Darnell Dockett - Pro Football Rumors

FA Rumors: Pats, Dockett, Langford, Freeney

March 2nd, 2015 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on a few Monday rumors on current free agents, as well as free-agents-to-be….

With this afternoon’s franchise and transition tag deadline looming, the Patriots are more likely to use their tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski than safety Devin McCourty, sources tell Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston. Reiss cautions that the situation is “fluid” and that things could change by 3:00pm central time. However, if the Pats do decide to trade Gostkowski, it would mean McCourty could potentially hit the open market next week, as far and away the best safety available. It would be surprising if the Pats let McCourty get away, but that would at least seem to bode well for the return of Darrelle Revis.
According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, free agent defensive lineman Darnell Dockett is generating “a lot of interest” on the free agent market, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Rosenhaus is expecting Dockett to have a new home by the end of the week. As for the Cardinals, who released Dockett last week, they’re still hoping to bring the veteran defender back — Somers reports that they’ve offered a one-year deal worth up to $4MM through incentives, with a base value of $2.5MM.
Former Rams defensive tackle Kendall Langford, cut by St. Louis last week, is visiting the Lions today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). It’s an interesting tidbit of news, as Detroit attempts to lock up its own free agent defensive tackles, such as Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. For now, we should probably assume that Langford is just a Plan B, or a potential depth piece, but we heard earlier today that the team won’t franchise Suh, so there’s no guarantee he returns to Detroit.
After mulling the possibility of retiring, veteran Chargers pass rusher Dwight Freeney has decided to continue his playing career and return for a 14th season, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Freeney doesn’t have a contract for 2015, so he’ll have to find a taker, but I imagine he’ll still draw plenty of interest — despite recording only 3.5 sacks in 2014, the 35-year-old recorded 53 overall quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required).
Linebacker Brad Jones, who was released by the Packers last month, recently visited the Titans and has a visit lined up today with the Eagles, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Of the two veteran linebackers cut this offseason by Green Bay, A.J. Hawk received most of the headlines, but Jones is another player who could still contribute elsewhere.

Cardinals Release Darnell Dockett

February 27th, 2015 at 3:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The last time Darnell Dockett appeared in a game for the Cardinals, he was carted off the field during a preseason contest after suffering a torn ACL, an injury that wiped out his entire 2014 season. As it turns out, that may be the last time Dockett takes the field in a Cardinals uniform. According to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter), the team released Dockett today. The move was first reported by Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 in Washington (via Twitter).

While Dockett will immediately hit the open market and can look for work elsewhere, the Cardinals haven’t closed the door on a potential reunion, notes Urban. The veteran defensive lineman will have a chance to gauge his value around the NFL before the free agent period officially begins, and general manager Steve Keim is very open to bringing Dockett back, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.

“We have been very clear about our feelings for Darnell and our desire to have him back,” Keim said.

Dockett, who has been with the Cardinals since the 2004 season, earning three Pro Bowl nods during that stretch, was scheduled to count for $9.8MM against the team’s cap in 2015. By cutting him, Arizona will create $6.8MM in cap savings, with $3MM dead money left on the deal.

While a defensive lineman entering his age-34 season and coming off an ACL tear may not generate huge interest on the open market, I imagine plenty of teams will kick the tires on Dockett, who can still be effective and productive when he’s healthy. In 2013, the former third-round pick started all 16 games for the Cards, logging 46 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

With Dockett out of action in 2014, the Cardinals primarily relied on Tommy Kelly to fill his shoes, and the former Raider did an excellent job, recording a positive grade against both the pass and the run in 726 defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, Kelly is eligible for free agency next month as well, so if Dockett doesn’t return to Arizona, the team could either lean on Frostee Rucker to take on a larger role, or pursue a replacement in free agency or the draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC West Notes: Palmer, Dockett, Seahawks

February 25th, 2015 at 7:03pm CST by Luke Adams

While he appeared over the weekend to be headed to Detroit, Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne still hasn’t officially signed with an NFL team. That leaves the door open for another suitor to swoop in, and agent Jack Bechta confirms to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com that there’s mutual interest between Hayne and the 49ers. Per Maiocco, the Niners don’t have a standing offer out to Hayne, but could still put something on the table — the former rugby player is expected to decide on his NFL team early next week.

The Cardinals may decide to restructure Carson Palmer‘s contract in order to create some cap flexibility, tweets Mike Jurecki of 910 Fox Sports Arizona. Palmer’s has a $9.5MM roster bonus coming up in March, which could be converted into a signing bonus to free up a chunk of cap room for 2015.
Kent Somers of Arizona Republic dives into the Darnell Dockett situation in Arizona, explaining why the Cardinals will likely have a harder time finding common ground with the veteran defensive lineman than they did with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
We heard earlier today that Ricky Jean-Francois has visits lined up with Washington and the 49ers, and those aren’t the only teams that he’s scheduled to meet. According to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), a visit with the Seahawks is also on the free agent defensive lineman’s docket for this week.
With the idea of a fully guaranteed contract for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson gaining steam (at least among reporters), Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes that one difficult aspect of such a deal would involve team ownership having to put the entire amount of the contract in escrow up front. While that wouldn’t be an issue for Seahawks owner Paul Allen, who is one of the richest men in America, if it were to set a precedent, other owners may be reluctant to sign off on fully guaranteed deals where $50-100MM could be tied up.

NFC West Notes: Bradford, Dockett, Long

February 24th, 2015 at 5:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although initial reports have indicated that both the Browns and the Bills may have expressed varying degrees of interest in acquiring Sam Bradford, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes that, as of Tuesday, no team has contacted the Rams to discuss trading for the quarterback. Per Rapoport, the Rams have asked Bradford to accept a pay cut — when he declined, St. Louis allowed Bradford’s agent to determine if there was a market for his client. But no team has stepped forward, so far, and Rapoport adds that the Rams expect hefty compensation for Bradford, noting that a team would have to “extraordinarily desperate” to meet St. Louis’ demands.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

The Cardinals recently restructured the contract of receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and now they might be looking to tweak the deal of another veteran. Arizona general manager Steve Keim told reporters, including Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link), that the club has had a dialogue with defensive lineman Darnell Dockett about working out a new deal. Dockett’s 2015 cap hit of $9.8MM is the fifth-highest figure on the Cardinals’ roster.
Both Bradford and Rams tackle Jake Long are coming off their second ACL tear in as many seasons, and Long’s future in St. Louis is just as murky as Bradford’s. Greg Robinson is slated to be the Rams’ left tackle next season, but head coach Jeff Fisher said there have been discussions about retaining Long, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch took a stab at guessing Stan Kroenke’s next move. When the Chargers and Raiders formed an alliance and announced plans to build a stadium together in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, it wasn’t the best news for the Rams owner. Now, those who are familiar with Kroenke expect him to operate on multiple tracks in order to guarantee himself a positive outcome.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC West Notes: Gore, 49ers, Cards, Lynch

February 18th, 2015 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

In an Instagram post earlier this week, Frank Gore publicly expressed some doubt about how invested the 49ers are in re-signing him this winter. According to Niners GM Trent Baalke, that prompted him to reach out to the veteran running back to reiterate the team’s position, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes.

“That’s why we talked. That’s the exact (reason),” Baalke said. “We reached out. He reached out back. He wasn’t expecting it to take legs like it did. Nor were we. He didn’t have any intentions by it and he made that very clear in our conversations. … It’s at the same place it was the last time we talked. We’re still working on it. It’s not something that’s going to get done yesterday. It’ll take some time to resolve. It’s our intention to have Frank back.”

While we wait to see what Gore’s future holds, here’s more from around the NFC West:

Baalke also said today that he plans to meet with Michael Crabtree‘s agent this week in Indianapolis, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). The 49ers wideout is eligible for free agency next month.
Speaking today to reporters in Indy, including Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link), Cardinals GM Steve Keim said he doesn’t want to get into specifics, but the team intends to talk to Darnell Dockett about his contract. Dockett, who missed the entire 2014 campaign with a knee injury, is on the books for a 2015 cap hit of $9.8MM, a figure the club may want to reduce.
Keim also today that he expects some of the Cardinals‘ free agents, such as Antonio Cromartie, to test the open market, though that doesn’t rule out the possibility of them re-signing with Arizona (Twitter link via Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com).
While a full breakdown of Larry Fitzgerald‘s new contract with the Cardinals isn’t out there yet, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a stab at determining what it will look like.
A Seahawks player tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that he thinks it’s 50/50 as to whether Marshawn Lynch continues his career or decides to retire. “Marshawn is a different kind of guy,” the player said. “He could retire tomorrow, walk away and not think twice about it.”
With Lynch’s future up in the air, Terry Blount of ESPN.com identifies three running backs that may be on the Seahawks‘ radar during this week’s combine and during the draft this spring.

Cardinals Notes: QB, Dockett, Bowles

January 4th, 2015 at 6:58pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Cardinals’ season is over after losing to the Panthers on Saturday, but the team has a number of decisions to make with their roster as they approach a critical offseason. The team’s front office will have to make a more than a few of choices on personnel, with a number of players’ statuses uncertain for 2015.

Receiver Larry Fitzgerald and defensive lineman Darnell Dockett both have high cap numbers going into next year and could be asked to take pay cuts to stay with the team, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. The team will also have the opportunity to bring back or move on from free agents Antonio Cromartie, Larry Foote, Tommy Kelly, and Sam Acho.

One of the biggest mysteries will be how the team treats inside linebacker Daryl Washington. Washington could be reinstated from suspension in May but could face a separate suspension for an assault conviction upon his return.

Poor quarterback play ruined the Cardinals’ year after losing both starter Carson Palmer and backup Drew Stanton for the season. The team was forced to roll with Ryan Lindley down the stretch. Head coach Bruce Arians does not believe the team will be able to bring in another veteran signal caller in the offseason, citing the move as too expensive, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN (via Twitter).
An important part of the defense that is expected to return is Dockett, writes Weinfuss (via Twitter). Bob McNaman of the Arizona Republic also writes the team plans on bringing Dockett back, despite a cap hit of close to $9MM next season (via Twitter).
Coach Arians stated that defensive coordinator Todd Bowles has been requested for interviews with multiple organizations, and he expects his assistant coach to pursue openings in New York, Atlanta, and Chicago, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter).
Arians was extremely complimentary of Bowles, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). “He’s a great teacher, great communicator and players love him,” said Arians. “Very bright guy. He’s soft spoken but a very good motivator and he can get on their asses as good as anybody.”
Arians also noted that he does not expect to make any other coaching changes this offseason, other than Bowles, according to Weinfuss (via Twitter).

Minor Moves: Thursday

August 21st, 2014 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the following players are now on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists: Darnell Dockett (Cardinals), Greg Latta (Broncos), Fendi Onobun (Jaguars), Jeremy Deering (Raiders), and Mike Caussin (Redskins). Because he has four or more accrued seasons, Dockett can be placed on IR without passing through waivers, and we heard previously that Latta, Onobun, and Deering were waived-injured by their clubs. Caussin’s case is less clear — he doesn’t appear to have four accrued seasons, so he should have to be waived before landing on IR. For what it’s worth, the Redskins’ official site still lists him as on the team’s active roster.

Earlier updates:

Former Falcon Eric Weems has returned to the team, according to Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com, who tweets that wideout Jabin Sambrano has been cut to make room for the veteran receiver and return specialist. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who reported earlier this week that Weems wanted to sign with Atlanta but appeared headed to the Titans, said today (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear took a physical in Tennessee, but it hit a snag. The Falcons, who entered the picture last night, signed Weems to a one-year, minimum-salary contract, per McClure (Twitter link).
The Saints have begun making cuts in advance of next Tuesday’s first deadline, parting ways with four players today. As Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune details, the club waived outside linebacker Chidera Uzo-Diribe, running back Tim Flanders, tight end Je’Ron Hamm and wide receiver Tobais Palmer.
Defensive tackle Anthony McCloud has been waived by the Cardinals, opening up a second spot on the team’s 90-man roster, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
The Buccaneers have swapped a pair of players at the back of their roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed guard R.J. Mattes and waived defensive end James Ruffin.
The Patriots have made two cuts, letting go of defensive lineman Marcus Forston and tight end D.J. Williams, according to a team release.

No Deal For Brett Keisel, Cardinals

August 19th, 2014 at 4:12pm CST by Luke Adams

4:12pm: A source tells Somers (Twitter link) that Keisel turned down the Cardinals’ invitation to visit Arizona – and possibly sign with the team – because he didn’t want to leave his family.

3:02pm: In spite of Keisel’s reported visit to Arizona, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears that the Cardinals are “very unlikely” to sign the veteran lineman (Twitter link).

12:41pm: Keisel is flying to Arizona today to take a physical, according to Somers (via Twitter). As expected, it looks like the former Steeler is high on the Cardinals’ list of targets.

8:47am: In the wake of Darnell Dockett‘s season-ending ACL injury, the Cardinals are expected to add a defender to help provide depth on the line, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, who figures a move will happen soon (Twitter link). As Somers notes in a separate tweet, Frostee Rucker is expected to slide into Dockett’s role and should ensure there isn’t a huge drop-off among the starters, but depth could be an issue for the club.

Several Arizona reporters, including Somers (via Twitter), Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (via Twitter), and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com, have pointed to veteran free agent Brett Keisel as a logical fit for the Cardinals. Keisel, a longtime Steeler, has a history with head coach Bruce Arians and defensive line coach Brentson Buckner, who both previously worked in Pittsburgh.

As our list of current veteran free agents shows, the Cardinals’ options for defensive linemen are limited. Former fourth-rounder Vaughn Martin and ex-Packers Johnny Jolly and Ryan Pickett are among the recognizable names in the bunch, but Keisel seems to be the best fit given Arizona’s needs. It’s not clear, however, what his salary demands are.

If Keisel’s asking price is too high for the Cardinals, the team could simply turn to one of its younger, cheaper, in-house options. However, considering the club is in win-now mode heading into the 2014 season, a veteran signing appears likely.

As for Dockett, since he’s a veteran player, he can be placed on injured reserve immediately without having to pass through waivers, so I’d expect the Cardinals to make that move in the near future.

Darnell Dockett Tears ACL, Out For Season

August 18th, 2014 at 9:20pm CST by Zachary Links

9:20pm: It is indeed a season-ending ACL tear for Dockett, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Dockett did not, contrary to some reports, tear his MCL, which will at least make his rehab for the 2015 season a bit easier.

7:41pm: Earlier tonight, Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was carted off of the field with an apparent right knee injury. Unfortunately, it looks like Dockett’s MRI yielded some bad news. The Cards believe that the defensive tackle has a torn ACL, sources tell Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports 1 (on Twitter).

It goes without saying that losing Dockett for the year would be a major blow to the Cardinals defense. Dockett, 33, has spent his entire career with Arizona and has missed just one game in the last ten seasons. Dockett is coming off of a season in which he registered 4.5 sacks and 36 tackles as a part of a career in which he has tallied 40.5 sacks and 349 tackles.

Dockett is slated to count $8.75MM against the cap in 2014 and is scheduled to count $9.8MM against the cap in 2015. Even before today’s unfortunate development, it seemed likely that the Cards would ask Dockett to take a pay cut or release him before the start of the ’15 campaign.

NFC Extra Points: Saints, Cobb, Nelson, Dockett, Ansah, Harbaugh

May 24th, 2014 at 1:05pm CST by Matt Feminis

Three players are vying for the Saints’ No. 2 cornerback job — Champ Bailey, Patrick Robinson and Corey White — and ESPN’s Mike Triplett thinks “it’s pretty close to a three-way tie between that trio for the No. 2 job — or they may all be used in situations that favor their skill sets.” As for Robinson in particular, Triplett says he will get a legitimate shot because otherwise they would have released him to alleviate their salary cap crunch. The 2010 first-rounder hasn’t lived up to expectations, and is entering the final year of his rookie deal counting $2.8MM against the cap.
It would be a surprise if the Packers didn’t extend the contract of Randall Cobb or Jordy Nelson (both free agents in 2015) before September, writes ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, who says Cobb is a must re-sign while Nelson is a “little bit trickier” because he’ll be 29 this season.
Soon to be 33, Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett has two years remaining on his deal. He will count $8.75MM against the cap in 2014 and is scheduled to count $9.8MM against the cap in 2015, but ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss says after the upcoming season the team will ask him to take a pay cut or likely release him.
Aldon Smith‘s future is unknown thanks to his legal issues, and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh is already aggravated talking about it, writes Aaron Wilson at National Football Post. “I’m not going to get into speculating on what’s going to happen, what could happen, what will happen. There’s nothing really further that I can add to this line of questioning. You can take bamboo shoots and stick ’em under my fingernails and there still wouldn’t be any more I could add further to this discussion.”
Also at NFPost, Greg Gabriel spotlights a handful of second-year players in the NFC North poised to break out in 2014, including Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah. Says Gabriel: “As a rookie last year, [Ansah] had 32 total tackles and eight sacks. With a year of learning the game under his belt, I expect those numbers to nearly double. There is no telling how good Ansah can eventually become.”
Jackson Jeffcoat, a defensive end out of Texas, garnered a $15k signing bonus from the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent, reports the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, who has the full list of the team’s signings/bonuses.