Ravens Interested In RG3, Colin Kaepernick
On Sunday, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti confirmed that the team has interest in Colin Kaepernick. He also said the club is looking into auditioning Robert Griffin III. 
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“We’re very sensitive to it, and we’re monitoring it and we’re still, as [general manager Ozzie Newsome] says, we’re scrimmaging it,” Bisciotti said. “We’re trying to figure what’s the right tact. Pray for us.”
Naturally, the decision of whether to sign Kaepernick involves considerations that go beyond just football. Team president Dick Cass said that the team is reaching out to fans and sponsors as they think about inking the polarizing athlete (Twitter links via Jeff Zrebiec). Cass says that the organization has spoken directly with Kaepernick, so their interest certainly seems legitimate.
The Ravens aren’t certain about whether they want to kick the tires on Griffin and they will first evaluate the health of Joe Flacco and backup Ryan Mallett before moving forward (Twitter link). Of course, it doesn’t cost anything to work a player out, so one has to wonder how real the Ravens’ interest is in Griffin. It’s possible that Baltimore is looking to first light a fire under Mallett before giving serious consideration to an outside arm.
Latest On RG3, Chargers
Robert Griffin III has generated scant interest since the Browns released him in March, but the quarterback may have a shot to latch on with the Chargers. Griffin’s Tuesday audition for the Bolts was a “positive” one, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, while Josina Anderson of ESPN reports that the two sides are likely to engage in followup conversations Wednesday (Twitter link).
“He looked good,” a team source told Anderson. “The young man can move, he’s athletic, he can throw the ball. Some guys are proven and you know them; with Robert you just want to make sure he is healthy and moving around well.”
That praise seems to bode well for Griffin, though the Chargers are undecided on whether to sign the 27-year-old to push for a spot behind starter Philip Rivers.
“We are trying to put together the best roster before we go into camp,” noted the source. “We’re always looking to upgrade, and everyone is on board with that in this organization.”
When you compare their career resumes, RG3 would be an upgrade over the Chargers’ current No. 2 signal-caller, Kellen Clemens. However, the majority of Griffin’s NFL success came as a rookie with the Redskins in 2012, when he was among the best, most electrifying players in the game. Injuries and ineffectiveness beset Griffin over the past four years, which explains why he remains without a job as August nears. For now, it seems the Chargers are his best hope of landing somewhere in the near future.
Robert Griffin III To Work Out For Chargers
Robert Griffin III has finally secured that elusive work out. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the quarterback is set to work out for the Chargers tomorrow.
The former second-overall pick seemingly hasn’t generated any interest this offseason, as this is the first reported workout for the 27-year-old. The Seahawks previously expressed interest in the former Rookie of the Year, but the team ultimately opted for Austin Davis. Reports from earlier this month indicated that there was “mild interest” in the embattled quarterback, and it was believed that several teams would be willing to give him an opportunity during training camp. While he’s waited for an invite, Griffin has been training in Florida with former Browns assistance coach Pep Hamilton.
Teams are presumably wary of Griffin’s extensive injury history, as the quarterback has yet to make it through one of his NFL seasons unscathed. After not appearing in a single game during the 2015 season, Griffin made five starts for the Browns last year before succumbing to a shoulder injury. The quarterback completed only 59.2-percent of his passes in 2016, throwing for 886 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. He still showed the ability to run the ball, as he compiled 190 rushing yards and two touchdowns on only 31 carries.
Besides starter Philip Rivers, the Chargers are currently rostering three quarterbacks in veteran Kellen Clemens, Mike Bercovici, and undrafted rookie Eli Jenkins. ESPN’s Eric Williams tweets that coach Anthony Lynn has been on the look out for a mobile backup quarterback, and Griffin would certainly fit the bill.
Robert Griffin III Generating “Mild Interest”
Free agent quarterback Robert Griffin III has begun to attract “mild interest” from NFL clubs, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, who notes the operative word in that sentence is “mild.” A number of teams could be willing to give RG3 an opportunity during training camp, adds Freeman.
Griffin’s physical traits remain tantalizing, and clubs are surely still holding out hope that RG3 can come close to replicating the production he exhibited in 2012, when he arguably posted the second-best rookie quarterback campaign since the merger. Still only 27 years old, Griffin should also come rather cheaply, as he won’t come close to matching the $7.5MM annual salary he landed from the Browns last offseason.
But it’s also apparent why teams would be wary of Griffin (one executive said last month that he wouldn’t sign RG3 “under any circumstances”). Griffin simply can’t stay healthy, as injuries have limited him in every season during his NFL tenure. Last year, health concerns relegated RG3 to five starts, and he wasn’t effective during those contests, completing less than 60% of his passes and registering a 72.5 quarterback rating.
The Seahawks are the only club known to have expressed interest in Griffin this offseason, but Seattle ultimately chose Austin Davis over Griffin and a host of other signal-callers (including Colin Kaepernick). PFR recently ranked Griffin as the fourth-best free agent quarterback, behind Kaepernick, Christian Ponder, and Shaun Hill.
NFC Rumors: Kaepernick, RG3, Eagles
Three NFL executives tell Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that they see former 49ers signal caller Colin Kaepernick as the best backup quarterback option available. Of course, we have watched many other QBs come off of the board while Kaepernick remains unsigned.
“Kaep, [Shaun] Hill, Dan Orlovsky, Robert Griffin III,” said one AFC exec when asked to rank the best remaining options.
A fourth exec surveyed by Fowler opined that Griffin is actually the best QB left on the market. Meanwhile, one official in the group said he wouldn’t sign Griffin “under any circumstances.” It seems like teams agree more with the latter opinion as Griffin has drawn very little interest this offseason.
Here’s a look at the NFC:
- After flirting with free agent receiver Jeremy Maclin, the Eagles are unlikely to pursue fellow pass-catcher Eric Decker, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Philadelphia, which was reportedly the runner-up in the Maclin sweepstakes, pursued the now-Raven because of their previous relationship with the wideout, per Garafolo. The Eagles don’t enjoy that sort of familiarity with Decker, and are comfortable with their current crop of wide receivers, which includes Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Jordan Matthews, and Nelson Agholor.
- There’s “nothing new” to report on contract talks between the Rams and Aaron Donald, L.A. GM Les Snead told reporters (including Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com). Snead’s comments are notable since a deal appeared to be imminent just three weeks ago. Donald skipped OTAs while his reps negotiated a deal with the team, but it will apparently take some time before the two sides can finalize a deal. Naturally, the Rams are still working hard to get something done. “Aaron Donald is a priority for us,” Snead said. “That’s about all I can say.”
- Former Lions receiver Anquan Boldin may be looking to play near his home in Florida in 2017. Meanwhile, the Lions are probably not interested in a reunion.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Seahawks Like Kaepernick Over RG3
This week, Pete Carroll made waves when he said that the team is considering both Colin Kaepernick and RG3 as potential backups for Russell Wilson. Apparently, the team’s interest in Kaepernick is far stronger than its interest in Griffin. Kaepernick is a “potential, legitimate option” that the Seahawks are mulling while the chance of a Griffin signing is more of a “remote possibility,” according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link).
A few short years ago, the idea of Griffin being a potential backup quarterback was unthinkable. Now, RGIII wishes he could get real consideration as a backup quarterback. As far as we know, no teams have really pursued him this spring and Carroll’s mention of him on Monday was the first time we’ve really heard his name from an NFL official this offseason.
Last year was supposed to be a fresh start for Griffin, but a major shoulder injury suffered in Week 1 of the 2016 season derailed everything. When the Browns activated him from IR later in the year, he still couldn’t recapture the magic of his 2012 rookie campaign. Griffin did help the Browns to their lone win last season, but he did very little to boost his own market heading into free agency.
RG3 completed 87 of 147 passes (59.2% completion rate) and threw for 886 yards with two scores against three interceptions last year. If he had enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ rankings at QB, his overall score would have placed him among the worst at the position.
Seahawks Considering Kaepernick, RG3
The Seahawks are looking to add some competition behind starter Russell Wilson and that could lead them to sign a high-profile signal caller. When asked about the possibility of signing Colin Kaepernick or Robert Griffin III on Monday, Carroll said they are monitoring both players. 
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“We’re looking at everybody. We really are,” Carroll said (via ESPN.com’s Sheil Kapadia). “We’ve been tracking everything that’s going on, and we’ve got cap and roster issues and stuff like that that we’re still trying to manage properly. But quite frankly, yes, we are looking at all those guys.”
As it stands, Trevone Boykin is slated to be Wilson’s primary backup, but his March arrest probably has the team considering other options. Jake Heaps and UDFA Skyler Howard are also on the roster, but both lack NFL experience.
With today’s statement from Carroll, the Seahawks become the first known team to express any level of interest in Kaepernick or Griffin. Kaepernick, it seems, hasn’t found much of a market because of his controversial political views. Griffin, meanwhile, was lobbying for a chance with the Jets earlier this offseason but that interest was not reciprocated.
A case can be made that Kaepernick had something of a bounce back season in 2016 when he threw for 16 touchdowns against four interceptions and finished second among QBs in rushing yards with 468. When it comes to Griffin, no one really knows what to make of him after he missed all but five games in 2016. In that limited sample with the Browns, Griffin went 1-4 with two TDs against three picks and a poor 59.2% completion rate. We haven’t seen Griffin turn in anything close to a real season since 2014 and he hasn’t been able to reprise his outstanding 2012 rookie season.
CFL Team Holds Rights To Kaepernick, RG3
The CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats have added quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III to their exclusive negotiation list, a source tells ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert (Twitter link). It’s not clear if Kaepernick or Griffin are open to playing north of the border, but if they do, their rights will be reserved by the Tiger-Cats. 
Kaepernick and RG3 are among the best free agent quarterbacks left on the board, but, for different reasons, they haven’t garnered a lot of interest from NFL teams thus far. Kaepernick is a lightning-rod for controversy who is years removed from his best work. Griffin, meanwhile, is even further removed from his salad days and barely played in 2016 due to injury. In time, I expect that Griffin will find work, but it’s possible that all 32 teams could avoid Kaepernick over fear of a locker room distraction.
The Tiger-Cats also own the rights to Johnny Manziel, giving them three big-name QB possibilities.
Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Offense
The initial wave of NFL free agency is now complete, and while many of the league’s top available players are now off the board, there are still plenty of quality options still on the open market.
Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.
Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.
We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.
Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:
Quarterback:
Jay CutlerChase DanielRyan Fitzpatrick- Colin Kaepernick
Josh McCown- Robert Griffin III
Case KeenumMatt McGloinMark Sanchez- Christian Ponder
Blaine GabbertRyan Nassib- Shaun Hill
Kellen MooreAustin Davis
Tony Romo is not a free agent…at least not yet. If the Cowboys do not find a suitable trade and release him, you’ll find him at the top of this list.
Laugh if you must, but Cutler is far and away the best quarterback available on the open market. While most of this year’s QB-needy teams are done with their free agent shopping, the Jets are still searching for their 2017 starter and no one would make more sense for them than Cutler. He’s not all that far removed from playing solid football and he’s a logical transitional option for the Jets until they can isolate a better, younger option for 2018. 
Kaepernick’s reps wisely told the press that he will be standing for the National Anthem this year. Still, Kaepernick is an outspoken guy who wants to use his platform to discuss hot button issues, so there’s no guarantee that the media circus around him will cease. Jets owner Woody Johnson loves seeing his team on the back pages of the New York tabloids, but even he has to have more sense than to entertain Kaepernick. McCown, who has been contact with the team, would be an okay choice if they can’t get something done with Cutler. Chase Daniel could be an option too, but there isn’t much game film on him.
Needless to say, the No. 3 ranked player on this list isn’t an option in New York.
Running back:
Adrian PetersonLeGarrette BlountJamaal Charles- Rashad Jennings
Tim Hightower- DeAngelo Williams
- Chris Johnson
Christine MichaelBenny Cunningham- Bobby Rainey
Brandon Bolden- Denard Robinson
- James Starks
Matt AsiataKenjon Barner
Honorable mention: DuJuan Harris, Antonio Andrews, Khiry Robinson
The Vikings have moved on and Peterson will not be back in Minnesota. Where he goes from here is anyone’s guess. When Peterson’s option was declined by the Vikings earlier this month, there were tons of stories (likely sourced by Peterson’s camp) about interest from a litany of contenders. Since then, each team – through anonymous sources – has denied being in the mix for the veteran. It would be easy to doubt Peterson at this juncture, but he has come back from serious injuries multiple times in his career and he is only one year removed from his stellar 2015 campaign. He gets the top spot over the bruising Blount as well as Charles, who hasn’t been healthy in a long while.
Jennings was brought to New York with the idea that he would be the team’s workhorse. Unfortunately, two of his three seasons with the G-Men were marred by injury. Jennings is currently putting his agility to good use on Dancing With The Stars and it remains to be seen how committed he is to football. After that, we have a trio of vets (Hightower, Williams, CJ2K) who could still advance the ball in limited spurts.
In case you’re wondering – Mike Gillislee is not listed here because he is a restricted free agent.
RG3 Wants To Play For Jets
This offseason, the Jets’ resource limitations kept them from pursuing quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins and Jimmy Garoppolo and keeping up with the bidding for free agent Mike Glennon. As their options dwindle, a new name could emerge as a possibility. The recently-released Robert Griffin III is interested in playing for the Jets, a source familiar with the situation tells NJ.com’s Connor Hughes. It’s not immediately clear whether that interest in being reciprocated at this time.
Last year, we know that the Jets did have some level of interest in RG3. He was brought to Florham Park, New Jersey for a visit and he enjoyed his trip there, according to the source. Griffin, 27, looked like he was a rising star early in his career. As time went on, however, injuries slowed him down and his relationship with team brass in Washington became toxic. He went to Cleveland in search of a fresh start, but he was once again dogged by injury. He left the Browns after appearing in just five games for them in 2016.
Now, RG3 is looking for Act 3 of his career. And that could go down in New York, if the Jets feel that he is among their better options right now. All we know right now is that the Jets are thinking about signing Jay Cutler and Tony Romo won’t be an option of them for a number of reasons. If RG3 isn’t to their liking, they’ll be left to sift through a lot of QB2 types on the open market, including their own free agent Geno Smith.
Right now, the only quarterbacks on the Jets roster are Bryce Petty (who shares an alma mater with RG3) and Christian Hackenberg.