Seahawks Host DT Shamar Stephen
The Vikings poached one of the Seahawks’ defensive tackles last week by signing Sheldon Richardson to a one-year deal, and now Seattle may do the same to Minnesota. The Seahawks have met with free agent lineman and ex-Viking Shamar Stephen, according to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (Twitter link).
With Richardson now longer in town, Seattle is attempting to fortify an interior defensive line that is now led by Jarran Reed, Nazair Jones, and Garrison Smith. The Seahawks have met with free agents Bennie Logan and Tom Johnson, and have reportedly reached out to a number of available defensive tackles, including Ndamukong Suh and Quinton Dial.
Stephen, 27, started all 16 games for the Vikings as recently as 2016, but his snap percentage drop by 15% in 2017. In 15 appearances, Stephen posted nine tackles and one sack, also saw action on roughly a third of Minnesota’s special teams snaps. Seattle isn’t the only that’s expressed interest in Stephen, as he’s also taken a visit with the Lions.
Contract Details: Jordy, Glennon, Incognito
Let’s take a look at the most recent new contracts and restructures around the NFL:
New Contracts
- Jordy Nelson, WR (Raiders): Two years, $14.2MM. $13MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
- Mike Glennon, QB (Cardinals): Two-year, $8MM deal contains void years in 2020 and 2021. $4MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com).
- Spencer Long, C (Jets): Four years, $27.5MM. $6MM guaranteed (link via Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap).
- Jaron Brown, WR (Seahawks): Two years, $5.5MM. $2.75MM guaranteed. $1.95MM signing bonus. $750K available annually via receptions, yards, and touchdowns incentives (Twitter link via Brady Henderson of ESPN.com).
- Christian Jones, LB (Lions): Two years, $6.35MM. $2.8MM guaranteed. $1.75MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com).
- Kyle Wilber, LB (Raiders): Two years, $2.75MM. $1.4MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM).
- Billy Turner, OL (Broncos): One year, $2MM. $750K guaranteed. $500K signing bonus (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9News).
Restructures
- Richie Incognito, G (Bills): 2018 base salary reduced from $6.325MM to $3.65MM. Earned $1MM bonus. Bills created $1.675MM in cap space (Twitter link via Yates).
- John Jerry, G (Giants): 2019 contract season eliminated. 2018 base salary reduced from $3.05MM to $1.075MM, $525K of which is guaranteed. $400K roster bonus added and paid on 3/21. Per-game roster bonuses increased from $250K to $500K (all Twitter links via Dan Duggan of NJ.com). Giants created $525K in cap space.
Terrelle Pryor Down To Jets and Seahawks?
Free agent receiver Terrelle Pryor appears to be deciding between the Jets and Seahawks, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
Pryor has been busy during the second wave of the free agent period, taking visits with both New York and Seattle. The Rams, too, have expressed some level of interest in Pryor, while Cabot recently reported Cleveland was still open to a reunion with Pryor, who broke out with the Browns as a full-time receiver in 2016. However, it appears the 28-year-old Pryor is only considering the Jets and Seahawks at present.
Pryor, of course, was anything but successful in 2017 after inking a one-year deal with the Redskins. Before landing on injured reserve in November, Pryor managed only 20 receptions, 240 yards, and one reception in nine games (two starts). Expected to serve as something close to Washington’s No. 1 receiver, Pryor was instead outplayed by Jamison Crowder, Ryan Grant, and Josh Doctson, and the Redskins don’t seem to have any interest in retaining him.
The Jets, for their part, haven’t made any additions to their receiving corps yet this offseason, although they have met or will meet with Allen Hurns and Charles Johnson. The Seahawks, meanwhile signed former Cardinals wideout Jaron Brown and acquired Marcus Johnson from the Eagles, but lost fellow pass-catcher Paul Richardson to free agency.
Lions Sign TE Luke Willson
The Lions are signing former Seahawks tight end Luke Willson, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal worth $2.5MM with some upside potential in his deal. Willson will receive $1.5MM guaranteed, tweets Adam Caplan of SiriusXM.
Willson also visited the Panthers and Jaguars before agreeing to sign with Detroit. It’s not clear if he had viable offers from Carolina or Jacksonville, but in any case, the Lions will probably give him a better chance to showcase his talents. With the Panthers, Willson would have been playing behind Greg Olsen. And it’s possible that the Jaguars would have passed on Niles Paul had they signed Willson, but he probably still would have been playing alongside Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
The Lions had a clear need for a tight end after cutting Eric Ebron and watching Darren Fells sign with the Browns. The Lions missed out on Trey Burton, but they have added a promising (and cheaper) option in Willson..
Willson failed to top 200 yards receiving in either of the past two seasons, but he graded out as the league’s No. 26 run-blocking tight end among 69 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
The Lions’ tight end depth chart is comprised of Willson, Michael Roberts, Hakeem Valles, and Brandon Barnes.
Contract Details: A. Smith, Pugh, Curry, ASJ
Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently signed NFL contracts:
AFC
- Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE (Jaguars): Two years, $10MM. $4MM guaranteed. $3.21MM signing bonus. $500K 2019 option bonus. $500K annually available via catch, playoff, and touchdown incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Adrian Clayborn, DE (Patriots): Two years, $10MM. $5.5MM guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
- Albert Wilson, WR (Dolphins): Three years, $24MMM. $14.45MM guaranteed. $4.5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Marcus Gilchrist, S (Raiders): One year, $4MM. $3.85MM guaranteed. $1.85MM signing bonus. $1MM available via playtime, interceptions, and Pro Bowl incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Tramaine Brock, CB (Broncos): One year, $3MM. Fully guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus. $1MM available via playtime incentives (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9News).
- Seantrel Henderson, T (Texans): One year, $4MM. $1MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
NFC
- Alex Smith, QB (Redskins): Four years, $94MM. $55MM guaranteed. $27MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com and Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com).
- Justin Pugh, OL (Cardinals): Five years, $45.025MM. $15.75MM guaranteed. $10MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Vinny Curry, DE (Buccaneers): Three years, $23MM. $6.5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times).
- Zach Brown, LB (Redskins): Three years, $21MM. $10MM guaranteed. $4.5MM signing bonus. $1MM annually available in Pro Bowl, All-Pro incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ed Dickson, TE (Seahawks): Three years, $10.7MM. $3.6MM guaranteed. $2.6MM signing bonus. $1.1MM annually available via catch, yards, and Pro Bowl incentive (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Aaron Lynch, LB/DE (Bears): One year, $4MM. $1.25MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Seahawks Meet With DT Bennie Logan, CB Dontae Johnson
The Seahawks have conducted visits with free agent defensive tackle Bennie Logan and cornerback Dontae Johnson, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Seattle is seeking to replace defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who inked a one-year deal with the Vikings last week, and Logan could help in that regard. Logan can’t offer the interior pass rush that can Richardson, but he’s a run-stuffer that can plug the middle of the line. The 28-year-old Logan is fresh off a one-year, $8MM pact with the Chiefs, a deal he signed following four seasons with the Eagles.
Johnson, meanwhile, started 16 games for the 49ers in 2017 after serving as a reserve for the first three years of his career. The results weren’t great, as Johnson ranked near the bottom of Football Outsiders’ yards allowed per pass and success rate. He’d give Seattle depth after the club cut ties with fellow cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Jeremy Lane and lost DeShawn Shead to free agency.
Seahawks To Sign OL D.J. Fluker
The Seahawks have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Giants offensive lineman D.J. Fluker, sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter links).
Fluker, a former first-round pick, appeared in nine games with six starts for the Giants in 2017. He was ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 56 ranked player at the position, placing him as a low-end starter/high-end backup. He earned much better grades during his first two seasons in the league as a tackle with the Chargers.
Last year, the Seahawks’ offensive line surrendered 209 pressures, per Pro Football Focus, as their zone blocking scheme netted them very little on outside zone runs. Seattle hopes that Fluker will help bolster a unit that has been a weak spot for multiple seasons.
Seahawks Pick Up Justin Britt’s 2020 Option
Justin Britt will be sticking around Seattle through at least the 2020 season. ESPN’s Brady Henderson reports that the Seahawks have picked up the center’s $5MM option.
As Henderson details, picking up the option was necessary if Seattle wanted to keep Britt for several more seasons. Declining the option would have voided the final year of the deal, which would have allowed the lineman to hit free agency following the 2019 season.
That would have also boosted Britt’s 2018 base salary from $2.75MM to $7.75MM, which is a pretty drastic uptick. By picking up the option, that extra $5MM will now translate in the form of a bonus, and his cap number remains at $6.17MM. These details are all part of the three-year, $27MM extension the 26-year-old signed last offseason.
The 2014 second-round pick has spent his entire career in Seattle, and he’s started all 63 games he’s appeared in since entering the league. After earning a top-10 center rating in 2016, Britt took a bit of a step back in 2017. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked the veteran 17th among 36 eligible center candidates.
Seahawks Acquire CB C.J. Smith From Browns
The Seahawks and Browns struck a deal Monday, as Cleveland agreed to send cornerback C.J. Smith to Seattle for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Browns confirmed the deal (on Twitter).
The 24-year-old was originally signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent by the Eagles in 2016 out of North Dakota State. He appeared in 10 games with the Eagles as a rookie. Smith was signed to the Browns’ practice squad early last season and was activated for the team’s final three regular-season games.
The Seahawks were in need of some depth at cornerback, with Richard Sherman and Jeremy Lane being released and Byron Maxwell an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Seattle currently has Neiko Thorpe, Shaquill Griffin, Deandre Elliot and Justin Coleman atop its depth chart at cornerback.
Cleveland shored up its defensive backfield with the signing of former Raiders cornerback T.J. Carrie and former Chiefs cornerback Terrance Mitchell this offseason. Jamar Taylor and Briean Boddy-Calhoun return atop the team’s depth chart at cornerback.
Latest On Ndamukong Suh
Free agent DT Ndamukong Suh left New Orleans without a contract and met with the Titans last night, per Jordan Schultz of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that his dinner with Tennessee brass went well past midnight (Twitter links). Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets that the door is not closed on a Suh-Saints marriage, as the visit with New Orleans was always intended to be a feeling-out session rather than an all-out recruiting mission. Indeed, as Schultz notes in a separate tweet, Suh has expressed his desire to take his time and evaluate his numerous options with his family. 
Nonetheless, the fact that the Titans have parted with Karl Klug and Sylvester Williams over the past several days could be a sign that they are optimistic about landing Suh when he comes to Nashville. Of course, if Suh really does plan to take his time and visit other, as-yet-unnamed clubs — which we heard when the Tennessee visit was reported earlier this week — then it could take awhile before we know where Suh will be suiting up in 2018.
Florida Football Insiders, in a purely speculative piece, also names the Patriots as a potential landing spot for the three-time All-Pro. The Pats have a little bit of money to spend, and if they can acquire Suh on a one-year pact — much like they did with Darrelle Revis in 2014 — they may jump on the opportunity. FFI suggests that a one-year, “prove-it” contract might be in Suh’s best interest, and if he goes that route, New England could certainly get involved.
The Seahawks and Cowboys have also expressed interest in Suh, and Schultz tweets that Suh and Seattle head coach Pete Carroll have had two positive telephone conversations this week. The two men share a great deal of mutual respect, and Suh wants to visit the Seahawks.
The 31-year-old Suh may be getting older, but he’s still plenty productive. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 4 interior defensive lineman in the NFL in 2017, and he finished the season with 48 tackles and 4.5 sacks.