NFC East Rumors: Ware, Redskins, Giants, Eagles
Free agency officially gets underway at 3:00pm central time tomorrow, and there could be resolution on DeMarcus Ware‘s situation in Dallas by then, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. Archer reports that the Cowboys have had “consistent negotiations” with Ware on a reworked contract that would reduce his 2014 cap hit. If the two sides can reach a compromise, it sounds like the standout pass rusher will continue his career in Dallas. Otherwise, he may be cut by tomorrow afternoon.
Let’s round up a few more Monday rumors from out of the NFC East….
- Although the Redskins have inquired on a number of defensive backs, cornerback Antonio Cromartie and safety Louis Delmas don’t appear to be on the team’s radar, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter links). However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Washington’s reported interest in Jairus Byrd is for real, and adds that the Browns are showing genuine interest too.
- The Cowboys have expressed interest in free agent linebacker Wesley Woodyard, writes Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
- While there’s no word yet on whether veteran center David Baas will accept a pay cut, the Giants have expressed interest in prospective free agent center Brian De La Puente, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
- According to various reports from CSNPhilly.com, PhillyMag.com, The Star-Ledger, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles have expressed interest in defensive backs Corey Graham, Antoine Bethea, Nolan Carroll, and Mike Mitchell.
- Last night, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer identified a few potential fits for the Eagles as the team considers pass rushers, including Mike Neal, O’Brien Schofield, and Rob Jackson. McLane listed Lamarr Houston as a long shot for the Eagles, but the club has at least looked into the defensive end, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (via Twitter),.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants
A couple of notes from around the NFC East…
- It appears that the Cowboys are ready to move on from Miles Austin, but there’s a chance DeMarcus Ware could stick around, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Earlier this week, we learned that the Cowboys wanted Ware to take a pay cut.
- The Eagles could be interested in a “game-breaking return specialist” and there should be plenty on the market, says Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com. He mentions Dexter McCluster, Devin Hester and Ted Ginn Jr. as potential fits, with McCluster being the most intriguing.
- In the same article, Sheridan discusses his belief that the Eagles won’t move DeSean Jackson this offseason. He adds that he thinks the team will draft one or two receivers and because of that, there is no guarantee that Jackson is with the team beyond 2014.
- The Eagles won’t overspend on an edge rusher but will certainly look to upgrade at the position, says Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. McLane mentions Mike Neal and O’Brien Schofield as potential targets.
- Following a disappointed season, the Giants don’t seem unwilling to let all 26 of their free agents go, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Vacchiano points out that the team would love to keep linebacker Jon Beason, though.
- The Giants reported interest in Alterraun Verner and other top cornerbacks is for real, says Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Raanan also refers to the team’s previous interest in Sam Shields.
FA Roundup: Veldheer, Ward, Byrd, Jets
The Cardinals are expected to heavily pursue free agent offensive tackle Jared Veldheer, according to Kent Somers of AZCentral.com. The team is looking to improve their offensive line by upgrading at left tackle, where incumbent Bradley Sowell struggled mightily last season. Veldheer, 26, was somewhat surprisingly not franchise-tagged by the Raiders, who have ample cap space and could have aimed to sign him to a long-term contract. Now the Cardinals (whose top target, Branden Albert, will likely sign with the Dolphins) will look to swoop in and sign the young lineman.
Other free agent notes:
- ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner seconds Somers’ reports, and tweets the the Cardinals have “cooled” on free agent offensive lineman Rodger Saffold.
- Completing the offensive linemen circle, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets the the Raiders may be interested in Saffold.
- Approximately a dozen teams have expressed interest in free agent safety T.J. Ward, according to the National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson.
- The Eagles have yet to show much interest in free agent safety Jairus Byrd, but they could be interested in Mike Mitchell, who would cost much less, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.
- Safety Donte Whitner and running back Maurice Jones-Drew are two players that are of interest to the Jets, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
Extra Points: Saints, Bears, Gore, Eagles
Earlier tonight, franchise player Jimmy Graham tweeted that he’s “shocked and disappointed” about everything that’s happened in New Orleans this offseason. Graham is likely referencing the Saints’ decisions to cut offensive weapons Lance Moore and Darren Sproles. According to John Breech of CBSSports.com, there’s a chance the team could release running back Pierre Thomas as well. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweeted that the decision to cut Moore and Sproles likely stemmed from the large cap numbers of Jahri Evans, Ben Grubbs, Marques Colston, and Brodrick Bunkley.
Let’s look at some other news tidbits from this Friday evening…
- Lance Briggs expressed similar frustrations to Graham with the Bears‘ front office on Friday, saying that if he ran the team, he would “trade all the draft picks and bring my brothers back.” Briggs was presumably referencing players like Charles Tillman, Devin Hester, and Brian Urlacher. While Urlacher retired after last season, the team seems ready to cut ties with Hester and Tillman. It is widely expected that the Bears will also part ways with Julius Peppers due to the eight-time Pro Bowler’s huge cap figure.
- 49ers GM Trent Baalke has said that, considering Frank Gore “had a A++ season” in 2013, the team doesn’t feel it needs to restructure the five-time Pro Bowl running back’s contract this offseason, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
- Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer thinks that the Eagles should pursue safety Malcolm Jenkins in free agency. McLane argues that the new free agent would be a better schematic fit for the Eagles than more prominent free agent safeties such as Jairus Byrd and T.J. Ward. He thinks the Eagles could also pursue the Panthers’ Michael Mitchell and the Dolphins’ Chris Clemons, among others.
- Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune (via Twitter) thinks that because of the departures of Sproles and Moore, the Saints will be looking for a return specialist this offseason. Duncan speculates that the team could address this void by targeting Devin Hester, New Orleans native Jacoby Jones, or perhaps even a prospect like LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham.
- Desmond Bryant, defensive end for the Browns, says he’s been medically cleared to play after a health scare, according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com and Bryant’s personal Twitter account.
- Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group identifies six free agent offensive lineman that could interest the Browns, including San Diego’s Chad Rinehart and Kansas City’s Geoff Schwartz.
- Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody, whose contract situation is currently up in the air, has signed with Authentic Athletix NFL agent Peter Schaffer, according to a tweet by Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journalism. Cody had been previously represented by Athletes First.
- Ben Tate told Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston that he can become an “elite” running back next season. Tate has not been shy about his plans to test free agency and finally step into a starting role on another team.
- Darnell Dockett called free agent tackle Branden Albert his teammate in a tweet earlier today, according to Joel Thorman of Arrowhead Pride. While Albert’s response to the tweet, which was quickly deleted, deflected Dockett’s comments, it did not directly dispute the teammate comment.
Eagles Show Interest In Michael Johnson
The Eagles are showing interest in one of 2014’s top free agents, according to Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com, who reports that Chip Kelly‘s team is eyeing edge defender Michael Johnson. A 4-3 defensive end in Cincinnati, Bennett could draw interest from teams like the Eagles, who may view him as a fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker, writes McManus.
Johnson, a Georgia Tech product, was franchise-tagged by the Bengals for the 2013 season after an incredibly successful 2012 campaign in which he tallied 52 tackles (35 solo) and 11.5 sacks. Considered a high-ceiling prospect coming into the 2009 NFL Draft, Johnson fell all the way to the third round, when the Bengals selected him with the 70th overall pick. The prospective free agent has been linked to several teams this offseason, including the Vikings.
While providing excellent run defense has become Johnson’s calling card, he demonstrated some versatility in zone coverage schemes last season, as McManus exhibits with visual evidence in his piece. In fact, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) found that Johnson dropped into coverage 31 times last season.
The Eagles currently have over $24MM in estimated cap room, so the team could likely afford to make Johnson a lucrative offer. However, a move for the Bengals free agent would raise one intriguing question: What would happen to current starters Trent Cole and Connor Barwin? The two starters are firmly entrenched in their roles within the team and were both effective in 2013.
Within his piece, McManus suggests that Mike Neal and Rob Jackson could be alternative outside linebacker targets for the Eagles this offseason.
FA Rumors: QBs, Saffold, Vikings, Ravens
This year’s class of free agent quarterbacks doesn’t feature any stars, but there are a handful of players who should make very solid backups, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. In his latest piece, La Canfora takes a shot at forecasting where a few of the more notable names on the market will land. Among his predictions: Michael Vick to the Jets, Josh McCown to the Vikings, Matt Cassel to the Texans, and Josh Freeman to the Raiders.
With just over 24 hours left for teams to exclusively negotiate with their own free agents, let’s check out a few more FA rumors and news items:
- Talks are ongoing between the Rams and the reps for free agent offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, but agent Alan Herman says his client will “definitely” reach the open market next week, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Rams appear interested in re-signing Saffold as a guard, but the 25-year-old could draw interest from other teams as a tackle, which would likely increase his earning potential.
- Expect Michael Johnson to be a top target for the Vikings and head coach Mike Zimmer if the Bengals defensive end becomes available next week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Defensive lineman Arthur Jones is expected to draw significant offers in free agency that the Ravens won’t compete with, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Head coach John Harbaugh hinted at that outcome at the combine last month.
- The Ravens have an offer on the table for prospective free agent Jacoby Jones, tweets Rapoport. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun says the team has had “several discussions” with Jones’ reps.
- The Colts remain relatively far apart in contract talks with cornerback Vontae Davis, though there’s still mutual interest in getting something done. Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star has the details.
- Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee discusses the 49ers‘ approach to free agency, writing that safety Donte Whitner and cornerback Tarell Brown appear likely to test their value on the open market.
- The Eagles need to add a safety, but Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News would be surprised if the club makes a serious run at the very best free agents, like Jairus Byrd and T.J. Ward.
NFC Notes: Eagles, Vikings, Saints, Panthers
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer dismisses recent rumors that have suggested the Eagles may be getting closer to parting ways with DeSean Jackson. While McLane acknowledges the team hasn’t been happy with all of Jackson’s off-field actions, the Inquirer scribe says that even if the Eagles got to the point where they wanted to part ways with the receiver, they “most certainly” wouldn’t cut him without getting anything in return. For now, Philadelphia has no interest in moving Jackson, according to McLane.
Let’s round up a few more items related to NFC teams….
- As Ben Goessling of ESPN.com details, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson sounds as if he’d like to see his team sign Michael Vick in free agency this offseason.
- While it’s possible that another team will make a run at Saints franchise player Jimmy Graham, it’s very difficult to imagine a scenario in which New Orleans lets its star pass catcher get away, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
- The Panthers may have interest in pursuing return specialist Devin Hester in free agency, but it will depend how their negotiations with Ted Ginn Jr. go, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- Redskins safety and special teams captain Reed Doughty would like to re-sign with the team, but he doesn’t expect to ink a new deal before the free agent period begins on Tuesday, says Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com.
Eagles Won’t Re-Sign Mike Vick
6:41pm: The two sides have talked and will continue to, even though Vick wants to start, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter) has a similar take, saying that no doors are closed to Vick.
5:55pm: Michael Vick will not be back with the Eagles in any capacity in 2014, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Philadelphia is moving in a different direction with their backup role and, of course, the No. 1 slot is occupied by Nick Foles.
The news that the Eagles won’t re-sign Vick is far from surprising. While Vick’s injury history and age (34 in June) aren’t working in his favor, he stands as one of the most desirable free agent quarterbacks in an offseason where there are several teams looking. The former Falcons superstar believes that he’ll be a starter in 2014 and it’s hard to argue with him as the Jaguars, Texans, Browns, Vikings, Buccaneers, and Raiders are all looking for a new signal callers. Other clubs, like the Jets, could conceivably get in on Vick.
For a full rundown of Vick’s possibilities and the other QBs available in the 2014 free agent class, take a look at Luke Adams’ rundown from earlier this year.
NFC Rumors: Tynes, Brown, Jackson, Hatcher
Buccaneers kicker Lawrence Tynes currently isn’t scheduled to hit free agency until after the 2014 season, but a decision on his contract status could mean he hits the open market next week, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, there’s a disagreement over whether the Bucs should have placed Tynes on the non-football injury/illness list or the injured reserve list last season when the kicker developed an MRSA infection. The team opted for the NFI list, whereas if Tynes had been placed on the IR, he’d be eligible for free agency this year, so a ruling will be required.
Let’s round up a few more afternoon notes from around the NFC….
- The 49ers are “making a push” to re-sign prospective free agent Tarell Brown before Tuesday, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee details, former Colts GM Bill Polian had high praise for Brown, who Polian thinks is one of the best cornerbacks available this winter.
- On the heels of a weekend report suggesting the Eagles could gauge DeSean Jackson‘s trade value, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com reiterates that the wide receiver’s days in Philadelphia may be numbered. In the piece, Mosher explains why he doesn’t think Jackson will be with the team beyond 2014.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com believes the Buccaneers will be among the suitors for Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jason Hatcher, who the Cowboys may not be able to afford to re-sign (Twitter link).
- While things could change in the next few days, indications are that the Rams will keep center Scott Wells for 2014, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Wells, who has two years left on his deal, has a cap number of $6.5MM for ’14.
- Defensive back Kelvin Hayden and tight end Dante Rosario, who both recently re-signed with the Bears, will each make the minimum salary in 2014, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links).
Eagles Release Jason Avant
The Eagles have released wide receiver Jason Avant, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported last month the the team was expected to part ways with the veteran receiver.
Avant, 30, had been in line for a $1MM roster bonus later this month, so the team will clear that figure from its books for 2014, as well as the receiver’s $2.25MM base salary. Overall, Avant will count for $710K in dead money rather than a $3.96MM cap number, creating $3.25MM in cap savings for Philadelphia.
Already this offseason, the Eagles have re-signed Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper, who figure to be the Nos. 2 and 3 receivers behind DeSean Jackson, so paying nearly $4MM to a fourth receiver wasn’t feasible. The team will likely replace Avant with a low-level free agent or a pick in May’s draft.
Avant, who grabbed 38 balls for 447 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2013, will hit the open market immediately, joining this year’s class of free agent receivers. While he’s not a top-tier option, the longtime Eagle’s veteran leadership and ability to play out of the slot should make him a solid third or fourth receiver for another team.