Mike Adams (S)

NFC Coaching Notes: Eagles, Clay, Pettine, Vikings, Panthers, Giants, Lions, Rams

The Eagleschanges at offensive and defensive coordinator show how quickly job security can evaporate in the NFL, and Nick Sirianni‘s seat has heated up as a result. But the Eagles are not changing out all their coordinators. They will extend special teams boss Michael Clay, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This marks the second straight year in which the Eagles have extended Clay, who is going into his fourth season as their ST coordinator. Just 32, Clay has been a special teams coach in the NFL since 2015, serving as the 49ers’ assistant ST coach for five years. Clay debuted with the Eagles, however, joining Chip Kelly‘s staff in 2014. The Eagles vaulted from 31st to 10th on Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings in 2023.

Philly is adding former Titans inside linebackers coach Bobby King to their staff, ESPN.com’s Tim McManus tweets. While Brian Callahan kept a handful of Mike Vrabel assistants, he did not retain King. Under King’s guidance last season, Titans free agency pickup Azeez Al-Shaair tallied 163 tackles — the most by anyone during the franchise’s 25-season Titans period.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Fired as the Jaguars’ defensive pass-game coordinator last month, Deshea Townsend has another gig lined up. The Lions are hiring the former NFL cornerback in the same capacity, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Townsend, who won two Super Bowls during his 12-year Steelers run as a player, has been in coaching since his 2011 retirement. Prior to his two-year Jacksonville stay, Townsend coached DBs with the Bears, Giants and Titans and Cardinals. The Lions recently lost DBs coach Brian Duker to the Dolphins.
  • After working as a Vikings senior defensive assistant over the past two years, Mike Pettine will have a more defined role this year in Minnesota. The Vikings announced the veteran DC and ex-Browns HC will be their outside linebackers coach in 2024. Still carrying an assistant HC title, Pettine worked with the Vikes’ OLBs under Brian Flores last season. This will be the 57-year-old coach’s 22nd season in the NFL.
  • The Vikings also hired Marcus Dixon to be their defensive line coach. Brought over from the Broncos, Dixon was a Nathaniel Hackett hire in Denver. Ejiro Evero took Dixon with him from the Rams in 2022; he served as the Broncos’ D-line coach for two years. The Broncos are losing their only two pre-Sean Payton defensive assistants this offseason, seeing DBs coach Christian Parker rejoin Vic Fangio in Philadelphia. Evero tried to take both Parker and Dixon with him to the Panthers last year, per 9News’ Mike Klis, but the Broncos blocked the effort and kept them around to work under Vance Joseph.
  • The Giants are doling out some new titles. QBs coach Shea Tierney and DBs coach Jerome Henderson will respectively serve as the team’s offensive and defensive pass-game coordinators. Henderson has been with the Giants since 2020, while Tierney came over from the Bills with Brian Daboll. The Giants also moved former safety Mike Adams from assistant secondary coach to assistant DBs coach.
  • Additionally, Big Blue hired Charlie Bullen to replace Drew Wilkins as outside linebackers coach. Daboll fired Wilkins, a longtime Don Martindale right-hand man, and that choice keyed an explosive conclusion to the Daboll-Martindale relationship. Wilkins is now with the Patriots. Bullen spent last season as Illinois’ OLBs coach; he spent the previous four years coaching linebackers with the Cardinals. The veteran assistant previously worked with Dolphins LBs under Joe Philbin and Adam Gase.
  • The Rams recently interviewed former Packers pass-game coordinator Greg Williams for their inside linebackers coach gig, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. This is not the ex-St. Louis Rams DC better known for Bountygate; the two-G Greg Williams spent time with the Broncos and Cardinals prior to spending last season in Green Bay.

Mike Adams Retires From NFL

Mike Adams is calling it a career. On Wednesday morning, the former Pro Bowl safety announced his retirement on NFL Network (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero). 

Adams leaves the sport after 16 seasons and 228 games played. The 38-year-old suited up for the 49ers, Browns, Broncos, Colts, Panthers, and, most recently, the Texans, over the course of his career. In 2014 and 2015, his first two seasons in Indy, he stepped into the limelight with back-to-back Pro Bowl nods. Remarkably, he did it in his age 33 and 34 seasons.

Eventually, Father Time caught up with Adams. After spending two seasons as a Panthers starter with snaps at both safety spots, the Panthers allowed him to walk following the 2018 season.

Adams’ 228 games played ranks him third all-time among NFL safeties, slotting him ahead of John Lynch, Brian Dawkins, and other football legends. We here at PFR wish Adams the best in retirement.

AFC Notes: Ramsey, Texans, Dolphins, Jets

Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey is going to miss his second straight game with back issues. Many have questioned the timing of his back injury, since it has coincided with his public demands to be traded. But speaking on The Uninterrupted’s “17 Weeks” podcast this week, Ramsey revealed the injury isn’t anything new. “My body was banged up, my back being extremely tight. Having back issues is something I’ve had to deal with over the course of my NFL career. At times I’ve played through extreme pain or not practiced for weeks and tried to go out there and play. It’s something I’ve dealt with,” Ramsey said, via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.

DiRocco notes that Ramsey appeared on Jacksonville’s injury report with a back issue a couple of times back in 2017. As for his trade request, there isn’t much new on that front. The Jaguars’ ownership is reportedly fighting hard for Ramsey and trying to convince him to stay, but so far the Florida State product hasn’t wavered. Meanwhile, the Jags have apparently turned down an offer of two first-rounders.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • The Texans signed veteran safety Mike Adams last week, and now we have details on his contract. Adams will receive $787K for the rest of the season, which prorates from $1.03MM if he had been on the roster for all 16 games, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Adams will only count for $553K against the Texans’ cap, and he received a $60K signing bonus. Adams is a longtime veteran who is entering his 16th season, and he’s appeared in 222 games during his lengthy career.
  • The Dolphins are worried that a day-two pick in the 2020 NFL Draft they’d been banking on might get downgraded, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Miami was projected to receive a third-round compensatory pick for losing tackle Ja’Wuan James to the Broncos in free agency, but that’s now in danger of becoming a fourth-rounder. Jackson cites Nick Korte of Overthecap.com’s analysis, who notes that because James has now missed a handful of games with a knee injury, his contract might be deemed less valuable in the NFL’s complex compensatory pick formula. James signed a massive four-year, $52MM deal this offseason, but he’s been sidelined since Week 1 with a knee injury. He appears to be nearing a return, but if he misses much more time it could have negative implications for his former team. The Dolphins have been stockpiling draft assets as they tank, and they’ve been counting on having four day-two picks next April.
  • The Jets have started off the Adam Gase era 0-3, and they’re massive underdogs against the Eagles this week. Unfortunately they’ll be without Sam Darnold for at least one more game, but they are making a shakeup on their offensive line. Rookie Chuma Edoga is going to replace Brandon Shell in the lineup at right tackle, sources told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. New York drafted Edoga 92nd overall out of USC back in April. The Jets drafted Shell in the fifth-round back in 2016, and Mehta writes that the team is likely to let him walk in free agency this spring. Their offensive line has been a mess so far this season, so it isn’t surprising they’re making a move.

Texans To Sign Mike Adams

The Texans will sign safety Mike Adams, according to Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). The veteran will now join the sixth team of his career in a quest to shore the Texans’ secondary. 

Adams has appeared in 222 NFL games to date, with his most recent contests coming with the Panthers. If he plays in two more games, he’ll knot John Lynch and Brian Dawkins for the next spot on the NFL’s all-time list for safeties.

Adams did not find a home in the offseason, but he beat the September buzzer to suit up for a 16th NFL campaign. He’ll have an opportunity to eclipse 1,000 career tackles (currently 946) and add to his resume of 30 interceptions and 13 forced fumbles.

For now, Adams looks to be a supporting option behind starters Justin Reid and Tashaun Gipson.

Panthers Won’t Re-Sign Mike Adams

On Monday morning, Panthers safety Mike Adams took to Instagram to tell fans that he won’t be returning to the team. However, the veteran hopes to continue playing in the 2019 season. 

This great city and organization showed me nothing but love while I was here!” Adams wrote. “I have a lot more ball left so I plan on playing this year! I just hope the young boys have learned as much from me as I did from them!

Adams, who turns 38 in March, has been a starter for the majority of his career. He’s been first-string for every Panthers game over the last two years and finished out the 2018 season with 75 tackles, six passes defensed, and three interceptions.

However, the Panthers are looking to get younger in the secondary and the advanced metrics indicate that Adams may have lost a step in 2018. Last year, he earned a 51.4 overall score from Pro Football Focus – his lowest since his rookie season in 2006 – and graded out as just the No. 86 overall safety in the NFL out of 93 qualified players.

Adams, and the league’s other free agents, can officially sign with clubs beginning on March 13.

Panthers Sign Mike Adams

Mike Adams has found a new home. NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the safety has signed a two-year deal with the Panthers.

Mike Adams (Featured)We learned earlier this week that the soon-to-be 36-year-old wouldn’t be returning to Indy, as the Colts were interested in younger targets. The Panthers apparently weren’t too worried about his age, and for good reason. After bouncing around the NFL, Adams caught on with the Colts in 2014 and proceeded to make a pair of Pro Bowls. He had another strong season in 2016, compiling 79 tackles, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions in 15 games.

Adams will be joining a Panthers safety corps that includes Tre Boston, Kurt Coleman, Colin JonesDean Marlowe, and Travell Dixon.

Adams was named the No. 14 safety on PFR’s positional free agent ranks,

Colts Won’t Re-Sign S Mike Adams

The Colts don’t intend to re-sign free agent safety Mike Adams, as Adams himself posted on Instagram that today was his “last day” with Indianapolis. Adams later confirmed to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link) that the Colts intend to pursue younger players on the defensive side of the ball."<strong

[RELATED: Darius Butler Wants To Play Safety]

Adams, 36, later this month, was something of a journeyman before joining the Colts prior to the 2014 campaign, as he’d spent time with 49ers, Browns, and Broncos. But over the past three seasons, Adams has become a legitimately above-average starter, and earned two Pro Bowl nods during that time. In 2016, Adams started 15 games, racked up 79 tackles, and posted two interceptions.

Adams placed as the No. 14 safety on PFR’s positional free agent ranks, and while he won’t be in for a long-term deal given his age, he could make a nice stopgap for a contending team. On the free agent market, he’ll compete with other safeties including Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, and Barry Church.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position: Defense

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. After looking at offense, we’ll tackle defense and special teams today.

[RELATED: Top 2017 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense]

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for 2017:

Edge defender:

  1. Chandler Jones
  2. Melvin Ingram
  3. Jason Pierre-Paul
  4. Nick Perry
  5. Jabaal Sheard
  6. James Harrison
  7. John Simon
  8. DeMarcus Ware
  9. Lorenzo Alexander
  10. Andre Branch
  11. Julius Peppers
  12. Charles Johnson
  13. Datone Jones
  14. Mario Addison
  15. Dwight Freeney

The Cardinals have already made it abundantly clear that Chandler Jones will see the franchise tag this offseason, and Melvin Ingram and Jason Pierre-Paul are also candidates to be tagged by the Chargers and Giants, respectively. If the latter two are able to hit the open market unfettered, however, they both figure to break the bank. Ingram, Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 edge defender, could be a fit for both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, while JPP will be looking for a long-term commitment after signing consecutive one-year deals.Chandler Jones (vertical)

The rest of this year’s crop of free agent pass rushers is a blend of young defenders searching for their first payday and veterans on the hunt for one last contract. Among the players with youth still on their side, Packers edge defenders Nick Perry and Datone Jones figure to interest different clubs, as Perry is a better match for a 3-4 defense while Jones needs to restart his career as a 4-3 defensive end. John Simon has been overlooked while playing alongside the likes of J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus but could represent a hidden gem, while the Dolphins are reportedly prioritizing Andre Branch.

After managing nine sacks over the first nine years of his NFL tenure, Lorenzo Alexander busted out with 12.5 quarterback takedowns in 2016, and now could be looking for a double-digit annual salary. James Harrison and Charles Johnson, meanwhile, look like good bets to return to Steelers and Panthers, respectively, but DeMarcus Ware could be something of a wild card — after missing 11 games in the past two seasons, does the 34-year-old have enough left in the tank? The same could be asked of Dwight Freeney, who at age-37 posted three sacks in a rotational role for the Falcons.

Interior defensive line:

  1. Kawann Short
  2. Calais Campbell
  3. Johnathan Hankins
  4. Brandon Williams
  5. Dontari Poe
  6. Chris Baker
  7. Bennie Logan
  8. Nick Fairley
  9. Alan Branch
  10. Jared Odrick
  11. Karl Klug
  12. Terrell McClain
  13. Lawrence Guy
  14. Earl Mitchell
  15. Stacy McGee

Unlike the edge defender market, the 2017 cadre of interior defensive lineman shouldn’t be overly affected by the franchise tender. Head coach Ron Rivera recently confessed the Panthers will “probably” have to use the tag on Kawann Short, but the rest of the defensive tackles listed here should be able to hit the open market. Of the remaining defenders, Campbell is the best overall player, but given that he’s entering his age-31 season, he may not cost as much as Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Dontari Poe.Johnathan Hankins (Vertical)

Hankins is only 24 years old, and though the Giants are trying to retain him along with the rest of their defensive core, the 6’3″, 320-pound mauler should represent an attractive option to a number of clubs this offseason. Williams, too, offers a massive presence on the inside, while Poe could intrigue clubs based on his first-round pedigree and athleticism (though his play hasn’t always matched his potential). The Redskins’ Chris Baker is a solid, well-rounded defensive tackle, and could constitute a consolation prize for teams that miss out on their top targets.

The rest of the class offers an interesting mix of nose tackles (Bennie Logan), interior pass rushers (Nick Fairley, Earl Mitchell), and run stoppers (Karl Klug, Alan Branch), so clubs hoping to bolster their defensive line should find no shortage of options. Jared Odrick recently hit free agency after being released by the Jaguars, while Terrell McClain, Lawrence Guy, and Stacy McGee could be underrated finds for the right team. McClain, for what it’s worth, has already been linked to the Falcons.

Read more

AFC Notes: Broncos, Colts, Titans, Brady

Following news of Von Miller‘s record-breaking extension with the Broncos, we’ve started hearing reactions from several of the player’s teammates.

Cornerback Chris Harris appeared on NFL Network earlier this week, and the veteran said he believed Miller’s threats of holding out.

“I believe him,” he said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post). “You’ve got to take his word for it. It would be hard for me to sit out, missing out on $14 million, but I think Von is serious in what he’s saying. I think he truly, this whole time just talking to him, he hates the franchise tag. I definitely think he won’t sign it.”

Meanwhile, offseason addition Mark Sanchez stated his excitement for Miller’s return

“Happy the deal was done in time for camp,” the quarterback said. “I knew both sides had the same goal and now we can start camp with the whole squad.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC…

  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com says safety Mike Adams‘ two-year, $4.3MM contract (with $1.2MM guaranteed) is the best on the Colts. Meanwhile, tight end Dwayne Allen was said to have the team’s worst contract at four years and $29.4MM (with $11.5MM guaranteed).
  • After Delanie WalkerCraig Stevens, and Anthony Fasano, the Titans could keep up to two additional tight ends, writes Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. Phillip Supernaw is currently slotted as the team’s fourth tight end, but Wyatt notes that the team will be eyeing the waiver wire for reinforcement.
  • Meanwhile, Wyatt doesn’t envision undrafted kicker Aldrick Rosas unseating starter Ryan Succop.
  • When it comes to the ‘Deflategate’ fiasco, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe writes that “the Patriots dug their own grave by behaving like a guilty party from the jump.” The writer notes the hypocrisy of owner Robert Kraft, who initially touted Roger Goodell as commissioner. Quarterback Tom Brady announced yesterday that he wouldn’t be appealing his four-game suspension.

Contract Details: Maxwell, Murray, McPhee

Here are some key details on some of the notable contracts agreed to or signed around the NFL this week:

NFC deals:

  • Byron Maxwell, CB (Eagles): Six years, $63MM base value. $25MM fully guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • DeMarco Murray, RB (Eagles): Five years, $40MM base value. $42MM max value. $18MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Albert Breer of the NFL Network).
  • Pernell McPhee, OLB (Bears): Five years, $38.75MM base value. $8.675MM fully guaranteed (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Antrel Rolle, S (Bears): Three years, $11.25MM base value. $4.9MM guaranteed. $3.9MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Tom Johnson, DT (Vikings): Three years, $7MM base value. $2.75MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Matt Prater, K (Lions): Two years, $4.55MM base value. Third-year team option for 2017 (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

AFC deals: