2015 February - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: Broncos, Coleman, Ravens, Revis

February 26th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on a report that indicated the Broncos and Peyton Manning are engaged in contract discussions, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) notes that the veteran quarterback would like the team to re-sign tight end Julius Thomas, even though that seems increasingly unlikely. Whether Manning takes a pay cut or simply restructures his deal, the move could create $7-9MM in cap room, which would certainly give the club more flexibility to bring back free agents like Thomas and Terrance Knighton.

Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall is still a year away from even being eligible for restricted free agency, but he has signed with Rosenhaus Sports, and will be represented by Drew Rosenhaus and Jason Katz, reports Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter).
The Chiefs met with the representative for safety Kurt Coleman at the combine, and talks between the two sides were positive, a source tells Herbie Teope of ChiefsDigest.com. Earlier in the month, we heard that Coleman would likely be seeking $1.5-2MM per year, and would prefer to sign with a team that gives him the opportunity to start.
There’s a case to be made for the Ravens to try to retain most of their free agents, but Pernell McPhee looks like a goner, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap in his preview of Baltimore’s offseason. You can find PFR’s own look ahead at the Ravens’ offseason right here.
Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com also weighs in on the Ravens‘ upcoming moves, focusing on the immediate future and explaining what the team could do to create $15MM+ in cap room.
Joel Corry of CBSSports.com breaks down the Darrelle Revis situation, writing that it wouldn’t surprise him if the cornerback left a little money on the table to re-sign with the Patriots, but still drove a very hard bargain. Corry could imagine the first three years of such a deal exceeding Patrick Peterson‘s contract with the Cardinals, but falling short of top contracts like J.J. Watt‘s and Mario Williams‘.

Cole Beasley, Cowboys Discussing Extension

February 26th, 2015 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys and wide receiver Cole Beasley have engaged in discussions about a contract extension that would keep Beasley under team control for multiple seasons, league sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The SMU product is eligible for restricted free agency this offseason.

Beasley, who turns 26 in April, is hardly the most notable Cowboys wideout on an expiring contract, but he has developed into one of Tony Romo‘s more reliable targets over the last couple seasons. In 2014, Beasley set career highs with 420 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while totaling 37 receptions.

When I previewed the free agent market for wide receivers earlier this month, I grouped Beasley in with a handful of RFA wideouts that I thought were good bets to receive one-year tenders from their current clubs. Tendering Beasley would mean making him a one-year offer worth in the neighborhood of at least $1.5MM, depending on where the salary cap lands. However, it sounds like the Cowboys are trying to lock him up for additional years, which would give the young receiver some security and would ensure that no rival suitors try to lure him out of Dallas.

For comparison’s sake, Lance Moore had just put up similar numbers to Beasley’s 2014 output when he entered free agency last winter, and he inked a two-year, $3MM deal. Moore has a more impressive track record than Beasley, but less upside, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Cowboys wideout matched or exceeded that deal. However, I’m skeptical that Dallas would go too much higher, given the team’s other priorities in free agency and a deep 2015 class of draft-eligible wideouts.

Rams Cut Kendall Langford

February 26th, 2015 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

After losing his starting job to standout rookie Aaron Donald this past season, Kendall Langford has now lost his spot on the Rams’ roster. According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link), the Rams have released Langford, making him an unrestricted free agent a year before his contract was set to expire.

Langford, who turned 29 last month, inked a four-year, $22MM deal with the Rams in 2012 after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Dolphins. The former third-round pick started all 32 games for the Rams during his first two seasons in St. Louis, but his grip on the starting defensive tackle job became tenuous after the club drafted Donald in the first round in 2014.

After starting the first four games of the season, Langford took a back seat to Donald, who had such a strong rookie campaign that Pro Football Focus’ grades ranked him first among DTs, just ahead of Gerald McCoy and Ndamukong Suh (subscription required). While Langford wasn’t bad, his upcoming $7MM cap hit for 2015 – combined with Donald’s emergence – made it easy for the Rams to decide to cut him. The team will clear his $6MM base salary from its ’15 books, leaving just $1MM in dead money on the cap.

Langford, who racked up 49 tackles and five sacks as a starter in 2013, figures to draw interest around the league in advance of this year’s free agent period.

Greg Hardy To Seek Immediate Reinstatement

February 26th, 2015 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

2:51pm: According to Person (Twitter links), NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy responded with the following statement: “He hasn’t been disciplined. There is nothing for him to seek reinstatement from at this point.” As I noted below, since the league is still reviewing Hardy’s case, no suspension has been announced yet, whereas Peterson’s quest for reinstatement came after he had served his six-game suspension. So while Hardy could try to push for an expedited ruling, his case isn’t quite at the same point as Peterson’s was.

1:34pm: In the wake of a court’s ruling to overrule an NFL arbitrator’s decision in Adrian Peterson‘s case, embattled Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy will seek immediate reinstatement, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). For now, Hardy remains on the commissioner’s exempt list as the league completes its review of the domestic violence charges against Hardy that were dismissed in court several weeks ago.

In rejecting arbitrator Harold Henderson’s decision in the Peterson case today, Judge David Doty ruled that the NFL was improperly applying its new personal conduct policy to a case that was already in progress prior to the introduction of that policy. If the old policy should have been applied to Peterson, that should be true for Hardy as well, meaning the Carolina pass rusher wouldn’t necessary be subject to a six-game suspension (or more) for his alleged off-field actions.

Of course, even if Hardy’s case was being evaluated using the league’s old policy, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the defensive end will avoid discipline of any kind — he could still face a suspension. However, pushing for immediate reinstatement may accelerate the NFL’s decision-making process, which could mean that Hardy’s situation would at least be resolved by the time he’s eligible to hit the open market next month.

Even if he were hit with a two-game ban, which was the standard in the league’s old conduct policy, Hardy and his potential suitors could go into the free agent period knowing exactly when he’ll return to the field. That would help bring the market for his services into focus.

Cardinals Re-Sign Bradley Sowell

February 26th, 2015 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cardinals have locked up a reserve offensive lineman, keeping him off the free agent market, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team inked Bradley Sowell to a one-year deal. Sowell had been eligible for restricted free agency, so after playing out the 2015 season, he’ll have the chance to become an unrestricted free agent next year.

Sowell, 25, was forced into a starting role during the 2013 season, and struggled with the added responsibility, ranking as the worst qualified tackle in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). After the Cardinals signed Jared Veldheer in free agency last March, Sowell reverted a reserve role in 2014 — his offensive snap count dropped from 842 in ’13 to zero in ’14.

Taking into account Sowell’s struggles as a regular, and his lack of playing time in 2014, I would guess that the Cardinals signed the offensive lineman for less than the restricted free agent tender would have been worth. However, financial terms of the agreement aren’t yet known.

In addition to locking up Sowell for another season, the Cards also confirmed the signing of free agent cornerback Damond Smith, per Urban. That deal was previously reported.

Chiefs Release Anthony Fasano

February 26th, 2015 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

1:56pm: The Chiefs have formally announced the release of Fasano, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link).

12:49pm: Veteran tight end Anthony Fasano will be in the market for a new NFL home later today, according to Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network. Darlington reports (via Twitter) that the Chiefs are parting ways with Fasano, releasing him two years before his contract was set to expire.

Fasano, 30, was significantly out-targeted by the 25-year-old Travis Kelce (87 to 36) in 2014, and caught just 25 balls to Kelce’s 67. Despite not being as involved in Kansas City’s passing game, Fasano logged about the same number of offensive snaps as the sophomore tight end, frequently serving as a blocker on both run and pass plays. Still, his grades as a blocker weren’t great, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and he had been set to count for $4.2MM+ on the Chiefs’ cap in 2015.

By releasing Fasano, Kansas City will create nearly $2MM in cap savings, slicing the veteran’s 2015 cap number to just $2.25MM in dead money. Designating Fasano as a post-June 1 cut would open up $1MM+ more in cap room, but that probably won’t be necessary. The move creates a little more flexibility for the Chiefs as they explore the possibility of bringing back Justin Houston and other free-agents-to-be.

As for Fasano, once the move becomes official, he’ll immediately be free to sign with a new club without having to pass through waivers.

Jaguars Release Will Blackmon

February 26th, 2015 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

1:48pm: The Jaguars have officially released Blackmon, the team announced this afternoon in a press release.

8:11am: Although the move isn’t yet official, the Jaguars will be cutting veteran defensive back Will Blackmon from their roster, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Garafolo notes that Jacksonville intends to go younger in the secondary, adding that the 30-year-old Blackmon shouldn’t have trouble finding work elsewhere.

Blackmon, who has spent the last two seasons with the Jaguars, has been one of the top three cornerbacks for the team during his time in Jacksonville, starting 12 of 23 games. His 2014 campaign was cut short by a broken finger, which landed him on the injured reserve list with about two months left in the season.

While the Jags are moving in a younger direction at cornerback, led by 2013 draftees Dwayne Gratz and Demetrius McCray, the team’s willingness to cut Blackmon may suggest that they’re close to reaching a deal to retain Alan Ball as the club’s token veteran corner, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Like Blackmon, Ball finished the 2014 season on injured reserve — if he’s not re-signed, he’ll hit the open market next month.

Blackmon’s cap hit for 2015 had been just $945K, and releasing him will leave $25K in dead money on the Jags’ cap. While Jacksonville clears $920K from its books with the move, the actual amount of cap room created will be less than that, since Blackmon will be replaced in the team’s top 51 salaries by a minimum-salary player. Of course, armed with over $60MM in projected cap space, that’s not a big concern for the Jags.

East Notes: McCown, Dez, Parnell, Bush

February 26th, 2015 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Josh McCown‘s free agent tour appears to have come to an end, and after drawing interest from the Bills, Jets, Bears, and Browns, the veteran quarterback has engaged in contract discussions with Buffalo, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. Carucci cautions that it’s not known how many other teams are talking to McCown about a potential contract, or if the Bills are the favorites to land him, but the club is very much in the hunt, and the signal-caller may finalize his new deal – with Buffalo or another club – by Friday.

For what it’s worth, Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 notes (via Twitter) that the Bills view McCown as an upgrade over Kyle Orton, and that the former Buccaneer is the club’s preferred target in this free agent class. While we wait to find out whether a deal with the Bills materializes as a result of Buffalo’s interest in McCown, let’s check in on a few more items from around the NFL’s two East divisions….

As Monday’s franchise tag deadline nears, the rumors surrounding Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant continued to swirl today. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com passed along word – and a police report – about an incident that took place outside of a Walmart in Lancaster, Texas; Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk attempted to break down what this new info means; and Jason Cole of Bleacher Report suggested that sources close to Bryant believe the alleged video of that Walmart incident does, in fact, exist.
Cowboys tackle Jermey Parnell should be a popular free agent next month, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com and Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter links). When I examined the free agent market for offensive tackles earlier in February, I singled out Parnell as a player who hasn’t seen much action as a reserve in Dallas, but pointed out that he has been very good when he has played.
In response to the Lions’ release of Reggie Bush, Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com explores whether the Patriots would be interested, and how Bush’s availability may affect the market for free-agent-to-be Shane Vereen.
Nick Powell of NJ.com takes a look at whether or not the Giants will have interest in Bush, concluding that the former USC star could fit as a complement in the backfield for Rashad Jennings, particularly since Tom Coughlin is fond of veteran players.

Mike Wallace Not Interested In Restructure

February 26th, 2015 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins are reportedly exploring the possibility of trading Mike Wallace, but all options appear to be in play for the veteran wide receiver, meaning the team could also ultimately decide to keep him or to cut him. However, Wallace doesn’t seem to be interested in one potential solution, according to Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, who hears from sources that the wideout has told the team he’s not interested in restructuring the final three years of his contract.

Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald also weighed in on the Wallace situation this morning, and noted that he has “severe doubts” Wallace would accept a pay cut, which makes sense. If he were to refuse a pay cut and the Dolphins were forced to cut him, Wallace – who is still just 28 years old – could likely do well on the open market. It’s a little curious that he wouldn’t be open to a simple restructure though. Such a move would simply move money around, ensuring that Wallace receives more up front in the form of a signing bonus, rather than in 2015 base salary, so he wouldn’t be taking a pay cut in that scenario.

Still, as Kelly points out, the former Steeler has expressed discomfort with the conservative nature of the Dolphins’ offense, so it’s possible he’s just interested in a change of scenery. After averaging nearly 1,100 receiving yards and nine touchdowns per season during his final three years in Pittsburgh, Wallace has averaged less than 900 yards and eight TDs in his two seasons catching balls from Ryan Tannehill.

With Wallace owed a $3MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the new league year, the Dolphins figure to make their decision on the receiver one way or the other within the next couple weeks. Salguero suggests that it’s hard to imagine the two sides working something out and Wallace wearing a Dolphins jersey in Week 1 of the 2015 season, so it looks likely that the two sides will part ways.

If Miami can’t find a trade partner, that means the club will cut Wallace, absorbing the $9.6MM in dead money left on his deal. Salguero notes that the team would likely designate the 28-year-old a post-June 1 cut, in which case that $9.6MM would be split up over two years — $5.2MM in 2015 and $4.4MM in 2016.

For his part, new Dolphins head of football operations Mike Tannenbaum declined to comment earlier this morning on the trade rumors surrounding Wallace (Twitter link via SiriusXM NFL Radio).

James Casey Visiting Several Teams

February 26th, 2015 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

10:02pm: Casey’s visit with the Broncos concluded without a contract, according to the Denver Post’s Mike Klis. He will move on to his other summits.

THURSDAY, 11:11am: Caplan (via Twitter) adds a few more clubs to Casey’s list of suitors, reporting that the tight end also has visits scheduled with the Jaguars, the Bengals, and Washington.

WEDNESDAY, 8:07am: After meeting with the Cardinals and Broncos, Casey will move on to visit the Titans and Browns, according to Caplan (via Twitter). Caplan adds (via Twitter) that at least eight teams have requested to have Casey in for a visit, as clubs value his positional versatility and recognize that 2015’s tight end draft class is weak.

MONDAY, 3:48pm: Tight end James Casey got a head start on the 2015 free agent market last week when the Eagles released him from his contract, and he’s taking full advantage of that. According to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 (Twitter link), Casey is scheduled to visit the Cardinals this week. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com confirms Jurecki’s report and adds (via Twitter) that two or three other teams would also like to bring in Casey, who is scheduled to meet with the Broncos after his sitdown with the Cards.

Casey, 30, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Texans, parlaying a solid 2012 season into a three-year, $12MM deal with the Eagles. Although he caught 34 balls during his final year in Houston, Casey wasn’t used as a pass-catcher in Philadelphia, having totaled just six receptions on nine targets in two seasons with the team. He was released last week without any discussions about taking a pay cut, and is expected to seek out a situation where he’ll have a larger role than he did with the Eagles.

In 2014, the Cardinals relied primarily on John Carlson and Rob Housler at tight end, so it makes sense that the club would target a player like Casey. Housler is eligible for unrestricted free agency next month, and Carlson didn’t have a great year — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him 65th out of 67 qualified TEs, grading him poorly as a pass catcher, pass blocker, and run blocker.

The Broncos would be a logical fit for Casey as well, since Julius Thomas is expected to land elsewhere as a free agent and Virgil Green‘s contract is also expiring.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report