Update 3: Eldorado Owens to the Bengals?
Update 2A -- What's with the Aaron Kampman? Mike Lombardi just tweeted that he's NOT visiting the Eagles.
Update Two -- Via Jay Glazer's Twitter: Julius Peppers taking a physical in Chicago. Aaron Kampman detouring from Seattle to visit the Eagles.
Divisional Updates:
-- The NFL Networks' Jason LaCanfora tweets that the Eagles and Patriots have offers out for DE Julius Peppers, but ESPN's Adam Schefter tweets that he should become a Bear this afternoon, barring an unforseen breakdown in contract talks.
-- The Giants are bidding for Antrel Rolle, but can they beat the Dolphins? The Miami Herald's Armando Salguero tweets that he's heard from the player's agent that S Gibril Wilson will be released today. Is one more related to the other?
-- The Redskins hare hosting OT Tony Pashos. Don't know if this is in addition to, or as an alternative for Packers LT Chad Clifton, also a player of interest. We're seeing the immediate hand of Bruce Allen at Redskins Park. He's locked Dan Snyder's big checkbook away and turned from targets like Julius Peppers to more practical players who can bolster his team's emaciated offensive line.
While all may be quiet on the Cowboys' front for now, all else is crazy on Free Agency Friday. In the last 48 hours, players have been released, the restricted tender deadline has passed, and a slew of free agents hit the open market.
The Julius Peppers sweepstakes are on. Chicago has reportedly offered him a fat deal, but his agent, Carl Carey, says they may still check out Philadelphia today.
"Chicago will be our first visit and we don’t want them looking over their shoulder worrying about other teams right now," Carey said. "They were the first to call and they’ve made us a ballpark offer and it’s good enough to where we’ll make a visit. Pending the outcome of that visit we may visit with Philadelphia and see where we are from there."
More Beasts in the East after the jump.
Philadelphia Eagles (9-4)
6-2 Home, 5-3 Road
4-2 in the NFC East
So, if the Eagles don't land Peppers, could then they go after Aaron Kampman?
With the clock inching toward midnight Thursday the Eagles apparently are pursuing a defensive end in free agency.But the target is Aaron Kampman, not ultimate prize Julius Peppers, according to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times.
[snip]
On the plus side Kampman is eager to get back into a 4-3 defense, where he’s most comfortable playing strong side end, after playing out of position as a 3-4 linebacker.
The Green Bay Packers reportedly offered him a deal averaging $5 million to stay.
Other names being thrown out there:
The Eagles also may be interested in Arizona safety Antrel Rolle, Houston cornerback Dunta Robinson, Indianapolis linebacker Gary Brackett, and Minnesota running back Chester Taylor.
Brackett, though, has reached a deal that will keep him with the Colts.
The Eagles' RFA tenders:
| WR Jason Avant | Second-Round Level |
| G/C Nick Cole | Second-Round Level |
| LB Omar Gaither | Original-Round Level (Fifth-Round) |
| LB Chris Gocong | Original-Round Level (Third-Round) |
| CB Ellis Hobbs | First-Round Level |
| G Max Jean-Gilles | Original-Round Level (Fourth-Round) |
| LB Akeem Jordan | Second-Round Level |
| P Sav Rocca | Right Of First Refusal |
| TE Alex Smith | No Tender Offered |
| FB Leonard Weaver | Second-Round Level |
Leonard Weaver is expected to sign an extension today.
Washington Redskins (4-12)
3-5 Home, 1-7 Road
0-6 in the NFC East
Packers LT Chad Clifton will be in Washington visiting the Redskins today. His agent was in Redskins Park last night.
Clifton is weighing whether to return to Green Bay or sign with a new team after receiving an offer worth approximately $5 million a year from the Packers. Clifton is hoping for somewhere closer to $7 million per season with at least $20 million in the first three years of any deal.
The Redskins began the free agency period yesterday by cutting 10 players.
Gone are backup quarterback Todd Collins, receiver Antwaan Randle El, guard Randy Thomas, kick returner Rock Cartwright, cornerback Fred Smoot, running back Ladell Betts and defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin. Their contracts were terminated.
Also exiting via waivers: Running back Marcus Mason, fullback Eddie Williams and defensive end J.D. Skolnitsky.
The team then re-signed C Casey Rabach to a three-year, $12.3 million deal.
With the defense's potential switch to the 3-4 alignment, you have to expect Dan Snyder to start spending some cash.
While Shanahan says he'll run the best defense he can with the personnel available, he'll begin this week seeking out the pieces that will enable him to run his preferred style. He could find some of those players on the free-agent market.
Had the Chargers not placed such a high tender on RB Darren Sproles, Washington and Philly would have been two of the first teams knocking on his door.
The Chargers had initially announced that they would not tender Sproles, which would've made him an unrestricted free agent, and it was believed the Redskins might pursue him. Washington was one of four teams Sproles had planned to visit this weekend, according to the Union-Tribune. The others were Kansas City, St. Louis and Philadelphia.
Chris Samuels' retirement does not mean he is finished being a Redskin. The 10-year veteran will begin learning the nuances of coaching beginning once camps begin.
He'll be on the Redskins' staff as a part of the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowship and his internship will run through minicamps, organized team activities and training camp. Keenan McCardell, the Redskins' new wide receivers coach, went through the program last year with the Giants.
The Redskins' RFA tenders:
DT Lorenzo Alexander--Right of first refusal (no compensation required)
QB Jason Campbell--Received first-round tender ($3.1 million)
S Reed Doughty--Received second-round tender ($1.759 million)
DT Kedric Golston --Received second-round tender ($1.759 million)
OT Stephon Heyer--Received second-round tender ($1.759 million)
LB Rocky McIntosh--Received second-round tender ($1.759 million)
DT Anthony Montgomery --Received fifth-round tender
G Will Montgomery --Received seventh-round tender
CB Carlos Rogers--Received first-round tender $1.542 million)
LB Chris Wilson--Received second-round tender ($1.759 million)
New York Giants (8-8)
4-4 Home, 4-4 Road
4-2 in the NFC East
The biggest name linked to the Giants right now is S Antrell Rolle; he will reportedly visit the Meadowlands today. They look as if they have to first outbid the Dolphins.
According to another source, the Dolphins offered the safety a five-year contract Thursday evening, shortly after the Cardinals released him to avoid paying a $4 million roster bonus. However, the Dolphins' offer was under the $8 million per year Rolle is seeking. The New York Giants are expected to offer that much when Rolle is expected to visit Friday morning.
The Giants' RFA tenders:
The Giants announced today they have tendered one-year contracts to restricted free agents DT Barry Cofield, WR Domenick Hixon, DE Dave Tollefson, WR Sinorice Moss, LB Gerris Wilkinson, WR Derek Hagan, OL Guy Whimper, OL Kevin Boothe and DB C.C. Brown. Cofield, Hixon and Tollefson received second round tenders.
Moss, Wilkinson, Hagan, Whimper and Boothe received an original round tender, and Brown received a Right of First Refusal tender.
[snip]
The Giants have also tendered one-year contracts to three Exclusive Rights players: RB D.J. Ware, TE Scott Chandler and DB D.J. Johnson.
After all the dust clears, perhaps we will see Dallas shore up some positions with a free agent or two. Yesterday, they tendered all their RFAs except for K Shaun Suisham. Though, as Raf points out, the NFL may be on the verge of a major swap meet.
With the Cowboys offering second round tenders to Marcus Spears, Jason Hatcher, and Stephen Bowen, 3-4 teams know where to look for a young DE.