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 03/09/2015 NFL Note - * Free Agents Lofton, Curtis
LB Curtis Lofton had his contract terminated by the Saints Monday
(March 9) with the designation failed physical.
The Saints have been working hard to get under the $143.28 million
cap by the time the league year begins Tuesday. They had been
shopping their leading tackler for a possible trade.
Lofton was scheduled to make $7.25 million in 2015, including a $4.5
million roster bonus. The team saved $4.25 million by releasing him.
Lofton, 28, led the Saints with 100 tackles in 2014, his third year
with the team. He played his first four seasons with Atlanta after
the Falcons drafted him in the second round in 2008.
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NFL Note - * Free Agents Lewis, Thaddeus
QB Thaddeus Lewis had his contract terminated by the Texans Monday
(March 9).
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NFL Note - * Free Agents Keisel, Brett
DE Brett Keisel had his contract terminated by the Steelers Monday
(March 9).
"We have informed Brett Keisel that we plan to release him today,"
Steelers general nanager Kevin Colbert said. "We have had
conversations with Brett over the past couple of weeks during which
we communicated our intentions to him. Brett has played a major role
in our success during his 13 years in Pittsburgh. We appreciate his
efforts and we are grateful for what he helped us accomplish,
including two Super Bowl Championships. We will always consider him
an all-time Pittsburgh Steeler."
Keisel played 13 seasons for the team (2002-2014) after originally
being selected in the seventh round (242nd overall) pick of the 2002
NFL Draft by the Steelers. He saw action in 156 games with 114
starts during the regular season, and he played in 16 games with
eight starts during the postseason.
His career regular-season totals include 30.0 sacks, 36 pass
breakups, seven forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and two
interceptions, one of which was returned 79 yards for a touchdown.
Keisel also excelled on special teams early in his career, recording
33 tackles and two fumble recoveries in the regular season. His
postseason numbers include 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble and two
fumble recoveries.
Keisel is just one of 12 players in team history to record at least
30.0 sacks during the regular season (since sacks became an official
statistic in 1982). And his 36 career pass breakups were the
third-most among active defensive ends at the conclusion of the 2014
regular season.
In 2014, Keisel saw action in 12 games with four starts before
suffering a tricep injury. He was placed on the team's
Reserve/Injured List on December 1, 2014, ending his 2014 campaign.
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NFL Note - Philadelphia Eagles Graham, Brandon
LB Brandon Graham, who was scheduled to become an unrestricted free
agent March 10, re-signed with the Eagles Monday (March 9). The
four-year contract is worth a reported $26 million with $14 million
guaranteed.
A first-round pick in 2010, Graham recorded 5.5 sacks and 46 tackles
in 2014 and has 17 sacks in 64 games.
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NFL Note - * Free Agents Johnson, Andre
WR Andre Johnson was officially released by the Houston Texans the
day before the start of the league year, clearing $8.825 million in
salary cap space.
Johnson, who will be 34 in July, was asked by the Texans to take a
reduced role. While a pay cut was never discussed, that would have
been the obvious next step in the conversation. Johnson balked,
deciding to leave behind the only NFL team he has ever played for.
The 12-year veteran has caught 1,012 career passes for 13,597 yards
and 64 touchdowns. He has five 100-catch seasons and seven in which
he has topped 1,000 yards despite the lack of an elite quarterback
and often minus a strong complementary receiver until the arrival of
DeAndre Hopkins.
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NFL Note - Pittsburgh Steelers Spaeth, Matt
TE Matt Spaeth, who was scheduled to become an unrestricted free
agent March 10, re-signed a two-year contract with the Steelers
Monday (March 9).
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NFL Note - Cleveland Browns Hartline, Brian
The Browns agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with wide receiver
Brian Hartline, according to multiple reports.
The deal cannot become official until the new league year begins at
4 p.m. ET Tuesday.
Hartline, drafted by the Miami Dolphins out of Ohio State in the
fourth round in 2009, signed a five-year, $30.8 million contract in
2013. He was due $5.9 million in 2015, but was released late last
month. The move saved Miami $3.15 million against the salary cap.
Hartline had a disappointing 2014 season after registering 1,083
yards in 2012 and 1,016 yards in 2013. He caught only 39 passes for
474 yards and two scores last season.
The 28-year-old has 4,243 yards and 12 touchdowns in six NFL
seasons.
Hartline returns to Ohio, where he starred in both high school for
GlenOak in Canton, and then later for the Buckeyes.
The Browns have been seeking to upgrade their receiving corps with
Josh Gordon suspended for next season and little in the way of
proven playmaking depth on the roster. Undersized Andrew Hawkins led
the team with 63 catches and 824 receiving yards last season, while
rotational player Travis Benjamin led the wideouts with three
touchdown receptions.
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NFL Note - Arizona Cardinals Okafor, Alex
LB Alex Okafor was arrested Monday morning in Austin, Tex., on a
misdemeanor charge of evading arrest.
Police said they were called out due to a disturbance in the city's
downtown entertainment district, and when they arrived, Okafor ran
away. He was taken into custody around 2 a.m.
Police said Okafor also had a warrant out for his arrest on a Class
C misdemeanor charge, but no other information on that case was
immediately available.
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NFL Note - * Free Agents Long, Jake
T Jake Long will have his contract terminated by the Rams Tuesday.
The club announced the move Monday. Long was the No. 1 overall pick
by the Miami Dolphins in 2009 and started 62 games for them before
signing a four-year, $34 million contract with St. Louis in 2013.
He started 22 games for the Rams but missed the final nine games
last season due to a torn ACL -- the same one he tore to end the
2013 season. He was due $9.25 million in 2015, and the team will
save $8 million by releasing him.
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NFL Note - * Free Agents Wells, Scott
C Scott Wells will have his contract terminated by the Rams Tuesday.
The club announced the move Monday. Wells, 34, signed with the Rams
in 2012 and started 35 games at center in three seasons, including
all 16 last season. A seventh-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in
2004, he spent his first eight seasons in Green Bay. Wells was due
to make $4 million in 2015 and the team will save that figure
against the cap.
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NFL Note - San Francisco 49ers Miller, Bruce
FB Bruce Miller was arrested Thursday on charges of spousal abuse,
according to numerous reports.
The 49ers said they were aware of the matter.
"We were disappointed to learn of these reports and will do our due
diligence in collecting all relevant information," the team said in
a news release to CSNBayarea.com.
A Santa Clara (Calif.) police department spokesman said the results
of the investigation have been forwarded to the Santa Clara County
District Attorney's office.
Miller was a seventh-round draft pick in 2011. He has made 42 career
starts. He has 66 catches for 599 yards and three touchdowns in his
career with the 49ers.
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NFL Note - Seattle Seahawks Blackmon, Will
CB Will Blackmon was signed by the Seahawks Monday (March 9).
Blackmon, 30, was picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars after being
cut by Seattle in 2013 and played in 23 games, starting 11, for the
Jaguars over the past two seasons.
The Jaguars released him Feb. 26.
In 2013, he tallied 40 tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble
recovery and an interception. Last season, he had 28 tackles, a sack
and a forced fumble but missed the final eight games with a broken
finger.
Blackmon, a fourth-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2006, has
played nine years with the Packers (2006-09), New York Giants
(2010-11) and Jaguars.
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NFL Note - Seattle Seahawks Morgan, Michael
LB Mike Morgan, who was scheduled to become a restricted free agent,
re-signed with the Seahawks Monday (March 9).
Morgan, 27, spent the past four seasons with the Seahawks after
signing as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Southern
California in July 2011. He appeared in five games as a rookie, then
played every game the next three years, compiling a total of 40
tackles in 53 games (one start).
Morgan scored a touchdown in October against the Dallas Cowboys,
returning a blocked punt 25 yards.
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NFL Note - Seattle Seahawks McCoy, Anthony
TE Anthony McCoy, who was scheduled to become an unrestricted free
agent, re-signed with the Seahawks Monday (March 9).
McCoy, 27, appeared in 34 games for Seattle from 2010-12 and made 14
starts. He spent each of the past two seasons on injured reserve due
to Achilles problems. For his career, he has 31 catches for 437
yards and three touchdowns.
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NFL Note - Houston Texans Mallett, Ryan
QB Ryan Mallett, scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent,
reached a two-year agreement to stay with the Texans Monday (March
9). The contract is reportedly worth $7 million.
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NFL Note - Houston Texans Johnson, Damaris
WR Damaris Johnson, scheduled to become a restricted free agent,
signed a one-year deal worth $1 million to remain with the Texans
Monday (March 9).
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NFL Note - Atlanta Falcons Yates, T.J.
QB T.J. Yates, who was scheduled to become an unrestricted free
agent, signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract to stay with the
Falcons Monday (March 9).
Yates was acquired in a trade last season with the Houston Texans.
He gives the Falcons a veteran backup to starting quarterback Matt
Ryan.
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