Titans Re-Sign Bernard Pollard
TUESDAY, 12:37pm: Pollard can earn up to $6.4MM on his new two-year deal, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, the contract includes an $850K signing bonus, a $500K roster bonus, and $200K in workout bonuses.
MONDAY, 4:50pm: Pollard’s new contract with the Titans is for two years, tweets Wyatt.
2:43pm: The Titans appears to have reached an agreement with prospective free agent Bernard Pollard, according to the veteran safety himself. Pollard announced via Twitter that he’ll return to Tennessee: “Thank God!!! I’ll be a Titan for the next couple years!!! TitanUp.”
Pollard, 29, inked a one-year deal worth $2MM last season and outperformed his contract, racking up 99 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 passes defended while starting all 16 games for the Titans. According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Pollard ranked as the league’s 21st-best safety out of 86 qualified players at the position.
With Pollard seemingly locked up, the Titans can shift their focus to other positions, including in the secondary. Tennessee didn’t use its franchise tag on Alterraun Verner today, so the team will have to either lock him up within the next week or risk having him depart via free agency later in the month. The two sides aren’t currently close to an agreement, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter).
South Rumors: Pollard, Texans, Buccaneers
The Titans re-signed Bernard Pollard this afternoon and a couple interesting notes have trickled out since. According to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (via Twitter), Pollard did not use his agent and worked out the new deal himself. General manager Ruston Webster told Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (via Twitter) that “getting this deal done today helps our overall plan for this offseason…. We still have work ahead of us trying to retain some of our other players, but we are glad to be able to get this one done.” Among the team’s other free agents are cornerback Alterraun Verner and receiver Kenny Britt.
Some more whispers from the teams down south…
- The Texans should consider signing receiver Sidney Rice, writes Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. The team doesn’t have much cap room, but Rice shouldn’t cost a lot. As DiRocco points out, adding Rice to the duo of DeAndre Hopkins and Andre Johnson should give the team plenty of depth and talent at the position.
- Heading into the NFL Draft, the Buccaneers only have five draft picks and will likely have to be active in free agency. As a result of that, the team may be looking to clear more cap space, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. He mentions Darrelle Revis, Michael Koenen and Donald Penn as potential cap casualties.
- The Falcons have began discussions with Jonathan Babineaux, Corey Peters and Joe Hawley, reports D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In the same article, Ledbetter mentions potential free agent targets for Atlanta, including Jairus Byrd, Michael Johnson and Michael Bennett.
- What’s next for the Panthers after franchising Greg Hardy and learning of Jordan Gross‘s retirement? It appears to be re-signing safety Michael Mitchell and receiver Ted Ginn Jr., according to David Newton of ESPN.com. The team has started talking to representatives for the two players.
Franchise Updates: Whitner, Houston, Byrd
With today’s franchise deadline now less than five hours away, let’s round up a few of the latest news items and rumors on the franchise tag from around the NFL….
- The 49ers won’t be designating safety Donte Whitner as their franchise player, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
- Raiders defensive end Lamarr Houston isn’t expected to receive the team’s franchise tag, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Bills have yet to express anything to Jairus Byrd about the franchise tag, and it appears unlikely that the club will use it, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Joe Buscaglia of WGR550 also hears that the Bills won’t franchise Byrd (Twitter link).
- The Packers don’t look likely to use the franchise tag on their own defensive back, says Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (via Twitter). A source tells Dougherty that the team has yet to mention the possibility to Sam Shields or his agent.
Earlier updates:
- The Lions aren’t expected to use their franchise tag today, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew likely would have been the top candidate to be franchised.
- The Seahawks won’t use their franchise tag on defensive end Michael Bennett, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. We also heard over the weekend that the team doesn’t intend to tag kicker Steven Hauschka, but Seattle is still trying to reach deals with both players, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- The Titans won’t use their franchise tag on anyone this offseason, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Cornerback Alterraun Verner appeared to be the most viable Tennessee candidate for the tag, but it appears the club will either reach a multiyear agreement with Verner or let him hit the open market.
- Paul Soliai‘s agent says the Dolphins have told his client he won’t be franchised, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). We heard last week that Miami was unlikely to re-sign Soliai, so the team may turn its attention to bringing back its other key free agent defensive lineman, Randy Starks.
AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Martin, Clowney
While some teams received some extra cap relief as the new salary cap number was released, there are some teams that are not benefiting from the extra room just yet. The Jaguars are estimated to now have just over $56MM in cap space this offseason, according to OverTheCap.com. Every team could use a little extra cap space, but the Jaguars are still worried about hitting the minimum 89% cash spending requirement, writes Alfie Crow of BigCatCountry. Crow does explain that they do not have to hit that mark in 2014, but instead must reach the mark over a four-year period.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:
- The Jaguars have plenty of options if they want to spend their money, either up to the brink of the cap or even just to approach the 89% mark. Nate Davis of USA Today advises that the team’s general manager Dave Caldwell start by courting a big name wideout such as Hakeem Nicks, and handing out a big payday to Browns center Alex Mack in order to replace the retiring Brad Meester.
- Jonathan Martin will most likely be looking for a new team in the near future, and although he has many friends in the Colts’ locker room, Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes that the team is not in need of a tackle. Pro Football Rumors recognized this unfortunate reality as well, earlier this month.
- The Titans hold the 11th pick in the NFL Draft, and while the team has many holes to fill, Nicholas Pitakos of TitanSized.com explored the possibility of the team moving up to draft Jadeveon Clowney out of South Carolina. While he sees Clowney as a once in a lifetime prospect, and he is scared of him ending up in the AFC South with either the Texans or Jaguars, Pitakos sees the price just being too costly for the Titans to move up.
FA Rumors: Delmas, Jackson, Decker, Pace
A handful of potential free agents, including wide receiver Riley Cooper, center Roberto Garza, and defensive lineman Chris Baker, came off the board today, having agreed to new contracts with their current teams. However, there are still plenty of rumblings about other players who will hit free agency on March 11, not to mention those who are already available. Let’s dive in and round up the latest….
- Free agent safety Louis Delmas, who was cut by the Lions earlier this month, visited the Saints today, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Because he was released, Delmas is eligible to sign before March 11 if he gets an offer he likes.
- Recently released linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is in the same boat, and has already lined up weekend visits with the Titans and Broncos, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). La Canfora adds (Twitter link) that the Vikings among the clubs looking to schedule a visit for next week, while Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that eight interested teams have already reached out.
- Following up on a tweet from Vic Lombardi of CBS4 in Denver that indicated there could be mutual interest between wide receiver Eric Decker and the Colts, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star says (via Twitter) that potential interest is unlikely to materialize into anything concrete.
- The Jets met with linebacker Calvin Pace‘s reps at the combine in Indianapolis and made it clear they’d like to re-sign him, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. However, the club has not yet engaged in contract talks for Pace, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
- Costello adds in a tweet that the Jets also have interest in retaining defensive tackle Leger Douzable, who will be an unrestricted free agent.
- Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com explores the possibility of the Bills using their franchise tag on free agent safety Jairus Byrd, which it sounds like the team is willing to do.
- Free-agent-to-be Rashad Jennings has signed with VMG Sports and will be represented by Mike Simon, Greg Diulus, and Adam Heller, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. The Raiders running back had previously been repped by Kelley Drye.
AFC Notes: Browns, Raiders, Jackson, Ravens
Appearing on the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah said that he’s hearing “from several different places” that the Browns are targeting quarterback Derek Carr with the No. 26 pick rather than drafting a signal-caller at No. 4 (link via Marc Sessler of NFL.com). Of course, there’s plenty of time for that stance to change over the next two and a half months. More out of the AFC..
- Raiders owner Mark Davis spoke to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle about the need for a franchise quarterback, the team’s boatload of cap space, and whether or not this is a make-or-break year in Oakland.
- Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk expects the Broncos and Titans to be in the mix for linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who hit the free agent market today when he was cut by the Browns. Seven teams have reached out to Jackson since his release and he’s currently deciding where to visit first, tweets Jason La Canfora of NFL.com.
- Torrey Smith is very open to the idea of the Ravens adding a receiver in free agency or the draft, as he tells Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. “The more, the merrier,” Smith said. “The more help you can have no matter what position it is, it’s only going to make us stronger as a unit. Whatever we bring in, whether it’s free agency or a rookie, we’ll welcome him in with open arms.”
- Although Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star suggested yesterday that Adam Vinatieri could be a franchise tag option for the Colts, that’s not the case, according to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). As Corry notes, even though Vinatieri didn’t play out two seasons as the Patriots‘ franchise player, he was tagged twice by New England, meaning he’d be eligible for the quarterback’s franchise salary if he were tagged a third time.
AFC Notes: Bortles, Ravens, Chiefs, Colts
We checked in on the NFC earlier this afternoon, so let’s head over to the AFC now and round up a few of the latest updates….
- Blake Bortles had formal interviews with eight franchises at the combine in Indianapolis, according to Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel. Of those eight teams, three – the Texans, Jaguars, and Titans – were AFC South squads. The Jets and Raiders also met with the UCF quarterback.
- With James Ihedigbo expected to leave in free agency, the Ravens would like to add a free safety this offseason, shifting Matt Elam to strong safety, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. Still, the team feels good about its secondary overall, and safety won’t be the top priority in May’s draft.
- The Chiefs had formal interviews in Indianapolis with Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy and Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links).
- Cornerback Vontae Davis and safety Antoine Bethea are potential candidates to receive the Colts‘ franchise designation, but the free agent most likely to be tagged might be kicker Adam Vinatieri, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.
Titans Re-Sign Jackie Battle
The Titans have re-signed running back Jackie Battle, reports Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (via Twitter). In an additional tweet, Wyatt says the deal is for one year.
Battle spent the first four seasons of his career with the Chiefs before playing one season with the Chargers in 2012. Last season, the 30-year-old ran for 142 yards on 36 carries as the Titans third-string back behind Chris Johnson and Shonn Greene. Battle was also useful on special teams, where he compiled seven total tackles.
Battle made $715K last season, $21K of which was surrendered to the NFL for violating the “Trent Richardson rule.”
Extra Points: Titans, Roos, Harbaugh, Browns
Although the Titans are currently prioritizing this year’s pending free agents and potential cap casualties, the team shouldn’t forget about players like left tackle Michael Roos and defensive tackle Jurrell Casey, whose contracts are up after the 2014 season, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. In Wyatt’s view, Tennessee can afford to wait to see how Casey fits in a changing defense, but the team would be wise to try to lock up Roos to an extension as soon as possible.
Here are a few more miscellaneous Monday links from around the NFL:
- Former Octagon agents Doug Hendrickson and C.J. LaBoy have joined Relativity Sports, according to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal (via Twitter). Mullen adds in a second tweet that the duo will work with and report to Relativity’s football CEO, Eugene Parker.
- If Jim Harbaugh doesn’t receive a contract extension this offseason and the 49ers don’t win the Super Bowl next season, expect the Dolphins to be among the teams pursing the head coach next year, tweets Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports.
- Before he was removed from his role as CEO of the team, Joe Banner had the Browns‘ offensive and defensive coordinators reporting directly to him, reports Pat Kirwan of CBSSports.com. As agent Mike McCartney observes (via Twitter), if Kirwan’s report is accurate, it’s not hard to understand why head coaching candidates would’ve been reluctant to accept the Cleveland job.
- Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who had a stellar performance at the combine, met with nine teams, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link): The Cowboys, Ravens, Bears, Bengals, Vikings, Texans, Lions, Buccaneers, and Rams.
- The Packers, Patriots, and Seahawks met with Rutgers receiver Brandon Coleman, who also had an informal meeting with the Redskins, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Combine Updates: Clowney, Ford, Tuitt, Mason
Jadeveon Clowney is the talk of the NFL combine on Monday morning, running an unofficial time of 4.47 in the 40-yard dash today. The time is easily the best among defensive linemen, and in fact surpassed the times of most of the running backs and receivers that ran the 40 yesterday. Clowney won’t participate in all of today’s on-field drills, citing a hip flexor, but there are still plenty of combine updates to pass along from Indianapolis:
- Auburn defensive end Dee Ford was medically flagged due to a 2011 procedure on a herniated disc in his lower back and won’t work out today at the combine. Scott Hanson of NFL Red Zone first reported (via Twitter) that Ford would sit out, while Steve Wyche of NFL Network passed along the specifics (Twitter link).
- Like Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt was diagnosed with a fractured foot by doctors at the combine, according to Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, who says Tuitt will undergo surgery in about a week, with a full recovery expected in six to eight weeks. Ford and Tuitt are viewed as two of the top non-Clowney DEs available in the draft.
- The Titans, Dolphins, Rams, and Cardinals are among the teams that have met with Auburn running back Tre Mason at the combine, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- The Ravens have met with Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland, as well as wide receivers Brandin Cooks (Oregon State) and Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt), Aaron Wilson writes in separate pieces for the Baltimore Sun. Wilson also says the team will meet with LSU receiver Jarvis Landry.
- Maryland cornerback Dexter McDougle won’t participate in drills at the combine due to health concerns, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
- For a complete list of combine results, including scores in the 40-yard dash, bench press, and broad jump, be sure to check out NFL.com’s tracker.