Antonio Cromartie - Pro Football Rumors

East Notes: Hardy, Dolphins, Cardona, Jets

May 13th, 2016 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

As we heard on Thursday, agent Drew Rosenhaus continues to lobby on behalf of his client Greg Hardy, who is still seeking an NFL job. Despite Rosenhaus’ insistence that the former Cowboys defensive end is working to correct his pattern of bad behavior, teams around the NFL remain skeptical, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, who tweets that the “prevailing opinion” among general managers is that nobody wants Hardy.

Quoting multiple general managers, Werder reports that one GM said ownership would have to be involved on any Hardy deal, and most owners would steer clear (Twitter link). Another GM said Hardy would be a “very hard sell,” while another called the veteran pass rusher “toxic.” That last GM added: “[He’s] obviously desperate and saying the right things” (Twitter links).

As we wait to see if Rosenhaus’ sales pitch lands Hardy a job anywhere, let’s round up a few more notes from around the NFL’s East divisions…

While defensive coordinator Vance Joseph insists the Dolphins are good to go at cornerback, the team has internally discussed adding another veteran, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, who suggests that Leon Hall and Antonio Cromartie are among the possibilities. Both Jackson and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald took a closer look at the cornerback situation in Miami, exploring whether or not another free agency addition seems likely.
Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona, who played his college ball at Navy, is expected to continue his NFL career in 2016. Paul Pabst of the Dan Patrick Show tweeted today that Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced that Cardona’s request to continue playing in the NFL has been approved. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links) cautions that one more “layer of approval” is still required — it’s looking good for Cardona, but it’s not official yet, says Reiss.
Brian Costello of the New York Post identifies five boom-or-bust players who will have a significant impact on the Jets‘ fortunes in 2016, including newly-signed running back Matt Forte.

Extra Points: Fitzpatrick, Panthers, Manning

May 9th, 2016 at 8:55pm CST by Luke Adams

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, some free agents who haven’t received a ton of interest in recent weeks may see their markets pick up after this Thursday. May 12th will be the first day that free agents no longer count toward the compensatory draft pick formula for 2017, meaning teams can sign veteran players without worrying about potentially losing draft picks next spring.

Of course, players who were released earlier in the offseason never counted toward that comp-pick formula, so guys who fit that bill, such as Roddy White, Antonio Cromartie, and Chris Culliver, won’t be affected. But for someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick, who simple saw his contract expire back in March, it could make a difference — teams could be more willing to make a solid offer if they know it won’t affect their 2017 draft plans.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Earlier today, a report indicated that the Panthers and standout defensive tackle Kawann Short had begun discussing a contract extension. David Newton of ESPN.com explores what such a deal might be worth, reaching the same conclusion we did: Carolina won’t offer an Ndamukong Suh-type contract, but something that puts him in the second tier of highest-paid DTs wouldn’t be unreasonable.
Peyton Manning paid a visit to the Dolphins this offseason, but it wasn’t as a free agent. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald details, Manning was in Miami to meet with his former offensive coordinator, Adam Gase, as well as Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and explained some of the nuances of Gase’s offense to Tannehill. “It was really cool just to be able to sit and pick his brain about things he’s done in this offense and football things in general: snap counts, things you like, the way you want guys to run routes, little details about the game,” Tannehill said. “We really just got to talk the game, which is something we both love.”
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam continues to be tied up in civil lawsuits filed against Pilot Flying J, a truck-stop chain owned by him and his brother. An Associated Press report (link via Ohio.com) provides the latest details on Haslam, who has agreed to be deposed “under specific conditions.”
The Bears have promoted Mark Sadowski to director of college scouting, replacing Joe Douglas who is leaving for Philadelphia, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Eagles, Pace, Cromartie, Jags

May 7th, 2016 at 8:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

According to Connor Barwin, Sam Bradford was caught off guard when the Eagles swapped picks with the Browns to trigger their seminal Carson Wentz selection at No. 2 overall.

Not that it’s a surprise Bradford wasn’t expecting this given his recent actions, but the fourth-year Eagles pass-rusher expects things to cool down for the former No. 1 overall pick and that the presumptive Week 1 starter will return to the team, per Zig Fracassi of Sirius XM Radio (Twitter link).

Signed to a two-year, $35MM deal, Bradford probably represents the Eagles’ best chance of competing right away. He was 7-7 as a starter for last season’s dysfunctional team and completed 65% of his passes, by far a career-high mark. But like 2015 Philadelphia teammate Mark Sanchez, it is a matter of time until the first-round pick takes the reins.

Some speculated the 28-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner will retire a la Carson Palmer and wait for a potential solution to develop, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk doesn’t see this drama paying off for Bradford. The former Ram’s prolonged absence will make his learning curve in Doug Pederson‘s offense steeper.

Here’s the latest from around the league as rookie minicamp weekend continues.

Antonio Cromartie and Calvin Pace remain free agents, and Todd Bowles said the “door is not closed” on potentially bringing them back to the Jets, Kimberley Martin of Newsday reports. Pace’s two-year, $5MM deal expired after the 2015 season. The pass-rusher had been a staple on the Rex Ryan-era defenses, having started 16 games from 2008-14. Last season, the now-35-year-old Pace started in 13 games. The Jets cut the 32-year-old Cromartie after just one season. Gang Green, though, remains deadlocked with Ryan Fitzpatrick on a deal that looks to pay the quarterback at least $8MM AAV and as of Saturday possesses $3.2MM in cap space.
The Jaguars moved Brandon Linder to center, Gus Bradley told media (including Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union). An 18-game starter at right guard the past two years, Linder missed 13 games due to a shoulder injury last season. After Stefen Wisniewski opted to sign with the Eagles, Linder will be the Jaguars’ fourth center in four years.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville’s line looks to have two former Cowboys backups, with Mackenzy Bernadeau set to move into the Jags’ starting left guard position, O’Halloran writes. Like Jermey Parnell in 2015, Bernardeau left Dallas and its loaded offensive front and will have a better opportunity to be a first-string presence for a less-accomplished line. The 30-year-old Bernadeau did not sign a high-end deal for his position like Parnell did a year ago, but he brings a similar profile, having played as a key backup with the Cowboys the past two years. Prior to that, the former seventh-round Panthers pick in 2008 started 27 games at guard for the Cowboys in 2012-13. Bernadeau started 19 contests for the pre-Cam Newton Panther teams in 2009-10.

Extra Points: Lynch, Norman, Panthers, Dolphins

April 23rd, 2016 at 12:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday afternoon…

Marshawn Lynch announced his retirement more than two months ago, and the Seahawks subsequently recognized the decision. However, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes that the organization still hasn’t made the accompanying roster move. The writer wonders if Lynch is delaying the retirement to force his release from the organization, which would allow him to sign with any team at any time.
Washington‘s willingness to hand out a big contract to Josh Norman leads Florio to ponder whether the Panthers could have traded the All-Pro cornerback. Carolina will presumably receive a third-round pick as compensation for losing Norman, so Florio acknowledges that a team would have had to give up better assets.
If the Panthers were to bring in a veteran cornerback, ESPN.com’s David Newton says Antonio Cromartie would be the most logical fit (Twitter link).
Despite the Dolphins assertion to the contrary, ESPN.com’s James Walker wonders if the organization is actually worried about their cornerback depth. There are doubts about whether Byron Maxwell can be a true top corner, and the team also has question marks at the number-two and nickel spot.

NFC East Rumors: Eagles, Cox, Cowboys, Hoyer

April 18th, 2016 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles were reportedly in discussions with the Titans about a potential trade for the No. 1 pick before Tennessee sent that pick to Los Angeles. Asked today about how serious those talks were, Howie Roseman downplayed them, suggesting that his team was doing its “due diligence,” as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

“I wouldn’t consider any discussions [serious] with any teams until you make deals,” Roseman, the de-facto Eagles GM, said. “I think it’s the same discussion with teams behind us. We’re having those discussions now. Teams in front us. We just have those conversations internally and weigh the cost-benefit of everything.”

While Roseman left the door open for plenty of trade possibilities, he shut at least one door, telling reporters today that the Eagles are “not trading” Fletcher Cox (Twitter links via Berman). Roseman made it clear that the team isn’t playing the “leverage game” with Cox, and plans on extending him and keeping him in Philadelphia for a long time.

Let’s check in on some other NFC East items….

The Cowboys wouldn’t mind landing a veteran backup for Tony Romo, and would have interest in Brian Hoyer “at the right price,” a source tells Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. However, Williams cautions that Hoyer will likely be able to get more money – and perhaps the chance to compete for a starting job – with another team.
In a conversation with TMZ Sports, free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie admitted that his “dream choice” for his new team would be the Cowboys. “[Dallas] is very high on my list,” Cromartie said.
Jeff Heath‘s new four-year contract with the Cowboys is worth $7.671MM, including a $1.8MM signing bonus, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The defensive back and special-teamer also saw his cap number for 2016 reduced a little, going from $1.671MM to $1.35MM.
John Keim of ESPN.com breaks down the keys to success for Washington in 2016, identifying some players to watch and suggesting that the team should address its defensive line in the draft.

East Notes: Randle, Bills, Dolphins, Giants

April 1st, 2016 at 6:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Receiver Rueben Randle says he turned down longer deals than the modest one-year offer he accepted from the Eagles last week, according to Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. “There were [other teams interested],” the 24-year-old said. “I just felt like it was a better opportunity for me here to showcase my talents on a one-year deal, to go out and prove myself.” Along with Jordan Matthews, Randle is one of the Eagles’ two most accomplished wideouts. Not surprisingly, then, he expects to start. “I feel confident that I will be [a starter]. That’s for me to go out there and prove,” he said.

More from the NFL’s two East divisions:

Bills receiver Marquise Goodwin seemingly tweeted Friday that he was done with the team and then insisted it’s not an April Fools’ joke, as Ron Clements of the Sporting News writes. The Bills haven’t released Goodwin. Instead, he plans to dedicate his time and training to the upcoming Olympics, per Clements. Goodwin, twice an NCAA long jump champion at Texas, was part of the 2012 Olympics as a long jumper for the U.S. team. Since the Bills chose Goodwin in the third round of the 2012 draft, he has appeared in just 24 of 48 regular-season games and amassed 20 receptions and three touchdowns. Goodwin, 25, has one year and $675K left on his contract.
In other Bills news, team brass dined with six Ohio State prospects on Thursday, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Quarterback Cardale Jones, outside linebacker Darron Lee, cornerback Eli Apple, defensive end Adolphus Washington, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, and free safety Vonn Bell all met with a Buffalo contingent.
The Dolphins announced that cornerback Greg Toler‘s visit with the team has concluded, as Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald tweets. Presumably, there is no agreement between the two sides – at least, not yet.
Toler might not be the only free agent corner on the Dolphins’ radar, writes the Sun Sentinel’s Omar Kelly, who says the team hasn’t closed the door on signing either Leon Hall or Antonio Cromartie. Hall – a Bengal since his career started in 2007 – has a connection to new Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who was Cincinnati’s defensive backs coach the previous two seasons. Cromartie’s first stint with the Jets began via trade back in 2010, when Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum was Gang Green’s general manager.
Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo admits that he’s “disappointed” he wasn’t elevated to head coach, as Ebenezer Samuel of the Daily News writes. “I’m not going to lie to you,” Spagnuolo said. “I was disappointed I wasn’t the guy . . . but I’m not giving up on my dream of being a head coach…But I like [Ben McAdoo] a lot. It was two-fold. It didn’t happen, so it was a disappointment. But it’s always nice to be wanted.”

Zach Links contributed to this report.

Free Agent Rumors: Cromartie, Iloka, Norman

February 29th, 2016 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

An NFL Network report over the weekend suggested that free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie was expected to meet soon with the Bills and old head coach Rex Ryan. However, news of that alleged meeting caught Cromartie by surprise, as Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin details.

“I want to know where he got this report from, ’cause this is news to me,” Cromartie said, referring to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

Still, Cromartie conceded that heading to Buffalo “would be a great opportunity,” adding that he loves Ryan, who coached him during his first stint with the Jets. “I think he’s doing something good up in Buffalo to try to get that organization turned around,” Cromartie said of Ryan.

As we wait to see whether Cromartie officially makes a free agent visit to Buffalo, let’s round up some more of Monday’s free agent rumors….

Bengals safety George Iloka, who is expected to be pursued by the Lions, also figures to draw interest from the Vikings, who are coached by former Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.
No real progress has been made on contract talks between cornerback Josh Norman and the Panthers, so it continues to look as if Norman will get the franchise tag, says David Newton of ESPN.com.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald goes in-depth to break down all the possible scenarios for Olivier Vernon and the Dolphins, concluding that the team would be best off using its franchise tag on the defensive end.
Joe Panos, the agent for Texans guard Brandon Brooks, tells Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com that Houston has made it clear that his client is a priority in free agency. “In the next couple days we’ll trade proposals,” Panos said.
Former Eagles and Browns executive Joe Banner (Twitter link) believes there’s at least a 90% chance that quarterback Sam Bradford will re-sign with the Eagles.

Big Name Rumors: Kaepernick, Miller, Martin

February 28th, 2016 at 12:38pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some rumors surrounding the biggest names of this offseason, beginning with updates on Colin Kaepernick and Von Miller.

Contrary to yesterday’s speculation from Ian Rapoport, John McClain of The Houston Chronicle tweets that the Texans have “no interest” in trading for Kaepernick. Likewise, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Browns are not interested in dealing for Kaepernick at this time.
As Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee observes, now that Kaepernick’s unhappiness with the 49ers is public knowledge, the team has zero leverage in trade talks. Instead of being traded, Kaepernick would reportedly prefer to be released, an alternative that would probably lead to less money for him but would allow him to choose his next destination. However, a release is probably not in the cards, as Mark Purdy of The San Jose Mercury News writes. Purdy recently interviewed team owner Jed York at length, and York reaffirmed his belief in Kaepernick and expressed his hope that No. 7 is wearing a 49ers uniform next season. Plus, even if Kaepernick is still on the team’s roster on April 1, which would make his $11.9MM salary for 2016 fully guaranteed, San Francisco would still be able to trade him and at least get something in return, instead of releasing him prior to April 1 and netting no compensation.
Of course, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, York’s comments could simply be a thinly-veiled attempt to restore some leverage to the 49ers in their efforts to deal Kaepernick, leverage that they may need even more now that the Texans and Browns are reportedly not interested in making a deal for the disgruntled signal-caller.
Mike Klis of 9News.com tweets that the Broncos and Miller still have a lot of work to do before Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline, but he says that talks are still ongoing and the implication is that both sides are hopeful that a long-term deal can be struck before Denver is forced to use the tag. As Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post reported several days ago, Miller is motivated to reach an accord, and the two sides are not terribly far apart in their negotiations.
Antonio Cromartie might not be garnering many national headlines at this point, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the veteran cornerback, who was recently released by the Jets, is expected to meet with the Bills. Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan is reportedly interested in a reunion with Cromartie, who played under Ryan in New York from 2011-2013 and who earned Pro Bowl nods in 2012 and 2013.
Although he does not not explicitly say that Doug Martin is likely to leave the Buccaneers, as a report suggested a few days ago, Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times does confirm that Martin is likely to reach free agency.

Jets Rumors: Wilkerson, Cromartie, Harrison

February 24th, 2016 at 6:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Jets head coach Todd Bowles says cutting Antonio Cromartie was a “hard decision,” but the team needed to upgrade the position, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. There’s a chance he could still return, according to the coach, but in the opinion of Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter), it sounds like he has moved on from Cromartie.

Here’s more on Gang Green:

Bowles said the team has not made a decision on the franchise tag regarding Muhammad Wilkerson, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. Maccagnan, meanwhile, says the organization has a good idea as to whether it will place the franchise tag on Wilkerson (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the Daily News).
Maccagnan claims Damon Harrison and Wilkerson are “both options” for the franchise tag, as Cimini tweets. I have a hard time imagining that the Jets would use the tag on Harrison, even though he is a very valuable nose tackle.
Maccagnan says it’s “not outside realm of possibilities” they keep Wilkerson plus their two young defensive ends long term, but that’s a significant investment for the team (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports).
GM Mike Maccagnan says he has scheduled meetings with agents of all his free agents, Cimini tweets.
Maccagnan says he’s looking into moves to create more cap space (link via Cimini).

Free Agent Rumors: Matthews, Bradford, Nelson

February 23rd, 2016 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Last Friday, we heard that the Dolphins had reached out to free agent wide receiver Rishard Matthews about a possible new deal. The news was somewhat surprising, since Matthews had long been considered a lock to leave Miami in search of a team that would give him an opportunity for more playing time.

According to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link), it looks like that’s still the case. Getlin reports that Matthews is “very likely” to reach the open market, adding that the market for the wideout “will be hot.” Matthews set new career highs in 2015 with 43 receptions, 662 yards, and four touchdowns, and while those numbers are relatively modest, they were compiled in just 11 games. Considering how weak this year’s free agent class of receivers is, there may very well be teams that view Matthews as a viable No. 2 option, and Miami almost certainly can’t afford to pay him like a No. 2.

Here are a few more updates on current free agent or free-agent-to-be from around the NFL:

Some rival teams are doubtful that Sam Bradford will become an unrestricted free agent on March 9th, believing that he may re-sign with the Eagles before then, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Cole adds that if Bradford does hit the open market, he might not receive the kind of lucrative long-term offers he’d expect, making a one-year, prove-it deal a possibility. I’m somewhat skeptical about that — I think Bradford’s second-half performance would ensure that at least one or two teams are willing to invest heavily in him.
The Cardinals are not interested in bringing Antonio Cromartie back to Arizona, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Cromartie spent a season with the team in 2014, earning a Pro Bowl spot, but the Cards were willing to let him walk in free agency, and don’t appear eager to pursue him now that he’s back on the market.
Safety Reggie Nelson saw his 2015 season come to an end when he left the Bengals‘ Wild Card loss with a sprained ankle, and he doesn’t want that to be his last play with the team. “Most definitely not,” Nelson said recently, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “They know that. Everybody knows that. I would love to be a Bengal.” According to Hobson, the Bengals aren’t expected to strike deals with their free agents at this week’s combine, but the club figures to discuss possible parameters for Nelson and others.