Brandon Flowers - Pro Football Rumors

NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Starks

June 21st, 2014 at 10:31am CST by Matt Feminis

“The chemistry developing among the defensive linemen — especially starters Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, Jeremiah Ratliff and Stephen Paea — might be the most exciting thing brewing for the Bears, especially after the unit was last in sacks in 2013,” writes Chicago Sun-Times staff reporter Adam Jahns, who lists 10 things gleaned during the Bears’ offseason.

Here’s some more news and notes from the NFC North:

Jahns also says rookie Brock Vereen, a fourth-round rookie from Minnesota, “has the lead” in the free safety competition.
“There should be no excuses going forward for Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford,” according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero, who explains the team has done everything in its power to accommodate its inconsistent franchise quarterback.
The Lions’ cornerback situation has been a continual topic of conversation this offseason, and the chatter (concern?) isn’t slowing down yet: ESPN’s Michael Rothstein says it’s a “probability” the Lions will pursue a veteran cornerback.
Fox Sports Detroit’s Dave Dye has a question: “It sounds funny to say, but…where would the Lions be without [Rashean] Mathis?” Dye says Mathis established himself as the Lions most reliable cornerback, but admits that’s as much of an indictment of the secondary as it is a compliment to Mathis.
Meanwhile, Dye thinks Cassius Vaughn could be a sleeper.
And finally, Rothstein and Mlive.com’s Kyle Meinke don’t think free agent Brandon Flowers is a fit in Detroit.
Packers new running backs coach Sam Gash thinks improved balance and body control could help James Stark avoid nagging injuries, writes Tyler Dunne in the Journal Sentinel.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman says the development of receiver Adam Thielen has jumped out at him during the offseason (radio interview with 100.3 FM here). A 6-2, 195-pound undrafted free agent out of Mankato State, Thielen was on the Vikings’ practice squad last season, but Star Tribune blogger Master Tesfatsion speculates Thielen might have a shot at a roster spot if he continues to impress and show chemistry with Teddy Bridgewater.

AFC Notes: Manning, Flowers, Steelers, Bills

June 20th, 2014 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

When I examined Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas as an extension candidate earlier today, I pointed out that the timeline for Peyton Manning‘s retirement could play a role in when Thomas signs his next contract and the amount of that deal. For now though, it doesn’t appear that retirement is in the star quarterback’s immediate plans. As Arnie Stapleton of The Associated Press writes, while the reigning MVP has considered the possibility of ending his career, Manning’s current goal is to play out his current contract, which runs through 2016.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Brandon Flowers is reportedly visiting another team after his trip to San Diego, but that mystery club isn’t the Steelers, reports ESPN.com’s Scott Brown. Pittsburgh is one of the clubs that has been linked to the free agent cornerback, though as today’s PFR poll shows, only about 12% of you feel that Flowers will land with the Steelers.
Jon Bon Jovi, who is interested in buying the Bills, had a two-hour lunch with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York this week, write Ian Mohr and Stephanie Smith of the New York Post. The New Jersey native has joined Toronto-based investment group Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in a bid to purchase the franchise.
Meanwhile, more potential bidders for the Bills – Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula – have acknowledged they’re keeping tabs on the sale of the team, as Robert J. McCarthy of the Buffalo News details. The Pegulas’ statement, which came via Sabres VP of public and community relations Michael Gilbert, said that “out of respect for the process being conducted by representatives of the Wilson estate and the Bills, they will not be making any additional comments about the sale process.”
Although the Ravens made a flurry of moves today, signing five players that they tried out this week, cornerback Kevin Thomas didn’t receive a contract from the club. Still, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Thomas is on the team’s “standby list” and could receive an offer during training camp.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Pompei On Flowers, Incognito, Holmes, FAs

June 20th, 2014 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest Read Option piece for Bleacher Report, Dan Pompei spoke to three front office executives from around the league about the best remaining free agents on the market. Let’s dive right in and check out what Pompei and the trio of execs had to say about the top available players….

One exec wonders if Brandon Flowers might be declining after a poor 2013, while another likens him to Alterraun Verner, who received a $26MM deal ($14MM guaranteed) from the Bucs earlier this offseason.
All three of Pompei’s sources agree that Richie Incognito is easily the best interior lineman available, but no teams want to deal with him after last year’s bullying scandal.
Although Santonio Holmes is the most intriguing unsigned wide receiver, there are concerns about his durability, his asking price, and potentially his off-field presence. “We’d have to look more closely at what happened in New York with him in the locker room,” said one front office man.
Jason Babin and Ryan Pickett are both entering their mid-30s, meaning teams will proceed with caution. There’s also some concern that both players have become increasingly one-dimensional – Babin as a pass-rusher and Pickett as a space-eater – but the execs think both players will sign somewhere.
One exec on Josh Freeman: “He is probably better as a starter, but he isn’t going to get a starting job now. And if he knows he’s a backup, he might not prepare like he’s a starter.”
Michael Bush may be hard-pressed to find a role, since the devaluation of running backs means clubs are more inclined to pick up a rookie who can play special teams rather than a veteran like Bush.
Offensive linemen Eric Winston, Kyle Cook, and Tyson Clabo also earned mentions to round out the list of 10 players.

Poll: Where Will Brandon Flowers Sign?

June 20th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams

With most free agents snapped up quickly in March, it’s rare to see a Pro Bowler available in June. Players like DeSean Jackson and Chris Johnson were cut later in the offseason, making the free agent market a little more interesting in the spring, but it has been a while since a player of Brandon Flowers‘ caliber became available.

Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) suggest 2013 was a down year for Flowers as he struggled to fit in new Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton’s scheme, ranking as just the 87th-best CB in the league among 110 qualified players. However, PFF rated Flowers as a top-seven corner in both 2011 and 2012, and the ex-Chief is still only 28 years old, making him an intriguing option for teams in need of help in the secondary.

So far, the market for Flowers has been hard to nail down. The former second-round pick paid a visit to San Diego this week, so we count the Chargers among his potential suitors. Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Flowers has at least one more visit on his schedule, though it’s unclear which club he’s meeting with next.

While the Falcons and Redskins were initially identified as possible favorites to land Flowers, their interest has been downplayed over the last week. The Jets could use cornerback help after losing Antonio Cromartie and missing out on a few free agents, but the club reportedly hasn’t reached out to Flowers. The Vikings inquired, but are believed to be a long shot, with the cornerback not currently planning a visit to Minnesota. The Patriots, Ravens, Steelers, and Lions are among the other teams that have some level of interest in Flowers and may still be in the mix.

With a decision expected soon, we may see a frontrunner emerge for Flowers this weekend, if not today. For now though, it appears to be a wide open field. What do you think? Where will the Pro Bowl cornerback eventually sign?

Extra Points: Winston, Flowers, CJ2K, 49ers

June 19th, 2014 at 9:26pm CST by Zachary Links

Jameis Winston‘s father, Antonor Winston, believes his son plans to play two more seasons at Florida State, writes Jeff Sentell of The Birmingham News. The quarterback is slated to graduate in December of 2015 but if he jumps early, he’ll likely find himself as a top 10 pick in next year’s draft. Winston is also a promising baseball prospect and has been projected by some to be a first round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. Tonight’s glance around the NFL..

Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune (via Twitter) heard this morning from a league source that free agent cornerback Brandon Flowers is not expected to visit the Vikings. Flowers, who was cut loose by the Chiefs last week, is visiting with the Chargers before potentially taking visits elsewhere, but it sounds like Minnesota is not on the docket.
Jets tailback Chris Johnson is upset with the Titans for cutting him so late in the offseason and former NFLPA president Kevin Mawae is on his side. “I’ve got to give some credit to Chris,” Mawae said on 102.5 The Game, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. “There are some times when the business side of it is done wrong and if the team knew they were gonna cut him or whatever, then I’m in agreement with Chris that they should have done it earlier. There’s no sour grapes about it. You just don’t do business that way, is what I think Chris is trying to say and I would agree with that.”
Tight end Vernon Davis and guard Alex Boone want new contracts from the 49ers and are holding out from practice until they get them. Unfortunately for them, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains, the club has a history of not caving into such holdouts. San Francisco set an important precedent in 2011 with running back Frank Gore and it’s hard to see them going against that now with Davis and Boone.
Although some have hammered Colin Kaepernick for signing a team-friendly deal with the 49ers, he says the contract is an all-around win, writes Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today Sports. “You can skew things anyway you want,” Kaepernick said. “At the end of the day, a lot of the way the contract is set up is the way every other quarterback’s contract is set up. The things that aren’t set up like those contracts are because we wanted them that way, so we could sign other players.“
Brandon Pettigrew has been a scapegoat for the Lions‘ struggles during his five years in Detroit, but he says he didn’t let that cloud his judgement before deciding to re-sign with the club, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. This season, Pettigrew will share playing time with first-round pick Eric Ebron and second-year pro Joseph Fauria.

AFC Notes: Jets, Flowers, Chiefs, Ravens

June 19th, 2014 at 8:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets didn’t sign an impact cornerback in free agency to help replace Antonio Cromartie, but defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman is confident that they are set in the secondary with what they have. “The lack of experience shows up at time, but the talent is there,” Thurman said, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. “We know that we have guys that can play. We just make sure we communicate, do the things that we’re supposed to do. If we do that, I think we’ll be fine.” The Jets hope that first-round strong safety Calvin Pryor will be able to hit the ground running and they’ll also keep their fingers crossed on third-round cornerback Dexter McDougle. Here’s more from the AFC..

Brandon Flowers‘ visit with the Chargers appears to have gone well, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter). The Bolts appear to have the inside track on Flowers as San Diego was his first trip after being cut by Kansas City and he has not formally scheduled visits with other clubs yet.
Look for former Patriots wide receiver Mark Harrison to resurface with the Chiefs, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. The Rutgers product has visited Kansas City and a signing is likely.
The Ravens auditioned former Florida State tight end Shayne Broxsie, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The 6’2″, 255 pound athlete was working with Baltimore’s running backs and fullbacks, so a position change could be in his future if he winds up with the Ravens.

AFC Links: Goodson, Flowers, Jaguars

June 18th, 2014 at 6:50pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets released running back Mike Goodson earlier today, but the transaction had little to do with his production on the field. Following Goodson’s failure to show up to training camp, the team announced that the player was cut with the “left squad” designation. Furthermore, he’s had zero contact with anyone within the organization, and that’s leaving some of his former teammates and coaches worried.

Offensive guard Willie Colon is one of those players (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini):

“Usually, a guy will send you a text and say, ‘I’m OK.’ Not to hear anything is scary in itself. All you can do is send out prayers to him.”

Goodson has had a bit of a troubled past. The issues began in May 2013, when he was found stopped in the middle lane of a highway by New Jersey Police. The cops say he was incoherent and had vomited, and a semiautomatic weapon and marijuana was allegedly found in his possession. Last season, he was suspended four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Wideout David Nelson briefly touched on his former teammate’s issues:

“The concern is what kind of state he might be in, where he might be and things he might be doing. Guys are trying to check in on him, making sure that stuff isn’t reoccurring and taking over.

“For somebody who has just gone MIA – nobody can get a hold of him and nobody knows where he is – that takes it to a different level and it goes beyond football. Guys aren’t reaching out to him because of football. They’re reaching out to him because they care about him. They want to know if he’s OK.

“That’s the element everybody is talking about. At this point, nobody is talking about, ‘Why isn’t he here practicing?’ I think the fear is that we haven’t heard from him. That’s not a good sign, honestly.”

Head coach Rex Ryan also addressed the matter:

“There’s no question, it concerns me. I’ve tried to reach out to him but haven’t been able to make contact with him.”

The only time we’ve heard from Goodson’s agent, Kennard McGuire, was following the player’s initial absence from camp on Tuesday:

“Mike must be accountable and responsible for his own actions and comprehend not only effective communication but simple communication.”

With that, let’s see what else is going on around the AFC…

Free agent cornerback Brandon Flowers isn’t negotiating with teams yet, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The former Chiefs notable will spend the next two days with the Chargers. The Ravens, Steelers, and Vikings are among the clubs keeping a close eye on him. According to La Canfora (via Twitter), Flowers has no other visits scheduled yet and will re-evaluate the situation and whether to take more visits after he’s done spending time in San Diego (link).
Count wide receiver Eddie Royal amongst the folks who want to see Flowers sign with the Chargers, writes Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego. The two were teammates at Virginia Tech.
New Jaguars running back Toby Gerhart wants to be the Jacksonville’s version of Marshawn Lynch, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports. The Jags gave Gerhart a three-year, $10.5MM deal in March.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Free Agent Rumors: Flowers, Vilma, Muir

June 18th, 2014 at 3:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard that cornerback Brandon Flowers, the most noteworthy name on the free agent market, will likely make a decision on where to sign within the next three to five days. The afternoon has brought a couple of updates on Flowers, along with several items on other free agents. Let’s dive in and check out the latest….

The Chargers are hosting Flowers for a free agent visit today, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As I pointed out this morning, the most serious suitors for the veteran corner may be teams we haven’t heard many rumblings about yet, and San Diego fits that bill.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Flowers has also received significant interest from the Falcons and Vikings. Sources from both of those clubs have downplayed their interest to local reporters, so it’s hard to get a read on whether their interest is being overstated by sources close to Flowers or understated by team sources. Besides those clubs, the Patriots and Ravens also have some interest, tweets Wilson.
As they continue to weigh options to replace Sean Weatherspoon, the Falcons are working out veteran linebacker Jonathan Vilma today, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). A source confirms to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (Twitter link) that the workout went well, though the team didn’t sign Vilma right away.
Defensive tackle Daniel Muir, who spent last season with the Raiders after also playing for the Packers, Colts, and Jets, auditioned for the Ravens today, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
Guards Steve Greene and John Sullen and defensive tackles Gilbert Pena and Everett Dawkins tried out for the Giants at the team’s minicamp today, tweets Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

Brandon Flowers Decision Expected Soon

June 18th, 2014 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent cornerback Brandon Flowers will likely make a decision on his next team within the next three to five days, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (via Twitter). Flowers has been on the market since being cut by the Chiefs last Friday, and has reportedly received inquiries from at least 10 clubs.

Plenty of potential suitors have been linked to Flowers in recent days as rumors swirl about the Pro Bowler’s next destination, but many reports have downplayed teams’ interest. Yesterday, we heard that the Falcons and Redskins, previously believed to be among the possible favorites, aren’t in serious pursuit, while the Jets have yet to inquire. On Monday, the 49ers and Titans were all but ruled out as landing spots. And in Wolfson’s latest tweet, he notes that the Vikings appear to be a long shot.

One team whose interest hasn’t been significantly downplayed is the Lions, who were said on Monday to be “seriously considering” a run at Flowers. While that doesn’t necessarily make Detroit the frontrunner, it suggests the club remains in play. I expect they’ll have competition from a handful of other teams, but so far it seems that any other clubs making a serious effort to land Flowers have kept their intentions mostly concealed.

East Notes: Garoppolo, Flowers, Cowboys

June 17th, 2014 at 9:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Patriots rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo continues to hear people talk about him as the heir apparent to Tom Brady, but he’s only focused on improving day-to-day, writes Howard Ulman of the Associated Press. “Each day is different and you have to be consistently good, not occasionally great,” he said today. “You have to come out here and do your best every single day and let the coaches see what you can do.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan didn’t rule out former Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers, but as of this afternoon, the Jets haven’t reached out, a source tells Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
David Moore of the Dallas News explains why Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is taking a wait-and-see approach to Kyle Orton and Josh Brent. The Cowboys want Orton to be with the team this year but the veteran has said that he wants to retire. As for Brent, there has been widespread speculation that he could rejoin the team now that he is out of prison, but Jones says that rehabilitation has to be his top focus.
Jets rookie Shaq Evans is worried that his development could be stunted by a “silly” NFL rule, writes Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. The UCLA product is limited to just one mini-camp until his class graduates, even though he is no longer enrolled. “I really don’t understand it,” Evans said. “If I’m not in school, it shouldn’t matter. It’s ridiculous. I hope the league changes it, because it definitely sets players back. It’s a silly, silly, stupid rule.“