NFC West Links: Rams, Aldon Smith, Pryor
Having already rounded up several items out of the NFC North and NFC East this afternoon, let’s head west and check in on the latest Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks links….
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com gives his thoughts on the Rams‘ moves in free agency. It was a relatively inactive offseason for St. Louis and it would have been even less active had the Raiders not welched on their deal with offensive lineman Rodger Saffold. Meanwhile, given the Rams’ limited offensive talent, Kenny Britt could prove to be a wise pickup — the troubled wide receiver is due to make just over $500K guaranteed, so the deal won’t hurt the club too badly if he’s a bust. All in all, Fitzgerald gives the Rams a C+ for their pickups in free agency.
- In his newest piece for the National Football Post, former agent Joel Corry delves into Aldon Smith’s fifth-year option dilemma for the 49ers. However, as Corry notes, San Francisco’s decision on that 2015 option won’t be the end of the Smith saga.
- Terrelle Pryor has the talent to be the Seahawks‘ latest reclamation project, writes Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times. The speedy quarterback can be saved from the NFL scrapheap by coach Pete Carroll, but only if he realizes he needs the Seahawks more than they need him, Brewer opines.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Freeman, Clinton-Dix
In this week’s chat, a reader asked Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News if the 49ers would accept a deal in which they trade Aldon Smith and their first-round pick (No. 30) to the Cowboys for their first-rounder (No. 16). Machota says he’s not sure if the Niners would, but he doubts Dallas would have interest in such a deal because of Smith’s multiple legal issues over the last couple of years. The Cowboys need some pass rushers, but they’re probably more comfortable finding them through the draft. Here’s this afternoon’s glance at the NFC East:
- Josh Freeman isn’t getting the big bucks in his new deal with the Giants, but he will have the opportunity to learn from Eli Manning, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The former Bucs QB also took the high road when asked about his experience with coach Greg Schiano.
- Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has met with the Eagles, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The safety, who is the top-ranked defensive back in the draft, declared early for the draft after recording 52 tackles, two interceptions and six pass deflections in 11 games last season. He was named a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection for his outstanding play.
- Northern Illinois defensive tackle Ken Bishop has met with the Cowboys, a league source tells Aaron Wilson. As previously reported, the All-Mid-American conference selection has visited the Raiders, Jaguars, and Dolphins. Bishop projects as a later-round pick.
- Giants safety Antrel Rolle told Bob Papa and Ross Tucker of SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link) that the team needed serious change this offseason. The veteran went on to say that he wants to end his career as a member of the Giants and says he’s easily got four or five more good seasons left in him, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
- Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) asked a scout via text if the Cowboys would draft Johnny Manziel if he was available at No. 16 and the scout responded “Of course [Jerry Jones] would.“
West Rumors: Baldwin, Tuck, Jones, Chargers
Doug Baldwin told 710 ESPN in Seattle that he has not yet signed his second-round tender, but he is working out with the Seahawks at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). Seattle extended the one-year, $2.187MM tender to Baldwin back in early March. Baldwin is coming off of a solid season in which he hauled in 50 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns. Baldwin added that he still hopes to work out a long-term pact with the team, tweets Terry Blount of ESPN.com. More from the AFC and NFC West..
- Justin Tuck knows the Raiders‘ history and reputation, but he says he’s ready to help turn it all around, writes ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez. “A lot of people always say you go to Oakland for your career to die. I’m not looking at it like that. I’m looking at it like this is an opportunity to revive a storied franchise in a city with a great fan base behind this football team. The energy and excitement around this football team should be good. I’m excited about it,” said the veteran.
- New Raiders receiver James Jones spoke glowingly of his relationship with GM Reggie McKenzie when they were together in Green Bay, writes Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Sulia link).
- Former Ohio State cornerback Brandon Roby is en route to San Diego to visit the Chargers, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
- The 49ers hosted three draft prospects today, according to Adam Caplan of NFL.com (on Twitter). Arizona State outside linebacker Carl Bradford, University of South Florida defensive end Aaron Lynch, and defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt of Notre Dame all flew out to San Francisco.
Minor Moves: Bills, Lions, Jaguars, 49ers
Within this post, we’ll round up all of Tuesday’s minor transactions — players accepting exclusive rights contract tenders, teams signing players without real NFL experience, minor contract restructures, and so on. Any new minor transactions that pop up during the rest of the afternoon and evening will be added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Dolphins have signed punter Matt Szymanski to a contract, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Given the presence of Pro Bowl punter Brandon Fields on the Dolphins’ roster, Szymanski will likely just be an extra camp leg for the team.
Earlier updates:
- Exclusive rights free agents Chris Hogan, Antoine McClain, and Frank Summers have re-signed with the Bills, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (via Twitter). Of the three players, Summers played the most for the club in 2013, appearing in 232 offensive snaps and scoring a pair of touchdowns. Hogan also caught 10 balls and recorded nine special teams tackles.
- Cory Greenwood, who previously had two years remaining on his contract with the Lions, has eliminated the 2015 season and reduced his 2014 salary and cap number to the minimum ($645K), says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). The renegotiation also eliminates a $20K workout bonus for this year, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
- Jaguars fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou has signed his ERFA tender to return to the team, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. Ta’ufo’ou, who had 10 carries and a single reception for Jacksonville in 2013, will be eligible for restricted free agency after the 2014 season.
- The 49ers have waived fullback Alex Debniak, who spent his rookie season on IR with a torn Achilles, the team announced today in a press release.
NFC West Links: McCarron, Rams, Jacobs
Let’s round up a few Tuesday morning items on NFC West clubs….
- Although teams and draft prospects must complete pre-draft visits by Sunday, that doesn’t preclude clubs from working players out after that date. According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), the Rams will privately work out Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron in Tuscaloosa on May 1, one week before the draft.
- In his latest piece at TheMMQB.com, Peter King examines the Rams‘ No. 2 pick, suggesting that the team would be better off passing on Jadeveon Clowney (if he’s available) and selecting an offensive player like Sammy Watkins, Greg Robinson, or Jake Matthews instead. In King’s view, the Rams need to fortify their offense more than they need to turn their formidable pass-rushing duo (Chris Long and Robert Quinn) into a formidable pass-rushing trio.
- McNesse State tight end Nic Jacobs has visits lined up with two NFC West clubs, the 49ers and Cardinals, writes Gil Brandt of NFL.com. As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee notes, Jacobs is the latest tight end to visit the Niners, who have hosted 13 prospects by Barrows’ count.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com gives the Seahawks a grade of C+ for their moves in free agency, questioning the team’s decision not to retain offensive lineman Breno Giacomini.
Extra Points: Orton, Roos, Savage
Today marked the first day of voluntary offseason workouts for the Cowboys, and backup QB Kyle Orton was absent, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Given conflicting reports earlier this offseason concerning whether Orton wanted to retire from the game, Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com writes that it is a “strange absence.”
However, Watkins points to earlier statements made by Orton’s agent, David Dunn, who said retirement was not an option for his client. And, as Williams points out, these are voluntary workouts, and the Cowboys remain hopeful that Orton will return (Twitter link). Nonetheless, this will be an interesting story to keep an eye on in the coming days, much more interesting than most stories involving backup signal-callers.
Now for some some quick notes from around the league to close out the evening:
- In the midst of their respective legal concerns, 49ers stars Colin Kaepernick and Aldon Smith were present for the team’s first day of offseason workouts, according to Cam Inman of InsideBayArea.com.
- Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets that there have been no extension talks between the Titans and LT Michael Roos, who is entering the final year of his contract.
- The Bears are open to drafting a QB that head coach Marc Trestman can groom behind Jay Cutler and current backup Jordan Palmer, writes Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net tweets that the Patriots are “very high” on Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage and that some refer to him as “Tom #2.”
Minor Moves: Lions, Chiefs, Raiders, Colts
Our posts on minor transactions typically focus on smaller-name players and under-the-radar moves. There are plenty of those today, as players accept contract tenders and teams bolster their rosters with camp bodies in time for 2014’s offseason workouts. Let’s round up today’s transactions…
- Defensive end George Johnson has signed with the Lions, according to agent Brian Levy of Goal Line Football (Twitter link). Johnson has spent time with the Vikings and Buccaneers since 2011, though his regular-season playing time has been extremely limited.
Earlier updates:
- Free agent wide receiver Kyle Williams has re-signed with the Chiefs, as he announced today on Twitter. Williams, a former 49er, was claimed by Kansas City off waivers last fall, but tore his ACL in late November. He’ll likely continue to rehab and recover throughout the summer, so he’s not expected to have a major role for the Chiefs in 2014.
- The Lions have added a pair of cornerbacks to their roster, signing Aaron Hester and Nate Ness, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Hester was on the Broncos’ roster during the 2013 preseason, while Ness has bounced around among a handful of teams since going undrafted in 2009.
- Raiders safety Brandian Ross and tackle Matt McCants have accepted and signed their exclusive rights free agent tenders from the club, the team announced via Twitter.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports a number of RFA and ERFA tender signings, via Twitter, as follows: Colts cornerback Josh Gordy has signed his $1.431MM tender; 49ers linebacker Michael Wilhoite has signed his ERFA tender; Giants center Dallas Reynolds has accepted his ERFA tender; and linebacker Adrian Hamilton and safety Anthony Levine have accepted their ERFA offers from the Ravens.
Brandt’s Latest: Fuller, Moncrief, Archer
Draft expert and former Cowboys VP of player personnel Gil Brandt shared a few draft updates this afternoon, via Twitter, so let’s jump in and briefly round up the highlights from the NFL.com veteran….
- Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, who paid a visit to the Bills today, has had 15 visits or workouts with NFL teams so far, and has four more lined up this week with the Rams, Jets, Steelers, and Broncos.
- Brandt adds a slew of teams to the list of those who have worked out or hosted Ole Miss receiver Donte Moncrief so far, tweeting that Moncrief has visited the Buccaneers, Cardinals, and Panthers, and has worked out for the Bucs, Panthers, Colts, and Falcons.
- Having already visited the Dolphins, Patriots, Cardinals, and Colts, Kent State running back Dri Archer, is on to the Buccaneers and Jets this week.
- Colorado wideout Paul Richardson, who has put on a few pounds since the draft combine, has workouts or visits with the Buccaneers, Cowboys, 49ers, and Seahawks. It’s not entirely clear if those visits and workouts are still on Richardson’s schedule, or if they’ve already happened.
49ers Notes: Smith, Crabtree, Fiedorowicz
Although the 49ers have yet to officially make a decision one way or the other on Aldon Smith‘s 2015 option, it appears as if the team is leaning toward declining it. As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee writes, picking up that fifth-year option looks like the smarter on-field move, given Smith’s impact as a pass rusher and the lack of significant risk the option entails (it’s guaranteed for injury only).
However, as Barrows continues, the reason the team is strongly considering turning down the option is because it would send a bad message. Given Smith’s recent behavior, it doesn’t make a lot of sense for the Niners to turn around and give him a “reward” of nearly $10MM.
As the club weighs its options with Smith, let’s check out a few more Niners-related items….
- Recalling that Michael Crabtree wasn’t easy for the Niners to sign when the team first drafted him, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com previews the upcoming negotiations for the veteran receiver as he enters a contract year.
- Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is visiting the 49ers today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. According to Wilson, Fiedorowicz previously worked out privately for the Buccaneers.
- Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin‘s visit with the 49ers is happening today and tomorrow, tweets Barrows.
NFC Notes: Lattimore, Vikings, Eagles, Lions
49ers running back Marcus Lattimore is poised to contribute to the team in a meaningful way in 2014, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The 2013 second-round pick, who suffered a gruesome knee injury while playing at South Carolina, aims to settle in as the third running back behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. Following the defection of Anthony Dixon to the Bills and the 49ers willingness to trade LaMichael James, Lattimore could see ample amounts of playing time, and he seems ready to capitalize on the opportunity. “…I’ve just got to go in there and work hard. I can pass-protect and run the ball. I’ve got to show that,” said the 22-year-old. “If I prove it in practice, I don’t think there’s no excuse why I can’t play. I’m ready.”
More notes from around the National Football Conference:
- The Vikings‘ pay-as-you-go structure (not giving massive signing bonuses) allows the team to not only have more fluid cap management, but enables them to cut declining players with ease, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
- NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah lists Odell Beckham, Kelvin Benjamin, and Brandin Cooks as options for the Eagles with the No. 22 pick (via Bo Wolf of PhiladelphiaEagles.com). While DeSean Jackson obviously needs to be replaced, it would surprise me if Philadelphia doesn’t target defense in the first round, hoping to improve upon their 22nd-ranked unit (according to Football Outsiders) by adding to an abysmal secondary.
- Justin Rogers of MLive.com, citing this excellent paper by economics professors Richard Thaler and Cade Massey, makes the case that the Lions should trade down from pick No. 10 in the draft and acquire more selections in what is considered a tremendously deep draft class.