HEADLINES

Emmanuel Sanders

WR Rumors: Sanders, Edelman, Tate

March 12th, 2014 at 3:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Steelers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and defensive lineman Ziggy Hood are in town visiting the Jaguars, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida-Times Union. However, Sanders has other visits scheduled this week, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter) and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) adds that the Jets are still a possibility.

  • Sanders is set to visit with the Buccaneers following his visit with the Jaguars today, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. 
  • The Ravens remain quite interested in free agent wide receiver Julian Edelman, tweets La Canfora. Meanwhile, the Patriots want him back and other teams are also in the mix.
  • Golden Tate said the Jaguars, Jets, and the incumbent Seahawks were also interested in his services, tweets Mike Rothstein of ESPN. The former Seattle receiver landed with the Lions earlier today.

AFC North Rumors: Gerhart, Nwaneri, Sanders

March 11th, 2014 at 8:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Three teams are showing interest in free agent running back Toby Gerhart, including the Browns, a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The Niners and Jaguars are also in the mix. The latest from the AFC North..

  • Uche Nwaneri is visiting the Bengals this Thursday, reports Tania Ganguli os ESPN.com (via Twitter). Nwaneri was released by the Jaguars earlier this week.
  • The Ravens really like Emmanuel Sanders, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). They have not reached out to him yet, but would love to steal him away from their division rivals if the price is right.
  • The Steelers want to bring back Jerricho Cotchery, writes Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter). The team has reached out to the veteran wide receiver, but no deal has been struck yet.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

FA Rumors: McCown, Pettigrew, Giants, Cards

March 11th, 2014 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

Free agency rumors are pouring in, with less than five hours until the market officially opens. Let’s round them up….

  • Quarterback Josh McCown expects to get a deal done quickly once free agency opens, and has one or two specific teams at the top of his list, as he told SiriusXM NFL Radio this morning (Twitter link).
  • The Lions continue to talk to tight end Brandon Pettigrew, but a deal before the deadline appears unlikely, so he should hit the open market, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
  • Centers Evan Dietrich-Smith and Brian De La Puente appear unlikely to land with the Giants, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
  • Expect the Cardinals to pursue free agent linebacker Mike Neal, tweets Mike Garafolo of USA Today.
  • Free agent tight end Jeff King is highly unlikely to return to the Cardinals, says Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona (via Twitter).
  • Cornerback Antoine Cason is drawing some interest, but he’ll likely wait until after the top-tier corners sign to find a deal, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com.
  • Emmanuel Sanders is among the names on the list of wide receiver targets for the Browns, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • Since being released late last month by the Patriots, safety Steve Gregory has received some interest, and expects to sign after the bigger dominos fall, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
  • It looks like Bears cornerback and ace special-teamer Sherrick McManis will reach the open market today, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

AFC East Notes: Mallett, Byrd, Howard, Trades

March 2nd, 2014 at 10:51am CST by Rory Parks

Tom Brady is signed through the 2017 season, and the Patriots will be facing the same series of questions until that contract is up: should we draft his eventual replacement? Is the replacement already on the roster? Should we sign a veteran backup? Within the framework of those questions, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald examines the status of current backup Ryan Mallett, who will be a free agent after the 2014 season.

There have been rumors that the Texans may be interested in Mallett, given his familiarity with the offense that Houston’s new head coach Bill O’Brien plans to install, and the Vikings might also have some interest. But despite Mallett’s potential and the fact that he has been mentored by Brady and Bill Belichick, his impending free agency might reduce the the return the Patriots could expect in a trade.

Further complicating the situation is the fact that, if New England were to take a QB in this year’s draft, that player’s rookie deal would expire at the same time as Brady’s. But with Mallett unlikely willing to wait until Brady plays out his contract before finally getting a shot, the Patriots probably have no choice but to trade him now or let him walk after this season. As such, the Pats will keep their eyes peeled for the next young quarterback to impress them the way Mallett did in 2011.

Some more notes from the AFC East:

  • The Bills have nearly $25MM in cap space, and Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News examines how the team might utilize that flexibility. Most notably, Gaughan writes that Buffalo has enough space to retain Jairus Byrd, whether they bring him back on a long-term deal or put the franchise tag on him. GM Doug Whaley said the team will “go after” all of its own free agents, and Gaughan observes that the most significant of those free agents beyond Byrd are Scott Chandler and Dan Carpenter. The team could create even more cap space–about $3.1MM– with the expected release of backup quarterback Kevin Kolb. Right tackle Erik Pears is also in danger of being cut, and his release would save about $2.9MM.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com expects the Jets to re-sign tackle Austin Howard before free agency opens on March 11. He also notes that, with all their cap space–which will increase following the expected release of Santonio Holmes–the Jets will also attack the free agent market for quarterbacks and wide receivers. Cimini expects the team to pursue quarterbacks Michael Vick and Josh McCown and wideouts Golden Tate, Emmanuel Sanders, and Hakeem Nicks.
  • James Walker of ESPN.com says it is “difficult to believe” that the Dolphins are seeking to trade Dion Jordan, Cameron Wake, and Mike Wallace, particularly since the team is in “win now” mode. We heard several days ago that Miami was shopping those players, rumors that the team quickly denied. Walker thinks the most “tradeable” of that group is Jordan, who had a difficult time finding a good fit on the Dolphins defense last year. However, Walker adds that Miami is not likely to give up on such a special talent after just one season.

 

 

 

AFC North Notes: Free Agency, Oher, Rubin

February 28th, 2014 at 7:13pm CST by Rob DiRe

The unexpected salary cap has left many teams feeling better about their situations, and the Bengals are also reaping the benefits of the extra cap space, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. The team only has two starters set to hit free agency, in Michael Johnson and Anthony Collins. They also have a number of lesser players such as Dane Sanzenbacher, Andrew Hawkins, Brandon Tate, and Mike Pollak. Hobson writes that the team has already contacted most if not all the players’ agents, but will keep in mind that extensions for Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, Vontaze Burfict, and Domata Peko will be coming in the near future.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC North:

  • The Steelers could have trouble re-signing some of their notable free agents once they hit the market, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Brown writes that the team is unlikely to match or exceed offers that Jason Worilds, Emmanuel Sanders, and Ziggy Hood could command on the free market.
  • The Ravens have not made a decision regarding their two free agent tackles, Michael Oher and Eugene Monroe, writes Jamison Henley of ESPN.com. While most pundits and fans do not believe the team will be able to re-sign both players, head coach John Harbaugh has not ruled out bringing back both players. Henley writes that if the team fails to retain Monroe, than it would be more likely that they bring back Oher to play left tackle.
  • While Ahtyba Rubin is considered a likely cap casualty for the Browns, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Tom Reed of Cleveland.com writes that the team would be making a mistake in doing so. Reed believes that the cap space the team would save is minimal compared to the talent and leadership they would be losing along their defensive line.

AFC North Notes: Sanders, Cap, Weeden, Draft

February 20th, 2014 at 7:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Steelers are prepared to let receiver Emmanuel Sanders test free agency, and do not expect to retain him, according to Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert expounded on Sanders’ value, and noted “where he goes in free agency and what his market is we don’t know at this point, but he certainly performed for us last year, and we’ll see where it is in the future.”

Sanders had a nice season as a complementary receiver to Antonio Brown, catching 67 passes for 670 yards and six touchdowns. However, the Steelers don’t have much cap room with which to work, and they believe Markus Wheaton is ready to step into the number-two role. Our own Luke Adams put Sanders in the second tier of free agent receivers, and speculated that the Patriots could be interested in his services (as they were last season when they signed to him to an offer sheet, which the Steelers then matched), while we have also learned that the Jets covet Sanders.

Other news from the AFC North:

Combine Updates: Bucs, Titans, Bears, Lions

February 20th, 2014 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

The 2014 scouting combine is underway in Indianapolis, and NFL head coaches and general managers have begun speaking to reporters both in scheduled press conferences and in smaller side interviews. There have been several tidbits worth passing along from those sessions, so let’s dive right in and round up a few highlights….

  • While Lovie Smith said he likes Mike Glennon, the Buccaneers head coach also expressed a belief that there could be a potential franchise quarterback available with the No. 7 pick in the draft, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times details. If that’s the case, it sounds like the Bucs will strongly consider drafting a signal-caller in the first round.
  • Steelers GM Kevin Colbert didn’t reveal much about his team’s offseason plans, but was enthusiastic in discussing 2014’s draft class. While he cautioned that it’s an immature group due to all the underclassmen in the mix, Colbert said it’s the best class he has even seen, according to Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). As Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star notes (via Twitter), that’s very high praise coming from Colbert, who has been preparing for drafts for the last 30 years.
  • Colbert’s comments on wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders suggested to the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe that the Steelers intend to let Sanders hit the open market.
  • Asked about running back Chris Johnson, a potential cap casualty, Titans GM Ruston Webster said that the club can be as patient as it wants to be in making a decision on Johnson, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Webster also confirmed that the Titans have spoken to cornerback Alterraun Verner‘s agent about a new contract, adding that “we’ll continue to talk” (Twitter link via Wyatt).
  • The Bears would like to re-sign free agent defensive lineman Henry Melton, GM Phil Emery indicated to reporters, including Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter link). However, it’s clear that it will come down to Melton’s price tag. Emery also echoed coach Marc Trestman‘s views on Chris Conte, suggesting that he hopes the safety comes in and wins a starting job (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). “I’d like to be talking to him about an extension,” Emery said of Conte.
  • Lions head coach Jim Caldwell said “never say never” when it comes to re-signing recently released safety Louis Delmas, but didn’t sound optimistic about the possibility, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Caldwell added that acquiring a wide receiver to complement Calvin Johnson will be one of the club’s top priorities this offseason, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).
  • The Cardinals would like to re-sign linebacker Karlos Dansby but have always been prepared to move on, GM Steve Keim said today, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).

WR Notes: Holmes, Burleson, Broncos

February 16th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Rory Parks

Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that that Jets will cut Santonio Holmes. Holmes has been a disappointment both on and off the field since coming to New York from Pittsburgh, and he would cost the Jets $10.75MM against the cap this year if he were to be retained. However, the Jets will save $8.25MM by cutting Holmes, and Cimini believes the team will use at least a significant portion of that money to bring in a new wideout. As our own Luke Adams wrote last week, the Jets “covet” the Steelers’ Emmanuel Sanders and the Eagles’ Jeremy Maclin, both of whom are eligible for unrestricted free agency.

It is a buyer’s market for receivers this year, with over 50 wideouts set to hit the open market. Some more notes on the wide receiver carousel:

  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com writes that Nate Burleson would make sense for the Cowboys, given the imminent release of Miles Austin and the limitations of players like Dwayne Harris and Cole Beasley. Archer believes Burleson’s skill-set, veteran leadership, and connection with new Cowboys’ play-caller Scott Linehan could add up to a nice complement to top receivers Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams.
  • Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com believes the Broncos will have to grab at least one receiver in the draft. Eric Decker and Andre Caldwell are both unrestricted free agents, but the Broncos will want to make sure they have enough money to pay Demaryius Thomas when he hits free agency after the 2014 season, and that will limit what they could give to Decker, Caldwell, or any other free agent receiver this season. As such, Denver will be left with only two receivers on the roster who have started an NFL game: Thomas and Wes Welker. For a team that uses a three-wide set about 70% of the time, that is simply not enough depth.
  • Joe Kaiser of ESPN.com examines the chatter surrounding Anquan Boldin‘s return to the 49ers, all of which indicates Boldin will be back in the Bay Area next year.
  • In a recent interview with Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, NFL Films’ Greg Cosell confirms the general consensus that Clemson’s Sammy Watkins is the best receiver in this year’s draft, but Cosell doesn’t stop there. He believes that Watkins is the best receiver available since the 2010 draft, when Julio Jones and A.J. Green were taken in the first round.

 

East Notes: Nicks, Cowboys, Patriots, Jets

February 13th, 2014 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few of the latest links of note from out of the NFC’s and AFC’s East divisions:

  • Victor Cruz has lobbied for fellow Giants receiver and pending free agent Hakeem Nicks to re-sign with New York, according to Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger. “Selfishly, I would love for him to stay,” Cruz said, confirming that he’s talked to Nicks about it.
  • As if the Cowboys didn’t already have enough 2014 cap commitments, running back DeMarco Murray will have a slightly higher cap number than expected, as Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com details. Murray triggered performance escalators that will bump his base salary from about $755K to nearly $1.4MM.
  • In a photo gallery, the Dallas Morning News suggests 10 free agent quarterbacks the Cowboys might consider as a No. 3 option behind Tony Romo or Kyle Orton.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPN.com attempts to gauge the free agent value of Aqib Talib around the NFL by compiling a few links to see where Talib ranks on various lists of top free agents. As Reiss writes, the veteran cornerback will be among the Patriots‘ top priorities this offseason.
  • In a separate blog entry, Reiss weighs in on a few other Patriots stories, indicating that he doesn’t think Josh McDaniels was as interested in the Browns’ head coaching job as an earlier report suggests, and that he believe the Pats will again have interest in free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders this offseason.
  • With the right side of the Jets‘ offensive line poised to hit free agency, it would behoove the team to re-sign both guard Willie Colon and tackle Austin Howard, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini expects the club to make a “strong push” to re-sign Howard, while perhaps taking a wait-and-see approach with Colon and the right guard position.

Extra Points: Bengals, Sam, Jets, Bortles

February 10th, 2014 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

In assessing the likelihood of the Bengals‘ free agents returning to the team, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer suggests that defensive end Michael Johnson is likely to end up elsewhere this spring. After franchising Johnson last year, the Bengals could choose to place the franchise tag on their defensive end again this time around, but Dehner believes that’s the only scenario in which he returns to Cincinnati. According to Dehner, the club will likely be unwilling to shell out big bucks for another defensive lineman with Geno Atkins already on a lucrative, long-term deal.

Here’s more from around the NFL, with just over a month remaining until 2014’s free agent period:

  • The success of teams with low-salary quarterbacks like the Seahawks and 49ers has prompted a discussion on whether clubs with solid veteran QBs ought to let them walk in free agency if the price gets too high. However, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com dismisses such thinking, arguing that the NFL’s cap structure ensures that even the more highly-paid signal-callers remain undervalued.
  • Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal reports (via Twitter) that defensive end prospect Michael Sam, who publicly came out as gay yesterday, left The Novo Agency and signed with new NFL agents Cameron Weiss and Joe Barkett of Empire Athletes.
  • Mullen also reports (via Twitter) that free-agent-to-be Emmanuel Sanders has left agent Jordan Woy.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com takes a look at one of the Jets’ top priorities this offseason: Wide receiver. In Cimini’s view, the club would be wise to avoid paying top dollar for Eric Decker, and instead should focus on a $5-7MM free agent, who can be slotted alongside a receiver picked in the draft. Cimini identifies potential Seahawks cap casualty Sidney Rice as a possible target for New York.
  • We learned earlier today that Henoc Muamba received a $107K guarantee from the Colts on his futures contract, the largest guarantee for that type of deal so far this offseason. According to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter), the second-largest guarantee for a player on a futures deal belongs to safety Sherrod Martin ($100K), who signed with the Jaguars.
  • Top QB prospect Blake Bortles is preparing to do everything, including throw, at this month’s scouting combine, writes Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel.
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