2019 March - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Golden, Jackson, Marshall

March 11th, 2019 at 1:53pm CST by Rory Parks

Here’s the latest from around the NFL:

The Giants have interest in Cardinals free agent Markus Golden, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). As per usual, free agent pass rushers are expected to cash in big, so Golden could be looking at a substantial deal. Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher coached Golden in Arizona in 2016 when he notched 12.5 sacks, so it’s a logical fit.
The Broncos placed a call on Malik Jackson after his release from Jacksonville, a source close to the player tells Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter). However, the Broncos didn’t really need Jackson, and they have placed a greater emphasis on finding a nose tackle. Jackson, of course, inked a three-year, $30MM deal with the Eagles this morning.
Five teams are interested in Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, according to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). As previously reported, Marshall’s option for 2019 will not be exercised.

Lions To Sign Justin Coleman

March 11th, 2019 at 1:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions are closing in on a deal with former Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The contract will make Coleman the NFL’s highest-paid nickel corner. It’s a four-year, $36MM deal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

After spending two seasons in New England, Coleman was traded to Seattle in the 2017 offseason for a seventh-round pick in 2018. Mainly serving as a nickel back with the Seahawks, Coleman proved to be a brilliant add. Coleman hasn’t missed a game for the Seahawks in the past two seasons and has emerged as a quality stopper at an increasingly important position.

You may recall that Tavon Young, way back when in late February, became the league’s highest-paid nickel corner when the Ravens re-upped him on a three-year, $25.8MM extension. That mantle now belongs to Coleman, a player who had the benefit of shopping the open market.

Free agency does not formally begin until Wednesday, but Coleman reached his deal with Detroit on Monday, the first day of the so-called “legal tampering” period. Later this week, the contract will be made official.

Jets Interested In C.J. Mosley

March 11th, 2019 at 1:17pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are interested in linebacker C.J. Mosley, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). The Jets have been looking to upgrade at inside linebacker and the Ravens standout would fit the bill.

Mosley, 27 in June, has made four Pro Bowls and has anchored Baltimore’s linebacking corps for years. He is a three-down linebacker who stands to do well in free agency, though the Ravens would like to keep him. By the same token, the Ravens have allowed plenty of impact defenders to leave via free agency in recent years.

Kwon Alexander just reached a handshake deal with the 49ers on a four-year, $54MM deal and it stands to reason that Mosley will aim to top that pact. Mosley has been largely healthy throughout his career while Alexander is coming off of a torn ACL, so his camp will surely use that as a point of argument in negotiations.

49ers To Sign LB Kwon Alexander

March 11th, 2019 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Kwon Alexander is spoken for. On Monday, the 49ers signed the former Buccaneers linebacker to a four-year, $54MM deal (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The pact includes $27MM guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) adds.

John Lynch, who knows a thing or two about the Buccaneers’ organization, is investing big in the linebacker position. Alexander was expected to cash in this offseason, but few could have foreseen this type of deal for a player coming off of a torn ACL.

The Bucs discussed an extension with Alexander last year before his ACL tear in October, but they were unwilling to break the $10MM/year mark for him. Months later, the 49ers have shelled out $13.5MM per season for the soon-to-be 25-year-old.

A fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, Alexander started 46 games over three-plus years with the Buccaneers. Last season, he posted 38 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one sack while grading as the No. 53 linebacker at the time of his injury, per Pro Football Focus. In 2017, Alexander earned his first career Pro Bowl selection and graded out as PFF’s No. 37 off-ball ‘backer. In 2016, he registered an eye-popping 145 stops.

Previously, the 49ers were looking into inside linebackers such as C.J. Mosley and Anthony Barr. In all likelihood, the Alexander signing will take them out of the mix for both players.

Jets Unlikely To Re-Sign Morris Claiborne

March 11th, 2019 at 12:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets do not expect to bring back free agent cornerback Morris Claiborne, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter). Claiborne has spent the last two years with the Jets, but this appears to be the end of the line for the former first-round pick in New York.

Claiborne performed at a high level in 2016, his final year with the Cowboys, before injuries cut his season short. The Jets saw Claiborne as a potential value add and scooped him up on a one-year deal. Over the last two years, Claiborne has missed just two games combined, but he has been far from a shutdown corner.

Meanwhile, the Jets are hoping to re-sign cornerback Darryl Roberts before free agency opens on Wednesday. The two sides are working on a deal that would keep the versatile 28-year-old in the fold for at least one more season.

Redskins Shopping Zach Brown, Mason Foster

March 11th, 2019 at 12:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are actively shopping several players in trade talks, including linebackers Zach Brown and Mason Foster, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Meanwhile, the Redskins are also strong players for Ravens free agent linebacker C.J. Mosley.

Mosley already figured to have a huge market with teams like the 49ers on his tail. The Redskins, meanwhile, figure to make a strong play for him while overhauling their own LB corps.

Brown was solid in his second season with the Redskins, but he also clashed with coaches. In December, Brown said that he expected to be released in the offseason.

“I think they’re just going in a different direction towards everything,” Brown said. “I’m going this direction, they’re going that direction.”

Brown, 29, had 96 tackles and one sack as the Redskins’ inside linebacker last season. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus were extremely high on him, grading him as the third-best LB in the NFL behind only Bobby Wagner and Luke Kuechly. Brown’s contract runs through 2020, but teams could still have interest in acquiring him.

Foster, 30, has spent hte last four seasons with the Redskins. He’s dealt with injuries in the past, but he started in all 16 games last season en route to compiling 131 tackles, two interceptions, and a sack.

Giants Interested In LB Deone Bucannon

March 11th, 2019 at 12:17pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have expressed interest in linebacker Deone Bucannon, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter). Bucannon played under Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher in Arizona and offers familiarity with his system.

Bucannon started his career as a hybrid linebacker/safety and offers strong coverage skills. Still, the Cardinals have not been able to get much from him in recent years and tried to move him at last year’s trade deadline. Bettcher may feel that he’s in position to get the most out of Bucannon and the Giants’ front office is at least open to the idea of signing him.

Last year, Bucannon totaled just 38 tackles and one sack across 13 games (six starts). But, in the past, he has shown flashes of brilliance. In 2015, his sophomore year as a pro, the Washington State product tallied 109 tackles, three sacks, and an interception.

Bills To Sign Kevin Johnson

March 11th, 2019 at 12:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills are expected to add free agent cornerback Kevin Johnson, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal is pending a “final review of the contract,” according to Rapoport, but it sounds like the key parts of the deal are in place.

Concussions limited Johnson to just one game last season with the Texans and his physical could be more than just a formality in Buffalo. But, if Johnson gets the medical greenlight, he could prove to be a strong value addition for the Bills.

The former first-round pick has missed 29 out of a possible 64 games over the last four seasons. But, with two quality cornerbacks in Tre’Davious White and Levi Wallace, Johnson could provide valuable support on the outside. Armed with $77MM+ in cap space, the Bills had the room to make the upgrade.

Broncos Exercise Sanders, Harris Options

March 11th, 2019 at 12:04pm CST by Zachary Links

As expected, Broncos picked up Emmanuel Sanders‘ $1.5MM option on Monday, according to Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter). With that, Sanders has $1.5MM fully guaranteed on his scheduled $10.25MM payout for 2019. For his part, Sanders has said he’s way ahead of schedule in his rehab from an Achilles injury.

The Broncos also picked up their option on cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (Twitter link). The option, worth $1MM, will be followed by an additional $7.9MM payout in 2019.

Sanders, who will turn 32 on Sunday, recently balked at a potential pay cut. The Broncos, however, did not ask for a pay cut, so that was pretty much a moot point. Thanks to his fast recovery, Sanders should be able to return at some point during training camp.

Harris, meanwhile, is entering the final season of a five-year, $42.5MM deal. The contract has proven to be a tremendous value for the Broncos as Harris has blossomed into one of this era’s best cornerbacks. In 2018, Harris graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 3 overall CB. An extension could be on the way, but the Broncos first want to see how free agency plays out.

Bills Discussing Trey Flowers

March 11th, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills are internally discussing the idea of pursuing Trey Flowers, according to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). Flowers will be one of the most coveted free agents when the market opens on Wednesday, so this would be a costly endeavor for Buffalo.

Flowers won’t turn 26 until August and profiles as one of the most attractive free agents in this year’s crop. Last year, he set a new career high with 7.5 sacks and continued to generate pressure against opposing QBs. Last year, Flowers graded out as the sixth-best edge rusher in the entire NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, and posted a career-best 88.7 overall score. That mark put him below only Calais Campbell, Khalil Mack, J.J. Watt, Von Miller, and Cameron Jordan.

The Jets have also been heavily connected to Flowers, so it’s quite possible that he’ll remain in the AFC East.