NFL Notes: Free Agents, Chip Kelly, Giants & Lions

Free Agents

Earlier in the week, Joel Corry of CBS Sports looked at five players who failing to come through in their contract year. Corry’s list includes:

• Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
• Bills CB Stephon Gilmore
• Cardinals WR Michael Floyd
• Raiders RB Latavius Murray
• Vikings LT Matt Kalil

Corry does a good job of offering an overview for each player’s situation based on where things stand right now, so I recommend giving it a read.

Chip Kelly

• ESPN’s Darren Rovell reports that Nike co-founder and Oregon booster Phil Knight is ready to pay as much as $10-plus million a year for a new head coach at Oregon. Rovell notes that Knight is 78 and wants to bring a national championship title to Oregon.
• Adam Schefter, citing sources close to Chip Kelly, reports that the 49ers head coach has no plans to return to coaching a college football team, even if the Oregon job ends up being available. (NFLTR)

Giants

• Ian Rapoport reports that Giants DE Olivier Vernon has been playing with a “shattered hand” but is feeling better and has been able to use both of his hands.

Lions

• Joel Corry mentions that Lions QB Matthew Stafford would be smart to wait until the Raiders sign QB Derek Carr to a long-term deal before discussing an extension with Detroit.
• Corry has previously made the case for Stafford to be the highest paid player in the NFL once he signs a new contract.