HEADLINES

Vance Walker

Chiefs Cut Walker, Negotiating With Hali

March 6th, 2015 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

One of three NFL teams currently projected to be over the 2015 salary cap, the Chiefs will move slightly closer toward getting under the threshold by parting ways with defensive lineman Vance Walker. Agent Chad Speck confirmed today (via Twitter) that the team has told his client he’ll be released.

It didn’t take long for the Chiefs to have second thoughts about the three-year, $10MM deal they signed Walker to just under 12 months ago, as the team will be cutting him with two years left on that contract. Walker, who started 15 games for the Raiders in 2013, never became a regular contributor for the Chiefs, playing just 238 defensive snaps after appearing in nearly 800 in Oakland a year earlier.

By cutting Walker, the Chiefs will reduce his $3.75MM cap number to $2MM in dead money, creating $1.75MM in cap savings. As for the 27-year-old lineman, he actually played reasonably well in limited action last season, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), so he should receive some interest when he officially hits the open market.

Meanwhile, Kansas City is also looking to create some cap room by negotiating a new contract with edge defender Tamba Hali. Hali confirmed today to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com that he and his agent have engaged in discussions with the team about working something out, and he’s optimistic something will get done.

“It’s not about the numbers for me,” Hali said. “It’s about whether the situation makes sense for them because I want to be there and play for the Chiefs. The general manager [John Dorsey] and coach [Andy] Reid, they know I want to be there. That’s why I say it’s a matter of how I fit into what the Chiefs want to do for the season. … They’re talking numbers so I’m optimistic I’ll still be there.

Releasing Hali would create $9MM in cap savings, easily getting the team under the cap. However, restructuring his deal could clear a sizable portion of room as well, particularly if he’s willing to take a pay cut.

Sunday Roundup: Bills Ownership, NFC West

July 13th, 2014 at 4:41pm CST by Rory Parks

In May, Former Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano and Syracuse developer Scott Congel had preliminary talks to form a partnership and purchase the Bills. Now, however, those conversations are dead, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. According to Graham, Golisano would still like to bid on the team by himself, and Congel may also be interested in purchasing the club on his own. If Golisano were to buy the club, he would not rule out selling a minority share in the team to Congel.

Now for some more links from around the league:

  • Rich Campbell of The Chicago Tribune lays out a “superlative guide” to the Bears‘ training camp, naming Marquess Wilson the player “most likely to succeed”–Wilson emerged from spring workouts as the team’s clear No. 3 receiver–and declaring the team’s fiercest frontline position battle to be at the safety position.
  • Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk continues PFT’s series of preseason power rankings by looking at the Rams. Crabtree notes that the team still lacks a true No. 1 receiver and depth along the secondary, and despite adding quality talent in the draft and boasting perhaps the best defensive line in the game, St. Louis plays in the league’s best division and so will probably remain on the outside looking in.
  • Speaking of the talented NFC West, Kent Somers of AZCentral.com examines the Cardinals‘ outlook for the 2014 campaign. Somers notes that the Cards, who finished 10-6 under first-year head coach Bruce Arians in 2013, should see continued improvement as they continue to settle into Arians’ offensive system. There is talent up and down the roster, but the rebuilt offensive line and the linebacker group–which lost Karlos Dansby to free agency and Daryl Washington to suspension–could hold the team back.
  • Seahawks‘ pass rusher Bruce Irvin, who underwent hip surgery this offseason, is progressing well, writes Todd Dybas of The News Tribune. Although Irvin tweeted last month that he would return by training camp, which opens July 25, Dybas notes that he will be sidelined quite a bit longer than that.
  • Defensive lineman Vance Walker, who signed a three-year, $13MM free agent contract with the Chiefs this offseason, is feeling right at home with his new club, writes Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star.
  • Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com examines the battle for the Ravens‘ No. 3 running back spot. Smolka notes that if Ray Rice is suspended as expected, both Justin Forsett and rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro will make the club and Baltimore can reexamine its options when Rice returns. However, if Rice somehow escapes suspension, Smolka predicts that Rice, Bernard Pierce, and Taliaferro will make up the team’s running back corps.

Chiefs Sign Vance Walker

March 14th, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Rob DiRe

Vance Walker and the Chiefs have come to terms on a three-year deal to bring the defensive tackle to Kansas City, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). According to Paylor, it’s worth $13MM, including $3.75MM in guaranteed money.

Walker, 26, started 15 games for the Raiders last season, recording 40 tackles and three sacks for the club. Oakland reportedly extended a contract offer to Walker before the free agent period opened, but the Georgia Tech product was interested in the rare opportunity to test the market as an unrestricted free agent.

A report this morning erroneously suggested that Walker had already reached a deal with the Chiefs, but at that point no deal was in place. Had Kansas City failed to lock up Walker, he was set to visit the Seahawks on Sunday.

No Agreement For Vance Walker, Chiefs

March 14th, 2014 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

9:54am: Dougherty has now checked back in, admitting that he misinterpreted a text and that there’s no deal between Walker and the Chiefs (Twitter link).

9:16am: Agent Chad Speck has directly responded to Dougherty’s initial report, via Twitter, calling it “completely false” and adding that Walker has a visit lined up with the Seahawks on Sunday.

8:57am: A pair of Chiefs beat writers, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star and Adam Teicher of ESPN, suggest nothing is finalized between Walker and the team, though both reporters say it still could happen (Twitter links). ESPN’s Adam Caplan also tweets that Walker hasn’t signed anything and still has several visits lined up.

We’ve seen this happen with a few signings this week, and in almost every case, a deal has eventually been completed. Still, it’s worth reiterating that even if an apparent agreement has been reached, nothing is official until a player signs on the dotted line, and it sounds like there are still plenty of details to finalize here before the Chiefs lock up Walker.

8:21am: After visiting with him yesterday, the Chiefs are set to sign defensive tackle Vance Walker to a contract, a source tells Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Post-Gazette (Twitter link). The Packers had been trying to set up a visit for Walker, but he’ll be headed to Kansas City for 2014 instead.

Walker, 26, started 15 games for the Raiders last season, recording 40 tackles and three sacks for the club. Oakland reportedly extended a contract offer to Walker before the free agent period opened, but the Georgia Tech product was interested in the rare opportunity to test the market as an unrestricted free agent.

FA Rumors: Melton, Walker, Cromartie

March 13th, 2014 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton, who is visiting with the Vikings on Thursday, is the center of a lawsuit from a bar altercation where he is alleged to have bitten the restaurant owner, writes Master Tesfatsion of the Star-Tribune. That could be a sticking point for the Vikings, who dealt with four player arrests in 2013. The latest free agent rumors from around the NFL…

  • Vance Walker is visiting with the Chiefs today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN. The defensive tackle also has a visit lined up with the Packers, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
  • Former Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie is visiting with the Cardinals today, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
  • Quarterback Shaun Hill could still return to the Lions, a source tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. The Buccaneers seemed like a real option for Hill until they inked Josh McCown this week.
  • Akeem Jordan‘s visit with the Titans has been moved up from Monday to Friday, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, adding that the Redskins would like to bring in the linebacker for a visit if he doesn’t sign with Tennessee (Twitter links).
  • Tight end Owen Daniels is set to visit with the Redskins, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).
  • Return specialist Ted Ginn is visiting the Cardinals, tweets P. Schrager of FOXSports.com.

AFC Rumors: Raiders, Chargers, Haden, Edelman

March 11th, 2014 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

It appears the Raiders, the team with the most cap room in the NFL, will let both of their marquee free agents walk, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio hears from a source that Oakland believes Jared Veldheer is better suited to right tackle than left tackle, and that the team can’t justify paying $7MM annually to a defensive end (Lamarr Houston) who is more a run-stopper than a pass-rusher.

With free agency looming at the top of the hour, here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Raiders defensive tackle Vance Walker will test the market at 3:00pm CT, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Oakland made Walker an offer, and he likes playing for the Raiders, but he wants to take advantage of the rare opportunity to be an unrestricted free agent, says Tafur.
  • The Chargers are “very much in the mix” for free agent defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
  • The Colts remain in talks to bring Ahmad Bradshaw back, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. The former Giants running back was an impact player last year before his injury.
  • The Browns‘ talks with Joe Haden on a long-term deal are ongoing, tweets Breer, adding that it would be interesting to see how a deal for Darrelle Revis would affect those talks.
  • Sources tell Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star that the Chiefs have interest in wide receivers Jason Avant and Devin Hester.
  • Assuming the Patriots can’t re-sign Julian Edelman, Andrew Hawkins is a target to keep in mind for the team, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Hawkins received an RFA tender from the Bengals, so Cincinnati would have a chance to match any offer for the receiver.
  • Speaking of Edelman, the Ravens have interest in him, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson also hears from a source that the Ravens will evaluate tight end Owen Daniels, who was released by the Texans (Twitter link).
  • After voiding his deal and becoming a free agent yesterday, defensive lineman Jason Babin told SiriusXM NFL Radio today that he’d like to return to the Jaguars if it’s possible. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union has the details and quotes.
  • Bills GM Doug Whaley told WGR 550 that “offers are on the table” for tight end Scott Chandler and kicker Dan Carpenter, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Rumors: Cowboys, Bell, Vikings, Bears

March 10th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys are interested in re-signing free-agents-to-be Jason Hatcher and Anthony Spencer, but Dallas isn’t the only team with interest in the defensive linemen. According to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com, the free agent duo has at least seven interested suitors, including the Cowboys. Dallas is also interested in defensive tackle Henry Melton, according to Watkins (Twitter link), but the ESPN scribe cautions that there are no assurances of a deal, given the Cowboys’ limited cap space.

Here’s more from around the NFC, with free agency less than 24 hours away:

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Ware, Packers, Graham, Smith

February 26th, 2014 at 10:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said recently on ESPN’s SportsCenter that it’s possible the club will part ways with DeMarcus Ware to avoid a sizable cap hit. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) hears that Dallas has yet to ask Ware to take a pay cut and there has been no communication between the two sides. Here’s tonight’s look around the league..

  • The Packers would like to have restricted free agent linebacker Jamari Lattimore back on the roster next season, but don’t appear ready to offer him the right-of-first-refusal tender, according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. With Green Bay likely willing to offer a salary closer to the minimum, Lattimore figures to test the open market.
  • There’s a lot of debate over whether Saints star Jimmy Graham should be designated as a tight end or a wide receiver when it comes to the franchise tag, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com rightfully notes that it’s a decision made by the league office, not the team.
  • The Saints have reached out to running back Pierre Thomas to discuss his future with the club, writes Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune.
  • Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman recently acknowledged that the club could conceivably cut ties with Steve Smith this summer and the wide receiver is less than thrilled about hearing that second hand, writes Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer.
  • The Rams plan to take a wait-and-see approach with their backup quarterback situation, writes ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner.
  • Raiders free agent defensive tackle Vance Walker has signed with A3 NFL agent Tommy Sims, according to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). He was formerly repped by 5 Star Athlete Management.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.