Charles Johnson To Visit Buccaneers
8:41pm: Johnson’s visit with the Giants is expected to continue into Monday, but the free agent end will fly to Tampa soon after on Monday to visit with the Bucs, ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson reports (on Twitter). Johnson’s dinner with Giants representatives Sunday night reportedly went well, per Anderson (via Twitter).
1:24pm: After being released by the Panthers last week, veteran defensive end Charles Johnson is already drawing interest from pass rush-needy clubs around the league. As we learned yesterday, Johnson is set to meet with the Giants today, and according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Johnson will follow that trip with a visit to the Buccaneers.
[RELATED: Free agent RB Doug Martin likely to hit the open market]
Tampa Bay ranked in the middle of the pack in terms of getting after the quarterback in 2015, finishing 14th in sacks and 16th in adjusted sack rate. A lot of the Buccaneers’ pressure came from the interior, namely Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, as Jacquies Smith was the only Tampa end with more than five sacks. Smith is an exclusive-rights free agent (and expected to be offered a tender, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times), but other players along the Bucs’ front four — Henry Melton and Da’Quan Bowers, for example — are headed for unrestricted free agency.
Johnson, then, would be a nice fit for a club that needs to generate more pressure, and he comes with the added bonus of knowing his way around the NFC South. Though he played in only nine games in 2015 and posted only a single sack, Johnson was also hampered by injury, so his performance can be somewhat excused. Johnson isn’t exactly washed up, either, as he’s still under 30 years old, and averaged 11 sacks per season from 2012-14.
Because he was released, Johnson is free to sign with any club at any time — he doesn’t have to wait until Wednesday like the majority of NFL free agents.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bucs Expected To Cut LB Bruce Carter
The Buccaneers are expected to release linebacker Bruce Carter on Monday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Carter will get a slight jump on free agency, hitting the market two days before the majority of UFAs.
[RELATED: Free agent DE Charles Johnson to visit Buccaneers]
Tampa Bay rarely employs signing bonuses, and because it didn’t use one when signing Carter prior to last season, the club won’t incur any dead money. Instead, the Buccaneers will not only avoid paying a $750K roster bonus, but they’ll clear Carter’s scheduled base salaries of $4.25MM over the next three seasons. Following Carter’s release, Tampa will have more than $50MM in cap space when the free agent period begins.
Carter, 28, will last only a single season with the Buccaneers after spending the first four years of his career with the Cowboys. An outside linebacker in Dallas, Carter was expected to serve as Tampa’s middle linebacker, but quickly lost the job to rookie Kwon Alexander, and ended up playing less than 30% of the Bucs’ defensive snaps.
We learned last week that the Buccaneers won’t tender an offer to restricted free agent Danny Lansanah, so with Carter also gone, the club will need at least one new linebacker to play alongside Alexander and LaVonte David.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
South Notes: Lovie, Bucs, Mankins, Norman
Former Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith is expected to become the new head coach at the University of Illinois, according to Ryan Baker of CBS Chicago (Twitter link). Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports has also confirmed the likely hire. Smith’s move back to the state of Illinois — where he coached the Bears for nine seasons — has repercussions in Tampa Bay, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter link) that Smith’s contract with the Bucs contained offset language pertaining to any football job, not just those in the NFL. Therefore, Tampa is likely to going to recoup some of the $10MM it owes to Smith under the terms of his old deal.
Let’s take a look at more out from Tampa Bay and the NFL’s other South division clubs…
- Free agent offensive lineman Nate Chandler was released by the Panthers earlier this week, but he’s now getting attention from another NFC South team, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Buccaneers are interested in Chandler. As Auman writes, Tampa’s interest in Chandler — who can play both tackle and guard — could be a sign that the club expects veteran Logan Mankins to retire. Mankins hasn’t yet made a final decision, per Auman, but he will let the Bucs know his choice before free agency starts.
- Panthers cornerback Josh Norman isn’t going to accept a long-term deal that he considers to be below his market value, and he’s fine with playing out the season on the franchise tag, writes Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. Norman won’t accept a hometown discount, as he tells Jones, but he dispensed with any notion that he would hold out of training camp in an attempt to spur Carolina into offering more money.
- Safety Earl Wolff, who signed a futures contract with the Jaguars in January, was abducted by a group of armed men in Fayetteville, North Carolina on February 23, according to Thomas Pope of the Fayetteville Observer. Wolff was released unharmed, and one of alleged kidnappers was arrested on Wednesday.
Bucs’ Talks With Doug Martin Break Down
Doug Martin appeared headed for the free agent market as potentially the No. 1 running back available, but the Buccaneers engaged i
n discussions to retain the fifth-year running back.
Those talks did not materialize into common ground, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, who reports Martin will be expected to discuss his worth with other teams once the legal tampering period opens Monday.
Discussions between and Martin’s agent, Brian Murphy, ventured into Saturday afternoon without a solution that will keep the NFL’s second-leading rusher last season away from free agency.
We heard last week Martin was hoping to “hit the jackpot” in free agency after producing the second 1,400-yard rushing season of his career. Martin’s 1,402 ground yards last season also came on a career-best 4.9-yards-per-carry average. Martin, however, sputtered in his second and third seasons, combining to gain fewer than 1,000 yards and saw his per-carry average slink below 4.0.
Charles Sims matched Martin’s per-tote average, albeit on 181 fewer carries, but served as a superior passing-game option in gaining 561 yards compared to Martin’s 271.
Lamar Miller, Matt Forte, Chris Ivory and now Arian Foster would join Martin, who turned 27 in January, as the top proven ball-carriers on the market if the Bucs 2012 first-round pick becomes available for discussions with other teams.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Free Agent Rumors: M. Jones, C. Long, Crick
Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones is expected to get a “huge” deal in free agency, according to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com, who tweets that Jones is the top wideout on most NFL free agent boards. While that may come as a surprise for those who haven’t been paying close attention to the available players at the position, it makes sense when considering the alternatives.
When Alshon Jeffery received the franchise tag this week from the Bears, the top free agent wide receiver was removed from the equation (unless a team is willing to part with two first-round picks to land him). That leaves Jones, Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Anquan Boldin, and Rueben Randle among the receivers in line for the biggest deals. And don’t forget Jones’ teammate, Mohamed Sanu — Russini tweets that he’s also in line for a nice payday.
As we wait to see how the wide receiver market plays out, let’s check in on a few other free agent notes and rumors from around the NFL….
- Although he was cut by the Rams after another injury-plagued season, veteran defensive end Chris Long is “100% healthy,” per Russini, who tweets that Long only wants to sign with a Super Bowl contender.
- Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who technically remains a free agent until his franchise tender is signed, may come off the market very soon. Peter Schrager of FOX Sports tweets that Johnson is expected to accept his tender later today.
- The Texans are expected to try to re-sign defensive end Jared Crick, whose rookie contract is expiring, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Crick, who operates primarily as a run-stopper, will likely draw interest from other teams when the legal tampering period begins on Monday, but he has indicated he “would love to be back” in Houston.
- Cornerback Sterling Moore will almost certainly hit the open market next week, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, who tweets that the Buccaneers could still re-sign Moore, but will let him gauge his value.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/3/16
Today’s round of minor transactions around the NFL is dominated by exclusive-rights free agents. ERFAs are players with less than three years of NFL experience, who don’t have a contract for 2016.
While these players are technically considered free agents, they don’t have any real freedom when it comes to picking their destinations — if their current teams want them back, all those clubs have to do is submit an ERFA tender (typically worth the minimum salary), which precludes those players from negotiating with any other teams.
Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:
- The Bears have tendered a contract offer to ERFA wide receiver Josh Bellamy, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Bellamy saw a decent amount of playing time on offense, catching 19 passes for 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and was also one of the club’s top contributors on special teams.
- The Cardinals have assigned ERFA tenders to defensive tackle Josh Mauro and tight end Ifeanyi Momah, signaling that they want to bring back those players, the team announced today on its website. Momah missed the 2015 campaign with a knee injury, while Mauro was a depth piece on Arizona’s defensive line.
- The Titans have re-signed ERFA running back Antonio Andrews, the club announced in a press release. The move is classified as a re-signing rather than a simple contract tender because Andrews has already signed the offer. He figures to compete for a roster spot in Tennessee in 2016.
- The Buccaneers have assigned an ERFA tender to long snapper Andrew DePaola, agent Sean Stellato tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). DePaola has been Tampa Bay’s full-time long snapper since the start of the 2014 season.
Extra Points: Shorts, Roddy, Allen, Titans, Bucs
Veteran receiver Cecil Shorts is expected to return to the Texans and finish out the second and final year of the two-year contract he signed prior to the 2015 season, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Shorts, 28, appeared in 11 games last year, catching 42 passes for 484 yards and two touchdowns. Houston could save almost $3MM by releasing Shorts, but with fellow pass-catcher Nate Washington heading for free agency, the club will need options out wide.
Let’s dive into a few more items from around the league…
- Having already identified the Buccaneers as a possible for suitor for free agent Roddy White, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link) also points to the Titans and Raiders as potential landing spots for the veteran receiver. It’s unclear if Rapoport is reporting or just making connections, but either way, each club makes sense — both Tennessee (Terry Robiskie) and Oakland (Bill Musgrave) field offenses run by former members of Atlanta’s coaching staff.
- Pending free agent tight end Dwayne Allen hopes he doesn’t even make it to free agency, as he’d prefer to work out an agreement with the Colts before March 9, he told 1070 The Fan today (link via Kevin Bowen of Colts.com). Allen, along with fellow Indianapolis free agent Coby Fleener, would be one of the most sought-after tight ends on the open market. Allen recently hired agent Drew Rosenhaus, who has a history of getting deals done with the Colts, as his new representation.
- The Buccaneers will not tender restricted free agent linebacker Danny Lansanah, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). The 30-year-old Lansanah has bounced around the league, and he’ll now become an unrestricted free agent next week. Per Auman, the Tampa Bay could re-sign Lansanah at a later date (and presumably, at a cheaper price than even the lowest tender).
Free Agent Rumors: Roddy, Irvin, Conte, Mack
The Falcons released wide receiver Roddy White earlier today, ensuring that the veteran pass-catcher won’t spend a 12th season in Atlanta. But another NFC club could soon come calling, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) says the Buccaneers are a team to “keep an eye on” as White looks for his new home. The connection makes sense, as new Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter was the Falcons offensive coordinator from 2012-14.
Only one week remains until the start of free agency, so let’s round up the latest rumors…
- In a piece looking at NFL free agency from a broad point-of-view, John Clayton of ESPN.com suggests that Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin should be able to garner $9.5MM per year on the open market, and points to the Jaguars and Falcons as potential suitors. But according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), NFL front offices “would do cartwheels” if Irvin could be had for that price, as the 28-year-old is expected to command a “significantly higher” salary.
- The Buccaneers are meeting with the agent for free agent safety Chris Conte this week as part of an effort to re-sign him before the beginning of free agency, reports Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). A report last week indicated that Tampa would like to retain Conte, who just finished up his first season with the club after four years in Chicago.
- Running back Matt Asiata will hit free agency for the first time next week, and the Vikings seem to want to keep him around, writes Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Minnesota reportedly values Asiata’s pass-blocking acumen, as well as his prowess near the goal line.
- Center Alex Mack opted out of his Browns contract earlier today, and is now the top center available in free agency. One team that isn’t expected to show interest in signing Mack is the Cardinals, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, who notes that the Cards simply have too many internal free agents and other holes to fill to cough up the $10MM salary that Mack will surely request.
Big Name Rumors: Kaepernick, Miller, Martin
Let’s take a look at some rumors surrounding the biggest names of this offseason, beginning with updates on Colin Kaepernick and Von Miller.
- Contrary to yesterday’s speculation from Ian Rapoport, John McClain of The Houston Chronicle tweets that the Texans have “no interest” in trading for Kaepernick. Likewise, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Browns are not interested in dealing for Kaepernick at this time.
- As Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee observes, now that Kaepernick’s unhappiness with the 49ers is public knowledge, the team has zero leverage in trade talks. Instead of being traded, Kaepernick would reportedly prefer to be released, an alternative that would probably lead to less money for him but would allow him to choose his next destination. However, a release is probably not in the cards, as Mark Purdy of The San Jose Mercury News writes. Purdy recently interviewed team owner Jed York at length, and York reaffirmed his belief in Kaepernick and expressed his hope that No. 7 is wearing a 49ers uniform next season. Plus, even if Kaepernick is still on the team’s roster on April 1, which would make his $11.9MM salary for 2016 fully guaranteed, San Francisco would still be able to trade him and at least get something in return, instead of releasing him prior to April 1 and netting no compensation.
- Of course, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, York’s comments could simply be a thinly-veiled attempt to restore some leverage to the 49ers in their efforts to deal Kaepernick, leverage that they may need even more now that the Texans and Browns are reportedly not interested in making a deal for the disgruntled signal-caller.
- Mike Klis of 9News.com tweets that the Broncos and Miller still have a lot of work to do before Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline, but he says that talks are still ongoing and the implication is that both sides are hopeful that a long-term deal can be struck before Denver is forced to use the tag. As Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post reported several days ago, Miller is motivated to reach an accord, and the two sides are not terribly far apart in their negotiations.
- Antonio Cromartie might not be garnering many national headlines at this point, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the veteran cornerback, who was recently released by the Jets, is expected to meet with the Bills. Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan is reportedly interested in a reunion with Cromartie, who played under Ryan in New York from 2011-2013 and who earned Pro Bowl nods in 2012 and 2013.
- Although he does not not explicitly say that Doug Martin is likely to leave the Buccaneers, as a report suggested a few days ago, Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times does confirm that Martin is likely to reach free agency.
Doug Martin Likely To Leave Buccaneers?
Running back Doug Martin is more likely to sign with a team other than the Buccaneers on the first day of free agency, a league source tells Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune (on Twitter). Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said on Wednesday that he was optimistic about a deal getting done, but that might not come to fruition. 
The running back is reportedly “hoping to hit the jackpot” after a 1,400-yard season. If the Bucs don’t meet Martin’s asking price, the only way to keep him off the open market would be to franchise him, and that would be a pricey solution — the franchise tag for RBs is expected to exceed $11MM. Even though things aren’t looking good in talks right now, the two sides still have until March 9th to reach a deal before the running back can hit the open market.
The 31st-overall pick in the 2012 draft, the Boise State product originally signed a five-year, $6.79MM contract with the Buccaneers. As a rookie, Martin compiled 1,926 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns. His production tailed off after that, but he rebounded in a big way in 2015 and re-established his value at the best possible time. The Bucs consider him to be a high-priority free agent, but they might choose to let him walk if the asking price gets out of hand.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.