HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

North Notes: Browns, J. Smith, J. Allen, Lions

March 29th, 2015 at 9:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While the Browns are content to use Josh McCown as their starting quarterback in 2015, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the club will continue to search for other options at the position. Cabot thinks Cleveland will attempt to trade up in the draft for Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, and also doesn’t rule out the Browns making another run at Sam Bradford on draft day.

Here’s more from the North divisions:

  • Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith is perhaps the best 2016 free agent CB, writes ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley, who argues that Baltimore will either sign Smith to an extension, or use the franchise tag on him. Hensley adds that the starting point for negotiations on a long-term deal would probably be the contract between the Eagles and Byron Maxwell (six years, $63MM).
  • In an interesting discussion with Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, Jared Allen discusses the Bears’ dismal 2014 season, his hopes for an improved 2015, and his transition to 3-4 linebacker. Perhaps most notably, Allen reveals that the Broncos were on his shortlist of intriguing teams when he hit free agency last offseason in large part due to John Fox, who of course is now in Chicago.
  • The Lions lost one of the league’s best players in Ndamukong Suh to free agency, but improvement by younger defenders such as linebacker Kyle Van Noy and defensive end Larry Webster could keep Detroit’s defense among the NFL’s top units, opines Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Joe Barksdale

March 29th, 2015 at 7:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As we head into April, there are just four remaining unsigned free agents that were listed among Pro Football Rumors’ Top 50 FAs. Our 29th overall free agent, receiver Michael Crabtree, had a down year in 2014, and PFR’s Rory Parks look at wJoe Barksdalehy he remains on the open market. Linebacker Rolando McClain, our No. 35 FA, has already retired twice during his young career, and is facing a fine after failing a third drug test, as documented by PFR’s Luke Adams. And our 39th-ranked free agent, center Stefen Wisniewski, is recovering from offseason shoulder injury, which could explain his lack of a market.

But perhaps the most puzzling member of the unsigned free agents club is offensive tackle Joe Barksdale, who ranked 36th on our Top 50 list. The 27-year-old Barksdale has spent the past three seasons with the Rams, and has started 29 games over the past two years. Without a strong crop of right tackles available in free agency, Barksdale seemingly should have been in line for a multi-year pact that paid him in the neighborhood of $6MM annually, comparable to the deals signed by Andre Smith and Anthony Collins in recent years.

The few free agent right tackles who did hit the market were handsomely rewarded, making it even more confusing that Barksdale hasn’t been able to find a home. The top RT available, Bryan Bulaga, re-signed with the Packers for almost $34MM, and while he’ll average just $6.75MM per year, it’s assumed that he took less money to stay in Green Bay. Jermey Parnell, largely unproven after starting just seven games over three seasons for the Cowboys, secured a five-year, $32.5MM deal from the Jaguars, while Doug Free will earn a $5MM AAV after re-signing with Dallas.

A glance at Pro Football Focus’ (subscription required) offensive tackle grades could offer some explanation as to why Barskdale remains available — while Bulaga, Parnell, and Free all ranked within the top 21 tackles, Barksdale placed just 48th. His run-blocking grade (arguably the more important mark for a right tackle) was impressive, however, as he ranked as the league’s 11th-best T in the run game. Still, based on PFF’s ratings, Barksdale might not be in the same class as those top three tackles, so if he’s asking for $5-6MM per year, clubs could be looking elsewhere.

Indeed, Barksdale hasn’t drawn much known interest from around the league, as he’s only been linked to the Rams and the Titans. Tennessee’s interest seems to be lukewarm, as reports indicated that the club would “consider” Barksdale after losing Michael Roos and Michael Oher earlier this year. Based on reports, it appears that a reunion between Barskdale and St. Louis is the most likely scenario — the Rams initially thought that the tackle was overestimating his market, and now that that seems to have been the case, head Jeff Fisher confirmed the two sides were talking.

Even after a dreadful season, Oher was able to garner a $3.5MM AAV from the Panthers, and I’d be very surprised if Barksdale has to settle for less than that. Something in the $4-4.5MM range (at the level of Zach Strief and Breno Giacomini) would make sense for both Barksdale and the Rams. For its part, St. Louis can use all the help it can get along the offensive line, where Greg Robinson and Rodger Saffold are the only returning starters. With only about $2.6MM needed to sign its draft class, the Rams have approximately $6.4MM in effective cap space, so they should easily be able to fit a Barksdale-level contract on their books.

Seahawks Re-Sign Demarcus Dobbs

March 29th, 2015 at 6:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks have re-signed defensive end Demarcus Dobbs, tweets his agent Wesley Spencer (h/t to Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk). According to Spencer, Dobbs’ new deal is for one year.

Seattle claimed Dobbs, 27, off waivers from the 49ers in early November, and while he went on to appear in four games for the Seahawks, he played on just 39 defensive snaps. His role increased during Seattle’s playoff run, however, as he saw action on about 43% of postseason snaps. All told, Dobbs racked up five tackles in 2014, bringing his career stop total to 24.

Dobbs, who can also slide to defensive tackle, doesn’t have much of an NFL track record, meaning his 2015 salary will probably be close to league minimum. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll indicated last week that the club planned to retain both Dobbs and center Stephen Schilling, so with Dobbs taken care of, re-signing Schilling could be up next.

Stefen Wisniewski Had Shoulder Surgery

March 29th, 2015 at 4:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Given that we’re almost three weeks removed from the start of free agency, it’s more than surprising that the consensus No. 2 free agent center — Stefen Wisniewski — is still unsigned. There appears to be a reason for his cold market, however, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that Wisniewski is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery after he played the 2014 season with a torn larbrum.

Obviously, any sort of injury or surgery is going to make clubs wary, as evidenced by the fact that tight Jermaine Gresham still hasn’t found a home after it was revealed he was set to undergo a back operation. But Wisniewski’s injury situation might not be the only factor scaring clubs, as Biggs adds that the center is looking for a $4MM per year salary. Such a demand doesn’t sound extravagant, as that AAV wouldn’t even place Wisniewski inside the top 10 among centers. Per Biggs, however, no team has been willing to pay that price, and it’s possible that Wisniewski will have to ultimately sign a one- or two-year “prove-it” contract.

Wisniewski’s former club, the Raiders, have already replaced him, signing top FA center Rodney Hudson to a five-year, $44.5MM deal, and Oakland has no plans to re-sign Wisniewski to play guard. But he has drawn interest from a number of teams, including the Rams and Chiefs, and he met with the Buccaneers and Seahawks. According to Biggs, it would also “be a mistake to rule out the Bears” signing Wisniewski.

The 26-year-old Wisniewski didn’t fare too well in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which rated him as the league’s 22nd-best center. Of course, his injury could have played a role in his decreased production, as PFF has assigned him a higher grade in years past. The Penn State alum was PFR’s No. 39 free agent.

NFC East Notes: Moss, RG3, Gregory, Giants

March 29th, 2015 at 3:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Washington head coach Jay Gruden said last week that the club would be open to re-signing receiver Santana Moss, Zac Boyer of the Washington Times writes that the team won’t bring back the veteran until mid-summer at the earliest. As Boyer adds, offseason workouts end in mid-June — if Washington decides it could use a reliable slot receiver at the point, Moss would probably be brought into the fold. The 35-year-old Moss said last December that he wouldn’t hesitate to retire if the right opportunity didn’t present itself.

Here’s more from the nation’s capital and the rest of the NFC East:

  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Washington executive Doug Williams said the club still has high hopes for quarterback Robert Griffin III. “This is a young guy that’s got some talent,” said Williams, via Chase Hughes of CSNWashington.com. “There are adjustments that he has to make if think given time, and I think that’s one of the reasons why nobody has given up on him. With the talent that he does have, you’re hoping that the last couple of years with the injuries and everything is out of the way, that he will develop into the guy that we all hope for him to be. I think it’s fair to give him that opportunity.”
  • Though the Giants are rumored to have interest in Nebraska edge rusher Randy Gregory, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com isn’t so sure New York would pull the trigger come draft day, noting the club’s aversion to smaller defenders (Gregory weighed in at 235 pounds at the combine). Gregory, who failed a drug test at the combine, won’t be an option for the Giants at pick No. 9, writes Raanan, but he could be NY’s choice if he falls to the second round.
  • In his most recent mailbag at ESPN.com, John Keim lists free safety and right tackle as Washington‘s most glaring needs. Right tackle, adds Keim, could be turned over to 2014 draftee Morgan Moses, but health questions have made his availability uncertain.

PFR Originals: 3/22/15 – 3/29/15

March 29th, 2015 at 2:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

  • Now that this year’s compensatory picks have been announced, Luke Adams was able to provide the complete 2015 NFL draft order (also available on a team-by-team basis).
  • Luke also posted the list of 2015 NFL trades, which will updated as the season progresses.
  • Rory Parks examined the free agent stock of receiver Michael Crabtree, one of the top FAs still available.
  • Also in our FA stock watch series, Luke took a look at linebacker Rolando McClain, who is still sitting on the market.
  • The NFL is expected to vote on changing the extra point rules in May, and Luke asked how PFR readers thought the rules should be altered. The majority of voters (about 41%) believe that the extra point should remain unchanged. Thanks for voting!

Week In Review: 3/22/15 – 3/29/15

March 29th, 2015 at 1:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Key News:

Signed/Re-Signed:

Waivers:

Contract Restructured:

Sunday Roundup: Panthers, Thomas, Levy

March 29th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some notes from around the league on this Sunday afternoon:

  • David Newton of ESPN.com passes along a couple of Panthers items. He believes an extension for Cam Newton will get done before the season begins, but both sides will wait until Russell Wilson signs his new deal before really moving forward. The ESPN scribe also expects an extension for Thomas Davis to happen at some point, but there is no real rush to get it done immediately.
  • Although the Broncos have to seriously consider taking a quarterback with one of their ten draft picks, Mike Kiszla of The Denver Post does not see any of this year’s crops of signal-callers outside of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota as a legitimate heir to Peyton Manning.
  • Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes that Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians plans to give second-year quarterback Logan Thomas “a ton of work” this offseason. Most of Thomas’ reps will come with the second unit, but given that Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton are coming off injury, there should be opportunities with the first team as well.
  • Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com believes the Bears will look to the draft for a wide receiver to complement Alshon Jeffery, and they will only turn to the free agent pool if they are unable to adequately address their needs with a rookie or two.
  • Now that Ndamukong Suh is gone, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com believes DeAndre Levy might be the player to build around as the cornerstone of the Lions‘ defense.
  • If Jimmy Smith were to hit the open market next offseason, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com believes he would be the best cornerback in the free agent class. But Hensley thinks the Ravens will either lock Smith up with a long-term extension or else put the franchise tag on him, as he is too valuable for the team to let go. Byron Maxwell‘s new six-year deal with the Eagles, which includes $25.5MM guaranteed and has an AAV of $10.5MM, would be a good benchmark for a Smith extension.
  • David Moore of The Dallas Morning News says it is unlikely that Adrian Peterson will end up with the Cowboys, but given the unpredictability of owner Jerry Jones, it is too soon to dismiss the possibility altogether.

Brian Dixon Arrested

March 29th, 2015 at 11:49am CST by Rory Parks

Saints cornerback Brian Dixon was arrested in Miami Beach early this morning for resisting arrest, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As Florio writes, Dixon is charged only with resisting arrest, so it is unclear why he was being arrested in the first place. Dixon was pulled over while driving a moped.

The Northwest Missouri State product caught on with the Saints as an undrafted free agent last year, seeing action in all 16 games and recording 18 total tackles with one pass defensed and one forced fumble.

Dixon tweeted the following about an hour ago: “It hurts to know that I wasn’t causing no trouble and was fully cooperating.”

Bucs Notes: Carter, QBs, Clemmings

March 29th, 2015 at 11:33am CST by Rory Parks

After their splashy acquisitions largely failed to live up to expectations in the past several seasons, the Buccaneers took a different approach to the offseason this year. Rather than swinging for the fences, as they did with players like Anthony Collins and Michael Johnson, Tampa Bay instead focused on solid players who might not have come with a big price tag, but who nonetheless have a familiarity with the Tampa 2 scheme and who can serve as capable building blocks for the team’s roster.

As Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune writes, new acquisitions Henry Melton, Chris Conte, Bruce Carter, and Sterling Moore all either played under head coach Lovie Smith in Chicago or are otherwise familiar with the Tampa 2 system. The Bucs hope that Carter in particular can become the driving force behind a rejuvenated defense, as he provides the coverage ability and play-making potential from the inside linebacker position that is often necessary for a Tampa 2 unit to thrive.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from Tampa Bay:

  • Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com offers a few predictions regarding the 2015 draft. He notes that the Bucs have done “an enormous amount of homework” on Jameis Winston, but they will not take Winston with the first overall pick unless they feel his off-field issues are completely behind him. Yasinskas says Marcus Mariota is still in play, and he would be a nice alternative if the club still has reservations about Winston.
  • In the same piece, Yasinskas notes that Tampa Bay almost has to take an offensive lineman or defensive end with its second pick in the draft after it takes a signal-caller with its first overall choice. The needs at those positions are simply too great to ignore, Yasinskas believes. He thinks the Bucs will still sign a free agent offensive lineman and add another in the early rounds of the draft.
  • Gil Brandt of NFL.com tweets that Mariota will work out for the Bucs next Tuesday, April 7, one week after Winston’s pro day.
  • As Yasinskas pointed out, the Bucs may not draft Winston if they are not convinced his non-football problems are a thing of the past. But Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times writes that Smith is a big believer in giving second chances to players who have had off-field problems, and he would therefore not shy away from Winston. In the past year, the Bucs have strongly considered acquiring Richie Incognito, Greg Hardy, and Adrian Peterson, and when Smith was head coach of the Bears, he drafted Cedric Benson with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft and stood by Tank Johnson following Johnson’s legal troubles in 2006.
  • Joe Kania of Buccaneers.com tweets that the Bucs are one of the teams with whom Pittsburgh OT T.J. Clemmings has had a private workout.
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