NFL Rumors: Free Agency, Draft, Eagles, & Redskins

Free Agents

Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap covered a number of offseason NFL topics in a Q&A session on Twitter Sunday. Here are some notes from Fitzgerald:

• Fitzgerald could see Packers CB Casey Hayward signing a deal worth between $8 – $9 million if teams believe he is capable of playing as an outside corner. However, his salary could drop to $6 – $7 million if he’s viewed as a slot option.
• Fitzgerald thinks it’s still possible for the Packers to re-sign Hayward, as they often get deals donoe just before free agency.
• Fitzgerald could see Browns S Tashaun Gipson signing for as much as $8 million annually on the open market.
• As for another Browns free agent, Fitzgerald expects RT Mitchell Schwartz‘s minimum value to be $7 million annually.
• Fitzgerald anticipates the Raiders targeting Hayward, Gipson, CB Janoris Jenkins if they reach free agency.
• As for Raiders LT Donald Penn, Fitzgerald expects him to sign for close to $5 – $6 million over two-years.
• Fitzgerald would lean towards releasing veteran OLB DeMarcus Ware over a a restructured contract if he was making the call for the Broncos.
• Fitzgerald does not think Jets impending free agent QB Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s market value will exceed $10 million annually.
• As for some Chiefs free agents, Fitzgerald thinks CB Sean Smith could land $10 million per year, while OLB Tamba Hali may end up closer to $5 million.

Draft

• According to Greg Auman, the Buccaneers worked out Georgia Southern LB Antwione Williams on Sunday and will host him for a pre-draft visit on April 13.

Eagles

Though Eagles HC Doug Pederson said that he feels they have a young and talented group of receivers, but that won’t prevent them from looking to add a receiver in free agency and the draft.

“They’re young, they’re talented,” said Pederson, via Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice. “I think they have a good rapport with Sam. I think he’ll be able to work with them. I think that’s very important. I still think you have to create depth at that spot, at that position. We’ll look into free agency there, and then obviously the draft. But I think it’s a good, talented, young group of receivers.”

While Kempski expects the Eagles to sign a veteran to compliment the current group of receivers, he does not anticipate it being a big-name free agent.

• According to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, the Eagles have yet to make an offer to impending free agent S Walter Thurmond.

Redskins

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing a league source, reports that the Redskins were concerned that the Eagles would make a run at signing QB Kirk Cousins if they used the transition tag on him or elected to not tag him at all.

Florio mentions that the Eagles quickly got a two-year contract done with QB Sam Bradford after Washington franchised Cousins last week.

So if the Eagles were going to give Bradford $17.5 million on a two-year deal, what would they have offered Cousins? Washington didn’t want to find out the hard way, and so Washington decided to give Cousins $19.95 million for one year. With Cousins out of play, the Eagles did a deal with Bradford.