Clay Harbor

Patriots Sign TE Clay Harbor

APRIL 4th: The Pats formally announced the signing, as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets.

MARCH 30th: The Patriots have agreed to sign tight end Clay Harbor, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Harbor visited the Patriots at the start of free agency and while we haven’t heard much in the last three weeks, it appears the two sides have finally reached agreement on a deal. "<strong

After averaging 25 receptions per season from 2012 to 2014, Harbor caught 14 balls for 149 yards and a touchdown in 2015 for the Jaguars, primarily serving as a blocker. Pats coach Bill Belichick “spoke at length” last season about how Harbor was used, calling him a FB/TE hybrid, so his interest in the 28-year-old (29 in July) did not come as a huge surprise.

With major depth at the tight end position, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Harbor get a chunk of his playing time at fullback. On the tight end depth chart, Harbor figures to be slated behind star Rob Gronkowski and new acquisition Martellus Bennett. The Patriots also have 6’6″ Michael Williams in the fold.

In other Patriots news, New England could be on the verge of signing defensive lineman Terrance Knighton. The Pats also inked cornerback E.J. Biggers on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rod Streater, James Starks, Clay Harbor Visiting Patriots

3:29pm: Wide receiver Rod Streater is also visiting the Patriots today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). A report earlier today indicated that Streater is paying a visit to the Jets on Friday, but it looks like he’ll make a stop in New England first.

Streater’s last two seasons have been unproductive due to injuries and a reduced role in Oakland’s offense, but he looked good in 2013, catching 60 balls for 888 yards and four touchdowns for the Raiders.

3:14pm: The Patriots didn’t make much noise on the first day of free agency, but they’re bringing in a host of less notable players on the second day of the new league year. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), running back James Starks and tight end Clay Harbor are among the players visiting New England.James Starks

Earlier today, we learned that the Patriots are also hosting Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan and Rams running back Benny Cunningham for free agent visits. Hogan and Cunningham are both restricted free agents, giving Buffalo and Los Angeles, respectively, the right of first refusal if they sign offer sheets with the Pats. However, Starks and Harbor are unrestricted.

Starks, who turned 30 last month, had his best NFL season in 2015, rushing for 601 yards and two touchdowns, and adding another 392 yards and three TDs through the air. The Packers remain interested in re-signing the veteran back, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

As for Harbor, after averaging 25 receptions per season from 2012 to 2014, he caught 14 balls for 149 yards and a touchdown in 2015 for the Jaguars, primarily serving as a blocker. According to Phil Perry of CSNNE.com (Twitter link), the 28-year-old has caught Bill Belichick‘s eye — the Pats head coach “spoke at length” last season about how Harbor was used, calling him a FB/TE hybrid. With Scott Chandler no longer in the mix in New England, the team figures to be on the lookout for help at the tight end position.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sunday Roundup: Long, Wilkerson, Irvin

Let’s have a look at some links from around the league on this Sunday afternoon:

  • After Will Beatty‘s torn pectoral muscle threw the Giants‘ offensive line into a state of confusion, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com has received a number of questions from Giants fans curious about the status of free agent tackle Jake Long. Raanan writes that even though Long tore his ACL two years in a row, there will be a starting job for him somewhere this season if he is healthy. The Giants are still in the mix, but Long appears content to let the market for his services play out.
  • The Patriots have lost a number of big names this offseason, but Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com says tight end is one area where the team may have gotten stronger. Newly-acquired Scott Chandler will team with Rob Gronkowski to create a formidable pair of towers at the position, and Reiss predicts New England will deploy a number of two-tight end sets in 2015, just as they did in 2011 with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
  • Cameron Jordan recently signed a new five-year, $55MM deal with the Saints, and despite the similarities between Jordan and Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes Wilkerson will be aiming even higher. Jordan got $33.5MM in total guarantees, and Cimini thinks Wilkerson is seeking at least $40MM in guaranteed money.
  • Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes that Washington defensive coordinator Joe Barry does not plan on moving any of his cornerbacks to safety in an effort to bolster the team’s long-floundering safety corps.
  • Zach Miller has not played a regular season game since 2011, thanks to a bevy of injuries that have derailed his career. But for the second straight season, Miller is performing well in the Bears‘ offseason workouts, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. And if Miller can remain healthy, he could become a valuable weapon for Jay Cutler and take some pressure off Alshon Jeffery, rookie Kevin White, and first-string tight end Martellus Bennett.
  • When asked if his client had requested a trade, the agent for new Browns and former 49ers punter Andy Lee did not answer directly, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The agent simply said it was an amicable parting that worked well for all involved.
  • Despite recent comments that created a minor controversy in Seattle, Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin said yesterday, “I would love to be in Seattle. That was the team that gave me a chance when nobody else did.” But as Manouk Akopyan of NFL.com writes, given the pending extensions that the Seahawks will undoubtedly hand out to Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson, and considering the amount of money Seattle has already invested in retaining players like Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman, Irvin will likely find greener pastures elsewhere.
  • The Jaguars plan to frequently utilize two- and three-tight end looks this season under new offensive coordinator Greg Olson, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. That scheme will offer plenty of playing time for Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor, who now find themselves behind Julius Thomas on the team’s depth chart.
  • In the same piece, O’Halloran writes that even though Tyler Shatley earned a place on the Jaguars‘ roster as an undrafted rookie guard last season, his task will be even more difficult this year. The team has shifted him over to center, which Shatley has never played, and Jacksonville appears committed to Stefen Wisniewski or Luke Bowanko at the position.

Jaguars, Harbor Agree To Two-Year Deal

FRIDAY, 11:18am: Harbor’s two-year deal is worth $3MM, with a $1.35MM guaranteed base in 2014 to go along with a $100K roster bonus and a $50K workout bonus, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

THURSDAY, 12:03pm: The Jaguars agreed to terms with tight end Clay Harbor on a two-year deal, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter). Harbor, 27 in July, made seven starts at tight end in his first season with Jacksonville.

The unrestricted free agent hauled in 24 catches for 292 yards last year and was on the field for all 16 regular season games. Prior to 2013, Harbor spent three years with the Eagles where he saw inconsistent playing time at TE with some fullback duty mixed in. Financial terms of the deal aren’t yet known for the former Missouri State standout, but he earned a minimum salary of $630K last season with the Jags, so another minimum deal wouldn’t be a surprise. While Harbor wasn’t quite the focal point of the Jaguars’ passing attack, he did show that he could be a useful offensive weapon with good speed for the position.

In addition to Harbor and Cameron Bradfield, the Jaguars have also re-signed unrestricted free agent Sam Young, according to John Oehser of Jaguars.com (on Twitter). The 6’8″, 316 pound bruiser played mostly on special teams in 2013.