HEADLINES

Year: 2023

49ers, Nick Bosa Agree To Extension

September 9th, 2023 at 3:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 9: Details were released today on Bosa’s big money extension. The five-year, $170MM extension reported below includes $88MM in fully guaranteed money (Overthecap.com), beating out the previous high from Watt’s contract of $80MM. Like most massive deals are, the deal is incredibly backloaded.

With cap hits for the next three years of $11.01MM in 2023, $14.67MM in 2024, and $20.52MM in 2025, things get much scarier over the following three years with cap hits of $42.03MM in 2026, $52.03MM in 2027, and $42.85MM in 2028. The team will likely never see those cap numbers as they’ll probably end up doing some restructuring before those dates appear, but with $88MM fully guaranteed, Bosa doesn’t have much to be concerned about.

According to David Lombardi of The Athletic, adjusting Bosa’s cap hit in 2023 sets San Francisco up well for future potential cap issues. With $42MM of cap space in 2023, the 49ers have plenty of space to go out and acquire some top talent by the trade deadline. If not, unused cap will roll over into 2024, a season in which the 49ers are projected to be $40MM over the salary cap. This would mean that San Francisco wouldn’t need to make any moves in order to stay under the cap with their current projected roster, though some adjusted are still expected.

SEPTEMBER 6: One of the NFL’s high-profile holdouts has come to an end. Nick Bosa has agreed to a five-year, $170MM extension with the 49ers, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Schefter adds that the monster pact includes $122.5MM in guaranteed money, which, coupled with the $34MM annual average value, comfortably makes this the largest commitment ever made to a defensive player. Bosa will see more guaranteed money – provided it is paid out in full over the life of the pact – than all but four players in the league, each of whom are quarterbacks. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds that Bosa will receive a $50MM signing bonus, which is also unprecedented for defenders.

It has long been assumed that the former No. 2 pick would eclipse the $28MM-per-year mark and in doing so overtake T.J. Watt as the league’s top paid edge rusher. The only question was whether or not Bosa would move past Aaron Donald (whose re-worked Rams deal pays out $31.67MM per year) as the top earning non-quarterback. That question has now been answered rather emphatically, as reporting on this situation suggested would be the case.

Bosa – who has long been on the extension radar – has been holding out through the summer in an attempt to leverage a new deal. He incurred $40K in daily fines starting at the onset of training camp, but the team has long been expected to waive those. NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco confirms that will indeed be the case. The 25-year-old will now travel to Santa Clara in advance of a very brief ramp-up period for his fifth season with the 49ers.

After following in his brother Joey Bosa‘s footsteps at Ohio State, Nick entered the league with massive expectations. He has lived up to them when healthy, earning a Pro Bowl nod each year aside from his injured-shortened 2020 campaign. Bosa took a step forward in 2022 by leading the league in sacks (18.5), helping him win Defensive Player of the Year honors. A continuation of that production will be expected through at least most of the term of this deal, which will cover the remainder of his prime years.

Bosa was due to earn $10.8MM this season on the fifth-year option, but with an extension in place his cap hit for the coming season can now be adjusted. He has a window of only a few practices to prepare for Sunday’s season opener against the Steelers, but head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed during a Wednesday press conference (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo) that Bosa will indeed suit up for that contest.

With Bosa’s holdout now in the past, attention will turn increasingly to Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns. The latter in particular will be affected by today’s news, as he is believed to be seeking a second contract not far off the AAV of what Bosa earned on his extension. Looking ahead, talks between the Cowboys and Micah Parsons on a monster deal next offseason will no doubt be centered in large part on the figures of today’s agreement.

For now, though, San Francisco can enter another season in which expectations are high (particularly on the defensive side of the ball) with the team’s best defender on the books through 2028. A repeat of Bosa’s previous performances could again make the 49ers a force in the NFC come playoff time now and into the future.

Offseason In Review: San Francisco 49ers

September 9th, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have managed to field top-flight rosters — outside of the quarterback position — over the past two seasons. That talent, along with Kyle Shanahan‘s play-calling acumen, powered San Francisco to consecutive NFC championship games. Neither going the 49ers’ way applies some pressure for the otherwise well-built team to come up with a viable quarterback solution. For the time being, that is Brock Purdy, who has recovered from UCL surgery.

Undoubtedly affected by the Trey Lance miss, the 49ers have used Purdy as a partial makeup call. Will the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant’s form last? If not, the 49ers have Sam Darnold as a new option. Either Purdy or Darnold would step into an offense housing four first-team All-Pros, and with Javon Hargrave in the fold, the 49ers are prepared to throw a better defensive front at opponents this season. Will this be the year Shanahan’s bunch takes the final step and wins the organization’s sixth title?

Extensions and restructures:

Days before Week 1, contingency plans were in place in the event the Bosa contract was not finalized. Fortunately for the 49ers, they will have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in uniform Sunday. Holdout is technically the correct term to use, but Bosa’s effort differed from those waged by Chris Jones and Zack Martin. With the 49ers having worked on this contract for weeks and having planned it for over a year, they surely expected Bosa to either hold in or hold out. That differs from the Martin and Jones holdouts, somewhat contentious in nature. With the 49ers allowed to waive Bosa’s fines due to this being a rookie-contract holdout, Bosa’s absence barely qualifies as a speedbump. And, like Martin, the holdout benefited Bosa.

The question throughout this holdout centered around how much longer Aaron Donald‘s $31.7MM-per-year contract — one the Chiefs have attempted to treat as an outlier — would reside atop the defensive salary pecking order. Donald used a retirement threat and generational dominance to secure those terms without any new years added to his deal. Six years younger than Donald, Bosa used his importance to a loaded 49ers team — but one that depends on its top player to stay on the Super Bowl-contending level — to secure a true market reset.

T.J. Watt‘s $28MM-AAV deal topped the edge defender market for two years, and the Steelers OLB locked down his game-changing second contract three days before the 2021 season. Bosa nearly matched that, accepting the 49ers’ offer four days before his team’s Week 1 trip to Pittsburgh. Watt’s contract only topped Joey Bosa‘s AAV by $1MM, making the 49ers’ Nick Bosa re-up’s result an eye-popping conclusion.

The guarantee-at-signing figure is not yet in place, and the number through three years will need to be measured as well to fully evaluate this contract. The 49ers also made Trent Williams the highest-paid tackle by inflating the AAV with a lofty final-year number. On the surface, however, Nick Bosa’s contract reshapes the edge rusher market. The $122.5MM total guarantee amount checks in more than $20MM north of Joey Bosa’s previous defender record.

This contract may create some difficulties for the Chiefs and Jones to cross the finish line, as it weakens Kansas City’s effort to classify Donald’s contract as an outlier, and cause trouble for the Cowboys and Micah Parsons down the road. Nick Bosa has more than demonstrated his value in San Francisco. Along with Jimmy Garoppolo‘s return to health, Bosa’s 2019 arrival catalyzed the 49ers’ transformation from 4-12 team to Super Bowl LIV entrant. Bosa sat out much of his final Ohio State season, readying for the NFL, and ended up in San Francisco largely because of Garoppolo’s injury ruining the 2018 team’s season.

The rare third-generation NFLer, Bosa put himself back on track for this contract by returning from a September 2020 ACL tear to play all 20 49ers games in 2021. Bosa led the league in tackles for loss that year and posted a career-high 18.5 sacks last season. His 48 QB hits in 2022 broke up a J.J. Watt sweep atop that list. While the recently retired superstar still holds four of the top five figures since QB hits became charted, Bosa’s 48 hits now sit third on that list. The 49ers will bet on the younger of this generation’s NFL Bosas anchoring their defense for the long haul.

Free agency additions:

Among San Francisco’s signings, Hargrave’s contract obviously jumps out. Not long after Garoppolo’s contract came off their books, the 49ers sprang into action and allocated that cash to strengthen a strength. After the Bosa signing, the 49ers now have three defensive linemen making more than $17MM per year. The 49ers’ decision to trade DeForest Buckner, extend Arik Armstead and replace Buckner with Javon Kinlaw backfired. But they faced an either/or proposition with Buckner and Armstead at the time. Hargrave comes in as a fearsome hired gun, an arrangement made possible by Purdy’s seventh-round rookie contract.

The Eagles rolled out an embarrassment of riches on their D-line last season, threatening the 1984 Bears’ sack record. While Philadelphia (70 sacks) fell two short of the 46 defense’s longstanding mark, the team produced four double-digit sack totals. Hargrave was among those, tallying a career-high 11 sacks. This is a big commitment for a D-tackle going into his age-30 season, but Hargrave used his Eagles contract to confirm he is among the league’s best inside rushers. After toiling as an unearthed gem of sorts alongside Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt in Pittsburgh, Hargrave broke through in Philly.

Buckner and Bosa only overlapped for one season, which happened to produce a Super Bowl berth, so it will be interesting to see what well-regarded D-line coach Kris Kocurek can do with a Bosa-Armstead-Hargrave troika. Missing only three games in seven seasons, Hargrave also offers durability the 49ers have lacked from Armstead and Kinlaw. This certainly looks like the 49ers’ best defensive line since that 2019 unit.

Kocurek reviving Ferrell’s career would further highlight his potential for a defensive coordinator post. The Raiders surprised most by taking Ferrell fourth overall in 2019, but the Mike Mayock–Jon Gruden pick did not live up to his draft slot. During his final two years with the Raiders, the Clemson product had drifted to the backup level. Ferrell totaled just 5.5 sacks over the past three seasons, lowering his price in free agency. Had Bosa extended his holdout past Week 1, however, Ferrell was in place to start alongside 2022 second-rounder Drake Jackson. The fifth-year edge rusher looms as a wild card in Steve Wilks‘ defense.

The 49ers targeted Oliver as a nickel who could match up with bigger slot receivers, following Jimmie Ward in that regard. The Falcons moved Oliver inside later in his run with the team, and Pro Football Focus rated him as a top-10 corner last year. That said, the 210-pound cover man did not impress in the preseason. It will be interesting to see if he can stick as the slot option for the 49ers, who have Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir camped on the boundaries.

Shanahan has shown tremendous confidence in Purdy, who completed his rehab and shed limitations earlier than expected. But Darnold came into the NFL undeniably more talented. And the former No. 3 overall pick impressed during his first offseason in San Francisco. Shanahan has spoken highly of the former Jets and Panthers starter, and while Darnold has enjoyed plenty of opportunities to showcase his skill (55 starts), it is difficult to compare his New York and Charlotte setups to Shanahan’s infrastructure. Darnold, 26, joined the 49ers largely because of Shanahan and their array of skill-position talent.

Darnold has also shown himself to be an unremarkable pro QB through five seasons, and he has battled availability issues in each of his seasons. But it did not seem to be much of a contest between he and Trey Lance for the 49ers’ backup job, even as Lance carried experience in Shanahan’s system. Darnold QB2 buzz circulated in the spring and intensified before camp.

The 49ers had targeted a veteran QB due mostly to Purdy and Lance’s injury issues, but Darnold has the pedigree to potentially challenge Purdy, should the former Iowa State starter struggle coming off elbow surgery. Brutal QB injury fortune has hounded the Shanahan-era 49ers. While Darnold is only tied to a $4.5MM salary, he could become an important figure in the NFC’s Super Bowl chase.

Re-signings:

Center retention was not particularly costly around the league this offseason. Five teams — the 49ers, Browns, Jets, Panthers and Vikings — preferred continuity over installing an outsider at the pivot. The Brendel, Ethan Pocic, Connor McGovern, Bradley Bozeman and Garrett Bradbury deals all came in at less than $6MM. For Brendel, that represented a reward for capitalizing on a surprising opportunity.

The 49ers brought in ex-Shanahan Falcons cog Alex Mack for what turned out to be a one-off in 2021, installing him over Brendel. Rather than chase a veteran last year, the team promoted Brendel, who came into the season with 250 offensive snaps in six seasons. The confidence paid off for the 49ers, who received 20 total starts from Brendel. The former UDFA, who will turn 31 on Sunday, graded fifth in ESPN’s run block win rate metric during his starter audition.

Overall, the 49ers should be better positioned on their interior O-line due to the experience first-time starters Brendel, Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford gained last season. Feliciano, who shifted back to guard this offseason, started for the Giants at center throughout last season. He makes for a nice swing backup and potential Burford platoon partner. But right tackle does present a question.

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Bucs Not Planning To Extend Mike Evans

September 9th, 2023 at 1:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

September 9: Confirming the expectations set up yesterday afternoon, Adam Schefter of ESPN has reported that the Buccaneers will officially not be meeting Evans’ player-imposed deadline for a contract extension. Several reports, including those of ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, indicate that Tampa Bay is not expected to trade Evans and will let him play out his contract year and head for free agency in the offseason.

Even at age 31, Evans is set to be a priority free agent after topping 1,000 yards receiving in every single season of his nine-year career in Tampa Bay. If he can deliver another strong outing catching passes from the arms of Mayfield and, potentially, Kyle Trask, it should secure at least one more strong contract for the Bucs’ all-time leading receiver.

September 8: Mike Evans gave the Buccaneers a Saturday deadline to finalize an extension, but after a multiyear stretch without a known offer coming the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s way, it never looked like the team would meet that deadline. It does not appear the Bucs will.

The team does not have plans to extend Evans at this time, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. This could bring a quicker-than-expected end to Evans’ tenure with the franchise. While Evans has expressed hope of staying in Tampa throughout his career, the Bucs’ all-time leading receiver certainly could become a trade candidate. It would be unlikely the team would cuff him with the franchise tag ahead of his age-31 season.

[RELATED: Evans Addresses Buccaneers Future]

Although Russini notes the Bucs still value Evans — their all-time receiving leader by a wide margin — the team would have until October 31 to unload him in a trade. The Bucs will use Evans to see if Baker Mayfield can bounce back from two forgettable seasons, but his name seems all but certain to come up in trade rumors. Evans is going into his age-30 season and holds a record no one else has approached. Evans’ nine 1,000-yard seasons are two more than any other pass catcher has ripped off to start a career. Evans’ consistency aside, it does not look like he will collect a third contract from the Bucs.

Tampa Bay extended Evans on a five-year, $82.5MM deal in 2018; the receiver market has changed substantially since that point. Evans’ AAV came in behind only Antonio Brown‘s second Steelers extension at the time of signing; it has dropped to 17th. Far less accomplished receivers have passed Evans, including his own teammate. The Bucs extended Chris Godwin on a three-year, $60MM deal in 2022, doing so after applying a second franchise tag. At 27, Godwin is three years younger than Evans. While Godwin’s long-term place with the post-Tom Brady Bucs is uncertain as well, he is a much better bet to be back in 2024 compared to Evans.

Prior to landing Evans with the No. 7 overall pick, the Bucs had not had much luck finding a long-term wide receiver staple. Veterans like Vincent Jackson, Keenan McCardell and Joey Galloway helped the cause during stretches earlier this century, but Evans checked in as a reliable outside target from the jump. Brady and Jameis Winston utilized Evans as a go-to target, and the Texas A&M alum will enter this season with 10,425 receiving yards. No one else has topped 6,000 as a Buccaneer.

Evans stands to be a big name in free agency, potentially on his way to the market after this year featured a modest class. A team that trades for Evans would have exclusive negotiating rights until next year’s legal tampering period. Despite GM Jason Licht saying he wanted Evans around long term earlier this summer, the Bucs’ exclusive negotiating rights have not produced an agreement. The Bucs also lost Russell Gage, moving sixth-round rookie Trey Palmer into a more prominent spot. UDFAs Rakim Jarrett and Deven Thompkins are the only other wideouts on Tampa Bay’s roster.

The Jets could make sense as an Evans suitor, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes. New York losing Corey Davis to a mid-training camp retirement and having some questions behind WR1 Garrett Wilson could make them an interested party. Other teams will surely call the Bucs as well in what could be one of the more interesting receiver trade markets in recent memory.

Rams Placing WR Cooper Kupp On IR

September 9th, 2023 at 1:05pm CST by Ely Allen

The scare the Rams experienced when Cooper Kupp left a Tuesday night practice early with a hamstring injury over a month ago has finally come to fruition. After announcing that he wouldn’t be available for Week 1 and threatening a stint on injured reserve, Los Angeles has officially made the move, guaranteeing that the former All-Pro receiver will miss at least four games, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Kupp’s recovery and comeback from last year’s ankle surgery hit a snag when he was forced to leave a night practice in early August before the rest of the team. He made the decision to visit a specialist in Minnesota a week ago in an attempt to gather more information about his injury. At the point, it was becoming clear that Kupp likely wasn’t going to be ready for a Week 1 return.

That prediction became a reality when head coach Sean McVay confirmed that Kupp would not be available for the team’s season opener and explored the possibility of Kupp heading to IR. Kupp’s season-ending ankle surgery last year forced him to sit out the last eight games of the 2022 season. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old wideout is set to extend that streak of missed games at least another four weeks.

The Rams are going to have an interesting situation on their hands contractually if Kupp is forced to miss much more time. Kupp is only two years removed from winning Offensive Player of the Year after completing the receiving triple crown by leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, but Kupp’s financial impact is set to hit much harder soon. Over the next three seasons, Kupp is due to hold cap hits of $29.78MM in 2024, $29.78MM in 2025, and $27.33MM in 2026. He’ll be 33 years old in that final year.

If Kupp has trouble getting back to the field soon, the Rams might need to start exploring options to preserve cap space. Whether that involves a restructured contract or Kupp in a different uniform is subject to speculation, but his extended absence is not making things easy for Los Angeles.

Commanders DE Chase Young To Miss Week 1

September 9th, 2023 at 12:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Chase Young has dealt with his fair share of injuries through three seasons in the NFL, and it looks like he won’t enter a crucial 2023 campaign unscathed. The Commanders announced that the pass rusher has been downgraded to out for the season opener. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was first with the news.

[RELATED: Commanders Will Not Exercise Chase Young’s Fifth-Year Option]

Fortunately, it’s not all bad news for Young. Pelissero notes that the defensive end has been cleared for contact in practice, an indication that he could be ready to go for Week 2. ESPN’s John Keim writes that the team wanted to see how the player responded to contact in practice before making him active. Young has been dealing with a neck stinger since the team’s preseason opener.

The former second-overall pick was Defensive Rookie of the Year after collecting 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 12 QB hits. His numbers were down to start his sophomore campaign before he was sidelined by a torn ACL and patellar tendon in his right knee.

Young made his return to the active roster in Week 12 of last season, but he was inactive for three weeks before finally making his season debut in Week 15. The 24-year-old ended up being limited to only three appearances in 2022, finishing with five tackles while appearing in 65 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. Following the season, the Commanders declined Young’s fifth-year option, making the pass rusher a free agent following the 2023 campaign.

As Keim notes, the Commanders could be down some significant DL depth against the Cardinals. James Smith-Williams is questionable with an oblique issue, and the recent injuries ultimately forced the team to re-sign William Bradley-King after cutting the defensive lineman in August.

The Commander also announced that wideout Jamison Crowder has been elevated from the practice squad. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes that the veteran is expected to serve as the team’s primary punt returner during the season opener. Crowder started his career in Washington, spending four years with the organization. In the time since, he had a three-year stint with the Jets before signing with the Bills for the 2022 campaign. The 30-year-old was with the Giants during the preseason before catching on with Washington’s practice squad earlier this week.

Bengals, QB Joe Burrow Agree To Five-Year Extension

September 9th, 2023 at 10:50am CST by Ben Levine

SEPTEMBER 9: The Bengals have made it official, with the organization announcing their extension with Burrow.

“Quarterback is the most critical position in sports, and Joe has embraced his role here with intelligence and determination,” coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. “The team responds to Joe as our quarterback, and we look forward to a bright future with Joe continuing to lead our talented roster. He makes everyone better.”

SEPTEMBER 7: With all eyes on the NFL’s season opener in Kansas City, the Bengals have stolen some attention away from their conference rival. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow have agreed to a record-breaking extension.

It’s a five-year, $275MM deal for Burrow, including $219.01MM in guaranteed money. The contract makes the QB the highest-paid player in NFL history.

It always seemed inevitable that Burrow would eventually get his megadeal, with offseason reports indicating that the extension would get done before the start of the regular season. Indeed, it sounds like both sides made some recent progress. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the extension was an “open secret” at Bengals practice today, and Rapoport adds that the organization was simply waiting for Burrow’s “final official yes.”

It’s been a pricey offseason for quarterback extensions, and Burrow always seemed like he’d be the final QB to sign. His $275MM contract tops the offseason deals signed by Justin Herbert ($262.5MM), Jalen Hurts ($255MM), and Lamar Jackson ($260MM). Per ESPN’s Field Yates, Burrow now paces the position “in new money average per year” at $55MM, beating Herbert ($52.5MM), Jackson ($52MM), Hurts ($51MM), and Aaron Rodgers ($49MM).

It’s been an impressive five-year run for Burrow. The LSU product won the Heisman Trophy and National Championship before being selected with the first-overall pick in the 2020 draft. He reached the Super Bowl during the 2021 campaign, and the Bengals returned to the AFC Championship Game during the 2022 season. Now, Burrow is the highest-paid player in NFL history, although he’ll surely fall down the list when the next round of extensions pop up next offseason.

Now signed to a lucrative deal, Burrow will look to build off his productive 2021 and 2022 campaigns. Burrow suffered a sprained calf back in August, putting the start of his 2023 season in doubt. However, after returning to practice last week, it sounds like the franchise QB will be good to go for Sunday’s season opener against the Browns.

While the Bengals front office can cross Burrow’s extension off their to-do list, the team has more pricey deals coming up. Tee Higgins is an impending free agent and will be a popular free agent, with the wideout topping 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons. Ja’Marr Chase is also eligible for an extension next offseason, meaning the Bengals could soon be eyeing pricey cap hits for three of their offensive stars.

Burrow’s record-breaking deal comes a day after Nick Bosa agreed to a contract that made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. As Schefter notes, WME Sports was responsible for negotiating both deals, with the two contracts combining for more than $445MM.

Patriots Sign QB Bailey Zappe To Active Roster, Release QB Matt Corral

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

The Patriots made one of the more surprising moves on roster deadline day when they cut 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe. The QB eventually landed on New England’s practice squad, and it sounds like he’s now back where he started.

[RELATED: Bill Belichick Addresses Patriots’ Decision To Waive Bailey Zappe]

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Patriots have signed Zappe to their active roster. This is not a standard practice squad elevation, which was the route the organization was expected to take with the backup quarterback. Instead, the Patriots are giving Zappe his spot back on the 53-man roster.

In a corresponding move, the team has waived quarterback Matt Corral, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The 2022 third-round pick took Zappe’s spot on the roster following roster deadline day.

After moving on from Zappe and undrafted free agent Malik Cunningham, the Patriots were left with Mac Jones as the only quarterback on the active roster. The Patriots later revealed some of their logic when they claimed Corral, a former Panthers draftee, off waivers.

The Corral acquisition was certainly an indictment on Zappe, but it seemed like the incumbent still had a firm hold on the QB2 role despite sitting on the practice squad. After all, Zappe has a year of familiarity with the organization, even if the team did hire Bill O’Brien as their new offensive coordinator this offseason.

Corral would have only had a week-plus to learn New England’s system, making it unlikely that the 2022 third-round pick would be counted on to immediately serve as Jones’ backup. Further, the Ole Miss product missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury, so the QB was also expected to be brought along slowly during the 2023 campaign.

Indeed, the quarterback didn’t have enough time to catch up, leading to him sacrificing his roster spot today. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the first indication of a QB2 change came at practice yesterday when Corral was absent. The Patriots could be counting on Corral passing through waivers and landing back on their practice squad, although that’s just speculation on my part. Joe Person of The Athletic notes that Panthers GM Scott Fitterer previously expressed interest in bringing Corral back to the practice squad.

Zappe added some intrigue to the Patriots’ quarterbacks room last season. With Jones and New England’s offense struggling, Zappe didn’t look completely lost during his two starts. He won both of those appearances, and in four games, he finished with 781 passing yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 70.7 percent of his passes.

However, the Patriots’ hiring of O’Brien seemed to be a vote of confidence for Jones heading into the 2023 campaign. We learned recently that the coordinator’s offense specifically caters to Jones’ strengths, and that system doesn’t necessarily fit Zappe’s playing style. There was also some speculation that former offensive coordinators Matt Patricia and Joe Judge let Zappe run a similar-style offense to what he ran in college, perhaps explaining some of his rookie success.

Commanders Owner Discusses Ron Rivera’s Job Security

September 9th, 2023 at 8:49am CST by Ben Levine

When Josh Harris took over ownership of the Commanders, many pundits immediately questioned the job status of head coach Ron Rivera. It seemed unlikely that the new ownership group would remove their head coach weeks before the season, but some have questioned if the organization could look elsewhere after the 2023 campaign.

[RELATED: NFL Approves Josh Harris As Commanders Owner]

For what it’s worth, Harris gave Rivera a vote of confidence earlier this week while speaking with reporters. The Commanders owner commended the coach’s leadership and experience, but he also acknowledged that wins will dictate Rivera’s job security.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Coach Rivera,” Harris said (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post). “He’s a good man. He’s done a great job getting the team to where it is relative to where it was when he got that. We’ve said, ‘We’re getting up to speed. We want to hear how you think, we want to learn how you make decisions.’ And it’s going really well. Everyone who coaches an NFL team or an NBA team, and us as owners, … we all realize that ultimately we have to deliver wins on the field, so you don’t really need to say anything. It’s just out there. But so far, so good.”

Following an underwhelming end to his nine-year stint with the Panthers, Rivera caught on with Washington in 2020. He’s spent the past three seasons with the organization, although only one of those campaigns has resulted in a .500 record. In total, Rivera holds a 22-27-1 record during his time as Washington’s head coach.

Harris will surely be looking for the Commanders organization to return to the postseason, and anything short could put Rivera’s job in jeopardy. The same could likely be said of general manager Martin Mayhew, although he might have a longer leash since he was brought in prior to the 2021 season.

This isn’t the first time that Rivera has dealt with a change in ownership. David Tepper took over ownership of the Panthers prior to the 2018 campaign. Rivera ended up lasting more than one season in Carolina, but he was fired before the 2019 campaign concluded.

Rivera actually lasted the longest among the recent head coaches who experienced ownership changes (h/t to HogsHaven.com). Nathaniel Hackett, of course, didn’t even last a full season as the Broncos head coach after Rob Walton took over ownership last August. The Pegulas and Doug Marrone broke up less than three months after the Bills changed hands, while the Haslam’s let Pat Shurmur finish the 2012 season with the Browns before moving on. Mike Mularkey got a full year with the Jaguars when Shahid Khan took over, but he was unsurprisingly fired following a two-win campaign.

Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

September 8th, 2023 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sticking with their all-in approach around Tom Brady a year too long, the Buccaneers still benefited considerably from their 2020 free agency coup. The franchise added a second Super Bowl title and saw Brady display better form in 2021. Brady’s unretirement helped the Bucs stay atop the NFC South, but it took a historically terrible division for that to happen. The Bruce Arians-to-Todd Bowles transition did not go well, and the latter’s seat may already be warm.

The Bucs’ round of early-2020s restructures — Brady’s chief among them — led to cap trouble this year and did not allow for the team to make splashy outside upgrades. As a result, the Bucs are not receiving much attention going into their first post-Brady season.

Free agency additions:

Mayfield will soon take snaps for a fourth team in barely 20 months. The Ravens also discussed terms with Mayfield, though those talks were framed around the former No. 1 overall pick becoming a QB2 upgrade. The Bucs carried an obvious quarterback need following Brady’s second retirement, but the $35.1MM void-years bill kept the team out of the Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo markets. While the Bucs also considered Jacoby Brissett, he ended up with the Commanders for twice the money Mayfield scored. With the Bucs mandating a low-cost veteran, the former No. 1 overall pick has what likely profiles as a last chance to prove himself as a starter.

With the exception of rookie-contract players, Mayfield’s $4MM AAV is miles below every other Week 1 QB. The $4MM base value make it more in line with the backup tier, and many QB2 options — Brissett, Andy Dalton, Taylor Heinicke, Marcus Mariota, Jarrett Stidham — landed more than the player who was in talks with the Browns about a lucrative extension in 2021.

It is difficult to overstate the tumble Mayfield’s stock has taken since he was at the heart of the Browns snapping a 17-season playoff drought. A shoulder injury keyed a 2021 dip, but Mayfield did not bounce back in Carolina. Instead, his Panthers tenure ended with the team waiving him — as he sat dead last in QBR — despite having clawed back into the dreadful NFC South race. Illustrating how bad Mayfield was in Carolina, his memorable Los Angeles stay — which included the two-days-notice 98-yard game-winning drive to stun the Raiders — did not pull him out of last place. Mayfield played well against the Broncos on Christmas Day but still finished miles behind the second-worst signal-caller in 2022 QBR.

Bucs were willing to take what amounted to a flier on the 2017 Heisman winner, and instead of drafting another passer, they only pitted two-year third-stringer Kyle Trask against Mayfield. It took all three preseason games for Mayfield to beat out the 2021 second-rounder. Mayfield finished the 2020 season with 26 touchdown passes, eight interceptions and a 10th-place QBR finish. That represents his most recent healthy season, one that powered Kevin Stefanski to Coach of the Year honors and involved the Browns embarrassing the Steelers in Round 1 despite Stefanski home with COVID-19.

The Bucs will hope a stable Mayfield offseason leads to this form resurfacing, but while Tampa Bay may have that Cleveland team outflanked for receiver talent, an elite Browns O-line aided the 6-foot-1 QB that year. New Tampa Bay OC Dave Canales coaching under ex-Sean McVay assistant Shane Waldon in Seattle stands to help Mayfield, who is going into his age-28 season. But it will certainly not surprise to see Trask receive an extended look. Barring a Mayfield turnaround few expect, the Bucs look likely to enter the 2024 offseason with a dire QB need.

For the second time in four years, McLaughlin and Rodrigo Blankenship battled for a kicker job. After Blankenship beat out McLaughlin to succeed Adam Vinatieri in Indianapolis in 2020, the latter won the relocated rematch. While McLaughlin has enjoyed some extended work — in being a full-time option in Cleveland and Indianapolis over the past two years — the Bucs will be the 2019 UDFA’s seventh NFL team.

Both Feiler and Gaines served as multiyear starters in Los Angeles — Feiler at right guard for the Chargers, Gaines as a defensive tackle for the Rams — and their price tags aligned with the Bucs’ offseason itinerary. Purging more veterans than the Bucs did this year, the Rams let both Aaron Donald‘s recent wingmen — Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson — walk. Gaines, 27, started for the past two seasons and totaled 8.5 sacks and 19 QB hits in that span. With Calijah Kancey arriving in Round 1, it looks like Gaines will return to a bench role.

Feiler, 31, has been a starter for the past five seasons — for the Steelers and Bolts — and Pro Football Focus rated him as a top-20 guard in 2019 and ’21. The Bucs have the former UDFA at a discount because of a down 2022, when PFF slotted him outside the top 60 at the position. Given the Bucs’ rampant injury issues up front last season, Feiler offers short-term stability. He has missed just four games over the past four years. The Feiler addition will allow the Bucs to move 2022 second-rounder Luke Goedeke to right tackle, his primary college position.

Edmonds joins Mayfield in coming off a rough 2022. After his Cardinals work led to a two-year, $12MM Dolphins pact, Edmonds proved a poor fit in Mike McDaniel‘s offense. The Dolphins included the underwhelming satellite back as salary filler in the Bradley Chubb trade. The Broncos then cut him in March. In a bad year to be a free agent running back, Edmonds did score another opportunity and will slide in as the team’s passing-down back complementing Rachaad White. Edmonds, 27, did excel in a similar role alongside Kenyan Drake in 2020 but saw James Conner‘s re-emergence overshadow him the following year.

Re-signings:

"<strongIn Saints-like fashion, the Bucs managed to move from $55MM-plus over the cap upon Brady’s February 1 retirement to a place where they could make a viable offer to retain Dean. The Bucs followed their Carlton Davis blueprint with Dean. A year after they let Davis test free agency and then signed him to a three-year, $44.5MM deal, the Bucs reeled Dean back in early during the legal tampering period. Neither Davis nor Dean landed top-10 cornerback money, but both contract sit in the top 15 among AAV at the position.

Excelling in press coverage, Dean played a major role for the 2020 Super Bowl champion Bucs iteration and overtook Sean Murphy-Bunting last season. Dean did perform better in 2021 compared to 2022, allowing no touchdowns and limiting QBs to a collective 50.0 passer rating; those numbers shot up to four and 86.0 last season. But Dean also played more snaps last year, going from 685 in 2021 to 885. PFF rated Dean as last season’s 10th-best corner, and the former third-round pick will stay with the team that drafted him.

One of the best players in franchise history, David is back with the Bucs on a fourth contract. For a bit, it looked like the linebacker stalwart would leave Tampa after 11 seasons. David, 33, signed a lucrative five-year deal in 2015 and then, as the Bucs completed a historic talent-retention effort to retain the entire core of their Super Bowl LV-winning team, reupped on a two-year deal in 2021. This contract will bring a pay reduction for one of this era’s best off-ball linebackers, but as the Bucs transition to their post-Brady period, keeping David and Dean ensures continuity from their Super Bowl squad.

The former second-round pick totaled 124 tackles last season and has 10-plus TFLs in four of the past five seasons. David’s three sacks last season quietly ran his total to 29 over the course of his career. With Devin White generating criticism for inconsistency, the Bucs have continued to rely on David. The Nebraska product has seen his consistency pay off. After the Bucs ended a playoff drought that had covered David’s first eight seasons, he became a vital piece for two strong teams to start the 2020s.

Shaq Barrett‘s return from a midseason Achilles tear should move Nelson back to a rotational role — behind Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka — but the former fourth-round pick does have 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Barrett coming back will give the Bucs an interesting two-deep at outside linebacker, with third-rounder Yaya Diaby joining Nelson, who forced three fumbles last season as the Bucs attempted to get by without their top sack artist.

Notable losses:

Brady’s Bucs period added a key separation between he and Bill Belichick‘s legacies, and while the tenure did not necessarily end well, the QB icon reaching seven Super Bowl titles and ending a 12-year Tampa Bay playoff drought classifies the 2020 signing as an undisputed win for the franchise. Brady’s preposterously long prime lasted through the 2021 season, and although he showed flashes (in the form of some wild comebacks) as the 2022 Bucs broke down, the unretirement year brought clear decline signs. Brady used last season to fulfill his longtime goal of playing through age 45, and that feat allowed him to become the only regular QB to go through a season at that age.

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