DeSean Jackson Could Be Released
While it has been widely reported that the Eagles are trying to trade receiver DeSean Jackson, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that the team will release Jackson if no deal is struck.
In the piece, Mehta credits his source with saying “Philly is trading him or cutting him. That’s a fact. They don’t want him.”
Mehta writes that Jackson seems uninterested in taking a pay cut, but believes that the 27-year-old playmaker will have to restructure his contract in order to get a deal done. Fresh off the NFC Championship game, both the 49ers and the Seahawks have expressed interest in acquiring Jackson, although neither team would be able to squeeze his salary ($12MM per year for three years) into their books.
The Jets and Raiders both have the cap room to absorb Jackson’s salary, but he is still very highly paid. The Raiders may be unwilling to part with a valuable draft pick, and even though the Jets have some extra picks, the report that Jackson will be released hurts the Eagles leverage in trade talks.
The Patriots and Panthers have also been thought of as potential landing spots, but would seem to be equally unwilling to trade a valuable asset for such an expensive player.
49ers To Extend Bruce Miller
The 49ers and Bruce Miller have agreed to a three-year contract extension for the fullback, reports Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Williamson (via Twitter), Miller’s new deal will make him one of the highest paid fullbacks in the NFL.
Miller, who suffered a broken scapula in Week 15, would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency following the 2014 season. The former seventh-round pick rated as a top-five fullback in the league last season according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), contributing primarily as a blocker but also catching 25 passes out of the backfield.
Williamson reported earlier in the week that the two sides were engaged in extension talks and suggested that the Niners were excited for Miller to assume a bigger role in 2014. With Anthony Dixon no longer on the roster, the 26-year-old Miller could see more short-yardage opportunities.
NFC Rumors: Brown, Williams, Redskins
Free agent cornerback Tarell Brown left the 49ers to sign a a one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Raiders in part, he says, because he didn’t get much of an offer from his old team. “[I]t wasn’t what I wanted and it was to me more of a slap in the face,” Brown told Erik Kuselias of Pro Football Talk. “But I understand that it’s a business and I understand that they have to do what is best for them and it’s no hard feelings. But what they offered me definitely wasn’t what I wanted and definitely wasn’t worth my value of what I’ve done in this league and how well I played these past 3-4 years in the league. So it’s understandable and like I said there’s never any hard feelings. They are doing a great job over there and I wish them the best.”
- Kevin Williams isn’t optimistic about his chances of returning to the Vikings, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “I’m just sitting here waiting, man,” Williams said in a phone interview. “I don’t know (if I’ll be back). I thought there was a good chance early (in free agency). It keeps looking slimmer and slimmer, though. … I don’t know what their view is on it, but to me it’s getting slimmer.“
- Jared Allen is making a second visit to the Seahawks and could decide whether to join them in the next few days, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.
- New Redskins linebacker Akeem Jordan‘s one-year deal has just $65K guaranteed, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Appearing in 483 defensive snaps last season, Jordan recorded 67 tackles and forced a pair of fumbles, while ranking as the 11th-best inside linebacker out of 55 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Between the guaranteed money and his base salary, Jordan should see $920K in total.
- Free agent wide receiver Kevin Cone is set to workout for the Panthers on Friday, agent Mark Clouser tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cone, who was not extended an exclusive-rights tender by the Falcons earlier this offseason, also has interest from the Jaguars.
- New Cowboys defensive tackle Henry Melton says that he gave the Bears a real opportunity to keep him, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “We gave them a chance to make an offer, and they said they would wait to see what the market was and we don’t do business like that,” Melton said. “They dropped out early.”
49ers Rumors: Kaepernick, Fangio, Miller
A look at the latest out of San Francisco..
- The 49ers will have the coin to sign Colin Kaepernick after June 1st when Carlos Rogers’ scheduled base salary is officially wiped from the books, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The 49ers are currently $3.726MM under the salary cap and their draft picks are expected to eat up approximately $2MM in additional cap space, but losing Rogers will save San Francisco $6.6MM.
- At the request of coach Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers gave defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was given a raise and an extension, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Fangio’s contract, which was set to expire after the 2014 season, now runs through 2015, which is when Harbaugh’s is scheduled to expire. The new deal makes him among the highest paid coordinators in the league.
- The 49ers are excited about what fullback Bruce Miller can provide in 2014 and they have engaged in contract extension talks with him, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Miller, who suffered a broken scapula in the 14th game of the season, can hit free agency after the ’14 season. The former seventh round pick is popular in the locker room and should see more short-yardage opportunities with Anthony Dixon in Buffalo.
Contract Details: Peppers, Cook, McClain
While Julius Peppers‘ three-year deal with the Packers was reported as being worth $30MM over three years, the base value is actually just $26MM, though that could increase if the veteran hits certain escalators, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links). With a $7.5MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary in 2014, the cap hit in the first year will be just $3.5MM. The deal also includes base salaries of $8.5MM in 2015 and $7MM in 2016, with $1MM in workout and roster bonuses in each of those seasons.
Let’s round up a few more contract details from around the league….
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com provides the financial details on the contracts signed by cornerback Chris Cook and kicker Phil Dawson with the 49ers. Cook’s pact is a minimum salary benefit deal with no guaranteed money, according to Maiocco.
- Jameel McClain‘s two-year deal with the Giants has a base value of $4.5M, with escalators that can push up to $6M, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson says the contract includes a $600K signing bonus, base salaries of $1.375M (2014) and $1.75M (2015), and a $400K roster bonus in ’15.
- The Rams‘ new deal with Jo-Lonn Dunbar is a two-year, $2.05MM contract, but could be voided after year one in certain scenarios, as Wilson explains in a pair of tweets.
- The new five-year contract Zach Strief and the Saints agreed to today includes a first-year base salary of just $900K, meaning Strief’s 2014 cap hit is $2MM, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
- Frank Zombo‘s new contract with the Chiefs is a two-year deal, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
- The three-year deal between the Giants and Jon Beason has a base value of $16.8MM, with a $4.4MM signing bonus and $6MM in overall guaranteed money, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
NFC Notes: Cowboys, 49ers, Cardinals
A couple of notes from around the National Football Conference to end your weekend…
- After having visited the Seahawks today, it appears that Jared Allen will also visit the Cowboys, tweets Sean Jensen of Thrive Sports.
- After losing out on Julian Edelman and Emmanuel Sanders, the 49ers‘ list of potential receivers is shrinking, says ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson. The writer throws out James Jones, Santonio Holmes and Sidney Rice as potential options for the team.
- Paying Daryl Washington the first installment of his bonus was a “good risk” by the Cardinals, writes Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Despite the linebacker’s inability to stay out of trouble, his Pro Bowl-like talent and production makes the relatively low monetary risk worth it.
- While the team certainly has depth at receiver after inking Golden Tate, don’t expect the Lions to drop a wideout, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. He identifies Ryan Broyles and Kris Durham as being on the bottom of the depth chart, but believes that both players could still stick around. Rothstein guesses that Broyles could start the season on the PUP list.
- It’ll likely be a while before Corey Wootton signs anywhere, but ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright thinks the Bears should bring back the defensive lineman.
FA Rumors: Montgomery, Cotchery, Jones
A few free agent notes from around the league:
- The Broncos will meet with free agent center Will Montgomery, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Montgomery was released by the Redskins on Thursday. A seventh-round-pick by the Panthers in 2006, Montgomery had started 16 games in each of the last three seasons in Washington, and graded out as the 14th-best center in football by Pro Football Focus’ metrics. If Montgomery were to sign in Denver, current center Manny Ramirez would move to left guard to replace the departed Zane Beadles.
- Receiver Jerricho Cotchery will visit with the Panthers, writes Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. With the loss of both Steve Smith and Ted Ginn, the Panthers receiver depth chart is now headlined by the likes of Tavarres King and Marvin McNutt. Cotchery, 32, had 46 receptions for 602 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
- Receiver James Jones tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he would “love to play for the Carolina Panthers” (via TwitLonger).
- Having failed thus far to add to either its receiving corps or its defensive backfield, the 49ers likely won’t sign any name free agents, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com.
49ers To Sign Chris Cook
The 49ers have reached an agreement with free agent cornerback Chris Cook, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Barrows reports that Cook’s new deal will be a one-year contract.
Barrows had suggested earlier in the week that San Francisco was in the market for tall, long-armed cornerbacks, and Cook certainly fits that bill. The 27-year-old, who spent the last four seasons with the Vikings after being selected 34th overall in the 2010 draft, stands 6’2″ and weighs over 200 pounds.
While he recorded 47 tackles last season in just 12 games, Cook also allowed nine touchdowns to opposing receivers, tied for worst among cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Additionally, off-field issues have plagued him early in his NFL career, and he has yet to grab an interception since entering the league.
As such, it doesn’t look like Cook will be assured of a roster spot in San Francisco. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes that the ex-Viking will compete for a spot in a secondary that also includes Tramaine Brock, Chris Culliver, Eric Wright and Darryl Morris.
FA Rumors: Vikings, 49ers, DRC, Cowboys
Vikings GM Rick Spielman spoke to reporters on a conference call today, and indicated that his team is “not by any means finished” in free agency, and will continue to be aggressive in exploring potential upgrades (Twitter links via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). According to Spielman, the Vikings still have interest in free agents Charlie Johnson and Kevin Williams, and have spoken to Williams’ agent recently (Twitter links via Tomasson).
Here are plenty more afternoon free agent rumors from around the NFL:
- After meeting with the Chiefs today, Emmanuel Sanders‘ next visit will be with the 49ers, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The free agent wide receiver, who has also visited the Jaguars and Buccaneers this week, will be staying in Kansas City overnight, so the Chiefs still have a chance to lock him up before he reaches San Francisco, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com gets the sense that Julian Edelman‘s visit with the 49ers is more a feeling out process for both sides than an indication anything is imminent (Twitter link).
- Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is heading to New York tonight to meet with the Jets, reports Schefter (via Twitter).
- The Seahawks have expressed interest in bringing back wide receiver Sidney Rice, who was released by the club earlier in the offseason, writes Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times.
- In addition to having some interest in Julius Peppers, as we heard earlier, the Cowboys are keeping an eye on Jared Allen and would be interested if his price falls, writes Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- Free agent tight ends Jermichael Finley and Ed Dickson don’t appear to be in the Giants‘ plans for now, says Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter).
- Free agent guard Daryn Colledge met with the Rams today, and is now off to meet with the Raiders, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- The Bengals have confirmed that two offensive linemen, Vlad Ducasse and Uche Nwaneri, both visited the team today, tweets Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Florida Notes: Bucs, Thurmond, Dolphins
Let’s round up a few Friday afternoon items on Florida’s NFL teams….
- The Buccaneers aren’t in play for cornerback Walter Thurmond, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). We heard earlier today that Thurmond’s visit with the Redskins had been canceled as well, so it sounds as if he may be close to making a decision. He has reportedly visited the Jaguars, as well as the 49ers.
- The new deals with the Buccaneers for quarterback Josh McCown and offensive tackle Anthony Collins include plenty of incentives, as Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com details.
- Free agent right tackle Zach Strief declined an offer to visit the Dolphins, with no explanation given, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- Within the same piece, Jackson says the Dolphins hope to get a deal done with offensive lineman Shelley Smith today, and that owner Stephen Ross never met with Jonathan Martin before the team sent him to the Niners, despite repeatedly saying he would.