2019 March - Pro Football Rumors

Bills Hosting TE Dwayne Allen

March 6th, 2019 at 5:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent tight end Dwayne Allen‘s tour has continued to Buffalo, where the Bills are hosting him today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. If Allen leaves New York without a deal in hand, he’s expected to meet with the Lions.

Allen was released last Saturday by the Patriots, but a market has quickly developed for his services. The Ravens, already flush with tight end talent, met with Allen earlier this week, while the Dolphins have also been mentioned as a possible suitor in addition to Buffalo and Detroit. Both the Dolphins and Lions employ former Patriots coordinators — Brian Flores and Matt Patricia, respectively — as head coaches, while former New England staffer Brian Daboll is Buffalo’s offensive play-caller.

Allen, 29, was once a relatively prolific receiving tight end during his run with the Colts, topping 50 targets and 25 reception in three of his five Indianapolis campaigns. Since being traded to the Patriots prior to the 2017 season, however, Allen has essentially become a sixth offensive lineman. In his two years in New England, Allen has managed only 26 total targets, and 22 of those looks came during his debut season with the Patriots. In 2018, Allen played 438 offensive snaps, but ran a route on only 128 of those plays.

The Bills are devoid of established talent at the tight end position, having released their only experienced player at the position — Charles Clay — earlier this year. At present, Buffalo has only Jason Croom under contract, while fellow tight end Logan Thomas is a restricted free agent.

Steelers Tender RFA B.J. Finney At Second-Round Level

March 6th, 2019 at 5:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Steelers have placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent offensive lineman B.J. Finney, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Finney will now collect $3.095MM for the 2018 campaign once he signs his tender. Theoretically, he could sign an offer sheet with another club, but that team would have to be willing to surrender a second-round pick in order to pry him away from the Steelers. While Finney proved himself as a capable reserve last season, it seems incredibly unlikely another team would be willing to sacrifice that sort of draft capital.

A former undrafted free agent out of Kansas State, Finney has appeared in 43 games over three seasons in Pittsburgh, but has made only nine total starts. Finney has typically earned excellent grades from Pro Football Focus, but sample size is an issue, as he’s never topped 300 offensive snaps in a single season.

That could change next year, as Finney may have the opportunity to take over for Ramon Foster at left guard. Foster, 33, will become an unrestricted free agent next month, and if he lands elsewhere, Finney will likely slide into the Steelers’ starting lineup.

Teams Inquiring On Cardinals’ Josh Rosen

March 6th, 2019 at 5:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Multiple teams inquired about quarterback Josh Rosen’s availability at the combine last week, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com hears (Twitter links). However, the Cardinals have yet to give any indication that they are willing to move on from him.

As Schefter notes, this doesn’t mean that the Cardinals will not shop Rosen at some point, but it is interesting that they have not responded to overtures so far. Lately, all signs have been pointing to the Cardinals using the No. 1 pick on quarterback Kyler Murray, but team brass could still be deciding between Murray and this year’s non-QB options.

The Redskins, for example, have considered making a run at Rosen, but they’re also thinking about drafting a signal caller of their own.

“I think where we are at this point, and like I said earlier, if there’s a quarterback there that we like at 15, 9 out of 10 we’ll go that route,” exec Doug Williams said. “If it’s not somebody we like, we’ll go with Colt and if we got to go out and get a veteran to work with him until that time comes, that’s probably what we’ll do.”

Rosen, 22, went 3-10 as the Cardinals’ starter last year. He completed just 55.2% of his throws with 11 touchdowns against 14 interceptions, but there were a myriad of issues with Arizona’s offense.

Broncos Release Darian Stewart

March 6th, 2019 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos released defensive back Darian Stewart, according to an announcement from Stewart himself. On Wednesday, the veteran took to Instagram to bid farewell to his fans in Denver.

“Broncos country thank you all for the love you showed me and my family these past four years,” Stewart wrote. “But, it’s time for me to move on and I’m looking forward to the next chapter. I still got a whole lotta 🏈 left in me so I’ll see y’all real soon.”

Stewart was due roughly $5MM for 2019. By releasing him, the Broncos will save roughly $3.57MM against the cap with $2.8MM in dead money left over.

The Broncos signed Stewart to a two-year deal worth $4.25MM in 2015 and he quickly proved his worth. Stewart started in nearly all of his 58 games for the Broncos and recorded both a forced fumble and a sack in the team’s Super Bowl 50 victory.

Stewart saw some time at cornerback and free safety in ’17, but he played mostly at strong safety last year. This figures to be a crowded safety market, which is a bit of a double-edged sword for Stewart. Plenty of teams are in need of safeties, but Stewart will be a lower priority than Earl Thomas, Adrian Amos, Lamarcus Joyner, Tyrann Mathieu, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, and others.

Stewart graded out as just the No. 77 ranked safety in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. His 59.6 overall score was a massive step back from his first two seasons in Denver, which included a Pro Bowl-worthy performance in 2016.

Steelers Want First-Round Pick For Antonio Brown

March 6th, 2019 at 3:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers are still seeking a first-round pick for Antonio Brown, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) hears. However, Rapoport does not specify whether the Steelers would ultimately accept a lesser offer.

One has to imagine the Steelers would be willing to take less, especially since they plan on moving AB by Friday. As Rapoport notes, the Steelers’ strong desire for a first-round pick may tilt things even further in the Raiders’ favor since they are armed with three choices in the top 32.

A Wednesday report indicated that things are heating up in the Brown sweepstakes with three new teams having joined the mix in the last 48 hours. However, we have some conflicting word on that front. It’s a “one team race,” a league source tells ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link), with other teams deciding “the price was too high.”

One way or another, it feels like the Steelers/Brown saga is about to near its conclusion.

Browns To Meet With CB Kevin Johnson

March 6th, 2019 at 3:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Texans cornerback Kevin Johnson is a popular guy these days. After meeting with the Bills on Wednesday, he’ll head to the Browns for a visit later this week, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The Browns can use some help in the secondary and are looking for a cornerback to put opposite of Denzel Ward. Many have speculated that the Browns could use their No. 17 pick to address their CB need, perhaps with LSU’s Greedy Williams, Georgia’s Deandre Baker, or Washington’s Byron Murphy. Instead, the Browns could sign a veteran like Johnson, though it would make sense to stopgap him with further depth given his injury history.

Last year, the Browns’ lack of depth hurt them in the secondary after Terrance Mitchell went down with a broken wrist and E.J. Gaines was unable to stay healthy. Wanting to avoid a repeat, the Browns will want to explore reserve corners in both free agency and the draft.

“I think there’s a lot of depth in this class,” GM John Dorsey said recently when asked about this year’s rookie class on the whole. “I think the strength of it is in the depth of the class. I think there are some very talented individuals with some size and actual speed. That’s why I can’t wait to watch those guys run here [at the combine].”

Browns Shopping Kevin Zeitler?

March 6th, 2019 at 3:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have “thrown around” the name of guard Kevin Zeitler in trade talks, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com tweets. It’s a tad surprising to hear that the Browns are exploring a Zeitler trade given his ability and the dead money cap hit that would be associated with dealing him.

On Wednesday, the Browns released linebacker Jamie Collins to save $9MM+ in cap space versus just $2.5MM in dead money. Trading Zeitler, meanwhile, would be roughly the inverse: a savings of $1.7MM versus $10.7MM in dead cap space.

At the time of signing, the Browns’ old regime made him the highest paid guard in the NFL with a five-year, $60MM deal that was more than 50% guaranteed. The payout structure would make this release totally unpalatable for most teams, but the Browns have upwards of $80MM in cap room and could conceivably take the hit in exchange for a sizable draft haul.

If the Browns move Zeitler, they could turn to rising sophomore Austin Corbett, who was selected by John Dorsey in the second round of last year’s draft. Corbett has promise and a rookie deal that will carry a modest $1.71MM cap hit in 2019, making him an intriguing replacement.

Chargers Working To Re-Sign Denzel Perryman

March 6th, 2019 at 3:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers are working to retain linebacker Denzel Perryman before he hits free agency, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Perryman has dealt with injuries in the past, but he has been a real difference-maker when healthy.

Last year, Perryman suffered LCL and hamstring injuries and had to be shut down in November. Before that, the 26-year-old tallied 51 total tackles and an interception across nine games. The inside linebacker didn’t log any sacks, but, at the time of his injury, he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 23rd best linebacker on the strength of his pass rush pressure.

Perryman, a second-round pick in 2015, is no stranger to the injury bug. In 2017, Perryman started the year on IR and went right back after seven games. Still, the Chargers are hopeful that he can stay on the field and provide the team with continuity in the front seven.

If Perryman is re-signed, the Bolts will more or less have the band back together, though defensive tackle Corey Liuget could be out after the club declined his 2019 option.

Bills Meet With CB Kevin Johnson

March 6th, 2019 at 2:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Cornerback Kevin Johnson will visit with the Bills on Wednesday, according to CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora (via Twitter). Johnson became a free agent earlier this week when the Texans released him from his contract.

Johnson, 27 in August, was due $9.069MM on his fifth-year option, which was guaranteed for injury only. His 2018 season was pretty much lost due to concussions, but the fact the Texans were able to release him is an indication that he is now healthy. The 2015 first-round pick is probably a candidate for a one-year prove-it deal to reestablish his value, whether it’s with the Bills or any other club.

The Bills have two starting cornerbacks in Tre’Davious White and Levi Wallace, but the Bills are looking into additional support. Armed with $77MM+ in cap space, the Bills should be able to make a veteran upgrade.

Browns Release LB Jamie Collins

March 6th, 2019 at 1:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns released Jamie Collins, according to a team announcement. The linebacker was due more than $10MM for 2019, an unpalatable amount given his lack of production last season.

“We want to thank Jamie for his contributions to the Cleveland Browns,” said general manager John Dorsey in a statement. “These types of decisions are never easy. Jamie is a respected veteran player in this league and we wish him the best as he continues his career.”

The Browns first tried to trade Collins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), but they were unable to find a taker. The Browns also tried to move Collins at last year’s trade deadline, but couldn’t get a deal done.

Of course, that’s not to say Collins is washed up. Last year, Collins registered 104 tackles and four sacks across 16 games and graded out as just the No. 58 ranked LB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. However, his contract made him the highest-paid traditional linebacker in the league and he has not been performing at that level.

Collins joined the Browns in a mid-season trade with the Patriots in 2016. Collins was outstanding in New England, but the Patriots were unwilling to make a sizable commitment to him as his contract was drawing to a close. He also didn’t help his case by allegedly “freelancing” on defense in order to pad his stats.

Releasing Collins will give the Browns an additional $9.25MM in cap room versus just $2.5MM in dead money. The Browns now have approximately $81MM in cap space, giving them the third-highest total in the NFL.