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Trent Cole

Contract Details: Franklin, Kern, Cole, Vereen

March 10th, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Luke Adams

A few details on some noteworthy new contracts from around the NFL:

  • Orlando Franklin, G (Chargers): Five years, $35.5MM base value. $15.5MM fully guaranteed at signing (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
  • Brett Kern, P (Titans): Five years, $15MM base value. $2.5MM signing bonus. $5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com).
  • Trent Cole, OLB (Colts): Two years, $14MM base value. $2MM signing bonus. $8MM guaranteed at signing. $1MM annually in playing-time/sack incentives (Twitter links via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com).
  • Shane Vereen, RB (Giants): Three years, $12.3MM base value. $3.5MM signing bonus. $4.75MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • J.T. Thomas, LB (Giants): Three years, $10MM base value. $4.5MM guaranteed. $1MM annual escalators in 2016, 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Virgil Green, TE (Broncos): Three years, $8.4MM base value. $4.2MM guaranteed. Max value of $11.25MM (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Sergio Brown, S (Jaguars): Three years, $7MM base value. $1MM guaranteed. Escalators can push total value up to $9MM (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Ed Dickson, TE (Panthers): Three years, $6.8MM base value. $2MM signing bonus ($700K deferred) (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Joe Berger, OL (Vikings): Two years, $2.155MM base value. $130K guaranteed. $800K available in incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).

Colts Sign Trent Cole

March 10th, 2015 at 4:12pm CST by Zachary Links

4:12pm: Following a couple hours of uncertainty, a deal has been agreed upon. ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports that the Colts will sign Cole to a two-year deal worth $16MM, with $8MM guaranteed (via NFL on ESPN’s Twitter).

2:27pm: As of this minute, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that there’s “nothing done at all.”

11:49am: Despite additional confirmation from Mike Wells of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Cole plans to sign with the Colts, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links) both say it’s not quite done yet, and that other teams may still be in the mix.

11:17am: The Colts will sign pass rusher Trent Cole, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Cole, 32, was released by the Eagles earlier this month.

Cole, 32, was been a fixture on the Eagles’ defense since being selected by the club in the fifth round of the 2005 draft. During his 10 years in Philadelphia, Cole has played 155 games (145 starts), racking up 85.5 sacks, 569 tackles, and 19 forced fumbles. After posting six consecutive seasons with eight or more sacks from 2006 to 2011, Cole’s production has fallen off in recent years — he has just 17.5 sacks since 2012.

The advance metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) Cole still ranked as the 19th best outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme in 2014. That’s not as favorable as, say, his No. 7 ranking in 2013, but Cole has shown that he is still very productive.

As the Colts appear set to sign Frank Gore and possibly steal Andre Johnson away from the Eagles as well, they probably shouldn’t expect a Christmas card from Chip Kelly this year.

 

Browns Notes: Cole, Hartline, McCown

March 9th, 2015 at 6:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest out of Cleveland…

  • Head coach Mike Pettine said the club’s visit with free agent Trent Cole went well, and added that Cleveland is “still in play” for the edge rusher, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). The 32-year-old has drawn interest from a number of clubs since being released by the Eagles.
  • Similarly, Pettine thinks the Browns have a shot at receiver Brian Hartline, telling Cabot (via Twitter) the club will “see how it goes.” Per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link), Hartline isn’t in a rush to sign with a team, and is hoping to find a situation with a solid quarterback.
  • Pettine also said the Browns are comfortable with Josh McCown as their starting quarterback, tweets Cabot. McCown was guaranteed more than $6MM, so he presumably has a leg up on fellow QB Johnny Manziel.

NFC Rumors: Peterson, Hoyer, Eagles, Cards

March 8th, 2015 at 4:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If Adrian Peterson is able to work his way out of Minnesota, his preferred destination would be Arizona, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that the veteran running back’s other top landing spots are the Colts, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Chargers. For their part, the Cardinals have denied any interest in the Vikings running back, adds Robinson’s colleague Rand Getlin (via Twitter). However, Getlin does tweet that a source told him the Cards’ release of Darnell Dockett was done to clear out cap room for Peterson.

Let’s check out the latest from the NFC as free agency approaches…

  • Both the Vikings and the 49ers have expressed interest in quarterback Brian Hoyer, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link). But with other teams like the Jets and Texans (who could potentially offer a starting role) showing interest, as well, I’d bet the Hoyer would look unfavorably upon joining Minnesota or San Francisco, where he’d be the clear backup.
  • Though they’re about to add Byron Maxwell, the Eagles could still use another corner, but the club hasn’t shown interest in either Buster Skrine or Chris Culliver, tweets Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com, who adds in a separate tweet that Walter Thurmond is also not on Philly’s radar.
  • Washington appears set on adding help along the defensive line — they’re intrigued by Terrance Knighton, and they’ve also expressed interest in free agents Stephen Paea and Dan Williams, per John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • After re-signing Scott Tolzien earlier today, the Packers aren’t interested in retaining fellow backup QB Matt Flynn, tweets Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
  • The Cardinals are interested in linebacker Brian Orakpo, per Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link). Arizona is also interested in Trent Cole (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN), so it looks like they’re targeting OLB help.
  • The Buccaneers are looking for safety help, and there is mutual interest between the club and FA Ron Parker, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link).

NFC East Links: Cole, McCourty, Murray

March 7th, 2015 at 6:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Recently released defensive end/linebacker Trent Cole has two AFC visits lined up following the abrupt conclusion of his Eagles tenure, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Cole will visit the Colts and Browns in hopes to book another contract after playing in Philadelphia for 10 seasons.

The Browns meeting comes Sunday, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot on Twitter.

One of several Eagles veterans jettisoned in Chip Kelly‘s recent purge, Cole has four double-digit sack seasons with the most recent coming in 2011 when he played defensive end. However, as an outside backer, Cole still graded well, finishing as Pro Football Focus’ No. 7 end in 2013 (subscription required).

Cole, who drew frequent double-teams to help Jason Babin accrue 18 sacks for the Eagles in 2011, has been durable as well, playing in at least 15 games in each of his 10 seasons.

Some more new from around the NFC East …

  • The Eagles’ newfound cap room of $36MM+ will make them aggressive suitors for Devin McCourty and Byron Maxwell, per Yahoo’s Charles Robinson on Twitter. The two Super Bowl starters are probably the top two players at safety and corner, respectively, and could well sign for eight figures per year, making both landing in the same spot unlikely.
  • Washington longtime pass-rusher Brian Orakpo will likely test the market after being franchised last season, but the Washington Post’s Mike Jones (Twitter link) heard from two sources he could remain in D.C. with the door staying open for a reunion. The ex-GEICO pitchman ranks 19th among PFR’s top 50 free agents.
  • With $25MM+ of cap space, Washington still has intriguing free agents Roy Helu and Leonard Hankerson, among others, and ESPN’s John Keim examines what he’s hearing thus far in “soft” free agency.
  • Derek Newton also drew the interest from D.C., Jones tweets, while the Eagles were Kareem Jackson admirers, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane (Twitter).
  • DeMarco Murray‘s path probably leads out of town with Dez Bryant‘s tag mincing their cap room down to inside of $4MM, but Yahoo’s Rand Getlin tweeted Murray could give the Cowboys a “meaningful” discount as the 2014 rushing leader understands what another title would mean in Dallas (Twitter post).
  • The Giants will go after the market’s top safeties, McCourty and Rahim Moore, writes NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan, while exploring the possibility of an Eli Manning extension to help create room to go after some of this year’s big names. Big Blue has just $12.7MM worth of space, per OverTheCap.

AFC Notes: Revis, Cole, Knighton, Bills

March 6th, 2015 at 8:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

As the clock continues ticking toward the start of NFL free agency on March 10, a resolution between the Patriots and star cornerback Darrelle Revis draws nearer. Although Revis is signed through next season, his cap number is an unpalatable $25MM. Both that and Revis’ $20MM salary become guaranteed Tuesday if the Patriots don’t take action by then, which – worst-case scenario – would mean releasing the six-time Pro Bowler and four-time First-Team All-Pro.

The two sides are expected to engage in negotiations for a long-term contract before the deadline, but a source informed Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that those discussions haven’t yet begun. Revis and his camp will enter negotiations cognizant of what he’d receive as a free agent on the open market, Florio opined, also speculating that the 29-year-old might take less on a long-term deal to remain with the reigning Super Bowl champions. Per Florio, Revis “wouldn’t like it” if New England were to keep him in 2015 on his current contract, but he’d forgo a holdout, suit up for the Pats and become a free agent in 2016.

Elsewhere around the AFC. . .

  • Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia reports that free agent pass rusher Trent Cole will visit with a pair of AFC teams in the coming days, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. On the heels of meeting with the Buccaneers on Friday, the 32-year-old will powwow with the Browns on Sunday and the Colts on Monday. The Eagles released Cole on Wednesday after he spent the first 10 years of his career with them. Cole finished 2014 with 6.5 sacks, giving him 85.5 for his career, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him a respectable 19th out of 46 qualifying 3-4 outside linebackers.
  • Troy Renck of the Denver Post writes there are “growing indications” that Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton will be in another uniform next season. The free agent-to-be could end up with a deal worth anywhere from $7MM to $10MM annually, per Renck, and that might be out of Denver’s price range. The six-year veteran was an integral part of a Broncos team that had the league’s second-best run defense in 2014, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Knighton 12th among 81 qualifying D-tackles last season.
  • In lesser news, ESPN’s Mike Rodak tweeted Friday that the Bills will not tender an offer to restricted free agent Chris Hairston. The four-year veteran offensive tackle dressed for all 16 Bills games last season and has 15 career starts, though none since 2012.

AFC FA Rumors: Hawk, Cole, Hartline, Chiefs

March 6th, 2015 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

After rounding up several free agent rumors from around the NFC earlier this afternoon, it’s time for a look at the AFC. Here’s the latest:

  • Former Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk is set to visit with the Bengals next week, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (via Twitter). Cincinnati re-signed linebacker Rey Maualuga this week, but with Vontaze Burfict‘s recovery timetable still uncertain following microfracture surgery, the team could use some more depth at the position.
  • Assuming Trent Cole leaves Tampa Bay without a deal from the Buccaneers, he’ll head to Indianapolis next week to meet with the Colts, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Like the 49ers, who also have interest in Cole, the Colts are a 3-4 team, so it’ll be interesting to see if the veteran edge defender views the club as a good fit.
  • According to Jason Walker of ESPN.com (via Twitter), agent Drew Rosenhaus said today that the Chiefs are in the mix for wide receiver Brian Hartline, adding them to a group of suitors that includes the Dolphins, Browns, and Texans. Meanwhile, the Browns have about a “50/50” chance of landing Hartline, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who says Cleveland could balk at the wideout’s asking price.
  • We can also add the Chiefs to the list of teams interested in free agency safety Tyvon Branch, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Kansas City is on Branch’s list of scheduled meetings, following his visit to Washington.
  • The Jaguars are expected to have a look at fullback Jerome Felton once free agency begins, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The team decided not to tender a contract offer to restricted free agent fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou, and could be on the lookout for a replacement.

West Rumors: Cole, S. Johnson, Myers, Dockett

March 5th, 2015 at 8:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Since being released by the Eagles yesterday, Trent Cole has garnered a decent amount of free agent interest, as he was scheduled to meet with the Buccaneers today. Two more NFC teams could be interested in signing the 32-year-old edge rusher, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports that both the 49ers and the Seahawks have inquired about Cole. As PFR’s Luke Adams notes in the link above, Cole is viewed as a better fit for a 4-3 defense (which both Tampa Bay and Seattle utilize). San Francisco, though, fields a 3-4 look, so it presumably believes Cole is still an option at outside linebacker.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from San Francisco and the rest of the West divisions…

  • With Jerome Simpson now in the fold, the 49ers might not have a role for fellow receiver Stevie Johnson. Indeed, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 tweets that the 28-year-old Johnson is expected to be released in the coming days. With no remaining guarantees on the books, Johnson would leave no dead money on San Francisco’s cap, and his release would save the club more than $6MM.
  • Whereas Johnson hasn’t yet been released, former Texans center Chris Myers has already been handed his walking papers, officially being cut by Houston yesterday. But Myers could stay in the AFC, where the Raiders are set to lose free agent Stefen Wisniewski, as Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports (Twitter link) that Oakland does have interest in bringing in the 33-year-old Myers. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that he senses the Raiders will target Chiefs center Rodney Hudson, with Myers serving as backup option.
  • After being released by Arizona, defensive lineman Darnell Dockett signed with the 49ers earlier today, but he insists that staying with the Cardinals was initially possible. “I was willing to restructure my contract,” Dockett said on FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). “I was willing to take less money than what SF was offering.” Dockett ultimately inked a two-year, $7.5MM deal with San Francisco.

NFC FA Rumors: Cole, Hardy, McDonald, Hawk

March 5th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles officially announced on Wednesday that they’ve released Trent Cole from his contract, and the veteran edge defender didn’t waste much time in scheduling his first free agent visit. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Cole is meeting with the Buccaneers, a team that runs a 4-3 system. Having played in the Eagles’ 3-4 scheme for the last two years, Cole is viewed as a better fit as a defensive end for a 4-3 club, and Tampa Bay is certainly in need of an outside pass rusher.

As we wait to see if anything comes of Cole’s visit with the Bucs, let’s check in on a few more free agent updates from around the NFC….

  • NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says there’s nothing stopping a player on the exempt list from signing a new contract, which is good news for Panthers defensive Greg Hardy (link via ESPN.com). The league has yet to announce its decision on whether or not Hardy will face discipline for alleged off-field conduct, which could diminish enthusiasm for the defensive end on the open market, but he’ll still be able to negotiate with teams and accept an offer next week.
  • In other legal news, agent Tom Condon has informed teams that the Santa Clara District Attorney won’t be pursuing charges against free agent defensive lineman Ray McDonald, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). According to Condon, the Santa Clara DA hasn’t fully completed the release, but McDonald’s counsel has been informed of the decision. Since McDonald was cut by the Niners in December, he’s eligible to sign a new contract anytime.
  • Linebacker A.J. Hawk may not be totally out of the picture in Green Bay, according to Bob McGinn and Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who report that the Packers left the door open for the linebacker’s possible return.
  • In addition to hosting Ted Ginn Jr. for a visit this week, the 49ers also met with former Vikings wideout Jerome Simpson, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Simpson, who was suspended at the start of the 2014 season, was cut by Minnesota and hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2013. The Niners, meanwhile, are on the lookout for receivers, since they could part ways with Michael Crabtree, Brandon Lloyd, and Stevie Johnson this month.
  • Appearing on SportsCenter today, cornerback Byron Maxwell suggested he would like to sign with a team that plays a Cover 3 scheme like the Seahawks do, tweets Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate. Of course, if a team running another coverage scheme makes Maxwell a big offer, I would guess he’d be willing to compromise that stance.
  • Lions offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds is expected to test the free agent market next week, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.

Free Agent Rumors: Spiller, Suh, Harris

March 4th, 2015 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

League sources tell Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (Twitter link) that C.J. Spiller turned down a contract offer worth $4.5MM per year from the Bills before the team decided to make a move for LeSean McCoy. It’s hard to evaluate Spiller’s decision without knowing how Buffalo’s offer was structured, but presumably the running back will be trying to top that number on the open market next week. More free agent rumors..

  • Russini also reports (via Twitter) that the Colts are expected to try to get involved in the Ndamukong Suh derby, if the star defender reaches the open market. Washington, Miami, and the Giants have also been identified as potential suitors this week.
  • Expect the Bills to put on a “full court press” for linebacker David Harris, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, using a cross-sport metaphor. Buffalo was already considered a potential landing spot for Harris due to the Rex Ryan connection, and the trade of Kiko Alonso makes it an even more obvious fit.
  • The 49ers are expected to be in the mix for newly-available edge defender Trent Cole, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Cole would likely be a better fit in a 4-3 system, but he’s been effective enough in Philadelphia over the last two seasons that it looks like 3-4 teams won’t rule out pursuing him.
  • Former Packers wide receiver Kevin Dorsey had been scheduled to visit with the 49ers on Tuesday, but the two sides had to cancel the meeting due to bad weather on the East Coast, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. San Francisco is hoping to reschedule Dorsey’s visit, but hasn’t done so yet, per agent Chad Wiestling.
  • Expect the Giants to kick the tires of Devin McCourty if he makes it to the open market, tweets Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Giants safeties Antrel Rolle, Quintin Demps, and Stevie Brown are all eligible for free agency, so the safety position is wide open in New York.
  • Veteran defensive end Chris Canty, cut by the Ravens last week, is scheduled to visit the Jets on Friday and Saturday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). New Jets head coach Todd Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers were both on the coaching staff in Dallas from 2005 to 2007 when Canty started his NFL career with the Cowboys.
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