2016 April - Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/20/16

April 20th, 2016 at 7:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

The Browns have waived tight end Chase Ford, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Ford was claimed off of waivers just one week ago by Cleveland, so it was a short stay for him.
The Jets signed offensive tackle Luke Marquardt, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. The 6’6″ tackle first came into the league as a UDFA out of Azusa Pacific when he signed with San Francisco.
The Colts signed offensive tackles Kevin Graf and Mitchell Van Dyk, Mike Chappell of CBS4 tweets. Graf, 25 in June, is a 6’6″, 303 pound lineman out of USC. Van Dyk was waived/injured by Pittsburgh prior to the start of the 2015 season.

Fallout From Eagles/Browns Trade

April 20th, 2016 at 6:58pm CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday morning, the Eagles acquired the No. 2 pick from the Browns and opinions are split on whether it was a wise move for Philly. Quarterback Sam Bradford is one person who’s not a fan of the deal for the Eagles, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes (via Facebook):

“He’s hot,” said one source who spoke with Bradford. “Who wouldn’t be? This is Philly saying, ‘We don’t see (you) as long-term answer.’ He’s mad and wants to show everyone who’s best.’’

Here’s a look at the fallout from the trade for both the Eagles and the Browns:

Eagles GM Howie Roseman told reporters that Bradford will be the Eagles’ quarterback in 2016, though the team will be selecting a QB at No. 2 (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer). This offseason, the Eagles gave Bradford a new deal which gives him $22MM fully guaranteed over the next two years while signing Chase Daniel to a contract that will give him $12MM guaranteed.
Paxton Lynch is a quarterback to watch for Cleveland, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. While the Browns could target Lynch at No. 8, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (on Twitter) notes that coach Hue Jackson did not attend Memphis’ pro day.
One rival GM tells Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that he doesn’t think the Browns are done trading. That GM believes that the Browns will try and acquire even more picks from this point forward.
The Browns announced that the 2017 fourth-round pick they gave up in the deal with the Eagles is conditional, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. That means that the Eagles will be receiving the Browns’ latest fourth-round pick next year.
Mike Florio of PFT noted that the two teams that orchestrated the Nick Foles/Bradford deal are now controlling the top of the draft.

Josh Norman Becomes Unrestricted Free Agent

April 20th, 2016 at 4:42pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers announced that they have rescinded the franchise tag from Josh Norman, making him an unrestricted free agent. The move comes as an absolute shock as Norman is regarded as one of the league’s top cornerbacks. With Norman off the books, the Panthers now have $13.952MM in cap room that they wouldn’t have had otherwise.

“After a number of conversations with Josh’s agent we realized that a long-term deal was not attainable,” GM Dave Gettleman said in a statement. “We thank Josh for all his contributions and truly wish him well.”

The Panthers reportedly were not interested in meeting Norman‘s asking price of roughly $15-16MM. However, Carolina was said to be fine with letting Norman play out the year under the franchise tag, which, at nearly $14MM, would have paid him like an elite corner.The two sides have not closed the gap in recent weeks and recently Norman informed the Panthers that he would not be in attendance for their conditioning program.

Norman was looking to be paid in excess of $16MM per year, much like the first three years of Darrelle Revis‘ extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Panthers were not on board with that, however, and cut him loose instead.

Now, Norman hits the open market and while some teams are tapped out, other teams are flush with cap space. That list of teams includes the 49ers and, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, the idea of playing in California appeals to Norman. The Rams, Bears, Jaguars, and Titans also have room to spend.

Norman, 28, enjoyed a career-year in 2015 as he was named to the All Pro first team and selected for his first Pro Bowl. After producing career highs in both interceptions (four) and passes defensed (18), Norman is in great position as he demands a multi-year payday. Norman was well-regarded by advanced metrics as well, finishing as the league’s 12th-best corner by Pro Football Focus’ grades.

Currently, Revis stands as the NFL’s highest paid cornerback after signing a $70.12MM contract that includes a whopping $39MM guaranteed. That deal edged out Patrick Peterson of the Cardinals who got a $70.05MM deal with $16.25MM guaranteed and Seahawks corner Richard Sherman, who inked a $56MM deal ($12.43MM guaranteed) to stay in Seattle. Trumaine Johnson accepted his franchise tender earlier this month to become the fourth-highest paid corner in the NFL, but Norman has had his sights set on a lucrative long-term deal instead. Now, he’ll be looking into long-term pacts elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Fifth-Year Option Notes: Vikings, Titans, 49ers

April 20th, 2016 at 4:15pm CST by Luke Adams

While most NFL teams only have one fifth-year option decision to make in the next couple weeks, assuming they haven’t already made that decision, the Vikings will have calls to make on three separate players. Thanks to a pair of trades, the Vikes had a trio of first-round picks in the 2013 draft, meaning defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson are all eligible to have 2017 options exercised.

Let’s round up the latest updates on Minnesota’s option decisions, along with some other fifth-year option notes from around the NFL…

Patterson’s option for 2017 will be worth $7.915MM, making it more expensive than Floyd’s ($6.757MM) and nearly as pricey as Rhodes’ ($8.026MM). As such, given the wideout’s limited on-field impact, it would be a surprise if the Vikings pick it up, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. However, Tomasson notes that Floyd’s and Rhodes’ options are near-locks to be exercised.
It doesn’t appear the Titans have made a final decision on the 2017 option for guard Chance Warmack, but Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com suggests the team may be leaning toward turning it down, given the exorbitant price ($11.902MM). Tennessee has until May 3rd to make a decision.
49ers general manager Trent Baalke said today that the team intends to retain safety Eric Reid beyond the coming season, either by picking up his fifth-year option or by working out a longer-term deal, tweets Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Reid’s 2017 salary would be $5.676MM if the Niners exercise that option.
Check out PFR’s 2017 option tracker to keep tabs on all decisions that have been reported or announced so far.

Draft Updates: Dahl, Ogbah, C. Jones, DeBord

April 20th, 2016 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

As Greg Gabriel of 670 The Score tweets, Wednesday is the last day NFL teams can bring prospects in for official visits. Beginning on Thursday, clubs can still meet or work out players, but it has to happen at the player’s school or home, rather than the team’s facility.

Still, there’s no shortage of updates today on workouts and/or visits conducted recently by prospects and teams. Here are several of those updates:

Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link) adds the Falcons, Lions, and Titans to the long list of teams that either worked out Washington State offensive lineman Joe Dahl or hosted him for a visit. Earlier this month, a report indicated that 10 other teams had interest in Dahl, with many of those clubs planning visits or workouts.
Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post writes that the Titans and Bengals were among the teams that hosted Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah for pre-draft visits.
The Bengals, Ravens, and Seahawks are among the clubs that have hosted Mississippi State defensive lineman Chris Jones for pre-draft visits, tweets Rand Getlin.
The list of clubs that Eastern Washington offensive lineman Clay DeBord has worked out for or visited includes the 49ers, Lions, Jets, Falcons, Buccaneers, Titans, and Cardinals, tweets Rand Getlin.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press provides a couple updates on local prospects, tweeting that Michigan State defensive lineman Lawrence Thomas has worked out for the Lions, Patriots, Falcons, and Titans, and adding (via Twitter) that Central Michigan tight end Ben McCord has previously visited the Dolphins. McCord is participating in the Lions’ local workout day, while Thomas isn’t.
North Carolina Central defensive back Ryan Smith is making his last pre-draft visit today to Los Angeles to meet with the Rams, a source tells Aaron Wilson.
Florida wide receiver Demarcus Robinson visited the Jets today, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link), who suggests keeping an eye on Robinson late in the draft.

Cowboys Expect Demarcus Lawrence Suspension

April 20th, 2016 at 3:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Having already lost one of their pass rushers – Randy Gregory – to a four-game suspension, the Cowboys are bracing for another one of their edge defenders to miss the season’s first month. According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, defensive end Demarcus Lawrence faces a four-game ban for violating the NFL’s policy on substances of abuse.

Moore reports that the Cowboys have yet to be formally notified of Lawrence’s impending suspension, which suggests that the defender and his representatives are still in the process of appealing the ruling. Multiple sources tell Moore that Dallas will be without Lawrence to open the season, however.

A second-round pick in 2014, Lawrence led the Cowboys in sacks last season with eight, and added a forced fumble to go along with 55 tackles. With both Lawrence and Gregory sidelined to open the 2016 season, pass rush becomes an even greater need for the Cowboys, who could end up landing a player like Joey Bosa next week, depending on how the draft plays out.

While the Cowboys did sign Benson Mayowa away from the Raiders in free agency, the team also no longer has veteran contributors Greg Hardy and Jeremy Mincey under contract, so the defensive end rotation in Dallas will look significantly different than it did last year, particularly for the first four weeks of the season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Falcons Re-Sign Chris Chester

April 20th, 2016 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

3:51pm: Chester’s one-year deal will be worth a maximum of $2.5MM, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan.

2:06pm: The Falcons have brought back one of the starts from their 2015 offensive line, announcing today in a press release that they’ve re-signed veteran guard Chris Chester. Terms of Chester’s new deal have not yet been reported.

Chester, who signed a one-year deal with the Falcons last May, started all 16 games for the fifth straight season, serving as Atlanta’s full-time right guard. Since entering the league in 2006, the 33-year-old has spent time in Baltimore, Washington, and now Atlanta, starting 127 of his 153 total regular-season games, with eight playoff contests under his belt as well.

A report earlier this month indicated that Chester underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in the offseason, suggesting he may not be healthy until June. However, the Falcons were apparently confident enough that he’ll make a full recovery that they didn’t want to wait until then to lock him up.

In 2015, Chester ranked as the 24th-best guard out of 81 qualified players, per Pro Football Focus’ grades. PFF assigned the veteran lineman a somewhat mediocre pass-blocking grade, but he scored very well as a run blocker.

Chester currently projects as the Falcons’ starter at right guard again in 2016, though the team could add some competition via the draft.

Eagles Acquire No. 2 Pick From Browns

April 20th, 2016 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles and Browns have agreed to a trade that will send the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft to Philadelphia, the Eagles announced today (via Twitter). Along with the No. 2 overall pick in 2016, the Eagles will get a 2017 fourth-round pick from the Browns.

In exchange, the Browns will receive the Eagles’ 2016 first-rounder (No. 8 overall), a third-round pick (No. 77), a fourth-round pick (No. 100), a 2017 first-round pick, and a 2018 second-round pick.

The Eagles did a ton of homework in recent weeks on all of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, with owner Jeffrey Lurie joining the team’s top football decision-makers during meetings and workouts. While some observers believed Philadelphia’s apparent interest in a QB was a smoke screen, it seems that interest was genuine.

With the Rams believed to be leaning toward taking California QB Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall pick, the Eagles are “all but assured” of drafting North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, tweets Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Assuming Wentz is the pick, he’ll join Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel in a crowded Eagles’ quarterback picture. Bradford is on a short-term deal, which doesn’t include much guaranteed money beyond 2016, so the former No. 1 overall pick may not have much of a future in Philadelphia.

Although the Eagles didn’t have a second-round pick to trade this year as a result of 2015’s Bradford swap, the team was able to move up from No. 13 to No. 8 in a trade with the Dolphins involving Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso. That deal allowed Philadelphia to put an offer on the table for the Browns that gave Cleveland the opportunity to stay within the top 10 in 2016 while adding multiple mid-round selections in 2016 and early-round picks in 2017 and 2018.

Having moved from No. 2 to No. 8, the Browns could still take a quarterback in the first round if they really love a player like Paxton Lynch or even Connor Cook. But it appears the franchise decided that securing a boatload of additional picks was more important than using that No. 2 overall selection on Goff or Wentz. For now, that leaves Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown in the mix for the starting QB job in Cleveland, though the Browns figure to add a signal-caller at some point during the draft.

The deal is probably good news for other clubs drafting in the top six, with the possible exception of the Cowboys — the Chargers, Jaguars, and Ravens are now free to target the best non-quarterbacks in the draft, knowing that Goff and Wentz figure to come off the board within the top two picks. Reports had suggested that Dallas might be interested in one of those top two QBs, but it now appears that Jerry Jones‘ club should have its choice of top defensive prospects – including perhaps Jalen Ramsey – at No. 4.

With eight days remaining until the 2016 draft gets underway, the top two picks have now been dealt, and both teams trading out of those top spots are being run by new general managers. Time will tell whether Jon Robinson of the Titans and Sashi Brown of the Browns made the right calls, but they certainly weren’t reluctant to make major splashes within months of being hired.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Brian Hoyer Visiting Broncos

April 20th, 2016 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

After paying a visit to the Jets shortly after he officially hit the open market, quarterback Brian Hoyer will make his second visit this week, heading to Denver to meet with the Broncos, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. That meeting is scheduled to take place tomorrow, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Caplan, who suggests that the Jets remain interested in Hoyer, tweeted earlier today that he doesn’t expect it to take long for the veteran free agent to find a new home. According to Caplan, four or five teams are interested in Hoyer — in addition to the Jets and Broncos, we’ve heard the Steelers, Bears, and Cowboys mentioned as possible suitors, though it’s not clear if those are the specific clubs Caplan is referring to.

Hoyer, 30, made nine starts and appeared in 11 total games for the Texans in 2015, and enjoyed his best season as a pro. The Michigan State product completed more than 60% of his passes, throwing for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Houston went 5-4 in his starts.

Despite Hoyer’s solid performance, he became expendable when the Texans went out and signed Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal in free agency last month. With veteran backup Brandon Weeden also on the roster, and 2014 fourth-rounder Tom Savage in the mix as well, Houston opted against paying Hoyer a $4MM salary, plus per-game roster bonuses, releasing him instead.

With Osweiler in Houston, the Broncos have been on the lookout for quarterbacks for over a month. The team went out and acquired Mark Sanchez in a trade with the Eagles, but intends to add at least one more signal-caller to the mix to compete for the starting job with Sanchez and Trevor Siemian. Colin Kaepernick has frequently been cited as a potential trade target, and Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned, but Hoyer figures to come much cheaper than both.

If either the Jets or Broncos ultimately signs Hoyer, it could push Fitzpatrick closer to signing a new contract of his own. The Broncos, in particular, would likely no longer have any interest in Fitzpatrick if they add Hoyer, which would increase the Jets’ leverage in contract talks with their 2015 starter.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Fitzgerald, Cards, Falcons, Bears

April 20th, 2016 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is entering the final year of his contract with the team, but he says he hasn’t given much thought to his future beyond 2016, as Adam Green of ArizonaSports.com details.

“When I committed to doing two more years, I’m focused on two, and after the season — hopefully it’s in February — I’ll sit down with my family and think about it, what I want to do moving forward,” said the longtime Cardinals wideout during an appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7FM. “But it’s been a great run and I really enjoy being in this community and playing for this organization.”

Although it seems unlikely that Fitzgerald would contemplate retirement in the near future if he keeps performing at the level that he did in 2015, he suggested that his future will likely be linked to the Cardinals’ quarterback situation.

“A lot of is tied to (Cardinals quarterback) Carson (Palmer),” Fitzgerald said. “Carson’s playing at a high level. I don’t want to go through any other quarterback situations. It’s been great to have the stability that we have now with the big fella, he’s been playing light’s out.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

The Falcons have yet to officially exercise the fifth-year option for cornerback Desmond Trufant, but that’s essentially a formality, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The Pro Bowl corner intends to remain in Atlanta “for a long time,” as he tells McClure. Trufant is one of more than 20 players whose teams haven’t yet announced decisions on their options for 2017, as our tracker shows.
The Cardinals, the Bears, and Washington were among the teams to host Western Kentucky QB Brandon Doughty for pre-draft visits, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Doughty also participated in the Dolphins’ local workout day earlier this month.
After meeting with Miami earlier this week, Texas Tech wide receiver Jakeem Grant visited the Cardinals on Tuesday and is making his final visit today to Chicago to meet with the Bears, tweets Rand Getlin.
Iowa State wide receiver Quenton Bundrage privately worked out for the Buccaneers, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Bundrage tore his ACL in 2014, but bounced back in 2015 to catch 41 balls for 548 yards and four touchdowns.