Jermichael Finley - Pro Football Rumors

Steelers, Raiders Show Interest In Finley

June 4th, 2014 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report reported that “a good half-dozen teams” are quietly pursuing Jermichael Finley, and now Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds two clubs to the list of potential suitors for the free agent tight end. According to Rapoport, the Steelers and Raiders have also shown some interest in Finley.

The link to the Steelers makes sense, since it was Pittsburgh’s team doctor, Dr. Joseph Maroon, who performed Finley’s surgery and gave him full medical clearance last week. While Rapoport suggests Finley has visited the Steelers, it was actually just Dr. Maroon that he visited, as the NFL.com scribe clarifies in a tweet. The Patriots also hosted Finley last Friday in order to evaluate his health.

Besides the Patriots, Steelers, and Raiders, Green Bay has also exhibited some interest in bringing back their former tight end, though the Packers’ standards for medical clearance are believed to be stricter than those of many other teams. The Seahawks also hosted Finley for a visit earlier in free agency, but they’re reportedly out of the running for the tight end at this point.

East Notes: Bryant, Finley, Dolphins, Eagles

June 4th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams

In examining what a possible extension for Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant could look like, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap focuses on the top-of-the-market players who signed big deals before the age of 30 — it’s a list that includes Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Percy Harvin, Mike Wallace, Dwayne Bowe, and Vincent Jackson. Bryant’s two goals in this negotiation, Fitzgerald writes, should be to establish that he is above those bottom four names and to convince Dallas to pay him like the top two.

Here’s more from around the league’s two East divisions:

There are “a good half-dozen teams in quiet pursuit” of free agent tight end Jermichael Finley, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. Freeman predicts that Finley will ultimately sign with the Patriots, the club the former Packer visited last Friday after being medically cleared by his doctor.
Although Dan Marino and the Dolphins have talked about a possible position within the organization for the Hall of Fame quarterback, the two sides have been unable to figure out a role for him so far, says Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. According to Salguero, the club would love to have Marino aboard for PR and marketing purposes, while Marino would like a role with some actual power (all Twitter links).
The Eagles have made a number of changes to their scouting and personnel departments, the team announced today. Notably, Rick Mueller has been promoted to director of pro player personnel.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

East Notes: Eagles, Finley, Cowboys, Dolphins

June 3rd, 2014 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center Jason Kelce was one of the first Eagles to tweet out a message in support of the organization when the club released DeSean Jackson earlier in the offseason, but as he explained on Monday (link via Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com), his comments weren’t intended as a shot at the former Philadelphia wideout.

“I really have no personal problems with DeSean. Never did when he was here,” Kelce said. “All I was trying to say is, ‘Listen, this team has been going in a great direction this whole offseason, let’s not lose focus on what we’ve been trying to do the entire offseason. This one instance gets blown out of proportion when really the entire offseason we’ve had great direction, we’ve had great focus by our coaching staff and our organization, let’s have trust in that.”

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

Jermichael Finley’s free agent visit to the Patriots, which was reported yesterday, was “exclusively for medical evaluation of his spinal fusion surgery,” tweets ESPN.com’s Ed Werder. The tight end has been medically cleared by his personal doctor, but team doctors will want to perform their own evaluations.
The NFLPA has been convinced that Sean Lee‘s ACL injury was not the result of contact with Zack Martin and that the Cowboys didn’t break any OTA rules, a source tells Werder (Twitter link).
Middle linebacker is an area of concern for the Dolphins, and while Miami missed out on adding a free agent like D’Qwell Jackson in March, the team is hoping that Koa Misi can make the transition to the inside, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald outlines.
In the view of Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, the Giants did Will Hill a favor by cutting him, since the troubled safety could use a change of scenery. We’ll find out soon whether Hill, who is facing a six-game suspension, will be claimed off waivers or become an unrestricted free agent.

NFC East Notes: Maclin, Henery, Cowboys

June 2nd, 2014 at 9:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Onlookers held their breath today during the Eagles’ OTAs after receiver Jeremy Maclin fell to the ground holding his knee, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While Maclin tore the ACL in his right knee last year, causing him to miss the entire season, today’s incident left him clutching his left knee. Still, any injury to Maclin, who is expected to be leaned on heavily following the release of DeSean Jackson, would have terrified the Eagles’ coaching staff. Luckily, Maclin quickly got to his feet, and later noted that he felt fine.

Jermichael Finley Visited Patriots

June 2nd, 2014 at 4:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent tight end Jermichael Finley paid a visit to New England to meet with the Patriots, reports ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Agent Blake Baratz told Pro Football Talk last week that his client a Friday visit scheduled but declined to identify the team. It appears the Pats were that club, as PFT speculated at the time.

Finley, 27, met with the Seahawks early in the free agent period, but Seattle is reportedly no longer in the mix for the former Packer. While the Pats and ‘Hawks are the only two teams to host Finley so far, the veteran tight end, who was voted by PFR readers as the best free agent still on the market in May, should garner some interest, particularly now that he has been medically cleared by his personal doctor and is no longer linked to future compensatory draft picks.

Although his 2013 campaign was cut short by his spinal injury, Finley was one of Aaron Rodgers‘ top weapons in Green Bay in previous years, averaging 58 receptions, 717 receiving yards, and five touchdowns per season in 2011 and 2012.

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Finley, Rams

June 1st, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers have had some wildly successful draft classes in recent years, and Sports On Earth’s Dan Pompei has a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the team’s 2014 draft. The author explains the strategy and thinking that went into each selection.

The team’s first-round pick, safety Jimmie Ward, wasn’t necessarily expected to be an early pick. While some teams focused on his injury and size, the 49ers focused on a strategy used by former Jets’ duo Bill Parcels and Dick Haley. General manager Trent Baalke said he learned that there are “few players who can perform at a high level regardless of system.” As a result, a coach should draft a player who fits nicely into their scheme.

“I learned that a long time ago,” said Baalke. “Coach Parcells was the guy I looked at and learned the most from, he and Dick Haley. That was always the question with them, how do they fit what we are going to ask him to do? For us, it’s critical.”

The author has other interesting insight, including the team’s selection of basketball player Bruce Ellington and trade for Steve Johnson.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC West…

The Seahawks are out of the Jermichael Finley sweepstakes, sources tell Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com added that Seattle was the player’s only free agent visit (via Twitter), but agent Blake Baratz said the tight end had a visit scheduled this past Friday with an unknown team.
The Seahawks handling of Doug Baldwin‘s extension shows that the organization will reward a performing player regardless of how they were acquired, writes Larry Stone of The Seattle Times. The writer says that the receiver is “emblematic of their incredible knack for not only unearthing talent, but for manifesting the Darwinian forces that allow smart, tough, motivated players to thrive.”
The Rams will likely make an effort to extend Pro Bowl punter Johnny Hekker, writes ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner.
When looking at adding veterans, a linebacker may be the most likely addition for the Rams, Wagoner says in his chat. He adds that Will Witherspoon could be that guy.
While evaluating the Rams‘ depth on the offensive line, Wagoner concludes that there are eight players competing for four or five spots. He says the team could also carry fewer lineman due to the versatility of Rodger Saffold, Greg Robinson and Barrett Jones.
Following the announcement of Daryl Washington‘s season-long suspension, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com opines that the Cardinals need to cut ties with the linebacker. The writer believes that Washington’s priorities are “not in line with those of an elite player” and that he shouldn’t be given a third chance following his other suspension in 2013.

AFC East Notes: Jets’ QBs, Pats’ TEs, Woods

June 1st, 2014 at 9:48am CST by Rory Parks

As our Zach Links wrote several days ago, Jets‘ offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has tilted the team’s quarterback competition in favor of second-year man Geno Smith, but Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com wonders if that is a good idea. Cimini writes that there are benefits and drawbacks to both Smith and Michael Vick, so a truly open competition would eliminate any confusion and would also create a “best-man-wins scenario.”

Let’s take a quick look around the rest of the AFC East:

In the same piece, Cimini writes that although Jets‘ right guard Willie Colon is expected to be fully healthy by training camp, his injury has revealed the glaring lack of experienced depth along the team’s offensive line, which Cimini believes should be addressed with a veteran acquisition or two.
Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes that, since we have reached that magical June 1 date, the Patriots are in a good position to add quality depth to their tight end group by signing a player like Dustin Keller or Jermichael Finley.
In a separate piece, Reiss empties out his notebook from the Patriots‘ first week of OTAs.
The Bills primarily utilized the unique route-running ability of departed wide receiver Stevie Johnson out of the slot last season, and head coach Doug Marrone believes Robert Woods can excel in that role, writes Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News.
Much like Philadelphia’s Chip Kelly, new Dolphins offensive coordinator Bill Lazor utilizes a system that focuses on tempo, and James Walker of ESPN.com examines the budding relationship between Lazor and third-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill and Lazor’s expectations for his young signal-caller.
In a separate piece, Walker wonders if Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace is ready to break out in 2014.

NFC North Notes: Finley, Allen, Greenway

May 30th, 2014 at 9:05pm CST by Rob DiRe

It was reported earlier that former Packers‘ Jermichael Finley was cleared medically by his personal doctor, but that does not mean that he will be cleared by team doctors anytime soon, writes Louis Bien of SBNation.com. With Finley in in free agent limbo after his injury, Bien notes that it could make sense for Finley to pursue the $10MM insurance policy that would go into effect if his injuries were too sever to allow him to return to the field.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC North:

If Finley does prove himself healthy, he should have a number of options in terms of teams looking for playmaking tight ends. A healthy Finley would rank among the top remaining free agents. Additionally, he could be a fit with the Patriots according to Isaac Moore of Patriots.com, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report sees the Giants as a potential landing spot, and Nick Silverman of Rant Sports throws out the Raiders as a good match for his talents.
New Bears‘ pass rusher Jared Allen is focused on proving he’s worth taking a chance on, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. “My motivation to be the best at what I do is a self-motivation,” Allen said. “It’s probably more of a fear of failing than it is necessarily thriving to be the best. I just want guys, when I leave this league, I want them to say, ‘He did it the right way, he gave everything he had, and not one day he was stealing checks.'”
Vikings‘ star linebacker Chad Greenway is adjusting to new head coach Mike Zimmer’s defense, writes Brian Hall of Fox Sports North. Greenway was used primarily as a strong side linebacker under Leslie Frazier, but is practicing across all three linebacker spots under Zimmer. “This is the first chance, really, for me to learn something completely new,” said Greenway. “It’s been good. I go through the same growing pains as the young guys, as far as learning new stuff. Sometimes it’s even harder for me, because I have everything so ingrained over the years. It’s been great. It’s been a fun defense to start to learn, and we’ve just got to get good at it now.”

NFC North Notes: Finley, Neal, Packers, Lions

May 30th, 2014 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

In a piece on the best remaining free agents, former Packers tight end Jermichael Finley tops the 10 players named by Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. Of course, as agent Blake Baratz tells Marvez, it’s not 100% certain that Finley will even return from his spinal injury and play in the NFL again. While we do expect the tight end to sign somewhere, he could file for the collection of a $10MM insurance policy if he opts not continue his playing career.

As we wait to see if the Packers express interest in bringing Finley back into the fold, here’s more from around the NFC North:

Linebacker Mike Neal re-signed with the Packers early in free agency, but Green Bay wasn’t the only team interested in him. Neal tells Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune that the Bears made him an offer, though he opted not sign with the Packers’ division rival. “In the long run, their offer, it wasn’t a bad deal,” Neal said of Chicago’s proposal. “The option for me to come back [to Green Bay] was better, in my opinion. I felt like this was a system that if I was kept in the same position, I could flourish in.” The Steelers also reportedly expressed interest in Neal before he re-upped with the Packers.
Although there are questions about how long Ted Thompson will continue on in his role as Green Bay’s general manager, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com says Packers fans should hope that Thompson still has plenty of years left on the job. One person close to Thompson recently told Demovsky that he doesn’t think the GM will leave anytime soon unless the Packers win another Super Bowl, and that speculation about his retirement “got him going.”
The Lions have promoted Rob Lohman to assistant director of pro personnel and expanded their scouting department, as Tim Twentyman details at DetroitLions.com.

Jermichael Finley Receives Medical Clearance

May 29th, 2014 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

11:59am: Finley has a visit with a team lined up for Friday, Baratz also told PFT, though he declined to identify the club. Mike Florio speculates that it may be the Patriots, and also notes that even though Finley has been cleared by Dr. Maroon, he’ll still need to receive clearance from the doctors for any team that wants to sign him.

11:45am: Free agent tight end Jermichael Finley has received full medical clearance from Dr. Joseph Maroon, agent Blake Baratz tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Maroon was the doctor who performed spinal fusion surgery on Finley following injuries to his back and neck last season.

Finley, 27, met with the Seahawks early in the free agent period, but failed a physical with the team, and was believed to be a few months away from receiving clearance and signing anywhere. Now that he has been cleared, Finley, who was voted by PFR readers as the best free agent still on the market last weekend, should draw renewed interest, particularly if he’s no longer linked to future compensatory draft picks after June 1.

The Packers have talked about wanting to bring back Finley, and the Seahawks, who hosted the veteran tight end for an early visit, may still have interest. Other clubs that could use a pass-catching tight end and have at least a little financial flexibility include the Falcons, Bills, Giants, and Chiefs. It’s also never safe to rule out the Patriots as a potential suitor for any tight end.

Although his 2013 campaign was marred by injuries, Finley was one of Aaron Rodgers‘ top weapons in Green Bay in previous years, averaging 58 receptions, 717 receiving yards, and five touchdowns per season in 2011 and 2012.