HEADLINES

Month: April 2024

Lions LB Alex Anzalone Seeking Multi-Year Deal?

January 31st, 2023 at 9:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions’ late push for a playoff spot was driven in part by the team’s defensive turnaround to close out the regular season. One veteran member of the unit would be open to another contract keeping him in the Motor City, though another one-year pact may not be an option this year.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone signed a one-year deal in the 2021 offseason to join the Lions after starting his career in New Orleans. His level of play during that campaign earned him another one-year pact, this time at a value of $2.25MM, a slight raise from the previous contract. After a career-year in terms of production, he is now set to hit the free agent market.

The 28-year-old started all 17 games in 2022, seeing the field for over 1,000 snaps for the first time in his career. He comfortably set a new personal mark in terms of tackles with 125, adding 1.5 sacks, one interception and six pass breakups. While those totals didn’t yield a particularly glowing evaluation in terms of PFF grade, it still made him a valuable member of Detroit’s defense. When speaking about his future, the former third-rounder left the door open to once again re-upping with the Lions.

“I feel like obviously it’s a fit, but there are multiple layers to that,” Anzalone said, via the team’s website. “I’m going into Year 7 and you have to take care of your family, but I love [head coach] Dan [Campbell] and AG [defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn] and love what they are doing here.”

Anzalone’s production in 2022 has led to a sense that he will look for a longer-term deal this March after consecutive one-year stints. Given the valuation of his position, a significant raise compared to his previous deals would be unlikely at his age, however. If he were to move on in free agency, the Lions could turn to the likes of Derrick Barnes and Josh Woods at the second level of their defense.

That area is likely to be a key focus of theirs during the offseason, as they look to improve on the defensive side of the ball in particular. The Lions are currently in better shape than most teams with respect to cap space, though much will surely change between now and the onset of free agency, including their valuation of Anzalone and several other veteran defenders.

Cowboys To Interview Jeff Nixon For OC Vacancy

January 31st, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

For the first time in Dak Prescott‘s career, the Cowboys are on the lookout for a new offensive coordinator. With Kellen Moore headed to Los Angeles, their search for his replacement is set to begin.

Dallas is set to interview Panthers running backs coach Jeff Nixon for the OC position, reports Joe Person of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 48-year-old began his NFL coaching career with the Eagles in 2007, spending time there as an assistant on both offense and special teams. That led him to the Dolphins, where he took on the familiar role of exclusively coaching running backs.

Nixon spent four years in Miami, then one in San Francisco before working alongside Matt Rhule at Baylor. He joined the latter in Carolina upon his hire in 2020, and has been with the Panthers since. Nixon has once again been primarily working with the team’s running backs, but he also took over the interim OC role in 2021 following the dismissal of Joe Brady. In 2022, Nixon maintained senior offensive assistant as part of his title.

This past season saw the Panthers’ ground game lose its most potent weapon after Christian McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers midseason. In spite of that, the team still finished 10th in the league in rushing, averaging 130 yards per game on the ground. That element of their offense – driven by D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard following the McCaffrey deal – helped keep Carolina in the hunt for a playoff spot deep into the season despite their disastrous start under Rhule.

Nixon (who also interviewed for OC vacancies with the Jaguars and Raiders last offseason) is also a candidate to remain on staff in Carolina under new head coach Frank Reich. Should he depart, though, he could take on a sizeable role in a Cowboys offense which impressed in the regular season but fell short in the playoffs during Moore’s tenure. Dallas’ hire to fill the vacancy will not call plays, though, as head coach Mike McCarthy is reportedly set to assume those duties.

Another, internal, option for the Cowboys to consider is Brian Schottenheimer. The veteran staffer has OC experience with the Jets, Rams and Seahawks and served as a consultant in Dallas this past season. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer names the 49-year-old as a candidate to watch as the Cowboys’ search for Moore’s replacement starts to take shape in the coming days.

Eagles, Jalen Hurts To Discuss Extension

January 30th, 2023 at 10:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Five years after building a Super Bowl-winning roster around Carson Wentz‘s rookie contract, the Eagles are back on the NFL’s biggest stage thanks to a similar formula. Jalen Hurts, who replaced Wentz late in the 2020 season, has piloted the team back to the Super Bowl and is now in a contract year.

The Eagles will not have as much flexibility with Hurts compared to their Wentz negotiation window, with their current starter’s contract not including the fifth-year option. After a 2022 offseason that included links to high-profile passers, the Eagles are prepared to move forward with Hurts. They are planning to meet with Hurts’ agent about an extension this offseason, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link).

After struggling down the stretch last season and undergoing ankle surgery last winter, Hurts entered the 2022 offseason with a somewhat uncertain future. The Eagles looked into Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson; the team’s Watson research dates back to the 2021 season. Watson ended up not waiving his no-trade clause for the Eagles. Ownership advised the Eagles against bringing in Hurts competition that year, and the former Alabama and Oklahoma dual threat showed promise. After the Eagles built a roster comparable to 2017’s this past offseason, they are 16-1 in Hurts starts and one win away from their second Super Bowl title. The dramatic leap Hurts has taken puts him in commanding position for an extension.

Seeming like they surfaced years ago, the franchise’s connections to other QBs and doubts about Hurts are in the past. There is no longer any doubt about Hurts’ future in Philadelphia, Rapoport adds, and the team’s increased faith in the former second-round pick will lead to big numbers being thrown around soon.

Philly moved early on Wentz, locking the former No. 2 overall pick down with an extension in June 2019. That $32MM-per-year contract was not a top-market pact at the time, but it was not far off Wilson’s then-NFL-high $35MM-AAV accord. The Wentz deal did not work out for the team, though Philadelphia managed to collect first- and third-round picks for him in 2021. The Eagles are now free of Wentz dead money, but the Hurts deal will again change the franchise’s payroll.

Hurts, 24, becomes extension-eligible in the same offseason in which Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert do, and Lamar Jackson remains without a long-term deal. These passers will be linked for the foreseeable future, and contracts that start with a “5” will be tossed around. Aaron Rodgers remains the only NFLer tied to a $50MM-per-year contract — a short-term, uniquely structured one at that — but that will almost certainly change soon. The salary cap’s spike to $224.8MM represents good news for this quartet, among others in position to cash in, and the Eagles having a recent history of being proactive on extensions — as the deals for Wentz, A.J. Brown and a few offensive linemen have shown in recent years — should point to the Hurts talks becoming serious this offseason.

Latest On Broncos’ Coaching Search

January 30th, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the offseason enters its fourth week, this Broncos ownership group’s first coaching search looks to have skidded off track. A host of updates have emerged in recent days regarding the new owners’ HC pursuit, but the team’s preferred candidates are mostly out of the picture.

Jim Harbaugh loomed as a frontrunner early but bowed out of the race, while Dan Quinn was well-regarded during his time in the derby. He recommitted to the Cowboys for a second straight offseason. The Texans look to have the inside track for DeMeco Ryans, who had gained steam with the Broncos late last week. For the time being, the Sean Payton-to-Denver talk has faded.

While CEO Greg Penner flew to Ann Arbor to meet with Harbaugh, the meeting caught other Broncos HC candidates off-guard, according to The Athletic’s Mike Sando (subscription required). Harbaugh said the Broncos’ job would be the one he’d want if he returned to the NFL, with this stance emerging not long after the longtime Michigan HC recommitted to his alma mater. But the Broncos are not believed to have made an offer. Harbaugh remains at Michigan, and Denver’s set of second-tier candidates do not appear closer to landing the job.

Despite this rocky search, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes the other batch of candidates the Broncos have met with — Rams DC Raheem Morris, former Lions HC Jim Caldwell and ex-Stanford HC David Shaw — have not gained momentum for the job. With DC Ejiro Evero also not being connected to the post since interviewing nearly three weeks ago, this would leave Payton still atop the team’s wish list. Indeed, the Caldwell-Evero-Morris-Shaw contingent has been informed no second interviews are on tap, 9News’ Mike Klis notes.

Payton made the Broncos his first interview; that occurred more than two weeks ago. Initial reports indicated Payton was behind the new Broncos ownership contingent, but a subsequent offering suggested pause. Payton directly refuted that he feared a power struggle with one of the team’s new owners, and the former Super Bowl-winning HC addressed his status over the weekend. The door remains open for Payton, per Renck, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport suggested the franchise still wants to swing for a “big, big, big” hire.

Payton, 59, is the only candidate who would seem to fit that description, and other teams may be realizing they will not be able to entice him to leave FOX this year. Linked to preparing a big Payton push, the Panthers hired Frank Reich. The Cardinals adding a host of new candidates Monday points to them realizing Payton is likely an unrealistic goal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com offered during a Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link). Payton interviewed with the Cardinals on Thursday. It will take a first-round pick and at least some Day 2 selections to pry Payton’s rights from New Orleans, but the way this search is going, hints of desperation may soon come out of Denver.

If the Broncos cannot lure Payton from FOX, they will either need to circle back to what appear to be their lower-tier candidates or add names to the list. As of Monday night, no new names are on the radar, Klis reaffirms, adding the Broncos will not send the Saints two first-round picks for Payton. That was a rumored Mickey Loomis ask weeks ago. For a team that entered the offseason preparing an “ultra-aggressive” search for an experienced HC to execute a turnaround, this figures to be a pivotal week for its new ownership contingent.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/30/23

January 30th, 2023 at 9:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s reserve/futures contracts handed out:

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

The Vikings ended Day’s three-month free agency stay in December, adding the veteran D-lineman to their practice squad. Day, 28, did not see any action with the team this season, but he will stick around ahead of the 2023 league year. Day saw 46% of the Browns’ defensive snaps in 2021 and was a regular 49ers contributor in the late 2010s. Although injuries bumped him up to such status, Day worked as a starter in each of San Francisco’s three 2019 playoff games.

The rare Day 2 draft choice to be traded before he played a down with the team that selected him, Bowden spent the season on the Patriots’ practice squad. The former Raiders draftee-turned-Dolphins trade acquisition loomed as a trade candidate in August but ended up being waived. Bowden, 25, has played in just one game over the past two seasons. But he spent the full season on New England’s P-squad. The Pats will keep him around ahead of Bill O’Brien‘s first offseason back in Foxborough.

Texans Aiming To Close DeMeco Ryans Deal

January 30th, 2023 at 7:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans are attempting to move this DeMeco Ryans process past the goal line. The two-year 49ers defensive coordinator is set for a second interview with the team this week, and after back-to-back one-and-done HCs, the Texans appear more committed to a candidate this time around.

With Ryans pivoting from Broncos frontrunner to Texans favorite, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports notes (via Twitter) Houston’s ownership is pushing to close the deal and make the former linebacker the franchise’s next head coach. Ryans, who played for the Texans from 2006-11, is believed to have interest in coaching his former team. Now that the 49ers have been eliminated, Ryans can be hired at any point. He is the clear clubhouse leader for the Houston job, Peter King of NBC Sports writes.

The 38-year-old coordinator has not closed the book on the Broncos, Anderson tweets, but he is believed to prefer the Texans. The hope here is a deal is agreed to during Ryans’ second interview this week, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post. The Broncos were the first team to speak with Ryans but have not scheduled any second interviews.

Texans ownership and GM Nick Caserio were impressed with “everything about” Ryans in his Zoom interview Jan. 20, veteran Texans reporter John McLain notes. The past two Texans HC searches meandered and ended on candidates other teams were not considering — David Culley, Lovie Smith. This one is decidedly different, as all five HC-needy teams were interested in speaking with Ryans. The longtime Kyle Shanahan staffer, however, has only spoken with two teams. Both have been impressed to the point he became their frontrunners.

While the Colts and Cardinals had interviews scheduled with Ryans, he declined to speak with those teams hours before the 49ers’ divisional playoff game against the Cowboys. The Panthers also reached out to Ryans with an interview request, but after logistics initially impeded an interview, the parties moved on. It now looks like the Texans hold a big lead on the Broncos, whose coaching search has hit a few snags.

Denver’s position comes with a new ownership group, a quarterback extension (Russell Wilson’s five-year, $245MM pact) that has brought sustained turbulence since Week 1 and a placement in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. The Texans’ division does not feature a similar gauntlet, and the team holds two first-round picks and is projected to be among this year’s cap-space leaders. Ryans also knows this ownership, to a degree, dating back to his days playing for the then-Bob McNair-run franchise. The Texans traded Ryans to the Eagles in 2012, but his wife is from Houston. It certainly looks like, despite the Texans’ issues with HCs under Caserio, an agreement is coming soon.

Raiders Yet To Grant Derek Carr Permission To Speak With Teams

January 30th, 2023 at 7:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

A few factors look to be holding up Derek Carr trade talks. While the Raiders are set to explore dealing their nine-year starting quarterback, they are not letting Carr control the process at this point.

The Raiders have not given Carr’s agent permission to speak with other teams about a deal, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. Carr holds a no-trade clause and will not be on Las Vegas’ roster by mid-February; his $40.4MM guarantee vests Feb. 15. But the Raiders might be leery of letting Carr’s agent discuss potential landing spots for his client in free agency.

[RELATED: Raiders Looking Into Tom Brady Addition]

With Carr having the power to shoot down any trade, Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes the team could be aiming to maintain control of this process out of concern negotiations for a Feb. 16 free agency agreement would take place rather than trade talks. Carr moving the guarantee vesting date back could improve his chances of landing elsewhere via trade, but Tafur notes he has no plans to do so. Carr and the Raiders are still on decent terms, however, per Breer. This process is not guaranteed to end with a trade, but with the Raiders prepared to move on anyway, Carr having the chance to both pick his new team and sign another contract could be in the cards.

This year’s Senior Bowl will take place Feb. 4, and teams are arriving in Mobile, Ala., for the run of practices that double as a meeting ground. But this year’s slow-moving head coaching carousel may well be affecting Carr talks. Four teams have not hired a head coach. Perhaps more importantly in Carr’s case, others — including the Commanders, Buccaneers and Titans — have not hired an offensive coordinator. The 31-year-old passer will undoubtedly want to discuss his potential fit with teams before agreeing to a trade, and with some potentially interested parties not having their ducks in a row yet, relevant information has not yet emerged.

Another robust QB market is also likely affecting Carr’s pre-free agency sweepstakes. Daniel Jones, Geno Smith and Lamar Jackson are technically on track for free agency, but those QBs’ teams are unlikely (or dead-set against, in Baltimore’s case) to let them hit the market. Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo certainly appear open to changing teams, and teams will be interested in them once the market opens in mid-March. Aaron Rodgers trade winds are blowing again, and these look like stiffer gusts compared to the 2021 and ’22 offseasons. Teams interested in Carr would need to make this commitment early, thus removing themselves from adding other available arms.

The Commanders, Jets and Saints have been linked as early Carr pursuers, though the Jets are now understandably — given the Nathaniel Hackett component — being tied to Rodgers. But Gang Green is still looking into Carr. The Commanders discussed Carr with the Raiders last year and make sense as a suitor this year as well, even if they are interested in further evaluating Sam Howell. It will be interesting to see what teams are willing to send the Raiders assets now for Carr and which prefer to weigh their options once the market opens. It will also be worth monitoring if teams will be prepared to pay that $40.4MM or if a Carr trade will be contingent on a new deal or a restructure. For now, the Raiders are sitting tight and hoping for clarity.

NFL Sets 2023 Franchise/Transition Tag Figures

January 30th, 2023 at 6:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2023 salary cap coming in at $224.8MM will lead to teams knowing what it will cost to use the franchise or transition tags this year. Those decisions are coming soon, and the numbers emerged Monday.

These figures are similar to what we heard six weeks ago, but the official totals (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter) are listed below:

Franchise tag:

  • Quarterback: $32.42MM
  • Running back: $10.1MM
  • Wide receiver: $19.74MM
  • Tight end: $11.36MM
  • Offensive linemen: $18.24MM
  • Defensive end: $19.73MM
  • Defensive tackle: $18.94MM
  • Linebacker: $20.93MM
  • Cornerback: $18.14MM
  • Safety: $14.46MM
  • Kicker/punter: $5.39MM

Transition tag:

  • Quarterback: $29.5MM
  • Running back: $8.43MM
  • Wide receiver: $17.99MM
  • Tight end: $9.72MM
  • Offensive linemen: $16.66MM
  • Defensive end: $17.45MM
  • Defensive tackle: $16.1MM
  • Linebacker: $17.48MM
  • Cornerback: $15.79MM
  • Safety: $11.87MM
  • Kicker/punter: $4.87MM

These are the nonexclusive franchise tag figures. The nonexclusive tag, which comprises the bulk of the tags utilized throughout the tag’s 30-year history, is determined by a formula that includes the cap figures and the nonexclusive franchise salaries at the player’s position for the previous five years. This will not be the tag figure for every player at these positions, however. If the Bengals want to tag Jessie Bates for a second time, his price will be higher than the 2023 safety tag. Due to being tagged in 2022, Bates would check in at 120% of his 2022 tag salary. That would produce a 2023 salary of $15.48MM. This will apply to the Chiefs and Orlando Brown Jr. as well.

The seldom-used transition tag either averages the 10 highest salaries at a player’s position in the previous league year or checks in at 120% of the player’s previous salary, whichever is greater. Whereas the nonexclusive franchise tag would award two first-round picks to a team that loses a tagged performer, teams do not receive any compensation if they lose a transition-tagged player via offer sheet.

This year’s franchise and transition tag windows open at 3pm CT on Feb. 21; they close at 3pm CT, March 7. Teams, then, have until July 15 to work out extensions for tagged players. If no extensions are reached, no additional talks can commence until the 2023 season ends. That player must play the season on the tag salary — or a renegotiated lower price, as was the case with Yannick Ngakoue in 2020 — for that team or a team that acquires the player via trade.

In addition to Bates and Brown, a number of first-time candidates will be on this year’s tag radar. Lamar Jackson, Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Evan Engram and Daron Payne are among the possible franchise tag recipients. Because of the low running back price, the Raiders and Giants will certainly consider cuffing their Pro Bowlers via the tag. Jones’ free agent status complicates the Giants’ plans, however. Jackson is a candidate for the exclusive tag, which could hit the Ravens with a historic $45MM-plus number.

Brock Purdy Suffers Torn UCL

January 30th, 2023 at 5:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Josh Johnson‘s exit forced Brock Purdy back into the NFC championship game, San Francisco’s starter was playing through a significant elbow injury. More clarity is emerging on Purdy’s malady, though a definitive recovery timetable remains elusive.

Purdy suffered a torn UCL, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The rookie sensation suffered a complete tear, per Pelissero, but as of now, the hope is he can avoid Tommy John surgery. Should Purdy manage to avoid the common baseball procedure — one that can knock pitchers out of action for well beyond a year — he could be back in time for 49ers training camp, Pelissero adds (via Twitter). Indeed, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes the current plan is for Purdy to be sidelined for around six months (Twitter link).

A repair procedure, known as an internal brace operation, would allow for this shortened absence. A reconstructive operation — the Tommy John route — would shelve Purdy for the foreseeable future and throw his career off axis. Tommy John surgery would not sideline Purdy for as long as it would MLB arms, Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes (subscription required), noting a seven- to nine-month hiatus would be expected if this route is taken. But this procedure is highly uncommon for quarterbacks.

The Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate is seeking additional opinions, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. If Purdy avoids reconstructive surgery, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets he should be ready to throw in around three months.

The 49ers managed to advance to the NFC title game despite losing their top two quarterbacks, but they will go into the offseason without any of them healthy. Trey Lance suffered a fractured fibula and ligament damage that has required two ankle surgeries; the second occurred not too long ago. Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot in December, and although the veteran starter was viewed as a candidate to return before the 49ers’ season ended, he was unavailable for Sunday’s game. That created a disaster scenario for San Francisco, which was forced to turn to Johnson — a Denver practice squad arm for most of this season — before needing a severely limited Purdy again after Johnson left the game.

This will mark the second straight offseason in which the 49ers will see an injury cloud their quarterback outlook. Garoppolo’s March 2022 shoulder surgery hijacked his trade market and led him back to the Bay Area as Lance insurance, which became needed in Week 2. Lance’s performance and injury status makes his 49ers standing rather murky, but Purdy missing the offseason program will open the door to the former No. 3 overall pick having a better chance to reclaim his starting job. Going into the NFC title game, Purdy was the early favorite to land the 2023 gig after his stunning run of performances that guided the 49ers to this point. Now, the 49ers could go into their offseason program without either of their prospective 2023 options healthy.

Garoppolo is set for free agency in March. While a moot point now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported (via Twitter) Garoppolo would have had a chance to practice ahead of Super Bowl LVII. That bodes well for the passer’s free agency market, though his various injuries will impact his value this year.

Purdy, who is under contract through 2025, went down on the 49ers’ first drive; the injury effectively assured the Eagles of their fourth Super Bowl berth and the 49ers being turned back in the championship round for a second straight year. San Francisco has been loosely linked to Tom Brady, and hours before Garoppolo went down with his latest significant injury, the team was connected to wanting to discuss another contract. It will be interesting to see if the 49ers explore adding a veteran starter. The team will likely need to make a move of some sort at quarterback, given Purdy and Lance’s uncertain timetables set to bleed into the offseason program.

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