HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

AFC Notes: Clay, Browns, Worilds, Wilfork

March 22nd, 2015 at 9:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the offseason’s biggest winners, Charles Clay reportedly twice received offers worth more in 2015 than he was asking for from the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.

Initially, Clay only sought $6.8MM per year from the Dolphins when the sides were negotiating, but Clay’s would-be salary for this season rose to $7MM when the Dolphins placed the transition tag on their developing tight end. Clay’s initial asking price represented the logic behind Miami opting to place the lesser-used transition tag on Clay as opposed to the franchise tag ($8.2MM for tight ends this year), per Salguero. This would’ve forced the Bills to part with two first-round draft picks if they matched the offer and ultimately kept Clay in Miami.

The Bills will now pay Clay, who signed a five-year contract worth $38MM, more than any tight end over the next two seasons ($11.5MM per season in ’15 and ’16) due to the frontloaded deal.

  • The Browns are the frontrunners to be the subject of this season’s Hard Knocks, reports Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports on Twitter. This would mark the first such time the Browns, who finished 7-9 last season, would appear on the HBO training camp show.
  • Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said prior to Jason Worilds‘ retirement he was not in the Steelers’ plans, as the team thought the improving linebacker would receive an offer they weren’t prepared to match, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via Twitter.
  • Signing DeAngelo Williams required the Steelers’ brass to take a “little leap of faith” after what happened regarding LeGarrette Blount‘s abrupt midseason exit, Colbert said (via ESPN’s Scott Brown on Twitter). Coming off a career-worst season and entering his age-32 campaign, Williams received a key endorsement from quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner, who recruited and coached the running back when he was on staff at Memphis in the early 2000s (Twitter link).
  • Colbert told Brown the Steelers will pursue cornerbacks in the draft and that three of Pittsburgh’s four starting linebacker positions, excluding the inside backer spot manned by Lawrence Timmons, are open competitions.
  • Texans owner Bob McNair wanted to sign Vince Wilfork when he became a free agent in 2010, reports Tom Curran of CSN New England. Instead, Wilfork re-signed with the Patriots on a five-year, $40MM contract — then a league-high pact for defensive tackles. McNair received a slightly lesser version of the run-stuffing tackle this year, with the now-33-year-old signing for $9MM across two years.
  • Elite edge-rushing prospect Randy Gregory will visit the Ravens, whom he already met with at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson.
  • Former Titans and Ravens linebacker Brandon Copeland participated in Sunday’s inaugural Veteran Combine and caught the eye of several teams, per Wilson on Twitter. Copeland, who will be 24 in July, told Wilson he spoke with the Chiefs, Titans, Colts, Bengals, Giants and Eagles after a workout that he said included a 4.52-second 40-yard dash. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound linebacker went undrafted out of Pennsylvania and appeared on the Ravens and Titans rosters in 2013 but did not accrue any statistics.

Dolphins Re-Up Matt Moore

March 22nd, 2015 at 8:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

SUNDAY, 8:37pm: Moore’s deal, which is now official, will pay him $2.6MM in 2015 with additional incentives, reports the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero on Twitter.

FRIDAY, 3:11pm: The Dolphins will re-sign backup quarterback Matt Moore to a one-year contract, reports ESPN’s James Walker.

After testing the barren quarterback market for nearly two weeks, Moore will opt to return to Miami, where he’ll again serve as Ryan Tannehill‘s understudy. This will be the 30-year-old Moore’s fourth year with the Dolphins, the third of which coming as a backup.

Joining the likes of Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett and Mark Sanchez on the market, Moore also generated interest from the rival Bills, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan, noting that had Buffalo not acquired Matt Cassel via trade they would’ve pursued the veteran Dolphins backup. Moore also surveyed the market in 2013 before making a similar move in staying on a two-year extension worth $8MM.

Moore’s re-signing comes a day after the Dolphins brought in Tarvaris Jackson for a visit. After the Bills ultimately pried versatile pass-catcher Charles Clay away, the Dolphins have signed four players — J.D. Walton, Louis Delmas, LaMichael James and Moore.

The former Panthers starter initially arrived in Miami to back up Chad Henne in 2011, and that work sample made Moore an interesting option in this year’s market. Moore completed just more than 60 percent of his passes for 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 starts that season. Since, Tannehill’s started 48 consecutive games.

But the Dolphins will now keep one of the more balanced quarterback depth charts intact in 2015.

NFC Links: McCourty, Bridgewater, Packers

March 22nd, 2015 at 8:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Devin McCourty ultimately stayed with the Patriots, but not before being lured by the NFL’s largest market. The Giants‘ offer was comparable to what McCourty ended up signing to stay in New England — five years, $47.5MM — co-owner John Mara told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

The best safety on the market’s refusal to take the Giants’ money began a failed venture that leaves the team with one of the most barren depth charts at any position in the league with the draft less than six weeks away. As of now, the Giants have only Nat Berhe and Cooper Taylor, fifth-round picks in 2013 and 2014, respectively, on their roster. Neither has started a game. Former Giants starters Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps still reside in free agency.

Other news from the NFC …

  • Like the Steelers, the Packers are a staunch build-from-within franchise, and this year furthered that philosophy. As a result, corners Tramon Williams and Davon House departed, and coach Mike McCarthy expects Casey Hayward and former Gonzaga basketball talent Demetri Goodson to challenge for those spots, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Unless Carl Bradford or another player enables Clay Matthews to relocate to his former spot outside, the Pro Bowl linebacker may stay an inside linebacker going into the season.
  • Packers president Mark Murphy doesn’t expect the Bears’ proposal of both teams receiving a guaranteed overtime possession to pass, reports ESPN’s Jason Wilde. Murphy probably won’t support any of the rules changes, reports Silverstein on Twitter.
  • Vikings coach Mike Zimmer wants Teddy Bridgewater to gain weight and develop additional strength before he begins his first full season as the Vikings’ quarterback, writes Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Zimmer said the 2014 first-rounder played at around 210 pounds last season, and the second-year coach prefers the 6-foot-2 signal-caller to be closer to 220.
  • After reports surfaced of Adrian Peterson‘s agent declining a Vikings meeting, the All-Pro runner didn’t solicit much of a response from Zimmer. “Well, Adrian is under contract with us, and we’re excited to get him back here with his teammates and get him back playing,” Zimmer told Hartman.
  • The NFL held its first Veterans Combine on Sunday night in Arizona with numerous former NFLers participating. The Eagles were among the few teams to talk with offensive linemen after their drills concluded, NFL.com’s Mark Sessler reports on Twitter.

Giants’ Mara On Rule Changes, L.A.

March 22nd, 2015 at 7:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Heading into the NFL owners’ meetings, which begin Monday, Giants co-owner John Mara provided a status report on the chance of the proposed rule changes passing, writes ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

The Patriots have three proposals set to be up for debate this week: Bill Belichick‘s continued quest to expand replay to include penalty reviews, along with ideas for more boundary cameras and a realignment of the extra point. Of the three, the revamped extra point has the best chance of passing, according to the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe.

Seeking a more difficult try that would place the ball at the 15-yard line — a 33-yard try — the Patriots’ proposal needs 24 votes to pass.

“We’ve had a lot of discussions about that,” Mara said, via Howe. “I think that one has a chance. I don’t know if it’s going to get 24 votes, but I happen to be in favor of that one and think it’s a good proposal because we have a play right now that is a ceremonial play, and why not make it competitive?”

Mara said the replay expansion idea failed 9-0 in the competition committee and is unlikely to pass this week, citing subjectivity in that thought process as opposed to the black-and-white nature of most of the already-reviewable sequences. New England’s effort to increase cameras on sidelines and end zones also hovers below the passing threshold, per Howe.

While not on the table this year, a 14-team playoff field is inevitable, the Giants co-owner told Howe, with a potential hang-up of scheduling the third wild-card games as part of tripleheaders or as stand-alone contests on Monday night. The NFL increased playoff eligibility from four to five teams per conference in 1978 and five to six in 1990, making this current six-team standard by far the longest-standing bracket limit since the AFL-NFL merger.

The league will have at least one team in Los Angeles in 2016 and possibly two, Mara told ESPN’s Dan Graziano (via Twitter), with the Rams’, Raiders’ and Chargers’ quests to return to the city well-documented.

AFC Rumors: Broncos, Steelers, Sims

March 22nd, 2015 at 6:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Amid an offseason mostly defined by subtraction with the departures of Julius Thomas, Terrance Knighton and several other starters or contributors, the Broncos may have a fit as a result of an under-the-radar acquisition, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

The team’s signing of tight end/fullback Joe Don Duncan, an undrafted Division II product who missed what would’ve been his rookie season in 2014 due to injuries, occupies the Broncos’ new need for a fullback. Per Klis, the Broncos plan to convert Duncan to fill their need at fullback, a position the team hasn’t used much since Spencer Larsen and Peyton Hillis in 2008.

An Associated Press D-II All-American in 2013, Duncan caught 71 passes for 1,045 yards as a senior. Denver used recently re-signed Virgil Green and former undrafted running back Juwan Thompson at the position last season.

Gary Kubiak also mentioned in Klis’ story that Chris Myers, who he coached for six seasons with the Texans, Samson Satele, Scott Wells and 2014 Broncos snapper Will Montgomery as available free agent centers before alluding to the front office’s positive outlook on Matt Paradis, a sixth-round pick last season. Recently added ex-Dolphins guard Shelley Smith could also factor in at center, per Klis, if the Broncos see a left guard they prefer instead of a center.

Elsewhere on Sunday night …

  • The Bengals are interested in bringing back defensive tackle Pat Sims, notes Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Paul Dehner Jr. via Twitter. The former third-round Bengals selection in 2008 played five years in Cincinnati before signing with the Raiders in 2013. A starter in Oakland in 2013, Sims served as a backup last season, playing in 37% of the snaps.
  • Cincinnati will probably wait until at least April before attempting to re-sign role players Taylor Mays or Cedric Peerman, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com writes. Hobson also noted A.J. McCarron could be moved up to the Bengals’ No. 2 quarterback spot, with the team’s reluctance to devote much financially to Andy Dalton‘s backup. 2014 backup Jason Campbell remains a free agent.
  • Third-year Steelers outside linebacker Jarvis Jones could switch to the left edge, reports Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writer Mark Kaboly on Twitter. GM Kevin Colbert told Kaboly newly re-signed backer James Harrison probably won’t move. Soon to be 37, Harrison was partially signed to mentor the Steelers’ young linebackers. According to Colbert, both outside backer slots and both cornerback starters are open competitions. But the GM imagines re-signed Arthur Moats will start on the left side after the retirement of Jason Worilds vacated that position. (Twitter links).
  • The Dolphins won the offseason, writes Grantland’s Robert Mays. for their addition of Ndamukong Suh, Jordan Cameron and Kenny Stills while also shedding the excess contracts of Mike Wallace and Dannell Ellerbe. Mays also speculates a fit in Miami for All-Pro guard Evan Mathis, who the Eagles are reportedly open to dealing, if Mike Pouncey indeed shifts back to center from right guard.

NFC Notes: D. Washington, Eagles, Cowboys

March 22nd, 2015 at 4:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at the latest from the NFC…

  • Speaking to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910, suspended Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington said he’s completed anger management and domestic violence classes, and has passed every drug test (link via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic). Washington was suspended last May for at least one year, and also was involved in a assault incident, for which he received probation. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said last month that he doesn’t even consider the 28-year-old Washington a part of the team.
  • Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has let DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin go in consecutive offseasons, and part of the reason for their departure may be that Kelly finds “hidden value” in receivers, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Route-running (even on plays where the player is not the primary receiver) and blocking are among the attributes that Kelly looks for, and he believes that Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews are more than capable in those areas.
  • Veteran defender Anthony Spencer probably won’t return to the Cowboys, opines Todd Archer of ESPN.com. After adding Greg Hardy last week, Dallas appears set at defensive end, so there’s not an obvious need for Spencer on the roster.
  • Washington‘s offseason additions have been praised this year, writes John Keim of ESPN.com, and that wasn’t the case a year ago. Keim takes a look back at the club’s signings from 2014, most of which didn’t pan out.

Latest On Greg Jennings

March 22nd, 2015 at 3:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After being released by the Vikings on Saturday, veteran receiver Greg Jennings has already taken one free agent visit, meeting with the Panthers yesterday. However, no deal between the two parties is imminent, according to Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link), who adds that Jennings is expected to take other visits.

One such visit could be to Miami, where the Dolphins — aiming to add receiver depth — will speak with both Jennings and Michael Crabtree, tweets Trey Wingo of ESPN. We’ve heard previously that Miami was interested in Crabtree, and the former 49er was scheduled to meet with the Dolphins last week. Miami has already added Kenny Stills via trade, but could be looking for more pass-catchers after jettisoning Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, Brandon Gibson, and Charles Clay in recent weeks.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are also on the lookout for pass-catching help, as they don’t have many options behind Kelvin Benjamin and tight end Greg Olsen, although they did add Ted Ginn Jr. earlier this offseason. As Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes, the 31-year-old Jennings wouldn’t add much speed to the Carolina offense, but he’d be a reliable possession receiver.

Steelers Re-Sign James Harrison

March 22nd, 2015 at 3:28pm CST by Rory Parks

3:28pm: Harrison’s two-year deal is worth $2.75MM, and includes a $500K signing bonus, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

12:45pm: The team has officially announced the deal (via Twitter). Kaboly says the fact that it is a two-year contract does not mean much (Twitter link). He notes that there is surely no guaranteed money beyond the first year of the deal, so the team could easily move on next season with no salary cap repercussions.

11:32am: James Harrison has decided to return to the Steelers, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, who reports that the two sides have agreed to terms. We learned yesterday that the five-time Pro Bowler and 2008 Defensive Player of the Year was deciding between the Steelers and Titans, and he has apparently chosen to remain in Pittsburgh. Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets that it is a two-year deal.

Harrison played the 2013 season in Cincinnati, but after an underwhelming stint with the Bengals, Harrison decided to call it a career. His retirement lasted for all of 18 days before his old teammates convinced him to rejoin their ranks. The 36-year-old, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent and even spent time on Baltimore’s roster in the early stages of his career, collected 5.5 sacks in 11 games for the Steelers last season.

Harrison has piled up a total of 71.5 sacks during his illustrious career, including a career-high 16 in that terrific 2008 campaign, which culminated in the Steelers’ sixth Super Bowl championship. He has also earned a reputation for being one of the dirtier players in the league, thanks to the number of illegal hits he has delivered over the course of his career. Harrison is no longer the feared pass rusher he once was, but he can still be useful in a limited role in clear passing downs. He will provide depth to a unit that has struggled to get to the quarterback in recent seasons.

Chris Borland To Return Part Of Signing Bonus

March 22nd, 2015 at 2:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After 49ers linebacker Chris Borland announced his retirement on Monday, questions arose regarding whether San Francisco would attempt to recoup a portion of his signing bonus, which the club has a right to do. Borland ended any speculation about the matter today, telling CBS’ Face the Nation that he would repay 3/4 of his bonus to the 49ers (link via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com).

“I’m only taking the money I’ve earned,” said Borland. “To me it’s just about health and nothing else. I never played the game for money or attention. I love football. I’ve had a blast. I don’t regret the last 10 years of my life at all. I’d do it over the exact same way.”

As such, Borland will pay the 49ers $463,077 — for salary cap purposes, that same amount will remain on SF’s books as dead money. The 23-year-old’s base salaries for the next three seasons, which were set to total less than $2MM, are wiped out due to his retirement. In total, Borland will have earned about $574K for his one year in the NFL.

Earlier this week, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examined the Borland/bonus issue, arguing that the Niners had to attempt to reclaim the money as a matter of precedent, comparing the situation to the NFLPA fighting on behalf every player, even those who have committed crimes.

Week In Review: 3/15/15 – 3/22/15

March 22nd, 2015 at 1:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Key News:

Signed/Re-Signed:

Check out all the week’s moves at our Transactions page.

Released:

Waivers:

Other:

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