Hugh Douglas: Jack Del Rio “needs to be punched in the face”

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Former NFL defensive end Hugh Douglas, who spent a year playing for Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville, says Del Rio’s handling of the quarterback situation is so shameful that physical violence would be justified.

Douglas noted that Del Rio has now twice cut his starting quarterback just before the start of the regular season, with Byron Leftwich in 2006 and with David Garrard this week, and Douglas says that represents a pattern of dishonesty on Del Rio’s part.

“This is not unlike Jack because he did Byron Leftwich the same way,” Douglas said on ESPN Radio. “If there was ever a coach who needs to be punched in the face for not being truthful to his players, it’s Jack Del Rio.”

According to Douglas, Jacksonville players are tuning Del Rio out because they don’t think they can trust him.

“I can’t believe that those guys in Jacksonville believe what Jack Del Rio is selling,” Douglas said.

If the decision to dump Garrard has current Jaguars players feeling the same way as Douglas, Del Rio may be the next one to get dumped.

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What can the Bills do on the offensive line in free agency?

A call for the Dolphins to sign KR Devin Hester.

Keeping CB Aqib Talib might cost the Patriots more than they’d like to spend.

Running down the best plays of Jets TE Jeff Cumberland’s season after he signed a new contract with the team.

The Ravens have money to spend and holes to fill in free agency.

Said Bengals OL Mike Pollak after re-signing with the team, “They said they were going to get me some reps at center, but they also might have a need at guard. I’m looking forward to a couple of more years of hanging out with these guys and getting back to the playoffs.”

Was using the transition tag on C Alex Mack the right move for the Browns?

LB Larry Foote will be missed by many around the Steelers.

Seahawks CB Richard Sherman’s interception topped a list of interceptions that shaped the Texans season.

Colts head coach Chuck Pagano was at Arizona State’s pro day workout.

Jaguars G.M. Dave Caldwell said he spoke to coach Gus Bradley to make sure DE Red Bryant would fit into the team’s culture.

A look back at the Titans’ history in free agency.

Safety is an obvious spot where the Broncos can improve.

Running through a list of potential Chiefs free agent targets.

FB Marcel Reece wants the Raiders to be fearless in free agency.

What’s the forecast for the Chargers in free agency?

A suggestion that the Cowboys part ways with DE DeMarcus Ware.

LB Jameel McClain is still a possibility for the Giants.

Some praise for the Nick Foles-Chip Kelly combination with the Eagles.

Taking stock of Redskins LB Brandon Jenkins heading into his second season.

DE Austen Lane’s experience with defensive coordinator Mel Tucker should help him with the Bears.

Will the Lions be drafting a wide receiver in the first round?

Making the case for an aggressive approach to free agency for the Packers.

FB Jerome Felton doesn’t expect RB Toby Gerhart to return to the Vikings.

The Falcons tendered CB Robert McClain, but the restricted free agent may still hear from suitors.

S Charles Godfrey could be in line for a bigger role if the Panthers lose Mike Mitchell.

Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune writes that the Saints are renovating rather than rebuilding.

The Buccaneers are hoping for a healthy return from K Connor Barth.

Cardinals S Tyrann Mathieu has had to rely on the kindness of others while he recovers from his knee injury.

The Rams are saying they’ll be less active in free agency than they were last year.

49ers CB Tarell Brown is expected to be a popular man in free agency.

Bruce Irvin wished former Seahawks teammate Red Bryant in his new role with the Jaguars.

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Count the Buccaneers among the teams that would love to add Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson in free agency.

Johnson has already drawn interest from about a quarter of the league with two days to go before free agency officially opens, and according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Buccaneers are pushing hard to sign Johnson. New Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith would love to add a pass-rushing defensive end to his defense, and Johnson may be the best fit of any free agent available.

If Johnson gets the big contract it appears he’s about to get, then he has played free agency perfectly. Last year, when the market was down, Johnson decided to sign the franchise tag and play for the Bengals on a one-year salary of $11.2 million. This year the salary cap is higher and the market is up, and Johnson gets to test the free market.

Johnson, the No. 5 player on our Free Agent Hot 100, is surely about to become one of the highest-paid defensive ends in the NFL.

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Last offseason, one of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ proclamations was that he wanted quarterback Tony Romo to take on a Peyton Manning-esque approach to his job.

Romo appears to be going that route on one front. Romo and Cowboys coach Jason Garrett were decked out in Duke gear and in the stands for Duke’s basketball game against North Carolina on Saturday and Jeff Gravley of WRAL reports that they have been working with Duke football coach David Cutcliffe. Cutcliffe was Manning’s offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee and has remained a frequent collaborator with the Broncos quarterback.

One of the times Manning and Cutcliffe worked together was in the wake of Manning’s neck surgery and Romo is taking a page from that book as he makes his way back from back surgery. Romo told ESPN during the game that his recovery was going well and that he expects to be on the field for OTAs.

“We’re getting close now. Usually takes three months, it’s just normal kinda roundabout date that they give you and we’re right on schedule,” Romo said. “Really ahead in a lot of ways. Just going to be ready to go here in about a month and rehab is going good, no setbacks of any kind. Mine [surgery] was just a normal small version of it, so I should be good to go here shortly.”

Neither Cutcliffe nor anyone else is going to turn Romo into Manning, but focusing on mechanics in the wake of surgery the way Manning did can’t be a bad thing for the Cowboys quarterback.

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There wasn’t a quick developing market for running backs as teams started talking to agents on Saturday and no market will develop at all for one free agent.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that teams are being told that Rashard Mendenhall will retire rather than continue his NFL career. That comes after Mendenhall wrote a piece for the Huffington Post last month that hinted at just such a decision while saying Mendenhall was “eagerly looking to a new way.”

Mendenhall is just 26, but is coming off a year where he scored eight touchdowns for the Cardinals but struggled to produce much when he wasn’t within spitting distance of the end zone. He tore his ACL in 2012 and battled a toe injury last year, which may have contributed to both his underwhelming production and the decision to call it a career at this point.

Given his age, it wouldn’t be shocking to hear Mendenhall linked to a comeback effort at some point in the future. Given Mendenhall’s injury history and overall profile, it also wouldn’t be shocking if it was greeted as indifferently as running backs were on Saturday.

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When the Patriots stopped quarterback Ryan Mallett’s draft-day free fall in 2011, it was assumed that coach Bill Belichick eventually would flip the former Arkansas Razorback for something more than the third-round pick used to get him.

With Mallett entering the final year of his contract, Belichick is running out of chances to trade Mallett.  And with former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien now the head coach of the Texans after a pair of years as head coach at Penn State, O’Brien could be the guy to make the deal.

Nick Underhill of MassLive.com reports that the Texans have expressed interest in acquiring Mallett.  At this point, however, the level of interest hasn’t progressed beyond “talk.”

Mallett remains unproven, given that he has had limited regular-season reps.  A fair package arguably would include a mid-round draft pick in 2014 and a conditional pick in 2015 that would hinge on the success of Mallett and/or the team this season.

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During the first day of the second annual legal tampering period, plenty of teams reportedly have shown interest in plenty of players.  Few if any are running backs.

As one source who has been actively working the phones throughout the day told PFT on Saturday night, there’s currently no market for running backs.

If it holds, it’s no surprise.  In recent years, not many/any veteran tailbacks have broken the bank as free agents, with the best contracts coming in the range of $3 million to $4 million per year.  Which also happens to be the top of the market for kickers.

Eight running backs appear on PFT’s Free Agent Hot 100:  Ben Tate (No. 38); Donald Brown (No. 43); Darren McFadden (No. 67); Knowshon Moreno (No. 70); James Starks (No. 76); LeGarrette Blount (No. 83); Maurice Jones-Drew (No. 85); Toby Gerhart (No. 99).

Based on Saturday, there won’t be a land rush for tailbacks on Tuesday.  The contracts likely will come late in the week, at the earliest.

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Soon, it could be easier to list the teams that aren’t interested in Titans cornerback Alterraun Verner.

Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, who previously pegged the Jets, Vikings, and Rams as having interest in the No. 10 player on PFT’s Free Agent Hot 100 list, now reports that the Lions, Steelers, and Giants also have interest in Verner.

A fourth-round pick in 2010 from UCLA, Verner has started every game the last two years, becoming one of the best young corners in the NFL in the process.  The Titans opted not to apply the franchise tag to Verner, which would have paid him a lot of money on a one-year deal.  It now appears that Verner will be getting a lot more money on a multi-year deal, from someone.

Of course, it’s one thing for teams to show interest and another for that interest to become a contract offer. Teams that plan to box out the other contenders for Verner will need to have the cap space to do it.

The Steelers don’t.  But it costs no cash or cap space to show interest.

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The Cardinals are planning to upgrade their offensive line by cutting a veteran starter and signing a better replacement.

Daryn Colledge, a guard who has started all 16 games in all three of his seasons in Arizona, is apparently about to be released. Colledge said goodbye to Arizona on Twitter on Saturday.

“Wanna thank you the fans and the Cardinals for an amazing opportunity. A great organization headed in the right direction. Wish ya the best,” Colledge wrote.

The 32-year-old Colledge would have been due a $4.8 million salary this season, so it’s no surprise that he was a cap casualty. The question now is where the Cardinals will look to improve on the offensive line.

According to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, the Cardinals’ No. 1 target is free agent left tackle Branden Albert. If they’re not able to acquire the sought-after Albert, the Cardinals’ Plan B would be guard/tackle Rodger Saffold. Either Albert or Saffold would improve the Cardinals’ offensive line.

Colledge will become a free agent as soon as his release from the Cardinals is official, and one place where he could find a job is Miami, as he previously played for coach Joe Philbin in Green Bay. Saffold handled his departure from Arizona with class, and the Dolphins could use a classy veteran on their offensive line.

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One of the top free agent cornerbacks is off the market.

The Packers and cornerback Sam Shields have reached a four-year, $39 million contract, a league source told PFT’s Mike Florio on Saturday.

Shields will receive a $12.5 million signing bonus, and his 2014 compensation is $15 million. By the second season, Shields is slated to have made $21 million, and the deal is worth $30 million through 2016.

The 26-year-old Shields recorded 61 tackles, defended 16 passes and intercepted four passes in 2013.

Shields was PFT’s No. 15-ranked free agent and the No. 5-ranked player at a strong group of prospective free agents at his position. His departure doesn’t hurt the leverage of New England’s Aqib Talib, Indianapolis’ Vontae Davis, Tennessee’s Alterraun Verner and Denver’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

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PFT’s No. 5-ranked free agent doesn’t appear to be lacking for potential suitors.

Seven teams, including the Vikings, have checked in on Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reported Saturday.

Goessling reports that it has been indicated that Johnson won’t be re-signing with Cincinnati.

The 27-year-old Johnson has notched 26.5 sacks in regular season play in five NFL campaigns. His most productive pass rushing season was in 2012, when he recorded 11.5 sacks. He had 56 tackles but just 3.5 sacks in 2013.

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Bears General Manager Phil Emery wants to win games.

But if he can bring families closer together, that might help too.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears are believed to have shown interest in Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett to help bolster their defensive line.

Last year, Emery landed tight end Martellus Bennett, Michael’s brother, on the first day of free agency.

Landing Bennett would probably have a defensive end trickle-down effect, as it’s hard to imagine doing a big deal for a prime free agent and retaining veteran Julius Peppers.

Bennett had 8.5 sacks for the Seahawks on a one-year deal, and he figures to have plenty of interest in the market.

But only one team has his brother.

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One of PFT’s top-rated free agent cornerbacks is reportedly drawing interest from multiple teams as the negotiating period begins.

According to Jim Wyatt of the Nashville Tennessean, the Jets, Vikings and Rams are teams “in the mix” for Titans cornerback Alterraun Verner, who is No. 10 on PFT’s Free Agent Hot 100.

The 25-year-old Verner intercepted a career-high five passes for Tennessee in 2013. He has never missed a regular season game in four NFL campaigns.

The Rams’ reported interest in Verner might not be a major surprise, what with former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher now holding the same job in St. Louis.

Contracts with free agents cannot be offered or signed until Tuesday, the start of the new league year. However, teams are able to talk with players in the interim.

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Hakeem Nicks didn’t have a great contract year.  He may be looking for a Mulligan.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the Giants receiver, listed as the No. 21 free agent on the PFT Hot 100, is willing to consider a one-year contract, which would give him a chance to prove that the last season or two were aberrations — and which would give him another crack at the open market in 2015.

Teams may be more interested in a multi-year deal that operates like a one-year contract, placing a significant, non-guaranteed option bonus into the second year of the contract in order to reap the benefit of Nicks proving that 2012 and 2013 was a fluke.

Per Mortensen, Nicks’ agents also circulated to teams on Saturday letters from Dr. Robert Anderson and Dr. James Andrews claiming that Nicks’ past foot and knee problems, respectively, are healed.

The issue, however, may not be Nicks’ body but his brain.  Nicks possibly regards himself as a Mike Wallace-type player, worth $60 million over five years.  But Nicks’ performances over the last two years, potentially hampered by concerns of suffering a serious injury and never getting that big payday, will make it very hard for him to get the kind of money he wants.

In the end, it won’t be an easy negotiation for Nicks.  A one-year deal may be his best bet to get paid in 2015, assuming he can and will perform like a player who deserves a rich, multi-year deal.

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A year ago, the Dolphins made a huge splash in free agency, signing three guys to $125 million worth of contracts on the first day.

They might make an equivalent ripple this year, or it might be bigger because of the sheer size of the free agents involved.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins used the early moments of the league’s legal tampering period to express their deep and sincere admiration for the top free agent offensive linemen, with particular interest in Chiefs tackle Branden Albert and Rams tackle Rodger Saffold.

They also made contact with the representatives for Eugene Monroe and Jared Veldheer to cover their bases, but a source described the Dolphins as most interested in Albert, and willing to pay big money for Saffold to play guard.

It’s so early in the period that a lot of this should be taken with a grain of salt. But we knew the Dolphins needed to upgrade at left tackle in particular and the line in general entering the offseason.

But after former General Manager Jeff Ireland signed Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe and Phillip Wheeler to big contracts on the first day last year, it’s a little surprising to see them loading up again.

Or perhaps not, since the guy who authorized those signings was fired, and the new guy (Dennis Hickey) has his own identity to establish, for an owner eager to put last year’s ugliness behind them, and willing to put his wallet behind that effort (as he did with Brent Grimes already).

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The Chargers’ special teams captain will be staying in San Diego.

Darrell Stuckey, a defensive back who makes most of his contributions on special teams, has agreed to a new four-year contract with the Chargers.

“It feels good knowing Darrell will be back with us,” Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco said in a statement. “He’s proven to be a very valuable member of both our defense and our special teams, as well as a positive influence in the locker room.”

Stuckey arrived in San Diego as a fourth-round draft pick out of Kansas in 2010. He only played in one game as a rookie but has been a major contributor on special teams since 2011. Now the Chargers can expect him to be a major contributor on special teams through 2017.