HEADLINES

Derrick Morgan

FA Rumors: Morgan, Cameron, Harvin

March 12th, 2015 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Having visited the Falcons this week, free agent edge defender Derrick Morgan is on the Buccaneers today, and will meet with the team’s coaches today, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). As Getlin observes, the Bucs will have to put a strong offer on the table for Morgan if they want to lock him up, since other teams remain in pursuit. The Cowboys have been mentioned as a possible suitor, and the Titans maintain interest in re-signing their own free agent.

The Bucs already locked up one notable front-seven player today, signing Henry Melton to a one-year deal — if they were also able to add Morgan, it would go a long way toward improving their outside pass rush, with Michael Johnson no longer on the roster.

Here are a few more free agent updates from around the NFL:

  • Jordan Cameron‘s visit with the Dolphins is happening today, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Miami is still hoping to retain Charles Clay, but Cameron certainly wouldn’t be a bad Plan B if the Bills sign Clay to an offer sheet that the Dolphins can’t – or don’t want to – match.
  • A source who spoke with free agent Percy Harvin told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that the wide receiver doesn’t want to be a “gadget guy” anymore and wants to play something closer to a traditional wide receiver role. Throughout his career, he has had coaches “lie” to him and tell him that he would play a typical wide receiver, only to have him involved more in unorthodox plays.
  • The Dolphins aren’t done adding cornerbacks, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. They’re working on scheduling a visit with Falcons free agent cornerback Robert McClain and that meeting could go down this week. In addition to Miami, McClain has also drawn interest from the Vikings and Saints (link). McClain made six starts for Atlanta in 2014 and also had two interceptions.
  • The interest between the Titans and James Harrison is mutual, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com tweets. Of course, Harrison is not a high priority free agent at this stage of his career, so the Titans can take care of him later and they won’t need to address signing him in week one of free agency.
  • Before signing with the Panthers, tight end Ed Dickson said that he drew interest from the Raiders, Broncos, Cardinals, and Browns, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets. But, he says, no other team “came close” to Carolina.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Free Agent Rumors: Gilchrist, Morgan, Robinson

March 11th, 2015 at 2:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Running backs Felix Jones, Michael Bush, and Mikel Leshoure are among the players scheduled to participate in the NFL’s veteran combine later this month, tweets Mark Maske of the Washington Post. The Arizona Republic has the full list of combine participants. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • The Jets are in contract talks with free agent safety Marcus Gilchrist, a source tells Darryl Slater of the Star-Ledger. Gilchrist arrived Tuesday for a free agency visit with the Jets that has continued into Wednesday, as scheduled. Gilchrist, 26, has spent his entire career with the Chargers, who drafted him in the second round in 2011.
  • The Titans remain in the mix to sign Derrick Morgan despite his free agent visits and apparent interest from the Cowboys, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets. They’re also still working to re-sign kicker Ryan Succop.
  • Free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson has received some interest from the Vikings, Dolphins, Saints, Steelers, and Panthers, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Vikings have touched base with free agent cornerback Tramon Williams, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) hears the same thing, but his source says it doesn’t sound “very serious.”
  • Linebacker Andrew Gachkar‘s anticipated visit to the Vikings is on hold as of right now due to what a source only will say is related to “some issues right now,” Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets.
  • New Jaguars defensive lineman Jared Odrick told reporters, including Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links), that “tons of teams” went after him. The Colts and Chiefs, he said, were among the teams chasing him.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Cowboys Interested In Derrick Morgan

March 11th, 2015 at 1:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Derrick Morgan is in Atlanta meeting with the Falcons, but there’s some serious competition for his services. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that the Cowboys are now trying to get in on the Titans free agent.

Meanwhile, Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes that the Cowboys have been reaching out to a lot of players, but they’re only willing to spend so much. For example, they weren’t willing to go to $5MM per year on Stephen Paea. The defensive tackle agreed to sign with Washington on Monday.

The former Georgia Tech standout had his most productive season in 2014, establishing career-highs in tackles (63), sacks (6.5) and passes defended (seven). He received the second-highest rating among Titans defenders from Pro Football Focus, and he also ranked as the eighth-best 3-4 linebacker.

The Titans had reportedly been hoping to re-sign Morgan, but it has been rumored that a half-dozen teams are also interested. He ranked 20th on Luke Adams’ list of the top-50 free agents.

Derrick Morgan To Visit Falcons, Bucs

March 10th, 2015 at 4:58pm CST by Ben Levine

4:58pm: If Morgan leaves Atlanta without a contract, he’ll visit the Buccaneers next, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports.

4:26pm: With many of the big-name linebackers (including Pernell McPhee and Brandon Graham) signing new contracts, attention now switches to former first-round pick Derrick Morgan. According to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (via Twitter), the 26-year-old is scheduled to meet with the Falcons.

The former Georgia Tech standout had his most productive season in 2014, establishing career-highs in tackles (63), sacks (6.5) and passes defended (seven). He received the second-highest rating among Titans defenders from Pro Football Focus, and he also ranked as the eighth-best 3-4 linebacker.

The Titans had reportedly been hoping to re-sign Morgan, but it was rumored that a half-dozen teams were also interested. He ranked 20th on Luke Adam’s list of the top-50 free agents.

Extra Points: Hartline, Murray, Browner, Bush

March 10th, 2015 at 3:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest from around the league…

  • Brian Hartline‘s decision ultimately came down to the Browns and the Patriots, the receiver tells Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (Twitter link). Hartline ended up signing a two-year pact with Cleveland yesterday.
  • Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the club wants to re-sign DeMarco Murray, emphasizing that Dallas is still in negotiations with its free agent running back (Twitter links via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
  • The Panthers don’t seem to be showing much interest in edge rusher Derrick Morgan, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • The Titans have interest in cornerback Brandon Browner, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Browner isn’t expected to take a pay cut to remain in New England. Browner is receiving a lot of interest around the league, but he could still return to the Patriots, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
  • Jahri Evans is still a candidate for release in New Orleans, and if the Saints do cut him, expect the Bills to be in on the veteran guard, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • Most observers expected free agent receiver Michael Crabtree to depart San Francisco, but the 49ers do have interest in re-signing him, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 (via Twitter).
  • Having been cut by the Lions earlier in the offseason, running back Reggie Bush is considering a return to the Saints, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, the Patriots and Eagles are among the other teams in play for Bush.

Extra Points: Spiller, Moore, Morgan

March 10th, 2015 at 12:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from around the NFL..

  • There was speculation about it at one point, but the Dolphins will not be chasing running back C.J. Spiller at this time, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.
  • The Dolphins have been doing due diligence on finding a cheap backup defensive tackle in free agency, Salguero tweets. If they find one, that could spell the end of Randy Starks in Miami.
  • Some connected Rahim Moore to the Raiders since Jack Del Rio was his defensive coordinator last year, but Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) hears that the Raiders won’t be in the mix for him.
  • The Buccaneers lost out on defensive end Trent Cole, but they’re still in the mix for Jabaal Sheard and Derrick Morgan, Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune tweets. They’re also still in the running for Parker.
  • The Titans still talking with Morgan, along with three other teams, Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean tweets.
  • The Chiefs still have some interest in re-signing tackle Ryan Harris, but there’s nothing imminent on that front, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets.
  • Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (on Twitter) heard that the Giants were closing in on free agent defensive tackle Dan Williams, but things quickly turned and Big Blue is no longer in the mix (link).

AFC FA Rumors: Harvin, Raiders, Adams

March 10th, 2015 at 10:38am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders‘ interest in wide receiver Percy Harvin will be contingent on meeting him and also finding out his price tag, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. Even with Harvin’s connection to Bill Musgrave, the Raiders have to inspect the baggage before going any further with him. The latest free agent rumors..

  • Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter) still anticipates the Colts re-signing safety Mike Adams, but no deal is done just yet. Adams, who turns 34 later this month, has said that he wants to retire with the Colts.
  • Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter) suggested that the Raiders are pursuing Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (via Twitter) believes that the Raiders are the favorites when it comes to him.
  • Linebacker Arthur Moats spoke with the Bengals and Cardinals and seemed set to go to the Falcons before deciding to re-sign with the Steelers, Ross Tucker of NBCSN tweets.
  • The Titans are still working to retain both defensive end Derrick Morgan and kicker Ryan Succop as the clock ticks towards the opening of free agency, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
  • McCormick (on Twitter) isn’t sure that the Titans will land him, but he expects them to seriously pursue Jason Worilds.
  • Linebacker Andrew Gachkar has received interest from the Vikings, Panthers, and Raiders, and may end up visiting all three teams later this week, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. Washington has also talked to Gachkar’s camp, but hasn’t made an offer yet, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). The 26-year-old had his best season for the Chargers in 2014, playing nearly 400 defensive snaps.

FA Rumors: Murray, Raiders, Orakpo, Hill

March 9th, 2015 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

While DeMarco Murray may not land an eight-digit annual salary, his camp sounds confident that there are teams willing to pay $8MM per year for his services, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. However, as Getlin notes it’s not clear yet whether the Cowboys are one of those teams. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Murray is willing to move on from Dallas if a better opportunity presents itself, but the running back is approaching free agency slowly and methodically rather than rushing into any decision.

While we wait to see if Jerry Jones opens up his check book for the NFL’s leading rusher before Murray hits free agency tomorrow, let’s check in on some few other free agent news….

  • The Raiders are “hot after” Mike Iupati, widely considered to be the top free agent guard available this winter, reports Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Oakland figures to be up against the Bills and Jets, among other teams, in the bidding for Iupati. Landing the 49ers veteran after agreeing to terms with center Rodney Hudson would certainly help the Raiders solidify their offensive line.
  • The Falcons were mentioned a week ago as a potential favorite for Brian Orakpo, and it doesn’t appear that’s changed. Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington tweets that she’s hearing Atlanta is the current frontrunner for the free agent pass rusher.
  • The Titans are still in play for Derrick Morgan, but so are about a half-dozen other teams, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
  • According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter), the Cowboys and Raiders are among the teams showing interest in quarterback Shaun Hill, who also has reportedly has an offer on the table from the Vikings.
  • The Steelers have no immediate plans to re-sign veteran outside linebacker James Harrison, who could potentially be a late-summer addition for the club, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • We can add the Chiefs to the growing list of teams that has inquired on free agent cornerback Cary Williams, tweets Nick Jacobs of TWC SportsChannel in Kansas City.
  • Washington hasn’t been in contract with wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, but the free-agent-to-be has heard from a few other teams, says John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Titans Rumors: Sanchez, McCourty, Worilds

March 8th, 2015 at 4:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans are showing “decent interest” in free agent QB Mark Sanchez, according to Mike Garfolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Second-year player Zach Mettenberger currently tops Tennessee’s quarterback depth chart, but the club could also look to upgrade the position with the No. 2 overall pick in next month’s draft. Sanchez, whom the Eagles are interested in retaining, would make for a nice stopgap solution if the Titans did take a QB in the draft.

Here’s more on the Titans, with all links going to the Twitter account of the Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt:

  • The Titans have reached out to safety Devin McCourty, whose twin brother Jason is a corner for the club. McCourty, who somewhat surprisingly wasn’t franchised by the Patriots, is the top safety available, so the Titans will certainly have competition. Tennessee recently released Bernard Pollard, so they have an opening in the back end.
  • Clearly interested in secondary help, the Titans will meet with cornerback Cary Williams tomorrow. Williams, recently released by the Eagles, has already met with the Seahawks and Jets.
  • Tennessee is interested in Jason Worilds and a number of other edge rushers. Former Steelers coordinator Dick LeBeau is now running the Titans’ defense, so the connection to Worilds makes sense.
  • The club still wants to retain free agent rusher Derrick Morgan, whom Wyatt notes is a getting an “idea of his value” during the three-day negotiating window.

Titans Notes: Morgan, Taylor, LeBeau

February 25th, 2015 at 9:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the Titans..

  • Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan says he hasn’t had any serious talks with the team so far about returning, Wyatt writes. Morgan recently changed agents going from Ben Dogra to Joby Branion and one assumes that his new rep will be discussing a new deal with the Titans before long. Morgan probably stands as the Titans’ most important free agent this offseason.
  • Cornerback Ike Taylor believes defensive coach Dick LeBeau could lure Steelers players to the Titans, as Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean writes. “Coach LeBeau recruits himself. He is like Coach K (Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski); you know what you are getting yourself into,’’ said Taylor. “You don’t have to ask the veteran guys who have played under him. Just say Coach LeBeau wants you to come, and they’d say: “What time? That’s the way people feel about him.” James Harrison, who will hold off on retirement, could be a possibility as well as fellow Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds.
  • Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com isn’t sure what the power breakdown in the Titans’ front office is like right now.
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