Golden Tate

NFC Notes: Lipford, Nwaneri, Tate, Packers

Former UNC linebacker Darius Lipford, who went undrafted in last week’s supplemental draft, will work out for the 49ers this week, tweets Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. So far, four teams have expressed interest in bringing Lipford in for a visit since he has the most upside of the four players not selected in the supplemental draft, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter).

Let’s round up a few more items from across the NFC….

  • Caplan also passes along contract details for new Cowboys offensive lineman Uche Nwaneri, who signed a minimum salary benefit contract which includes a $65K signing bonus (Twitter link).
  • Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today examines the players who may hold out when training camps begin and discusses what teams may have to do to ensure those players are in the fold. The list of potential holdouts includes a handful of NFC West players — Vernon Davis and Alex Boone of the 49ers and Marshawn Lynch of the Seahawks.
  • In an interview with ESPN’s First Take today, Lions wide receiver Golden Tate softened earlier comments and explained that his decision to leave the Seahawks was driven by more than money. “If you have an opportunity to earn way more money in another city, you’ll leave in a second. Every single person in the world would have done what I did,” Tate said, according to MLive.com’s Gillian Van Stratt.
  • Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com looks at the Packers‘ backup quarterback battle. The incumbent Scott Tolzien is going up against the once-heralded Matt Flynn for the No. 2 role and some have wondered what might happen if both perform well during training camp. The Packers could, in theory, roll with three QBs, but they haven’t done that since 2008 and doing so would come at the expense of depth elsewhere on the field.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Jets, Johnson, Saints

Let’s check out some assorted NFL notes to wrap up this Friday evening…

Extra Points: Browns, Goodson, Dolphins, Rams

After initially suggesting that he’d be open to returning to the Seahawks on a “hometown discount,” Golden Tate ultimately landed with the Lions, inking the second-largest deal of the offseason for a wide receiver. In retrospect, Tate may regret making the comment about giving Seattle a discount, as he explained on 710 ESPN in Seattle (link via Terry Blount of ESPN.com).

“I didn’t mean a 40% discount,” Tate said. “I’m going to earn in one year at Detroit what Seattle was going to pay me for two years. Seattle offered numbers that were laughable. I thought, ‘I’ve given you everything and this is what you give me?'”

As Tate looks forward to teaming up with Calvin Johnson in Detroit, let’s check in on a few more odds and ends from around the NFL….

  • Free agent offensive lineman Paul McQuistan and defensive lineman Alex Carrington visited with the Browns, tweets Pat McManamon of ESPN.com.
  • The Jets have converted Mike Goodson’s $650K roster bonus into a different form of roster bonus that can be obtained if he’s on the roster for all 16 games, as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com details (via Twitter). The move takes the bonus charge off the cap, creating some modest savings for the Jets.
  • Before he re-signed with the Jets, Willie Colon drew interest from the Falcons and Vikings, but those teams both ultimately “backed off,” the lineman told reporters today (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).
  • The Redskins hosted free agent guard Mike McGlynn for a visit today, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Washington is clearly in the market for at least one interior lineman after cutting Will Montgomery, considering we heard earlier in the afternoon that the club will also host Brian De La Puente.
  • The conditional draft pick the Dolphins sent to the Ravens for Bryant McKinnie last season will be a seventh-rounder, a league source tells Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).
  • The Vikings‘ offer to Henry Melton was competitive with the Cowboys‘ proposal in terms of salary, but the free agent defensive lineman simply chose Dallas instead, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
  • A little over a week into free agency, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch examines where the Rams stand, and takes an in-depth look at Rodger Saffold‘s new contract.
  • Javier Arenas‘ one-year deal with the Falcons is a minimum salary benefit contract with a $65K signing bonus, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the details on the new additions to the NFLPA’s executive committee.

Extra Points: Phillips, Lions, Tate, Ducasse

Free agent defensive end Shaun Phillips tells Josina Anderson of ESPN (on Twitter) that as much as he wants to return to the Broncos, he knows it’s not in the cards with the signing of DeMarcus Ware. “It’s definitely not mutual now just because they found a baller and we play the same position. DeMarcus (Ware) is a baller. He’s a great player and a great pick-up for them. More than likely I won’t be back there. You never know, but more than likely I will not be there.,” the veteran said. More from around the NFL…

  • The Lions officially signed unrestricted free agent Kevin Ogletree and exclusive rights free agents Kris Durham, Julian Stanford, and Matt Veldman, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • Golden Tate took to KJR Sports Radio in Seattle to discuss free agency and his decision not to return to the Seahawks (via Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune on Twitter). He spoke fondly of his time with Seattle, but also mentioned that the team “didn’t reward (him) enough.” He said that he gave the team an opportunity to offer a lesser contract, but the team didn’t bite. He also mentioned the 49ers interest, but claimed he “couldn’t do that to Seattle right after winning.” Tate signed with the Lions earlier today.
  • Free agent cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, who is meeting with the Vikings today, also has visits scheduled with the Jets and Buccaneers, reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
  • Free agent offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse is expected to visit with the Vikings next week, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Ducasse started off his Jets career as a skilled athlete with little polish, but he was able to round out his game over time.
  • Antoine Bethea told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) that the interest between himself and the Colts “wasn’t mutual.” Before he signed with the 49ers, he says that he got some contact from the Packers, Chiefs, and Lions.
  • Cornerback Chris Cook will visit the 49ers tomorrow, a source tells Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (on Twitter).

WR Rumors: Sanders, Edelman, Tate

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.

Lions To Sign Golden Tate

2:58pm: Tate has now confirmed to Anderson that he has accepted the Lions’ offer (Twitter link). According to Tate, it’s a five-year deal worth $31MM, with $13.25MM in guaranteed money.

2:42pm: Tate tells Josina Anderson of ESPN (on Twitter) that he hasn’t agreed to anything yet, though it still sounds like the two sides will complete a deal.

2:35pm: The Lions have signed Golden Tate to a five-year deal, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (on Twitter). Michelle Beisner of NFL Network reported earlier today that the wide receiver was in Detroit for a visit.

The former Seahawks notable is coming off of his most productive season ever in which he hauled in 64 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns. Shortly after Seattle’s Super Bowl win, Tate said in an interview that he badly wanted to stay with the Seahawks and would even be able to take a discount to make that happen. In the week after, however, he backtracked from the notion that he would take less money to stay with Seattle.

With Tate in the mix, the Lions hope that they can have a solid receiving weapon to take attention away from star Calvin Johnson. The club has had some success using Nate Burleson in that role, but nothing has kept clubs from double-teaming Megatron.

NFC North Rumors: Tate, Neal, Haralson,

A quick look at the NFC North..

  • Golden Tate is visiting with the Lions today, according to Michelle Beisner of NFL Network (via Ian Rapoport on Twitter). The former Seahawks notable is coming off of his most productive season ever in which he hauled in 64 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns.
  • The Bears could target Packers free agent defensive end Mike Neal, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The Bears already added Lamarr Houston at the other bookend. Neal appeared in all 16 games last season for Green Bay last season and made ten starts.
  • The Packers are expected to consider free agent pass rusher Parys Haralson, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter).

NFC FA Rumors: Cowboys, Seahawks, Lions

We’ve passed along word of all the free agents who have already found homes – old or new – but there are plenty of players still on the market. Let’s take a look around the NFC at some of the day’s free agent rumors….

  • Now that Julius Peppers is an unrestricted free agent, the Cowboys have interest in the veteran defensive end, tweets Dianna Russini of NBC Washington. It would have to be a pretty inexpensive deal, given Dallas’ cap limitations.
  • Jeff Sullivan of DallasCowboys.com (Twitter link) and Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link) both classify the Cowboys‘ interest in defensive lineman Henry Melton as strong, and Sullivan suggests there’s mutual interest. Melton will visit with the team and things could move quickly, according to the Dallas writers.
  • Free agent receiver Jacoby Jones will visit with the Giants on Wednesday, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN. The Ravens are still discussing a potential return to Baltimore for Jones.
  • The Seahawks are in talks with defensive tackle Tony McDaniel on a new deal that would bring him back to Seattle, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport also tweets that the Seahawks will meet with free agent tight end Jermichael Finley and wide receiver Taylor Price, while Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link) adds defensive tackle Jason Hatcher to that list.
  • Meanwhile, former Seahawks receiver Golden Tate is visiting with the Lions tonight, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
  • Schefter passes along word via ESPN.com colleague Michael Rothstein (Twitter link) that the Lions have interest in safety Chris Clemons. The Steelers were also originally mentioned as a suitor, but they’re almost certainly out of the mix now that Mike Mitchell is headed to Pittsburgh.
  • In their pursuit of a tight end, the Lions are discussing a potential visit for free agent Scott Chandler, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • The Panthers would like to retain free agent receiver Domenik Hixon, but the Bears are also in talks with him, reports Rand Gatlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).

AFC Rumors: Tate, McFadden, Mitchell, Dansby

Free agent receiver Golden Tate, who tweeted last night that things are “heating up” for him, could be a target for the Jaguars, says Peter King of TheMMQB.com. The former Seahawks notable is coming off of his most productive season ever in which he hauled in 64 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns. More out of the AFC..

  • While many free agent running backs aren’t getting much play yet, Darren McFadden is one that has drawn “significant interest,” tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Fallon Smith of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter) hears from a league source that the Raiders have a one-year offer on the table for McFadden. The 26-year-old has missed 19 games over the last three seasons.
  • The Dolphins are in the mix for defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. The 26-year-old is getting a lot of attention for his versatility, athletic ability, and his high motor.
  • The Browns are likely to pursue Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby in free agency, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio News Group. Dansby, 32, would replace D’Qwell Jackson, who signed a four-year deal with the Colts last week. The Browns were also unsatisfied with the play of inside ‘backer Craig Robertson as the 2013 season went along.
  • The Browns are aggressively pursuing slot receivers with Davone Bess out of the picture, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. Julian Edelman is a possibility as is poaching Andrew Hawkins from the Bengals.
  • Re-signing defensive tackle Antonio Johnson is a priority for the Titans, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. The club also has interest in holding on to Leon Washington, Marc Mariani, Damian Williams, and Chris Spencer.
  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) asked a Jets source for the best way to describe the organization’s free agency plan and he was told that the club will be “aggressive.”
  • The Broncos have discussed the likes of pursuing safety T.J. Ward and defensive end Jared Allen but they’re certainly not in the lead as some have implied, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
  • The Jets and Patriots will each pick up nearly an extra $2MM in cap room due to various bookkeeping technicalities, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com explains in a series of tweets.

Seahawks Emerge As Favorites To Sign Michael Bennett

1:33pm: Bennett is “definitely” leaning toward staying with the Seahawks, and could make a decision later today, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

12:12pm: Word around the league suggests that the Bears have made an offer of $8.5MM per year for Bennett, while the Seahawks have offered $8MM annually, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). Seattle’s offer is believed to be for four years, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

11:58am: The Seahawks have emerged as the new favorites in the Michael Bennett sweepstakes, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Just yesterday, a Chicago Tribune report suggested that league sources expected Bennett to join his brother Martellus Bennett in Chicago, but it sounds like the Super Bowl champs aren’t letting their top free agent leave town without a fight.

Bennett, who I ranked as the top free agent available with players like Jimmy Graham and Greg Hardy essentially off the market, is expected to command a lucrative multiyear contract, and there were questions about whether Seattle could afford such an investment with long-term commitments to Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Russell Wilson on the horizon. However, Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Seattle could announce a new deal for Bennett as soon as today. Meanwhile, the Bears may be turning their attention to other targets as the Seahawks push hard to retain the defensive end, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

While the Seahawks appear to be focusing on getting something done with Bennett, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets that he has heard the team has a chance to retain not only Bennett, but Golden Tate as well. I’d expect the duo to command a combined $15MM+ per year, so it will be interesting to see if the Seahawks find a way to keep both players around without seriously compromising future cap flexibility.