NFL News & Rumors

Money, playing time forcing Samuel out in Philadelphia?

Doc Jeremic — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:19:56 +0000

With over $9 million due to cornerback Asante Samuel this year and over $11 million next year, the Eagles are unlikely to pay that money out, especially with their tight cap space number this off-season.

Having Samuel’s position locked down pretty well with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on one side and Nnamdi Asomugha on the other also hasn’t helped Samuel’s cause, and as such, the rumors have started up recently about a possible trade with the Titans or the Lions. Both spots are logical landing spots for him as these two teams need an upgrade at CB, but seem to be reluctant to pull the trigger on a deal, given that Philadelphia will inevitably be forced to release Samuels from his contract.

With two or more teams in the mix the Eagles have a better chance to get what they want – rumored to be a third round pick, but any team that wants him knows that in the end Samuel might be just cut and then picked up for nothing.

Samuel, 31, can still hold his own against most receivers, but his on field production is likely to start declining going forward as age robs him of his speed and agility. With his salary situation he might be too big of a risk for any team even one desperate for a quality cornerback which at this point he still is.

At this point, the question really is whether Detroit and/or Tennessee are actually interested in trading for Samuels or are the Eagles simply trying to drum up a deal of any sort by desperately planting seeds.

Chargers, Garay finalize two year deal

Chris Kolb — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:16:23 +0000

While most of the media attention has been directed towards their division rivals in Denver, the Chargers have quietly put together a nice off-season thus far and that trend continued this afternoon, with the news that defensive tackle Antonio Garay has agreed with the club on a new two year contract.

Garay, 32, is headed into his seventh season in the league, and is coming off a solid campaign in 2011, notching 57 tackles and 2.5 sacks with San Diego.

His return will likely be greeted with excitement among the rest of the Chargers defense, as his presence up front will allow his teammates to have more openings to rush the quarterback and flow to the ball faster on running plays.

Jets send Stanton packing for Indianapolis

Chris Kolb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:06:55 +0000

Latest Update @ 4:25 pm CST — The Jets will send a seventh round pick (via Jacksonville) along with Stanton to the Colts, and will receive a sixth round selection back from Indianapolis (via Philadelphia) in return.

4:06 pm CST — A day removed from his public display of frustration, the Jets granted quarterback Drew Stanton his wish and sent him on his way to compete for a shot as a true backup with the Colts. New York will reportedly receive an undisclosed draft choice back in return.

Stanton had signed on with New York earlier this off-season, thanks in large part to the instability of Mark Sanchez as the starter, but after he was relegated to the third string role following the Jets acquisition of Tim Tebow on Wednesday, Stanton complained enough to earn his ticket out of town.

With Indianapolis set to take one of Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III in next month’s draft, Stanton is almost certain to play out the upcoming campaign from the sideline and isn’t likely to see much action unless an injury occurs.

Stanton, 27, is headed into his sixth season in the NFL, spending the five years before now with the Lions backing up Matthew Stafford and occasionally Shaun Hill. In limited playing time, Stanton has totaled 104 completions for 1,158 yards, five touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

Panthers open to trade offers on Stewart?

Chris Kolb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:53:09 +0000

The Panthers are one team that’s been remarkably quiet this off-season, aside from their signing of running back Mike Tolbert (Chargers), they’ve done little to improve the club via free agency, preferring instead of build through the draft and lock up their own free agents.

That may change in the near future, as they seem to be open to a possible trade of running back Jonathan Stewart, and according to Len Pasquarelli of the Sports XChange several teams may have significant interest in acquiring the fifth year pro.

Pasquarelli lists Denver and Pittsburgh as the two most likely destinations for Stewart, but cautions that Stewart will almost certainly have to agree on a new contract before any trade moves into a final stage, as this will be the final season on Stewart’s current deal.

The Steelers need at running back is obvious, with Rashard Mendenhall still recovering from a torn ACL late last season and likely to miss significant time this go around. Any trade/signing of Stewart will have to be team friendly towards the salary cap though, as Pittsburgh is currently struggling to stay afloat and already has had to shed the contracts of several key contributors.

Stewart, 25, has paired with fellow running back DeAngelo Williams to form one of the league’s best duos at the position, rushing for 3,500 yards and 26 touchdowns in his four seasons with Carolina.

Broncos, Tamme find accord on three year deal

Chris Kolb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:26:26 +0000

The exodus of former Colts players west to the Broncos encountered a slight hiccup earlier today, after center Jeff Saturday signed on with Green Bay instead of Denver, but it carried right along after that, as the Broncos reportedly snagged another tight end in Jacob Tamme for quarterback Peyton Manning to work with.

NFL Network’s Jason LaCanfora confirmed the deal and relayed the terms as three years, $9 million with $3.5 million guaranteed.

Tamme, 27, has totaled 92 receptions for 855 yards and five touchdowns in his four year career, all with Indianapolis. He’ll pair up with former Texans tight end Joel Dreessen, who signed earlier today with Denver, to give Manning a quality duo to throw to next fall.

Packers win out in chase for Jeff Saturday

Chris Kolb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:14:20 +0000

Latest Update @ 1:30 pm CST — Saturday’s deal with the Packers has been confirmed by his agent, Ralph Cindrich, and is for two seasons.

12:15 pm CST – When Peyton Manning finalized a deal to join the Broncos early this week, the general consensus was that his former teammate, center Jeff Saturday, would be following close behind him to sign up for a final run in Denver.

That notion failed to materialize today, after Saturday reached agreement with Green Bay to become their starter up front, replacing a Pro Bowl player in Scott Wells.

Although the addition of Manning certainly gives the Broncos a much better chance at reaching the Super Bowl, Saturday will have just as good a shot if not better at the same outcome by signing with the Packers, given the overall talent level and Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.

Saturday, 36, has appeared in 197 games over his 13 year career, all with the Colts, and has been selected to five Pro Bowls.

NFLNR Casting Call: Writer needed!

Chris Kolb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:51:17 +0000

NFL News & Rumors is looking for a writer that wants to develop their craft and blog about all the latest NFL news hitting the wire. Over the past three years, we’ve experienced tremendous growth, so we’re in need of a fresh voice to hit the ground running and help deliver the best coverage possible.

Here’s what we’d like to see in a new writer:

An ardent observer, who’s willing to put in the effort it takes to craft solid pieces that convey the news in a fan friendly format. No hype and no bull. Just straight news backed up by first hand sources.
A die hard fan of the game that loves football and wants to speak their mind on the topic.
Someone who’s able to consistently post throughout the week when news breaks. This isn’t a 24/7 gig, but we want the story on our site when it hits the wire, so if you can’t commit to keeping up with the latest as it breaks, this probably isn’t the right position for you.

The monetary compensation is meager for the time being, but given our current growth and track record, the sky is the limit. If you do end up joining us, you’ll be a full partner from day one and can grab your portion of the revenue after expenses. The more you write, the more hits we get, and the more money you’ll make.

If this sounds like something you want to pursue, feel free to drop us a line with a bio on who you are and why you feel you’d be a solid fit. We’re looking to get started soon, so don’t delay if you really want to join us.

Broncos add another offensive weapon in Dreessen

Chris Kolb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:01:44 +0000

With their short term future at quarterback set in Peyton Manning, the Broncos continued their efforts to surround him with as many receiving options as possible, reportedly agreeing to a contract with tight end Joel Dreessen (Texans) this morning.

Long time Houston Chronicle beat writer John McClain first broke the news a short while ago via his Twitter account.

Dreessen, 29, is headed into his seventh season in the league, spending the past six years with Houston after a single campaign with the Jets in 2005.

A native of Fort Morgan, Colorado, Dreessen has totaled 110 receptions for 1,364 yards and 13 touchdowns throughout his career.

Tebow already stumping for starting job in New York?

Chris Kolb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:49:36 +0000

It should come as no surprise, given the way he played last season and the competitive spirit that drives him, that Tim Tebow would envision himself as the starter at quarterback for the Jets in the near future, and according to several sources, the ability to beat out Mark Sanchez for that role was a major factor in his choice of New York as his preferred trade destination over Jacksonville.

Sanchez has faced significant criticism for his play throughout the majority of his three seasons in New York and the addition of Tebow will only fuel that fire in the future, especially if the former USC quarterback struggles early on this fall.

“There has been a little bit of a question mark in the front office, the head coach and players, with Mark Sanchez,” one Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator said Thursday. “At different times, different people have alluded that he might not be good enough. Now all of a sudden you bring in the most popular guy in the league — the guy sold more jerseys than (Tom) Brady did last year. It’s going to put a lot of pressure on Mark. More pressure than he’s ever had.”

Tebow has said all the right things about joining the Jets thus far and is unlikely to rock the boat by pushing for the starting role publicly any time soon, however his personal belief that he is capable of beating out Sanchez to become the permanent starter going forward is almost certain to start a firestorm around the team before he even dons a jersey.

The trade of Tebow from the Broncos to the Jets has yet to be completed, thanks to a contract language snafu, but it’s expected that he’ll officially be a member of Gang Green tomorrow and introduced by the club on Monday.

Johnson signs two year deal with San Francisco

Chris Kolb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:28:44 +0000

Having played his college football at the University of San Diego under 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that quarterback Josh Johnson (Buccaneers) would end up signing with San Francisco this off-season.

After getting last year’s starter Alex Smith locked up for a reasonable amount, the 49ers made that projection a reality, agreeing to a two year contract with Johnson earlier this evening.

Johnson,25, has been the primary backup for Josh Freeman in Tampa Bay the past three seasons, totaling 96 completions for 1,042 yards, five touchdowns and 11 interceptions in limited playing time.

It’s likely that Johnson will compete with Colin Kaepernick for the second string role in San Francisco and could potentially push for playing time if Smith reverts back to the inconsistent level of play he displayed prior to last season.