Browns Frontrunners For Karlos Dansby
The Browns have emerged as “the team to beat” in the Karlos Dansby sweepstakes, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The Titans and Cardinals have been the other teams frequently linked to Dansby, but both of those clubs feel like they may be out of the running, says Rapoport.
Although he’ll turn 33 in November, Dansby certainly didn’t show any signs of falling off in 2013, racking up 121 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and a career-high four interceptions, including two for touchdowns. The former 33rd overall pick also ranked fifth among inside linebackers, according to Pro Football Focus, grading exceptionally well in pass coverage. If Cleveland can lock him up, Dansby will replace D’Qwell Jackson at inside linebacker.
Mary Kay Cabot reported earlier today that the Browns were expected to seriously pursue Dansby.
AFC Rumors: Tate, McFadden, Mitchell, Dansby
Free agent receiver Golden Tate, who tweeted last night that things are “heating up” for him, could be a target for the Jaguars, says Peter King of TheMMQB.com. The former Seahawks notable is coming off of his most productive season ever in which he hauled in 64 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns. More out of the AFC..
- While many free agent running backs aren’t getting much play yet, Darren McFadden is one that has drawn “significant interest,” tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Fallon Smith of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter) hears from a league source that the Raiders have a one-year offer on the table for McFadden. The 26-year-old has missed 19 games over the last three seasons.
- The Dolphins are in the mix for defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. The 26-year-old is getting a lot of attention for his versatility, athletic ability, and his high motor.
- The Browns are likely to pursue Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby in free agency, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio News Group. Dansby, 32, would replace D’Qwell Jackson, who signed a four-year deal with the Colts last week. The Browns were also unsatisfied with the play of inside ‘backer Craig Robertson as the 2013 season went along.
- The Browns are aggressively pursuing slot receivers with Davone Bess out of the picture, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. Julian Edelman is a possibility as is poaching Andrew Hawkins from the Bengals.
- Re-signing defensive tackle Antonio Johnson is a priority for the Titans, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. The club also has interest in holding on to Leon Washington, Marc Mariani, Damian Williams, and Chris Spencer.
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) asked a Jets source for the best way to describe the organization’s free agency plan and he was told that the club will be “aggressive.”
- The Broncos have discussed the likes of pursuing safety T.J. Ward and defensive end Jared Allen but they’re certainly not in the lead as some have implied, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
- The Jets and Patriots will each pick up nearly an extra $2MM in cap room due to various bookkeeping technicalities, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com explains in a series of tweets.
CB Rumors: Talib, Rogers, Verner, Davis
Perhaps the best corner in the league appears to be available via trade, but let’s look at some news regarding free agent cornerbacks:
- Aqib Talib is “very close” to a new contract with the Patriots, tweets Dianna Russini of NBC Washington.
- Russini also tweets that the Redskins want Talib, but that the Patriots are offering a better deal.
- Meanwhile, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com doesn’t expect the Redskins to “heavily pursue” Talib (via Twitter).
- Carlos Rogers would “love” to return to the Redskins after being released by the 49ers, and the two sides are discussing a reunion, according to Russini (on Twitter).
- It would be an upset if the Jets don’t sign either Vontae Davis or Alterraun Verner to replace Antonio Cromartie, as the Jets defense is based around solid cornerback play, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. We previously noted that Jets could be the mystery team in on Davis, who is expected to sign tomorrow.
- Verner has interest in both the Jets and the Giants, saying “both those teams could win and have capabilities,” according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (on Sulia).
- The Titans remain in conversation with Verner, but they probably won’t be able to match the money offered by other teams, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- The Ravens would like to retain Corey Graham, but he’s drawn interest from the Redskins, Giants, and Eagles, according to Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com (on Twitter).
AFC Rumors: McCluster, Titans, Steelers, Jets
A league source tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star that wide receiver and return man Dexter McCluster won’t be returning to the Chiefs. McCluster has four or five suitors and will likely sign Tuesday night, says Paylor, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com also hears that the free-agent-to-be will be “snapped up quickly.” Here’s more from around the AFC:
- In addition to Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby, other players on the Titans‘ radar include Ravens inside linebacker Jameel McClain and Broncos defensive end/outside linebacker Shaun Phillips, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.
- Red Bryant says he received interest from the Packers, Chiefs, and Redskins signing with the Jaguars, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Bryant signed a four-year deal with Jacksonville that could pay him up to $17MM but guarantees him just $5.25MM.
- The Steelers are working to see if Ike Taylor will take a pay cut, tweets La Canfora. If Taylor is unwilling to do so, I imagine Pittsburgh will release him soon.
- Chiefs inside linebacker Akeem Jordan is drawing interest from six teams and has a visit set up with one AFC club for Thursday, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (at the National Football Post).
- The Jets are high on Matt Schaub, and figure to target him in free agency if he’s released by the Texans, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Alterraun Verner Rumors: Monday
Both New York teams have been linked to free agent cornerback Alterraun Verner, with the latest reports suggesting that Verner is one of many defensive backs the Jets have inquired on, while the Giants may bow out of the Verner sweepstakes if it takes $10MM per year to land him. Here’s more on the free agent I ranked as the eighth-best in this year’s class:
- Appearing on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio, Verner made a number of interesting comments. Verner suggested he’d like to go to a team that he thinks can win, and that he might be more interested in being among a team’s highest-paid players at $6-7MM than earning $8-9MM and not being among the highest paid (all Twitter links). He added that he expects to make a decision fairly quickly (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- There’s still no movement between Verner and the Titans on a new deal, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, who says there are at least six teams in the mix for the cornerback (Twitter link).
- Like Peter King, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger hears it could take $10MM annually to sign Verner, and says that price is likely out of the Giants‘ range. As Raanan writes, the Giants have multiple holes to fill and will be reluctant to spend heavily on any one player.
- Verner is one of the prospective free agents that the Steelers have expressed interest in, according to Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Given Pittsburgh’s cap situation and Verner’s rumored asking price, it’s hard to see how the team could afford to bring in the Titans cornerback, but he’s at least on the radar. According to Brown, the Steelers have also inquired on Captain Munnerlyn and Nolan Carroll.
AFC Rumors: Jets, Howard, Titans, Steelers
With Antonio Cromartie no longer in the mix in New York, the Jets have turned their attention to other notable free agent defensive backs. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported late last night that the Jets were eyeing safety T.J. Ward, and he hears today from a team source that the club has also inquired on several other DBs. According to Mehta (via Twitter), New York has “varying degrees of interest” in safety Chris Clemons and cornerbacks Alterraun Verner and Captain Munnerlyn. Here are a few more Monday rumors relating to AFC teams:
- The Jets continue to negotiate with Austin Howard, but other teams have expressed interest in the free agent tackle, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post.
- We heard earlier today that defensive lineman Antonio Smith has drawn interest from four teams, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean thinks the Titans are probably one of those clubs (Twitter link).
- The Steelers are among the clubs to inquire on free agent cornerback Nolan Carroll, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link) hears that there’s only $5.255MM of guaranteed money in Red Bryant‘s four-year contract with the Jaguars, making it a fairly low-risk move for the club.
- Long snapper Danny Aiken‘s new one-year deal with the Patriots includes a $55K signing bonus and $25K workout bonus on top of his minimum base salary, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).
Titans To Attempt To Trade Chris Johnson
The Titans will try to trade running back Chris Johnson before releasing him, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Johnson does not have any upcoming roster bonuses due, so the Titans could wait all the way until the first week of the regular season to cut without owing him any base salary. Releasing the running back would result in a $4MM cap charge.
It is unclear what the Titans could hope to receive in exchange for Johnson. He once ran for over 2,000 yards, but the was four years ago. He still has elite speed, but he graded out as just the 42nd-best running back in the league last season according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Even if a team was willing to sacrifice a late-round pick for Johnson, it is not going to want to retain him at his current salary levels. A release still seems like the overwhelmingly likely outcome.
AFC Notes: Albert, Verner, Clabo, Byrd
Branden Albert is likely to sign with the Dolphins when free agency officially begins on Tuesday, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Albert, 29, was the Chiefs first-round-pick in 2008, and as Florio notes, was nearly traded to the Dolphins last offseason.
The Dolphins need to rebuild a porous offensive line, and they essentially need four starters to team with center Mike Pouncey. The unit was decimated by the controversies relating to Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito, neither of whom is expected to return to Miami. The Chiefs, meanwhile, will fill Albert’s shoes at left tackle with either Eric Fisher or Donald Stephenson, with the other manning the right tackle position.
Other news from the AFC:
- Offensive lineman Tyson Clabo is expected to hit the free agent market, and there is “real interest” from teams around the league, tweets Adam Beasely of the Miami Herald. Clabo started 15 games last season for the Dolphins.
- The Titans are still talking with cornerback Alterraun Verner, but it is unlikely he will return to Tennessee, according to the Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt (via Twitter).
- As of Sunday afternoon, the Browns had not contacted safety Jairus Byrd, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Browns are widely expected to express interest in Byrd, who played under new Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine with the Bills.
- The Patriots expect both cornerback Aqib Talib and receiver Julian Edelman to come back to them with any free agent offers and give the team the opportunity to match, notes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.
FA Rumors: Allen, Johnson, Mitchell, Jones
Jared Allen will not return to the Vikings, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Allen, 34, spent the past six seasons in Minnesota, after the team acquired him in 2008 from the Chiefs in exchange for a first-round-pick. La Canfora reports that Allen has narrowed his focus to teams that can contend next season, and that his list of preferred organizations contains less than five teams (via Twitter). The Raiders have been mentioned as a potential fit, while the Broncos would also seem to be an ideal match, as they are a veteran-laden squad with Super Bowl aspirations, and have a need at defensive end.
Allen’s play slipped last season, as he graded out as just the 34th-best defensive end in the league according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), although he did finish with 11.5 sacks. The Vikings seemed to have replaced him today by re-signing fellow end Everson Griffen to a five-year pact. The team had already extended defensive end Brian Robison in October.
Other notes from free agency:
- Although the Vikings could sign both Griffen and free agent defensive end Michael Johnson, sources expect Johnson to land elsewhere following the Griffen deal, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN. Johnson played under new Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer in Cincinnati.
- We noted earlier that the Redskins are expected to be “major players” for cornerback Aqib Talib, but it seems they also have interest in safety Mike Mitchell, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Mitchell, a second-round-pick by the Raiders in 2009, notched 66 tackles and four interceptions in his first season in Carolina last year.
- Defensive end Arthur Jones is a popular name on the free agent market, having already drawn interest from the Titans, Redskins, Giants, and Vikings, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Wilson also tweeted that the Packers are also intrigued by Jones. Jones, 27, is a versatile player who would fit in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense, as evidenced by the teams calling on him.
FA Rumors: Falcons, Finley, Winston, Neal
Let’s follow up on this morning’s free agent rumors with another round of them for the afternoon….
- The Falcons are engaged in active talks to bring back offensive lineman Mike Johnson, but appear ready to part ways with defensive tackle Peria Jerry, reports D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Consitution.
- Tight end Jermichael Finley has drawn interest from the Jets, Chiefs, Seahawks, Giants, and Steelers, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The former Packers standout still hasn’t been medically cleared, however.
- The Cardinals have maintained interest in offensive lineman Eric Winston, but with no deal imminent, the veteran tackle could hit the open market, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Packers have had meaningful discussions with outside linebacker Mike Neal, but they haven’t come up with a large enough offer to keep him from testing the open market, tweets Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
- Wilson also passes along an update on former Ravens defensive tackle Bryan Hall, who worked out for eight NFL teams at Arkansas State today. Hall was converted to linebacker by Baltimore, but is back to playing on the line now (Twitter links).
- According to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link), defensive tackle Antonio Johnson continues to talk to the Titans, as the team tries to re-sign some of its players scheduled to be unrestricted free agents
- Having re-signed Marcus Sherels, the Vikings have one restricted free agent left, in linebacker Larry Dean. A source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) the team is having ongoing discussions on the possibility of bringing Dean back.
- Tight end Dustin Keller, who was doing exceptionally well in camp with the Dolphins last offseason before tearing his ACL, is on track to return for this season, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Keller is an unrestricted free agent.