2015 March - Pro Football Rumors

Bears Expect Jay Cutler To Be 2015 QB

March 11th, 2015 at 2:16pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 2:16pm: Speaking to reporters today, Pace confirmed that the team is “moving forward” with Cutler as its starting quarterback (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 6:56am: The Bears fully expect Cutler to be their quarterback for the 2015 season, and are preparing for that outcome, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. A source tells Mortensen that while the Bears have been willing to listen to any inquiries involving Cutler, the team isn’t actively shopping its signal-caller.

New head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace didn’t exactly throw their full support behind Cutler at the combine, but given the quarterback’s lack of trade value at this point, it makes sense that the club would give him a vote of confidence at some point, since there simply aren’t better alternatives out there.

MONDAY, 2:22pm: The Bears are actively shopping Jay Cutler would move him for a “reasonable return,” sources tell Dan Bernstein of WSCR (via Twitter). To this point, however, Chicago has been underwhelmed by offers.

Albert Breer of NFL.com recently reported that in the aftermath of the Brandon Marshall trade, the Bears were likely to hang on to their quarterback. The Bears, he noted, have a “Cutler-friendly staff” with new offensive coordinator Adam Gase and quarterbacks coach Dowell Logains in the fold. Right now, however, Chicago sounds pretty open to moving on from Cutler.

After a season in which the 31-year-old Cutler rated as the league’s No. 32 QB per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), it was assumed by many that the club was ready to move on. Even if the Bears want to part ways with Cutler, however, his seven-year, $126.7MM extension could get in the way.

Cutler’s deal contains a fully guaranteed $38MM, which includes his 2015 salary of $15.5MM. That figure, along with the prorated portions of his signing bonus, would leave Chicago with $19.5MM in dead money if it chose to release its quarterback — keeping Cutler on the roster, however, would cost just $16.5MM. If the Bears trade him, it would reduce his 2015 dead money to just $4MM, saving Chicago $12.5MM in ’15 cap space. PFR’s Dallas Robinson recently looked at the Bears’ quarterback situation as a part of our Offseason Outlook series.

Falcons To Sign Leonard Hankerson

March 11th, 2015 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

2:11pm: It’s a one-year, $1MM deal for Hankerson, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

1:47pm: The Falcons and Leonard Hankerson have reached an agreement on a contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Hankerson is Atlanta’s newest receiver. The wideout himself broke the news, tweeting “#RiseUp #DirtyBirds #DoneDeal.”

Hankerson, 26, spent the first four years of his NFL career in Washington after being selected by the club in the third round of the 2011 draft. He was an occasional target in Washington’s passing game in 2012 and 2013, averaging 34 receptions and 459 yards in those two seasons, but he spent most of 2014 on the PUP list recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, and didn’t see any meaningful action after being activated.

In Atlanta, Hankerson figures to compete for the spot in the lineup vacated by No. 3 receiver Harry Douglas, who finalized a deal with the Titans today after being cut by the Falcons. Hankerson will also be reunited with former Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.

Dolphins Sign Brice McCain

March 11th, 2015 at 1:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent cornerback Brice McCain has signed with the Dolphins, according to agent David Canter (Twitter links). The deal is official, as Canter posted a picture of McCain inking his contract.

McCain, 28, was released by the Texans on this date exactly one year ago after ranking dead last among 110 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades in 2013 (subscription required). McCain went on to join up with the Steelers and after an improved season, he found himself garnering interest from teams, including the Vikings. Unfortunately for Minnesota, he canceled his visit with the team at the last minute as he was taking a physical with a mystery team. That mystery team, we can now surmise, was Miami.

McCain appeared in 14 games for the Steelers last season, including nine starts. In total, he racked up 31 tackles and a career-high three interceptions. McCain didn’t grade out as a superstar in 2014, according to PFF, but he did improve, coming in as the 65th best cornerback out of 108 qualified players. His grade was below average, but at -2.8, it wasn’t atrocious.

Bengals Sign A.J. Hawk

March 11th, 2015 at 1:53pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 1:53pm: The Bengals have officially signed Hawk, the team announced today (via Twitter).

TUESDAY, 4:37pm: A.J. Hawk has agreed to sign with the Bengals, according to agent Mike McCartney (via Twitter). It’ll be a two year deal for Hawk with his hometown team.

Cincinnati re-signed linebacker Rey Maualuga this week, but with Vontaze Burfict‘s recovery timetable still uncertain following microfracture surgery, the team needed some more depth at the position. The Packers were said to be leaving the door open for a possible return, but that just didn’t work out for one reason or another.

Over the last nine years, Hawk has been one of the most recognizable players on the Packers’ defense, averaging over 100 tackles per year and appearing in all but two of the team’s regular-season games. However, toward the end of his tenure with the franchise, the 31-year-old’s production no longer matched his salary. In 2014, he saw his playing time scaled back toward the end of the season and in the playoffs as he struggled with an ankle injury, and he recorded a -14.4 grade for the season, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required).

Hawk, a former fifth overall pick, was entering the final year of his contract, and would have counted for $5.1MM on Green Bay’s cap. By cutting him, the Packers cleared his base salary, roster bonus, and workout bonus from their books, creating $3.5MM in cap savings.

Bengals Re-Sign Clint Boling

March 11th, 2015 at 1:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

1:53pm: Boling’s new deal with the Bengals is now official, the team confirmed today (via Twitter).

WEDNESDAY, 9:51am: It’s a five-year, $26MM deal for Boling, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). That’s not a bad deal for the Bengals, considering other top free agent interior linemen, like Mike Iupati and Rodney Hudson, received $8MM+ annual salaries.

TUESDAY, 9:07pm: Boling is returning to the Bengals, as the two sides have worked out a deal, per the NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala (Twitter link).

7:26pm: The Bengals are nearing a deal to retain guard Clint Boling, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (Twitter link). The 26-year-old Boling had been drawing interest from other clubs, but it looks like he’ll head back to Cincinnati. Terms of the deal aren’t yet known.

The Vikings had expressed an interest in adding Boling, which would have reunited the Georgia alum with former Bengals coach Mike Zimmer. Boling’s trainer had indicated that although the Jets and Falcons were also pursuing the former fourth-round pick, Boling had the strongest interest in joining Minnesota. Instead, he’ll stay in Cincinnati, where’s started 44 games over the past three seasons.

Boling, who ranked at No. 44 among PFR’s Top 50 free agents, was especially excellent in 2014, grading as the league’s eighth-best guard per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He earned a base salary of $1.431MM last year, meaning he’ll be in for a large pay increase on his new contract.

Lions Acquire Haloti Ngata

March 11th, 2015 at 1:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

WEDNESDAY, 1:49pm: Ngata has passed his physical and is officially a Lion, says Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 3:36pm: Detroit will receive Ngata and a seventh-round pick while sending a fourth- and fifth-round pick to Baltimore, per Schefter (Twitter link).

2:55pm: The Lions have acquired defensive tackle Haloti Ngata from the Ravens, Baltimore announced via Twitter. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun was the first to report the news (Twitter link). Detroit is expected to send a fourth- or fifth- round pick to the Ravens, tweets Peter King of Sports Illustrated.

Baltimore has expressed optimism that it would be able to retain the 31-year-old Ngata via some sort of contract restructure involving either an extension or a pay reduction. He had been scheduled to carry a $16MM cap charge for 2015. Now that they’ve traded him, the Ravens will only be responsible for his prorated bonus money, which comes to $7.5MM.

In landing Ngata, the Lions have found their replacement for departed free agent Ndamukong Suh, who agreed to terms with the Dolphins over the weekend. Ngata is also reuniting with Teryl Austin, Detroit’s defensive coordinator, who previously coached in Baltimore. The Lions will assume Ngata’s base salary of $8.5MM for the upcoming season. The nine-year veteran has started 133 games in his career, accruing 25.5 sacks.

Former Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley is now a free agent, and it will interesting to see if Detroit’s move for Ngata will impact their pursuit of him.

Cardinals To Sign Cory Redding

March 11th, 2015 at 1:25pm CST by Zachary Links

1:25pm: Redding’s deal will pay him up to $6MM over two years, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Redding’s deal will include a $2MM bonus with salaries of $1MM and $3MM, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).

10:42am: The Cardinals are nearing a deal with defensive end Cory Redding, a source tells Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (via Twitter). Redding, 34, started at least 14 games for the Colts the past three years.

In October, Redding said that he was considering retirement. It was a decision that he wasn’t taking lightly as he was thinking long and hard about what his legacy would be.

“When I’m dead and gone, what are people going to say about Cory Redding?” the defensive end said. “Will my name even come up? Was he just a football player? A good football player and a horrible person? What is my legacy going to be?”

After some soul searching, Redding decided that he has yet to write his final chapter. In 2014, Redding started all 16 regular season games for the Colts, racking up 44 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 3 pass deflections. He also made his presence felt in the postseason, recording 2 sacks and 2 pass deflections to go with 9 total tackles.

Jaguars GM On Murray, Cobb, Hardy

March 11th, 2015 at 1:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars GM David Caldwell told reporters, including John Oehser of Jaguars.com (on Twitter), that his work is not done in free agency. However, he says there’s not a whole lot brewing on star running back DeMarco Murray. Here’s more from today’s presser..

Caldwell said that he had a brief conversation with Murray’s agent last night and he also talked with the team’s finance people, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com tweets.
Caldwell says he wanted a slot wide receiver and targeted Packers star Randall Cobb, DiRocco tweets. He’ll only sign one going forward if the right situation presents himself. Of course, he’s not going to find another slot wide receiver as good as Cobb.
Caldwell wouldn’t close the door on signing Greg Hardy, DiRocco tweets. The GM explained that he would have to do his research on the troubled star. His philosophy is that if a guy shows remorse for his actions, they can give him a second chance.
Caldwell said Jared Odrick‘s versatility was key to his signing, Oehser tweets. Interestingly, Caldwell referred to Odrick, who previously lined up as a defensive tackle, as a defensive end. Odrick’s deal will see him earn $8.5MM per season with $22MM guaranteed overall.
When asked about tight end Marcedes Lewis‘ future with Jacksonville, Caldwell said “he’ll have to compete to be here,” DiRocco tweets. Lewis, 31 in May, played in only eight games last season after suffering a high ankle sprain in September. His IR-DTR status allowed him to return later in the year.
Caldwell said (via Oehser on Twitter) that the team had five initial targets and wound up landing three of them. Free agency might not have been a home run, he says, but he said it was probably more like hitting a double. The GM added that the Jags “probably haven’t” spent as much as he expected, according to Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
Caldwell explained there has been no decision yet on Red Bryant, DiRocco tweets.

Eagles To Sign Walter Thurmond

March 11th, 2015 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

1:21pm: Thurmond’s one-year deal with the Eagles is worth $3.25MM, including a $2MM signing bonus, and could hit $4MM through incentives, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

7:07am: A day after formally signing one former Seahawks cornerback, as they finalized their deal with Byron Maxwell, the Eagles have reached an agreement with another. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Philadelphia has agreed to sign free agent corner Walter Thurmond. The team has since confirmed the deal, announcing that it’s for one year (via Twitter).

Thurmond, 27, spent the 2014 season with the Giants, but was one of about two dozen of the club’s players to ultimately land on injured reserve. The Oregon product, who appeared in just two regular season contests in New York before going down with a pectoral injury, spent most of his NFL career in Seattle, playing 34 games (eight starts) for the team from 2010 to 2013.

Although he never played a significant role in Seattle, Thurmond was effective in part-time action for the Seahawks in 2013, recording a +4.8 grade in 480 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Per PFF, he limited opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 67.5, with no touchdowns, on 53 passes thrown into his coverage that season.

We heard prior to the market officially opening that the Eagles were seriously considering adding multiple cornerbacks and a safety in free agency. Having brought Maxwell and Thurmond aboard, the club is now two-thirds of the way there.

Cowboys Interested In Derrick Morgan

March 11th, 2015 at 1:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Derrick Morgan is in Atlanta meeting with the Falcons, but there’s some serious competition for his services. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that the Cowboys are now trying to get in on the Titans free agent.

Meanwhile, Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes that the Cowboys have been reaching out to a lot of players, but they’re only willing to spend so much. For example, they weren’t willing to go to $5MM per year on Stephen Paea. The defensive tackle agreed to sign with Washington on Monday.

The former Georgia Tech standout had his most productive season in 2014, establishing career-highs in tackles (63), sacks (6.5) and passes defended (seven). He received the second-highest rating among Titans defenders from Pro Football Focus, and he also ranked as the eighth-best 3-4 linebacker.

The Titans had reportedly been hoping to re-sign Morgan, but it has been rumored that a half-dozen teams are also interested. He ranked 20th on Luke Adams’ list of the top-50 free agents.