FA Rumors: Pats, Dockett, Langford, Freeney
Let’s check in on a few Monday rumors on current free agents, as well as free-agents-to-be….
- With this afternoon’s franchise and transition tag deadline looming, the Patriots are more likely to use their tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski than safety Devin McCourty, sources tell Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston. Reiss cautions that the situation is “fluid” and that things could change by 3:00pm central time. However, if the Pats do decide to trade Gostkowski, it would mean McCourty could potentially hit the open market next week, as far and away the best safety available. It would be surprising if the Pats let McCourty get away, but that would at least seem to bode well for the return of Darrelle Revis.
- According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, free agent defensive lineman Darnell Dockett is generating “a lot of interest” on the free agent market, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Rosenhaus is expecting Dockett to have a new home by the end of the week. As for the Cardinals, who released Dockett last week, they’re still hoping to bring the veteran defender back — Somers reports that they’ve offered a one-year deal worth up to $4MM through incentives, with a base value of $2.5MM.
- Former Rams defensive tackle Kendall Langford, cut by St. Louis last week, is visiting the Lions today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). It’s an interesting tidbit of news, as Detroit attempts to lock up its own free agent defensive tackles, such as Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. For now, we should probably assume that Langford is just a Plan B, or a potential depth piece, but we heard earlier today that the team won’t franchise Suh, so there’s no guarantee he returns to Detroit.
- After mulling the possibility of retiring, veteran Chargers pass rusher Dwight Freeney has decided to continue his playing career and return for a 14th season, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Freeney doesn’t have a contract for 2015, so he’ll have to find a taker, but I imagine he’ll still draw plenty of interest — despite recording only 3.5 sacks in 2014, the 35-year-old recorded 53 overall quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required).
- Linebacker Brad Jones, who was released by the Packers last month, recently visited the Titans and has a visit lined up today with the Eagles, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Of the two veteran linebackers cut this offseason by Green Bay, A.J. Hawk received most of the headlines, but Jones is another player who could still contribute elsewhere.
Jacoby Jones Visiting Bengals, Titans
After being released by the Ravens last week, free agent wide receiver and return man Jacoby Jones has a visit lined up with one of Baltimore’s division rivals. According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (via Twitter), Jones is meeting with the Bengals. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports (via Twitter) that the former Raven also has a visit lined up with the Titans, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean tweets that the Cincinnati visit will happen today, followed by the Tennessee meeting tomorrow.
Jones, 30, returned kicks and punts for Baltimore in 2014, but his role on offense was significantly reduced — after being targeted 68 times and hauling in 37 passes in 2013, Jones received just 18 targets and caught nine passes in 2014. He also averaged 30.6 yards on 32 kickoff returns, and 9.2 yards on 30 punt returns.
Teams targeting Jones in free agency this month will likely be doing so with the intent of having him return kickoffs, and perhaps punts as well. At this point in his career, the former third-round pick likely won’t have a significant role in an offense — he’ll probably be about fourth on the depth chart for whichever he team he ultimately lands with.
James Casey Visiting Several Teams
10:02pm: Casey’s visit with the Broncos concluded without a contract, according to the Denver Post’s Mike Klis. He will move on to his other summits.
THURSDAY, 11:11am: Caplan (via Twitter) adds a few more clubs to Casey’s list of suitors, reporting that the tight end also has visits scheduled with the Jaguars, the Bengals, and Washington.
WEDNESDAY, 8:07am: After meeting with the Cardinals and Broncos, Casey will move on to visit the Titans and Browns, according to Caplan (via Twitter). Caplan adds (via Twitter) that at least eight teams have requested to have Casey in for a visit, as clubs value his positional versatility and recognize that 2015’s tight end draft class is weak.
MONDAY, 3:48pm: Tight end James Casey got a head start on the 2015 free agent market last week when the Eagles released him from his contract, and he’s taking full advantage of that. According to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 (Twitter link), Casey is scheduled to visit the Cardinals this week. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com confirms Jurecki’s report and adds (via Twitter) that two or three other teams would also like to bring in Casey, who is scheduled to meet with the Broncos after his sitdown with the Cards.
Casey, 30, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Texans, parlaying a solid 2012 season into a three-year, $12MM deal with the Eagles. Although he caught 34 balls during his final year in Houston, Casey wasn’t used as a pass-catcher in Philadelphia, having totaled just six receptions on nine targets in two seasons with the team. He was released last week without any discussions about taking a pay cut, and is expected to seek out a situation where he’ll have a larger role than he did with the Eagles.
In 2014, the Cardinals relied primarily on John Carlson and Rob Housler at tight end, so it makes sense that the club would target a player like Casey. Housler is eligible for unrestricted free agency next month, and Carlson didn’t have a great year — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him 65th out of 67 qualified TEs, grading him poorly as a pass catcher, pass blocker, and run blocker.
The Broncos would be a logical fit for Casey as well, since Julius Thomas is expected to land elsewhere as a free agent and Virgil Green‘s contract is also expiring.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Michael Roos Announces Retirement
One of the top offensive tackles on the free agent market has decided to retire rather than pursuing a new NFL contract. Longtime Titans offensive lineman Michael Roos announced today on Instagram that he’ll call it a career after spending 10 years as an NFL player.
“I’m excited to begin the rest of my life, and I am grateful to do so now, while I am fully healthy,” Roos wrote in a statement in which he thanked his coaches and teammates. “Although I don’t know what adventure the future holds, I know there will be family, friends, travel, whiskey, cigars and beer. All a man can ask for, and more. Thank you Titans fans for your support all these years.”
Roos, 32, was remarkably durable during his time with the Titans until a knee injury prematurely ended his final season in the team this past October. Prior to this season, the former second-round pick had started all but one game over the course of nine years in Tennessee, almost exclusively at left tackle.
Since the end of the regular season, the Titans have now seen their two highest-paid tackles leave the team — in addition to Roos retiring, Michael Oher was cut by the club earlier this month. While the position figures to be an area Tennessee will target in either free agency or the draft, the team does have an in-house replacement for Roos lined up, as last year’s first-round pick Taylor Lewan, looks like a good bet to become the Titans’ permanent left tackle.
Titans Notes: Morgan, Taylor, LeBeau
Here’s a look at the Titans..
- Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan says he hasn’t had any serious talks with the team so far about returning, Wyatt writes. Morgan recently changed agents going from Ben Dogra to Joby Branion and one assumes that his new rep will be discussing a new deal with the Titans before long. Morgan probably stands as the Titans’ most important free agent this offseason.
- Cornerback Ike Taylor believes defensive coach Dick LeBeau could lure Steelers players to the Titans, as Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean writes. “Coach LeBeau recruits himself. He is like Coach K (Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski); you know what you are getting yourself into,’’ said Taylor. “You don’t have to ask the veteran guys who have played under him. Just say Coach LeBeau wants you to come, and they’d say: “What time? That’s the way people feel about him.” James Harrison, who will hold off on retirement, could be a possibility as well as fellow Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds.
- Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com isn’t sure what the power breakdown in the Titans’ front office is like right now.
AFC South Notes: Morgan, Colts, Titans
A quick look at the AFC South..
- On the verge of free agency, Titans outside linebacker Derrick Morgan has parted ways with long-time agent Ben Dogra, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (on Twitter). The former No. 16 overall pick has posted just 23.5 sacks in his five seasons as a pro but he stands as one of the Titans’ most important free agents this offseason after grading out as the eighth-best 3-4 outside linebacker according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
- Following the release of Ricky Jean-Francois by the Colts, agent Drew Rosenhaus tells Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star that he expects his client to have a “healthy market” in free agency, and wouldn’t rule out a return to Indianapolis at a reduced salary.
- The Titans‘ decision on whether to take a quarterback will be the draft’s first pivot point, Field Yates of ESPN.com writes (Insider subscription required). The Titans could pluck whichever quarterback isn’t selected by the Bucs at No. 1, but they could also roll with Zach Mettenberger and take someone like USC’s Leonard Williams, praised by many evaluators as the best pure football player in this year’s class.
Offseason Outlook: Tennessee Titans
Pending free agents:
- Jackie Battle, RB
- Beau Brinkley, LS (restricted)
- Kaelin Burnett, LB (restricted)
- Chase Coffman, TE
- Kris Durham, WR (restricted)
- Quentin Groves, OLB
- Derek Hagan, WR
- Brandon Harris, CB
- Brett Kern, P
- Karl Klug, DL
- Jake Locker, QB
- Colin McCarthy, LB
- Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB
- Matthew Mulligan, TE
- Eric Olsen, G
- Jordan Palmer, QB
- Michael Roos, T
- Chris Spencer, G
- Byron Stingily, T
- Ryan Succop, K
- Will Svitek, T
- Leon Washington, RB
- Nate Washington, WR
- George Wilson, S
Top 10 2015 cap hits:
- Jason McCourty, CB: $8,600,000
- Andy Levitre, G: $8,600,000
- Michael Griffin, S: $8,100,000
- Jurrell Casey, DL: $6,720,000
- Delanie Walker, TE: $5,275,000
- Sammie Lee Hill, DT: $4,660,418
- Craig Stevens, TE: $4,500,000
- Kamerion Wimbley, DE: $4,493,750
- Shonn Greene, RB: $4,183,334
- Bernard Pollard, S: $3,625,000
Notable coaching changes:
- Hired 2014 Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau as assistant head coach.
Draft:
- No. 2 overall pick
- Acquired sixth-round pick from Patriots in deal for Akeem Ayers.
- Acquired seventh-round pick from Cowboys in deal for Lavar Edwards.
- Owe seventh-round pick to Patriots for Akeem Ayers.
Other:
- Current projected cap room (via Over the Cap): $42.16MM
- Must exercise or decline fifth-year option for 2016 for WR Kendall Wright.
- Top extension candidate: Kendall Wright
- Already released Michael Oher
Overview
No one expected much out of the Titans in 2014, but their 2-14 mark was a disappointment to fans who were hoping to see something out of this team. In the preseason, newly-hired head coach Ken Whisenhunt set the bar fairly high when he said that he wouldn’t need to exercise patience with his squad. In September, he realized that he had overestimated what he had on his roster.
“You know, I guess that’s the problem saying those kind of things,” Whisenhunt said when asked by Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean about his previous expectations. “You go on a stretch where you have a couple games and you don’t play well, and those are the kind of things that, hey, I still believe that, I still believe we have a team that’s good enough, that’s better than what we are playing right now. But we have to look at what we are doing, how we are doing it. We have to look at everything. Maybe.”
Once again, the Titans are not expected to be world-beaters, but they need to show something.
Key Free Agents
Seemingly half of the Titans’ roster is eligible for free agency but only a few can really be considered to be pivotal. Outside linebacker Derrick Morgan is one of them and probably stands as the highest priority. Late last month, our own Luke Adams named Morgan as one of the club’s likeliest candidates for the franchise tag, though he felt that it was unlikely to be used at all. Recently, GM Ruston Webster said that he doesn’t think the tag will be “in play” for anyone. Morgan has been told that the Titans want to retain him, but it remains to be seen how far they’d be willing to go for him. The former No. 16 overall pick has posted just 23.5 sacks in his five seasons as a pro. This past season, however, Morgan ranked as the eighth-best 3-4 outside linebacker according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required and recommended).
Longtime Titans tackle Michael Roos might not be back with the Titans in 2015 and he might not play at all. Roos appeared in just five games in 2014 after being placed on IR. The Titans are the only organization he has known since his debut in 2005, but Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com reported in December that Roos probably wouldn’t return to the club since he has been squeezed out at left tackle in favor of Taylor Lewan. Roos indicated that he was leaning towards retirement before the New Year but there have also been rumblings that he would be okay with a shift to right tackle, where he spent some time in his first two seasons. Any way you slice it, it sounds like the odds are against Roos coming back to Tennessee in 2015.
Speaking of long-tenured members of the Titans, Nate Washington completed the sixth and final year of the deal he signed with the club in 2009. As you may recall, Washington’s tenure with the team almost ended a few months early when the Titans were aggressively shopping their veterans around the trade deadline. Washington stayed put, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him ring in his 32nd birthday (in August) with another club. On the other hand, the Titans have a young core of receivers and whether it’s Zach Mettenberger or someone else, the quarterback position will be filled by a youngster. It might not hurt to have someone with experience there to help guide the offense. The veteran had 40 receptions for 647 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2014.
Quarterback Jake Locker is among the biggest names on that free agent list, but the Titans are not interested in bringing him back.
Possible Cap Casualties
Michael Griffin has the third-highest cap hit of anyone on the team at $8.1MM. Simply put, the safety is paid like a top performer at his position but he is years removed from that mantle. The advanced metrics, unsurprisingly, tell a similar story. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of -15.7 in 2014, placing him 83rd out of 87 qualified safeties. His play put him in the same category of Kenny Vaccaro, who had a remarkably disappointing year for New Orleans, and Ryan Clark, who has decided to move on from football. If the Titans drop Griffin, they’ll save $4.5MM against the cap. Griffin told reporters in December that if the Titans came to him and said they wanted him back for less money, it would come down to a family decision and what is best for them. That’s a call he might never get to make, however.
Running back Shonn Greene is likely a goner this season as the Titans can save $3.35MM but cutting him loose. Greene carried the ball 94 times in 2014 for 392 yards and two touchdowns and saw his role move all over the map throughout the season. The jury is still out on whether rising sophomore Bishop Sankey can make an impact in the NFL, but the Titans pretty much know what they’ll get out of Greene, and it ain’t worth what they’re slated to pay him.
Safety Bernard Pollard asked for his release from the Titans in late January and he could have that wish granted. Keeping Pollard would mean paying him a $3.1MM base salary but cutting him would only leave the Titans with just $425K in dead money. Pollard played in just five games last season before landing on injured reserve with an Achilles injury, but he was a solid player as recently as 2013, when he racked up 77 tackles while starting all 16 games, and rated as the league’s No. 21 safety among 86 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Guard Andy Levitre could be a candidate for release, but it’s more likely that they’ll try and re-work his deal rather than carry $6MM+ in dead money. Ditto for teammates Jason McCourty and Craig Stevens. The Titans already saved themselves a pretty penny when they cut ties with Michael Oher in February.
Positions Of Need
The Titans’ biggest need of all is probably at the quarterback position. While they “like” Mettenberger, they’re not willing to name him as their starter for 2015 by any means. The free agent quarterback class, as you’ve probably heard once or twice before, leaves a lot to be desired. That’s why at the No. 2 overall pick, the Titans are widely expected to go for either Oregon star Marcus Mariota or FSU standout Jameis Winston, depending on what the Bucs do at No. 1. Webster has been telling the world that they’ll consider other needs at No. 2, but his club is still expected by many to take a QB. If the Titans aren’t high enough on whichever quarterback the Bucs pass on, they might pursue a trade with the Bears for Jay Cutler.
On defense, the Titans need to generate more pressure on the quarterback to make their 3-4 scheme effective. Brian Orakpo, Washington’s highest paid player in 2014, might not get the kind of money he wants in D.C., leading him to the open market. Despite his injury-riddled 2014, Orakpo stands as one of the league’s most terrifying linebackers when healthy. Alternatively, if the Titans stick with the selfie-loving Mettenberger, they could find an edge rusher with the No. 2 pick in Nebraska’s Randy Gregory. Some are concerned about Gregory’s size but a steady regimen of deadlifts and red meat could take care of that.
The Titans could use a worthwhile partner for McCourty and luckily for them, there are plenty of quality options available on the open market. The Titans might not go for top-shelf guys like Byron Maxwell or Darrelle Revis (if available), but the next tier of corners features multiple guys who could be had for cheaper, shorter-term deals. Antonio Cromartie is a veteran who would fit the bill, though he might lean towards a reunion with the Jets or a chance to join a contender instead.
Tennessee could look into adding a solid wide receiver, though it won’t be a higher priority than those listed above. A solid effort from Kendall Wright plus the long-awaited blossoming of Justin Hunter could give the Titans enough firepower to move the chains. Retaining the aforementioned Washington could also be a smart move.
Extension Candidates/Contract Decisions
Wright is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract and the Titans could look to lock up the former first-round pick early. They’ll have him at a relative bargain this season with a cap number of $2.6MM and even though his next deal will cost a bit more, the team could get another solid value by addressing it sooner rather than later.
Cutting Levitre remains unlikely, but that doesn’t mean that Webster can’t put on his best poker face and try to talk his camp into a modest pay cut. Levitre’s massive contract, signed in 2013, is scheduled to take him through the 2018 season. With a $6.5MM base for the next three seasons and a $5.8MM base in ’18, the Titans might be able to shave off a million or two for the coming year. The guard graded out as being well below average in 2014 with a -5.8 overall rating, per Pro Football Focus.
The Titans could push McCourty to take a small pay cut also and it’s not likely that he’ll want to give up his cushy deal and jump into an especially strong cornerback market. Stevens has a $4.5MM cap hit and the team should be able to talk him into a more aggressive cut.
Overall Outlook
This is an extremely pivotal offseason in Tennessee. While they’re armed with a boatload of cap room, the biggest decision the Titans make will come on April 30th when it’s time to hand their first selection over to commissioner Roger Goodell.
Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC South Notes: Colts, Hilton, Titans
A quick look at the AFC South..
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) expects the Colts to be “very proactive” when it comes to locking up the members of their 2012 draft class, who are now eligible for contract extensions. Wideout T.Y. Hilton will likely be first up, according to La Canfora. Other players from that class include Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, and – of course – Andrew Luck.
- Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter) feels that the Colts must address their safety situation in both free agency and the draft. The Colts need to solidify the position and they have no viable safeties in-house.
- We learned last month that veteran safety Bernard Pollard has asked the Titans for his release, and coach Ken Whisenhunt says that sort of thing is “not uncommon” at this time of year, per Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. “[Bernard’s] not healthy right now, so there is no decision to be made,” Whisenhunt said of the safety’s request.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
South Notes: J. Jones, Titans, Hardy, Jags
Falcons owner Arthur Blank and new head coach Dan Quinn have both expressed in recent weeks how much Julio Jones means to the franchise, but the club has yet to start discussions with the wideout about a contract extension, a source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Having exercised their fifth-year option on Jones last spring, the Falcons will have Jones under contract at least through the 2015 season, but he’s currently eligible to hit the open market in 2016, so the team figures to open extension talks at some point in the coming weeks or months.
Here’s a round-up of a few more items from around the NFL’s two South divisions:
- Per McClure (via Twitter), the contract that new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan signed with the Falcons is a three-year deal.
- Former Bucs GM Mark Dominik told Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (on Twitter) that he gets the sense that the Titans are trying to generate interest for a trade of their No. 2 overall pick.
- Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com examines the Greg Hardy situation, which has become complicated despite the fact that his legal case has been resolved. The Panthers defensive end is a test case for the league’s new personal conduct policy, and the NFL’s decision on him could significantly impact his free agent stock next month.
- Tight end Julius Thomas makes total sense for the Jaguars and should be near the top of their Plan A list, even if he’ll cost more than Marcedes Lewis, opines Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Besides Thomas, another Broncos free agent – free safety Rahim Moore – would be a solid fit for them in his view.
- Our preview of the Saints‘ offseason was published earlier this morning.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Jets, Hoyer, Broncos, Jags, Titans
We heard yesterday that new Jets GM Mike Maccagnan will meet with Muhammad Wilkerson‘s agent this week in Indianapolis, and a sit-down to discuss the team’s most obvious extension candidate isn’t the only noteworthy meeting on Maccagnan’s schedule for the combine. According to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com, the general manager will also huddle with the agent for linebacker David Harris, who is perhaps the club’s top free-agent-to-be. As Cimini points out, it should be an interesting negotiation, since Harris is coming off a four-year, $36MM and is now 31 years old — he also plays a position which typically doesn’t produce big paydays.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Brian Hoyer had hoped to sit down with Browns GM Ray Farmer by now to gauge Cleveland’s interest in re-signing him, but that meeting hasn’t happend yet, sources tell Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. In Grossi’s view, it looks increasingly unlikely that Hoyer will return to the Browns.
- New Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said today that he expects the team to be on the hunt for a fullback this offseason, tweets Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. “Obviously I’ve had one on my team all the time,” Kubiak said.
- A talent upgrade should be coming to Jacksonville, according to Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union, who writes that Jaguars owner Shad Khan wants to take advantage of the team’s huge chunk of cap space by targeting “the better players.”
- Titans general manager Ruston Webster has a much better idea this offseason than he did a year ago what sort of players the Titans should target from a personnel standpoint, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Most notably, as the team continues its transition to a 3-4 unit, linebacker will be an area of focus for Tennessee at the combine and in the draft.