HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Browns Downplay Interest In Colin Kaepernick

March 21st, 2016 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Browns executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown downplayed the team’s interest in 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, suggesting that those trade discussions were “way over-reported,” as Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets.Colin Kaepernick

According to Brown, the team isn’t currently actively engaged in trade talks for Kaepernick, and only had preliminary discussions, which didn’t include specific negotiations on draft pick compensation or a new contract for the quarterback. Brown added that the Browns didn’t instigate those conversations, and Grossi clarifies (via Twitter) that it was Kaepernick’s representatives, rather than the 49ers, who contacted the Browns.

Although it’s possible that Brown’s comments today are a negotiating tactic or an attempt to regain some leverage, it doesn’t seem likely at this point that Cleveland will land the San Francisco signal-caller. The Browns appear more focused on other options, including Robert Griffin III, who visited Cleveland on the weekend — no deal with RGIII is imminent, but the club is doing its homework on the former No. 2 overall pick.

The Browns, Jets, and Broncos were identified earlier this month as the three teams showing interest in Kaepernick, but the Jets’ interest was believed to be tepid, so if the Browns aren’t a serious suitor either, it looks increasingly likely that the 28-year-old will be a Niner or Bronco in 2016. San Francisco is expected to continue to explore the trade market after Kaepernick’s $11.9MM base salary becomes fully guaranteed on April 1, but the team is also prepared to hang onto him if no suitable trade offer materializes.

In addition to downplaying Cleveland’s interest in Kaepernick, Brown also suggested that a Joe Thomas trade is not in his club’s plans, as Grossi tweets. With fellow linemen Mitchell Schwartz and Alex Mack departing in free agency, there was some speculation that Thomas would ask for the Browns to be traded, but if that’s something the team intends to consider, the executive VP of football operations isn’t tipping his hand.

“That’s not our plan at all,” Brown said. “Our plan is not to trade Joe Thomas.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Taylor, Wendell, Branch

March 21st, 2016 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Bills came into the 2016 offseason as one of the NFL’s most cap-strapped teams, and while the team was able to retain its top two free agents – offensive linemen Cordy Glenn and Richie Incognito – that lack of cap flexibility resulted in some key losses.

In speaking to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press about defensive lineman Stefan Charles and to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com about wide receiver Chris Hogan, Buffalo general manager Doug Whaley repeated a similar refrain, suggesting that the Bills “can’t pay everybody.” The team non-tendered Charles, who was eligible for restricted free agency, allowing him to sign with the Lions as an unrestricted free agent. As for Hogan, he got an RFA tender from Buffalo, but it was a low-end tender, allowing the Patriots to sign him to an offer sheet that Whaley and the Bills couldn’t match.

“It was (difficult to let him go),” the Bills GM said of Hogan. “He’s done a great job, not only on the field as a third and fourth wide receiver (and) special teams, (but also) what he’s brought to the community. He’s a great asset to the Patriots. We’re sorry we’re gonna lose him. And add the fact that we’re gonna have to deal with him with the other end of that being (Tom) Brady, it’s a tough matchup because he’s a talented person.”

Here’s more from around the AFC East:

  • It appears increasingly likely that Tyrod Taylor will enter the 2016 season without a contract extension in hand, says Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News. According to one of Carucci’s sources, there has been little – if any – progress in contract talks between the Bills and their starting quarterback. The team is more focused on locking up cornerback Stephon Gilmore before the start of the 2016 campaign.
  • Veteran offensive lineman Ryan Wendell remains in a holding pattern when it comes to his free agency, agent Frank Bauer tells Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Wendell’s 2015 season ended after just two games due to a knee injury, and even if and when he returns to full health, it’s not clear whether there will be a spot on the Patriots‘ 2016 roster for him.
  • Defensive end Andre Branch is looking forward to a “new beginning” in Miami that will see him become part of a Dolphins‘ defensive line featuring players like Ndamukong Suh, Mario Williams, and Cameron Wake. As James Walker of ESPN.com details, Branch is expected to fill the hole vacated by Derrick Shelby, who signed with the Falcons.

Nick Fairley Meeting With Patriots

March 21st, 2016 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

Decision-makers for NFL teams are congregating in Boca Raton, Florida this week for the league’s spring owners’ meetings, but that doesn’t mean those clubs are putting their free agency pursuits on hold. According to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (via Twitter), free agent defensive tackle Nick Fairley was on his way to the owners’ meetings this morning to meet with the Patriots.Nick Fairley

A free agent a year ago, Fairley signed a one-year pact with the Rams, and was a rotational piece on the team’s talented defensive line in 2015, appearing in less than 40% of the defensive snaps. Although he wasn’t a full-time player and his counting stats were modest (29 tackles and 0.5 sacks), the former first-round pick graded out as a top-25 interior defender, according to Pro Football Focus.

Since he hit the open market earlier this month, Fairley has a paid a visit to the Saints and has also been linked to the Jets and Eagles, though he hasn’t formally met with those teams. Speaking to Wagoner (Twitter link), Fairley confirmed his visit to New Orleans and said that he’s still talking to the Rams as well. It sounds as if the veteran defender is letting the process play out and hasn’t eliminated any suitors from contention.

The Patriots are in the market for some help at defensive tackle after seeing Akiem Hicks and Sealver Siliga depart in free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Notes: Bengals, Griffin, Bears

March 20th, 2016 at 9:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Watching most of their UFAs either defect or still reside in free agency, the Bengals allowed their latest longtime starter who fled Cincinnati to do so without an effort to keep him. The Bengals did not pursue Andre Smith, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reports, and the eighth-year right tackle signed with the Vikings.

Smith landed in Minnesota on a one-year, $3.5MM deal, one that could be deemed as a value-reestablishing accord. The Bengals, though, prepared for Smith’s departure a year in advance in drafting tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher in the first two rounds last year. Although, Fisher moved to H-back toward the end of last season.

Longtime secondary cogs Reggie Nelson and Leon Hall remain unsigned, while the Bengals let Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu join higher-bidding teams.

Here’s some more on the Bengals, along with other North-division franchises.

  • Former Bengals OC Jay Gruden expects Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard to command hefty contracts, per Hobson. “You have to tip your hat to that offensive scheme over there and the way Andy [Dalton] is throwing the ball around,” Gruden said. “That’s what that offense is supposed to be about. It’s supposed to get people touches, just not A.J. [Green]. Marvin and Mo got big contracts. A.J. has already established himself. Eifert will get a big deal. Giovani will get a great deal.” Gruden, who watched former auxiliary wideout Andrew Hawkins attract a solid contract from the Browns a few years ago, doesn’t anticipate a big drop-off from the Bengals’ offense after Sanu and Jones left. “[The Bengals] will be fine,” Gruden said. “Andy will throw it to the open guy and he’ll make someone else a couple of million dollars.”
  • While noting the Browns‘ meeting with Robert Griffin III went well, Jackson indirectly seemed to intimate a prospective interest in Colin Kaepernick, telling NFL.com’s Steve Wyche (via Marc Sessler) “I can’t comment on players on other teams. But it is where it is and eventually I think all those things will show itself.” Kaepernick should be one of the chief topics of this week’s owners’ meetings, with the Browns, Broncos and Jets having indicated some interest over the past couple of weeks. Jackson went on to call RG3 a “tremendous talent.” Griffin’s now visited the Jets and Browns. The Browns remain interested in Griffin, a source informed Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Cabot notes the prospect of a Griffin-Browns union becoming reality would make the most sense this week, with the Cleveland brass in Boca Raton, Fla., for the meetings.
  • Kyle Long would play right guard for the Bears with the personnel that’s presently on the roster, John Fox told media (including Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune) from the spring meetings. A two-time Pro Bowl guard who earned an additional Pro Bowl nod upon being moved to right tackle in 2015, Long moving back there would stem from the Bears adding Bobby Massie in free agency. Long’s performance appeared to dip last season, however, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as its 37th-best tackle. The Bears trotted out Charles Leno at left tackle last season.
  • Fox said the Bears weren’t done in free agency, and Biggs hears from a source the team is looking to add a tight end this week. After keeping Zach Miller and trading Martellus Bennett, the Bears have Rob Housler under contract as well. Biggs points out Jared Cook could be a fit after playing for new OC Dowell Loggains with the Titans. The Bears haven’t allocated much money to the position, with Miller receiving a two-year, $6MM deal.
  • Fox believes both Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman can function as nickel linebackers for them, and Ryan Grigson concurs, telling media (including John Mullin of CSNChicago.com) Freeman can “do it all” as a three-down linebacker. Trevathan logged 513 snaps against the pass last season compared to Freeman’s 449, although Freeman would have likely matched or surpassed his new linebacking mate’s 2015 figure had he played more than 13 games.

Contract Details: Starks, Compton, Michael

March 20th, 2016 at 9:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are several of the latest contract details on deals which were agreed upon or signed within the last week.

NFC East Notes: Robinson, Weddle, Giants

March 20th, 2016 at 7:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s the latest from the NFC East as Week 2 of free agency concludes.

  • Patrick Robinson and Alfred Morris are scheduled to meet with Cowboys position coaches tonight and Monday after arriving in Dallas today. The former Chargers cornerback and Washington running back, however, spent time on the phone with Jason Garrett before he left for the NFL Owners’ Meetings in South Florida, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones told media, including David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. “Jason’s spent some good time on the phone with them,” Jones said. “So have we. Obviously, we tried to get them in there before we left but in their particular cases it didn’t work out that way.”
  • Jones told media, including Moore, Eric Weddle was interested in joining the Cowboys, but the team wasn’t ready to go where the Ravens were financially to secure the 31-year-old safety’s services. Interested in coming to Dallas partially due to special teams coach Rich Bisaccia having been on the Chargers’ staff in 2011-12, Weddle ended up landing in Baltimore for four years and $26MM. Both Bisaccia and Garrett contacted Weddle during free agency, however, Moore reports.
  • John Mara and his top front office assistants thought the Giants had a realistic shot of signing two of the three high-priced players on Big Blue’s list of durable, in-their-prime free agents, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com reports. The cap-rich Giants instead landed their preferred defensive trio of Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Janoris Jenkins in hopes of fixing their last-ranked defense. Mara did concede that troika proved to be pricier than anticipated. “The three guys were a little more expensive than I thought they were going to be, but they are all young, they are all healthy and they fulfill needs,” Mara told media, including Raanan. Jenkins has missed four games in four seasons, while Vernon suited up for every Dolphins contest since 2012. Harrison played and started in each Jets contest since 2013. The Giants were the most injured team in the NFL in each of the past three seasons, per Raanan.
  • After allocating more money to this year’s class of free agents than they did in the previous four seasons combined, the Giants expect to dial it back significantly next spring, Mara told media, including Raanan (Twitter link). “I certainly don’t see us being this aggressive next year,” Mara said.

Cowboys Backing Away From Greg Hardy?

March 20th, 2016 at 6:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys haven’t spoken with Greg Hardy during free agency, executive VP Stephen Jones told media, including David Moore of the Dallas Morning News.

Arguably the best player still on the market, the mercurial defensive end represents a PR risk for any team that begins negotiations with him. Entering his age-28 season, Hardy finished two seasons with over 10 sacks — including a career-high 15 in 2013 — but has missed 19 games in connection with a domestic violence incident and wasn’t exactly a model citizen in Dallas last season.

“[He’s] a free agent we haven’t had discussions with, if you want to say that,” Jones told media.

Earlier this week, we heard two teams were interested in Hardy but were trying to keep their interest under the radar in fear of attracting bad publicity.

Even amid Hardy’s struggles to acclimate in Dallas, the Cowboys said at multiple junctures they’d like to keep Hardy long-term. But the team steadily backed off that stance as the season went along. Hardy finished last season with six sacks after missing the first four games of the season due to a suspension.

Hardy ranked 21st on PFR’s Top 50 Free Agents list, behind only Ryan Fitzpatrick (No. 19) among still-available UFAs.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

La Canfora’s Latest: Thomas, Foles, Broncos

March 20th, 2016 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several sources have informed Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that Joe Thomas would be open to a trade from the rebuilding Browns to a contender. Numerous executives in turn have pointed out that the Browns, who lost Mitchell Schwartz and Alex Mack on Day 1 of free agency, should consider moving him as they attempt what could be a lengthy reconstruction effort.

A six-time first-team All-Pro, Thomas has said repeatedly he won’t request a trade. He has $29.5MM remaining on his Browns contract, one that runs through the 2018 season.

La Canfora recalls being stunned the Browns balking at the Broncos’ offer of a first-round pick for Thomas at the last trade deadline, and Cleveland collecting a first-rounder for the 31-year-old left tackle is a move he’d implore the team to make considering the franchise’s current state. Some inside the Browns organization regarded a Thomas trade as a key component to the offseason, while Jimmy Haslam hasn’t expressed the same sentiment, La Canfora notes.

The Seahawks, however, could emerge as a candidate to surrender a first-round pick for Thomas, La Canfora writes. John Schneider hasn’t been bashful about dealing first-rounders, having used two in the past four years to acquire Percy Harvin and Jimmy Graham, respectively, and the Seahawks have a need for a blind-side blocker after Russell Okung defected to Denver.

Here’s more from La Canfora.

  • Regarding the Colin Kaepernick trade pursuit, La Canfora sees the Broncos as the most interested suitor who may be willing to execute a trade, whereas other teams may be willing to call the 49ers‘ bluff and wait for the sixth-year quarterback’s potential release. The CBS reporter doesn’t see the Browns as being enamored with the signal-caller to the point they’d cough up much in a trade despite recent reports. Numerous executives have informed La Canfora John Elway isn’t panicking about Denver’s suddenly barren quarterback situation in private, and La Canfora wouldn’t expect the Broncos’ sixth-year GM overbidding for Kaepernick or spending much on Robert Griffin III.
  • Nick Foles has not generated much of any interest from quarterback-needy teams, La Canfora reports. Due $24MM over the next two years despite having lost his Rams job to Case Keenum, Foles’ trade buzz resides well behind the rumblings generated by Mike Glennon and Brian Hoyer, La Canfora notes.

Draft Notes: Hargreaves, Prescott, Cowboys

March 20th, 2016 at 4:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves has visits lined up with eight clubs, including the Jaguars, Ravens, Cowboys, and Buccaneers, reports Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). Hargreaves, considered one of the best defensive backs available in the draft, will probably garner interest from any team picking in the top 15.

Let’s take a look at some more draft news and notes…

  • The Cowboys have scheduled a private workout with Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Wilson says the meeting will take place today, while Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) says the workout will occur on Monday, but regardless of the specifics, Prescott could make sense as a mid-round pick for the Cowboys. Prescott, who was arrested for DUI last week, has also met with the Panthers, Steelers, and Browns, per Wilson.
  • Prescott isn’t the only Mississippi State prospect to workout for the Cowboys, as Wilson reports (via Twitter) that receiver Robert Johnson will also audition for the club on Monday.
  • The Texans are doing their due diligence prior to the draft, as Wilson details in a story for the Houston Chronicle, reporting that the club worked out Maryland edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue.
  • Cal tight end Stephen Anderson has visits and/or workouts set up with the Patriots, Titans, Falcons, and Texans, tweets Getlin.
  • The Saints will work out Boston College safety Justin Simmons this week, a source tells Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. Simmons has also drawn interest from the Lions.

Week In Review: 3/13/16 – 3/20/16

March 20th, 2016 at 3:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although we’ll typically round up every major transaction and bit of news in our Week in Review, the free agent frenzy — even during the second phase — renders that approach completely untenable. We’ll highlight the key moves here, but remember that you can visit PFR’s Top 50 Free Agents post to see that status of the league’s top FAs; click on the Newsstand tag to filter the site down to the largest news stories; or use the Transactions tag to focus on roster movement.

Headlines:

Notable Signings/Re-Signings:

Notable Releases:

Other:

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