Seahawks, Browns On DE Derrick Shelby’s Visit Schedule
Derrick Shelby sought a Falcons release last week in order to get a head start on free agency, and the veteran defensive end is now gauging the market.
Shelby met with the Seahawks on Thursday and plans to head to Cleveland for a Browns summit before free agency begins, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Falcons released Shelby late last week after he’d started 14 games last season. However, the 29-year-old edge defender has only registered one sack over the past two seasons (22 games). Pro Football Focus graded Shelby as one of the better run defenders among 4-3 ends, however, and the Seahawks and Browns could be eyeing him as a rotational pass-rushing option.
The Seahawks traded Michael Bennett on Wednesday to deplete their defensive end corps, and the Browns don’t have a surefire starter opposite Myles Garrett. Although, Carl Nassib graded as a better run-stopper than Shelby did in 2017.
Money will be no object for Cleveland, but the seventh-year player — PFR’s No. 12 edge defender free agent — is not expected to command an especially lucrative contract.
Patriots Made Best Offer For Bennett?
Michael Bennett is preparing to trek to Philadelphia and join the defending Super Bowl champions, but the Eagles’ most recent opponent made a strong push to bring the defensive end to New England.
The Patriots are believed to have made a last-ditch effort to acquire Bennett from the Seahawks, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports they did so after the team had essentially completed their deal with the Eagles.
It’s unclear precisely what the Patriots offered, but it’s believed to have been better than the fifth-round pick/Marcus Johnson package the Seahawks will receive from the Eagles. Diana Russini of ESPN reported on Wednesday a third team stalled this deal, and the Patriots — one of a few additional teams interested in Bennett — look to have been the team that did so.
However, the Seahawks did not want to go back on a verbal agreement with the Eagles. The sides finalized the trade on Tuesday morning, per Rapoport. And Martellus Bennett, whom the Patriots are cutting, was ready to reduce his salary to help make room for his brother, Rapoport reports.
“The Bennett brothers were going nuts trying to get it somehow so they could play together on the Patriots,” Rapoport said during an appearance on NFL Up to the Minute. “I know Martellus Bennett was talking about taking less salary, trying to stick around so the Patriots could then trade for his brother. … Now, from what I am told, this was basically done, a done deal between the Seahawks and Eagles. Then the Patriots came in late and said ‘Well, maybe we’ll give you this’ — a little bit better draft-pick compensation.
“The problem was the deal was basically already done. … The Seahawks are honorable people and they did the deal that was basically consummated earlier.”
So, rather than deal with their Super Bowl XLIX opponent, the Seahawks opted to send the 32-year-old defensive end to a conference team, thus denying the Bennett brothers a chance to play on the same team for the first time since their days at Texas A&M.
The Patriots did manage to increase their sack numbers last season compared to their 2016 effort, but Bennett would have provided a clear upgrade for a team that’s steadily seen some core edge components stripped.
Seahawks Set High Price For Earl Thomas
The Seahawks don’t view Earl Thomas as untouchable, but any team looking to acquire him will have to give up a lot of draft capital, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com hears (video link). Garafolo likens the Seahawks’ view on Thomas to the team’s stance on Richard Sherman trade talk in 2017. The team did not shoo away suitors, but instead asked for a first- and third-round pick for him. Ultimately, no one met that asking price. 
[RELATED: Seahawks Host RB Jonathan Stewart On Visit]
The same can’t be said for Sherman in 2018. The Seahawks are willing to move the cornerback and, at this juncture, they’ll take “whatever they can get for him,” Garafolo hears. While Sherman still performed reasonably well in his injury-shortened season, teams are not eager to pick up his $11MM contract. If the Seahawks cannot find a suitable trade and Sherman does not agree to a pay cut, it seems likely that he’ll be released outright. Other teams are well aware of that and, therefore, are willing to wait things out and see if they can instead sign Sherman as a free agent. Sherman’s health status is also a barrier to a potential trade.
Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times first reported that the Seahawks are seeking a first-round pick in addition to a mid-round selection for Thomas. The safety is set to carry a $10.4MM charge this season and may look for a deal worth $13MM per year beyond his current contract.
Seahawks Host Jonathan Stewart On Visit
Former Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart is visiting the Seahawks on Thursday, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Garafolo adds that Seattle is looking at “all options” to ignite the running game. 
The Panthers cut Stewart, one of their longest-tenured players, in late February. Stewart found his role downsized in Carolina, but he may get an opportunity for more carries elsewhere. After a backfield combo involving free agent pickup Eddie Lacy flopped in 2017, the Panthers are searching high and low for solutions.
It’s not clear if Stewart has a whole lot left in the tank at this point in his career. In his younger days, Stewart impressed with 1,133 yards and ten touchdowns in the 2009 season. In 2011, he turned in a career-high average of 5.4 yards per carry. He also flirted with 1,000 yards as recently as 2015. However, he didn’t do much last season as had a career-low 3.4 yards per tote behind rookie Christian McCaffrey.
Latest On Richard Sherman, Seahawks
The Seahawks are likely to explore a trade of cornerback Richard Sherman after meeting with him earlier today, but it sounds as through other options on the table, as well, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Seattle is also open to releasing Sherman or retaining him at a salary lower than his scheduled $11MM.
Furthermore, the Seahawks could opt to cut Sherman and then re-sign him at a cheaper rate, adds Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). That would allow Sherman to gauge his market before potentially accepting a reduced salary to return to the only team he’s ever known. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap opines (via Twitter), it may not make much sense for Sherman to take a pay cut, as he could likely match his $11MM salary on the open market.
As recently as last week, Rapoport indicated Sherman wouldn’t be able to be traded any time soon given that he currently can’t pass a physical, and it’s unclear if Sherman’s health status has changed in that brief time. But the Seahawks have been down this road before, as they dangled Sherman in 2017. Seattle ultimately dropped its asking price for Sherman to a first-round and a mid-round selection, but no deal was ever made
Sherman, who will turn 30 years old later this month, appeared in nine games last season before going down with a torn Achilles. Prior to that injury, however, Sherman was still playing like a top-end cornerback, and graded as the league’s No. 33 CB among 121 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Additionally, he ranked 16th in Football Outsiders‘ yards per pass allowed and 17th in success rate.
Fallout From Michael Bennett Trade
The Seahawks and Eagles hammered out a major trade on Wednesday, as defensive lineman Michael Bennett will now head to Philadelphia in a deal that also included a swap of draft picks. Seattle, for their part, looks to be undergoing an overhaul on the defensive side of the ball: not only have the Seahawks made a change at coordinator, but Cliff Avril, Kam Chancellor, and — most recently — Richard Sherman are among the veterans who could be moving on. Along its defensive line, Seattle is likely betting former draft bust Dion Jordan can play a larger role in 2018, while trading Bennett will also clear cap space that could be used to re-sign defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.
Here’s more fallout and reaction to today’s deal:
- Philadelphia wasn’t the only club interested in acquiring Bennett, as the Patriots, Browns, Buccaneers, and the previously-reported Falcons also had their eye on the veteran — and versatile — defensive lineman, tweets Dianna Russini of ESPN.com. None of the reported teams should come as complete surprises: the Patriots, for one, have landed Bennett’s brother Martellus on two separate occasions, while the Browns boast the most salary cap space and draft capital in the league. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, also reportedly discussed acquiring edge rusher Robert Quinn before Los Angeles dealt him to Miami.
- The Eagles and Seahawks first struck agreement on Tuesday morning, but a third team jumped in and the deal stalled, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). While it’s unclear what club approached Philadelphia at the last second, it would make sense if it were one of the teams listed above. By Tuesday night, it was apparent Bennett would be dealt to the Eagles, but Philadelphia’s front office was still researching the deal, per Rapoport. While this is purely speculation, it’s possible Seattle was able to wrangle a bit more compensation for Bennett given that unnamed third team’s interest.
- With Bennett now in Philadelphia, the Eagles seem incredibly likely to part ways with fellow defensive lineman Vinny Curry. More than half ($5MM of $9MM) of Curry’s 2018 base salary will become fully guaranteed on March 18, so the Eagles will likely need to make a decision on his fate before that date. While reports initially indicated Curry would be released, the Eagles are — or at least, were — working to retain Curry at a cheaper salary. Philadelphia was projected to be $10MM+ over the cap before acquiring Bennett, so it likely won’t be able to afford a luxury like Curry.
- Speaking of cap space, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com provided a good breakdown of where the Eagles now stand following the Bennett trade, and also examined several players whom Philadelphia could cut or trade in order to comply with the cap.
Seahawks To Meet With Brian Cushing
Free agent linebacker Brian Cushing will meet with the Seahawks on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). This could be the start of a reunion for Cushing and Pete Carroll, who served as his head coach at USC. 
[RELATED: Seahawks Trade Michael Bennett To Eagles]
Cushing comes with question marks, including two career PED violations, the most recent of which cost him ten games in 2017. He has also struggled with knee issues that sidelined him in 2012 and 2013. Still, he was a significant contributor for the Texans in 2015 and 2016.
Cushing started all 104 regular season games he played with the Texans over the course of nine seasons with the team. Despite his achievements, the aforementioned bans and injuries will hamper his market. We have Cushing ranked as just the 12th best linebacker in this year’s class, a group that is topped by Nigel Bradham, NaVorro Bowman, Zach Brown, Preston Brown, and Anthony Hitchens.
He may prove to be a cost-effective addition to the Seahawks who are working to bolster their front seven in the wake of Wednesday’s Michael Bennett trade. The Bennett deal might not be the team’s only major shakeup today as they are also set to meet with Richard Sherman to discuss his future.
Seahawks Trade Michael Bennett To Eagles
Trade alert! The Seahawks are sending defensive end Michael Bennett and a seventh-round pick to the Eagles for a fifth-round pick and wide receiver Marcus Johnson, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Facebook link). Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) first reported that Bennett was Philadelphia-bound. 
[RELATED: Seahawks To Also Part Ways With Richard Sherman?]
Bennett has been the subject of trade speculation for months now and the Falcons were among the teams to express interest in acquiring him recently. The return for him may seem underwhelming given his ability, but his market was suppressed by his contract, which still has three seasons and $26MM left.
The Seahawks’ loss is now the Eagles’ gain. Bennett didn’t have his best season in 2017, but he did earn a third Pro Bowl nod as he registered 8.5 sacks. His inside pass rush ability helped to propel Seattle to the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons and he’ll look to do more of the same for the defending champs. The Eagles project to start a defensive line of Bennett, Cox, Derek Barnett, and Brandon Graham, and that’s as good of a D-Line as you’ll find in the NFL.
After acquiring Bennett, the Eagles may explore a potential trade of defensive end Vinny Curry, Schefter tweets. The Eagles like Curry, but his cap number for 2018 is a bit too pricey given their limited amount of room.
The Bennett deal opens up roughly $2.2MM in cap space for the Seahawks, though they’re still saddled with about $5.2MM in dead money. The trade also helped Seattle escape the $3MM bonus he was due later this month and freed them of the future seasons left on his deal. The Eagles now assume that contract, which has Bennett under control through the 2020 season.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks gain an insurance policy in the event that Paul Richardson leaves in free agency. Given the buzz surrounding him, it’s very possible that they’ll lose him on the open market. Enter Johnson, who has posted a 40-yard-dash time of 4.36 seconds in the past. He doesn’t have a stat line that comes close to Richardson (he had just five grabs for 45 yards last season), but his speed could allow him to fill a similar role in Seattle.
Richard Sherman, Seahawks Discuss Future
Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has been the subject of trade speculation this offseason. We may soon get a sense of what is in store for him. Sherman is scheduled to meet with coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider to discuss his future, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
This “meeting” may not take place in person, however. Pelissero reports that the two sides will meet on Wednesday, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link) hears that Sherman is in transit to NFLPA meetings in Las Vegas, which begin on Thursday. Any talks regarding Sherman’s future will take place while the veteran is in Vegas, according to Schefter.
Sherman has been wishing teammates farewell over the past 24 hours, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter), though nothing has been set in stone yet. Jeremy Lane seemed to hint at receiving a goodbye text from Sherman on Twitter, but No. 25 told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he’s “not sure what that’s about.”
In any case, it’s clear that Sherman’s Seattle future is in flux. The Seahawks can save $11MM by parting ways with Sherman, but he’d have to gain medically clearance before being traded. Sherman says that he should be back on the field by June after having surgeries to fix his Achilles as well as a bone spur (Twitter link via Pelissero). With free agency just around the corner, an outright release cannot be ruled out for one of the league’s most prominent corners.
Sherman ranked as the 33rd-best CB in the league in 2017 this year, per Pro Football Focus. His 82.7 overall score was solid, but it is also a career-low for him. His ruptured Achilles tendon in November is also a concern and the Seahawks might not be able to justify keeping him at his current cost. A pay cut would make some sense here, but one has to wonder if Sherman’s pride would be a barrier.
Redskins Eyeing WR Allen Robinson, Paul Richardson
If Allen Robinson is not franchise tagged by the Jaguars today, the Redskins will be among the teams ready to pounce on him, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Keim adds that Seahawks free agent Paul Richardson is also among the receivers who are of interest to the Redskins. 
[RELATED: Top 2018 Offensive Free Agents, By Position]
Robinson stands as my top ranked free agent wide receiver this year, edging Sammy Watkins. Beyond those two, there are no surefire WR1 types to be had, but Richardson (ranked sixth) does offer promise.
Last year, the Redskins tried to fortify their receiver group by signing Terrelle Pryor and Brian Quick in free agency. Neither signing really panned out as Quick barely played and Pryor hardly produced. But, with at least one of those receivers likely to move on, there is room for the team to reload and try its hand at finding weapons through free agency once more.
Signing both Robinson and Richardson in a seller’s WR market could be hard to pull off, even with $47.7MM of cap space at the Redskins’ disposal. However, the Redskins realistically only need one impact receiver with Josh Doctson and Jamison Crowder already under contract. Alternatively, Washington could sign one top WR and potentially re-sign Pryor at a cheaper rate once he explores the open market.