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Owen Daniels

AFC South Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Daniels

December 19th, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Friday notes from around the AFC South….

  • Despite dealing with some injuries to their receiving corps, the Colts aren’t likely to add any wideouts to the roster, per head coach Chuck Pagano (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of RTV6). Indianapolis’ tight ends give the club some flexibility to get away without a ton of active receivers.
  • The Jaguars had a nice win over the division-rival Titans last night, but at just 3-12 for the season, head coach Gus Bradley knows there’s still plenty of work to do on the club’s roster. “I know we’re going to have to add some players in the draft and free agency to add our strengths,” Bradley said today, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link).
  • Those Jaguars at least will have plenty of flexibility to add players in free agency, as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com outlines, pointing out that Jacksonville has the most projected cap space for 2015, with over $61MM. Expect the Jags to be “very active” in free agency, says Corry, who notes that the Titans have the fifth-most projected cap room.
  • With the Ravens preparing to play the Texans this weekend, with playoff hopes on the line, tight end Owen Daniels recalls that he was “shocked and extremely upset” when he learned that Houston was releasing him last year. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle has the details and the quotes from Daniels.

AFC Notes: Mallett, Clowney, Broncos, Ravens

November 2nd, 2014 at 10:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Texans lost 31-21 to an Eagles’ team that was led on offense by backup quarterback Mark Sanchez. In Houston, their own backup quarterback made waves after the game, tweeting a message that stirred up unrest among Texans’ fans, according to Ultimate Texans.

“I’m staying focused for when the time comes…seize the opportunity #justwaiting,” wrote Mallett.

The Texans are 4-5 and Ryan Fitzpatrick has been underwhelming as the starting quarterback, leaving Mallet and rookie Tom Savage as options for the team going forward.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

  • The Texans are growing frustrated with Jadeveon Clowney‘s absence from the field, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). He had missed a number of weeks with a knee injury, and as he is getting healthier, he missed today’s matchup against the Eagles with an illness. The team wants him to be more mature in dealing with his injuries, according to Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • The Broncos and Patriots both had themes for their offseasons, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The Broncos wanted to get tougher on defense, and the Patriots were focused on becoming more physical in the secondary. Those themes dictated the moves each team made all offseason.
  • The Ravens are making the most of their free agent acquisitions, with many of their unappreciated signings coming up big for the team through the first half of the season, writes Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Running back Justin Forsett, receiver Steve Smith, and tight end Owen Daniels have all contributed big numbers to the offense so far this year.

Free Agent Notes: Freeman, Jets, Daniels

April 7th, 2014 at 4:46pm CST by Ben Levine

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has a trio of re-signings (via Twitter): running back Matt Asiata (Vikings), wide receiver Jeremy Ross (Lions) and linebacker Craig Robertson (Browns). Each player signed an exclusive rights free agent tender to stay with their respect teams. The trio was solid in 2013; Asiata ran for 166 yards on 44 carries, Ross had six receptions and six kick returns and Robertson compiled 85 tackles.

Let’s take a look at some more free agent rumors…

Ravens Sign Owen Daniels

April 4th, 2014 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

1:20pm: Daniels’ one-year contract is worth $1MM, with another $1MM available in incentives, tweets Wilson.

FRIDAY, 12:03pm: The Ravens’ signing of Daniels is now official, according to the team (Twitter link).

THURSDAY, 4:30pm: Daniels will travel to Baltimore tomorrow to take his physical and officially sign his deal with the Ravens, according to Wilson (Twitter link).

4:17pm: The Ravens have agreed to terms with free agent tight end Owen Daniels, reports Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Daniels will ink a one-year deal to join the team. It’ll be a reunion for Daniels and former Texans head coach Gary Kubiak, who is now the Ravens’ offensive coordinator.

Daniels, 31, was limited to just five games last season due to a broken leg. In his previous seven NFL seasons, however, he averaged over 51 receptions per year to go along with 26 total touchdowns. Daniels was also named to two Pro Bowl teams, in 2008 and 2012.

In Baltimore, Daniels won’t be the No. 1 tight end option for a team that re-signed Dennis Pitta to a lucrative long-term deal earlier this offseason. However, he’ll provide an excellent second option at the position, and his veteran presence and his familiarity with Kubiak should be a plus.

The Ravens had also reportedly been considering bringing back Ed Dickson, but I’d imagine the team’s agreement with Daniels means Dickson is no longer a target. As for Daniels, he visited the Redskins and Packers before agreeing to sign with the Ravens, tweets Wilson.

Ravens Notes: TEs And Backup QBs

April 1st, 2014 at 7:50pm CST by Rory Parks

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh spoke with reporters today, and while there were no “major revelations,” he did indicate that the team is still talking to free agent tight ends Ed Dickson and Owen Daniels, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The team is looking for a complement to No. 1 tight end Dennis Pitta, who recently signed a five-year extension with the club.

It is unclear if the team prefers Dickson or Daniels at this point. Dickson has generally underperformed and has struggled with drops since the Ravens drafted him in 2010, so Daniels would present a significant upgrade from a pure talent standpoint. However, Daniels is five years older and has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, so Baltimore would be taking a gamble with him as well.

A few early mock drafts predicted that North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron would fall to the Ravens in the draft, but now it is generally believed that he will be off the board before the Ravens are on the clock with the No. 17 overall pick.

A few more quick notes from Charm City:

  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the team is “in discussions” with several veteran backup QBs. Wilson does not indicate who those veteran backups might be, but it became clear that the Ravens would look to bring in legitimate competition for current backup Tyrod Taylor when it was revealed that they had spoken to Brandon Weeden before he signed with the Cowboys. The top QBs still available include Matt Flynn, Josh Freeman, and Rex Grossman.
  • In a separate tweet, Zrebiec notes that it is worth keeping an eye on the Texans’ quarterback situation. Houston currently has three quarterbacks on the roster–Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, and T.J. Yates–and is likely to draft a QB in the early rounds of the draft, so it appears as if at least one of Keenum or Yates will become available. Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is of course familiar with both players, and Baltimore seems to have a penchant for acquiring Houston’s cast-offs and successfully integrating them into its roster.
  • The Ravens signed newly-acquired center Jeremy Zuttah to a five-year extension shortly after trading for him, an extension that lessened Zuttah’s 2014 cap hit to $1.7MM. Baltimore now has $6.971MM to work with, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.

Ravens Notes: Jimmy Smith, OL, Daniels, QBs

March 25th, 2014 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

The 16 AFC head coaches met with the media at breakfast this morning in Orlando, and while some didn’t offer up a whole lot of notable tidbits, Ravens coach John Harbaugh made a few interesting comments. Let’s dive right in and round up some highlights, with these items coming from Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, and Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times:

  • The Ravens will pick up the fifth-year option on cornerback Jimmy Smith‘s contract for 2015. However, the team would like to work out a longer-term deal with him.
  • Harbaugh confirmed that Jeremy Zuttah, acquired from the Buccaneers over the weekend, will head into the summer as the Ravens’ starting center. For now, the club also intends to keep Kelechi Osemele at guard.
  • The only current opening on the Ravens’ line is at right tackle, but the team isn’t talking to Eric Winston, who has a history with offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak.
  • The Ravens aren’t necessarily done with free agency, and remain in talks with a few players, according to Harbaugh. Tight end is one position the team is considering, with Ed Dickson and Owen Daniels among Baltimore’s potential targets.
  • Baltimore had interest in quarterback Brandon Weeden earlier this month before he signed with the Cowboys, and Harbaugh believes the Ravens need to add another quarterback to the roster.
  • Harbaugh confirmed that the seventh-round pick the Ravens acquired from the Dolphins in exchange for Bryant McKinnie is for 2015 rather than 2014.
  • Rolando McClain, whose rights are still held by the Ravens, has discussed making a comeback, and Harbaugh suggested he’d be open to welcoming back the linebacker if he’s working hard. However, the head coach hasn’t talked to McClain at all.

FA Rumors: Melton, Walker, Cromartie

March 13th, 2014 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton, who is visiting with the Vikings on Thursday, is the center of a lawsuit from a bar altercation where he is alleged to have bitten the restaurant owner, writes Master Tesfatsion of the Star-Tribune. That could be a sticking point for the Vikings, who dealt with four player arrests in 2013. The latest free agent rumors from around the NFL…

  • Vance Walker is visiting with the Chiefs today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN. The defensive tackle also has a visit lined up with the Packers, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
  • Former Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie is visiting with the Cardinals today, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
  • Quarterback Shaun Hill could still return to the Lions, a source tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. The Buccaneers seemed like a real option for Hill until they inked Josh McCown this week.
  • Akeem Jordan‘s visit with the Titans has been moved up from Monday to Friday, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, adding that the Redskins would like to bring in the linebacker for a visit if he doesn’t sign with Tennessee (Twitter links).
  • Tight end Owen Daniels is set to visit with the Redskins, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).
  • Return specialist Ted Ginn is visiting the Cardinals, tweets P. Schrager of FOXSports.com.

AFC Rumors: Raiders, Chargers, Haden, Edelman

March 11th, 2014 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

It appears the Raiders, the team with the most cap room in the NFL, will let both of their marquee free agents walk, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio hears from a source that Oakland believes Jared Veldheer is better suited to right tackle than left tackle, and that the team can’t justify paying $7MM annually to a defensive end (Lamarr Houston) who is more a run-stopper than a pass-rusher.

With free agency looming at the top of the hour, here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Raiders defensive tackle Vance Walker will test the market at 3:00pm CT, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Oakland made Walker an offer, and he likes playing for the Raiders, but he wants to take advantage of the rare opportunity to be an unrestricted free agent, says Tafur.
  • The Chargers are “very much in the mix” for free agent defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
  • The Colts remain in talks to bring Ahmad Bradshaw back, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. The former Giants running back was an impact player last year before his injury.
  • The Browns‘ talks with Joe Haden on a long-term deal are ongoing, tweets Breer, adding that it would be interesting to see how a deal for Darrelle Revis would affect those talks.
  • Sources tell Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star that the Chiefs have interest in wide receivers Jason Avant and Devin Hester.
  • Assuming the Patriots can’t re-sign Julian Edelman, Andrew Hawkins is a target to keep in mind for the team, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Hawkins received an RFA tender from the Bengals, so Cincinnati would have a chance to match any offer for the receiver.
  • Speaking of Edelman, the Ravens have interest in him, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson also hears from a source that the Ravens will evaluate tight end Owen Daniels, who was released by the Texans (Twitter link).
  • After voiding his deal and becoming a free agent yesterday, defensive lineman Jason Babin told SiriusXM NFL Radio today that he’d like to return to the Jaguars if it’s possible. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union has the details and quotes.
  • Bills GM Doug Whaley told WGR 550 that “offers are on the table” for tight end Scott Chandler and kicker Dan Carpenter, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Texans Release Owen Daniels

March 11th, 2014 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Texans have released one of their longest-tenured players, parting ways with tight end Owen Daniels, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (via Twitter). Daniels is coming off a fractured tibial plateau that sidelined him for most of the 2013 season.

Daniels, 31, has spent his entire career with the Texans since being drafted by the team in 2006. During his eight years in Houston, he has hauled in 385 passes for 4,617 total yards, and 29 touchdowns. However, his cap number for 2014, the last year of his contract, was an untenable $6.25MM. By releasing him, the Texans will create $4.5MM in cap savings.

Daniels suggested yesterday that he’s fully healthy after last year’s injury, and if that’s the case, he should draw interest from teams this week, particularly considering the lack of elite tight ends available. Given Daniels’ history with new Baltimore offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, the Ravens could be one potential suitor — the club just locked up Dennis Pitta to a long-term deal, but will likely lose Ed Dickson in free agency.

Texans Rumors: Daniels, Joseph, Graham

March 10th, 2014 at 1:51pm CST by Zachary Links

A quick look at the latest out of Houston..

  • Owen Daniels wants to remain with the Texans and is willing to restructure his contract if neccesary, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. Daniels is entering the final year of his deal with Houston.
  • Teammate Johnathan Joseph, who has a cap number of $11.25MM in 2014, is also open to restructuring his deal with the Texans, tweets James Palmer of CSNHouston.com. However, the club hasn’t approached him to rework his contract just yet, Tania Ganguli of ESPN tweets.
  • Garrett Graham said the Texans told him they want him here but that the process has been slow, Ganguli tweets. Meanwhile, several teams have shown interest in the 27-year-old tight end.