Robert Griffin III - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Downplay Interest In Colin Kaepernick

March 21st, 2016 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Browns executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown downplayed the team’s interest in 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, suggesting that those trade discussions were “way over-reported,” as Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets.

According to Brown, the team isn’t currently actively engaged in trade talks for Kaepernick, and only had preliminary discussions, which didn’t include specific negotiations on draft pick compensation or a new contract for the quarterback. Brown added that the Browns didn’t instigate those conversations, and Grossi clarifies (via Twitter) that it was Kaepernick’s representatives, rather than the 49ers, who contacted the Browns.

Although it’s possible that Brown’s comments today are a negotiating tactic or an attempt to regain some leverage, it doesn’t seem likely at this point that Cleveland will land the San Francisco signal-caller. The Browns appear more focused on other options, including Robert Griffin III, who visited Cleveland on the weekend — no deal with RGIII is imminent, but the club is doing its homework on the former No. 2 overall pick.

The Browns, Jets, and Broncos were identified earlier this month as the three teams showing interest in Kaepernick, but the Jets’ interest was believed to be tepid, so if the Browns aren’t a serious suitor either, it looks increasingly likely that the 28-year-old will be a Niner or Bronco in 2016. San Francisco is expected to continue to explore the trade market after Kaepernick’s $11.9MM base salary becomes fully guaranteed on April 1, but the team is also prepared to hang onto him if no suitable trade offer materializes.

In addition to downplaying Cleveland’s interest in Kaepernick, Brown also suggested that a Joe Thomas trade is not in his club’s plans, as Grossi tweets. With fellow linemen Mitchell Schwartz and Alex Mack departing in free agency, there was some speculation that Thomas would ask for the Browns to be traded, but if that’s something the team intends to consider, the executive VP of football operations isn’t tipping his hand.

“That’s not our plan at all,” Brown said. “Our plan is not to trade Joe Thomas.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Notes: Bengals, Griffin, Bears

March 20th, 2016 at 9:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Watching most of their UFAs either defect or still reside in free agency, the Bengals allowed their latest longtime starter who fled Cincinnati to do so without an effort to keep him. The Bengals did not pursue Andre Smith, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reports, and the eighth-year right tackle signed with the Vikings.

Smith landed in Minnesota on a one-year, $3.5MM deal, one that could be deemed as a value-reestablishing accord. The Bengals, though, prepared for Smith’s departure a year in advance in drafting tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher in the first two rounds last year. Although, Fisher moved to H-back toward the end of last season.

Longtime secondary cogs Reggie Nelson and Leon Hall remain unsigned, while the Bengals let Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu join higher-bidding teams.

Here’s some more on the Bengals, along with other North-division franchises.

Former Bengals OC Jay Gruden expects Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard to command hefty contracts, per Hobson. “You have to tip your hat to that offensive scheme over there and the way Andy [Dalton] is throwing the ball around,” Gruden said. “That’s what that offense is supposed to be about. It’s supposed to get people touches, just not A.J. [Green]. Marvin and Mo got big contracts. A.J. has already established himself. Eifert will get a big deal. Giovani will get a great deal.” Gruden, who watched former auxiliary wideout Andrew Hawkins attract a solid contract from the Browns a few years ago, doesn’t anticipate a big drop-off from the Bengals’ offense after Sanu and Jones left. “[The Bengals] will be fine,” Gruden said. “Andy will throw it to the open guy and he’ll make someone else a couple of million dollars.”
While noting the Browns‘ meeting with Robert Griffin III went well, Jackson indirectly seemed to intimate a prospective interest in Colin Kaepernick, telling NFL.com’s Steve Wyche (via Marc Sessler) “I can’t comment on players on other teams. But it is where it is and eventually I think all those things will show itself.” Kaepernick should be one of the chief topics of this week’s owners’ meetings, with the Browns, Broncos and Jets having indicated some interest over the past couple of weeks. Jackson went on to call RG3 a “tremendous talent.” Griffin’s now visited the Jets and Browns. The Browns remain interested in Griffin, a source informed Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Cabot notes the prospect of a Griffin-Browns union becoming reality would make the most sense this week, with the Cleveland brass in Boca Raton, Fla., for the meetings.
Kyle Long would play right guard for the Bears with the personnel that’s presently on the roster, John Fox told media (including Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune) from the spring meetings. A two-time Pro Bowl guard who earned an additional Pro Bowl nod upon being moved to right tackle in 2015, Long moving back there would stem from the Bears adding Bobby Massie in free agency. Long’s performance appeared to dip last season, however, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as its 37th-best tackle. The Bears trotted out Charles Leno at left tackle last season.
Fox said the Bears weren’t done in free agency, and Biggs hears from a source the team is looking to add a tight end this week. After keeping Zach Miller and trading Martellus Bennett, the Bears have Rob Housler under contract as well. Biggs points out Jared Cook could be a fit after playing for new OC Dowell Loggains with the Titans. The Bears haven’t allocated much money to the position, with Miller receiving a two-year, $6MM deal.
Fox believes both Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman can function as nickel linebackers for them, and Ryan Grigson concurs, telling media (including John Mullin of CSNChicago.com) Freeman can “do it all” as a three-down linebacker. Trevathan logged 513 snaps against the pass last season compared to Freeman’s 449, although Freeman would have likely matched or surpassed his new linebacking mate’s 2015 figure had he played more than 13 games.

AFC Rumors: Browns, RGIII, Raiders, Jets, Bills

March 20th, 2016 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

After hosting him for a visit earlier this weekend, the Browns are now doing more extensive homework on Robert Griffin III, making calls to find out more about the free agent QB’s game and his character, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While it may just be a matter of a team doing its due diligence, the Browns’ efforts could also signal that Cleveland has a level of genuine interest in Griffin. By comparison, the Jets – who brought RGIII in for a meet-and-greet but remain focused on re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick – don’t appear to have done the same amount of research into the former No. 2 overall pick.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Despite having some interest in him, it appears unlikely that the Raiders will make an offer to Cardinals RFA safety Tony Jefferson, tweets Eddie Borsilli of SiriusXM NFL Radio. A source tells Borsilli that Oakland is more likely to focus on adding safety help in the draft.
The Jets have taken a methodical approach to free agency so far in 2016, but they have the resources to be major players a year from now, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. As Cimini observes, the Jets don’t have many non-rookie contracts on their books that feature guaranteed money in 2017, so the team will have the flexibility to make major moves if opportunities arise.
The Bills and cornerback Stephon Gilmore have yet to make headway on a long-term contract extension, and it doesn’t appear that the team is in a rush to get something done, says Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News. Although the Bills would like to lock up their top cornerback, it sounds like an issue the club may address sometime after the draft, rather than in the immediate future.

Robert Griffin III Visits Browns

March 19th, 2016 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Robert Griffin III has made his second visit since becoming a free agent, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the quarterback met with the Browns today. Garafolo adds that RGIII is flying out of Cleveland without a deal, but it sounds like the visit went well.

The Browns are one of a handful of teams actively seeking out a quarterback upgrade this offseason, with Johnny Manziel no longer in the mix in Cleveland and Josh McCown currently penciled in atop the depth chart. The Browns are viewed as likely to use their first-round draft pick (No. 2 overall) to add a QB like Carson Wentz or Jared Goff to their roster, but acquiring a player with some upside like Griffin wouldn’t be a bad move.

Previously, Griffin visited another team with a hole at quarterback, traveling to New York to meet with the Jets. That visit was subsequently characterized by various reports – and by general manager Mike Maccagnan himself – as more of a meet-and-greet, since the Jets remain focused on re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick. RGIII appears to be no more than a potential contingency plan for Maccagnan and Co. at this point.

Griffin, the 2012 offensive rookie of the year, hasn’t been the same since tearing his ACL in the playoffs that season. Although the former Pro Bowl quarterback completed a career-best 68.1% of his passes in 2014, he threw just four touchdown passes compared to six interceptions and fell out of favor with Jay Gruden. Subsequently, RGIII didn’t take a snap in 2015 as Kirk Cousins captured Washington’s starting job and ultimately received the franchise tag.

Griffin threw for 3,200 yards as a rookie, rushing for another 815, and totaled 27 touchdowns, including 20 through the air. In 2013, however, Griffin’s completion percentage dropped five points and Washington went 3-10 in games that the former Heisman Trophy winner started.

Injuries knocked Griffin out of the starting lineup in 2014 and ’15, the latter coming in the preseason, when Washington opted to shelve Griffin and begin its exit strategy from its one-time franchise quarterback. The team released him earlier this month.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: Fitzpatrick, Steelers, Norwood

March 18th, 2016 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Only five players on our list of this year’s top 50 free agents remain unsigned, and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (No. 19) is the highest-rated player of that group. The Jets and Fitzpatrick have been at an impasse since free agency opened, with Fitzpatrick seeking a sizable raise and New York offering a more modest deal.

Speaking today to reporters, including Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link), Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan said that Fitzpatrick remains a “very good fit” for the team, adding that the goal is to eventually re-sign him. According to Rich Cimini of ESPN (Twitter links), Maccagnan declined to put a time frame on those talks, suggesting there’s no real deadline. The GM also confirmed that the Jets’ visit with Robert Griffin III was “due diligence,” and that the club remains focused on getting something done with Fitzpatrick.

As we wait to see if the two sides can reach an agreement, let’s check in on a few other free agent updates from across the NFL…

The Steelers are hosting free agent linebackers Spencer Paysinger and Mike Morgan for visits today, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Neither player projects as a probable starter, so Pittsburgh is presumably looking to fill out its depth chart after losing Sean Spence to the Titans. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes (via Twitter) that the Dolphins would like to bring back Paysinger, but he wants to see if he can get more than the minimum salary from another club.
Free agent wide receiver Jordan Norwood ended his visit with the Lions today without a deal in place, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. According to Birkett, Norwood – who also met with the Jets – has a visit with another team set up for next week, and has yet to make a decision.
Offensive tackle Andre Smith, who signed with the Vikings, said today that his agent told him he would have a visit with the Cardinals, but that trip never happened (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press).

Latest Rumors: Osweiler, Broncos, A. Smith, Titans

March 13th, 2016 at 7:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Earlier this week, quarterback Brock Osweiler agreed to leave the Broncos for a four-year, $72MM contract with the Texans, but agent Jimmy Sexton never gave Denver a chance to match the offer, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Sexton told Osweiler not to return any calls from any Broncos employees until the agent had reached a deal with either Denver or Houston. Osweiler wanted out of the Mile High City after the Broncos went back to Peyton Manning for their playoff run, a source close to Osweiler’s family told Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). If true, that obviously helped the Texans win the battle for his services.

“They wanted him in Denver, but (general manager) Rick (Smith) hung in there and got the deal consummated,” Texans owner Bob McNair said. “I couldn’t be more excited.”

Smith and head coach Bill O’Brien undoubtedly join McNair in his excitement. After watching tape of pending free agent QBs, both came to an agreement that Osweiler was atop their wish list.

“We came out of the film room agreeing that Brock Osweiler was the quarterback to lead us where we want to go,” Smith said.

However, the Texans didn’t know whether they’d have a chance to land Osweiler, as McNair stated.

“He could have signed (with Denver) and not been available. We really didn’t know, but we were still looking at him and hoping he would be available,” said McNair.

More on the Broncos and a couple other NFL teams:

With Manning and Osweiler gone, the Broncos are “exercising patience” in their search for a signal-caller, tweets The Denver Post’s Troy Renck, who lists Colin Kaepernick, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer, and draft prospects as their targets. They aren’t yet considering Robert Griffin III, per Renck.
Offensive tackle Andre Smith – who visited the Vikings on Sunday – doesn’t have any more meetings currently lined up, but his agent told him this morning there are other teams that could be interested in him (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). Smith spent 2009-15 with the Bengals after they selected him sixth overall and made 73 regular-season starts in 82 appearances. If Smith signs with the Vikings, he’d be the third starting-caliber O-lineman to do so this offseason, joining guards Alex Boone and Mike Harris.
Linebacker Terence Garvin will visit the Titans on Monday, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). Garvin has been with the Steelers since they signed him as an undrafted free agent from West Virginia in 2012. The 25-year-old has appeared in 43 regular-season games (one start) and amassed 21 special teams tackles. Garvin met with Washington earlier this week.

Sunday Roundup: Okung, Lions, RGIII

March 13th, 2016 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some notes from around the league as the second wave of free agency starts to heat up:

After meeting with Russell Okung today, the Steelers are scheduled to meet with free agent tackles Ryan Harris and Chris Hairston later this week, per a tweet from ESPN’s Adam Schefter (we had already heard about the Harris meeting, but the Hairston visit is a new development). Pittsburgh has a void at left tackle that it is seeking to fill, as Kelvin Beachum, who missed most of the 2015 campaign with a torn ACL, looks ready to sign elsewhere.
The Lions have already had a visit with Okung, and while all reports seem to indicate that it was a positive meeting, Detroit remains in a holding pattern with the talented but oft-injured tackle. As Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes, Detroit may have no other choice but to make a big-time offer for Okung, despite the risks, as the offensive line is in serious need of an upgrade and Okung is far and away the best talent still on the market.
Darius Slay and Sam Martin are two members of the Lions‘ terrific 2013 draft class that could sign extensions with the club in the coming months, and as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes, Theo Riddick is also open to an extension that would keep him in Detroit for the foreseeable future. No contract talks have taken place yet, but Riddick, who led all running backs with 80 receptions in 2015, could have a bigger role in the running game in 2016, and he could get a nice payday as a result.
Birkett writes in a separate piece that new Lions GM Bob Quinn has done a nice job of patching holes on his team’s roster while steering clear of overpaying for mediocre talent, a common pitfall for first-time GMs. But Birkett also observes that the Lions are no better right now than they were last year, and Quinn will have to prove that his eye for young talent in the draft matches matches his prudence in free agency.
Former NFL agent Joel Corry does not believe that the Jets have serious interest in Robert Griffin III, and he believes the team’s “pursuit” of RGIII is simply a leverage play staged for Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s benefit. If the team were to sign Griffin, Corry believes it would be a modest, one-year pact worth between $4MM-$5MM (Twitter link).
Free agent safety Rashad Johnson was set to meet with the Titans on Friday, but per ESPN’s Josina Anderson, that visit has been pushed back to tomorrow (Twitter link).
The Raiders appear to be trending upwards, and they have suddenly transformed from a last resort to a desired destination, as Jerry McDonald of InsideBayArea.com writes. Although the team lost out on Malik Jackson, who ultimately signed with the Jaguars, Oakland landed three major free agents–Kelechi Osemele, Bruce Irvin, and Sean Smith–just one year after being spurned by a number of its top free agent targets. As GM Reggie McKenzie said, “It’s good to see people call us and not always have to beg.” McDonald adds that McKenzie is not done spending–the team still has considerable cap space, after all–and the club’s free agent haul, combined with its talented young core, could propel the Raiders back to the playoffs in 2016.

Robert Griffin III To Visit Jets

March 12th, 2016 at 2:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

SATURDAY, 2:20pm: RG3 is meeting with Jets officials again today, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. The Jets’ focus remains on working out a deal with Fitzpatrick, however, per Breer (on Twitter).

FRIDAY, 1:16pm: Although the Jets have not given up on re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick, they are exploring the quarterback market. Gang Green will do so first by hosting Robert Griffin III on a visit today, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The Jets will be Griffin’s first visit since Washington cut him on Monday. RG3’s meeting with the Jets still resides at the exploratory stage, with a source telling ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson that Fitzpatrick remains the focus (Twitter link).

Fitzpatrick and the Jets remain far apart in negotiations to bring back the UFA quarterback. The team is believed to be offering something only a little better than what Chase Daniel got from the Eagles. Daniel and the Eagles agreed to a three-year deal with a base value of $21MM (max value of $36MM) this week.

Griffin won’t cost that much after the swoon his career has taken. Washington picked up the 26-year-old passer’s fifth-year option last year but cut Griffin rather than pay him a $16.155MM salary that would have become guaranteed on Wednesday.

Rumored to be on the Broncos’ radar once they lost Brock Osweiler, Griffin will visit the Jets as the first step toward potentially reviving his career.

The 2012 offensive rookie of the year hasn’t been the same since tearing his ACL in the playoffs that season. Although the former Pro Bowl quarterback completed a career-best 68.1% of his passes in 2014, RG3 threw just four touchdown passes compared to six interceptions and fell out of favor with Jay Gruden and did not take a snap in 2015 as Kirk Cousins captured Washington’s starting job and subsequently received the franchise tag.

Griffin accounted for 4,015 yards as a rookie, rushing for 815, and 27 touchdowns — throwing for 20 and just five interceptions. In 2013, however, Griffin’s completion percentage dropped five points and Washington went 3-10 in games that the former Heisman Trophy winner started.

Injuries knocked Griffin out of the starting lineup in 2014 and ’15, the latter coming in the preseason, when Washington opted to shelve Griffin and begin its exit strategy from its one-time franchise quarterback.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Texans Sign Brock Osweiler To Four-Year Deal

March 10th, 2016 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 3:46pm: The Texans have formally announced the Osweiler signing, introducing him today a press conference.

WEDNESDAY, 2:31pm: Osweiler got $37MM guaranteed from Houston on a four-year deal, according to Broncos players that spoke with Renck (on Twitter). In total, it’s a four-year, $72MM contract, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (link).

2:28pm: Teammates are hearing that Osweiler got a four-year deal from the Texans with a serious guarantee in money, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets.

Meanwhile, a 49ers source insists that the team has no interest in trading quarterback Colin Kaepernick despite reported interest from the Broncos, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.

2:22pm: Osweiler’s deal will likely come around the $16MM/yr range, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Denver offered $13MM originally were willing to move a bit higher, but it sounds like the Texans edged them out by a considerable amount.

Photo courtesy of @ProFootballRumors on Instagram

2:09pm: It appears neither of the two quarterbacks that helped the Broncos reach and win the Super Bowl this past season will be returning to Denver for the 2016 campaign. According to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link), Brock Osweiler had reached an agreement in principle with the Texans. The news comes on the heels of Peyton Manning‘s retirement announcement.

The Texans finished 24th in offensive DVOA last season, and while it’s hard to place all the blame for that ranking on the shoulders of Brian Hoyer, there’s no question that the Texans could benefit from the addition of Osweiler. For a long time, the belief has been that the Texans are a “quarterback away” from becoming a legitimate threat. Now, we’ll find out if that’s really the case. Despite the struggles in their passing game, it should be noted that the Houston’s passing attack actually rated better in DVOA than its running game did. Signing Osweiler goes a long way towards fixing the problem, but it’s not the only issue that needs to be addressed.

Earlier this month, the Broncos reportedly offered Osweiler a three-year deal worth roughly $39MM. The Texans, ostensibly, have topped that offer. The Texans have long been expected to make a “competitive” offer to Osweiler. Per reports, $15-16MM was the figure Osweiler was targeting and it will be interesting to see where his contract falls.

With Osweiler off to Houston, Robert Griffin III is on the Broncos’ list of replacement quarterbacks, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). RG3 could be visiting Denver this week, he adds.

With Osweiler now in the fold, the Texans will likely release one-time starter Brian Hoyer, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Hoyer, 30, was set to enter the second year of a two-year deal, and while he has a base salary of $4MM, none of it is guaranteed. Given that his gameday roster bonuses would also be cleared out, Hoyer’s release would save Houston nearly $5MM in cap space. Hoyer wasn’t awful last season, as he completed about 61% of his passes for 17 touchdowns against just nine interceptions. Still, Hoyer did finish 20th in Football Outsiders’ DYAR metric.

It’s hard to judge Osweiler’s value as a whole, given that he’s started only seven games during his four-year career, but the demand of the open market is what dictates the price. Of course, there are not a whole lot of capable quarterbacks available in free agency and the trade market never offers rock solid signal callers either. In Osweiler, the Texans have added a promising young quarterback who showed glimpses of promise in his time on the field in 2015.

Osweiler, predictably, was rated as PFR’s No. 1 free agent quarterback for the 2016 offseason. Overall, we slated Osweiler as the third-best free agent available, behind defensive linemen Olivier Vernon and Malik Jackson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

QB Rumors: RG3, Kaepernick, Jets, Hoyer

March 10th, 2016 at 11:52am CST by Zachary Links

If Colin Kaepernick leaves for the Broncos, Browns, or Jets, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) expects 49ers head coach Chip Kelly to have serious interest in Robert Griffin III. RG3 has already been connected to the Broncos, but it sounds like this week’s game of quarterback musical chairs could put the Baylor product in San Francisco instead.

Here are the latest QB rumors:

If the cannot re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) expects the Jets to inquire about Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer. As Rapoport notes, the Jets already traded for one Texans QB in Fitzpatrick last year. Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter) notes that the Jets talked to Hoyer last year, but they preferred Fitzpatrick to him.
Hoyer is expected to exit the Texans‘ roster “sooner than later,” a source tells Mike Florio of PFT.
The Jets have yet to “put their cards on the table” with regards to their talks for Kaepernick, a source tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Before making a move for Kaepernick, the Jets could be waiting to see if they can first get a new deal done with Fitzpatrick.
Quarterback Scott Tolzien will visit with the Colts today, Tom Silverstein of the Journal-Sentinel tweets. The Bears are also showing interest in the Packers free agent.