As unsurprising as the initial flurry of activity that defined the opening day of free agency was, it’s as equally unsurprising that, by day three, things have begun to quiet down by a fair degree, especially when it comes to the AFC North.
But there are still plenty of things happening within the division, including movements into and out of the northeast, as well as pending visits and further interests.
The headline of the day was the Baltimore Ravens working out a deal to keep running back Justin Forsett following his breakout Pro Bowl season in 2014 behind the Ravens’ very good offensive line.
Of course, the offensive line benefited from having Forsett as well, as he complemented their blocking style with the way he carried the ball. Keeping this combination intact was significant for Baltimore, especially considering all of their other free agency losses already. And at $9 million for three years, that’s pretty affordable.
The only other team to make a signing today was the Cleveland Browns, who signed their second quarterback of the offseason, bringing back Thad Lewis, who had previously spent time with the Browns. They already signed Josh McCown, and have Johnny Manziel, so this was not a very significant signing, needless to say.
The Browns also took the big loss of the day within the division when the Miami Dolphins signed tight end Jordan Cameron to a contract over two years worth $15 million. It was originally reported that the Browns were finalizing a deal with Cameron for that amount, but it’s unclear to me whether that was an error or if things changed after the fact.
Either way, the Browns are not in a very good place at tight end at the moment. They are interested in Dolphins tight end Charles Clay, who was signed to a transition tag. With Cameron signing, the Dolphins are less inclined to challenge an offer, but the Bills seem more likely to offer Clay the most favorable contract.
As far as the Pittsburgh Steelers go, they could be adding their first free agent signing by the end of the day as they host running back DeAngelo Williams. Though he is soon to turn 32, he spent most of his career in a rotation, and could be a smart signing for the team as they prepare to face the first two games of the season without Le’Veon Bell.
Meanwhile, the Steelers are reportedly interested in cornerback Patrick Robinson after losing Brice McCain yesterday. The Cincinnati Bengals are aiming toward a reunion with defensive end Michael Johnson, who was recently released by the Buccaneers after one season.
After releasing Chris Canty and trading Haloti Ngata, the Ravens are interested in bringing in defensive lineman Terrance Knighton, while their safety, Darian Stewart, is being pursued by multiple teams. The Steelers are not currently connected to anybody else outside of Williams and Robinson, but at some point the pass rushers have to come in play.
