HEADLINES

Stephen Gostkowski Signs Franchise Tender

March 6th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski has signed his one-year franchise contract tender from the club, ensuring that he’s locked into a 2015 salary of nearly $4.6MM, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Gostkowski and the Pats could still work out a longer-term deal that reduces that figure, but the team won’t be able to rescind the one-year offer at any point now Gostkowski has signed it.

Gostkowski, 31, has led the NFL in field goals in each of the last two seasons, making 73 of his 78 total attempts during that stretch, for a 93.6% mark. Gostkowski has also made all 95 of his extra point tries over the last two years. That success prompted the Pats to designate him as their franchise player, rather than using the tag on safety Devin McCourty, who now appears set to reach the open market.

The move makes Gostkowski the first of six players who were hit with the franchise or transition tag to sign the one-year tender. Dez Bryant, Justin Houston, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Demaryius Thomas have yet to sign their franchise offers, while Charles Clay hasn’t signed his transition offer.

Raiders Release Nick Roach

March 6th, 2015 at 4:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders announced (on Twitter) that they have released linebacker Nick Roach and safety Usama Young with failed physical designations.

Roach suffered a concussion during the preseason and didn’t see the field in 2014. Last month, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that he was still having headaches and wasn’t expected to return in 2015. The 29-year-old (30 in June) played every defensive snap for Oakland in 2013 but it sounds like it will be a while, if ever, before we see him back on the gridiron. Roach briefly returned to practice in September of 2014 but never made it back into live action after the unfortunate incident against the Packers in preseason.

Young signed a two-year contract with the Raiders in the offseason but his season ended in late October when he tore both his ACL and MCL and was placed on IR. A frequent contributor on special teams, Young had taken on a more significant role on defense in 2014, starting three of the club’s first six contests. Young was a starter for the Browns before joining up with Oakland in 2013.

LaRon Landry Suspended For 10 Games

March 6th, 2015 at 4:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Colts safety LaRon Landry has been suspended for the first 10 games of the 2014 season, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). While Yates didn’t specify what Landry is being disciplined for, it appears to be for another violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, which calls for a 10-game ban for second-time violators.

Under the NFL’s drug policy, which was tweaked last year, first-time violators for steroids, stimulants, HGH, and other banned substances are subject to suspensions of four games without pay — Landry served a suspension of that variety this past season while he was still a Colt. Assuming Landry returns to the NFL following his 10-game penalty, he’d have plenty of incentive to avoid failing another test. A third violation of the policy would result in a banishment for a minimum of two years.

Having been released by the Colts earlier in the offseason, Landry is currently an unrestricted free agent, and the suspension certainly won’t help his stock this month. A team may still take a flier on him in the hopes of stashing him away on the reserve/suspended list until he’s eligible to return, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the veteran safety had to wait until halfway through the 2015 season to find a deal.

AFC FA Rumors: Hawk, Cole, Hartline, Chiefs

March 6th, 2015 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

After rounding up several free agent rumors from around the NFC earlier this afternoon, it’s time for a look at the AFC. Here’s the latest:

  • Former Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk is set to visit with the Bengals next week, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (via Twitter). Cincinnati re-signed linebacker Rey Maualuga this week, but with Vontaze Burfict‘s recovery timetable still uncertain following microfracture surgery, the team could use some more depth at the position.
  • Assuming Trent Cole leaves Tampa Bay without a deal from the Buccaneers, he’ll head to Indianapolis next week to meet with the Colts, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Like the 49ers, who also have interest in Cole, the Colts are a 3-4 team, so it’ll be interesting to see if the veteran edge defender views the club as a good fit.
  • According to Jason Walker of ESPN.com (via Twitter), agent Drew Rosenhaus said today that the Chiefs are in the mix for wide receiver Brian Hartline, adding them to a group of suitors that includes the Dolphins, Browns, and Texans. Meanwhile, the Browns have about a “50/50” chance of landing Hartline, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who says Cleveland could balk at the wideout’s asking price.
  • We can also add the Chiefs to the list of teams interested in free agency safety Tyvon Branch, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Kansas City is on Branch’s list of scheduled meetings, following his visit to Washington.
  • The Jaguars are expected to have a look at fullback Jerome Felton once free agency begins, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The team decided not to tender a contract offer to restricted free agent fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou, and could be on the lookout for a replacement.

Raiders Notes: Wisniewski, Davis, Stadium

March 6th, 2015 at 4:01pm CST by Zachary Links

A quick look at the Raiders..

  • Not only are the Raiders letting standout center Stefen Wisniewski test the free agent market, but Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) hears that he’s not coming back. Oakland will now look for a new center to replace the 26-year-old. PFR’s Luke Adams suggested earlier this offseason that Wisniewski could land a deal worth between $5-7MM annually.
  • Raiders owner Mark Davis sat down with Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News for a lengthy, wide-ranging chat. Davis explained that he and Chargers owner Dean Spanos started talking about getting together on the Carson project six weeks ago. Davis is familiar with the site from past suggestions and added that it’s a 50-50 proposal. He also disclosed that he has met with Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolff “a couple times” recently to discuss a possible shared space in Oakland, though it’d be a tough thing to pull off logistically.
  • In a widely expected move, the Joint Powers Authority approved a short-term lease renewal for the Raiders to remain as tenants at the Oakland O.co Coliseum, as the staff at NBCBayArea.com writes. The lease will keep the Raiders as tenants through the 2015/16 season. The team will pay $400K in December 2015 with an additional fee for use of the training facility in Alameda.

Minor Moves: Friday

March 6th, 2015 at 3:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Exclusive rights free agent Ryan Davis signed a deal with the Jaguars today, according to the team’s Twitter account. The defensive end signed with the Jaguars in May 2012 after going undrafted. He played in one game as a rookie and seven games in 2013 before sticking on the roster last year for 16 games and recording 6.5 sacks. Today’s minor moves..

  • Quarterback Tajh Boyd has agreed to terms with the Steelers on a one-year deal, multiple league sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The Clemson product was drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2014 draft.
  • The Broncos officially announced that they have tendered offers to three exclusive rights free agents: linebacker Brandon Marshall, tackle Paul Cornick, and guard Ben Garland, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • The Browns announced they re-signed exclusive rights free agents running back Shaun Draughn and punter Spencer Lanning, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter).
  • The Jaguars declined to tender offers to their five restricted free agents, Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union writes. Fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou, cornerback Teddy Williams, tailback/kick returner Jordan Todman, guard Jacques McClendon, and tight end Fendi Onobun will now become unrestricted free agents.
  • The Lions gave defensive end George Johnson an original-round tender and wide receiver Jeremy Ross an exclusive rights tender, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com writes.
  • The Chiefs have tendered ERFA Junior Hemingway, according to a source that spoke with Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). Hemingway, 26, is a fourth-year pro who caught 12 passes for 108 yards in 14 games as a backup last season.
  • The 49ers have tendered exclusive-rights free agents Michael Wilhoite and Tony Jerod-Eddie, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets.
  • As expected, the Cardinals declined to tender either one of their restricted free agents, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. Both quarterback Ryan Lindley and nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu will hit the open market.

NFC FA Rumors: Vikings, Seahawks, House

March 6th, 2015 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

On the eve of 2015’s “legal tampering period,” during which teams can talk to agents for players who are eligible for unrestricted free agency on Tuesday, let’s round up a few FA updates from around the NFC….

  • Having started his career in Minnesota, Tarvaris Jackson hasn’t played a game for the Vikings since 2010, but he’d have interest in returning to the team, he tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I still go (to Minnesota) to train every summer,” Jackson said. “Coming there, I think I could definitely help Teddy out. I love being in Minnesota. It’s a place that I’ll never forget. It’s a part of my life. … I don’t know why (the Vikings) wouldn’t be interested in me.” The Vikings will certainly be in the market for a backup after trading Matt Cassel, so they could take a look at Jackson, who has spent the last couple seasons backing up Russell Wilson in Seattle and is a free-agent-to-be.
  • Speaking of Seattle, don’t be shocked if the Seahawks emerge as a viable landing spot for tight end Julius Thomas, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. A player like Thomas would certainly be a nice addition to Seattle’s offense, giving Wilson a top red zone option.
  • Agent Kenny Zuckerman confirmed today that Packers cornerback Davon House expects to reach the open market, and Zuckerman thinks his client will draw “a lot of interest,” writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. That doesn’t rule out a return to Green Bay, but it looks like other teams will get the opportunity to pursue House.
  • Cornerback Walter Thurmond, who is coming off a season-ending pectoral injury, is not expected to re-sign with the Giants, and Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com expects the Falcons to strongly consider the veteran. Thurmond formerly played on Dan Quinn‘s defense in Seattle.
  • Expect the Buccaneers to kick the tires on free agent safety Chris Conte, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, pointing out that Conte played for current Bucs head coach Lovie Smith in Chicago.

Dolphins Rumors: Odrick, LBs, Wallace, Shorts

March 6th, 2015 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Barry Jackson’s latest article for the Miami Herald includes plenty of buzz on the Dolphins, so let’s dive right in and round up some of the highlights….

  • As the Dolphins prepare to make an aggressive bid for Ndamukong Suh, the team has kept its own free-agent-to-be defensive tackle, Jared Odrick, in limbo. Miami had yet to make an offer to Odrick as of Friday morning, and while it’s still possible he returns, the Dolphins may view him as a backup plan to Suh, and he should attract plenty of interest elsewhere. Jackson lists the Colts, Chiefs, Raiders, Bears, and Jaguars as the clubs expected to have interest in Odrick, suggesting a deal in the range of $7MM per year is realistic.
  • With David Harris back under contract for the Jets, the Dolphins figure to turn their attention to linebackers like Mason Foster and Dan Skuta. Jackson names Nate Irving and Brandon Spikes as a couple other potential free agents who may draw interest from Miami.
  • The Dolphins would like to upgrade over Koa Misi at middle linebacker, but could move Misi to the strong side if they can find a replacement.
  • As of Thursday, the Fins remained “genuinely uncertain” about Mike Wallace‘s future, a source tells Jackson. There’s some support in the front office for keeping the veteran wideout, but his cap hit is an issue.
  • Cecil Shorts is among the free agent receivers the Dolphins have discussed internally, per Jackson.

Bengals, Maualuga Agree To Three-Year Deal

March 6th, 2015 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 2:27pm: Maualuga’s three-year pact with the Bengals is worth $15MM, with $4.5MM in guaranteed money, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.

THURSDAY, 2:57pm: The Bengals have locked up one of their pending free agents, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who reports that the team is in agreement with linebacker Rey Maualuga on a new three-year contract. The Bengals have since confirmed the move, announcing the signing on Twitter.

While re-signing Maualuga would have been on Cincinnati’s offseason to-do list anyway, the uncertain status of fellow linebacker Vontaze Burfict likely made bringing back Maualuga a greater priority for the club. Burfict is recovering from undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee, and Maualuga was one of the defensive leaders for the Bengals in his absence.

A starter at linebacker for Cincinnati since he joined the team in 2009, Maualuga played 12 games in 2014, recording 61 tackles to go along with five passes defended and an interception. In 452 defensive snaps, the 28-year-old graded about in the middle of the pack, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required), which placed him 27th out of 60 qualified inside linebackers.

Per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Maualuga was one of three players the Bengals had hoped to get under contract before they reached the open market next week. The club is also attempting to work out new agreements with guard Clint Boling and kicker Mike Nugent, though it remains to be seen if that will happen before their agents can talk to rival suitors on Saturday.

NFC East Notes: Washington, Giants, Spiller

March 6th, 2015 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing today on the NFL Network, Brian Orakpo left the door open for a return to Washington, but didn’t sound overly optimistic about the possibility, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post details.

“There’s obviously a chance. Obviously the window is still there. The sides are still talking, but it’s very minimal right now,” Orakpo said. “It’s always the numbers. Numbers have to make sense for both sides. And I understand, me coming off of injury, they have to look out for themselves, and I have to look out for myself. So, if we can come up with something that works out for both sides, who knows?”

Jones hears from sources that Orakpo’s return to Washington is unlikely, and Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (Twitter link) reports the same thing, even more definitively. It looks like Orakpo will be on the lookout for a new NFL home very soon, and the veteran linebacker said today during that NFL Network appearance that he’d have some interest in playing for a team in his home state of Texas.

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • With no progress on a long-term deal for restricted-free-agent-to-be Kai Forbath, Washington will likely just offer the kicker a one-year tender, a source tells Jones (Twitter link).
  • If the Ravens and Justin Forsett don’t work out a deal within the next few days, the veteran running back will have an interesting market, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, Washington is ready to make a play for Forsett, and the Saints will likely be among his suitors as well.
  • In addition to having interest in Devin McCourty, as he previously reported, the Giants also figure to explore the possibility of signing safety Rahim Moore, says Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. All three of New York’s top safeties from 2014 are eligible for free agency, so there figures to be some turnover at the position next week.
  • Sources close to Chip Kelly tell Russini (Twitter link) that the Eagles head coach wasn’t willing to rework LeSean McCoy‘s contract, especially considering the running back was looking for a raise. I’d be surprised if McCoy thought the Eagles – or the Bills – would increase his $9.75MM base salary for 2015, but perhaps he wanted to renegotiate his deal to include more guarantees beyond ’15.
  • As for the running back McCoy is replacing in Buffalo, C.J. Spiller appears to be campaigning to sign with the Eagles, writes Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com.
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