Tony McDaniel is a free agent after his release from the Seattle Seahawks and teams like the Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, NY Giants, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers could be potential landing spots and this comes as Jake Long and Evan Mathis are available for teams looking for depth in training camp.
The Seahawks have signed back Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner heading into training camp and that likely led to McDaniel getting released. According to Pro Football Talk, McDaniel was set to get paid $2.5 million in 2015 and now he has the chance to sign with another team in free agency. Bill Williamson at ESPN reports that Reggie McKenzie said there is a "chance" that the Raiders go after McDaniel now that he has been cut.
The NY Giants, Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys have dealt with injuries and other issues on the defensive line and also could be landing spots for McDaniel. McDaniel is an option for the Raiders, as the team finished in the bottom half of the league in sacks last season. The Cowboys, Giants, Texans, Patriots, Ravens and Bengals all were ranked in the bottom half of the league in sacks and could also be options for McDaniels. The Denver Broncos were the worst team in the league getting to the QB and they could look at McDaniel as a depth option.
Other free agents on the market as camps open include Evan Mathis, Jake Long, Felix Jones, Chris Johnson, Ray Rice, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker and Steven Jackson. Jake Long reportedly has had interest from the Denver Broncos and New York Giants, as both of those teams have dealt with offensive line injuries. The Broncos lost Ryan Clady earlier in the offseason, while the Giants have lost Will Beatty to an injury and could try to shuffle some players. Long reportedly had a visit with the Broncos after visiting with the Giants and he took a physical for the team.
Last season McDaniel played in 16 games, but he was not quite the force he was the previous season for Seattle. McDaniel played for two seasons for the Seahawks after time with the Dolphins and he did not miss a single game for the Seahawks in his time with the team, playing in 32 games over that stretch. Last year McDaniel only had 31 tackles and recorded zero sacks and that came after he put up 52 tackles and 2.0 sacks during the Seahawks Super Bowl winning season.
McDaniel could also be a depth option for the Patriots and the 49ers, according to ESPN. According to Pro Football Focus, McDaniel was rated as the 15th best defensive tackle based on grades and that is very solid for a stacked defense like the Seahawks. The team simply had to make a cut with Wagner and Wilson getting money into camp.
Check here for more on McDaniel and interest in him as a free agent.
