HEADLINES

Nate Burleson

Extra Points: Welker, Burleson, Cromartie

March 16th, 2014 at 4:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A few assorted notes from around the league:

FA Rumors: DRC, Ginn, Whitehurst, Burleson

March 13th, 2014 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

As one of the few notable cornerbacks remaining on the market, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is still searching for a deal. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), the Jets are one team that has been in touch with DRC’s camp about the free agent, as New York remains in the market for cornerback help. Here are a few more Thursday free agent updates:

  • After missing out on receiver and return specialist Jacoby Jones, the Giants are eyeing Ted Ginn Jr., a player capable of filling a similar role, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
  • Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean thinks there’s a reasonable chance the Titans and quarterback Charlie Whitehurst will work something out (Twitter link). Wyatt reported earlier today that Whitehurst was visiting with the club.
  • The Titans are also exhibiting interest in wide receiver Nate Burleson, who was released by the Lions before the start of the free agent period, tweets Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.
  • The Steelers are “really interested” in defensive end Alex Carrington, and will host him for a visit tonight, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Pittsburgh has already lost Ziggy Hood in free agency and may part ways with Brett Keisel as well.
  • Linebacker Darryl Tapp is among the players visiting the Lions today, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
  • Free agent center Phil Costa is visiting the Colts today and Bengals tomorrow, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

Combine Updates: Orakpo, Talib, Welker

February 21st, 2014 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Redskins GM Bruce Allen is a big fan of Brian Orakpo and will to talk to his agent this weekend, but there’s no guarantee that the free agent linebacker will be back in 2014, writes the Washington Times’ Zac Boyer.

“We like Brian,” Allen said. “There’s no doubt we like Brian, as well as a number of other players. If we were just one player short, that would be an easy question, but we have several [needs] that we’re looking to fill.”

Orakpo, 27, is considered among the best pass rushers available and is expected to command an average salary in the neighborhood of $10MM per season. Here’s more from the second day of the 2014 combine:

  • The Patriots are set to meet with Aqib Talib in Indianapolis to discuss a new deal, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. As Howe notes, it’s a buyer’s market at the cornerback position with Alterraun Verner, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Charles Tillman, Vontae Davis and Brent Grimes also set to become available.
  • Broncos GM John Elway expects wide receiver Wes Welker to be back with the team in 2014 for the final year of his contract, tweets Howe.
  • Ken Harris, Jared Allen‘s agent, tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) that he had a “constructive” meeting with the Vikings on Thursday.
  • Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff said he anticipates getting two to three compensatory draft picks, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
  • In Ron Rivera’s view, the Panthers don’t have a successor to Steve Smith on their roster, which is something the head coach believes the club could address this offseason, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • According to GM Martin Mayhew, the Lions have no plans to try to re-sign wide receiver Nate Burleson or safety Louis Delmas, who were released earlier this month. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the details.
  • Johnny Manziel wants to endear himself to NFL GMs, so naturally, he decided to refer to himself in third person at the combine today when talking to reporters. “Johnny Manziel is a small-town kid. People make me out to be a Hollywood type,” the quarterback said, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

WR Notes: Holmes, Burleson, Broncos

February 16th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Rory Parks

Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that that Jets will cut Santonio Holmes. Holmes has been a disappointment both on and off the field since coming to New York from Pittsburgh, and he would cost the Jets $10.75MM against the cap this year if he were to be retained. However, the Jets will save $8.25MM by cutting Holmes, and Cimini believes the team will use at least a significant portion of that money to bring in a new wideout. As our own Luke Adams wrote last week, the Jets “covet” the Steelers’ Emmanuel Sanders and the Eagles’ Jeremy Maclin, both of whom are eligible for unrestricted free agency.

It is a buyer’s market for receivers this year, with over 50 wideouts set to hit the open market. Some more notes on the wide receiver carousel:

  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com writes that Nate Burleson would make sense for the Cowboys, given the imminent release of Miles Austin and the limitations of players like Dwayne Harris and Cole Beasley. Archer believes Burleson’s skill-set, veteran leadership, and connection with new Cowboys’ play-caller Scott Linehan could add up to a nice complement to top receivers Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams.
  • Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com believes the Broncos will have to grab at least one receiver in the draft. Eric Decker and Andre Caldwell are both unrestricted free agents, but the Broncos will want to make sure they have enough money to pay Demaryius Thomas when he hits free agency after the 2014 season, and that will limit what they could give to Decker, Caldwell, or any other free agent receiver this season. As such, Denver will be left with only two receivers on the roster who have started an NFL game: Thomas and Wes Welker. For a team that uses a three-wide set about 70% of the time, that is simply not enough depth.
  • Joe Kaiser of ESPN.com examines the chatter surrounding Anquan Boldin‘s return to the 49ers, all of which indicates Boldin will be back in the Bay Area next year.
  • In a recent interview with Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, NFL Films’ Greg Cosell confirms the general consensus that Clemson’s Sammy Watkins is the best receiver in this year’s draft, but Cosell doesn’t stop there. He believes that Watkins is the best receiver available since the 2010 draft, when Julio Jones and A.J. Green were taken in the first round.

 

Lions Release Nate Burleson

February 13th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

1:00pm: The Lions have confirmed they’ve released Burleson, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News (Twitter link).

12:44pm: Although they’ve yet to officially announce the move, the Lions have informed wide receiver Nate Burleson that he’ll be released today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Burleson had one season remaining on his contract, so he’ll hit free agency a year early.

“It’s a hard decision for them to make, but I can’t blame them for making it,” Burleson said of the Lions, telling Birkett that he still intends to play somewhere in 2014 (Twitter link). Birkett believes that Dallas and Tampa Bay are among the possible landing spots for the 32-year-old receiver (Twitter link). It’s also possible that Burleson could re-sign with the Lions for a reduced rate, but according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link), that scenario appears unlikely.

Burleson’s contract with the Lions called for a $5.5MM base salary in 2014, with a prorated bonus of $2.03MM, making his overall cap hit $7.53MM. By releasing him, Detroit can wipe that base salary from their books, creating $5.5MM in cap savings. Having been projected by OverTheCap.com to be about $5.32MM over the 2014 cap at the start of this week, the Lions should sneak slightly below that threshold, with more moves to come.

In nine games (eight starts) for the Lions in 2013, Burleson grabbed 39 balls for 461 yards. As he hits the free agent market, Detroit figures to turn to either free agency or the draft to add at least one or two receivers to help complement the club’s superstar, Calvin Johnson.

NFC Rumors: 49ers, Bucs, Burleson, Falcons

January 20th, 2014 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

A day after being eliminated from the postseason by the Seahawks, the 49ers are already looking ahead to the offseason. Kicker Phil Dawson and center Jonathan Goodwin both expressed interest in re-signing with San Francisco, according to Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter links). The team is also in talks with McLeod Bethel-Thompson about a return for the backup QB, and has signed defensive lineman Lawrence Okoye and wide receiver Devon Wylie to futures deals, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links).

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • All indications right now suggest that the Buccaneers are deciding between Jason Licht of the Cardinals and Marc Ross of the Giants as their next general manager, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports 1 (via Twitter). Falcons vice president of player personnel Lionel Vital, who had been in the running for the Bucs job, told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today that he’ll remain in Atlanta.
  • Nate Burleson acknowledges he’ll likely have to restructure his contract in order to return to the Lions next season, but he hopes to play out his deal and eventually retire in Detroit, as Eric Lacy of MLive.com details.
  • The Falcons have interest in bringing back offensive lineman Mike Johnson, but only at the right price, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
  • The Seahawks and 49ers are among the early favorites to come out of the NFC a year from now, but both teams will have multiple players in line for raises before then. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk takes a look at a few offseason issues for the NFC’s top two teams.