HEADLINES

Rolando McClain

AFC Notes: Titans, Wimbley, McClain

April 4th, 2014 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt had high praise for quarterbacks Jake Locker and Charlie Whitehurst, but suggested that their presence wouldn’t stop the team from considering signal-callers in this year’s draft, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.

“You always have to be prepared because you never know what can happen. If there is an opportunity in this draft where you have a guy you think is really good, then you have to look at it,” Whisenhunt said. “But more importantly you have to look at two or three years down the road. It is about finding out about these guys. And then, if you don’t have them on your team, you know about them. And if something happens down the road you’ll have an important piece.”

Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Zach Mettenberger are among the young QBs who have drawn some interest from Tennessee leading up to the draft. Here’s more on the Titans and a few other AFC clubs:

  • The Titans have asked defensive end Kamerion Wimbley to take a pay cut, reports Wyatt (via Twitter). The Tennessean scribe has suggested for much of the offseason that Wimbley would be a fit for the team’s new defense, but not at his current $6MM base salary (and $7.8MM cap number). If the veteran isn’t interested in accepting a pay cut, the team may release him, tweets Wyatt.
  • Two AFC East teams, the Bills and Jets, will host LSU receiver Odell Beckham for pre-draft visits next week, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
  • Speaking to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times, former Ravens linebacker Rolando McClain says he’s preparing as if he’s going to return to the NFL in 2014.

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.

Extra Points: Graham, McClain, Ryan, Jags

March 24th, 2014 at 10:52pm CST by Matt Feminis

The Saints and Jimmy Graham are expected to reach an agreement on a long-term deal before April 22, reports Pro Football Talk, citing a league source. That date represents the deadline by which Graham must file a grievance over the league designating him a tight end for franchise tag purposes (Graham sought to be tagged as a receiver, which would have netted him a tender worth approximately $5MM more than the $7MM tight end tender).

Rounding up a few more miscellaneous links from around the league:

  • Retired linebacker Rolando McClain, whose rights are held by the Ravens, intends to return to the field in 2014, and owner Steve Biscotti is open to it, according to the Carroll County Times’ Matt Zenitz. Drafted eighth overall by the Raiders in 2010, McClain’s trails and tribulations, including three arrests over a 17-month period, have been well-documented. Recently, however, he has returned to school at Alabama, gotten his personal life in order and stayed in good enough shape to consider a comeback. Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, an Alabama alumnus, has received “glowing reports” from Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and been in contact with McClain’s agent.
  • It’s no secret Jets head coach Rex Ryan has not been pleased with the team’s inability to land a marquee cornerback, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted DeMarcus Ware was the big fish Ryan really wanted to reel in.
  • Entering free agency, Redskins GM Bruce Allen sought to “address team chemistry as much as the talent,” writes ESPN.com’s Steve Keim.
  • Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell believes the depth of this year’s draft class will enable the team to land three or four starters, says John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter). One of those starters could be a quarterback, as the team will meet privately with Texas A&M Johnny Manziel, as they did with Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater and Central Florida’s Blake Bortles, tweets Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union.
  • The seven-round draft order, updated with compensatory picks, can be found here, courtesy of ESPN.

FA Rumors: Saffold, Houston, Foote, Finnegan

March 10th, 2014 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

We dedicated an early-morning post to passing along a few miscellaneous free agent updates, but the rumor mill been busy enough that it’s time to round up a few more. Here’s the latest:

  • Jared Allen, Jared Veldheer, Rodger Saffold, Arthur Jones, and James Jones are among the free agents expected to change teams this week, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
  • The Raiders are offering Saffold $8MM per year, with the potential to increase that offer, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link via John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game).
  • Middlekauff (Twitter link) also spoke to multiple NFL executives about prospective free agent Lamarr Houston, and none thought the defensive end would be a very good fit for a 3-4 team.
  • After having been released by the Steelers last week, Larry Foote has no plans to retire and would like to sign with a contender, as he tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link).
  • Recently released defensive back Cortland Finnegan will be representing himself in free agency, according to Anderson (TwitLonger link). Typically, free agent players without agents wouldn’t be able to talk to teams until Tuesday, but Finnegan can seek out a new team now since he was cut.
  • One general manager suggests to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link) that NFL teams treat their equipment people better than they treat running backs. While that may be an exaggeration, it signals that this year’s group of free agent running backs probably isn’t drawing much interest yet.
  • Former first-round pick Rolando McClain is telling people that he plans to return to the NFL in 2014, according to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times. However, a source tells Aaron Wilson (Twitter link) that there’s nothing imminent, and that talk of a McClain comeback is probably “premature.”