HEADLINES

Month: January 2023

Cardinals To Interview Vance Joseph For HC Job

January 12th, 2023 at 10:13am CST by Sam Robinson

Rumors of Vance Joseph being on the radar for a promotion in Arizona circulated last week, and the Cardinals are indeed interested in seeing what their defensive coordinator could provide the team as a head coach.

The Cardinals plan to interview Joseph for their HC job next week, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). Joseph, who has been Arizona’s DC since the team hired Kliff Kingsbury in 2019, has been an interviewee elsewhere since being fired as the Broncos’ HC following the 2018 season.

Although the Cardinals have a history of promoting from within at their GM position — a blueprint that may still be in place — the team has reached outside the organization for its head coaches. That common path has included mostly offense-based HCs this century. The Cardinals have gone offense (Kingsbury, Bruce Arians, Ken Whisenhunt and Dennis Green) with four of their past five HC hires. Only Steve Wilks, whom the team made a one-and-done after the 2018 season, came from the defensive side of the ball over the past 19 years.

Joseph, 50, is well-liked in the Cardinals’ building and, Kingsbury ties aside, may be one of the frontrunners for the position. Of course, Joseph almost certainly would not outflank Sean Payton. The Saints granted the Cards permission to interview Payton on Wednesday, generating intrigue regarding this year’s hottest coaching free agent. But the team will explore its options, as Payton is far from a lock to agree to terms with Arizona.

After helming back-to-back double-digit loss seasons in Denver, Joseph oversaw a last-ranked Arizona defense in 2019. The team showed considerable improvement in 2020 and ’21, however, ranking in the top 13 in both points and yardage in each campaign. This year’s Cards defense regressed, ranking 31st in points per game allowed (26.4) and slotting 24th in DVOA.

Michael Bidwill said he hopes to replace Steve Keim before landing on a head coach. A host of GM candidates have emerged for the team, including in-house staffers Quentin Harris and Adrian Wilson. In the wake of Keim stepping away from the team, Harris and Wilson shared his responsibilities. It would be interesting to see if the Cardinals, given the turbulent year they just had, would legitimately consider an in-house GM and a holdover HC.

Raiders To Gauge Derek Carr Trade Market; QB Bids Farewell

January 12th, 2023 at 9:12am CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders are set to meet with Derek Carr soon, and they will do so with the intent of exploring a trade. Not long after Carr’s benching, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports the Raiders have begun the process of evaluating the trade market (Twitter link).

This has been the expected path since the Raiders demoted Carr ahead of Week 17, leading to the nine-year starting quarterback stepping away from the team. The Raiders have just more than a month until Carr’s $40.4MM guarantee vests. As of now, that figure becomes guaranteed three days after Super Bowl LVII (Feb. 15).

Shortly after Rapoport indicated a trade route will be explored, Carr posted a goodbye announcement (via Twitter). In it, he addressed previous comments of pursuing retirement if the Raiders did not want him. As expected, retirement is not in Carr’s plans.

“I once said that if I’m not a Raider I would rather be at home, and I meant that. But I never envisioned it ending this way,” Carr said in a lengthy statement thanking Raiders fans. “That fire burning inside of me to win a championship still rages. I look forward to a new city and a new team, who, no matter the circumstance, will get everything I have.”

[RELATED: Davante Adams Plans To Stick With Raiders]

A number of teams figure to be in on Carr, even with that lofty guarantee figure looming. The Jets, Saints, Commanders and Panthers come to mind, with a PFR poll last month pegging Gang Green as the clubhouse leaders. Other teams like the Colts, Titans and perhaps the Buccaneers — in the event Tom Brady either retires for a second time or leaves as a free agent — could be on the Carr radar as well.

Carr holds a no-trade clause, giving the 31-year-old passer some control during this process. The Raiders included the clause in their 2022 extension, which featured the guarantee vesting date allowing the franchise to move on if Carr did not prove a fit with the new Josh McDaniels– and Dave Ziegler-run operation. Mark Davis gave the new Raiders regime carte blanche when it came to handling Carr, but the HC-GM combo was believed to be close to keeping Carr as the starter through the end of the season. The owner, who is believed to be lukewarm on Carr, stepped in and may well have pushed the situation to this point.

As could be expected given their McDaniels hire, the Raiders are already being connected to Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo. This marks the second time the Raiders have been linked to Brady in free agency. They pursued the all-time great in 2020, but Jon Gruden deemed the longtime Patriots cornerstone too old even at that point. Wooing a quarterback in advance of an age-46 season will obviously be unprecedented, though Garoppolo is Carr’s age and could serve as a longer-term bridge.

If the Raiders are unable to trade Carr, it is believed they will release him rather than pay that $40.4MM. Despite the team giving Carr a three-year, $121.4MM extension just last year, a release — thanks to the uniquely structured deal — would result in just a $5.6MM dead-money charge. Carr’s deal calls for a guaranteed $32.9MM base salary and 2024 and ’25 bases of $41.9MM and $41.2MM, respectively. Just $7.5MM of the 2024 base salary is guaranteed; the 2025 year is nonguaranteed.

The quarterback trade market has heated up in recent years, producing blockbuster deals that sent franchise cornerstones like Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan out of town. Deshaun Watson fetched even more in compensation. It appears Carr will be another high-profile passer on the move.

Bears Hire Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren As President

January 12th, 2023 at 9:04am CST by Sam Robinson

Kevin Warren surfaced as a candidate for the Bears’ president and CEO role recently, and the Big Ten commissioner is expected to make the jump back to the NFL.

The Bears plan to hire Warren, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The Bears have since announced the hire. Warren will succeed longtime Bears president Ted Phillips, who announced intentions to retire before this past season. Warren has an extensive history in the NFL, including with two NFC North franchises (the Lions and Vikings), but has been the Big Ten commissioner since 2019. The new hire will start work April 17, Pete Thamel of ESPN.com tweets.

This will be the first Bears change in this position in the 21st century. Phillips had served in this role since 1999 but indicated in September he was leaving the team after 40 years in various roles. Warren will come in from the college ranks, but he has more than 20 years of experience in the NFL.

Warren, 59, became the first Black commissioner of the Big Ten and helmed the conference during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to numerous schedule and format adjustments for all sports over multiple years. The conference waffled on its 2020 football schedule, initially postponing the season to the spring. Warren then backtracked, leading to the league starting its season Oct. 24 — well after the southern power conferences began their respective campaigns. The Pac-12 joined the Big Ten in beginning its season late that fall. The Big Ten during this period also reached agreements on additions of USC and UCLA, which represent two of the most shocking realignment dominoes to fall in history.

Prior to accepting the Bears position, Warren remained on his original contract as Big Ten commish. He will join a Bears team that recently clinched the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 1947. The Bears launched a rebuild effort last year, hiring Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus to lead that effort. Poles gutted Chicago’s veteran-laden defense, with trades involving Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn playing a role in the team finishing 3-14 and securing the top pick.

Warren has been mentioned as a possible Roger Goodell successor down the road, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post, with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicating the same while including Broncos co-owner and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as another rumored option (Twitter links). Having Warren, who in Minnesota became the first Black COO in NFL history, back in the NFL could allow for an easier commissioner transition at some point.

Ahead of his Big Ten commitment, Warren spent nearly 15 years with the Vikings. He finished his Minnesota run working as the team’s COO. He spent three years with the Lions in the early 2000s and began his NFL career with the Rams in the late ’90s.

Jets, OC Mike LaFleur Part Ways

January 11th, 2023 at 10:20pm CST by Ben Levine

Mike LaFleur is out. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter), the Jets are moving on from their offensive coordinator. Connor Hughes of SNYtv first tweeted that the Jets were allowing the coach to “pursue other opportunities,” while NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says (on Twitter) the two sides “mutually” parted ways.

According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter), teams have inquired on LaFleur‘s availability in recent days. Hughes adds that the Jets spoke with their offensive coordinator over the past few days, with the two sides ultimately deciding that it was best to move on.

This officially ends the will-they, won’t-they saga in New York. As the Jets’ playoff hopes dwindled and with the offensive averaging 15 points per game over the final three weeks, there was rampant speculation that the Jets could look to make a coaching change on the offensive side of the ball. Head coach Robert Saleh, who is a longtime friend of LaFleur, backed his OC in recent weeks, noting the organization’s committed “to go young everywhere – coaches, players, staff, everybody.”

The rumors seemed to hit a peak earlier today when Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork tweeted that LaFleur and the organization had parted way. Jets beat reporters were quick to refute that report, with Hughes tweeting tonight that the Jets’ initially planned to keep LaFleur as their offensive coordinator. Indeed, a source told Josina Anderson that the discussions were finalized “over the last couple of hours” (Twitter link).

The Jets will begin their OC search tomorrow, according to Costello (on Twitter). Saleh previously said that he wants to hire a veteran offensive coach that can fill the role previously held by Greg Knapp, per Cimini (on Twitter). It’s uncertain if he’ll be seeking similar qualities in a new offensive coordinator. Any new addition will have immense pressure to improve an offense that has major question marks at quarterback.

LaFleur‘s two years in New York proved to be a disappointment, with the Jets ranking mostly in the back-half of the league in most offensive categories. Still, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently wrote, LaFleur is respected around the NFL for “his play designs and understanding of the Shanahan system,” with the coach having spent four years as the 49ers passing game coordinator before joining Saleh in New York. There are three other squads with offensive coordinator openings, and if LaFleur is already generating interest, there’s a chance he lands on his feet relatively quickly.

The Jets will have a handful of additional coaching vacancies to fill. Fowler tweets that the organization will also be looking to hire a replacement for wide receivers coach Miles Austin, who is facing a suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, and an assistant defensive line coach.

Broncos Interview Jim Caldwell, David Shaw; Latest On Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh Pursuits

January 11th, 2023 at 9:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

9:35pm: Add another list to the Broncos’ head coaching search. Denver interviewed former Stanford head coach David Shaw on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Shaw recently resigned from his post at Stanford after two consecutive 3-9 seasons. Despite the dismal finish to his career, Shaw left the Cardinal with a 96-54 record as a head coach.

Before becoming a mainstay in Stanford, Shaw held assistant coaching roles with the Raiders and Ravens coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers. His success at the NFL level combined with his winning tradition at Stanford made Shaw a hot commodity in the NFL, especially after the immediate NFL success of his Stanford predecessor, Jim Harbaugh, following his rise to the pros.

NFL teams will finally have their opportunity to kick the tires on Shaw, and it appears the Broncos are the first to do so. It would certainly be an interesting fit as Shaw has connections to fellow Stanford alumni Penner and Rice.

12:52pm: The Broncos added another name to their HC search. They are meeting with former Colts and Lions coach Jim Caldwell on Wednesday, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets.

Caldwell’s interview will be in-person, 9News’ Mike Klis adds (via Twitter). A fixture on coaching carousels in recent years, Caldwell has already met with the Panthers. Caldwell’s AFC championship in Indianapolis and two playoff berths in Detroit aside, his entry into this race qualifies as a lower-profile development considering the other names connected to the Broncos.

Sean Payton has spoken with the Broncos, and an interview is expected. The team can interview Payton beginning Jan. 17. But some doubt regarding Payton’s interest in this job has emerged. The Broncos may want Payton more than vice versa, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes, and colleague Jeremy Fowler adds the prospect of a long-term Russell Wilson partnership has generated some skepticism around the league.

Wilson had the Saints on his 2021 list of acceptable trade destinations — before the Broncos landed on that list and became his preference — and Payton, from his FOX analyst role, offered some possible solutions to address Wilson’s stunning performance drop-off this season. The 16-year Saints HC is expected to be choosey, though he has said on multiple occasions he will likely coach again. Payton has also analyzed every team’s depth chart in preparation for a potential NFL return. A franchise quarterback is not a requirement for Payton, Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes (subscription required), but a path to one would move the needle. Although Wilson showed signs of his pre-Denver self to close the season, he probably does not qualify as a franchise QB after the year he had.

Payton would also be expected to bring his own personnel staff to Denver, Graziano adds, which could spell more trouble for Broncos GM George Paton. New Denver ownership’s curious plan of having both Paton and the next head coach report to ownership also could sound alarm bells for Payton, Howe adds, though that might not be too much of a concern given the price the Broncos will need to pay to lure Payton. It would not exactly be expected Denver would hire a new GM that is not approved by Payton, for whom the team may well need to trade a first-round pick.

A report Tuesday placed Harbaugh as an early frontrunner, but Fowler clarifies the Michigan HC is behind Payton. If the latter turns down the Broncos, Harbaugh will be the favorite. Harbaugh is rumored to be prepared to bring Tom Gamble, the former 49ers player personnel director who is now with the Wolverines, with him, per Fowler.

Unlike the Panthers, who were believed to be confused when Harbaugh reached out to them, Tom Pelissero said during a Dan Patrick Show appearance the Broncos contacted Harbaugh (video link). New CEO Greg Penner and co-owner Condoleezza Rice‘s ties to Stanford — where Harbaugh coached from 2007-10 — are driving this interest. The Broncos have done extensive research on the former 49ers coach, Fowler adds.

The Colts were rumored to be interested in Harbaugh, but they have not interviewed him yet. It would not surprise if such a meeting took place, with Fowler adding the Colts job appeals to Harbaugh. Jim Irsay‘s overreaching last year has made the Colts job less of a draw for some, Howe adds, but Harbaugh did play for the Colts for four seasons in the 1990s and holds a spot in their ring of honor.

Caldwell, 67, has been out of the league since a Dolphins one-off as an assistant HC in 2019. He joins Payton as an offense-oriented candidate. The rest of the Broncos’ candidate list includes defensive staffers — Ejiro Evero, Dan Quinn, DeMeco Ryans, Raheem Morris. Among this lot, Quinn, who interviewed for the Denver job last year, looks to have the best shot of landing the position, Pelissero adds. Quinn has ties to Paton dating back to their Dolphins days, though he appears to be a fallback option at this point.

NFC Injury Rumors: Rams, Commanders, Penning, Swift

January 11th, 2023 at 9:10pm CST by Ely Allen

Rams rookie safety Russ Yeast endured a scary moment on Sunday in the team’s loss to the Seahawks, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. The seventh-round pick earned the first start of his career in place of Nick Scott, who was placed on injured reserve last week.

In the game, Yeast suffered a pulmonary contusion and needed to be taken to the hospital via ambulance. Head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Yeast was in stable condition but would stay in the hospital overnight. Yeast was reportedly scheduled to return to Los Angeles on Monday, according to The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue.

Following the dramatic events around Bills safety Damar Hamlin, another cardiac event requiring a hospital visit was the last thing the NFL wanted to see in Week 18.

Here are a few other injury rumors from around the NFC:

  • As the Commanders‘ season came to an end, Washington decided to address some players’ injuries, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. Head coach Ron Rivera informed the media before their final regular season matchup that running back Antonio Gibson underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his foot. Additionally, defensive tackle John Ridgeway tore a pectoral muscle in the team’s season finale against the Cowboys. He’ll have the full offseason to recover.
  • Saints first round rookie tackle Trevor Penning missed much of his first NFL season with a foot injury. What was initially thought to be a “bad case of turf toe” ended up being a torn ligament in his foot, resulting in him missing the first 11 games of his debut season. Penning would eventually work his way back and earn some snaps as a backup lineman before earning the first start of his career in Week 18. Unfortunately, a rough start for the Northern Iowa product has gotten even tougher as he suffered a Lisfranc injury in the season finale against the Panthers, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Penning faces a long recovery of approximately five to six months, but if he can come back by June, he should be able to make it back for part of the offseason training program in New Orleans.
  • Early in the season, Lions running back D’Andre Swift suffered a high ankle sprain and a separated shoulder that would dog him for the rest of the year. Despite playing through those ailments for much of the season, there doesn’t appear to be any need for surgery in the offseason, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Swift will reportedly meet with medical professionals in the next few weeks but is under the impression that, come next season, he will be fully healthy and ready to go.

Latest On Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy’s Job Security

January 11th, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Mike McCarthy has helped guide the Cowboys to consecutive 12-win seasons, but if the team fails to make any noise in the playoffs, some have wondered if the head coach will be afforded a long leash. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seemed to shut down that sentiment during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas yesterday, with the executive giving his head coach a vote of confidence.

“No. I don’t even want to … No. That’s it,” Jones said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “I don’t need to go into all the pluses or minuses. I’ve got a lot more to evaluate Mike McCarthy on than this playoff game.

“I can’t tell you how much confidence I’ve got in Mike and our coaching staff of being on top of where we are with this team right now. They’ve got every nuance. They understand every frailty that we might have or we might have shown Sunday [in the loss to Washington]. They’ve got everything in their grasp and in their understanding, and I have complete confidence in this coaching staff. It’s outstanding. We’ve got a great chance to go down there and have success.”

McCarthy’s first season in Dallas was a dud, and following a 12-win campaign in 2021, the team proceeded to lose their first playoff game. The Cowboys are in the postseason following another 12-win season, but as Archer points out, that kind of success hasn’t always led to job security in Dallas. Chan Gailey was the last Cowboys head coach to lead the team to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but he was let go following a second-straight playoff disappointment. Jones has since admitted that the Gailey firing was a mistake, and it appears he won’t make a rash decision on McCarthy.

As ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently wrote, in recent years, we can take Jones at his word when it comes to head coach proclamations. However, the writer also cautions that an ugly loss to Tampa Bay on Monday could change the executive’s mind. In fact, sources tell Graziano that they wouldn’t be surprised if Dallas ends up making a change at head coach.

McCarthy still has two years remaining on his contract. The 59-year-old previously had a long stint in Green Bay that saw him win 125 regular season games and 10 playoff contests, including a victory in Super Bowl XLV. The Cowboys, meanwhile, haven’t made it past the Divisional Round of the playoffs since 1995.

AFC Injury Rumors: Bengals, Dolphins, Leonard

January 11th, 2023 at 8:16pm CST by Ely Allen

Cincinnati will host the Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs this weekend, but they will have to do it without two of their starters on the offensive line, according to Mitch Stacy of The Associated Press. Head coach Zac Taylor confirmed that right guard Alex Cappa will join right tackle La’el Collins on the sideline this Sunday night.

Cappa had his ankle rolled over late in the third quarter last week while blocking in the pocket. Initial fears were that the injury would end his season, keeping him out for the entirety of the playoffs, and while Taylor is holding out hope for future games this January, we know that Cappa will not play this weekend.

Cappa joins Collins, who saw his season come to an end after suffering a knee injury in a Week 16 win over the Patriots. Collins has been replaced by Hakeem Adeniji who played in a backup role this season after starting 13 games last year. Adeniji drew criticism for his pass protection in the playoffs last season, when the offensive line drew most of the blame for the team’s loss in Super Bowl LVI.

Cappa will be replaced by backup Max Scharping. After starting 33 games in his first three seasons with the Texans, Scharping was picked up by the Bengals after being waived just prior to the season. The offensive line was a huge weakness last year for a Bengals team that still made it to the Super Bowl. They may have to struggle over that hurdle once again if they want to win it all in February.

Here are a couple other injury rumors from around the AFC, starting with another playoff squad:

  • If the Bengals’ offensive line situation is considered bad, the Dolphins‘ has to be considered downright tragic as the team practiced today without three starters and three backups on the offensive line alone, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Starting left guard Liam Eichenberg missed today as he deals with a hand injury. After that, the remaining five linemen who missed practice are the team’s top five tackles. First, tackles Austin Jackson and Eric Fisher remain on injured reserve with an ankle and calf injury, respectively. Jackson is eligible to return from IR but isn’t quite ready to, while Fisher is not yet eligible to return. Right tackle Brandon Shell is dealing with a high ankle sprain and mild knee sprain and is likely going to be out this weekend in Buffalo. Kendall Lamm has been dealing with an ankle issue and is questionable to play on Sunday. Lastly, left tackle Terron Armstead missed practice as he deals with multiple ailments including injuries to his hip, foot, knee, and pectoral muscle, according to Jackson. Not one to be subdued by pain, Armstead told Jackson that as long as his muscles function, he’ll be playing against the Bills. Potential backup options include Greg Little and starting right guard Robert Hunt, with Robert Jones filling in the guard spot. Geron Christian, Michael Dieter, and practice squad linemen should all be ready to hear their names called, as well.
  • Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard missed most of the season this year as he dealt with a nerve issue that has limited the use of his left calf. Leonard had back surgery to the address the issue in June but never saw the results he’d hoped for. Leonard and Indianapolis staff found it necessary to undergo a second surgery and, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star, it seems to have been much more effective. Leonard told Erickson that, after the second surgery, “the nerves are re-firing in his leg…in a way that didn’t happen after the first surgery.” Leonard is one of the premier players at his position, so signs that he is starting to progress back to his old self are welcome signs, for sure.

Jets Rumors: QBs, Offseason, Injuries

January 11th, 2023 at 6:49pm CST by Ely Allen

After a season that saw the Jets start four different quarterbacks throughout the year, general manager Joe Douglas knows that New York has “a lot of work to do” at the position, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. Of the four passers who started games for the Jets this season, only second-year starter Zach Wilson and practice squad quarterback Chris Streveler are set to return to New York in 2023, after Streveler was announced to have signed a futures contract earlier this week. Veterans Joe Flacco and Mike White, on the other hand, are set to hit free agency.

Wilson was benched midway through the season and saw White take over starting duties. When White was injured, Wilson took over as the primary backup but was soon relegated back to the bench as White got healthy and Flacco started the season finale. Despite rumors that the Jets could move on from Wilson in the offseason, Douglas iterated that New York has “never been a team that has given up on talent early.” Hughes claims that the team expects to continue to work with Wilson moving forward. As for Wilson’s chances of starting, Douglas washed his hands of the decision, deferring the call to head coach Robert Saleh, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

Cimini also noted last week a comment from then-offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who speculated that it “would’ve benefited” Wilson to allow him to sit and learn from a veteran. Unfortunately, when the team drafted Wilson, they had no such veteran. White had no NFL experience at the time, despite having been in the league for three years, and the only other quarterback on the roster was James Morgan. The team eventually brought in that experience, signing Josh Johnson late in that year’s training camp and trading midseason to bring in Flacco. LaFleur claimed he hasn’t done a good enough job of developing Wilson, saying that if any position player isn’t producing to the expected level, it’s a failure of the coach.

Wilson could potentially see his competition from this season return. White, who took the reins from Wilson this year, told Cimini that there is mutual interest in his return to the Jets from free agency. He also noted that situations change quickly in the league, hinting that he will keep his eyes open for other opportunities.

Here are a few other rumors from the Jets’ building as the franchise readies for the offseason:

  • Cimini took to ESPN as the Jets’ regular season came to an end and laid out the offseason plan for New York. Setting aside the search for a starting quarterback, mentioned in part above, and the search for a new course on offense after the firing of LaFleur, the Jets’ biggest focus will be free agency and salary cap space. To create cap space for free agent shopping, some guys with big cap hits may find themselves on the chopping block. Cutting players like wide receiver Corey Davis and offensive tackle Duane Brown could result in cap savings of $10.5MM and $5.3MM, respectively. Even players who have made significant contributions may find themselves in danger because of their salaries. Defensive end Carl Lawson could provide $15MM of cap savings, safety Jordan Whitehead $7.5MM, and return specialist Braxton Berrios $5MM. Not to mention star linebacker C.J. Mosley who is set to have a 2023 cap charge totaling $21.5MM.
  • In terms of what to look for in free agency, offensive line struggles severely hampered the team’s success this year. Starting guards Laken Tomlinson and Alijah Vera-Tucker should return next season. After undergoing triceps surgery, Vera-Tucker is expected to be back in time for training camp, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Tackle Mekhi Becton is a question mark after missing the team’s last 33 games due to injuries and weight issues. Becton told Hughes he feels “real good” after losing a “lot” of weight and will be ready for Organized Team Activities. If Becton can’t deliver, the Jets are in trouble as they will watch tackle George Fant hit free agency and Brown could be a cap casualty or could just retire. Starting center Connor McGovern is also set to hit free agency.
  • While offensive line will be an important position to build, their most important signing may come on the defensive line. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams will be with the team through next year due to the fifth-round option of his rookie contract, but that may not be enough to satisfy Douglas and company. Williams has established himself as one of the best at his position and will likely expect to be paid like it. Douglas will want to find an extended contract for Williams long before the idea of free agency enters his mind.
  • Lawson had a strong first year in New York despite coming back from an Achilles injury. Lawson’s recovery hit a snag when he needed a second surgery. He even tweaked something in rehab and was expected to miss a chunk of the season, according to Hughes. Despite not even running until about a month before camp, Lawson started all 17 games and recorded his highest sack total since his rookie season.
  • Running back Breece Hall‘s rookie season was cut short after the second-round pick suffered a torn ACL in October. According to Costello, Hall claims that he will be ready for the start of next year.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/11/23

January 11th, 2023 at 6:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Teams continue to sign players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing the organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:

Arizona Cardinals

Denver Broncos

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

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