HEADLINES

Shaun Hill

Rams Sign Shaun Hill

March 31st, 2014 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

MONDAY, 12:24pm: The Rams have officially signed Hill, the team announced today in a press release.

WEDNESDAY, 1:32pm: Hill’s one-year contract with the Rams is worth $1.75MM, with another $500K available in incentives, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

1:09pm: Hill has agreed to terms with the Rams, confirms Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).

1:03pm: The Rams appear to be on the verge of locking up a backup quarterback, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Shaun Hill is expected to sign a one-year deal with the team. Hill had reportedly been deciding between signing with the Rams or returning to the Lions.

If and when he finalizes an agreement with the Rams, Hill figures to replace Kellen Clemens as Sam Bradford‘s primary backup. Clemens signed with the Chargers earlier this month, and Brady Quinn remains a free agent, leaving Austin Davis as the only other quarterback on the Rams’ roster. Given Davis’ lack of experience and Bradford’s ongoing recovery from ACL surgery, a veteran QB had been on St. Louis’ offseason wish list.

Hill, 34, has backed up Matthew Stafford in Detroit for the last several seasons, and didn’t throw a single pass in 2013. In his last extended run as a starter, in 2010, Hill performed respectably in 10 starts for the Lions, completing 61.8% of his passes for 2,686 yards, and a 16-12 TD-to-INT ratio.

Lions Notes: Ihedigbo, Hill, Draft, Suh

March 23rd, 2014 at 10:10am CST by Rory Parks

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that free agent safety James Ihedigbo is choosing between the Lions and Bears, and in a separate tweet he writes that a resolution to Detroit’s safety situation could happen tonight but is more likely to come tomorrow. Ihedigbo was said to have narrowed his choice down to three NFC teams, but now it appears two teams remain in the mix. As our own Rob DiRe pointed out yesterday, the Lions are expected to sign one of the three safeties who have recently visited with the team: Ihedigbo, Chris Clemons, or Thomas DeCoud.

A couple of other quick notes out of Detroit:

  • Birkett tweets that the team is still waiting on word from backup QB Shaun Hill, but that Hill was still considering a return to Detroit several days ago
  • Birkett projects the Lions to select UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2014 draft.
  • Mike O’Hara of DetroitLions.com writes that the Raiders’ signing of Matt Schaub means they will not select a QB with the No. 5 overall pick. As a result, Clemson WR Sammy Watkins will have another potential landing spot among the nine teams choosing before the Lions, and the possibility that Watkins could fall to Detroit has become even more remote.
  • O’Hara adds that president Tom Lewand‘s statements that he plans to meet with Ndamukong Suh‘s agent in Orlando this week at the NFL’s annual meetings is a start to the negotiation process with Suh, but nothing more.

FA Rumors: De La Puente, Harrison, Murphy

March 19th, 2014 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Brian De La Puente is arguably the best center still available in free agency, and it sounds as if he’s drawing interest from plenty of potential suitors. Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post reports that the Saints, Giants, Broncos, and Patriots remain possibilities for De La Puente, who is scheduled to visit with the Redskins. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) adds that if there’s no agreement in place when the veteran center leaves Washington, more visits are expected.

Here’s more on some of the free agents still on the market:

Extra Points: Welker, Burleson, Cromartie

March 16th, 2014 at 4:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A few assorted notes from around the league:

FA Rumors: Melton, Walker, Cromartie

March 13th, 2014 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton, who is visiting with the Vikings on Thursday, is the center of a lawsuit from a bar altercation where he is alleged to have bitten the restaurant owner, writes Master Tesfatsion of the Star-Tribune. That could be a sticking point for the Vikings, who dealt with four player arrests in 2013. The latest free agent rumors from around the NFL…

  • Vance Walker is visiting with the Chiefs today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN. The defensive tackle also has a visit lined up with the Packers, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
  • Former Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie is visiting with the Cardinals today, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
  • Quarterback Shaun Hill could still return to the Lions, a source tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. The Buccaneers seemed like a real option for Hill until they inked Josh McCown this week.
  • Akeem Jordan‘s visit with the Titans has been moved up from Monday to Friday, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, adding that the Redskins would like to bring in the linebacker for a visit if he doesn’t sign with Tennessee (Twitter links).
  • Tight end Owen Daniels is set to visit with the Redskins, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).
  • Return specialist Ted Ginn is visiting the Cardinals, tweets P. Schrager of FOXSports.com.