Brian Hoyer - Pro Football Rumors

QB Notes: Hoyer, Broncos, Jets, Bradford

April 21st, 2016 at 6:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Neither the Broncos nor the Jets talked contract with free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer during their respective visits, sources tell Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Denver, per Klis, is inclined to wait until after the draft to find a new signal-caller, a concept that Jason Cole of Bleacher Report confirms (video link), saying that GM John Elway won’t overpay for a “mediocre” quarterback.

Hoyer, meanwhile, could very well be off the market by the time the Broncos are ready to make a decision at QB. Hoyer now has at least six teams interested in him, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

Let’s take a look at some other interesting quarterback situations around the NFL…

The Jets and Broncos should call the Eagles about Sam Bradford, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk opines. With Bradford’s $11MM signing bonus already earned, another team could theoretically trade for the QB and pay him $24MM on a two-year deal with just $7MM in 2016. That $7MM salary is the same amount as what Denver wants to pay Kaepernick and the same sum the Jets want to give to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Of course, the Eagles might not be thrilled about the idea of trading Bradford after having picked up a significant portion of the check on him.
While Bradford is a good guy, the fact that two teams he has played for have made massive trades to take a top two quarterback is not a resume builder, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Cole reported earlier tonight that Bradford may ask for a trade from the Eagles.
The Eagles’ trade for the No. 2 pick is a reminder that Washington has been wise to seek quarterback help in the past even when they seemed set at the position, John Keim of ESPN.com writes. In 2012, Washington drafted Kirk Cousins even though they appeared to have a future star in RGIII. Even though Cousins is installed as the starter now, Keim believes that Washington should get some insurance by drafting developmental QB.
The Eagles/Browns trade could have a trickle-down effect on the Jets‘ quarterback plans, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. Cimini believes that the Jets were previously interested in making a move for one of the top quarterbacks and using Muhammad Wilkerson as trade bait, but the cost of moving from No. 20 to No. 2 was unrealistic. The Jets could now miss out on the draft’s third-best quarterback prospect in Paxton Lynch since the Browns could target him at No. 8. The Jets could turn to the next tier of QBs including Michigan State’s Connor Cook and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg and Cimini hears that Gang Green likes Hackenberg. Meanwhile, the Jets allowed Hoyer to leave his visit without a deal and the team could be putting themselves in jeopardy if they don’t retain Fitzpatrick.
Pat McManamon of ESPN.com didn’t like the trade down for the Browns because the Browns’ wait for a franchise quarterback continues to drag on. The team is staying true to analytics by trading down, but McManamon argues that even an exceptionally talented team will hit a ceiling without a competent QB. McManamon sees RGIII as the biggest winner of the trade since Cleveland is now putting more faith in him than any other team in the league would.
A formal indictment in free agent Johnny Manziel’s domestic violence case will be handed down on Monday, reports Jennifer Emily of the Dallas Morning News, who writes that Manziel is likely to face a criminal charge.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Broncos Rumors: Kaepernick, Hoyer, Miller

April 21st, 2016 at 1:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Trade talks between the Broncos and the 49ers regarding Colin Kaepernick are “dormant,” GM John Elway told reporters (Twitter link via James Palmer of NFL.com). However, he added that there is an offer on the table.

Here’s the latest out of Denver:

The Broncos are interested in signing Brian Hoyer, but they’re not in a rush to get a deal done, as Michael David Smith of PFT writes. “We had a good visit but he’s got another trip lined up. It’s a possibility. He’s a good football player. We wanted to have him in, meet him and get to know him a little bit. But nothing to report there,” Elway said.
The Broncos (and the Jets) remain interested in Hoyer, but both teams have a few balls in the air, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Each side will take a few days to think things over, so we shouldn’t expect Hoyer to sign with anyone today.
Elway said the status of negotiations with Von Miller is “not nearly as bad” as it has has been portrayed in the media lately (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today)
When asked about Miller holding out, Elway said “This is all voluntary. If Von chooses to be here, then great. You always hope that everybody is here,” (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post).
Elway said there have been contract proposals exchanged with Miller, and now that draft meetings are winding down, the two sides will have more time to talk (Twitter link via Jones).

Brian Hoyer Visiting Broncos

April 20th, 2016 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

After paying a visit to the Jets shortly after he officially hit the open market, quarterback Brian Hoyer will make his second visit this week, heading to Denver to meet with the Broncos, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. That meeting is scheduled to take place tomorrow, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Caplan, who suggests that the Jets remain interested in Hoyer, tweeted earlier today that he doesn’t expect it to take long for the veteran free agent to find a new home. According to Caplan, four or five teams are interested in Hoyer — in addition to the Jets and Broncos, we’ve heard the Steelers, Bears, and Cowboys mentioned as possible suitors, though it’s not clear if those are the specific clubs Caplan is referring to.

Hoyer, 30, made nine starts and appeared in 11 total games for the Texans in 2015, and enjoyed his best season as a pro. The Michigan State product completed more than 60% of his passes, throwing for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Houston went 5-4 in his starts.

Despite Hoyer’s solid performance, he became expendable when the Texans went out and signed Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal in free agency last month. With veteran backup Brandon Weeden also on the roster, and 2014 fourth-rounder Tom Savage in the mix as well, Houston opted against paying Hoyer a $4MM salary, plus per-game roster bonuses, releasing him instead.

With Osweiler in Houston, the Broncos have been on the lookout for quarterbacks for over a month. The team went out and acquired Mark Sanchez in a trade with the Eagles, but intends to add at least one more signal-caller to the mix to compete for the starting job with Sanchez and Trevor Siemian. Colin Kaepernick has frequently been cited as a potential trade target, and Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned, but Hoyer figures to come much cheaper than both.

If either the Jets or Broncos ultimately signs Hoyer, it could push Fitzpatrick closer to signing a new contract of his own. The Broncos, in particular, would likely no longer have any interest in Fitzpatrick if they add Hoyer, which would increase the Jets’ leverage in contract talks with their 2015 starter.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Bears, Hoyer, Seahawks, Saints

April 19th, 2016 at 10:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jets are currently pursuing free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer, but the Bears could enter the mix for his services if he doesn’t end up in New York, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. Hoyer would be the backup to Jay Cutler in Chicago, which lacks an ideal reserve option. Neither David Fales nor Matt Blanchard has taken a regular-season snap, and Hoyer has an obvious connection to the Bears’ coaching staff in first-year offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. Hoyer and Loggains worked together when the two were in Cleveland in 2014 (Loggains coached the Browns’ quarterbacks).

Brian Hoyer Visiting Jets

April 19th, 2016 at 5:31pm CST by Luke Adams

5:31pm: The Jets have legitimate interest in signing Hoyer and could offer him a contract by Wednesday, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who adds that it wouldn’t necessarily preclude them from bringing back Fitzpatrick. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com is less convinced, classifying the Jets’ decision to visit with Hoyer as due diligence – not unlike their meeting with Robert Griffin III in March.

8:42am: With Brian Hoyer officially back on the open market, the Jets aren’t wasting any time in expressing their interest in the veteran signal-caller. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Hoyer is paying a visit to the Jets, and that meeting will get underway today.

[RELATED: Texans release Brian Hoyer]

Hoyer, 30, made nine starts and appeared in 11 total games for the Texans in 2015, and enjoyed his best season as a pro. The Michigan State product completed more than 60% of his passes, throwing for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Houston went 5-4 in his starts.

Despite Hoyer’s solid performance, he became expendable when the Texans went out and signed Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal in free agency last month. With veteran backup Brandon Weeden also on the roster, and 2014 fourth-rounder Tom Savage in the mix as well, Houston opted against paying Hoyer a $4MM salary, plus per-game roster bonuses.

While the Jets are the first team Hoyer will visit, New York is not his only potential suitor. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that four or five other clubs are interested in Hoyer, and we heard on Sunday that the Steelers may be one of those teams. The Broncos will likely kick the tires on Hoyer as well, and the Cowboys reportedly have interest “at the right price.”

Of course, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets, the Jets’ preference continues to be re-signing their 2015 starter, Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, a report earlier this week suggested that Fitzpatrick and the Jets are unlikely to reach an agreement before this year’s draft gets underway.

For the Jets, Hoyer represents both a viable Plan B and a way to gain leverage in negotiations with Fitzpatrick. Even if Hoyer ultimately signs with another team, it could benefit Gang Green, since it would potentially eliminate another suitor for Fitzpatrick, reducing his options.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texans Release Brian Hoyer

April 18th, 2016 at 4:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

MONDAY, 4:32pm: Hoyer’s release is now official, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

SUNDAY, 7:21pm: The Jets are likely to schedule a visit with Hoyer soon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Gang Green showed interest in the eighth-year passer last year and have been the most discussed suitor for Hoyer in 2016.

3:47pm: The Texans have released quarterback Brian Hoyer, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). As a vested veteran, Hoyer won’t have to pass through waivers, so he’s now a free agent and can sign with any club.

The news doesn’t come as much of a shock, as reports last month indicated that Houston was likely to part ways with Hoyer, either through trade or release. After the signing of Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal, there wasn’t much of a role for Hoyer on the club, especially after the Texans also inked backup quarterback Brandon Weeden to a two-year deal.

Houston had reportedly been searching for a trade partner in an effort to deal Hoyer, and had been doing so right up until releasing him, tweets Rapoport. Reports indicated that Hoyer could be had for minimal compensation, but apparently no other club was willing to part with assets in order to land the veteran quarterback.

Hoyer won’t be without suitors now that he’s a free agent, however, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter link) that the Steelers have expressed interest. Additionally, the Jets had inquired on Hoyer while he was still on the Texans’ roster, and they’re sure to still be intrigued even as they negotiate with Ryan Fitzpatrick. And the Broncos, who were said to be considering a run at Hoyer last month, make sense as a landing spot as they try to replace Osweiler and Peyton Manning.

The 30-year-old Hoyer posted the best season of his career in 2015, completing 60% of his passes for more than 2,600 yards while throwing 19 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. After leading the Texans to a 5-4 record in his nine starts, Hoyer’s streak of good play ended in the first round of the playoffs, when he threw four interceptions as Houston was shut out by the Chiefs.

Hoyer was entering the final season of a a two-year deal he signed with Houston prior to the 2015 season. He had no guaranteed money remaining, so the Texans will clear the entirety of his 2016 cap hit — about $4.86MM — off their books.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC East Rumors: Eagles, Cox, Cowboys, Hoyer

April 18th, 2016 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles were reportedly in discussions with the Titans about a potential trade for the No. 1 pick before Tennessee sent that pick to Los Angeles. Asked today about how serious those talks were, Howie Roseman downplayed them, suggesting that his team was doing its “due diligence,” as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

“I wouldn’t consider any discussions [serious] with any teams until you make deals,” Roseman, the de-facto Eagles GM, said. “I think it’s the same discussion with teams behind us. We’re having those discussions now. Teams in front us. We just have those conversations internally and weigh the cost-benefit of everything.”

While Roseman left the door open for plenty of trade possibilities, he shut at least one door, telling reporters today that the Eagles are “not trading” Fletcher Cox (Twitter links via Berman). Roseman made it clear that the team isn’t playing the “leverage game” with Cox, and plans on extending him and keeping him in Philadelphia for a long time.

Let’s check in on some other NFC East items….

The Cowboys wouldn’t mind landing a veteran backup for Tony Romo, and would have interest in Brian Hoyer “at the right price,” a source tells Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. However, Williams cautions that Hoyer will likely be able to get more money – and perhaps the chance to compete for a starting job – with another team.
In a conversation with TMZ Sports, free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie admitted that his “dream choice” for his new team would be the Cowboys. “[Dallas] is very high on my list,” Cromartie said.
Jeff Heath‘s new four-year contract with the Cowboys is worth $7.671MM, including a $1.8MM signing bonus, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The defensive back and special-teamer also saw his cap number for 2016 reduced a little, going from $1.671MM to $1.35MM.
John Keim of ESPN.com breaks down the keys to success for Washington in 2016, identifying some players to watch and suggesting that the team should address its defensive line in the draft.

AFC East Notes: Hoyer, Colon, Patriots

April 17th, 2016 at 6:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans’ decision to move on from Brian Hoyer after one season not only marks the third straight offseason the team has jettisoned its primary starter from the previous season, but it adds a layer of intrigue to the quarterback market.

A key fixture in last year’s tepid quarterback class, Hoyer has drawn interest from the Jets, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). In addition to Gang Green’s interest in Hoyer, something which the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson corroborates (Twitter link), the Steelers also could be in on the 30-year-old as Ben Roethlisberger insurance.

Pittsburgh’s interest in Hoyer is interesting since the Cleveland-area native will be targeted for starting positions, with the Jets and Broncos having expressed interest. But Roethlisberger’s injuries harpooned the Steelers’ offense last season, with Big Ben missing four games and five starts in 2015. Neither Michael Vick nor Landry Jones proved to be up to the job of keeping Pittsburgh’s attack in high gear.

Hoyer didn’t enjoy a standout season but would be an upgrade over what the Jets and Broncos currently have among their respective quarterback contingents, although New York remains in prolonged talks with 2015 starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, whom the Texans acquired to replace Matt Schaub before trading him after a semi-productive 2014 showing in Houston. Houston traded Schaub to the Raiders during the previous offseason.

A two-year starter with the Browns, Hoyer threw 19 touchdown passes compared to seven interceptions in an injury-plagued 2015 season. The 19 touchdown tosses, in just nine starts, represented a career high for Hoyer, surpassing his 2014 mark (14 TD passes) compiled in 13 starts.

Hoyer’s release saves the Texans $5.015MM this year and moves Houston to $11.451MM under the cap, Wilson tweets.

Here’s some more from the AFC East.

Willie Colon is debating whether or not to return for an 11th season, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports. The veteran lineman played the past three seasons with the Jets, starting 38 games, but remains an unrestricted free agent. The 33-year-old guard attended D’Brickashaw Ferguson‘s retirement ceremony at the Jets’ facility but isn’t sure he’s ready to commit to another year after missing 10 games in 2015 with a season-ending knee injury. “I’m getting in shape, trying to figure it out,” Colon told Cimini. “If my knee doesn’t respond, I’m just going to hang it up. Right now, it’s about me just getting in the best shape I can and see how it goes.” The former Steelers blocker graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 68 guard during his six games last season, and replacement Brian Winters — a former third-round pick now entering his fourth season — came in at No. 58.
The Patriots cutting Dominique Easley also could be signalling a move away from traditional 3-technique tackles, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports. New England also waiving Chris Jones, who also profiled as a better fit in a 4-3 scheme represents a philosophical shift back toward bigger nose tackle-type players, a source tells Reiss. The Pats’ signing of Terrance Knighton falls in line with this rejiggering of sorts. Jabaal Sheard‘s ability to rush from an inside position on passing downs contributes to the team’s thinking here, per Reiss.

Jets Continue To Have Interest In Brian Hoyer

April 1st, 2016 at 11:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are eyeing quarterback Brian Hoyer closely and have expressed interest in acquiring him, league sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). That means that the Jets could look into trading for him or signing him as a free agent if Houston opts to release him.

Hoyer, 30, is set to enter the second year of a two-year deal and while he has a base salary of $4MM, none of it is guaranteed. Given that his gameday roster bonuses would also be cleared out, Hoyer’s release would save Houston nearly $5MM in cap space. Hoyer wasn’t awful last season, as he completed about 61% of his passes for 17 touchdowns against just nine interceptions. Still, Hoyer did finish 20th in Football Outsiders’ DYAR metric. The Texans have a new signal caller in Brock Osweiler and the Jets view Hoyer as a capable starter.

One way or another, the Texans and Hoyer are expected to part ways. Meanwhile, the Jets are holding firm in their negotiations with Ryan Fitzpatrick while the veteran quarterback is insisting on a much larger deal than Gang Green has been willing to give him. The Jets want to pay Fitzpatrick roughly $7MM/year – the typical cost of a high-end backup – while Fitzpatrick wants to be paid like one of the better starters in the league, which would put him at about $16MM/year.

Regardless of how things go with Hoyer and Fitzpatrick, the Jets want to bring in a young quarterback. Even though the Jets selected Baylor product Bryce Petty in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, they’re talking with prospects Christian Hackenberg and Paxton Lynch and, according to Cole, they could select a QB in the first three rounds of this month’s draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texans, Brian Hoyer Likely To Part Ways

March 29th, 2016 at 8:41pm CST by Rory Parks

In a tweet that should surprise no one, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the Texans and Brian Hoyer are “headed for a divorce” and that both sides are prepared for a fresh start. Hoyer’s stat line from 2015 does not look half bad, as he completed nearly 61% of his passes for 19 touchdowns against just seven interceptions while appearing in 11 contests for Houston. However, he did finish 20th in Football Outsiders’ DYAR metric, and it became apparent that the Texans would only go so far with Hoyer under center.

To that end, Houston signed free agent signal-caller Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal when free agency opened, a contract that has generated a great deal of discussion among NFL writers and talking heads over the past several weeks. When Osweiler signed, Rapoport indicated that Hoyer was likely to be released, but Houston GM Rick Smith said just a couple of days later that Hoyer could well return to the team as a backup.

Of course, Smith’s comments may have been nothing more than an attempt to extract some sort of trade value out of Hoyer, as the team was reportedly looking to deal Hoyer immediately after agreeing to terms with Osweiler. If the Texans were to trade Hoyer, they would probably accept a sixth-round selection in return, but if they cannot find a trade partner, they could release him and save nearly $5MM of cap space (although Hoyer is set to enter the second year of a two-year deal he signed with Houston last season, no portion of his $4MM salary is guaranteed).

Rapoport’s latest report does not indicate whether the “divorce” between Hoyer and the Texans will come via trade or release, but it looks like a release is the more likely option at this point. Assuming Hoyer does receive his walking papers, the Broncos, Osweiler’s former employer, would be an obvious potential landing spot, and the Jets could also be a possibility (although New York still seems more likely to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick than to bring in another quarterback). Hoyer would, of course, be very attractive as a No. 2 quarterback for any number of teams, but the 30-year-old will of course prefer to sign with a club that could give him a chance to start.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images