January 31st, 2018 at 9:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson
The Ravens auditioned free agent quarterback Ryan Nassib on Wednesday, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Nassib, a former fourth-round pick, spent four years as Eli Manning‘s backup in New York, but attempted only 10 total passes during that time. After hitting free agency last spring, Nassib initially signed with the Saints, but was quickly released. Another one-year deal, this time with the Jaguars, ended in the same fashion, and Nassib spent the majority of the 2017 campaign unsigned. Baltimore, meanwhile, only has two quarterbacks under contract for 2018: starter Joe Flacco, and former undrafted free agent Josh Woodrum, who signed a futures deal earlier this month.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
Although the Jaguars exceed nearly everyone’s expectations by advancing to the AFC Championship Game, they could still do a bit of salary cap work this offseason to trim their 2018 obligations, as Mike Kaye of First Coast News writes. Perhaps the most obvious cap casualty is expected to be running back Chris Ivory, who managed 112 carries behind Leonard Fournette last season. While Ivory is scheduled to count for nearly $7MM next year, Jacksonville could release him and save $3.25MM. Wide receiver Allen Hurns ($7MM cap charge) is another candidate to be cut, but Kaye notes that Hurns’ status as a team leader could lead the Jaguars to approach him with a reworked contract.
The Titans have formally announced another wave of coaching hires, and although some of the moves had already been reported, a few hires on new head coach Mike Vrabel‘s staff had yet to be noted. Former assistant special teams coach Craig Aukerman has been promoted to the full-time role, while Tennessee has opted to retain tight ends coach Arthur Smith. Furthermore, the Titans have hired former Dolphins defensive line coach Terrell Williams for the same position, reports Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. Williams had led Miami’s front four since 2015, and will now work with a Tennessee unit that ranked among the top half of the NFL in both adjusted line yards and adjusted sack rate.
The Seahawks have hired Jethro Franklin as their new assistant defensive line coach, as Marvez details. Franklin spent one season (1989) as a player for Seattle, but has worked as a coach since 1991. Boasting a plethora of collegiate and NFL experience, Franklin has served as the defensive line coach for Green Bay, Tampa Bay, and, most recently, Oakland. He won’t be the primary D-line coach with the Seahawks, but he’ll undoubtedly be an asset to Seattle defensive line coach Clint Hurtt.
Less than a month after signing with the team, quarterback Ryan Nassib‘s tenure with the Jaguars has come to an end. The team announced that they have released the 27-year-old. The team has promoted offensive lineman Chris Reed from the practice squad to take Nassib’s spot on the roster.
The 2013 fourth-rounder was signed in mid-September to provide the team with some additional depth behind behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne. With Bortles struggling and Henne disappointing during a brief cameo, the pairing made sense, especially when you consider Nassib’s connection to Tom Coughlin and Doug Marrone. Ultimately, Nassib didn’t see the field for Jacksonville during his two weeks with the squad. The quarterback only has five NFL games under his belt, but he’s completed nine of his 10 pass attempts for 128 yards and one touchdown.
Reed joined the organization as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State in 2015. He ultimately appeared in 10 games as a rookie, including four starts. His season ended prematurely when he was placed on the injured reserve with a toe injury. He was waived by the organization in early September, but he subsequently caught on with the practice squad. He’ll presumably compete with the team’s reserve lineman (including Tyler Shatley, Josh Wells, Will Poehls, and Josh Walker) for reps.
September 18th, 2017 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links
The Jaguars announced that they have signed quarterback Ryan Nassib. Nassib currently sits as the team’s No. 3 QB behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne, though that order could be rearranged after Sunday’s 37-16 loss to the Titans.
Nassib served as Eli Manning‘s backup in New York for several years. His connection with Jaguars czar Tom Coughlin undoubtedly paved the way for his new opportunity in Jacksonville. He also has some history with Doug Marrone from their time together in Syracuse.
Nassib never got to make a start for the G-Men and they didn’t make an attempt to re-sign him this offseason. In June, he hooked on with the Saints, but he was released prior to the 53-man roster deadline in early September. He was said to be neck-and-neck with Garrett Grayson for the Saints’ QB3 spot, but both players were cut and that role has since been filled by BYU product Taysom Hill.
Nassib occupies the QB3 spot for now, but that could change if the team opts to bench Bortles for the entire season so that they do not risk him getting injured and collecting on $19MM+ in 2018 when they don’t want him. In that scenario, Henne would take over as the starter with Nassib as his backup.
September 2nd, 2017 at 10:16pm CST by Zachary Links
Every team had to get under the 53-man limit by Saturday’s deadline, but the Saints were the last to publicly announce their cuts. Here’s the full rundown of their moves:
The Falcons don’t intend to waive recently suspended cornerback Jalen Collins in the very near future, but it appears the club is still assessing its options, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “The disappointment for having a second, repeat offense is stronger,” head coach Dan Quinn said Monday. “This just came through yesterday. Some trust has been broken. We’ll take all the time that we need to make the best decision for the team.”Atlanta now has the secondary depth to withstand a Collins release, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who identifies C.J. Goodwin and Deji Olatoye as valuable reserve pieces. Collins is suspended through late November, so the Falcons don’t have to make a decision on his status for some time.
Let’s check in on the latest from the NFL’s two South divisions:
Chase Daniel will almost assuredly serve as the Saints‘ backup quarterback during the upcoming season, meaning the battle for New Orleans’ third signal-caller job will come down to Garrett Grayson and Ryan Nassib, as Nick Underhill of the Advocate details. Grayson, a third-round pick just two years ago, currently has the upper hand, per Underhill, as Nassib — a free agent addition who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Giants — is considered a “long shot” to earn a roster spot. Of course, the Saints could opt to keep only two quarterbacks, at which the team would likely attempt to sneak Grayson onto their practice squad.
Colts wide receiver Chester Rogers has changed representation, hiring Rosenhaus Sports to replace Warren and Simpson, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. As a former undrafted free agent, Rogers is eligible to renegotiate his contract after only two seasons (in his case, following the 2017 season). Thus far, Rogers hasn’t done enough to earn an extension, as he managed only 19 receptions for 273 yards during his rookie campaign. However, the 23-year-old Rogers has been working as the Colts’ No. 3 receiver during training camp, ahead of Kamar Aiken and Phillip Dorsett, reports Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).
If the stress fracture in his right foot continues to act up, Titans wide receiver Tajae Sharpe could begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, which would force him to miss the first six games of the year, Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com writes. Sharpe, a fifth-round selection in 2016, reportedly has a tenuous grasp on a roster spot, but placing him on PUP could give Tennessee more time to make a decision on his fate. Currently being sued after an alleged assault, Sharpe is countersuing his accuser.
The Saints are expected to sign quarterback Ryan Nassib, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport adds that the Saints have “always been high on him,” so they’re happy to have him in the fold.
Nassib becomes the fourth quarterback on the Saints’ roster after starter Drew Brees, primary backup Chase Daniel, and Garrett Grayson. It would appear that the Saints are pitting Nassib against Grayson for the QB3 role, though it’s not a certainty that they’ll carry three quarterbacks on the final 53-man roster. If the Saints are planning on having just Brees and Daniel come September, then Nassib and Grayson could wind up as practice squad candidates for New Orleans.
Nassib was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Giants, but the Syracuse product never got to make a start for the G-Men. Nassib received praise from Giants coaches for his work in practice, but the team didn’t try to re-sign him this offseason.
Last year, Nassib’s season ended early thanks to an elbow injury. At this stage, however, he is presumably healthy and ready to compete.
Free agent linebacker Daryl Washington says that he has been in conversations with a few clubs, though he hopes to land with his “hometown team,” the Cowboys (Twitter link via SiriusXM). In an interview on Wednesday, Washington made a case for why the Cowboys should sign him. It’s not clear if Dallas has real interest in the linebacker, particularly since he has not played a down of football since 2013. On the flipside, he was a Pro Bowl caliber player when he was at his best in Arizona.
More on Dallas and a few other NFC clubs:
The Giants regard Paul Perkins a three-down running back, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who points out that their opinion of Perkins explains why they didn’t make a splash at the position in free agency. Perkins averaged 4.1 yards per carry on 112 attempts during his rookie year and is now the clear favorite to start over the likes of Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa, Shaun Draughn and Wayne Gallman. “I really like what Paul Perkins has been doing so far,” said RBs coach Craig Johnson. “He ended last season playing like a guy that is ready to take over the job. There is nothing so far in the offseason to show he’s not going to be able to handle that role. But that is today. It’s a long way from today to the opening game.”
Cardinals GM Steve Keim says he’s still looking to add a handful of veterans to the mix this summer, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. “(Team president) Michael [Bidwill] and I talked about six to eight players, who are still on the street, who could potentially come in and help us,” Keim said in an appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7. Urban speculates that Arizona could look into reinforcements at cornerback or even guard if Evan Boehm doesn’t keep moving forward. A running back could also be in order if Andre Ellington and/or Eli Penny disappoint.
The Cowboys will not be signing any of the players that auditioned for them on Thursday, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star Telegram (on Twitter). That group included quarterback Ryan Nassib and safety Jeron Johnson. The Cowboys will stick with Zac Dysert as a third-string QB for the time being.
Wide receiver Jared Abbrederis has emerged as a candidate to earn a roster spot with the Lions since signing a reserve/futures contract in January, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. The former Packer has impressed during OTAs, and the Lions have open spots at receiver behind Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and third-round pick Kenny Golladay. “The guy’s a really good route runner — very, very good just in terms of his ability to find open areas,” coach Jim Caldwell said of Abbrederis. “He has good spatial awareness.” The 26-year-old Abbrederis was a return man during his time at Wisconsin, which could further help his cause in cracking Detroit’s roster, notes Meinke.
The Cowboys are auditioning four players today, including former Giants quarterback Ryan Nassib, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Safeties Jeron Johnson and Duke Williams and wide receiver Lance Lenoir are also working out for the team.
To date, Nassib has spent his professional career as a clipboard holder for Eli Manning. Since being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, the Syracuse product hasn’t made a single start for the Giants. Nassib received praise from Giants coaches for his work in practice, but the team didn’t make much of an effort to retain him this offseason.
Nassib’s workout will be key for the Cowboys since they only have have preseason games and the occasional regular season cameo on film to evaluate him on. If signed, Nassib could compete for the No. 3 QB role behind Dak Prescott and Kellen Moore. Recently, the Cowboys claimed ZacDysert off waivers from the Cardinals and he is also hoping to make the cut.
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:
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.
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.
Line has interest from the Jets. Meanwhile, it’s not clear if the other three fullbacks listed here will be able to find work. Coleman avoided jail time on hit-and-run charges in October, but we haven’t heard much about him in recent months.
The market has been slow to develop for Aiken but it sounds like things could pick up soon as he’s set to meet with the Colts and Seahawks. Aiken, 28 in May, had only 29 receptions last year, but he had 75 grabs for 944 yards in 2015.
Cruz was on the field for 15 regular season games last year and he could recapture some of his old form if a team uses him in the slot. Quick quietly had 44 catches for 564 yards and three touchdowns with the Rams last year, and he was playing in a less-than-stellar offense. Boldin, meanwhile, had 67 catches in 2016, but he averaged just 8.7 yards per reception.
It’s a thin group at tight end and everything drops off dramatically after Tamme and Rivera at the top. Donnell made some noise during his time with the Giants but it’s been a while since he’s done anything of note. Tamme and Rivera could be the only two players from this group to land a deal with any real guaranteed cash.
Things have thinned out at tackle but there are still some impact guys here including Clady, Dunlap, and the versatile Pasztor. Sebastian Vollmer, if healthy, would be an interesting pickup for a team in need of offensive line depth.
Evans can still go and he finished out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 36 guard in the NFL last season. We have a few notable centers here as well in Mangold, Sullivan, and Barnes. Some teams are asking Mangold to switch to guard, but he is hoping to continue in the middle.
NFL free agency is right around the corner! The legal tampering period starts on Tuesday and free agency officially starts on Thursday. The list of available free agents will change between now and then as players re-sign with teams or get cut loose, but we have a pretty good idea of who will be available right now. After looking at the top defensive players, we now shift our attention to the other side of the ball.
Here are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each position. The rankings aren’t determined by earning power, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with a combination of short- and long-term value taken into account. You won’t find restricted free agents or franchise tagged guys here since they are unlikely to go leave their current clubs.
Player evaluation is always subjective, so we encourage you to make your voices heard in the comments section in cases where you disagree with us.
Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:
Ryan Nassib is just outside of the top 15 here with EJ Manuel getting the final spot. Despite positive word about his play in practice, Nassib is unproven and the Giants’ apparent lack of interest in re-signing him says a lot. It’s also possible that he might not be 100% after ending the 2016 season on IR with an elbow injury. Manuel, for all his warts, has shown potential in small bursts.
As expected, the Vikings have cut Adrian Peterson loose and he is expected to garner interest from contending clubs this week. Some might peg Peterson as the most talented running back in this year’s free agent class, but it all comes down to how you weigh his age and injury history. Peterson has shocked the football world in the past with an incredible comeback, but I’m a little skeptical of his ability to do it again in his age-32 season. Eddie Lacy, who has injury question marks of his own, takes the top spot at the position.
Jamaal Charles has the most impressive resume of anyone on this list, with the exception of Peterson. However, no one knows exactly what he can do after playing eight games in the last two years. He’ll turn 31 in December and that’s usually not an indicator of success for running backs.
Kyle Juszczyk graded out as the best fullback in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens would be wise to keep him, but if they don’t, he’ll draw interest from teams all over the league. Juszczyk earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as he caught 37 passes for 266 yards. His exceptional 92.1 pass blocking score from PFF led all other fullbacks by a wide margin.
Mike Tolbert is ranked lower than you might expect due to his age and diminished blocking skills. He’ll turn 32 in November and it’s not guaranteed that he’ll find another job after getting released by the Panthers, though the Jets are said to have interest in him. Gang Green could also look into signing Patrick DiMarco and Marcel Reece. If you ask me, they should target DiMarco if they want to truly emphasize the running game. DiMarco finished the year with the best run blocking score in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
Brandon Marshall, welcome to the free agent pool. Marshall is just two years removed from a year in which he had 109 catches, 1,502 yards, and 14 touchdowns. However, his numbers dipped significantly last season as the entire Jets offense slumped. The veteran will get tons of interest this week and his suitors may include the Giants, Patriots, and Ravens.
Kenny Britt managed to put up big numbers in the midst of the Rams’ offensive quagmire last season. He now hits free agency at a great time and the WR-needy Eagles are the latest team to be connected to him. The South Jersey contingent of the Eagles fanbase will appreciate the homecoming of the Rutgers product. At the same time, they should hope he exhibits a better attitude than he did on the banks of the old Raritan.
The talent is definitely there with Markus Wheaton and the team that takes a chance on him could wind up very, very happy. Robert Woods, historically, thrived in games where Sammy Watkins was unavailable or limited. Woods doesn’t turn 25 in until April and there’s a case to be made that he should be higher on this list. Cordarrelle Patterson has turned out to be a very capable returner, but there are definitely ambitious coaches out there who think they can still mold him into a great receiver. Michael Floyd is now years removed from his best work in Arizona, so one has to wonder what he can contribute even if he has turned over a new leaf.
Victor Cruz is an exceptionally hard-worker and a team-first kind of guy. He’ll be a great addition to any locker room, but it’s anyone’s guess as to what he’ll do in 2017. We’ll say this: a return to the slot would greatly benefit him.
Anquan Boldinjust missed the top 15 and I don’t necessarily feel great about it. Brian Quickalso missed the cut and it was a toss-up between him and Cruz for that last spot.
Martellus Bennett is eager to cash in this month. There’s a “real possibility” he winds up elsewhere and he’ll get a monster deal if that happens. The Raiders and Jaguars are expected to be among the teams in pursuit. Filling in for Rob Gronkowski, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016. You can never tell what the Patriots are thinking, but it sure feels like he’ll be leaving New England.
Anthony Fasano finds himself ranked higher than some bigger names due to his blocking ability. PFF gave Fasano an 88.1 score for run blocking, which was the best of any tight end last year. His 72.9 pass blocking score was fourth-best among TEs. The Titans will make a real effort to keep him.
Andrew Whitworth spent some time at guard last season but his best (and most profitable) position is on the outside. He’s 35, so he won’t lead all FA tackles in total money this year despite being our top-ranked free at the position.
That mantle, by all indications, will belong to Ricky Wagnerwho could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The former fifth-round pick put it all together this past season in Baltimore and he won’t turn 28 until October.
Russell Okung was thrust into the free agent market in February when the Broncos declined his option. This time around, it will be interesting to see whether he hires an agent. His previous deal was effectively a one-year pact with a club option for a four-year, $48MM deal with $20.5MM in guaranteed cash. After a so-so year, the Broncos wisely turned it down.
Austin Pasztor is listed as a tackle here, though it’s quite possible he reverts to the interior line in 2017. Mike Adams, a former second-round pick, makes the cut for his natural talent, even though he hasn’t shown much at the professional level. Will Beatty also found his way to the Top 15, but his market will be capped after two injury-ridden years.
Honorable mention: D.J. Fluker, A.Q. Shipley (C), Brian Schwenke (C)
Kevin Zeitler was the only offensive lineman to crack our Top 50 Free Agents list last week. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. After three consecutive strong seasons, he is going to get big bucks.
Ronald Leary, who once pushed for the Cowboys to trade him, recognizes that a return probably isn’t in the cards. The Cowboys will go with La’el Collins in 2017 and beyond, but don’t cry for Leary. After making 12 starts in Collins’ place and ranking No. 25 among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards, Leary will find an eager market this week.
J.C. Tretter graded out as a top 10 center last year, according to PFF, and he just turned 26. Stefen Wisniewski offers experience at both guard and center and there should be at least a few teams looking at him as a potential starter.
