Chris Long - Pro Football Rumors

Sunday Roundup: Fitz, Amendola, Panthers

May 15th, 2016 at 12:49pm CST by Rory Parks

Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes that the Jets‘ willingness to wait until training camp to re-sign free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick–if the re-sign him at all–could backfire. After all, if there is no Fitzpatrick deal by late July and the Jets decide to move on, they will have wasted valuable time that could have been used to break in another veteran quarterback. And if the team completes its four weeks of offseason practices, which begin on May 24, with only Geno Smith, Bryce Petty, and Christian Hackenberg on the quarterback depth chart, Cimini says the Jets will have essentially handed the starting job to Smith, since Petty and Hackenberg are not ready to be starters and since another veteran signal-caller would not be able to arrive in New York in July and win the job by Week 1. Plus, Cimini says, even if Smith is arguably better than other veteran options that could be available, like Nick Foles and Josh McCown, Petty and Hackenberg are not even adequate backups at this point in their careers, so the team would still need to bring in someone else.

Now let’s take a look at some more links from around the league:

Earlier this month, Danny Amendola took a significant pay cut to remain with the Patriots. When weighing whether he should accept the pay cut or decline and perhaps try his luck on the open market, Amendola says one of the most significant factors impacting his decision to accept was the presence of the newly-signed Chris Long. Amendola and Long were teammates on the Rams from 2009-12, and Amendola said, “[Long]’s a great teammate and one of my best friends,” adding that it will be “a lot of fun” to share a locker room again with Long (link via Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com).
Panthers head coach Ron Rivera has liked what he has seen thus far from the trio of cornerbacks that the team drafted last month–James Bradberry, Daryl Worley, and Zack Sanchez–and as Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer writes, Carolina is not currently in the market for cornerback help. Rivera did, however, leave open the possibility that the Panthers could add a veteran corner later in the summer.
In his latest mailbag, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com looks at a few undrafted free agents that have the best chance of cracking the Chargers‘ roster. Williams names Washington State receiver Dom Williams, Houston safety Adrian McDonald, and Navy fullback Chris Swain as three players with fairly good odds. Williams points out that four UDFAs made San Diego’s roster in 2015.

AFC Contract Details: Patriots, Ravens, Texans

March 22nd, 2016 at 7:13pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here are the contract details on some notable AFC deals which were agreed upon or signed within the last week:

Shea McClellin, LB (Patriots): Three years, $8.95MM. $2.5MM signing bonus. $3.5MM guaranteed. $1MM salary in 2016 guaranteed. Annual $300K roster bonus. $100K workout bonus in 2016, $200K workout bonuses in 2017 and ’18. (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
Chris Long, DE (Patriots): One year, $2.375MM. $1MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $625K roster bonus (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
Chris Carter, LB (Ravens): One year, $1MM. No guaranteed money. $500K split salary (Twitter link via Wilson).
Jonathan Grimes, RB (Texans): One year, $900K. $200K guaranteed roster bonus. Deal includes a de-escalator clause (Twitter links via Wilson).

Patriots Sign Chris Long

March 18th, 2016 at 4:00pm CST by Zachary Links

FRIDAY, 4:00pm: The Patriots have announced the signing of Long, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets.

WEDNESDAY, 5:23pm: Long will get $2MM on his one-year deal, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

TUESDAY, 8:21pm: The Patriots will sign Chris Long, according to Trey Wingo of ESPN (on Twitter). Long will now join a defensive line that has been weakened by today’s trade of Chandler Jones to the Cardinals. It’s a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The Rams cut Long on February 19 after he endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons. The soon-to-be 31-year-old suited up for just 18 of 32 regular-season games during that span, but he’s reportedly “100% healthy” and since hitting the open market, Long has indicated that his priority would be to link up with a Super Bowl contender. The Patriots certainly fit the bill in that respect, and they have a connection to Long in in defensive assistant Brendan Daly, who was the D-line coach in St. Louis from 2009-11.

From 2010 to 2013 – his last four healthy seasons – Long totaled 41.5 sacks, an average of more than 10 per year. Considering he’ll turn 31 in a few weeks, though, and is coming off two seasons in which he totaled just four sacks, his earning potential was somewhat limited.

For comparison, Jones appeared in 15 games for the Patriots last year, totaling 44 tackles to go along with a career-high 12.5 sacks. The former first-round pick also added four forced fumbles, two passes defended, and his first career interception, earning a Pro Bowl spot for the first time. Needless to say, the Pats are badly in need of Long’s help on the D-Line if they hope to offer a tough defense in 2016.

Prior to signing with the Pats, Long was also being courted by the Cowboys, Falcons, and Washington.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Reactions To Chandler Jones Trade

March 16th, 2016 at 6:01pm CST by Zachary Links

On Tuesday, the Patriots and Cardinals completed a noteworthy deal when edge rusher Chandler Jones was shipped to Arizona in exchange for offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and a second-round draft choice. The talented Jones is coming off of a career year in which he recorded 44 tackles to go along with a career-high 12.5 sacks, earning his first-ever Pro Bowl selection. The Pats, meanwhile, got themselves a former first-round pick who can play either center or guard while adding to their upcoming draft stockpile.

Here’s a look at some of the reactions to (and fallout from) the swap:

Now that the Patriots have traded Jones, re-signing outside linebacker Jamie Collins is a high priority, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). In 12 games last season, Collins racked up 89 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. Collins is presently due to make a little north of $900K in 2016 and they believe that he is more likely to be receptive to an extension offer than Jones would have been. The Pats, Cole says, feel that they can get something done sooner rather than later.
The Cardinals are not expected to sign Jones to a long-term deal until after the 2016 season, according to Cole (video link). Once Calais Campbell‘s hefty contract comes off the books, Arizona will have more room to give Jones a big deal.
The Patriots probably saw the writing on the wall when Malik Jackson and Olivier Vernon got monster contracts this offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. Based on the way both players were paid ($14.25MM/year for Jackson, $17MM/year for Vernon), Fitzgerald estimates that Jones was in line for close to $20MM/year, and that sum would have been too rich for New England’s blood. As for Cooper, Fitzgerald notes that the Patriots will probably decline his 2017 option. The lineman’s option year calls for him to earn well over $10MM but, as of right now, he’s more like a $3MM player.
Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com ran down some of the main reasons why the Patriots traded Jones. Among them, of course, is the projected cost of a new deal for Jones down the line. He also notes that New England is in a good spot at defensive end. New England has Jabaal Sheard as well as an aging, but still productive, Rob Ninkovich to help pressure opposing quarterbacks. The Patriots are also hopeful that they can get production out of Geneo Grissom and Trey Flowers plus new addition Chris Long.
The Jones trade is reminiscent of the team’s Richard Seymour swap in 2009, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss writes. The Pats shipped Seymour to the Raiders for a 2011 first-round choice at a time when the team was unsure about whether they’d be able to re-sign him after the season.
Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Logan Ryan, and Malcolm Butler (restricted) are all due to be free agents next year, and it would have been difficult to try and re-sign all of those contributors in addition to Jones, Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com writes. Of that group, Jones would have required the most money of anyone thanks to the way that Jackson and Vernon got paid this month. When it comes to Cooper, Barnwell wonders aloud if a change of scenery could turn things around for the former first-rounder.
Peter King of The MMQB says that the Patriots made the right choice when looking at the numbers. Of course, it also helps that the Pats were able to add Long. Long, he writes, gave up an extra $2-3MM that he could have instead earned with the Falcons, Lions, Washington, or Cowboys.

FA Rumors: Okung, Kerley, Bruton, Allen

March 15th, 2016 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Now that they’ve agreed to sign offensive tackle Ryan Harris, the Steelers are out of the running for free agent tackle Russell Okung, a source tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). It’s not clear if the Steelers are also out on Kelvin Beachum – since he’s their own free agent, they may be more willing to bring him back – but it seems clear that they’re willing to let him walk if he gets a better offer elsewhere.

With the Steelers no longer in contention for Okung, that likely reduces the field of suitors for the former first-round pick to three teams — the Seahawks, Lions, and Giants. Harris almost certainly won’t earn as much on his new deal as guys like Okung and Beachum will on theirs, but his signing may have given the tackle market the push it needs to get other players signed. Stay tuned.

Let’s round up a few more free agent rumors and updates from across the league….

After losing one of their wideouts – Chris Hogan – to the division-rival Patriots, the Bills are taking a look at another free agent receiver from the AFC East. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that Buffalo is bringing in ex-Jet Jeremy Kerley for a visit. Having recently been cut by New York, Kerley would likely compete for the No. 3 receiver spot and punt-return duties if he were to sign with the Bills.
Washington hosted safety David Bruton on a free agent visit on Tuesday, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com. Bruton, a special-teamer who held his own when forced into action on defense for the Broncos, recently told Arran Anderson of KMGH-TV (Twitter link) that Denver had expressed interest in re-signing him, but he wanted to explore the market if the price wasn’t right.
Free agent defensive back Antonio Allen, who missed the 2015 season due to an Achilles injury, is visiting the Texans, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Allen made 18 starts in the Jets’ secondary from 2012 to 2014.
Linebacker Shea McClellin is making a visit with the Seahawks, per Caplan (via Twitter). The Bears recently signed Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan, signaling that McClellin’s time in Chicago has likely come to an end.
Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram confirms (via Twitter) that the Cowboys‘ previously-reported visits with cornerback Leon Hall and defensive end Chris Long will both take place on Wednesday.

Chris Long To Visit Patriots

March 14th, 2016 at 11:57am CST by Connor J. Byrne

MONDAY, 11:57am: Long is expected to visit three teams this week – including the Patriots and Cowboys – before regrouping to weigh his options and make a decision, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

SUNDAY, 10:01pm: The Patriots haven’t added any big names this offseason, but that might change soon. Free agent defensive end Chris Long will visit the team and hold a workout Monday, ESPN’s Trey Wingo reports (on Twitter).

Long’s previous team, the Rams, cut him Feb. 19 after he endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons. The soon-to-be 31-year-old suited up for just 18 of 32 regular-season games during that span, but he’s reportedly “100% healthy” and says that he only wants to sign with a Super Bowl contender. The Patriots certainly fit the bill in that respect, and they have a connection to Long in in defensive assistant Brendan Daly, who was the D-line coach in St. Louis from 2009-11 (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com). Further, the Pats lost a talented defensive lineman Sunday when Akiem Hicks agreed to a deal with the Bears.

Unlike Hicks, Long has been a pass-rushing force at his best. The former second overall pick added 41.5 sacks from 2010-13, including a career-high 13 in 2011, before dropping to a combined four over the past two years. In New England, the eight-year veteran would further beef up a pass rush that already features Chandler Jones, Jabaal Sheard and Rob Ninkovich coming off the edges. The Patriots finished last season with the second-most sacks in the NFL (49).

Since his Rams tenure ended, Long has visited with Washington and the Falcons. He also has a meeting with the Cowboys scheduled for the upcoming week.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC FA Rumors: Vikings, Cowboys, Long, Conte

March 11th, 2016 at 5:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Andre Smith is expected to visit the Vikings on Sunday, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. The 38th-ranked player in PFR’s top 50 free agents list, Smith’s market has been slower to materialize than Mitchell Schwartz, the other top right tackle in this year’s class. The veteran right-edge player rated as Pro Football Focus’ No. 58 tackle last season and doesn’t have much left tackle experience.

The Vikings restructured the recently injury-prone Phil Loadholt‘s contract earlier this week, seemingly clearing up some of their uncertainty up front. But Loadholt’s sustained two season-ending injuries over the past two seasons and has just one year left on his contract, so it makes sense that Minnesota would have interest in adding some insurance.

Here’s more on free agents from around the NFC:

Chris Long‘s previously-reported visit with the Cowboys is now expected to happen next week, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. According to Moore, no firm date has been set yet, but Dallas has interest in the veteran defensive end.
It’s a three-team race for free agent safety Chris Conte, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who tweets that the Buccaneers, Saints, and Giants are in the hunt. Having played for the Bucs last season, it sounds like Conte is drawing interest from his former team even though Lovie Smith is no longer the head coach — the safety played under Smith in Chicago as well.
The Vikings aren’t looking to bring back linebacker Jason Trusnik, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (on Twitter). A 32-year-old edge player, Trusnik played in eight games for the Vikings last season and in order to continue his nine-year career, Trusnik, who started six games for the Dolphins in 2014, will have to search for a fifth NFL destination.
Linebacker Terence Garvin will visit Washington, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. The Steelers backup sat behind the myriad ex-first-rounders in Pittsburgh, starting one game in three seasons. Garvin totaled 21 special teams tackles during his time with the Steelers. Washington recently lost Keenan Robinson to the Giants, creating a need for additional cogs on its second level.
Previously reported to have visited Washington, Andre Branch has additional meetings lined up and won’t make his decision yet, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

FA Rumors: Cards, Hall, Ayers, Jets, Jenkins

March 11th, 2016 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

With starting cornerback Jerraud Powers eligible for free agency, the Cardinals are considering their options at the position, and have veteran corner Leon Hall scheduled to come in on Monday for a visit, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Hall, 31, started just four of his 14 games for the Bengals last season, but still played in 735 defensive snaps, ranking 33rd among qualified cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus. Cincinnati has already retained free agent defensive backs Adam Jones and George Iloka, so it will be interesting to see whether the team can also re-sign Hall (and Reggie Nelson), or whether the veteran cornerback may land in Arizona, where the Cards could pair him with Patrick Peterson.

Let’s round up a few more free agent rumors from around the league…

The Jaguars will make a strong effort to close on a deal with Robert Ayers during the defensive end’s visit to Jacksonville, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). However, the Buccaneers and Dolphins will be in play if Ayers leaves his Jags visit without a deal, Robinson notes.
The Jets are examining free agent defensive linemen, and will bring in Jarvis Jenkins for a visit, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Jenkins, 27, established new career highs with 32 tackles and four sacks last season for the Bears.
Veteran defensive end Chris Long tells SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link via Alex Marvez of FOX Sports) that he wants to sign with a “playoff” team, adding that he really enjoyed his visits with Washington and the Falcons.
Linebacker Chad Greenway tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that, while he wants to return to the Vikings, he would consider signing – and finishing his career – with another team. Greenway, who says he has been “laying low” in free agency so far, doesn’t sound close to a deal anywhere.

Free Agent Rumors: Jackson, Broncos, Long

March 10th, 2016 at 3:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos offered Malik Jackson roughly $11MM per year before he signed with the Jaguars, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. The Broncos also made a strong offer to Brock Osweiler before he decided to join up with the Texans. The Broncos did not want to let linebacker Brandon Marshall get away, of course, which is why they used a second round RFA tender on him. When it comes to Danny Trevathan, however, the team decided to move on, so the front office wasn’t too crushed when he signed with the Bears.

Here are the latest free agent rumors:

Defensive end Chris Long wants to play for a winning team, Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com tweets. Long has spoken with the Falcons, Cowboys, and Washington, and a decision should be coming soon.
Tight end Jermaine Gresham is on his way to the Bears, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s an interesting visit as the Bears toy with the idea of trading Martellus Bennett.
Free agent guard Louis Vasquez will visit the Titans, but it will happen this weekend rather than on Friday as originally planned, John Glennon of The Tennessean tweets.
Cornerback Sherrick McManis is visiting with an AFC East team today, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. McManis, who led the Bears with 17 special teams tackles, could still re-sign with Chicago.

Free Agent Visits: Ayers, C. Long, Whitehead

March 10th, 2016 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

With most top available pass rushers having flown off the board early on in the free agent period, defensive end Robert Ayers is in position to cash in with a team that missed out on that first wave of edge rushers. Ayers has a visit lined up with the Buccaneers, but that’s not the only meeting on his schedule.

Accordingn to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link), Ayers plans to remain in Florida following his visit with the Bucs, heading to Miami for a visit with the Dolphins. Miami has already signed one veteran defensive end in Mario Williams this week, but the team has also lost Olivier Vernon and Derrick Shelby, who each saw significant playing time in 2015. So the club could use another end to add to a group that already features Williams and Cameron Wake.

As we wait to see if Ayers ends up landing with a team in the Sunshine State, let’s round up the latest news on a few more free agent visits…

Defensive end Chris Long, who has already paid a visit to Washington, will visit with the Falcons today, according to ESPN’s Trey Wingo (Twitter link). Wingo’s colleague, Adam Schefter, reported on Wednesday that Long would be meeting with the Cowboys this week, but it appears that visit is either on hold or is not happening.
The Buccaneers are hosting linebacker Tahir Whitehead on a visit today, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. If Tampa Bay were to get something done with Whitehead, he would be a nice addition to a linebacking corps that features Lavonte David.
Free agent offensive tackle Andre Smith is expected to visit the Vikings next week, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Wolfson cautions that the situation is fluid, but says Smith is definitely on Minnesota’s radar. The Vikes have already fortified their offensive line by striking a deal with Alex Boone, but they continue to look for upgrades.
The Seahawks are hosting defensive tackle Cam Thomas for a visit today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who notes that Seattle may view the former Steeler as an affordable replacement for Brandon Mebane, who agreed to sign with San Diego.