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Eric Weddle

Eric Weddle Open To Return

October 4th, 2020 at 11:36am CST by Rory Parks

Six-time Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle, who announced his retirement in February, may be getting the itch to play again. According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (video link), Weddle has received at least two offers from NFL clubs, and though he spurned both of those overtures, the 35-year-old is open to a return.

Garafolo says that an AFC North club made an offer prior to the season, and depending on when the offer was made, it could have come from either the Browns, Ravens, or Steelers. Cleveland lost rookie safety Grant Delpit for the year in August; Baltimore pivoted to the unproven DeShon Elliott following its release of Earl Thomas, and it might have welcomed a reunion with Weddle, who spent three seasons in the purple-and-black; and the Steelers were interested in Weddle before he signed with the Ravens in 2016, and they might have liked the idea of pairing him with Minkah Fitzpatrick in the defensive backfield.

More recently, Weddle received an offer from an unnamed AFC South club, which might have been the Colts, who lost Malik Hooker for the season after he suffered an ACL tear in Week 2. Weddle hasn’t found the right situation yet, but he might suit up this year if a contender that he like comes calling.

Although Weddle made the Pro Bowl during each of his three seasons in Baltimore, his speed was clearly in deep decline. He hooked on with the Rams last March after the Ravens released him, but chronic shoulder and knee pain led to his decision to hang up the cleats after his first and only season in LA.

Apparently, he feels good enough to make a comeback, and a club with playoff aspirations might covet his veteran leadership in a rotational role.

Eric Weddle Retires From NFL

February 6th, 2020 at 2:59pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, Eric Weddle announced that he has reached the end of his extraordinary career. After 13 years, the legendary safety will move on to new endeavors and spend more time with his family.

Weddle’s journey began in 2007 with the Chargers. There, he forged a reputation as one of the league’s most imposing and hard-nosed safeties, collecting three Pro Bowl nominations and two First-Team All-Pro selections over the course of nine seasons. He also became one of the franchise’s main faces. Weddle became synonymous with San Diego, and he did not make the move to L.A. with his longtime club.

Unable to come to terms on a new deal, Weddle moved on to the Ravens before the 2016 season. His second chapter brought more memorable moments, including three consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl and 220 total tackles.

When the Ravens cut him loose last year, he hooked on with the Rams on a two-year pact. After tallying 108 tackles (good for second on the team) and four passes defensed, Weddle expressed uncertainty about whether he’d return for another season and attempt to play through chronic shoulder and knee pain. It also wasn’t clear whether the Rams had him in their plans – Weddle was set to count for a $4.75MM cap charge in 2020, and all but $500K could have been erased with his release.

Towards the end, Weddle’s declining speed and mounting list of ailments started to show. Regardless, he leaves the game with more accomplishments than we can list, but we’ll list a few more of them here – 1,179 total tackles, 29 interceptions, 98 passes defensed, 9.5 sacks, and five All-Pro nods (counting second- and third-team). We here at PFR wish Weddle the best in retirement.

Eric Weddle Does Not Expect To Return To Rams

December 30th, 2019 at 3:20pm CST by Rory Parks

Veteran safety Eric Weddle signed a two-year pact with the Rams in March, but he does not expect to see the second year of that deal. After the team’s season finale on Sunday, Weddle told reporters, including Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com, that he expects Los Angeles to release him and move forward with younger players John Johnson and Taylor Rapp.

Weddle did start all 16 games for Los Angeles this year and recorded 108 tackles, but his intelligence and instincts have increasingly been overtaken by declining speed in recent years, and he knows he is nearing the end of his career.

He has not determined whether he will retire just yet, but one way or another, he will soon undergo shoulder and knee surgery after enduring nagging pains throughout the season. A team with a need for stability in the back end of its defense could see him as a valuable rotational player and leader, but it doesn’t sound as if he’s interested in that role. “I’m not going to come back to be a backup, and that’s totally fine,” Weddle said when asked about his future with the Rams. And if he feels that way about LA, he likely feels the same about other clubs.

The Rams could cut Weddle and save about $4.75MM against the cap while incurring just $500K of dead money. The six-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro has had an excellent career that has included stints with the Chargers, Ravens, and Rams, and if he does choose to hang them up, he said he will have no regrets.

NFC Rumors: Redskins, Childress, 49ers

March 9th, 2019 at 4:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of Eric Weddle‘s many suitors came from the NFC East. The Redskins inquired about the safety, according to NBC Sports Washington’s Ben Standig, but Weddle preferred the Rams’ proposal. Washington may be a spot for one of the many starter-caliber safeties on this year’s market, with the team having waived D.J. Swearinger and with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix‘s contract having expired.

Here is the latest from Washington, along with other NFC teams, with the legal tampering period less than 48 hours away.

  • The Redskins’ Case Keenum trade frees them up to make more competitive offers to non-quarterbacks in free agency, instead of seeing Teddy Bridgewater or Tyrod Taylor proposals complicate the team’s plan. However, Washington is still expected to add at this spot this offseason, and Standig notes it won’t be a Josh Johnson reunion — barring a Colt McCoy departure. Another Johnson pact was previously mentioned as a possibility, but that may no longer be in the cards. Washington profiles as a possible quarterback destination in this year’s draft, but in picking at No. 15 and unlikely to trade up, this may be one of the teams that waits for 2020’s higher-profile group of quarterbacks.
  • The rumors of Markus Golden hitting the market look accurate, with AZCardinals.com’s Mike Jurecki tweeting the veteran edge rusher is set for free agency. The Cardinals and Golden engaged in talks earlier this offseason, but nothing of consequence emerged from those discussions. While Golden stands to benefit from the franchise tags handed out to the top-tier pass rushers who could have hit the market, and Jurecki posits a possible Golden reunion with former Cards DC James Bettcher via Giants signing, the former second-round pick has not been productive since the 2016 season. Golden’s ACL tear in 2017 sidetracked his career, halting the momentum he’d created with a 12.5-sack 2016.
  • Brad Childress may be ready to circle back to the Bears. Affiliated with Matt Nagy‘s first Bears staff briefly, Childress then bolted for the Alliance of American Football. But he did not last until the AAF’s opener. However, Childress looks set to rejoin Nagy in Chicago, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweeting the former Vikings HC is expected to serve in an offensive consulting role under Nagy. Childress and Nagy worked together with the Chiefs. Childress also retired after the 2017 season, but that turned out to be quite short-lived.
  • The 49ers still want to bring back Jimmie Ward, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, but it doesn’t appear their interest goes beyond the one-year offer they were dangling for the 2014 first-round pick. Ward was thought to be on the outs in San Francisco, but the team did not receive much consistency from its secondary last season. San Francisco’s staff graded the versatile defensive back as the team’s best secondary cog, Maiocco adds, prior to his season-ending injury in November, Maiocco adds.
  • The contract the 49ers gave kicker Jonathan Brown is a two-year deal, the team announced. San Francisco used its franchise tag on Robbie Gould. Brown was with the Bengals during the past three training camps but has yet to play in a regular-season game.

Rams Sign Eric Weddle

March 8th, 2019 at 3:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

A fast-moving Friday will include Eric Weddle landing with a third NFL team. The veteran safety will sign with the Rams, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zreibec (on Twitter).

With a “Fear the beard” tweet, the Rams appeared to confirm this transaction.

Weddle will join the defending NFC champions, who may now be set to let Lamarcus Joyner walk as a free agent. This is a two-year pact worth $10.5MM and one that could be worth up to $12.5MM, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He will receive $5.25MM fully guaranteed, per RapSheet (on Twitter).

Weddle had a visit scheduled with the Rams and received 11 offers since the Ravens released him earlier this week, and Albert Breer of SI.com tweets Weddle was at the Rams’ facility on Friday. The 34-year-old safety will be the latest addition to a star-studded roster, albeit one that could take some hits in free agency. Joiner is a free agent after playing 2018 on the franchise tag.

A three-time Pro Bowler with the Ravens and a player with six Pro Bowls on his 12-season resume, Weddle will join John Johnson on Los Angeles’ back line. The longtime San Diego Charger is back in southern California. The Panthers and Giants were two of the teams interested in Weddle, according to Joe Person of The Athletic and Matt Lombardo of NJ.com (Twitter links).

The two-time first-team All-Pro initially said he would retire if the Ravens released him but later backtracked on that. Weddle worked against the Rams in scrimmages last summer and will now attempt to be an integral figure on another defense.

Eric Weddle To Visit Rams

March 8th, 2019 at 2:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Eric Weddle‘s free agent tour is underway. The free agent safety has scheduled a visit with the Rams, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

Weddle accrued eleven offers since being released by the Ravens last week, Rapoport hears, but he has trimmed his list down to five potential suitors, including the Rams. At this rate, Weddle may find a home before everyone else’s free agency begins on March 13. An early signing would probably behoove Weddle, too, since this year’s free agent safety market is deep and talented.

Weddle did not miss a game during his Ravens run and combined for ten interceptions between the 2016-17 seasons. Before that, Weddle spent the first nine years of his NFL career with the Chargers where he appeared in 137 out of a possible 144 regular-season games. In that span, Weddle earned three Pro Bowl nods, five All-Pro bids, and 19 interceptions. Since joining the Ravens, he’s added three more Pro Bowl trips, giving him five in total.

Safety Notes: Weddle, Mathieu, Collins

March 5th, 2019 at 7:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

In somewhat of a surprising sequence on Tuesday — some Ravens staffers were surprised by this move, per NFL.com’s Peter Schrager (on Twitter) — Eric Weddle is now a free agent. Although the 34-year-old safety said in January he would retire if he was not part of the 2019 Ravens, he backtracked on that. His stance remains to continue his career, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). On the heels of three Pro Bowl slates in Baltimore, Weddle stands to generate interest as a short-term fix. It will, however, be interesting to see how teams proceed at this position this year — after oddly brushing it aside in 2018. There are far more safeties available this year, giving this the feel of another buyers’ market.

Here is the latest from the safety marketplace:

  • One player whose market may be in better position than it was last year, Tyrann Mathieu will have options. The Texans are trying to re-sign the seventh-year safety, and this process has now produced a preliminary offer, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Mathieu is believed to still want to remain in Houston, Wilson writes, and the parties have been linked to a reunion for months. But with less than a week until the legal tampering period, the 26-year-old defender is a threat to depart.
  • The Ravens already have several veteran contracts in their secondary, helping explain their reasoning to cut Weddle, but Jason La Canfora tweets they may be interested in Mathieu. Tony Jefferson‘s former back-line mate in Arizona, Mathieu would fit Baltimore’s desire for another playmaker at this position, JLC adds.
  • The Giants‘ decision to let Landon Collins hit free agency shocked much of the football-following world, and Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports there will be an extensive market awaiting the three-time Pro Bowler and 2016 All-Pro. The Chiefs, Colts and Redskins profile as potential suitors, per Raanan. This move also may affect future Giants negotiations, reminding of how Dave Gettleman‘s tactics as Carolina’s GM rubbed some Panthers the wrong way, with Raanan adding the team made no serious attempt to discuss a long-term deal with its high-profile safety.
  • New York received multiple offers for Collins prior to last year’s deadline, most notably a third-rounder from the Buccaneers, but Ralph Vacchiano of SNY notes the Giants were holding out for a second-rounder and possibly another late-round pick as well. Now, they will lose the safety for a compensatory pick — possibly a 2020 third-rounder, but that depends on what the Giants do in free agency.
  • Collins hitting the market should prompt the Colts to pursue him, with Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star writing the team — which uses a system that values safeties more than most teams — needs a strong safety to pair with Malik Hooker. The Colts engaged in discussions with Clayton Geathers‘ reps at the Combine, but it’s not clear where the sides stand in talks on a Geathers return to Indianapolis. The Colts have already re-signed Mark Glowinski and Margus Hunt, but both players were initially Chris Ballard-era additions. Geathers was a Ryan Grigson second-round pick. The Colts still hold more than $100MM in cap space, putting them in strong position to land Collins if they choose.
  • The 49ers remain in the market for a starting-caliber safety, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter). With former Seahawks assistant Robert Saleh running their defense, Earl Thomas is a natural fit. But Maiocco notes the team may not be willing to meet a massive asking price. There are, however, plenty of available candidates beyond Thomas to fill this role.

Ravens To Release Eric Weddle

March 5th, 2019 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens are following through with a rumored cost-cutting move. They will release Eric Weddle, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

This move will save the team $7.25MM. Weddle was going into the final year of his contract. He is about to join a crowded safety market.

Eric DeCosta was not definitive about keeping Weddle or fellow secondary 30-something Jimmy Smith. Baltimore’s secondary has been one of the NFL’s best during Weddle’s run, and he made three Pro Bowls during his three Ravens seasons. Weddle, 34, said at the offseason’s outset he would retire if he wasn’t a Raven, but the former first-round pick subsequently walked that back.

Tuesday will add Weddle and Landon Collins to the market. Barring pre-free agency deals, they will join Earl Thomas, Adrian Amos, Lamarcus Joyner, Tre Boston, Tyrann Mathieu, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Glover Quin and others in free agency’s deepest position.

Weddle did not miss a game during his Ravens run and combined for 10 interceptions between the 2016-17 seasons. The Ravens, who did not use their franchise tag on C.J. Mosley, will now hold more than $25MM in cap space. Their acclaimed defense may lose multiple big names, however.

AFC North Notes: Brown, Ravens, Johnson

February 27th, 2019 at 1:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers‘ plan remains to trade Antonio Brown. But Kevin Colbert reiterated they will not pull the trigger if they do not believe the compensation is appropriate.

“We will only make a trade if it benefits the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Colbert said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. “He knows that. His representation knows that. That’s been clearly explained, and we’re willing to take a look. If there’s something that can be done to benefit both sides, great. If not, then we’ll deal with that when we get to it.”

Pittsburgh still wants to trade Brown to the NFC, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets the organization is prioritizing compensation over a preferred destination. Colbert said an intra-division trade is not ideal but did not put the Bengals, Browns or Ravens as non-starter suitors, saying “we haven’t eliminated anybody” from the trade picture. Colbert added more teams have reached out, which makes sense with all 32 teams in Indianapolis for the Combine. The Steelers would seemingly prefer to deal Brown before March 17, when his $2.5MM bonus is due, but Colbert said (via Pro Football Talk, on Twitter) the team is open to paying him the bonus and trading him later.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • New Ravens GM Eric DeCosta has said the team wants C.J. Mosley back, and a report indicated they also want to re-sign Terrell Suggs for a 17th season. DeCosta on Wednesday said he expects Brandon Carr to stay put. However, the new front office boss was not as certain on Jimmy Smith and Eric Weddle joining Carr in the 2019 Baltimore secondary, Jeff Zreibec of The Athletic tweets. Carr, who will be 33 in May, is due $7MM. Weddle, 34, has one season left on his four-year deal. It would save the Ravens $7.5MM by cutting him. After indicating he would want to retire if the Ravens didn’t want him back, Weddle recently changed his tune. Smith is just 30, and a release would cost the Ravens more than $6MM. But they could save $9MM-plus by making him a cap casualty. Baltimore currently holds barely $20MM in cap space.
  • With Kareem Hunt now in the fold, the Browns‘ backfield is crowded. Nick Chubb will likely be the Cleveland starter for much of this season, with Hunt in line for a suspension that could comprise more than half of the 2019 season. Duke Johnson remains, too, and although he has done his best work in the passing game, Freddie Kitchens said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, on Twitter) the team is not planning to move its passing-down back to wide receiver.
  • The Bengals refuted a report that they are trying to deal 2017 first-rounder John Ross.

Ravens Want Yanda, Weddle To Return

January 26th, 2019 at 12:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Count head coach John Harbaugh among those who’d like a pair of veteran Pro Bowlers to return to the Ravens next season. Harbaugh told reporters that he’s hoping offensive lineman Marshal Yanda and safety Eric Weddle will be back in 2019.

“Unless something changes along the way, they will be back,” he said (via Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Sun). “We have talked about all those things, but no decisions have been made. One thing you learn about this whole building a roster around the National Football League and working around the [salary] cap is that no decision stands on its own feet. It’s not sequential, either. It’s not this, then this, then this. It all happens together at once.”

Harbaugh notes that general manager Eric DeCosta and executive Ozzie Newsome are also open to welcoming back the duo.

Weddle, 34, was named to his sixth Pro Bowl this season after compiling 68 tackles, one sack, and three passes defended. Following Baltimore’s playoff loss to the Chargers, the veteran said he’d either be returning to the Ravens or retiring. However, this past week, Weddle changed course, indicating that he’d be open to playing for another team. The defensive back has one year remaining on his contract, and he’ll carry a $8.25MM cap hit. The organization could clear up $6.5MM in space by cutting the veteran.

Yanda made his seventh-career Pro Bowl this season after starting all 16 games for the Ravens. The 34-year-old has spent his entire 12-year career in Baltimore, and the veteran still has another year on his contract. However, the veteran still hasn’t publicly committed to playing in 2019. The Ravens have committed some of their draft choices to offensive linemen in recent years, including using three picks in the 2018 draft.

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