Reggie Nelson - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Free Agent Rumors: Giants, Vernon, Nelson

March 10th, 2016 at 9:25am CST by Zachary Links

Peter King of The MMQB offered up a behind-the-scenes look at Olivier Vernon‘s record-breaking contract with the Giants. Agent David Canter tells King that, in addition to dollars, the defensive end was insistent on signing for five years rather than six. Both the Giants and Jets wanted to give Vernon a five-year deal, but the Jaguars were looking to sign Vernon for six. Canter and Vernon only wanted a five-year deal, however, so that he could cash in one more time at the age of 30.

Here are the latest free agent rumors:

Washington has some interest in free safety Reggie Nelson, Mike Jones of The Washington Post tweets. The tenth-year veteran had 77 tackles and a league-leading 8 interceptions last year for Cincinnati. Nelson placed No. 41 on our Top 50 NFL Free Agents List. While he had a strong 2015, his earning power is somewhat limited as he enters his age-33 season.
The Eagles and cornerback Nolan Carroll haven’t been able to get on the same page and as of right now, it seems like he could be headed elsewhere, Tim McManus of The Fanatic (on Twitter). The rival Cowboys, he adds, are a team to watch.
At least six teams had interest in new Eagles quarterback Chase Daniel before he signed, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Now with Philly, Daniel is reunited with Doug Pederson, who was his offensive coordinator in Kansas City
The Giants have had discussions with former Washington linebacker Keenan Robinson and numbers have been exchanged, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. However, there’s no deal there yet.
Jermon Bushrod isn’t scheduled to visit the Vikings right now, but the team is monitoring his recovery from surgery, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com tweets.

Latest On Mohamed Sanu

March 9th, 2016 at 1:05pm CST by Zachary Links

There are many teams in on Bengals free agent wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). That list of suitors includes the Giants, Patriots, Falcons, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Washington.

The Bengals lost Marvin Jones to the Lions on Wednesday morning and it sounds like they could conceivably lose their other top wide receiver to free agency. Jones netted an average annual value of $8MM and it has been speculated that Sanu could command $5MM/year, particularly because of the lack of talent at the position in this year’s crop. In 2014, Sanu hauled in 56 catches for 790 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, however, he saw a dip in production with just 33 catches for 394 yards and no touchdowns.

Sanu earned honorable mention on PFR’s Top 50 List of NFL Free Agents. At the wide receiver position, Sanu was ranked as the No. 7 wide receiver available, behind Jones, Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Anquan Boldin, and Jermaine Kearse.

In other Bengals news, Reggie Nelson will get interest from the Vikings and Buccaneers when free agency opens, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. Cincinnati, as it turns out, does not want the safety back at this point. The Bengals floated a two-year offer to Nelson earlier this week and the safety did not accept, sources tell Jim Owczarski of the Enquirer tweets.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: Nelson, Falcons, Giants, Conte

March 7th, 2016 at 5:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest free agent rumors as Wednesday draws closer:

The Falcons have expressed interest in Bengals safety Reggie Nelson, according to a source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Nelson hauled in a league-leading eight interceptions last season.
The Giants have expressed interest in Vikings free agent guard Mike Harris, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). Harris is currently mulling a two-year, $3.5MM offer from Minnesota.
Buccaneers safety Chris Conte is drawing interest from multiple teams, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Bucs want him back, but he’ll explore the market before making a commitment.
The Texans are holding discussions with cornerback A.J. Bouye about a potential new contract, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. The Texans can retain Bouye with a low tender of $1.671MM, but it sounds like they might work out a one-year deal at a lower rate instead. The 24-year-old entered the league in 2013 as a UDFA out of UCF.
Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) believes that free agent tight end Rob Housler will ultimately wind up back with the Bears.

FA Rumors: Whitehead, Clayborn, Vikings, Jags

March 7th, 2016 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

With Kiko Alonso set to head to Miami once the trade between the Dolphins and Eagles becomes official, Philadelphia will be in the market for a new linebacker. And Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com hears that the Eagles are targeting a player with whom new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is familiar.

According to Shorr-Parks, the Eagles have expressed interest in Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead, who can become a free agent this week. Whitehead ranked as our top non-rush outside linebacker when we examined 2016’s top defensive free agents over the weekend, and he’d represent an upgrade over Alonso. However, he’ll also be more expensive, so we’ll see if Howie Roseman and the Eagles can make it work.

Here’s more updates on free agents around the NFL:

Free agent defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn, who has experience playing inside and outside, is drawing interest from a few teams, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Rapoport identifies the Giants, Jaguars, Cowboys, and Dolphins as some of the clubs “lurking” on Clayborn.
Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press passes along a couple updates on the Vikings‘ free agent prospects, reporting (via Twitter) that the team has inquired on safety Reggie Nelson, who previously played for Mike Zimmer in Cincinnati. Tomasson adds (via Twitter) that he’s hearing offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele may be too expensive for Minnesota.
Could defensive lineman Malik Jackson be a top target for the Jaguars this week? Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains why it could be a good match, noting that Jacksonville is believed to have several targets for the first wave of free agency.
Free agent wide receiver James Jones tells Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link) that he wants to keep playing for “at least three more years”
Buccaneers safety Keith Tandy, an unrestricted free agent, has been in talks to return to Tampa Bay, and there’s a good chance he re-signs with the team within the next few days, says Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).

Extra Points: Manning, Vikings, Suggs, Jets

March 5th, 2016 at 9:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Peyton Manning‘s 2016 base salary of $19MM becomes fully guaranteed on March 9, and according to his agent, Manning knows that he needs to make a retirement decision before that date or risk being released by the Broncos. “There’s a time when the contract becomes guaranteed, so they’ll just have to make a move before then,” said Tom Condon on The Mighty 1090 in San Diego (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “He’s completely aware of the guarantee obligation from the club on a date certain, and he knows that there has to be some accommodation prior to that.”

Here’s a quick look at some news and notes from around the NFL:

The Vikings are expected to target several Bengals free agents, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, in large part due to head coach Mike Zimmer‘s familiarity with Cincinnati players — Zimmer was the Bengals’ defensive coordinator from 2008-13. According to Tomasson, Minnesota will look hard at safeties George Iloka and Reggie Nelson even after agreeing to re-sign Andrew Sendejo earlier today.
Ravens edge rusher Terrell Suggs was arrested in Arizona on Friday morning and charged with driving on a suspended license and leaving the scene of an accident, reports Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun. Both are seemingly minor offenses, but Zriebec notes that both can be tied to jail time in Arizona (though apparently the more common penalty is a fine). In a separate piece, Florio writes that the leaving the scene charge makes the situation appear more “ominous,” and he wonders if the league might look to impose discipline.
Pending further roster cuts, the Jets will enter the free agent period will less than $7MM to work with, leading Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News to observe that the club won’t be able to target high-priced free agents like it did in 2015. Affordable players like Ladarius Green or Alfred Morris might be more the Jets’ speed this year, opines Mehta.
This year’s receiver draft class is not expected to be special, leading Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link) to believe that clubs needing pass-catchers could overspend — and potentially, make mistakes — in free agency.
The Chiefs made a number of changes to their offensive staff following the departure of play-caller Doug Pederson, and head coach Andy Reid told reporters, including Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link), tonight that assistant quarterbacks coach Corey Matthaei will be helping out in coaching the team’s offensive line this season.

Falcons Rumors: Trevathan, WRs, Schaub

February 29th, 2016 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

Although teams are ostensibly at the scouting combine to evaluate prospects for the draft, and aren’t supposed to engage in any talks with agents regarding outside free agents, plenty of free agent chatter typically takes place in Indianapolis. After spending some time at the combine, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com passes along several tidbits related to the Falcons, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…

Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan is “high on the Falcons’ radar,” writes McClure. Richard Smith, who formerly served as the linebackers coach in Denver, is now the Falcons’ defensive coordinator, and Atlanta has a hole at inside linebacker. McClure hears that the Falcons are willing to pay in the ballpark of $5-6MM per year for a free agent linebacker, which may not be quite enough to land Trevathan.
Atlanta is expected to target Mohamed Sanu as the team searches for help at wide receiver to complement Julio Jones. However, McClure notes that the Falcons would like a No. 2 wideout capable of returning kicks, which might make Travis Benjamin a more logical fit.
There’s a “strong possibility” that Matt Schaub could return to Atlanta, according to McClure, who points out that the Falcons were interested in signing Schaub as Matt Ryan‘s backup last year.
Bengals safety Reggie Nelson is on the Falcons’ list of secondary targets, though not necessarily at the very top of the club’s list of potential safeties.
The Falcons’ level of interest in Seahawks outside linebacker Bruce Irvin is still unclear, per McClure.

La Canfora’s Latest: Hali, Bengals, Rams, Colts

February 26th, 2016 at 9:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After renegotiating his contract last May, and adding four void years to the end of his deal, Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali is set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 9, and he although the expectation is that he’ll return to Kansas City for an 11th season, he would walk into a strong market were he to reach free agency, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. In a league devoid of pass rush talent, Hali, who posted 6.5 sacks last year at the age of 32, could land a surprisingly large contract, per La Canfora.

Let’s dive into the latest from the CBS Sports scribe:

The Bengals consider receiver Marvin Jones, cornerback Adam Jones, and safety Reggie Nelson their three most important free agents, sources tell La Canfora. For his part, Jones is expected to test free agency, while Nelson has expressed a strong desire to return to Cincinnati.
A report earlier today indicated that the Rams plan to place the franchise or transition tag on either Janoris Jenkins or Trumaine Johnson, and La Canfora reports that the odds of Los Angeles completing a long-term deal with either corner before the March 1 tag deadline is “bleak.” Therefore, it’s possible the Rams are forced to simply use the tag on one player, and let the either leave via free agency.
Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford might not have many suitors on the open market, per La Canfora, so Philadelphia could be smart to let him gauge his value in free agency rather than striking a deal now or using the franchise tag. La Canfora does point to Chip Kelly and the 49ers as one possible landing spot for Bradford (if San Francisco trades Colin Kaepernick).
La Canfora believes Dwayne Allen is the more likely tight end to remain with the Colts, arguing that he’s a more complete player than Coby Fleener. Whichever tight end does leave Indianapolis, adds La Canfora, could be candidate to fill the void left by Heath Miller on the Steelers‘ roster.
In a separate piece, La Canfora examines whether the “franchise tag-and-trade” concept — which the Dolphins are reportedly mulling using with defensive end Olivier Vernon — could become a leaguewide trend.

North Notes: Lions, Greenway, Bengals

February 25th, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Lions general manager Bob Quinn said at the combine this week that one of his main objectives this offseason will be to improve the team’s roster depth, though he’s somewhat wary of relying on the free agent market to fill those holes, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press details.

“The thing about free agency is you don’t really know who’s going to be available,” Quinn said. “I have a list of players like everyone else does, but these guys are getting signed every hour right now. There’s a couple guys I saw on NFL Network half an hour ago that just redid their contracts. So we’re prepared for all scenarios. We have the guys that we want to target at each level, different positions, across the board.”

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s North divisions:

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer expects Chad Greenway to return to the club in 2016, telling Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune (Twitter link) that the club thinks the veteran linebacker can still play. Greenway, a free agent, has said he’d like to re-sign with Minnesota for one more season before retiring.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin told reporters – including Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (Twitter link) – that he’s hoping to retain free agent safeties Reggie Nelson and George Iloka this spring. The team is being “proactive” when it comes to trying to keep those safeties – and free agent wide receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu – off the open market, according to Tobin, who added that the Bengals will “spend resources” to keep their guys (Twitter link).
Tobin also said on Thursday that the Bengals love Adam Jones‘ passion and will try to re-sign the cornerback before he becomes an unrestricted free agent (Twitter link via Hobson).
Earlier today, we rounded up a few Browns rumors, passed along the latest on the Packers, and learned that running back Trent Richardson is expected to sign with the Ravens.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Free Agent Rumors: Matthews, Bradford, Nelson

February 23rd, 2016 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Last Friday, we heard that the Dolphins had reached out to free agent wide receiver Rishard Matthews about a possible new deal. The news was somewhat surprising, since Matthews had long been considered a lock to leave Miami in search of a team that would give him an opportunity for more playing time.

According to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link), it looks like that’s still the case. Getlin reports that Matthews is “very likely” to reach the open market, adding that the market for the wideout “will be hot.” Matthews set new career highs in 2015 with 43 receptions, 662 yards, and four touchdowns, and while those numbers are relatively modest, they were compiled in just 11 games. Considering how weak this year’s free agent class of receivers is, there may very well be teams that view Matthews as a viable No. 2 option, and Miami almost certainly can’t afford to pay him like a No. 2.

Here are a few more updates on current free agent or free-agent-to-be from around the NFL:

Some rival teams are doubtful that Sam Bradford will become an unrestricted free agent on March 9th, believing that he may re-sign with the Eagles before then, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Cole adds that if Bradford does hit the open market, he might not receive the kind of lucrative long-term offers he’d expect, making a one-year, prove-it deal a possibility. I’m somewhat skeptical about that — I think Bradford’s second-half performance would ensure that at least one or two teams are willing to invest heavily in him.
The Cardinals are not interested in bringing Antonio Cromartie back to Arizona, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Cromartie spent a season with the team in 2014, earning a Pro Bowl spot, but the Cards were willing to let him walk in free agency, and don’t appear eager to pursue him now that he’s back on the market.
Safety Reggie Nelson saw his 2015 season come to an end when he left the Bengals‘ Wild Card loss with a sprained ankle, and he doesn’t want that to be his last play with the team. “Most definitely not,” Nelson said recently, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “They know that. Everybody knows that. I would love to be a Bengal.” According to Hobson, the Bengals aren’t expected to strike deals with their free agents at this week’s combine, but the club figures to discuss possible parameters for Nelson and others.

Extra Points: Broncos, Fins, Bengals, Cowboys

January 30th, 2016 at 9:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Broncos director of pro personnel Tom Heckert won’t get to watch his club take on the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, as he revealed that he’s been dealing with a “very treatable blood disorder,” writes Mike Klis of 9News. Heckert, formerly the general manager of the Browns, has been on medical leave since the start of the second half of the regular season. PFR joins the NFL community in wishing Heckert all the best in his recovery.

Now let’s take a quick spin around the league:

Concussions increased league-wide in 2015, the NFL announced in its annual injury report. Reported concussions rose from 115 in 2014 to 182 this past year, and the league will study why that was the case, according to Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press.
New Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph praised Bengals defensive backs Reggie Nelson and Adam Jones during his introductory press conference, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald expects Miami to target both in free agency. Joseph is tasked with turning around a Dolphins defense that ranked in the bottom 10 of DVOA, and improving the secondary is a logical first step. Aside from safety Reshad Jones, Miami doesn’t have very many immovable objects in its defensive backfield.
Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence recently underwent back surgery, but he should be able to return “when it matters,” a source tells Todd Archer of ESPN.com. As Archer notes, Dallas head coach Jason Garrett was hesitant to put a timetable on Lawrence’s recovery when speaking at the Senior Bowl. Lawrence took a big leap forward in his second NFl season, starting 13 games and posting eight sacks in the process.