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FA Visits: Seahawks, Lions, Chiefs, Pats, Titans

March 11th, 2016 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

After being released recently by the Jaguars, veteran edge defender Chris Clemons is expected to pay a visit to the Seahawks soon, and could sign with the team during that visit, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). In fact, Condotta suspects that Clemons will sign.

If it happens, it would be a reunion for the two sides, as Clemons enjoyed the best years of his NFL career in Seattle. Although he was slowed down by injuries during his final year with the team in 2013, he recorded at least 11 sacks as a 16-game starter in each season from 2010 to 2012. At age 34, Clemons is unlikely to reach those totals again, but he could be a solid situational pass rusher if he rejoins the Seahawks.

Here’s more on potential free agent visits:

  • While the Patriots would like to bring back defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, the veteran free agent is exploring his options, and those options include a pair of NFC North teams. In addition to making a previously-reported visit to the Bears, Hicks is planning to visit the Lions over the weekend, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
  • Defensive tackle Al Woods is visiting the Seahawks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Seattle is bringing in both Woods and – as previously reported – Cam Thomas, as the team explore possible replacements for Brandon Mebane.
  • The Chiefs may still get a chance to meet with wide receiver Rod Streater, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Streater, who met with the Patriots on Thursday, is planning to head to Kansas City after visiting the Jets.
  • Free agent cornerback Antwon Blake is scheduled to visit the Patriots and Titans this weekend, per Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter). Blake’s agent is also negotiating with four other teams, says Paulk. The 25-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the Steelers.

AFC Notes: Bills, P. Thomas, Browns, Ajayi

September 4th, 2015 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Addressing a report that suggested he left several members of the Bills‘ front office and coaching staff out of the loop when he decided to cut Fred Jackson, general manager Doug Whaley said on Thursday night that he consulted several others before making the move official, writes Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News. According to Whaley, head coach Rex Ryan was with him when he informed Jackson of the decision.

“So he was in there with me when we told him together,” Whaley said. “Talked to the running backs coach (Anthony Lynn). So it wasn’t just me waking up one day and deciding, ‘Hey, I want to do this.'”

Whaley added multiple times that he informed Bills ownership of the move, which the original report didn’t dispute. For his part, Jackson suggested Whaley was behind the decision, adding that the GM “wasn’t honest with me the entire time that I’ve known him.”

Here’s more from across the AFC:

  • Having turned down a minimum-salary offer from the Texans last month, veteran running back Pierre Thomas is seeking a salary around $1.3MM or $1.4MM, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. It appears the Texans have moved on from Thomas, though perhaps Houston or another club could revisit the free agent back after Week 1.
  • According to Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap and ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter links), the Browns won’t be on the hook for Phil Taylor‘s full $5.477MM salary after all, after releasing the defensive tackle. When he asked for his release, Taylor accepted a three-week injury settlement, which works out to a $966,529 payment.
  • As the Dolphins prepare to cut down their roster to 53 players, an injury to Jay Ajayi could complicate the team’s plans, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, who says the rookie running back cracked a rib on Thursday. Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post writes that Ajayi is expected to remain on Miami’s active roster.
  • Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if the Steelers might part ways with one – or all – of the three players who received restricted free agent tenders from the club earlier this year — Pittsburgh could clear about $3.3MM in cap space by cutting fullback Will Johnson, cornerback Antwon Blake, and safety Robert Golden.

Minor Moves: Wednesday

April 8th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

  • We learned yesterday that the Raiders have officially secured all five of their restricted free agents, and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets today that the team has locked up its exclusive rights free agents as well. Rival clubs couldn’t make a play for those ERFAs, so there wasn’t much suspense about whether or not they’d be returning to Oakland. Defensive end Denico Autry, tight end Brian Leonhardt, tackle Matt McCants, fullback Jamize Olawale, and cornerback Neiko Thorpe are now under contract.
  • Cornerback Antwon Blake, who received the low-end RFA tender from the Steelers last month, has officially signed that tender, according to Wilson (via Twitter). Blake will return to Pittsburgh on a one-year deal for 2015 worth $1.542MM.
  • Former Texans and Bears defensive lineman Amobi Okoye has been released by the Cowboys, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Okoye appeared in 87 games between 2007 and 2012 before he was sidelined by a medical issue, and had been attempting to make it back to the NFL — if he intends to continue his comeback attempt, it looks like it’ll have to happen with another team.
  • The Packers have cut tackle Aaron Adams with a failed physical designation, per Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (Twitter link). The former Kentucky lineman tore his ACL and MCL during training camp last year and missed the entire 2014 season.

Minor Moves: Monday

March 9th, 2015 at 4:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

  • The Packers have informed running back DuJuan Harris they will not extend him an exclusive rights tender, Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel tweets.
  • The Ravens are expected to assign an exclusive-rights free agent tender to running back Fitzgerald Toussaint, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
  • The Steelers have offered one-year deals to restricted free agents Antwon Blake, Will Johnson, and Robert Golden, Scott Brown of ESPN tweets. All three will get the lower tender, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter).
  • The Cardinals announced they’ve re-signed Alameda Ta’amu to a one-year contract, as Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports tweets. The Cards decided not to tender him but they have retained him at a lower salary.
  • The 49ers will restructure their deal with safety Craig Dahl, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). It’s now a one-year, $1.3MM deal with a $200K signing bonus, a $175K roster bonus, and a $50K workout bonus.
  • The Buccaneers announced that they have re-signed defensive ends Larry English and Lawrence Sidbury, tight end Luke Stocker and linebacker Jason Williams.
  • The Ravens have assigned a $510K exclusive rights tender to offensive lineman Ryan Jensen, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Wilson (link) also hears that the Ravens have given wide receiver Kamar Aiken a $585K exclusive rights tender.
  • The Ravens gave cornerback Tramain Jacobs a $510K tender, per Wilson (link).

Earlier updates:

  • The Bills announced that they have extended the contract of kicker Jordan Gay, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (via Twitter).
  • The Browns announced that they have tendered qualifying offers to four of their restricted free agents: free safety Tashaun Gipson, defensive back Johnson Bademosi, defensive lineman Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, and linebacker Craig Robertson, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. It’s a second-round tender for Robertson, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). Gipson also gets the second-round tender, according to Ulrich (link).
  • The Ravens have sent a second-round restricted tender $2.356MM to Pro Bowl kicker Justin Tucker, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
  • The Steelers announced that they have agreed to terms with veteran tight end Matt Spaeth on a two-year deal. The 31-year-old appeared in 15 regular-season games in 2014 (eight starts) and caught three passes for 46 yards and a touchdown, and also started the Steelers’ playoff game against Baltimore.
  • The Buccaneers are not expected to tender an offer to fullback Jorvorskie Lane, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. They could bring Lane, an ERFA, back on a different deal later, however. Lane had a tough year in 2014. He was hit with a two-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances in October and his season ended in November after he underwent surgery on his injured right leg.
  • The Broncos have placed the low-level contract tender on restricted free agent defensive back Tony Carter, extending him a one-year offer worth $1.542MM, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The move gives Denver the right to match any offer sheet Carter signs with another team, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), there may be strong outside interest.
  • The Cowboys have placed one-year tenders of $1.542MM each on restricted free agent punter Chris Jones and restricted free agent running back Lance Dunbar, sources tell Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News. Dunbar is the Cowboys’ third running back and tendering him gives Dallas some insurance if DeMarco Murray signs with another team in free agency. He also gives them a reserve back in the event that they have to cut ties with Joseph Randle.
  • The Browns announced that they have re-signed offensive lineman Ryan Seymour. Seymour, 25, appeared in 11 games during the 2014 season, starting three at center. Nick McDonald was originally the team’s choice at center after Alex Mack went down with a broken leg, but Seymour eventually got his chance at the job.
  • The Panthers have re-signed wide receiver/kick returner Brenton Bersin to a one-year deal, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Bersin was an exclusive rights free agent.
  • The Panthers announced that they re-signed Fozzy Whittaker on a two-year deal, according to Person (on Twitter). The tailback had 32 carries for 145 yards last season and also contributed on kick returns. Linebacker Ben Jacobs and center Brian Folkerts got one-year deals to remain in Carolina (link). Tackle Kevin Hughes is the only Panthers ERFA who wasn’t tendered an offer (link).

AFC Notes: Shorts, Cameron, Patriots

June 8th, 2014 at 9:00am CST by Rory Parks

In addition to having a delightful name, Jaguars‘ receiver Cecil Shorts has been one of the few bright spots on the club over the past couple of seasons. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times Union examines the recent extension that Doug Baldwin signed with the Seahawks, and wonders if a similar contract would make sense for Shorts, who will become a free agent at the end of the 2014 season.

O’Halloran concludes that if Jacksonville were to offer Shorts a contract resembling the one that Baldwin received–the Seahawks added two years to Baldwin’s contract to create a three-year, $13MM with $8MM guaranteed–Shorts should jump at the opportunity. Both players have put up similar numbers during their three years in the league, but considering that the Jaguars drafted highly-touted receivers Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee last month, and given that rookie quarterback Blake Bortles will probably find himself under center at some point this season, Shorts’ stats may take a hit. This is not to mention the fact that Shorts has frequently been able to bolster his numbers in garbage time, when the Jaguars were forced to throw the football and opposing teams were willing to let them eat up big but meaningless chunks of yardage. If the Jaguars are more competitive this season, as they expect to be, those opportunities would decrease.

On the other hand, Shorts is doubtlessly a talented and sometimes electric playmaker, so he certainly could eclipse the 1,000-yard mark and drive up his price, particularly if he is able to stay healthy. As such, both sides would do well to consider an extension, and we will see if they enter into talks as we move closer to training camp.

Now a quick look at the AFC: