HEADLINES

Tarell Brown

Raiders To Place Tarell Brown On IR

December 20th, 2014 at 1:37pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Raiders have decided that Tarell Brown‘s foot injury will force him on the injured reserve list, ending his season, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. He credits his colleague Fallon Smith for first reporting the news.

The team has not made a corresponding roster move to replace Brown on the roster, but Bair believes they could add depth at linebacker, or activate Vincent Brown with Denarius Moore set to miss Sunday’s game with an injury.

Brown has struggled with the injury for three weeks, but has tried to play through the pain. With only two weeks left in the season, however, the team believes it is best for Brown and organization if he sits out the final two games. He hasn’t missed a game all season, the only Raiders’ cornerback who can boast that.

Brown was one of the bright spots on the Raiders’ defense after signing a one-year deal to be with the team, after playing seven seasons in San Francisco. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Extra Points: Davis, Hankins, Vernon, Brown

June 27th, 2014 at 12:00pm CST by Matt Feminis

“Vernon Davis sounds resigned as if he’ll report to 49ers training camp in 26 days without a new contract,” writes Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, and the tight end does not sound stressed about it.

Here’s more lunchtime links:

  • Giants 2013 second-round pick Johnathan Hankins came on strong down the stretch last season and is poised to inherit the nose tackle position vacated by Linval Joseph, who signed a free-agent deal with the Vikings, writes NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan.
  • Eagles defensive end Cedric Thornton was terrific against the run last season, but he’s making a concerted effort to improve his hand use and pass-rushing ability. In a story by CSNPhilly.com’s Geoff Mosher, Thornton says part of his motivation came from his wife telling him, “You only had one sack.”
  • Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon‘s stock is on the rise, says ESPN’s James Walker: “The former third-round pick exploded on the scene and led the Dolphins with 11.5 sacks…Vernon had another strong offseason, capped by his 2 1/2 sacks in Miami’s team scrimmage last week. Not only that, Vernon beat Dolphins Pro Bowl left tackle Branden Albert for two of his sacks…Vernon looks poised to hold onto his starting job and keep former No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan on the bench.”
  • Tarell Brown‘s one-year, $3.5MM deal is the Raiders’ best contract, while Sebastian Janikowski‘s four-year, $15.1MM deal — which “ranks in the top 10 of the Raiders annual salary structure, top 3 in total value for the team among veterans, and first overall among kickers in the NFL” — is the worst, in the opinion of OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald.
  • Chiefs injury plagued tight end Tony Moeaki is on the bubble, explains ESPN’s Mike Rodak.
  • Same goes for Jaguars safety Josh Evans, thinks ESPN’s Michael DiRocco: “Evans will have to prove early in camp that he’s completely healthy and is more consistent than he was as a rookie. If he doesn’t, he’ll lose reps and could end up being the first David Caldwell draft pick who gets cut.”

NFC Rumors: Brown, Williams, Redskins

March 19th, 2014 at 9:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent cornerback Tarell Brown left the 49ers to sign a a one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Raiders in part, he says, because he didn’t get much of an offer from his old team. “[I]t wasn’t what I wanted and it was to me more of a slap in the face,” Brown told Erik Kuselias of Pro Football Talk. “But I understand that it’s a business and I understand that they have to do what is best for them and it’s no hard feelings. But what they offered me definitely wasn’t what I wanted and definitely wasn’t worth my value of what I’ve done in this league and how well I played these past 3-4 years in the league. So it’s understandable and like I said there’s never any hard feelings. They are doing a great job over there and I wish them the best.”

  • Kevin Williams isn’t optimistic about his chances of returning to the Vikings, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “I’m just sitting here waiting, man,” Williams said in a phone interview. “I don’t know (if I’ll be back). I thought there was a good chance early (in free agency). It keeps looking slimmer and slimmer, though. … I don’t know what their view is on it, but to me it’s getting slimmer.“
  • Jared Allen is making a second visit to the Seahawks and could decide whether to join them in the next few days, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.
  • New Redskins linebacker Akeem Jordan‘s one-year deal has just $65K guaranteed, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Appearing in 483 defensive snaps last season, Jordan recorded 67 tackles and forced a pair of fumbles, while ranking as the 11th-best inside linebacker out of 55 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Between the guaranteed money and his base salary, Jordan should see $920K in total.
  • Free agent wide receiver Kevin Cone is set to workout for the Panthers on Friday, agent Mark Clouser tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cone, who was not extended an exclusive-rights tender by the Falcons earlier this offseason, also has interest from the Jaguars.
  • New Cowboys defensive tackle Henry Melton says that he gave the Bears a real opportunity to keep him, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “We gave them a chance to make an offer, and they said they would wait to see what the market was and we don’t do business like that,” Melton said. “They dropped out early.”

Raiders Sign Tarell Brown

March 14th, 2014 at 6:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent cornerback Tarell Brown will be taking his talents across the bay for the 2014 season. The Raiders have signed the ex-49er to a new contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), it’ll be a fully guaranteed one-year contract worth $3.5MM.

Cornerback was an area of need for the Raiders this offseason, after all four of their CBs who received significant playing time in 2013 received negative grades from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). According to those PFF rankings, Brown played significantly better than any cornerback on the Raiders’ roster, posting a +4.4 grade in 772 defensive snaps.

Brown, who has played for the Niners since being selected in the fifth round of the 2007 draft, didn’t record an interception last season, but had at least two in four of his previous five seasons. He also recovered a pair of fumbles in 2013. The 29-year-old appears poised to replace Tracy Porter in Oakland, after Porter agreed to sign with the Redskins.

FA Rumors: 49ers, Tate, Rams, Melton, Bills

March 14th, 2014 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

News of signings and visits is gradually slowing down as we approach the 72-hour mark of free agency, but there are plenty of players still seeking contracts, and it wouldn’t be surprising if a number of those free agents find deals today. Here’s the latest on a few available players:

  • The 49ers are comfortable heading into 2014 with Chris Culliver and Tramaine Brock as their starting cornerbacks, but are willing to offer Tarell Brown a three-year, $10MM deal to return, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
  • Free agent running back Ben Tate‘s visit with the Browns is continuing into today, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
  • The Rams “aren’t quite done” in free agency, according to head coach Jeff Fisher (Twitter link). Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com notes that the team remains interested in free agent guards Daryn Colledge and Davin Joseph.
  • Speaking of Fisher, the Rams will host one of his former players from Tennessee, as wide receiver Kenny Britt is scheduled to visit St. Louis, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • Earlier today, we heard that Henry Melton was en route to Seattle to visit the Seahawks after spending the night in Minnesota. After his Seattle meeting, Melton will visit the Cowboys, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • The Bills have confirmed that free agent running back Anthony Dixon and linebacker Brandon Spikes are visiting the team today, according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.
  • Chris Russell of ESPN Radio (Twitter link) hears that cornerback Walter Thurmond is no longer scheduled to visit the Redskins.
  • Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star explores the Colts‘ signing of Phil Costa and their rumored interest in Alex Mack, suggesting that Costa represents a solid fallback starting option at center if the team is unable to land Mack.

Dolphins Rumors: Strief, Smith, Brown

March 13th, 2014 at 3:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the latest out of Miami, courtesy of the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson..

  • Zach Strief, 30, remains by far the best unsigned right tackle, and the Dolphins want to set up a visit with him. Trouble is, he was committed to a banquet in Cincinnati and was unable to take any visits when Miami reached out to him. The Dolphins tried him again this afternoon and a decision is pending.
  • Guard Shelley Smith is visiting with the Dolphins tonight after visiting with the Patriots this afternoon and his camp is hopeful there will be an offer from Miami. The 30-year-old has started just eight games over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, Miami has called to express some level of interest in several other guards, including Daryn Colledge and Wade Smith and center/guard Evan Dietrich-Smith. Davin Joseph remains a possibility as well.
  • Miami has expressed interest in cornerbacks Tarell Brown and Walter Thurmond.

DB Rumors: Byrd, Whitner, 49ers, Cromartie

March 10th, 2014 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Cornerback is one of the deepest positions on the free agent market this year, and there are plenty of intriguing names among the free agent safeties as well. Let’s dive in and check out the latest rumors on defensive backs….

  • A source told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link) last night that the asking price for the top free agent safeties ranged from $6MM (Donte Whitner) to $8MM (Jairus Byrd) per year, with T.J. Ward in the middle at $7MM. Biggs admits that he’s not sure if that’s changed today.
  • Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that Byrd is asking for more than $8MM, and while that price has scared some teams away, the safety may ultimately land that amount.
  • It’s highly unlikely that the Bears land Whitner, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter), who adds that it sounds like Chicago is looking elsewhere for a safety. The team also isn’t likely to be a major player for Byrd, tweets Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.
  • The 49ers and Tarell Brown both appear to be testing the market, with San Francisco exploring other cornerback options and Brown looking into other suitors. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the Niners have checked in on Nolan Carroll.
  • Top free agent cornerback Alterraun Verner told SiriusXM’s Chris Russo the Patriots are “definitely a possibility” and added that Devin McCourty has been “lobbying” for him to come to New England, tweets Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com.
  • Antonio Cromartie told ESPN Radio New York that the Jets never tried to renegotiate his current deal but the “door is open” for a return, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. It sounds like he’ll test the market and assess all his options though.
  • John Clayton of ESPN.com (on Twitter) offers up an early prediction that Patriots free agent cornerback Aqib Talib will end up with the Redskins.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Quinn, Cardinals

March 8th, 2014 at 12:25pm CST by Matt Feminis

The 49ers have big-money decisions to make, while the Cardinals eye offensive line help in a batch of NFC West division tidbits:

  • Last season, 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers declined a pay cut, but the team had no recourse because they needed him on the field. A year later, the team is prepared to release Rogers if he does not agree to a pay cut, as the veteran is scheduled to earn a $6.25MM base salary and count nearly $8.1MM against the cap, writes Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area. Releasing Rogers after June 1 would save $6.6 on the 2014 cap, but the team would incur $1.5MM in dead money on the 2015 cap. If the team swallowed the entire cap hit in 2014, the immediate cap savings would be $5.1MM with no dead money in future years.
  • The escalating salary cap helps the 49ers long-term, especially given the team’s desire to retain 2015 free agents Colin Kaepernick, Aldon Smith, Michael Crabtree and Mike Iupati, but the extra $10MM the rest of the league has to play with in the short term could make it difficult to retain this year’s free agents, including Donte Whitner, Tarell Brown and Phil Dawson, writes Eric Branch of sfgate.com.
  • Robert Quinn is entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract, but a provision in the new CBA (instituted in 2011 when Quinn was drafted 14th overall) allows the Rams to keep the reigning Defensive Player of the Year through 2015, notes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. By virtue of Quinn being selected between No. 11 overall to No. 32, the team can pay Quinn the average salary made by the third- through 25th-highest paid players at the defensive end position ($6.9MM).
  • The Cardinals are targeting Branden Albert and Rodger Saffold in that order, according to Kent Somers of azcentral.com (via Twitter).

FA Rumors: QBs, Saffold, Vikings, Ravens

March 7th, 2014 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

This year’s class of free agent quarterbacks doesn’t feature any stars, but there are a handful of players who should make very solid backups, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. In his latest piece, La Canfora takes a shot at forecasting where a few of the more notable names on the market will land. Among his predictions: Michael Vick to the Jets, Josh McCown to the Vikings, Matt Cassel to the Texans, and Josh Freeman to the Raiders.

With just over 24 hours left for teams to exclusively negotiate with their own free agents, let’s check out a few more FA rumors and news items:

NFC West Rumors: 49ers, Carlson, Bryant

March 6th, 2014 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

When they locked him up to a three-year extension last week, the 49ers made Daniel Kilgore one of the first members of the 2011 draft class to receive a second contract, and seemingly signaled that he’ll be the team’s new starting center. However, in his latest piece for the San Francisco Chronicle, Eric Branch explains why he thinks the Niners might bring in a free agent center to compete with Kilgore for the job. Here’s more out of the NFC West:

  • The 49ers and cornerback Tarell Brown are still talking as the start of the free agency period looms, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The 29-year-old unknowingly forfeited a $2MM workout bonus by training at home instead of Santa Clara last season and suffered a rib injury in November that caused him to miss three games, allowing Tramaine Brock to take over as the starter. Brown, however, started all three of the 49ers’ playoff games, showing that the club values him.
  • John Carlson, who was released by the Vikings yesterday, hasn’t wasted any time in looking for a new home. The free agent tight end is meeting with the Cardinals today, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.
  • There’s a strong market for free agent defensive tackle Red Bryant, who was released last week by the Seahawks, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport believes that it’s likely that Bryant will land a deal before the start of the free agency period.
  • In his latest Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Mike Sando details five free agent fits he likes, including defensive tackle Earl Mitchell to the Seahawks.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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