South Notes: Gore, Titans, Saints
Mike Wells of ESPN.com is excited about what offseason addition Frank Gore can bring to the Colts. Of course, the Colts’ offense has been very pass-heavy in recent years, but Gore’s presence will keep defenses honest against Andrew Luck‘s arm. More from the South divisions..
- The Titans should be wary of Zach Mettenberger‘s assertion that he will “fight to the death” to keep Marcus Mariota from being the Titans’ starting quarterback in 2015, Jarrett Bell of USA Today writes. As the Titans look to groom Mariota into a star quarterback, Bell feels that it makes little sense for them to subject him to the pressure of a quarterback battle.
- Recently appointed Saints senior defensive assistant Dennis Allen made it known to reporters, including Garland Gillen of FOX 8 (on Twitter) that defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is still running the show on defense.
- Saints head coach Sean Payton went out of his way to mention Damian Swann when asked about fellow rookie P.J. Williams and the team’s other nickel cornerback candidates, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
Draft Signings: Browns, Bills, Titans
Here at PFR, we’re dedicating full posts to each player from rounds 1 and 2 that signs on with their respective teams. All of the other players, from rounds 3-7, are rounded up into posts such as these. The latest signings from rounds 1 and 2..
- The Browns announced that they have signed defensive back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, a seventh round choice. The Browns have now agreed to deals with over half of their class, with seven of 12 players in the fold. That group includes second-round linebacker Nate Orchard and first-round defensive tackle Danny Shelton, but does not yet include the club’s other first-rounder, Cameron Erving.
- The Bills signed third-round guard John Miller and fifth-round running back Karlos Williams, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo news tweets. The Bills now have four draft picks signed and two to go.
- The Titans (on Twitter) announced that they have agreed to terms on deals with fourth-round fullback Jalston Fowler and fifth-round running back David Cobb. Fowler, an Alabama product, played in 53 games during his collegiate career. He recorded 113 carries for 738 yards and five touchdowns.
- The Broncos announced (on Twitter) that they have signed fifth-round pick Lorenzo Doss. The cornerback had three interceptions for Tulane in 2014. If both players make the roster, Doss will join former Tulane teammate Taurean Doss in the secondary. Denver tapped Nixon in the seventh round.
Free Agent Notes: Vick, Barksdale, Spencer
As Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap outlines in his latest piece for The Sporting News, the Ravens are currently projected to earn three compensatory draft picks in 2016, which may not have been possible if the team had been active in free agency. Now that the May 12 deadline has passed though, veteran free agents are no longer tied to the compensatory pick formula, meaning we could see Baltimore and other clubs sign some veterans off the scrap heap in the near future.
In his Sporting News piece, Fitzgerald examines a few noteworthy names still on the market, including wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Wes Welker, running back Chris Johnson, and linebackers Lance Briggs and Brandon Spikes. Fitzgerald also mentions Michael Vick, and we’ve got an update on Vick in our latest round of free agent notes. Let’s dive in…
- Vick has been training with Chris Chambers at Chambers’ fitness center, and the former Dolphins receiver said he encouraged agent Joel Segal to let him work with the quarterback for a few weeks before Vick and Segal entertained offers. “There was a lot of political stuff with him and Geno Smith with the Jets last year,” Chambers said of Vick, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Last two weeks, he has done phenomenal. There are several teams that want him. He wanted to be on a winning team. He wants to play three years. Eventually, he wants to start again.”
- As Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange observes (via Twitter), with the Falcons opting to sign Tyler Polumbus after working out Joe Barksdale earlier this month, Barksdale’s options may be dwindling. The Rams reportedly still have some interest in bringing back the free agent tackle, but didn’t tender him a contract offer at the May 12 deadline, Balzer tweets. For what it’s worth, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com details, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn says his team is still “actively talking to” Barksdale.
- Free agent offensive lineman Chris Spencer, who has 95 career starts on his NFL résumé, tore his Achilles the day before the draft and almost certainly won’t be able in 2015, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. While Spencer wants to continue his NFL career, he acknowledged that his top priority for now is getting healthy. “Before this happened, I was thinking I might sign back with the Titans at some point,” Spencer said. “But right now, football is on the back burner until I get through this and see where it stands.”
Draft Signings: Chiefs, Cards, Titans, Jags
Teams around the NFL continue to lock up their 2015 draft picks, and while we’ll dedicate full posts when first- or second-rounders sign their rookie contracts, we’ll pass along mid-to-late-round signings in round-up posts like this one. Here are the latest draft pick signings from around the league, with all salary info via Over The Cap:
- The Chiefs have signed third-round receiver Chris Conley, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Conley, the 76th overall pick earlier this month, is one of two key additions – along with Jeremy Maclin – to Kansas City’s new-look receiving corps, which will look to reach the end zone at least once in 2015.
- Mr. Irrelevant, 256th overall pick Gerald Christian, has signed his rookie contract with the Cardinals, per Wilson (via Twitter). Even as the final seventh-rounder to come off the board, the former Louisville tight end did significantly better than he would have as an undrafted free agent, securing a signing bonus worth about $53K.
- The Titans have agreed to terms with three more of their draft picks, locking up fourth-round defensive tackle Angelo Blackson, sixth-round center Andy Gallik, and seventh-round receiver Tre McBride, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. The club still has to sign five of its nine draftees, including second overall pick Marcus Mariota.
- The Jaguars have signed a pair of draftees to their rookie deals today, according to John Oehser of Jaguars.com, who reports (via Twitter) that fourth-round safety James Sample and seventh-round wideout Neal Sterling are now under contract. Sample and Sterling will receive respective signing bonuses worth about $549K and $78K.
- The Raiders announced (on Twitter) that they have signed a pair of seventh-round draft picks in wide receiver Andre Debose and tackle Anthony Morris.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC South Notes: Fowler, Titans, Mariota
After Dante Fowler’s injury, the Jaguars could have structured their contract proposal differently, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union writes. A league source tells the Jags beat writer that the team could have offered no signing bonus, made his 2015 base salary ($4.2MM) fully guaranteed, and converted the remaining $19.2MM to guaranteed cash if he was on the roster to start training camp in 2016. Those measures would have protected Jacksonville if they were worried about his rehab. However, it also would have been terrible business, and the Jaguars opted not to go that route. Here’s more from the AFC South..
- Dick LeBeau, the recently hired associate head coach in charge of defense for the Titans, told reporters, including Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (on Twitter), that the team has great quickness on the defensive line and added that he likes the mix of youth and veterans they now have in the secondary.
- LeBeau added that Titans offseason addition Perrish Cox and 2013 third-round pick Blidi Wreh-Wilson will get plenty of snaps this year, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
- Some of the rookies in the Titans‘ 2015 draft class will be putting the veterans on the spot with their arrival, Wyatt writes. Of course, that list starts with No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota, who figures to displace incumbent Zach Mettenberger as the starter. Meanwhile, second round choice Dorial Green-Beckham’s presence could alter Justin Hunter‘s future with the team, though I would argue that both players appear to be projects at this stage.
Draft Signings: Browns, Bucs, Titans
With less room for negotiations on rookie contracts under the new CBA, draft picks are coming to terms with their teams quicker than ever, and a few more have struck deals already today. Here are the latest updates on mid-to-late rounders reaching agreements with their respective clubs, with contract information provided by Over The Cap….
- The Browns have officially brought a pair of draftees into the fold, announcing today in a press release that they’ve formally signed third-round defensive lineman Xavier Cooper and sixth-round fullback Malcolm Johnson. Their signing bonuses will be worth about $592K and $119K respectively.
- Sixth-round wideout Kaelin Clay has signed his rookie deal with the Buccaneers, as Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com tweets. Clay, the second Tampa Bay pick to sign his deal, after Jameis Winston, will get a $130K+ signing bonus.
- The Titans have started to lock up their draft picks, agreeing to terms today with sixth-round outside linebacker Deiontrez Mount, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Mount’s four-year contract will have a total value of $2.428MM, including a signing bonus of about $148K, and a 2015 cap hit of approximately $472K.
- Saints third-round draft pick P.J. Williams signed his rookie contract on Tuesday, according to a post on his Instagram account. New Orleans has now inked all of its picks with the exception of Stephone Anthony and Andrus Peat.
- The Eagles and sixth round draft pick JaCorey Shepherd have agreed to terms on a four-year contract, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Bears, Saints, Titans, Lions
After firing their college scouting director and a top scout last week, the Bears have also parted ways with associate director of player personnel Dwayne Joseph, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Joseph was actually offered a promotion (to director of player personnel), per Biggs, but turned it down to explore other opportunities.
Here’s more from around the league…
- The Saints’ selection of tackle Andrus Peat in the first round and quarterback Garrett Grayson in the third show that GM Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton aren’t simply in win-now mode, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. The Grayson pick, specifically, conveys that the club’s decision-makers are planning for the long haul (and the eventual exit of Drew Brees) instead of going all-in on 2015.
- Zack Moore of Over the Cap singles out some of the biggest cap sins in the NFL in 2014, pointing to Ndamukong Suh (who took up 16.85% of the Lions’ cap) on the individual player side, and to the Falcons, Cowboys, and Saints as clubs who were unrestrained with their caps.
- Running back Shonn Greene will head to camp with the Titans, but he probably won’t make the 53-man roster, opines Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com in his latest mailbag.
- Lions head coach Jim Caldwell is both open-minded and excited about what undrafted free agents have to offer, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press explains.
- Former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims attended the Packers recent minicamp on a tryout basis, but Green Bay won’t be signing him, according to Rob Demovksky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Instead, Sims will attend Washington‘s rookie camp, albeit as a running back.
Minor Moves: Friday
Here are Friday’s minor moves from around the league:
- Houston parted ways with three players, free safety Josh Aubrey, defensive end Keith Browner and running back Ben Malena, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports on Twitter. The 24-year-old Aubrey played in eight games for the Browns and Texans in 2013 and ’14, respectively, while Malena spent part of last season on the Texans’ practice squad. Browner, 27, spent multiple seasons on Houston’s taxi squad before playing in three games last year.
- The Jets cut linebacker Mario Harvey, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini on Twitter. A 27-year-old who spent time on the Jets’ practice squad last year after two years on the Colts’ active roster, Harvey has 16 career tackles.
- The Titans waived tight end Brett Brackett, per The Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt (Twitter link). Brackett started four games for the Titans last year but suffered a knee injury in December, which led to the 27-year-old Penn State product finishing the season on injured reserve. Since coming into the league in 2011, Brackett’s seen action for four teams — the Eagles, Jaguars, Seahawks and Titans.
Kamerion Wimbley Announces Retirement
After a nine-year NFL career, Titans outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley has decided to retire, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). Wimbley, who signed a five-year deal with the Titans prior to the 2012 season, still had two years left on that contract, which he won’t play out.
Wimbley, 31, began his career in 2006 with the Browns, who selected him 13th overall out of Florida State. In a strong rookie campaign, Wimbley recorded 11 sacks and recovered three fumbles, marks he wouldn’t match again in subsequent years. Still, while Wimbley’s first season may have been his best, he had some productive years in Cleveland, Oakland, and Tennessee, including a nine-sack season for the Raiders in 2010.
For his career, Wimbley totaled 53.5 sacks, 442 overall tackles, eight forced fumbles, and a pair of interceptions in 140 contests. He never appeared in a playoff game, and only played on one squad that had a winning season — the 2007 Browns, who went 10-6.
In a statement announcing his decision, Wimbley explained why he has decided to call it a career at age 31:
“While I still feel like I could be competitive on the field, at this point in my life, my family is my priority. Although my wife and two young daughters have always been incredibly supportive of my career, I am looking forward to spending more meaningful time with them and never missing another big moment in their lives!”
La Canfora’s Latest: Bennett, Eagles, Titans
Michael Bennett and his agent have “made it clear” he’d rather not return to the Seahawks, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Of course, as La Canfora points out, the Seahawks typically don’t budge when it comes to trades or contract situation, so while the two sides may be able to work something out that makes sense for all parties, Bennett may not go anywhere or sign a new contract in the next few months.
Bennett and various members of the Seahawks organization have repeatedly denied a rumor that he wants to be traded. However, that initial report came from another reporter, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, so the fact that La Canfora has heard similar rumblings suggests there may be something to it. It wouldn’t be surprising if, at the very least, Bennett wants to rework his deal, considering he’s one of the league’s best pass rushers and is earning a relatively modest $7MM per year.
Here are a few more tidbits from La Canfora’s piece on potential trade candidates:
- Whether it’s this week or the week before the season begins, the Eagles will trade Evan Mathis at some point, in La Canfora’s opinion. The CBSSports.com scribe adds that Chip Kelly was trying to move Mychal Kendricks for a second-round pick in the week leading up to the draft. La Canfora predicts that Philadelphia will eventually get a late-round pick for Mathis and a fourth-rounder for Kendricks.
- While the Titans say they don’t plan to move Zach Mettenberger after drafting Marcus Mariota, the second-year QB would “relish a change of scenery,” per La Canfora.
- La Canfora views the Browns as the most logical potential suitor for Muhammad Wilkerson, suggesting that while the Jets won’t shop the standout defensive lineman, they should at least be willing to listen. The Bears, Saints, and Raiders would all be reasonable fits as well, according to La Canfora, who thinks a team should offer a first- and third-round pick for Wilkerson.
- A veteran backup like Jason Campbell or Tarvaris Jackson would be a better match for Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers than Mike Glennon, who continues to be a trade candidate, writes La Canfora.