The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is calling it the March Massacre. In the span of three days, the Steelers let go of defensive end Aaron Smith, wide receiver Hines Ward, guard Chris Kemoeatu, and linebacker James Farrior. That’s 44 years of experienc…
Gregg Rosenthal
Well, one prediction from our newly updated franchise tag primer should prove correct. Chargers G.M. A.J. Smith said on XERPS radio in San Diego (via NFL.com) that Vincent Jackson is likely to hit the free agent market if the Chargers can’t get …
Way back on February 16th, before the Steelers released half their roster, PFT previewed franchise tag season. With just a couple days to go before Monday’s deadline to apply the tag, I wanted to take a look back at where things stand. The initia…
General Managers only have so many people above them in the NFL hierarchy. A team owner is one. The league office is another entity G.M.’s shouldn’t mess with. According to a report from Don Banks of SI.com, Saints G.M. Mickey Loomis got …
Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams didn’t start his bounty system in New Orleans. It goes back to his days with the Redskins at the very least. Mark Maske of the Washington Post has a detailed report that could submerge Williams i…
A lot of information has already come out regarding BountyGate and the Saints. But we’re only just getting started. One of the details that has emerged relates to the 2009 NFC Championship game where the Saints bruised and battered Brett Favre al…
Mike Nugent was not the missing piece that the Jets needed to get over the hump during the Herm Edwards era in New York. In Cincinnati, Mike Nugent is a franchise player. Okay, he’s not a player that you build a franchise around. And he’s n…
49ers safety Dashon Goldson didn’t get the long-term contract he wanted last offseason, so he returned to the 49ers on an inexpensive one-year deal. He’s headed back to the 49ers on a one-year deal, but he’s getting a nice raise this …
We probably could have told you back in December that the Ravens would use the franchise tag on Ray Rice. Now we can officially tell you in March that it happened. The Ravens announced the long-anticipated move on Friday. Chris Carr and Lee Evans were …
It’s turning into tag day in the NFL. Redskins tight end Fred Davis is the latest player to be informed that he’s getting the franchise tag, according to ESPN 980 in Washington. It has since been confirmed elsewhere. This move was always ex…
Released by the Steelers after 13 seasons, defensive end Aaron Smith sounds more likely to retire than find another team that will pay him. “We’re celebrating [13] years of having the privilege of playing for the Steelers, and Aaron is cele…
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported on Friday morning that the Steelers had cut roughly $37.4 million off their salary cap figure with all their restructuring and releases over the last few weeks. On Friday morning, they lopped off even more mone…
Back when we wrote our “Franchise Tag Primer” a few weeks ago, we called cornerback Brent Grimes a “no brainer” to get the tag. We heard back from a lot of people that didn’t think it was so guaranteed. In the end, the Fal…
Getting from awful to pretty good is not an easy road, as Lions fans know well. 2011 was the team’s first “pretty good” season in more than a decade. The road from pretty good to champion is even tougher. A random playoff team pops up…
DeSean Jackson was criticized at times for his effort and attitude during last season. With that in mind, he almost sounds grateful that the Eagles used the franchise tag on him Thursday. “I am honored that the Eagles organization perceives me as…
Rams COO Kevin Demoff told SI.com’s Peter King that a team “you would never expect” has contacted St. Louis about a possible trade up to the No. 2 overall pick. Buffalo, who holds the tenth pick, is not that mystery team. “It is abs…
The purge in Pittsburgh continues. Guard Chris Kemoeatu will join wide receiver Hines Ward and defensive end Aaron Smith as veterans that the Steelers recently released, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Kemoeatu used to be a m…
New Raiders G.M. Reggie McKenzie is currently in slash-and-burn mode. But there are some Raiders that he wants to keep. Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reports that safety Tyvon Branch has been informed he will receive the franchise tag. DeSean Jackson…
Another day, another longtime Steelers veteran thrown off board. Jason La Canfora of NFL Network and Adam Schefter of ESPN report that the Steelers will cut Aaron Smith. This move is even less surprising than the news about Hines Ward coming out on Wed…
The Bears made the release of defensive lineman Anthony Adams official on Thursday. They also cut tackle Frank Omiyale while they were at it. Omiyale wasn’t previously reported, but the news doesn’t come as a shock. He is part of the ever…
The unremarkable transaction came across the NFL wire on March 27, 2009: Packers signed center/guard Duke Preston. The Packers haven’t signed an unrestricted free agent since. Preston didn’t exactly work out; he was released during trainin…
Ben Roethlisberger remember stepping into the huddle in his first year as a starting NFL quarterback. “He was Hines Ward, one of the best receivers in the game. I got a chance to be in the huddle with him and Jerome Bettis. He made me better. It …
Another solid defensive player is going to be taken off the free agent market before he even gets there. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Falcons will re-sign defensive lineman Kroy Biermann within the next 36 h…
We passed along a report two weeks ago that Kamerion Wimbley would not be interested in taking a pay cut to stay with the Raiders. We now pass along a report from NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora that the Raiders will cut Wimbley unless he takes a …
As draft analysts go, former Vikings player Corey Chavous of DraftNasty.com has a very high ceiling. He’s been carrying a folder of DVDs of every draftable player since he was in the league and brings a rare passion to the gig. I was excited to …
Robert Mathis figures to be the consolation prize to teams that lose in the Mario Williams sweepstakes in free agency this year. Of course, Mathis has to get to free agency first. Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star reports that contract talks between…
Among quarterbacks expected to change teams this offseason, there’s Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn, and everyone else. Chad Henne is reportedly getting the most attention of everyone else. Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com reports that Henne is drawing th…
Last October, we noted that Browns running back Peyton Hillis used three different agents in 2011 alone. He’s celebrating the upcoming new league year by making another change. Hillis is looking for his fourth agent since the start of 2011 after …
We’ve talked a lot about the standouts at the just-completed NFL Scouting Combine, but what players may have hurt their stock? According to Charley Casserly of NFL.com, highly rated Alabama defenders Courtney Upshaw and Dre Kirkpatrick are on the…
Morris Claiborne is the top cornerback in this draft class. There is a perceived big drop to the second spot at the position in April, but perhaps there won’t be such a big gap between Claiborne and the next man up on draft day. North AlabamaR…
Jerry Jones would rather have Tony Romo than Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III. We’ll see if one of Dallas’ best football reporters agrees. Florio welcomes in Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram to PFT Live Wednesday to discuss…
Saints guard Carl Nicks is about to get guaranteed a lot of money. He could get the franchise tag, in the event the Saints can work out a contract with Drew Brees before March 5. Or Nicks will become one of the highest paid guards in football when he…
The Ravens say they are offering guard Ben Grubbs a lot of money. It doesn’t sound like that will be enough to prevent Grubbs from testing the free agent market. “Ben is extremely highly regarded in this league. He’s in the prime of his caree…
Former Colts Vice Chairman Bill Polian has received uniformly good reviews for his radio work with SiriusXM NFL Radio. If you haven’t heard him there, fear not. Polian is coming to a television screen near you on ESPN shortly. John Ourand of Spo…
The Jets traded in Braylon Edwards for Plaxico Burress last season. It didn’t work out particularly well for anyone. So let’s pretend it never happened. Burress is on his way out of town, and the Jets are interested in bringing back Edwards…
Are Jets coach Rex Ryan and G.M. Mike Tannenbaum already facing a make-or-break season in New York? That’s the question Florio posed to New York Daily News reporter Manish Mehta Tuesday on PFT Live. Ryan and Tannenbaum’s success together w…
Jaguars G.M. Gene Smith has signed some notable hits in free agency (Paul Posluszny) and a few significant misses, including Aaron Kampman. Smith spent big money on a number of defensive free agents last year, but warns that he won’t be as aggres…
Last week, we told you that the documentary “Undefeated” produced by former NFL player Ed Cunningham was up for best documentary at the Oscars. In the meantime, the film won the award, the director become temporarily infamous, and I went t…
We’ve read a few suggestions in the Twitterverse that NFL Network’s Rich Eisen’s annual forty-yard dash has grown overhyped. Like the Combine itself. My response: People will complain about anything. Relax. The glory of a man trying t…
The beleaguered Chargers offensive line will have to replace its best player next season. Kris Dielman will confirm the retirement rumors that have swirled around him at a Thursday press conference, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribun…
We’ve just started the long, dark time of year called the “offseason.” Some good news arrived Tuesday, delivered straight from the NFL Mountaintops: The offseason will be one day shorter than expected. The Giants will host the season …
Forget the Combine. Forget free agency. Robert Griffin III trade chatter dominates the NFL discussion these days. And it’s still February. Perhaps Rams COO Kevin Demoff is right: It’s getting less crazy to imagine a deal could be completed …
The 49ers defense has a lot of free agents and a lot of roster holes heading into the offseason. They can now cross one problem off their list. The team announced that outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks signed a six-year deal with the club on Tuesday. …
One year later, Plaxico Burress is still pushing to join the Philadelphia Eagles. Burress appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic on Tuesday and said, “nothing else would make me happier” than joining the Eagles. Buress said the Eagles had “a lo…
The Combine wraps up Tuesday with defensive backs performing on-field drills. PFT Live will talk to a player that has already wrapped up his week: Texas A&M running back Cyrus Gray. We’ll also go over the latest Jets news with Manish Mehta of…
