Eagles’ Chris Long Considering Retirement
The Eagles have offered to restructure defensive end Chris Long‘s contract, but it’s not a certainty that he’ll play this season. Long is mulling retirement, according to Michael Silver of NFL.com. 
The new deal would guarantee Long $3MM in 2018, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That includes a jump in base salary from a non-guaranteed $1MM to $2.5MM guaranteed with the team eliminating his $750K in per-game roster bonuses and $750K in incentives.
The Eagles’ defensive line has been revamped this offseason thanks to the additions of Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata. last year’s first round pick Derek Barnett will return as a backup defensive end, but Long still has an important role carved out for him as a situational pass rusher. Without Long, the Eagles’ D-Line would be weakened, even though it would still project to be among the best in the NFL.
Long was on the field for 588 regular season snaps last year and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 30 ranked edge defender, higher than both Bennett and Barnett.
Patrick Robinson Didn't Want To Leave Eagles
- Cornerback Patrick Robinson says three other teams were pursuing him when he agreed to deal with the Saints (Twitter link via Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune). Robinson added that he did not want to leave the Eagles, but “it just made more sense for me to come [to New Orleans].“
49ers Meet With Jaylen Watkins
Eagles free agent defensive back Jaylen Watkins is visiting the 49ers tomorrow, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). This marks the first “of a few visits” lined up for the cornerback/safety. 
The Eagles opted against tendering Watkins, which may have had more to do with their cap situation than their evaluation of him as a player. The Florida product has been a regular contributor for Philadelphia over the last two seasons with 28 regular season games and 51 total tackles to his credit over that time.
This past season, Watkins saw most of his playing time on special teams while playing on only 170 defensive snaps. He was not a star for the Eagles, but he still played a vital role.
“He’s Mr. Do-It-All,” Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills said of Watkins earlier this year (via the News-Press). “Whatever spot, if anybody happens to bust a shoelace, equipment issue, you can plug him in, and you know he’s going to go out there and do the job.”
In San Francisco, Watkins would also provide some much-needed depth in the secondary.
Buccaneers To Sign Vinny Curry
The Buccaneers are moving fast. Minutes after their release of Robert Ayers, the team is set to sign Vinny Curry.
Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports the Bucs are adding Curry, whom the Eagles released late this week, on a three-year deal worth $27MM with $11.5MM guaranteed.
Curry made 16 starts last season for the Super Bowl champions, the first 16 of his career, and played a key role in Philadelphia’s first Super Bowl title run. The Bucs have now added two pieces from Philly’s defensive front, with Curry joining Beau Allen. They’ve also added Mitch Unrein in what’s been a major effort to overhaul the Gerald McCoy-centered unit.
Set to turn 30 in June, Curry will land on his feet. The Eagles were slated to pay him $9MM this season as part of the previous extension he signed in 2016. Now, he’ll get that from the Bucs per year.
Curry ranked 21st among Pro Football Focus’ edge defender grades last season, 11 spots behind Ayers, and will be expected to provide an outside pass rush to complement McCoy’s nearly unparalleled interior-pursuit abilities. Curry’s best season (2014, nine sacks) came in a 3-4 defense as a rotational player who played on just 32 percent of Philly’s snaps, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter). He will likely be utilized more as a pure pass rusher since the Bucs do not have the edge-rushing depth the 2017 Eagles did.
So, Michael Bennett replaced Curry and now Curry will take over for Ayers. It figures to be a matter of time before Ayers lands elsewhere.
[RELATED: Buccaneers Depth Chart]
Chargers To Sign K Caleb Sturgis
The Chargers are expected to sign former Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Eagles had interest in re-signing him, but he’s headed to sunny Los Angeles instead.
The Chargers were on the lookout for a new kicker this year and also considered former Raider Sebastian Janikowski. Sturgis is more than a decade younger, but both are coming off of lost seasons. Janikowski didn’t kick at all while Sturgis’ Week 1 hip injury knocked him out of action for the rest of the year.
The Bolts ran through four kickers last season and they’re hoping to use just one – Sturgis – in 2018.
NFC Notes: Lions, Ngata, Giants
Here’s a quick look at the NFC:
- Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata inked a one-year, $2.6MM fully guaranteed deal ($3MM maximum value) with the Eagles this week, but he had the same offer on the table from the Lions, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (video link). He chose the Eagles because he felt they were a better scheme fit for him. In Philadelphia’s two-gap system, Ngata is hoping to get back to his old form as he backs up Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan.
- The Giants restructured linebacker Alec Ogletree‘s contract to prorate the $7MM roster bonus he was due over the remaining four years of his contract, a source tells Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter). His cap hit will be reduced from $10MM to $4.75MM in 2018, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter).
- Bears tight end Dion Sims remained on the team’s roster today and now has $4MM of his $6MM base salary fully guaranteed for 2018, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) notes.
Eagles Cut DL Vinny Curry
The Eagles are releasing defensive lineman Vinny Curry, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The Eagles were hoping to retain him, but the two sides were unable to agree to terms on a pay cut. Curry would have locked in $5MM of his $9MM base salary had he remained on the roster on Sunday. 
Curry appeared ticketed for release when the Eagles acquired Michael Bennett in a March trade with the Seahawks. He is now out of Philly and so is his $11MM cap hit. The Eagles will be left with $6MM in dead money after releasing Curry, but they’ll save $5MM.
Curry, 30 in June, totaled 42 tackles and three sacks last season for the Eagles. He tallied 22 sacks for the Eagles between 2013 and 2017.
At this point in free agency, Curry profiles as one of the very best free agent defensive linemen available. The Seahawks may have interest in Curry since they have dealt Bennett and are may be on the verge of losing Sheldon Richardson to free agency.
Contract Details: Lotulelei, Bradham, Lewis
Let’s take a look at the details from the latest contracts signed in the NFL:
- Star Lotulelei, DT (Bills): Five years, $50MM. $18.5MM guaranteed. $33.5MM over first three seasons (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com).
- Nigel Bradham, LB (Eagles): Five years, $40MM. $14MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus. Eagles have team options for 2020-22 seasons (Twitter link via Sheil Kapadia of the Athletic).
- Dion Lewis, RB (Titans): Four years, $19.8MM. $4.25MM guaranteed. $2.25MM signing bonus. Max value of $22.3MM (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
- Kareem Martin, LB (Giants): Three years, $15MM. $7.25MM guaranteed. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Patrick Omameh, G (Giants): Three years, $15MM. $5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com).
- Keith Tandy, S (Buccaneers): Two years, $2.74MM. $600K guaranteed (Twitter link via Howard Balzer).
- Kenny Wiggins, OL (Lions): Two years, $5MM. $750K guaranteed. $750K signing bonus (story via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
- Kevin Huber, P (Bengals): Three years, $7.95MM. $1.55MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Wilson).
Extra Points: Seahawks, Nelson, Browns
The Raiders are in the mix to sign Jordy Nelson, but it’s not a done deal just yet. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) cautions not to count out the Seahawks in the Nelson chase, given John Schneider‘s history with the wide receiver.
In 2008, the Packers traded back with the Jets in the second round in order to select Nelson. Schneider was a big reason for that deal as he advocated for Nelson in the war room. Now, Schneider is at the helm in Seattle with a very real chance at signing the veteran.
The Saints, reportedly, are also pushing to sign Nelson.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Browns GM John Dorsey said he released cornerback Jason McCourty because he wasn’t sure he’d make the roster and, given his veteran status, wanted to give him a chance to catch on with another team (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon). McCourty had a solid bounce back year with the Browns, so it’s surprising to hear that Dorsey wasn’t sure if McCourty would quality for the 53-man roster. In any event, he figures to have a ripe market.
- Meanwhile, Browns coach Hue Jackson confirmed that Tyrod Taylor is the Browns starting quarterback for 2018. “He’s going to be the starting quarterback. There is no competition,” Jackson said (Twitter link via NFL.com’s James Palmer). The Browns hold the No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks in this year’s draft and one of those selections will almost certainly be used on a QB. Whoever that rookie is, apparently, will be learning from the bench at the outset.
- The Raiders were a close second for Johnathan Joseph before he agreed to re-sign with the Texans, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). Joseph re-upped with Houston on Thursday with a two-year deal.
- The Eagles and Giants are showing interest in Bears free agent punter Pat O’Donnell, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
NFL Contract Restructures: 3/15/18
With the 2018 league year officially underway, a number of teams have reworked player contracts in order to create additional cap space. Here’s what moves clubs have made today:
- Broncos: Created $12.375MM in 2018 cap space by converting $16MM of LB Von Miller‘s $18.5MM base salary into a signing bonus (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).
- Cardinals: G Mike Iupati accepted $3MM pay cut. 2018 base salary reduced from $7.75MM to $5MM. $250K roster bonus eliminated. 2019 contract season is now voidable (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).
- Cowboys: Created ~$7.5MM in 2018 cap space by restructuring C Travis Frederick‘s contract (Twitter link via Jane Slater of NFL.com).
- Eagles: Created $5.407MM in 2018 cap space by converting $7.21MM of TE Zach Ertz‘s $8MM base salary into a fully guaranteed roster bonus (Twitter link via Yates).
- Ravens: Created $5.625MM in 2018 cap space by converting $7.5MM of DT Brandon Williams‘ $8.5MM base salary into a signing bonus (Twitter link via Yates).