AFC Notes: Browns, Housler, Titans, Jags, Pats
Having lost Jordan Cameron to the Dolphins and missed out on Charles Clay, who signed with the Bills, the Browns are considering tight end Rob Housler, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. According to Fowler, the Browns have had discussions with Housler, and there’s mutual interest between the two sides, but no visit has been planned and no deal is imminent. Housler, who turned 27 last week, caught just nine balls for the Cardinals last season after recording 84 combined receptions in 2012 and 2013.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean takes a closer look at Tommy Smith‘s decision to retire as CEO of the Titans, reporting that the decision was made in part because of a shift in thinking within the club’s ownership group. According to Wyatt, there was no longer a consensus among ownership that Smith’s wife, Susie Adams Smith, daughter of the late Bud Adams, should be the franchise’s controlling owner. The Titans are currently on the lookout for a new president and CEO.
- Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley discussed one running back his team landed and one that got away, telling reporters today, including Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links) that GM David Caldwell has done “a lot of research” on Bernard Pierce, and that the team “held [its] stance” in pursuit of DeMarco Murray.
- Patriots owner Robert Kraft pointed to upcoming free agencies for players like Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower in explaining why the team couldn’t offer Darrelle Revis a massive contract, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
- Per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Darian Stewart‘s two-year contract with the Broncos is worth $4.25MM, with a $1.5MM signing bonus and a 2016 escalator.
James Harrison To Decide Between Steelers, Titans
Former Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison has narrowed his list of potential teams in 2015 to only two, the Steelers and the Titans, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.
Harrison made this announcement through his Instagram account, with a video in which his two sons each take turns pushing for one of the two teams.
Harrison is a five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher, achieving all of those accolades during his time in Pittsburgh. His lone season away from the Steel City was a disappointing 2013 campaign with the Bengals, in which he struggled to get on the field and impact games.
However, he was coaxed out of retirement by his former Steeler teammates after a rash of injuries took out a significant portion of the linebacking corps. Although he was reportedly considering retirement again this offseason, he announced he was committed to playing again in 2015.
His preference, of course, was to return to the Steelers. However, the team’s linebackers will start the season healthy once again, and that will mean no room for Harrison or at best a diminished role for the former All-Pro linebacker.
The Titans emerged as an option due to Harrison’s strong connection to Dick LeBeau, who resigned from the Steelers in favor of a job in Tennessee. Harrison has not announced a timetable for his decision.
Extra Points: Holmes, Steelers, Cards, Willis
Wide receiver Santonio Holmes isn’t getting any bites this offseason and he told SI Now (video link) that he doesn’t understand why he’s out of a job.
“It baffles me a little to know that I’m not a part of any organization,” Holmes said. “It is a gift and a curse at the same time. And I say that because the gift of playing and the opportunity to be a figure in the National Football League. I enjoyed my time. And the curse of having one injury in my entire career that people are now looking at me as if Santonio Holmes is not the guy anymore.”
Many feel that Holmes is no longer the same player after suffering a Lisfranc fracture in 2012 with the Jets. It also doesn’t help that he has a reputation as a difficult locker room presence.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Steelers haven’t exactly been aggressive in free agency so far, and that approach won’t change anytime soon. Team president Art Rooney II said today that Pittsburgh continues to look at available options, but he isn’t expecting much in the way of upcoming free agent signings, as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review outlines.
- The Cardinals have been a bit more active in free agency than Pittsburgh, having signed Mike Iupati to a lucrative long-term deal. However, for the most part, GM Steve Keim is on the lookout for bargains, writes Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com.
- Appearing on NBC Sports Network on Thursday, speaking to former teammate Takeo Spikes, Patrick Willis said he’s having no second thoughts about his decision to retire, and adamantly stated there’s no chance he attempts a comeback. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has the details and quotes.
- Former Dolphins quarterback Pat White has announced his retirement, according to the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos (on Twitter). White only played in the CFL in 2014 and didn’t see the field much with the Eskimos as there were multiple quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart. Former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland drafted White No. 44 overall in 2009 but the West Virginia product did very little on the NFL gridiron.
- The Cowboys, Saints, Chiefs, and Texans will have some cap work to do between now and the summer, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap (Twitter links). Meanwhile, the Browns, Jaguars, Titans, and Buccaneers figure to have lots of cap space leftover (Twitter link).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Draft Rumors: Mariota, Winston, Williams
If Jameis Winston goes No. 1 to the Buccaneers, expect the Titans to receive a flurry of offers at No. 2, suggests CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. The NFL insider anticipates the Rams, Browns, Eagles, Chargers and Saints to consider making a move for Marcus Mariota.
Armed now with the Seahawks‘ No. 31 pick in addition to their own at No. 13, the Saints may be in the last year of Drew Brees‘ tenure and could continue their makeover offseason with a move for the Oregon spread prodigy, La Canfora muses, and he notes the Chargers at No. 17 could be in the same boat with Philip Rivers, whose deal expires after 2015.
Some other notes from an extensive day of draft rumors …
- In case Tampa Bay has an 11th-hour change of heart, Tennessee will prepare by hosting Winston on a private workout around Winston’s pro day (March 31), 247Sports reported. Mariota is due to visit the Titans in April.
- Armed with possibly the worst tight end situation heading into free agency, the Falcons added two former starting tight ends to their corps today in Jacob Tamme and Tony Moeaki. But they also worked out the draft’s top tight end, Minnesota’s Maxx Williams, earlier this week, according to ESPN Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure. A pass-rusher remains the priority at No. 8, notes McClure, but the Falcons have also worked out Michigan’s Devin Funchess — a tight end/wide receiver hybrid.
- Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams worked out for the Lions today, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com reports. Williams, who NFL.com’s Mike Mayock lists as the fourth-best corner in the draft, watched tape with Lions coaches during his visit.
- The Patriots met with Stanford defensive tackle David Parry after the Cardinal’s workout today, Draftinsider.net’s Tony Paulie notes on Twitter.
- West Georgia rising defensive line prospect Tory Slater will visit the Falcons and Seahawks, National Football Post writer Aaron Wilson said. Slater, who had 10 sacks last season and played wide receiver in high school, will tour the Falcons’ facilities April 7 and trek to Seattle on April 16.
- Utah cornerback/safety Eric Rowe will visit the Ravens, Dolphins and Lions and conduct private workouts with the Texans and Bucs, according to Wilson, writing this report for the Baltimore Sun. Neither Rowe nor Slater are top-10 prospects at their respective positions according to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.
Minor Moves: Thursday
With this year’s NCAA basketball tournament underway, the Colts‘ latest signing is a topical one. According to a team release, Indianapolis has signed Demarco Cox, a 6’8″, 294-pound basketball center who played his college ball at Ole Miss and Georgia Tech. Cox played football in high school before choosing basketball in college, and will be joining the Colts as an offensive tackle. While he may not be a good bet to make the team’s regular season roster, Cox should get a look from the Colts’ coaching staff this summer.
Here are the rest of Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Restricted free agent Dezman Moses re-signed with the Chiefs, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweeted. Kansas City Star reporter Terez Paylor noted Moses’ one-year agreement earlier this month, according to a source (Twitter link). Moses played for the Chiefs in 2013 as a backup linebacker after starting six games for the Packers in 2012. The Chiefs waived Moses during training camp last season after he underwent elbow surgery, and the former undrafted free agent spent 2014 on injured reserve. This marks the second reserve backer Kansas City brought back this offseason after inking Josh Mauga to a new deal earlier this month.
- The Seahawks have brought back defensive lineman D’Anthony Smith, a former third-round pick who was with the team last season, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The ex-Jaguar, who has played 28 regular season NFL games, spent 2014 on Seattle’s injured reserve list.
- Linebacker Reggie Walker has moved from one AFC West team to another, according to agent David Canter, who tweets that the former Charger has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Broncos. After playing a career-high 549 defensive snaps in 2013, Walker returned to a much smaller role for San Diego in 2014, recording 12 total tackles and 0.5 sacks while playing 150 defensive snaps and contributing on special teams.
Earlier updates:
- Former Packers running back DuJuan Harris has signed a one-year deal with the Vikings, according to agent Andy Simms (Twitter link). The 26-year-old Harris, who played sparingly for Green Bay in 2014, was non-tendered by the club earlier this month, making him an unrestricted free agent.
- Free agent offensive tackle Byron Stingily has agreed to terms with the Titans on a multiyear contract that will keep him in Tennessee, the club announced today in a press release. According to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (via Twitter), it’s a two-year contract worth $2.5MM, and it features an additional $800K in incentives. Stingily, who started at right tackle down the stretch for the Titans in 2014, could have an opportunity to claim the starting job in 2015 with Michael Roos and Michael Oher no longer on the roster.
- The Jets have signed free agent tackle James Brewer, the team announced today in a press release. Brewer, who spent his first four years with the Giants, will be making the move from one New York team to the other, and figures to provide depth on the offensive line for the Jets. Brian Costello of the New York Post first reported (via Twitter) that the team had agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Brewer, who started eight games in 2013 but didn’t play much last season.
FA Notes: Connolly, Gresham, Ellis, Barksdale
After passing along several updates on free agency this morning, we’re back this afternoon with another round-up. Here’s the latest on a handful of players still on the market:
- The Patriots would like to re-sign Dan Connolly, but the veteran offensive lineman is also receiving interest from the Seahawks and Bears as a center, and from the Dolphins and Buccaneers as a guard, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The 32-year-old has been a mainstay in New England for the last few years, but had a down year in 2014, placing among the bottom 10 guards in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
- Tight end Jermaine Gresham is meeting with a doctor tomorrow to determine the severity of a back injury, and could be headed for surgery later this week, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). Greshman still expects to be ready for training camp, but that’s a giant red flag for potential suitors, and explains why he remains unsigned. Teams in need of a tight end – such as the Bills, Raiders, and Browns – figure to monitor Gresham’s situation, tweets Rapoport.
- Free agent defensive lineman Kenrick Ellis could potentially make the move from one New York team to another. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter), the former Jet is visiting the Giants today.
- The Titans have maintained interest in Joe Barksdale, arguably the top tackle left on the market, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Since hitting free agency last week, Barksdale has frequently been linked to the Titans and the Rams, who are still interested in re-signing him.
- Veteran free agent Samson Satele is looking for a team that will give him the opportunity to compete for a starting center job, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
Draft Notes: Mariota, Ray, Parker, Agholor
We’ve already looked at a few upcoming draft visits in some earlier posts today, so let’s go ahead and round up the rest of today’s draft-related news…
- The Buccaneers hosted Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Per Rapoport, Mariota’s visit to Tampa will be similar to Jameis Winston‘s meeting several weeks ago, and Mariota will meet with all of TB’s decision-makers.
- Edge rusher Shane Ray will be a busy man, as the Missouri product has pre-draft visits lined up with the Ravens, Falcons, Titans, and Jaguars, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports.
- Like Ray, Louisville receiver DeVante Parker will have a full schedule, as he has 12 visits on his calendar during the next month, per Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds that Parker will first meet with the Dolphins.
- Another receiver — USC’s Nelson Agholor — visited with the Eagles today, according to Getlin (via Twitter). Eagles head coach Chip Kelly recruited Agholor while the former was at Oregon, Getlin adds.
- The Eagles are hosting multiple prospects, as Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney will visit Philadelphia today and tomorrow, per Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link).
Contract Details: Morgan, Gilchrist, Cameron
Here are some details on several of the new contracts agreed to or signed by free agents within the last few days:
AFC deals:
- Derrick Morgan, OLB (Titans): Four years, $27MM base value. $10.5MM fully guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- Marcus Gilchrist, S (Jets): Four years, $22MM base value. $10MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
- Jordan Cameron, TE (Dolphins): Two years, $15MM base value. $5MM fully guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Paul Fanaika, OL (Chiefs): Three years, $6.5MM. $1.75MM signing bonus. Incentives and escalators available (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Alan Branch, DT (Patriots): Two years, $4.3MM base value. $700K signing bonus. Option for 2016 (all Twitter links via Wilson).
- Tyrod Taylor, QB (Bills): Two years, $3.35MM base value. $1.15MM fully guaranteed. $400K signing bonus. Third year voids (all four Twitter links via Wilson).
NFC deals:
- Jasper Brinkley, LB (Cowboys): Two years, $6.5MM base value. $2MM guaranteed, $2MM option bonus in 2016 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Akeem Ayers, LB (Rams): Two years, $6MM base value. $2.75MM guaranteed. $1.3MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Andrew Gachkar, LB (Cowboys): Two years, $5.2MM base value. $1.2MM signing bonus. Up to $1MM in annual incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Nick Fairley, DT (Rams): One year, $5MM base value. $1.5MM roster bonus in 2015. Sack and playoff incentives available (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Erik Pears, OL (49ers): Two years, $4.7MM base value. $1MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Kurt Coleman, S (Panthers): Two years, $2.8MM base value. $600K signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- O’Brien Schofield, DE (Falcons): One year, $1.7MM base value. $255K signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
- Chris Conte, S (Buccaneers): One year, $1.5MM base value. $1.25MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com).
Latest On Sam Bradford
Ever since the Eagles acquired Sam Bradford last Tuesday, there’s been no shortage of speculation and rumors surrounding the 27-year-old quarterback and Philadelphia’s plans for him. Let’s take a look at the latest…
- Both Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and Rams head coach Jeff Fisher have claimed they were offered a first-round pick from a separate team in exchange for Bradford. The Browns were tossed out as a viable option to have made that offer, appearing on the Michael Kay Show today, former NFL general manager Charley Casserly said he’s heard it was in fact Cleveland who was willing to surrender a first-rounder (link via Connor Orr of NJ.com).
- From what she can gather from talking to NFL coaches at West Virginia’s pro day, Josina Anderson of ESPN says (Twitter link) that many league insiders still believe the Eagles plan to use Bradford as trade bait, specifically to move up the No. 2 pick and select Marcus Mariota. That would presume that the Titans would be interested in Bradford, despite reports that they’ll stick with Zach Mettenberger at QB.
- Of course, if the Titans really wanted Bradford, they could have dealt with the Rams themselves, adds Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). I would add here that perhaps St. Louis had its eye on Nick Foles as a long-term option at quarterback, something Tennessee couldn’t provide via trade.
- If the Eagles do intend to keep Bradford for the long haul, they could tack on a few years to his contract and insert a no-trade clause, effectively ending any speculation about his future in Philadelphia, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Titans To Sign Perrish Cox
The Titans have agreed to the terms of a contract with cornerback Perrish Cox, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Cox will joining the team on a three-year deal worth $15MM, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
Cox intercepted five passes for the 49ers in 2014, after playing limited snap counts for the team in 2012 and 2013. He also appeared in two games for the Seahawks in 2012 before returning to the 49ers.
Cox had also visited Washington and Cleveland this week, and was weighing his options, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN (via Twitter). The Ravens were also pursuing Cox, according to Getlin (via Twitter).