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Byron Maxwell

NFC Notes: Maxwell, Cousins, Seahawks

September 17th, 2015 at 6:56pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Eagles’ secondary was a major weakness last year and the main step they took to improve it during the offseason was signing ex-Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell to a $63MM deal. Unfortunately for the Eagles and Maxwell, his debut in their 26-24 loss to Atlanta on Monday couldn’t have gone much worse. Maxwell, whom Falcons receivers roasted for 179 yards and 10 catches, was one of the primary reasons behind the Eagles’ defeat. Nevertheless, defensive coordinator Bill Davis remains confident in Maxwell’s abilities.

“He did not have a good game,” Davis said, according to Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com. “He’s got to play better. He can play better. He will play better. He’s been a great football player in this league and will continue to be for us. He knows that, we know that. I’ve got nothing but confidence in him. He’s a hell of a competitor.”

A look at some of Philly’s NFC counterparts:

  • Kirk Cousins thinks he’s in a better position to develop properly now that he’s Washington‘s starting quarterback. “It’s a very beneficial role. I do feel different now in this role,” Cousins said, per Liz Clarke of the Washington Post. “It feels a little more stable. It caters to the ability to develop as a quarterback. This is a great opportunity for me, as I’ve said. I want to take full advantage of it and just keep building day after day.” The fourth-year man completed 21 of 31 passes for 196 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in Washington’s 17-10 loss to Miami in Week 1.
  • Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett made a salient point regarding teammate Kam Chancellor‘s ongoing holdout. “I think you can’t have hard feelings because at the end of the day, the NFL they cut people every day,” Bennett said, according to The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. “Right now there is some guy who thinks he is going to play on Sunday who will be cut on Friday because the team feels like they need to save money. When teams do it it’s usually called business but when the players do it it’s usually called ungrateful.’’
  • The Rams worked out three cornerbacks – Josh Thomas, Melvin White and Robert McClain – earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweeted. They ended up signing White to their practice squad.

NFC Notes: Davis, Ertz, Giants, Cowboys

August 15th, 2015 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is some of the latest news emerging from NFC franchises.

  • Anthony Davis is already teasing a comeback, per his Twitter account. According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, Davis plans to return to the NFL for the 2016 campaign. The 49ers hold his rights for the next five seasons due to the contract extension the 25-year-old right tackle signed in 2013.
  • Last night, we heard Zach Ertz will miss the preseason after undergoing surgery, but Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders if Chip Kelly expecting him back for Week 1 is realistic. Bowen, who notes the injury is believed to be a partial groin tear, remains skeptical Ertz will be up to speed by the time the Eagles debut Sept. 14. Ertz told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Enquirer (Twitter link) his groin bothered him for a while and he reinjured it Wednesday.
  • Byron Maxwell will shadow No. 1 receivers this season with the Eagles, and it’s a chance to give the team an elite cornerback for the first time in years, writes Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. “I was on the right in Seattle, but it’s an opportunity, and I’m looking forward to it; I really am,” Maxwell told Frank. “Once you start following guys, your name is up there, so that’s how I’m looking at it.“
  • In light of the Giants‘ accelerating injury rate in the secondary, they will likely explore adding cornerbacks to patch the corps together, Jordan Raanan writes (on Twitter). In addition to the four players lost to injuries Friday night, Prince Amukamara remains sidelined for the coming weeks with a groin malady.
  • Washington trading for Vernon Davis is not an option in an effort to repair their ransacked tight end contingent, writes ESPN.com’s John Keim. The ESPN Washington-based reporter also points out he’s been told Zach Miller will not be in the team’s plans for this fix. PFR’s Luke Adams profiled Washington’s quandary at tight end, which stems from Niles Paul being lost for the season, recently.
  • The Cowboys are working out three running backs — Michael Hill, Ben Malena and Zach Bauman — with top ball-carriers Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar limited with injuries, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Of this trio, only Hill, a journeyman who was the runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy (Division II’s Heisman equivalent) in 2012, has seen regular-season game action. Washington waived him last month.

Contract Details: Maxwell, Murray, McPhee

March 12th, 2015 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are some key details on some of the notable contracts agreed to or signed around the NFL this week:

NFC deals:

  • Byron Maxwell, CB (Eagles): Six years, $63MM base value. $25MM fully guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • DeMarco Murray, RB (Eagles): Five years, $40MM base value. $42MM max value. $18MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Albert Breer of the NFL Network).
  • Pernell McPhee, OLB (Bears): Five years, $38.75MM base value. $8.675MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Antrel Rolle, S (Bears): Three years, $11.25MM base value. $4.9MM guaranteed. $3.9MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Tom Johnson, DT (Vikings): Three years, $7MM base value. $2.75MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Matt Prater, K (Lions): Two years, $4.55MM base value. Third-year team option for 2017 (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

AFC deals:

Chip Kelly On Mariota, McCoy, Bradford

March 11th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Eagles coach Chip Kelly hosted a press conference this afternoon and we’ve gathered all the highlights right here. All links to go the Twitter feed of PhiladelphiaEagles.com, unless noted otherwise:

  • Kelly told reporters, including the staff of PhiladelphiaEagles.com (on Twitter), that he didn’t think that he needed to control the team’s personnel and said that it was a decision that the team’s owner had made. Of course, Kelly got control over the roster this offseason in a front office reshuffling that saw former GM Howie Roseman change roles. Kelly feels that the biggest difference in the draft this year will be having the final say over matters, something that he didn’t have over the last two years (link).
  • The Eagles coach dispelled the notion that the Eagles will try and trade up for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (link). The Eagles have been heavily connected to Mariota for months now and speculation has only intensified as Kelly appears more driven than ever to fill the Eagles’ roster with Oregon alum. Kelly feels that Mariota is the best QB in the draft, but he’s unwilling to mortgage the future to land him and the team has too many other needs to address (link).
  • Kelly considered the trade of LeSean McCoy for linebacker Kiko Alonso to be important because it allowed the team to go after cornerback Byron Maxwell (link).
  • The coach claimed that the Bills leaked the news of the McCoy trade before he could call the running back to notify him, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Kelly said it was “essential” to get Mark Sanchez back (link) and added that he never would have been able to acquire a quarterback of Sam Bradford‘s caliber had he not torn his ACL. The team has yet to have extension talks with Bradford (link). That’s not a big concern to Kelly, however, who said that everyone is essentially playing year-to-year and believes that Bradford has tremendous upside (link).
  • The Eagles coach/exec claims that the Eagles were offered a first-round pick for Bradford on Wednesday morning (link). However, Bradford wasn’t brought in to be a trade chip, Kelly said, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter).
  • There were other teams involved in the Bradford sweepstakes, Kelly says (link). Meanwhile, the Eagles only spoke with the Rams about Nick Foles.

Eagles Sign Byron Maxwell

March 10th, 2015 at 6:17pm CST by Dallas Robinson

TUESDAY, 6:17pm: The Eagles have announced the transaction (via Twitter), making it official.

SUNDAY, 3:54pm: Maxwell was clear to ESPN’s Josina Anderson by phone (Twitter link): “I’m going to Philly.”

3:49pm: In his article reporting Frank Gore’s signing with the Eagles, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Seahawks are making a “last-ditch effort” to retain Maxwell.

3:02pm: After spending the past week clearing out cap space, the Eagles are close to landing one of their top targets. Philadelphia is nearing an agreement with free agent cornerback Byron Maxwell, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Jayson Braddock of KBME Houston was the first to report the deal, and says that it’s a five-year contract worth $53-54MM, with $25MM guaranteed (Twitter links).

Maxwell, widely viewed as the best FA corner available, ranked as the No. 9 overall free agent on PFR’s Top 50 list. The 27-year-old enjoyed his first season as full-time starter for the Seahawks, starting 12 games as Seattle made it second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. The Eagles were seen as the favorites to land Maxwell, although the Jets have also been listed as a possible suitor. In Philadelphia, he’ll join a secondary where the only other sure starter on the roster is safety Malcolm Jenkins.

The Eagles are also said to be targeting former Patriots safety Devin McCourty, who isn’t encumbered by the franchise tag. Philadelphia certainly has money to spend, having traded LeSean McCoy and his contract to the Bills and released Cary Williams and Trent Cole. Projected to be major players in free agency, the Eagles have almost $45MM in cap space to work with. Philadelphia has other concerns this offseason, as key contributors Jeremy Maclin and Brandon Graham are pending free agents. Both are sure to get hefty offers on the open market starting on Tuesday, and while Maclin looks more likely to return than Graham, the Eagles have the money to retain both.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, will lose their No. 2 corner for the second consecutive season, having seen Brandon Browner sign with the Patriots last March. Seattle reportedly has interest in adding Packers free agent Tramon Williams to their Legion of Boom, but the draft could be another avenue by which the club could add secondary talent.

Updates On Maxwell And McCourty

March 8th, 2015 at 10:09am CST by Rory Parks

We learned last night that the Eagles would be aggressive suitors for prospective free agents Devin McCourty and Byron Maxwell, and the team seems to be especially active in its pursuit of Maxwell. Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweeted yesterday that the Eagles were “out in front” for Maxwell, and Getlin added (via Twitter) this morning that Philadelphia is willing to give Maxwell a deal worth over $10MM a year, which would be a somewhat surprising top-of-the-market offer.

If Philadelphia displays the same aggressiveness with McCourty, they may be able to land him as well. As Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes, the Patriots would love to have McCourty back, but if the bidding goes much higher than $8MM per season, New England may have to bow out. We heard yesterday that McCourty is seeking at least $9MM per year, which Jairus Byrd was able to land last season. PFR’s Luke Adams predicted yesterday that McCourty, who has been a consistently productive defensive back over the course of his career, would be able to make at least as much.

The Giants are also reported to have interest in McCourty, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets that the team may be more interested in addressing its defensive line in free agency. As of right now, the smart money seems to be on the Eagles using a big chunk of their newfound $36MM in cap space to boost their secondary with both McCourty and Maxwell.

 

Eagles To Target Byron Maxwell, McCourty

March 5th, 2015 at 9:13pm CST by Dallas Robinson

By making a series of moves in recent days, the Eagles have cleared quite a bit of cap room — with more than $40MM available (the seventh-highest figure in the NFL), Philadelphia is clearly set up to spend when free agency opens next week. The club’s secondary, in particular, could be in need of a talent infusion, and sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that defensive backs Byron Maxwell and Devin McCourty will be the team’s “top targets” come free agency.

Philadelphia’s defensive backfield is an obvious area of concern, as the club ranked second-to-last in passing yards allowed in 2014, besting only the Falcons. Additionally, the club has already released cornerback Cary Williams — while not an outstanding player by any means, Williams was a steady presence on the Eagles’ defense, playing on 1,198 snaps, second-most among Philly defenders.

The 27-year-old Maxwell is considered the top corner available on the free agent market, and will be in line for contract that averages more than $10MM per year. A report last month indicated that Philadelphia would be the frontrunners to sign Maxwell, who has only been a full-time starter for one season with the Seahawks. However, the Jets are also expected to target Maxwell, and New York has more both more cap space and arguably a greater need at CB, meaning the Eagles could be forced to overpay.

Like Maxwell, McCourty is the premier player available at his position, and there’s perhaps even less free agent talent available at safety than at corner. Somewhat surprisingly, the Patriots opted to place the franchise tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski instead of McCourty, so while it isn’t a fait accompli that McCourty won’t return to New England, the odds are certainly lower than they were just a week ago. Jordan Raanan of NJ.com wrote yesterday that the Giants will be interested in adding McCourty, and the 27-year-old should enjoy a robust market starting next week.

The Eagles have been perhaps the most active team in preparing for the opening of free agency, as they’ve traded LeSean McCoy, released Williams and Trent Cole, and signed linebacker Brad Jones. Additionally, Maxwell and McCourty aren’t expected to be their only targets among defenders, as they also reportedly have their eyes on free agent outside linebacker Jason Worilds.

NFC FA Rumors: Cole, Hardy, McDonald, Hawk

March 5th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles officially announced on Wednesday that they’ve released Trent Cole from his contract, and the veteran edge defender didn’t waste much time in scheduling his first free agent visit. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Cole is meeting with the Buccaneers, a team that runs a 4-3 system. Having played in the Eagles’ 3-4 scheme for the last two years, Cole is viewed as a better fit as a defensive end for a 4-3 club, and Tampa Bay is certainly in need of an outside pass rusher.

As we wait to see if anything comes of Cole’s visit with the Bucs, let’s check in on a few more free agent updates from around the NFC….

  • NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says there’s nothing stopping a player on the exempt list from signing a new contract, which is good news for Panthers defensive Greg Hardy (link via ESPN.com). The league has yet to announce its decision on whether or not Hardy will face discipline for alleged off-field conduct, which could diminish enthusiasm for the defensive end on the open market, but he’ll still be able to negotiate with teams and accept an offer next week.
  • In other legal news, agent Tom Condon has informed teams that the Santa Clara District Attorney won’t be pursuing charges against free agent defensive lineman Ray McDonald, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). According to Condon, the Santa Clara DA hasn’t fully completed the release, but McDonald’s counsel has been informed of the decision. Since McDonald was cut by the Niners in December, he’s eligible to sign a new contract anytime.
  • Linebacker A.J. Hawk may not be totally out of the picture in Green Bay, according to Bob McGinn and Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who report that the Packers left the door open for the linebacker’s possible return.
  • In addition to hosting Ted Ginn Jr. for a visit this week, the 49ers also met with former Vikings wideout Jerome Simpson, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Simpson, who was suspended at the start of the 2014 season, was cut by Minnesota and hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2013. The Niners, meanwhile, are on the lookout for receivers, since they could part ways with Michael Crabtree, Brandon Lloyd, and Stevie Johnson this month.
  • Appearing on SportsCenter today, cornerback Byron Maxwell suggested he would like to sign with a team that plays a Cover 3 scheme like the Seahawks do, tweets Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate. Of course, if a team running another coverage scheme makes Maxwell a big offer, I would guess he’d be willing to compromise that stance.
  • Lions offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds is expected to test the free agent market next week, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.

Byron Maxwell Changing Agents

March 3rd, 2015 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

12:38pm: Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Maxwell is expected to hire Alvin Keels and/or Premier Sports & Entertainment for representation, noting that the firm has already started working on the cornerback’s behalf. McLane has tweeted that he “jumped the gun” on the Maxwell report, so it appears Dogra may not be in the picture after all. Either way, Maxwell’s new agent can’t officially be hired quite yet.

11:50am: With his unrestricted free agency just a week away, cornerback Byron Maxwell has made the unusual move of informing his agent, Jason Chayut, that he’ll be parting ways with him and seeking new representation, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Per NFLPA bylaws, players must wait five days before hiring a new agent, so Maxwell won’t be able to officially appoint a new rep until this weekend.

When he is able to formally hire a new agent, Maxwell is expected to opt for Ben Dogra, formerly of CAA, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Dogra, who also represents Adrian Peterson and many other NFL players, joined Relativity Sports several weeks ago, as the agency’s co-CEO.

While it’s not unusual for a player to change agents as his free agency nears, making a move at the very last minute is a curious choice. Chayut and Maxwell’s former reps have spent the last year, including last month’s combine, gauging the value of their client, and would presumably have a leg up over a new agent. Considering Maxwell is projected to be the top cornerback in what may be a seller’s market, he’ll do very well regardless of who represents him, but a few million dollars could be at stake, depending on how negotiations play out.

Additionally, agents are allowed to begin talking to rival teams on behalf of their clients starting on Saturday, so depending on when Maxwell officially appoints Dogra as his new rep, he may not be able to immediately explore his market when that negotiating period opens.

The Eagles are regarded as a potential frontrunner for Maxwell, who isn’t expected to return to the Seahawks.

East Notes: Herremans, Clay, Orakpo

February 26th, 2015 at 8:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Todd Herremans has not been officially released by the Eagles yet and he cannot start talking to other teams until that happens, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. The move needs to show up on the league’s personnel notice before Herremans is allowed to chat with other clubs. Herremans, 32, has been with the Eagles since the club selected him in the fourth round of the 2005 draft. The Eagles could opt to hand Herremans’ job over to backups Allen Barbre or Matt Tobin but may look at Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.

Wisniewski started all 16 games for the Raiders in each of his four years, with the last 48 games coming at center. The son of former Raiders great Steve Wisniewski opened his career with 16 starts at left guard, increasing his versatility. Stefen Wisnewski is a cheaper alternative to signing Mike Iupati or Orlando Franklin, although perhaps not too much cheaper. He ranks 32nd on Pro Football Focus’ top 75 free agents.

In other news across the league’s eastern divisions …

  • The Eagles are also expected to pursue free agent corner Byron Maxwell, and Phillymag.com’s Sheil Kapadia examines why they should with a film-based analysis. Maxwell was the fourth Legion of Boom member the past 1 1/2 seasons, starting in two Super Bowls, and served as an effective deterrent as teams attacked the Seahawks defense’s right flank. At 27, Maxwell is one of the market’s top corners.
  • League insiders tell Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that if the Dolphins can strike a deal with pending free agent Charles Clay in the coming weeks, it probably decreases the likelihood that wide receiver Mike Wallace remains. Top exec Mike Tannenbaum has made it known that he wants to retain the tight end.
  • Washington met with Brian Orakpo‘s agent at last week’s scouting combine and expressed interest in re-signing him, but there’s a long way to go between the two sides, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com. In an extended look at Orakpo’s free agency, Keim notes that many people around the league don’t expect Orakpo to return to D.C.
  • Washington has hired Dave Ragone as their offensive quality control coach, Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com tweets. Ragone served as the Titans’ wide receiver coach from 2011-12 and the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2013.

Zach Links contributed to this report

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