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Antonio Cromartie

East Notes: Bills, Hoyer, Cromartie, Jets, Fins

March 10th, 2015 at 11:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Bills spent some time today weighing quarterback alternatives in case they weren’t comfortable with Matt Cassel‘s physical. Brian Hoyer and Matt Moore were among the potential options considered, sources tell Caplan. Ultimately, the Bills passed Cassel on his physical and the swap with the Vikings became official.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • In Darrelle Revis and Buster Skrine, the Jets have already added two corners today, but they might not be finished. The club is still talking with Antonio Cromartie, who is known to be interested in playing for New York, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). Manish Mehta of the New York Daily news classifies the discussions as “serious,” suggesting a Revis-Cromartie reunion may be in the cards (Twitter links).
  • While admitting that he talked to Frank Gore during the past few days, LeSean McCoy denied that he told the former 49er to back out of his deal with the Eagles and sign with the Colts instead, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. McCoy, rather, says he told Gore that he’d handle the ball a lot and called Chip Kelly a “mastermind.”
  • Updating a previous item, the Dolphins have put an offer in to free agent cornerback Brice McCain, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. We heard earlier tonight McCain was in Miami, and it sounds like something could get done.
  • Free agent quarterback Tyrod Taylor is paying a visit to the Bills, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Taylor, who has been the Ravens’ backup in recent years, would be in the mix with Cassel and E.J. Manuel if he were to sign with Buffalo.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Latest On Antonio Cromartie

March 10th, 2015 at 1:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that he’s down to the Cowboys, Jets, and Cardinals, according to Dom Consentino of the Star-Ledger (via Twitter). Cromartie has been almost exclusively linked to the Jets, but there’s no agreement in place between the two sides.

Earlier this morning it was reported that the Cards were unlikely to retain Cromartie, but now it seems that they’re one of the finalists for him. The veteran cornerback enjoyed something of a career resurgence in Arizona last season but his former sensei, Todd Bowles, has gone from the Cards’ defensive coordinator to taking the Jets’ head coaching job.

Last month, when asked about the possibility of rejoining the Jets, whom he spent the 2010-13 seasons with before they released him last year, Cromartie said, “It would be an easy choice, if the opportunity presented itself.”

Still, in an interview on ESPN’s First Take on Tuesday, Cromartie explained that he would be a good addition in Dallas as well.

“They’re only missing one key piece and that’s the piece in the secondary,” Cromartie said, according to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. “I feel like I can be that piece to help and go in and win a championship and get the Dallas Cowboys back where they’re supposed to be.”

NFC FA Rumors: Irving, Cowboys, Falcons

March 10th, 2015 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Cardinals are expected to lock up former Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon to a new contract once free agency opens, but the team has interest in adding two free agent linebackers, not just one, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport reports that Nate Irving could be that second linebacker, as the former Bronco is likely to visit Arizona this week.

  • The Cowboys have some interest in free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie, tweets Rapoport. Cromartie has been almost exclusively linked to the Jets, but there’s no agreement in place between the two sides yet.
  • Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets that he has been told “repeatedly” that the Falcons aren’t real players for Brian Orakpo. However, Jones adds that Atlanta does appear to have interest in another Washington free agent, wide receiver Leonard Hankerson.
  • Running back Antone Smith has yet to hear a whole lot about his free agent status, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who says (via Twitter) that the Falcons would like to bring him back. Smith has also reportedly drawn some interest from the Giants.
  • In the wake of the Saints‘ release of Curtis Lofton, there’s mutual interest between the team and Ramon Humber in getting a deal done to help bolster the inside linebacker spot, tweets Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com.
  • No longer a free agent, Randall Cobb told reporters today, including Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) that he had five other offers when he decided to return to the Packers, and got a sixth after he had made his decision.
  • After offering him a contract, the Vikings remain in contact with quarterback Shaun Hill, who has yet to make a decision, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.

Mutual Interest Between Jets, Buster Skrine

March 10th, 2015 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

A number of options are in play for the Jets as they look to add a cornerback or two in free agency, even after the team missed out on Cary Williams. According to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (TwitLonger link), the Jets have interest in Browns cornerback Buster Skrine, and there’s “a good chance he could end up in New York.”

Skrine, who turns 26 next month held onto his starting job in Cleveland during the 2014 season, and only one other cornerback in the NFL played more snaps than Skrine’s 1,152 (Williams, with 1,198). With quarterbacks avoiding Joe Haden, Skrine also saw the second-most targets in the NFL (123), and held QBs to a 56.9% completion percentage.

Per Anderson, Skrine continues to weigh offers, so he’s not close to any sort of deal with the Jets yet. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Giants were one of many teams to check in with Skrine, but found his price tag was too high for the role they envisioned for him.

As for other Jets’ CB options, Darrelle Revis remains on track to hit free agency today if he doesn’t work out a new deal with the Pats, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com notes (via Twitter) that oft-mentioned Jets target Antonio Cromartie doesn’t sound like a player who is returning to the Cardinals.

King’s Latest: T. Smith, J. Thomas, Murray, Jets

March 9th, 2015 at 8:10am CST by Luke Adams

Peter King’s latest Monday Morning Quarterback column at TheMMQB.com doesn’t break any new signings or contract agreements, but there are plenty of noteworthy free agent tidbits tucked away within the piece. Here are a few highlights:

  • Wide receiver Torrey Smith isn’t re-signing with the Ravens, and by all accounts the 49ers look like they’re in position to sign him. According to King, Smith is likely headed to San Francisco for a deal worth about $9MM annually.
  • Julius Thomas also looks like a good bet to receive something in the neighborhood of $9MM per year if and when he finalizes a deal with the Jaguars, says King.
  • Despite the nice new contracts Marshawn Lynch and LeSean McCoy are receiving, King hasn’t heard of any team willing to pay DeMarco Murray $10MM per season.
  • Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton appears likely to leave Denver to sign with either Washington or the Raiders, per King. We heard yesterday that those two teams, along with the Bears and Colts, were among the suitors showing “serious interest” in Pot Roast.
  • A person with knowledge of the Jets‘ “ideal-world plan” for the offseason suggests to King that the team would love to land both Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, if possible.
  • King expects the Bills to make an effort to get Charles Clay to visit Buffalo and to sign him to a deal when free agency opens. Since Clay received the transition tag from Miami, the Dolphins would have the opportunity to match any offer sheet the tight end signed with the Bills.
  • If the Jaguars and Titans don’t sign a handful of players within the next few days, they’ll likely have some big offers turned down, according to King, who anticipates both teams being very active.

Combine Pressers: Cards, Browns, Seahawks

February 19th, 2015 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

The media availability portion of the NFL’s 2015 scouting combine rolls on today, with press conferences for 20 head coaches and general managers on today’s schedule. Here’s a recap of the noteworthy comments made during a few of this morning’s early pressers, with all links pointed toward the Twitter accounts of reporters in attendance:

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians:

  • Asked about suspended linebacker Daryl Washington, Arians indicated that he doesn’t consider Washington a part of the team until he’s reinstated by the league. “I don’t even think about him,” the head coach said.
  • The Cardinals would like to re-sign Antonio Cromartie, but the team expects the cornerback to reach the open market, according to Arians. That wouldn’t necessarily preclude a return to Arizona, but it sounds like a reasonable bet that Cromartie will land elsewhere.
  • In Arians’ view, defensive speed is one area the Cardinals need to improve, especially at linebacker.
  • The Cardinals are happy with their current offensive tackles, but Arians acknowledged that the interior line positions could use some work — he hopes to have some competition at those spots this year.

Browns general manager Ray Farmer:

  • Before taking questions, Farmer admitted his role in the ‘Textgate’ controversy surrounding the Browns, apologizing to the organization and to fans for the incident.
  • The GM admitted that he and the Browns understood the red flags on Johnny Manziel prior to the 2014 draft, and take responsibility for selecting him in spite of those warning signs.
  • Echoing what head coach Mike Pettine said yesterday, Farmer indicated that “every option is on the table” for the Browns as they try to find a long-term solution at quarterback. That includes free agency, the draft, and even potential trades.
  • Farmer also didn’t rule out the possibility of trading up in the draft for a signal-caller, adding that he has done a cost-benefit analysis on such a move.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider:

NFC West Notes: Gore, 49ers, Cards, Lynch

February 18th, 2015 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

In an Instagram post earlier this week, Frank Gore publicly expressed some doubt about how invested the 49ers are in re-signing him this winter. According to Niners GM Trent Baalke, that prompted him to reach out to the veteran running back to reiterate the team’s position, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes.

“That’s why we talked. That’s the exact (reason),” Baalke said. “We reached out. He reached out back. He wasn’t expecting it to take legs like it did. Nor were we. He didn’t have any intentions by it and he made that very clear in our conversations. … It’s at the same place it was the last time we talked. We’re still working on it. It’s not something that’s going to get done yesterday. It’ll take some time to resolve. It’s our intention to have Frank back.”

While we wait to see what Gore’s future holds, here’s more from around the NFC West:

  • Baalke also said today that he plans to meet with Michael Crabtree‘s agent this week in Indianapolis, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). The 49ers wideout is eligible for free agency next month.
  • Speaking today to reporters in Indy, including Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link), Cardinals GM Steve Keim said he doesn’t want to get into specifics, but the team intends to talk to Darnell Dockett about his contract. Dockett, who missed the entire 2014 campaign with a knee injury, is on the books for a 2015 cap hit of $9.8MM, a figure the club may want to reduce.
  • Keim also today that he expects some of the Cardinals‘ free agents, such as Antonio Cromartie, to test the open market, though that doesn’t rule out the possibility of them re-signing with Arizona (Twitter link via Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com).
  • While a full breakdown of Larry Fitzgerald‘s new contract with the Cardinals isn’t out there yet, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a stab at determining what it will look like.
  • A Seahawks player tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that he thinks it’s 50/50 as to whether Marshawn Lynch continues his career or decides to retire. “Marshawn is a different kind of guy,” the player said. “He could retire tomorrow, walk away and not think twice about it.”
  • With Lynch’s future up in the air, Terry Blount of ESPN.com identifies three running backs that may be on the Seahawks‘ radar during this week’s combine and during the draft this spring.

AFC Links: Jets, Brady, Browns, Ravens

February 15th, 2015 at 9:52am CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers have a number of impending free agents, including linebacker Jason Worilds and cornerback Ike Taylor. While some Pittsburgh fans may be pessimistic about the team retaining all of their players, general manager Kevin Colbert is actually confident.

“Almost to a man I’d be shocked if [they] didn’t want to stay,” Colbert said (via ESPN.com’s Scott Brown). “I feel they all would like the opportunity to be able to stay. It doesn’t mean they won’t field other offers or see what else is out there. In the end I think the majority of them will want to be here.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC…

  • We heard yesterday that Antonio Cromartie would be very open to a reunion with the Jets, but the cornerback cautioned that he may want to play for a contender. However, he also noted that the organization was closer to contention than their 4-12 record indicated. “I don’t think the Jets are rebuilding at all,” Cromartie told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
  • Tom Brady is set to make $5MM today as part of the $30MM signing bonus from his 2013 extension with the Patriots, tweets ESPN’s Field Yates.
  • If Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com was the Browns owner, his first move this offseason would be re-signing Brian Hoyer. However, he’d only make that move if the entire organization agreed.
  • ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley examined whether the Ravens should cut wideout Jacoby Jones, with the writer concluding that the team should hold on to the return specialist. The writer does caution that the receiver’s production may not justify his salary.

Cornerback Notes: Cromartie, Gilbert, House

February 14th, 2015 at 6:13pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie reiterated his interest in returning to the Jets, tweets the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. On rejoining the Jets, whom he spent the 2010-13 seasons with before they released him last year, Cromartie said, “It would be an easy choice, if the opportunity presented itself,” according to Schwartz. Cromartie racked up 13 interceptions and two Pro Bowl nods during his tenure in New York.

Here’s more on Cromartie and a couple of his fellow NFL corners:

  • The 31-year-old Cromartie spent 2014 with the Cardinals, for whom he appeared in all 16 regular-season games, amassed three interceptions and made another Pro Bowl. Cromartie’s defensive coordinator in Arizona was Todd Bowles, whom the Jets hired as their coach last month. Despite being in the midst of a four-year playoff drought and hiring a first-time head coach, Cromartie said, “I don’t think the Jets are rebuilding at all,” according to Schwartz.
  • The Browns‘ Justin Gilbert is drawing heat from team owner Jimmy Haslam. “Justin clearly needs to mature,” Haslam told reporters earlier this week, according to the Akron Beacon Journal’s Nate Ulrich. Gilbert, the eighth overall pick in 2014, totaled just 29 tackles and one interception during his rookie year. Despite his less-than-glowing appraisal of Gilbert, Haslam isn’t giving up on the 22-year-old, whom he called a “very gifted athlete.” Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith writes that Gilbert will be in danger of being labeled a bust if he doesn’t mature in his second year.
  • Finding a starting job will be the main priority for Packers free agent CB Davon House this offseason, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein. “I don’t like the role just playing special teams, especially when I know I can contribute,” said House. The 25-year-old went on to acknowledge that, although he’d like to stay with the Packers, he doesn’t think he’ll be one of the team’s main priorities this offseason because Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga also need new contracts. “I won’t be back until they all get done. It makes no sense for me to get done before them,” he told Silverstein.

West Notes: 49ers, Manning, Cards, Lynch

February 13th, 2015 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

49ers defensive end Justin Smith has yet to make a decision about whether or not he’ll return to the team for next season or end his playing career, and his decision could have a significant impact on another Niners defender, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Maiocco observes that Aldon Smith, who is entering a contract year, often lines up on the same side of the field as the elder Smith, and benefits from the defensive end tying up pass blockers. If Justin Smith retires this offseason, it could have an effect on Aldon Smith’s earning potential as he enters a key year, says Maiocco.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two West divisions:

  • A league source tells NFL reporter Ross Tucker (Twitter link) that he thinks Peyton Manning may be in talks with the Broncos to restructure his contract in order to create cap room for the coming year. Reworking Manning’s deal could potentially create up to about $9MM in cap savings, which would give the club much more flexibility to re-sign key free agents like Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Terrance Knighton.
  • Appearing on the Doug and Wolf show on Arizona Sports 98.7FM, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim confirmed that discussions are ongoing with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and that he’d like to have resolution on the issue in time for free agency (link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). According to Keim, the club is currently about $16MM over the cap — incidentally, the veteran wideout is owed an $8MM base salary and an $8MM roster bonus for 2015.
  • Keim also touched on a few other topics during his radio appearance, including cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who is eligible for free agency. The GM had nothing but praise for Cromartie’s efforts in 2014, and said the Cardinals would “love” to bring him back.
  • Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson, who is a close friend of Marshawn Lynch, would bet that the running back returns to Seattle for the 2015 season, but he admits that he doesn’t know that for sure, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “I don’t think Marshawn knows yet,” Robinson said on 710 ESPN in Seattle. “I don’t know what a timeline is, guys. I would guess that Marshawn doesn’t even really know what a timeline is. Probably going to be a feel thing and we’ll just see like everybody else.”
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