Sio Moore

WRs K.J. Brent, Devin Lucien, KeVonn Mabon; OTs Andreas Knappe, Javarius Leamon, Jah Reid, Brad Seaton; DEs Logan Ingle, Branden Jackson (all Twitter links)

Jacksonville Jaguars

DT Darius Kilgo (link)

Kansas City Chiefs

CBs Alex Carter, Josh Thornton (link)

New England Patriots

QB Mitch Leidner; WRs Daniel Braverman, Tevaun Smith, Jahad Thomas, Bryan Walters; LS Taybor Pepper; P Austin Rehkow (link here)

New Orleans Saints

WRs Corey Brown, Josh Huff, Seantavius Jones, Anthony Nash, Myles White; Gs Dallas Thomas, Andrew Tiller, Earl Watford, Cody Wichmann; LBs Akeem Ayers, Sio Moore; OT Eric Winston; CB Jumal Rolle; S Jordan Moore (all Twitter links here)

New York Jets

RB Lorenzo Taliaferro; WRs Jaydon Mickens, Anthony Nash, Michael Rector; TE Scott Orndoff (link)

Philadelphia Eagles

LBs Carl Bradford, Tre’von Johnson, Joseph Jones, Antwione Williams; Ks Marshall Koehn, Josh Lambo, Mike Nugent (Twitter links)

Tennessee Titans

G Kaleb Johnson (link)

Washington Redskins

RBs Jonathan Grimes, Daryl Richardson; G Greg Pyke; (link)

4 comments Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders Akeem Ayers Alex Carter Andreas Knappe Andrew East Andrew Tiller Anthony Nash Antwione Williams Austin Rehkow Brad Seaton Branden Jackson Brooks Ellis Bryan Walters Carl Bradford Chris Brown (WR)Chris Casher Christian Kuntz Cody Wichmann Corey Brown Dallas Thomas Daniel Braverman Darius Kilgo Daryl Richardson Devin Lucien Donnie Baggs Earl Watford Eric Winston Greg Pyke Jah Reid Jahad Thomas Javarius Leamon Jaydon Mickens Jesse Kroll Joel Stave Jonathan Freeny Jonathan Grimes Jordan Moore Joseph Jones Josh Huff Josh Lambo Josh Thornton Jumal Rolle K.J. Brent Kaleb Johnson KeVonn Mabon Logan Ingle Lorenzo Taliaferro Makinton Dorleant Marlon Brown Marshall Koehn Michael Rector Mike Nugent Mitch Leidner Myles White Oni Omoile Praise Martin-Oguike Scott Orndoff Seantavius Jones Sio Moore Taybor Pepper Tevaun Smith Tre’Von Johnson Vontarrius Dora

Texans To Cut LB Sio Moore

By Dallas Robinson | at September 1, 2017 1:37 pm

The Texans are releasing linebacker Sio Moore, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Moore, 27, has four years and 47 games worth of NFL experience under his belt. 2016 was an especially nomadic campaign for Moore, as he spent time with three clubs — the Colts, Cardinals, and Chiefs — while posting 60 tackles and grading as the league’s No. 40 linebacker in nine games, per Pro Football Focus.

Moore dealt with a hamstring injury after being signed by the Texans in June, per Wilson, which likely led to his release. Houston will go forward with Whitney Mercilus, Brian Cushing, Benardrick McKinney, and rookie Zach Cunningham at linebacker.

0 comments Houston Texans Transactions Sio Moore

Extra Points: 49ers, Buckner, Texans, Moore

By Dallas Robinson | at June 20, 2017 9:46 pm

Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner played more than 1,000 snaps during his rookie campaign with the 49ers last year, a figure that new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh calls “criminal,” as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee writes. Not only will San Francisco be transitioning to a 4-3 front in 2017, but the club will look to run a rotation along the defensive line in an effort to keep individual players fresh. 2015 first-round pick Arik Armstead should see his snaps increase during the upcoming season, while the additions of No. 3 overall selection Solomon Thomas and free agent signees Earl Mitchell and Elvis Dumervil will also give the 49ers more options up front. San Francisco ranked 20th in adjusted sack rate and 29th in adjusted line yards.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The Texans recently added a pair of depth veterans in offensive tackle Breno Giacomini and linebacker Sio Moore, but neither player will take up much cap room in 2017, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). Giacomini, who’s expected to help fill in at right tackle for the injured Derek Newton, will receive a $750K signing bonus, a non-guaranteed base salary of $1MM, and can earn up to $1MM in gameday active roster bonuses. Moore, meanwhile, will come even cheaper, as he’s on a minimum salary benefit deal. As such, he can earn $775K while only counting for $615K on the Texans’ cap.
While running back contracts are on the fiscal decline, deals for backs are increasingly reliant on incentive-based pay, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com explains. Recent pacts for veterans such as Latavius Murray, Marshawn Lynch, and Adrian Peterson all contain some sort of performance-based money, whether through bonuses or escalators. Those clauses can often artificially inflate the value of contracts — in the case of Peterson, for example, more than 50% of his deal’s maximum value comes in the form of incentives.
While it’s a strategy that could be viewed as dangerous to the integrity of the game or a smart tactic in order to rebuild, “tanking” has afflicted the NFL in the past few seasons in the forms of the Browns and (certainly in 2017) the Jets. If the league wants to force teams to be competitive, it could institute an NBA-esque lottery system for the draft, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk opines. By giving each of the 20 non-playoff teams the same chance to earn the No. 1 overall pick, the NFL could dissuade clubs from failing to put forth a full effort.

0 comments Houston Texans San Francisco 49ers Breno Giacomini DeForest Buckner Sio Moore

Texans To Sign LB Sio Moore

By Dallas Robinson | at June 2, 2017 5:01 pm

The Texans have agreed to sign linebacker Sio Moore and wide receiver Dres Anderson, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Houston waived linebacker Max Bullough and wideout Keith Mumphery earlier today, so the club has now made a two-for-two replacement transaction. Moore is the more notable addition, as the 27-year-old has four years and 47 games worth of NFL experience under his belt. 2016 was an especially nomadic campaign for Moore, as he spent time with three clubs — the Colts, Cardinals, and Chiefs — while posting 60 tackles and grading as the league’s No. 40 linebacker in nine games, per Pro Football Focus.

While the Texans have a solid starting linebacker crew of Whitney Mercilus, Brian Cushing, Benardrick McKinney, and rookie Zach Cunningham, Moore will be able to offer the club depth. He’s familiar with playing in a 3-4 scheme, as all three clubs that employed him a season ago run that front, and he’s capable of playing both inside and outside ‘backer.

Anderson, meanwhile, is a Utah product who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Though he’s been a member of both the 49ers and Bears (he was waived by Chicago last month), Anderson is yet to appear in an NFL game.

0 comments Houston Texans Transactions Dres Anderson Sio Moore

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Defense

By Dallas Robinson | at March 15, 2017 6:23 pm

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 defensive 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 defensive position for 2017:

Edge defender:

The pass rushing market has been completely depleted during the first week of free agency, as 14 of our original top 15 edge players have now been franchised, signed, or, in the case of DeMarcus Ware, retired. As such, a 37-year-old with 15 NFL seasons under his belt is now the best pass rusher on the market. Dwight Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. Capable of playing in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme, Freeney can still help out a club on the cheap.

Three players on this list — Elvis Dumervil, Connor Barwin, and Eugene Sims — were released by their respective clubs last week, meaning they won’t count against the compensatory formula if and when they’re signed. Dumervil, now 33, was hampered by injuries last season but still earned strong pass-rushing marks from Pro Football Focus. Barwin, meanwhile, wasn’t a good fit in Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 defense, but he should flourish if he signs with a team running a 3-4 look. So far, he’s met with the Bengals (who use a 4-3) and Rams (3-4).

Chris Long has already indicated he won’t be returning to the Patriots, indicating he wants to join a roster where he’ll earn more playing time. Erik Walden, too, won’t re-sign with his 2016 club (the Colts), but he has taken a visit with the division rival Titans. Further down the list, Howard Jones has also met with at least one club, as he was hosted by the Jets on Tuesday. Jones, 27, is recovering from a torn ACL, but did post five sacks in five starts last season.

Interior defensive line:

Although top-flight players such as Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams have already been signed, the crop of interior defenders remains strong at the top. The buzz around Johnathan Hankins has been virtually non-existent, as the only club that’s been even tangentially linked to the 25-year-old is the Redskins. He’s one of the youngest free agents on the market, and therefore is probably looking for a massive payday. But the lack of interest around Hankins may be an indication that he’s simply asking for too much money.

The same issue could be surrounding Dontari Poe, although he’s not wanting for meetings around the league. He’s visited with the Colts, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins, while the 49ers and Raiders also reportedly have some level of interest. Clubs may have concerns about Poe’s lingering back issues, and he might have to accept a one-year deal in order to prove he’s healthy and willing to provide full effort.

The remaining defensive interior players are mostly over-30 veterans, with names such as Tony McDaniel, Cullen Jenkins, Frostee Rucker, and Tyson Jackson still looking for new deals. While most of these guys can still play, they may have to wait awhile — possibly into the summer — before signing on with their next club. Jared Odrick (Patriots) and Vance Walker (Bears) have both taken visits, but the most intriguing lineman here may be Sen’Derrick Marks, who offers a good amount of pass rush from the interior.

~~Zach Brown~~
~~Kevin Minter~~
Perry Riley
~~Gerald Hodges~~
DeAndre Levy
Daryl Smith
~~Sio Moore~~
~~Sean Spence~~
~~Manti Te’o~~
Mike Morgan
~~Keenan Robinson~~
~~Nick Bellore~~
D’Qwell Jackson
Erin Henderson
Josh Bynes

While players at other defensive positions have flown off the board, there’s been almost no movement among off-ball linebackers. Only five of PFR’s original top-15 free agent linebackers have signed new contracts, a group that includes Dont’a Hightower, our previous No. 1 ‘backer who re-signed with the Patriots today. Zach Brown, who now holds that honor, broke out in his fifth NFL campaign and played especially well in coverage, a skill that should lead to a handsome reward. Brown, 27, met with the Raiders today, while the Dolphins also hope to schedule a visit.

The Bengals, specifically, are in the linebacker market, as they’ve met with both Kevin Minter and Keenan Robinson in recent days. But the rest of the players on this list aren’t drawing much interest as of yet, a fact that speaks to the devaluation of the linebacker position. Teams will pay up for a three-down linebacker like Hightower, but if a player can be formation-ed off the field, he’s not going to land a hefty deal.

One linebacker who did prove he could stay on the field on third down was Perry Riley, who played 370 coverage snaps for the Raiders last season. Riley is still only 28 years old, but posted awful marks from Pro Football Focus during his previous campaigns with Washington. Whether it was Oakland’s scheme (including its talented pass rushers) that allowed Riley to flourish, or a true breakout coming in the middle of a career, Riley could help a number of clubs. The Raiders are reportedly working to bring him back.

Cornerback:

The top two corners still on the open market are both former Cowboys, and Brandon Carr looks like the surer bet to return to Dallas at this point. Morris Claiborne, meanwhile, has drawn interest from the Ravens, and most opposing clubs believe he’ll end up signing with Baltimore. Clairborne, 27, appeared to be a prime overpay candidate heading into the offseason, but if the Ravens can land him on a short-term deal, they’d be making a wise investment.

Nickell Robey-Coleman was surprisingly cut loose by the Bills earlier this offseason, and the 25-year-old has already drawn interest from numerous teams, with the Vikings, Chargers, Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans all considering a run at the slot man. Like Robey-Coleman, Alterraun Verner, Valentino Blake, and Leon Hall are all probably best sticking to slot duty, while Hall can even offer safety versatility.

Now that all charges have been dropped against Darrelle Revis, he’ll make for an interesting test case in free agency. Clearly, Revis is not the shutdown corner he once was, and may even be mulling a move to safety as he closes his career. But clubs in the market for secondary help could do worse than Revis, and he should be on a roster when the regular season rolls around.

Safety:

Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, and Barry Church all came off the board quickly, leaving Darius Butler as the top safety who is still unsigned. Butler is 30 years old, but as a former cornerback, offers the type of coverage skills that NFL teams are looking for in today’s passing league. He’s taken a visit with the Bears (who have already added Quintin Demps), while a return to Indianapolis is still possible.

Most of the safeties on this list are in-the-box types — that’s thanks to the fact that center field-esque safeties are more rare and thus more expensive. Recently-released veterans such as Jairus Byrd, Lardarius Webb, and Corey Graham, however, offer coverage ability and would make for decent signings on short pacts. T.J. McDonald and Bradley McDougald, on other hand, are big hitters that will patrol near the line of scrimmage. McDougald, specifically, will take a visit with the Seahawks this week.

Chris Prosinski is just a special teamer, but he’s a great special teamer. While he only played 173 defensive snaps in 2016, he saw time on more than 80% of the Bears’ special teams plays, and was listed as one of the season’s best special teams players by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. Football Outsiders ranked the Cardinals, Jets, and Texans as the bottom-three teams in special teams DVOA, and any of those clubs would benefit from adding Prosinski.

Kicker:

Demand is not high for placekickers at the moment, as only the Giants and Bengals stand out as clubs that immediately need a kicker. Injuries and ineffectiveness are sure to strike the position, however, at which point the specialists on this list will surely receive calls. Dan Carpenter and Mike Nugent missed a combined 11 extra points in 2016, and given that he topped both Carpenter and Nugent in field goal percentage, Nick Folk should be the first kicker on clubs’ emergency list.

3 comments 2017 NFL Free Agents Miami Dolphins Newsstand PFR Originals Aaron Williams Al Woods Alterraun Verner B.W. Webb Bradley McDougald Brandon Carr Brandon Flowers Chris Long Chris Prosinski Connor Barwin Corey Graham Cullen Jenkins Daimion Stafford Dan Carpenter Darius Butler Darrelle Revis Darryl Tapp Daryl Smith DeAndre Levy Devin Taylor Dontari Poe Donte Whitner Duke Ihenacho Dwight Freeney Elvis Dumervil Erik Walden Erin Henderson Eugene Sims Frostee Rucker Gerald Hodges Howard Jones Jairus Byrd Jared Odrick Jason Jones Jerraud Powers John Jenkins Johnathan Hankins Josh Bynes Keenan Robinson Kendrick Lewis Kevin Minter Lardarius Webb Leodis McKelvin Leon Hall Mike Morgan Mike Nugent Morris Claiborne Nick Bellore Nick Folk Nickell Robey-Coleman Patrick Robinson Paul Kruger Perry Riley Rafael Bush Rashad Johnson Ricky Jean-Francois Roy Miller Sam Acho Sam Shields Sean Spence Sio Moore Sterling Moore Steven Terrell T.J. McDonald Tony McDaniel Tramon Williams Trent Cole Tyson Alualu Tyson Jackson Vance Walker Wallace Gilberry Zach Brown Ziggy Hood

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Defense

By Dallas Robinson | at March 6, 2017 10:59 pm

NFL free agency gets underway on Thursday and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. Here is our updated outlook for each defensive and special teams position.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as franchised players 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 defensive position for this offseason: