2016 April - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos Sign Ronnie Hillman

April 18th, 2016 at 6:23pm CST by Luke Adams

6:23pm: The Broncos have announced the deal, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

5:18pm: Hillman’s one-year deal is worth $2MM, with roughly $600K guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

4:12pm: After letting them become free agents last month, the Broncos have now re-signed each of their top two running backs from their Super Bowl team. According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS (via Twitter), the Broncos have agreed to a one-year contract with free agent back Ronnie Hillman.

Hillman, 24, will return to Denver to pair with his old backfield mate C.J. Anderson, who signed a four-year offer sheet with the Dolphins that was ultimately matched by the Broncos. While Anderson may be first in line for carries going forward, given the length and worth of his contract, Hillman was the Broncos’ leading rusher in 2015, totaling 863 yards and seven touchdowns on 207 regular-season carries.

While Hillman had a solid regular season for the Broncos, his free agent stock may have been negatively impacted by his postseason performance. With Anderson carrying the majority of the load, racking up 234 yards and two TDs on 54 carries, Hillman had just 54 yards on 32 playoff carries (1.7 yards per attempt), and failed to reach the end zone.

The Packers were reportedly “poking around” on Hillman (and other running backs) near the end of March, and he was believed to have a few other potential suitors as well, but he’ll return to Denver for at least one more season.

The Broncos have also officially brought back kicker Brandon McManus, who signed his ERFA tender, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

RFA/ERFA Signings: 4/18/16

April 18th, 2016 at 6:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ll round the latest news on restricted and exclusive-rights free agents here…

Wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins has signed his restricted free agent tender with the Jets, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Thompkins, a former Patriot and Raider, appeared in seven games for New York last season, hauling in 19 passes.
Bills defensive tackle Corbin Bryant has signed his RFA tender, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WKBW. Bryant said in February that he was hoping to be retained by Buffalo, and for now, he’ll get his wish.
The Raiders broadcasted a series of moves today, announcing that quarterback Matt McGloin has signed his second-round RFA tender, while defensive lineman Denico Autry, tight end Gabe Holmes, safety Tevin McDonald, receiver Seth Roberts, and Korey Toomer all signed their ERFA tenders (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle).
Center Patrick Lewis has signed his restricted free agent tender with the Seahawks, who also announced that they’ve re-signed exclusive-rights free agents Cooper Helfet (TE), Mohammed Seisay (CB), and Steven Terrell (S).
The Vikings announced that fullback Zach Line has signed his RFA tender. Line tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he always knew he’d re-sign with Minnesota, he just hadn’t been in the area to physically sign the deal.
Center Braxston Cave, defensive end Brandon Copeland, and safety Isaiah Johnson all signed their ERFA tenders with the Lions, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
The Chiefs have re-signed safety Daniel Sorensen and defensive end Nick Williams, each of whom signed his exclusive-rights tender, per Howard Balzer of USA Today (Twitter link).
Linebacker Will Compton has signed his ERFA tender with Washington, tweets Balzer.

Jaguars Cut Sergio Brown

April 18th, 2016 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

About 13 months after signing him to a three-year, $7MM contract, the Jaguars have parted ways with veteran safety Sergio Brown. As Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union details, Jacksonville released Brown today, making him a free agent.

Brown, who turns 28 next month, appeared in 15 contests during his lone season with the Jaguars, starting four games before he was relegated to backup duty. Playing about half the team’s defensive snaps, the Notre Dame alum recorded 36 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and broke up two passes.

Like many of the contracts the Jaguars signed last winter, Brown’s deal didn’t feature any guaranteed salary or dead money beyond its first season, which means the team can clear his entire cap hit from the books for 2016. Brown had been set to earn a $2.25MM non-guaranteed base salary, so his release removes that $2.25MM charge from Jacksonville’s cap.

Brown, who ranked as a bottom-10 safety (among regulars) last season according to Pro Football Focus’ grades, became expendable when the Jaguars landed ex-Browns free safety Tashaun Gipson in free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texans Release Brian Hoyer

April 18th, 2016 at 4:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

MONDAY, 4:32pm: Hoyer’s release is now official, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

SUNDAY, 7:21pm: The Jets are likely to schedule a visit with Hoyer soon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Gang Green showed interest in the eighth-year passer last year and have been the most discussed suitor for Hoyer in 2016.

3:47pm: The Texans have released quarterback Brian Hoyer, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). As a vested veteran, Hoyer won’t have to pass through waivers, so he’s now a free agent and can sign with any club.

The news doesn’t come as much of a shock, as reports last month indicated that Houston was likely to part ways with Hoyer, either through trade or release. After the signing of Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal, there wasn’t much of a role for Hoyer on the club, especially after the Texans also inked backup quarterback Brandon Weeden to a two-year deal.

Houston had reportedly been searching for a trade partner in an effort to deal Hoyer, and had been doing so right up until releasing him, tweets Rapoport. Reports indicated that Hoyer could be had for minimal compensation, but apparently no other club was willing to part with assets in order to land the veteran quarterback.

Hoyer won’t be without suitors now that he’s a free agent, however, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter link) that the Steelers have expressed interest. Additionally, the Jets had inquired on Hoyer while he was still on the Texans’ roster, and they’re sure to still be intrigued even as they negotiate with Ryan Fitzpatrick. And the Broncos, who were said to be considering a run at Hoyer last month, make sense as a landing spot as they try to replace Osweiler and Peyton Manning.

The 30-year-old Hoyer posted the best season of his career in 2015, completing 60% of his passes for more than 2,600 yards while throwing 19 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. After leading the Texans to a 5-4 record in his nine starts, Hoyer’s streak of good play ended in the first round of the playoffs, when he threw four interceptions as Houston was shut out by the Chiefs.

Hoyer was entering the final season of a a two-year deal he signed with Houston prior to the 2015 season. He had no guaranteed money remaining, so the Texans will clear the entirety of his 2016 cap hit — about $4.86MM — off their books.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Packers Re-Sign Don Barclay

April 18th, 2016 at 4:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

MONDAY, 4:31pm: The Packers have made their deal with Barclay official, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

SUNDAY, 6:13pm: Don Barclay returned to Green Bay as the Packers are preparing to convene for the start of their offseason program and did so with the intent to re-sign with the team, a source tells Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The fifth-year lineman served as a backup for most of his tenure with the Packers and is an unrestricted free agent. A former undrafted free agent, Barclay has started 23 games in his career. Barclay will begin working with the Packers again Monday, when they start their offseason voluntary workouts.

The league’s most conservative franchise in terms of signing outside free agents, the Packers have brought back James Starks and Nick Perry.

Barclay started five for the injured Bryan Bulaga last season, doing so to mediocre reviews. Pro Football Focus tabbed the West Virginia product as its second-worst full-time guard, ranking Barclay 76th out of 77 guards who played enough snaps to qualify. Barclay played just 32.6% of the Packers’ snaps, per Silverstein, last season yet surrendered nine sacks — the most on the team.

Barclay, though, started 18 games during his first two seasons prior to missing 2014 with a torn ACL, and the team is hoping he can recapture that form as he moves further away from the severe knee injury, per Silverstein.

Green Bay still has Bulaga and David Bakhtiari as its starting tackles, with the latter entering a contract year. Guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang are also entering their contract campaigns.

Chiefs’ Appeal Of Tampering Penalty Denied

April 18th, 2016 at 4:27pm CST by Luke Adams

4:27pm: Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt has issued a statement in response to the NFL’s ruling on the Chiefs’ appeal. It reads as follows:

“We appreciate the opportunity to make our appeal on this matter, and we acknowledge the minor reduction in fines imposed. However, we continue to believe that the facts of this case combined with the league’s inconsistent enforcement of its tampering policies do not warrant the most severe penalty for player-related tampering in league history.

“Having exhausted our options under the appeal process, we are turning the page on this issue and look forward to continuing our preparations for the 2016 season.”

4:18pm: The Chiefs’ appeal of the penalties handed down by the NFL for their tampering violation has been denied, says Adam Teicher of ESPN.com (Twitter links). According to Teicher, the fine levied against the Chiefs has been reduced from $250K to $200K, and Andy Reid‘s fine was also reduced, from $75K to $60K, but the rest of the penalties facing the team remain unchanged.

The NFL announced on the first day of the 2016 league year that it had fined the Chiefs $250K and taken away two draft picks from the franchise – including a 2016 third-rounder – as penalties for tampering with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin prior to last year’s free agent period. As expected, Kansas City will move forward without those lost draft picks.

Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweeted when the Chiefs initially filed their appeal that he had heard the league had gathered “pretty strong information” on the situation, making it unlikely that the penalties would be overturned.

The NFL alleged that the Chiefs were in direct contact with Maclin during the time leading up to 2015 free agency. Teams are only permitted to talk to player agents – not players themselves – during the legal tampering period, and can’t discuss free agents at all prior to that.

In addition to being docked a 2016 third-round pick, the Chiefs also lost a 2017 sixth-rounder as a result of the league’s ruling.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dolphins Claim Chris Jones Off Waivers

April 18th, 2016 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins have claimed a player from a division rival, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com, who tweets that Miami was awarded defensive tackle Chris Jones off waivers. Jones was cut by the Patriots on Friday.

Jones, 25, missed the entire 2015 campaign, spending it on the PUP list, but was solid in his first two seasons in New England, recording nine total sacks in 28 games. He started 22 regular-season contests during those two years, and also started two of his four playoff games with the team, recording one postseason sack.

Because of his play during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Jones was in line for an increased salary of $1.671MM in 2016, having been a recipient of a proven performance escalator. While those pay bumps are meant to be rewards for young players who have outperformed their draft slot, the raise may have actually contributed to Jones’ release, since the Pats likely deemed the $1.671MM non-guaranteed salary too rich for a player coming off a lost year.

For the Dolphins, rolling the dice on Jones makes some sense — because his salary is non-guaranteed, the team has nothing to lose if it turns out that he doesn’t earn a spot on Miami’s 53-man roster.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cardinals Release Cory Redding

April 18th, 2016 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran defensive lineman Cory Redding, viewed as a possible cap casualty for the Cardinals, has officially been released by the team, according to a press release. As a vested veteran, Redding will become an unrestricted free agent without first passing through waivers.

The Cardinals entered the day with just $2.29MM in cap room, according to Over the Cap’s data. That gave the team the second-least amount of cap space in the NFL, limiting the club’s flexibility. Cutting Redding will reduce his cap hit from $4MM to $1MM, removing his non-guaranteed $3MM salary from the Cardinals’ books and creating a little more breathing room.

As Darren Urban writes at AZCardinals.com, Redding contemplated retirement before signing with the Cardinals last year. After playing a limited role in Arizona in 2015 – he failed to make a start for the first time since his 2003 rookie year – the 35-year-old may mull retiring once again. For now though, he’ll be a free agent, with the freedom to sign anywhere.

In his 12 games last season, Redding played 183 defensive snaps, picking up five tackles and two passes defended. He did show a knack for coming up with big plays, grabbing his second career interception, and recovering a pair of fumbles, including one for a touchdown.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Broncos Sign Shiloh Keo, Brandian Ross

April 18th, 2016 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

As first reported by Mike Klis of 9NEWS and Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (Twitter links) earlier today, the Broncos have re-signed safety Shiloh Keo and signed safety Brandian Ross, the team announced in a press release. Both players received one-year deals.

With T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart penciled in as the Broncos’ starting safeties, neither Keo nor Ross is expected to have a significant role in Denver this season, if they even earn spots on the roster. Still, having lost David Bruton in free agency, the club could use some depth at the position

Keo, who joined the Broncos last December after making his case for a contract on Twitter to defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, played a little down the stretch and in the playoffs for the club, grabbing a Week 17 interception. He was was arrested for driving under the influence in February.

As for Ross, he started 13 games for the Raiders in 2013 and 10 more in 2014, but was cut in 2015 and didn’t find a new home until near the end of the season, when he signed in San Diego. The Chargers non-tendered him last month.

Here are a few more Broncos-related updates for Monday:

With the Broncos’ voluntary offseason program underway, Von Miller won’t be in attendance, and Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports takes a closer look at the contract talks between Denver and its star pass rusher. According to Robinson, the two sides are believed to be about $20MM apart over the span of five years — about $4MM per season. The Broncos’ offer is reportedly around $18MM per year, while Miller is seeking something closer to top QB money ($22MM annually).
Robinson’s piece includes plenty of interesting details, including several on Broncos cap guru Mike Sullivan. Some agents believe that, after locking up defensive lineman Derek Wolfe to a below-market deal, Sullivan and the Broncos are now attempting to get more players to agree to team-friendly contracts. Said one agent: “I think the Derek Wolfe deal screwed their heads up. It made [Mike] Sullivan believe he could get everyone to do bad deals. There is a lot of arrogance there.”
Although Sullivan certainly has a significant role when it comes to contract negotiations, anyone who has been around the Broncos knows that John Elway “calls all [the] shots,” says Mike Klis of 9NEWS (Twitter link).
Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall has yet to sign his RFA tender, but he’s still participating in workouts this week, signing a waiver to cover him in the event of an injury, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who is entering the final year of his current contract, said today that he hopes to remain in Denver for several more years, as Brandon Krisztal of Denver Sports 760 tweets. “The City of Denver has been really good to me,” Sanders said. “I want to be a Bronco, I want to retire a Bronco.”

Eagles Sign Ryan Quigley

April 18th, 2016 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have added some competition at the punter position, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who tweets that Ryan Quigley has signed a one-year contract with the club. The Eagles have since officially confirmed the move.

Quigley, 26, has been the Jets’ punter for the last three seasons, but was eligible for restricted free agency last month, and Gang Green opted not to tender him a contract. In 2015, Quigley’s 36.5 net yards per punt ranked second-last in the NFL among the league’s starting punters. He also ranked among the NFL’s worst punters in terms of overall return yardage (432 yards) and yards per return (12.7).

Conversely, Donnie Jones, the Eagles’ starting punter, had a solid 41.6 net yardage average on his attempts, good for sixth in the NFL, and limited opposing returners to 5.1 yards per attempts, which ranked third.

Based on the two punters’ performances, it seems unlikely that Quigley would supplant Jones as the starter in Philadelphia, but he’ll provide some competition in camp, and would represent a cheaper alternative if Jones struggles or gets injured.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.