Jermaine Gresham - Pro Football Rumors

Packers Hosting Jermaine Gresham

July 23rd, 2015 at 9:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent tight end Jermaine Gresham is visiting with the Packers, a source tells Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (on Twitter). Gresham is an intriguing option for a Green Bay team with questions at the tight end position.

Andrew Quarless was viewed by many as the favorite to start at tight end, but a July arrest has thrown his status into flux. Quarless reportedly fired a pair of rounds following an argument with two women at a South Beach parking garage. When police pursued the vehicle he was riding in, the 26-year-old tried to hide outside a restaurant and conceal his weapon in a potted plant. The gun, reportedly, was legally registered to Quarless. If Quarless is suspended to start the year, the Packers could turn to second-year tight end Richard Rodgers, who caught 20 passes for the team in 2014. However, a proven commodity like Gresham could make more sense.

Gresham visited with the Cardinals on Tuesday but left without a deal. Arizona is apparently weighing other tight end options too after expressing interest in former Washington notable Chris Cooley. The Saints also hosted Gresham on a visit back in June and they could be a solid fit for his services. New Orleans, of course, traded dynamic tight end Jimmy Graham to Seattle in March and would probably like an established veteran to fill his shoes.

Gresham, a former Oklahoma product, never lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he was selected by Cincinnati in the first round of the 2010 draft, but he has a history of consistent production, averaging about 56 catches, 544 yards, and five touchdowns per year. He is also a capable blocker, and although there is no chance he will return to the Bengals, he now has a handful of clubs to choose from as he enters the next stage of his career.

Cardinals Have Interest In Chris Cooley

July 22nd, 2015 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Having lost tight ends John Carlson and Rob Housler during the offseason, the Cardinals are in the market for a veteran replacement at the position, and the team appears willing to consider a player who hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since the 2012 season. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Cards have spoken to Chris Cooley, and have expressed interest in signing him.

As we learned yesterday, Cooley is contemplating making an NFL comeback after nearly three years away from the game. In nine seasons with Washington from 2004 to 2012, Cooley hauled in a total of 429 receptions – the all-time high for any tight end in franchise history – 4,711 receiving yards, and 33 touchdowns. The former third-round pick made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2007, catching 66 balls for 786 yards and eight touchdowns, and followed that up in 2008 with another Pro Bowl appearance thanks to his 83 catches and 849 yards.

When he suggested he may try to catch on with an NFL team this year, Cooley stated that he “could be anybody’s third tight end,” though it sounds like the Cardinals may be looking for a player capable of moving even higher on the depth chart. With Carlson and Housler no longer in the mix, Troy Niklas, Darren Fells, and Ted Bolser are among the players poised to head into training camp vying for playing time for Arizona.

In addition to having expressed interest in Cooley, the Cardinals also recently hosted former Bengal Jermaine Gresham for a visit. Gresham is coming off back surgery, so it’s not clear if Arizona’s interest in Cooley indicates that the Cards weren’t comfortable with Gresham’s physical, or if they’re simply considering all their options at the position.

Cardinals veterans are scheduled to report to camp on July 31, so I’d expect the club to address its tight end spot at some point before then.

NFC West Notes: Okung, Seahawks, Gresham

July 21st, 2015 at 8:54pm CST by Zachary Links

With less than 10 days to go until the start of training camp, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times wonders if Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner will be signed to a contract extension. Seattle, he posits, may wait to see what develops with Russell Wilson over the next week or so before moving on to Wagner. If nothing gets done, the urgency could increase to get a deal signed with Wagner. Former agent Joel Corry says that Luke Kuechly should command a higher salary than Wagner, but if the Panthers standout were to sign a significant deal before Wagner, it could compel Seattle to pay more.

Here’s more from the NFC West..

Self-representation will prevent Seahawks tackle Russell Okung from participating in the three-day negotiating period before free agency unless the rules change, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. Meanwhile, Okung took to Twitter to thank his union for its support. “Thanks to the @NFLPA for immediate assistance in providing the resources I’ll need to move forward. Players, the tools are there for you too,” Okung tweeted. We learned yesterday that Okung, eligible for free agency after the season, will be representing himself in talks. In 2014, the 27-year-old dealt with a labrum tear and a bruised lung after having undergone foot surgery in the offseason.
Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports got the skinny on the support the NFLPA is giving to Okung. Union prez Eric Winston says Okung has been provided with the top 10 offensive tackle contracts and he’ll be offered further analysis and legal advice on contract language as needed. Meanwhile, the NFLPA’s committee on re-examining agent fees has convened three times now and one has to wonder if Okung’s decision could become a trend. Giants running back and player rep Rashad Jennings, who signed a four-year deal worth $10MM in March 2014, says that he will negotiate his next deal without an agent.
Free agent tight end Jermaine Gresham visited the Cardinals as planned on Tuesday but no deal is in place between the two sides yet, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. The former Oklahoma product never lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he was selected by Cincinnati in the first round of the 2010 draft, but he has a history of consistent production, averaging about 56 catches, 544 yards, and five touchdowns per year.

Jermaine Gresham To Visit Cardinals

July 20th, 2015 at 1:59pm CST by Rory Parks

MONDAY, 1:59pm: Gresham’s visit with the Cardinals is scheduled for Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). In addition to receiving interest from Arizona and New Orleans, Gresham also continues to draw some interest from the Raiders, per Rapoport. Oakland hosted the tight end for a visit at the start of the free agent period in March.

SUNDAY, 9:31am: Free agent tight end Jermaine Gresham will visit the Cardinals this week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Gresham, one of the more intriguing talents still available on the free agent market, visited the Saints last month, and Schefter reports that New Orleans has offered the 27-year-old a contract. But Gresham, who underwent back surgery in March to repair a herniated disc, apparently now has a number of interested suitors after what had been a pretty quiet offseason. According to Schefter, Gresham also has other visits planned over the next two weeks and intends to sign with a team before training camps open.

The Saints are an obvious fit for Gresham, as they traded dynamic tight end Jimmy Graham to Seattle in March and would like an established veteran to fill his shoes. John Carlson was the Cardinals’ leading receiver at tight end last season, but he announced his retirement in May. Rob Housler, meanwhile, signed with the Browns, which leaves second-year man Troy Niklas at the top of Arizona’s depth chart. Though Niklas, a second-round pick in last year’s draft, has some upside, he played in just seven games in his rookie season, catching three balls for 38 yards.

Gresham, therefore, makes perfect sense for the Cardinals. The former Oklahoma product never lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he was selected by Cincinnati in the first round of the 2010 draft, but he has a history of consistent production, averaging about 56 catches, 544 yards, and five touchdowns per year. He is also a capable blocker, and although there is no chance he will return to the Bengals, he now has a handful of clubs to choose from as he enters the next stage of his career.

Sunday Roundup: Gresham, Elam, Kromer

July 19th, 2015 at 12:55pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s have a look at some links from around the league on this Sunday afternoon:

We learned earlier today that Jermaine Gresham would be visiting the Cardinals this week, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com says it would be no surprise if Arizona landed the suddenly popular tight end, given the team’s need for a pass catcher at the position and GM Steve Keim‘s propensity to bring in a veteran free agent right as training camp opens.
Matt Elam has been a big disappointment for the Ravens, who selected the former Florida safety with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2013 draft. Elam’s move to strong safety in 2014 should have been beneficial to him considering his skill set, but he led the team in missed tackles and struggled mightily in coverage. As Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com writes, Elam is the Raven facing the most amount of pressure this season.
Ben Goessling of ESPN.com says the Vikings‘ safety position next to Harrison Smith is up for grabs, as evidenced by GM Rick Spielman‘s unsolicited praise of second-year player Antone Exum after the draft.
Some Lions fans are already looking ahead to the 2016 season, and as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes in his latest mailbag, no matter how the team’s defensive tackles perform this year, that will be a position of need for Detroit given free agency and the age of Haloti Ngata.
Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer is on indefinite paid leave, and he can only return to full status when his criminal case ends. As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes, the first opportunity for Kromer to resolve his case is August 12, when he is expected to enter a plea. If he has a plea deal in place with prosecutors at that time, the case could be over on that day. However, he would still be subject to a fine, suspension, or both under the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy. Buffalo has not announced how it intends to replace Kromer once camp opens.
Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union examines the Jaguars‘ running back situation heading into training camp.
Marc Sessler of NFL.com looks at the best remaining free agents on the defensive side of the ball, a list that includes veterans like Dwight Freeney looking for one last contract and busts like Da’Quan Bowers.

AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Colts, Jags, Bengals

July 18th, 2015 at 10:48am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes from the AFC…

Adam Teicher points to wideouts Reggie Wayne and James Jones as potential targets for the Chiefs. He also adds that offensive lineman Evan Mathis is still available, but notes that coach Andy Reid previously said the team has no interest in the 33-year-old.
Mike Wells says Colts fans shouldn’t be upset or concerned where Reggie Wayne lands, even if it’s with the rival Patriots. The writer refers to New England’s interest in the wideout back in 2012.
The Jaguars could have waited a year and tried to draft Jameis Winston, but Mike DiRocco believes that would have been too much of a risk. The team believed Blake Bortles could be the future of the franchise, so the writer doesn’t blame the front office’s strategy.
Coley Harvey opines that it’d be “hard to justify” the Bengals signing A.J. Green to a Dez Bryant/Demaryius Thomas-type contract. Green has certainly established himself as one of the top wideouts in the league, but Harvey believes the receiver’s injury history may have hurt his value. Ultimately, Harvey thinks both sides will wait to negotiate until after this season, and he’d be shocked if Green received more than $43 million in guaranteed money.
Harvey also believes there is zero chance Jermaine Gresham will be returning to the Bengals next season.

Potential Replacements For Andrew Quarless

July 5th, 2015 at 2:04pm CST by Rob DiRe

With starting tight end Andrew Quarless dealing with the aftermath of being arrested early on July 4th, the Packers could be missing a key member of their offense in 2015, either due to suspension or release.

Quarless was arrested after firing a weapon in public while in Miami yesterday morning. The team released a statement on their official website, noting they will not make any decisions until they have more information.

“We are aware of the matter involving Andrew Quarless and are in the process of gathering more information. We will withhold further comment.”

More information seems more likely to hurt Quarless than help him, and many fans and pundits expect his release. He is in the second year of a two-year deal that he signed last offseason, and is due a base salary of $1.3MM plus roster and workout bonuses.

Although he was a starter, he caught only 29 passes for 323 yards last season, and has career totals of only 85 catches and 909 yards in his four years with the team. Still, whether Aaron Rodgers needs big production from tight end or not, losing a starter is rarely a good thing, and he will need to be replaced.

If they choose to look to free agency, Jermaine Gresham remains available as one of the best overall players on the market. He should be easy to sign on a short-term deal, and has experience both as a pass catcher and blocker as a former first-round pick in Cincinnati.

The 6’6″ Gresham has had consistent production since coming out of Oklahoma has a big-time playmaker at the position. His numbers came in between 45 and 65 catches each of his professional seasons, catching between four and six touchdowns each year. While those numbers were underwhelming considering his hype coming out of college, he was a reliable option for Andy Dalton, and could thrive in the Green Bay offense.

Zach Miller, formerly of the Seahawks, could also be a relatively cheap option, but after Gresham the market is weak for tight ends. Miller is entering his age-30 season, and hasn’t produced much of anything since leaving Oakland for Seattle in 2011. He missed most of the 2014 season with an ankle injury, but is not the player he once was even if he gets healthy.

Besides Gresham and maybe Miller, the list of available players at the position (courtesy of Spotrac.com) is full of uninspiring choices who either have no history of producing on the field or a long gap since the last time they were effective players.

Signing or trading for an impact player at the position is out of character for the Packers and general manager Ted Thompson anyway. The most likely scenario is an upgrade in role for second-year tight end Richard Rodgers, who caught 20 passes for the team in 2014. They also drafted Kennard Backman in the sixth round, who could see some action in a backup role.

Either way, smart money says it will not be Quarless catching passes in Green Bay this coming season.

Community Tailgate: Best FA Besides Evan Mathis?

June 22nd, 2015 at 4:43pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This month, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we’re asking PFR readers to weigh in on the top remaining free agents. Excluding talented players with legal troubles like linebacker Brandon Spikes and defensive end Ray McDonald, former Eagles guard Evan Mathis is universally regarded as the best player without a deal at this time. Beyond Mathis, however, there’s hardly a clear cut silver medalist.

Over the weekend, PFR’s Dallas Robinson put together his list of the best available remaining free agents. After Mathis, he ranked tackle Jake Long No. 2, citing the former No. 1 overall pick’s talent level while also acknowledging his frustrating injury history. Tight end Jermaine Gresham, who underwent back surgery in March to repair a herniated disc, comes in at No. 3 thanks to his pass-catching ability and history of solid blocking. One-time fantasy darling James Jones is ranked fourth even though he has yet to put up the kind of numbers that he did with the Packers in 2012. Defensive end Dwight Freeney, 35, has remained productive despite his age and lack of sack totals, and was ranked No. 5. Safety Dawan Landry, guard Rob Sims, defensive lineman Red Bryant, center Chris Myers, and offensive lineman Anthony Collins rounded out the top ten. Honorable mention went to notables such as defensive end Osi Umenyiora, running back Pierre Thomas, safety Bernard Pollard, running back Ahmad Bradshaw, and quarterback Michael Vick.

Long could definitely pay dividends for a team willing to roll the dice on a low-cost deal and one could hardly be slammed for considering him the most intriguing free agent after Mathis. After all, in 2013, Long graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the league with a strong 22.5 overall score, based on Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). However, he has torn his ACL in each of the past two seasons and in 2014, Pro Football Focus ranked him as just the No. 36 tackle out of 84 qualified players. Do you consider someone like Gresham, who was a focal point of the Bengals’ offense for multiple seasons, to be a better buy? Does that mantle belong to Freeney, who graded out as one of the best at his position in terms of pass-rush productivity? Or, would you cast your vote for someone else?

In the comment section below, let us know who you think is the second-best free agent on the board and why.

NFC Notes: Crowder, Panthers, Seahawks

June 4th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Rookie wide receiver Jamison Crowder, selected by Washington in the fourth round of this year’s draft, was allegedly involved in a domestic dispute, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. As Marvez details, a since-deleted Instagram post appears to accuse Crowder of domestic violence (Twitter link).

“The Washington Redskins are aware of an off-field situation involving Jamison Crowder,” the team said in a statement to FOX. “We have been in touch with the NFL office and will continue to follow proper League protocol and assist them in any way we can to gather all of the facts. We will not be making any further comment at this time.”

As we wait to see what comes of the investigation into Crowder, here are a few other Thursday items from across the NFC:

“The biggest thing it does for us is it gives us a fixed cost,” Panthers GM Dave Gettleman said of Cam Newton‘s new extension, per Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “And we’ve been very intentional and thoughtful about how we’re spending our money, and we’ll continue to do that. We’ve been planning for this.” As Person notes, the team has also been planning for a new contract for linebacker Luke Kuechly, which should happen eventually, and the Panthers want to extend linebacker Thomas Davis as well.
Addressing Jermaine Gresham‘s visit to New Orleans, Saints head coach Sean Payton said the tight end’s meeting went well, and that he thinks Gresham could be a good fit (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune).
The Seahawks announced a handful of promotions in their front office today, including elevating Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner to co-directors of player personnel. Both Fitterer and Kirchner drew interest from other teams this past winter, as Fitterer interviewed with the Eagles and Kirchner met with the Jets.
Speaking of those Seahawks, Jason Fitzgerald of The Sporting News takes a closer look at the salary cap situation in Seattle, where the team must make decisions on a number of players eligible for contract extensions and one notable contributor (Michael Bennett) who wants to rework his deal.
The Lions have moved Xavier Proctor from the defensive line to the other side of the ball, and will try him as an offensive tackle, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).

Saints Host Jermaine Gresham On Visit

June 3rd, 2015 at 7:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent tight end Jermaine Gresham visited the Saints today, sources tell Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The Saints, from the outside, appear to be a little thin at the position following the Jimmy Graham trade of this offseason. As of right now, however, there is no deal between the Saints and Gresham, Garafolo adds.

Gresham, one of the biggest names remaining in free agency, has yet to sign after undergoing back surgery earlier this offseason. When he does sign, eventually, it will be with a different rep at the table after he canned the controversial Ben Dogra. As of late March, the Raiders and Bengals were said to be in the mix for his services.

The soon-to-be 27-year-old was certainly one of the more intriguing options on the free agent market, but his subpar 2014 campaign didn’t earn him a place on Luke Adams’ list of the top 50 free agents. He finished last season with 62 catches for 460 yards and five touchdowns, earning him a negative rating from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, it was a step up from his performance in 2013 and 2012, when PFF rated him as one of the two worst tight ends in the entire league.