Eagles Still Monitoring Free Agent Market
- Whereas money “does a lot of the talking” early in the free agent process, Eagles GM Howie Roseman believes offering players the opportunity to fill a potential hole or compete for playing time is a key factor during this later stage of the free agent period, per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. Roseman acknowledged the Eagles may still add some free agent depth, but said the club is shifting its primary focus to draft preparation.
Nolan Carroll Contract Details
- Nolan Carroll, CB (Eagles): One year, $2.36MM. Can be worth up to $3MM. $1MM in per-game active roster bonuses. $600K for eight games active. Up to $640K in playing-time and Pro Bowl incentives (Twitter link).
Contract Details: Bruton, Soliai, M. Wallace
Here are specific details on several of the latest agreed-upon and signed contracts from around the NFL. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated…
NFC:
- David Bruton, S (Washington): Three years, $9MM. $3.4MM guaranteed. $2.5MM signing bonus. $500K annual playing-time escalator in 2017 and 2018. $500K in incentives in 2018 (Twitter links via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post).
- Paul Soliai, DT (Panthers): Two years, $6.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus. $740K in annual per-game active roster bonuses. $500K roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2017 league year (Twitter link).
- Leodis McKelvin, CB (Eagles): Two years, $6.2MM. $3MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $1.2MM bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. $100K Pro Bowl incentive. $350K playing-time incentive (Twitter link).
- Cory Harkey, TE (Rams): Three years, $5.7MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $500K roster bonus due on 10th day of 2016 league year. $500K roster bonus due in 2017, guaranteed for skill and injury (Twitter link).
- Rolando McClain, LB (Cowboys): One year, $4MM. $750K signing bonus. $1.25MM base salary. $2MM in per-game roster bonuses. Up to $1MM in playing-time and playoff incentives (Twitter link).
- Rhett Ellison, TE (Vikings): One year, $1.75MM. $100K signing bonus. $790K in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $500K in incentives (Twitter link).
- Chris Givens, WR (Eagles): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus. $100K of $760K base salary is guaranteed (Twitter link via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News).
AFC:
- Mike Wallace, WR (Ravens): Two years, $11.5MM. $4.5MM signing bonus. $1MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. Option for second year to be exercised/declined prior to end of 2016 league year (Twitter links).
- Matt Moore, QB (Dolphins): Two years, $3.55MM. $2.25MM guaranteed. $750K signing bonus. $1.25MM in annual incentives (Twitter link).
- Sean Spence, LB (Titans): One year, $2.5MM. $500K signing bonus. $500K in per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Robert Turbin, RB (Colts): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K in incentives for rushing yards (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
Draft Rumors: Cowboys, Ramsey, Bosa
The Cowboys want Jalen Ramsey, but they fear that he’ll be gone by No. 4, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net writes (via PhiladelphiaEagles.com). With that in mind, Dallas is eyeing Ohio State standouts Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott. Bosa would help bolster the team at defensive end while DeMarcus Lawrence recovers from surgery and Randy Gregory serves his first month suspension. Elliott, meanwhile, would give the team help at running back.
Here are the latest rumors on the 2016 NFL Draft (all of which come from Pauline, unless otherwise indicated):
- Insiders believe that we could se three offensive tackles – Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley, and Jack Conklin – go in the first top 12 picks of the draft. That could start a run and Pauline writes that we could see six tackles taken in the first round.
- The Cowboys would consider trading down, Pauline hears, but they want to stay ahead of the Giants at No. 10.
- Observers at the UCLA pro day described Myles Jack as a “remarkable athlete.” One source told Pauline (in his running log for Walter Football) that “he looked like a defensive back doing linebacker drills.”
- Aaron Wallace, the Bruins’ other notable linebacker, is gaining a lot of momentum in the scouting community, Pauline hears. Wallace currently has official visits set up with the Buccaneers, Browns, and Raiders with more likely on the way.
- UCLA offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch has been graded as a top-75 selection, according to Pauline. Many believe that Benenoch can play tackle and guard in addition to center.
- Georgia linebacker Jordan Jenkins says that he’ll have private workouts with the Raiders, Patriots, and Saints, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
- Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter) reports that Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook has private workouts scheduled with the Cowboys and Dolphins.
- All 32 NFL teams were in attendance at MSU’s pro day, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. At the event, Cook met with the 49ers and Rams before the workout and met with the Browns‘ staff after.
- Michigan State defensive tackle Joel Heath says that he will have a private workout with the Patriots this week, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets. In addition to that, he’ll meet with the Titans later this month. Heath previously met with the Colts and Buccaneers.
- Pittsburgh wide receiver Tyler Boyd looked great at his Pro Day and the slowest unofficial 40-year-dash time that has been reported was in the low 4.5s.
- Pittsburgh corner Lafayette Pitts recorded 40-yard-dash times under 4.4 seconds, with some watches marking him at 4.35.
- There’s no definitive word on whether Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller will work out before the draft.
- Youngstown State linebacker Terrell Williams is drawing interest from clubs. The Jets and Eagles, in particular, see him as a quality backup linebacker/core special teams guy.
- The Lions have a private workouts set up with Michigan State offensive linemen Jack Conklin, Jack Allen, and Donavon Clark later this month, Birkett tweets.
Eagles, Chris Givens Agree To Terms
3:11pm: Givens’ one-year pact with the Eagles is worth $760K, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. That’s the minimum salary for a player with Givens’ NFL experience.
1:21pm: The Eagles have added a wide receiver to their roster, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve agreed to terms on a one-year deal for veteran free agent Chris Givens. After previously visiting the Jets, Givens had been in Philadelphia today to meet with the Eagles.
A Rams fourth-round pick in 2012, Givens previously caught passes from Sam Bradford in St. Louis, and will now reunite with Bradford in Philadelphia. The 26-year-old’s best season came in his rookie campaign, when he caught 42 balls for 698 yards and three touchdowns. In subsequent years, Givens saw his role reduced, until he was ultimately traded by the Rams to Baltimore last October.
For the Ravens, Givens appeared in 12 games, starting six. While he was targeted 53 times by Baltimore quarterbacks, Givens managed to haul in just 19 of those passes for 346 yards and a touchdown.
The Eagles, who released Riley Cooper earlier this offseason will add Givens to a wide receiving corps that includes Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, and Josh Huff, among others. All three of those players have been day one or day two picks in the last two drafts, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Philadelphia won’t target the position again in this spring’s draft.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Dunbar, Bears, Givens, Bills
Free agent running back Lance Dunbar is continuing his NFC tour today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who tweets that Dunbar is visiting the Bears. The veteran back, who has spent his first four seasons in Dallas, has also paid visits to the Seahawks and 49ers since free agency began.
Dunbar, 26, was on the verge of becoming a legit weapon out of the backfield for the Cowboys last season, racking up 21 receptions in just three full games, including 10 catches for 100 yards in Week 3 against the Falcons. However, in his fourth game, Dunbar suffered a torn ACL that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. While his upside will appeal to teams seeking a receiving option at running back, Dunbar will have to convince those clubs that he’ll be back to full health for the 2016 season.
Here’s more on free agency from around the NFL:
- After visiting the Jets on Tuesday, wide receiver Chris Givens is meeting with the Eagles today, according to Schefter (via Twitter). Givens, who was traded from the Rams to the Ravens last October, was targeted 53 times in Baltimore, but only hauled in 19 of them for 346 yards and a touchdown.
- In addition to confirming a pair of previously-reported visits, the Bills also announced today (via Twitter) that they’re hosting tight end Jim Dray for a Wednesday visit, and brought in wide receiver Deonte Thompson on Tuesday.
- The Seahawks hosted free agent guard Amini Silatolu for a visit on Tuesday, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.The former-second pick, who also met with the Cardinals, hasn’t been a full-time starter since his rookie season in 2012, but he’s only 26 years old and could appeal to a Seattle team that doesn’t seem interested in spending a ton on its offensive line.
- Free agent linebacker Sean Spence, having already visited the Dolphins and Jaguars, is meeting with the Titans on Wednesday, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). A third-round pick in 2012, Spence was limited to just 31 games during his four years with the Steelers due to injuries.
- The Jets and Texans are both making an effort to sign free agent safety Antonio Allen, tweets Newsday’s Kimberley Martin. Allen, who visited Houston this week, missed the entire 2015 campaign with an Achilles injury.
Walter Thurmond Contemplating Retirement
MARCH 15, 12:06pm: Thurmond is leaning toward retirement at this point, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, the free agent safety has received offers in the range of $4MM (presumably per year), but he’s closer to calling it a career than signing a new deal.
MARCH 11, 11:06pm: Despite coming off a strong first season as a safety, defensive back Walter Thurmond hasn’t generated much free agent buzz this week. Per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, the lack of news related to Thurmond may not be due to a lack of interest from teams — Bowen hears from multiple team sources that the 28-year-old may be contemplating retirement, something that Jordan Raanan of NJ.com has also heard (Twitter link).
According to Bowen, Thurmond sent a text message asking, “Who started that rumor?” when contacted about the possibility of retirement. However, he didn’t respond when asked if he wanted to deny it.
[RELATED: Eagles sign Rodney McLeod]
Thurmond, who joined the Eagles a year ago as a cornerback, ended up starting 16 games for the first time in his career while also playing safety for the first time. He excelled at the new position, picking up 71 tackles, three interceptions, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus’ grades backed up his solid stat line, as he ranked 26th out of 88 qualified safeties.
Still, as Bowen details, Thurmond has interests outside of football – including filmmaking – and has talked in the past about having to reconsider his NFL future if he suffers another serious injury, so there’s no guarantee that he wants to keep playing for several more seasons.
If Thurmond does continue his playing career, there may not be a spot for him in Philadelphia anymore. The Eagles signed Rodney McLeod earlier this week to pair with the recently-extended Malcolm Jenkins at safety.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eagles To Re-Sign Nolan Carroll
11:18am: Carroll’s one-year deal has a base value of $2.36MM, and can max out at $3MM, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network.
9:31am: The Eagles are set to bring back cornerback Nolan Carroll on a one-year contract for the 2016 season, reports Derrick Gunn of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
Carroll, 29, spent the last two seasons with the Eagles, becoming a starter in 2015. Before a broken ankle ended his season, he was one of Philadelphia’s most reliable corners in 2015, picking up 55 tackles, two interceptions, and 10 passes defended.
Pro Football Focus wasn’t overly bullish on Carroll’s play, placing him a modest 53rd out of 111 qualified cornerbacks. Still, his overall ranking was dragged down somewhat by a poor grade as a run defender, and he was viewed as significantly more reliable in coverage than most of his teammates at the position, including Byron Maxwell, Eric Rowe, and E.J. Biggers.
Coming off a two-year contract that paid him $2.625MM annually, Carroll should be in line for a raise on his new deal, though it’s possible that his ankle injury will limit his earnings. The financial terms of the agreement aren’t yet known.
Caroll received interest from the Cowboys and Dolphins, paying a visit to Dallas, before agreeing to re-up in Philadelphia.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Fairley, Hall, Moore, Harvin
On the first day of the 2016 legal tampering period last Monday, we learned that the Jets had some interest in defensive tackle Nick Fairley. It doesn’t appear there’s been much movement on that front in the last eight days, but Gang Green isn’t the only club eyeing the ex-Ram.
According to Mark Eckel of NJ.com, there are three or four teams with “serious interest” in Fairley. The Eagles are one of those teams, and the Saints and Jets might be two of the others, though that’s not certain. Eckel’s source is “fairly certain” that the free agent defensive lineman won’t return to the Rams after spending a season with the team.
As we wait to see where Fairley lands, here are a few more free agent rumors from around the NFL…
- After having visited the Cardinals, free agent cornerback Leon Hall is now set to meet with the Cowboys, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Hall is one of several Cincinnati defensive backs to reach the open market this year — he and Reggie Nelson remain unsigned, while George Iloka and Adam Jones reached new deals the Bengals.
- Veteran quarterback Matt Moore has been surveying his options on the free agent market, and the Dolphins reportedly prefer not to spend much for a backup QB, but the two sides could still find their way back to one another. According to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald, Moore is meeting with the Fins today, a signal that the player and team are open to a reunion.
- Moore isn’t the only free agent scheduled to meet with the Dolphins. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets that veteran edge defender Andre Branch will be in Miami for a visit tonight and Wednesday, as the club continues to consider defensive end options.
- A return to the Bills or a deal with the Ravens are among the possible outcomes for wide receiver Percy Harvin this offseason, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio doesn’t cite any sources, so it’s not clear whether he’s reporting Buffalo and Baltimore as potential landing spots for Harvin, or simply speculating.
Free Agent Rumors: Raji, Packers, Pats
The latest free agent rumors:
- Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter) heard that Packers lineman B.J. Raji had “five legit offers,” though as Silverstein notes, “legit” is in the eye of the beholder. Raji, he hears, had to weigh those offers versus wanting to spend time with his family plus his own health concerns.
- Free agent receiver Nate Washington met with the Patriots on Monday, according to FOX 26’s Mark Berman (via Twitter). Washington was ranked as Pro Football Rumors’ No. 13 free agent wide receiver in early March.
- Browns free agent linebacker Craig Robertson is on his way to visit the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Robertson just got done visiting with Seattle. As Schefter notes, the Browns have already lost five unrestricted free agents this month and they could be on their way to losing free agent No. 6 if Robertson signs elsewhere.
- Cornerback Antwon Blake will visit the Patriots on Tuesday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. Blake visited the Titans today and also has a visit scheduled with the Lions on Wednesday.
- The Giants are looking for cornerbacks, particularly corners that can play in the slot, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. He adds that Patrick Robinson and Jerraud Powers are two players to keep an eye on. The Eagles, Dolphins, and Bears have also been connected to Robinson.
- Free agent defensive end Chris Clemons completed his visit with the Dolphins, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.