Steelers Interested In Davon House
- Cornerback Davon House will visit with the Steelers on Monday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). House was let go by Jacksonville earlier this month. Green Bay reportedly reached out to him about a reunion, but we haven’t heard much on that front in recent days.
- Steelers free agent linebacker Jarvis Jones is visiting today with the Cardinals, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Steelers remain interested, however, and the two sides are still in discussions. We had Jones ranked as one of the fifteen best edge defenders heading into the opening of free agency last week. The former first-round pick hasn’t justified his high selection in the draft, but he has been pretty solid against the run.
Dont’a Hightower To Visit Steelers
Patriots free agent linebacker Dont’a Hightower is scheduled to visit the Steelers, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This will mark Hightower’s third free agent visit. 
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Hightower has been making the free agent rounds in recent days, but the Jets and Titans don’t believe he’s serious about leaving New England. The Titans aren’t prime contenders for 2017 and the Jets’ odds of winning this year seem very slim, but the Steelers could hold appeal for Hightower if he is focused on winning another Super Bowl ring. At minimum, this meeting could be enough to scare the Patriots into increasing their offer.
The Steelers are currently projected to start Bud Dupree, Ryan Shazier, Vince Williams, and James Harrison at linebacker. Needless to say, room could be made for a star like Hightower.
The Steelers are down one linebacker after veteran Lawrence Timmons signed on with the Dolphins.
AFC Contract Details: Gilmore, Kirkpatrick
The latest contract details from the AFC (all Twitter links):
- Cornerback Stephon Gilmore‘s five-year, $65MM accord with the Patriots includes an $18MM signing bonus, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. The arrangement comes with a fully guaranteed $31MM through 2018 and $9MM guaranteed for injury only in 2019. It contains up to $500K in per-game roster bonuses each year, as well (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
- Fellow corner Dre Kirkpatrick‘s Bengals deal, worth $52.5MM over a five years, includes $15MM in 2017, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The contract features another $2.5MM in incentives. It’s essentially a pay-as-you agreement after 2018, notes CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who adds that Kirkpatrick got $7MM to sign, $12MM in guarantees, and will make $23.2MM during the first two years of the contract.
- Guard Ronald Leary‘s pact with the Broncos is worth $36MM over four years and will receive $18.75MM guaranteed, writes Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Leary will collect a $3.5MM signing bonus.
- Newly re-upped Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills landed a $7MM signing bonus, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Fullback Patrick DiMarco‘s four-year deal with the Bills features $4.8MM in guarantees, more than the originally reported $4MM, per Wilson. It also comes with a $2MM bonus and an annual workout bonus worth $59K.
- Safety Nate Allen‘s contract with the Dolphins is for one year and $3.4MM, relays Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.
- The Titans gave linebacker Nate Palmer $2.3MM over two years, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. He also received a signing bonus worth $850K.
- Tight end David Johnson‘s agreement with the Steelers is worth $2.05MM over two years, per Wilson. It includes a $235K signing bonus and a $915K roster bonus.
Steelers, Marcus Cooper In Contact
Having already landed on the Jets’ radar, free agent cornerback Marcus Cooper can now count the Steelers among the teams with interest in his services, tweets Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Pittsburgh has been in contact with Cooper, according to Fowler.
The 6-foot-2 Cooper could represent a relatively affordable option for the Steelers, who haven’t displayed any willingness to splurge on corners in this year’s free agent class, per Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network (Twitter link). He likely won’t come at a pittance, though, after logging career highs in starts (15), tackles (69) and interceptions (four) in 15 appearances with the Cardinals last season. While the 27-year-old put up impressive traditional numbers, his performance didn’t wow Pro Football Focus, which ranked him 101st among 112 qualified corners.
A decent payday in free agency would be a boon for Cooper, who entered the NFL with San Francisco in 2013 as a seventh-round pick and has already been a part of three organizations. He debuted in 2013 with the Chiefs, who claimed Cooper after the 49ers cut him, and registered 21 passes defensed and three interceptions in a 16-game, six-start rookie campaign. Cooper didn’t pick off any more passes in KC, with which he combined for only 22 appearances and 10 starts from 2014-15. The club then traded him to Arizona for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft.
Cooper is the second reported cornerback to pique the Steelers’ interest since free agency began. The team is also eyeing Brandon Flowers as it looks to add to its William Gay-, Artie Burns– and Ross Cockrell-led contingent of corners.
Steelers Interested In CB Brandon Flowers
The Steelers have had contact with representatives for cornerback Brandon Flowers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. They won’t sign him right now, he adds, but they could circle back to him later on. 
Flowers was cut loose by the Chargers earlier this week. So far, the Steelers are the first known team to have made contact with him.
The Chargers’ release of Flowers was expected as it saved $7MM against the 2017 cap. The four-year, $36.4MM deal signed in 2015 didn’t work out for San Diego, but he still could be a worthwhile contributor for Pittsburgh at a (much) cheaper rate.
Flowers’ best career season came in 2014, when he recorded 52 tackles, 10 passes defended, and three picks. In 2016, the 31-year-old only played in six games due to concussion issues. Flowers finished out the year with 28 tackles, five passes defended, and one interception.
After he was dropped by the Bolts, we ranked Flowers as one of the 15 best cornerbacks on the open market. In Pittsburgh, he’d join a defense which ranked a slightly above-average 12th in DVOA against the pass last year. Flowers would immediately become one of the Steelers’ two most accomplished corners, joining William Gay. The club’s other options at corner include Artie Burns, Ross Cockrell, Senquez Golson and Al-Hajj Shabazz.
Contract Details: Garcon, Baker, Klein, Jones
Let’s take a look at some details of the free agent contracts signed today:
- Chris Baker, DL (Buccaneers): Three years, $15.75MM. $9MM guaranteed. $1MM in sack incentives each season (Twitter link via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post).
- Jack Crawford, DL (Falcons): Three years, $10.3MM. $3.75MM in 2017 (Twitter link via Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com).
- Pierre Garcon, WR (49ers): Two years, $23MM. $17MM guaranteed. Options for 2019 ($6MM), 2020 ($8.9MM), and 2021 ($9.6MM) (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Landry Jones, QB (Steelers): Two years, $4.4MM. $600K signing bonus (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com).
- A.J. Klein, LB (Saints): Four years, $24MM. $4MM signing bonus. $9.4MM guaranteed. 2020 season will void Klein is on Saints roster on last day of 2019 league year (via Nick Underhill of the Advocate).
- Jeff Locke, P (Colts): Two years, $3.45MM. $1.25MM guaranteed (Twitter links via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com and Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star).
- Ryan Mallett, QB (Ravens): One year, $2MM. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Akeem Spence, DL (Lions): Three years, $9MM. $3.5MM guaranteed. $1MM available via escalators (Twitter link via Peliserro).
- D.J. Swearinger, S (Redskins): Three years, $13.5MM. $9MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Kinkhabwala).
NFC Rumors: Romo, Baker, Jeffery, Eagles
Tony Romo was “never being waived” by the Cowboys, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). We presume the source means “cut” rather than “waived” since vested veterans cannot be waived in the offseason. Word on Wednesday was that the Cowboys would release Romo, allowing him to sign with another club. Then, on Thursday, it was reported that the Cowboys were expecting to trade the quarterback to the Broncos or Texans. For now, things remain in a holding pattern for Romo.
Here’s more from around the league on Day 1 of official free agency.
- The Redskins did not end up making an offer to Chris Baker, who agreed to a deal with the Buccaneers, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. Baker joined DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon as higher-end free agents who left Washington this week.
- Alshon Jeffery looks to be a believer in Carson Wentz. The sixth-year wideout turned out a turned down a multiyear deal with greater security from the Vikings to sign with the Eagles, Ian Rapoport tweets.
- Torrey Smith‘s Eagles deal is for one year and $5MM, Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports (on Twitter), adding that the contract contains two option years. Both option years are worth $5MM apiece. Smith will collect a $500K bonus from what will be his third NFL employer.
- Chance Warmack signed with the Eagles for one year and $1.51MM, per Pelissero (on Twitter). This looks like a value-re-establishing season for the former Titans first-rounder, who will receive a $500K signing bonus.
- The Seahawks‘ Luke Joeckel deal is for one year and up to $8MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The guaranteed money here isn’t known yet, but Joeckel could do well for himself after seeing seeing the Jaguars pass on his 2017 option in 2016 and then going on IR.
- New Giants wide receiver Brandon Marshall said four teams were on his top tier in terms of giving him the best chance to win: the Giants, Patriots, Steelers and Seahawks, per Art Stapleton of The Record (on Twitter). Marshall has never made the playoffs in 11 seasons. The Giants made their first playoff berth in five years in 2016.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
Steelers Re-Sign QB Landry Jones
Landry Jones will continue to be Ben Roethlisberger‘s backup. The Steelers announced that they have signed the backup quarterback to a two-year deal.
The 2013 fourth-round pick didn’t take the field during his first two years in the league, but he saw action in 15 games (four starts) over the past two campaigns. Jones has completed 60.3-percent of his career passes for 1,071 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions.
“He has a very good understanding of our offense,” coach Mike Tomlin said last season (via the Steelers website). “He is a good communicator. It’s part of the functions of being a backup quarterback, the talking of schematics and the seeing of what is on the field and the communicating of such. He has grown in a lot of ways in that area in the last several years.”
Earlier this offseason, general manager Kevin Colbert acknowledged that the team would like to keep Jones in Pittsburgh, but he added that the team could also look to bring in some competition behind Big Ben. There could be some pressure surrounding the team’s search for a future starter, as there were rumors surrounding a potential Roethlisberger retirement earlier this offseason.
Steelers Waive RB Karlos Williams
The Steelers have waived running back Karlos Williams, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). The former fifth-rounder never took the field for Pittsburgh during his one-year stint with the organization.
Williams joined the Steelers’ practice squad in October, but the running back was subsequently suspended 10 games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Following his return, the organization inked him to a reserve/futures contract.
Williams played in 11 games with the Bills during his rookie campaign, including three starts. He ultimately ran for 517 yards and seven touchdowns on 93 carries (5.6-yard average), and he added another 11 receptions for 96 yards and two scores. The player’s pair of suspensions have certainly clouded his future in the league.
The Steelers are now rostering a pair of running backs in Le’Veon Bell and Fitzgerald Toussaint.
Bengals Pushing To Re-Sign Dre Kirkpatrick
The Bengals are attempting to re-sign free agent cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), who adds Cincinnati has put “strong money” on the table in an attempt to retain its top defensive back.
Kirkpatrick, a former first-round pick, has rounded into form over the past two seasons after barely playing during his first three NFL campaigns. After starting 29 games from 2015-16, Kirkpatrick has become the Bengals No. 1 corner, and losing him to free agency would represent a devastating blow to the club’s defense. Cincinnati has spent multiple first-round picks on corners in recent years, but neither Darqueze Dennard nor William Jackson has shown much yet. Veteran Adam Jones, meanwhile, could potentially be released following an offseason arrest.
Kirkpatrick, 27, won’t come cheap, as one report indicates his price tag could approach $11MM. The Titans and Steelers are also thought to be interested in his services, although Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes Pittsburgh probably won’t go above $10MM annually to steal away its division rival’s defender.