Addressing a couple of the free agents the Titans brought in for visits earlier this month, general manager Jon Robinson confirmed that the team met with offensive lineman Louis Vasquez and safety Rashad Johnson, and didn’t rule out the possibility of working out a deal with either player (Twitter links via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com).
According to Robinson, he’s still in communication with Vasquez’s agent. As for Johnson, the GM suggested that the two sides are in something of a holding pattern — I’m speculating, but that makes it sound as if the Titans haven’t been willing to increase their offer to the veteran safety, and he has yet to receive a better offer from another team.
As we wait to see if Tennessee lands either Vasquez or Johnson, let’s check in on some other notes from out of the AFC South…
The Seahawks have brought back one of their own free agents, with owner Paul Allen announcing today (via Twitter) that the team has re-signed linebacker Mike Morgan. Terms of the agreement aren’t yet known.
Morgan, 28, has primarily served as a special teams player for the Seahawks since joining the team in 2011. However, he did earn a pair of starts in 2015, recording his first career sack in Week 6 against the Panthers. Pro Football Focus assigned him a solid pass coverage grade, though it was a small sample size — he appeared in fewer than 100 defensive snaps.
Before agreeing to re-sign with the Seahawks, Morgan reportedly had a Friday visit to Pittsburgh to meet with the Steelers on his schedule. That visit may have prompted Seattle to make an offer to retain the veteran linebacker, though it’s unlikely to be too lucrative a deal — Morgan earned $1MM on a one-year deal in 2015, and I don’t expect he’ll be in line for much of a raise for 2016.
The Seahawks lost a starting linebacker earlier this month when Bruce Irvin inked a four-year contract with the Raiders, so depending on what the team does during the rest of the free agent period, and in the draft, Morgan could find himself vying for a larger role next season.
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The Browns were in attendance for Cal quarterback Jared Goff‘s Pro Day, but Zac Jackson of ProFootballTalk.com notes that the team made the prospect go through an additional workout.
Associate head coach Pep Hamilton reportedly drenched several footballs with water and asked Goff to make additional throws. The request makes sense, as Cleveland can have unpredictable weather during the football season.
“Growing up in California, I’m sure they wanted to see that,” Goff said. “It makes sense. But at the same time I’ve played in cold weather before. I wouldn’t be the first quarterback from California to play in cold weather. Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have done pretty well. They’ve been able to do it.”
Let’s take a look at some more draft notes from around the league…
SATURDAY, 10:58am: The deal is for one year and $1.85MM, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The safety will earn a $400K signing bonus.
WEDNESDAY, 3:33pm: Former Broncos and Texans safety Rahim Moore will be signing with the Browns, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It has been a busy day so far in Cleveland, where the Browns have released veterans Karlos Dansby and Dwayne Bowe, and added free agent linebacker Demario Davis.
Moore signed a three-year, $12MM contract with the Texans just a year ago, but his first and only season in Houston was a disappointment, as he lost his starting job to Andre Hal halfway through the year. He was cut by the Texans earlier this month.
Still, although Moore is coming off a poor 2015 campaign, the UCLA product was Denver’s primary free safety from 2011 to 2014, starting 48 regular-season contests during that stretch. He was also very impressive in his final season in Denver, racking up 51 tackles to go along with four interceptions in ’14.
While there’s no guarantee that Moore will bounce back in Cleveland in 2016, he’ll certainly come cheaper than the Browns’ former free safety, Tashaun Gipson, who inked a $35MM+ contract with the Jaguars. Moore figures to compete for a starting job in Cleveland’s secondary alongside veteran strong safety Donte Whitner.
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The Jets made it clear earlier this week that their goal is to sign free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but general manager Mike Maccagnan is still realistic about his team’s chances to retain the 33-year-old.
“We like Ryan — we’d like to have Ryan back — but at the end of the day, it’s free agency,” the Jets executive said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini). “You go through it. At some point in time, hopefully, we can find a middle ground we’re both happy with.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC East…
SATURDAY, 9:40am: Grimes’ one-year deal with the Texans is worth $900K, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
FRIDAY, 10:42am: The Texans are bringing back running back Jonathan Grimes, according to agent Sunny Shah, who tweets that his client has agreed to a one-year contract to return to Houston. The deal will allow Grimes to return to the free agent market a year from now.
Grimes, 26, wasn’t the primary option in Houston in 2015, even with Arian Foster out for the majority of the season, but he did earn a slightly increased role. In 14 games, he set new career highs in rushing attempts (56), rushing yards (282), receptions (26), receiving yards (173), and total touchdowns (two). Despite not receiving a ton of touches, the William & Mary product averaged 5.0 yards per carry and has a fan in head coach Bill O’Brien, as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
Foster is no longer in the picture heading into the 2016 season, but the Texans’ backfield should still be fairly crowded. The team signed Lamar Miller to a four-year deal, and the financial terms on that contract suggest he’ll be in line for a majority of the carries. In addition to Grimes, Alfred Blue – who had 183 carries in 2015 – will also return, and so will young speedster Akeem Hunt.
Having reached an agreement with Grimes, the Texans are also looking ahead to the draft today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, who writes that the team worked out Texas A&M offensive linemen Germain Ifedi and Mike Matthews. Ifedi projects as a possible first-round pick, while Matthews is a potential late-round selection.
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SATURDAY, 8:52am: Dray’s deal with the Bills is for one year and $760K (minimum salary), reports ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (via Twitter). The reporter was uncertain of any bonuses, but he notes that Dray is likely eligible for the veteran minimum cap benefits.
WEDNESDAY, 2:31pm: The Bills have signed free agent tight end Jim Dray, according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com (on Twitter). Dray visited the team on Wednesday and it didn’t take long for the two sides to reach agreement on a deal. Specific terms of the pact are not yet known.
Dray, who is primarily a blocking tight end, apparently made a good impression on the Bills with his performance for the Browns last season. Cleveland, however, did not feel that he was worth the price tag, and instead opted to cut him in February.
Dray was the Browns’ second tight end behind Gary Barnidge during the 2015 season. While Barnidge flourished, enjoying a career year and earning a contract extension, Dray earned only 16 targets all season. He caught six of them, for 61 yards. Dray was heading into a contract year, so the Browns only had to carry minimal dead money ($300K) on their cap while saving $1.775MM.
SATURDAY, 8:49am: Robinson will indeed be visiting the Cowboys on both Sunday and Monday, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
FRIDAY, 7:34pm: The Cowboys are working to set up a visit with free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson, reports Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. As of earlier this month, the Giants, Dolphins, Bears and Eagles were all reportedly interested in Robinson, though New York, Miami and Philadelphia have since made notable changes to their cornerback groups.
If Robinson visits Dallas, he’d be the third corner to do so since free agency began. The first, Nolan Carroll, ultimately 
re-signed with the Eagles. Longtime Bengal Leon Hall visited the Cowboys earlier this week, but no deal appears imminent.
The Cowboys had interest last offseason in Robinson, notes George, though he ended up taking a $2MM deal with the Chargers. Robinson appeared in all 16 of San Diego’s games, made 10 starts, and put up 49 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. His play over 713 defensive snaps with the Bolts earned him a terrific 30th-place ranking among corners at Pro Football Focus (111 qualifiers). Robinson also played 31.7 percent of the Chargers’ special teams snaps.
Prior to last season, Robinson spent the first half-decade of his career with New Orleans after it chose him in the first round of the 2010 draft. The 28-year-old appeared in 58 regular-season games (32 starts) with the Saints and accumulated nine interceptions, including a personal-best four in 2011.
In the event Robinson signs with the Cowboys, it could spell the end of Brandon Carr‘s four-year tenure with the team. As of last week, the Cowboys were “intent” on decreasing Carr’s $13.8MM cap hold for next season. His place on the roster reportedly hinges on whether he takes a pay cut and/or whether the club adds another veteran corner. At the moment, Dallas’ top three corners are Carr, the recently re-signed Morris Claiborne, and Orlando Scandrick.
The potential Robinson visit is the third headline the Cowboys have created today. They’ll bring in running back Alfred Morris for a Monday visit, and they signed Raiders defensive end Benson Mayowa – a restricted free agent – to an offer sheet.
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SATURDAY, 8:45am: It’s a one-year deal for Brown worth $965K, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The deal includes an $885K salary, a $50K signing bonus, and a $30K workout bonus. His cap number is worth $680K.
The Patriots also gave the running back $300K in guaranteed money, which Volin suggests could be an indication that Brown’s going to stick around for the regular season.
FRIDAY, 1:24pm: The Patriots have formally announced their deal with Brown.
WEDNESDAY, 2:21pm: The Patriots have added a running back to their offense, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports, who tweets that the team has agreed to terms with veteran free agent Donald Brown.
With veterans LeGarrette Blount and Steven Jackson eligible for free agency, Brown will join a backfield that currently features James White, Dion Lewis, and Brandon Bolden, among others. While the move shouldn’t preclude a reunion with Blount, or another veteran addition, Brown will provide some insurance on the depth chart.
Brown, who turns 29 next month, had been set to enter the final season of the three-year contract he signed with the Chargers back in 2014. However, he was released by San Diego earlier in March.
Although he made a handful of starts during his two years with the Chargers, particularly when the club’s backfield was hit hard by injuries, Brown never made a significant impact. In total, he accumulated 452 rushing yards on 144 attempts (3.1 ypc), and added 299 receiving yards on 37 catches.
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Browns cornerback Joe Haden underwent left ankle surgery Wednesday and “should be ready for the start of the 2016 regular season,” the club announced via press release. Haden suffered the injury in Week 8 of last season, but it only began causing him pain recently, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. The two-time Pro Bowler played just five games in 2015 because of various injuries, including a concussion. Prior to that, he sat out most of training camp with a hamstring injury and, given his ankle issues, could once again miss some portion of camp this summer.
Here’s more from the AFC: