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Jed Collins

Minor Moves: Monday

May 18th, 2015 at 5:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves..

  • The Buccaneers have signed safety Derrick Wells, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (on Twitter). The Lehigh, Florida native was one of the players in attendance for the team’s rookie mini-camp.
  • The Cowboys welcomed back fullback Tyler Clutts on a one-year deal and cut Jed Collins, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Clutts joined the Cowboys late in 2013 and played in every game last season, helping DeMarco Murray to an NFL-high 1,845 yards.
  • The Giants removed Thomas Gordon from their injured reserve with an injury settlement, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
  • The Patriots have said goodbye to Cameron Gordon and Devin Gardner, Wilson tweets. Gardner was a former quarterback at Michigan and was looking to transition to wide receiver in the NFL.
  • Washington signed linebacker Alonzo Highsmith while waiving Brey Cook, James Gayle, LaKendrick Ross, wide receiver Tyler Rutenbeck, and quarterback Connor Halliday, as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Halliday’s release was just formality after he abruptly announced his retirement from football.
  • The Saints announced the signings of linebacker Henry Coley, kicker Zach Hocker, offensive lineman Antonio Johnson, wide receiver Josh Morgan, and wide receiver Kyle Prater, as Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune tweets. To make room, offensive lineman Doniel Gambrell, guard Andrew Miller, and linebacker Stephon Sanders were shown the door while New Orleans waived/injured receiver Malcolme Kennedy (link).
  • The Titans announced (on Twitter) that they have agreed to terms with tight end Tevin Westbrook and outside linebacker Dezmond Johnson. Running back Lache Seastrunk and outside linebacker Dontay Moch were waived.
  • The Toronto Argonauts signed former NFL linebacker Brian Rolle, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Rolle, 27 in November, was drafted by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. His last NFL gig was with the Steelers, who signed him on a futures/reserve contract in 2013. Meanwhile, the Argos said goodbye to wide receiver Mike Thomas and safety David Sims, who both have had multiple stops in the NFL (link).
  • Wide receiver/kick returner DeShon Foxx has agreed to terms with the Seahawks, accoridng to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The 49ers signed Mylan Hicks and Justin Renfrow, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The Seahawks signed Earnest Pettway and Charles Tuauu, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The Chiefs cut Curtis Feigt with a non-football injury designation, Wilson tweets.

Cowboys To Sign Jed Collins

March 12th, 2015 at 10:17am CST by Zachary Links

We don’t know who will be running the ball for the Cowboys next season, but we do know who will be clearing the path. The Cowboys have signed fullback Jed Collins, according to Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).

Collins, 29, visited with Dallas on Wednesday night and apparently agreed to a deal this morning. Collins, who was actually the first player the Cowboys have hosted in free agency, will serve as a replacement for free agent Tyler Clutts. He spent the first three years career with New Orleans before joining up with Detroit last year. With the Lions, he saw a good amount of time on offense, plus time on special teams.

NFC Links: Vikings, 49ers, Cowboys

March 11th, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFC…

  • The bridge hasn’t been completely burned between the Vikings and Adrian Peterson. ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling tweets that the organization is still trying to “work things out” with the embattled running back.
  • Prior to signing with the Bills, the Vikings asked Jerome Felton to bring them back a counter offer, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter). The fullback did just that, but Minnesota refused to come close to the four-year, $9.2MM deal he got from Buffalo.
  • 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said there’s no interest in bringing in defensive end Greg Hardy, according to Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee (via Twitter).
  • The Cowboys are hosting fullback Jed Collins tonight, according to Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. The Cowboys are hunting for a replacement for Tyler Clutts, who is a free agent. He is the first player the Cowboys have hosted during free agency.

NFC North Notes: Thompson, Bears, Lions

July 10th, 2014 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on the latest from around the NFC North….

  • Packers general manager Ted Thompson remains under contract through the 2016 draft, but that doesn’t mean the club hasn’t started thinking about extending his deal. According to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, Green Bay president Mark Murphy confirmed that he considers an extension for Thompson a priority for the team. “I think Ted’s been instrumental obviously in the run we’ve had,” Murphy said, adding that the GM hasn’t conveyed a desire to retire anytime soon.
  • Guard Matt Slauson is Jason Fitzgerald’s pick for the Bears‘ most team-friendly contract in his latest piece for Over The Cap. Fitzgerald had a harder time identifying the club’s worst contract, eventually deciding on Tim Jennings, who will be paid $7.5MM in the first year of his four-year deal.
  • Plenty of other March signings overshadowed the Lions‘ addition of fullback Jed Collins, but the former Saint may end up being a real difference-maker in Detroit this season, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.

Extra Points: NFLPA, Moreno, Contract Details

March 20th, 2014 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Newly-minted NFLPA president Eric Winston is just hours into his new role, but he sounds like he’s ready to hit the ground running.

“This union has always been about fighting,” Winston told Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “It won’t change.”

Winston didn’t mince words when it came to the idea of expanding the NFL season from 16 to 18 games, telling Pelissero that the idea is “dead in the water.” He was less definitive when it came to the idea of playoff expansion, but he made it clear that the union will only be on board under certain conditions. Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Knowshon Moreno arguably had the most impressive 2013 campaign of any of this year’s free agent running backs, but his name hasn’t surfaced at all in the last nine days. That changed today, with word breaking that the Dolphins will have Moreno in a for a visit on Friday (Twitter link via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald).
  • The Panthers continue to pursue free agent receivers, and will have Lestar Jean in for a visit tonight and tomorrow, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
  • The Buccaneers hosted free agent defensive back Chris Owens today, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Owens also met with the Steelers this week, as we heard earlier this afternoon.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap has the full breakdown of many of the new contracts signed in recent days, including, but not limited to, Andrew Hawkins‘ four-year pact with the Browns, Scott Chandler‘s two-year deal with the Bills, James Starks‘ two-year deal with the Packers, Charlie Johnson‘s two-year contract with the Vikings, and Usama Young‘s two-year deal with the Raiders.
  • Jerricho Cotchery‘s deal with the Panthers is technically for five years, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun details (via Twitter). I imagine it includes three void years, similar to Roman Harper‘s new contract. Cotchery also received a $2.25MM signing bonus.
  • Wilson (Twitter links) also provides details on a pair of minimum salary benefit contracts, noting that fullback Jed Collins will get $710K from the Lions between his $65K signing bonus and $645K base salary. Safety Craig Steltz will get $795K from the Bears between his $730K salary and the $65K roster bonus for 2014.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Lions To Sign Jed Collins

March 19th, 2014 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

10:58am: The Lions have agreed to terms with Collins on a one-year contract, says Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein adds (via Twitter) that it’s a minimum salary benefit deal.

8:48am: Fullback Jed Collins is visiting with the Lions today, and if all goes according to plan, the team expects to sign him to a contract, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. It was Birkett who first reported yesterday that the Lions were hosting Collins for a visit.

Only three other players in the NFL received more snaps at fullback last season than Collins, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). While he was used primarily as a blocker, the 28-year-old also got a few touches, compiling 15 rushing attempts and 14 receptions.

Lions GM Martin Mayhew suggested last month that he’d like to add a fullback to the roster, and his team and Collins look like a good match. A former Saints, Collins saw his old team sign Erik Lorig to a four-year deal yesterday, meaning there’s likely no longer room in New Orleans for him. As for the Lions, they brought in free agent fullback Henry Hynoski for a visit last week, but Hynoski ultimately ended up re-signing with the Giants.

Saints, Erik Lorig Agree To Four-Year Deal

March 18th, 2014 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

3:37pm: Lorig’s four-year contract is worth a total of $4.8MM, including a $1MM signing bonus and annual $40K workout bonuses, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who also tweets the annual base salaries.

11:20am: The Saints have agreed to terms with fullback Erik Lorig on a new contract, the team announced today (Twitter link via senior VP of communications Greg Bensel). Lorig will sign a four-year deal to play in New Orleans.

Lorig has spent the first four seasons of his NFL career in Tampa Bay, appearing in 432 offensive snaps in 2012 and 391 in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The 27-year-old occasionally catches balls out of the backfield, having hauled in 23 receptions over the last two seasons, but is used primarily as a blocker. According to PFF, he has graded slightly above average as a pass blocker and slightly below average as a run blocker.

New Orleans’ own fullback, Jed Collins, was eligible for restricted free agency, but didn’t receive a contract tender from the club. While a report last week suggested the Saints still had interest in re-signing Collins, it appears Lorig will replace him on the roster. Meanwhile, the Lions are hosting Collins for a free agent visit, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Contract Tenders: Monday

March 10th, 2014 at 5:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys punter Chris Jones signed his exclusive rights tender of $645K, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. The move locks down Dallas’ punter situation but eats up about $150K of the ~$2MM salary cap space the club had to work with. Jones averaged 45 yards per punt in his first full season with the Cowboys. The latest contract tenders from around the NFL..

  • Restricted free agent tackle Byron Bell has received a second-round tender worth $2.187MM from the Panthers, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). The club also tendered exclusive rights free agent Chris Scott, tweets ESPN.com’s David Newton.
  • The Chargers have only two exclusive rights free agents in linebacker Bront Bird and guard Stephen Schilling and they won’t be tendering either one, tweets Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego.
  • Jets linebacker Nick Bellore got the low restricted free agent tender, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter). Bellore led Gang Green in special teams kickoff tackles last season.
  • The Ravens won’t extend an RFA tender to wide receiver Tandon Doss, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team could still bring Doss back on a smaller deal though.
  • Lions wide receiver Kris Durham confirmed via Twitter that he inked his tender with the club. Durham, a fourth-round pick in 2011, became a more significant part of the Lions’ offense in 2013, racking up 38 receptions, 490 receiving yards, and a pair of touchdowns while starting 13 games. He didn’t perform well based on Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), which ranked him 109th out of 111 qualified receivers, but he’s still just 25 years old, and may not be relied upon for quite as large a role in 2014 if the team adds a receiver or two.
  • Joe Morgan and Jed Collins won’t receive RFA tenders from the Saints, but the club still has interest in re-signing the two free agents, says Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune.
  • The Rams won’t tender tight end Mike McNeill, who was eligible for restricted free agency, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  • Linebacker Justin Hickman has signed his ERFA tender from the Colts, according to Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.