FA Rumors: Hicks, Bears, Vikings, Jets, 49ers
Let’s check in on the latest free agent rumors on a hectic Wednesday night in the NFL:
- The Bears could be setting up a visit with defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Bears general manager Ryan Pace and player personnel director Josh Lucas were in the Saints’ front office when they drafted Hicks in 2012. New Orleans traded Hicks to the Patriots last season, and he proved to be a terrific buy-low pickup in his 13 games with the Pats. Hicks amassed three sacks and earned positive marks for his performance from Pro Football Focus. The site (subscription required) ranked Hicks as its 14th-best D-tackle.
- Even after signing guards Alex Boone and Mike Harris, the Vikings aren’t done addressing their offensive line, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports reports (on Twitter).
- Running back Lance Dunbar will visit the 49ers, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). Dunbar spent the first four years of his career in Dallas, with which he accrued 900-plus total yards. He missed most of last season with a torn ACL.
- In other Vikings news, cornerback Marcus Sherels – who has spent the first six seasons of his career with Minnesota – will visit the Jets and possibly another team, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Tomasson doesn’t rule out a Vikings return for Sherels, who has started in six of his 81 regular-season games with the club.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/9/16
Not every move on free agency’s first day is a big splash. Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Dolphins have signed offensive tackle Sam Young to a one-year, $760K deal, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Young, a six-year veteran, is coming off his first 16-game season. He has made nine starts over the last two years, giving him 16 for his career.
- Although the Rams did not tender offensive lineman Brian Folkerts, they re-signed him, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets. A 26-year-old center/guard hybrid, Folkerts spent 2015 in St. Louis and 2013-14 with the Panthers.
- The 49ers have signed quarterback Thaddeus Lewis to a one-year deal, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. Lewis, 28, was on the Eagles’ roster when Chip Kelly was their head coach last season. The two are now reunited in San Francisco. Lewis has appeared in seven NFL games, though none since 2014, made six starts, and tossed five touchdowns against four interceptions.
- The Rams have re-signed safety Cody Davis to a two-year deal, according to the Los Angeles Daily News’ Vincent Bonsignore (Twitter link). Davis joined the team as an undrafted free agent from Texas Tech in 2013 and has since appeared in 43 games (zero starts).
- The Bears have re-signed running back Jacquizz Rodgers and offensive tackle Nick Becton to one-year contracts, per their Twitter account. Rodgers totaled 41 yards on 14 carries for Chicago last season. He spent 2014 in Atlanta, with which he rushed for over 1,100 yards and five touchdowns. Becton appeared in five games for the Bears last season. His only other appearance came in 2013 with the Chargers.
Free Agent Rumors: Vikings, Weddle, Steelers
The Vikings are negotiating to bring back tight end Rhett Ellison, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). If Ellison can’t be retained, however, one option to replace him might be free agent James Hanna, formerly of the Cowboys, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link).
Here’s a look at some of the latest news and rumors on this crazy day of action:
- Terence Newman is also a Vikings free agent, and the club will talk to his agent once again later tonight or tomorrow, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Wolfson also says that Minnesota did not show interest in guard Jeff Allen, as Alex Boone was their target all along.
- The Steelers like veteran safety Eric Weddle, a source tells Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (Twitter link), but the club thinks he’s too expensive at the moment. Pittsburgh is hoping Weddle’s price falls.
- Free agent offensive lineman Ted Larsen will take a visit with the 49ers, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
- The Bears are not done looking for free agent offensive lineman, even after agreeing to a deal with Bobby Massie, reports Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).
- Texans restricted free agent corner A.J. Bouye is drawing interest from other clubs, but no offer sheet is yet on the table, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Bouye was tendered at the lowest level, so Houston won’t get any compensation if it fails to match an offer.
Four Teams Express Interest in C.J. Anderson
Broncos free agent C.J. Anderson is generating plenty of intrigue from other teams, as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that the Patriots, Dolphins, 49ers, and Bears have all expressed interest in the running back.
Still, barring some unforeseen circumstances (or an outrageous contract offer), it appears that Anderson will be returning to the Broncos next season. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets that Denver is expected to match “just about any” offer sheet handed to the running back.
The organization slapped the 25-year-old with a low-round tender yesterday, which would be worth $1.671MM next season. The Broncos have the right to match any offer sheet extended to the free agent, but they won’t receive any compensation if he bolts to another team.
An undrafted free agent out of California in 2013, Anderson burst onto the scene during his sophomore season. He compiled 849 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2014, and he added another 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air. Anderson only started six games in 2015, finishing with 720 yards and five scores on 152 attempts. Despite the difficult season, Anderson managed to run for 90 yards and a touchdown during this past season’s Super Bowl.
Raiders, Chiefs, 49ers In On Sean Smith
1:37pm: Peter King of TheMMQB.com tweets that the Chiefs, Raiders, and 49ers are still in on Smith. If Tafur’s morning report that four teams are in the running is accurate, that leaves one unknown club, though it’s possible Smith’s list of suitors has been narrowed down since then. Oakland has been mentioned most frequently as a landing spot for the cornerback, but it doesn’t appear any deal is imminent at this point.
9:19am: Sean Smith‘s market has been whittled down to the Raiders and three other clubs, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. The market is currently set at $12MM/year for the cornerback’s services, Tafur adds. 
The 49ers have also been tied to Smith, but it’s not clear if they’re one of the “three other clubs” in the mix for his services. Ditto for the incumbent Chiefs, though it was reported on Monday that KC had not reached out to him during the legal tampering period. Of course, it’s possible that the two sides connected on Tuesday.
Smith was ranked as the No. 9 overall free agent by PFR and considered to be the No. 2 available cornerback, behind Janoris Jenkins. With an even 100 regular-season starts under his belt, Smith is still just 28 years old. With so many other key defensive free agents to re-sign, the Chiefs appear willing to let Smith sign elsewhere, and considering the cornerback market isn’t overly deep, the former second-round pick should have no shortage of suitors.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
QB Rumors: Osweiler, Kaepernick, Broncos
Are the Broncos on the verge of losing quarterback Brock Osweiler? If Osweiler takes a visit the Texans, one league source believes that he will not return to Denver, Mike Florio of PFT writes.
A report last night indicated that the Broncos have not spoken to Osweiler’s reps since making an initial three-year offer several days ago, so things are not necessarily looking good for an Osweiler return. However, Mike Klis of 9News says the two sides will resume negotiations today before the new league year begins, and Klis will be surprised if Osweiler leaves Denver.
Here’s the latest on the league’s available signal callers:
- If the Broncos lose Brock Osweiler, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) says they’re backup plan will be to make a play for 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick. The agents for quarterback Kaepernick requested permission from the 49ers to seek a trade late last month. The 28-year-old started eight games for the Niners in 2015, completing just 59.0% of his passes and throwing only six touchdowns to five interceptions. Blaine Gabbert took over as San Francisco’s starter in the second half while Kaepernick dealt with multiple injury issues. While some observers believe that Kelly’s offensive system would be ideal for Kaepernick as he aims to bounce back in 2016, it seems as if the quarterback may prefer to get a fresh start elsewhere.
- Drew Brees’ agent Tom Condon says that extension talks are expected to happen at some point down the road with the Saints. “The club had the right to renegotiate for cap purposes during the life of the contract and has done that, which pushed the cap number to $30MM this year,” Condon said on The Rich Eisen Show (via PFT). “That’s where it stands right now. I’m guessing that we’ll probably have some conversations with the Saints in the next couple weeks or so.”
- Michael Vick says that he will not extend his playing career beyond 2016, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. “I’m willing to wait the entire year out, but it’s definitely going to be it for me (after that).” “I still want to play one more year… I’m going to keep my options open and not rush into it.,” Vick said (link).
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/8/16
It’s been a day of huge news around the NFL, with top free agents like Malik Jackson and Kelechi Osemele reaching contract agreements. We don’t want to let some of the smaller deals from around the league slip through the cracks though, so let’s round up Tuesday’s minor transactions….
- The Panthers have agreed to terms with Joe Webb on a new two-year contract, according to his agency, SportsTrust Advisors (Twitter link). Webb provides Carolina with a third quarterback on its depth chart, and can be utilized as a versatile, all-purpose weapon elsewhere on offense and special teams.
- The 49ers have re-signed linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, extending him through the 2016 season before he reaches free agency, the team announced today. San Francisco claimed Armstrong off waivers from the Raiders in 2015 after the linebacker and special-teamer made headlines for illegally taunting a police dog before a game against the Steelers.
- The Colts announced today that they’ve signed undrafted free agent long snapper Forrest Hill, in what probably qualifies as the exact opposite of a “splash.” Nonetheless, Hill could be given an opportunity to compete for the job this summer in Indianapolis against incumbent LS Matt Overton.
- Jaguars tight end Nic Jacobs has signed the one-year ERFA tender he received last week, the club announced today in a press release.
- Seahawks defensive tackle A.J. Francis has also received his ERFA tender, per Dov Kleiman of RantSports (Twitter link).
- The Seahawks waived defensive tackle Jesse Williams, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports (on Twitter).
Free Agent Rumors: Wisniewski, Browns, Pacman
The Browns have expressed interest in Jaguars free agent center Stefen Wisniewski, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The Browns are in danger of losing three-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack to free agency and they could turn to the 26-year-old as a replacement. Hue Jackson was the coach in Oakland when the Raiders used their 2011 second round draft choice on Wisniewski.
The latest free agent rumors from around the NFL:
- The Browns have expressed interest in free agent cornerback Adam Jones, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). Jones, a Bengals free agent, has been heavily linked to Miami in recent weeks thanks to his connection with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
- The Vikings and Matt Asiata are far apart on a possible contract, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter) hears from a source. Several other teams expressed an interest in the running back on Monday, he adds. Asiata has previously stated that he would like to return to Minnesota.
- 49ers free agent Alex Boone and Cardinals free agent Bobby Massie are two offensive linemen who could get north of $8MM per season, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears.
- The Vikings have reached out to the representative of Bengals free agent linebacker Vincent Rey, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). The Vikings are in need of a linebacker and Mike Zimmer is familiar with Rey from their previous time together.
- Backup quarterback Drew Stanton is unlikely to return to the Cardinals, an NFL source tells Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter).
- The Eagles had significant interest in signing wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey before he re-upped with the Steelers, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
Cole’s Latest: Harrison, Vernon, Mack, Ayers
With the NFL’s legal tampering period underway for 2016, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report has passed along several noteworthy free agent rumors. Let’s round up the highlights…
- While plenty of teams will have interest, the Titans appear to be the club most willing to meet Damon Harrison‘s asking price, according to Cole (video link). The Jets would love to retain their standout nose tackle, but given all the suitors expected to be in play, the price will be high. That may be an issue for the Jets, who have already committed $15MM+ to Muhammad Wilkerson.
- The Dolphins may ultimately decide to pull the transition tag they placed on defensive end Olivier Vernon last week, says Cole (video link). As Cole explains, if the Dolphins decide not to match an offer sheet for Vernon, the pass rusher wouldn’t factor into the compensatory pick formula for 2017, since only departing unrestricted free agents can earn teams extra picks. So if Miami senses the bidding on Vernon will be too high, the team may surrender its right to match an offer, in order to regain the $12MM+ in cap room and line itself up for a mid-round 2017 comp pick.
- Free agent center Alex Mack has generated “extensive interest” from the Falcons, per Cole (video link). Cole says the Jaguars, who signed Mack to an offer sheet in 2014, don’t have as much interest this time around, and adds that the Rams have expressed some interest, but aren’t expected to be serious contenders.
- The “rumor late last week” was that defensive end Robert Ayers was looking for $10MM per year from the Giants, tweets Cole. While it’s possible that was Ayers’ starting point in negotiations, it seems extremely unlikely that he’d actually land that kind of salary. Ayers had a strong year in 2015, but it’s the first time he had more than 5.5 sacks in a season, and he’ll be turning 31 this year.
- Cole confirms (video link) that the Raiders and 49ers will both be in the mix for the top cornerbacks on the free agent market, including Sean Smith and Janoris Jenkins.
Free Agent Rumors: Sean Smith, Niners, Raiders
The very latest free agent news:
- The 49ers have discussed Chiefs free agent cornerback Sean Smith, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). He adds that Smith has been on the Niners’ radar in the past as well. The Chiefs have not reached out to Smith since the start of the tampering period, but they have talked with his agent since the Combine, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes.
- The Chiefs know they will have to raise the current offer to Smith in order to retain him, but it’s not clear if they will, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. The Raiders will also be in play for his services, he adds.
- The Chiefs have expressed interest in former Raiders receiver Rod Streater, Paylor writes. Streater’s best season came in 2013 when he hauled in 60 catches for 888 yards and four scores.
- Seahawks free agent guard J.R. Sweezy is generating a ton of early interest with at least ten teams expressing serious interest, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. The Buccaneers, Falcons, Lions, Dolphins, Saints, 49ers, Jaguars, Bears, and Jets, have all made it known that they will be suitors (link).
- Donald Penn’s agent met with the Raiders but the tackle is expected to hit the free agent market on Wednesday, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.
- The Cardinals have expressed interest in Rams free agent defensive end William Hayes, according to Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). The eight year vet has racked up 21.5 sacks over the last four years.