, McClain, Ryan, Jags
The Saints and Jimmy Graham are expected to reach an agreement on a long-term deal before April 22, reports Pro Football Talk, citing a league source. That date represents the deadline by which Graham must file a grievance over the league designating him a tight end for franchise tag purposes (Graham sought to be tagged as a receiver, which would have netted him a tender worth approximately $5MM more than the $7MM tight end tender).
Rounding up a few more miscellaneous links from around the league:
- Retired linebacker Rolando McClain, whose rights are held by the Ravens, intends to return to the field in 2014, and owner Steve Biscotti is open to it, according to the Carroll County Times’ Matt Zenitz. Drafted eighth overall by the Raiders in 2010, McClain’s trails and tribulations, including three arrests over a 17-month period, have been well-documented. Recently, however, he has returned to school at Alabama, gotten his personal life in order and stayed in good enough shape to consider a comeback. Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, an Alabama alumnus, has received “glowing reports” from Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and been in contact with McClain’s agent.
- It’s no secret Jets head coach Rex Ryan has not been pleased with the team’s inability to land a marquee cornerback, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted DeMarcus Ware was the big fish Ryan really wanted to reel in.
- Entering free agency, Redskins GM Bruce Allen sought to “address team chemistry as much as the talent,” writes ESPN.com’s Steve Keim.
- Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell believes the depth of this year’s draft class will enable the team to land three or four starters, says John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter). One of those starters could be a quarterback, as the team will meet privately with Texas A&M Johnny Manziel, as they did with Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater and Central Florida’s Blake Bortles, tweets Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union.
- The seven-round draft order, updated with compensatory picks, can be found here, courtesy of ESPN.
NFC Notes: Sanchez, Cutler, Kaepernick, Kuhn
The Eagles appear to be the frontrunners to sign Mark Sanchez, but the quarterback doesn’t have an agreement in place with any team yet. As Sanchez and his suitors weigh the decision, we can rule out Seattle as a potential landing spot. Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com tweets that the Seahawks, who had been mentioned because of the connection to former USC coach Pete Carroll, aren’t in the mix for the former Jet.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- According to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter), the Bears have created a little 2014 cap space by converting $5MM of Jay Cutler‘s $22.5MM base salary into a signing bonus. That allows the team to spread the bonus out in even $1MM hits over the next five seasons, creating $4MM in cap savings for ’14.
- Working out a deal that will keep Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco long-term is a “priority” for the 49ers, head coach Jim Harbaugh said today. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has the details and quotes from Harbaugh.
- Free agent fullback John Kuhn continues to talk to the Packers and other teams, according to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Saints GM Mickey Loomis spoke at length to Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune about his team’s offseason so far, including New Orleans’ additions and subtractions. Discussing the Darren Sproles trade with the Eagles, Loomis suggested that he hopes the move doesn’t come back to “bite” the Saints.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links) passes along some specific details on J.D. Walton‘s two-year contract with the Giants. With an overall base value of $6MM, the deal includes annual base salaries of $1.25MM (2014) and $2.25MM (2015), a $1.25MM signing bonus, a $250K roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2015 league year, and $50K each season in per-game roster bonuses.
Extra Points: 49ers, Sanchez, Saints
The other side of the coin to being a team that drafts talent well is that all that talent must be compensated appropriately. This is the conundrum examined by CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco, responding to a reader who questioned the 49ers‘ cap situation. “Teams that do a good job of acquiring talent will always have a difficult time holding onto that talent for future contracts,” Maiocco writes, citing Michael Crabtree and Mike Iupati as players in line for blockbuster deals after their contracts expire next offseason.
Rounding up some more links from today in the NFL…
- ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini looks at what’s next for former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, including a top-five list of potential landing spots: the Rams, Bears, Browns, Bills and Seahawks.
- Sanchez deserved better from the Jets, writes Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. Cannizzaro contends that the Jets knew their plans for Sanchez — releasing him — long ago, but waited only until right before his $2MM roster bonus was due, and thus decreased the amount of potential landing spots for 2009 fifth overall pick.
- Mike Triplett of ESPN.com expects Saints head coach Sean Payton to be “more committed than ever to running the ball successfully” next season, Triplett writes in his latest mailbag. But he still takes the “over” on 4,800 passing yards.
- Can Brian Hoyer be “The Guy” for the Browns? ESPNCleveland.com’s Tony Grossi doesn’t know, but he wants to find out.
- With electrifying wide receiver DeSean Jackson potentially on his way out of Philadelphia, he could potentially find a home with Andy Reid and the Chiefs, but don’t expect Kansas City to trade for him, writes Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star. As Paylor notes, the Chiefs don’t have the necessary cap space to make the move — just $4.8MM — and the team is light on draft picks after the Alex Smith trade.
Extra Points: Hali, Penn, Prospect Visits
Chiefs‘ pass rusher Tamba Hali received a $2MM roster bonus on Thursday, assuring his place on the team in 2014, reports Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). He credits Joel Corry of the National Football Post with first noticing. Hali was one half of the terrorizing pair of quarterback killers that helped get the Chiefs’ defense off to such a hot start (the other half being Justin Houston). He would have been tough to replace, and it would have been somewhat of a surprise had he been released for cap space.
Here are a few other notes from around the NFL:
- New Raider Donald Penn went on SiriusXM NFL Radio to discuss his tumultuous offseason, writes Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “The way Tampa did me kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. I kind of wish they were on the schedule, but they’re not,” said Penn. “I built a great relationship there. But the way they did it at the end, it wasn’t right in my book. I’m a grown man and they could have treated me like a grown man.”
- Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans is taking an official visit with the Jets, reports Tony Pauline of Draftinsider.net (via Twitter). Evans is considered the second best receiver in the draft, and a potential top-ten pick.
- The Jets will also work out offensive tackle Kadeem Williams out of Albany, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Williams will also work out for the Giants.
- Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews went on SiriusXM NFL Radio to discuss teams interested in the wide receiving talent, reports Alex Marvez of Fox Sports 1. Matthews announced he will have pre-draft visits with both the Titans and Panthers.