With the 2014 free agent period now eight days away, we’re starting to get a clearer idea of which players will actually be available when we turn the calendar to March 11, and a new league year begins. Plenty of free-agents-to-be will still be locked up between now and then, but many more will hit the open market, and perhaps change teams. Here’s the latest on a number of current or prospective free agents:
- The Patriots and Brandon Spikes aren’t discussing a new deal, meaning the linebacker appears likely to become a free agent and sign elsewhere, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
- Having met with the Broncos and Titans already, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is on his way to Miami today to visit the Dolphins, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). The former Brown has a leg up on this year’s class of free agent linebackers, since he’s free to sign prior to March 11 if he so chooses.
- The Browns‘ brass met with center Alex Mack this weekend, and are serious about mending fences with Mack that may have been torn down by the old regime, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- In the view of ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), the Seahawks and Packers should be open to the idea of signing Jimmy Graham to an offer sheet and giving up two first-round picks to snatch him away from the Saints. However, Peter King of TheMMQB.com doesn’t think giving up a pair of top picks for the right to pay Graham $12MM per year is worth it.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a look at the Saints‘ perspective when it comes to negotiating a new deal for Graham.
- Chris Murray, the agent for defensive back Marcus Sherels, is optimistic that he and the Vikings will complete a deal for his restricted free agent client before March 11, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- The Giants will be bringing back exclusive rights free agent OL Dallas Reynolds, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
- Pro Football Focus has released a list of its top 75 free agents.