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Jared Allen

FA Rumors: Broncos, Allen, LaFell, Redskins

March 12th, 2014 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

According to a Denver Post report, the Broncos are considering free agent linebackers Jon Beason and Daryl Smith. However, the report surfaced yesterday before word broke that the team had agreed to sign Aqib Talib and scheduled a visit with DeMarcus Ware, so it’s not clear whether Denver still has interest. The team certainly does seem to be going all-in to try to take advantage of Peyton Manning‘s final years though.

Here are several more Wednesday morning free agency updates:

NFC Rumors: Allen, Rams, Tillman, Costa

March 11th, 2014 at 9:40pm CST by Zachary Links

With the Broncos shifting their focus to DeMarcus Ware, Vikings free agent defensive end Jared Allen is talking with the Bears and Seahawks, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). More out of the NFC..

  • Contrary to some reports, free agent defensive end Antonio Smith is not making a free agent visit to the Rams, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  • The Rams decided not to make a tender offer to cornerback Quinton Pointer, an exclusive rights free agent, Thomas tweets.
  • Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) would not be surprised to see the Panthers work to get in the game for free agent cornerback Charles Tillman. There was a lot of talk about Tillman reuniting with former coach Lovie Smith in Tampa Bay, but that’s probably off the table now that the Buccaneers have agreed to sign Alterraun Verner.
  • Former Cowboys veteran center Phil Costa visited the Lions today and will meet with the Patriots on Monday, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Football Post. Costa, a 6-foot-3, 302-pounder from Maryland who has started 20 of 26 career games, started no games last season after the Cowboys drafted center Travis Frederick in the first round. For what it’s worth, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter) hears that the Pats visit took place yesterday.
  • The Buccaneers were pursuing offensive tackle Rodger Saffold last weekend, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Had they signed him, he would have played left tackle in Tampa. Instead, Saffold is Oakland bound.

AFC West Rumors: Allen, Howard, Saffold

March 11th, 2014 at 9:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

Jared Allen‘s first visit of his free agency will be with the Broncos, which was first reported by Ian Rapaport of NFL.com (Dan Hanzus of NFL.com credited him with the report). Allen could be a perfect fit for a team in need of a pass rusher, unless they somehow find a way to attract an even bigger name in free agency.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC West:

  • Austin Howard is visiting with the Raiders, as reported by Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). The much improved right tackle failed to come to an agreement to stay with the Jets, and could play opposite the Raiders’ new presumed left tackle Rodger Saffold (unless Saffold is a very expensive guard).
  • While the Raiders have already retained one running back, they may still be looking to add depth to their backfield. Ian Rapaport of NFL.com reports that the team also has an interest former Giant tailback Andre Brown (via Twitter).
  • Kavell Conner is visiting with the Chargers, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The former Colts linebacker was a starter for much of his first three seasons in Indianapolis, but did not start a single game in 2013.
  • Wide receiver Joe Morgan, who was non-tendered as a restricted free agent recently by the Saints, is visiting the Chiefs, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
  • The Chiefs are interested in veteran inside linebacker Joe Mays, who coach Andy Reid selected in the sixth round of the 2008 draft, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.

FA Rumors: McCown, Allen, Mack, Hatcher

March 11th, 2014 at 7:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Josh McCown‘s first free agent visit, which is already underway, is with the Buccaneers, and the free agent quarterback and also meetings scheduled with the Texans and Jets, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he doesn’t make it to all his scheduled visits, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Both La Canfora and Mehta suggest that a deal with the Bucs looks very possible for McCown. Here’s more on free agency:

  • Defensive end Jared Allen has narrowed down his free agent options, but may not sign all that quickly, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that the Broncos are interested in Allen, but perhaps not at his current asking price. There also may not be any other serious suitors involved at that price, says Florio.
  • The transition tag hasn’t stopped teams from contacting center Alex Mack, according to Mike Garafolo of USA Today (via Twitter). However, Garafalo adds that the Browns free agent center has yet to set up any visits with clubs.
  • Defensive end Antonio Smith would like to stay with the Texans, but has visits lined up with the Redskins, Titans, Rams, and Raiders, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
  • Jason Hatcher‘s visit with the Seahawks is the first of five meetings he has scheduled, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
  • Offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger is drawing interest as a potential starting guard or center, says Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • Free agent running back Anthony Dixon will visit with the Titans, says Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

AFC Rumors: Tate, McFadden, Mitchell, Dansby

March 11th, 2014 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

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.

FA Roundup: Woodley, Allen, Tuck, Mack

March 10th, 2014 at 10:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest on the free agent front:

  • Many in the Steelers organization believe that linebacker LaMarr Woodley will end up in Tennessee, where he would be reunited with former Steelers secondary coach Ray Horton, who is now the defensive coordinator with the Titans, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • La Canfora also notes that those involved in the defensive end market expect Jared Allen to sign with the Broncos, and Justin Tuck to return to the Giants (Twitter link).
  • Alex Mack‘s agent tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link) that he believes he can find his client an offer sheet the Browns may not match. That’s not to say that Mack wants out of Cleveland. However, as a transition player, his best chance of a long-term payday involves signing an offer sheet, and no rival teams will spend time negotiating that offer if they expect the Browns to simply match it.
  • The Buccaneers have not yet asked left tackle Donald Penn to take a pay cut, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.
  • With Alterraun Verner expected to be out of their price range, the Giants are eyeing other cornerbacks, and have expressed interest in Corey Graham, a source tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
  • Offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz will not return to the Chiefs, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
  • Defensive tackle Earl Mitchell will not return to the Texans, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. We noted earlier today that the Chargers will pursue Mitchell.
  • The Cardinals have interest in cornerback Mike Jenkins, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910.
  • Re-signing with the Buccaneers remains a possibility for linebacker Dekoda Watson, but he’ll test the market and begin visiting other teams, starting tomorrow, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times.
  • The Eagles have contacted several free agents, and among them are Lamarr Houston, Graham, and Nolan Carroll, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

D-Line Notes: Houston, Allen, Johnson

March 10th, 2014 at 6:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A few notes from the National Football Conference:

  • The Bears are “pushing hard” for defensive end Lamarr Houston, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The Bears missed out on Michael Bennett when he re-signed with the Seahawks earlier today.
  • A source tell Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that they would be “shocked” if defensive end Jared Allen does not sign with the Broncos (via Twitter). I speculated as much yesterday after Allen said he would not return to the Vikings, and hoped to play for a contending team. The Broncos need pass-rush help, and a short-term deal would makes sense for both sides.
  • Tomasson also tweets that the Vikings are “definitely out of the running” for defensive end Michael Johnson. Johnson had been linked to the team, primarily based on his familiarity with new head coach Mike Zimmer. The Vikings signed fellow end Everson Griffen to a five-year extension yesterday.
  • Kevin Williams, the Vikings‘ longest-tenured player, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of re-signing with the team, as he tells Tomasson. The big defensive lineman has been with Minnesota since the club drafted him ninth overall in 2003.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

FA Rumors: Saffold, Houston, Foote, Finnegan

March 10th, 2014 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

We dedicated an early-morning post to passing along a few miscellaneous free agent updates, but the rumor mill been busy enough that it’s time to round up a few more. Here’s the latest:

  • Jared Allen, Jared Veldheer, Rodger Saffold, Arthur Jones, and James Jones are among the free agents expected to change teams this week, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
  • The Raiders are offering Saffold $8MM per year, with the potential to increase that offer, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link via John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game).
  • Middlekauff (Twitter link) also spoke to multiple NFL executives about prospective free agent Lamarr Houston, and none thought the defensive end would be a very good fit for a 3-4 team.
  • After having been released by the Steelers last week, Larry Foote has no plans to retire and would like to sign with a contender, as he tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link).
  • Recently released defensive back Cortland Finnegan will be representing himself in free agency, according to Anderson (TwitLonger link). Typically, free agent players without agents wouldn’t be able to talk to teams until Tuesday, but Finnegan can seek out a new team now since he was cut.
  • One general manager suggests to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link) that NFL teams treat their equipment people better than they treat running backs. While that may be an exaggeration, it signals that this year’s group of free agent running backs probably isn’t drawing much interest yet.
  • Former first-round pick Rolando McClain is telling people that he plans to return to the NFL in 2014, according to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times. However, a source tells Aaron Wilson (Twitter link) that there’s nothing imminent, and that talk of a McClain comeback is probably “premature.”

NFC North Notes: Packers, Vikings, Bears

March 9th, 2014 at 6:05pm CST by Ben Levine

When evaluating potential free agents, teams certainly look at a players’ ability to stay on the field for as many games as possible. David Chao of the National Football Post ranked his top-ten injury risks among this year’s free agents and he featured two Packers on that list. Defensive lineman Johnny Jolly was seventh, with Chao pointing out that the 31-year-old will still need another month or two to recover from offseason surgery. Tight end Jermichael Finley was number-eight following his neck injury in October, and the writer believes he’ll be medically cleared very soon. Cowboys’ defensive end Anthony Spencer finished atop the list.

Let’s take a look at some more rumblings from around the NFC North…

  • The Packers ended up paying cornerback Sam Shields, which seems to go along with what Packers’ General Manager Ted Thompson has done in the past, writes Tom Silverstein of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Based on Silverstein’s list of players the Packers have and have not extended, the team has typically made the correct choice in which players they’ve chosen to keep.
  • The number of signings, particularly in the NFC North, has shrunk the Bears‘ market, says John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. He points to Shields as a player the team could have used.
  • After the Vikings signed Everson Griffen earlier today, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com took a look at what was next for the team. He estimated that the Vikings would have about $25MM left in cap room, which would be enough to sign Michael Johnson and Alterraun Verner (the Vikings have expressed interest in both) but wouldn’t leave the team with enough room to extend Kyle Rudolph or sign other free agents.
  • Former Viking Jared Allen will likely take his team choosing a new team and probably won’t have a decision by Tuesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

FA Rumors: Allen, Johnson, Mitchell, Jones

March 9th, 2014 at 1:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Jared Allen will not return to the Vikings, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Allen, 34, spent the past six seasons in Minnesota, after the team acquired him in 2008 from the Chiefs in exchange for a first-round-pick. La Canfora reports that Allen has narrowed his focus to teams that can contend next season, and that his list of preferred organizations contains less than five teams (via Twitter). The Raiders have been mentioned as a potential fit, while the Broncos would also seem to be an ideal match, as they are a veteran-laden squad with Super Bowl aspirations, and have a need at defensive end.

Allen’s play slipped last season, as he graded out as just the 34th-best defensive end in the league according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), although he did finish with 11.5 sacks. The Vikings seemed to have replaced him today by re-signing fellow end Everson Griffen to a five-year pact. The team had already extended defensive end Brian Robison in October.

Other notes from free agency:

  • Although the Vikings could sign both Griffen and free agent defensive end Michael Johnson, sources expect Johnson to land elsewhere following the Griffen deal, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN. Johnson played under new Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer in Cincinnati.
  • We noted earlier that the Redskins are expected to be “major players” for cornerback Aqib Talib, but it seems they also have interest in safety Mike Mitchell, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Mitchell, a second-round-pick by the Raiders in 2009, notched 66 tackles and four interceptions in his first season in Carolina last year.
  • Defensive end Arthur Jones is a popular name on the free agent market, having already drawn interest from the Titans, Redskins, Giants, and Vikings, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Wilson also tweeted that the Packers are also intrigued by Jones. Jones, 27, is a versatile player who would fit in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense, as evidenced by the teams calling on him.
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