Ravens Interested In Dez Bryant
The Ravens are interested in former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, a source tells Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun. The Ravens missed their opportunity to select Bryant in the 2010 draft, but they have an opportunity to snag him now after his release from Dallas. 
In theory, Bryant could give the Ravens another major weapon to pair with Michael Crabtree at the top of their wide receiver depth chart. However, it’s fair to wonder if Bryant is still capable of high-level production. Between 2012 and 2014, he averaged 91 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Cowboys. Over the last three years, those averages have plummeted to 50 catches for 678 yards and 6 TDs. Bryant stayed healthy last season, but he missed ten games due to injury between 2015 and 2016.
Bryant is reportedly out for revenge on his former team, which may mean looking to join up with an NFC East rival that will allow him to face the Cowboys twice per year. Still, it’s not clear whether there’s serious interest from the Giants or Eagles and the Redskins do not have him on the radar. Beggars can’t be choosers at this stage of free agency and Bryant may have to move on to another division if he wants to land a decent payday.
The Ravens have upwards of $10MM in cap space, so they have the flexibility to add Bryant.
Vikings Sign Eric Kendricks To Extension
The Vikings have signed linebacker Eric Kendricks to a contract extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a five-year, $50MM deal with $25MM guaranteed. 
Kendricks, a product of the 2015 draft, was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract. Because he was a second round pick, the Vikings did not have the option of extending him via the fifth-year option.
The linebacker earned his big money deal after leading the Vikings in tackles in each of his first three seasons. In total, he has racked up 314 regular season tackles, plus 24 in the postseason. Last year, he set a new career high with 113 tackles and played on 1,099 snaps which was good for seventh amongst all linebackers in the NFL.
Kendricks’ work against the pass has helped the Vikings bottle up opposing tight ends as well as pass-catching running backs. Last year, the Vikings D allowed the fewest passing yards to opposing tailbacks in the league. Meanwhile, Football Outsiders had them ranked as the top overall defense in the NFL.
The Vikings have several defensive stars locked up with cornerback Xavier Rhodes, safety Harrison Smith, defensive end Everson Griffen, defensive tackle Linval Joseph, and Kendricks under contract for multiple seasons. There’s still some work to be done, however, with linebacker Anthony Barr and edge rusher Danielle Hunter on the agenda.
Broncos To Release RB C.J. Anderson
The Broncos are releasing running back C.J. Anderson, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Denver tried to trade Anderson this offseason, but they were unable to find a suitable deal for him. 
The Broncos aren’t exactly stacked in the backfield, but they do have third-year player Devontae Booker and intriguing second-year rusher De’Angelo Henderson. Apparently, the Broncos will look to bolster that unit in the draft rather than retain Anderson at a high cost.
Anderson enjoyed his first 1,000-yard season in 2017 after tearing a meniscus in 2016. However, with no guaranteed money remaining on his deal, the Broncos have opted to save $4.5MM.
The veteran should find a decent market for his services, though he will not be able to match his old contract at this stage of the offseason.The Dolphins showed interest in Anderson recently and, depending on who you ask, the two sides may have been close to a deal that would have sent Anderson to Miami in exchange for right tackle Ju’Wuan James. Even though the Dolphins already have Kenyan Drake and veteran Frank Gore atop the depth chart, they could circle back to Anderson to give themselves a powerful three-headed monster in the backfield.
Former Steelers LB James Harrison Retires
Former Steelers great James Harrison is calling it a career. The linebacker, who most recently suited up for the Patriots, announced on Instagram that he is retiring from football. 
Of course, we’ve been down this road before with Harrison. The linebacker also “retired” in 2014, only to return months later and play for another four seasons. This time, his announcement comes with the hashtag “#2ndAndFinalRetirement.” Harrison cites his family as the primary reason for his retirement, stating that he has “missed way too much for way too long.”
Earlier this month, Harrison indicated that he would wait until after the draft to sign with a team. It’s possible that the veteran, who will turn 40 in May, didn’t find the kind of interest that he was expecting.
Harrison leaves the game after a remarkable 17-season career. After going undrafted in 2002, the undersized linebacker hooked on with the Steelers and spent the bulk of his first two seasons on and off their practice squad. In between stints with Pittsburgh, he also spent time with the Ravens and the Rhein Fire of the NFL Europe.
Over time, Harrison developed into a key player for the Steelers, but it was not until 2007 that he became a full-fledged starter. In that season, he earned his first of five Pro Bowl appearances. The veteran would go on to win two Super Bowls with the Steelers as the anchor of their defense and secure two First-Team All-Pro nods.
Harrison spent the vast majority of his career in black and yellow, but also suited up for the Bengals in 2013 and wrapped up his career with the Patriots in 2017 when he was surprisingly cut late in the season by Pittsburgh.
We here at PFR wish Harrison the best in retirement.
Eagles Waive CB Daryl Worley
The Eagles have waived cornerback Daryl Worley following his early morning arrest, the club announced.
Worley was arrested in the Philadelphia around 6am Sunday morning following an altercation with police. Authorities reportedly found Worley unconscious in a car that was blocking a highway, and were forced to taser the 23-year-old after he became combative. A firearm was also located at the scene of the incident.
Worley’s stay with the Eagles will end up lasting just over one month, as general manager Howie Roseman & Co. acquired Worley from the Panthers in March in exchange for receiver Torrey Smith. That trade was widely viewed as a Philadelphia win, as the club picked up a young defensive back while shipping out a high-priced pass-catcher who likely would have been released.
While no depth chart had been set in stone, Worley would have competed to become a starting cornerback for the Eagles in 2018. Last season, Worley played roughly three-quarters of Carolina’s defensive snaps but graded as just the No. 89 corner among 121 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. However, the former third-round pick did rank a respectable 28th in Football Outsiders‘ success rate.
The Eagles are currently expected to deploy Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills as their top two defensive backs during the upcoming season, while 2017 second-rounder Sidney Jones — who is recovering from a torn Achilles — could also factor into the starting lineup. Rasul Douglas, De’Vante Bausby, and D.J. Killings comprise the rest of Philadelphia’s positional depth.
Worley, 23, had two years remaining on his rookie contract. Because he was a trade acquisition, the Eagles already weren’t responsible for any of Worley’s prorate bonus money. None of his base salaries were guaranteed, so Philadelphia will save $670K by cutting ties Worley.
Given that he is not a vested veteran, Worley will now go through the NFL’s waiver protocol. He’s unlikely to be claimed, however, given his recent episode with police and the fact that he could be facing a league-imposed suspension.
Rob Gronkowski Still Considering Retirement?
Tight end Rob Gronkowski will not attend the beginning of the Patriots’ offseason workout program on Monday and is still contemplating whether to play in 2018, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Gronkowski has reportedly been considering retirement this offseason, and has also been mentioned as a trade candidate. New England no longer appears open to dealing Gronkowski after shipping wideout Brandin Cooks to the Rams, but reports on the status of Gronkowski’s career have been all over the map.
Gronkowski has been working out at Tom Brady‘s Sports Therapy Center, but even that has been rife with controversy. Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald recently reported that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick chastised Gronk in front of other players for working out at the Alex Guererro-headed facility.
Belichick and Gronkowski’s relationship appears to be at a low point, as Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com recently reported the Patriots head coach may not believe Gronkowski is “all in” at this juncture. Gronkowski, for his part, is reportedly frustrated with Belichick and others in the New England organization, and is put off by the club’s “high-strung” culture. Those differences, per Darlington, aren’t believed to be irreconcilable.
Gronkowski, of course, is still a dominant player when healthy. In 2017, Gronk was on the field for 14 games, and managed 69 receptions, 1,084 yards, and eight touchdowns, all of which placed him within the top-five among tight ends. He’s signed through the 2019 campaign, with base salaries of $8MM and $9MM over the next two respective seasons.
Eagles CB Daryl Worley Arrested
New Eagles cornerback Daryl Worley was arrested in Philadelphia at around 6am this morning, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As Rapoport notes in a separate tweet, Worley was passed out inside a vehicle that was blocking a highway. When police arrived, Worley became combative with them and was ultimately tasered. A gun was recovered at the scene.
Philadelphia acquired Worley earlier this offseason in a trade that sent wide receiver Torrey Smith to the Panthers. Smith, who was far from productive in his first and only season with the Eagles, had a $5MM option that Philadelphia was widely expected to decline, which would have made him a free agent. However, they managed to swing a trade for him, and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Worley’s track record of bad behavior is what allowed them to do so. Indeed, Worley pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault while in college, and McLane says that the West Virginia product had a “rep” in Carolina as well.
Last season, Worley’s second in the league, he appeared in 15 games for the Panthers and started all but one of those contests. He tallied 63 tackles, one sack, and ten passes defensed. He also started Carolina’s lone playoff game last season, registering six tackles and a pass defensed in the team’s loss to the Saints in the wild card round. The advanced metrics did not love his work, though; he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 89 ranked cornerback last season.
The team is aware of the arrest and noted that it is still in the process of gathering information (Twitter link). Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets it is likely, though not certain, that Philadelphia will release Worley, and that discussions are still ongoing. Bowen adds in a separate tweet that Worley’s arrest makes it much less likely that the team trades fellow corner Ronald Darby prior to the draft, which was looking like a real possibility.
The Panthers selected Worley in the third round of the 2016 draft. He grew up in the Philadelphia area, and per McLane (via Twitter), he was specifically asked at his introductory news conference if playing in his hometown would create unnecessary distractions. The Eagles, at least, certainly have a distraction on their hands to go along with the Michael Bennett drama.
Seahawks Sign K Sebastian Janikowski
Seabass in Seattle. On Friday, the Seahawks formally signed kicker Sebastian Janikowski. It’s a one-year deal, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
Janikowski, 40, was let go by the Raiders in February as they elected to move forward with Giorgio Tavecchio. He left Oakland as one of the most well-known figures in franchise history – and also with a chip on his shoulder. Janikowski took his first visit with the rival Chargers before huddling up with the Seahawks this week.
Janikowski set Raiders records with 268 regular season games played and 1,799 points scored. Meanwhile, he has the most field goals from 50+ yards in NFL history with 55. Janikowski did not see the field in 2017 thanks to a back injury, but his agent says that he is now healthy and ready to get back to his old form.
The team’s press release indicates that Janikowski will not simply be handed the top job. Jason Myers signed a reserve/futures contract with the Seahawks earlier this offseason and the two will be “competing for” the gig, per the Seahawks’ website. The Seahawks are hoping that either Janikowski or Myers will provide them with a stable leg following Blair Walsh’s struggles in 2017.
Cowboys Officially Release Dez Bryant
It’s a done deal. On Friday, the Cowboys officially announced the release of Dez Bryant. 
“As an organization we hold Dez Bryant in the highest regard, and we are grateful for his passion, spirit and contributions to this team for the past eight years,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “He will always be a valued member of our family. Dez and I share a personal and professional relationship that is very strong, and he is one of just a handful of players with whom I have become that close to over the past 30 years. This was not an easy decision. It was made based upon doing what we believe is in the best interest of the Dallas Cowboys. We arrived at this crossroad collectively with input from several voices within the organization. Ultimately we determined it was time to go in a new direction.”
The Cowboys, surprisingly, did not offer Bryant a reduction in pay before informing him of their decision. Given Bryant’s contributions to the Cowboys over the years and Jones’ personal admiration of him, one has to wonder why the Cowboys did not release Bryant earlier in the offseason.
Had Bryant been released prior to the start of free agency, he would have had an opportunity to sign elsewhere on a decently sized multi-year deal. Bryant’s performance has undeniably tailed off over the last three years, but he still would have stood out in a generally weak crop of free agent wide receivers. Bryant probably wouldn’t have landed a deal on a par with Sammy Watkins (three-year, $48MM contract with the Chiefs), Allen Robinson (three-year, $42MM contract with Bears), or Paul Richardson (five-year, $40MM contract with Redskins), but an average annual value close to Marqise Lee‘s $8.5MM/year would not have been out of the question.
Here in April, Bryant still figures to draw widespread interest, but his market will be affected by a lack of available dollars and WR1/WR2 vacancies.
Cowboys Release Dez Bryant
The Cowboys have released wide receiver Dez Bryant, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and Todd Archer (on Twitter). Despite hope that the two sides would be able to work out a revised deal, the plan going into today’s big meeting was to part ways with Bryant. 
Bryant was slated to earn a base salary of $12.5MM this season, a number that was too high given his recent play. With free agent additions Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson in the fold, the Cowboys feel they can afford to cut ties with Bryant and explore other WR options in the draft. In addition to Hurns and Thompson, the Cowboys will also return with Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley.
Bryant, 29, averaged 91 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns between 2012 and 2014. Over the last three years, those averages have plummeted to 50 catches for 678 yards and 6 TDs. He also missed ten games due to injury between 2015 and 2016.
Bryant has failed to live up to the five-year, $70MM extension he signed with the Cowboys prior to the 2016 season, but he still figures to attract interest on the open market. Bryant will have to temper his salary expectations, however, since his performance has declined and much of this year’s cap room around the league has already been spent on free agents.
The Cowboys will release Bryant straight away, according to Archer (on Twitter), which will create $8.5MM in cap space with $8MM in dead money. If they had designated Bryant as a post-June 1 cut, it would have carved $12.5MM in cap room that would have been available starting June 2.