Tim Tebow Worked Out For Eagles
3:05pm: According to Schefter (via Twitter), Tebow’s workout in Philadelphia is over, and the team doesn’t have any plans to sign him at this point.
1:47pm: Just in case you thought things might be returning to normal for Chip Kelly and the Eagles after a wild first week of free agency, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets a nugget to dispel that notion. According to Schefter, former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow is working out for Philadelphia today.
Tebow, the former Broncos first-rounder, hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since he played for the Jets in 2012. If the Eagles were to take a flier on the 27-year-old and use one of their 90 offseason roster spots on him, he would be reunited with Mark Sanchez, whom he backed up during his stint in New York.
Of course, a tryout doesn’t mean a contract will follow, but the fact that Kelly and the Eagles are even considering a player as divisive as Tebow is just the latest twist in a month that has been full of surprising moves out of Philadelphia.
Tebow, who has been trying to continue his NFL playing career for the last several years, worked as an NCAA analyst for ESPN during Bowl season this winter.
King’s Latest: Peterson, Hardy, Winston
After publishing a Wednesday Morning Quarterback last week to recap a crazy first day of NFL free agency, Peter King of TheMMQB.com returns to his usual Monday Morning Quarterback piece this week, and the latest installment includes several noteworthy tidbits from around the league. Let’s round up the highlights….
- Addressing a report about the Cardinals‘ possible interest in Adrian Peterson, King cites a “reliable Cardinals source” who indicates Arizona hasn’t had any contact with the Vikings about Peterson. “There is no way we could live with those numbers,” the source said, referring to the three years and $45MM left on the running back’s contract. “We just got Larry Fitzgerald’s contract under control. No way we’d add that salary.”
- One general manager tells King that Greg Hardy is on his club’s free agent list, “but pretty far down.” Many teams believe the veteran defensive end will be suspended by the league for the first six games of the 2015 season.
- Jameis Winston isn’t currently planning to attend the 2015 NFL draft in Chicago, preferring to spend it with family and friends down south, says King.
- King thinks a team like the Falcons or Buccaneers would be a nice fit for free agent pass rusher Dwight Freeney.
- The Jets likely would have blown any rival offer for Darrelle Revis out of the water, so even if the Patriots had been willing to get into the neighborhood of New York’s five-year, $70MM proposal, the Jets probably would’ve just upped the ante.
- The Cowboys started out at a $5MM-per-year price tag for DeMarco Murray, and were willing to stretch that to $6MM annually, but never considered matching the Eagles‘ final offer, which got up to $8MM+.
Latest On Sam Bradford
Ever since the Eagles acquired Sam Bradford last Tuesday, there’s been no shortage of speculation and rumors surrounding the 27-year-old quarterback and Philadelphia’s plans for him. Let’s take a look at the latest…
- Both Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and Rams head coach Jeff Fisher have claimed they were offered a first-round pick from a separate team in exchange for Bradford. The Browns were tossed out as a viable option to have made that offer, appearing on the Michael Kay Show today, former NFL general manager Charley Casserly said he’s heard it was in fact Cleveland who was willing to surrender a first-rounder (link via Connor Orr of NJ.com).
- From what she can gather from talking to NFL coaches at West Virginia’s pro day, Josina Anderson of ESPN says (Twitter link) that many league insiders still believe the Eagles plan to use Bradford as trade bait, specifically to move up the No. 2 pick and select Marcus Mariota. That would presume that the Titans would be interested in Bradford, despite reports that they’ll stick with Zach Mettenberger at QB.
- Of course, if the Titans really wanted Bradford, they could have dealt with the Rams themselves, adds Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). I would add here that perhaps St. Louis had its eye on Nick Foles as a long-term option at quarterback, something Tennessee couldn’t provide via trade.
- If the Eagles do intend to keep Bradford for the long haul, they could tack on a few years to his contract and insert a no-trade clause, effectively ending any speculation about his future in Philadelphia, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Notable Contracts Guaranteed Today
On today, the fifth day of the league year, a number of contracts have become fully or partially guaranteed.
Below are a number of notable contracts that have money guaranteed as of today, according to Joel Corry of CBS Sports. All links are via Twitter.
- Rams defensive end Robert Quinn‘s $5.556MM base salary has become fully guaranteed.
- Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee‘s $2.5MM base salary has become fully guaranteed.
- Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters already had $4MM of his $7.3MM base salary for 2015 guaranteed. An additional $2.8MM has become guaranteed as of today.
- Dolphins pass rusher Cameron Wake is set to make $8.95MM in 2015, $3MM of which has become guaranteed today.
- Three Broncos also saw their base salaries for 2015 become fully guaranteed, in Ryan Clady, T.J. Ward, and DeMarcus Ware.
AFC Rumors: Fins, Bush, Pats, Gresham, Titans
After signing Jordan Cameron and completing a deal for Kenny Stills, the Dolphins may not be done making moves, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, who notes that the team continues to work on a possible long-term deal for tight end Charles Clay. Beasley adds that the team appears to be open to keeping Mike Wallace, but that may hinge on the wideout’s willingness to redo his contract, so it looks like that situation remains uncertain for the time being.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Running back Reggie Bush is moving forward with his Patriots visit, and is meeting with the team today, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. We heard yesterday that a meeting with the Pats was on Bush’s schedule. The former Lion, who has also visited San Francisco this week, could be a good fit in a Shane Vereen-type role. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) believes there’s a good chance the Patriots could come away with either Bush or Percy Harvin, noting that the team has interest in both players.
- According to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com (via Twitter), the Patriots aren’t currently in on any trade talks for Eagles guard Evan Mathis. We heard yesterday that New England had expressed interest in Mathis, who appears to be on the trade block.
- A source tells Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link) that despite the team trying to lock him up this week, talks between the Raiders and tight end Jermaine Gresham are “dead for now.”
- Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link) hears that free agent offensive tackle Joe Barksdale is an option the Titans will consider. Tennessee lost two tackles this offseason, as Michael Roos retired and Michael Oher was released.
Fisher: Rams Were Offered First-Rounder For Bradford
When Eagles head coach Chip Kelly claimed earlier this week that he was offered a first-round pick for Sam Bradford immediately after acquiring him, he was met with plenty of raised eyebrows and outright skepticism. However, appearing today on PFT Live (Twitter link), Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said that his team was also offered a low first-round pick for Bradford, but that the Rams agreed to the deal with Philadelphia because he wanted Nick Foles.
A quick look at the draft order for 2015 reveals that there are no teams near the bottom of the first round with a need at quarterback. The Patriots, Saints, Packers, Colts, Broncos, Cowboys, Ravens, Panthers, Lions, and Steelers wouldn’t have interest in Bradford, and it’s extremely unlikely the Cardinals or Bengals would either. That means the first logical team to have potentially offered a first-rounder to the Rams is probably the Eagles at No. 20.
Fisher indicated today (Twitter link) that he wasn’t sure if the team that offered the Rams a first-round pick for Bradford was the same team that offered the Eagles a first-rounder for Bradford. That comment suggests that it wasn’t Philadelphia that made the Rams the offer. The Browns, with two first-round picks – including No. 19 – and a reported interest in Bradford, make the most sense.
Of course, while it’s entirely possible that the Browns – or another team – offered a first-round pick to both the Rams and Eagles, and both teams turned it down, it’s also possible that no such offer was on the table for either club. Fisher adamantly denied at the combine that the team was considering moving Bradford, so it’s not as if we should believe everything he says. As for Kelly, if he intends to move forward with Bradford as his starting quarterback, he has some motivation to display faith in the former first overall pick.
Contract Details: Culliver, Browner, Cameron
Here are some key contract details for a few notable new pacts agreed to and/or signed over the last few days:
NFC deals:
- Chris Culliver, CB (Washington): Four years, $32MM base value. $16MM fully guranteed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- Brooks Reed, LB (Falcons): Five years, $22.5MM base value. $6.9MM fully guaranteed. $4.7MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Brandon Browner, CB (Saints): Three years, $15MM base value. $7.75MM fully guaranteed. $3.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ryan Mathews, RB (Eagles): Three years, $11MM base value. $5MM guaranteed. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Terrance Knighton, DT (Washington): One year, $4MM. $2MM signing bonus (link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).
AFC deals:
- Jordan Cameron, TE (Dolphins): Two years, $15MM base value. $5MM fully guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. $2.5MM per-game roster bonuses in 2015 (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
- Rahim Moore, S (Texans): Three years, $12MM base value. $4.5MM guaranteed. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter links via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle and Wilson).
- Justin Forsett, RB (Ravens): Three years, $9MM base value. $2.1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Eagles Rumors: Murray, Mathews, Kelly
Eagles coach Chip Kelly took the podium today to announce the team’s signing of DeMarco Murray. Here’s a look at some of the highlights from that and more concerning the Eagles..
- Kelly said his plan was always to bring in two running backs, according to the staff at PhiladelphiaEagles.com (on Twitter). Kelly believed that the three best backs in free agency were Murray, Ryan Mathews, and Frank Gore, and he wanted to get two to replace LeSean McCoy (link).
- Despite speculation that the signing of Murray could dissuade Mathews from going through with his agreement, Mathews said the situation was never in doubt, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (via Twitter). Breer also writes that people within the Eagles’ organization were uncertain of Mathews would sign with the team after Murray was signed (via Twitter).
- Kelly said he thought Murray would be out of the Eagles’ price range, but Murray turned down more money to go to Philly, Chearean Williams of the Star-Telegram tweets.
- Despite having Murray, Mathews, and Darren Sproles on the depth chart, Kelly said he still plans to retain restricted free agent Chris Polk, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets. Kelly also said that he might only carry three tight ends this year.
- Kelly isn’t sure if he can or will make a move towards a wide receiver in free agency, but he’ll look hard at this year’s wide receiver crop in the draft, Mosher tweets.
- Kelly went into free agency with dollar figure earmarked for each position, Mosher tweets. He said the numbers were flexible, but his actions clearly show that he values running backs over wide receivers.
- Murray told reporters that he felt that the Eagles gave him a great opportunity to win a Super Bowl and that the deal “wasn’t about financial security or anything like that,” Williams tweets.
Eagles Sign DeMarco Murray
6:06pm: The Eagles announced that they have signed Murray to a five-year deal, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
12:58pm: The Eagles and DeMarco Murray have reached financial agreement on a deal, according to Albert Breer of NFL Network (on Twitter). The deal is expected to be a five-year, $42MM pact, according to Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The pact will include a whopping $21MM guaranteed. 
Murray, who has struggled with injuries in years past, put it all together in 2014 for his best campaign yet. The 26-year-old ran for 1,845 yards and 13 scores with 2,261 all-purpose yards. After a season in which he showed that he can stay healthy, produce (4.7 YPC), and work at a nearly unprecedented rate, Murray hit the open market as the top available. The advanced numbers also showed that Murray was also at the top of the heap last season. Pro Football Focus‘ numbers (subscription required) resulted in an overall score of 15.2, placing him fifth amongst all tailbacks in 2014. His lack of meaningful production in the passing game, fumbles, and below average blocking were his only real demerits.
Still, there were some critics who felt that his workload in 2014 was actually a negative given his age and medical records. In fact, the incumbent Cowboys were only willing to spend so much to retain the running back after cranking up his odometer. Based on a recent round of Murray rumors, it sounds as if the Cowboys’ most recent offer to their running back was in the $5MM per year range. The Eagles didn’t just beat the Cowboys’ total offer; they also put far more guaranteed money on the table than Dallas did.
With Murray in the fold, it’ll be interesting to see what happens with running back Ryan Mathews. The former Chargers notable agreed to sign with Philly this week but the addition of Murray could throw his situation into flux. The addition of Murray might not lead to Mathews’ deal getting ripped up, but it could lead to a reworking of the terms as they relate to his performance incentives.
As for the Cowboys, they’re probably going to turn their attention to the draft to find reinforcements at running back, Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com tweets. There likely isn’t a tailback worth spending big bucks on in free agency and they’d be better off spending that cash on defensive reinforcements. Murray texted Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter) on Thursday, presumably to let her know that he won’t be returning to the Cowboys:
“Things didn’t work out. No hard feelings at all. Wish those guys the best,” Murray said.
The Jaguars and Raiders were also heavily linked to Murray during the free agency period.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eagles Sign Ryan Mathews
3:52pm: The Eagles have officially announced the deal (via Twitter).
THURSDAY, 3:41pm: Despite the fact that the Eagles are adding DeMarco Murray, Mathews will finalize his deal and sign with the team, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). So the former Charger will join a Philadelphia backfield that will also feature Murray and Sproles.
WEDNESDAY, 1:01pm: Mathews and the Eagles have agreed to terms on a three-year, $11.5MM contract that features $5MM in guaranteed money, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
7:32am: Free agent running back Ryan Mathews is paying a visit to the Eagles today, and the team isn’t expected to let him leave Philadelphia without a deal, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Garafolo reports that the Eagles are expected to sign Mathews to a new contract today.
Considered an injury-prone player for the first three seasons of his career, Mathews finally stayed healthy and put it all together for the Chargers in 2013, rushing for a career-high 1,255 yards. He was unable to keep that run of good health going in 2014 though, playing just eight games for San Diego due to injuries. The former 12th overall pick can be one of the league’s best backs when he’s at 100%, so assuming they finalize an agreement with him, the Eagles will be banking on good health for Mathews in 2015.
Having traded away LeSean McCoy to the Bills, the Eagles thought they had found their replacement in former Niner Frank Gore, reportedly agreeing to terms with the veteran back over the weekend. However, Gore had second thoughts about the arrangement, and ultimately decided to head to the Colts instead, leaving Philadelphia on the market for a player to complement Darren Sproles and Chris Polk (if he returns) in the team’s backfield
The Eagles and top free agent running back DeMarco Murray had been rumored to have mutual interest, but if the club signs Mathews, it’s hard to imagine there being room for Murray as well.