Extra Points: Spiller, Moore, Morgan
The latest from around the NFL..
- There was speculation about it at one point, but the Dolphins will not be chasing running back C.J. Spiller at this time, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.
- The Dolphins have been doing due diligence on finding a cheap backup defensive tackle in free agency, Salguero tweets. If they find one, that could spell the end of Randy Starks in Miami.
- Some connected Rahim Moore to the Raiders since Jack Del Rio was his defensive coordinator last year, but Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) hears that the Raiders won’t be in the mix for him.
- The Buccaneers lost out on defensive end Trent Cole, but they’re still in the mix for Jabaal Sheard and Derrick Morgan, Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune tweets. They’re also still in the running for Parker.
- The Titans still talking with Morgan, along with three other teams, Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean tweets.
- The Chiefs still have some interest in re-signing tackle Ryan Harris, but there’s nothing imminent on that front, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets.
- Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (on Twitter) heard that the Giants were closing in on free agent defensive tackle Dan Williams, but things quickly turned and Big Blue is no longer in the mix (link).
Cards, Jags, Bucs In Mix For DeMarco Murray?
The NFL’s rushing leader could officially hit the open market in about five and a half hours, and there are a handful of suitors expected to be in the mix for DeMarco Murray. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Cardinals and Jaguars appear to have interest in Murray, and the Buccaneers may be in play as well.
Since Rapoport’s report, however, a pair of local reporters have weighed in, with Kent Somers of Arizona Republic suggesting (via Twitter) that the Cards don’t have real interest in Murray. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Tribune adds (via Twitter) that Tampa Bay has discussed the possibility of signing Murray, but says he has been told Bucs fans shouldn’t get “overly excited” about the possibility.
That leaves the Jaguars, who look like perhaps the strongest outside suitor for Murray, and of course the Cowboys. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier today that the team hadn’t contacted its running back since last week, but Schefter’s ESPN colleague Todd Archer tweets that executive VP Stephen Jones was in touch last night.
Rapoport confirms (via Twitter) that Jones and Murray spoke, with the team making a final push to re-sign him. Archer says it’s not clear what the tenor of the discussion was, or how long it lasted, but the fact that the running back apparently removed all mention of the Cowboys from his Twitter account after the conversation doesn’t seem like a great sign for Dallas.
North Rumors: Forsett, Bengals, Iupati, Ravens
The latest out of the NFL’s North divisions:
- The Falcons, Washington, and the Colts are interested in Ravens free agent running back Justin Forsett, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome recently made it clear that he’d like to keep Forsett in Baltimore.
- If the Buccaneers cut defensive end Michael Johnson, the Bengals are hoping to orchestrate a reunion with him, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
- The Vikings never inquired on guard Mike Iupati, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets. The former 49ers standout is now reportedly headed to the Cardinals.
- Instead of using a restricted tender on special-teams ace Anthony Levine, the Ravens would like to bring him back on a longer-term contract, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
Minor Moves: Monday
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
- The Packers have informed running back DuJuan Harris they will not extend him an exclusive rights tender, Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel tweets.
- The Ravens are expected to assign an exclusive-rights free agent tender to running back Fitzgerald Toussaint, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
- The Steelers have offered one-year deals to restricted free agents Antwon Blake, Will Johnson, and Robert Golden, Scott Brown of ESPN tweets. All three will get the lower tender, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter).
- The Cardinals announced they’ve re-signed Alameda Ta’amu to a one-year contract, as Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports tweets. The Cards decided not to tender him but they have retained him at a lower salary.
- The 49ers will restructure their deal with safety Craig Dahl, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). It’s now a one-year, $1.3MM deal with a $200K signing bonus, a $175K roster bonus, and a $50K workout bonus.
- The Buccaneers announced that they have re-signed defensive ends Larry English and Lawrence Sidbury, tight end Luke Stocker and linebacker Jason Williams.
- The Ravens have assigned a $510K exclusive rights tender to offensive lineman Ryan Jensen, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Wilson (link) also hears that the Ravens have given wide receiver Kamar Aiken a $585K exclusive rights tender.
- The Ravens gave cornerback Tramain Jacobs a $510K tender, per Wilson (link).
Earlier updates:
- The Bills announced that they have extended the contract of kicker Jordan Gay, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (via Twitter).
- The Browns announced that they have tendered qualifying offers to four of their restricted free agents: free safety Tashaun Gipson, defensive back Johnson Bademosi, defensive lineman Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, and linebacker Craig Robertson, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. It’s a second-round tender for Robertson, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). Gipson also gets the second-round tender, according to Ulrich (link).
- The Ravens have sent a second-round restricted tender $2.356MM to Pro Bowl kicker Justin Tucker, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- The Steelers announced that they have agreed to terms with veteran tight end Matt Spaeth on a two-year deal. The 31-year-old appeared in 15 regular-season games in 2014 (eight starts) and caught three passes for 46 yards and a touchdown, and also started the Steelers’ playoff game against Baltimore.
- The Buccaneers are not expected to tender an offer to fullback Jorvorskie Lane, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. They could bring Lane, an ERFA, back on a different deal later, however. Lane had a tough year in 2014. He was hit with a two-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances in October and his season ended in November after he underwent surgery on his injured right leg.
- The Broncos have placed the low-level contract tender on restricted free agent defensive back Tony Carter, extending him a one-year offer worth $1.542MM, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The move gives Denver the right to match any offer sheet Carter signs with another team, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), there may be strong outside interest.
- The Cowboys have placed one-year tenders of $1.542MM each on restricted free agent punter Chris Jones and restricted free agent running back Lance Dunbar, sources tell Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News. Dunbar is the Cowboys’ third running back and tendering him gives Dallas some insurance if DeMarco Murray signs with another team in free agency. He also gives them a reserve back in the event that they have to cut ties with Joseph Randle.
- The Browns announced that they have re-signed offensive lineman Ryan Seymour. Seymour, 25, appeared in 11 games during the 2014 season, starting three at center. Nick McDonald was originally the team’s choice at center after Alex Mack went down with a broken leg, but Seymour eventually got his chance at the job.
- The Panthers have re-signed wide receiver/kick returner Brenton Bersin to a one-year deal, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Bersin was an exclusive rights free agent.
- The Panthers announced that they re-signed Fozzy Whittaker on a two-year deal, according to Person (on Twitter). The tailback had 32 carries for 145 yards last season and also contributed on kick returns. Linebacker Ben Jacobs and center Brian Folkerts got one-year deals to remain in Carolina (link). Tackle Kevin Hughes is the only Panthers ERFA who wasn’t tendered an offer (link).
FA Rumors: Sheard, Eagles, Broncos, Bears
If you’re a little confused about all the reported deals over the last couple days between free agents and new teams, you’re not alone — the three-day “legal tampering” period prior to free agency is supposed to allow teams to negotiate with agents of prospective free agents without any offers being made or agreements being reached.
Of course, teams have long ignored those guidelines, but typically they at least maintain the pretense that they’re waiting until Tuesday afternoon, with a flood of contract agreements hitting the news wire when free agency begins at 3:00pm central time on Tuesday. This year, however, noteworthy free agents Ndamukong Suh, Jeremy Maclin, and Byron Maxwell all reportedly have deals with new teams already in place.
According to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links), the NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams expressing its displeasure with the release of contract terms prior to the official start of free agency. According to Getlin’s source, the league intends to conduct an investigation to examine whether teams agreed to terms with free agents early.
Considering the leaks on new deals seem to affect so many teams around the league, it seems unlikely that the NFL would come down too hard on everyone. If anything, the situation may be the push the league needs to modify its rules for free agency. In the NBA, for instance, teams and players are allowed to reach verbal agreements during the league’s “July moratorium,” which lasts a little over a week, but those signings can’t be made official until after the moratorium lifts. A system like that could make sense for the NFL.
As we wait to see how the NFL plans to address potential free agency violations, here’s more from around the NFL on free agents and free-agents-to-be:
- The Buccaneers, Bengals, Seahawks, and Patriots are all in the running for edge defender Jabaal Sheard, according to Getlin (via Twitter). Sheard is viewed as a better fit for a 4-3 team, which could give those first three suitors an edge over the Pats.
- A source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link) that the Eagles are showing “a little bit” of interest in cornerback Tramon Williams. Despite having reached a tentative agreement with Byron Maxwell, Philadelphia remains on the lookout for another corner and perhaps a safety as well.
- Speaking of those Eagles, Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link) hears that the team was “hovering just below” $10MM annually on its final offer to Jeremy Maclin, which allowed the Chiefs to make a move on the wideout. Maclin will reportedly get about $11MM per year from Kansas City.
- The Broncos have displayed interest in free agent center Chris Myers, a source tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link). This comes as no surprise, considering Myers excelled in Gary Kubiak‘s zone-blocking scheme for years in Houston.
- Elsewhere on the center front, former Raider Stefen Wisniewski is on the Bears‘ radar, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. While Chicago has expressed interest in Wisniewksi, it’s not clear how serious that interest is, Biggs notes.
- The Vikings have an offer out to quarterback Shaun Hill, but it’s unclear whether he’ll accept it, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
- The Packers maintain interest in bringing back defensive tackle Letroy Guion, despite his recent legal issues, tweets Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Dunne points out that Guion, in the wake of his off-field troubles, may come cheaper than he otherwise would have.
NFC Rumors: Iupati, Weatherspoon, Hill, Blalock
Mike Iupati has been a staple of the 49ers’ offensive line for his entire career, imposing his will on defensive linemen and linebackers in the running game, but his time with the team is likely coming to an end, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). The Raiders, Jets, and Bills seem to be the front runners for Iupati if he does not return to San Francisco.
Here are some more rumors from some NFC teams:
- The Falcons are preparing to lose linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, as the Cardinals are expected to offer him a two-year contract somewhere between $3MM and $4MM annually, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN. He writes that the Falcons were close to a deal on Friday but talks fell apart.
- The Vikings and quarterback Shaun Hill have mutual interest, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN (via Twitter). There are other teams in the mix as well, but Hill is believed to have serious interest in joining the Vikings.
- Two of the other teams that have expressed interest in Hill are the Rams and Buccaneers, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- The Rams have also shown interest in guard Justin Blalock, writes Thomas (via Twitter).
- Linebacker David Hawthorne could be a possible cap casualty for the Saints, writes Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).
NFC Rumors: Peterson, Hoyer, Eagles, Cards
If Adrian Peterson is able to work his way out of Minnesota, his preferred destination would be Arizona, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that the veteran running back’s other top landing spots are the Colts, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Chargers. For their part, the Cardinals have denied any interest in the Vikings running back, adds Robinson’s colleague Rand Getlin (via Twitter). However, Getlin does tweet that a source told him the Cards’ release of Darnell Dockett was done to clear out cap room for Peterson.
Let’s check out the latest from the NFC as free agency approaches…
- Both the Vikings and the 49ers have expressed interest in quarterback Brian Hoyer, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link). But with other teams like the Jets and Texans (who could potentially offer a starting role) showing interest, as well, I’d bet the Hoyer would look unfavorably upon joining Minnesota or San Francisco, where he’d be the clear backup.
- Though they’re about to add Byron Maxwell, the Eagles could still use another corner, but the club hasn’t shown interest in either Buster Skrine or Chris Culliver, tweets Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com, who adds in a separate tweet that Walter Thurmond is also not on Philly’s radar.
- Washington appears set on adding help along the defensive line — they’re intrigued by Terrance Knighton, and they’ve also expressed interest in free agents Stephen Paea and Dan Williams, per John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- After re-signing Scott Tolzien earlier today, the Packers aren’t interested in retaining fellow backup QB Matt Flynn, tweets Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- The Cardinals are interested in linebacker Brian Orakpo, per Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link). Arizona is also interested in Trent Cole (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN), so it looks like they’re targeting OLB help.
- The Buccaneers are looking for safety help, and there is mutual interest between the club and FA Ron Parker, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link).
FA Rumors: Bulaga, McCourty, Suh, Raiders
While the Packers were able to retain one of their top two free agents tonight, reaching an agreement to bring back wide receiver Randall Cobb, the team may end up losing tackle Bryan Bulaga, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Two league sources tell Silverstein that Bulaga is seeking a contract worth at least $7-8MM per year, and has a good chance of landing such a deal. Per one of Silverstein’s sources, Green Bay isn’t interested in paying $7MM+ annually for Bulaga, and would let him walk if the bidding got that high. The Buccaneers, the Jaguars, and Washington are believed to have interest in the free agent tackle.
Here’s more from around the league on what has been a busy Saturday:
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), safety Devin McCourty is seeking an annual salary of $9MM per year, like what Jairus Byrd got a year ago. When I listed McCourty as 2015’s second-best free agent earlier today, I noted that if Byrd could land $9MM per year, the Pats safety should be able to do just as well on the open market.
- Cole also has an update on Ndamukong Suh, tweeting that one high-placed source is confident that Suh will end up with the Dolphins, while a second source says the Lions are the only other team involved in the bidding. Given how rare it is for a player of Suh’s caliber to reach the open market, I’d be pretty surprised if only two teams were pursuing him, but multiple reports over the last several days have identified Miami and Detroit as the frontrunners.
- Cobb had been high on the Raiders‘ list of wide receiver targets, but now that he’s off the market, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) says the team will likely shift its focus to Jeremy Maclin, Torrey Smith, and – if and when he becomes available – Percy Harvin.
- The Texans have interest in quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer, and it may not be an either/or proposition for the team, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, who tweets that the club would like to sign both players.
- The Cowboys have elected not to tender a contract offer to cornerback Sterling Moore, meaning he’ll be an unrestricted free agent rather than an RFA, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
AFC Links: Parker, Williams, Searcy, Jaguars
One of the least-expected key free agents after he served as a special-teamer and backup in his first three years, Ron Parker looks ready to capitalize on the consistent playing time he received last season.
The four-year veteran who played corner and safety for the Chiefs last year has drawn the eye of several teams, including the Giants, Jets, Buccaneers and Falcons, according to Yahoo Sports’ Rand Getlin on Twitter.
The Chiefs, who signed Parker after the Seahawks and Panthers cut him, are also among the teams interested, but they are currently over the salary cap and may not have the ammunition to compete. Their interest in retaining standout center Rodney Hudson, who could cost up to $8MM per year, will almost certainly eliminate any Parker reunion.
Parker started 15 games for the Chiefs after appearing in the opening lineup once from 2011-13.
Elsewhere around the AFC …
- Recently cut cornerback Cary Williams will visit the Titans after completing a summit with the Jets, per the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson on Twitter. The Jets and Seahawks, who will likely lose Byron Maxwell, are firmly in the mix for the ex-Ravens and Eagles corner.
- Fellow free agent defensive back Da’Norris Searcy also looks to have a slew of potential buyers. The Colts, Texans, Raiders and Dolphins are pursuing the 26-year-old safety, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson on Twitter. Like Parker, Searcy was a full-time starter for just one season, 2014, and he graded well against the run for the Bills last year (Pro Football Focus; subscription required). The Bills re-signing Searcy would mean keeping safeties in back-to-back years after they re-upped Aaron Williams last March.
- Flush with cap space and in dire need of pass-catchers, the Jaguars figure to make an offer to Julius Thomas, ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets. No team has more to spend than the Jaguars, at more than $68MM, and few have more needs. Florida Times-Union Jaguars columnist Gene Frenette believes the Jags are set to land at least two of the marquee free agents with their mountain of cash stashed after years of mediocre offseason hauls.
- The team that unleashed Thomas the past two years isn’t expected to replicate the signing sprees that brought so many impact players the past three springs, reports Denver Post Broncos reporter Mike Klis. The Broncos are trying to retain tight end Virgil Green but may lose their top four free agents: Terrance Knighton, Orlando Franklin, Rahim Moore and Thomas.
NFC Notes: Cobb, Paea, Gore
Randall Cobb may have a soft spot for the NFL’s smallest city. The Packers wideout who looks to be the best receiving option on the market will take $1-$2MM less per year to stay with the Packers, Yahoo’s Charles Robinson tweets.
On a robust receiver market that also includes Jeremy Maclin, Torrey Smith and probably Andre Johnson and Dwayne Bowe, the elusive receiver figures to command north of $11MM per year. But Green Bay does have more than $32MM of cap space after opting to not franchise Cobb or right tackle Bryan Bulaga earlier this week.
Elsewhere around the NFC …
- Stephen Paea‘s contract-year showing of six sacks and 16 games started for the Bears has created early interest, with the Cowboys, Cardinals and Washington in on the defensive tackle, according to CSNChicago’s Jen Lada on Twitter. Paea graded out as the 11th-best defensive tackle last year at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but the 306-pound player entering his age-27 season performed poorly against the run. The Cowboys covet Paea, who played for DC Rod Marinelli in Chicago, and Buccaneers defensive end Adrian Clayborn, reports the Dallas Star-Telegram’s Charean Williams.
- Despite receiving a promising rookie campaign from Carlos Hyde, the 49ers are pondering an 11th year in the Bay Area for Frank Gore, reports the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch.
“We want him back,” 49ers CEO Jed York said. “I think he wants to be here. I know he wants to be here. And I think we’ll figure out a way to do it.”Gore will be 32 next year and has been the 49ers’ starter since 2006. But the bruising back’s yards per carry ticked up a bit to 4.3 last season with his carries total dipping below 256 for the first time since 2010.
- The Cardinals are amid aggressive pursuits of linebackers, writes AZcentral.com’s Kent Somers. The strongest interest still appears to be in Weatherspoon, but the Cardinals reportedly are intrigued by Trent Cole and Pernell McPhee. The latest Ravens backup dynamo, McPhee will cost the most out of this trio despite starting the fewest amount of contests.
- The Bucs do not seem interested in bringing back Da’Quan Bowers, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. The 275-pound end’s started just 10 games in four seasons after Tampa Bay tabbed him as a second-round pick in 2011.