HEADLINES

Brandon Browner

Extra Points: Rivers, Browner, Brady, Lions

July 19th, 2015 at 5:56pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The next year might be a time of major transition for the Chargers, who will be able to break their lease at season’s end and leave San Diego – their home since 1961 – potentially for Carson, Calif. Further, 11-year Charger and six-time Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers is entering the final season of his contract and could conceivably be under center for another organization 12 months from now. Rivers has started every Chargers game since 2006, playoffs included, and been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks during that span. However, the 33-year-old hasn’t shown much urgency in getting a long-term deal done with the Bolts, writes the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken. Regardless of what happens with the Chargers, then, Rivers’ days as a San Diego institution may be winding down.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Former Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner said Sunday at Richard Sherman‘s celebrity softball game that he’d like to return to Seattle when his contract is up, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). If Browner was serious, the timing of his comment is odd, as he recently joined the Saints on a three-year deal during free agency. Browner, who spent 2011-13 with the Seahawks, was a member of the Super Bowl-winning Patriots last season.
  • It’s been almost a month since Tom Brady‘s Deflategate appeal hearing, yet no ruling has come down. If Brady’s four-game suspension isn’t overturned, it could lead to a lawsuit against the league. However, there may be behind-the-scenes negotiations going on in hopes of preventing that, per Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today.  “I do think they’re negotiating,” said Jodi Balsam, who was the league’s counsel for operations and litigation from 1994-2002 and its counsel for football operations from 2002-2007.  “They may be back-channel conversations, but what the NFL wants is to get an implicit agreement from Brady’s people that a reduction in the number of suspended games would resolve the issue and put the brakes on any further litigation.”
  • The Lions’ offense is getting to work prior to training camp, tweets ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, who deduced from tight end Joseph Fauria‘s Instagram that he and some teammates are gathering in Atlanta to run routes. Quarterback Matthew Stafford said during the spring that members of Detroit’s offense would look to get some pre-camp work in, according to Rothstein (Twitter link), and it appears to be happening.

Contract Details: Culliver, Browner, Cameron

March 13th, 2015 at 10:36am CST by Luke Adams

Here are some key contract details for a few notable new pacts agreed to and/or signed over the last few days:

NFC deals:

  • Chris Culliver, CB (Washington): Four years, $32MM base value. $16MM fully guranteed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • Brooks Reed, LB (Falcons): Five years, $22.5MM base value. $6.9MM fully guaranteed. $4.7MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
  • Brandon Browner, CB (Saints): Three years, $15MM base value. $7.75MM fully guaranteed. $3.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Ryan Mathews, RB (Eagles): Three years, $11MM base value. $5MM guaranteed. $3MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
  • Terrance Knighton, DT (Washington): One year, $4MM. $2MM signing bonus (link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).

AFC deals:

Saints Sign Brandon Browner

March 12th, 2015 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

3:58pm: Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) has different numbers. He hears that it’s a three-year, $15MM deal with $10MM guaranteed.

1:46pm: It’s a three-year deal worth roughly $18MM for Browner, says Rapoport (via Twitter).

1:38pm: The Saints have signed Browner to a three-year deal, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports.

1:05pm: The Saints are closing in on a deal with with Browner, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link), who hears from a source that it’s “almost finished.”

9:49am: As one cornerback expresses his discontent with the team, another corner is getting the hard sell from the Saints this week in free agency, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, the Saints have made a “major push” to sign former Patriot Brandon Browner, offering him more than $5MM per year.

Presumably, the Saints would like to add Browner to a secondary that also includes Keenan Lewis, but Browner could also represent an insurance policy for the team if the situation with Lewis isn’t salvageable. The veteran Saints corner indicated earlier this week that he’s uneasy about the moves New Orleans has made, and would like to be released if the club isn’t willing to guarantee the remaining years on his contract.

As for Browner, he hit the unrestricted market earlier this week after the Pats decided not to pick up his option. The veteran corner, who turns 31 in August, appeared in nine regular season games for New England in his suspension-shortened season. He recorded 32 total tackles, seven pass deflections, and one interception during that time. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) wasn’t wowed by Browner’s performance in 2014, ranking him No. 79 out of 108 qualified cornerbacks.

Elsewhere on the Saints front, we heard yesterday that the team is in the mix for C.J. Spiller and while that’s not a done deal yet, Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the team is “very high” on the former Bills running back.

NFC FA Visits: Knighton, Browner, Bush

March 11th, 2015 at 7:55am CST by Luke Adams

The start of free agency at 3:00pm central time on Tuesday opened the door for players to officially sign contracts with new teams. It also opened the door for teams and players to begin scheduling formal visits, so free agents can get a better sense of what to expect from their potential suitors. Early on Wednesday morning, we have a few updates on notable free agents meetings with NFC clubs, so let’s round them up….

  • Terrance Knighton, who said yesterday that he has essentially ruled out a return to Denver or a reunion with Jack Del Rio in Oakland, will visit Washington today, he tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Washington has already added Stephen Paea and Ricky Jean-Francois to its roster, so signing Knighton would really solidify the team’s interior defensive line.
  • We heard last night that the Saints have interest in cornerback Brandon Browner, and Browner will make his first visit to New Orleans, followed by one to Washington, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Pro Football Talk (Twitter link), the Ravens, Browns, and Jaguars also have interest in the former Pats corner.
  • Reggie Bush, who has received interest from a number of teams since being cut by the Lions, is visiting the 49ers today, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The Saints, Patriots, and Eagles were cited in a Tuesday report as also being possible options for the veteran running back.

Pats Rumors: Revis, Harvin, Spiller

March 10th, 2015 at 4:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The very latest on the Pats..

  • The Bills are also expressing interest in Pats free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Ryan and Revis have a previous relationship, of course, and by most accounts the star cornerback enjoyed playing for Ryan in New York.
  • The Patriots are a team to watch when it comes to Percy Harvin, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport hears there’s a good chance that New England will be where he lands.
  • The Pats are still searching for playmakers, Rapoport tweets. They’ve inquired about C.J. Spiller possibly filling the Shane Vereen role.
  • The Saints are an early entrant into the Brandon Browner chase, but they have company, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets.

Extra Points: Hartline, Murray, Browner, Bush

March 10th, 2015 at 3:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest from around the league…

  • Brian Hartline‘s decision ultimately came down to the Browns and the Patriots, the receiver tells Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (Twitter link). Hartline ended up signing a two-year pact with Cleveland yesterday.
  • Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the club wants to re-sign DeMarco Murray, emphasizing that Dallas is still in negotiations with its free agent running back (Twitter links via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
  • The Panthers don’t seem to be showing much interest in edge rusher Derrick Morgan, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • The Titans have interest in cornerback Brandon Browner, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Browner isn’t expected to take a pay cut to remain in New England. Browner is receiving a lot of interest around the league, but he could still return to the Patriots, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
  • Jahri Evans is still a candidate for release in New Orleans, and if the Saints do cut him, expect the Bills to be in on the veteran guard, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • Most observers expected free agent receiver Michael Crabtree to depart San Francisco, but the 49ers do have interest in re-signing him, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 (via Twitter).
  • Having been cut by the Lions earlier in the offseason, running back Reggie Bush is considering a return to the Saints, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, the Patriots and Eagles are among the other teams in play for Bush.

Brandon Browner To Become Free Agent

March 10th, 2015 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

3:00pm: According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter), the Patriots have not informed Browner that they’ll exercise his 2015 option. He’ll now become a free agent.

1:56pm: Brandon Browner won’t take a pay cut to stay in New England, a source tells Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). At this point, New England’s options will be to exercise his option as it stands or cut him by 3pm CT. The cornerback is owed $5.5MM for 2015.

The Pats allowed him to gauge interest from other teams around the league and the interest is clearly there for the veteran, Breer tweets. Right now, his market is shaping up at $7MM-$8MM, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets. The Pats, meanwhile, would probably like to work out a deal that extends beyond 2015.

If the Patriots exercise Browner’s option, he would count $4.8MM against the cap, but he would also earn a $2MM roster bonus on Tuesday. If they decline the option, they would save $4.8MM against the cap without any dead money, but re-signing him from that point could prove to be difficult. The team source indicated to Howe that his value on the open market might actually approach $7MM to $8MM per year thanks to the deals given to Byron Maxwell ($63MM over six years), Brandon Flowers ($36MM over four years) and Kareem Jackson ($34MM over four years) in the last couple days.

Browner, 31 in August, appeared in nine regular season games for the Patriots in his suspension-shortened season. He recorded 32 total tackles, seven pass deflections, and one interception during that time. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) wasn’t wowed by Browner’s performance in 2014, ranking him No. 79 out of 108 qualified cornerbacks.

Latest On Patriots, Brandon Browner

March 9th, 2015 at 2:21pm CST by Zachary Links

2:21pm: Howe clarifies (via Twitter) that the Pats’ decision on Browner is actually due tomorrow afternoon rather than today, so we may not see resolution on this situation for another 24 hours or so.

1:10pm: The Patriots have until today to decide on Brandon Browner‘s team option for the 2015 season, but it sounds like they may decide not pick it up. The Patriots would like to restructure his contract instead and have allowed the cornerback to explore his value around the league, a team source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

If the Patriots exercise Browner’s option, he would count $4.8MM against the cap, but he would also earn a $2MM roster bonus on Tuesday. If they decline the option, they would save $4.8MM against the cap without any dead money, but re-signing him from that point could prove to be difficult. The team source indicated to Howe that his value on the open market might actually approach $7MM to $8MM per year thanks to the deals given to Byron Maxwell ($63MM over six years), Brandon Flowers ($36MM over four years) and Kareem Jackson ($34MM over four years) in the last couple days.

Browner, 31 in August, appeared in nine regular season games for the Patriots in his suspension-shortened season. He recorded 32 total tackles, seven pass deflections, and one interception during that time. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) wasn’t wowed by Browner’s performance in 2014, ranking him No. 79 out of 108 qualified cornerbacks.

AFC East Notes: Richardson, Browner, Ryan

October 10th, 2014 at 8:41am CST by Zachary Links

Sheldon Richardson is less-than-thrilled with the way the New York media has covered the Jets, writes Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin. “Every time I see my guy [Geno Smith] in the media, every time they talk about us in the media, it’s something negative,” Richardson said. “I know we’re 1-4, but even when we won one [against the Raiders in Week 1], it was all negative.” Here’s more out of the AFC East..

  • Cornerback Brandon Browner was not activated Sunday against the Bengals because he has struggled to grasp the Patriots defensive system, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Browner opened the season with a four game suspension and many expected him to be in uniform in his first game back considering the contract he was given over the offseason. As Howe notes, the Seahawks didn’t put a lot of pre-snap responsibilities on Browner’s shoulders. Pats coach Bill Belichick, on the other hand, expects a lot out of his corners.
  • Rex Ryan‘s demeanor used to be refreshing in a sport where coaches take their jobs too seriously, but it seems like a poor fit now for the Jets, writes Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post. Vaccaro points to Smith missing last week’s meeting and Michael Vick‘s admission of being ill-prepared for Sunday’s game in San Diego as examples of Ryan’s ineffectiveness.
  • The Jets should be giving more carries to prized offseason acquisition Chris Johnson, opines Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Johnson is no longer the elite tailback he once was, but he can still breathe life into an offense in dire need of help, Mehta argues. CJ has only been on the field for 42% of the Jets’ snaps so far this season with Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell also getting carries.

Minor Moves: Monday

October 6th, 2014 at 6:35pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here….

  • The Packers will welcome back offensive lineman Jordan McCray on their practice squad, according to the FXFL’s Twitter account. Wes Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette (on Twitter) notes that the Packers had a spot open on the practice squad, so no corresponding move is necessary.
  • The Giants have promoted running back Michael Cox from their practice squad to their 53-man roster, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. The move provides some backfield insurance, with Rashad Jennings expected to be sidelined through the team’s Week 8 bye.
  • After seeing another center go down with an injury, the Chargers are set to sign center Trevor Robinson off the Bengals’ practice squad, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). San Diego opened up a roster spot today by placing Doug Legursky on the injured reserve list, as noted below.
  • The Rams have waived linebacker Ray Ray Armstrong, who had been a key contributor on the special teams unit, tweets Brian McIntyre.

Earlier updates:

  • Wideout Kevin Dorsey has been promoted to the Packers‘ 53-man roster from their practice squad, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Former Utah State defensive back Tay Glover-Wright is taking Dorsey’s spot on the taxi squad, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link).
  • The Saints have waived 2014 fourth-round pick Khairi Fortt, a source tells Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com (Twitter link). It’s a somewhat surprising move, since Fortt hasn’t really had an opportunity to play yet, and his release won’t open up a roster spot, since the club had used its injured reserve/designated to return spot on him.
  • Safety Jakar Hamilton was activated today by the Cowboys, who waived linebacker Keith Smith to make room on the 53-man roster, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. The team previously had a roster exemption for Hamilton, who missed the season’s first four weeks due to a suspension.
  • The Dolphins have made a series of moves, signing wide receiver Damian Williams to their 53-man roster and waiving running back Orleans Darkwa to make room (Twitter link). The team also announced that the roster exemption for previously-suspended safety Reshad Jones has been lifted, meaning he’s now officially a part of the 53-man roster (Twitter link).
  • Linebacker Marcus Benard has re-signed with the Cardinals, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Benard was initially signed during John Abraham‘s absence from the team, and now takes the place of Matt Shaughnessy, who was placed on injured reserve with the designation to return today.
  • In a surprising transaction, the Packers have parted ways with tight end Ryan Taylor, who hasn’t been a huge part of the club’s passing game since being drafted in the seventh round in 2011, but has been with the team since then and contributed on special teams. Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has the details on the move, which brings the Packers’ roster count down to 52.
  • The Chargers have lost another center, announcing today (via Twitter) that Doug Legursky is heading to injured reserve with a knee injury. Longtime San Diego center Nick Hardwick was previously placed on IR with an injury of his own.
  • Cornerback Brandon Browner and wideout Brian Tyms are both being formally activated by the Patriots, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). To make room for the duo, whose roster exemptions expire today, the Pats had to cut a pair of players — Shalisa Manza Young of the Boston Globe initially reported that defensive lineman Joe Vellano would be one of the two to go (Twitter link), and the team has since announced that defensive lineman Michael Buchanan is the other. Vellano has been waived, while Buchanan was placed on IR.
  • The Eagles have made a change to their practice squad, cutting wide receiver Cobi Hamilton and replacing him with safety Jordan Kovacs, the team announced today (Twitter link).
  • The Giants are releasing Trindon Holliday from IR, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). The veteran kick returner was placed on IR in August with a hamstring injury.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Load More Posts