- Texans No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney’s status for the beginning of training camp is still up the air, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. Clowney, who is recovering from June sports hernia surgery, remains day-to-day with no timetable established for his return.
- The Ravens placed backup nose tackle Terrence Cody on the physically unable to perform list for the beginning of training camp, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Cody, who is recovering from hip surgery, can be be activated whenever he’s healthy enough to resume practicing.
- In minor transaction news, the Bills signed receiver Tori Gurley and cornerback Kamaal McIlwain to fill empty roster spots, according to BuffaloBills.com insider Chris Brown.
- Bills left tackle Cordy Glenn is on the Active/Non-Football Illness list, but GM Doug Whaley doesn’t think Glenn will be lost long-term, according to WGR 550’s Joe Buscaglia. Said Whaley: “We don’t think so at this time. It’s just gonna have to see on how he progresses. We hope not. We’re still waiting on some reports on him, but it looks like it’s gonna be one of those day-to-day things and we’ll see how it progresses.”
- In the meantime, highly publicized rookie Seantrel Henderson will man left tackle in Glenn’s stead.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union takes an in-depth look at the Jaguars’ new-look offensive line, including quotes from offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch praising the athleticism of Luke Joeckel and the leadership of Zane Beadles. “He’s certainly as advertised and then some,” Fisch says of Beadles.
- Falcons fourth-round outside linebacker Prince Shembo has a realistic chance of earning starts, writes Orlando Ledbetter in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ledbetter says the team will “force-feed” information to Shembo, whom head coach Mike Smith is “very excited” about. “He’s picked up the system very well,” said Smith. “He doesn’t have any experience, but we will get him a lot, I can assure you that in the preseason.”
- James Harrison, Jermichael Finley and Santonio Holmes headline AP writer Dennis Waszak Jr.’s list of 13 notable, veteran free agents still looking for work with training camps getting underway.
- The Patriots issued a press release saying Bill Belichick and Aaron Hernandez exchanged 34 total text messages, not 33 pages worth. According to Boston Globe correspondent Dan Adams, filings released Monday did not reveal the contents of the text messages or what Patriots employees shared with authorities, but did reveal that Belichick, Robert Kraft were interviewed by investigators, who also searched the locker of a player.
- The NFL is moving swiftly to address the issue of underqualified underclassmen flooding the draft, reports NFL.com’s Albert Breer. In an effort to deter potentially undraftable players from declaring, the league’s advisory committee will streamline (simplify) its evaluation grades to include first round, second round or neither. Additionally, colleges will be restricted to five evaluation requests unless an abundance of talent dictates the need for more (e.g. Alabama, LSU, Florida State, etc.). Writes Beer: “At the heart of the changes are staggering statistics stemming from the 2014 draft class — of the record 107 who declared, 45 went undrafted. A majority of those 45 remain unsigned by NFL teams as undrafted free agents.”
Veteran wide receiver Santonio Holmes is perhaps the biggest name left on the free agent market at the moment. Holmes was released by the Jets in March, but it is unclear if any team has made contact with him since then. In May, we learned that Holmes has interest in returning to his first club, the Steelers, but it does not appear as though the interest is mutual at this point.
Holmes, who established himself as an electrifying playmaker and Super Bowl hero with Pittsburgh, saw very little success after signing a lucrative free agent deal with the Jets. During his four seasons in New York, Holmes totaled a meager 2,128 total yards. Of course, not all of that was entirely his fault. The Jets’ quarterback play has been shaky at best in recent years, and Holmes suffered through injury as well, appearing in just 15 games over the past two seasons.
Nonetheless, Holmes’ attitude has also negatively impacted his value as he searches for a new team and a fresh start. As one unnamed front office executive said last month, “We’d have to look more closely at what happened in New York with him in the locker room.” And Holmes’ trainer, Tom Shaw, recently said that Holmes would find a team this season–if he can find one that doesn’t think he would be a distraction.
There is no doubt that Holmes still offers some intriguing upside. Even though injuries and age–he turned 30 in March–have combined to take away some of his explosiveness, he could still be effectively utilized as a playmaking threat out of the slot, and getting a fresh start after his disastrous stint in the Meadowlands can only help. Improved maturity, which Shaw believes Holmes has demonstrated, would also go a long way.
He will probably have to wait until someone suffers a training camp injury to demonstrate that he has, in fact, matured, and that he still has some of the ability that once made him a favorite target of Ben Roethlisberger. Anticipating Holmes’ release in February, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested the Cardinals, Rams, and Steelers as potential destinations for Holmes, but that was based more upon speculation than anything else. Assuming an injury does indeed claim a wideout in training camp, Holmes will begin to look a lot more appealing to the afflicted club. At that point, he will look like a low-cost, high-upside risk that might just pay off in a big way in 2014.
In his latest Read Option piece for Bleacher Report, Dan Pompei spoke to three front office executives from around the league about the best remaining free agents on the market. Let’s dive right in and check out what Pompei and the trio of execs had to say about the top available players….
- One exec wonders if Brandon Flowers might be declining after a poor 2013, while another likens him to Alterraun Verner, who received a $26MM deal ($14MM guaranteed) from the Bucs earlier this offseason.
- All three of Pompei’s sources agree that Richie Incognito is easily the best interior lineman available, but no teams want to deal with him after last year’s bullying scandal.
- Although Santonio Holmes is the most intriguing unsigned wide receiver, there are concerns about his durability, his asking price, and potentially his off-field presence. “We’d have to look more closely at what happened in New York with him in the locker room,” said one front office man.
- Jason Babin and Ryan Pickett are both entering their mid-30s, meaning teams will proceed with caution. There’s also some concern that both players have become increasingly one-dimensional – Babin as a pass-rusher and Pickett as a space-eater – but the execs think both players will sign somewhere.
- One exec on Josh Freeman: “He is probably better as a starter, but he isn’t going to get a starting job now. And if he knows he’s a backup, he might not prepare like he’s a starter.”
- Michael Bush may be hard-pressed to find a role, since the devaluation of running backs means clubs are more inclined to pick up a rookie who can play special teams rather than a veteran like Bush.
- Offensive linemen Eric Winston, Kyle Cook, and Tyson Clabo also earned mentions to round out the list of 10 players.
We haven’t heard much about Santonio Holmes since he was released by the Jets in March. That doesn’t mean those around him aren’t confident. His camp believes the veteran will be signed by a “receiver-needy” team during training camp, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post.
“He’ll definitely be on a team,” said Holmes’ personal trainer Tom Shaw. “Just like James Harrison will be on a team. As long as teams don’t think he’ll be a distraction, he’s going to get picked up.
“I think that’s the big thing. Teams are interested in him. They want to see him work out to check his injury. He hasn’t had any problems with his injury, which is a good thing.”
Teams are certainly wary of the injuries that have limited the 30-year-old to only 15 games the past two seasons. They’re also concerned about his reputation as a poor locker room presence, but Shaw doesn’t think that will a problem.
“I think Santonio Holmes has grown up,” Shaw said. “He’s grown up more than I’ve seen any player I’ve worked with over the years. That’s a big plus…I really think he’ll be a model citizen on any team he goes to.”
According to Costello, Holmes has been working out in Florida since the winter.
Let’s see what else is going on with some notable free agents…
- Despite his release from the Lions earlier today, cornerback Chris Houston‘s agent believes the player will be back on the field this season, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “We anticipate Chris making a full recovery and playing football again this year,” Jonathan Feinsod, his agent, said.
- We found out yesterday that the Falcons were bringing in linebacker Tim Dobbins for a workout. Today, ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure reported that the team also brought in veteran Nick Barnett. The former All-Pro spent 2013 with the Redskins.
In March, PFR’s Peter Sowards took a look at the best remaining free agents. Each of those players has since found a new home, as have many of their peers. With that said, team’s don’t need to necessarily scrape the bottom of the barrel if they’re still looking to add a veteran presence.
On the offensive side of the ball, Jermichael Finley is certainly the most intriguing player available. The 6-5 tight end caught 55 passes for 767 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011, following by a solid 2012 campaign. He appeared in only six games this past season after suffering a spinal cord injury.
Teams may also be interested in former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes. He has only appeared in 15 games over the past two seasons, but he was certainly a productive wideout prior to that. On the line, two-time Pro Bowler Davin Joseph seemed to have recovered nicely from a 2012 knee injury, appearing in all 16 games this past season.
Linebacker James Anderson led the 2013 Bears in tackles, but has yet to sign with a team. The 30-year-old had compiled more than 100 tackles in three of the last four seasons. Six-time Pro Bowler Kevin Williams is also on the market. The big defensive tackle is certainly slowing down, but he still appeared in 15 games for the Vikings last season. In the secondary, Terrell Thomas could be a good option for teams lacking depth. Thomas returned from ACL tears in 2011 and 2012 and ultimately played 16 games for the Giants.
Who do you think is the best remaining free agent? Did I forget anybody? Let us know in the comments.
As we noted earlier today, significantly more than half of 2014’s draft picks have already signed or at least agreed to terms on contracts with their NFL teams. However, that ratio doesn’t particularly apply to the AFC North — of the division’s 32 draftees, only 13 had reached agreements coming into today, and seven of those were Baltimore picks. In this afternoon’s divisional roundup, we have word of one draftee to add to that list of signed players, along with a couple other notes. Let’s dive in….
- The Bengals have signed fourth-round center Russell Bodine, the team announced today (via Twitter). Cincinnati has been busy this week, having locked up five of the club’s eight draftees within the last three days. Bodine, the 111th overall pick, is in line for a $456K+ signing bonus, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
- Two of the most noteworthy players still available on the free agent market, Santonio Holmes and James Harrison, have interest in returning to the Steelers, Ike Taylor said earlier this week on his TribLive radio show (link via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). Speaking about Harrison specifically, Taylor said, “He still wants to play football, and of course his first option would be Pittsburgh. … He’s probably in the best shape of his life. Right now he looks like the Hulk. He’s been banged up, and he feels he has something to prove.”
- After going undrafted earlier this month, Middle Tennessee State cornerback Sammy Seamster fielded calls from about 20 teams interesting in signing him as a free agent, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. As Wilson writes, Seamster narrowed his options to the Ravens, Dolphins, and Jaguars, and is happy that he ultimately opted to sign with Baltimore.
The contract details on Will Montgomery‘s deal indicate that he won’t necessarily be the starter, but he will have a chance to compete with Manuel Ramirez to be the Broncos‘ primary center, writes Mike Klis of The Denver Post. Klis looks at Denver’s new offensive line options and the different combinations that they might use. Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..
- Receiver Santonio Holmes likely will wait until after the draft to pick his next team, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Holmes spent the last four years with the Jets before being released earlier this offseason.
- Free agent running back Chris Johnson is in New York tonight but he’s not visiting the Jets on this trip, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
- The Patriots are still the frontrunners to sign defensive end Will Smith, who was released by the Saints earlier this offseason, writes Florio. Smith, who is seven months removed from a torn ACL, had 13 sacks in 2009 but hasn’t had more than 6.5 in any given year since then.
- Colts free agent linebacker Pat Angerer said he had interest from several teams earlier this offseason but wants to be 100% healthy before taking free agent workouts, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1.
- Browns tight end Jordan Cameron says he’s excited about playing in new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan‘s offense since, traditionally, he prominently features tight ends, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.
- Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said he’s confident center Alex Mack will return to Cleveland next season despite his recent visit with Jaguars, Ulrich tweets. Meanwhile, owner Jimmy Haslem told reporters, including Ulrich (on Twitter), that he’s optimistic that the team will retain the restricted free agent.
A couple of notes from around the National Football Conference to end your weekend…
- After having visited the Seahawks today, it appears that Jared Allen will also visit the Cowboys, tweets Sean Jensen of Thrive Sports.
- After losing out on Julian Edelman and Emmanuel Sanders, the 49ers‘ list of potential receivers is shrinking, says ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson. The writer throws out James Jones, Santonio Holmes and Sidney Rice as potential options for the team.
- Paying Daryl Washington the first installment of his bonus was a “good risk” by the Cardinals, writes Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Despite the linebacker’s inability to stay out of trouble, his Pro Bowl-like talent and production makes the relatively low monetary risk worth it.
- While the team certainly has depth at receiver after inking Golden Tate, don’t expect the Lions to drop a wideout, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. He identifies Ryan Broyles and Kris Durham as being on the bottom of the depth chart, but believes that both players could still stick around. Rothstein guesses that Broyles could start the season on the PUP list.
- It’ll likely be a while before Corey Wootton signs anywhere, but ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright thinks the Bears should bring back the defensive lineman.
The Jets announced (Twitter link) that they have released wide receiver Santonio Holmes. Holmes was once of the league’s premier offensive threats but he has taken a few steps back in recent years.
Holmes, 29, has played in just 15 games for the Jets over the last two seasons due to foot issues, and even when he’s played, his production has been down. He has compiled 43 catches, 728 yards, and two TDs overall in the last two seasons. In an effort to provide weapons for Geno Smith or the veteran signal-caller the team brings in to compete for the QB job, New York is in the market for receiving help this offseason, and cutting Holmes will create some cap space to pursue free agents. By releasing Holmes before his $1MM roster bonus is due on March 13, the club can reduce his $10.75MM cap hit to just $2.5MM in dead money, creating more than $8MM in cap savings.
Recently, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk identified the Rams, Cardinals, and Steelers as potential suitors as potential suitors for the veteran’s services.
Tom Brady is signed through the 2017 season, and the Patriots will be facing the same series of questions until that contract is up: should we draft his eventual replacement? Is the replacement already on the roster? Should we sign a veteran backup? Within the framework of those questions, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald examines the status of current backup Ryan Mallett, who will be a free agent after the 2014 season.
There have been rumors that the Texans may be interested in Mallett, given his familiarity with the offense that Houston’s new head coach Bill O’Brien plans to install, and the Vikings might also have some interest. But despite Mallett’s potential and the fact that he has been mentored by Brady and Bill Belichick, his impending free agency might reduce the the return the Patriots could expect in a trade.
Further complicating the situation is the fact that, if New England were to take a QB in this year’s draft, that player’s rookie deal would expire at the same time as Brady’s. But with Mallett unlikely willing to wait until Brady plays out his contract before finally getting a shot, the Patriots probably have no choice but to trade him now or let him walk after this season. As such, the Pats will keep their eyes peeled for the next young quarterback to impress them the way Mallett did in 2011.
Some more notes from the AFC East:
- The Bills have nearly $25MM in cap space, and Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News examines how the team might utilize that flexibility. Most notably, Gaughan writes that Buffalo has enough space to retain Jairus Byrd, whether they bring him back on a long-term deal or put the franchise tag on him. GM Doug Whaley said the team will “go after” all of its own free agents, and Gaughan observes that the most significant of those free agents beyond Byrd are Scott Chandler and Dan Carpenter. The team could create even more cap space–about $3.1MM– with the expected release of backup quarterback Kevin Kolb. Right tackle Erik Pears is also in danger of being cut, and his release would save about $2.9MM.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com expects the Jets to re-sign tackle Austin Howard before free agency opens on March 11. He also notes that, with all their cap space–which will increase following the expected release of Santonio Holmes–the Jets will also attack the free agent market for quarterbacks and wide receivers. Cimini expects the team to pursue quarterbacks Michael Vick and Josh McCown and wideouts Golden Tate, Emmanuel Sanders, and Hakeem Nicks.
- James Walker of ESPN.com says it is “difficult to believe” that the Dolphins are seeking to trade Dion Jordan, Cameron Wake, and Mike Wallace, particularly since the team is in “win now” mode. We heard several days ago that Miami was shopping those players, rumors that the team quickly denied. Walker thinks the most “tradeable” of that group is Jordan, who had a difficult time finding a good fit on the Dolphins defense last year. However, Walker adds that Miami is not likely to give up on such a special talent after just one season.