2016 March - Pro Football Rumors

Free Agent Rumors: Jackson, Broncos, Long

March 10th, 2016 at 3:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos offered Malik Jackson roughly $11MM per year before he signed with the Jaguars, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. The Broncos also made a strong offer to Brock Osweiler before he decided to join up with the Texans. The Broncos did not want to let linebacker Brandon Marshall get away, of course, which is why they used a second round RFA tender on him. When it comes to Danny Trevathan, however, the team decided to move on, so the front office wasn’t too crushed when he signed with the Bears.

Here are the latest free agent rumors:

Defensive end Chris Long wants to play for a winning team, Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com tweets. Long has spoken with the Falcons, Cowboys, and Washington, and a decision should be coming soon.
Tight end Jermaine Gresham is on his way to the Bears, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s an interesting visit as the Bears toy with the idea of trading Martellus Bennett.
Free agent guard Louis Vasquez will visit the Titans, but it will happen this weekend rather than on Friday as originally planned, John Glennon of The Tennessean tweets.
Cornerback Sherrick McManis is visiting with an AFC East team today, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. McManis, who led the Bears with 17 special teams tackles, could still re-sign with Chicago.

Giants Sign Damon Harrison

March 10th, 2016 at 3:57pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 3:57pm: The Giants’ deal with Harrison is official, as Dan Salomone of Giants.com writes.

WEDNESDAY, 2:07pm: It’s a five-year, $46.25MM deal for Harrison, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal is worth $9.25MM per year with $24MM guaranteed and $30MM over the first three years (link).

1:56pm: Snacks will get $24MM guaranteed on his deal and an average of $9MM per year, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. The deal, presumably, is for at least four years and potentially five.

1:51pm: The Giants have reached agreement on a deal with nose tackle Damon Harrison, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. The former Jet will earn something in the neighborhood of $8-9MM per season on his new deal with Big Blue.

The Giants have been connected to Harrison this week as they look to beef up their defensive line. Harrison, who spent the first four years of his career with the Jets, was Pro Football Focus’ top ranked run defender in 2015.

Multiple teams were said to be competing to host Harrison on his first visit but it appears that the Giants have won out by signing him. We heard on Monday that while plenty of teams had interest, the Titans appeared to be the club most willing to meet Harrison‘s asking price. The Jets also wanted to retain their standout nose tackle, but given all the suitors in play, the price apparently got higher than they were comfortable with. Of course, the Jets have a few less dollars than they did last week after committing $15MM to Muhammad Wilkerson.

Harrison was ranked No. 8 on PFR’s Top 50 NFL Free Agents list for this offseason. Because he’s more of a run-stopping specialist than a pass rusher, Harrison had something of a ceiling on his earning potential, but he was still near the top of the list for any team in need of interior line help. As far as interior defensive linemen go, we had Harrison at No. 2, behind Malik Jackson but ahead of notables such as Ian Williams, Jaye Howard, Nick Fairley, Cedric Thornton, Haloti Ngata, Akiem Hicks, Terrance Knighton, and Mike DeVito.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texans Sign Brock Osweiler To Four-Year Deal

March 10th, 2016 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 3:46pm: The Texans have formally announced the Osweiler signing, introducing him today a press conference.

WEDNESDAY, 2:31pm: Osweiler got $37MM guaranteed from Houston on a four-year deal, according to Broncos players that spoke with Renck (on Twitter). In total, it’s a four-year, $72MM contract, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (link).

2:28pm: Teammates are hearing that Osweiler got a four-year deal from the Texans with a serious guarantee in money, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets.

Meanwhile, a 49ers source insists that the team has no interest in trading quarterback Colin Kaepernick despite reported interest from the Broncos, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.

2:22pm: Osweiler’s deal will likely come around the $16MM/yr range, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Denver offered $13MM originally were willing to move a bit higher, but it sounds like the Texans edged them out by a considerable amount.

Photo courtesy of @ProFootballRumors on Instagram

2:09pm: It appears neither of the two quarterbacks that helped the Broncos reach and win the Super Bowl this past season will be returning to Denver for the 2016 campaign. According to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link), Brock Osweiler had reached an agreement in principle with the Texans. The news comes on the heels of Peyton Manning‘s retirement announcement.

The Texans finished 24th in offensive DVOA last season, and while it’s hard to place all the blame for that ranking on the shoulders of Brian Hoyer, there’s no question that the Texans could benefit from the addition of Osweiler. For a long time, the belief has been that the Texans are a “quarterback away” from becoming a legitimate threat. Now, we’ll find out if that’s really the case. Despite the struggles in their passing game, it should be noted that the Houston’s passing attack actually rated better in DVOA than its running game did. Signing Osweiler goes a long way towards fixing the problem, but it’s not the only issue that needs to be addressed.

Earlier this month, the Broncos reportedly offered Osweiler a three-year deal worth roughly $39MM. The Texans, ostensibly, have topped that offer. The Texans have long been expected to make a “competitive” offer to Osweiler. Per reports, $15-16MM was the figure Osweiler was targeting and it will be interesting to see where his contract falls.

With Osweiler off to Houston, Robert Griffin III is on the Broncos’ list of replacement quarterbacks, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). RG3 could be visiting Denver this week, he adds.

With Osweiler now in the fold, the Texans will likely release one-time starter Brian Hoyer, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Hoyer, 30, was set to enter the second year of a two-year deal, and while he has a base salary of $4MM, none of it is guaranteed. Given that his gameday roster bonuses would also be cleared out, Hoyer’s release would save Houston nearly $5MM in cap space. Hoyer wasn’t awful last season, as he completed about 61% of his passes for 17 touchdowns against just nine interceptions. Still, Hoyer did finish 20th in Football Outsiders’ DYAR metric.

It’s hard to judge Osweiler’s value as a whole, given that he’s started only seven games during his four-year career, but the demand of the open market is what dictates the price. Of course, there are not a whole lot of capable quarterbacks available in free agency and the trade market never offers rock solid signal callers either. In Osweiler, the Texans have added a promising young quarterback who showed glimpses of promise in his time on the field in 2015.

Osweiler, predictably, was rated as PFR’s No. 1 free agent quarterback for the 2016 offseason. Overall, we slated Osweiler as the third-best free agent available, behind defensive linemen Olivier Vernon and Malik Jackson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Lions Sign Marvin Jones

March 10th, 2016 at 3:41pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 3:41pm: The Lions have officially signed Jones, the team announced today in a press release.

WEDNESDAY, 1:58pm: It’s a five-year, $40MM deal for Jones, per Rapoport (Twitter link). $17MM is fully guaranteed ($20MM guaranteed overall), and Jones will earn $27MM through the first three years.

9:00am: Jones told Michael Silver of NFL Network (on Twitter) that it was a “stressful decision” for him, but he ultimately chose the Lions over the Bengals.

8:24am: The Lions will sign wide receiver Marvin Jones, according sources who spoke with Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Jones will give Detroit some reinforcements following the retirement of Calvin Johnson, though he probably won’t be counted on to singularly replace his production. The deal will pay Jones roughly $8MM per year, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

It was reported earlier today that Jones was atop the Lions’ wish list, though Detroit certainly wasn’t alone in that regard. The Giants were also high on the veteran, new Browns coach Hue Jackson wanted a reunion, and the incumbent Bengals considered him to be a priority free agent.

In 13 starts last season, Jones caught 65 passes for 816 yards and four touchdowns. It was a solid bounceback for Jones after he lost the 2014 season due to an injured ankle. When considering him, the Browns were reportedly hoping that Jones could break out as a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver if he’s not playing in the shadow of star A.J. Green and one has to imagine that the Lions are thinking the same thing.

Golden Tate‘s deal with the Lions, inked one year ago, was thought to be a possible reference point for a deal. Tate signed with Detroit on a five-year deal worth $31MM, including $16MM in guaranteed cash. Based on AAV, it sounds like Jones has bested Tate.

With Jones out of the picture, the Bengals might have even more incentive to get something done with fellow free agent receiver Mohamed Sanu. Jones’ contract also pushes the market for free agent wide receivers. While PFR had Jones ranked as the No. 1 available receiver this offseason, his $8MM average annual value trumps what most projected for him. There are several receiver-needy teams this week and other top options like Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Anquan Boldin, and Jermaine Kearse could benefit from Jones’ payday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rod Streater, James Starks, Clay Harbor Visiting Patriots

March 10th, 2016 at 3:29pm CST by Luke Adams

3:29pm: Wide receiver Rod Streater is also visiting the Patriots today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). A report earlier today indicated that Streater is paying a visit to the Jets on Friday, but it looks like he’ll make a stop in New England first.

Streater’s last two seasons have been unproductive due to injuries and a reduced role in Oakland’s offense, but he looked good in 2013, catching 60 balls for 888 yards and four touchdowns for the Raiders.

3:14pm: The Patriots didn’t make much noise on the first day of free agency, but they’re bringing in a host of less notable players on the second day of the new league year. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), running back James Starks and tight end Clay Harbor are among the players visiting New England.

Earlier today, we learned that the Patriots are also hosting Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan and Rams running back Benny Cunningham for free agent visits. Hogan and Cunningham are both restricted free agents, giving Buffalo and Los Angeles, respectively, the right of first refusal if they sign offer sheets with the Pats. However, Starks and Harbor are unrestricted.

Starks, who turned 30 last month, had his best NFL season in 2015, rushing for 601 yards and two touchdowns, and adding another 392 yards and three TDs through the air. The Packers remain interested in re-signing the veteran back, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

As for Harbor, after averaging 25 receptions per season from 2012 to 2014, he caught 14 balls for 149 yards and a touchdown in 2015 for the Jaguars, primarily serving as a blocker. According to Phil Perry of CSNNE.com (Twitter link), the 28-year-old has caught Bill Belichick‘s eye — the Pats head coach “spoke at length” last season about how Harbor was used, calling him a FB/TE hybrid. With Scott Chandler no longer in the mix in New England, the team figures to be on the lookout for help at the tight end position.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texans Sign Lamar Miller

March 10th, 2016 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 3:20pm: The deal is official, per the Texans on Twitter.

WEDNESDAY, 2:26pm: The Texans’ offensive backfield for the 2016 season is taking shape. After reaching an agreement with quarterback Brock Osweiler, the team is now set to sign running back Lamar Miller when the new league year begins, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). According to Schefter, Miller will sign a four-year, $26MM deal that features $14MM in fully guaranteed money.

Miller, who turns 25 in April, is one of the most talented running backs on the market this year. The fact that he was somewhat underused in Miami may have frustrated Dolphins fans, but it could increase his appeal to his new team, since his 638 career rushing attempts don’t represent a huge workload.

In 2015, Miller ran for 872 yards and eight touchdowns on just 194 carries, adding another 397 yards and two TDs through the air on 47 receptions. His lone 1,000-yard season came in 2014, when he piled up 1,099 yards on the ground, with an impressive 5.1 yards per carry average.

According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link), Miller could have accepted an offer from another team that would have been worth $7MM annually over five years, but he preferred the shorter term. Given the way NFL contracts are structured, it’s unlikely he would have seen that fifth year anyway.

Miller will take over in Houston’s backfield for Arian Foster, who was cut earlier this month by the Texans. In Miami, Jay Ajayi appears to be the frontrunner for carries with Miller gone, though the team figures to address the position in free agency or the draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texans Sign Jeff Allen

March 10th, 2016 at 3:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

THURSDAY, 3:17pm: The Texans officially announced that they have signed Allen (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 2:44pm: Shortly after agreeing to deals with quarterback Brock Osweiler and running back Lamar Miller, the Texans are set to add yet another big-time offensive piece. The team is expected to sign guard Jeff Allen, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

The deal is done, per FOX Sports’ Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), and Allen will receive $28MM over four years. He’ll get exactly half of that ($14MM) next season.

Allen, whom the Bears and Eagles were reportedly pursuing as of earlier this afternoon, will take the place of the departed Brandon Brooks – who’s signing with Philly — in Houston. The 26-year-old spent the first four seasons of his career in Kansas City after it selected him in the second round of the 2012 draft.

All told, he appeared in 44 regular-season games and totaled 36 starts.

Last season, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Allen as the 10th-best guard in the NFL, giving him a strong 88.8 grade for run blocking and a solid 77.4 grade as a pass blocker.

PFR’s Luke Adams ranks Allen as the 27th-best free agent in this year’s class.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Free Agent Rumors: Robinson, Raiders, Weddle

March 10th, 2016 at 2:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Can Nate Robinson go from the pages of Hoops Rumors to Pro Football Rumors? In a YouTube video released this week, the diminutive former NBA guard announced that he is going to make a run at the NFL. The well-produced video features testimonials from Marcedes Lewis and Brendon Ayanbadejo, former NBA teammates Jamal Crawford and Glen Davis, as well as former football coach Rick Neuheisel, all of whom insist that Robinson is perhaps the only athlete who could make the transition from professional basketball to professional football.

Robinson originally went to the University of Washington on a football scholarship and made a name for himself on the gridiron with his electrifying plays, but it has been many years since he tried his hand at football. The 31-year-old (32 in May) did not say which position he would like to play in the NFL, but he spoke about both offense and defense in the video, inferring that he might try to market himself as being able to play on either side of the ball.

Here’s the latest news on some of this week’s more typical NFL free agents:

The Raiders are zeroing in on Eric Weddle, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. It’s not immediately clear whether Weddle has a visit scheduled with Oakland. We learned last night that the Steelers are also fond of the veteran.
The plan is for Akiem Hicks to visit the Bears tomorrow, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
Safety Rashad Johnson is traveling Friday for a visit with the Titans, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Chargers GM Tom Telesco says he’s ready for the second wave of free agency, as ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams writes. Telesco also says that he is open to newly signed safety Dwight Lowery serving as a stopgap for Eric Weddle.
Cardinals free agent linebacker Sean Weatherspoon will meet with the Falcons on Friday, per Jay Adams of the Falcons (on Twitter).

Giants Sign Olivier Vernon

March 10th, 2016 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 2:50pm: The Giants have officially signed Vernon, the team announced today in a press release.

WEDNESDAY, 4:17pm: Vernon’s deal will pay him $85MM over five years with $52MM in guaranteed cash, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). That sum includes a whopping full guarantee of $40MM. Overall, it is the biggest deal ever for a defensive end, putting him ahead of Texans superstar J.J. Watt.

4:04pm: The Giants will sign Olivier Vernon, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). In terms of compensation, this will be the biggest defensive end deal in NFL history with the most guaranteed money, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

It’s a big day for the Big Blue defensive line as they have now landed both Vernon and Damon Harrison. Those moves, coupled with retaining Jason Pierre-Paul have bolstered their defensive front in a major way. Prior to the Vernon deal, the Giants were believed to have roughly $47MM in cap space.

As Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter) notes, the Giants had to outbid the Jaguars by a wide margin in order to secure Vernon’s services because there is no state income tax in Florida and the cost of living in the greater New York area is skyhigh. Ultimately, they ponied up the cash to get the deal done.

Ranked No. 1 on PFR’s list of free agents going into the 2016 league year, the 25-year-old Vernon was a highly-coveted commodity. After the Dolphins opted to sign Mario Williams to join an already high-paid defensive front that features Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh, it was clear that Miami would not be retaining him. The Giants and Jaguars both emerged as leading candidates to sign Vernon, but it was the G-Men who came away with (arguably) the offseason’s top free agent. Clearly, the Giants are determined to give defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo the best tools they possibly can, having also added cornerback Janoris Jenkins on Wednesday.

Vernon ranked third overall behind only Khalil Mack and Von Miller among edge defenders last season, according to Pro Football Focus, after amassing 7.5 sacks and 61 tackles. The former third-round pick has 29 career sacks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Eagles QB Situation

March 10th, 2016 at 2:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Is this the end of the line for Mark Sanchez in Philadelphia? Will Sam Bradford cede the starting job to Chase Daniel? The answers appear to be yes, and no, respectively. When speaking to reporters today, Eagles coach Doug Pederson seemingly inferred that Sanchez is now out of the picture.

In response to a question about his quarterback depth chart, the coach said, “Sam Bradford is the No. 1. Chase Daniel is the No. 2. And we’re working on the No. 3,” (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer).

That statement seems to be good news for Bradford as he is still in line to be the team’s starter, despite the sizable deal given to Daniel this week. Sanchez, of course, is conspicuously absent there and one has to think that he will be shopped in the coming weeks. The USC product is entering his contract year and is slated to earn $4.5MM in base salary while carrying a $5.5MM cap number.

Daniel and Pederson have history, which helped lead the two sides to a deal this week. The former Chiefs signal caller got a sizable deal from Philly, which led many to believe that he was being brought in as more than just a clipboard holder. Daniel, entering his age-30 season has attempted only 77 passes in his career while backing up Drew Brees and Alex Smith. He ranked as PFR’s No. 3 available quarterback, slotting in behind Brock Osweiler and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.