Giants To Add WR James Washington
Although the Giants have received somewhat surprising production from a largely unknown cast of wide receivers, the resurgent team is not heading into the playoffs with much of note at that position. That situation has persisted for most of this season.
The team brought in a veteran for potential help Wednesday morning. After a workout, the Giants are signing James Washington, Aaron Wilson of KPRC tweets. The Cowboys waived the former second-round pick recently.
This is a practice squad agreement, but Washington will join a team that has relied on the likes of Isaiah Hodgins and Richie James complementing Darius Slayton for much of the year. It will be interesting to see if the Giants, who have seen some in-season additions play big roles for them under Brian Daboll, make a move to bump the former Steelers target up to their active roster.
Both Jaylon Smith and Fabian Moreau have played key roles for the Giants on defense, despite neither being with the team at the start of the season. Ditto Landon Collins, who reunited with his original NFL team early in the year. Collins has become a more integral piece for the rebuilding team down the stretch. Both Moreau and Collins came to the Giants as practice squad players. Hodgins also did not start the season with the team, being claimed off waivers from the Bills midway through the season.
Washington, 26, was unable to carve out a role in Dallas. A broken foot harpooned the former Oklahoma State standout’s season. Following the training camp injury, Washington did not make his debut until Week 14. He ended up playing in just two games (15 total offensive snaps) for the Cowboys, who signed T.Y. Hilton after an extensive Odell Beckham Jr. flirtation. The latter also visited the Giants, who have changed up their receiving situation since Week 1.
Hodgins and James are playing major roles because of injuries to Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson and an October trade of Kadarius Toney. Although Kenny Golladay scored a touchdown against the Eagles, the former Lions Pro Bowler has been a massive disappointment as a Giant. They will kick the tires on Washington, who does have a 700-plus-yard receiving season — back in 2019, when college teammate Mason Rudolph was mainly the one throwing passes his way — on his resume. He also scored five touchdowns in 2020. The Steelers minimized Washington’s role during the second half of his rookie contract, however, leading to the low-cost Cowboys deal.
Raiders Looking Into Tom Brady Addition
Tom Brady still has at least one more game to play for the Buccaneers, but that hasn’t stopped pundits (and, potentially, other NFL teams) from considering where he could play next season. During an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show (Twitter link), Albert Breer of TheMMQB said the Raiders are “unequivocally” looking into the possibility of adding the future Hall of Famer.
The Brady/Raiders comment was preceded by a question about Jimmy Garoppolo, with Breer noting that the Raiders are also doing their due diligince on the 49ers QB. In fact, Breer believes Derek Carr was thrown into a de facto competition with the two impending free agents, with Josh McDaniels, Dave Ziegler, and co. ultimately deciding they could squeeze more out of the quarterback position from someone else.
As Breer explains, when the current regime initially signed Carr to an extension, they thought they were locking in their equivalent of Alex Smith in Kansas City. In other words, the Raiders thought their veteran QB would be able to guide them to postseason performances while the front office identified their play-caller of the future. At 31, Jimmy G could allow the Raiders to continue with that plan, while Brady would obviously force the organization to go in a completely different direction as they load up for temporary contention.
With McDaniels and Ziegler having both worked alongside Brady and Garoppolo in New England, the connections are obvious, and it really wouldn’t be surprising if one of these QBs reunites with their former coach in Las Vegas. At the moment, the big question is which of these two quarterbacks is atop the Raiders’ wish list.
Elsewhere in Raiders QB news, the organization is set to meet with Carr soon. As Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal explains, the QB and the Raiders agreed to meet after the season to “discuss the situation and all the various options.”
Jim Harbaugh Early Frontrunner For Broncos HC Job?
The Broncos’ second HC search in as many years is producing bigger headlines compared to their 2022 process, with Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh regularly connected to the team. A Payton interview is expected, and the longtime Saints coach has spoken with the team. But Harbaugh is further along.
The Michigan coach interviewed with the Broncos virtually Monday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (video link). The team has sent out other interview requests, and its long-expected interview with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero occurred Tuesday. But Harbaugh might have an early leg up. The eight-year Michigan HC is the early leader here, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets.
This pushes back on Payton-to-Denver being a done deal, despite the Broncos and Saints having agreed on compensation for the current FOX analyst’s rights. A Payton move — believed to cost a first-round pick and more — would further deplete Denver’s draft arsenal, which the Russell Wilson trade already affected. The Broncos acquired a first-rounder in the Bradley Chubb trade but do not have a second-rounder this year. Denver did not make a first-round pick last year, with the Seahawks obtaining it for Wilson. Harbaugh, nor any of the other known Broncos candidates, would not cost any draft capital.
Despite Harbaugh’s proclamation that he expects to coach Michigan again in 2023, The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner notes (via Twitter) the former 49ers HC is believed to be eager to return to the NFL. Harbaugh, 59, said he has unfinished business in the league, and the belief is he will strongly consider a return to the league this year. Harbaugh is interested in taking the Denver job, Mike Sando of The Athletic adds (subscription required).
Harbaugh was supposed to interview with the Broncos later this week, but Renck notes the parties bumped it up, making him the first to meet with Denver’s new ownership about the position. Harbaugh certainly carries a feather-ruffling reputation, and Renck adds some among the Broncos have bristled at the notion Harbaugh could become the team’s next coach. A clash with GM Trent Baalke helped lead Harbaugh out of San Francisco eight years ago.
The Panthers are no longer believed to be pursuing Harbaugh, per Sando and The Athletic’s Joe Person, and the Colts — rumored to have interest — have not set up an interview with the ex-Indianapolis QB. These developments clear an early path for the Broncos. Harbaugh interviewed for the Vikings job last year but was not offered, and a recent ESPN report indicated Michigan is under investigation for potential violations. That could help explain Harbaugh’s urgency to give the NFL another shot.
Payton would bring more to the table from an offensive scheming standpoint, something that will be critical as the Broncos attempt to move Wilson back on track. But Harbaugh’s .695 win percentage — in four 49ers seasons — ranks sixth in NFL history. Evero also worked with Harbaugh during each of his four seasons in San Francisco, opening the door — barring the first-year DC landing another HC job; the Colts and Texans are interested — for the Nathaniel Hackett hire to stay on in his current post. The Broncos have also sent out interview requests for 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans, Cowboys DC Dan Quinn and Rams DC Raheem Morris. The two-year Rams defensive boss is set to interview Jan. 17, which doubles as the earliest date the Broncos can meet with Payton.
Bears GM: Would Need To Be ‘Blown Away’ To Draft QB At No. 1
Seeing their 10-game losing streak prove enough — thanks to some help from their former coach in his Texans finale — the Bears have a number of options at No. 1 overall. By virtue of the Texans’ Lovie Smith-guided win Sunday, the Bears have a chance to make the No. 1 overall pick for the first time in 76 years.
Chicago could go with a best-player-available approach, likely ending with an SEC defensive lineman, or put the pick up for sale. No one has traded down from No. 1 since the Titans did so in 2016 (allowing the Rams to land Jared Goff). A third option — drafting a quarterback first overall — looks to be a much lower-percentage shot for GM Ryan Poles.
“We’re going to do the same as we’ve always done — we’re going to evaluate the draft class,” Poles said Tuesday, “and I would say this: I would have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision.”
[RELATED: Colts Open To Trading Up For Quarterback]
While the Bears selecting a quarterback first overall would remind of the Cardinals’ 2019 decision to take Kyler Murray a year after they had chosen Josh Rosen 10th overall in 2018, Justin Fields has shown far more than Rosen did. The Bears have Fields signed through 2024, and a fifth-year option would take the run-oriented QB’s deal through 2025. Bryce Young‘s pre-draft buzz could conceivably affect Fields, but as of now, it does not sound like that will happen.
Poles endorsed Fields as the Bears’ starting quarterback in 2023. Despite the Bears not equipping him with too much at wide receiver, the deadline deal for Chase Claypool notwithstanding, Fields showed growth during his second season. He nearly broke Lamar Jackson‘s record for rushing yards by a quarterback. Chicago’s decision to shut him down ahead of Week 18 kept the Ohio State product at 1,143 rushing yards — second-most in a season by a QB.
Fields, however, took an NFL-high 55 sacks, and the Bears ranked last in the league in passing. It would be rather shocking for Chicago to take a quarterback, but this regime did not draft Fields in 2021. Poles and Co. will prepare for the Bears’ rare opportunity atop the draft board.
“I think we have really good flexibility to help this team, regardless if it’s making the pick there or moving back a little bit or moving back a lot. We’ll be open to everything,” Poles said. “We can evaluate the talent there; we can see what player presents themselves in that position to help us, and then we can look at the scenario. If the phones go off and there are certain situations where that can help us, then we’ll go down that avenue, too.”
Moving up 14 spots to No. 1 in 2016, the Rams sent the Titans two 2016 second-rounders, their 2017 first and a 2017 third in the Goff deal. Prior to that, the last time a team traded out of No. 1 overall — excluding the 2004 Philip Rivers–Eli Manning scenario that came about because of the latter’s wishes to not play in San Diego — was 2001, when the Chargers gave the Falcons the Michael Vick pick. The Bears, however, sent the 49ers two third-round choices and a fourth-rounder to move up one spot for Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 in 2017. Considering Young’s Heisman pedigree, Chicago might ask for more than that if Houston wanted to climb a spot this year.
Thanks to the Fields and Khalil Mack trades, the Bears have only made two first-round picks over the past five drafts. Trading down would allow for the rebuilding team to keep stockpiling assets, as it showed it was willing to do with the trades of veteran defenders last year. Otherwise, Will Anderson or Jalen Carter — Mel Kiper Jr.’s top two players in the 2023 class — would await to give Chicago a centerpiece of its defensive rebuild.
Texans Request HC Interview With Mike Kafka
Mike Kafka is turning into a popular name on the head coaching circuit. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Texans have requested permission to interview the Giants offensive coordinator for their head coaching vacancy.
[RELATED: Texans Request Five HC Interviews]
As our 2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, Kafka joins an initial five-man list that includes Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, and Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.
Kafka, a 2010 fourth-round pick out of Northwestern, stuck around the NFL for six years before turning to coaching. He got his first NFL gig with the Chiefs in 2017, and he quickly became Kansas City’s QBs coach and, later, their passing-game coordinator. Kafka’s stint as QBs coach coincided with Patrick Mahomes‘ ascension, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when Brian Daboll hired him as the Giants new offensive coordinator.
Kafka was entrusted with the role of offensive play-caller in New York, a surprising development considering Daboll’s offensive success in Buffalo. The Giants were middle-of-the-road in offense this past season,but Kafka was still credited with helping the offense climb out of the cellar. The team also saw strong efforts from Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, sparking optimism about Kafka’s ability to function with different personnel.
Thanks to the Giants’ surprising performance in 2022, Kafka has started to generate some interest as a head coach. He was previously connected to the Panthers head coaching gig, and now he’ll get a look as Lovie Smith‘s replacement in Houston.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/10/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Nick Boyle
- Released: DT Christian Ringo
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Vernon Butler
- Released: DL Jack Heflin
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Chris Garrett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Duron Lowe
Tennessee Titans
- Released: CB Kyron Brown, QB Kevin Hogan, G Danny Isidora
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/10/23
Today’s minor NFL transactions, mostly involving playoff teams:
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed off waivers (from Cowboys): C Dakoda Shepley
San Francisco 49ers
- Closed activation window: DT Kalia Davis
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return: WR Dee Eskridge
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: CB Anthony Chesley
- Promoted: LB Ulysees Gilbert
Per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), Shepley will be allowed to officially join his new squad after the Super Bowl. The offensive lineman spent most of the 2022 campaign on the Cowboys practice squad.
Davis, a sixth-round rookie out of UCF, is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered during his final collegiate season. He returned to practice earlier this month but ultimately won’t be activated for the playoffs. Per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter), the defensive lineman continues to recover and should be good to go for the offseason program.
Jets DL Quinnen Williams Wants New Deal By April
Quinnen Williams is already making it clear that he wants a new contract…and he wants it ASAP. The Jets defensive lineman told reporters yesterday that he wants to sign an extension by April or he won’t report to the voluntary portion of the offseason program, per Brian Costello of the New York Post.
“Everybody knows I’m a team guy, man,” Williams said. “But I do want to get a contract done before the offseason program. I do feel like I deserve to get a contract done before the offseason program just because I did everything right on the field and everything right off the field. Having the organization behind me just like I’m behind them to show that they really support me is a major thing for me.”
The 2019 first-round pick has one year remaining on his rookie pact after the Jets picked up his fifth-year option. At the moment, Williams is set to earn $9.6MM next season. The league’s top defensive tackles earn at least $20MM per season, so Williams will surely be eyeing a significant pay raise on his next deal.
Williams was a bit trick-or-treat through his first three seasons in the NFL, but he finally seemed to put it all together during the 2022 campaign. The 25-year-old ended up finishing the season with career-highs in tackles (55), sacks (12), QB hits (28), and forced fumbles (two) en route to his first career Pro Bowl nod. Pro Football Focus rated Williams as one of the top interior defenders in the NFL, ranking him fourth among 126 qualifying players.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/10/23
Many teams started signing players to reserve/futures contracts yesterday, allowing the organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:
Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers
- CB Herb Miller
Chicago Bears
- WR Daurice Fountain, DT Donovan Jeter
Denver Broncos
Green Bay Packers
- TE Austin Allen, WR Jeff Cotton, T Jean Delance, QB Danny Etling, CB Tyrell Ford, CB Benjie Franklin, RB Tyler Goodson, TE Nick Guggemos, LB La’Darius Hamilton, DL Chris Slayton, CB Kiondre Thomas, K Parker White, S James Wiggins
Houston Texans
- WR Alex Bachman, RB Gerrid Doaks, WR Drew Estrada, WR Johnny Johnson III, DL Adedayo Odeleye, DB D’Angelo Ross, TE Mason Schreck
Indianapolis Colts
New England Patriots
- LB Terez Hall, DB Brad Hawkins, OL Hayden Howerton, DB Quandre Mosely, LB Calvin Munson, WR Tre Nixon, DL Jeremiah Pharms Jr., DL LaBryan Ray, TE Matt Sokol, RB J.J. Taylor, TE Scotty Washington
New York Jets
- DT Tanzel Smart
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Ja’Marcus Bradley, DB Duke Dawson, G William Dunkle, LB Emeke Egbule, RB Jason Huntley, C Ryan McCollum, DB Scott Nelson, RB Master Teague, WR Cody White, TE Rodney Williams
Tennessee Titans
- DT Curtis Brooks, CB Shyheim Carter, OL Zack Johnson, WR Mason Kinsey, OLB Zach McCloud, TE Thomas Odukoya, OLB Sam Okuayinonu, DL Jayden Peevy, WR Reggie Roberson, OL Andrew Rupcich, K Caleb Shudak
Washington Commanders
- FB Alex Armah
Commanders Want To Re-Sign DL Daron Payne
It sounds like the Commanders want to re-sign defensive lineman Daron Payne. General manager Martin Mayhew didn’t mince words when discussing the impending free agent.
“Daron is an important part of what we’re doing,” Mayhew said (via ESPN’s John Keim on Twitter). “Great year this year. 11.5 sacks, the guy played outstanding football this year. He’s always been disruptive. He’s always been in the back field, he’s always been around the ball … [H]e played outstanding football for us. It’d be difficult to move forward without him, obviously. We have a plan and we definitively want to get him back.”
After being selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, Payne has spent his entire career in Washington. The defensive tackle had 14.5 sacks through his first four seasons in the NFL before breaking out in 2022, finishing with career-highs in tackles (64), sacks (11.5), tackles for loss (18), and QB hits (20). Pro Football Focus wasn’t as fond of his performance, ranking him only 72nd among 126 interior defenders, although they did rank him top-25 at the position for pass rushing.
Following his breakout campaign, Payne will surely command a lucrative contract in free agency. The organization still has two months of exclusive negotiations, and they could always consider slapping the defensive lineman with the franchise tag (which should be valued at more than $18MM).