2015 June - Pro Football Rumors

Bills Sign Andre Fluellen

June 16th, 2015 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have added some veteran depth on their defensive line, signing free agent defensive tackle Andre Fluellen, the team announced today in a press release. To make room on the roster for Fluellen, the team waived safety Deon Broomfield with an injured designation.

Fluellen, 30, has spent nearly all of his career with the Lions since being drafted by the team in the third round back in 2008. However, he has never played a significant role in Detroit, acting as a part-time contributor over the course of 77 career games (75 with Detroit). In 2014, Fluellen recorded 10 tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery in 183 defensive snaps.

With Rex Ryan in as head coach and Dennis Thurman as defensive coordinator, there’s no real coaching connection for Fluellen in Buffalo. Of course, Thurman replaced Jim Schwartz as DC earlier this year, and Schwartz had coached the veteran defender in Detroit.

As for Broomfield, he appears likely to be placed on the Bills’ injured reserve list if he clears waivers.

Junior Galette Won’t Require Surgery

June 16th, 2015 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

After suffering a pectoral injury while lifting weights earlier in June, Saints pass rusher Junior Galette won’t require surgery to repair the damage, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. We heard nearly two weeks ago that Galette was considering going under the knife, but after consulting with multiple experts, including Dr. James Andrews, he and the team have determined that won’t be necessary.

Galette, who turned 27 in March, will attempt to recover with rest and rehab rather than surgery, and will aim to be ready for New Orleans’ regular season opener, per Rapoport. While the veteran pass rusher figures to start training camp on the club’s PUP list, he should ultimately be fine, a source tells the NFL.com scribe.

Having transfered some resources from the offensive side of the ball to the defense this offseason, the Saints will be counting on their D to play better in 2015 than it did in 2014, and Galette is a key player on the unit. The edge rusher has recorded 22 sacks and four forced fumbles over the past two seasons, and signed a $41.5MM extension back in September.

Galette’s recovery and his performance in 2015 could play a large part in his future in New Orleans. All of the fully guaranteed money on his new deal has already been paid, but his base salary for 2016 ($5MM) becomes fully guaranteed if he’s still on the roster on the third day of the 2016 league year. Given the significant amount of prorated bonus money on his contract through 2019, Galette looks like a good bet to stick with the Saints for at least a couple more years, barring a disaster on or off the field.

AFC Notes: Clemons, Ravens, Mathis

June 15th, 2015 at 9:39pm CST by Zachary Links

As expected, veteran pass rusher Chris Clemons reported to the Jaguars today, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Clemons hadn’t been present for Jacksonville’s voluntary OTAs this year, but would have forfeited his workout bonus if he hadn’t shown up this week. More from the AFC..

The Ravens could use another pass rusher and wouldn’t hesitate to add another defensive back, but the team doesn’t have any significant holes right now, so any veteran signings still to come would be more of a luxury than a necessity, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wonders if the Raiders should pursue guard Evan Mathis. The Raiders do not have a set starter at right guard, they have nearly $17MM in cap room, and new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave was on the Eagles’ staff last year. However, the Raiders are happy with their trio of right guards and Mathis’ age (33) could be a deterrent for them, in Williamson’s view. However, one offensive lineman to keep an eye for the Raiders could be tackle Sam Baker, who was cut by the Falcons on Monday.
Landry Jones‘ future with the Steelers could hinge on how he performs in the preseason, Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. The third-year quarterback has had a difficult time adjusting since he was taken in the fourth round out of Oklahoma. Quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner speculated that his spread offense background has been a hindrance to his development so far.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Washington, Peterson, McCoy

June 15th, 2015 at 8:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals inside linebacker Daryl Washington, who plead guilty to aggravated assault in March 2014, had his probation reduced, as Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. Now, it remains to be seen whether Washington will face suspension for this incident. Washington has been suspended since May 30, 2014, for violating the substance abuse policy, a second substance abuse violation that caused him to miss the entire 2014 season. Here’s more from the NFC..

The NFL has said it will handle Washington’s domestic violence case separately from (and after) his substance abuse suspension, Weinfuss tweets. Recently, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said that he hasn’t given much thought to the idea of Washington returning to the team.
Don’t tell Adrian Peterson that running backs typically decline once they enter their 30s. Of course, Peterson is no ordinary running back, but the former MVP sounds awfully optimistic about his NFL future, telling Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) that he wants to play for seven or eight more years. “I really feel that I can be 38 out here and still be the best running back in the NFL,” Peterson said. For now, the Vikings back will be looking to rebound from a lost 2014 season and show that he’s still one of the league’s best backs at age 30.
Michael Vick, who continues to look for an NFL home, wishes that former teammate LeSean McCoy wouldn’t take shots at former Eagles coach Chip Kelly. “I try to give my little piece of advice that I can offer him. He’s his own man. He has his own feelings and emotions. So I can’t interfere with that,” Vick said, according to Jordan Raanan of The Star-Ledger. “The only thing I try to tell him is stay positive, don’t expose yourself so much. You’re still blessed to be playing in the NFL, a great league, and don’t take things so personal. Your life is great on and off the field. Keep it that way.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC East Notes: Mathis, JPP, Cowboys

June 15th, 2015 at 7:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Giants running back David Wilson significantly improved his performance in the triple jump but still fell short of the qualifying standard for the U.S. championships, as The Associated Press writes. The former first-round draft pick had to retire from the NFL after two seasons due to a neck injury but is now trying to reinvent himself as a track and field athlete. While he has fallen short of nationals on this go ’round, he could still have future opportunities as he’s only 24 years of age. Here’s a glance at the NFC East..

Jordan Raanan of The Star-Ledger spoke with a league executive, an agent, and a cap guru to try and ascertain Evan Mathis‘ value on the open market. The exec guessed that the former Eagles lineman could fetch a one-year deal worth $3-$3.5MM with incentives to reach $5MM. The cap expert said he could get $14-17MM over three years with $6-8MM guaranteed. The agent, meanwhile, said a one-year deal worth $3-4MM with incentives to reach $5.5MM would make sense. If those estimates are right, then the guard likely miscalculated his market by pushing his way out of Philadelphia.

Jason Pierre-Paul is right to stay away from the Giants‘ minicamp, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes. Until JPP reaches truly unrestricted free agency, the only leverage he has is the threat of not playing. Not only could JPP conceivably scare the Giants into giving him the long-term deal he seeks, but he’s also avoiding injury that could weaken his value. Earlier today, we learned that JPP, Dez Bryant, and Justin Houston are abstaining from their respective minicamps.

While the Cowboys still have their share of high-priced talent, they have shown a great deal of fiscal constraint the last two seasons, Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News writes. Finally, Dallas has climbed out of its salary cap hole and their days of overpaying superstar talent seem to be drawing to a close. Years ago, they abandoned all reason when they splurged on the likes of Roy Williams and Miles Austin. Now, they’re taking a much more reasonable approach with Bryant.

Rams Seeking Long-Term Deal With Nick Foles

June 15th, 2015 at 7:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Locking up quarterback Nick Foles on a long-term deal is a priority for the Rams, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Rams have had initial talks with Foles’ camp and those conversations should ramp up as the season approaches.

Foles, of course, was acquired by the Rams from the Eagles in March in exchange for Sam Bradford. For his part, Foles was apparently ecstatic to be out of Philadelphia. The signal caller is currently scheduled to make $1.5MM this year, his final season under contract.

For the Rams, their motivation is fairly obvious. If Foles enjoys a strong season in 2015, he’ll make himself extremely pricey to retain on a long-term deal and the Rams want to avoid using the franchise tag on him. The Rams might be taking a leap of faith by trying to lock up Foles for multiple years, but they’re also hungry for stability under center after watching Bradford sidelined for much of his tenure in St. Louis.

Foles, a former third-round pick, had his breakout season in 2013, when he threw for 2,891 yards, 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions. A broken collar bone ended his 2014 season, and the 26-year-old finished with 2,163 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in eight games.

In 2013, his breakout campaign, Foles finished with a 7.4 overall grade by Pro Football Focus‘ (subscription required) metrics, good for No. 17 in the league amongst qualified QBs. Last season, in his injury-shortened season (link, sub. req’d), Foles placed No. 25 in the league with a below average -7.4 rating.

NFC South Notes: Glennon, Saints, Baker

June 15th, 2015 at 5:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers grabbed Tim Wright with their No. 1 waiver priority, but they were far from the only team to put a claim in on him. It turns out that nine other teams also submitted claims for the former Patriot. Besides Tampa Bay, the Jets, Bears, Falcons, Browns, Saints, Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers, and Lions all tried to land the Rutgers product. In the end, however, the Bucs were able to add a player who roughly one-third of the league apparently covets. Here’s tonight’s glance at the NFC South..

In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Matt Williamson identifies five teams that he thinks should consider trading for Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon, identifying the Cardinals, Bears, Bengals, Browns, and Giants as potential fits.
A report from ESPN’s Outside The Lines alleged that Saints outside linebacker Ronald Powell was allowed to skate after two interactions with police, including one where traces of cocaine were found in the car he was driving. Meanwhile, agent Peter Schaffer told Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune that it is absurd to believe that police let Powell go after finding cocaine in his car and trashed the report. “As Ronald Powell‘s agent, I’ve had extensive conversations with him, and the ESPN report is a gross mischaracterization of facts and example of an absolute witch hunt,” Schaffer said.
The Falcons corrected one of their biggest contract mistakes when they released Sam Baker, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. While the contract did not carry guarantees, there was an virtual or effective guarantee, which meant that little could be recouped by releasing him. Fitzgerald initially expected Atlanta to try and negotiate Baker’s salary down, but they instead chose to cut him outright.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Monday

June 15th, 2015 at 5:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves..

The Chiefs signed offensive lineman Tavon Rooks, agent Richard Kopelman tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
The 49ers signed center/guard Ben Gottschalk to a two-year deal while signing kicker Corey Acosta and wide receiver Mario Hull to three year deals, Wilson tweets. To help make room, Darius Davis has been waived (link).
The Chargers have signed undrafted rookie offensive tackle Forrestal Hickman, according to a league source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Hickman, who stands at 6’8″ and 315 pounds, tried out for the Chargers during their rookie minicamp. The Missouri Science and Tech product was an all-conference selection last season.
The 49ers released tackle/guard Chris Martin, according to agent Brett Tessler (on Twitter). Martin finished last season on San Francisco’s practice squad, but the agent says that the team simply had too many similar guys already on the roster.
The Jets announced that they have waived/injured tight end Zach Sudfeld, who suffered a torn ACL, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. In his stead, the Jets have inked tight end Steve Maneri.
The Seahawks waived/injured defensive end Ryan Robinson, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). Condotta assumes that the Seahawks are hoping that he’ll pass through waivers, allowing them to stash him on IR.
The Packers have waived rookie guard Marcus Reed, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Reed was signed as a UDFA last month. Green Bay currently has 89 players on the roster.
The Seahawks signed wide receiver Kasen Williams, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).

East Notes: Hardy, Manning, Bills, Dolphins

June 15th, 2015 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been a busy day of news around the NFL, as most teams around the league prepare to begin their mandatory June minicamps. However, we don’t want to let any odds and ends slip through the cracks, so let’s turn our attention to the two East divisions and round up the latest items….

As of this morning, arbitrator Harold Henderson had yet to officially make a decision on Greg Hardy‘s appeal of his 10-game suspension, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The hearing for the Cowboys defensive end took place way back on May 28, so an announcement should come any day now.
Eli Manning has yet to sign a contract extension with the Giants, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com believes that a significant injury is the only thing that would creating a parting of ways between the two-time Super Bowl MVP and the team after the 2015 season.
With the Bills having been mentioned as a potential suitor for free agent guard Evan Mathis, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com takes a look at how much cap room the team could clear by parting ways with guard Chris Williams.
Stepping in this week for Peter King, Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com examines Mike Tannenbaum‘s first offseason with the Dolphins, writing that the team’s new executive VP of football operations hasn’t been afraid to keep his foot down on the gas pedal.

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June 15th, 2015 at 3:35pm CST by Tim Dierkes

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