Extra Points: Suh, Wilson, Revis
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross says he’s confident that the Dolphins did not break any rules in the lead up to the Ndamukong Suh signing, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. The Dolphins appear to have struck an agreement with the defensive tackle during the “legal tampering” period, but the league specifically asked that handshake deals not go down during that time. Of course, other teams certainly exchanged figures prior to Tuesday, but Suh was one of the most prominent free agents available. More from around the NFL..
- Seahawks GM John Schneider said the team has met with the agents for Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, though the reps for each player know Seahawks have other things to do, as well, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (Twitter links).
- A year ago, the Raiders were willing to assume all of Darrelle Revis‘ existing contract with the Buccaneers but the cornerback’s camp convinced the team that he wouldn’t report, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
- The Patriots dropped out of negotiations with Revis upon hearing he was seeking $16MM per year and $40MM guaranteed, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets.
- The Chargers offered Andre Johnson more money than he got from the Colts, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network tweets. It’s not known how much San Diego offered, but the Colts got Johnson for $21MM over three years.
- Tom Benson, principal owner of the Saints and the NBA’s Pelicans, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday to remove all stock in the sports franchises from the trust funds that he set up for his daughter and grandchildren, Andy Grimm of The Times-Picayune writes.
AFC West Rumors: Freeney, Royal, Broncos
The latest from the AFC West..
- Chargers GM Tom Telesco spoke to Dwight Freeney days ago and informed him that the team won’t be pursuing another contract with him, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. “I wish him all the luck. I really do.“
- Meanwhile, Telesco said that the “door is still open” for Eddie Royal to return to the Chargers, Gehlken tweets. So far, there has been nothing official between the wide receiver and the Bears, though there have been rumblings of a connection there. In San Diego last season, Royal caught 62 balls for 778 receiving yards. Both marks were his best since his rookie season with the Broncos in 2008.
- Broncos GM John Elway says the team is still looking at safeties and improving the offensive line in the second wave of free agency, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Broncos, who are high on tight ends, will talk with Jacob Tamme today in hopes of retaining him, Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets. Of course, Denver seems pretty set at the tight end position in the wake of yesterday’s signing of Owen Daniels.
- Elway went on to say that the Broncos are still trying to re-sign defensive tackle Mitch Unrein, Legwold tweets.
FA Rumors: Harrison, Williams, Wilson
Many speculated that James Harrison could follow former coach Dick LeBeau to the Titans, and on Wednesday we received confirmation of that. “We are certainly interested,” agent Bill Parise said of his client’s interest in the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. “James feels very, very strongly about coach LeBeau. And I know Dick feels the same way. It’s a natural thing. I’m sure the Steelers are still in play, too. It will probably be one of those. I hope it’s one of those. We are not ruling anybody out, but the two logical fits are Tennessee and Pittsburgh. Those are the team teams that make the most sense.” More from around the league..
- Former Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams is scheduled to visit the Steelers on Friday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Safety Jimmy Wilson told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he will be visiting the Chargers on Friday. However, agent Drew Rosenhaus is still in talks with the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.
- The Rams are still working on Kenny Britt, but there are other teams interested in him as a second choice or a Plan B at wide receiver, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets. Meanwhile, the Rams are thinking that they could get Joe Barksdale on the rebound, Thomas tweets. The thinking there is that the offensive tackle might be over-estimating his market value.
- Former Eagles free safety Nate Allen will visit the Raiders later today, John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game tweets.
- Pass rusher Adrian Clayborn is scheduled to visit the Falcons today, a league source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Seahawks free agent linebacker Heath Farwell, 33, says he plans to continue to play and he believes defensive tackle Kevin Williams, 34, feels the same way, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Farwell wouldn’t name any teams except to say the Vikings aren’t one that has reached out and that the Seahawks have expressed interest in bringing him back.
Contract Details: Franklin, Kern, Cole, Vereen
A few details on some noteworthy new contracts from around the NFL:
- Orlando Franklin, G (Chargers): Five years, $35.5MM base value. $15.5MM fully guaranteed at signing (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Brett Kern, P (Titans): Five years, $15MM base value. $2.5MM signing bonus. $5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com).
- Trent Cole, OLB (Colts): Two years, $14MM base value. $2MM signing bonus. $8MM guaranteed at signing. $1MM annually in playing-time/sack incentives (Twitter links via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com).
- Shane Vereen, RB (Giants): Three years, $12.3MM base value. $3.5MM signing bonus. $4.75MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- J.T. Thomas, LB (Giants): Three years, $10MM base value. $4.5MM guaranteed. $1MM annual escalators in 2016, 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Virgil Green, TE (Broncos): Three years, $8.4MM base value. $4.2MM guaranteed. Max value of $11.25MM (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Sergio Brown, S (Jaguars): Three years, $7MM base value. $1MM guaranteed. Escalators can push total value up to $9MM (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Ed Dickson, TE (Panthers): Three years, $6.8MM base value. $2MM signing bonus ($700K deferred) (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Joe Berger, OL (Vikings): Two years, $2.155MM base value. $130K guaranteed. $800K available in incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).
Chargers To Re-Sign Ricardo Mathews
The Chargers and defensive lineman Ricardo Mathews have agreed to a one-year contract, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. Financial terms of the agreement have not yet been disclosed.
A seventh-round pick in 2010, Mathews spent the first four seasons of his career as a Colt and latched on with the Chargers in 2014. The 27-year-old made 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 12 games – which earned him a 19th-place ranking out of 46 qualifying 3-4 defensive ends at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) – and obviously impressed Chargers brass enough to merit another deal.
Chargers To Cut Chad Rinehart
The Chargers won’t grant guard Chad Rinehart a third year in San Diego, and it will save more than $3MM as a result, according to San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Michael Gehlken on Twitter.
At the close of the 2014 league year, Rinehart was set to be the Chargers’ highest-paid offensive lineman after the team re-signed him to a two-year, $6MM deal last March. As a result of his impending release, San Diego saves $3.25MM in cap room but incurs a dead-money penalty of $1MM, per OverTheCap.
A starter in the majority of the games he’s played in six seasons for Washington, the Bills and Chargers, Rinehart regressed significantly last year after a decent initial campaign in San Diego, ranking as the fifth-worst guard Pro Football Focus (subscription required) measured. Last season marked the first time Rinehart started in 16 games, however.
The offensive front’s financial structure changed once the Chargers poached Orlando Franklin, likely Rinehart’s replacement, from the Broncos today and signed King Dunlap to an extension last month.
FA Rumors: Orakpo, Rolle, Gilchrist, Conte
After also being linked to the Cardinals earlier today, Brian Orakpo will visit the Titans to start his first free agency foray, according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com on Twitter.
The Titans have more than $44MM in cap room, according to OverTheCap, and do not have much money currently allocated to their linebacking corps as free agency enters warp speed. Tennessee’s highest-paid linebacker is 3-4 inside man Wesley Woodyard, who signed with the Titans last year, with a $3.5MM number for this season.
An older first-time free agent who enters his age-29 season, Orakpo made more than triple that on the franchise tag for Washington last season before suffering a pectoral tear for the third time in his career, weakening the edge-rusher’s momentum.
In other news in the opening stage of real free agency …
- Antrel Rolle will visit the Bears, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus’ Twitter, but has no agreement in place. The Bears are the highest bidder for the 32-year-old free safety’s services, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright on Twitter.
- The player Rolle could be replacing in Chicago, 26-year-old Chris Conte, will visit the Buccaneers, ESPN Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure notes on Twitter. Conte was the fourth-worst safety Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded last year.
- More from the safety market: the Jets will host former Chargers back-line starter Marcus Gilchrist tonight, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Gilchrist started all 16 games for the Chargers the past two years.
- Kendrick Lewis and the Texans engaged in preliminary discussions on keeping the free safety in Houston, reports Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter.
- Veteran defensive end Cory Redding announced (Twitter link) he intends to visit the Cardinals on Wednesday. Now 34, Redding started at least 14 games for the Colts the past three years.
- Chargers backup linebacker Andrew Gachkar has visits booked with two potential suitors, the Panthers and Vikings, notes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). The Vikings appear to be the frontrunner for Gachkar’s second contract, adds Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Twitter.
Orlando Franklin To Sign With Chargers
TUESDAY, 3:37pm: It will be a five-year deal for Franklin, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (via Twitter).
MONDAY, 6:47am: Franklin has told people that he’ll leave the Broncos and sign a five-year deal with the Chargers, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). When it gets finalized, Franklin’s deal will come in at close to $36.5MM, with $20MM guaranteed, says Schefter.
SUNDAY, 11:20pm: According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (Twitter link), the deal Franklin is expected to sign with the Chargers is worth $7.2MM per year, with $14MM in guaranteed money. Based on those figures, it sounds like it’ll be a four- or five-year pact.
4:36pm: A deal between free agent offensive lineman Orlando Franklin and the Chargers is “unofficially done,” a source tells Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). If correct, the contract would presumably be finalized on Tuesday when the new league year begins.
The 27-year-old Franklin has spent the first four years of his career with the Broncos, playing right tackle from 2011-13 before moving to left guard last season. With D.J. Fluker manning the right side in San Diego, Franklin would stay at guard, replacing either Chad Rinehart or Johnnie Troutman, both of whom struggled mightily in ’14, at either left or right guard. Franklin excelled in his positional transition, finishing as the league’s 13th-best guard according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The Chargers have already made one move to solidify their offensive line in recent weeks, agreeing to a four-year extension with left tackle King Dunlap. Adding Franklin, PFR’s No. 25 free agent, would only improve the line even more. San Diego could probably use more help at guard, however, and center could also be upgraded, though Chris Watt was serviceable in limited playing time last year.
Chargers To Re-Sign Trevor Robinson
The Chargers have agreed to re-sign center Trevor Robinson, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Per Caplan, it’s a two-year deal for Robinson that can max out at $4.5MM, and it includes playing-time bonuses.
San Diego infamously used five centers last season, as injuries took their toll on Nick Hardwick, Doug Legursky, Rich Ohrnberger, and Chris Watt before landing on Robinson. With Hardwick now retired, Watt is the presumed starter, though Robinson will presumably engage in a training camp battle for the position. The 27-year-old Robinson, who can also play guard, spent two full seasons with the Bengals before coming to the Chargers off waivers in October.
In retaining Robinson, the Chargers continue to invest in their offensive line, as they signed left tackle King Dunlap to an extension last month, before agreeing to a deal with free agent Orlando Franklin yesterday.
Contract Details: McCourty, Jones, Moats, Ginn
Here are a few noteworthy contract details on deals recently agreed upon:
- Devin McCourty, S (Patriots): Five years, $47.5MM base value. $15MM signing bonus. $28.5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- Jacoby Jones, WR (Chargers): Two years, $5.5MM base value. $1.6K signing bonus (Twitter link via Pro Football Talk).
- Arthur Moats, OLB (Steelers): Three years, $7.5MM base value. $1.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ted Ginn Jr., WR (Panthers): Two years, $4.2MM base value. $1.7MM signing bonus. Up to $1.5MM in incentives (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Derek Carrier, TE (49ers): Three years, $2.985MM base value. $400K signing bonus. About $1MM in escalators (Twitter link via Pelissero).