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NFC Links: Giants, Bucs, Eagles, Mathieu

July 22nd, 2014 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

After rounding up a few odds and ends from out of the AFC earlier today, let’s shift our focus to the league’s other conference, and check out the latest from around the NFC….

Falcons To Sign Pat Angerer

July 22nd, 2014 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons have reached an agreement with free agent linebacker Pat Angerer, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson had reported earlier today that Angerer auditioned for Atlanta, and it didn’t take long for the team to extend a contract offer to the former Colt.

Angerer, 27, racked up 226 tackles in his first two NFL seasons but has played more sparsely over the last two years, in part due to foot and knee injuries. Back in April it was reported that the 27-year-old had received interest from multiple clubs but wanted to make sure he was back to 100% health before working out for anyone. The audition for the Falcons was believed to be Angerer’s first of the offseason.

Atlanta has been on the lookout for veteran help at the linebacker spot since receiving word that Sean Weatherspoon ruptured his Achilles tendon and will miss the 2014 season. The Falcons signed former Texan Tim Dobbins to compete for a roster spot and were said to be considering Angerer several weeks ago, before agreeing to terms with him.

In addition to Angerer, wide receiver Jeremy Ebert will also sign with the Falcons, according to agent Mike McCartney (via Twitter). By our count, the team two open roster spots heading into today, so no corresponding moves should be necessary to make room.

Broncos Cut Joel Dreessen

July 22nd, 2014 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Broncos have released tight end Joel Dreessen with a failed physical designation, the team announced today in a press release. Dreessen had missed the team’s spring workouts and practices due to ongoing knee issues.

Dreessen, who turns 32 this Saturday, spent two seasons with the Broncos after five years in Houston and one with the Jets. Although he established career highs in receptions (41) and games started (15) in 2012, his production was significantly reduced in 2013, due to health issues and the emergence of Julius Thomas.

Only Dreessen’s prorated bonus, worth about $667K, will count against Denver’s cap in 2014 now that he has been cut. The team will avoid paying his $2.5MM base salary and create some cap savings, which could be used toward an extension for the Broncos’ new starting tight end (Thomas) or wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Latest On Andre Johnson

July 22nd, 2014 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

2:42pm: Johnson’s agent, Kennard McGuire, made a statement today on Johnson’s situation, as Brian T. Smith passes along at the Houston Chronicle:

“I am not refuting, confirming or denying any reports or stories,” McGuire said. “Per the collective bargaining agreement, there’s a period in which veteran players are not allowed to participate or be in their team’s facilities and that period is as such. While I am personally in contact with the Texans organization, those conversations will remain between myself, the organization and Andre Johnson.”

2:05pm: A source with knowledge of the situation tells James Palmer of CSN Houston it’s looking more likely that Johnson will show up later this week when the Texans’ training camp gets underway. Palmer notes that the veteran wideout has spoken to O’Brien several times this offseason.

12:48pm: While there are a handful of players who appear likely to hold out when training camps get underway, none have the résumé that seven-time Pro Bowler Andre Johnson does, and the wideout’s potential attendance at Texans’ camp remains up in the air. ESPN.com’s Tania Ganguli reported today that Johnson arrived Monday at the team’s facility in order to learn Bill O’Brien‘s offense, which seems to be a positive sign for Houston. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) and Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle both hear from sources that Johnson’s appearance has no significance on whether or not he’ll report for camp on Friday.

Johnson, 33, is frustrated with the Texans, who are coming off a 2-14 season and are employing their sixth different offensive coordinator since Johnson joined the team in 2003. The former third overall pick skipped the Texans’ voluntary workouts this spring, as well as their mandatory minicamp, but so far the club has seemed unwilling to make any concessions in the standoff. If Houston does reach a compromise with Johnson, it’s unlikely to come in the form of a trade, as the team reportedly has no interest in such a move.

Jerome Solomon (Twitter links) and John McClain of the Houston Chronicle have both indicated that they expect Johnson to report to training camp, while Rapoport (Twitter link) has expressed skepticism. We should get a little more clarity on the receiver’s status within the next few days, as the Texans’ first practice of the summer is scheduled for Saturday morning.

Pat Angerer Works Out For Falcons

July 22nd, 2014 at 2:38pm CST by Luke Adams

As training camp nears, the Falcons still have two openings on their 90-man roster, and it appears they’re considering a veteran defender for one of those open spots. According to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, free agent linebacker Pat Angerer worked out for Atlanta today.

Angerer, 27, racked up 226 tackles in his first two NFL seasons but has played more sparsely over the last two years, in part due to foot and knee injuries. Back in April it was reported that the 27-year-old had received interest from multiple clubs but wanted to make sure he was back to 100% health before working out for anyone. The audition for the Falcons appears to be Angerer’s first of the offseason.

The Falcons have been on the lookout for veteran help at the linebacker spot since receiving word that Sean Weatherspoon ruptured his Achilles tendon and will miss the 2014 season. The club signed former Texan Tim Dobbins to compete for a roster spot and was said to be considering Angerer several weeks ago.

We’ll have to wait to see whether or not the ex-Colt receives a contract offer from Atlanta, but regardless of whether Angerer signs, the club is likely to fill its 90-man roster by Friday, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter).

Chargers Release Larry English

July 22nd, 2014 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers have parted ways with a former first-round pick, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that edge defender Larry English has been released by the club. Because he has more than four years of NFL experience, English will not be subject to waivers, making him a free agent immediately.

English, who was drafted with the 16th overall pick in 2009, appeared in 52 games for the Chargers during his five years with the team, struggling with injuries in recent years and never establishing himself as a consistent performer. He started five of nine games for San Diego in 2013, recording 2.5 sacks, before a pectoral injury sidelined him for the season.

With Dwight Freeney starting at one outside linebacker spot, a healthy Melvin Ingram ready to reclaim his position on the other side, and players like Jarret Johnson and second-round pick Jeremiah Attaochu also in the mix, there wasn’t a clear-cut role for English in San Diego heading into the 2014 season.

The Chargers also confirmed today (via Twitter) that center Khalil Wilkes has signed a three-year pact with the team. However, there should still be an opening on the club’s 90-man roster, since Nick McDonald was cut yesterday as well.

Bengals Seeking Kaepernick Contract For Dalton?

July 22nd, 2014 at 11:25am CST by Luke Adams

Bengals owner and de facto general manager Mike Brown spoke to reporters today, and his starting quarterback was among the topics addressed. According to Brown, while using the franchise tag on Andy Dalton in 2015 remains an option, the team would like to get a longer-term deal done, and is hopeful that an agreement will be reached soon (all Twitter links via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com). Brown went on to say that he thinks an extension for Dalton should be in the range of Colin Kaepernick‘s new contract with the 49ers (Twitter link).

The comparison to Kaepernick’s situation and extension is an interesting one, since the structure of that deal was considered somewhat team-friendly, and its overall value could fluctuate significantly depending on whether the Niners’ signal-caller triggers certain escalators. The six new years added to Kaepernick’s contract could be worth anywhere from $114MM ($19MM annually) to $126MM ($21MM per year), which seems like a steep price tag for Brown to voluntarily assign to Dalton. On the other hand, only about $13MM of that contract is fully guaranteed, and if you count the 2014 season as part of the deal, its overall annual value slips closer to the neighborhood of $17-18MM.

With both sides expressing optimism about working out a multiyear agreement, I’d be a little surprised if Dalton hadn’t signed an extension by the time the regular season gets underway. Still, as Brown notes, the franchise tag could be in play for the club in March if nothing has been worked out by that point. This past year, the franchise figure for quarterbacks amounted to $16.912MM.

AFC Notes: Groves, Broncos, Watt, Raiders

July 22nd, 2014 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

As we look forward to more training camps around the NFL opening this week, let’s round up a few items from across the AFC….

  • Edge defender and special-teamer Quentin Groves worked out for the Jets on Monday, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Groves has been busy since being released by the Browns in early June, auditioning for the Redskins, Patriots, and Titans, though he has yet to find a home for the coming season.
  • Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas are both extension candidates for the Broncos, but Mike Klis of the Denver Post points out that the tight end figures to be motivated to get a deal done sooner. As a fourth-round pick in 2011, Julius Thomas’ career earnings to date are dwarfed by Demaryius Thomas’, since the receiver was selected in the first round in 2010.
  • The Texans have made a habit of extending their best players well before their contracts expire, and could make a statement with J.J. Watt by becoming the first team to lock up a 2011 first-rounder to an extension, says John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
  • Citing a repaired salary cap and financial structure, Raiders owner Mark Davis says he feels like the team had a “phenomenal” offseason, as Jerry McDonald of the San Jose Mercury News details.

Jason Babin Visited Jets

July 22nd, 2014 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent edge rusher Jason Babin paid a visit to the Jets earlier this week, according to Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network, who tweets that Babin was in town on Monday.

Babin, who turned 34 in May, played in all 16 games last season for the Jaguars, racking up 31 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two passes defended. However, after re-signing with Jacksonville in March, the former first-round pick was released by the team last month, and currently remains on the free agent market.

As I observed when I discussed Babin’s stock as a free agent earlier this month, at 34, he probably won’t ever be the same player who piled up 18 sacks for the Eagles back in 2011. Still, despite his increasingly one-dimensional skill set, Babin could provide value as a situational pass rusher, particularly since he likely won’t cost much to sign.

With experience in both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses, Babin would figure to play outside linebacker for Rex Ryan‘s team, if the Jets were to sign him. The club’s projected OLB starters – Calvin Pace and Quinton Coples – and top reserve Garrett McIntyre all graded better against the run than as pass rushers last season, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).

This post was first published on July 23, 2014 at 10:02am.

Pettine: Browns Won’t Cut Josh Gordon

July 22nd, 2014 at 8:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Browns and Josh Gordon are still awaiting word on how long the troubled wideout will be suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. However, regardless of the duration of that ban, Gordon’s spot on the roster appears safe, as head coach Mike Pettine tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

“We’re expecting him to report on Friday and be on the field,” Pettine said. “We have no plans to cut him. I know there’s been a lot of debate over that, but I don’t see us having that debate.”

Following Gordon’s DUI arrest earlier this month, a handful of NFL pundits and observers, including Hall of Fame wideout Cris Carter, suggested that waiving the Browns star could be in his best interests. Considering how well he performed last season though, racking up 1,646 receiving yards in just 14 games, it makes sense that the Browns would do everything they can to help Gordon and eventually make sure he gets back on the field for the franchise. For now, Cleveland doesn’t seem to have any plans to acquire another receiver to replace 2013’s yardage leader.

“I don’t think you replace Josh, a guy of his caliber,” Pettine said. “If you just look at what he did last year, he’s arguably one of the top three receivers in the league. You can easily make that argument. You’re not going to find somebody, so you just have to get creative in how you do it. We feel good about where Miles Austin is health-wise, we’re very pleased with how Andrew Hawkins came out of camp, and then Nate Burleson will be ready to go and then we have some guys we think will be ready to battle it out.”

Gordon’s appeal hearing on his pending suspension is expected to take place within the next week or two.

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