Browns Sign LB Mychal Kendricks
The Browns have agreed to a deal with veteran linebacker Mychal Kendricks, according to his agent, Doug Hendrickson (on Twitter). Kendricks and the Browns agreed to a one-year, $3.5 MM pact, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
Kendricks was released by the Eagles last month after reportedly refusing to take a pay cut of $4.5MM. He has spent the last six seasons with the Eagles and visited with the Vikings and Raiders, along with the Browns. The Eagles took Kendricks in the second round of the 2012 draft. Kendricks’ brother, Eric, was a second-round choice of the Vikings in 2015 as a linebacker as well.
The 27-year-old is expected to report to the Browns’ OTAs on Tuesday, per Cabot. He’ll compete for a starting spot in the 4-3 scheme of Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, with 2017 Pro-Bowler Joe Schobert, Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey. Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports reported late last week that Kendricks was expected to immediately assume a starting role with the Browns.
Kendricks appeared in 15 games last season, starting 13, and racked up 75 tackles. He also logged 16 tackles in the postseason amid the Eagles’ run to their first-ever Super Bowl title. Pro Football Focus rated Kendricks as the No. 9 linebacker in the NFL.
The Eagles had shopped Kendricks around before his May release but were unable to move him during or prior to the draft. Kendricks had also requested a trade in the 2016 offseason after diminished playing time in 2015 and ’16 but was pressed into action last season after a season-ending Achilles injury to Jordan Hicks.
Tom Brady Arrives At Gillette Stadium
Tom Brady is in the house. One day prior to the Patriots’ next round of offseason practices, Brady was spotted at the team’s fantasy camp for fans at Gillette Stadium, as Doug Kyed of NESN.com writes. 
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Brady has not explicitly confirmed that he’ll participate in practices on Tuesday, but it certainly sounds like he will after owner Robert Kraft said that he expected Brady to suit up this week. It’s still not clear why Brady has been away from the team, which has led to speculation that the quarterback is angling for a new deal and/or is at odds with head coach coach Bill Belichick.
For what it’s worth, Kraft says “nothing’s changed” with regards to their relationship and “everything is good.” Brady also said that he skipped OTAs, in part, to spend more time with his loved ones.
“Part of this offseason for me is certainly about still preparing for what’s ahead in my next journey, my next mountain to climb with this group of teammates, but it’s also [acknowledging] that a lot of people are getting the short end of the stick in my life — certainly my wife and my kids,” Brady said in May. “Football is year-round for me. It’s a lot of thought, a lot of energy and emotion put into it, but I need to invest in them, too. My kids are 10, 8 and 5. They’re not getting younger, so I need to take time so I can be available to them, too. … I’ve really spent the last two or three months doing those things, and I think I’m really trying to fill my tank up so that when I do go back, I can go back and I think I’ll actually be, in my mind, a better player, a better teammate, because I’ll be really rejuvenated.”
Brady’s decision to skip OTAs came as a shock, but it won’t necessarily hurt his play on the field. Even at age 40, Brady was terrific last year as he led the NFL in passing yards on the way to his third MVP trophy.
Bears To Re-Sign TE Zach Miller
The Bears have re-signed tight end Zach Miller to a one-year contract, according to Mike Florio of PFT. It’s unclear whether Miller will be able to take the field in 2018 – or ever again – but the new deal will provide Miller with additional financial security either way. 
It’s a split contract, according to Florio, which will pay Miller $458K even if he cannot play this year. If he is somehow able to take the field, he’ll make $790K.
Last year, doctors told Miller that he was at risk for losing his leg after he severely dislocated his left knee and tore his popliteal artery. Thankfully, after nine surgeries, Miller’s knee is safe.
Miller has said that he would like to play football again, though he acknowledges that he may be facing an uphill battle.
“[If it doesn’t happen], then that’s just the way it goes and we’ve got to move on and do something else,” Miller said back in February. “Physically I’ve been through a number of surgeries or whatever it may be. I can recover from that. But the mental aspect is something you’ve got to learn how to work it, how to block out some stuff and really just stay positive, which I’ve done a pretty good job doing.”
In all likelihood, an NFL comeback is not in the cards for Miller this season. Instead, this appears to be a class move by the Bears in order to take care of one of their own players.
Miller, who spent the first three seasons of his career as an afterthought in Jacksonville, did his best work over the past three seasons with the Bears starting in 2015. In 2016, Miller caught a career-high 47 passes and 486 yards with four touchdowns. Last year, he was on pace for similar stats with 20 grabs for 236 yards and two TDs before his painful injury in October.
Browns Finalizing Mychal Kendricks Deal
This appears to be real this time. Jordan Schultz of Yahoo.com reports (via Twitter) confirms a report from earlier today via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicating Mychal Kendricks will sign with the Browns.
Schultz adds the Browns will pay Kendricks up to $3.5MM on his one-year deal, and Rapoport confirms he’ll make at least $3MM in 2018 (Twitter link). Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reported Kendricks is expected to sign the deal Monday. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press confirms Schultz’s report (Twitter link).
This process became rather strange when the linebacker emphatically refuted Rapoport’s initial report of him being Cleveland-bound. And Kendricks continued to be evasive Sunday night, hanging up when Tomasson attempted to contact him regarding Schultz’s report of the $3.5MM agreement (Twitter link).
Kendricks visited the Browns, Vikings and Raiders this week but will be the latest high-profile newcomer to make a trip to Cleveland, joining the likes of Tyrod Taylor, Jarvis Landry, Baker Mayfield and others. A seventh-year player, Kendricks will be in line to start alongside Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey in the Browns’ 4-3 scheme. Even if Kendricks reaches that $3.5MM mark, he’ll be the third-highest-paid Browns linebacker. Collins is on Cleveland’s books at $12.2MM in 2018, with Kirksey slotting in at a $6.2MM cap number.
The 27-year-old ‘backer will add to a talented Browns defensive second level, having graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 linebacker last season. He did this despite being involved in Eagles trade rumors for years. Extended during Chip Kelly‘s one year with personnel control, Kendricks was soon seen as an ill-fitting piece in Jim Schwartz’s system. He served as the third linebacker for Philadelphia in 2016, behind Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham, but became a key cog during the Eagles’ Super Bowl campaign after Hicks went down with a season-ending injury.
It will be interesting to see how Gregg Williams deploys Kendricks, since he already has two sub-package ‘backers in Collins and Kirksey. And Pro Bowler Joe Schobert started 16 games for Cleveland last season. Nevertheless, the Browns will attempt to fit the ex-Eagle into the fold, and he figures to play considerably in 2018 — a year that will serve as an audition year for Kendricks as free agency could again loom in March.
Browns To Sign LB Mychal Kendricks?
3:37pm: Kendricks denies that he’s signed with the Browns, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
2:14pm: The Browns have agreed to sign free agent linebacker Mychal Kendricks to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Kendricks, who was released by the Eagles on May 22, drew immediate interest on the open market, and took meetings with both the Raiders and Vikings before visiting the Browns on Friday. After leaving Oakland and Minnesota without a contract, Kendricks has now landed a single-season pact with Cleveland, a deal which will allow the 27-year-old to hit free agency again next spring.
At first glance, the Browns are something of an odd fit for Kendricks, as Cleveland already employs two linebackers — Christian Kirksey and Joe Schobert — who played 100% of the club’s defensive snaps a year ago. Jamie Collins is expected to return from injury as a full-time player, leaving even less potential playing time for Kendricks. A future trade could hypothetically be possible, but both Kirksey and Collins recently signed long-term deals with the Browns, while Schobert is under contract at cheap rates for the next two seasons.
Cleveland still has the most salary cap space in the NFL (Over the Cap listed the Browns with nearly $70MM in reserves prior to the Kendricks signing), so perhaps the club is merely looking to add depth. Oakland and Minnesota are also largely set at linebacker, meaning Kendricks may have experienced limited playing time in either of those destinations, so he likely accepted his largest financial offer. And while Kendricks hasn’t typically been a special teams ace, he did play roughly 30% of the Eagles’ ST snaps in 2016, so he can be a factor there.
Long a subject of trade rumors, Kendricks appeared in 15 games and made 13 starts for Philadelphia in 2017. A season-ending injury to fellow linebacker Jordan Hicks allowed Kendricks to reclaim his spot in the Eagles’ starting lineup, and he subsequently posted 51 tackles and two sacks while grading as the NFL’s No. 9 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.
Dez Bryant Unlikely To Sign Until July
Dez Bryant likely won’t sign with a club before training camp begins in July, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Rapoport is told the wide receiver has received plenty of interest, but he’s staying patient until he finds the right opportunity. 
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The right opportunity, for Bryant, means a winning club with the right offense that will give him a one-year prove-it deal. Bryant has been unable to find the one-year deal he is seeking after rejecting a three-year, $21MM offer from the Ravens.
Rapoport’s report indicates that there is in fact a decent market for Bryant. Previously, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter heard that many teams were unwilling to consider the veteran, even at the league’s minimum salary.
Right now, it’s hard to say where Bryant will land. He has lobbied for the 49ers to sign him, but there has been no word of interest from SF. The Bills and Packers, meanwhile, do not appear to have him on the radar, despite the belief of some that he would be a logical fit. As Rapoport notes, a wide receiver injury in practice could open up a door somewhere for Bryant.
Bryant’s dropoff in performance is certainly a factor in his unemployment, but the perception that he has been difficult in the locker room is probably also a barrier to a deal. Even in a down 2017, Bryant managed 69 catches for 838 yards and six touchdowns.
Dolphins, Bobby McCain Agree To Extension
The Dolphins have made Bobby McCain the league’s highest-paid nickelback. McCain has agreed to a four-year, $27MM extension with the team that includes $13MM guaranteed, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
McCain, a fifth-round pick back in 2015, was slated to enter the final year of his contract. After the Dolphins carved out an additional $17MM thanks to Ndamukong Suh‘s post-June 1 release, the Dolphins quickly moved to put their cap room towards a new deal with the talented young corner.
McCain, 25 in August, has appeared in every Dolphins regular season game over the last three years. Last year, he set new career highs in interceptions (two), passes defensed (seven), and total tackles (45). Pro Football Focus ranked McCain as the 46th best qualified cornerback in the NFL in 2017. He was easily the Dolphins’ best cornerback according to the advanced metrics (and by any measure, really), as he outperformed outside starters Xavien Howard and Cordrea Tankersley.
McCain’s deal bests the four-year, $20MM deal ($8MM fully guaranteed) signed by Patrick Robinson with the Saints this offseason. Although McCain is five years younger than Robinson, it’s impressive that he came away with more considering Robinson’s stellar 2017 performance and the fact that McCain did not have the added leverage of the open market.
The Dolphins project to return Howard and Tankersley as their starters on the outside with McCain covering the slot. First-round safety Minkah Fitzpatrick – who formally inked his rookie deal on Friday – will start in between along with standout strong safety Reshad Jones.
Cardinals Meet With Tre Boston
Boston to Arizona? On Wednesday afternoon, the Cardinals will meet with free agent safety Tre Boston, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) first reported that Boston was en route to Arizona. 
The Cardinals intend to use safety Budda Baker at nickelback in certain packages, helping to fill the void left by Tyrann Mathieu‘s departure. In those instances, Boston could help hold down the fort at safety.
The Raiders, Browns, and Giants expressed interest in Boston back in March, but we haven’t heard much on that front in recent weeks. The Colts met with Boston about two weeks ago, but he left Indianapolis without a deal.
The market has been painfully slow for free agent safeties this year. In addition to Boston, longtime starters Kenny Vaccaro and Eric Reid are also unemployed as of this writing.
Last year, Boston had to settle for a one-year deal with the Chargers. He was hoping to land a multi-year deal this year, but at this point it looks like he’ll have to settle for yet another platform contract.
In 2017, Boston started in 15 of his 16 games for the Chargers and totaled 79 tackles with eight passes defensed. Heading into the start of free agency in March, we had Boston ranked as the third-best safety available.
Chargers Sign TE Austin Roberts
The Chargers have signed tight end Austin Roberts, according to a team announcement. Roberts will compete for a spot on the roster following the loss of starting tight end Hunter Henry. 
Roberts, an undrafted free agent out of UCLA, is likely not viewed as a one-for-one replacement for the injured Henry. However, it is interesting that the team’s first tight end move was not a reunion with accomplished veteran Antonio Gates.
“Well, shoot, I’d always be excited if he walked back in the door obviously,” quarterback Philip Rivers said this week when asked about the idea of Gates returning to the Chargers. “That’s something that [GM] Tom [Telesco] and [owner] John [Spanos]and coach [Anthony Lynn] and those guys I’m sure will discuss and see about bringing anybody in for that matter, but certainly [Gates’ return] would get my vote.”
Rivers isn’t the only one who thinks signing Gates would be a logical move. In a recent poll, more than three-quarters of PFR readers said the Bolts should reunite with Gates.
Roberts, a 6’2″, 230-pound tight end, had 19 receptions for 220 yards and two scores last year for the Bruins. He appeared in 24 total games across three seasons at UCLA.
To make room on the roster for Roberts, the Bolts released long snapper Anthony Kukwa.
Mychal Kendricks To Visit Browns, Raiders
We learned earlier today that former Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks met with the Vikings, and it sounds like he’s got several more visits on his docket. Chris Tomasson of St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (via Twitter) that the free agent will also visit with the Raiders and Browns. The 27-year-old expects to make a decision before the end of the week.
It didn’t take long for Kendricks, who was released by the Eagles last week, to start garnering some suitors. While the former second-rounder’s production has dropped the past two seasons, he’d still be a solid veteran presence for any team. After requesting a trade prior to the 2017 season, Kendricks went on to compile 51 tackles and two sacks in 15 games (13 starts) for Philly. He also earned a start during his team’s Super Bowl victory, finishing the game with four tackles.
While their depth charts are in good shape, the Browns and Raiders could use an additional body at linebacker. Jamie Collins, Joe Schobert, and Christian Kirksey are slotted in as Cleveland’s starting grouping. The latter two were solid in 2017, and Collins is the most accomplished of the three, but Kendricks could compete for a starting gig. Meanwhile, the Raiders have three free agent additions – Tahir Whitehead, Derrick Johnson, and Emmanuel Lamur – penciled in as their starters, so another free agent addition (Kendricks) would provide additional competition at the position.
Tomasson also passes along (via Twitter) that the Vikings haven’t made a definitive offer to Kendricks. When asked about Minnesota’s salary cap constraints, the linebacker acknowledged that he hasn’t “even thought that far.”