HEADLINES

Maurice Jones-Drew

AFC Notes: Jets, Broncos, Blount, MJD, Titans

March 26th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to the Seahawks and Cowboys, the Jets may also have been in on Jared Allen before he agreed to sign with the Bears, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter, head coach Rex Ryan spoke to the veteran defensive end last week, and the Jets wanted to get involved in the bidding, though it’s not clear how serious the interest was from Allen’s end. As New York continues to search for upgrades in free agency, let’s check in on a few more AFC teams….

  • Unsurprisingly, the Broncos are expected to exercise their fifth-year option for 2015 on defensive standout Von Miller, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The option, available for 2011 first-round picks, would pay Miller a little less than $10MM in ’15.
  • The running back market is coming into focus, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). According to La Canfora, LeGarrette Blount, who is still receiving interest from the Patriots, will visit with the Steelers later this week. Pittsburgh is still considering Maurice Jones-Drew as well, though not at his original $3.5MM-per-year asking price.
  • Free agent offensive lineman Mike McGlynn, who has met with the Redskins and Rams since the start of free agency, is scheduled to visit the Titans tonight and tomorrow, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
  • The Raiders have added several players over age 30 in free agency, but GM Reggie McKenzie doesn’t view those players as stop-gap solutions. McKenzie told Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that he wanted to bring in immediate contributors to show the team’s young players the Raiders are serious about winning.
  • Colts GM Ryan Grigson said today that his team preferred its in-house options at center to the free agents available at the position, as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star details. That’s not to say that no free agent center would have been an upgrade, but given the potential cost, Grigson didn’t feel a move would be worth it.
  • Offensive line and wide receiver will be areas of focus for the Jaguars in the draft, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
  • R.J. Stanford‘s new one-year deal with the Bengals includes a $730K base salary, a $50K signing bonus, and a $25K workout bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

Pats Rumors: Wilfork, Jones-Drew, Britt

March 25th, 2014 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been nearly two weeks since it was first reported that Vince Wilfork had requested his release from the Patriots, and Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com now has some details on the conversation that apparently led to that request. According to Curran, the Pats wanted to convert Wilfork’s $7.5MM base salary into a figure that was attainable through playing time incentives.

Because Wilfork missed nearly all of the 2013 season, those incentives would be considered not likely to be earned, which would wipe them from the team’s cap, so it’s easy to see the Pats’ motives. Even though the deal would have included some form of extension, it’s not hard to see why Wilfork would be hesitant — he’s coming off a torn Achilles, so an incentive-laden deal would put a significant amount of pressure on him to stay on the field following a lengthy recovery.

Here’s more on Wilfork and the Pats:

  • CSNNE’s Curran and ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss each examined recent comments made by Wilfork, owner Robert Kraft, and head coach Bill Belichick, surmising that the Wilfork situation may still be salvageable.
  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who initially reported that the veteran defensive lineman had asked to be cut, also reports (Twitter links) that there’s “slight optimism” on the Wilfork front. According to Rapoport, there are two parts to mending the fences: Making Wilfork feel wanted, and then working out his contract situation. Kraft has spoken to the 32-year-old, making progress on re-recruitment, but the contract still must be addressed.
  • The Patriots were one of four teams mentioned as being in the mix for Maurice Jones-Drew yesterday, but a source tells CSNNE’s Curran that the Pats haven’t been in contact with the veteran running back.
  • Kraft tells Ron Borges of the Boston Herald that the Patriots won’t be signing free agent wide receiver Kenny Britt. Britt is believed to still be weighing his options, and John Keim of ESPN.com tweets that the Redskins remain in the mix for him.

Four Teams In Mix For Maurice Jones-Drew

March 24th, 2014 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Maurice Jones-Drew recently paid a visit to the Steelers, and reportedly drew interest from the Jets earlier in the month, but those aren’t the only teams in the mix for the free agent running back. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, MJD is drawing interest from at least four clubs — the Steelers, Jets, Dolphins, and Patriots.

Although Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com indicated last week that Jones-Drew is seeking $3.5MM per year on his next deal, Mehta hears from a pair of sources that MJD’s asking price isn’t quite that high. Sources also tell Mehta that GM John Idzik‘s “hard-line stance” cost the Jets their No. 1 running back target earlier in free agency. Mehta suggests that the mystery running back ultimately signed with another AFC team, so perhaps that player was Ben Tate, who was linked to the Jets a month ago.

In any case, the Jets will have competition for Jones-Drew from their division rivals in Miami and New England. The Dolphins, who are also in talks with Knowshon Moreno, appear to be in the market for an upgrade over their current backfield options, while the Pats are likely weighing alternatives to LeGarrette Blount, who may end up signing elsewhere in free agency.

Steelers Notes: Moats, RBs, Harrison

March 23rd, 2014 at 2:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Steelers will meet with free agent inside linebacker Arthur Moats, likely on Monday, tweets Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Moats, 26, has drawn a surprising lack of interest during free agency. He started 12 games last season for the Bills, accruing 54 tackles and grading as the 12th-best inside linebacker in the league, especially excelling in run defense, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He would slot in next to Lawrence Timmons in the Steelers 3-4 defense.

Some other Steelers items:

  • Robinson also tweets the Steelers will add a veteran running back, and corroborates an earlier report that the team will meet with LeGarrette Blount on Friday.
  • Continuing on the running back theme, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette chimes in, adding that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin “felt good” about last week’s visit with RB Maurice Jones-Drew, and that Pittsburgh remains amenable to signing the veteran (Twitter link).
  • Dulac also adds that the team maintains interest in bringing back linebacker James Harrison, quoting general manager Kevin Colbert as saying the team is “never going to close the door on any possibility, especially with a guy who was a huge part of our success” (via Twitter).
  • Dulac tweets that recently-signed Cam Thomas will work as a defensive end, but could also get time at defensive tackle.
  • Robinson reports that the Steelers scouting staff will attend the pro days of North Carolina, Duke, and Texas A&M, with Colbert and Tomlin likely attending the Aggies event (Twitter link).
  • Signing a steady, low-cost free agent like receiver Lance Moore is symbolic of the Steelers free agency strategy, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com.

NFL Notes: Smith, Vick, Jones-Drew

March 22nd, 2014 at 8:44pm CST by Peter Sowards

In his first public comments since the team signed Michael Vick, Jets quarterback and second-year pro Geno Smith was unabashed in his praise of the move and the man himself.

“Awesome, man. Vick’s my guy,” Smith said Saturday, according to the Associated Press. “We needed to find a guy that was legitimately a guy that could come in and play. I think that’s what we did.”

Signing just a one-year deal for $5MM, Vick figures to compete with Smith for the starting job.

Check the notes below for more NFL-related content…

Blount’s Visit To Steelers Pushed Back

March 22nd, 2014 at 7:13pm CST by Peter Sowards

LeGarrette Blount‘s visit to the Steelers won’t happen until after the league meetings, sources told Aaron Wilson of National Football Post.

Blount was scheduled to visit the Steelers tonight and Monday. The annual meeting in Orlando runs from March 23-26.

The rescheduling will allow the former Patriots running back to meet with coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert, Wilson reports.

Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review opined via Twitter that this indicates the team is more interested in Blount than they were in Maurice Jones-Drew, who visited the Steelers on Wednesday.

Extra Points: MJD, Britt, Smith, Jets

March 20th, 2014 at 10:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Maurice Jones-Drew is currently looking for about $3.5MM per year on his next deal, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Even though the former Jaguars star has accomplished great things throughout his career, finding big money as an older tailback in this market could prove to be tough. More from around the NFL..

  • Don’t bank on the Cowboys signing Jared Allen, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links). Breer’s understanding is that it was an either/or proposition when it came to Allen and Henry Melton, whom Dallas signed earlier this week. That could change if Allen’s asking price comes down, however.
  • The Bills and Panthers have expressed interest in wide receiver Kenny Britt and visits may be taking place with those teams, agent Pat Dye Jr. tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1 (via Twitter). Dye says a short-term deal for Britt, who has already checked in with the Redskins, Rams, and Patriots, is likely.
  • On SNY (via Manish Mehta of the Daily News on Twitter), Jets coach Rex Ryan gave Geno Smith quite the endorsement. “Make no mistake about it: Geno Smith is going to be hard to beat out. I don’t care who we add,” Ryan said.
  • The Jets have expressed a desire to re-sign guard Vlad Ducasse, but Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) sees him signing with the Bengals or Vikings.
  • In addition to the Jets, the Panthers and Raiders have also called the Eagles about DeSean Jackson, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. There seems to be a healthy amount of interest in the 27-year-old.
  • Former Browns All-Pro safety T.J. Ward indicated via Twitter that Cleveland’s new brass really didn’t want him back. “Quotes get misunderstood all the time,” the new member of the Broncos wrote. “Just FYI. Cleveland offered me nothing. Boom! There u have it. #GoBroncos.”
  • The Panthers are working out receivers Kevin Cone, Lestar Jean, and C.J. Akins, tweets Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer. Aikins spent time with the Rams in 2013.
  • Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that he’s not done shopping just yet. “Free agency never closes. We’re always looking to add more players.“

Maurice Jones-Drew Visiting Steelers

March 19th, 2014 at 10:33am CST by Luke Adams

Maurice Jones-Drew is arguably the most accomplished running back among this year’s free agent class, only three years removed from leading the league in rushing in 2011. However, he hasn’t drawn a whole lot of interest so far, with a report linking him to the Jets representing the only activity on his PFR rumors page since free agency got underway.

Jones-Drew has a visit lined up to today, however, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the longtime Jaguar will meet with the Steelers. Schefter adds that Pittsburgh isn’t the only club with interest in the veteran running back, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com also suggests (via Twitter) that MJD is talking to several suitors, being patient and trying to find the right fit.

Following his excellent 2011 season, in which he averaged more than 100 rushing yards per game, Jones-Drew was slowed by injuries in 2012. He appeared in 15 games in 2013, but underachieved for a subpar Jacksonville team, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, a significant drop-off from his previous career low of 4.2.

If he’s healthy and behind a solid line, Jones-Drew, who turns 29 this Sunday, should still have something left in the tank next season. But he’s accumulated a lot of mileage, and the running back market hasn’t exactly been booming this offseason, so the offers for MJD may be modest.

Jets Interested In Maurice Jones-Drew

March 11th, 2014 at 9:04pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets struggled on offense last season, and while most of the blame fell on rookie quarterback Geno Smith and an underachieving group of receivers, the team also found it difficult to move the ball on the ground. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that while the team is looking to upgrade its receivers, it also could look at improving at running back (via Twitter). One option he writes that the Jets are seriously considering is former Jaguar Maurice Jones-Drew.

Jones-Drew has struggled with injuries the past two seasons, but also dealt with offenses that were among the league’s worst. He is only a few year removed from toting the football all the way to the rushing title, amassing over 1,600 yards in 2011.

The 28-year-old workhorse does have over 1,800 carries under his belt, and has taken a beating in his NFL career. Jones-Drew is a reliable receiver out of the backfield, and can make an impact on third down both catching the football and protecting the quarterback. As veteran running backs such as Darren McFadden and Toby Gerhart have been signing cheap deals so far this offseason, albeit much less accomplished NFL players, Jones-Drew could make a difference sharing the tailback duties for the Jets with Chris Ivory.

AFC East Links: Jets, Dolphins, Patriots

March 9th, 2014 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Jets having released Antonio Cromartie earlier today, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com analyzed the impact the move would have on the field and in the front office. Cimini doesn’t believe that Cromartie will return to New York unless he’s willing to accept a significantly smaller, one-year deal. When looking at potential replacements on the roster, the writer doesn’t buy that Kyle Wilson would be a viable replacement and suggests Alterraun Verner as a potential target. On Saturday, Cimini reported that the Jets had expressed interest in the Titans‘ cornerback. With the Cromartie release and signing of Jeff Cumberland yesterday, the Jets should have about $33MM in cap space, Cimini mentions (via Twitter).

More notes from the AFC East…

  • Another option for the Jets‘ secondary could be Dolphins safety Chris Clemons, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
  • Fellow Dolphins‘ defensive back Nolan Carroll is generating a lot of interest, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora adds that Carroll had similar advanced stats to Sam Shields, who signed a $39MM contract yesterday.
  • With more than $30MM in cap room and a clear desire to win now, the Dolphins should make a big splash in free agency, says James Walker of ESPN.com. That move could be Branden Albert, who is likely to join the team on Tuesday.
  • In the same mailbag, Walker suggests that signing a running back is important to the Dolphins, but not a top priority. Instead of someone like Ben Tate, Walker suggests Maurice Jones-Drew.
  • There is a strong push within the Patriots organization to keep Julian Edelman, league sources tell Michael Giardi of CSNNewEngland.com (via Twitter). The Patriots coaches reportedly love his work ethic and ability to play special teams.
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