Titans To Sign Michael Oher
Michael Oher and the Titans have agreed to a contract that will bring the offensive tackle to Tennessee, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN. The four-year deal is worth $20MM, with $9.5MM in guaranteed money.
The former Raven was expendable after Eugene Monroe signed an extension with the team. Oher has had ups and downs in Baltimore, but has shown the ability to play both right and left tackle.
Titans Notes: Verner, Woodyard, Stewart
New Buccaneer Alterraun Verner spoke earlier about his decision to leave the Titans earlier today, saying he felt undervalued by the team, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.
“I think it’s very tough because there’s a lot of changeover, new coaches and everything like that,” Verner said. “At times, I felt that I could have been undervalued or maybe not appreciated enough.”
He said the Titans offered him a contract close to what he got in Tampa Bay, but the decision was not solely about the money.
- Details of Wesley Woodyard‘s new contract with the Titanns have been released, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). The $16MM contract includes $4.75MM in guaranteed money.
- Wyatt also reported that the team’s former right tackle David Stewart is unlikely to continue his career (via Twitter). Stewart was released earlier in the week.
- Chris Johnson has become more willing to take a pay cut if it helps the Titans to trade him, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. It is unclear if teams would be interested in the 28-year-old running back.
Titans Release Ryan Fitzpatrick
2:25pm: The Titans have officially informed Fitzpatrick he has been released, says Wyatt (via Twitter).
2:09pm: The Titans are expected to release Ryan Fitzpatrick today, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). The veteran signal-caller has a $500K roster bonus due on the fifth day of the league year, so the team figures to part ways with him before paying that bonus.
Fitzpatrick’s release had been viewed as a possibility this offseason, and his fate was likely sealed when the team agreed to sign Charlie Whitehurst this week. Whitehurst, the former Chargers backup, looks poised to enter the 2014 season as Jake Locker‘s primary backup.
As for Fitzpatrick, releasing him would create $3.25MM in cap savings for the Titans, leaving just $875K of his $4.125MM cap number on the books in dead money. He’ll immediately becoming an unrestricted free agent when the move becomes official, and given the lack of top-tier options on this year’s market, it may not take him long to find a new job — Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link) thinks Fitzpatrick could have a new deal in place within the next few days.
Wesley Woodyard To Sign With Titans
Wesley Woodyard has decided on a team, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN, who tweets that the linebacker just told her he’ll sign with the Titans. Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $16MM. Woodyard had met with the Patriots earlier this week before visiting the Titans.
Woodyard, who spent the first six seasons of his career in Denver, started 24 games over the course of the last two years with the Broncos. In those two seasons as a full-time player, the 27-year-old recorded a slightly below-average grade, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, but logged seven total sacks, forced three fumbles, and averaged over 100 tackles per season.
Linebacker had been an area of focus for the Titans this offseason, as the team had interest in Darryl Sharpton and LaMarr Woodley before those players agreed to sign elsewhere. Akeem Jordan is also visiting the Titans today.
OL Rumors: Dolphins, Oher, Titans, Giants
As rumors continue to trickle in on the fourth day of free agency, let’s check in on a few offensive lineman who remain on the market:
- The Dolphins have extended a contract offer to offensive lineman Shelley Smith, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). However, Beasley cautions that Smith has other offers on the table, adding that the situation remains fluid. According to Beasley (via Twitter), Smith and cornerback Cortland Finnegan are at the Dolphins’ headquarters this morning.
- Free agent tackle Michael Oher is visiting with the Titans today, reports Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun adds (via Twitter) that Oher will meet with the Raiders tomorrow. With Eugene Monroe back in the fold in Baltimore, the subject of The Blind Side appears likely to land with a new team this offseason.
- As of late yesterday, the Giants still had interest in re-signing veteran offensive lineman Kevin Boothe and pairing him with J.D. Walton at center, tweets Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
Extra Points: Smith, Munnerlyn, Neal
Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told reporters, including Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter), that he wanted a three-year deal with the Vikings rather than four years so that he could get another contract before he turns 30. He added (link) that it was very tough for him to say goodbye to the Panthers, but Carolina couldn’t afford to give him the same contract. More from around the NFL..
- Steve Smith‘s visit with the Ravens is going well so far, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Steelers were eyeing Mike Neal in free agency before he re-signed with Green Bay, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The linebacker got a two-year, $8MM deal from the Packers with a $2.5MM signing bonus.
- Charlie Whitehurst had the same offer from the Chargers before he picked the Titans, tweets Paul Kuharsky of ESPN. The quarterback inked a two-year deal with a $4MM base with another $4MM in incentives and $2MM guaranteed.
- New 49ers addition Jonathan Martin told reporters, including Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter), that he never considered retirement.
- Former Bucs left tackle Donald Penn is flying to Oakland tonight to visit the Raiders, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Penn has been heavily linked to the Raiders since his release.
- The 49ers don’t have much salary cap space and it’s hard to see them signing both a cornerback and a wide receiver, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
- Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter) expects the market for Saints free agent center Brian de la Puente to heat up now that the first wave of free agency has come and gone.
- Henry Melton‘s possible legal trouble won’t prevent the Bears from re-signing him, but they could use it as ammunition as they try to knock his price down, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
Chris Johnson Willing To Restructure
5:45pm: The Titans continue to shop Johnson to other teams and there’s some interest around the league, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean.
5:37pm: Chris Johnson is willing to restructure his contract in order to help facilitate a trade, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Earlier this week we learned that Tennessee would work to move their star running back.
It is unclear what the Titans could hope to receive in exchange for the 28-year-old, but an easier contract will certainly help his trade value. The man known as CJ2K ran for over 2,000 yards four years ago, but his production has been spotty ever since. While he still has tremendous speed, he graded out as just the 42nd-best running back in the league last season according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Releasing the running back would mean a $4MM cap charge for Tennessee, but they have that option at their disposal up until the first week of the regular season. In total, cutting Johnson loose would result in ~$6MM in cap savings for the Titans. The 28-year-old ran for 1,077 yards off of 279 carries, good for an average of 3.9 yards per carry. He also had six touchdowns, matching his 2012 total.
AFC Contract Details: Talib, Bills, Conner
Aqib Talib‘s contract with the Broncos features a $5MM signing bonus, a $2MM roster bonus, a $4.5MM guaranteed base salary, and $500K in per-game roster bonuses, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Since Talib has a small signing bonus and his 2015 and 2016 salaries are guaranteed for injury only, the Broncos could essentially cut ties with him for no guaranteed money and a minimal ($4MM) cap hit even after the 2014 season, barring a major injury, tweets Pelissero. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has the breakdown in chart form right here.
Here are a few more specific details on deals signed this week:
- Corey Graham‘s new contract with the Bills can be worth over $19MM, but on the surface, it’s a four-year, $16.3MM deal with $8.1MM guaranteed, says Pelissero (via Twitter). According to Pelissero, the deal includes $700K in annual incentives, plus an extra $100K bonus each season for making the Pro Bowl.
- The Chargers‘ three-year deal with Kavell Conner is worth $2.7MM, with a $270K signing bonus and an escalator worth up to $500K in 2016, tweets Pelissero.
- Jim Dray‘s contract with the Browns features a $900K signing bonus, says Pelissero (via Twitter).
- Pelissero also passes along the details on Chris Williams‘ four-year contract with the Bills. According to the USA Today scribe (via Twitter), it’s worth $13.04MM with $3.025MM in the first year, and is only guaranteed for injury in year two. Pelissero adds in another tweet that there’s a $2.5MM roster bonus due early in 2016 that’s a clear “trigger point” for the deal.
- The Colts signed safety Sergio Brown on Tuesday, and that one-year deal will be worth $1.4MM, with a $300K signing bonus, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- While Keith Rivers‘ new deal with the Bills was reported as a two-year, $5MM contract with half of that amount guaranteed, it looks like it won’t be worth quite that much. Wilson tweets that it’s worth $4.05MM, with a $1MM signing bonus, base salaries of $1.25MM (2014) and $1.6MM (2015), and annual workout bonuses of $100K.
- Michael Hoomanawanui‘s two-year contract with the Patriots is worth a total of $2.4MM, with a $360K signing bonus and $1.1MM in total guarantees, tweets Wilson.
- The two-year, $5MM figure reported for Al Woods earlier today includes incentives, according to Wilson (via Twitter). The defensive lineman’s contract with the Titans features a signing bonus of $1MM, base salaries of $900K (2014) and $2.1MM (2015), and incentives worth up to $500K annually.
Titans Sign Whitehurst To Two-Year Deal
4:55pm: Whitehurst’s two-year deal has a $4MM base value, with another $4MM in incentives, tweets Wyatt, adding that $2MM is fully guaranteed. The Titans have confirmed the signing.
4:13pm: The Titans and quarterback Charlie Whitehurst have reached an agreement on a two-year deal, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). According to Wyatt, Whitehurst’s new contract can be worth up to $8MM, and it’s expected to signal the end of Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s time in Tennessee (Twitter link).
Whitehurst, who has been Philip Rivers‘ backup in San Diego for the last two seasons, saw just 12 snaps in two games during the 2013 season, and didn’t attempt a pass. So perhaps the Titans liked what they saw of the 31-year-old during his stints as the starter in Seattle during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
While Wyatt’s initial report suggests a max value of $8MM, I’d imagine a good chunk of that amount can only be earned through playing-time and performance incentives, and if Jake Locker stays healthy and keeps his job, Whitehurst likely won’t see much action.
As for Fitzpatrick, releasing him would create $3.25MM in cap savings for the Titans, leaving just $875K of his $4.125MM cap number on the books.
FA Rumors: Melton, Walker, Cromartie
Unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton, who is visiting with the Vikings on Thursday, is the center of a lawsuit from a bar altercation where he is alleged to have bitten the restaurant owner, writes Master Tesfatsion of the Star-Tribune. That could be a sticking point for the Vikings, who dealt with four player arrests in 2013. The latest free agent rumors from around the NFL…
- Vance Walker is visiting with the Chiefs today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN. The defensive tackle also has a visit lined up with the Packers, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
- Former Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie is visiting with the Cardinals today, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
- Quarterback Shaun Hill could still return to the Lions, a source tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. The Buccaneers seemed like a real option for Hill until they inked Josh McCown this week.
- Akeem Jordan‘s visit with the Titans has been moved up from Monday to Friday, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, adding that the Redskins would like to bring in the linebacker for a visit if he doesn’t sign with Tennessee (Twitter links).
- Tight end Owen Daniels is set to visit with the Redskins, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).
- Return specialist Ted Ginn is visiting the Cardinals, tweets P. Schrager of FOXSports.com.