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Brian Hoyer

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.

AFC East Rumors: Jets, Vereen, Hoyer, Suh

March 10th, 2015 at 10:17am CST by Zachary Links

The latest from the AFC East..

  • The Jets are showing interest in Patriots running back Shane Vereen, a source tells Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Their level of interest, predictably, hinges on the outcome of their talks with Bilal Powell. There are other suitors for the 26-year-old as well.
  • The Jets will have interest in Brian Hoyer if the price is right, but they won’t go out of their way to target him, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter). There are other, cheaper options for the Jets and the source says the team won’t be “losing sleep” over which veteran signal caller they wind up with.
  • The Dolphins are worried about the NFL investigating them for tampering when it comes to the Ndamukong Suh pact, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald explains.
  • Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter) hears that the Bills‘ offer to Jerome Felton is a nice contract for a fullback. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com first reported Buffalo’s interest in the veteran.
  • Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace explained to Anderson (on Twitter) that he’s not concerned about the terms of his pay cut because any deal he strikes would be one where there are ways where he can earn his money back. The implication there, we can infer, is that Wallace is targeting easily attainable incentives in the deal that will bring him back to what he was scheduled to earn. He went on to explain that he’s happy “for the most part” in Miami (link). Any restructuring deal he takes would have to be “reasonable” and he refuses to do anything “crazy” since he has a family to take care of (link).

Extra Points: Hoyer, Hardy, Morgan, Williams

March 9th, 2015 at 10:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As we learned earlier today, the Jets aren’t giving up on Brian Hoyer despite reports of the quarterback agreeing to a deal with the Texans. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Jets spoke with Hoyer’s agent twice Monday, and were set to do so again Monday night.

Here’s more from around the league as on free agency eve…

  • Disputing an earlier report, the Falcons told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that they have no interest in free agent defensive end Greg Hardy.
  • The Buccaneers have been “kicking the tires” on edge rusher Derrick Morgan, but it’s unclear if they’ll actually present him with an offer, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter).
  • Defensive tackle Dan Williams could be a target for the Raiders, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Williams’ time in Arizona might be up following their signing of Corey Peters earlier tonight.
  • The Titans are in on edge rusher Brian Orakpo, who has drawn interest from numerous teams, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter).
  • Vince Young was not accepted to and won’t attend the NFL Veterans Combine on March 22 in Phoenix, a representative for the quarterback tells Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Smith hears that Young was not “invited” by the NFL and entered late (link). He could wind up as a last-minute addition but as of right now, he won’t be there.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC East Rumors: Revis, Jets, Tannehill

March 8th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Rob DiRe

It will be hard to beat the Patriots re-signing Devin McCourty in terms of news, but there are a number of other rumors surrounding the AFC East teams as we approach free agency.

  • As the “legal tampering” period continues, the Patriots are still the favorites to keep either Darrelle Revis or McCourty, and are “a pretty good bet” to keep both players, according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com (via Twitter). The team already completed a deal with McCourty, and only needs to keep Revis to make good on Curran’s tweet.
  • While the Patriots may be the favorites, keeping Revis is not a done deal. The Chiefs and Jets are still contenders to sign Revis, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter).
  • The Jets are looking to add a veteran passer to its quarterback depth chart, and one name that has surfaced as a favorite it Brian Hoyer, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
  • The team has also targeted Ryan Mallett as a possible addition, although he has far less experience than fellow Tom Brady-backup Hoyer (via Twitter).
  • La Canfora also examines the impact of the Dolphins signing Ndamukong Suh will have on Ryan Tannehill‘s next contract. He writes the team has left itself little wiggle room to pay Tannehill if he has another productive season that would warrant an Alex Smith-like extension, which came in at four years and $68MM, with $45MM in guaranteed money.
  • It also surfaced that the Bills are expected to come to terms on a long-term deal with newly acquired quarterback Matt Cassel.

NFC Rumors: Peterson, Hoyer, Eagles, Cards

March 8th, 2015 at 4:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If Adrian Peterson is able to work his way out of Minnesota, his preferred destination would be Arizona, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that the veteran running back’s other top landing spots are the Colts, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Chargers. For their part, the Cardinals have denied any interest in the Vikings running back, adds Robinson’s colleague Rand Getlin (via Twitter). However, Getlin does tweet that a source told him the Cards’ release of Darnell Dockett was done to clear out cap room for Peterson.

Let’s check out the latest from the NFC as free agency approaches…

  • Both the Vikings and the 49ers have expressed interest in quarterback Brian Hoyer, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link). But with other teams like the Jets and Texans (who could potentially offer a starting role) showing interest, as well, I’d bet the Hoyer would look unfavorably upon joining Minnesota or San Francisco, where he’d be the clear backup.
  • Though they’re about to add Byron Maxwell, the Eagles could still use another corner, but the club hasn’t shown interest in either Buster Skrine or Chris Culliver, tweets Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com, who adds in a separate tweet that Walter Thurmond is also not on Philly’s radar.
  • Washington appears set on adding help along the defensive line — they’re intrigued by Terrance Knighton, and they’ve also expressed interest in free agents Stephen Paea and Dan Williams, per John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • After re-signing Scott Tolzien earlier today, the Packers aren’t interested in retaining fellow backup QB Matt Flynn, tweets Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
  • The Cardinals are interested in linebacker Brian Orakpo, per Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link). Arizona is also interested in Trent Cole (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN), so it looks like they’re targeting OLB help.
  • The Buccaneers are looking for safety help, and there is mutual interest between the club and FA Ron Parker, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link).

AFC East Rumors: Revis, Hughes, Powell

March 8th, 2015 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Although he’s not technically a free agent yet, cornerback Darrelle Revis may hit the open market very soon if he can’t work out a new deal with the Patriots. As has been expected all along, Revis’ choice appears to be coming down to the Pats and Jets, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). If New England can’t reach a long-term deal with Revis before Tuesday, and isn’t interested in picking up his 2015 option, the team will have to cut him, opening the door for the star corner to work out a deal that sends him back to New York.

As we wait to see what happens on the Revis front, here are some other items from across the AFC East:

  • Negotiations between the Bills and pass rusher Jerry Hughes are expected to come to a head today, tweets Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. Per Robinson (via Twitter), the Jaguars are a potential outside suitor, but Buffalo remains hopeful of getting something done.
  • While Brian Hoyer has drawn interest from a handful of clubs, the Jets are one of two suitors – along with the Texans – interested in signing him as a potential starter, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
  • The Jets would like to re-sign running Bilal Powell, but believe he’s leaning toward a reunion with Rex Ryan in Buffalo, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Dan Graziano of ESPN.com confirms that the Bills have interest in Powell (Twitter link).
  • The Jets are preparing some contingency plans in the event that Powell doesn’t return to New York, and one possible alternative for the team is Patriots free agent Shane Vereen, according to Mehta (via Twitter).

FA Rumors: Bulaga, McCourty, Suh, Raiders

March 7th, 2015 at 11:36pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Packers were able to retain one of their top two free agents tonight, reaching an agreement to bring back wide receiver Randall Cobb, the team may end up losing tackle Bryan Bulaga, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Two league sources tell Silverstein that Bulaga is seeking a contract worth at least $7-8MM per year, and has a good chance of landing such a deal. Per one of Silverstein’s sources, Green Bay isn’t interested in paying $7MM+ annually for Bulaga, and would let him walk if the bidding got that high. The Buccaneers, the Jaguars, and Washington are believed to have interest in the free agent tackle.

Here’s more from around the league on what has been a busy Saturday:

  • According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), safety Devin McCourty is seeking an annual salary of $9MM per year, like what Jairus Byrd got a year ago. When I listed McCourty as 2015’s second-best free agent earlier today, I noted that if Byrd could land $9MM per year, the Pats safety should be able to do just as well on the open market.
  • Cole also has an update on Ndamukong Suh, tweeting that one high-placed source is confident that Suh will end up with the Dolphins, while a second source says the Lions are the only other team involved in the bidding. Given how rare it is for a player of Suh’s caliber to reach the open market, I’d be pretty surprised if only two teams were pursuing him, but multiple reports over the last several days have identified Miami and Detroit as the frontrunners.
  • Cobb had been high on the Raiders‘ list of wide receiver targets, but now that he’s off the market, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) says the team will likely shift its focus to Jeremy Maclin, Torrey Smith, and – if and when he becomes available – Percy Harvin.
  • The Texans have interest in quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer, and it may not be an either/or proposition for the team, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, who tweets that the club would like to sign both players.
  • The Cowboys have elected not to tender a contract offer to cornerback Sterling Moore, meaning he’ll be an unrestricted free agent rather than an RFA, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.

AFC Rumors: Revis, Hughes, Skrine, Hoyer

March 7th, 2015 at 5:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Patriots have a couple more days to work out a new deal with cornerback Darrelle Revis before they have to either cut him or pick up his option for 2015. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), Revis plans to explore his options on the open market, and if he receives offers comparable to the Pats’ proposal, he’ll return to New England.

Here’s more from around the AFC, with the three-day “legal tampering” window now open:

  • Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports and Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter links) both hear from a source that the Bills are working on re-signing Jerry Hughes, and have made progress. However, Graham says both sides are “very aware” that the clock is ticking, and Robinson suggests other teams may get in on the bidding.
  • Browns cornerback Buster Skrine has been a popular target in the early hours of free agency. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports (via Twitter) that eight teams expressed interest in Skrine during the first three hours of this afternoon’s negotiating window.
  • At least four teams have shown early interest in Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer, a source tells Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (Twitter link).
  • The Colts, Texans, Raiders, and Dolphins are among the teams that made preliminary inquiries on Bills safety Da’Norris Searcy today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.

Texans FA Rumors: WRs, Wilfork, Hoyer, Parker,

March 7th, 2015 at 2:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

Either by trade or release, it seems inevitable that Andre Johnson will not be a member of the Texans sooner rather than later. DeAndre Hopkins emerged as a capable number one option last year, but the team will need to add pass catching talent if they want to improve on offense without their franchise leader in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.

The team will likely pursue top free agent receivers such as Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin to line up across from Hopkins in 2015, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). He believes that Torrey Smith could be an option as well.

Here are some other notes surrounding the Texans’ free agency plans:

  • One huge name the Texans could have a shot at bringing in is former Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, writes McClain (via Twitter). He adds that Wilfork knows head coach Bill O’Brien from their time together in New England, and is especially close with defensive coordinator Romeo Crennell.
  • The team could also be interested in Chiefs safety Ron Parker, according to Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
  • Five or six teams have expressed interest in Brian Hoyer as either a starter or high-level backup, reported Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). The Texans appear to be on that list (via Twitter).
  • McClain also opined on how he expects the team to approach free agency in general, saying he does not expect the team to sign many big name guys due to the self-imposed budgets they have on how they value players (via Twitter). He writes that teams with more cap space will likely overpay for their services. He adds that the Texans have a history of overpaying to retain players, but rarely chase other team’s free agents (via Twitter). He cites the regrettable signings of Ed Reed and Ahman Green as reasons the team will likely be quiet in free agency.

North Notes: Suh, Hoyer, Cutler, Tulloch

March 5th, 2015 at 9:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

When he officially becomes a free agent next Tuesday, Ndamukong Suh is expected to garner a “massive” contract, in the words of Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), who hears from insiders that the Lions defensive tackle could receive $17MM per year with as much as $60MM guaranteed.

That guaranteed figure in particular sounds high, as that total would be the highest in the NFL (Aaron Rodgers currently is No. 1 with $54MM in guarantees). However, with the league-wide salary cap continuing to rise, and a number of clubs enjoying ample amounts of cap space, nothing is out of the question. La Canfora adds that the Dolphins are hot on Suh’s trail, noting that if Miami doesn’t add the 28-year-old, it “won’t be for lack of effort.”

Here’s more from the North divisions…

  • After the Browns signed Josh McCown last month, fellow quarterback Brian Hoyer‘s tenure in Cleveland presumably came to an end. Hoyer confirmed as much to Jim Corbett of USA Today, saying that he’ll be looking to compete for a starting job elsewhere. “It’s good for both sides to get a fresh start and go our separate ways,” said Hoyer, who should sit near the top free agent QB market alongside Mark Sanchez.
  • Though not a free agent like Hoyer, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has been the subject of just as many rumors during the offseason, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms what most already suspected: teams around the league know that Cutler is available via trade. I outlined why it could be difficult for Chicago to deal Cutler in our Bears’ Offseason Outlook.
  • Via an Instagram post, Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch indicates that he’ll return to Detroit next season. Tulloch isn’t a free agent, but his $5.8MM 2015 cap hit, combined with an ACL injury, lead to speculation that he’d be released. Tulloch is reportedly progressing well in his recovery, and while his post obviously doesn’t make his return official, one can assume that Lions management has told him he’ll be retained.
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