Eagles Likely To Cut RB Ryan Mathews
The Eagles have signed running back LeGarrette Blount and the expectation is that they will release Ryan Mathews as a result, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. However, he adds that the Eagles will wait until Mathews is healthy before releasing him. 
As noted by former NFL executive Michael Lombardi (on Twitter), cutting Mathews before he is healthy would leave the Eagles on the hook for injury protection. Per the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Philly would have to pay out an extra $1.15MM, leaving them with a $2.15MM cap charge when factoring in the dead money on his deal. By waiting until he’s back to full health, however, the Eagles will be left with just $1MM on the cap while saving $4MM.
Mathews‘ 2016 season ended in December of last year when he suffered a herniated disc in his neck. Still, even with that injury plus the MCL sprain he was dealing with, he still turned in an alright season. In 13 games played he had 661 yards off of 155 carries for an average of 4.3 yards per attempt. He also had eight rushing touchdowns plus 13 catches for 115 yards.
With Mathews out of the picture, the Eagles will likely have Blount and Darren Sproles split the majority of carries. Wendell Smallwood and fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey figure to make the cut while 2016 UDFA Byron Marshall might be on the fringe.
Eagles Sign LeGarrette Blount
The Eagles have signed running back LeGarrette Blount, according to a team announcement. It’s a one-year deal with a maximum value of $2.8MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The pact calls for $1.25MM in base pay with up to $1.55MM in incentives, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.
[RELATED: Eagles Likely To Cut RB Ryan Mathews]
Last week, the Patriots used a May 9 tender on free agent running back, a little-known clause that could now impact the 2018 compensatory pick formula for the Eagles and Pats. However, it was said that teams with interest in Blount were looking into ways to circumvent the formula, so it’s possible that the Eagles will not give up much in that area.
The last compensatory pick is currently tied to a $2.05MM annual salary, so the Eagles will only sacrifice a 2018 comp selection if Blount earns more than that total. With $1.55MM of Blount’s deal is tied to performance, the Eagles could come away from this deal without hurting next year’s draft.
The Giants and Lions were known to have interest in Blount for a while, but the Eagles swooped in to sign the power back. As we explained earlier this month, the Eagles were a logical landing spot for Blount since Ryan Mathews could be let go this summer. Indeed, on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported that Mathews is expected to be released once he’s fully healthy. By cutting him, the Eagles will save $4MM in 2017 while carrying just $1MM in dead money. With Mathews gone, Blount and Darren Sproles will get most of the carries while Wendell Smallwood assumes the role of No. 3 RB.
The seven-year veteran is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career, having amassed career highs in carries (299), yards (1,161) and touchdowns (an NFL-leading 18). Still, the Patriots would only go so far to re-sign Blount this offseason. They’re losing the bruising back, but they now have an impressive bunch at RB with offseason additions Mike Gillislee and Rex Burkhead joining holdovers James White, Dion Lewis, Brandon Bolden, and D.J. Foster.
The Cardinals and Giants both made offers to Blount before he signed with Philly, according to Rapoport.
Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Patriots Had Interest In CB Jason McCourty
The Patriots had interest in cornerback Jason McCourty before he signed with the Browns, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
New England was often listed as a speculative landing spot for McCourty — Mike Reiss of ESPN.com called McCourty an “ideal fit” for the Patriots — but it was never clear if the club had expressed definitive interest in the veteran corner. McCourty’s twin brother, All Pro safety Devin McCourty, plays for New England, and had hoped for his sibling to join him on the Patriots roster.
The Patriots’ need for an additional cornerback, of course, was greatly reduced after the team failed to trade restricted free agent Malcolm Butler to the Saints (or another club). Butler now figures to pair with signee Stephon Gilmore in one of the league’s best secondaries, where they’ll be backed up by Eric Rowe, Justin Coleman, and Cyrus Jones.
Browns To Sign CB Jason McCourty
Jason McCourty has found a new home. The Browns are signing the cornerback, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a two-year, $6MM deal with $2MM guaranteed, according to Courtney Fallon of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Browns Rookie CB Howard Wilson Fractures Kneecap]
McCourty met with the Browns on Tuesday and that was his first known visit since being released by the Titans more than one month ago. It didn’t take long for the two sides to agree to terms. McCourty could’ve waited for a camp injury somewhere, but his familiarity with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams helped to quickly facilitate a contract, Rapoport tweets.
The veteran may have lost a step in recent years thanks in part to injuries, but he’ll have an opportunity to redeem himself in Cleveland. It’s likely that he’ll start opposite of Joe Haden, another big-name cornerback who is looking to prove the doubters wrong. There’s also a chance that he could see some time at free safety, allowing him to directly mentor Jabrill Peppers if the rookie wins the top strong safety job.
The Titans cut McCourty to avoid paying him a $7MM base salary in 2017. Terms of his new deal are not yet known, but it’s a safe bet that he’ll be making a lot less in Cleveland.
Length of agreement first reported by Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Gerald Hodges Visits Colts; Pats, Jags Next
The Gerald Hodges free agency tour continues. After meeting with the Jets last week, Hodges visited the Colts on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Next up is a visit with the Patriots on Wednesday and the Jaguars on Thursday. 
Hodges spent 2016 with the 49ers and quietly had a strong season. The 26-year-old amassed 80 total tackles, three sacks, and two picks in 15 games (12 starts) with San Francisco. He also ranked 21st among Pro Football Focus’ 87 qualified linebackers.
The Colts have already gone to great lengths this offseason to revamp the defense. At linebacker alone, the Colts have made seven major additions, including free agents John Simon, Sean Spence, Jabaal Sheard, Barkevious Mingo, and Jonathan Bostic. The team also added two ‘backers in the draft in third rounder Tarell Basham and fifth round pick Anthony Walker Jr.
In addition to the aforementioned Jets visit, Hodges met with the Chiefs and Seahawks in March. He left both meetings without a deal, however, and we haven’t heard any buzz about a deal with KC or Seattle.
Texans Sign OT Breno Giacomini
The Texans signed offensive tackle Breno Giacomini, according to a team announcement. In related news, Houston also added three undrafted free agents: Akron cornerback Bryce Jones, Wisconsin running back Dare Ogunbowale, and Florida wide receiver Chris Thompson. To make room, tackle Dimitric Camiel, running back Kenny Hilliard, wide receiver Tevin Jones, and safety T.J. Mutcherson were cut loose. 
[RELATED: Bills Hire Brian Gaine Away From Texans]
Giacomini, 32 in September, figures to fill in for right tackle Derek Newton who has been ruled out for the year with torn patellar tendons in both knees. The Texans added Julien Davenport in the fourth round of this year’s draft and they have Chris Clark as a right tackle option, but Giacomini has both players beat in terms of experience. Last year, Clark graded out as one of the six worst tackles in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Jets released Giacomini in a long-expected cap clearing move this offseason. He was slated to count for $5.1MM against the cap, but the Jets saved lopped $4.5MM off of that obligation by cutting him. Last year, injuries limited the veteran to just 266 total snaps. He did not see enough action to qualify for ranking, but his 44.3 overall score from PFF would have placed him among the 15 worst tackles in the NFL and roughly in the same boat as Clark.
Russell Wilson Would Be OK With Kaepernick Signing
The Seahawks have some interest in signing Colin Kaepernick and starter Russell Wilson will not stand in the way of a potential deal. Even though the two quarterbacks are former divisional rivals, Wilson would not have any sort of problem with the signing, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) hears. 
Kaepernick and Wilson squared off a number of times in intra-divisional games, including the Seahawks’ victory over the Niners in the 2013 NFC Championship. If there was ever any real bad blood between the two QBs, however, it is water under the bridge now.
Signing Kaepernick could be somewhat polarizing for fans, but the Seahawks believe that he is the best backup option available, according to Rapoport. The Seahawks also looked into fellow former Niners QBs Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder, but they still see No. 7 as the No. 1 choice.
In regular season tilts against the Seahawks, Kaepernick went 2-6 in eight games. He completed just 55.61% of his passes and threw for only three TDs against seven interceptions.
Falcons’ Devonta Freeman Won’t Hold Out
Devonta Freeman‘s desire for a new deal is well-documented, thanks in large part to the public approach his management team has taken in the last year. However, the running back says that he won’t be a holdout this summer in an effort to spur talks. 
[RELATED: Eagles DE Brandon Graham Won’t Hold Out Either]
“I’m going to play,” Freeman said (via ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure). “Like I said, business is going to get handled regardless of what, so I just come to work. I’m going to play regardless. I love football. I love to compete. It doesn’t matter about what I did last year, how many Pro Bowls I got, a thousand yards. I want to do it again and even get better, hopefully one day be a Hall of Famer. I want to leave a legacy. And holding out, that’s not going to leave a legacy, because if I hold out, I’m behind. I don’t want to be behind. I want to gain.”
Freeman also indicated in April that he would not stay home during offseason activities, but this is strongest assertion to date. Freeman is definitely underpaid as he’s set to earn $1.8MM in 2017, but he’ll remain solely focused on football as he gears up for the final year of his rookie deal.
“It ain’t hard at all, because I’m good,” said Freeman. “I play football because I love it. … I spoke to other guys about being in similar situations that I’m in right now. The main thing I can do right now is focus on my business, and my business is being the best Devonta Freeman I can be. And business will get taken care of outside of what I do and what I bring. I can just focus on me. When it happens, it happens. It’s going to be a surprise. I’m just patient.”
Freeman’s agent said he would be seeking “elite” money back in January and the running back himself hinted that he was frustrated about splitting carries with 2015 third-round pick Tevin Coleman. If he’s still demanding “elite” money on his next deal, that could mean something that resembles or even exceeds LeSean McCoy‘s five-year, $40.05MM deal signed back in 2015. McCoy’s yearly average of $8.01MM is second only to Le’Veon Bell‘s one-year, $12.12MM tender and his $18.25MM total guarantee is the highest of any non-rookie running back in the league.
Falcons owner Arthur Black is on record as saying that he wants to retain Freeman for years to come, so a new deal could come together this summer without any brazen tactics from the running back or his camp.
Eagles’ Brandon Graham: I Won’t Hold Out
On Tuesday, Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham reported to the Eagles’ facility amidst rumblings that he was considering some type of holdout. Moments ago, he took to Twitter to further clear the air. 
“[I’m] back in Philly and I just wanted to clear up a few things for all of our fans. I was never holding out. I was in Detroit last week spending some time with my family. I love playing in Philly, I love our fans and I love this organization. I’ve never had an issue with my contract. I don’t know where that news came from. I will be here at OTAs leading the charge and ready to get things started,” Graham wrote.
That’s about as firm of a denial as you can get and it comes on the heels of him telling a Philadelphia sports radio host that word of a holdout was “fake news.” As I explained earlier today, Graham’s deal is a heck of a bargain for the Eagles given the way he has played over the last two years, but he has made it clear that he will not stay away from practices this summer in an effort to pressure the team into giving him a new deal.
Graham’s current contract calls for him to carry a $7.5MM cap number in each of the next two seasons.
Former Pats OL Sebastian Vollmer Retires
Sebastian Vollmer is not coming back to the NFL. The former Patriots offensive lineman told SiriusXM (Twitter links) that he is enjoying post-football life and he is not planning on a return. He is currently pursuing a career in broadcasting and he proudly stated that he is down 75 pounds from his playing days. 
Vollmer, 33 this summer, was a mainstay at tackle for New England from 2009 through 2015. However, his performance dipped in ’15 as he dealt with a bad hip and he missed the entire 2016 season thanks to the ailment. In 2015, his last year in football, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 42nd-best tackle out of 77 qualified players. That’s not atrocious by any means, but it’s a far cry from where he was in previous years. The Patriots passed on negotiating an extension with Vollmer prior to the 2016 season because of his health situation and, unfortunately, time proved them right. In March of this year, the Pats released him.
Vollmer earned a Super Bowl ring with the Pats following the 2014 season and he almost certainly has a ring for the 2016 championship as well. After seven strong seasons in the league, Vollmer is leaving the game as a champion and, of course, a multi-millionaire. We wish Vollmer the best in retirement and look forward to seeing him on TV or hearing him on the radio on Sundays.