West Notes: McDonald, Thomas, Mays
Multiple teams are interested in former 49ers starting defensive lineman Ray McDonald, according to SFGate.com’s Eric Branch. The 49ers released McDonald, who played eight seasons in San Francisco with the last four coming as a starter, last December after his arrest for suspicion of felony domestic violence.
The 30-year-old McDonald’s pursuit of a career elsewhere will probably have to wait until his case is resolved, agent Tom Condon told Branch.
In other news across the league’s Western divisions …
- The latest surprising setback to the 49ers’ linebacking corps comes from an offseason injury, not retirement. Backup outside linebacker Chase Thomas showed up at Stanford’s pro day limping after tearing his ACL at an offseason workout at the university, Branch reports. The Stanford alum played five games with the 49ers last year, oscillating between the practice squad and the 53-man roster. According to Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman, Thomas will be the ninth 49er forced to recover from an ACL tear this offseason, joining notable names NaVorro Bowman, who missed all of last season after suffering his tear in the 2013 NFC championship game, Darnell Dockett and running back Kendall Hunter.
- Journeyman linebacker Joe Mays will visit the Chargers, Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez notes on Twitter. Mays spent the 2014 season in the Chiefs‘ 3-4 defense after previously suiting up for the Eagles and Broncos. The 5-foot-11 inside linebacker who’s three months away from 30 missed half of last year due to wrist surgery.
- Former Bills starting tackle Chris Hairston is also visiting the Chargers today, ESPN’s John Keim said (via Twitter). A fourth-round pick in 2011, Hairston started 15 games his first two seasons and played in 16 last year as a reserve.
Chargers Sign Patrick Robinson
Another free agent cornerback has found a new home, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who reports that the Chargers have signed ex-Saints corner Patrick Robinson to a one-year deal worth up to $3MM.
Per Wilson, Robinson’s deal includes a $1MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary, along with up to $1MM in playing-time incentives. $250K of the veteran’s base salary is guaranteed, making for $1.25MM in total guarantees.
Robinson, a 2010 first-round pick, served primarily as the Saints’ nickelback in 2014, and performed well in that role. According to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), Robinson limited opposing quarterbacks to a 75.4 passer rating and just one touchdown to two interceptions on passes thrown into his coverage.
The Chargers drafted a cornerback – Jason Verrett – in the first round a year ago, and re-signed Brandon Flowers to a lucrative new deal earlier this month, so Robinson will likely find himself playing a similar nickel role in San Diego in 2015. The five-year veteran, who reportedly visited the Steelers several days ago, looks like a nice depth addition for the Chargers’ defense.
Extra Points: 49ers, Hardy, Peterson, Rivers
49ers CEO Jed York appeared on Bloomberg Television on Tuesday to discuss a number of different topics, including the surprise retirement of Chris Borland (via SFGate.com):
“We respect it, and I love Chris. He’s a great kid. And it’s certainly a surprise to us and I think to some of his teammates. But you have to respect the decision. If he fears for his health and safety going forward, I don’t ever want somebody to go out there and do something that they’re not comfortable doing. And I would never try to talk somebody out of retirement. I know it wasn’t an easy decision for him, but we respect him and we wish him the best.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- Greg Hardy spurned the Buccaneers for the Cowboys earlier today, but as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes, it may have been the organization that rejected the player. “At the end of the day, we didn’t feel good about it,” said general manager Jason Licht.
- Count Larry Fitzgerald among those who’d like to see Adrian Peterson wearing a Cardinals jersey next season. The veteran wideout told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that adding the All-Pro running back would be a “game-changer” for the organization. “Obviously, he’s an MVP-caliber player,” Fitzgerald said. “Everybody knows that. Any team he ends up with — or if he stays with the Vikings — is going to have a great back. If he was to come play here, it would obviously mean a tremendous amount for our ballclub.”
- Following news that Philip Rivers wouldn’t consider a new deal with the Chargers until the end of the 2015 season, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the organization has no intention of letting the quarterback depart (via Around The NFL on Twitter). Rapoport notes (on Twitter) that both sides have plenty of leverage during negotiations.
- CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that the Bills actually signed wideout Percy Harvin to a three-year, $24MM deal, but the contract voids to a one-year, $6MM pact. As WGR550’s Joe Buscaglia points out on Twitter, this saves the organization $2MM in 2015 cap through “signing bonus proration,” meaning the player’s cap hit for this season will be $4MM as opposed to $6MM. Furthermore, if the Bills decide to void the contract following 2015 (which they’re expected to do), they’ll get hit with $2MM in dead money.
Draft Notes: Winston, Borland, Visits
Some assorted draft notes from around the league…
- Jameis Winston‘s decision to skip out on the NFL draft may have been based on pressure from the league. According to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, the NFL may have been fearing “protests” regarding Winston’s selection in the draft, with the league advising the prospect to keep a “low profile.”
- Following the surprise retirement of Chris Borland, Cole says teams are becoming cautious of players who are “too smart for football.” Specifically, players who have future careers outside of football may be less desirable than players who are “desperate” to become professional athletes.
- Georgia running back Todd Gurley told reporters that he’s set to meet with the Panthers after having already met with the Lions, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Gurley revealed that he’s also meeting with five other teams.
- Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon is scheduled to meet with the Ravens, according to Yahoo’s Rand Getlin (via Twitter).
- Meanwhile, Getlin reports (on Twitter) that Duke wideout Jamison Crowder is gaining some interest, as the player has workouts planned with the Patriots, Buccaneers, Panthers and Texans.
- Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes told ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein that he’s set to meet with the Vikings and Jaguars in April (Twitter link). Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the defensive back also has private workouts scheduled with the Titans and Panthers.
- According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.com (via Twitter), Boise State running back Jay Ajayi had dinner with the Chargers brass on Tuesday night.
- The Jets have scheduled a one-on-one meeting with Missouri defensive end Shane Ray, according to Pauline (on Twitter).
- Purdue tight end Gabe Holmes had a private workout today with the Cardinals, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The session went well, as Wilson says Holmes “caught everything.”
- Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty has visits set up with the Cowboys, Chargers and Rams, according to Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez (via Twitter).
Chargers Sign Mitch Unrein
7:44pm: The two-year deal is worth $1.9MM, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (on Twitter).
6:53pm: The Chargers have added some reinforcement to their defensive line, as the team announced that they have signed defensive tackle Mitch Unrein. The 27-year-old’s deal is for two years.
The former undrafted free agent originally caught on with the Texans in 2010, and he soon found a home in Denver thereafter. The former Wyoming standout spent four seasons with the Broncos, making 54 appearances. He was relatively productive in 2012 and 2013, nearing 400 snaps in both campaigns while compiling a combined 40 tackles. He found himself in a reduced role in 2014, as Unrein played only 46 snaps in eight games.
Unrein reached restricted free agency last season, and he ultimately accepted the Broncos’ tender at about $1.4MM. Members of the Broncos organization, including general manager John Elway, had previously expressed interest in retaining Unrein for 2015.
Rivers Won’t Consider New Deal Before End Of Season
There has been a lot of talk about what a new pact between quarterback Philip Rivers and the Chargers might look like, but it sounds like we’ll have to wait a while to find out the answer. Rivers told Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego that he won’t ink a new deal before his current contract (which takes him through the 2015 season) ends.
“I’m trying to not get too caught up in what I can’t control,” he said. “What I can control is, what I’m doing in March is what I’ve done every March – working out, looking for little tweaks, getting ready to fight like crazy to help us win.”
When asked if anything could change Rivers’ mind on whether he’d consider signing a new deal before the end of the season, he responded, “Honestly, nothing.” Rivers also seemed to change his tune about the team’s potential move to the Los Angeles area, just weeks after saying that it wouldn’t heavily affect his feelings on the franchise.
“What we’ve established here with my growing family is hard to recreate,” Rivers said. “It’s hard to up and recreate that. I know that moves are part of life. But that certainly is fair to say that [not being sold on moving to Los Angeles] is part of it. The good thing is I’m not under contract in a year where we’d potentially be in Los Angeles.”
Rivers isn’t the only one keeping things vague when it comes to the quarterback’s future with the Bolts. Acee asked GM Tom Telesco if he would quash any possibility that Rivers could be traded. The GM declined, only offering up effusive praise for the signal caller. As speculation swirls that the Chargers could go after Marcus Mariota in the draft, Telesco didn’t do much to quell the talk.
Chargers To Sign Stevie Johnson
11:02am: Johnson’s three-year contract has a base value of $10.5MM and includes additional performance-based incentives, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the deal can be worth up to $12MM.
9:55am: After taking the night to weigh his options, Stevie Johnson has decided to sign with the Chargers rather than the Patriots, sources tell Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 Washington (Twitter link). Johnson has reportedly narrowed his choice down to those two teams after visiting San Diego and New England, and Russini tweets that his family played a big part in his decision. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), it’ll be a three-year deal for Johnson with the Chargers.
Johnson, 28, spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Bills before being sent to San Francisco a year ago in a trade. While the Kentucky product didn’t make a real impact for the 49ers, he enjoyed some success in Buffalo, putting up three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2010 to 2012, and grabbing 23 touchdowns during that three-year stretch.
Having been released by the Niners earlier this month, Johnson will return to the AFC for the 2015 season, joining forces with Philip Rivers and Keenan Allen in San Diego. The Chargers, who lost Eddie Royal to the Bears in free agency last week, had been on the lookout for veteran receiving help to complement Allen. The team also added Jacoby Jones, though it’s not clear how significant a role the return specialist will play on offense.
In addition to the Chargers and Patriots, the Jets and Browns were among the other teams mentioned as potential suitors for Johnson.
West Notes: J. Williams, DGB, Gordon, Hawks
Despite being waived by the Seahawks less than two weeks ago, defensive tackle Jesse Williams is expected to re-sign with Seattle soon, as he tells Tom Boswell of the Courier-Mail. The 24-year-old Williams has spent the duration of his two-year NFL career on injured reserve with knee issues, but he says multiple surgeries have corrected the issue. The Alabama product became the first Australian to win a Super Bowl ring when the Seahawks won the championship in 2014.
Here’s more from Seattle and rest of the NFL’s West divisions…
- Before they acquired Jimmy Graham last week, the Seahawks were “digging into” Oklahoma receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Green-Beckham carries quite a bit of off-the-field baggage, but Seattle could be looking to add a downfield threat via the draft, leading Robinson to wonder if the club could take a chance on DGB if he falls to the second round.
- In other draft news, the Cardinals are meeting with Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon today, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. Arizona has been linked to Adrian Peterson, but as Getlin notes, Gordon would present a younger and cheaper alternative at the position.
- Though he didn’t outwardly express it during a press conference earlier today, it’s clear Chargers owner Dean Spanos is skeptical about keeping the team in San Diego, writes Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, who adds that it should be clear by the start of the season whether the Chargers will be able to stay in SD.
AFC West Links: Raiders, Broncos, Hardy
Raiders safety Charles Woodson is excited about what the team was able to do in free agency, despite the lack of one huge signing, writes Jerry McDonald of InsideBayArea.com.
“There’s no question that Suh would have been huge. He would have been huge. He would have been a great addition to the team,” said Woodson. “But at the same time, if you don’t get a Suh, you can get three or four other players to make up for it. And what that does is build depth. So you bring in guys that are possibly starters, that will compete for a starting job, and then we’ve still got money to get three or four other guys. Then you’ve got the draft coming up. So you have the potential to build the team the way you want to. Just because you didn’t get the one guy, we’ll have the opportunity to build this team the right way and that’s what Reggie’s looking at.”‘
- Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie is looking at free agency in the same light as Woodson, and is happy with what they were able to do, according to McDonald. “Every year you go after a lot of guys, and you don’t get them all,” McKenzie said. “Our intent was to go out hard and heavy after each one of these guys, and we were able to land a whole bunch of guys we really liked.”
- The Broncos were big spenders in free agency last offseason, but were more reserved this year as they lost Julius Thomas, Terrance Knighton, and Rahim Moore. Head coach Gary Kubiak stressed the importance of being able to sustain success by replacing veterans with younger players, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. “I think you have to understand that’s going to happen with your football team,” Kubiak said. “You can’t keep everybody that you’d like to. Being able to replace guys is part of it. And right now our biggest challenge is that we have to improve a lot of the younger players.”
- One free agent the Broncos were able to bring in was offensive lineman Shelley Smith, who played college ball at Colorado State University. Smith was specifically excited to play for Kubiak, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. “We have a lot of friends and family here, a lot of support. And it was very appealing. I think he is a heck of a coach, and some of his staff obviously followed him,” Smith said Saturday. “Obviously the scheme has proven to be a very good system and I think it fits my capabilities well.”
- Kevin Acee of the U-T San Diego asked a few Chargers’ players if they would be receptive to bringing in Greg Hardy despite his legal troubles. He feels the locker room would approve of the signing (via Twitter). However, he warns them that they will lose their right to judge the next player who gets himself into an ugly situation if they do take him in (via Twitter).
AFC Rumors: Bowe, Johnson, Cameron
Dwayne Bowe will spend the night in Cleveland and begin his visit after dinner with Browns officials, ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports on Twitter.
Bowe’s visit will continue into Sunday, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot reports.
Displaced from his near-decade-long post as the Chiefs‘ No. 1 wide receiver by Jeremy Maclin earlier this week, Bowe is currently discussing work in a place that’s had worse wideout luck. The Chiefs released Bowe after eight seasons earlier this week after making substantial 2015 commitments to Maclin and franchise player Justin Houston.
A 2007 first-round pick, Bowe has an obvious connection to the Browns, with current GM Ray Farmer having served as the Chiefs’ director of pro personnel from 2006-12.
Down their own No. 1 wide receiver in Josh Gordon, the Browns added possession target Brian Hartline earlier and lost out on retaining their top eligible pass-catcher, Jordan Cameron, in a confusing back-and-forth sequence Thursday. Despite Bowe’s inconsistency, he’d be an upgrade in Cleveland and likely on a friendlier cap number than the $14MM he was to occupy on the Chiefs’ cap this season after signing a long-term extension in 2013.
In other AFC news …
- Cabot sheds some light on the latest Cleveland talent relocating his talents to South Beach. In the piece, Cabot discusses the Browns’ preference for Charles Clay over Cameron before backing off due to the Bills‘ infatuation with the Dolphins’ transition player. Cameron said in his introductory presser with the Dolphins he never had a verbal agreement with the Browns despite the media reports to the contrary. The other key piece of information from this report: Cleveland offered Cameron to the Seahawks for Percy Harvin last season before the wideout was dealt to the Jets.
- Stevie Johnson will visit the Patriots on Monday, tweets NBC4 (Washington D.C.) anchor Dianna Marie Russini. This summit comes after Johnson met with the Chargers on Friday. The Patriots already signed Brandon Gibson to bolster competition among their reserve wideouts, although Johnson comes with a higher pedigree. The Jets also are a team that could make a play for Johnson as his former offensive coordinator and quarterback — Chan Gailey and Ryan Fitzpatrick, respectively — reside there, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter.
- The Chargers’ receiver pursuit also includes ex-Jaguars No. 1 target Cecil Shorts, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.