HEADLINES

Tarvaris Jackson

Seahawks Re-Sign Tarvaris Jackson

June 16th, 2015 at 5:09pm CST by Zachary Links

5:09pm: The Seahawks officially announced that they have re-signed Jackson. To make room, defensive end Ryan Robinson was waived with an Achilles injury. Robinson has already cleared waivers and is now on Seattle’s IR.

3:22pm: The Seahawks have agreed to re-sign quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Jackson has served as Wilson’s backup for the last two years but has gone unsigned until now.

The 31-year-old Jackson earned $1.25MM in 2014, which was right around the middle of the pack in terms of backup quarterbacks. Earlier this month, Seattle moved quarterback B.J. Daniels to wide receiver, leaving just two QBs on their 90-man offseason roster.  R.J. Archer, who spent time with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Minnesota, has limited NFL experience.

Jackson attempted just one pass in 2014 (a completion), but he’s started 34 games during his nine-year career, so he would offer valuable experience in the event Wilson was injured. The Alabama State alum visited the Dolphins in March before they re-signed Matt Moore, and was reportedly discussed internally by the Eagles early in the offseason.

West Notes: Chargers, Seahawks, Raiders

June 3rd, 2015 at 6:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Cam Newton signed a new deal with the Panthers this week, locking him up through the 2020 season, but several notable QBs remain unsigned beyond 2015, including Seahawks signal caller Russell Wilson. Earlier today, PFR’s Luke Adams looked at how Newton’s brand new deal will affect Wilson. It remains to be seen exactly what the impact will be, but Luke wouldn’t be surprised to see him top Aaron Rodgers‘ $22MM annual salary.

Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC West..

  • New information emerged about a land acquisition in Carson related to an alternative stadium plan the Chargers are pursuing with the Raiders, as David Garrick and Roger Showley of U-T San Diego write. Meanwhile, the city of Carson, Calif. has been sued by a real estate development company over alleged breach of contract related to building on a landfill. Among Rand’s allegations was that in the summer of 2013, city officials “spoke with representatives of NFL teams, including the San Diego Chargers, about relocating to Carson.”
  • The Seahawks are moving former quarterback B.J. Daniels to wide receiver, leaving just two quarterbacks on their 90-man roster for the time being, as Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk writes. Tarvaris Jackson has served as the backup to Wilson in each of the last two seasons and currently remains unsigned, though there is mutual interest between the two sides.
  • The Raiders‘ signing of Trindon Holliday shows what they think of their other returners, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com tweets. Oakland inked Holliday earlier today after learning that rookie Andre Debose would be sidelined with an Achilles injury.

    • Seahawks Notes: T. Jackson, Archer, Bennett

    May 10th, 2015 at 4:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

    While contract talks between the Seahawks and Russell Wilson seem to be stalled, Seattle is interested in continuing negotiations with another quarterback: backup Tarvaris Jackson. We heard last month that the club was still talking with the 31-year-old Jackson, and today head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link), that the Seahawks want to bring Jackson back.

    Here’s more from the Pacific Northwest, with all links going to Condotta’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:

    • If Seattle isn’t able to reach an agreement with Jackson, fellow quarterback R.J. Archer, who owns a 90-man roster spot, could see more time, and Carroll praised the play of Archer today. The 27-year-old Archer, who has spent most of his professional career in the CFL, has never appeared in an NFL game.
    • Carroll said that he has no concerns about the status of defensive lineman Michael Bennett. Bennett recently stated that though he wouldn’t mind a salary increase, he isn’t angling for a trade as was previously reported.
    • Receivers coach Kippy Brown is in the process of retiring, and assistant quarterbacks coach Dave Canales will take over his role. Canales has been with the Seahawks since 2013.
    • Several tryout players earned praise from the Seattle staff, including receiver Kasen Williams, and offensive linemen Kona Schwenke and Jesse Davis (Twitter link via Terry Blount of ESPN.com). As both scribes note, any of the aforementioned players could be favorites to land a contract in the coming days.

    ‘Hawks Still Negotiating With Tarvaris Jackson

    April 12th, 2015 at 4:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

    The Seahawks are still working on a long-term extension with Russell Wilson, but as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, the club still doesn’t have a solid backup in place behind the fourth-year quarterback. Tarvaris Jackson has served as Seattle’s No. 2 signal-caller for the past two seasons, and while he and the team have been discussing a new deal, Florio reports that two sides have had trouble determining his value.

    The 31-year-old Jackson earned $1.25MM in 2014, which was right around the middle of the pack in terms of backup quarterbacks. But as Florio notes, Wilson’s salary is expected to rise dramatically in 2015, meaning Seattle will have to cut costs at certain positions, and No. 2 QB might be one area where they could look to find some savings. But if the Seahawks want to look internally for a Jackson replacement, they might be out of luck. Besides Wilson, the only other quarterbacks on the roster are B.J. Daniels, a former seventh-round pick and practice squader, and R.J. Archer, who has spent most of his pro time on CFL and AFL rosters.

    If Seattle isn’t able to reach an agreement with Jackson, they could look to the free agent market to find a new reserve QB. Interestingly, former Hawk Matt Flynn is available, though I doubt Flynn, who was ultimately traded after losing the starting job to Wilson, would want to return to Seattle. Florio posits that Michael Vick would be an intriguing add for the Seahawks, as he possesses the same sort of mobility that Wilson does, while I would add that fellow FA Tyler Thigpen also has had success as a running quarterback.

    Jackson attempted just one pass in 2014 (a completion), but he’s started 34 games during his nine-year career, so he would offer valuable experience in the event Wilson was injured. The Alabama State alum visited the Dolphins last month before they re-signed Matt Moore, and was reportedly discussed internally by the Eagles.

    NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Rams, Cards

    March 25th, 2015 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

    Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, Rams coach Jeff Fisher, and Cardinals coach Bruce Arians all offered up a few notable comments today during their morning session with reporters in Phoenix at the owners’ meetings. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights from the breakfast discussions, starting with the reigning NFC champs….

    Pete Carroll
    (Twitter links via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times and ESPN.com’s Terry Blount)

    • Carroll reiterated what GM John Schneider said earlier this week, indicating that defensive end Michael Bennett has never said anything to him about wanting to be traded or wanting a new contract.
    • Carroll is optimistic about a number of the team’s free agents returning to the fold, indicating the club plans to re-sign center Stephen Schilling and defensive lineman Demarcus Dobbs. The head coach is also confident that the Seahawks will work something out with backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who remains on the market. Jackson visited the Dolphins, but Miami ultimately brought back QB Matt Moore.
    • Caroll suggested that the Seahawks and Russell Wilson‘s camp have had “great talks” about a new contract for the young signal-caller. “It’s a long process with extraordinary ramifications,” according to Caroll, but he’s hopeful that the two sides can work something out.

    Jeff Fisher
    (Twitter links via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, and Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com)

    • According to Fisher, trade discussions with the Browns involving quarterback Sam Bradford happened on the weekend of March 7, before free agency opened. The Rams eventually announced their deal with the Eagles on Tuesday, March 10.
    • The Browns’ offer for Bradford featured the No. 19 overall pick and never the No. 12 pick. However, Fisher said today that it wouldn’t have made a difference if Cleveland offered the higher first-rounder, since St. Louis still wouldn’t have gotten a QB back in the deal — the Eagles’ willingness to part with Nick Foles gave the Rams a Bradford replacement.
    • The Rams remain active in their search for offensive linemen, with talks expected to pick up again following this week’s league meetings. Joe Barksdale, who played right tackle for the team last year, is still an option, and the Rams are in talks with him. According to Fisher, Barksdale’s initial asking price was a little surprising, but it’s in a more reasonable range now, and “it makes sense to get Joe back.”
    • The Rams have added Jeff Imamura to their staff as a defensive assistant, according to Fisher. Imamura previously worked for the Vikings.

    Bruce Arians
    (Twitter links via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com)

    • The Cardinals cut center Lyle Sendlein earlier in the offseason, but would like to get him back on the roster at a reduced cap number.
    • Running back figures to be a spot the Cards will address in the draft, perhaps in the fourth or fifth round. The team is looking for a player with both size and speed.
    • The Cards also figure to look at cornerbacks in the draft. Arians said today that he wants to add a young, speedy corner, but doesn’t see a need to add a veteran to the roster.
    • Veteran linebacker Larry Foote is currently a member of the Cardinals’ coaching staff, but may still decide to play for the team in 2015. Arians is hopeful that Foote, who is recovering from knee surgery, will make that decision in time for training camp.

    FA Notes: Dolphins, Jackson, Selvie, Newman

    March 19th, 2015 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

    Having decided not to match the Bills’ offer sheet for tight end Charles Clay, the Dolphins may be prepared to spend the money saved on Clay on some other free agents. According to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), in addition to hosting wide receiver Michael Crabtree, Miami is also having quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and center J.D. Walton in for visits.

    Jackson, in particular, is an intriguing potential fit for the Dolphins. The team still needs a veteran backup behind Ryan Tannehill, and while Miami’s preference may be to re-sign Matt Moore, Jackson could come a little cheaper.

    Here are a few more free agent notes from around the NFL:

    • Defensive end George Selvie, who has reportedly drawn interest from the Buccaneers and Vikings so far in free agency, is visiting the Giants today, according to Art Stapleton of The Record (Twitter link).
    • The Vikings and cornerback Terence Newman have discussed some contract figures, but weren’t close to a deal as of late last night, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). If the veteran corner were to join the Vikings, he’d reunite with former Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
    • Free agent offensive tackle Corey Hilliard is paying a visit to the Jets, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Hilliard, a former Lion, is a solid swing tackle when he’s healthy, but injuries have derailed his last two seasons.
    • In a piece for The Sporting News, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a look at the players who have done the best and worst so far in free agency.

    Pete Carroll On Wisniewski, Jackson, O-Line

    March 14th, 2015 at 10:10am CST by Ben Levine

    It’s been a busy couple of days for the Seahawks front office. The team has made a number of notable moves, bringing in Jimmy Graham, Cary Williams and Will Blackmon. However, the team also lost Max Unger, Byron Maxwell, Zach Miller and Malcolm Smith.

    Head coach Pete Carroll appeared on Seattle’s KJR Radio to discuss the team’s offseason. ESPN.com’s Terry Blount transcribed some of his notable soundbites, which you can find below:

    On free agent center Stefen Wisniewski, who met with Seattle earlier this week:

    “He’s a legitimate starter in the league. He really likes us and we liked him. That’s a potential thing that can happen. It will be some time before this gets worked out. He’s got some visits [with other teams]. It’s recruiting and we’re battling. He’s a really solid football player and a smart kid. We’ll see where it goes.”

    On the team’s options at punt returner following Bryan Walters departure:

    “That will be a wide-open competition, but one of the guys you might not think about is B.J. Daniels. We’re really looking forward to B.J. taking a shot at that [punts and kickoffs], and also catching some footballs for us. He’s a multi-talented guy that can help us a quarterback as well. He’s a kid we’re excited about. He’s very tough and strong and has great quickness.”

    On whether veteran quarterback Tarvaris Jackson will return:

    “We hope so. We want him to be on this team again. We’re in talks.”

    On losing a pair of offensive linemen, Max Unger and James Carpenter:

    “Obviously we’ve got some work to do up front, but we’ve got a big plan there. It’s going to be very competitive. I think it’s going to be exciting to see how guys elevate. It’s also a very good draft [for offensive linemen] and an opportunity to help ourselves there, as well. It’s going to be a focal point, but we have some really good guys. If not, we wouldn’t have done it [traded Max Unger for Jimmy Graham]. We’ll be OK.”

    Eagles Interested In Bringing Back Mark Sanchez

    March 7th, 2015 at 10:57am CST by Ben Levine

    Despite Nick Foles return from injury and the Eagles reported interest in prospect Marcus Mariota, the organization is apparently exhausting all of their options at the quarterback position. According to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com, the Eagles and free agent Mark Sanchez have a mutual interest in a reunion, and Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com reports that the team has also discussed bringing in signal callers Tarvaris Jackson and Jake Locker.

    Sanchez elevated his stock considerably following his performance in 2014, and the 28-year-old is arguably the best quarterback available via free agency. Filling in for the injured Foles, Sanchez passed for 2,418 yards and 14 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions, but his statistics weren’t necessarily reflected in his record, as he finished 5-4 as a starter. Shorr-Parks indicates that Sanchez would likely return to the team in a backup role, whether he’s playing behind Foles or someone else.

    If Sanchez wants to compete for a starting job, he may bolt for another organization, leading the Eagles to pursue one of the alternatives mentioned above. Jackson has served as Russell Wilson‘s backup over the past two seasons, compiling only 14 attempts, 151 yards and one touchdown. The Eagles potential pursuit of the 31-year-old would make sense for multiple reasons. The veteran can run the ball well for a quarterback (4.0 average yards per carry throughout his career), which appears to be an important attribute to coach Chip Kelly. Furthermore, Jackson is clearly content with a backup role, and the former Seahawks player could provide his new squad with some insight on how to stop the conference foe.

    Meanwhile, Locker would be a buy-low candidate similar to Sanchez last offseason. The former first-round pick has shown some flashes of talent throughout his brief career, and the 26-year-old is still young enough for a team to take a chance. However, the former Titans playcaller never played more than 11 games in a season for Tennessee, and his career-highs in passing yards (2,176) and touchdowns (10) don’t come close to matching Sanchez’s career-highs during his tenure with the Jets.

    NFC FA Rumors: Vikings, Seahawks, House

    March 6th, 2015 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

    On the eve of 2015’s “legal tampering period,” during which teams can talk to agents for players who are eligible for unrestricted free agency on Tuesday, let’s round up a few FA updates from around the NFC….

    • Having started his career in Minnesota, Tarvaris Jackson hasn’t played a game for the Vikings since 2010, but he’d have interest in returning to the team, he tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I still go (to Minnesota) to train every summer,” Jackson said. “Coming there, I think I could definitely help Teddy out. I love being in Minnesota. It’s a place that I’ll never forget. It’s a part of my life. … I don’t know why (the Vikings) wouldn’t be interested in me.” The Vikings will certainly be in the market for a backup after trading Matt Cassel, so they could take a look at Jackson, who has spent the last couple seasons backing up Russell Wilson in Seattle and is a free-agent-to-be.
    • Speaking of Seattle, don’t be shocked if the Seahawks emerge as a viable landing spot for tight end Julius Thomas, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. A player like Thomas would certainly be a nice addition to Seattle’s offense, giving Wilson a top red zone option.
    • Agent Kenny Zuckerman confirmed today that Packers cornerback Davon House expects to reach the open market, and Zuckerman thinks his client will draw “a lot of interest,” writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. That doesn’t rule out a return to Green Bay, but it looks like other teams will get the opportunity to pursue House.
    • Cornerback Walter Thurmond, who is coming off a season-ending pectoral injury, is not expected to re-sign with the Giants, and Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com expects the Falcons to strongly consider the veteran. Thurmond formerly played on Dan Quinn‘s defense in Seattle.
    • Expect the Buccaneers to kick the tires on free agent safety Chris Conte, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, pointing out that Conte played for current Bucs head coach Lovie Smith in Chicago.

    Monday Roundup: Finley, Young, Big Ben

    July 14th, 2014 at 10:58pm CST by Rory Parks

    Free agent tight end Jermichael Finley, who has been medically cleared to play by his own doctor, said he will undergo another series of medical tests on Wednesday and will send the results of those tests to all 32 clubs in an effort to convince them that he is fully healthy, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Finley has stated that he would like to return to the Packers, and that he certainly wants to continue playing rather than collect the $10MM insurance policy he would receive if he retired from the game.

    However, he has also demonstrated that he will be patient as he waits for the right deal. The Steelers‘ team neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph Maroon, performed Finley’s vertebrae fusion in November and declared him fit to play a few months later. Pittsburgh subsequently made several contract offers, according to Finley, but none of those offers were financially appealing enough for him. Pelissero believes that Finley ultimately will re-sign with Green Bay (Twitter link).

    Now for some links from around the league to wind up this Monday evening:

    • In an increasingly sad and troubling narrative, former Lions receiver Titus Young was arrested in Los Angeles on July 9 for battery with serious bodily injury–a felony–and associated charges, writes David Leon Moore of The Detroit Free Press. The arrest took place one day before Young was to appear for a pre-trial conference in Newport Beach, California, where he faces 11 charges, four of which are felonies.
    • Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News writes that, on the heels of his strong finish to the 2013 campaign, Cowboys linebacker Kyle Wilber should find himself in a starting role and could be on the verge of a breakout season.
    • In a video clip, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News looks at a few under-the-radar players on the Cowboys roster to keep an eye on, including undrafted finds Ben Malena and L’Damian Washington.
    • Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes that the Seahawks‘ backup quarterback competition is wide open, and Terrelle Pryor and Tarvaris Jackson will each get an extended opportunity to prove themselves in the preseason. However, both players could end up making the club, as Seattle carried three quarterbacks on its roster for a few weeks last season.
    • Time is running out for the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to reach an agreement on a contract extension, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Roethlisberger has two years left on his current deal, but Florio believes he is underpaid by current standards. However, no progress has been reported on a possible extension–though that does not mean that progress has not been made–and the Steelers do not negotiate new contracts once the regular season begins.
    • Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson has limited leverage in trying to force a trade, as Adam Schefter, Louis Riddick, and Mark Brunell of ESPN explain (video link).
    • Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com. Scherff, a 280-pound quarterback in high school, has blossomed into a strong 6’4″, 320-pound force with Ndamukong Suh-type strength.

    Zach Links contributed to this post.

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