Free Agent Rumors: Ivory, Eagles, Powers
Chris Ivory wants roughly $6.5MM per year and is looking for at least a three-year commitment, Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday tweets. Some might view that as an ambitious ask, but Ivory could net that sort of deal this offseason given that there are many teams with significant cap space to use. On PFR’s list of top free agent running backs, Ivory stands as the No. 4 option behind Doug Martin, Lamar Miller, and Matt Forte.
Here are the very latest free agent rumors:
- The Eagles have reached out to linebacker Nigel Bradham, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The 26-year-old has a history with Philly DC Jim Schwartz.
- Jerraud Powers says he’s unsure about future with the Cardinals as free agency nears, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. “I think it’s close but at the same time, it’s not,” Powers said. “We’ve been in talks, but I don’t know what the waiting process is like. I’m starting to think that maybe they’re just going to move in another direction.” Powers, who made $4.35MM last season, wants a three- or four-year deal. He also says that he wants to join a club with a “winning pedigree” that can contend in 2016.
- The Giants are nowhere near done making moves on the defensive line, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. Raanan cautions to expect several more big moves. Earlier today, the Giants reached agreement with JPP on a new deal.
- Charles Johnson has already visited the Giants and Buccaneers, but he might be signing with a different club based on the tone of this tweet. “2mor u will know my future!!! It’s going to be epic,” Johnson wrote.
FA Rumors: Osweiler, Sean Smith, Adam Jones
The latest rumors on a slew of free agents-to-be:
- The Broncos have offered quarterback Brock Osweiler a three-year contract worth ~$39MM, according to Troy Renck of The Denver Post. That runs a bit contrary to a weekend report that stated the Broncos had offered $45MM for three years.
- Seven teams have expressed interest in Jets running back Chris Ivory, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). The Buccaneers and Raiders are among those clubs, per a report from earlier tonight.
- The Raiders “have reached out” to Chiefs corner Sean Smith‘s camp, per Scott Bair CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). Smith is the fourth high-profile pending free agent whom the Raiders have been connected to today, joining Ivory, Malik Jackson and Kelechi Osemele (links to Jackson and Osemele stories: 1, 2).
- Bengals veteran corner Adam Jones has several potential suitors, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who lists the Ravens, Browns, Dolphins, Raiders, Cowboys and Vikings as teams that could end up with the 32-year-old. The Bengals would like to retain Jones, per Florio.
- The Bears are expected to go after Patriots defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Bears general manager Ryan Pace and player personnel director Josh Lucas were in the Saints’ front office when they drafted Hicks in 2012, Biggs notes.
- The Giants, Eagles, Dolphins and Bears are interested in Chargers corner Patrick Robinson, reports ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link).
Bucs Interested In Chris Ivory, Lamar Miller
5:50pm: You can count the Raiders as one of “a bunch of teams” with interest in Ivory, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
5:26pm: The Buccaneers have expressed interest in Jets free agent running back Chris Ivory, according to Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). The Bucs’ want to keep Doug Martin, but if they can’t reach a deal with him, Ivory could be a potential replacement. The Bucs are also expected to make a play for Lamar Miller if they lose Martin (link). 
Ivory, who will celebrate his 28th birthday in a few weeks, set career highs last season in carries (247), rushing yards (1,070), and total touchdowns (eight). If the Jets do not retain Ivory, he will stand as one of the more appealing free agent running back options of the offseason. PFR recently ranked Ivory as the fourth-best running back available this offseason, behind Martin, Miller, and Matt Forte.
Miller, 25 in April, ran for 872 yards with eight touchdowns in 2015. He is reportedly hoping to land a deal similar to DeMarco Murray‘s pact from last year, but it was reported earlier today that his market is in the $4-5MM range rather than $8MM. The Dolphins hope to re-sign Miller, but if he is insistent on Murray money, it’s not hard to envision that they will let him test the market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Nelson, Falcons, Giants, Conte
The latest free agent rumors as Wednesday draws closer:
- The Falcons have expressed interest in Bengals safety Reggie Nelson, according to a source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Nelson hauled in a league-leading eight interceptions last season.
- The Giants have expressed interest in Vikings free agent guard Mike Harris, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). Harris is currently mulling a two-year, $3.5MM offer from Minnesota.
- Buccaneers safety Chris Conte is drawing interest from multiple teams, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Bucs want him back, but he’ll explore the market before making a commitment.
- The Texans are holding discussions with cornerback A.J. Bouye about a potential new contract, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. The Texans can retain Bouye with a low tender of $1.671MM, but it sounds like they might work out a one-year deal at a lower rate instead. The 24-year-old entered the league in 2013 as a UDFA out of UCF.
- Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) believes that free agent tight end Rob Housler will ultimately wind up back with the Bears.
RFA Tender Signings & Decisions: 3/7/16
When teams assign first- or second-round tenders to their restricted free agents, or when those RFAs accept the tender, we’ll devote full news stories to those moves. For news concerning everyone else getting the lower tenders, we’ll round it up in the space below, with the latest updates added to the top of the list throughout the day….
- Fullback James Develin announced that he is returning to the Patriots on a one-year deal, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. The Patriots did not plan to tender Develin an offer at $1.6MM, so the two sides worked out a reduced one-year pact (link).
- Defensive tackle Stefan Charles will not be tendered an offer by the Bills, per John Kryk of The Toronto Sun (on Twitter). Defensive tackle Corbin Bryant, wide receiver Chris Hogan, and tackle Jordan Mills were tendered offers, however. There could be some teams interested in Hogan, Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News tweets, and that low tender might not ward of interested clubs.
- Washington has tendered a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Duke Ihenacho, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Fullback Jorvorskie Lane will not be getting a tender from the Buccaneers, Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times tweets.
- The Panthers will not tender defensive end Frank Alexander an offer or re-sign him, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Alexander must sit out until November thanks to his third drug suspension.
FA Rumors: Whitehead, Clayborn, Vikings, Jags
With Kiko Alonso set to head to Miami once the trade between the Dolphins and Eagles becomes official, Philadelphia will be in the market for a new linebacker. And Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com hears that the Eagles are targeting a player with whom new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is familiar.
According to Shorr-Parks, the Eagles have expressed interest in Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead, who can become a free agent this week. Whitehead ranked as our top non-rush outside linebacker when we examined 2016’s top defensive free agents over the weekend, and he’d represent an upgrade over Alonso. However, he’ll also be more expensive, so we’ll see if Howie Roseman and the Eagles can make it work.
Here’s more updates on free agents around the NFL:
- Free agent defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn, who has experience playing inside and outside, is drawing interest from a few teams, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Rapoport identifies the Giants, Jaguars, Cowboys, and Dolphins as some of the clubs “lurking” on Clayborn.
- Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press passes along a couple updates on the Vikings‘ free agent prospects, reporting (via Twitter) that the team has inquired on safety Reggie Nelson, who previously played for Mike Zimmer in Cincinnati. Tomasson adds (via Twitter) that he’s hearing offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele may be too expensive for Minnesota.
- Could defensive lineman Malik Jackson be a top target for the Jaguars this week? Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains why it could be a good match, noting that Jacksonville is believed to have several targets for the first wave of free agency.
- Free agent wide receiver James Jones tells Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link) that he wants to keep playing for “at least three more years”
- Buccaneers safety Keith Tandy, an unrestricted free agent, has been in talks to return to Tampa Bay, and there’s a good chance he re-signs with the team within the next few days, says Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).
Mitchell Schwartz Drawing Interest From Giants, Others
Browns right tackle Mitchell Schwartz is drawing interest from several teams, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. The Buccaneers, Giants, Vikings, and Falcons are all expressing interest in signing the talented offensive lineman. 
Cabot writes that Schwartz is in line to become the highest-paid right tackle in the league at roughly $8.5MM per year. Eagles lineman Lane Johnson presently ranks first at $11.25MM, but he’s expected to eventually shift to left tackle. Since the Browns took Schwartz in the second round of the 2012 draft, he has appeared in and started 64 straight games. For his work last season, the 26-year-old ranked sixth out of 77 qualifying tackles by Pro Football Focus’ standards (subscription required).
The Browns may or may not be willing to pay left tackle money to re-sign their right tackle, but it appears that one of these interested suitors could make that jump.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
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.
Lovie Smith To Coach University Of Illinois
Lovie Smith is the new coach of the Fighting Illini, the University of Illinois has announced. Smith will take over the program on a contract that will pay him $21MM over six years, per the team’s press release. Smith’s contract at Illinois is back-loaded so the Buccaneers will save $4MM and still owe him $6MM after his firing, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. 
“I am extremely excited to be named head coach of the Fighting Illini,” Smith said. “Josh approached me about this possibility, and I immediately seized on the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the young men who are part of the program today and in the future. I take this responsibility very seriously and can’t wait to get a staff in place to start our move to make Illinois a contender for Big Ten titles. We will play an exciting brand of football that will make our fans, alumni, student body and members of the University community extremely proud.”
In January, the Buccaneers fired Smith, a move that surprised many. Smith’s Bucs went 6-10 in 2015 but after he survived the calendar year, most observers assumed that his job was safe. Ultimately, the Bucs did not want to lose hot head coaching candidate Dirk Koetter to another team, so they fired Smith and elevated Koetter in his place.
As the press release notes, Smith is now the second coach to go straight from head coach in the NFL to head coach at Champaign-Urbana after John Mackovic made the move in 1988, going from the Chiefs to the Fighting Illini.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: Cousins, White, Giants, Bucs
Washington and the Eagles lined up their 2016 quarterbacks within days of each other, with Kirk Cousins staying in D.C. on the franchise tag and Sam Bradford signing a two-year deal to remain in Philadelphia.
Washington, however, was concerned the Eagles were going to pursue Cousins if it didn’t apply the franchise tag or designated the fifth-year quarterback with the transition tag, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
Florio points out Cousins’ familiarity in an offense closer to the West Coast attack Doug Pederson runs would have made the Mike Shanahan-drafted signal-caller attractive to the Eagles.
Here’s more from some NFC destinations as the 2015 league year nears its conclusion.
- Roddy White‘s release from the Falcons stemmed from the receiver’s relationship with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, White’s agent, Jonathan Feinsod, told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “There is one reason Roddy is no longer with the Falcons and it is Kyle Shanahan,” Feinsod told Ledbetter. “Kyle forced the Falcons to choose between him or Roddy.” White also contended Kyle Shanahan did not feature him much in the Falcons’ offense after he arrived from Cleveland in 2015, with the recently released wideout telling ESPN’s Vaughn McClure “I expected to play a bigger role in the offense, and that’s what I wanted to do. But he didn’t have that in his desires. He had other people that he wanted to play my role, so he wanted me to be out of the [offense].” White’s 43 receptions in 16 games last season were 37 fewer than he caught in 2014 in 14 contests. Falcons coach Dan Quinn denied consulting with Shanahan prior to making the decision to release the 34-year-old White, according to Ledbetter.
- A source close to Calvin Johnson tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press there’s “nothing to report” on Megatron’s potential retirement. Birkett notes the Lions are expected to pursue receiving help. Johnson is on Detroit’s books for $24.01MM as of now.
- The Giants engaged in discussions with Jason Pierre-Paul and Robert Ayers but couldn’t come to terms, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reports. He expects both to enter unrestricted free agency and begin talking with teams Monday.
- Vacchiano also notes the Cowboys are expected to have interest in former Buccaneers first-round pick Adrian Clayborn, whom the Giants are expected to pursue as well. The 27-year-old Clayborn started five games for the Falcons last season and 16 in both the 2011 and ’13 seasons with the Bucs, respectively. The Cowboys could lose Greg Hardy and will be without Randy Gregory for four games in 2016.
- Georgia Southern outside linebacker Antoine Williams worked out for the Bucs, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports. The Bucs are expected to release Bruce Carter and did not tender RFA Danny Lansanah, so they’ll likely be in the market for outside-linebacking help.