Tag: free agent visit

Report: Shaq Leonard leaves Dallas without deal, will visit with Eagles before deciding

From @ToddBrock24f7: The All-Pro’s visit went “well,” but he’ll move forward with a planned meeting in Philadelphia before making a decision this weekend.

The ball is in Shaq’s court now.

Free agent linebacker Shaq Leonard visited Cowboys headquarters on Tuesday. And while many within the organization- and the fanbase- had hoped that the front office wouldn’t let the four-time All-Pro leave without having inked a deal, Leonard will, in fact, follow through on a planned visit with the Philadelphia Eagles next.

NFL insider Dianna Russini says that the 28-year-old will make a decision on which team to sign with over the coming weekend… just days before the divisional rivals face each other in Arlington in Week 14.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed during a Tuesday morning radio phone-in that Leonard was at The Star and said that he would be personally meeting with the former Colts star as part of his visit.

“It’s not real hard to look and see what kind of player he’s been. He’s been outstanding during his career. We’ll want to check his health, see where he is,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan’s Shan and Bobby. “That’s what he’s doing right now as we’re speaking. And I’ll have a little lunch with him while he’s here,” Jones said.

Leonard had back surgery after the 2021 season to correct a nerve impingement issue. A setback in mid-2022 put him on injured reserve before the season was over. He saw a decrease in snaps for Indianapolis this year, despite him saying he felt fully recovered. The Colts waived their 2018 second-round draft pick on Nov. 21.

The feeling, though, in Dallas (and apparently Philadelphia) is that a slightly-less-than-100% Leonard is still an improvement to a linebacking corps looking to make a deep playoff run, especially with Indy footing the vast majority of his $6.1 million bill for the rest of the season.

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“A player like him, you don’t have any questions. His contribution away from the football team is well known,” Jones explained. “He’s a big positive on a team. He has great respect [from his teammates], has great experience. … When you’ve played as long as he’s played, at the level he’s played, then this isn’t a hard scouting job.”

It is, admittedly, a little harder when the player is getting the VIP treatment in someone else’s building.

Hopefully the Cowboys sufficiently wooed Leonard while he was in theirs to make the decision a slam-dunk for the South Carolina native.

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Report: FA linebacker Shaq Leonard to visit Cowboys this week

The Cowboys will meet with the most intriguing player remaining on the free agent market. | From @KDDrummondNFL

It appears that the public courting by the front office and staff appears to be genuine. The Dallas Cowboys have a need at linebacker, and inexplicably, the Indianapolis Colts put one with a strong history of great play on the free agent market.

Shaq Leonard, formerly Darius, was released last week in a surprise move by the Colts. The 2018 second-round pick has three All-Pros and three Pro Bowl appearances in his career, but back injuries robbed him of most of 2022 and has limited his playing time in 2023. Still, he would signal a big addition for the Cowboys who have had to weather things without their middle linebacker, Leighton Vander Esch.

And it appears they will get their crack at signing him, as Leonard is scheduled to visit The Star this coming week, according to Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins.

Vander Esch has been out with a neck injury and after a month on the sideline a return this season was ruled out while it was reported he may not be able to return to the field ever. Dallas has been playing with Damone Clark and converted safety Markquese Bell, with midseason signing Rashaan Evans playing more in recent weeks.

So while Leonard may not still be playing at a Pro Bowl level, he would improve the depth tremendously with whatever he has left in the tank. His ceiling is obviously much higher than that if he has more in the tank than what the Colts believe he had.

Leonard cleared waivers as a claiming team would’ve had to assume over $6 million in remaining 2023 salary, but as a free agent teams are allowed to negotiate with Leonard if he wants to sign with them.

Report: Patriots ‘optimistic’ on chances of signing DeAndre Hopkins

There’s reportedly real optimism that the Patriots and DeAndre Hopkins will agree on a deal.

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Confidence appears to be growing that the New England Patriots will ultimately land the big prize in signing All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to a deal.

The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported on Wednesday through a source that the Patriots are “optimistic” on their chances of agreeing to a deal with Hopkins, who is going on visits with teams.

After visiting with the Tennessee Titans earlier in the week, the 31-year-old veteran is expected to spend Wednesday and Thursday in New England.

Howe wrote:

The free agent is planning to visit Gillette Stadium on Thursday, and there’s optimism the two sides can find a way to reach an agreement, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The Patriots have the cap space to sign Hopkins to a deal, and they have a real need when it comes to adding an elite talent on the outside at receiver. It would make sense for them to go all out in a pitch effort to ensure he doesn’t leave New England without a contract.

But as Howe explains, there are still hurdles as well.

The two sides need to make sure they’re the right fit for one other, and there’s still a question surrounding the actual price it would take to land Hopkins. Could he price himself out for a Patriots team that isn’t known for splurging financially at the receiver position?

We might be days or mere hours from receiving the answers to those questions.

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Cowboys visit with former Chargers, Colts OL Sam Tevi

After 44 starts with the Chargers, Tevi signed with Indianapolis, but a torn ACL sidelined him for 2021; he met with Dallas this week. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys continue to explore veteran options in free agency, even in the final days leading up to the draft.

Offensive tackle Sam Tevi visited with Dallas staffers this week, according to several reports. Tevi was a sixth-round draft pick out of Utah and spent four seasons with the Chargers, beginning in 2017. He made 44 starts in 58 game appearances with the club.

He signed a one-year deal with the Colts in March 2021 before suffering a torn ACL in the preseason. He was placed on injured reserve in late August.

Tevi is a Texas native, having grown up in the Metroplex suburb of Euless. And while the Cowboys ostensibly already have starting tackles in Tyron Smith and Terence Steele, they may be considering Tevi purely as depth or in a swing tackle role.

That is, if his ACL is healed or at least on track. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News categorized Tevi’s visit in Dallas as “more of a medical check-in” and said that “no deal is imminent,” at least as of Friday evening.

With the 24th overall pick in the upcoming draft, the Cowboys are thought to be in the market for a young offensive line prospect. But Tevi’s visit demonstrates that the front office may not rely on the college ranks to fill all of their roster’s holes.

Tackle La’el Collins was cut by Dallas this offseason; he signed a new contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. Thirty-six-year-old tackle Ty Nsekhe is still an available free agent. Guard Connor Williams left for Miami in March.

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QB Visit: Cowboys to bring in former McCarthy draft pick for workout

Coach Mike McCarthy is looking to a familiar face as a possible veteran backup to Dak Prescott; Brett Hundley made 9 starts for the Packers.

The Cowboys continue to search for quarterback depth behind Dak Prescott. While the team worked out journeyman Jeff Driskel last week, the 2016 sixth-round draft pick with nine starts for three different squads left Dallas without a contract. The club brought in former Ohio State passer J.T. Barrett and Illinois State’s Brady Davis for last weekend’s rookie minicamp, too, but ultimately signed neither player.

Now Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is dipping into the old Rolodex from his Green Bay days by inviting Brett Hundley in for a visit, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Hundley is a former fifth-round pick out of UCLA who spent his first three pro seasons with the Packers during McCarthy’s tenure. The 27-year-old saw considerable playing time in 2017 when he took over for an injured Aaron Rodgers in Week 6 and then finished out the season as the starter.

Hundley was traded to Seattle prior to the 2018 season, but did not play. He spent the last two seasons in Arizona, backing up Kyler Murray.

The Cowboys, after losing Andy Dalton in free agency, have retained Garrett Gilbert, Ben DiNucci, and Cooper Rush behind starter Dak Prescott. Gilbert and DiNucci each got a start in 2020; Rush was with Dallas from 2017 until last May. He returned to the club in October after a short stint on the Giants’ practice squad.

In 18 game appearances and nine starts, Hundley is 199-of-337 with 1,902 passing yards. He’s thrown for 9 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

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