HEADLINES

Titans Release Bernard Pollard

March 2nd, 2015 at 5:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have released Bernard Pollard, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (via Twitter). Pollard first requested his release back in late January but he only recently reached the point health-wise where he was able to be let go (link). The move won’t officially hit the waiver wire until later, but the team has informed the safety that he’ll be released (link).

Last year was Pollard’s second season in Tennessee. After playing under a one-year deal in 2013 that netted him $2MM, Pollard re-signed with the Titans last March, inking a two-year extension. His base salary was set to increase from $1.65MM last year to $3.1MM in 2015, but that money isn’t guaranteed. By honoring his request for release, the Titans will only be on the hook for a prorated portion of his signing bonus, leaving them with just $425K in dead money.

Pollard has also spent time with the Chiefs, Texans, and Ravens and he captured a Super Bowl ring with Baltimore in 2013. He played in just five games last season before landing on injured reserve with an Achilles injury, but he was a solid player as recently as 2013, when he racked up 77 tackles while starting all 16 games, and rated as the league’s No. 21 safety among 86 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). In total, Pollard has amassed almost 550 tackles during his nine-year career, while adding 12 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles.

 

Randall Cobb’s Price Up To $12MM Per Year?

March 2nd, 2015 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Packers elected not to use their franchise tag on Randall Cobb, meaning he won’t be in line for a salary of $12.823MM for the 2015 season. However, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Cobb’s price tag in free agency may approach that figure. A source tells Silverstein that word going around at the NFL combine among league executives and personnel staff suggested Cobb’s asking price is up to $12MM per year.

A report a couple weeks ago suggested that Cobb would be seeking $9MM per year, which I said at the time would be reasonable for the Packers. That would have put Cobb in line with No. 1 receiver Jordy Nelson, who is earning just under $10MM per season. If Cobb’s asking price is up to $12MM though, it makes sense that Green Bay would allow the wideout and agent Jimmy Sexton to explore the open market. While Cobb certainly wouldn’t be easily replaceable, he’s not as crucial to Green Bay’s offense as Nelson or – of course – Aaron Rodgers, and investing significant money in him would limit the club’s ability to add talent elsewhere.

In his first full season as a starter in 2014, Cobb put up No. 1 receiver numbers, totaling 1,287 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 91 receptions. Still, those numbers likely wouldn’t look quite as good if he weren’t catching balls from arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. As we saw with Eric Decker a year ago, posting huge numbers in a dynamic offense led by an MVP quarterback doesn’t always lead to a massive payday — Decker’s deal with the Jets averaged just over $7MM annually.

While Cobb may not ultimately land $12MM per year, his best chance of doing so should come on the open market. There are several teams with a need at wide receiver, and many of those teams have a ton of cap space available. One club to watch would be the Raiders — GM Reggie McKenzie was in the Packers’ front office when the team drafted Cobb in 2011, and only Jacksonville has more projected cap room than Oakland this winter.

Minor Moves: Alexander, Hampton

March 2nd, 2015 at 4:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight’s minor moves..

  • The Seahawks have signed linebacker Mister Alexander, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Alexander, who spent part of the year on Dallas’ taxi squad, was signed to a futures deal in January by Dallas before being let go in February. Seattle got a look at Alexander back in November and apparently kept his number handy.
  • The Ravens released cornerback Victor Hampton, according to Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com. Hampton, 22, was arrested over the weekend on DUI charges while he was driving 100 mph in a 55 mph zone in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Ravens signed the South Carolina product to a futures deal in January. After going undrafted in 2014, he spent part of the season with the Giants and Bengals.

Washington Interested In Ndamukong Suh

March 2nd, 2015 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions’ decision not to use their franchise tag on Ndamukong Suh today meant the star defensive lineman moved one step closer to free agency. If Detroit doesn’t reach a long-term agreement with Suh by Saturday, his agent will be free to negotiate with rival teams, and according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (Twitter link), Washington will be among his potential suitors. Russini cites sources within the organization in reporting that Washington is interested in the 28-year-old.

Assuming Suh does reach the open market, there will be no shortage of clubs vying for his services. Players of his caliber rarely become available, and there are plenty of teams around the league with more cap room than Washington, and many with an even greater need along the defensive line. I expect many teams to kick the tires on Suh if given the opportunity.

Still, it makes some sense that new GM Scot McCloughan and the Washington front office would have interest in the former second overall pick. In 2014, five defensive linemen played in more than 25% of Washington’s defensive snaps, and only Jason Hatcher recorded a positive grade, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The club has already signed Ricky Jean-Francois to help add depth to the position, but adding a player like Suh would transform the unit into an elite defensive front.

2015 NFL Franchise/Transition Tags

March 2nd, 2015 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The deadline to designate franchise or transition players for 2015 has now passed, and six players received tags. Here’s a breakdown of the action:

Franchise players (non-exclusive):

Transition players:

Candidates who didn’t receive tags:

Players who received franchise or transition tags can sign those one-year tenders, if they so choose. They can also negotiate long-term agreements with their own teams, or – once free agency begins next week – with another team. If any tagged player signs an offer sheet with a new club, his current club would have five days to match the offer.

Giants Release J.D. Walton

March 2nd, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

A year after inking him to a two-year, $6MM contract, the Giants have parted ways with center J.D. Walton, releasing him today, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Walton had been slated for a $3.625MM cap hit in 2015, so the move creates $3MM in cap savings, leaving $625K in dead money on the team’s books.

The signing of Walton looked like a curious move for the Giants a year ago, considering he was coming off consecutive seasons that had been wiped out by major injuries. The 27-year-old did manage to stay healthy in 2014, starting all 16 games for New York and playing 1,145 offensive snaps, the most of any center, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Of course, PFF’s data also suggested that Walton’s overall play wasn’t particularly good. The former Bronco ranked as the league’s 38th-best center out of 41 qualified players, recording below-average grades as both a pass blocker and a run blocker.

With Walton out of the picture, second-year lineman Weston Richburg is poised to take over the center job in New York.

Steelers Cut Lance Moore

March 2nd, 2015 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

A month after Lance Moore reportedly requested his release from the Steelers, the team has granted his request. The club announced today (via Twitter) that it has parted ways with the veteran wideout, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.

Moore, 31, caught just 14 balls for the Steelers in 2014, matching his lowest total since his rookie season. While Moore was never the focal point of New Orleans’ pass game, he had three seasons of 65+ receptions with the Saints, but saw his usage decline significantly in Pittsburgh. With Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton all ahead of him on the team’s depth chart, Moore played just 264 offensive snaps in 2014. The veteran wideout hinted at season’s end that he’d like to join a club that would give him more playing time.

After releasing Moore, the Steelers will carry about $323K in dead money on their 2015 cap from his contract, wiping his $1.5MM base salary off the books. As a vested veteran, Moore will immediately become a free agent without having to pass through waivers.

FA Rumors: Orakpo, Worilds, Dockett, Murray

March 2nd, 2015 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

After franchising him last year, Washington won’t use a tag on edge defender Brian Orakpo this time around, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (via Twitter). However, Russini does add that the two sides are trying to work out a new agreement before next week’s free agent period.

Here are a few more updates on free agents and free-agents-to-be around the league:

  • Outside linebacker Jason Worilds, who received the transition tag last year from the Steelers, was the team’s only real candidate to be tagged this year, but Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the club will allow Worilds to reach the open market (Twitter link).
  • Defensive lineman Darnell Dockett has a visit scheduled with the 49ers tonight, reports Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We heard earlier today from agent Drew Rosenhaus that there’s a strong market for Dockett, who will likely have a new deal in place by the end of the week.
  • Werder also provides an update on Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, tweeting that the team intends to make a “respectable” offer to the NFL’s leading rusher. The Cowboys are hoping that Murray will give them a chance to match any offer he receives in free agency, but he’ll have no obligation to do so, and Dallas’ flexibility may be limited.
  • Former Eagles offensive lineman Todd Herremans, who is looking for a new NFL home, said today on PFT Live that he’d like to join a contender and win a Super Bowl ring before he retires (Twitter link).
  • In addition to his reported visit with the Lions, free agent defensive tackle Kendall Langford has “several” more meetings on his schedule, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Dolphins Use Transition Tag On Charles Clay

March 2nd, 2015 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Five players have received the franchise tag from their respective teams so far, but until now, we hadn’t had a transition tag sighting yet this season. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Dolphins are the first team to make use of that tag this season, assigning it to tight end Charles Clay.Charles Clay

The transition tag typically isn’t used as often as the franchise tag, since it allows the player to sign an offer sheet with another team and leave without any compensatory draft picks, assuming his previous club chooses not to match the offer. However, we saw it surface a couple times last year — the Steelers assigned it to Jason Worilds, who played the 2014 season on the one-year tender offer, and the Browns used it on Alex Mack, eventually matching an offer sheet from the Jaguars.

By placing the transition tag on Clay, the Dolphins are extending a one-year offer worth $7.071MM. The tight end can sign that tender offer anytime, as long as the team doesn’t withdraw it, and he’ll also be free to explore the open market as of next week. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that three or four rival suitors are interested in Clay – the Bills have been mentioned as one interested party – but the transition tag may diminish the enthusiasm for him on the open market.

Clay, who turned 26 last month, saw his numbers dip a little in 2014 after he set career highs with 69 receptions, 759 yards, and three touchdowns in his breakout 2013 season. However, Clay isn’t alone at the top of this year’s tight end market as a player whose stock slipped a little as he neared free agency. A sprained ankle derailed Julius Thomas‘ 2014 season, and an injury-plagued campaign for Jordan Cameron ensured that his numbers fell off even more precipitously than Clay’s.

If the Dolphins do bring Clay back, either at the $7MM+ transition price, or on a long-term deal at a slightly lesser number, they should have no problem fitting him into their 2015 cap plans. The team has already parted ways with Brian Hartline, Brandon Gibson, Cortland Finnegan, and Nate Garner, and there could be more cuts on the way, including perhaps Mike Wallace.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Patriots Franchise Stephen Gostkowski

March 2nd, 2015 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

In the first somewhat surprising franchise-related move of the day, the Patriots have used their tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Safety Devin McCourty had been considered the more viable candidate in recent weeks, but we heard earlier today that the Pats were leaning toward franchising their Pro Bowl kicker, rather than the standout safety.Stephen Gostkowski

If any kicker is worthy of a franchise tag, Gostkowski certainly fits the bill. He 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.

Franchising Gostkowski will mean tendering him a one-year offer worth $4.56MM, which he will immediately be free to sign. Before or after Gostkowski signs that tender, the two sides will have the option of working out a longer-term deal.

As for what the move means for McCourty, it certainly looks like he’s one step closer to reaching the open market next Tuesday. The Pats still have another few days to exclusively negotiate with the veteran safety, but there have been no recent talks, per Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe (via Twitter), and the team is reportedly prioritizing Darrelle Revis, whose option will need to be addressed by next Monday. The decision to use the franchise tag on Gostkowski may be a sign that the club is willing to let McCourty go in order to get something done with Revis, but that’s far from a given at this point.

While the Pats have a reputation for cutting ties with players earlier than expected, in their ongoing quest to maximize a player’s value, they’ve had remarkably little turnover at the kicker position over the last two decades, with only Gostkowski and Adam Vinatieri handling the role. New England previously franchised Vinatieri twice in the first half of the 2000s in order to keep him on the roster.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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