With the start of the NFL Draft a week away, the attention around the league has shifted away from free agency. That doesn't mean that there wasn't any movement on the free agent market on Wednesday, however. Clay Matthews signed a huge long-term deal, and a few other moves could be in the works.
NFL free agent news: Clay Matthews gets his extension, Branden Albert to Miami?
After it was rumored to be in the works for weeks, Clay Matthews and the Packers agreed to a long-term extension. Matthews’ new deal was the biggest NFL story on Wednesday, although there were a few other headlines.
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Matthews wasn't scheduled to be a free agent until the 2013 offseason, but that didn't stop him from landing one of the biggest contracts of this offseason. Matthews and the Packers had been discussing an extension and the deal finally came to fruition on Wednesday. With his five-year, $66 million extension, Matthews became the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.
After being franchised at the start of free agency, Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert is still in search of his long-term contract. He may, however, be close to landing it as the Dolphins are reportedly interested in trading for the 28-year-old left tackle. The asking price is reportedly a second-round pick, and the Dolphins currently have two.
Like Albert, Charles Woodson is also in search of a deal, but he could be an option for the 49ers. San Francisco brought Woodson in for a visit in March, and 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said the team is still interested in the veteran safety. San Francisco may wait to see how the NFL Draft shakes out before pursuing a deal with Woodson.
While a few players remain on the open market, many of those with teams have spent their week at offseason mini-camp. Voluntary mini-camps began across the NFL this week, the first organized workouts since the end of the 2012 season. In Jacksonville, that means the first workouts under new head coach Gus Bradley. One of the biggest decisions Bradley will make this season is deciding on a starting quarterback. It appears Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne will open workouts in a quarterback competition as they split the first-team reps during Jacksonville's practice on Wednesday.
In other mini-camp news, Chip Kelly wasted no time installing the read-option in Philadelphia. A handful of NFL teams successfully utilized the read-option in recent seasons, and it appears the Eagles will join the list. Kelly utilized the read-option extensively while at Oregon, and Michael Vick should be a dangerous threat in the system.
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