Connor Barwin - Pro Football Rumors

Rams To Sign Connor Barwin

March 16th, 2017 at 5:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Rams have announced an agreement with free agent pass rusher Connor Barwin. It’s a one-year deal with a maximum value of $6.5MM, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan.

After serving as a defensive end in the Eagles’ 4-3 scheme last year, Barwin will function as an outside linebacker in Rams coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4. Barwin previously played under Phillips in Houston from 2011-12, when he started all 32 of the Texans’ games and picked up 14.5 sacks. He then moved on to Philadelphia and added 64 more starts in a row over the past four seasons, during which he registered another 31.5 sacks. Five of those sacks came last year for Barwin, but his overall performance ranked just 100th among Pro Football Focus’ 109 qualified edge defenders amid concerns he wasn’t a fit for Jim Schwartz‘s scheme.

Unsurprisingly, after they were unable to move him in a trade, the Eagles cut Barwin last Thursday and saved $7.5MM in cap room. Barwin didn’t take long to find work, though, and he also drew interest from the Bengals. In Los Angeles, he’ll join Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn as the top pass rushers on a team that tied for 24th in the NFL with 31 sacks last season and has since dealt William Hayes to the Dolphins.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Defense

March 15th, 2017 at 6:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The initial wave of NFL free agency is now complete, and while many of the league’s top available players are now off the board, there are still plenty of quality options still on the open market.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for 2017:

Edge defender:

The pass rushing market has been completely depleted during the first week of free agency, as 14 of our original top 15 edge players have now been franchised, signed, or, in the case of DeMarcus Ware, retired. As such, a 37-year-old with 15 NFL seasons under his belt is now the best pass rusher on the market. Dwight Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. Capable of playing in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme, Freeney can still help out a club on the cheap.

Three players on this list — Elvis Dumervil, Connor Barwin, and Eugene Sims — were released by their respective clubs last week, meaning they won’t count against the compensatory formula if and when they’re signed. Dumervil, now 33, was hampered by injuries last season but still earned strong pass-rushing marks from Pro Football Focus. Barwin, meanwhile, wasn’t a good fit in Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 defense, but he should flourish if he signs with a team running a 3-4 look. So far, he’s met with the Bengals (who use a 4-3) and Rams (3-4).

Chris Long has already indicated he won’t be returning to the Patriots, indicating he wants to join a roster where he’ll earn more playing time. Erik Walden, too, won’t re-sign with his 2016 club (the Colts), but he has taken a visit with the division rival Titans. Further down the list, Howard Jones has also met with at least one club, as he was hosted by the Jets on Tuesday. Jones, 27, is recovering from a torn ACL, but did post five sacks in five starts last season.

Interior defensive line:

Although top-flight players such as Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams have already been signed, the crop of interior defenders remains strong at the top. The buzz around Johnathan Hankins has been virtually non-existent, as the only club that’s been even tangentially linked to the 25-year-old is the Redskins. He’s one of the youngest free agents on the market, and therefore is probably looking for a massive payday. But the lack of interest around Hankins may be an indication that he’s simply asking for too much money.

The same issue could be surrounding Dontari Poe, although he’s not wanting for meetings around the league. He’s visited with the Colts, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins, while the 49ers and Raiders also reportedly have some level of interest. Clubs may have concerns about Poe’s lingering back issues, and he might have to accept a one-year deal in order to prove he’s healthy and willing to provide full effort.

The remaining defensive interior players are mostly over-30 veterans, with names such as Tony McDaniel, Cullen Jenkins, Frostee Rucker, and Tyson Jackson still looking for new deals. While most of these guys can still play, they may have to wait awhile — possibly into the summer — before signing on with their next club. Jared Odrick (Patriots) and Vance Walker (Bears) have both taken visits, but the most intriguing lineman here may be Sen’Derrick Marks, who offers a good amount of pass rush from the interior.

Linebacker:

~~Zach Brown~~
~~Kevin Minter~~
Perry Riley
~~Gerald Hodges~~
DeAndre Levy
Daryl Smith
~~Sio Moore~~
~~Sean Spence~~
~~Manti Te’o~~
Mike Morgan
~~Keenan Robinson~~
~~Nick Bellore~~
D’Qwell Jackson
Erin Henderson
Josh Bynes

While players at other defensive positions have flown off the board, there’s been almost no movement among off-ball linebackers. Only five of PFR’s original top-15 free agent linebackers have signed new contracts, a group that includes Dont’a Hightower, our previous No. 1 ‘backer who re-signed with the Patriots today. Zach Brown, who now holds that honor, broke out in his fifth NFL campaign and played especially well in coverage, a skill that should lead to a handsome reward. Brown, 27, met with the Raiders today, while the Dolphins also hope to schedule a visit.

The Bengals, specifically, are in the linebacker market, as they’ve met with both Kevin Minter and Keenan Robinson in recent days. But the rest of the players on this list aren’t drawing much interest as of yet, a fact that speaks to the devaluation of the linebacker position. Teams will pay up for a three-down linebacker like Hightower, but if a player can be formation-ed off the field, he’s not going to land a hefty deal.

One linebacker who did prove he could stay on the field on third down was Perry Riley, who played 370 coverage snaps for the Raiders last season. Riley is still only 28 years old, but posted awful marks from Pro Football Focus during his previous campaigns with Washington. Whether it was Oakland’s scheme (including its talented pass rushers) that allowed Riley to flourish, or a true breakout coming in the middle of a career, Riley could help a number of clubs. The Raiders are reportedly working to bring him back.

Cornerback:

The top two corners still on the open market are both former Cowboys, and Brandon Carr looks like the surer bet to return to Dallas at this point. Morris Claiborne, meanwhile, has drawn interest from the Ravens, and most opposing clubs believe he’ll end up signing with Baltimore. Clairborne, 27, appeared to be a prime overpay candidate heading into the offseason, but if the Ravens can land him on a short-term deal, they’d be making a wise investment.

Nickell Robey-Coleman was surprisingly cut loose by the Bills earlier this offseason, and the 25-year-old has already drawn interest from numerous teams, with the Vikings, Chargers, Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans all considering a run at the slot man. Like Robey-Coleman, Alterraun Verner, Valentino Blake, and Leon Hall are all probably best sticking to slot duty, while Hall can even offer safety versatility.

Now that all charges have been dropped against Darrelle Revis, he’ll make for an interesting test case in free agency. Clearly, Revis is not the shutdown corner he once was, and may even be mulling a move to safety as he closes his career. But clubs in the market for secondary help could do worse than Revis, and he should be on a roster when the regular season rolls around.

Safety:

Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, and Barry Church all came off the board quickly, leaving Darius Butler as the top safety who is still unsigned. Butler is 30 years old, but as a former cornerback, offers the type of coverage skills that NFL teams are looking for in today’s passing league. He’s taken a visit with the Bears (who have already added Quintin Demps), while a return to Indianapolis is still possible.

Most of the safeties on this list are in-the-box types — that’s thanks to the fact that center field-esque safeties are more rare and thus more expensive. Recently-released veterans such as Jairus Byrd, Lardarius Webb, and Corey Graham, however, offer coverage ability and would make for decent signings on short pacts. T.J. McDonald and Bradley McDougald, on other hand, are big hitters that will patrol near the line of scrimmage. McDougald, specifically, will take a visit with the Seahawks this week.

Chris Prosinski is just a special teamer, but he’s a great special teamer. While he only played 173 defensive snaps in 2016, he saw time on more than 80% of the Bears’ special teams plays, and was listed as one of the season’s best special teams players by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. Football Outsiders ranked the Cardinals, Jets, and Texans as the bottom-three teams in special teams DVOA, and any of those clubs would benefit from adding Prosinski.

Kicker:

Demand is not high for placekickers at the moment, as only the Giants and Bengals stand out as clubs that immediately need a kicker. Injuries and ineffectiveness are sure to strike the position, however, at which point the specialists on this list will surely receive calls. Dan Carpenter and Mike Nugent missed a combined 11 extra points in 2016, and given that he topped both Carpenter and Nugent in field goal percentage, Nick Folk should be the first kicker on clubs’ emergency list.

Connor Barwin To Visit Rams

March 15th, 2017 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

Connor Barwin will meet with the Rams on Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the situation tells Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). This marks the veteran’s second free agent trip since being released by the Eagles earlier this month. Earlier this week, he met with the Bengals, but he left Cincinnati without a deal.

The Rams will be running a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, and that could be a good fit for Barwin. Days ago, the Rams jettisoned William Hayes to the Dolphins because he was not an ideal fit for their gameplan. Barwin could come in and start opposite of Aaron Donald with Michael Brockers in the middle.

The 30-year-old was in the midst of a six-year, $36MM contract when the Eagles released him last week. Last season, Barwin racked up 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble. He also appeared in every single regular season game for the sixth consecutive season. Those numbers all sound good, but the advanced metrics aren’t so high on him. Barwin graded out as just the No. 100 edge defender in the NFL last year out of 109 qualified players, per Pro Football Focus. He had respectable overall scores with Philly in 2013 and 2014 (76.2, 78.5), but he has dipped in the last two seasons with scores of 50.8 and 42.1.

Connor Barwin To Visit Bengals

March 12th, 2017 at 9:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Defensive end Connor Barwin is set to meet with the Bengals on Monday, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). This will be the veteran’s first visit since he was released by the Eagles last week.

The former second-round pick joined the Eagles in 2013 after signing a six-year, $36MM contract ($8MM guaranteed), and he proceeded to make his only Pro Bowl appearance in 2014. The 30-year-old didn’t miss a game during his four-year tenure in Philly, starting all but one game. Barwin finished 2016 with 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumbles.

Signing with the Bengals would be a bit of a homecoming for Barwin, who played 51 games for the Cincinnati Bearcats between 2005 and 2008.

As Caplan notes, the Bengals need help at both defensive end and linebacker, and Barwin is capable of filling either hole. The team is currently rostering three defensive ends (Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, Will Clarke) and six linebackers (Vincent Rey, Rey Maualuga, Vontaze Burfict, Marquis Flowers, Nick Vigil, Paul Dawson).

The 49ers reportedly had interest in Barwin before he was let go by the Eagles.

49ers Had Trade Interest In Connor Barwin

March 9th, 2017 at 4:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers discussed a Connor Barwin trade with the Eagles before he was released, tweets Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. As such, San Francisco could make sense as a landing spot for Barwin.

Barwin was in the midst of a six-year, $36MM contract he signed in 2013. Last year, the 30-year-old totaled 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble. He appeared in all 16 regular season games for the sixth consecutive season.

Part of the reason for Barwin’s Eagles ouster is his poor fit in a 4-3 scheme. The 49ers are now moving to a 4-3 front under new coordinator Robert Saleh, although his defense is said to have elements of a 3-4 look. Either way, San Francisco clearly has some level of interest in adding Barwin to its roster.

Eagles Release Connor Barwin

March 9th, 2017 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles announced they have released veteran defensive end/outside linebacker Connor Barwin. It has long been rumored that the Eagles could cut Barwin loose.

The Eagles first tried to find a suitable trade for Barwin, but that never came about. Barwin will certainly find a market for himself this week, but his contract was unpalatable. Barwin was in the midst of a six-year, $36MM contract he signed in 2013. Last year, the 30-year-old totaled 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble. He appeared in all 16 regular season games for the sixth consecutive season.

“If they cut him, teams will be lining up for him,” a pro personnel man said in February. “He wouldn’t be out of a job for long. I would think they could trade him and get something back. He has value. His deal this year isn’t that bad.”

By cutting Barwin, the Eagles will save $7.75MM against the cap and carry just $600K in dead money.

Eagles Shopping Connor Barwin, Mychal Kendricks

March 8th, 2017 at 5:14pm CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles continue to explore trades for linebacker/defensive end Connor Barwin and linebacker Mychal Kendricks, reports CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (via Twitter). If the front office doesn’t find a trade partner, the duo could ultimately be cut.

There have been lingering rumors that the Eagles could look to move on from Barwin, and a February report indicated that several teams would have interest in the veteran. The 2009 second-round pick has spent the past four seasons in Philadelphia after inking a six-year, $36MM contract in 2013. The 30-year-old played in 16 games this past season for the sixth straight year, compiling 34 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble.

The 30-year-old is set to make $7.75MM next season, and his cap hit is $8.35MM. Barwin is set to make another $10.25MM in 2018. Cutting the eight-year veteran would save the franchise that $7.75MM, leaving the team with only $600K in dead cap.

It was reported last week that the Eagles were shopping Kendricks, and that still seems to be the case. The 26-year-old carries a $6.6MM cap number next season, but the Eagles will only clear $1.8MM in cap space by trading the linebacker. During his fourth season in Philadelphia, Kendricks collected 34 tackles, one forced fumble, and five sacks.

NFC Notes: Redskins, Eagles, Panthers, Pack

February 27th, 2017 at 9:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

No matter the final outcome, the Redskins have mangled the Kirk Cousins negotiations, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports and Mike Jones of the Washington Post write in dueling pieces. If Washington applies the franchise tag for a second consecutive year, Cousins will have earned nearly $44MM over the past two years. That total, per Robinson, would have been an acceptable level of guarantees on a long-term Cousins deal that included, say, a $20MM annual average. In his piece, Jones invites former NFL negotiators Joel Corry and Joe Banner to discuss the Cousins situation in a back-and-forth format, making both articles must-reads.

Here’s more from around the league:

Center Jason Kelce and edge rusher Connor Barwin could learn a bit more about their status with the Eagles this week, as the pair’s respective agents are set to meet with Philadelphia management at the scouting combine, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com, who notes the Birds haven’t made a final decision on either player. Barwin ($7.75MM base salary) and Kelce ($5MM) are both candidates to be released or traded this offseason.
The Panthers have “little to lose” by re-signing defensive end Charles Johnson to another short-term contract, while a reunion between Carolina and Julius Peppers would also make sense, opines Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer. Johnson, 30, inked a one-year, $3MM with the Panthers last offseason and responded by posting four sacks, while Peppers, who spent the first eight years of his career in Carolina, is likely done in Green Bay.
The Packers have made several additions to their coaching staff, announcing that they’ve hired Jeff Blasko as assistant offensive line coach, Tim McGarigle as defensive quality control coach, and David Raih as offensive perimeter coach. As Jason Wilde of ESPN.com points out (Twitter link), that list of coaches doesn’t include a replacement for former associate head coach/offense Tom Clements, who left Green Bay after his contract expired. The Packers could certainly announce such a hire in the future, or simply go without such a role on staff.

NFC Notes: Vikings, Redskins, Eagles

February 24th, 2017 at 5:40pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman hasn’t yet spoken with Adrian Peterson‘s agent regarding the running back’s future, but that will change at next week’s combine, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Peterson is due a $6MM roster bonus March 11, two days after the market opens, and Spielman said Thursday that the seven-time Pro Bowler’s fate will become known prior to free agency. Spielman will also meet with the agent for cornerback Terence Newman next week, relays Cole. Newman is coming off his age-38 season, in which he totaled 38 tackles and an interception across 15 appearances (nine starts), and is on track to hit free agency. The 2016 campaign was Newman’s second in Minnesota, which re-upped him to a $3MM pact last March.

More on the Vikings and two other NFC franchises:

The likelihood is that the Redskins won’t retain safety DeAngelo Hall at his $5MM-plus cap hit for 2017, according to Rich Tandler of CSN Mid-Atlantic. The club will either release the 33-year-old, which would save $4.25MM, or keep him at a lesser rate, Tandler suggests. Hall sat out 13 games last season on account of a late-September ACL tear and has missed a combined 31 contests since 2014.
Wide receiver Josh Doctson, another member of the Redskins who wasn’t much of a factor in 2016, is making encouraging progress in his recovery from a strained right Achilles’ tendon, details Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Doctson hasn’t had any setbacks since doctors cleared him to run earlier this month, and the Redskins “are closely monitoring his progress” with fellow wideouts Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson set to reach the open market. After going 22nd in last year’s draft, Doctson missed all but two games and caught two passes as a rookie.
While Eagles pass rusher Connor Barwin has expressed a willingness to take a pay cut to remain in Philadelphia, it’s time for both sides to move on, opines Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. Barwin probably wouldn’t accept enough of a reduction from the $7.75MM he’s due next season to make keeping him worthwhile for the team, writes Zangaro, who notes that getting rid of the 30-year-old would open up more playing time for Vinny Curry. Overall, Barwin has been quite productive during his four-year stint with the Eagles, but his numbers declined last season in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s scheme. Thus, Zangaro argues that Barwin deserves to play in a defense that’s more suited to his abilities. The eight-year veteran won’t have any difficulty finding a job if the Eagles do let him go.
Although they had interest in Alterraun Verner when he was on the open market in 2015, the Vikings have not reached out to the cornerback’s reps at this point, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). Verner became a free agent when the Buccaneers released him Thursday.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Several Teams Have Interest In Eagles’ Connor Barwin

February 18th, 2017 at 12:39pm CST by Ben Levine

If the Eagles decide to release or trade linebacker/defensive end Connor Barwin, Mark Eckel of NJ.com says multiple teams would have interest in the veteran.

“If they cut him, teams will be lining up for him,” a “pro personnel man” told Eckel. “He wouldn’t be out of a job for long. I would think they could trade him and get something back. He has value. His deal this year isn’t that bad.”

The 30-year-old is set to make $7.75MM next season, and his cap hit is $8.35MM. Barwin is set to make another $10.25MM in 2018, so it’s understandable why the Eagles would look to get out of that contract. Cutting the eight-year veteran would save the franchise that $7.75MM, leaving the team with only $600K in dead cap. Of course, the team could also look to restructure the player and, as Eckel implies, keep him in Philadelphia for the rest of his career.

The 2009 second-round pick joined the Eagles in 2013 following four successful seasons with the Texans. Barwin has played all 16 games in each of his four seasons in Philly, including a 2014 campaign where he collected 14.5 sacks. Last season, the defensive lineman finished with 34 tackles, one forced fumble, and five sacks.

Eckel lists the Packers, Ravens, and Colts as potential landing spots for Barwin. Not only do the teams have the necessary cap room, but they also play the 3-4 defense that caters to the veteran’s skills. If Barwin did leave the team, the writer believes Vinny Curry would be his replacement as the starting right defensive end.