HEADLINES

Dontari Poe

FA Rumors: Butler, Poe, Z. Brown, Raiders

March 16th, 2017 at 6:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Restricted free agent cornerback Malcolm Butler didn’t emerge from his Saints visit on Thursday with a deal, but the meeting “went well,” a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). As of now, there remains motivation on both sides to hammer out an agreement, Rapoport adds. PFR’s Zach Links laid out a few potential scenarios earlier this week involving Butler, who would surely net the Patriots a quality return in a trade.

More free agency-related news:

  • The offer that defensive tackle Dontari Poe accepted from the Falcons on Thursday was worth less than the Jaguars’ proposal, reports ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link). Before taking a one-year, $8MM deal (plus incentives) with the reigning NFC champions, Poe turned down the Jags’ fully guaranteed $9MM (and incentives). Head coach Dan Quinn was key in talking Poe into joining the Falcons, relays Anderson.
  • It doesn’t appear that linebacker Zach Brown‘s powwow with the Raiders will lead to a deal, as a source told ESPN’s Adam Caplan that it “looks like a no-go right now” (Twitter link). Although Brown had a stellar 2016 with Buffalo and currently ranks as PFR’s top available linebacker, the market for his services has been tepid.
  • Wide receiver Andre Holmes met with the Bills on Thursday, one day after there were reports that he had signed with them, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Twitter). It turns out the Bills offered Holmes a three-year, $4.5MM accord, which the NFLPA accidentally documented as a done deal.
  • Linebacker Dekoda Watson visited the Seahawks on Thursday, tweets ESPN’s Field Yates. The 29-year-old Watson is a journeyman who has played for five teams, including the Broncos last season. He served as an integral special teams cog in Denver, which would like to re-sign him.

Falcons To Sign Dontari Poe

March 16th, 2017 at 11:56am CST by Zachary Links

One of the best free agents left on the board is now spoken for. The Falcons have signed defensive tackle Dontari Poe, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year, $8MM deal but he can make up to $10MM through incentives. Dontari Poe (Vertical)

Scott Pioli, the Falcons’ assistant GM, drafted Poe in Kansas City. Now, they’ll be reunited in Atlanta where Poe projects to start next to Grady Jarrett in the Falcons’ 4-3 set. Adrian Clayborn and Brooks Reed are the starters on the bookends.

Poe was making the free agent rounds this week and also had interest from the Dolphins, Jaguars, Colts, and other clubs. Reportedly, some teams were wary of signing Poe to a multi-year pact because of his ongoing back problems. Today’s agreement gives Poe a decent one-year deal but he’ll have to prove himself all over again if he wants to cash in next year. Initially, it seemed like Poe was in play for this type of average annual value on a five-year deal.

Apparently, Poe preferred a one-year deal over taking a long-term contract that would have given him a weaker AAV. The Colts were willing to give him multiple years, but that offer was apparently not to his liking. The Chiefs exited the bidding when they signed former Eagles defensive tackle Bennie Logan to a free agent deal.

FA Rumors: Poe, Seahawks, Steelers, Jaguars

March 15th, 2017 at 9:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Now that free agent defensive tackle Dontari Poe has concluded his visits with the Dolphins, he’ll head home to consider offers, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Poe has met with the Colts, Falcons, and Jaguars in addition to Miami, and will presumably sign with one of the clubs. Poe is PFR’s No. 2 free agent interior defender on the market, just behind Johnathan Hankins.

Here’s more from the free agent period:

  • Although Adrian Peterson visited the Seahawks earlier this week, he never entered into negotiations with the club, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Seattle was eyeing a younger back, and it found one in former Packer Eddie Lacy, whom the team signed to a one-year deal on Tuesday. Through six days of free agency, the key story around Peterson has been the number of clubs who aren’t interested in the ex-Vikings RB, who turns 32 next week. The Texans, Patriots, Raiders have all indicated they they’re not in contact with future Hall of Famer.
  • The Seahawks may have not been all that interested in Peterson, but the club might have a different opinion on free agent linebacker Michael Wilhoite, whom they will host on a visit, tweets NFL reporter Howard Balzer. Wilhoite, 30, was a full-time starter for the 49ers from 2014-15, but only started six games last year (despite appearing in all 16 contests). In that time, Wilhoite put up 46 tackles, a half-sack, and a forced fumble.
  • While the Steelers has “mild interest” in re-signing linebacker Jarvis Jones, the club never made a real effort to retain the former first-round pick before he inked a one-year deal with the Cardinals on Monday, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Jones, 27, never lived up to his draft billing, but did provide solid run defense over 35 starts in Pittsburgh. The Steelers will now roll with Arthur Moats and Anthony Chickillo behind James Harrison and Bud Dupree on the edge.
  • Tight end Chris Gragg visited the Jaguars but did not agree to a contract, as Gragg himself announced (Twitter link). Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone was in Buffalo when Gragg was made a seventh-round pick in 2013, so he should have some level of familiarity with the 26-year-old. Gragg missed the entire 2016 campaign with a torn ACL.

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:

  1. Dwight Freeney
  2. Elvis Dumervil
  3. Chris Long
  4. Mario Williams
  5. Connor Barwin
  6. Paul Kruger
  7. Trent Cole
  8. Erik Walden
  9. Jason Jones
  10. Darryl Tapp
  11. Devin Taylor
  12. Eugene Sims
  13. Howard Jones
  14. Wallace Gilberry
  15. Sam Acho

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.Dwight Freeney (Vertical)

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:

  1. Johnathan Hankins
  2. Dontari Poe
  3. Jared Odrick
  4. Vance Walker
  5. Sen’Derrick Marks
  6. Ricky Jean-Francois
  7. Roy Miller
  8. Al Woods
  9. Tony McDaniel
  10. Cullen Jenkins
  11. Frostee Rucker
  12. Cam Thomas
  13. John Jenkins
  14. Tyson Jackson
  15. Tyson Alualu

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.Johnathan Hankins (Vertical)

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.

Read more

Dontari Poe To Visit Dolphins

March 14th, 2017 at 3:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Defensive tackle Dontari Poe is scheduled to travel to Miami tonight for a visit the Dolphins, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. He has not left Georgia yet, however, so one has to wonder if he could possibly reach agreement with the Falcons before the Fins get face time with him. Dontari Poe

Poe visited the Colts on Sunday and the meeting reportedly went well. After that, it was on to the Jaguars and Falcons, Poe is huddling up with the Jaguars. The 26-year-old has also garnered interest from the Raiders, and 49ers.

The market has been slow to develop for Poe. The Colts, supposedly, are open to a long-term deal, but he might prefer a one-year pact that would allow him to restore his value and try the open market in 2018. Word is that teams are concerned about Poe’s back issues. He’s still waiting for real traction with his suitors, but he shouldn’t feel too bad as fellow top defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins also remains on the board.

In the Dolphins’ 4-3 set, Poe could form a menacing interior duo with Ndamukong Suh while Jordan Phillips serves as the top reserve DT. The Dolphins project to start Andre Branch and Cameron Wake on the ends with the newly-acquired William Hayes in rotation.

Falcons To Meet With Dontari Poe

March 13th, 2017 at 1:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons are set to meet with Dontari Poe in the next 24 hours, according to Falcons PR staff member Kelsey Conway (on Twitter). The Falcons have been said to have interest in the free agent defensive tackle. Now, it seems, things are getting a little more serious. Dontari Poe (Vertical)

Poe visited the Colts on Sunday and although he did not leave with a deal, the meeting reportedly went well. Today, Poe is huddling up with the Jaguars. The 26-year-old has also garnered interest from the Dolphins, Raiders, and 49ers. The Colts were are open to a long-term deal for Po, but he might prefer a one-year pact that would allow him to rebuild his value before trying the market again next year. Clubs reportedly are concerned about Poe’s lingering back issues. If he can have a strong 2017 and stay healthy, he could be among next year’s top free agent earners.

The Falcons are looking to revamp the defensive line this offseason. Poe, who ranked as PFR’s No. 4 free agent interior defender heading into March 9, would slot in at defensive tackle next to Grady Jarrett and Ra’Shede Hageman. Hageman and Jarrett improved in 2016, but Atlanta’s front four still ranked in the bottom half of the league last year in adjusted line yards allowed and adjusted sack rate.

Dontari Poe To Visit Jaguars

March 12th, 2017 at 4:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Defensive tackle Dontari Poe will next visit the Jaguars as part of his free agent tour, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. Poe wrapped up his visit with the Colts without agreeing to a deal, although Anderson reports the meeting “went well.”"<strong

Poe, 26, has also drawn interest from the Falcons, Dolphins, Raiders, and 49ers, and is expected to meet with Atlanta, Miami, and Oakland at some point. While the Colts were reportedly open to a long-term deal, Poe might be more open to a one-year pact that would allow him to rebuild his value before entering the market again in 2018. Clubs are apparently concerned about Poes’s lingering back issues, so a one-year contract would afford Poe the opportunity to prove his health before cashing in next year.

The Jaguars have been active in making defensive line moves this offseason, as they’ve added Calais Campbell on a four-year $60MM deal while releasing Jared Odrick, Sen’Derrick Marks, and Roy Miller. Poe, a former first-round pick, would slot in alongside Campbell, Malik Jackson, Dante Fowler Jr., Yannick Ngakoue, and Sheldon Day on a rapidly-improving front.

Colts Want Long-Term Deal With Dontari Poe

March 12th, 2017 at 10:49am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Colts are meeting with defensive tackle Dontari Poe today, and while the club is willing to ink him to a long-term deal, Poe may be more open to a one-year pact, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Indy is “trying to get something done” in regards to a contract, Poe tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Poe will visit with the Falcons, Dolphins, and Raiders next, per Poe.Dontari Poe

Given the reported level of interest in Poe — in addition the clubs listed above, the Jaguars and 49ers are eyeing the 26-year-old — he should be able to garner a multi-year contract, but if the structure and guarantees of the proposals he’s receiving are not to his liking, Poe could instead accept a one-year deal, as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report indicated earlier this week. Given league-wide lingering concerns about Poe’s back (an issue Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweeted about Thursday), Poe may want the opportunity to show he’s healthy before hitting the market again in 2018.

Poe served as a lane clogger in Kansas City but was a dynamo in terms of snaps played, logging more than any nose man during his rookie-deal tenure in Kansas City. But his sack totals decreased, plummeting from 10.5 between the 2013 and ’14 seasons (both Pro Bowl slates) to 2.5 combined in 2015 and ’16.

Brandon Williams set the market for true defensive tackles earlier this week, signing a hefty five-year, $52.5MM deal with the Ravens. Veteran Calais Campbell also scored on the open market, landing a $15MM annual salary on his four-year deal with Jacksonville.

Dontari Poe Market Heating Up

March 10th, 2017 at 8:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although he hasn’t yet found a new home, free agent defensive tackle Dontari Poe is in “high demand,” tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Poe will meet with the Colts on Sunday, while the Jaguars, Raiders, Dolphins, and Falcons also want to set up visits.Dontari Poe

The 49ers and Redskins have also been linked to Poe, who recent reports indicate may have to accept a one-year contract. That might change, however, if the massive defensive tackle can generate enough of a market for himself. Poe, who is now on the open market after the Chiefs opted not to franchise him, ranks as PFR’s No. 17 free agent.

Poe served as a lane clogger in Kansas City but was a dynamo in terms of snaps played, logging more than any nose man during his rookie-deal tenure in Kansas City. But his sack totals decreased, plummeting from 10.5 between the 2013 and ’14 seasons (both Pro Bowl slates) to 2.5 combined in 2015 and ’16.

Updates On Top Remaining Free Agents

March 10th, 2017 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Some big names came off the board on Wednesday and Thursday, but tons of notable free agents remain. Here’s a look at some of the notables who are still out there and where they stand:

  • Adrian Peterson, RB (Vikings): Poor, poor AD. As we summed up on Friday morning, there are no clear suitors for No. 28 at this time. Despite previous reports to the contrary, the Texans, Patriots, Raiders, Giants, and Seahawks are showing little to no interest in signing the veteran running back. The incumbent Vikings haven’t put an offer on the table since declining his bloated $18MM option. Peterson is one of the best running backs in NFL history, but teams are skeptical of what he can do as he looks to rebound from another serious right knee injury on the verge of his 32nd birthday. We know that there will be teams with interest in Peterson – perhaps even some of those aforementioned clubs – but Peterson is far from their Plan A and it doesn’t sound like any team wants to pay him like a top running back. Ultimately, Peterson seems likely to settle for a low-base, one-year deal with a good amount of performance incentives. His best payday, I think, would come from the Vikings. Peterson is a fan favorite and the organization would probably like to have him finish his career in purple. With all that said, Adrian’s dad publicly trashing the team probably isn’t helping matters. Adrian Peterson (vertical)
  • Eddie Lacy, RB (Packers): The Vikings, Seahawks, and incumbent Packers seem to be the frontrunners for Lacy at this time. The Seahawks will meet with Lacy, but they also have meetings scheduled with Latavius Murray and Jamaal Charles. The Vikings, of course, are looking into Peterson replacements. Even though Lacy has had problems with consistency and conditioning over the years, he’s my top-ranked running back in this year’s FA crop.
  • Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): Hightower, surely, has interest from a number of clubs. But, for whatever reason, leaks have been kept to a minimum. For all the speculation about the Dolphins and other clubs swarming the non-rush linebacker, we’ve only heard talk of “positive” dialogue between Hightower and the Pats. The Patriots are more unpredictable than ever, but I think the most likely outcome is that he re-signs. Bill Belichick was cocky enough to trade Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones in the same year – and it obviously worked out – but I don’t think he’s crazy enough to also let Hightower leave.
  • Dontari Poe, DT (Chiefs): The defensive tackle market is starting to take shape. Brandon Williams has re-upped with the Ravens on a lucrative five-year, $54MM deal that includes $27MM in guarantees. Chris Baker, considered a run below Williams and Poe, has a three-year, $15.75MM with $9MM guaranteed. We had Williams and Poe fairly close to each other on the Top 50 list and the early thinking was that they could fetch similar contracts. However, the latest word is that he may have to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal. The Falcons, 49ers, and Redskins have been linked to Poe this week, but the Redskins might not be in the market for him anymore after adding Stacy McGee.
  • Johnathan Hankins, DT (Giants): Hankins’ camp has been keeping things on the QT. There have been estimates that he could fetch around $7MM to $8MM per year (or more) on a multi-year deal. The Giants would love to keep the soon-to-be 25-year-old and we’re sure that other teams want him too, but there have been zero leaks from his negotiations. Hankins may not be as good as Williams right now, but the age factor could allow him to approach or top his contract. Teams also might feel better about committing years and dollars to Hankins over Poe. Of course, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison since Hankins is a 4-3 DT and Williams and Poe are 3-4 nose tackles. They are different players and they have different groups of suitors due to their scheme fits.
  • T.J. Lang, G (Packers): Lang is a talented guard, but teams are concerned about his surgically-repaired hip. Right now, the Packers, Lions, and Seahawks are known to be in the mix for him, but he might not sign right away as teams go over his medical info. Teams might want to see him work out in full before committing to him. He’s ranked No. 14 overall on my Top 50 list and was second only to Kevin Zeitler on our list of free agent interior linemen.
  • Martellus Bennett, TE (Patriots): There’s heavy mutual interest between the Raiders and Bennett and the Giants and Bills have also been linked to him. However, after the Giants spent a good chunk of coin to add Rhett Ellison, it’s not clear if Bennett is still a consideration. Bennett is far and away the best available tight end out there and he should fetch a nice payday for himself. It’s just not clear where that might be. A Patriots return can be ruled out after the Dwayne Allen trade. The Lions are also looking into tight ends, but we haven’t specifically heard about them reaching out to Bennett.
  • Jared Cook, TE (Packers): The second-best tight end on the board is drawing interest from the Lions and Bills. Contract talks with the Packers have reportedly broken off, so he could very well wind up leaving.
  • Jabaal Sheard, DE (Patriots): The Dolphins were linked to Sheard, but I’m guessing they’re no longer interested after acquiring William Hayes in a brilliant trade with the Rams on Thursday. He’s on his way to meet with the Colts and we haven’t heard a peep about any possible Pats reunion. Towards the end of the season, the feeling was that Sheard would not be back in New England.
Load More Posts