HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

NFC Notes: Vikings, Redskins, Eagles

February 24th, 2017 at 5:40pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman hasn’t yet spoken with Adrian Peterson‘s agent regarding the running back’s future, but that will change at next week’s combine, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Peterson is due a $6MM roster bonus March 11, two days after the market opens, and Spielman said Thursday that the seven-time Pro Bowler’s fate will become known prior to free agency. Spielman will also meet with the agent for cornerback Terence Newman next week, relays Cole. Newman is coming off his age-38 season, in which he totaled 38 tackles and an interception across 15 appearances (nine starts), and is on track to hit free agency. The 2016 campaign was Newman’s second in Minnesota, which re-upped him to a $3MM pact last March.

More on the Vikings and two other NFC franchises:

  • The likelihood is that the Redskins won’t retain safety DeAngelo Hall at his $5MM-plus cap hit for 2017, according to Rich Tandler of CSN Mid-Atlantic. The club will either release the 33-year-old, which would save $4.25MM, or keep him at a lesser rate, Tandler suggests. Hall sat out 13 games last season on account of a late-September ACL tear and has missed a combined 31 contests since 2014.
  • Wide receiver Josh Doctson, another member of the Redskins who wasn’t much of a factor in 2016, is making encouraging progress in his recovery from a strained right Achilles’ tendon, details Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Doctson hasn’t had any setbacks since doctors cleared him to run earlier this month, and the Redskins “are closely monitoring his progress” with fellow wideouts Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson set to reach the open market. After going 22nd in last year’s draft, Doctson missed all but two games and caught two passes as a rookie.
  • While Eagles pass rusher Connor Barwin has expressed a willingness to take a pay cut to remain in Philadelphia, it’s time for both sides to move on, opines Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. Barwin probably wouldn’t accept enough of a reduction from the $7.75MM he’s due next season to make keeping him worthwhile for the team, writes Zangaro, who notes that getting rid of the 30-year-old would open up more playing time for Vinny Curry. Overall, Barwin has been quite productive during his four-year stint with the Eagles, but his numbers declined last season in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s scheme. Thus, Zangaro argues that Barwin deserves to play in a defense that’s more suited to his abilities. The eight-year veteran won’t have any difficulty finding a job if the Eagles do let him go.
  • Although they had interest in Alterraun Verner when he was on the open market in 2015, the Vikings have not reached out to the cornerback’s reps at this point, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). Verner became a free agent when the Buccaneers released him Thursday.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Redskins Interested In Kenny Britt

February 24th, 2017 at 4:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Redskins are in danger of losing two of their best wide receivers, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, when free agency opens March 9. With that in mind, the club has interest in another high-profile soon-to-be free agent, the Rams’ Kenny Britt, reports JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic.

Kenny Britt[RELATED: 2017’s Top Offensive Free Agents]

Despite being a member of the worst offense in the NFL last season, Britt logged personal bests in catches (68), targets (111) and yards (1,002), and he posted the second-highest touchdown total of his eight-year career (five). Thanks to his success in 2016, Britt could command in the range of $8MM to $12MM per annum on a multiyear contract, sources told Finlay. Garcon and Jackson, who each tallied production in Britt’s neighborhood last year, figure to rake in similar amounts on their next deals.

Unlike the 28-year-old Britt, Garcon and Jackson had the benefit of playing with a high-end quarterback, fellow impending free agent Kirk Cousins, last season. Britt is mindful of Cousins’ murky status and would only want to join the Redskins if the signal-caller stays in Washington, according to Finlay. Even retaining Cousins wouldn’t guarantee anything for the Redskins with respect to Britt, as Finlay notes that at least seven other clubs are currently targeting the 6-foot-3, 223-pounder.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/24/17

February 24th, 2017 at 4:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Friday’s minor moves:

  • The Giants signed long snapper Zak DeOssie to a new two-year contract, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). DeOssie, 32, has been a Giant since they selected him in the fourth round of the 2007 draft.
  • The Broncos signed defensive lineman Bobby Richardson, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. The 24-year-old Richardson had brief stays on the practice squads of the Redskins and Chiefs last season. Prior to that, the ex-Saint started in 11 of 15 appearances as a rookie in 2015 and posted 40 tackles to go with an interception.
  • The 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver DeAndre Carter to a two-year deal. Carter, who played his college football at Sacramento State, went undrafted in 2015 and has since spent time with the Ravens, Raiders and Patriots.

NFL Grants Compensatory Picks To Teams

February 24th, 2017 at 2:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL announced that they have awarded a total of 32 compensatory picks to 16 different teams. Compensatory draft picks are given to clubs who lose more or better compensatory free agents (CFAs) than it acquires in the previous year. Those picks are slotted within the third through seventh rounds based on the value of the free agents lost.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that there are no more than 32 compensatory picks granted each year. Due to that wrinkle, the Rams (one pick), Packers (one pick), Steelers (two picks), and Cardinals (three picks) will not receive those picks in accordance with the formula. Each of those four clubs will receive compensatory selections for other CFAs lost whose final numerical values ranked within the top 32.

This year, there is one notable change to the compensatory draft selection rules: teams can now trade those picks.

Click below for the full rundown: 

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Cardinals Re-Sign Jeremy Ross

February 24th, 2017 at 1:38pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals are re-signing kick returner Jeremy Ross to a one-year deal, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Ross appeared in two games for the Cardinals after joining the team late in the 2016 season. Jeremy Ross (vertical)

Ross was initially brought aboard for depth after the release of Michael Floyd. After returning eleven kicks for 224 yards, the Cardinals want to see more from him this offseason. The soon-to-be 29-year-old has bounced around quite a bit in the professional ranks, so he’s probably hoping to stick with Arizona for a while. Ross has previously appeared in games for the Packers, Lions, Raiders, Ravens, and Jets.

In other Cardinals news, linebacker Kevin Minter says he’d like to return to the team but is also intrigued by the idea of reuniting with Todd Bowles on the Jets. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are reportedly not interested in signing Jay Cutler as Carson Palmer‘s backup.

Colts’ Trent Cole Plans To Continue Playing

February 24th, 2017 at 9:45am CST by Zachary Links

Back in January, Trent Cole hinted on Instagram that he would continue playing in 2017. Roughly six weeks later, we’re getting some mixed messages. Cole told SiriusXM (Twitter link) that he will retire if he is not offered enough money on his next deal. However, he took to Twitter minutes later to say “no retirement happening here.”Trent Cole (vertical)

[RELATED: Top 3 Offseason Needs: Indianapolis Colts]

The Colts linebacker is scheduled to hit free agency this March. For many years, Cole was a starter for the Eagles, but he has been slowed somewhat by injuries and age since joining Indianapolis. In seven games last year, Cole amassed 17 tackles and two sacks. In the year prior, he totaled 32 tackles and three sacks. His Pro Football Focus scores have been in the 70s over the last two years, framing him as a slightly above-average linebacker rather than the force that he was in his Philly prime.

Cole, 35 in October, has two Pro Bowl nods and eight playoff appearances on his resume.

Chiefs Sign RB C.J. Spiller

February 24th, 2017 at 9:19am CST by Zachary Links

C.J. Spiller has a new NFL home. The Chiefs announced on Friday morning that they have signed the veteran running back. "<strong

[RELATED: Could Chiefs Could Part Ways With Alex Smith?]

In 2016 alone, he bounced between three teams. He started the campaign with the Saints and he was quickly signed by the Seahawks following his release by New Orleans. The former first-rounder eventually found his way to the Jets, but his stint there ended after about five weeks. Spiller finished the year with six carries for 18 yards.

At one point in time, Spiller was considered to be a starting-caliber back. Now, on the cusp of his 30th birthday, it’s not clear if he’ll be able to stick on anyone’s roster. The Chiefs are about to find out.

The Chiefs now have four running backs under contract for 2016: Jamaal Charles, Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West, and Spiller. Charles is scheduled to count for nearly $6.2MM on Kansas City’s 2017 salary cap and is considered to be a release candidate.

As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) points out, Spiller shares an agent with pending free agent safety Eric Berry. The Chiefs may or may not be paying a favor to agent Chad Speck, but we at least know that the two sides are speaking.

Top 2017 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

[UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF THE TOP 2017 NFL FREE AGENTS BY POSITION]

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Quarterback:

  1. Kirk Cousins
  2. Mike Glennon
  3. Nick Foles
  4. Brian Hoyer
  5. Ryan Fitzpatrick
  6. Case Keenum
  7. Matt McGloin
  8. Mark Sanchez
  9. Geno Smith
  10. Ryan Mallett
  11. Josh McCown
  12. Christian Ponder
  13. Blaine Gabbert
  14. Matt Schaub
  15. Ryan Nassib

Honorable mention: Shaun Hill

As of this writing, Kirk Cousins is far and away the best potential free agent quarterback in this year’s crop. By the time March gets here, we’re fully expecting Cousins to be spoken for. Ultimately, the Redskins could franchise tag him, work out a long-term deal with him, or swing some type of trade that nets them a massive haul of talent and picks. That will leave a crop of retread quarterbacks that would probably best serve as transitional options for QB-needy teams. Kirk Cousins

Mike Glennon hasn’t done much in his 18 career starts, but talent evaluators are still in love with his size and potential. The 6’7″ quarterback will get more money this spring than you might expect, particularly since there are no surefire QBs in this year’s draft.

Teams looking for stopgap QBs will find a plethora of experienced, though perhaps uninspiring, signal callers. Nick Foles, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick all have their best football behind them, but they could hold down the fort for a team in 2017 and maybe even find some success if the defense is strong enough. Of course, the ideal role for those guys would probably be as a backup to a better, younger quarterback.

Running back:

  1. Le’Veon Bell
  2. Eddie Lacy
  3. LeGarrette Blount
  4. Latavius Murray
  5. Darren McFadden
  6. Jacquizz Rodgers
  7. Rashad Jennings
  8. Danny Woodhead
  9. Rex Burkhead
  10. Tim Hightower
  11. DeAngelo Williams
  12. Andre Ellington
  13. Chris Johnson
  14. Christine Michael
  15. Robert Turbin

Consider Le’Veon Bell‘s name written in Etch-A-Sketch, because he is very unlikely to get near the open market. That could leave Eddie Lacy as the best tailback available in March. Lacy has struggled with weight issues in recent years and he lost much of the 2016 season to injury. Still, he is a bruising back that could nicely complement a quicker ball carrier. Before he was shut down for the year, Lacy was averaging 5.07 yards per carry in five games for Green Bay.

LeGarrette Blount (vertical)In the last two years, LeGarrette Blount seems to have put his off-the-field troubles behind him. Whether that’s a sign of his maturity or a product of the Patriots’ culture remains to be seen. Teams can ignore his past indiscretions, but they will be wary of his age. Blount turns 31 in December.

Latavius Murray has shown glimpses of being a special running back, but he has been inconsistent and his 4.0 yards-per-carry average of the last two years isn’t overly impressive. Darren McFadden ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2015, but 2016 was pretty much a lost year for him. Jacquizz Rodgers seemed to break out last year, but he wound up succumbing to the same injury bug that took down a host of other Buccaneers running backs. Speaking of injuries, Rashad Jennings was initially brought to the Giants to be a workhorse back, but two of his three years in New York were marred by ailments. Everyone in this tier has the potential to make a difference, but none should be counted on as anyone’s main guy in 2017.

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Extra Points: Bouye, Texans, Tannehill, Kelly

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Texans are unlikely to place the ~$14.297MM franchise tag on pending free agent A.J. Bouye, which the cornerback understands. “Like my agent told me, it’s about the market value. If you’re not set to make that amount in the franchise tag, then the Texans have to do what they have to do,” Bouye told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “We made some moves last offseason and spent some money. We have guys, other corners, No. 25 [Kareem Jackson], No. 24 [Johnathan Joseph] and No. 30 [Kevin Johnson]. On top of trying to bring me back, they also have to take care of Hopkins, take care of Clowney when his deal is up.” If the Texans don’t tag Bouye, the 25-year-old could price himself off the team on a long-term deal once he reaches the open market. Even though he only has 19 starts to his name, Bouye’s “going to get paid a lot of money” because “everybody in the league knows how good he is,” an NFL personnel department executive informed Wilson.

More from around football (and a relevant baseball note):

  • As expected, the knee injury that sidelined Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the tail end of last season, including the team’s wild-card round loss to the Steelers, won’t be a problem going forward. Tannehill is now fully healed from his partially torn ACL/Grade 2 MCL sprain and will be able to participate in the Dolphins’ entire offseason program, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
  • Because he pleaded guilty to a non-criminal charge of disorderly conduct in January 2015, former Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly isn’t allowed to participate in next week’s scouting combine in Indianapolis. However, Kelly’s agent, Vance McAlister, is still working to land an invitation for his client, details Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today. If that doesn’t happen, Kelly and McAlister might travel to Indy anyway. “We are talking with all the teams that have already expressed interest to see what their thoughts are to make a decision,” said McAlister, who believes Kelly deserves an opportunity to meet with each team and let the clubs decide if he’s worth drafting. “I’ll be the first to tell you, Chad has had to grow up and has made some mistakes because of his immaturity. No question about that,” continued McAlister. “But for me, it’s up to the 32 teams to decide whether he has learned from his mistakes or grown. Nobody would be writing a story or talking about this if Chad didn’t have the talent. And by no means are we trying to justify any of his behavior of what he has done in the past. But that’s for teams to talk to him, ask him the questions and decide.”
  • Onetime NFL defensive back Sanders Commings will attempt to break into Major League Baseball as an outfielder, having agreed to join the Atlanta Braves on a minor league contract, writes Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors. The soon-to-be 27-year-old could have taken a shot at a baseball career much earlier, as the Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the 37th round of the 2008 MLB draft, but he instead chose to play football at Georgia. After his time with the Bulldogs ended, Commings went to Kansas City in the fifth round of the NFL draft in 2013. Commings appeared in the only two games of his pro football career that year with the Chiefs, who waived him in December 2015.
  • Jaguars offensive tackle Josh Wells‘ new deal is a two-year, $1.52MM pact featuring $75K in guarantees, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/23/17

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Thursday’s minor moves:

  • The Lions have announced the signing of offensive tackle Pierce Burton to an undisclosed contract. Burton, who went undrafted in 2014, previously spent time on the practice squads of the Vikings, Falcons, Panthers and Colts. The ex-Ole Miss standout hasn’t yet appeared in an NFL game.
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