HEADLINES

AFC East Notes: Jets, Revis, Tannehill, Pats

March 3rd, 2015 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jets have been involved in “serious internal discussions” about the possibility of bringing back cornerback Darrelle Revis, with owner Woody Johnson very much involved in those talks, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Jets’ interest in Revis is hardly news, but the closer we get to March 9 without an agreement in place between the Patriots and the star cornerback, the more likely it is that he reaches the open market next week.

Let’s round up a few more items related to the Jets and their AFC East rivals….

  • While there have been rumblings in recent weeks suggesting the Jets could target C.J. Spiller in free agency, the team would like to bring back Bilal Powell and will make a “sincere effort” to re-sign him, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini estimates that Powell will land a deal that averages between $1.5MM and $2MM per year.
  • Brian Costello of the New York Post examines how new Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan will approach the team’s hole at cornerback this offseason.
  • Former Packers wide receiver Kevin Dorsey, who recently visited the Patriots, is working out for the Jets today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Visits with the 49ers and Chiefs are next up on Dorsey’s schedule.
  • Ryan Tannehill said today that he has yet to sit down with the Dolphins to discuss a contract extension, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. There’s no real rush for the Fins to get anything done, since Tannehill has one more year left on his rookie contract, and the club holds a team option for the 2016 season.
  • As Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com details, Patriots safety Devin McCourty spoke to ESPN’s Josina Anderson yesterday after the team announced that it was franchising kicker Stephen Gostkowski, rather than McCourty. The veteran safety didn’t say anything too noteworthy in addressing his contract situation, but acknowledged that not being tagged made it more “realistic” that he could end up somewhere besides New England.
  • The Patriots hired former 49ers special-teamer Bubba Ventrone today as an assistant special teams coach, as first reported by Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Ventrone, who began his NFL career with the Pats, is just 28 years old, so the move from playing to coaching is a little surprising, but he hadn’t been under contract for the 2015 season.

Byron Maxwell Changing Agents

March 3rd, 2015 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

12:38pm: Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Maxwell is expected to hire Alvin Keels and/or Premier Sports & Entertainment for representation, noting that the firm has already started working on the cornerback’s behalf. McLane has tweeted that he “jumped the gun” on the Maxwell report, so it appears Dogra may not be in the picture after all. Either way, Maxwell’s new agent can’t officially be hired quite yet.

11:50am: With his unrestricted free agency just a week away, cornerback Byron Maxwell has made the unusual move of informing his agent, Jason Chayut, that he’ll be parting ways with him and seeking new representation, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Per NFLPA bylaws, players must wait five days before hiring a new agent, so Maxwell won’t be able to officially appoint a new rep until this weekend.

When he is able to formally hire a new agent, Maxwell is expected to opt for Ben Dogra, formerly of CAA, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Dogra, who also represents Adrian Peterson and many other NFL players, joined Relativity Sports several weeks ago, as the agency’s co-CEO.

While it’s not unusual for a player to change agents as his free agency nears, making a move at the very last minute is a curious choice. Chayut and Maxwell’s former reps have spent the last year, including last month’s combine, gauging the value of their client, and would presumably have a leg up over a new agent. Considering Maxwell is projected to be the top cornerback in what may be a seller’s market, he’ll do very well regardless of who represents him, but a few million dollars could be at stake, depending on how negotiations play out.

Additionally, agents are allowed to begin talking to rival teams on behalf of their clients starting on Saturday, so depending on when Maxwell officially appoints Dogra as his new rep, he may not be able to immediately explore his market when that negotiating period opens.

The Eagles are regarded as a potential frontrunner for Maxwell, who isn’t expected to return to the Seahawks.

Cole Beasley, Cowboys Agree To Extension

March 3rd, 2015 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys and wide receiver Cole Beasley have agreed to terms on a multiyear extension that will keep Beasley under contract through the 2018 season, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). The four-year contract is worth $13.6MM, with $7MM in guarantees, including a $4MM signing bonus. Beasley can also increase the value of the deal to $15.1MM if he reaches certain escalators.

Getlin initially reported last week that the Cowboys and Beasley were discussing a new contract, and I suggested at the time that I didn’t think Dallas would go much higher than about $2MM per season. However, it looks like I undershot the wideout’s new salary, since the extension will pay him $3.4MM per year. Of course, as is the case with most NFL contracts, if the deal goes south, the team will have the opportunity to get out of it in the last year or two without paying the full amount.

Beasley, who turns 26 in April, was hardly the Cowboys’ most notable extension candidate at the wide receiver position — that honor belongs to Dez Bryant, who received the franchise tag from the team yesterday. Still, Beasley has developed into one of Tony Romo‘s more reliable targets over the last couple seasons. In 2014, the SMU product set career highs with 420 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while totaling 37 receptions.

Having take care of Beasley, who had been eligible for restricted free agency, the Cowboys will shift their focus to a handful of other pending free agents. Bryant’s situation doesn’t need to be addressed immediately now that he’s been franchised, but a number of other notable players, including DeMarco Murray, Doug Free, Justin Durant, and Rolando McClain are scheduled to reach the open market next Tuesday.

Panthers Re-Sign Colin Cole

March 3rd, 2015 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have reached an agreement with free-agent-to-be Colin Cole, keeping the veteran defensive tackle off the open market, reports John Clayton of ESPN.com (Twitter link via David Newton). According to Clayton, Cole is signing a one-year, $1.05MM contract to remain in Carolina.

Cole, who has been in the league since joining the Packers in 2004, will turn 35 this summer, but was still a regular contributor for the Panthers last season. In 16 games (10 starts), the Iowa product recorded 32 tackles and recovered a fumble.

For a player with Cole’s experience, the minimum salary for 2015 is $970K. The maximum signing bonus for a minimum salary benefit deal is $80K, for a total of $1.05MM. Because it’s a minimum salary benefit contract, the Panthers’ cap hit for Cole will be just $665K — the amount of a minimum salary for a two-year veteran ($585K), plus the $80K bonus.

Eagles Release Cary Williams

March 3rd, 2015 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have parted ways with a player who has started every game for the team during the last two seasons, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve terminated the contract of cornerback Cary Williams. As a vested veteran, Williams won’t have to pass through waivers before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Williams, 30, inked a three-year, $17MM contract with the Eagles prior to the 2013 season, so he had one year remaining on that deal. He has been set to count against the team’s cap for $8.167MM in 2015, so by cutting him, the Eagles will create $6.5MM in cap savings — that was the amount of Williams’ base salary for the coming year. The move leaves the team with $1.667MM in dead money on the books.

While Williams’ performance in the Eagles’ secondary wasn’t great, he was far from a disaster, and he was certainly a workhorse for the club. In each of his two seasons in Philadelphia, Williams led all cornerbacks in defensive snaps, averaging over 1,180 plays per year. According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter), the veteran corner said today on Philadelphia radio that he wasn’t asked to take a pay cut, with the team simply deciding to move in another direction.

By cutting ties with Williams, the Eagles are moving toward overhauling their secondary, and particularly the cornerback position. Bradley Fletcher is also not expected to return, meaning the club will be looking for two new starters this offseason. The Eagles are viewed as a potential frontrunner for Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell, who will hit the open market next week.

As for Williams, he’ll have a modest head start on the slew of free agents who will be free to negotiate with new teams in a few days. According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the ex-Raven has “strong interest” in returning to Baltimore, and that would seem to be a nice fit, given the problems the Ravens had in the secondary last season.

Facebook/Twitter/RSS Feeds By Team

March 3rd, 2015 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

We’ve detailed how you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or using an RSS reader to ensure that you receive all of our updates, 365 days a year. If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, PFR has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

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Colts Sign Matt Hasselbeck To Extension

March 3rd, 2015 at 9:43am CST by Zachary Links

MARCH 3: Hasslebeck’s new one-year deal is worth $3MM, with a $1MM signing bonus, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

FEBRUARY 26: The Colts announced that they have signed quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to an extension, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets. Some expected that Hasselbeck would consider retirement, but he’ll give it a go for at least one more season.

The veteran has been praised as being a quality mentor for young starter Andrew Luck. The seasoned veteran will celebrate his 40th birthday on September 25th. Back in July, Hasselbeck explained that he had no intention of hanging up his cleats anytime soon.

“Ideally, that would be a dream come true,” Hasselbeck said. “There’s no timetable where I need to make a call on that, but I set a short term goal of finishing my contract. I’m close to accomplishing that and if I do, I’ll have to figure out a new goal.”

Hasselbeck was a sixth-round pick in 1998, and has played for the Packers, Seahawks, Titans, and Colts during over the course of the last decade and a half. While he has 152 career starts to his name, the 39-year-old has transitioned into a backup role late in his career. Last year, Hasselbeck was one of the highest-paid backup quarterbacks in the league with a $3.625MM salary.

AFC South Notes: Pollard, Jags, A. Johnson

March 3rd, 2015 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

Having been granted his release from the Titans yesterday, as he requested, safety Bernard Pollard explained to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean that he wasn’t a fit on a roster that was heavy on young players, and wasn’t close to being a legit contender.

“This was a business move for me. I don’t see fans argue when teams cut players under contract. This is a business. I am my own agent, and I have to do what is right for me and my family. I want more hardware, I want another ring,” Pollard said. “I thought it was a great decision to come here. But looking at where this thing is going, a lot of mistakes have been made and they need to be fixed to put a defense together. I am 30, and I have two or three years left in me. I want to go somewhere and play where I can play a key role.”

Here’s more from out of the AFC South:

  • The Jaguars are expected to be in the market for a running back this offseason, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Jacksonville plans to move Toby Gerhart around, using him at H-back as well as running back.
  • A source close to Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson said this is “definitely” the end of him in Houston, per Rapoport (on Twitter). As we heard last night, the team has given the veteran wideout permission to seek a trade, and it looks like Johnson will end up being released if a deal can’t be reached.
  • Rapoport also ran down some possible landing spots for pending free agent running back DeMarco Murray. A pair of AFC South teams were among the potential suitors identified by Rapoport, who rattled off the Colts, Jaguars, Cardinals, and Seahawks.
  • Earlier today, we learned that the Jaguars are “very interested” in free-agent-to-be Brian Orakpo.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Jaguars Interested In Brian Orakpo

March 3rd, 2015 at 8:28am CST by Luke Adams

After he played on the one-year franchise tag in 2014, Brian Orakpo unsurprisingly did not receive another tag this time around from Washington, having appeared in just seven games before going down for the year with a pectoral injury. While the team would like to work something out to keep him in the fold, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (Twitter link) hears that it’s “not looking good” for the two sides to reach an agreement before Orakpo hits the open market.

Last night, we heard that the Falcons are a potential frontrunner for Orakpo, and Russini confirms the team’s strong interest in the edge defender. She also adds another potential destination to the mix, reporting (via Twitter) that the Jaguars are “very interested” in Orakpo.

Jacksonville would be a somewhat curious fit for Orakpo. The Jags are a 4-3 team, so the 28-year-old would presumably make the move from his outside linebacker position in Washington’s 3-4 scheme into a new role, perhaps as the team’s “Leo” rusher. Even if that transition went smoothly, pass rushers aren’t necessarily one of Jacksonville’s many needs — the team actually tied for sixth in the NFL in 2014 with 45 sacks.

Still, Pro Football Focus’s data (subscription required) suggests the Jaguars’ defensive ends weren’t getting after the quarterback at an elite level on an individual basis. Of the team’s four regular DEs, only Chris Clemons had more than 17 total QB pressures, and Clemons, Red Bryant, and Tyson Alualu all received pass-rushing grades that were well below average. Additionally, no team heads into the offseason with more cap room than the Jags, who have the flexibility to splash around in free agency if they so choose.

Although Orakpo wasn’t playing all that well before he landed on injured reserve last season, he has averaged nearly 10 sacks per year when he’s been healthy, so it’ll be interesting to see how he does in a free agent market where two of the top two pass rushers – Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul – have been franchised.

Texans Give Andre Johnson OK To Seek Trade

March 2nd, 2015 at 10:47pm CST by Zachary Links

10:47pm: Johnson told Berman that he and the Texans did not get to the point where they discussed his contractual situation.

“It never got that far,” Johnson said. “Like I said I don’t get how you can tell a guy that you wouldn’t start certain games and stuff like that, especially knowing the team and knowing the talent that you have. I don’t see why I wouldn’t be a starter in this league. I don’t know. It just didn’t make sense to me. I’m pretty sure it won’t make sense to a lot of other people. People try to picture it the way they want to picture it, saying that I asked for a trade. Well, yeah there’s a reason why I asked for a trade. I think if anybody else was in my situation they would have done the same thing I did.”

7:33pm: The Texans have given Andre Johnson‘s agent, Kennard McGuire, permission to seek a trade, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26. This step probably means that Johnson’s career with the franchise is over, according to Berman.

The Texans asked Johnson to accept a reduced role with the offense in 2015. In response, Johnson’s camp told the Texans he would not do that and requested the team trade him or cut him, according to NFL sources that spoke with Berman. Coming off his worst season in which he played at least 15 games, Johnson is slated to earn $10.5MM in base salary next season with a cap figure of $16.1MM. The Texans wideout will be 34 in July after notching just 936 yards and three TDs in 2014.

Recently, Texans GM Rick Smith indicated that he might have to address Johnson’s cap number but hoped to see him spend his entire career with Houston. Of course, today’s news might mean that Johnson will finish out his career elsewhere. Late last year, a report indicated that Johnson would be open to a pay cut in order to stay on board, but he quickly shot that notion down.

“I don’t know where that story came from,” said Johnson. “I didn’t make that statement.”

The Colts recently had internal discussions about the idea of pairing Johnson with T.Y. Hilton, though other veterans like Brandon Marshall, Mike Wallace, and Vincent Jackson were also mentioned. If Johnson’s agent does find a trade partner, one has to imagine that team will call for Johnson to re-work his deal on some level. The 33-year-old (34 in July) is set to earn base salaries of $10.5MM in 2015 and $11MM in 2016 with $1MM workout bonuses each year.

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