HEADLINES

Jason Hatcher

AFC Rumors: Jones, LaFell, Mack

March 12th, 2014 at 2:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have expressed real interest in Packers free agent wide receiver James Jones, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. There’s no visit scheduled yet, however. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) adds that the Jets want to sign two wide receivers this offseason.

  • The Jets have interest in Panthers free agent wide receiver Brandon LaFell, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. However, there’s no visit scheduled just yet (link). The Patriots are known to have interest and the Broncos are also in the mix.
  • Four teams have been in contact with Browns free agent center Alex Mack on various levels, Rapoport tweets. Mack is currently waiting for the frenzy to die down. The Colts and Ravens are among the teams with interest (link).
  • Defensive tackle Jason Hatcher will be visiting the Raiders today after his visit with the Seahawks, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter).
  • The Ravens would like to re-sign linebacker Daryl Smith but not at his current asking price, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Brandon Spikes and Wesley Woodyard are among other free agent options. Zrebiec also suggests that they could target Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley in the draft.
  • The Broncos were interested in defensive playmakers all day yesterday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Before they landed Aqib Talib on a multi-year deal, they tried to get in on Jairus Byrd. Byrd, of course, went to the Saints.

Titans Rumors: FA Visits, Hatcher, Woodley

March 12th, 2014 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

Several of the Titans’ early free agent visits have been reported already, but Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean now provides a specific schedule for the first few. According to Wyatt (Twitter links), defensive lineman Al Woods and running back Anthony Dixon will be in town today, while the team will host defensive lineman Antonio Smith and linebacker Wesley Woodyard on Thursday, assuming neither player has agreed to sign with another club by then.

Here’s more from Wyatt:

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.

NFC FA Rumors: Cowboys, Seahawks, Lions

March 11th, 2014 at 7:31pm CST by Luke Adams

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).

NFC Rumors: Cowboys, Bell, Vikings, Bears

March 10th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys are interested in re-signing free-agents-to-be Jason Hatcher and Anthony Spencer, but Dallas isn’t the only team with interest in the defensive linemen. According to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com, the free agent duo has at least seven interested suitors, including the Cowboys. Dallas is also interested in defensive tackle Henry Melton, according to Watkins (Twitter link), but the ESPN scribe cautions that there are no assurances of a deal, given the Cowboys’ limited cap space.

Here’s more from around the NFC, with free agency less than 24 hours away:

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC FA Rumors: Ward, Hatcher, Johnson

March 8th, 2014 at 10:04pm CST by Peter Sowards

We passed along some news earlier today that the Lions had shown interest in free agent cornerback Alterraun Verner, but Detroit Free Press writer Dave Birkett was quick to shoot it down, citing the team’s bigger need at safety.

One of the top free agent safeties, T.J. Ward, has reportedly drawn interest from Detroit, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Rapoport says the team hopes it can create cap space with a re-do of its deal with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who currently carries a $22.41MM number for 2014.

Passing along a few more free agent rumors from around the NFC…

  • Free agent defensive lineman Jason Hatcher has seven to eight teams interested in his talents, per ESPNDallas.com’s Calvin Watkins (via Twitter). Hatcher had 11 sacks for the Cowboys in 2013, more than double his previous career high.
  • Add the Buccaneers to the growing list of teams interested in Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
  • The Giants are serious about adding a cornerback, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. They’ve already shown interest in Verner, and an NFL source said the team was inclined to place a competitive bid on Sam Shields before he re-signed with the Packers.
  • Free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton has “multiple suitors,” a source tells ESPN.com reporter Michael C. Wright (via Twitter). Melton excelled from 2010-’12 with the Bears, but a knee injury in 2013 coupled with off-the-field issues has curtailed his stock.

NFC Rumors: Tynes, Brown, Jackson, Hatcher

March 5th, 2014 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Buccaneers kicker Lawrence Tynes currently isn’t scheduled to hit free agency until after the 2014 season, but a decision on his contract status could mean he hits the open market next week, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, there’s a disagreement over whether the Bucs should have placed Tynes on the non-football injury/illness list or the injured reserve list last season when the kicker developed an MRSA infection. The team opted for the NFI list, whereas if Tynes had been placed on the IR, he’d be eligible for free agency this year, so a ruling will be required.

Let’s round up a few more afternoon notes from around the NFC….

  • The 49ers are “making a push” to re-sign prospective free agent Tarell Brown before Tuesday, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee details, former Colts GM Bill Polian had high praise for Brown, who Polian thinks is one of the best cornerbacks available this winter.
  • On the heels of a weekend report suggesting the Eagles could gauge DeSean Jackson‘s trade value, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com reiterates that the wide receiver’s days in Philadelphia may be numbered. In the piece, Mosher explains why he doesn’t think Jackson will be with the team beyond 2014.
  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com believes the Buccaneers will be among the suitors for Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jason Hatcher, who the Cowboys may not be able to afford to re-sign (Twitter link).
  • While things could change in the next few days, indications are that the Rams will keep center Scott Wells for 2014, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Wells, who has two years left on his deal, has a cap number of $6.5MM for ’14.
  • Defensive back Kelvin Hayden and tight end Dante Rosario, who both recently re-signed with the Bears, will each make the minimum salary in 2014, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links).

NFC East Links: Eagles, Cowboys, Marinelli

February 21st, 2014 at 7:25pm CST by Ben Levine

A few notes from the NFC East…

  • Don’t expect to see the Eagles add a big-name safety, writes Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. In the article, Frank speaks to Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, who has appeared to have learned from the failed 2011 Dream Team. While the team may not go after T.J. Ward or Jairus Byrd, Frank says the team knows it needs to upgrade at the position.
  • The Eagles have made re-signing wide receiver Jeremy Maclin a priority over fellow free agent Riley Cooper, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. McLane says the team’s ideal plan is to keep Maclin and then sign a starting-caliber receiver in free agency.
  • Newly appointed Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will have much more freedom now that he doesn’t have to defer to Monte Kiffin on decisions, writes Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram.
  • The Cowboys have informed agent Jordan Woy that they’d like to re-sign defensive linemen Jason Hatcher and Anthony Spencer, according to Hill (Twitter link). Hill adds that the club will let the market dictate the offer, which suggests Dallas will wait until after March 11 to try to reach agreements.

Fitzgerald On ‘Boys Cap: “Really No Escape”

February 8th, 2014 at 1:32pm CST by Matt Feminis

OverTheCap.com editor Jason Fitzgerald joined the Pro Football Focus podcast (listen here) to discuss NFC salary cap situations. A chunk of the two-hour chat was focused on the Cowboys, as Fitzgerald details the team’s current woes and paints an even bleaker future. Highlights:

      • The Cowboys are currently $24MM over the salary cap.
      • The contracts of Tony Romo and Sean Lee were designed to be restructured, and doing so will bring the excess number down to $13MM or $14MM. “From there, they’ll do what they always do,” said Fitzgerald.“They will restructure, restructure, restructure every player on the roster, they’ll convert base salaries to signing bonus money. In some cases, they’ll add voidable contract years, which essentially are ‘dummy’ years thrown on to the end of the contract just for salary cap purposes to let you lower the cost down, and then at some point in time when their contracts void – automatically – that money will all just accelerate onto the cap in two years from now, three years from now.”
      • The team does not have prime candidates to cut for short-term cap relief.
      • Fitgerald also criticized the team’s reluctance to cut the chord with high-priced veterans:“They’re the one team that does not have willingness to let go from anyone they consider like a star player. You saw that last year with Anthony Spencer, that, really, they’re making a transition in defense, they have salary cap problems – he’s a player they really should have let walk. Instead, they franchised him for the second year in a row and they just can’t let go. . .And then he got hurt and never played a down, really, for them. This is what happens, is you have a roster like this which is just incredibly high cap charges for everybody on the team and really no escape.”
      • Defensive end DeMarcus Ware, who will be 32, began to deteriorate last season, and the day is fast approaching when the team will have to address his exorbitant deal [$16MM cap hit in 2014, $17.5MM in 2015].“Do they restructure him?” asks Fitzgerald. “Which basically means you’re going to be stuck with DeMarcus Ware for a very long time, or do they do the smart thing, which is approach him with a pay cut?”
      • Fitzgerald believes if the Cowboys slap the franchise tag on defensive tackle Jason Hatcher and/or restructure Ware’s deal, it portends continued shortsighted spending, insinuating the team either will have refused to change or simply not learned its lesson.
      • The roster is littered with too many players on the wrong side of 30, and each restructured deal makes it more difficult to release players.
      • The Cowboys’ cap situation is “probably going to be much worse” next year, and Fitzgerald posits the team will eventually have to bite the bullet, a la the Oakland Raiders.“[The Cowboys are] going to have to have one year where they just hit that emergency button, dump a lot of guys, take a $50MM or $60MM “dead money” hit for one year and basically field an expansion roster.”
      • And oh by the way, Dez Bryant’s deal is up after 2014.

Extra Points: Hatcher, Jackson, Mack

February 2nd, 2014 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

Cowboys free agent defensive tackle Jason Hatcher‘s best-case scenario might be to sign a club-friendly deal with Dallas, writes Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei. Although Hatcher’s breakout campaign in 2013, which included a career-best 11 sacks, may have been enough to land him a lucrative deal under different circumstances, his age (32) and past performance will likely limit his market. Before 2013, Hatcher’s career high was 4.5 sacks, and Pompei believes it will be difficult for Hatcher to match or surpass last season’s success.

Some other notes from around the league:

  • Pompei notes that Steven Jackson is likely to remain with the Falcons. Jackson has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but Atlanta officials thought Jackson ran well when healthy and that his lackluster season was influenced by poor blocking from his linemen.
  • Pompei also thinks it is highly unlikely that Browns free agent center Alex Mack will get the franchise tag because it would cost the Browns around $11MM. The tag for offensive linemen as a whole is driven by the salaries of offensive tackles, which explains why it would be so expensive to tag Mack despite the fact that no center made more than $5.5MM last year. Pompei believes Mack will become the highest-paid center in the game, but he does not give an opinion as to who he thinks may land him.
  • In a pre-Super Bowl Twitter mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com tweets that it is unlikely the Browns will retain Mack, and he reaffirms his belief that Cleveland will use the franchise tag on safety T.J. Ward. Grossi said Ward himself expects the tag.