HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Washington Signs Terrance Knighton

March 13th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

FRIDAY, 12:50pm: Knighton’s deal with Washington is now official, the team announced today (via Twitter).

THURSDAY, 6:10pm: Washington is set to sign Terrance Knighton to a one-year, $4MM deal, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Knighton had been meeting with the team in the nation’s capital on Thursday.

When Luke Adams listed PFR’s top 50 free agents recently, he ranked Pot Roast 16th on our list. The six-year veteran was an integral part of a Broncos team that had the league’s second-best run defense in 2014, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Knighton 12th among 81 qualifying D-tackles last season. Knighton, 29 in July, recorded 33 total tackles with two sacks and three pass deflections last season. Even in the season prior, the advanced metrics at PFF (subscription required) showed that he was one of the best as he finished with an overall grade of 18.4, placing him ninth amongst all qualified defensive tackles in 2013.

Earlier today, a head coach told Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 that teams were afraid to sign Knighton because of his physical condition. This is purely speculative, but that could be a reason for Knighton’s surprisingly inexpensive deal. The deal is identical to the one-year, $4MM pact that B.J. Raji signed with the Packers almost one year ago today.

The Raiders appeared to be nearing a deal with Pot Roast, but on Tuesday we learned that he won’t be going to Oakland or returning to Denver. The Colts, Patriots, Seahawks, Ravens, and Chargers also expressed varying degrees of interest in Knighton, but it’s not clear which of those teams were really in the mix towards the end.

One of Washington’s top priorities this offseason was to beef up the defensive line and they’ve done just that with the additions of Stephen Paea, Ricky Jean-Francois, and Knighton. With Knighton off the board, Nick Fairley stands as the unquestioned No. 1 defensive tackle left on the open market, so it’ll be interesting to see how this deal affects his pay day.

FA Rumors: J. Johnson, Parker, Falcons, 49ers

March 13th, 2015 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent safety Jeron Johnson is generating some interest around the league, and will pay a visit to Washington, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Johnson, a Boise State product, never saw any real significant playing time on defense for a Seahawks team that featured Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but he was a solid backup and excelled on special teams.

Let’s round up a few more Friday free agent news items and rumors from around the NFL….

  • The Bears would like to sign safety Ron Parker, but he left Chicago last night without a deal, a source confirms to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, who tweets that the former Chief appears to be in no rush to sign.
  • Having already met with the Seahawks and Broncos, Shelley Smith will make his next visit to Atlanta to meet with the Falcons, a source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The free agent offensive lineman is scheduled to arrive tonight and have his official visit tomorrow.
  • The 49ers saw one of their free agent cornerbacks, Chris Culliver, find a deal in Washington today, but according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, they’ve spoken to another – Chris Cook – about returning (Twitter link). Still, Maiocco’s source says there have been no recent conversations between the two sides.
  • Free agent center Stefen Wisniewski remains in Seattle for now, but a visit to the Rams is “very possible,” tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In addition to visiting the Seahawks, Wisniewski also met with the Bucs earlier this week.
  • Offensive lineman Erik Pears, who visited the 49ers this week, is also receiving interest from the Jets and Broncos, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Pears started all 16 games for the Bills at right guard last season.
  • The Chargers are continuing to eye the free agent market in search of upgrades at wide receiver, after having lost Eddie Royal to Chicago, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
  • Former Giants guard John Jerry is making a free agent visit to Tennessee today to meet with the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Having waited out the first wave of free agency, the Titans have been very active today, locking up Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan, Ryan Succop, and Karl Klug to new contracts.

Saints Cut Corey White

March 13th, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

A day that started off with a flurry of Titans news has now been taken over by the Saints, who have made their third notable headline of the day. According to Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV (via Twitter), head coach Sean Payton has notified defensive back Corey White that he’s been let go. White will have to pass through waivers before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

White, 24, began the 2014 season as a starting cornerback for the Saints, logging 53 tackles and grabbing a pair of interceptions on the season. However, he was demoted toward the end of the year, and recorded a -17.8 grade for the season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That grade placed him 106th out of 108 qualified corners in 2014.

The former fifth-round pick was in line for a $1.542MM base salary in 2015, so the team will create that amount in cap savings by cutting him, leaving just $44K in dead money on the cap. Newly-signed veteran Brandon Browner will help fill the void left in the Saints’ secondary.

Trent Richardson Files Grievance

March 13th, 2015 at 12:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Trent Richardson hasn’t yet cleared waivers, but he has already filed a grievance against his old team related to the suspension he received from the Colts at the end of the 2014 season, according to Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).

During the postseason, the Colts suspended Richardson for two games for conduct detrimental to the team after the running back missed a morning walkthrough before the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. The move voided the guarantee on the former third overall pick’s $3.184MM base salary for the 2015 season, so Richardson and the NFLPA will attempt to recoup that money through the grievance.

Richardson reportedly was dealing with a family emergency involving “serious complications” to his girlfriend’s pregnancy when he was absent for the Colts’ walkthrough, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.

Regardless of whether or not Richardson gets his guaranteed salary back from the Colts, he’s expected to pass through waivers shortly, and it sounds like he’s happy to be out of Indianapolis. The 24-year-old told Mike Wells of ESPN.com (Twitter link) yesterday that he and GM Ryan Grigson “didn’t see eye to eye.”

“My next step, I’ll be the starter,” Richardson said. “Indy didn’t fit me.”

While that’s an optimistic outlook for Richardson, I can’t imagine any team will sign expecting him to be the starter at this point, though he could compete for the role somewhere. One team that might be interested? The Titans, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link). A source tells McCormick not to be surprised if the team kicks the tires on Richardson once he clears waivers and becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Titans Re-Sign Karl Klug

March 13th, 2015 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

11:32am: It’s a two-year deal for Klug, tweets Wyatt.

9:30am: A busy morning in Tennessee continues, as the Titans have reached their fourth contract agreement of the day, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. According to Wyatt (via Twitter), the team has reached a long-term deal to re-sign defensive lineman Karl Klug.

Klug, who turns 27 at the end of the month, has been a rotational player on the Titans’ defensive line since being drafted by the team in the fifth round in 2011. Although he recorded seven sacks in his rookie season, Klug’s sack totals have been more modest since then — he’s combined for just 7.5 in the three seasons since. In 2014, Klug played 338 defensive snaps for the Titans, earning a slightly above-average +1.9 grade for his play from Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

The Titans also reached contract agreements with their own free agents Derrick Morgan and Ryan Succop today, as well as landing former Washington pass rusher Brian Orakpo.

Rams Sign Nick Fairley

March 13th, 2015 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

11:17am: It’s a one-year, prove-it deal for Fairley, who can earn up to $7.5MM in 2015, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The contract has a base value of $5MM, which isn’t far off from what the veteran defender would have been paid if the Lions had picked up his fifth-year option.

Playing with such a talented group of defensive linemen, Fairley has a nice opportunity to have a big year and earn a more lucrative deal a year from now, if he can stay healthy.

11:09am: One of the league’s best defensive lines will be even scarier entering the 2015 season. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), former Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley will join the Rams, having agreed to terms on a new deal with the team. The team revealed the move at Nick Foles‘ introductory press conference today (Twitter link).

Fairley had his 2014 season derailed by injuries, but he was very effective when healthy, and received plenty of interest this week. The 27-year-old paid a visit to the Bengals, and a Wednesday report indicated that about a half-dozen teams were interested in him before free agency even began on Tuesday.

A former 13th overall pick, Fairley had his best season in 2013, when he recorded 35 tackles and six sacks to go along with a pair of forced fumbles. Despite that impressive showing, the Lions elected not to exercise his relatively inexpensive ($5.477MM) fifth-year option for the 2015 season, allowing him to reach free agency. It’ll be interesting to see if Fairley signs for more or less with the Rams than he could have received from the Lions, who have now lost both Fairley and Ndamukong Suh.

As for the Rams, defensive line certainly wasn’t a pressing area of need for a team that has Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald, Chris Long, and Michael Brockers on its roster, but the team did cut Kendall Langford earlier in the offseason and was looking to add another interior piece. In Fairley, St. Louis lands one of the top defensive tackles on the market, and will move forward with a front four that’s extremely capable of both getting to the quarterback and stuffing the run.

Washington Signs Chris Culliver

March 13th, 2015 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

11:02am: Washington has officially signed Culliver, the team announced today (Twitter link). As we noted earlier, the cornerback’s deal features an impressive $16MM in fully guaranteed money.

8:11am: Another top free agent has come off the board, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Washington has agreed to terms on a four-year contract for former 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver. Per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the deal will pay Culliver about $8MM per year, just below the annual rates earned by fellow free agent corners Brandon Flowers and Kareem Jackson.

One of two Niners starting cornerbacks eligible for free agency, along with Perrish Cox, Culliver is coming off his first full season as a starter in San Francisco. The 26-year-old adapted to the new role admirably, recording 45 tackles, four interceptions, and 15 passes defended.

Culliver also limited opposing quarterbacks to a completion percentage of 50.7% and a 66.5 passer rating when they threw into his coverage, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF’s grades placed Culliver as the 14th-best cornerback out of 108 qualified players.

For Washington, Culliver will help shore up a secondary whose cornerbacks got burned on a regular basis in 2014. Bashaud Breeland, E.J. Biggers, and David Amerson saw the majority of the snaps at the position for the team, and all three corners ranked in PFF’s bottom 10 at the position. Biggers is also eligible for free agency.

When I listed PFR’s top 50 free agents last Saturday, I ranked Culliver 24th, and fourth among cornerbacks, behind Byron Maxwell, Flowers, and Jackson. Culliver becomes the third defender in our top 50 to sign with Washington this week, following Stephen Paea and Terrance Knighton to D.C.

Titans, Anthony Fasano Agree To Terms

March 13th, 2015 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Titans continue to dominate Friday’s NFL news cycle, having reached a deal with their fifth player of the day, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the team agreed to terms with tight end Anthony Fasano. Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan, Ryan Succop, and Karl Klug have also struck deals with Tennessee so far today.

Fasano, 30, split time with Travis Kelce in Kansas City last season and was significantly out-targeted by the 25-year-old (87 to 36), catching 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). The Chiefs released him last month.

In addition to paying a visit to Tennessee this week, where he agreed to sign with the Titans, Fasano also drew some interest from the Bills, who released Scott Chandler and saw another tight end, Lee Smith, depart via free agency.

With the Titans, Fasano looks like a good bet to be slotted in second on the team’s tight end depth chart, behind Delanie Walker.

Contract Details: Culliver, Browner, Cameron

March 13th, 2015 at 10:36am CST by Luke Adams

Here are some key contract details for a few notable new pacts agreed to and/or signed over the last few days:

NFC deals:

  • Chris Culliver, CB (Washington): Four years, $32MM base value. $16MM fully guranteed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • Brooks Reed, LB (Falcons): Five years, $22.5MM base value. $6.9MM fully guaranteed. $4.7MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
  • Brandon Browner, CB (Saints): Three years, $15MM base value. $7.75MM fully guaranteed. $3.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Ryan Mathews, RB (Eagles): Three years, $11MM base value. $5MM guaranteed. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
  • Terrance Knighton, DT (Washington): One year, $4MM. $2MM signing bonus (link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).

AFC deals:

Cowboys Agree To Sign Darren McFadden

March 13th, 2015 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams

10:08am: McFadden’s two-year deal can be worth up to $5.85MM, and includes a modest $200K signing bonus, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.

9:38am: A day after losing the NFL’s leading rusher to their division rivals in Philadelphia, the Cowboys are set to sign a free agent running back of their own, albeit one who won’t replicate DeMarco Murray‘s production. According to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter), the club has agreed to terms on a two-year deal for former Raiders running back Darren McFadden, pending a physical.

McFadden, 27, was selected fourth overall by the Raiders back in 2008 out of Arkansas. Outside of a 2010 campaign in which he posted 1,157 rushing yards and added another 507 yards through the air, McFadden has never been able to stay healthy and put it all together for a full season. 2014 was the first year in which he played all 16 games for Oakland, but he was underwhelming, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, his third straight season with a mark of 3.4 or lower.

In Dallas, McFadden should have an opportunity for a fresh start behind perhaps the league’s best offensive line. Although Murray certainly has plenty of talent, that offensive line played a significant part in his massive 2014 numbers, so if McFadden can stay on the field, Dallas looks like a nice spot for him.

Assuming things get finalized with McFadden, the Cowboys likely won’t add any other notable free agent running backs to the mix, opting instead to address the position in the draft. The club currently has Joseph Randle and Ryan Williams under contract, with a restricted free agent tender assigned to Lance Dunbar.

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