2016 March - Pro Football Rumors

Month: December 2024

Manny Ramirez To Visit Bears

March 29th, 2016 at 7:31pm CST by Rory Parks

Free agent offensive lineman Manny Ramirez will visit with the Bears, according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. Ramirez was traded from the Broncos to the Lions during last year’s draft in a deal that allowed Denver to move up and select Missouri pass rusher Shane Ray, but it was revealed last month that Ramirez would not return to the Lions for the upcoming season. Ramirez saw time in all 16 games this for Detroit in 2015, but he started only seven of those games as he was relegated to the bench in favor of younger interior linemen. He did, however, grade out as the league’s fourth-best center per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), so there’s reason to believe that the 33-year-old could still have something left in the tank.

As Biggs observes, the Bears are seeking competition for second-year center Hroniss Grasu, whom Chicago selected in the third round of last year’s draft. Ramirez has also seen time at the left and right guard spots over the course of his career, so he could provide valuable depth along the interior of the Bears’ O-line even if he is unable to beat out Grasu for the starting center job.

Ramirez, who was actually drafted by the Lions in the fourth round of the 2007 draft, signed with the Broncos in 2011 and spent four years in Denver under head coach John Fox, the current head coach of the Bears. Ramirez’s visit with Chicago appears to be his first of the offseason, and I would imagine any contract he signs at this point in his career would be a modest, one- or two-year pact.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Draft Rumors: QBs, Ramsey, Treadwell, Browns

March 29th, 2016 at 6:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jalen Ramsey would prefer to play cornerback despite excelling at both secondary positions at Florida State, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports.

His preference for the higher-paying position, though, comes with the obvious caveat of being willing to play safety as well, possibly expressing malleability to increase his chances of being taken in the top three picks.

One AFC scout in attendance said, “Take your pick; either one” regarding Ramsey’s NFL fit. “He has the range; he’s got some length to him, and he has the ball skills,” the scout told O’Halloran regarding Ramsey’s ability to slot at free safety. “He has a lot of things going for him.”

Four GMs — the Titans‘ Jon Robinson, the Steelers‘ Kevin Colbert, the Buccaneers‘ Jason Licht and the Bills‘ Doug Whaley — attended the pro day, while Mike Mularkey and Mike Tomlin were on hand as well.

Here’s the latest about this year’s crop of top prospects.

The 49ers and Browns are slated to work out Jared Goff, Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports (on Twitter). Both Hue Jackson and Chip Kelly were in attendance at the Cal quarterback’s pro day March 18.
San Francisco also has a workout scheduled with Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports. The 49ers are expected to meet with Carson Wentz as well soon, as are the Browns, per Barrows. Cook is rated by most as the No. 4 quarterback on the board and could fall to the second round, while Wentz is expected to be chosen in the top 10. Colin Kaepernick‘s $11.9MM salary in 2016 becomes guaranteed if he’s still on the 49ers’ roster by 3 p.m., Thursday.
The Eagles plan to work out Wentz on Thursday, ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. Philadelphia’s brass observed Goff during a private workout on Monday. While these two passers have become the consensus top two quarterback prospects, Caplan hears from several NFL coaches and executives that Goff is better equipped to come in and contribute immediately (Twitter link).
Caplan also reports that one NFL offensive coordinator would sit Memphis’ Paxton Lynch, who hovers a bit below Goff and Wentz on experts’ draft boards as of now, for two seasons while the lanky talent learns the pro game (Twitter link).
Laquon Treadwell‘s 4.63-second 40-yard dash clocking at Ole Miss’ pro day didn’t necessarily shock scouts in attendance but caused some concerns about the first-round prospect’s long-term viability, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report hears (video link). The scouts Cole spoke with don’t believe the Ole Miss early-entry talent’s ability to get open effectively in the next four or five years will be affected by his lack of straight-line speed, but there are worries about whether Treadwell can have a long, successful career. The scouts expressed concern that once the rangy receiver loses some of his already-mediocre speed his route-running and body-positioning prowess won’t be enough to compensate.
The Browns are bringing in Treadwell for a visit Thursday, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. Despite his lack of top-end speed, Treadwell is still expected to come off the board by the middle of the first round, which would be in the Browns’ range only if they traded down from their No. 2 overall slot or up from No. 32, Ulrich writes.
Temple wide receiver Robby Anderson visited the Browns today, Ulrich reports. Jackson told media at the owners’ meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., receiver is a position is an area the Browns “need to address, obviously,” as Josh Gordon‘s status for 2016 is still unknown. “I’ve gone on record before saying I like to have bigger, faster guys play the position,” Jackson told media. “We have some very talented guys right now. They’re slight in stature, but they’re tough, and I’m looking forward to working with them and see if there’s more that we can gain from them. But at the same time, I still think it’s an area that we need to get better. And we will.”

NFC Notes: Schwartz, Bears, Love, Bucs, Rams

March 29th, 2016 at 5:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Geoff Schwartz‘s next stop on his free agent tour will be in Detroit, with the Lions hosting the eighth-year lineman, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (on Twitter).

This will be Schwartz’s second visit with the Lions. He did so in 2012 before signing with the Vikings, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Schwartz will visit the Lions’ facilities on Wednesday, Birkett tweets.

Having already visited the Cardinals and Steelers, Schwartz continues to survey the market for a fifth team. Recently released from the Giants, Schwartz has proven to be an effective performer when healthy. The 29-year-old guard/tackle hasn’t been able to stay on the field the past two years, however, with his stay in New York limited to just 13 games in two seasons.

The Lions don’t have an immediate opening at guard, with Larry Warford and 2015 first-rounder Laken Tomlinson occupying those slots. Of course, the Steelers didn’t have a guard vacancy either. Detroit could use more help at tackle.

Here’s the latest coming out of the NFC.

John Fox acknowledged to media (including Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com) the Bears are in need of a swing lineman and will look to sign one during the latter stages of free agency. Second- and third-year players with limited experience pack the Bears’ tackle depth chart, but Fox clearly seeks someone with more seasoning. Chicago cut Jermon Bushrod in February before he signed with the Dolphins. Khalif Barnes, Jake Long and Nate Chandler are some of the players who could fit here that remain on the market. Dickerson also mentions Will Beatty in this group. Beatty remains in search of a job after the Giants cut the former well-paid left tackle starter along with Schwartz. But Beatty would profile more as a left tackle starter, with the Bears not exactly having an untouchable cog there in Charles Leno.
The Panthers still need a defensive tackle, a safety, and a nickel back, ESPN.com’s David Newton writes. Carolina is still having dialogue with free agent defensive tackle Kyle Love, but the team could also use a high draft pick to solidify the position, Newton notes.
The Buccaneers remain in the mix for kick-return man Kyle Williams, although the Broncos and Jets are also involved in the pursuit, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter) reports. Williams played for new Bucs coach Dirk Koetter at Arizona State. A former 49ers return man whose NFC championship fumbles identify him to most of the football landscape, Williams missed last season with an Achilles injury after signing with the Broncos. A return to Denver would be tricky given the Broncos’ limited cap space and having re-signed receiver/returner Jordan Norwood last week.
Los Angeles will have decisions to make regarding fifth-year options for Tavon Austin and Alec Ogletree soon, and Jeff Fisher told media (including Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com) discussions are underway and the Rams would like to keep the duo around for a long time. Fisher previously acknowledged Ogletree’s option would probably be picked up, but with Austin being a top-10 pick and costing transition tag-type money ($12.27MM), Wagoner writes an extension would be a more prudent approach to retaining Austin than putting the gadget wideout on the Rams’ books for that amount in 2017.

Zach Links contributed to this report

Cowboys, Joe Looney Agree To Terms

March 29th, 2016 at 5:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys may have the best group of offensive line starters in the league, and they look to have strengthened their front’s depth. A day after visiting the Cowboys, Joe Looney will sign a two-year deal with the team, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

Looney will likely fill in as the backup center/guard on game day, a slot recently vacated by Mackenzy Bernadeau after he signed with the Jaguars.

The 25-year-old Looney started 10 games the past two seasons for the 49ers and Titans, respectively. Looney filled in at guard and center for the Titans in 2015. Pro Football Focus didn’t rave about the 25-year-old’s performance in filling in for Brian Schwenke, tabbing Looney as its No. 34 center. But Looney will be backing up Pro Bowlers in Travis Frederick and Zack Martin in Dallas.

Bernadeau was active for all 32 of the Cowboys’ regular-season games the past two years and started two games. He joined Jermey Parnell in leaving Dallas for Jacksonville.

Originally a fourth-round pick of the 49ers’ in 2012, Looney did not make the team in 2015 and landed in Tennessee, where he saw action in eight games.

Chiefs, Eric Fisher Discussed Extension

March 29th, 2016 at 4:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the deadline for picking up fifth-year options on 2013 first-round picks more than a month away, the Chiefs are taking a proactive approach. They’ve discussed an extension with Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall pick in that year’s draft, according to B.J. Kissel of Chiefs.com (on Twitter).

The Chiefs have until May 2 to decide whether or not to pick up the 2017 option for their left tackle, and John Dorsey has participated in talks with Fisher’s representatives about possibly prolonging Fisher’s stay in Kansas City.

Much like Luke Joeckel, whose fifth-year option doesn’t look like it will be exercised in Jacksonville, Fisher hasn’t lived up to his draft slot. His case for a fifth year in Kansas City isn’t as simple as Dontari Poe‘s was last year.

Having shown scant semblance of upper-echelon performance at either right or left tackle, Fisher could be due close to $12MM on a fifth-year option, with precise figures for the 2013 class having not been released yet. The Vikings are currently in this position with Matt Kalil, the No. 4 overall pick in 2012 who is set to make $11.09MM this season — the third-highest cap figure for left tackles in the league.

An extension would be a way of getting around that price tag while establishing some continuity to an offensive line that’s had little during the mid-2010s. The Chiefs have lost Geoff Schwartz, Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah, Rodney Hudson, Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson from their front since March 2014.

Fisher did improve last season and finish as Pro Football Focus’ No. 37-ranked tackle despite a sprained ankle slowing him down to start the season. The Chiefs relocated Fisher to right tackle in favor of the now-departed Stephenson but soon shuttled him back to the left side once Stephenson failed to deliver.

Although the Chiefs re-signed swing player Jah Reid last year and gave Mitchell Schwartz a hefty contract on Day 1 of 2016’s free agency period, they don’t have an obvious replacement for Fisher on the roster. And although it’s early, the Chiefs possess the fourth-fewest projected cap space for 2017, according to OverTheCap, at just more than $24MM after re-signing several players this offseason.

Kansas City re-signed Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali and Jaye Howard earlier this month after giving Travis Kelce an extension shortly after the season ended.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Arian Foster Visits Dolphins

March 29th, 2016 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 3:56pm: As expected, the Dolphins have confirmed their visit with Foster has ended without a deal in place (Twitter link). The running back will remain on Miami’s radar, but it doesn’t seem as if he’s in a hurry to sign anywhere right away.

MONDAY, 10:15am: The Dolphins continue to seek out veteran depth at the running back position, and their search has led them to a noteworthy name. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Arian Foster is set to pay a visit to Miami on Tuesday.

Having lost Lamar Miller to the Texans at the start of the free agent period, the Dolphins have been on the lookout for a replacement since then. The team signed C.J. Anderson to an offer sheet, but the Broncos exercised their right of first refusal to keep Anderson. The Fins were also in the running for Chris Johnson before he opted to re-sign with the Cardinals, and have reportedly explored the trade market for possible RB targets.

Foster, 29, accumulated 6,472 rushing yards during his seven years as a Texan, and that figure would have been even higher if injuries had not slowed him down over the course of the last three seasons. After earning three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2010 to 2012, averaging about 1,900 all purpose yards and 16 touchdowns in those seasons, Foster was limited to 25 regular-season games from 2013 to 2015. Those injuries, along with his age and his increasing cap number, resulted in the Texans releasing him earlier this month.

In 2015, Foster was slowed by a groin injury in training camp and the preseason, and later suffered a torn Achilles, landing him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. When he played, he was at his least productive, averaging only 2.6 yards per carry on 63 attempts. Still, if he recovers well from the Achilles injury, the Tennessee alum could have something left in the tank — he was a Pro Bowler in 2014, piling up 1,246 rushing yards in just 13 contests.

A physical exam figures to be a major factor in Foster’s visit with the Dolphins. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Foster could pass a physical now, though Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets that the veteran back may not be able to pass a physical until early in the summer. Rapoport does concede (via Twitter) that Foster isn’t fully healthy yet, so Miami will likely just get to know him during this visit, rather than immediately signing him.

If Foster eventually gets healthy and signs with the Dolphins, he would likely split carries with second-year back Jay Ajayi.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Patriots Sign E.J. Biggers

March 29th, 2016 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Patriots have added some secondary depth, signing cornerback E.J. Biggers to a contract, league sources tell Ben Volin of The Boston Globe.

Biggers will get a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract that features just $25K in guaranteed money, in the form of a signing bonus. He’ll also be in line for up to $30K in per-game roster bonuses, plus a $25K roster bonus for reporting to training camp.

Biggers, 28, spent three seasons in Tampa Bay and two in Washington before joining the Eagles for the 2015 campaign. Outside of the 2012 season, when he started 12 games for the Bucs, he has been a part-time contributor for most of his NFL career, playing in nickel or dime packages on defense and contributing on special teams as well. In 2015, he recorded 39 tackles and seven passes defended.

New England’s cornerback group looks mostly the same in 2016 as it did in 2015, but Tarell Brown is one player eligible for free agency. Brown played 162 defensive snaps for the club last season, so Biggers will be a top candidate to take over those snaps going forward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Giants Re-Sign Jasper Brinkley

March 29th, 2016 at 3:31pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

MARCH 29: The Giants have officially re-signed Brinkley, the team confirmed today in a press release.

MARCH 18: The Giants will bring back free agent middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley on a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Financial details aren’t yet available. It’s the second straight one-year pact for Brinkley, who joined the Giants leading up to Week 1 last season after the NFC East rival Cowboys released him.

In his first season with the Giants, Brinkley totaled 67 tackles, four forced fumbles and a sack in 15 appearances (nine starts). Overall, he graded a solid 36th among 97 qualifying linebackers at Pro Football Focus for his performance with Big Blue. He was especially impressive against the run, ranking as PFF’s fourth-best LB in that category.

Brinkley, a 2009 fifth-round pick, previously played with the Vikings and Cardinals until 2014, racking up 79 regular-season appearances and 42 starts.

The 30-year-old Brinkley is now set to be part of a 2016 Giants linebacking corps that recently added fellow middle man Keenan Robinson and also features Jonathan Casillas and Devon Kennard. He’ll likely serve as a backup to Robinson, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link).

Brinkley is the latest defensive free agent pickup for New York, which has made a serious effort to improve last season’s worst-ranked ‘D’ in the NFL. Since March 7, the Giants have signed three high-profile defensive linemen in Olivier Vernon, Jason Pierre-Paul and Damon Harrison, added Robinson and Brinkley at linebacker, and given cornerback Janoris Jenkins a mega-deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Anquan Boldin Visiting Washington

March 29th, 2016 at 2:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin is making his first free agent visit of the month, according to Mike Jones and Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post, who report (via Twitter) that Washington is hosting Boldin for a visit today.

Boldin, who will turn 36 in October, is one of the older free agents on the market, but there’s reason to believe he still has something left in the tank. After joining the 49ers in 2013, the former second-round pick posted consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, with 12 total touchdowns in ’13 and ’14.

Boldin slowed down a little in 2015, missing a couple games due to injury and finishing with 69 receptions for 789 yards and four touchdowns. However, given the Niners’ quarterback situation last season, and taking into account how weak this year’s group of free agent wideouts was, it’s reasonable to consider Boldin one of the better options available this offseason.

We heard last week that the 49ers have not offered a contract to Boldin, which leaves the door open for him to sign with Washington or another team. The veteran wideout reportedly wants to continue his NFL career with a title contender, and while it’s not clear whether Jay Gruden‘s club fits that bill, adding Boldin to the mix would certainly make for an intriguing collection of pass-catchers in D.C.

Tight end Jordan Reed was Kirk Cousins‘ favorite target in 2015, while DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Jamison Crowder head the team’s wide receiver depth chart. Still, Washington isn’t especially deep at the position, particularly since Andre Roberts is a candidate for release, so if the club could add Boldin on the cheap, it would give Cousins yet another weapon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dolphins Re-Sign Spencer Paysinger

March 29th, 2016 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent linebacker Spencer Paysinger will be returning to Miami for the 2016 season. Paysinger himself broke word of his new deal with the Dolphins, announcing the news on his Twitter account.

Paysinger, 27, joined the Dolphins for the 2015 season after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Giants. Although he earned 10 starts in 2013, logging a career-high 74 tackles, Paysinger has served primarily as a backup linebacker and a special-teamer since entering the league. In 2015, he appeared in 14 games for Miami, playing just 72 defensive snaps.

Paysinger paid a visit to the Steelers earlier in free agency, after Pittsburgh saw backup linebacker Sean Spence sign with Tennessee. The Steelers ultimately re-sign Steven Johnson as Spence’s probable replacement, opening the door for Paysinger to return to Miami.

Terms of the agreement aren’t yet known, but Paysinger was on a minimum salary benefit contract in 2015 and probably won’t be in line for much of a raise.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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