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Top 2017 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

[UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF THE TOP 2017 NFL FREE AGENTS BY POSITION]

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Quarterback:

Honorable mention: Shaun Hill

As of this writing, Kirk Cousins is far and away the best potential free agent quarterback in this year’s crop. By the time March gets here, we’re fully expecting Cousins to be spoken for. Ultimately, the Redskins could franchise tag him, work out a long-term deal with him, or swing some type of trade that nets them a massive haul of talent and picks. That will leave a crop of retread quarterbacks that would probably best serve as transitional options for QB-needy teams.

Mike Glennon hasn’t done much in his 18 career starts, but talent evaluators are still in love with his size and potential. The 6’7″ quarterback will get more money this spring than you might expect, particularly since there are no surefire QBs in this year’s draft.

Teams looking for stopgap QBs will find a plethora of experienced, though perhaps uninspiring, signal callers. Nick Foles, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick all have their best football behind them, but they could hold down the fort for a team in 2017 and maybe even find some success if the defense is strong enough. Of course, the ideal role for those guys would probably be as a backup to a better, younger quarterback.

Running back:

Consider Le’Veon Bell‘s name written in Etch-A-Sketch, because he is very unlikely to get near the open market. That could leave Eddie Lacy as the best tailback available in March. Lacy has struggled with weight issues in recent years and he lost much of the 2016 season to injury. Still, he is a bruising back that could nicely complement a quicker ball carrier. Before he was shut down for the year, Lacy was averaging 5.07 yards per carry in five games for Green Bay.

In the last two years, LeGarrette Blount seems to have put his off-the-field troubles behind him. Whether that’s a sign of his maturity or a product of the Patriots’ culture remains to be seen. Teams can ignore his past indiscretions, but they will be wary of his age. Blount turns 31 in December.

Latavius Murray has shown glimpses of being a special running back, but he has been inconsistent and his 4.0 yards-per-carry average of the last two years isn’t overly impressive. Darren McFadden ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2015, but 2016 was pretty much a lost year for him. Jacquizz Rodgers seemed to break out last year, but he wound up succumbing to the same injury bug that took down a host of other Buccaneers running backs. Speaking of injuries, Rashad Jennings was initially brought to the Giants to be a workhorse back, but two of his three years in New York were marred by ailments. Everyone in this tier has the potential to make a difference, but none should be counted on as anyone’s main guy in 2017.

Fullback:

Kyle Juszczyk graded out as the best fullback in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens would be wise to keep him, but if they don’t, he’ll draw interest from teams all over the league. Juszczyk earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as he caught 37 passes for 266 yards. His exceptional 92.1 pass blocking score from PFF led all other fullbacks by a wide margin.

Mike Tolbert is ranked lower than you might expect due to his age and diminished blocking skills. He’ll turn 32 in November and it’s not a given that he’ll find another NFL home after getting released by the Panthers.

Wide receiver:

Alshon Jeffery has had two down years (by his standards) but he is still the cream of the wide receiver crop. His weak production and PED suspension in 2016 probably killed his chances of getting Dez Bryant-money, but he could still get a multi-year deal with a nice amount of guaranteed cash given the dearth of WR1 types available. Jeffery hasn’t set the world on fire lately, but plenty of GMs will chalk that up to the Bears’ quarterback situation.

Few saw Terrelle Pryor‘s standout season coming. The former Buckeyes quarterback now stands as one of the best pending free agent receivers out there. We would be surprised if the Browns allow him to reach the open market, but if he does get there, he’ll get money thrown at him by teams looking for a No. 2 wide receiver.

The Dolphins can replace Kenny Stills in-house and they need to save their dollars for Jarvis Landry‘s next deal, so we envision Stills testing the open waters. Despite his age, Pierre Garcon could reportedly garner $9MM+ per year on his next pact. Because of his maddening inconsistency, we have slotted Garcon one spot ahead of teammate DeSean Jackson. There’s also this: Jackson can break a game wide open with his blazing speed, but speed doesn’t usually age well. Jackson, who reportedly wants to return to the Eagles, turns 31 in December.

Each player ranked No. 6 through No. 9 here offers potential and question marks in equal measure. Those around Kenny Britt have been questioning his work ethic and attitude since his Rutgers days, but his talent is undeniable. Markus Wheaton appeared destined for big things as the Steelers No. 2 wide receiver last year before an early season shoulder injury landed him on IR. Cordarrelle Patterson has all the physical tools to succeed and he put himself on the map last year as a kick returner. Will some team out there sign him to a multi-year pact and try to mold him into a receiver? Michael Floyd‘s rocky year ended with a Super Bowl ring, though he was not on the active roster in Houston. Floyd will be looking for a one-year, prove-it deal and there will be teams curious to see if he can reprise his 2013 season.

Tight end:

Martellus Bennett sounds like a man who is eager to cash in on the open market. There’s a “real possibility” he winds up elsewhere, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, and he’ll get a monster deal if that happens. Filling in for Rob Gronkowski, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016.

In his first season with the Packers, Jared Cook appeared in ten regular season games and caught 30 of 51 targets for 377 yards and a touchdown. In the Packers’ two-game playoff run, he really turned it on with a total of 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. Cook will be a priority for the Packers to re-sign, but it’s not clear if they’ll get a deal done between now and March 9.

Anthony Fasano finds himself ranked higher than some bigger names due to his blocking ability. PFF gave Fasano an 88.1 score for run blocking, which was the best of any tight end last year. His 72.9 pass blocking score was fourth-best among TEs.

Offensive tackle:

Andrew Whitworth spent some time at guard last season but his best (and most profitable) position is on the outside. He’s 35, but he is our top-ranked free agent tackle after turning in another stellar year.

Ricky Wagner could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The former fifth-round pick put it all together this year in Baltimore and he won’t turn 28 until October.

Russell Okung was thrust into the free agent market in February when the Broncos declined his option. This time around, it will be interesting to see whether he hires an agent. His previous deal was effectively a one-year pact with a club option for a four-year, $48MM deal with $20.5MM in guaranteed cash. After a so-so year, the Broncos wisely turned it down.

Austin Pasztor is listed as a tackle here, though it’s quite possible he reverts to the interior line in 2017. Mike Adams, a former second-round pick, makes the cut for his natural talent, even though he hasn’t shown much at the professional level. Will Beatty also found his way to the Top 15, but his market will be capped after two injury-ridden years.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Kevin Zeitler is the only offensive lineman to crack our Top 10 Free Agents list from late January. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. After three consecutive strong seasons, he is going to get big bucks.

Ronald Leary, who once pushed for the Cowboys to trade him, recognizes that a return probably isn’t in the cards. The Cowboys will go with La’el Collins in 2017 and beyond, but don’t cry for Leary. After making 12 starts in Collins’ place and ranking No. 25 among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards, Leary will find an eager market in March.

J.C. Tretter graded out as a top 10 center last year, according to PFF, and he just turned 26. Stefen Wisniewski offers experience at both guard and center and there should be at least a few teams looking at him as a potential starter.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Redskins Notes: Davis, WRs, Cap Casualties

February 8th, 2017 at 5:50pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

With the exception of tight end Vernon Davis, the Redskins haven’t yet had any discussions with their pending free agents regarding new contracts, according to John Keim of ESPN.com. Aside from Davis, the team’s list of unsigned players includes quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, and defensive end Chris Baker, among others. As Keim notes, though, the team’s decision not to engage with any of its potentially soon-to-be available players isn’t necessarily cause for concern, writing that “there’s no urgency yet and multiple agents weren’t surprised no one has been contacted.” Nevertheless, it would behoove the Redskins to retain at least one of Garcon or Jackson, opines Keim, who argues that better options in free agency will be few in number. Garcon and Jackson were the only Redskins targets to exceed 1,000 receiving yards last season, and losing the pair would leave them with Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson – who endured a lost rookie year because of an Achilles injury – as their top two wideouts.

Extra Points: Thomas, Mathieu, Browner, Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Broncos continue to reside up against the salary cap, ESPN.com’s Field Yates points out Demaryius Thomas‘ contract can help the Super Bowl champions clear $9.18MM worth of space.

A clause in the seventh-year wide receiver’s five-year, $70MM deal indicates the Broncos can convert any amount of Thomas’ $13MM 2016 salary into a signing bonus, which would then be spread out over the final four seasons of the pact, Yates reports. The Broncos reducing that salary to the veteran minimum of $760K would free up $9.18MM of cap space this year. The team currently resides in cap peril, with barely $1MM in space before signing Jared Crick on Wednesday, as it attempts to work out a Colin Kaepernick trade.

A Thomas restructure would make sense for the Broncos, who have many high-priced contracts on a cap sheet — although, Ryan Clady and Von Miller‘s respective $10.1 and $14.1MM numbers could well be reduced soon, or removed in Clady’s case — that doesn’t include a high-priced quarterback. Denver currently wants Kaepernick at $7MM for 2016 and ’17, but in 2017, the Broncos are as of now set to have $72.36MM of space — second-most in the league.

They’d have more room for a higher Thomas cap number with contracts like Clady’s and DeMarcus Ware‘s off their balance sheet after the 2016 league year. The Dolphins put a similar clause in Ndamukong Suh‘s deal last year.

Here’s the latest from around the league.

Rehabbing from the torn ACL he sustained in Week 15, Tyrann Mathieu said he would prefer to stay with the Cardinals long-term but acknowledges the negotiation could be tricky, with the versatile defensive back wanting a top-end contract but at a time when he’s coming off a second knee surgery, Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com writes in an expansive piece. “They have concerns, which is understandable,” Mathieu told Prisco. “I’ve had two knee surgeries. At the same time, they know who I am as a teammate, as a football player, what I mean to the community and what I can do on the football field. The easiest thing is to pay me as a safety. But if [Patrick Peterson‘s] guy goes down, I have to check Pat’s guy. For me, it’s about me being compensated for everything I do.” In late February, we heard the contract-year safety and the Cardinals were discussing an extension, but nothing has emerged from those talks as of yet.
Vernon Davis can earn up to $4.5MM in 2016 if he meets all the incentives of his Washington contract, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports. Davis’ deal is officially a one-year, $1.66MM pact, but the 12th-year tight end meeting those as-of-now unspecified performance incentives could more than double that.
Brandon Browner posted on his Instagram account (via Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com) that he played through a torn MCL last season with the Saints. The recently released cornerback said he tore the ligament in the Saints’ first preseason game. This would help explain a steep decline that resulted in Pro Football Focus bestowing by far its worst full-time cornerback grade on Browner in 2015.
Paxton Lynch has a Cowboys visit lined up for Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and will trek to San Diego for a Chargers meeting soon after. The 49ers also sent multiple representatives to observe the Memphis prospect at his pro day Wednesday, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
The Bills received good value on a nontraditional quarterback accord last season and still employ Tyrod Taylor but are taking a wide-ranging glance of this year’s quarterback crop. Bills reps ate dinner with Lynch and plan to visit with Connor Cook, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The team also already met with Christian Hackenberg, per Albert Breer of NFL.com, and has done plenty of research on Jared Goff.
Lynch had multiple work-related meals Wednesday, with the Saints meeting with the first-round prospect over lunch, Rapoport tweets. Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld will also visit the Saints soon.
The Cowboys met with Carson Wentz on Wednesday, according to the team’s website. The North Dakota State prospect also worked extensively with Cowboys coaches at the Senior Bowl.
Germain Ifedi has a busy schedule upcoming after performing for teams at Texas A&M’s pro day Wednesday. The Aggies’ latest tackle prospect has a slew of visits and workouts booked, WalterFootball.com’s Tony Pauline reports. Ifedi’s visit itinerary features summits with the Lions, Panthers, Bears and Texans after having already met with the Titans and Dolphins. The Cardinals, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Panthers, Texans and Falcons have scheduled workouts with Ifedi.
Veteran quarterback Seth Lobato is working out for the Panthers, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this report

Contract Details: A. Smith, V. Davis, Knighton

April 6th, 2016 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest details on recently signed or agreed-upon contracts from around the NFL. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated.

Aldon Smith, OLB (Raiders): Two years, $11.5MM. Annual salaries of $1.25MM. Up to $4MM annually in per-game roster bonuses. $500K annual workout bonus. Up to $3.5MM in annual incentives (Twitter link).
Vernon Davis, TE (Washington): One year, $2.4MM. $500K signing bonus. $600K of $1.35MM base salary is guaranteed. $150K roster bonus due on August 22. Up to $300K in per-game roster bonuses. Up to $2.1MM in incentives (Twitter links).
Terrance Knighton, DT (Patriots): One year, $2.018MM. $250K signing bonus. Up to $500K in per-game roster bonuses. $100K workout bonus. Up to $300K in performance incentives. Up to $2MM in playing-time incentives. $500K Pro Bowl incentive (links via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Jasper Brinkley, LB (Giants): One year, $1.8MM. $1.2MM base salary is guaranteed. $500K roster bonus paid on April 1. $100K workout bonus. Up to $500K in incentives for playing time (Twitter link)
Stefen Wisniewski, C/G (Eagles): One year, $1.51MM. $500K signing bonus. Up to $250K in per-game roster bonuses. Up to $1.25MM in incentives (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports).
Wallace Gilberry, DE (Lions): One year, $1.25MM. $340K signing bonus. $25K workout bonus. Up to $500K in incentives for performance and playing time (link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
Jack Crawford, DE (Cowboys): One year, $1.1MM. $240K signing bonus. $100K workout de-escalator. Up to $500K in incentives (Twitter link).
Spencer Paysinger, LB (Dolphins): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus. $120K of $760K base salary is guaranteed. (Twitter link).
Kyle Love, DT (Panthers): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).

Washington Signs Vernon Davis

April 2nd, 2016 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 3:48pm: Davis’ deal is indeed a one-year accord worth $2.38MM, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The 12th-year tight end receives $1.1MM in full guarantees, and Davis can earn up to $2.1MM more via incentives, per Klis. Despite disappearing from Denver’s offense down the stretch and in the playoffs, Davis presently resides as Washington’s highest-paid tight end.

THURSDAY, 4:22pm: The team has officially announced the signing.

THURSDAY, 11:05am: Free agent tight end Vernon Davis is headed home, having agreed to terms to sign with Washington, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). In addition to being a homecoming for the D.C. native, the deal also reunites Davis with former 49ers executive Scot McCloughan, who was San Francisco’s VP of player personnel when Davis was drafted.

[RELATED: Anquan Boldin visits Washington]

The sixth overall pick back in ’06, Davis averaged 50 catches per season during his first eight years in the NFL, racking up 53 total touchdowns and earning two Pro Bowl nods during that stint. However, he has slowed down in recent years, with inconsistent quarterback play, injuries, and his increasing age all playing a part in that decline.

Although Davis, traded from the 49ers to the Broncos midway through the 2015 campaign, didn’t have his best season last year, he still managed to catch 38 passes, including 20 after moving to Denver. In Washington, the team has a clear-cut No. 1 tight end in Jordan Reed, so Davis shouldn’t be relied upon as more than a complementary option as long as Reed stays healthy.

Washington has apparently been on the lookout for additional pass catchers to join Reed, DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Jamison Crowder as Kirk Cousins‘ top targets for 2016. In addition to reaching a deal with Davis, the team also brought in veteran wideout Anquan Boldin for a visit earlier this week.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), it’s a one-year contract.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: Ravens, V. Davis, Fitzpatrick, Jets

March 22nd, 2016 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens remain in the market for pass rushing help, but when asked today about Greg Hardy, head coach John Harbaugh replied, “Greg Hardy? He won’t be a Raven, I can tell you that” (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com). Harbaugh also said that free agent linebacker Courtney Upshaw is still on the team’s radar, but Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets that Upshaw’s return sounds unlikely.

Here are a few more updates related to free agency:

GM Scot McCloughan confirmed today that Washington still has interest in free agent tight end Vernon Davis, who paid a visit to D.C. earlier in March (Twitter link via Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com). In fact, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suggests that Washington has made Davis a contract offer, in the hopes of pairing him with Jordan Reed and giving Kirk Cousins an additional weapon in the passing game.
Although there’s still a significant gap between the Jets‘ offer and Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s asking price, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes that the “Wild Wild West stare-down narrative has been exaggerated.” A source tells Mehta that the two sides have had an open line of communication in recent weeks.
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that Green Bay is moving on from free agent wideout James Jones, says Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Jones’ agent said as much on Monday.
Before he re-signed with the Cardinals, running back Chris Johnson was believed to be deciding between Arizona and Miami. However, Johnson tells Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the Patriots also had interest in him.
Colts owner Jim Irsay said today that the team will continue to meet with free agents this week, but Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star cautions (via Twitter) that the team won’t be making any major moves.

FA Visits: V. Davis, Vasquez, Titans, Jets

March 10th, 2016 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent tight end Vernon Davis will pay a visit to Washington today, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s an unsurprising piece of news, considering Davis is from the D.C. area, and Washington GM Scot McCloughan was working in the 49ers’ front office when San Francisco drafted the tight end.

Davis, traded from the 49ers to the Broncos midway through the 2015 season, didn’t have his best year, but still managed to catch 38 passes, including 20 after moving to Denver. If he were to sign with Washington, he would presumably be a complementary option to Jordan Reed, so we’ll see if there’s a fit there.

Here’s more on free agent visits happening around the NFL:

Former Broncos guard Louis Vasquez, recently released by Denver, will visit the Titans on Friday, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Tennessee is looking to beef up the interior of its offensive line, having already signed center Ben Jones away from the division-rival Texans.
The Cowboys are scheduled to host cornerback Nolan Carroll for a visit, says Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The Cowboys need help at cornerback, and we heard earlier today that Dallas would be a “team to watch” on Carroll, who hasn’t been on the same page as the Eagles in negotiations.
Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link) is hearing that Rod Streater may be planning to head east to visit some teams, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News confirms (via Twitter) that the Jets will host the free agent wideout on Friday. Paylor notes that the Chiefs have also expressed some interest in Streater, as he reported earlier in the week.
Titans GM Jon Robinson indicated today that the team plans to set up visits with a couple veteran free agent safeties, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. The Titans – who cut longtime safety Michael Griffin last month – will also explore the position in the draft, per Robinson.

Extra Points: Wright, Tampering, Okung

March 6th, 2016 at 7:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens and Shareece Wright are nearing a deal to keep the cornerback in Baltimore, Jeff Zreibec of the Baltimore Sun reports (via Twitter).

Wright bounced back from being inactive during the first four games of last season, doing so in San Francisco despite the 49ers signing him in free agency last year. The soon-to-be 29-year-old corner played in 11 games for the Ravens, starting six, and ranked as the team’s best corner, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Ravens keeping Wright may be a matter of Wright arriving in Baltimore to take a physical and sign the deal, according to Zreibec (on Twitter).

Baltimore has Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb on its 2016 cap sheet for $9.6MM and $9.5MM, respectively, so a deal for Wright probably won’t be too costly for the Ravens, who have $11.08MM in cap space entering Monday’s legal tampering period.

Here’s more from around the league on the night before said tempering period begins.

Russell Okung will not be permitted to speak with teams during the tampering period even though he acts as his own agent, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. In a memo circulated to teams earlier this week includes language that prohibits teams from discussing contracts with self-represented players during the two-day tampering period. The seventh-year tackle acts as his own agent. This could cloud the left tackle market, one that Okung is possibly atop entering his age-29 season. Although Okung’s hired a consultant, Florio notes his market may be slow to develop since the bulk of this free agent class’ linemen have agents who are well-connected in league circles and can establish asking prices for their clients. Florio anticipates Okung not hiring an agent will cost him as he enters free agency for the first time.
The NFL will loosen constraints on the tampering period this year, Florio reports. Despite it being slashed from three days to two, this year’s soft free agency can feature teams discussing specific contract frameworks with agents as opposed to mere negotiating. Although several deals leaked early last season, most notable Ndamukong Suh‘s record Dolphins pact, teams are prohibited from executing or announcing an agreement in principle until 3 p.m. CT Wednesday. Violations of these rules can be construed as a violation of the league’s anti-tampering procedure or conduct detrimental to the league, Florio writes. The PFT reporter, though, adds deals will indeed be negotiated to their completion during the two-day window.
Vernon Davis told ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link) he wants to play for four or five more seasons. Davis did not factor in much to the Broncos’ Super Bowl championship pursuit after being benched due to drops and a failure to grasp the offense upon midseason arrival. The 32-year-old Davis struggled the past two seasons after scoring 13 touchdowns in a Pro Bowl campaign in 2013. Davis caught 20 passes with the Broncos but none came in the team’s final five games, including its three postseason conquests. He joins Antonio Gates, Coby Fleener and Ben Watson among free agent tight ends.
Already expressing interest in retaining Brandon Brooks and Ben Jones, the Texans are also interested in keeping swing tackle Chris Clark, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. Houston traded a seventh-round pick to Denver for the 30-year-old Clark, and the team’s insurance policy to a potential injury to Derek Newton or Duane Brown ended up starting four games after Brown was lost for the season.

Washington Rumors: Cousins, Davis, Galette

February 29th, 2016 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

When ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on Friday that Washington would use either the franchise or transition tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk refuted that report, suggesting no decision has been made and adding that the team was more likely than not to avoid tagging Cousins. Three days later though, Schefter is sticking to his initial story, tweeting again that Washington will tag Cousins before Tuesday’s deadline.

Washington is not done discussing a long-term deal with Cousins yet, however, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post, who tweets that the two sides will continue to talk right up until the March 1st deadline. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) echoes that report, but both reporters view a tag as the most probable scenario, with Rapoport suggesting the transition tag might be the likeliest outcome.

As we wait to see what happens with Cousins and Washington, here’s the latest out of D.C., including more on the free agent quarterback:

John Keim of ESPN.com breaks down the risks and benefits of using the franchise or transition tag on Cousins. Using the transition tag would save a couple million dollars, but would result in no compensation if Cousins signs with an offer sheet elsewhere and Washington decides not to match it. While that approach may seem risky, Keim notes that if the team goes that direction, it would be based on extensive market research.
Could Washington be a potential destination for free agent tight end Vernon Davis? As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Davis appears unlikely to re-sign with the Broncos, and Washington is worth keeping an eye on since GM Scot McCloughan drafted the veteran tight end during his time in San Francisco.
Given his suspension history and the fact that Washington holds the right of first refusal on him, pass rusher Junior Galette may have a hard time landing an offer sheet from another team, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (all Twitter links). In La Canfora’s view, there are enough factors working against Galette that it’ll be hard for him to get big-time money, or more than a one-year offer. The 27-year-old will also be working with new representation, having recently fired his agent.
In case you missed it: We previewed Washington’s offseason last week.

Broncos Rumors: QBs, Trevathan, Clady, RBs, Davis

February 25th, 2016 at 5:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is still undecided about whether to retire or return for his age-40 season, general manager John Elway said at the combine on Thursday (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post).

“He still needs more time, so we’re going to afford him that time,” said Elway, who met with Manning a couple nights ago, per Jhabvala.

Elway and Manning will meet again in a week or two, Lindsay Jones of USA Today tweets.

“The ball is in his court,” Elway said.

Elway also touched on some of the Super Bowl champions’ other key issues Thursday. Let’s dive in…

The Broncos will not place the franchise tag on Manning’s potential successor, Brock Osweiler, according to Elway (Twitter link Jones). They would like to lock him up to a new deal, though. “We’re really not in a hurry. Brock knows what we have to offer and we still have a great deal of interest in Brock,” Elway stated (Twitter link via Jhabvala).
Linebacker Danny Trevathan will “probably have to test the market,” Elway said (per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com). Denver doesn’t seem likely to retain Trevathan, who is in position to cash in after accruing 109 tackles, two picks and ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 10th-best linebacker last season.
Elway has spent most of his draft prep focusing on the offensive line, he said (Twitter link via Jones). He’ll also meet with offensive tackle Ryan Clady‘s agent on Friday to discuss restructuring his contract, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter). Clady indicated earlier this winter that he’s open to reworking his deal to stay a Bronco. Injuries have plagued the four-time Pro Bowler, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL and has sat out 30 of Denver’s last 48 regular-season games. Clady, 29, is scheduled for cap charges exceeding $10MM in each of the next two seasons.
In addition to Clady, the Broncos might also attempt to rework edge rusher DeMarcus Ware‘s contract, Legwold writes. Ware is currently set to count $11.67MM against the Broncos’ cap for his age-34 season.
Running back will be a position the Broncos look at in free agency and the draft, per Elway, who added that C.J. Anderson “had a good year.” On free agent-to-be Ronnie Hillman, Elway stated, “[W]e’ll see what happens” (Twitter links via Jhabvala).
The Broncos will allow tight end Vernon Davis, whom they acquired from the 49ers last fall, to test the free agent market, according to Elway. “But that’s not to say we don’t want him back,” he added (Twitter link via Renck).