FA Rumors: Murray, Raiders, Orakpo, Hill
While DeMarco Murray may not land an eight-digit annual salary, his camp sounds confident that there are teams willing to pay $8MM per year for his services, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. However, as Getlin notes it’s not clear yet whether the Cowboys are one of those teams. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Murray is willing to move on from Dallas if a better opportunity presents itself, but the running back is approaching free agency slowly and methodically rather than rushing into any decision.
While we wait to see if Jerry Jones opens up his check book for the NFL’s leading rusher before Murray hits free agency tomorrow, let’s check in on some few other free agent news….
- The Raiders are “hot after” Mike Iupati, widely considered to be the top free agent guard available this winter, reports Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Oakland figures to be up against the Bills and Jets, among other teams, in the bidding for Iupati. Landing the 49ers veteran after agreeing to terms with center Rodney Hudson would certainly help the Raiders solidify their offensive line.
- The Falcons were mentioned a week ago as a potential favorite for Brian Orakpo, and it doesn’t appear that’s changed. Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington tweets that she’s hearing Atlanta is the current frontrunner for the free agent pass rusher.
- The Titans are still in play for Derrick Morgan, but so are about a half-dozen other teams, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter), the Cowboys and Raiders are among the teams showing interest in quarterback Shaun Hill, who also has reportedly has an offer on the table from the Vikings.
- The Steelers have no immediate plans to re-sign veteran outside linebacker James Harrison, who could potentially be a late-summer addition for the club, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- We can add the Chiefs to the growing list of teams that has inquired on free agent cornerback Cary Williams, tweets Nick Jacobs of TWC SportsChannel in Kansas City.
- Washington hasn’t been in contract with wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, but the free-agent-to-be has heard from a few other teams, says John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
King’s Latest: T. Smith, J. Thomas, Murray, Jets
Peter King’s latest Monday Morning Quarterback column at TheMMQB.com doesn’t break any new signings or contract agreements, but there are plenty of noteworthy free agent tidbits tucked away within the piece. Here are a few highlights:
- Wide receiver Torrey Smith isn’t re-signing with the Ravens, and by all accounts the 49ers look like they’re in position to sign him. According to King, Smith is likely headed to San Francisco for a deal worth about $9MM annually.
- Julius Thomas also looks like a good bet to receive something in the neighborhood of $9MM per year if and when he finalizes a deal with the Jaguars, says King.
- Despite the nice new contracts Marshawn Lynch and LeSean McCoy are receiving, King hasn’t heard of any team willing to pay DeMarco Murray $10MM per season.
- Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton appears likely to leave Denver to sign with either Washington or the Raiders, per King. We heard yesterday that those two teams, along with the Bears and Colts, were among the suitors showing “serious interest” in Pot Roast.
- A person with knowledge of the Jets‘ “ideal-world plan” for the offseason suggests to King that the team would love to land both Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, if possible.
- King expects the Bills to make an effort to get Charles Clay to visit Buffalo and to sign him to a deal when free agency opens. Since Clay received the transition tag from Miami, the Dolphins would have the opportunity to match any offer sheet the tight end signed with the Bills.
- If the Jaguars and Titans don’t sign a handful of players within the next few days, they’ll likely have some big offers turned down, according to King, who anticipates both teams being very active.
AFC Rumors: Cameron, Bulaga, Langford, Raiders
Tight end Jordan Cameron has become one of the most sought after free agents in the league during this “legal tampering” period, drawing interest from the Browns, Raiders, Broncos, and Seahawks, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The Jaguars would also be in the mix if they are unable to sign Julius Thomas.
Here are some other rumors from around the AFC:
- One name the Bills could target heavily in free agency is versatile offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga, writes Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter). Graham writes there will be plenty of competition for his services.
- The Broncos have scheduled a visit with defensive tackle Kendall Langford, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The 29-year old veteran would provide a stout body for either a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense.
- In addition to Denver, Langford is scheduled to visit the Colts, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN (via Twitter). Langford already met with the Lions, Jets, and Saints.
- The Raiders are interested in Cameron to fill their tight end woes, but are also targeting Jermaine Gresham, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN (via Twitter). The team is trying to work out a deal with the former Bengal by Tuesday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).
- Williamson also wrote an overview of the Raiders’ free agent options after top targets Ndamukong Suh and Randall Cobb agreed to deals this Sunday.
- With Cobb and Jeremy Maclin signing big money deals, and Torrey Smith leaning towards the 49ers, the Raiders will have to look at veterans released to fill their wide receiver woes, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com (via Twitter). Percy Harvin, Andre Johnson, and Dwayne Bowe could all be options for the Raiders.
- The Titans have expressed interest in pass rusher Brandon Graham, reports Paul Kuharsky of ESPN (via Twitter).
- The Titans are also targeting a number of players, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean dives into ten topics the team will address this offseason. Among other things, Wyatt mentions the team needs to continue to pursue cornerbacks, writing that the team has expressed interest in Cary Williams, and could also chase Tramon Williams and Buster Skrine.
NFC Rumors: Iupati, Weatherspoon, Hill, Blalock
Mike Iupati has been a staple of the 49ers’ offensive line for his entire career, imposing his will on defensive linemen and linebackers in the running game, but his time with the team is likely coming to an end, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). The Raiders, Jets, and Bills seem to be the front runners for Iupati if he does not return to San Francisco.
Here are some more rumors from some NFC teams:
- The Falcons are preparing to lose linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, as the Cardinals are expected to offer him a two-year contract somewhere between $3MM and $4MM annually, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN. He writes that the Falcons were close to a deal on Friday but talks fell apart.
- The Vikings and quarterback Shaun Hill have mutual interest, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN (via Twitter). There are other teams in the mix as well, but Hill is believed to have serious interest in joining the Vikings.
- Two of the other teams that have expressed interest in Hill are the Rams and Buccaneers, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- The Rams have also shown interest in guard Justin Blalock, writes Thomas (via Twitter).
- Linebacker David Hawthorne could be a possible cap casualty for the Saints, writes Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).
AFC FA Rumors: Raiders, Jags, Colts, Jets
The Raiders may have missed out on two big-name free agent targets — Ndamukong Suh and Randall Cobb — but they may have other players in mind. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), Oakland will continue to make a “strong push” for center Rodney Hudson, though the Chiefs haven’t given up on retaining him. Elsewhere, the Raiders have expressed interest in free agent tight end Jermaine Gresham, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that the Browns also have interest.
Let’s dive in to the latest AFC rumors…
- The Jaguars have an “opportunity” with running back DeMarco Murray, per Robinson (Twitter link). It’s not entirely clear if that means Jacksonville has been talking with the free agent RB, but Robinson says the Jags could outbid the Cowboys.
- More on the Jaguars: Despite their ample cap space, they were “never in” on Ndamukong Suh, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
- While it’s not a priority, the Colts are expected to talk to edge rusher Brian Orakpo in the coming days, tweets Robinson. Orakpo has also drawn interest from the Falcons. Jaguars, Cardinals, as well as his current team, Washington.
- The Jets have interest in free agent safety Ron Parker, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). We learned earlier today that Parker and the Bucs have mutual interest.
- Given the nature of recent CB contracts, Buster Skrine is one cornerback who could be in for a big payday, according to Garfolo (on Twitter).
- With Jordan Cameron unlikely to return, the Browns are expected to show interest in tight end Ed Dickson, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
Raiders, Colts, Others Eyeing Knighton
With Ndamukong Suh apparently headed to Miami, teams that missed out on 2015’s top free agent defensive tackle figure to turn their attention to the second tier. Terrance Knighton, who may be at the head of that second tier, is now drawing “serious interest” from a handful of teams, including the Raiders, Colts, Bears, and Washington, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
All four of those teams had been mentioned as possible Suh suitors, though only the Raiders were really considered to be a serious contender for the star defender after Miami emerged as a frontrunner. Oakland has also long been viewed as a logical landing spot for Knighton, considering his history with new Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio. Not only did “Pot Roast” play for Del Rio’s defense in Denver; he also played under Del Rio in Jacksonville earlier in his career.
Still, no deal between Knighton and the Raiders looks imminent quite yet. The Colts, Bears, and Washington all have plenty of cap space to make a play for the veteran defensive tackle, and all three teams have a need in the middle. Indianapolis cut Ricky Jean-Francois last month, the Bears may lose Stephen Paea in free agency, and Washington recently released Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen.
When I listed PFR’s top 50 free agents yesterday, I ranked Knighton 16th on our list, identifying the Raiders as his most logical suitor.
Fallout From Randall Cobb Deal
Randall Cobb‘s decision to remain in Green Bay on a four-year, $40MM contract has had an impact on a number of teams in the league, especially those with a need at the wide receiver position. Let’s take a look at some of the fallout from the Cobb deal:
- The Chargers were “real players” for Cobb, tweets Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego. However, they were prepared for the Packers to re-sign Cobb before the star slot receiver could hit the open market. It is unclear if the Chargers, who have a number of irons in the fire at the moment, will consider a run at Jeremy Maclin or Torrey Smith.
- Confirming what we heard last night, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com reports that Cobb had been one of the Raiders‘ top free agent targets. With plenty of money to spend, Oakland will continue its attempts to upgrade its wide receiving corps in free agency and the draft. If the Raiders cannot land one of the top free agents still on the board, second-tier options like Michael Crabtree, Cecil Shorts, and Kenny Britt could be options.
- Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com wonders if the Cobb deal will “force the Bears into a greater focus to consider a change-of-pace, over-the-top receiver in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.” Boden notes that the team really needs someone to take the pressure off Alshon Jeffery now that Brandon Marshall is in New York, and the only true deep threat left in free agency is Baltimore’s Smith.
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Cobb’s lucrative deal is a win for Smith and Maclin, who now have more leverage as they seek their next contract.
- Smith was already expected to leave the Ravens, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports, but now Wilson would not be surprised if Smith’s next deal approached the $10MM average annual value that Cobb received from Green Bay.
FA Rumors: Bulaga, McCourty, Suh, Raiders
While the Packers were able to retain one of their top two free agents tonight, reaching an agreement to bring back wide receiver Randall Cobb, the team may end up losing tackle Bryan Bulaga, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Two league sources tell Silverstein that Bulaga is seeking a contract worth at least $7-8MM per year, and has a good chance of landing such a deal. Per one of Silverstein’s sources, Green Bay isn’t interested in paying $7MM+ annually for Bulaga, and would let him walk if the bidding got that high. The Buccaneers, the Jaguars, and Washington are believed to have interest in the free agent tackle.
Here’s more from around the league on what has been a busy Saturday:
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), safety Devin McCourty is seeking an annual salary of $9MM per year, like what Jairus Byrd got a year ago. When I listed McCourty as 2015’s second-best free agent earlier today, I noted that if Byrd could land $9MM per year, the Pats safety should be able to do just as well on the open market.
- Cole also has an update on Ndamukong Suh, tweeting that one high-placed source is confident that Suh will end up with the Dolphins, while a second source says the Lions are the only other team involved in the bidding. Given how rare it is for a player of Suh’s caliber to reach the open market, I’d be pretty surprised if only two teams were pursuing him, but multiple reports over the last several days have identified Miami and Detroit as the frontrunners.
- Cobb had been high on the Raiders‘ list of wide receiver targets, but now that he’s off the market, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) says the team will likely shift its focus to Jeremy Maclin, Torrey Smith, and – if and when he becomes available – Percy Harvin.
- The Texans have interest in quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer, and it may not be an either/or proposition for the team, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, who tweets that the club would like to sign both players.
- The Cowboys have elected not to tender a contract offer to cornerback Sterling Moore, meaning he’ll be an unrestricted free agent rather than an RFA, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
AFC Links: Parker, Williams, Searcy, Jaguars
One of the least-expected key free agents after he served as a special-teamer and backup in his first three years, Ron Parker looks ready to capitalize on the consistent playing time he received last season.
The four-year veteran who played corner and safety for the Chiefs last year has drawn the eye of several teams, including the Giants, Jets, Buccaneers and Falcons, according to Yahoo Sports’ Rand Getlin on Twitter.
The Chiefs, who signed Parker after the Seahawks and Panthers cut him, are also among the teams interested, but they are currently over the salary cap and may not have the ammunition to compete. Their interest in retaining standout center Rodney Hudson, who could cost up to $8MM per year, will almost certainly eliminate any Parker reunion.
Parker started 15 games for the Chiefs after appearing in the opening lineup once from 2011-13.
Elsewhere around the AFC …
- Recently cut cornerback Cary Williams will visit the Titans after completing a summit with the Jets, per the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson on Twitter. The Jets and Seahawks, who will likely lose Byron Maxwell, are firmly in the mix for the ex-Ravens and Eagles corner.
- Fellow free agent defensive back Da’Norris Searcy also looks to have a slew of potential buyers. The Colts, Texans, Raiders and Dolphins are pursuing the 26-year-old safety, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson on Twitter. Like Parker, Searcy was a full-time starter for just one season, 2014, and he graded well against the run for the Bills last year (Pro Football Focus; subscription required). The Bills re-signing Searcy would mean keeping safeties in back-to-back years after they re-upped Aaron Williams last March.
- Flush with cap space and in dire need of pass-catchers, the Jaguars figure to make an offer to Julius Thomas, ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets. No team has more to spend than the Jaguars, at more than $68MM, and few have more needs. Florida Times-Union Jaguars columnist Gene Frenette believes the Jags are set to land at least two of the marquee free agents with their mountain of cash stashed after years of mediocre offseason hauls.
- The team that unleashed Thomas the past two years isn’t expected to replicate the signing sprees that brought so many impact players the past three springs, reports Denver Post Broncos reporter Mike Klis. The Broncos are trying to retain tight end Virgil Green but may lose their top four free agents: Terrance Knighton, Orlando Franklin, Rahim Moore and Thomas.
AFC Rumors: Revis, Hughes, Skrine, Hoyer
The Patriots have a couple more days to work out a new deal with cornerback Darrelle Revis before they have to either cut him or pick up his option for 2015. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), Revis plans to explore his options on the open market, and if he receives offers comparable to the Pats’ proposal, he’ll return to New England.
Here’s more from around the AFC, with the three-day “legal tampering” window now open:
- Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports and Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter links) both hear from a source that the Bills are working on re-signing Jerry Hughes, and have made progress. However, Graham says both sides are “very aware” that the clock is ticking, and Robinson suggests other teams may get in on the bidding.
- Browns cornerback Buster Skrine has been a popular target in the early hours of free agency. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports (via Twitter) that eight teams expressed interest in Skrine during the first three hours of this afternoon’s negotiating window.
- At least four teams have shown early interest in Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer, a source tells Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (Twitter link).
- The Colts, Texans, Raiders, and Dolphins are among the teams that made preliminary inquiries on Bills safety Da’Norris Searcy today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.