NFL Notes: Chip Kelly, Bengals, Dolphins, Giants, Vikings

Chip Kelly

• Charles Robinson reports that former 49ers HC Chip Kelly auditioned for Fox last week for a broadcasting position.

Bengals

• According to Katherine Terrell of ESPN, there does not appear to be a sense of urgency to re-sign LT Andrew Whitworth prior to the start of free agency, making it likely that he’ll test the open market to determine his value.
• Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst hears that the Bengals will target Patriots impending free agent CB Logan Ryan if he does not re-sign with New England.

Dolphins

Dolphins GM Chris Grier remains hopeful that the team will be able to re-sign WR Kenny Stills but still expects him to test the open market.

“He earned the right to be a free agent,” Grier said, via Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post. “Kenny is a very important part for us. We all feel that he contributed greatly to our success last year. And hopefully we’ll get something done here. But as Mike has said, all these guys, you can’t be mad at them. He’s earned the right to get to free agency but hopefully we’ll get something done.”

Grier admits that there has been a lot of “back and forth” in negotiations with Stills.

“We’ve been talking back and forth,” Grier said. “I don’t think there’s any real numbers. We’ve talked back and forth to kind of know what the agent wants and what we think. But you know with any negotiation, anyone is going to ask for the moon and you know the team is going to try to come in and low ball them. It’s just the bartering back and forth.”

Giants

• Although the Giants placed the franchise tag on DE Jason Pierre-Paul, Jason Cole of B/R reports that there is “little expectation” that the two sides will agree on a long-term deal.
• According to Cole, some believe that the Giants are holding Pierre-Paul’s rights for one year under the tag as they look for a replacement for him through the 2017 NFL Draft.
• In fact, Cole goes on to say that the Giants plan on keeping their defense together for the 2017 season before parting ways with “several” key players, including Pierre-Paul.

Vikings

• Tennessee RB Alvin Kamara and Oklahoma RB Samaje Perine said that they met with the Vikings at the NFL Combine. (Ben Goessling)
• USC G Damien Mama also said he spoke with the Vikings at the combine. (Ben Goessling)