HEADLINES

Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes Cut Expected Soon

February 27th, 2014 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Jets are expected to cut Santonio Holmes “any day now,” a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. We’ve expected for some time that Holmes would be released this offseason, and now it seems that could happen in advance of free agency, allowing the veteran receiver to get a headstart on the process.

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. A report earlier this month indicated that Emmanuel Sanders and Jeremy Maclin are among the receivers who could interest the Jets, assuming they reach free agency.

As for Holmes, Florio identifies the Rams, Cardinals, and Steelers as potential suitors once he’s officially released. However, Florio’s suggestions appear to be speculation based primarily on coaching staffs rather than any concrete interest expressed by those clubs.

WR Notes: Holmes, Burleson, Broncos

February 16th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Rory Parks

Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that that Jets will cut Santonio Holmes. Holmes has been a disappointment both on and off the field since coming to New York from Pittsburgh, and he would cost the Jets $10.75MM against the cap this year if he were to be retained. However, the Jets will save $8.25MM by cutting Holmes, and Cimini believes the team will use at least a significant portion of that money to bring in a new wideout. As our own Luke Adams wrote last week, the Jets “covet” the Steelers’ Emmanuel Sanders and the Eagles’ Jeremy Maclin, both of whom are eligible for unrestricted free agency.

It is a buyer’s market for receivers this year, with over 50 wideouts set to hit the open market. Some more notes on the wide receiver carousel:

  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com writes that Nate Burleson would make sense for the Cowboys, given the imminent release of Miles Austin and the limitations of players like Dwayne Harris and Cole Beasley. Archer believes Burleson’s skill-set, veteran leadership, and connection with new Cowboys’ play-caller Scott Linehan could add up to a nice complement to top receivers Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams.
  • Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com believes the Broncos will have to grab at least one receiver in the draft. Eric Decker and Andre Caldwell are both unrestricted free agents, but the Broncos will want to make sure they have enough money to pay Demaryius Thomas when he hits free agency after the 2014 season, and that will limit what they could give to Decker, Caldwell, or any other free agent receiver this season. As such, Denver will be left with only two receivers on the roster who have started an NFL game: Thomas and Wes Welker. For a team that uses a three-wide set about 70% of the time, that is simply not enough depth.
  • Joe Kaiser of ESPN.com examines the chatter surrounding Anquan Boldin‘s return to the 49ers, all of which indicates Boldin will be back in the Bay Area next year.
  • In a recent interview with Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, NFL Films’ Greg Cosell confirms the general consensus that Clemson’s Sammy Watkins is the best receiver in this year’s draft, but Cosell doesn’t stop there. He believes that Watkins is the best receiver available since the 2010 draft, when Julio Jones and A.J. Green were taken in the first round.