HEADLINES

D’Qwell Jackson

Colts Rumors: Jackson, Davis, Bradshaw

March 4th, 2014 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

After free agent linebacker D’Qwell Jackson meets with the Dolphins today, his tour will continue with a visit to the Colts, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The former Brown has drawn plenty of interest since being released last month by Cleveland, having already visited the Broncos and Titans as well. As the Colts look forward to making their pitch to Jackson, let’s round up a few more updates out of Indianapolis….

  • Vontae Davis remains the Colts’ top free agent priority, and Stephen Holder of the Indianpolis Star thinks the fact that the team didn’t franchise him signals optimism that a multiyear agreement can be reached. In Holder’s view, a deal similar to the one Brent Grimes inked with the Dolphins (four years, $32MM, $16MM guaranteed) is the likeliest outcome for Davis and the Colts.
  • The Colts have had recent conversations with prospective free agent Ahmad Bradshaw, a source tells Holder. A separate source confirmed that the club hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing back the veteran running back. Indianapolis currently has Trent Richardson and Vick Ballard under contract for 2014, while Donald Brown is also a free agent.
  • Center Samson Satele, whose cap number for 2014 is about $5.07MM, may be cut at some point, but there’s no urgency to making a move quickly, says Holder. With plenty of cap space available, the Colts can afford to keep Satele around, and Holder points out that the center’s presence could even improve the team’s leverage in talks with free agent interior linemen.

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs

March 3rd, 2014 at 7:29pm CST by Ben Levine

D’Qwell Jackson was very impressed after meeting with the Broncos, but isn’t ready to make a decision, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. In another tweet, Klis mentions that Jackson is heading to Miami to meet with the Dolphins before also meeting with an unknown team. Jackson should make a decision by the end of the week, Klis says in a final tweet.

A couple of notes from around the AFC West…

  • Eric Decker is not an elite player and the Broncos likely won’t pay him like one, says Jeffri Chadiha of ESPN.com. According to Chadiha, Decker’s disappearance in the Super Bowl confirmed that Decker is a number two receiver, not a number one. The writer refers to a number of receivers who cashed in and then struggled with new teams, like Mike Wallace last season.
  • Chad Rinehart and Richard Marshall should receive attention from the Chargers, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. Neither player would break the bank and they’d also fill holes in the team’s lineup, Williams says.
  • The Chiefs signed receiver Weston Dressler about a month ago, and Adam Teicher of ESPN.com warns to not overlook the acquisition. Teicher says that Dressler is insurance in case the team cannot retain free agent Dexter McCluster, but he also quotes coach Andy Reid saying “If you told me I could have two Dexter McClusters, that would be a good thing. I wouldn’t mind that at all.’’

Extra Points: Manning, Vikings, Browns, FAs

March 3rd, 2014 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been another busy day for the NFL hot stove, with the franchise tag deadline having passed by earlier this afternoon. You can check out our recap of 2014’s franchise and transition tags right here, but for now, let’s round up a few items that may have otherwise fallen through the cracks….

  • While the Broncos haven’t approached Peyton Manning about restructuring his contract yet, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that the team has “a few million reasons” to do so at some point this offseason.
  • Free agent linebacker D’Qwell Jackson won’t visit with the Vikings, so he’s unlikely to sign with the team, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. However, Wolfson also adds in a separate tweet that free agent defensive end Everson Griffen “badly” wants to return to Minnesota, and talks are ongoing between the Vikings and his reps.
  • Even if they’re able to bring back center Alex Mack and safety T.J. Ward, the Browns will still have plenty positions of need when free agency begins, as Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com details. After using their transition tag on Mack, the Browns appear likely to keep the standout center, but perhaps not their safety.
  • Brian Orakpo, who was franchised today by the Redskins, tells Mike Jones of the Washington Post that while he still hopes to get a long-term deal done, he’s happy to take a step forward rather than remaining in a stalemate with the team.
  • Michael Vick, Eric Decker, and Aqib Talib are among this offseason’s most notable “buyer beware” free agents, opines K.C. Joyner of ESPN.com (Insider link).

FA Rumors: Spikes, Jackson, Mack, Graham

March 3rd, 2014 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2014 free agent period now eight days away, we’re starting to get a clearer idea of which players will actually be available when we turn the calendar to March 11, and a new league year begins. Plenty of free-agents-to-be will still be locked up between now and then, but many more will hit the open market, and perhaps change teams. Here’s the latest on a number of current or prospective free agents:

  • The Patriots and Brandon Spikes aren’t discussing a new deal, meaning the linebacker appears likely to become a free agent and sign elsewhere, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
  • Having met with the Broncos and Titans already, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is on his way to Miami today to visit the Dolphins, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). The former Brown has a leg up on this year’s class of free agent linebackers, since he’s free to sign prior to March 11 if he so chooses.
  • The Browns‘ brass met with center Alex Mack this weekend, and are serious about mending fences with Mack that may have been torn down by the old regime, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • In the view of ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), the Seahawks and Packers should be open to the idea of signing Jimmy Graham to an offer sheet and giving up two first-round picks to snatch him away from the Saints. However, Peter King of TheMMQB.com doesn’t think giving up a pair of top picks for the right to pay Graham $12MM per year is worth it.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a look at the Saints‘ perspective when it comes to negotiating a new deal for Graham.
  • Chris Murray, the agent for defensive back Marcus Sherels, is optimistic that he and the Vikings will complete a deal for his restricted free agent client before March 11, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  • The Giants will be bringing back exclusive rights free agent OL Dallas Reynolds, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
  • Pro Football Focus has released a list of its top 75 free agents.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Browns, Raiders, Jaguars

March 2nd, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Ben Levine

A couple of notes from around the AFC on this Sunday evening…

Cardinals Rumors: FAs, Dansby, Jackson

February 28th, 2014 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

We’re getting closer and closer to the beginning of free agency, with just 11 days until the start of the new league year. Prospective free agents will be able to talk to rival teams a week from tomorrow, though they won’t be able to officially put pen to paper until March 11. As such, teams are preparing to make pitches to free agent targets. Asked if he and the Cardinals had their eye on anyone in particular, head coach Bruce Arians said on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that the team has more than one player in mind.

“We probably have five,” Arians said of the Cards’ early free agent targets. “[GM] Steve [Keim] and I have the same philosophy: ‘Here it is, do you want it? I’m going to ask this guy in about a half an hour. If you don’t want it, I’m going to ask him. If he wants it, you’re out.’ It’s easy. We don’t play games.”

Let’s round up a few more Cardinals-related items….

  • Within the same interview, Arians said the Cardinals offered Karlos Dansby a contract immediately after the season ended. While the veteran linebacker obviously hasn’t accepted that offer, the two sides remain engaged in negotiations, and the head coach said he’d “definitely” love to have Dansby back.
  • Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com believes Dansby wants to see what sort of offers he gets on the open market, which doesn’t necessarily preclude a return to Arizona.
  • It appears the Cardinals are eyeing alternatives in the event that the club can’t re-sign Dansby. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), Arizona is among the clubs interested in recently released linebacker D’Qwell Jackson. The Cards have contacted Jackson’s agent and will try to set up a visit for next week.
  • Arians on where the Cardinals need to improve: “I think we need to get bigger and stronger on both sides of line with more depth — offensive line and defensive line. We need to get some depth because of our division. You’re going to win at the line of scrimmage in our division, you have to be physical.”

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Redskins, Ware

February 28th, 2014 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

While Eagles general manager Howie Roseman didn’t want to specifically address reports that his team met with Johnny Manziel at the combine in Indianapolis, the GM’s comments to Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com at least indirectly explained why Philadelphia might want to talk to a top prospect like Manziel.

“You never know when the opportunity is going to come to get a player,” Roseman said. “It may be now in the draft, it may be in free agency, it may be via trade. If you look at your notes and you haven’t met the guy and the head coach is coming down the hallway and he’s going, ‘Hey, how was this guy when he came out?’ – and you’re kind of going, ‘Help.'”

Here’s more on the Eagles and a couple of their NFC East rivals:

FA Rumors: Delmas, Jackson, Decker, Pace

February 27th, 2014 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

A handful of potential free agents, including wide receiver Riley Cooper, center Roberto Garza, and defensive lineman Chris Baker, came off the board today, having agreed to new contracts with their current teams. However, there are still plenty of rumblings about other players who will hit free agency on March 11, not to mention those who are already available. Let’s dive in and round up the latest….

  • Free agent safety Louis Delmas, who was cut by the Lions earlier this month, visited the Saints today, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Because he was released, Delmas is eligible to sign before March 11 if he gets an offer he likes.
  • Recently released linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is in the same boat, and has already lined up weekend visits with the Titans and Broncos, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). La Canfora adds (Twitter link) that the Vikings among the clubs looking to schedule a visit for next week, while Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that eight interested teams have already reached out.
  • Following up on a tweet from Vic Lombardi of CBS4 in Denver that indicated there could be mutual interest between wide receiver Eric Decker and the Colts, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star says (via Twitter) that potential interest is unlikely to materialize into anything concrete.
  • The Jets met with linebacker Calvin Pace‘s reps at the combine in Indianapolis and made it clear they’d like to re-sign him, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. However, the club has not yet engaged in contract talks for Pace, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
  • Costello adds in a tweet that the Jets also have interest in retaining defensive tackle Leger Douzable, who will be an unrestricted free agent.
  • Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com explores the possibility of the Bills using their franchise tag on free agent safety Jairus Byrd, which it sounds like the team is willing to do.
  • Free-agent-to-be Rashad Jennings has signed with VMG Sports and will be represented by Mike Simon, Greg Diulus, and Adam Heller, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. The Raiders running back had previously been repped by Kelley Drye.

AFC Notes: Browns, Raiders, Jackson, Ravens

February 26th, 2014 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah said that he’s hearing “from several different places” that the Browns are targeting quarterback Derek Carr with the No. 26 pick rather than drafting a signal-caller at No. 4 (link via Marc Sessler of NFL.com). Of course, there’s plenty of time for that stance to change over the next two and a half months. More out of the AFC..

  • Raiders owner Mark Davis spoke to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle about the need for a franchise quarterback, the team’s boatload of cap space, and whether or not this is a make-or-break year in Oakland.
  • Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk expects the Broncos and Titans to be in the mix for linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who hit the free agent market today when he was cut by the Browns. Seven teams have reached out to Jackson since his release and he’s currently deciding where to visit first, tweets Jason La Canfora of NFL.com.
  • Torrey Smith is very open to the idea of the Ravens adding a receiver in free agency or the draft, as he tells Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. “The more, the merrier,” Smith said. “The more help you can have no matter what position it is, it’s only going to make us stronger as a unit. Whatever we bring in, whether it’s free agency or a rookie, we’ll welcome him in with open arms.”
  • Although Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star suggested yesterday that Adam Vinatieri could be a franchise tag option for the Colts, that’s not the case, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). As Corry notes, even though Vinatieri didn’t play out two seasons as the Patriots‘ franchise player, he was tagged twice by New England, meaning he’d be eligible for the quarterback’s franchise salary if he were tagged a third time.

Browns Release D’Qwell Jackson

February 26th, 2014 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

3:16pm: According to Jackson, the Browns tried to restructure his contract, but he wasn’t on board with the proposed figures and wanted to go “somewhere with stability,” tweets Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

2:37pm: The Browns have officially released inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, the team announced today in a press release. Cleveland would have owed Jackson a $4MM roster bonus on March 16 had he remained on the roster, so the team opted instead for the cap savings.

“We had positive discussion with D’Qwell and his agent over the last several days, and we came to the mutual agreement to go in different directions,” GM Ray Farmer said in a statement.

Jackson, 30, has been a starter for the Browns since the club selected him in the second round of the 2006 draft. Despite leading the team in tackles in 2013, Jackson graded poorly as a run defender in Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, ultimately placing 42nd overall out of 55 qualified inside linebackers (subscription required). Still, the Maryland alum had been the Browns’ longtime leader on defense, so the team will have big shoes to fill in the middle of its linebacking corps.

As for the cap implications, Jackson had been in line to earn a modest base salary of less than $4MM for 2014. However, various bonuses would’ve pushed his ’14 cap number up to about $9.43MM. With the release, the Browns will create about $5.23MM in cap savings, reducing Jackson’s cap hit to $4.2MM.

Jackson will now be an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team even before March 11. As PFF notes (via Twitter), he may draw more interest from clubs running a 4-3 defense, since he graded well the last time he played in that system.