HEADLINES

Keenan Lewis

Saints Redo Keenan Lewis’ Contract

March 19th, 2015 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

8:29am: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has more specifics on Lewis’ new deal, reporting that his signing bonus is actually worth $3.9MM, since his per-game roster bonuses for the next two seasons have been removed. The cornerback’s base salaries for 2015 and 2016 are now fully guaranteed, and $3MM of his $4.75MM salary for 2017 is guaranteed as well (all Twitter links).

8:08am: Amidst a recent mini-exodus of his teammates, cornerback Keenan Lewis told the Saints that he wanted to either have the rest of his contract guaranteed or be released. While the Saints didn’t guarantee Lewis’ entire remaining salary, the team has shown its commitment to him by redoing his contract, adding more guaranteed money, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune has some details on the move, reporting that Lewis has agreed to reduce his 2015 base salary from $1.8MM to $850K and his 2016 base salary from $4.25MM to $2.7MM. The reduced portions of those salaries have been converted to a signing bonus, which appears to be worth $2.85MM. All in all, Lewis receives an extra $10.4MM in guarantees, and his cap hit dips from $4.85MM to $4.5MM for ’15, creating a tiny bit of extra flexibility for the Saints.

The Saints’ re-commitment to Lewis comes at a time when the club appears to be redirecting its resources to the defensive side of the ball to some extent. New Orleans has traded tight end Jimmy Graham, guard Ben Grubbs, and wide receiver Kenny Stills this month while stockpiling early-round draft picks.

Lewis, signed over from the Steelers two years ago, has started 16 games in each of the past two seasons, posting six interceptions. He’s expected to play opposite newly-signed cornerback Brandon Browner in the team’s starting lineup in 2015.

Sunday Roundup: Ngata, Cameron, Rams

March 15th, 2015 at 12:38pm CST by Rory Parks

We have seen one major signing thus far today, as Michael Johnson and the Bengals agreed to reunite. As we wait for more free agent dominoes to fall, let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the league:

  • Justin Rogers of MLive.com looks at how the Lions might work out an extension for newly-acquired DT Haloti Ngata. It is still unclear whether Detroit will even approach Ngata about an extension–the team may view him as a one-year stopgap, although the draft picks they sent to Baltimore suggest that is not the case–but Rogers believes a new three-year, $26MM deal might work well for both sides. Ngata himself said he believes he has three good years left, and such an extension would give Detroit a little more cap space for 2015 while creating manageable $7.5MM cap numbers in 2016 and 2017.
  • Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com says the Browns‘ strategy in attempting to re-sign Jordan Cameron did not make much sense. The Browns could have put the transition tag on Cameron for cheaper than the deal they offered, but they did not use the tag before the deadline and then made Cameron an offer for more than the tag value.
  • Despite the team’s flurry of activity in the first week of free agency, the Rams have a few major holes to fill, and most of those holes are along the offensive line. As Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, the team has about $11MM in cap space, which should give them enough room to sign two out of the three of Stefen Wisniewski, Justin Blalock, and Joe Barksdale.
  • Speaking of the Rams‘ offensive line, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes that recently-released Jake Long could be back as the team’s right tackle on a shorter, cheaper deal, but that likely would not happen until after the draft. As far as the team’s quarterback situation is concerned, Wagoner believes all options in the draft–trade up, trade down, etc.–are on the table, despite the acquisition of Nick Foles.
  • Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter) lauds the 49ers‘ signing of Reggie Bush, who will pair with Carlos Hyde to create a strong 1-2 punch in the backfield. Miller adds that the team’s acquisitions in free agency will allow them to once again pursue the best player available in the draft rather than drafting for need.
  • Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Ravens had interest in Mike Wallace before he was traded to Minnesota. Baltimore thought that Miami might cut Wallace, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent.
  • There is no new deal in place between the Saints and Keenan Lewis, but Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets that Lewis feels better about his long-term security with the club after meeting with unspecified team officials this week.
  • While they will not receive any compensatory picks in this year’s draft, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com points out that the Bills are in line for multiple compensatory selections next year.

NFC Notes: Brown, Mays, Lewis, Satele

March 14th, 2015 at 7:58pm CST by Rob DiRe

With Ron Parker, Kendrick Lewis, Rahim Moore, and Antrel Rolle all signing deals over the past few days, the safety market has evaporated before the Giants’ eyes, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.

Without many options on the roster or left in free agency, Raanan believes the team will have to do their best to re-sign veteran Stevie Brown, who played with the team in 2012 and 2014, missing the season in between. Brown intercepted eight passes in 2012, ties for second in the NFL that season.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • While discussing some of Washington’s options left in free agency, John Keim of ESPN forgot to mention that the team had interest in safety Taylor Mays (via Twitter). While there was mutual interest, there has been no official visit.
  • Cornerback Keenan Lewis now wants to retire with the Saints despite his previous demand at a guaranteed contract or a release, NOLA.com’s Katherine Terrell reports. New Orleans’ No. 1 corner also denied an NFL.com report that indicated the Saints are re-working his contract. Lewis has three years left on his deal with base salaries totaling $10.8MM.
  • The Vikings hosted former Buccaneer and Bengal Michael Johnson for a visit today, according to the Vikings’ public relations and communication department (via Twitter). The team could place Johnson at defensive end opposite Everson Griffen.
  • The Bears could be in the market for a veteran center, and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune suggests that Samson Satele is a name to keep an eye on (via Twitter).
  • The Panthers have filled a number of holes this offseason, and with draft picks, injury replacements, and contract extensions still to be accounted for, general manager Dave Gettleman will likely have to wait another year before making a huge extension, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. He does, however, give five names to watch as possible value signings the team could target this offseason, including Osi Umenyiora, Mathias Kiwanuka and Charles Tillman.
  • Holding the No. 1 draft choice isn’t the only perk of finishing with the league’s worst record. The Buccaneers hold the No. 1 waiver priority thanks to their 2-14 record last year, and they intend to capitalize on it, reports the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. “It’s a huge deal,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht told Stroud. “Bigger than people realize.” The Texans signed three players with their No. 1 position last season.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report.

Extra Points: Saints, Wilfork, Jets

March 13th, 2015 at 9:37pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Saints addressed their secondary in a big way Thursday when they signed free agent cornerback Brandon Browner, but another of the team’s corners seemingly faces a less certain future in New Orleans.

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweeted Friday that the Saints are “actively shopping” Keenan Lewis, who voiced his displeasure with the team’s direction on social media earlier this week. Shortly after La Canfora’s tweet, though, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported (Twitter link) that the Saints are restructuring Lewis’ contract in an effort to appease the six-year veteran. Lewis has three years and $10.8MM in guarantees left on the five-year, $26.5MM deal he signed with the Saints in 2013. Lewis, 28, said Tuesday that the Saints should either guarantee all of the remaining three years or release him. However, he changed his tune Friday night. According to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter), Lewis wrote on Instagram that “leaving was never an option.” We’ll see whether that proves true.

In other news:

  • Elsewhere on the Saints front, Woodbery writes that, despite its recent moves to open up spending room, the team is still in cap trouble. Woodbery speculates that the Saints will have to do something with 31-year-old guard Jahri Evans, which could mean restructuring his current deal, trading him or releasing him. Evans is signed for two more years at cap numbers of $11.2MM and $10MM, respectively.
  • Vince Wilfork‘s agent, Kennard McGuire, said Friday that the Texans have a “legitimate shot” to sign the free agent defensive lineman, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston. “One of the benefits from the organization’s standpoint is that of familiarity.” said McGuire. “Vince played with (linebackers coach Mike) Vrabel. He was coached by (head coach) Billy O (O’Brien) and Rac (defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel).” The 33-year-old Wilfork spent the first 11 seasons of his career in New England, with which he made five Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls. He’d further beef up a Texans defense that finished a solid 10th against the run last season. Wilfork is unlikely to join the Texans (or anyone else) imminently, however, as his agent said the player would “take his time” on choosing a team.
  • Multiple sources told Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that the NFL is investigating the Jets for possibly tampering with free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis, whom they signed earlier this week. The negotiating period between teams and free agents opened last Saturday, and the league is taking the notion that the Jets may have had contact with Revis prior to then “incredibly seriously,” per Cole.

Keenan Lewis Wants Guarantee Or Release

March 10th, 2015 at 3:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If the Saints aren’t willing to guarantee the remaining three years of his contract, cornerback Keenan Lewis wants the club to release him, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Per Triplett (Twitter link), Lewis is unhappy with the “team being broken apart,” apparently referencing the trade of Jimmy Graham earlier today.

The 28-year-old Lewis has three years left on his deal, with base salaries totaling $10.8MM. He’s a good player, but I’m sure not the Saints would be willing to guarantee the remaining years. It would probably set a poor precedent to allow a player to demand that his contract be tweaked because he doesn’t approve of the moves of the club.

Lewis, signed over from the Steelers two years ago, has started 16 games in each of the past two seasons, posting six interceptions.

NFC Notes: Saints, Washington, 49ers

May 30th, 2014 at 10:53pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Saints have a few positions battles that might not be decided until late in training camp, according to Rachel Whittaker of NOLA.com. She mentions options at starting center, as well as the overhaul of the receiving corps.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Another position on the Saints that is left in limbo is the defensive backfield, writes Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. The team knows who the starting safeties should be, but they have a deep group of cornerbacks behind Keenan Lewis fighting for the second corner job. The team gets Patrick Robinson back from injury, in addition to Corey White, free agent veterain Champ Bailey, and second-round pick Stanley-Jean Baptiste, among others. There are 11 cornerbacks on the 90-man roster, when only five made the final roster last season.

  • Recently suspended Cardinals‘ linebacker Daryl Washington stand to lose a lot of money due to his most recent transgressions, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Washington will forfeit his 2014 base salary of $2.9MM and his prorated signing bonus of nearly $500,000, but will still have almost $13MM of potential earnings upon his return, as his current contract runs through 2017.
  • 49ers‘ linebacker Michael Wilhoite and third-round pick Chris Borland will fight for a starting job at inside linebacker to begin 2014, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com. The position is open due to NaVorro Bowman‘s injury at the end of the NFC Championship Game, and one of those two players could be lining up next to Patrick Willis at times in the upcoming season.
  • Jeremy Maclin is back with the Eagles, and head coach Chip Kelly is excited to have another weapon in his offensive arsenal, writes Andy Jasner of ESPN.com. “Mac’s doing a really good job, just getting back familiar with it. I was really excited about how he would fit into what we do because of what he can do. And then to lose him that early in camp was disappointing. You got a taste of him,” said Kelly. “But having him out there full speed running out there right now, he’s doing a really good job.”
  • The Falcons have a long list of expiring contracts on their roster, and as they move to more 3-4 opportunities on defense, they could be in store for a major overhaul in talent, writes David Choats of TheFalcoholic.com. They put together a list of these players who will be free agents in 2015.

NFC Notes: Jackson, Saints, Ihedigbo, Vikings

March 20th, 2014 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles reportedly want at least a third round pick for DeSean Jackson via trade, but Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com believes that might actually be optimistic. This year’s draft is unusually deep, meaning that the asking price for picks will be exceptionally high. Clubs may also be concerned about how productive Jackson could be in their own offenses as opposed to Philadelphia’s system. Here’s more from around the NFC:

Zach Links contributed to this post.