Minor NFL Transactions: 3/4/16
In addition to today’s notable roster moves and RFA/ERFA tender decisions, we’ve got some minor transactions to pass along, so let’s dive right in….
- The Bengals re-signed a free agent wide receiver today, but it wasn’t Marvin Jones or Mohamed Sanu. Instead, it was fellow UFA Brandon Tate, who has spent the last five seasons in Cincinnati (Twitter link). Tate has primarily been a return man and special-teamer during his time with the Bengals — though he occasionally contributes on offense, he caught just two passes in 2015. He signed a one-year contract, per Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
- The Patriots cut linebacker Darius Fleming today, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who passes along a farewell message from Fleming’s Instagram. Fleming made headlines in January when he sustained a calf injury rescuing a driver from her car at the scene of an accident. He’ll pass through waivers before becoming a free agent.
Latest On Broncos
The Broncos have made an offer likely worth upward of $12.27MM per season to pending free agent quarterback Brock Osweiler, reports Troy Renck of The Denver Post. There’s no word on the length of the proposed contract, but the annual value would place Osweiler slightly above Nick Foles‘ $12.25MM per year. Foles, who signed a two-year, $24.5MM extension with the Rams last summer, is just 21st among quarterbacks in average salary.
Denver has until Monday to negotiate exclusively with Osweiler. If no deal is reached by then, the 25-year-old will be able to pursue offers from other teams as part of the NFL’s legal tampering period. Osweiler could then 
sign a contract with another club when free agency opens Wednesday.
The Broncos understandably have balked at paying a high price for Osweiler, who hasn’t garnered much playing time since they took him in the second round of the 2012 draft. The 6-foot-8, 240-pounder appeared in a career-high eight games and made his first seven starts last season, but he wasn’t particularly impressive. Osweiler’s numbers – 61 percent completion rate, 7.15 yards per attempt, 10 TDs, six picks – were unremarkable, and he didn’t take the field during the playoffs after a knee injury knocked him out of action in Week 17. Peyton Manning, whose foot injury originally opened the door for Osweiler in November, took the reins back and served as a game manager in all three of the Broncos’ postseason wins, including their 24-10 Super Bowl triumph over Carolina.
As for Manning, he remains undecided about his future. The soon-to-be 40-year-old is a lock to end up in another uniform if he elects to keep playing, as the Broncos have moved on from him, per Renck. The Broncos will make that official when they release the future Hall of Famer sometime before Tuesday. When that happens, the club will free up $19MM of spending space. In addition, the Broncos are considering restructuring the expensive deals of linebacker DeMarcus Ware, offensive tackle Ryan Clady and guard Louis Vasquez, Renck writes. As of now, that trio is set to occupy nearly $29MM in cap next season.
If the Broncos cut Manning and adjust the contracts of Ware, Clady and Vasquez, they’ll give themselves a better chance to keep priority free agents like Osweiler and stellar defensive lineman Malik Jackson. Renck reported Monday that Jackson and the Broncos were roughly $3MM per year apart on contract talks.
Guard Evan Mathis, who’s also unsigned, is contemplating retirement, according to Renck. The Broncos signed the two-time Pro Bowler last summer after the Eagles released him, and he ultimately started in 12 of 16 regular-season appearances. Mathis, 34, earned rave reviews for his performance from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which ranked him third out of 81 qualifying guards.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
RFA Tender Decisions: 3/4/16
When teams assign first- or second-round tenders to their restricted free agents, like the Raiders did today with quarterback Matt McGloin, we’ll devote full news stories to those moves. But for the most part, RFAs around the league can expect to be either non-tendered or given a low-end tender worth $1.671MM. We’ll round up the players that fall into that group on Friday in the space below, with the latest updates added to the top of the list throughout the day….
- The 49ers have offered linebacker Michael Wilhoite the low-end tender, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The 29-year-old has started in all 28 of his appearances over the last two seasons. Despite missing four games in 2015, Wilhoite was second on the Niners in tackles (85), though he graded dead last in overall performance out of Pro Football Focus’ 97 qualifying linebackers (subscription required).
Earlier updates:
- The Saints aren’t expected to submit an RFA tender to running back Khiry Robinson, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com confirms as much (via Twitter). Robinson, 26, saw his 2015 campaign come to an early end when he suffered a broken leg in November, but he has been a steady contributor in New Orleans’ backfield since 2013, averaging 4.1 yards per carry on 186 total attempts. He’s now on track to reach the open market as an unrestricted free agent.
- The Eagles have given RFA offensive lineman Matt Tobin the low-end tender, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Philadelphia now holds the right of first refusal on the 25-year-old lineman, who made 13 starts for the Eagles in 2015. Depending on the moves the team makes in free agency and the draft, Tobin could return to a reserve role in 2016.
- One restricted free agent who won’t get a tender offer from the Eagles is offensive lineman David Molk, who has decided to retire rather than continuing his career, according to the team (Twitter link). Molk, who started four games at center for Philadelphia in 2014, is widely believed to be the anonymous author of a book called NFL Confidential: True Confessions from the Gutter of Football, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at life in the NFL.
- The Packers have a pair of players eligible for restricted free agency, and according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter), the team won’t be tendering one of them, linebacker Andy Mulumba. Silverstein adds that guard Lane Taylor probably won’t get a tender offer either, which would make both players unrestricted free agents next week.
ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/4/16
Earlier today, we rounded up the latest decisions on restricted free agent tenders. Now, we’ll shift our focus to the day’s exclusive-rights free agent tenders, for players with fewer than three years of NFL experience. here’s the latest:
- The Dolphins tendered ERFA offers to six players today, including defensive back Michael Thomas, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links). The other players to get tenders were safety Shamiel Gary, wide receiver Matt Hazel, offensive lineman Ulrick John, cornerback Tyler Patmon, and tight end Jake Stoneburner.
- Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter), the Dolphins didn’t tender ERFA tight end Brandon Williams. That leaves defensive tackle Robert Thomas as the only one of Miami’s eight ERFAs whose situation wasn’t reported on today.
- The 49ers have tendered offensive lineman Jordan Devey, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
- Washington has tendered offers to all three of its exclusive-rights free agents, according to John Keim of ESPN.com, who reports that linebacker Will Compton, running back Chris Thompson, and punter Tress Way will be retained.
- The Giants have tendered a contract offer to ERFA punter Brad Wing, tweets Pelissero. They’ve done the same with running back Orleans Darkwa, tight ends Jerome Cunningham and Will Tye, safety Bennett Jackson, receiver Myles White and offensive lineman Adam Gettis, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Wideout Marcus Harris did not receiver a tender and is now an unrestricted free agent, Vacchiano adds.
- The Chiefs have issued ERFA tenders to defensive linemen David King and tackle Nick Williams, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star, who tweets (links: 1, 2) that running back Charcandrick West and safety Daniel Sorensen also received tenders.
Alfred Morris Likely To Test Free Agency
Pending free agent running back Alfred Morris has had discussions with Washington about a new contract, but the club hasn’t made an offer and the 27-year-old is expected to reach the open market next week as a result, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link).
Morris, a sixth-round pick in the 2012 draft, burst on the scene during a rookie year in which he amassed the third-most carries 
in the NFL (335) and finished second in both rushing yards (1,613) and touchdowns (13). Morris declined the next two years, though he was still a productive workhorse (265-plus carries, 1,000 or more yards and at least seven TDs in both years). The wheels came off last season, however, as the 224-pounder recorded personal worsts in carries (202), rushing yards (751), yards per attempt (3.7) and scores (one). Despite his statistical drop-off in 2015, it’s worth mentioning that Morris played his fourth consecutive 16-game season.
As is the case with all other free agents-to-be, Morris can start negotiating with other teams Monday, and he’s allowed to sign with one of them as early Wednesday. Morris will likely be, at best, the fourth-ranked available running back in a class that could also feature Doug Martin, Lamar Miller, Matt Forte and Chris Ivory. Ronnie Hillman, Bilal Powell, LeGarrette Blount and Arian Foster are some of the other backs looking for new deals.
Even though Morris is sure to garner interest from around the league, he isn’t a lock to leave Washington, as team president Bruce Allen alluded to last month.
“If he gets a great contract, we’re going to applaud him. If not, we’ll see what happens with us,” Allen said.
Washington tied for the third-worst team YPC in the league last season (3.7), so it’s probably going to have to address its backfield in some fashion. That could mean re-signing Morris, adding one of the other backs mentioned above, or going the draft route. The club used a third-round pick last year on Matt Jones, but the rookie averaged a paltry 3.4 yards per carry on 144 attempts and had ball security issues (four fumbles).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Vikings Want To Keep Mike Wallace, Phil Loadholt
The Vikings are interested in bringing back wide receiver Mike Wallace and right tackle Phil Loadholt next season at reduced prices, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Both would need to take significant pay cuts in order to 
return, per Tomasson.
As of now, Wallace is due to count an unpalatable $11.5MM against the Vikings’ cap in 2016, while Loadholt has a $7.75MM charge. The Vikings would incur no dead money if they were to cut Wallace, thus recouping his entire $11.5MM hit. Loadholt’s release would free up $6MM for the Vikes, who are currently middle of the pack in spending room ($23.80MM), according to Over the Cap.
Wallace, whom the Vikings acquired from the Dolphins for a fifth-round pick a year ago, was supposed to provide young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater a high-caliber target last season. That didn’t happen, though, as the seventh-year man had the least productive campaign of his career.
[RELATED: Vikings make offer to Mike Harris]
After five straight seasons of 60-plus receptions, 800 or more yards and at least five touchdowns, Wallace caught a mere 39 passes for 473 yards and two scores for the NFC North champions. Those numbers were all personal worsts for the 29-year-old. Nevertheless, the Vikings are fans of Wallace’s locker room presence and still think he has productive football left in him, Tomasson notes.
“(Wallace) probably was disappointing from a statistical standpoint, but (there was) what Mike Wallace brought into our locker room and his buy-in and his sacrifice from a standpoint of stats and what was best for the team,’’ general manager Rick Spielman said at last month’s scouting combine.
Since sitting out only one game from 2009-13, injuries have hampered Loadholt. The 343-pounder missed the final five games of the 2014 campaign because of a torn pectoral muscle and then all of last season with a torn Achilles. Loadholt, 30, hasn’t played a 16-game season since 2012, but he suited up for 15 contests in 2013 and graded out as a top-five tackle by Pro Football Focus’ standards.
T.J. Clemmings took over for Loadholt last season and started all 17 of Minnesota’s games as a fourth-round rookie, though he ranked an ugly 62nd out of 77 qualifying tackles at PFF (subscription required).
Wallace has two seasons remaining on the five-year, $60MM pact he signed with Miami in 2013. Loadholt is entering the final season of a four-year, $25MM deal.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
QB Rumors: RGIII, Foles, Romo, Luck
At least 10 teams are giving Washington signal-caller Robert Griffin III “a hard look,” sources tell Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. Griffin is a strong candidate to be either traded or released in the coming days, and there are teams around the league who feel like they can remake RGIII both on and off the field, according to Freeman.
While no team will want to trade for Griffin and pay his $16MM+ salary for 2016, that figure remains non-guaranteed until next Wednesday, so there could be resolution on the quarterback’s situation soon. As Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com tweets, Washington wouldn’t want more than a conditional late-round pick in a trade, so if a team can negotiate a reworked contract as part of a deal, it could be worth parting with that pick to get a leg up on all the clubs waiting for RGIII to be released.
As we wait to see what happens with the former No. 2 overall pick, let’s round up a few more Friday items on quarterbacks around the NFL, including the guy who was selected before Griffin in 2012…
- With the Rams currently counting on Case Keenum to be their starting quarterback, Nick Foles could almost certainly be had in the right trade. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggests (via Twitter) that the Dolphins, the Cowboys, and Washington would be among the teams with interest if Foles were available. It’s hard to imagine any of those teams giving up anything of value for Foles though.
- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who will go under the knife next week, intends to undergo a “Mumford procedure” on his collarbone, rather than having a plate inserted, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Mike Fisher of CBSDFW.com had reported that Romo would undergo the plate insertion, which involves a set of screws and a plate being inserted to protect the bone. However, Moore says that while the plate remains an option, the plan for Romo is the Mumford procedure, which would involve shaving off or removing a portion of the distal clavicle.
- Andrew Luck‘s looming extension will change the Colts‘ cap outlook drastically going forward, but the team has been anticipating that jump in its quarterback salary for several years. Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star takes a closer look at how the Colts are approaching the deal, and how it will affect the rest of the team’s offseason plans.
Armonty Bryant Suspended Four Games
Browns linebacker Armonty Bryant has been suspended four games by the NFL violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, the team announced today in a press release. The suspension will sideline Bryant for the first four games of the 2016 regular season.
Bryant, 25, enjoyed something of a breakout season in 2015, racking up career-highs in sacks (5.5), tackles (40), and forced fumbles (two). However, after a solid year on the field, the linebacker ran into some trouble off of it.
Bryant and former Browns defensive back De’Ante Saunders were arrested early on Christmas morning, and Bryant, who had Adderall in his possession when the duo was stopped by police, was ultimately indicted on two counts of felony drug possession. The NFL classifies Adderall as a performance-enhancing drug, but that case is still playing out, so Bryant’s suspension appears to be unrelated to that incident.
New Browns head coach Hue Jackson has talked about prioritizing character when it comes to filling out the team’s 53-man roster, and taking a hard-line stance when it comes to off-field transgressions, so it will be interesting to see whether Bryant will have a role on the team in 2016.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bills OT Cordy Glenn Signs Franchise Tender
Three days after receiving the franchise tag from the Bills, offensive tackle Cordy Glenn has officially signed his tender, guaranteeing himself a 2016 salary worth $13.706MM. Glenn’s agency, SportsTrust Advisors, broke the news (via Twitter).
The 26-year-old Glenn has been a quiet stalwart in Buffalo the past few seasons and has started 61 games since being selected in the second round in 2012. Glenn rated as Pro Football Focus‘ No. 10 overall tackle and fifth-best left-edge protector last season, and had been considered one of the top priorities for the Bills heading into free agency, along with fellow offensive lineman Richie Incognito.
Having been one of the NFL’s most cap-strapped teams heading into this offseason, the Bills have had to make several other roster moves to help accommodate the franchise tag for Glenn and additional offseason business. So far this week, the club has restructured Corey Graham‘s contract, and cut several veteran players, including Mario Williams, Kraig Urbik, Leodis McKelvin, and Anthony Dixon.
The Bills can still reduce Glenn’s cap hit for 2016 by working out a longer-term extension for him, though that’s unlikely to happen until closer to the July 15th deadline, if it happens at all. As Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News observes (via Twitter) most Pat Dye clients who receive tags do sign extensions before that deadline.
Glenn is the third franchised player to sign his tender, officially taking himself off the market, following Kirk Cousins putting pen to paper with Washington and Justin Tucker doing so with the Ravens. Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson is expected to follow suit very soon.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns President Alec Scheiner Stepping Down
Browns president Alec Scheiner is stepping down from his current role as of March 31st, 2016, the team announced today in a press release. Scheiner will serve as a consultant for the franchise for the remainder of the calendar year after stepping away from his position as president.
“Alec is ready for the next challenge in his career, as our new structure would limit the opportunity for his leadership,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “He is one of the most talented executives in the industry, and we are fully confident that Alec will be successful in whatever permanent role he takes next. We wish him and his family only the best.”
Scheiner’s departure is the latest in an offseason full of change for the Browns, who have brought in new decision-makers at several levels within the organization. In addition to replacing head coach Mike Pettine with Hue Jackson, the club also parted ways with general manager Ray Farmer, VP of player personnel Morocco Brown, and executive chief of staff Bill Kuharich.
As part of Cleveland’s front-office shakeup, the team promoted Sashi Brown to VP of football operations, hired former MLB executive Paul DePodesta as chief strategy officer, and hired Colts pro scouting coordinator Andrew Berry as VP of player personnel. Now the club will look to replace Scheiner, who had served as the Browns’ president since January 2013.
“I have had an incredible experience with the Browns,” Scheiner said in a statement of his own. “Cleveland is amazing and the fans are uniquely passionate. I want to thank Dee and Jimmy Haslam for the opportunity to do what I truly love: rebuilding an organization with a group of people who have shown unparalleled hard work, commitment to their team and city. I look forward to helping the Browns over the next several months as I determine my next challenge.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.