Monday Open Thread: Free Agency Buzz
In case you missed the weekend notes, click here.
We’ll keep this post open and updated throughout the day Monday. As always, feel free to chime in with your own thoughts and share links in the comments section.
8:53: Peter King of The MMQB isn’t sure Jairus Byrd is going to get the money he’s seeking on the open market:
Jairus Byrd’s landing spot? A secret. He wants $9 million a year, and I can’t figure out who will pay a safety that much.
While the Eagles are still probably a longshot, King’s note is why they should not be ruled out completely. You just don’t know how the market is going to play out. Howie Roseman and his team have a value on every free agent they’re interested in. If the price falls, maybe they take a look.
Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network says the Dolphins are one of the teams showing some level of interest in Byrd.
8:56: The Broncos are expected to be players for T.J. Ward, according to The Denver Post. The Jets are also expected to have interest in Ward, per the New York Daily News. –SK
8:58: Some have asked about Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett. He has emerged as the Bears’ top target in free agency, according to The Chicago Tribune. –SK
9:01: King floats out the 49ers as a possible destination for Michael Vick. Vick obviously would not get a chance to start there, but teams with Super Bowl aspirations need capable backups. If Vick can accept that role, playing behind Colin Kaepernick wouldn’t be a bad move. –SK
10:12: The Redskins have expressed interest in Jairus Byrd, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. He adds that talks are not serious yet. — TM
11:41: Mike Mitchell has been mentioned quite a bit, but he’s not the only safety the Eagles are looking at. Antoine Bethea is also a player of interest from what we hear. The nine-year vet has played in all 16 games each of the last six seasons for the Colts. He had 110 tackles, a sack and two interceptions in 2013. He turns 30 in July. — TM
11:51: A league source told Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com that the Eagles have expressed interest in Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll. — TM
12:14: The Eagles do not appear to be in the mix for TJ Ward at this time. — TM
12:37: Another DB to keep an eye on: Corey Graham of the Ravens. The 28-year-old brings a degree of versatility, having played corner on the outside and nickel. And he’s also been a contributor on special teams. Graham played his college ball at New Hampshire when Chip Kelly was there. Per Geoff Mosher of CSN Philly, the Eagles have inquired about Graham. –SK
1:17: Why you have to take every report with a grain of salt today: Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald says the “Dolphinw interested in Byrd” talk is a smokescreen. For all the chatter about what Byrd is worth, it’s going to be fascinating to see what the final price tag ends up being. –SK
1:52: Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Browns are “very serious” about signing safety Donte Whitner. The Bears, Jets and Niners are also supposedly in the mix. — TM
1:55: According to the Associated Press, the Browns, Rams and Dolphins are three of the teams interested in signing Jairus Byrd. — TM
3:28:
Word is that Jairus Byrd’s asking price has scared some teams off. He’s looking for more than $8 million per year, and may well get it.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 10, 2014
8:38: The domino effect with the safety market is worth watching. The Dolphins, for example, agreed to terms with free agent Louis Delmas. That means Chris Clemons is out, per Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. As I wrote last month, Clemons would purely a stopgap option. I’d be surprised if the Eagles went after him.
8:44: Not a huge surprise here:
I’m told the #Chiefs indeed have interest in former Philly WR Jason Avant.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) March 11, 2014
8:49: This doesn’t make sense for the Eagles, but worth noting nonetheless:
.@Buccaneers stepping up efforts to trade CB Darrelle Revis, source tells @FOXSports1
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) March 11, 2014