Brian Hartline - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Notes: Cole, Hartline, McCown

March 9th, 2015 at 6:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest out of Cleveland…

Head coach Mike Pettine said the club’s visit with free agent Trent Cole went well, and added that Cleveland is “still in play” for the edge rusher, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). The 32-year-old has drawn interest from a number of clubs since being released by the Eagles.
Similarly, Pettine thinks the Browns have a shot at receiver Brian Hartline, telling Cabot (via Twitter) the club will “see how it goes.” Per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link), Hartline isn’t in a rush to sign with a team, and is hoping to find a situation with a solid quarterback.
Pettine also said the Browns are comfortable with Josh McCown as their starting quarterback, tweets Cabot. McCown was guaranteed more than $6MM, so he presumably has a leg up on fellow QB Johnny Manziel.

AFC FA Rumors: Hawk, Cole, Hartline, Chiefs

March 6th, 2015 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

After rounding up several free agent rumors from around the NFC earlier this afternoon, it’s time for a look at the AFC. Here’s the latest:

Former Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk is set to visit with the Bengals next week, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (via Twitter). Cincinnati re-signed linebacker Rey Maualuga this week, but with Vontaze Burfict‘s recovery timetable still uncertain following microfracture surgery, the team could use some more depth at the position.
Assuming Trent Cole leaves Tampa Bay without a deal from the Buccaneers, he’ll head to Indianapolis next week to meet with the Colts, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Like the 49ers, who also have interest in Cole, the Colts are a 3-4 team, so it’ll be interesting to see if the veteran edge defender views the club as a good fit.
According to Jason Walker of ESPN.com (via Twitter), agent Drew Rosenhaus said today that the Chiefs are in the mix for wide receiver Brian Hartline, adding them to a group of suitors that includes the Dolphins, Browns, and Texans. Meanwhile, the Browns have about a “50/50” chance of landing Hartline, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who says Cleveland could balk at the wideout’s asking price.
We can also add the Chiefs to the list of teams interested in free agency safety Tyvon Branch, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Kansas City is on Branch’s list of scheduled meetings, following his visit to Washington.
The Jaguars are expected to have a look at fullback Jerome Felton once free agency begins, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The team decided not to tender a contract offer to restricted free agent fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou, and could be on the lookout for a replacement.

AFC East Rumors: Hartline, Searcy, Bills, Jets

March 5th, 2015 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

We can add another team to the list of potential suitors for wide receiver Brian Hartline, and it’s a division rival of Hartline’s old team. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (via Twitter), the free agent wideout is drawing interest from the Patriots. No visit has been set up yet between the Pats and Hartline, who has already met with the Browns, Bears, and Texans, but I’d imagine the former Dolphin will at least listen to what New England has to say, since the prospect of catching balls from Tom Brady seems appealing.

Here’s more from around the AFC East:

Like Jairus Byrd a year ago, Bills safety Da’Norris Searcy will be given the chance to test free agency next week, reports John Wawrow of The Associated Press. Buffalo appears unlikely to invest in Searcy, since the team is already paying big money to its other safety, Aaron Williams. A source tells Wawrow that the Bills and Searcy haven’t spoken since the team made him an offer two weeks ago.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com confirms that the Bills have interest in a pair of free agent targets that have already been linked to the team: offensive lineman Mike Iupati and linebacker David Harris. Iupati appears to be atop Buffalo’s free agent wish list, per La Canfora.
After visiting the Seahawks, free agent cornerback Cary Williams will meet with the Jets next, weather permitting, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). Assuming he doesn’t reach an agreement with either of those clubs, a visit with the Titans would be next up on Williams’ schedule. We heard earlier today that both of those teams were eyeing Williams, who is also receiving interest from the Steelers, tweets Wyatt.

AFC FA Rumors: Hartline, Douglas, Vereen

March 5th, 2015 at 10:55am CST by Luke Adams

Facing unrestricted free agency for the first time, Jaguars wide receiver Cecil Shorts admitted to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports that all the losing he has experienced in Jacksonville in recent years has left him feeling frustrated. Asked about what he’ll be seeking in free agency, Shorts suggested he would prefer to join a contending team.

“I just care about winning, man,” Shorts said. “When it comes down to it, I’m kind of fed up with this losing stuff. I’d do anything I can to help this team win. But you’re going to get a reliable guy. I’m not going to be any trouble during the season or the offseason. Just a reliable guy that’s going to be there and show up on Sunday.”

Shorts is one of a handful of free agents – along with Derrick Morgan, Andrew Gachkar, and a few others – who Garafolo thinks could see their careers take off with new teams. Here’s more on free agency, from around the AFC:

After visiting the Browns, wide receiver Brian Hartline is on to Houston to meet with the Texans, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). According to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), a deal with the Texans is a “real possibility” for Hartline, particularly with the club ready to move on from Andre Johnson.
Another free agent receiver is paying a visit to an AFC South team today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who tweets that ex-Falcon Harry Douglas is meeting with the Titans. As Schefter notes, Mike Mularkey, who is now Tennessee’s assistant head coach, was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator from 2008 to 2011, overlapping with Douglas’ stint in Atlanta.
Having reported last month that Shane Vereen may aim for $5MM per year in free agency, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter links) now says that the running back is eyeing a $3.5MM annual salary. According to Howe, the Patriots haven’t shown a willingness to meet that price, but other teams will likely have interest at that rate.
While Vince Wilfork‘s statement this morning announcing his departure from the Patriots had a sense of finality to it, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says (via Twitter) that if the defensive lineman wants to return to New England on a reduced deal, the team will leave the door open for him.
The Jets, who have been linked to free agent defensive linemen like Kendall Langford and Chris Canty, would like to re-sign Kenrick Ellis, but Ellis is interested in testing his value on the open market, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.

FA Rumors: Cobb, Hartline, Branch, C. Williams

March 4th, 2015 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

With 2015’s free agent period less than a week away, plenty of rumors are swirling around players who are set to become available on Tuesday, as well as players who have reached the open market early. Here’s the latest:

According to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers have told agent Jimmy Sexton that they’d be interested in signing wide receiver Randall Cobb for a five-year deal worth between $8MM and $9MM per year. Seemingly confident that his client will receive more lucrative offers on the open market, Sexton hasn’t accepted Green Bay’s proposal. “Sexton does a good job for his players,” one NFL team executive tells McGinn. “He measures the market well and knows how to create a market for his clients as well.”
After visiting the Browns yesterday, wide receiver Brian Hartline headed to Chicago and is meeting with the Bears today, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Hartline’s visit in Cleveland “went really well,” per Florio, who says the ex-Dolphin hopes to decide on his new team within the next 24 hours. While other teams have shown interest in Hartline, it seems likely that the Browns and Bears would be the frontrunners if he anticipates a quick decision.
Safety Tyvon Branch, whose release was made official by the Raiders this week, will visit the Colts, a source tells Conor Orr of NFL.com (Twitter link). Orr’s report suggests that Branch’s meeting with Indianapolis will be the first of several visits for the free agent defensive back.
There has been heavy interest thus far in ex-Eagles cornerback Cary Williams, with a dozen teams contacting his agent since he was cut by Philadelphia, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Williams, who is believed to have interest in a reunion with the Ravens, has also drawn interest from the Titans, who “kicked the tires” on the free agent corner, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter).
Jacoby Jones‘ next visit will be to San Diego to meet with the Chargers, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The veteran receiver and return man previously made trips to talk to the Bengals and the Titans.
Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV in New Orleans tweets that he has heard rumblings about the Eagles being interested in Mark Ingram. With the club poised to send starting running back LeSean McCoy to Buffalo, its reported interest in Ingram certainly makes a little more sense.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Hartline, Johnson

March 3rd, 2015 at 7:05pm CST by Luke Adams

While there are more notable wide receivers scheduled to hit free agency next week, former Dolphin Brian Hartline may be the best player currently available at the position. Hartline is getting a head start on the rest of the receiver market, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, who writes that the veteran wideout is visiting the Browns today. Cleveland certainly makes sense as a fit for Hartline — he’s from Canton and played his college ball at Ohio State, while the Browns will be without Josh Gordon for the 2015 season, and have pass catchers like Miles Austin and Jordan Cameron facing free agency.

As we wait to see if anything comes of Hartline’s meeting with the Browns, let’s check in on a few more items from across the AFC North….

A league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group that the Browns are comfortable heading into the season with Josh McCown as their bridge quarterback until they find their man of the future. For his part, McCown would not divulge what Cleveland told him about the club’s plans.
Even though they have $50MM+ in cap room at their disposal, the Browns aren’t expected to be major players in free agency this month, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
Veteran edge defender Jarret Johnson, who announced his retirement from the NFL last month, will officially do so as a Raven, after signing a one-day contract with the club, tweets Brett Hollander of WBAL Radio. Johnson, who was officially released by San Diego last week, spent the first nine years of his career with the Ravens before joining the Chargers in 2012.

Dolphins Rumors: Hartline, Wallace, Skuta

February 27th, 2015 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins made a roster move this morning, announcing the release of wide receiver Brian Hartline, which will create more than $3MM in cap savings. A few of today’s Dolphins-related rumors stem directly from that transaction, so let’s dive in and round them up….

According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Hartline had been open to the idea of reducing his salary to remain with the Dolphins, but the team is not believed to have made an offer. A source close to Hartline tells Salguero that the wideout is disappointed by the move, but would like to land with a team closer to his native Ohio, and will prioritize clubs with accomplished quarterbacks. The Colts are one possibility, per Salguero.
Following up on a Thursday report that suggested Mike Wallace isn’t interested in restructuring his contract, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald confirms that the receiver is at least uninterested in taking a pay cut. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk confirms with a source that there’s no roster bonus or other trigger in Wallace’s deal for March that would force the Dolphins to make a quick decision on the wideout. However, the $3MM guarantee on his deal has offset language, so if the team decides to cut Wallace, doing so sooner rather than later could be advantageous.
49ers linebacker Dan Skuta, who is capable of playing both inside and outside, is on the list of free agents the Dolphins like, writes Jackson.
Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter links) has heard from multiple people that new head of football operations Mike Tannenbaum actually has his eye on the 2016 season rather than 2015. As Beasley points out, that means the possibility of a roster purge is in play, though he’s skeptical that head coach Joe Philbin and GM Dennis Hickey would support a rebuild, given their potentially their job security.

Dolphins Cut Brian Hartline

February 27th, 2015 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

While rumors swirl around the Dolphins’ highest-paid receiver, Mike Wallace, the team has made a decision on its second highest-paid wideout. According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, Brian Hartline is being released by the club, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets.

While Wallace’s deal, which carries the largest cap hit on the roster, will have to be dealt with at some point, Hartline’s contract was another obvious one for the team to address at some point prior to free agency. The veteran wideout’s cap number was set to increase to $7.35MM in 2015, and then to $7.55MM for each of the following two seasons. That may have been a reasonable price for the version of Hartline who averaged 75 receptions and 1,050 yards in 2012 and 2013, but the 28-year-old’s production dipped sharply in 2014, when he grabbed just 39 balls for 474 yards.

Since Hartline still had three years left on his deal, the annual $1.4MM charges for his signing bonus will all accelerate to 2015, leaving $4.2MM in dead money on the Dolphins’ books. Still, the move clears $3.15MM in cap room for the ’15 league year, and the club avoids paying Hartline’s $5.9MM base salary for the coming year.

Those cap savings for Miami could potentially be put toward re-signing tight end Charles Clay, who is expected to command a per-year salary in the neighborhood of $6MM. As for Hartline, like fellow veteran wideout Harry Douglas, who was also released today, he should generate some interest among teams seeking depth for their receiving corps, rather than clubs looking to add a high-level starter.

AFC Notes: Canty, Ravens, Jets, Bills, Dolphins

January 11th, 2015 at 10:35pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ravens defensive lineman Chris Canty is considering retirement following the team’s 35-31 loss to the Patriots yesterday, reports Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. The 32-year old veteran has one year remaining on his contract.

“I love being a part of the National Football League, but obviously, there’s another side to it,” said Canty. “You have to think about your future. You have to think, ‘Can your body take the pounding going through a regular season and being able to stay healthy?’ The last couple of years I’ve been pretty banged up, so it’s a situation where I’ll take some time away from the game, spend some time with my family and make a decision when we have to make a decision.”

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

The Ravens could lose defensive backs coach Steve Spagnuolo, who is a candidate for the Giants’ defensive coordinator opening, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Zrebiec notes that the offensive coaching staff should stay in tact.
The Jets are still looking to fill their head coaching vacancy, and the team has targeted Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, reports Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that as long as Jets owner Woody Johnson is content waiting for Quinn to become available, he will be the team’s next head coach (via Twitter). Quinn will join new Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan in this rebuilding project.
Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has not decided whether he would be interested in staying with the team, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). Schwartz will meet with Rex Ryan once his deal is finalized.
Dolphins’ wide receiver Brian Hartline is under contract for 2015, but it isn’t certain the team will bring him back, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. “I understand there’s a business side,” Hartline said. “So when there is transition, you have to find out if you’re part of that transition or you’re not. Because of that, there’s probably a little bit of unrest that’s new to me that I haven’t experienced before.” Hartline would like to remain with the team.

East Notes: Quinn, Spagnuolo, Hartline

January 11th, 2015 at 10:49am CST by Rory Parks

It’s been a busy morning in the AFC East, as the Bills have tabbed Rex Ryan as their new head coach and Greg Roman as their new offensive coordinator, and the Jets are set to name Mike Maccagnan as their new GM. Let’s take a look at some other news from the league’s east divisions this morning:

If the Seahawks had lost to Carolina last night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the Jets were prepared to fly to Seattle to offer Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn their head coaching job.
Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork takes a look at how the Ryan hiring affects the Jets‘ roster and staffing.
The Giants would have been interested in Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to fill the same position with Big Blue, but with Schwartz apparently set to remain in Buffalo, Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes that New York will interview Bills defensive line coach Pepper Johnson to fill its vacant defensive coordinator job.
Despite the Giants‘ interest in Johnson, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that all signs point towards the team’s hiring Ravens secondary coach Steve Spagnuolo as the team’s new defensive coordinator. Spagnulo, of course, won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2007 before becoming head coach of the Rams in 2009. Raanan names former Falcons head coach Mike Smith as a dark horse candidate for the position.
New Washington GM Scot McCloughlan says that head coach Jay Gruden will have complete control in hiring a new defensive coordinator, writes Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. “The head coach hires the coaches,” McCloughlan said.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald says the Dolphins owe Brian Hartline a quick decision as to whether the team will retain him, release him, or ask him to take a pay cut. In a separate piece, Salguero looks at the uncertainty facing the entire Miami receiving corps.