HEADLINES

Justin Forsett

Ravens To Re-Sign Justin Forsett

March 12th, 2015 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

1:36pm: The deal will pay Forsett about $3MM per year, a source tells Wilson (on Twitter).

1:27pm: The Ravens have reached an agreement with free agent running back Justin Forsett, ensuring the veteran remains with the team for at least the 2015 season, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Schefter, it’s a three-year deal for Forsett.

The Ravens have maintained interest throughout the process but were said to be ready to bow out of the bidding if it got too rich for their blood. At one time, some connected Forsett to the Broncos where he could reunite with Gary Kubiak, but he downplayed the likelihood of a reunion, noting that the Broncos have multiple tailbacks under contract, including C.J. Anderson. At the same time, he made it clear to anyone who would listen that he wanted to rejoin the Ravens.

“I would like to stay in Baltimore, but it is a business and I’m looking for a commitment. However that comes, I just want to be able to take care of my family,” the veteran said.

While he won’t have Kubiak, new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is expected to keep many of the same principles that Baltimore’s run game used in 2014. Forsett was never regarded as one of the league’s better halfbacks, but after gaining 1,266 yards on the ground, he established himself as a bonafide starter and he’ll look to have a repeat performance for Baltimore in 2015.

The 29-year-old played 2014 under a one-year, $730K deal after being released by the Jaguars. Because he was on a minimum salary benefit contract, he wasn’t eligible to sign a multi-year deal with Baltimore until the official start of free agency. If not for that, it’s likely that the two sides would have hammered something out in advance of March 10th.

King’s Latest: Peterson, Cowboys, Forsett

March 11th, 2015 at 8:38am CST by Luke Adams

Following a wild Tuesday in the NFL, Peter King of TheMMQB.com introduced a one-time-only Wednesday Morning Quarterback column to reflect on yesterday’s highlights from around the NFL. The piece included a handful of interesting tidbits worth passing along, so let’s dive in….

  • King hears that running back Adrian Peterson hasn’t changed his mind about wanting out of Minnesota, and notes that if a team like the Jaguars or Raiders ends up landing DeMarco Murray, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys could be willing to move a draft pick for the Vikings star.
  • Speaking of Murray and the Cowboys, LeSean McCoy‘s lucrative new contract with the Bills is having a “chilling effect” on Dallas’ efforts to re-sign the NFL’s leading rusher, says King.
  • The Ravens would very much like to re-sign Justin Forsett, but are expected to bow out if the bidding gets too high.
  • Seahawks GM John Schneider only had first-round grades on 16 players in this year’s draft class, so when he parted with the No. 31 overall pick in yesterday’s Jimmy Graham trade, he essentially viewed that pick as a second-rounder.
  • The league appears to be concerned, but “not fuming,” over all the contract agreements that were leaked before the start of the free agent period. We heard yesterday that the league had asked teams to hang onto their phone records, but King doesn’t believe we’ll see much more than “an angry finger-wag” at teams and their general managers.
  • Jameis Winston met with commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL officials last Thursday, in a meeting that was instigated by the young quarterback and his camp, writes King. The purpose of the sit-down was to allow Winston to tell his own story about his history of off-field incidents, and to get the lay of the land for his future in the NFL. “He went out of his way to make a good impression, and to show that he understood what was going to be expected of him in the NFL,” one league official told King.

NFC Rumors: Cox, Boykin, Orakpo, Moore

March 10th, 2015 at 7:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at the latest news from the NFC…

  • Free agent cornerback Perrish Cox will visit with Washington tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The 28-year-old Cox started 14 games for the 49ers last season, but isn’t expected back in San Francisco, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle adds (via Twitter).
  • On the lookout for help at the receiver position, the Panthers will meet with ex-Packers Jarrett Boykin, tweets Rapoport. Boykin was phased out of Green Bay’s offense in 2014 in favor of rookie Davante Adams.
  • We’ve already heard that Brian Orakpo will meet with the Titans today, and if he’s allowed to leave without a contract, the edge rusher will visit with the Cardinals, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • The Giants are “heavily considering” signing safety Rahim Moore, according to Cecil Lammey of ESPN.com (via Twitter). With Antrel Rolle looking for a big deal in free agency, Moore could be a fit in New York’s secondary.
  • Though Washington has interest in running back Justin Forsett, he has yet to receive an offer or schedule a visit, per Keim (on Twitter).

FA Links: Forsett, Royal, Melton, Cameron

March 10th, 2015 at 7:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest free agent rumors on Day 1 …

  • Justin Forsett will be Ravens‘ the primary backfield target after they cleared some cap room, Baltimore Sun reporter Aaron Wilson said via Twitter. The runner’s also drawn interest from the Falcons, Colts and Washington. The Colts’ signing Frank Gore today should limit their interest, however.
  • Contrary to earlier reports, there is no agreement in place or visit scheduled between Eddie Royal and the Bears, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken on Twitter.
  • The Bucs set up three more visits, with the team set to bring in Henry Melton, Stefen Wisniewski and Bruce Carter, Sports Talk Florida’s Jenna Laine reports.
  • The Browns remain interested in bringing Jordan Cameron back to be their tight end, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports on Twitter. But ex-Bengals veteran Jermaine Gresham‘s drawn interest from the eastern Ohio team as well. Despite not having a season like Cameron’s 80-catch, 917-yard 2013 on his resume, Gresham’s made two Pro Bowls. But he saw his yards per reception drop drastically to 7.4 last season.
  • Leonard Hankerson will visit the Falcons tonight, Yahoo! Sports’ Rand Getlin tweets. Missing all but one game in 2014 to injury, Hankerson played for current Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan with Washington.
  • Despite cutting Shelley Smith earlier today, the Dolphins aren’t dismissing the chance at bringing him back at a reduced cost, the Miami Herald’s Adam Beasley notes via Twitter. The Dolphins like backup tackle Billy Turner, however.
  • The Cardinals will host center A.Q. Shipley, ESPN’s Adam Caplan said on Twitter. The Colts did not tender Shipley, their starting center in 2012 and 2014, a contract offer, sending him to the market.

North Rumors: Thomas, Williams, Parker

March 10th, 2015 at 12:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens‘ first choice at running back is to re-sign Justin Forsett, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com tweets. But, if things don’t work, Pierre Thomas could be a plan B for them. More from the AFC and NFC North..

  • The Bears informed veteran middle linebacker D.J. Williams that the team is going in a different direction and he will not return to Chicago, a source tells Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com (on Twitter).
  • Chiefs free agent safety Ron Parker remains very much on the radar for the Bears, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Many, many teams have been connected to Parker over the last week. The Bears and Falcons are the most involved when it comes to Parker, according to Biggs (on Twitter).
  • The Packers haven’t been moving much on their number with Tramon Williams, Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel tweets. However, Dunne wonders if that changes with cornerback Davon House leaving.
  • The Vikings have inquired about San Francisco cornerback Chris Culliver, but they haven’t made an offer, so things are still preliminary there, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets.

North Rumors: Forsett, Bengals, Iupati, Ravens

March 9th, 2015 at 7:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of the NFL’s North divisions:

  • The Falcons, Washington, and the Colts are interested in Ravens free agent running back Justin Forsett, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome recently made it clear that he’d like to keep Forsett in Baltimore.
  • If the Buccaneers cut defensive end Michael Johnson, the Bengals are hoping to orchestrate a reunion with him, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
  • The Vikings never inquired on guard Mike Iupati, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets. The former 49ers standout is now reportedly headed to the Cardinals.
  • Instead of using a restricted tender on special-teams ace Anthony Levine, the Ravens would like to bring him back on a longer-term contract, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.

NFC East Notes: Washington, Giants, Spiller

March 6th, 2015 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing today on the NFL Network, Brian Orakpo left the door open for a return to Washington, but didn’t sound overly optimistic about the possibility, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post details.

“There’s obviously a chance. Obviously the window is still there. The sides are still talking, but it’s very minimal right now,” Orakpo said. “It’s always the numbers. Numbers have to make sense for both sides. And I understand, me coming off of injury, they have to look out for themselves, and I have to look out for myself. So, if we can come up with something that works out for both sides, who knows?”

Jones hears from sources that Orakpo’s return to Washington is unlikely, and Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (Twitter link) reports the same thing, even more definitively. It looks like Orakpo will be on the lookout for a new NFL home very soon, and the veteran linebacker said today during that NFL Network appearance that he’d have some interest in playing for a team in his home state of Texas.

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • With no progress on a long-term deal for restricted-free-agent-to-be Kai Forbath, Washington will likely just offer the kicker a one-year tender, a source tells Jones (Twitter link).
  • If the Ravens and Justin Forsett don’t work out a deal within the next few days, the veteran running back will have an interesting market, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, Washington is ready to make a play for Forsett, and the Saints will likely be among his suitors as well.
  • In addition to having interest in Devin McCourty, as he previously reported, the Giants also figure to explore the possibility of signing safety Rahim Moore, says Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. All three of New York’s top safeties from 2014 are eligible for free agency, so there figures to be some turnover at the position next week.
  • Sources close to Chip Kelly tell Russini (Twitter link) that the Eagles head coach wasn’t willing to rework LeSean McCoy‘s contract, especially considering the running back was looking for a raise. I’d be surprised if McCoy thought the Eagles – or the Bills – would increase his $9.75MM base salary for 2015, but perhaps he wanted to renegotiate his deal to include more guarantees beyond ’15.
  • As for the running back McCoy is replacing in Buffalo, C.J. Spiller appears to be campaigning to sign with the Eagles, writes Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com.

FA Notes: Weatherspoon, Thomas, Houston, Forsett

February 28th, 2015 at 12:28pm CST by Ben Levine

As we heard yesterday, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn is hoping the organization can keep linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, citing the player’s athleticism and attitude.

“With him, it’s that toughness and the speed that he can play with so, yes, definitely someone that we’re talking to,” Quinn said (via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com). “I know he’s got that kind of attitude. And you know me, just from watching our style of defense, it’s fast and physical. And that’s what Sean is. So, we’re certainly hoping that he can be a big part of it moving forward.”

However, the coach acknowledged that he is worried about the veteran’s past injuries, including an Achilles tear last season.

“I think you always are,” he said. “But at the same time, what’s the rehab like? You can tell when a guy is going for it in that way, too. All that factors in. 

“By the same token, he hit a string of bad luck. Can he come back and play at a level that he’s capable of? That’s what we’re excited to find out.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes pertaining to this year’s free agent class…

  • As expected, the Broncos will likely slap receiver Demaryius Thomas with the franchise tag. Sources tell Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that it’s a “safe bet” the team will place the tag as they try to work on a longterm deal. Meanwhile, Florio wonders if Peyton Manning‘s rumored restructuring could mean a return for tight end Julius Thomas.
  • Following news that the Chiefs and Justin Houston were working on a multi-year deal, Florio says such a deal is unlikely at this point. Instead, the All-Pro linebacker seems destined for the franchise tag, and Florio notes that the 26-year-old’s leverage will rise when similar free agents start receiving lucrative deals.
  • For the time being, Reuben Frank and Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com believe the Eagles shouldn’t invest money in a linebacker like Brandon Spikes. However, if the team decides to move on from DeMeco Ryans, the team would be in the market for a starting linebacker, in which case Spikes could be a viable option.
  • Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome made it clear that he’d like to keep running back Justin Forsett in Baltimore. “We would like to retain Justin,” Newsome said (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). “I’ve learned something since the end of the season about Justin that I didn’t really know. He has mentored some very good, young backs, starting with Arian Foster,Marshawn Lynch, Maurice Jones-Drew when he was in Jacksonville. Having Justin here — and with the opportunity [of] also bringing in hopefully another young running back — to have Justin be around that guy would be an asset also. So, we will work to try to retain Justin.” If the team loses out on Forsett, Hensley suggests free agents Frank Gore, C.J. Spiller, and Mark Ingram as potential replacements.

AFC Mailbags: Bengals, Ravens, Jags, Raiders

February 28th, 2015 at 9:57am 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 start with some notes from the AFC…

  • With Robert Geathers now out of the picture, Coley Harvey believes there’s little chance that the Bengals move on from defensive tackle Domata Peko. While the 30-year-old didn’t have a great 2014 season, the writer opines that he played well at times, and Harvey notes that Peko is viewed as a leader in the locker room.
  • Considering the Bengals only have A.J. Green‘s future contract to worry about, Harvey could envision the team making a splash in free agency. The writer suggests Greg Hardy and Jerry Hughes as options, but he warns that the duo may prove to be too pricey.
  • If the Ravens lose out on Justin Forsett in free agency, Jamison Hensley says the team will pursue a running back in both the draft and free agency. The team still hopes to keep the veteran back, though, especially considering his impact on younger players.
  • Hensley isn’t worried if Torrey Smith ultimately decides to leave Baltimore. When taking a look at potential cap casualties in the wideout market, the writer points to Saints wideout Marques Colston as being an option for the Ravens.
  • Michael DiRocco says the Jaguars focus heading into free agency is acquiring a wideout, a right tackle and a “pass-catching” tight end. The writer suggest Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga and Julius Thomas for each of the three, respective positions.
  • Bill Williamson believes the Raiders could trade their first-round pick as they look to compile as many selections as possible.

Ravens Owner, GM, HC On Roster, Free Agency

February 24th, 2015 at 3:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier today, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, general manager Ozzie Newsome, and head coach John Harbaugh spoke to the media in Baltimore, and Jeff Zrebiec and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, and Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com were on hand to document the pair’s comments. Let’s take a look at the highlights, with all links going to Twitter:

GM Ozzie Newsome

  •  The Ravens have only $5.7MM in cap space at the moment, meaning the club might have to make moves to expand that figure. “We will exhaust every avenue that we have to get as much cap flexibility as we can,” said Newsome. “We’ve been working at it.”
  • Newsome said the Ravens have discussed quarterback Joe Flacco‘s cap figure for 2015, and will address it at some point. Flacco will count nearly $15MM against Baltimore’s cap next season.
  • The club is working to retain free agent running back Justin Forsett, notes Newsome. The 29-year-old Forsett is likely to draw interest from the Falcons if he isn’t retained in Baltimore.
  • It doesn’t sound like the Ravens are planning on re-signing defender Pernell McPhee, as Newsome stated “you can’t pay everyone market value.”
  • Newsome believes that embattled former Raven Ray Rice will find out before April if he’ll be able to land an opportunity with another team, and said that he was happy Rice was ultimately reinstated. Newsome also indicated he helped testify to get Rice reinstated.
  • Newsome acknowledged the team is in “wait-and-see” mode with tight end Dennis Pitta, who missed most of 2014 with a dislocated hip. The GM did indicate the Ravens would add TEs, whether through free agency or the draft.

Owner Steve Bisciotti

  • Bisciotti is aware that Baltimore might not be able to afford free agent receiver Torrey Smith, and even referenced Mike Wallace‘s $12MM per year contract as an outlier. “I don’t think anyone thinks that’s a good deal,” said the owner.

Head coach John Harbaugh

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