HEADLINES

Sean Spence

FA Rumors: Foster, Fitz, Thurmond, Larsen, Fins

March 11th, 2016 at 6:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Running back Arian Foster isn’t in a hurry to sign anywhere, writes Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who adds that the four-time Pro Bowler might not join a new club (potentially the Broncos) until after the draft. Foster spent the first seven years of his career in Houston, which cut the soon-to-be 30-year-old earlier this month after a torn Achilles cost him most of last season. Foster should be fully healthy by the summer, per Florio.

Here’s more on players who are presently without contracts:

  • Six-year veteran Walter Thurmond was terrific for the Eagles last season, his first as a safety after shifting from cornerback, but he isn’t generating much interest as a free agent. One possible reason: “Several people around the Eagles” think he might retire, per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. Thurmond, 28, has dealt with injuries and has off-field business interests, one of which is filmmaking, Bowen adds (Twitter links). If Thurmond continues his football career, odds are it won’t be in Philly, which signed safety Rodney McLeod to a sizable deal earlier this week.
  • The Jets hold all the cards in their negotiations with Ryan Fitzpatrick, offers the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta, who opines that it’s time for the quarterback to admit defeat and re-sign with the only team willing to hand him a starting job. The Jets want Fitzpatrick back, but they’re not going to give the 33-year-old the $16MM to $18MM annual value that he wants, according to Mehta, and could instead turn to other options. Earlier today, Gang Green met with Robert Griffin III.
  • After meeting with the 49ers on Thursday and the Seahawks today, guard Ted Larsen is “weighing options,” a source tells Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Both teams were familiar with Larsen before visiting with him – the 28-year-old has spent the last two seasons with NFC West rival Arizona. Larsen started in all 26 of his appearances with the Cards.
  • Linebacker Sean Spence is visiting the Dolphins tonight, PFT reports (on Twitter). The 2013 third-round pick spent the first three years of his career in Pittsburgh, with which he amassed 90 tackles and two sacks in 31 regular-season appearances (13 starts).

AFC North Notes: Pettine, Stewart, Steelers

October 25th, 2014 at 7:25pm CST by Rob DiRe

Browns‘ head coach Mike Pettine’s history as a high school coach might be the reason he likes the success of undrafted free agents, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Grossi notes that Pettine has often felt looked down upon because of his unheralded past, and sees a kinship with the underappreciated talents.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC North:

  • The Browns have taken criticism for a lack of depth on the offensive line, but Grossi believes the injury to Alex Mack was an unforseen setback. He notes that the team’s linemen have rarely missed practice or game time, and that the timing of the injury was unfortunate with Nick McDonald getting back into game shape.
  • Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com doesn’t necessarily see Darian Stewart sticking around after this season. The safety signed a one-year, $1.3MM deal with the Ravens in the offseason and if he wants to come back, it’ll probably be in a bench role. Baltimore will go with either Terrence Brooks or Will Hill at free safety next year. Stewart might balk at that idea or he may be okay with it given his history with secondary coach Steve Spangnuolo.
  • Two key contributors for the Steelers have struggled with consistency this season in cornerback Cortez Allen and linebacker Sean Spence. Allen was benched in favor of Brice McCain, but Scott Brown of ESPN.com writes that the move was more to send a message to allen and reward McCain for positive performance in practice. Spence has not lost his starting spot, but that might only be because Vince Williams cannot cover anyone at linebacker.

North Notes: Manziel, Spence, Bears, Holmes

August 22nd, 2014 at 10:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at the latest from the NFL’s two North divisions as Ndamukong Suh continues his reign of terror…

  • Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Browns head coach Mike Pettine didn’t dismiss the possibility of using Johnny Manziel in specified packages in relief of starting quarterback Brian Hoyer. “That is on the table,” said Pettine. “I don’t know if that’s anything that we want to commit to just now, ’cause I think Brian, because of the competition, is a little behind, with the chemistry and continuity in working with that first group. I think that is something that we can potentially look at down the road.” (Link via Jason Butt of the National Football Post).
  • 2012 third-round Steelers linebacker Sean Spence, who had been working his way back from a career-threatening knee injury suffered two years ago, re-injured his PCL in Thursday’s preseason game, writes Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Nothing official has been announced yet, but the 24-year-old’s NFL tenure might be over.
  • Among the teams that didn’t qualify for the 2013 playoffs, the Bears trailed only the Cardinals in total DVOA. Field Yates of ESPN Insider (subscription required) explains why that level of base talent, combined with a revamped defensive line and developing second- and third-level defenders, could make Chicago a force this season.
  • Despite only being signed less than a week ago, Santonio Holmes has impressed the Bears’ coaching staff, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter).
  • The Bears’ free safety competition is “wide open,” tweets Matt Bowen of Bleacher Report. Rookie Brock Vereen and free agent signee M.D. Jennings are the primary contenders.