HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Bills To Sign Vontae Davis

February 26th, 2018 at 6:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Vontae Davis has found a home. The free agent cornerback is signing a one-year deal with the Bills, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Davis himself has seemingly confirmed the news on his own Twitter account as well. Vontae Davis (vertical)

For most of the league’s players, free agency does not kick off until March 14. However, Davis was in a unique position since the Colts released him during the 2017 season. Typically, the available players in February are replacement level types. Davis, meanwhile, was able to shop himself as soon as he received medical clearance from doctors a couple of weeks ago.

No one can accuse Davis of being hasty about his free agent choice. In recent weeks, the veteran met with the 49ers, Browns, Bills, Raiders, and Dolphins before settling on Buffalo. His stated goal was to sign with a team before the start of free agency and he accomplished that with more than two weeks to spare.

The terms of the deal are not yet known and we also don’t know exactly what caliber of player the Bills are getting in the 29-year-old (30 in May). The former first-round pick looked the part of a high-end starter as he earned Pro Bowl nods in 2014 and 2015. However, his performance declined in 2016 and a core injury slowed him down tremendously last season, leading to his November release.

In 2014, Davis earned a stellar 95.1 overall score from Pro Football Focus. In the following year, he turned in a strong 81.9 mark, which still painted him as an above-average starter. However, he was one of the ten worst qualified corners in the league in 2016, per PFF, and wasn’t ranked much better at the time of his release in ’17.

If healthy, Davis could prove to be a valuable depth piece for Buffalo. He could be asked to provide even more if the team is unable to re-sign pending free agent E.J. Gaines.

Latest On Dolphins, Jarvis Landry

February 26th, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins are slated to meet with the agent for wide receiver Jarvis Landry on Wednesday in Indianapolis to discuss the wide receiver’s future, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Multiple sources believe the Dolphins are interested in trading Landry, Schefter writes, which is consistent with what we’ve been hearing in recent days.Jarvis Landry (vertical)

The Dolphins surprised many last week when they opted to franchise tag Landry at a cost of more than $16.2MM. Soon after, we learned that the Dolphins are looking to trade Landry and quickly utilized the tag so that they could commence talks. What it boils down to is this – the Dolphins have limited cap space this offseason and Landry’s rumored request for $30MM in guaranteed money and more than $14MM/year does not fit into the budget. That’s also a remarkably steep price tag for a slot receiver, albeit a very good one.

Per league rules, the teams have until July 16 to agree on a long-term contract with franchise tagged players. If no deal is agreed upon by that date, then the tagged player plays out the coming season on the one-year tender. The Dolphins also reserve the right to revoke the tag from Landry once the free agent period begins on March 14.

Right now, the Dolphins seem intent on forgoing options A, B, and C, and going with option D: Dealing Landry elsewhere.

Extra Points: Vander Esch, Cousins, Brees

February 26th, 2018 at 5:41pm CST by Zachary Links

During his teleconference on Monday, NFL Network’s Mike Mayock opined that Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch could shoot up the charts if he clocks in at under 4.65 seconds in the 40-yard-dash at the combine. Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (video link) hears that Vander Esch has been beating that number in practice, which means that we could see him climb the boards in the coming weeks.

Last year, Garafolo was hearing similar rumblings about Temple’s Haason Reddick and he catapulted from the second round to No. 13 overall where he was snagged by the Cardinals. Recently, a scouting director told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that LVE will go in the first round, though he is unlikely to crack the top 15.

Vander Esch, a high-end athlete for his position, broke out in 2017 with an eye-popping 141 tackles, the most by any Boise State player in an individual season since 1988. He also had 8.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, and two interceptions.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Mike Florio of PFT wonders if this year’s free agent quarterbacks could fall victim to collusion. Already, we’ve heard talk that the Jets will not simply hand Kirk Cousins a blank check, despite their desperate need for a franchise QB. Florio anticipates similar talk to emerge about Drew Brees, who would likely garner $30MM/year from a contender in a fair market. Meanwhile, there’s talk that lesser options like Case Keenum and A.J. McCarron may get less than the value of Blake Bortles‘ now exercised $18MM option with the Jaguars. If QBs of that caliber are stifled, then injury-prone players like Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater will certainly feel it too. Ultimately, teams will be able to find leverage in this year’s draft, which has multiple QB candidates for the first round.
  • This year, free agent blocking tight ends like Darren Fells (Lions), Lee Smith (Raiders), and Virgil Green (Broncos) figure to earn more than expected, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The reason, Rapoport says, is because of poor draft talent in that area and a lack of other options. Last offseason, tight end Rhett Ellison landed a four-year, $18MM free agent deal from the Giants despite averaging just ten catches per season over the course of his five-year career, so there is precedent for TEs to cash in even without gaudy stat lines.
  • If you’re not doing so already, you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Twitter: @ProFootballRumors. It’s a must-follow for all NFL fans, particularly with free agency right on the horizon.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Coleman, Bucs

February 26th, 2018 at 5:18pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the NFC South:

  • Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff says that he has no interest in trading running back Tevin Coleman this offseason (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com). Previously, Dimitroff indicated that he could see a scenario of extending Coleman even though the team has already paid Devonta Freeman. Last year, Coleman totaled 628 rushing yards and four touchdowns plus 27 catches for 299 yards. For what it’s worth, that’s 122 less receiving yards than he had in 2016 and his 4.0 yards-per-carry average was down from 4.4 over the previous two seasons.
  • Pending Buccaneers free agent T.J. Ward is a player to watch in free agency, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Ward started only five of his 12 games for the Bucs last year and graded out as the No. 58 ranked safety in the NFL per Pro Football Focus. That’s a big dropoff from his three straight Pro Bowls from 2013-2015 and his January arrest doesn’t help matters either. Still, in a shallow safety pool, Rapoport expects Ward to draw interest. Whether that comes to fruition or not, it’s not expected that Ward will be back with the Bucs.
  • The Falcons know that they’ll have some tough choices to make as they create room for quarterback Matt Ryan‘s next deal. “We all know that as we start nearing the signing of quarterbacks in this league, and especially quarterbacks of Matt Ryan’s status, you have to be very creative,” Dimitroff said on 680 The Fan (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “There are going to be some difficult moves for us to make probably early next week and into next week.” Ledbetter notes that left guard Andy Levitre ($7MM in savings) and defensive end Brooks Reed ($3.6MM in savings) are both cap casualty candidates. Other cap casualty candidates include quarterback Matt Schaub ($3.25MM), defensive tackle Derrick Shelby ($3.2MM), wide receiver Mohamed Sanu ($3.1MM,) and tight end Levine Toilolo ($2.5MM).

Browns, Colts Weren’t Serious About Peters

February 26th, 2018 at 5:02pm CST by Zachary Links

If the Chiefs’ return for Marcus Peters seemed underwhelming, that’s because there was not a booming market for the cornerback’s services. The Browns and Colts were never major players for Peters, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), despite both teams having execs that were involved in drafting him. Marcus Peters (vertical)

Shortly after Peters was shipped to the Rams, there were conflicting reports regarding the Browns’ involvement. It seems that we have a better understanding of Cleveland’s participation now – the Browns explored a possible Peters deal, but they were never serious suitors.

The Colts, meanwhile, will be on the lookout for a cornerback, particularly if they do not re-sign Rashaan Melvin. However, they are armed with $74MM+ in cap space and are near the top of the draft order this year, so they have other ways to bolster the CB group. Peters would have given the Colts a top-end starter in the secondary, but he may come with headaches and the price to get him was apparently still too steep for GM Chris Ballard‘s liking.

On Monday afternoon, we learned that the Rams are sending a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 124 overall) and a 2019 second-rounder to the Chiefs in exchange for Peters and KC’s sixth-round choice (No. 196). That’s probably less than the Chiefs expected to receive, but they did not like the odds of getting Peters’ behavior under control and were uncomfortable with the prospect of giving him major dollars beyond his 2019 option.

Bucs To Decline C Joe Hawley’s Option

February 26th, 2018 at 4:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers will decline their $2.5MM option for 2018 on center Joe Hawley, a source tells NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). They haven’t closed the door on bringing him back, but a veteran OL on the market. "<strong

Hawley was the Bucs’ primary starter in the middle in 2015 and 2016. Last offseason, the team shifted Ali Marpet from right guard to center, pushing Hawley to a reserve role. He saw an uptick in playing time when Marpet hit the injured reserve list in November, but he made only four appearances with two starts on the year. For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus did not look kindly on his small sample of 203 snaps.

It makes sense for the Bucs to explore re-signing Hawley on a cheaper deal, but he may look for a better situation in March before agreeing to anything. With 54 career starts to his credit, the 29-year-old probably feels deserving of more playing time than the Bucs are looking to give him.

Fellow Buccaneers interior lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith is also due for free agency in March, so there might not be room for both players in 2018.

Chiefs Expected To Release Ron Parker

February 26th, 2018 at 4:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs are expected to part ways with Ron Parker this offseason, sources tell Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. By cutting the safety, KC will save nearly $5MM against the salary cap with just $2MM in dead money. Ron Parker (vertical)

The Chiefs re-signed Parker to a five-year, $30MM deal during the 2015 offseason, a pact that seemed a little rich at the time given his level of experience. Parker established new career highs across the board in 2014, but that was his very first season as a starter.

In 2017, Parker had the worst Pro Football Focus score of his career (40.1) and rated as one of the worst qualified safeties in the NFL. With his 31st birthday around the corner in August, it’s not a surprise to hear that the Chiefs are looking to cut bait.

Once Parker is cut and the trades of quarterback Alex Smith and cornerback Marcus Peters are made official, the Chiefs are expected to have roughly $19MM in cap space to work with. They’ll gain another $6.6MM in cap space if outside linebacker Tamba Hali retires or is released.

Redskins Exploring Su’a Cravens Trade

February 26th, 2018 at 3:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the NFL reinstated Su’a Cravens earlier this month, the safety is attached to his second year of his Redskins rookie contract.

But the Redskins, following a tumultuous year with their former second-round pick, look to be trying to unload Cravens. Washington is gauging the trade market for Cravens, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter).

Three years remain on Cravens’ deal, but the Redskins experienced trust issues with the once-coveted USC defender. Cravens retired, then unretired, then was placed on the reserve/left squad list.

As a rookie, Cravens played in 11 games and started three. Playing both linebacker and safety, Cravens made 33 tackles in 2016. The Redskins were planning to move him to safety exclusively in his second season, but Cravens’ complicated 2017 nixed those plans.

Giants Notes: Darnold, Richburg, Pugh

February 26th, 2018 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dave Gettleman fired Marc Ross shortly after he took over as Giants GM, but the longtime Big Blue VP of player evaluation may have shed some light as to which players previous Giants scouts were high on and whom the franchise could target with its No. 2 pick. Of the quarterbacks, Ross singled out Sam Darnold during an appearance on NFL Live (via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com). He identified Saquon Barkley as well and even pointed to Notre Dame guard phenom Quenton Nelson.

“You have to look at a quarterback, ut it has to be the right guy. You can’t just force a guy,” said Ross, who interviewed to be the Giants’ GM in December. “The right guy for them, on and off the field, I would think would be Sam Darnold. He’s ultra-talented, he’s a playmaker, he’s a winner. And he’s also very clean off the field. What I mean by that: no issues, great leader, great teammate, great person.”

Darnold would have a chance to develop while Eli Manning — whom the current regime immediately took off the trade market, judging by everything that’s been said thus far this offseason. Ross’ stance on Nelson mostly comes from Gettleman’s comments regarding the franchise being desperate for offensive line upgrades, and it would be unusual for a guard to go this high. But he did seem to echo a theme he’d heard while in his previous post with the Giants.

“All the years of talking about, ‘The Giants need O-line; the Giants need O-line,’” Ross said, “they may even go that route.”

Here’s more Giants news prior to the team’s trip to Indianapolis.

  • Weston Richburg will likely leave as a free agent, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv notes, but the Giants will probably gauge his price at the Combine. Raanan reports multiple teams view the longtime Giants center as a quality starter despite the concussion that cost Richburg 12 games last season. A 2014 second-round pick, Richburg performed better in 2015 and ’16.
  • The Giants will also likely examine Justin Pugh‘s interest in coming back at the Combine, Vacchiano writes. Pugh’s 2017 injury-marred season will not deter the Giants from re-signing him, Raanan reports. A back injury cost Pugh eight games last season, but it looks like the 2013 first-rounder will be a higher priority to retain than Richburg. Pugh did not undergo surgery and said he would like to be back with the Giants next season. It won’t be cheap, however, and Raanan listed the Jaguars — who have Pugh’s college coach (Doug Marrone) and former NFL coach (Tom Coughlin) as key organizational pillars — as an obvious fit if the guard/tackle leaves the Big Apple.
  • Ross is high on Baker Mayfield but doesn’t see an obvious fit in New York. The Giants had a meeting scheduled with Mayfield at the Senior Bowl that didn’t end up taking place, and the Heisman Trophy winner has said a job learning behind Manning would be ideal for him.
  • Orleans Darkwa could be a candidate to return on a low-cost deal, Raanan and Vacchiano note. Raanan expects the running back to have suitors on the market. New York will probably be looking to upgrade at running back after struggling on the ground again last season, but Darkwa would make sense as a complementary back. He led the Giants with 751 rushing yards last season and averaged 4.4 per carry.
  • While technically forbidden because of tampering, Vacchiano notes the Giants will “absolutely” know where they stand with UFA guard Andrew Norwell. The former Gettleman UDFA find with the Panthers has been linked to the Giants, but considering the issues teams have had finding and developing linemen this decade, Norwell could potentially eclipse Kevin Zeitler‘s record guard deal come March.
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