2015 March - Pro Football Rumors

Dolphins Re-Sign Louis Delmas, LaMichael James

March 20th, 2015 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

12:35pm: The Delmas signing has been confirmed by agent Drew Rosnehaus (via Twitter), while the team announced its new deal with James (Twitter link). Delmas’ one-year contract with Miami is worth up to $3.5MM, tweets Breer.

12:23pm: The Dolphins have re-added a pair of players to their roster, according to reports. Per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), the club is re-signing safety Louis Delmas, while Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports (via Twitter) that the team has brought back running back LaMichael James as well.

Delmas, who turns 28 in April, started 12 games at safety for the Dolphins last season, racking up 60 tackles and grabbing one interception, which he returned for an 81-yard touchdown. He also recovered a pair of fumbles and recorded a sack. In his 844 defensive snaps, Delmas graded as about an average safety, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), receiving middle-of-the-pack marks for both his run defense and his pass coverage.

James, 25, entered the league in 2012 as a second-round pick by the 49ers. Despite his draft pedigree, the Oregon product was never able to produce in San Francisco, and was virtually buried behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter on the team’s depth chart. James played in just 14 games during his first two seasons, contributing mostly on special teams — he racked up only 39 rush attempts and five receptions during that span. When he found himself behind Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde on the Niners’ depth chart last year, James requested and was granted his release.

The Dolphins signed James to their practice squad in September and eventually promoted him to their active roster, but he didn’t see much action in Miami either — the Oregon product had just three carries in 2014. James had been eligible for restricted free agency, but was non-tendered by Miami and presumably re-signed at a lesser rate.

Extra Points: Holmes, Steelers, Cards, Willis

March 20th, 2015 at 12:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Wide receiver Santonio Holmes isn’t getting any bites this offseason and he told SI Now (video link) that he doesn’t understand why he’s out of a job.

“It baffles me a little to know that I’m not a part of any organization,” Holmes said. “It is a gift and a curse at the same time. And I say that because the gift of playing and the opportunity to be a figure in the National Football League. I enjoyed my time. And the curse of having one injury in my entire career that people are now looking at me as if Santonio Holmes is not the guy anymore.”

Many feel that Holmes is no longer the same player after suffering a Lisfranc fracture in 2012 with the Jets. It also doesn’t help that he has a reputation as a difficult locker room presence.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The Steelers haven’t exactly been aggressive in free agency so far, and that approach won’t change anytime soon. Team president Art Rooney II said today that Pittsburgh continues to look at available options, but he isn’t expecting much in the way of upcoming free agent signings, as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review outlines.
The Cardinals have been a bit more active in free agency than Pittsburgh, having signed Mike Iupati to a lucrative long-term deal. However, for the most part, GM Steve Keim is on the lookout for bargains, writes Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com.
Appearing on NBC Sports Network on Thursday, speaking to former teammate Takeo Spikes, Patrick Willis said he’s having no second thoughts about his decision to retire, and adamantly stated there’s no chance he attempts a comeback. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has the details and quotes.
Former Dolphins quarterback Pat White has announced his retirement, according to the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos (on Twitter). White only played in the CFL in 2014 and didn’t see the field much with the Eskimos as there were multiple quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart. Former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland drafted White No. 44 overall in 2009 but the West Virginia product did very little on the NFL gridiron.
The Cowboys, Saints, Chiefs, and Texans will have some cap work to do between now and the summer, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap (Twitter links). Meanwhile, the Browns, Jaguars, Titans, and Buccaneers figure to have lots of cap space leftover (Twitter link).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Nate Irving, Colts Agree To Terms

March 20th, 2015 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

10:51am: Irving’s three-year deal can be worth up to $9.25MM, a source tells Anderson (Twitter link).

10:37am: The Colts have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker Nate Irving, the team announced today in a press release. The former Bronco recently visited Indianapolis, and was said to be weighing his options earlier this week.

Irving, who turns 27 this summer, has spent the first four seasons of his career with the Broncos, since being drafted 67th overall by Denver in 2011. The North Carolina State product was playing as a full-time starter for the first time in 2014, but had his season cut short in November when he suffered a knee injury. Prior to landing on IR, Irving compiled 46 tackles and a sack.

Having played middle linebacker for the Broncos last season, Irving seems likely to play on the inside for the Colts, meaning he’ll join a group that currently includes D’Qwell Jackson and Jerrell Freeman. Freeman is technically still an unsigned free agent, but he received a second-round RFA tender from the Colts, so he’s unlikely to go anywhere.

According to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter), it’s expected to be a three-year deal for Irving in Indianapolis. The linebacker also reportedly drew interest from the Dolphins and Cardinals.

Giants Sign George Selvie

March 20th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

10:00am: The Giants have made it official, announcing the signing of Selvie in a press release.

9:42am: Former Cowboys defensive end George Selvie is making the move to another NFC East team, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that Selvie and the Giants have agreed to terms on a contract. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), it’ll be a one-year, $1.4MM contract for Selvie, with a $200K signing bonus.

Selvie, who turned 28 two weeks ago, has started 29 games for the Cowboys over the past two seasons, recording 10 sacks and 81 tackles. The former Jaguar, Panther, and Ram graded as the league’s 37th-best 4-3 DE among 59 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but those metrics showed a stark difference between Selvie’s run defense (where he excelled) and his pass rush (where he struggled).

While the Giants hosted Selvie for a visit this week, the team was hardly his only suitor. The Vikings were said to be interested as well, having contacted him on the first day of the legal tampering period earlier in the month. Although Minnesota’s interest waned a little this week, the Buccaneers were also very much in the mix.

In New York, Selvie looks like a good bet to assume many of the defensive snaps that Mathias Kiwanuka played last season — Kiwanuka was cut by the Giants last month. The move will also reunite Selvie with former USF teammate Jason Pierre-Paul.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Vikings, Mays, Ireland, Saints

March 20th, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to stressing once again that the Vikings want Adrian Peterson back for the 2015 season, GM Rick Spielman addressed the Mike Wallace trade in a conversation with Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune, calling it “a great deal for both teams.”

“We had to take on the contract, which plays a part in it,” Spielman said. “But we felt, from a draft compensation standpoint, we didn’t lose any picks. We had two fifth-round picks because of the move we made with Buffalo [the Matt Cassel trade], so that’s why you have to keep as many draft picks as possible, and even on draft day, because that gives you the ability to move around on draft day. It gives you the ability to do the move we were able to get accomplished.”

Here are a few more end-of-week items from around the NFC:

Free agent safety Taylor Mays left Winter Park without a deal with the Vikings, as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune writes. Mays, who played for coach Mike Zimmer with the Bengals, arrived in town on Wednesday and checked out the team’s facility on Thursday. In five NFL seasons with two teams, the 27-year-old made 98 tackles, recorded one sack and forced one fumble.
It was initially believed that former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland was hired to be the head of college scouting for the Saints, but it turns out that he’s actually serving as the team’s assistant GM, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
While Sam Bradford said earlier this month that he suspected for a few weeks that he might be traded, Nick Foles tells Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com that he didn’t have an inkling he wouldn’t be with the Eagles until the second he got the phone call from Chip Kelly informing him of the deal with the Rams.
The Buccaneers worked out long snapper Avery Rigg on Thursday but did not sign him, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Rigg could join the team after the draft and rookie minicamp, however.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Jets GM On Revis, Milliner, Wilkerson

March 19th, 2015 at 10:01pm CST by Zachary Links

In a chat with reporters on Thursday, Jets GM Mike Maccagnan defended the hefty contract that he gave to cornerback Darrelle Revis this offseason, as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes. Maccagnan pointed to Champ Bailey as an example of a cornerback who played at an elite level in his later years, illustrating that Revis could be capable of doing the same.

“Champ was able to play at a very high level well into his 30s,” Maccagnan said. “I kind of see Darrelle as the same status. He’s playing at a very high level, and we thought he’d be able to play at that level for a number of years going forward, so we thought it was worth the financial investment we made.”

Here’s more from Maccagnan’s chat with the press

When asked, Maccagnan wouldn’t guarantee cornerback Dee Milliner a spot on the opening-day roster. In was reported on Wednesday that Milliner has picked up trade interest from teams and the Jets, who have added three talented cornerbacks this offseason, don’t exactly need him. For his part, Cimini isn’t reading much into that and just sees that comment as GM-speak. The Jets, he writes, have no plans of trading the former first-round pick and they couldn’t get much of value for him anyway until he proves that he is healthy and productive.
Maccagnan reiterated that he would like to extend Muhammad Wilkerson, who is entering the final year of his contract, but there is no timetable for a deal.
Maccagnan said he had no problem throwing around big money for three cornerbacks (Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine) because he felt it was one of the strongest positions in free agency. At the same time, he explained made the Brandon Marshall trade, in part, because he didn’t like the value at the wide receiver position in free agency.

Saints Shopped Keenan Lewis

March 19th, 2015 at 8:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints and cornerback Keenan Lewis struck agreement on a new deal earlier today, but he potentially could have been changing uniforms instead. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter) hears that New Orleans only re-did Lewis’ deal after shopping him to several teams and after word got out.

Earlier this month, Lewis demanded that the Saints either guarantee the remaining three years on his deal or cut him loose. Soon after, he walked those comments back and said that he wanted to retire in black and gold. Now, it turns out that he might have been pretty close to changing teams this offseason.

Lewis ultimately agreed to reduce his 2015 base salary from $1.8MM to $850K and his 2016 base salary from $4.25MM to $2.7MM. The reduced portions of those salaries have been converted to a signing bonus, which appears to be worth $2.85MM. All in all, Lewis receives an extra $10.4MM in guarantees, and his cap hit dips from $4.85MM to $4.5MM for ’15, creating a tiny bit of extra flexibility for the Saints.

Last season, Lewis graded out as the No. 98 cornerback in the NFL out of 108 qualified, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That’s a far cry from his production in the year prior when he ranked as PFF’s 27th best cornerback in the NFL or in 2012 when he placed at No. 38.

Draft Rumors: Mariota, Winston, Williams

March 19th, 2015 at 8:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

If Jameis Winston goes No. 1 to the Buccaneers, expect the Titans to receive a flurry of offers at No. 2, suggests CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. The NFL insider anticipates the Rams, Browns, Eagles, Chargers and Saints to consider making a move for Marcus Mariota.

Armed now with the Seahawks‘ No. 31 pick in addition to their own at No. 13, the Saints may be in the last year of Drew Brees‘ tenure and could continue their makeover offseason with a move for the Oregon spread prodigy, La Canfora muses, and he notes the Chargers at No. 17 could be in the same boat with Philip Rivers, whose deal expires after 2015.

Some other notes from an extensive day of draft rumors …

In case Tampa Bay has an 11th-hour change of heart, Tennessee will prepare by hosting Winston on a private workout around Winston’s pro day (March 31), 247Sports reported. Mariota is due to visit the Titans in April.
Armed with possibly the worst tight end situation heading into free agency, the Falcons added two former starting tight ends to their corps today in Jacob Tamme and Tony Moeaki. But they also worked out the draft’s top tight end, Minnesota’s Maxx Williams, earlier this week, according to ESPN Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure. A pass-rusher remains the priority at No. 8, notes McClure, but the Falcons have also worked out Michigan’s Devin Funchess — a tight end/wide receiver hybrid.
Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams worked out for the Lions today, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com reports. Williams, who NFL.com’s Mike Mayock lists as the fourth-best corner in the draft, watched tape with Lions coaches during his visit.
The Patriots met with Stanford defensive tackle David Parry after the Cardinal’s workout today, Draftinsider.net’s Tony Paulie notes on Twitter.
West Georgia rising defensive line prospect Tory Slater will visit the Falcons and Seahawks, National Football Post writer Aaron Wilson said. Slater, who had 10 sacks last season and played wide receiver in high school, will tour the Falcons’ facilities April 7 and trek to Seattle on April 16.
Utah cornerback/safety Eric Rowe will visit the Ravens, Dolphins and Lions and conduct private workouts with the Texans and Bucs, according to Wilson, writing this report for the Baltimore Sun. Neither Rowe nor Slater are top-10 prospects at their respective positions according to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.

West Notes: McDonald, Thomas, Mays

March 19th, 2015 at 7:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Multiple teams are interested in former 49ers starting defensive lineman Ray McDonald, according to SFGate.com’s Eric Branch. The 49ers released McDonald, who played eight seasons in San Francisco with the last four coming as a starter, last December after his arrest for suspicion of felony domestic violence.

The 30-year-old McDonald’s pursuit of a career elsewhere will probably have to wait until his case is resolved, agent Tom Condon told Branch.

In other news across the league’s Western divisions …

The latest surprising setback to the 49ers’ linebacking corps comes from an offseason injury, not retirement. Backup outside linebacker Chase Thomas showed up at Stanford’s pro day limping after tearing his ACL at an offseason workout at the university, Branch reports. The Stanford alum played five games with the 49ers last year, oscillating between the practice squad and the 53-man roster. According to Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman, Thomas will be the ninth 49er forced to recover from an ACL tear this offseason, joining notable names NaVorro Bowman, who missed all of last season after suffering his tear in the 2013 NFC championship game, Darnell Dockett and running back Kendall Hunter.
Journeyman linebacker Joe Mays will visit the Chargers, Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez notes on Twitter. Mays spent the 2014 season in the Chiefs‘ 3-4 defense after previously suiting up for the Eagles and Broncos. The 5-foot-11 inside linebacker who’s three months away from 30 missed half of last year due to wrist surgery.
Former Bills starting tackle Chris Hairston is also visiting the Chargers today, ESPN’s John Keim said (via Twitter). A fourth-round pick in 2011, Hairston started 15 games his first two seasons and played in 16 last year as a reserve.

Cowboys Re-Sign Nick Hayden

March 19th, 2015 at 6:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys bolstered their defensive front from outside the organization earlier this week when they added Greg Hardy, but they also will look to a holdover to continue his work. Nick Hayden agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Cowboys, Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Terms of the deal are not known, but they won’t be anything extravagant.

An unrestricted free agent, Hayden started at defensive tackle in all 16 games for the Cowboys the past two seasons, stabilizing his career after part-time starting responsibilities with the Panthers and Bengals the previous three years. Pro Football Focus, however, graded Hayden as the worst defensive tackle among 81 regulars at the position last season (subscription required) and second-worst in 2013, illustrating what kind of shape the Cowboys’ interior might be in after Henry Melton‘s exit.

A greater need opened up for the 29-year-old Hayden’s workmanlike services once Dallas jettisoned Melton. The cap-drained Cowboys are also likely to lose George Selvie and Anthony Spencer.