HEADLINES

Kamar Aiken

AFC Notes: Aiken, Glenn, Fins, Texans, Jets

March 2nd, 2016 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

On the surface, it looks like a no-brainer decision for the Ravens to assign wide receiver Kamar Aiken a second-round RFA tender, but the franchise has been willing to roll the dice on the low-end tender for restricted free agents in the past, and could use all the cap space they can get this offseason, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.

If the Ravens use the second-round tender (worth $2.553MM), they would be entitled to a second-round pick if Aiken signs elsewhere. The low-end tender ($1.671MM) would only give Baltimore the right of first refusal, with no potential compensation.

With Aiken coming off a 75-catch breakout season, it probably makes sense for the Ravens to pull the trigger on the second-round tender — there’s a dearth of talent on the wide receiver market this offseason, and Baltimore risks losing Aiken or paying him even more if a rival team signs him to an offer sheet.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • It wouldn’t be a surprise if one or more franchised players – including Bills tackle Cordy Glenn – sign their tenders by the end of the day, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald takes a detailed look at the Dolphins‘ plan to improve their defense this offseason, noting that the team would like to add starters at linebacker (preferably MLB), cornerback, and safety, while also picking up a run-stopping defensive end. Miami’s limited flexibility will make it a little tricky to add viable starters at all those spots, though the team figures to use the No. 8 overall pick in the draft to address at least one if its defensive needs.
  • With Arian Foster expected to be cut in the near future, the Texans will need to explore free agency and the draft for a potential solution at running back, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. In McClain’s view, it might make more sense for the club to sign a veteran free agent rather than counting on finding a starter in the draft.
  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News field Jets-related inquiries in his latest mailbag, writing that he doesn’t expect the club to draft running back Ezekiel Elliott, and noting that GMs around the league are skeptical that any team would give up a first-round pick in a trade for Muhammad Wilkerson.

Minor Moves: Monday

April 20th, 2015 at 4:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are today’s minor transactions from across the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening:

  • Howard Balzer of the SportsXchange (all Twitter links) passes along word on a number of exclusive rights and restricted free agents who officially signed their contract tenders today. According to Balzer, the following players are now under contract for the 2015 season: Browns linebacker Craig Robertson (second-round RFA), Browns safety Johnson Bademosi (low-end RFA), Steelers fullback Will Johnson (low-end RFA), Giants cornerback Chandler Fenner (ERFA), Ravens cornerback Tramain Jacobs (ERFA), and Chiefs wide receivers Frankie Hammond and Junior Hemingway (ERFAs).
  • The Seahawks have re-signed free agent center Lemuel Jeanpierre, according to Balzer (via Twitter). Jeanpierre, who turns 28 next month, started three games at center for Seattle near the end of the 2014 regular season.

Earlier updates:

  • The Titans have reached an agreement on a one-year contract with linebacker Kaelin Burnett, the club announced today (Twitter link). Burnett, who started his career with the Raiders, has played in 22 total NFL games, including five last year for the Titans, primarily as a special teamer.
  • Wide receiver Kamar Aiken signed his exclusive rights free agent tender with the Ravens today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The move was a mere formality, allowing Aiken to participate in the club’s offseason program.
  • Lions wide receiver and kick returner Jeremy Ross also signed his ERFA tender today, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). Like Aiken, Ross was technically a free agent but wasn’t able to negotiate with any team besides Detroit.

Ravens Owner On Ngata, Yanda, Flacco

April 1st, 2015 at 6:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier tonight, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti hosted a conference call with season ticket holders and touched on a wide range of issues. Here’s a look at some of the highlights with all links going to Twitter..

  • Bisciotti didn’t rule out potential scenario of new Lions defensive tackle Haloti Ngata returning to the Ravens as a free agent in 2016, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets. Ngata is in the final year of his current pact. I can’t help but think that Bisciotti’s comments could lead to tampering accusations. Bisciotti added that Ngata rejected an extension offer that would have reduced his annual salary (link).
  • The owner identified cornerback and pass rusher as the two positions he’s looking at with the No. 26 overall pick, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The owner indicated that the Ravens can carve out more cap space by extending the contracts of Marshal Yanda, Jimmy Smith, and Justin Tucker, Hensley tweets. Yanda, who has started 78 of his 80 games with Baltimore over the past five years, is entering the final year of his deal and is set to earn $5.5MM in base salary in 2015.
  • Bisciotti is confident that the Ravens can make it a “win-win” for the team and Joe Flacco when it comes to getting a new deal done after this season, Hensley tweets. Even with the pending contract restructuring next season, he’s not concerned about Flacco’s future in Baltimore, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets.
  • Bisciotti says he is still “praying” that tight end Dennis Pitta comes back from hip surgery, Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com tweets. That language doesn’t sound too encouraging when it comes to the veteran’s chances of getting back on the field.
  • The owner said that you can’t do it with two pass rushers anymore and knows that the team has a need there too, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. “I would be just as pleased with a pass rusher. Quietest need we have,” Bisciotti said. He’d like to see Baltimore take a pass rusher in the first round, but things are wide open at this stage (via Wilson on Twitter).
  • Bisciotti said domestic violence issues have changed the Ravens’ approach to who sign in free agency and who they draft, according to Hensley (on Twitter). He added that if the team had seen the Ray Rice video sooner, the running back likely would have been released earlier, according to Zrebiec (link).
  • Bisciotti said Lardarius Webb is a much better player than he showed in first half of last year and pointed to his lower back issues as a reason for his 2014 struggles, Wilson tweets. Webb reworked his deal with the Ravens this offseason in order to stay on board.
  • Bisciotti says he wants to see the Ravens acquire another Pernell McPhee type, Wilson tweets. McPhee, of course, joined up with the Bears on a five-year deal worth just under $40MM.
  • Bisciotti knows the Ravens need a corner but he’s not desperate for a wideout, Wilson tweets. The Ravens, he says, absolutely need a tight end but they’re not exceptionally desperate for a wideout (link). He identified in-house names like Michael Campanaro, Kamar Aiken, and Marlon Brown as players who could help fill that WR need from within.
  • Bisciotti also identified safety as an area of need, Zrebiec tweets.
  • The Ravens are more likely to take a tight end in the third or fourth round rather than the first or second round, Zrebiec tweets.
  • Biscotti added that the Ravens might target wide receivers in the third round, Zrebiec tweets.
  • Bisciotti said there’s not one issue in seven years that GM Ozzie Newsome and coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t come to a resolution on, even after disagreeing vehemently, Hensley tweets.

Minor Moves: Monday

March 9th, 2015 at 4:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

  • The Packers have informed running back DuJuan Harris they will not extend him an exclusive rights tender, Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel tweets.
  • The Ravens are expected to assign an exclusive-rights free agent tender to running back Fitzgerald Toussaint, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
  • The Steelers have offered one-year deals to restricted free agents Antwon Blake, Will Johnson, and Robert Golden, Scott Brown of ESPN tweets. All three will get the lower tender, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter).
  • The Cardinals announced they’ve re-signed Alameda Ta’amu to a one-year contract, as Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports tweets. The Cards decided not to tender him but they have retained him at a lower salary.
  • The 49ers will restructure their deal with safety Craig Dahl, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). It’s now a one-year, $1.3MM deal with a $200K signing bonus, a $175K roster bonus, and a $50K workout bonus.
  • The Buccaneers announced that they have re-signed defensive ends Larry English and Lawrence Sidbury, tight end Luke Stocker and linebacker Jason Williams.
  • The Ravens have assigned a $510K exclusive rights tender to offensive lineman Ryan Jensen, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Wilson (link) also hears that the Ravens have given wide receiver Kamar Aiken a $585K exclusive rights tender.
  • The Ravens gave cornerback Tramain Jacobs a $510K tender, per Wilson (link).

Earlier updates:

  • The Bills announced that they have extended the contract of kicker Jordan Gay, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (via Twitter).
  • The Browns announced that they have tendered qualifying offers to four of their restricted free agents: free safety Tashaun Gipson, defensive back Johnson Bademosi, defensive lineman Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, and linebacker Craig Robertson, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. It’s a second-round tender for Robertson, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). Gipson also gets the second-round tender, according to Ulrich (link).
  • The Ravens have sent a second-round restricted tender $2.356MM to Pro Bowl kicker Justin Tucker, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
  • The Steelers announced that they have agreed to terms with veteran tight end Matt Spaeth on a two-year deal. The 31-year-old appeared in 15 regular-season games in 2014 (eight starts) and caught three passes for 46 yards and a touchdown, and also started the Steelers’ playoff game against Baltimore.
  • The Buccaneers are not expected to tender an offer to fullback Jorvorskie Lane, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. They could bring Lane, an ERFA, back on a different deal later, however. Lane had a tough year in 2014. He was hit with a two-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances in October and his season ended in November after he underwent surgery on his injured right leg.
  • The Broncos have placed the low-level contract tender on restricted free agent defensive back Tony Carter, extending him a one-year offer worth $1.542MM, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The move gives Denver the right to match any offer sheet Carter signs with another team, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), there may be strong outside interest.
  • The Cowboys have placed one-year tenders of $1.542MM each on restricted free agent punter Chris Jones and restricted free agent running back Lance Dunbar, sources tell Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News. Dunbar is the Cowboys’ third running back and tendering him gives Dallas some insurance if DeMarco Murray signs with another team in free agency. He also gives them a reserve back in the event that they have to cut ties with Joseph Randle.
  • The Browns announced that they have re-signed offensive lineman Ryan Seymour. Seymour, 25, appeared in 11 games during the 2014 season, starting three at center. Nick McDonald was originally the team’s choice at center after Alex Mack went down with a broken leg, but Seymour eventually got his chance at the job.
  • The Panthers have re-signed wide receiver/kick returner Brenton Bersin to a one-year deal, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Bersin was an exclusive rights free agent.
  • The Panthers announced that they re-signed Fozzy Whittaker on a two-year deal, according to Person (on Twitter). The tailback had 32 carries for 145 yards last season and also contributed on kick returns. Linebacker Ben Jacobs and center Brian Folkerts got one-year deals to remain in Carolina (link). Tackle Kevin Hughes is the only Panthers ERFA who wasn’t tendered an offer (link).