2016 March - Pro Football Rumors

Contract Details: Weddle, Sensabaugh, Hayward

March 15th, 2016 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are several of the latest contract details on recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the NFL. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless other indicated.

AFC:

Eric Weddle, S (Ravens): Four years, $26MM. $13MM guaranteed ($9MM fully guaranteed). $7MM signing bonus. $1MM roster bonus due on April 4. $4MM base salary guaranteed for injury at signing; becomes fully guaranteed if on the roster on the fifth day of the 2017 league year. $1MM annual Pro Bowl incentives from 2017 to 2019 (Twitter links).
Casey Hayward, CB (Chargers): Three years, $15.3MM. $6.8MM guaranteed. $2.5MM signing bonus. $3.3MM roster bonus due on March 18. $1MM roster bonuses due on third day of 2017, 2018 league years (Twitter links).
Chris Hogan, WR (Patriots): Three years, $12MM. $7.5MM guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus paid on March 14. $500K in annual per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
Mackenzy Bernadeau, OL (Jaguars): Two years, $3MM. $250K signing bonus. $250K option bonus to be exercised 22 days before first day of 2017 league year (Twitter links).

NFC:

Coty Sensabaugh, CB (Rams): Three years, up to $19MM. $6.5MM guaranteed. $3.5MM roster bonus due on March 18. $1MM roster bonus due third day of 2017 league year (becomes fully guaranteed this Friday). $1.5MM annually incentives for playing time, fumble recoveries, interceptions, and playoffs (all Twitter links).
J’Marcus Webb, G/T (Seahawks): Two years, $6MM. $2.45MM guaranteed. $1.2MM signing bonus. $500K in annual per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
Zach Miller, TE (Bears): Two years, $5.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus. $500K roster bonus due on March 18. $500K in annual per-game roster bonuses. Up to $1MM in annual incentives for playing time, catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns (Twitter links).
Chris Conte, S (Buccaneers): One year, $3MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus due on March 17. Up to $1MM in incentives for playing time, stats, and playoffs (Twitter link).
Josh Robinson, CB (Buccaneers): One year, $2MM. $500K roster bonus due on March 18 (Twitter link).
Sealver Siliga, DT (Seahawks): One year, $1.05MM. $200K signing bonus. $50K Week 1 active roster bonus. Up to $350K in incentives (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
Bradley Sowell, T (Seahawks): One year, $1MM. $200K signing bonus. Up to $500K in playing-time incentives (Twitter link).
Dan Orlovsky, QB (Lions): One year, minimum salary benefit. $160K guaranteed. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
Red Bryant, DL (Cardinals): One year, minimum salary benefit. $55K Week 1 roster bonus. $25K workout bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).

Colts To Sign Robert Turbin

March 15th, 2016 at 5:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have agreed to sign running back Robert Turbin, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s hard to imagine this being anything more than a one-year deal.

During his first three NFL seasons, Turbin served as Marshawn Lynch‘s primary backup in Seattle, compiling 928 rushing yards on 231 carries, along with another 427 yards on 43 receptions, from 2012 to 2014. In September of 2015, however, the Seahawks waived Turbin off of their IR shortly after acquiring veteran Fred Jackson. Since then, Turbin has bounced around a bit, seeing time with the Browns and Cowboys in 2015.

The 26-year-old appeared in three games for Cleveland before being shown the door. In those three contests, the tailback ran the ball 18 times for 60 yards, adding another eight yards on two receptions. After an unremarkable 2015, we haven’t heard much about Turbin’s free agency up until today’s agreement with Indianapolis.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/16

March 15th, 2016 at 5:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves:

The Rams have re-signed tight end Cory Harkey, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Harkey, whose primarily used as a blocker, saw time in all 16 regular season games in 2015. He did see some passes thrown his way, however, catching five balls for 26 yards.
Former Washington offensive lineman Tom Compton will be signing with the Falcons, according to Rand Getlin of NFL Network (on Twitter). It’s a new team for Compton, but he’ll have some familiar faces in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and offensive line coach Chris Morgan.
The Falcons announced that they have signed safety Damian Parms, wide receiver Aldrick Robinson, and cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke. Robinson, a 5’10” receiver, played in 36 games for Washington over the years and recorded 30 receptions for 608 yards and five touchdowns in total. Robinson has also spent time on the Ravens’ taxi squad.

Bills Rework Dan Carpenter’s Contract

March 15th, 2016 at 4:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have made some minor changes to kicker Dan Carpenter‘s contract, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. The move creates a small amount of cap space and suggests that his place on the regular-season roster is not a lock.

According to Rodak, Carpenter’s pay has been reduced by $250K (from $2.025MM to $1.775MM), and a $250K roster bonus that was due this week is now contingent on him making the Week 1 53-man roster.

If he does make the roster, Carpenter will receive that $250K bonus and if he reaches certain performance incentives, he’ll also earn back his lost $250K in salary. However, if he struggles in camp and loses the starting job, the veteran kicker would lose out on that $500K, plus his remaining $1.775MM base salary, which is non-guaranteed.

The tweaks to Carpenter’s contract only free up another $250K in cap room for the Bills — that extra space likely won’t be put to use anytime soon, but it at least gives the club a little more breathing room. If Buffalo does decide to cut Carpenter before the season begins, it would create another $1.7MM+ in cap savings.

In 2015, Carpenter converted a respectable 23 of 27 field goals (85.2%), but struggled with the longer extra point, missing six of them over the course of the season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Washington Signs David Bruton

March 15th, 2016 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Washington has signed free agent safety David Bruton after hosting him for a visit, the team announced today via a press release. Per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), Bruton will get a three-year deal worth $9MM, with another $1.5MM available via incentives.

Bruton, 28, had spent the first seven years of his NFL career in Denver, playing a key role for the Broncos team that won the Super Bowl last month. A special-teamer and a backup for most of his career, Bruton saw more action on defense in 2015 due to injuries, and set career highs in several categories, including tackles (43), interceptions (two), and passes defended (seven).

While Bruton figures to continue contributing on special teams in Washington, he may also got the opportunity to compete for a starting job. The club is somewhat thin at the position, having recently released Dashon Goldson.

Bruton is the latest free agency departure for the Broncos, who have lost higher-profile players like Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson, and Danny Trevathan. Although Bruton wasn’t a top-50 free agent like those players, he earned a spot on our list of the top free agent safeties available this offseason, ranking 12th.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jared Cook Visited Packers

March 15th, 2016 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent tight end Jared Cook visited the Packers this week, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com confirms (via Twitter) that Cook’s meeting with Green Bay took place on Monday.

Having spent his last three seasons with the Rams, Cook was released by the team in February, allowing him to hit the open market early. Although he perhaps didn’t live up to his lucrative contract in St. Louis, Cook still posted relatively solid numbers during his three seasons with the club. From 2013 to 2015, he averaged approximately 47 receptions, 595 yards, and three touchdowns per year.

The Packers aren’t typically very active in free agency, as their lack of activity within the last week has shown. When they do explore the market though, GM Ted Thompson and the team’s decision-makers often prefer players who have been released by other clubs, since those free agents don’t count toward the draft compensatory pick formula for the following season. So Cook could make sense as a target.

Richard Rodgers had something of a breakout season for the Packers in 2015, catching 58 balls for 510 yards and eight touchdowns. However, the team could still use more help at the position.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Sign Paul Soliai

March 15th, 2016 at 3:30pm CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 3:30pm: The Panthers have made it official with Soliai, who has formally signed his contract, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com.

MONDAY, 7:15pm: The Panthers have agreed to sign defensive tackle Paul Soliai, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a two-year deal worth $7MM and includes $3MM guaranteed. The deal is slightly front-loaded with Soliai earning $4MM in year one of the pact.

The Falcons released Soliai on March 9th in a move that saved them significant money against their 2016 cap. Soliai was poised to earn a base salary of $4.5MM, accompanied by a cap figure of $6.9MM. From the Falcons’ perspective, that cap charge was likely excessive, as Soliai’s snap count in Dan Quinn‘s defense had dropped to 357 in 2015 (down from 502 in Mike Smith‘s unit in 2014). Add in the fact that Soliai wasn’t overly effective, grading as just the No. 57 interior defender last season per Pro Football Focus, and it probably made sense for Atlanta to cut bait.

For the Panthers, however, Soliai makes plenty of sense on an affordable two-year deal. Carolina recently released defensive tackle Dwan Edwards, so Soliai should help bolster the Panthers’ interior rotation. Capable of playing in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme, Soliai likely had appeal for multiple teams, but Carolina will be his landing spot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys Eyeing Upgrades At Safety

March 15th, 2016 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

3:28pm: The Cowboys aren’t bringing in Goldson for a visit, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. It’s unclear if there’s just nothing formally scheduled for now, or if Goldson isn’t among the team’s targets.

12:21pm: The Cowboys are “working diligently” to upgrade at the safety position, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who says the team has been “rebuked” so far by its free agent targets. Dallas had reportedly been one of the clubs with interest in signing veteran safety Eric Weddle before he landed with the Ravens.

According to Cole, the Cowboys would like to move 2015 first-rounder Byron Jones to cornerback on a more permanent basis, after he spent much of his rookie year playing safety. Considering J.J. Wilcox had an inconsistent 2015 campaign and may not be relied upon as a starter again, that leaves Barry Church as the only stable option at the position.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), one veteran free agent the Cowboys are eyeing is former Buccaneer Dashon Goldson, who was recently released by Washington. A source tells Rapoport that Dallas is planning on bringing in Goldson for a visit.

Goldson didn’t have a great year in 2015, but his released can be attributed more to the fact that he had been set to count for $8MM against Washington’s cap in 2016. At a more affordable price, he could be worth rolling the dice on.

Besides Goldson, a few of the more noteworthy unrestricted free agent safeties on the board include Reggie Nelson, Rashad Johnson, Husain Abdullah, David Bruton, and Rahim Moore. Walter Thurmond also remains unsigned, but he is believed to be leaning toward retiring.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: Okung, Kerley, Bruton, Allen

March 15th, 2016 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Now that they’ve agreed to sign offensive tackle Ryan Harris, the Steelers are out of the running for free agent tackle Russell Okung, a source tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). It’s not clear if the Steelers are also out on Kelvin Beachum – since he’s their own free agent, they may be more willing to bring him back – but it seems clear that they’re willing to let him walk if he gets a better offer elsewhere.

With the Steelers no longer in contention for Okung, that likely reduces the field of suitors for the former first-round pick to three teams — the Seahawks, Lions, and Giants. Harris almost certainly won’t earn as much on his new deal as guys like Okung and Beachum will on theirs, but his signing may have given the tackle market the push it needs to get other players signed. Stay tuned.

Let’s round up a few more free agent rumors and updates from across the league….

After losing one of their wideouts – Chris Hogan – to the division-rival Patriots, the Bills are taking a look at another free agent receiver from the AFC East. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that Buffalo is bringing in ex-Jet Jeremy Kerley for a visit. Having recently been cut by New York, Kerley would likely compete for the No. 3 receiver spot and punt-return duties if he were to sign with the Bills.
Washington hosted safety David Bruton on a free agent visit on Tuesday, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com. Bruton, a special-teamer who held his own when forced into action on defense for the Broncos, recently told Arran Anderson of KMGH-TV (Twitter link) that Denver had expressed interest in re-signing him, but he wanted to explore the market if the price wasn’t right.
Free agent defensive back Antonio Allen, who missed the 2015 season due to an Achilles injury, is visiting the Texans, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Allen made 18 starts in the Jets’ secondary from 2012 to 2014.
Linebacker Shea McClellin is making a visit with the Seahawks, per Caplan (via Twitter). The Bears recently signed Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan, signaling that McClellin’s time in Chicago has likely come to an end.
Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram confirms (via Twitter) that the Cowboys‘ previously-reported visits with cornerback Leon Hall and defensive end Chris Long will both take place on Wednesday.

Donald Penn Visiting Giants

March 15th, 2016 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

3:04pm: Penn’s visit with the Giants is expected to happen later in the week, rather than today, tweets Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Meanwhile, Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that Penn has been “very open” to re-signing with the Raiders, but there’s still “meaningful distance” between the player and the team regarding his value.

11:06am: The game of musical chairs continues for the offensive tackle free agent market, as Donald Penn is scheduled to pay a visit to the Giants today, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Rapoport adds that Penn and the Raiders have been “locked in a contract stalemate.”

Penn, who will turn 33 in April, has been one of the more reliable and consistent left tackles in the NFL over the past two seasons for the Raiders. In 2015, he ranked 11th at the position, according to Pro Football Focus, with an especially strong grade as a pass blocker.

However, the Raiders signed Kelechi Osemele to a five-year mega-deal, giving the team an alternative at left tackle, which could allow GM Reggie McKenzie to play hardball to a certain extent with Penn. Given the veteran’s age, he certainly won’t be in line for an Osemele-esque contract of his own.

With a handful of notable free agent left tackles on the market, including Penn, Russell Okung, and Kelvin Beachum, there’s a sense that things may fall into place for multiple players once one of them agrees to a deal. The Seahawks, Okung’s old team, have also been cited as a potential suitor for Penn, while the Steelers – Beachum’s old team – and the Giants are said to be in the mix for Okung.

The Giants have options at left tackle, including Ereck Flowers and possibly Justin Pugh, but landing a solid veteran like Penn or Okung could allow the team to move Flowers to the right side and play Pugh at guard, strengthening the line as a whole.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.