HEADLINES

Month: January 2023

Free Agent Stock Watch: Geno Smith

January 14th, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the Seahawks’ season now over, attention will turn away from the team’s surprising trip to the playoffs and towards an offseason filled with questions at the quarterback position. Geno Smith played his way into a significant raise in 2023, but whether he will remain in Seattle will be a key storyline.

Smith, 32, flamed out as the Jets’ starter after two seasons in New York. That span was followed by six straight campaigns spent as a backup, the role he was expected to remain in for the duration of his NFL career. His play while briefly filling in for Russell Wilson in 2021 made it unsurprising that he was brought back on a one-year deal this past offseason, but the base value of that contract ($3.5MM) made the team’s intentions clear.

It was former Bronco Drew Lock – part of the package Denver sent Seattle in the blockbuster Wilson trade – who was expected to earn the No. 1 spot over the course of the summer. Instead, Smith won out the training camp competition, and quickly rewarded the Seahawks for putting their trust in him. By Week 6, it was reported that a full-time commitment to the West Virginia alum could be in the cards.

Smith generally continued his impressive play throughout the season, one in which the Seahawks were able to clinch the NFC’s final playoff spot during Week 18 despite expectations being tempered considerably in the wake of Wilson’s (and All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner’s) absence. Smith led the league in completion percentage (69.8%), throwing for a franchise-record 4,282 yards along the way. His performance earned him a Pro Bowl nod and allowed him to double his earnings through incentives. That $7MM price tag will surely be comfortably exceeded in free agency – something the veteran is acutely aware of.

“Football is a business,” Smith said prior to today’s 41-23 loss to the 49ers, via ESPN’s Brady Henderson. “A lot of people have a lot of decisions to make, and that’s where I’ll leave it at. I feel great about where I stand with this organization and my teammates and everybody else, but it’s always a business first. So I look at it like that. I understand that, and I’ve got to handle my business as well.”

The Seahawks currently rank in the top-five in the league in terms of 2023 cap space after transitioning to a younger core at most positions. That has them well-positioned to absorb a new deal for Smith carrying a significant raise, but it could also pave the way for a contract keeping Lock in the Emerald City for the short- or medium-term future. Head coach Pete Carroll routinely praised the 26-year-old upon his arrival, despite his underwhelming tenure with the Broncos. Lock is also a pending UFA, though his market will be clouded by having sat as Smith’s backup all season.

In any event, the Seahawks have reportedly been convinced by Smith’s performance to commit to him on a new contract. An alternative, especially in light of his unique rise back to a starter’s role after years as a No. 2, could be a franchise or transition tag, which Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network confirms is a real possibility (video link). Where Smith’s next deal comes from – and what form it takes – will certainly be worth watching over the coming weeks.

For what it’s worth, Smith himself said after the ‘Hawks wildcard round loss to the 49ers that he wants to finish his career in Seattle and that he expects to be back with the team in 2023 (via Henderson).

Buccaneers Expected To Retain HC Todd Bowles

January 14th, 2023 at 8:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Buccaneers are preparing for their wild-card matchup on Monday night, but the weekend has already produced a significant (if unsurprising) development for the team. Tampa Bay is expected to retain head coach Todd Bowles in 2023 barring an “unforeseen change of heart,” reports Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Stroud notes that the outcome of the Bucs’ upcoming contest against the Cowboys will not affect the front office’s view of Bowles, who guided the team to an up-and-down performance throughout the season and was reported in December to be likely to be retained. Tampa ended up with an 8-9 record, which was still good enough to win the NFC South and set the team up with a home playoff game.

The 59-year-old took over as head coach from his defensive coordinator role in the wake of Bruce Arians‘ retirement. However, Bowles retained play-calling duties on that side of the ball during the campaign, assigning the title of co-DCs to Kacy Rodgers and Larry Foote. Stroud notes that it remains Bowles’ intention to remove himself from the role of play-caller down the road, which would likely lead to one of Rodgers or Foote taking on those responsibilities.

Bowles inherited plenty of expectations given the Bucs’ success under Arians and with Tom Brady under center. However, the team never managed a winning streak longer than two games during the season, struggling to find consistency on offense in particular. Set back considerably by injuries up front, Tampa ranked just 25th in the league in scoring with an average of 18.4 points per game. That has fueled speculation regarding Brady’s future with either Tampa Bay or a number of other interested clubs, and led to calls for offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to be replaced.

On defense, Bowles led his unit to a better statistical performance. Tampa Bay surrendered the ninth-fewest yards per game in the league, and tied for 13th in scoring defense (allowing 21.1 points per contest). Still, the Buccaneers found themselves involved in several high-scoring affairs in 2022, along with more than one lopsided defeat, illustrating their inability to consistently produce on both sides of the ball on any given day.

Tampa Bay heads into Monday’s game as slight underdogs, and their hot-and-cold season leaves plenty of room for doubt regarding their ability to pull off the upset. Even if the team’s season comes to an end at that point, however, they will have continuity on the sidelines heading into next year.

Falcons Request DC Interviews With Jerry Gray, Ryan Nielsen

January 14th, 2023 at 7:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons have reportedly hit a roadblock with their first target to take on their vacant defensive coordinator position. Two new names have quickly emerged as candidates the team is interested in meeting with, however.

Atlanta has put in an interview request with Packers defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Jerry Gray, per Benjamin Albright of KOA Colorado (Twitter link). A sit-down is expected to take place next week, Albright adds. That news comes as little surprise, given the fact that Gray was quickly named as a candidate to replace Falcons DC Dean Pees following his retirement announcement.

Gray, 60, has NFL coaching experience dating back to 1997. His time on the sidelines at the pro level began in Tennessee, and includes a stint as the Bills’ DC from 2001-05. Gray ultimately found himself back with the Titans in 2011, when he took charge of their defense. His unit put up generally sub-par numbers during his time in Nashville, aside from his first year in charge where the team’s defense ranked eighth in scoring.

In addition, the Falcons have their eyes on the Saints’ Ryan Nielsen, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic tweets. The 43-year-old has exclusively worked with New Orleans during his time as an NFL staffer, beginning with the team in 2017. He spent five years working strictly with the defensive line, before being promoted to the role of co-DC this past offseason.

That move was necessitated by Dennis Allen being promoted to New Orleans’ head coach, of course, and increased Nielson’s importance (along with that of Kris Richard) to the Saints’ defense. The unit delivered a strong performance in 2022, ranking fifth in the league in yards allowed and ninth in scoring. That wasn’t enough to guide the Saints to a postseason berth given their offensive struggles, but it likely boosted Nielson’s stock as a high-end coordinator candidate.

Either option would bring significant experience to the rebuilding Falcons’ defense, so they could be serious candidates for the job. Atlanta is expected to cast a wide net in their search for Pees’ successor, however, so their list of interviewees is likely to grow in the coming days.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/14/23

January 14th, 2023 at 7:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves in advance of the second day of Super Wild-Card Weekend:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Broncos To Block Falcons’ Ejiro Evero DC Interview Request

January 14th, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 14: Atlanta will not have the opportunity to meet with Evero, it appears. The Broncos are expected to block the Falcons’ request, as first reported by Denver7’s Troy Renck (on Twitter). Veteran Cardinals reporter Mike Jurecki corroborates that sense, and adds that Denver is not expected to allow Evero to take part in any potential DC interviews (Twitter link). That news comes as little surprise, given his head coaching candidacy with the Broncos in particular, but it will leave the Falcons to look elsewhere for Pees’ successor.

JANUARY 13: The Falcons are in need of a new defensive coordinator after veteran Dean Pees announced (for the third, and what is expected to be final, time) his retirement. They are eyeing a replacement who has generated plenty of other interest during this year’s coaching cycle.

Atlanta has requested an interview with Broncos DC Ejiro Evero for the opportunity to hold the same title with the Falcons, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). Seeing as a hire taking him from Denver to Atlanta would constitute a lateral move, the Broncos have the option of denying the request.

The same is not true, of course, of the head coaching inquiries Evero has received. The 42-year-old is a candidate to replace Nathaniel Hackett in Denver, an opportunity he earned after guiding the team’s defense to a respectable performance on the season, especially within the context of the team’s immense struggles on offense. The Broncos had the league’s seventh-best total defense in 2022, Evero’s first season as a defensive coordinator.

His risking stock has also been reflected by the interest shown in him externally. The Colts had an interview with Evero yesterday, and the Texans are also set to meet with him during their HC search. Given his age, relative lack of coordinator experience and background on the defensive side of the ball, Evero could be considered an outside option to land a HC gig this offseason. Today’s request, if granted, would give him another option to consider outside the Mile High City, though.

The Falcons had Pees at the helm of their defense for the past two seasons. During both campaigns, the unit struggled across the board as the team worked their way out of multiple cumbersome contracts to set up their rebuild. That process will be aided by the fact Atlanta is projected to have the second-most cap space in the league, and that they hold three of the upcoming draft’s top 76 picks.

The Falcons thus have plenty of potential to augment a defense led by d-lineman Grady Jarrett and cornerback A.J. Terrell. Evero would have vastly experienced shoes to fill if he were to replace Pees, but he would represent a noteworthy addition for the Falcons if he were to land the position.

Patriots’ Jerod Mayo Declines Panthers HC Interview

January 14th, 2023 at 1:43pm CST by Ben Levine

We can cross one candidate off the list of Panthers head coaching options. According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (via Twitter), Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo will not be interviewing for the job. Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston was first with the news (on Twitter).

A few days after we learned that the Panthers had requested an interview with Mayo, the Patriots revealed that they were working on a new contract with the coach that would keep him in New England for the foreseeable future. Mayo later backed out of his defensive coordinator interview with the Browns, a development that wasn’t particularly surprising since Mayo effectively has the same role in New England. However, it’s telling that Mayo is also rejecting head coaching opportunities, an indication that he could emerge from the Patriots negotiations with a new job title.

Elsewhere on the OC front, the Panthers have scheduled an interview with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for Wednesday (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter). However, there are some question marks surrounding the interview status of 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. We heard yesterday that an interview still hadn’t been scheduled due to logistical reasons, and while the organization still hopes to interview the coach, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets that an interview may not happen depending on the length of the 49ers’ playoff run and the progress of the Panthers’ coaching search. Person adds that the organization still needs to conduct an in-person interview with another minority candidate to comply with the Rooney rule.

With Mayo off the board (and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh no longer on the radar), the current list of candidates includes:

Commanders Committed To Sam Howell As QB1

January 14th, 2023 at 11:23am CST by Ben Levine

Plenty can change over the next few months, but at the moment, the Commanders are preparing as if Sam Howell will be their starting quarterback in 2023. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports writes that the Commanders are telling potential offensive coordinator candidates that Howell is expected to be the team’s QB1 when they open camp.

[RELATED: Commanders Contact Jim Caldwell About OC Job]

While the Commanders seem to be making it clear that they won’t be making a big splash at the position (either via free agency, trade, or with the No. 16 in the draft), ESPN’s John Keim cautions (on Twitter) that Howell still has to win the job. As Keim notes, “other options will be discussed” for the position, while Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports still expects the front office “to really look at QB options this offseason” (Twitter link).

After being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, Howell spent most of his rookie campaign behind Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke. He started the Commanders’ Week 18 win over the Cowboys, completing 11 of his 19 pass attempts for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added another 35 yards and a touchdown on five carries. As Nicki Jhabvala tweets, the Commanders front office likes the idea of having a starting QB on a rookie contract, and they’re apparently confident enough in what they saw in 2022 to hand Howell the reigns in 2023.

While the writing was on the wall, this report seems to indicate that Wentz will be one-and-done in Washington. The organization has an easy out on his contract that will leave them with no dead cap. Meanwhile, Heinicke has continued to find himself in Ron Rivera‘s dog house, a strong indication that the fan favorite isn’t part of the team’s plans for 2023. Further, Rivera didn’t really give either of the two QBs a ringing endorsement when discussing the position earlier this week.

“It comes back to the one question that’s looming over everybody, and that’s the quarterback position,” Rivera said (via Vacchiano). “I was kind of hoping that we had found a solution. And who knows? We may not. We may have.”

Speaking of the team’s offensive coordinator search, Jhabvala tweets that the organization is “getting a list together” of potential candidates to replace Scott Turner. Pat Shurmur is the latest addition to the grouping, with Jhabvala pointing out the coach’s ability to develop young QBs. The former Giants and Browns head coach most previously served as the Broncos offensive coordinator during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Commanders QBs coach Ken Zampese was previously mentioned for a possible promotion to OC, while former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell declined the team’s interview request.

Rams Expected To Pick Up Matthew Stafford’s Options

January 14th, 2023 at 9:21am CST by Ben Levine

Matthew Stafford already made it clear that he’d be returning for the 2023 season, and the Rams are prepared to make it official. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Rams are expected to pick up Stafford’s 2023 option bonus and 2024 salary by the third day of the league year.

[RELATED: Latest On Rams QB Matthew Stafford’s Future]

The two-year commitment will cost the organization more than $50MM. Stafford’s $1.5MM 2023 base salary and prorated $12MM signing bonus were already fully guaranteed at signing. With this latest move, the Rams are locking themselves into a 2023 option bonus worth $26MM and a 2024 guaranteed salary of $31MM.

This always seemed like the expected route, but considering the uncertainty in Los Angeles surrounding Sean McVay‘s future, it was fair to wonder if the Rams could look towards a complete rebuild. In such a scenario, the Rams could have designated Stafford as a post-June 1 cap casualty, a move that still would have let them with $13.5MM dead cap in 2023 and a whopping $36MM in 2024.

Stafford was sidelined for much of the summer with an elbow issue. After struggling during the regular season and dealing with a pair of concussions, he ultimately landed on injured reserve in early December with a spinal cord contusion. The 34-year-old was limited to only nine games, with his 10 touchdowns being his lowest mark since a three-game appearance with Detroit in 2010.

Despite the growing list of ailments, Stafford rejected the retirement rumors last month. He doubled down during his end-of-season press conference, telling reporters that he never considered hanging up his cleats and is feeling “really comfortable and confident in moving forward” (per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop).

Browns To Interview Eagles’ Dennard Wilson For DC Job

January 14th, 2023 at 8:51am CST by Ben Levine

We can add another name to the list of Browns defensive coordinator candidates. The Browns are planning on interviewing Eagles defensive pass game coordinator Dennard Wilson for the job, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports (on Twitter). The interview is expected to take place today, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (on Twitter).

[RELATED: Browns Request DC Interviews With Brian Flores, Jim Schwartz]

Wilson joined the Eagles in 2021 as a defensive backs coach before earning the title of defensive passing game coordinator for the 2022 campaign. Philly’s defense ended up allowing the fewest passing yards in the NFL while finishing top-five in interceptions, with C.J. Gardner‑Johnson finishing in a tie for the league-lead with six.

Pro Football Focus was especially fond of the team’s secondary in 2022. The site ranked three Eagles (James Bradberry, Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox) among their top-35 cornerbacks (122 qualifiers). Safety Reed Blankenship also earned a top-15 ranking at safety among 89 qualifying players. Thanks to a strong performance from the Eagles defense as a whole, Wilson will now have an opportunity for a promotion.

Shortly after firing three-year defensive play-caller Joe Woods, the Browns compiled a list of defensive coordinator candidates. The targets include Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores, Seahawks associate HC Sean Desai, and former HC Jim Schwartz. Cleveland also reached out to Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, but he declined the interview and continues to negotiate a new deal with New England. Flores and Schwartz have already interview for the job; it’s uncertain when (or if) Desai will speak with the organization.

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