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Month: November 2024

Top 10 Remaining NFL Free Agents: Defense

May 9th, 2018 at 6:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The most high-profile free agent signings occurred more than two months ago, but as we near June there are still talented NFL free agents available on the open market. Most of these players (with a few exceptions) won’t command much guaranteed money, and none will factor into the compensatory draft pick formula given that we’ve passed the May 8 deadline for comp selections. Let’s take a look at the defensive players who will try to find a home as training camp approaches:

1. Eric Reid, S

There’s no question that Reid’s history of protesting the national anthem has factored into his ongoing free agency. Reid was asked about his plans to kneel during the anthem by the Bengals, the only club yet to have him in for a visit, and Reid has since filed a collusion grievance against the NFL, one that is backed by the NFLPA. Colin Kaepernick, of course, has failed to land an NFL job after initiating the protest, and it’s quite possible Reid will be similarly blackballed. On the field, Reid is a solid starter capable of playing either defensive back or linebacker, but the safety market as a whole has been incredibly slow to develop.

Possible fits: 49ers, Cardinals, Buccaneers, Panthers, Redskins, Chiefs

2. Tre Boston, S

To date, Tyrann Mathieu‘s one-year, $7MM deal with the Texans is the most expensive safety contract (non-franchise tag department) handed out this offseason, and one agent told Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that safeties aren’t even getting offers of “one year, $3 million.” Like Reid, Boston has generated scant interest over the past two months, although four clubs — the Cardinals, Raiders, Browns, and Giants — reportedly expressed interest in March. Boston is only 25 years old, coming off the bet season of his career, and can handle deep safety. He’s admitted his history of social activism could be working against his prospects, although Boston hasn’t taken as public of stances as has Reid.

Possible fits: Bengals, Giants, Cowboys, Panthers, Buccaneers, Cardinals

3. Robert Ayers, EDGE

The Buccaneers swapped out Ayers in favor of Vinny Curry this spring, and it’s not readily apparent that Tampa Bay found a better player. While Curry is three years younger than Ayers, the latter finished as the league’s No. 10 edge defender in 2017, according to Pro Football Focus, while Curry ranked 21st. Ayers hit a career-high in sacks with nine in 2015 and managed only two quarterback takedowns a season ago, but he’s highly adept at generating pressure, even if it doesn’t show up in the stat sheet. Instead of taking multiple free agent visits, Ayers met with several clubs at the league’s meetings in March, but he’s yet to ink a new deal.

Possible fits: Lions, Panthers, Seahawks

4. Bashaud Breeland, CB

Breeland originally signed a three-year, $24MM pact with the Panthers on the first day of the free agent period, but that contact was nullified after Breeland failed his physical. A freak injury resulted in a cut on Breeland’s foot that will require a skin graft, meaning he won’t be able to sign until he heals, which could be at some point this summer. Overall, the health issue — which occurred when a stray golf ball hit Breeland and re-opened a wound he suffered in grade school — sounds relatively minor, and shouldn’t scare teams once the 26-year-old is ready to meet with teams again. The Packers, for one, were reportedly interested in Breeland before he landed with Carolina (but have since added multiple corners via the draft), while the Redskins don’t appear ready to discuss a reunion.

Possible fits: Cardinals, Lions, Eagles, Raiders, Chiefs, Colts, Bills

5. Junior Galette, EDGE

The 2018 pass rushing market was extremely thin, as there were few options available via either free agency or the draft. Veterans such as Demarcus Lawrence and Ezekiel Ansah were quickly franchise-tagged, while only two edge rushers — Bradley Chubb and Marcus Davenport — came off the board in the first round of the draft. Enter Galette, who dominated in limited playing time with the Redskins a season ago. Although he put up only three sacks, Galette registered 37 pressures on just 258 pass-rushing snaps. His age (30) and history of off-field issues should drive his price down, meaning an edge-needy club could be in line for a bargain. One team that’s not interested? Washington, which is moving on after inking fellow outside ‘backer Pernell McPhee.

Possible fits: Browns, Raiders, Rams, Ravens, Texans

6. Kenny Vaccaro, S

Vaccaro offers a more versatile skill-set than other defensive backs on this list, as he’s demonstrated the ability to play slot cornerback. Coming off the worst season of his five-year NFL career, Vaccaro was admittedly putrid in coverage in 2017. Pat Thorman charted the former first-round pick allowing a 84.2 completion percentage, 11.7 yards per attempt, and a 147.3 passer rating (for comparison, Eric Reid‘s numbers: 64.7%, 7.8 YPA, 81.8 passer rating). The Dolphins met with Vaccaro earlier this year, but seem unlikely to sign him after adding Minkah Fitzpatrick in the draft.

Possible fits: Cowboys, Bengals, Colts, Eagles, Buccaneers, 49ers

7. Delvin Breaux, CB

The Saints opted not to tender Breaux as a restricted free agent, passing on the opportunity to keep the 29-year-old at a one-year price south of $2MM. Since hitting the open market, Breaux has generated a good deal of interest, meeting with the Broncos, Patriots, Packers, and 49ers in March. That he hasn’t yet signed is likely an indication that Breaux is asking for too much money, as teams are likely wary of paying a player who hasn’t been healthy since 2015. That 2015 campaign was a massive success for Breaux, however, as he finished 16th in Football Outsiders’ success rate, meaning the former CFLer was proficient at stopping receivers short of the sticks.

Possible fits: Patriots, Broncos, Texans, Colts, Chiefs, Eagles, Panthers

8. NaVorro Bowman, LB

Although Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has not ruled out a reunion with Bowman even after signing fellow linebacker Derrick Johnson last week, it’s difficult to see how Bowman would fit on the Oakland Roster. Johnson wasn’t the only Raiders ‘backer addition this spring, as the club has also brought in Tahir Whitehead, Emmanuel Lamur, and Kyle Wilber. Bowman, 30, has stated that he’d like to re-sign with the Raiders, and noted his affinity for the Bay Area. If Bowman wants to stay in California, the Chargers or even the 49ers (Reuben Foster insurance?) could make sense as a potential destinations.

Possible fits: Chargers, 49ers, Patriots, Steelers, Jaguars, Giants, Rams

9. Johnathan Hankins, DT

Despite having five NFL seasons under his belt, Hankins is still only 26 years old. So why aren’t teams banging down his door? Massive defensive tackles of Hankins’ stature (6’3″, 320 pounds) simply are relied on very much in today’s pass-heavy league, so clubs aren’t willing to shell out money for what is effectively a part-time player. Hankins has steadily played about two-thirds of his team’s defensive snaps, meaning he’s taken off the field on passing downs. Still, he should be able to fill a specific role for a team with a need on the interior. Thus far, Hankins has met with the Redskins and Jets.

Possible fits: Dolphins, Browns, Texans, Falcons, Saints

10. Kayvon Webster, CB

Webster ruptured his Achilles tendon last December before ultimately being released by the Rams in April, so any interested party will need to closely inspect his health status before agreeing to a deal. In his first full season as a starter, Webster was relatively successful, ranking as a top-35 cornerback in Football Outsiders’ success rate and yards per pass allowed. Los Angeles probably won’t have any interest in re-signing Webster after landing both Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib this offseason, but the Broncos — with whom Webster spent the first four years of his career — might be an option.

Possible fits: Broncos, Cardinals, Dolphins, Eagles, Giants, Bills

Panthers Bidder Wants To Involve Peyton Manning

May 9th, 2018 at 5:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Panthers bidder Ben Navarro has made contact with former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning regarding a limited ownership role if Navarro were to land the Carolina franchise, reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, who adds Manning is considering the offer.

Manning has long been connected to NFL front office openings, but Person’s report doesn’t mention any possibility that Manning would be involved in personnel decisions. That could certainly change, of course, if Navarro does indeed secure the Panthers, as he’d likely want to remake the club’s front office. General manager Marty Hurney recently had the interim tag removed from his title, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be asked to stick around once new ownership is in place.

Manning, 42, hasn’t made a re-entrance to NFL life since retiring following the 2015 campaign. He was recently linked to a position within the Browns’ front office, but Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam denied ever making Manning an offer. Earlier this year, both ESPN and FOX heavily pursued Manning as a television analyst, but he rejected overtures from both networks.

The remaining bidders for the Panthers include Steelers minority owner David Tepper, steel magnate Alan Kestenbaum, and entrepreneur Michael Rubin, according to Person.

Cardinals To Sign FB Derrick Coleman

May 9th, 2018 at 4:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Derrick Coleman agreed to a one-year deal with the Cardinals, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal puts the veteran in line to be Arizona’s new starting fullback. 

Coleman, 28 in October, appeared in all 16 of the Falcons’ regular season games in 2017. He is regarded as one of the best at his position, but his market was slow to develop this offseason as most teams do not utilize a fullback in their offense. Known mostly for his blocking ability, Coleman has just three catches in his last two NFL seasons and 13 grabs across four active years in the league.

Coleman made headlines for the wrong reasons during his Seahawks tenure. An alleged hit-and-run incident in 2015 kept him out of football in 2016, but he avoided jail by agreeing community service plus 12 months of community supervision.

Coleman joins a roster that already has several fringe running backs competing for work. Beyond starter David Johnson, Elijhaa Penny, and fourth-round rookie Chase Edmunds, D.J. Foster, T.J. Logan, and Bronson Hill are fighting to make the final cut.

NFC East Rumors: Cowboys, Prescott, ‘Skins

May 9th, 2018 at 4:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys are already planning to back up a Brinks truck for quarterback Dak Prescott when the times comes, as Charean Williams of PFT writes.

“Yeah, you know at that position, it kind of is what it is,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “You kind of, when the time comes, [expect to pay him]. I know Dak is going to have a good year this year. I hope it’s up there. It’s going to be as he deserves. He was a fourth-round pick. No one deserves to get paid fairly more than he does. We all see what some of the other guys are who aren’t Aaron Rodgers, who aren’t Matt Ryan [are getting paid]. He’s going to do well. We certainly know that’s going to happen. We’ve got that planned in our budgeting for the salary cap. I just want Dak to go out and be MVP this year of the NFL. That’s what I want. Then, we’ll deal with that.”

For now, Prescott is under contract through the 2019 season with below market cap numbers of $726K and $815K in the next two years. Per NFL rules, Prescott cannot renegotiate his deal until after the 2018 season is through.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • The Cowboys are on the lookout for safety help, Williams writes. For now, Xavier Woods is penciled in as the starter at free safety following Byron Jones‘ shift to cornerback. “Absolutely. I mean, we don’t ever quit looking in terms of player acquisition,” Jones said. “One of the things that is unique is, when you have players with versatility, it probably makes you feel a little better…We feel like, overall, we’re very comfortable and confident where we are. But there’s still a lot of work to do between now and the start of the season.”
  • The Redskins let go of longtime scout Scott Campbell who spent 17 years with the club and was the director of college scouting through the 2017 draft, as Mike Florio of PFT tweets. The team says that they simply did not offer Campbell a new contract after the expiration of his old deal, but that’s really a matter of semantics.
  • Earlier today, we rounded up other news on the Cowboys, including items on Randy Gregory‘s reinstatement and the team’s post-Jason Witten plans.

Eagles Sign Entire Draft Class

May 9th, 2018 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have wrapped up their entire draft class, the team announced. The following rookies are now officially under contract with the defending champs: 

  • 2-49: Dallas Goedert, TE (South Dakota State)
  • 4-125: Avonte Maddox, CB (Pittsburgh)
  • 4-130: Josh Sweat, DE (Florida State)
  • 6-206: Matt Pryor, T (TCU)
  • 7-233: Jordan Mailata, T (Australia)

Goedert was the Eagles’ top pick in this year’s class after they shipped their No. 32 overall pick and a fourth-round choice (No. 132) to the Ravens for a second-rounder (No. 52), fourth-rounder (No. 125) and a second-round pick in 2019. The Ravens used the final pick in the first round on Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Eagles, meanwhile, moved up from No. 52 to No 49 in a deal with the Cowboys to land Goedert.

Goedert was regarded by some as the best tight end in this year’s class, but South Carolina’s Hayden Hurst (No. 25, Ravens) and Penn State’s Mike Gesicki (No. 42, Dolphins), both went ahead of him. The South Dakota State star is now out to prove that he can dominate at a much higher level of competition. Last year, he tallied 92 receptions for 1,293 yards and eleven touchdowns.

Maddox may have a chance to contribute right off the bat following the departure of cornerback Patrick Robinson. Although he is undersized at 5’9″, evaluators say that he plays with the toughness necessary to succeed in the NFL.

Sweat, meanwhile, offers serious potential with a 4.53 second 40-yard-dash time and a track record of serious pass rushing ability. Although he tallied 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last year, some teams were warded off by the injuries that sidelined him in high school and in the 2016 season.

Patriots Work Out DT Ra’Shede Hageman

May 9th, 2018 at 4:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Falcons defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman worked out for the Patriots on Wednesday, according to the league’s transaction wire. This marks the first workout of the offseason for the free agent.

Hageman was arrested on domestic violence charges in 2016 and teams have been keeping their distance from him ever since. Last year, Hageman was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list prior to the start of the season and the Falcons subsequently waived him. After that, he was hit with a six-week suspension by the league, a ban which he fulfilled as a free agent.

The Seahawks expressed interest in Hageman last month, but things didn’t really develop beyond that point. The Pats are the first team to bring him in for an audition this spring.

Hageman was a second-round pick in 2014 after he put together an impressive highlight reel at the University of Minnesota. Before he was let go by the Falcons, team coaches were reportedly enamored with his progress.

The Patriots will have to take a deep look into his situation before getting into business with him, but Hageman could be a low-cost and potentially high reward signing for them. The Patriots have Lawrence Guy, Danny Shelton, and Malcom Brown in their defensive tackle rotation, but Hageman would give them another talented option in the mix.

Hageman appeared in 44 of Atlanta’s 48 regular-season games during his time there with 15 total starts. The majority of his work came in 2015, when he tallied career highs in starts (11), defensive snaps (419) and tackles (27).

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/9/18

May 9th, 2018 at 3:34pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Indianapolis Colts

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: G Daronte Bouldin

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: OT Mike Person

Cowboys Rumors: Gregory, Witten, Crawford

May 9th, 2018 at 2:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of Dallas:

  • Cowboys defensive end Tyrone Crawford has spoken to the league the last couple of weeks to argue for the reinstatement of suspended defensive lineman Randy Gregory, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram tweets. Crawford’s believe is that it is best for Gregory to be around the team as he looks to get his personal life and football career back on track. The Cowboys are hopeful that Gregory will be allowed to play in 2018, but they are not banking on him playing.
  • The Cowboys not interested in adding a veteran tight end to make up for Jason Witten retiring, Jon Machota of the Dallas News tweets. Instead, as exec Stephen Jones has said in the past, the team wants to give the opportunity to the tight ends already on the roster. Not counting UDFA’s, the Cowboys’ TE depth chart is comprised of Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin, fourth-round pick Dalton Schultz, and Rico Gathers.
  • Kansas head coach David Beaty believes defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr. fell to the Cowboys in the fourth round because of his weight and lack of quickness at the combine and pro day (link via Jori Epstein of the Dallas News). Assuming Armstrong gets his conditioning in order, Beaty believes the Cowboys have a tremendous steal on their hands. In 2016, Armstrong had a breakout year with ten sacks for the Jayhawks.

Saints Not Planning To Sign Running Back

May 9th, 2018 at 2:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Mark Ingram is set to serve a four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, but the Saints aren’t planning to sign a veteran as a fill-in, a team official tells Steve Wyche of the NFL Network (on Twitter). It was widely believed that the Saints would consider options on the open market, but they are apparently comfortable with leading rusher Alvin Kamara and their current backups. 

The Saints are high on former Bills rusher Jonathan Williams, as well as sixth-round Louisiana Tech product Boston Scott, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Their confidence in both players – as well as the presence of Trey Edmunds and Daniel Lasco – is apparently enough for the team to stand pat while Ingram misses the first month of regular season action.

Had the Saints delved into the free agent market, they could have evaluated players such as DeMarco Murray, Orleans Darkwa, and Alfred Morris. PFR’s Dallas Robinson recently listed Murray and Darkwa as two of the top ten offensive players remaining on the open market. Things should pick up for Darkwa in the coming weeks after having a cumbersome plate removed from his leg.

Ingram is out of conventional options to fight his four-game ban, but a statement from his agency indicates that he could seek legal action to fight the suspension. Assuming the suspension stands following his unsuccessful appeal, he’ll lose out on $1.27MM in base salary and bonuses.

Latest On Raiders’ Donald Penn

May 9th, 2018 at 1:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Raiders tackle Donald Penn will not face charges stemming from an incident with his wife in late April, according to TMZ. It was reported that Penn slapped his wife’s behind and poured a drink on her head, but the two later issued a joint statement downplaying the incident.

“The office rejected this case because of lack of corroboration and on the ground that there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction on the domestic violence matter,” an L.A. City Attorney’s Office spokesperson told TMZ. “Bottom line, lack of sufficient evidence.”

Of course, Penn isn’t necessarily out of the woods in terms of league discipline. Per the terms of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, the league office reserves the right to suspend and/or fine players for improper off-the-field activity, even when charges are not pursued.

Still, the odds of a suspension have dramatically decreased with the news. In all likelihood, the Raiders will have Penn in the lineup when they open the season on Sept. 10 against the Rams.

Penn has started in all but four of his career games with the Bucs and Raiders and he did not miss a game until last year when he was sidelined with a foot injury. Despite the late-season malady, he earned his third career Pro Bowl nod.

Last year, Penn graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 23 ranked tackle in the NFL. In 2016, he ranked as the 12th best tackle in the league.

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