Latest On Falcons WR Calvin Ridley
It’s uncertain if Calvin Ridley will be sticking around Atlanta. However, if the Falcons have their way, they’d naturally want their wideout to stay with the organization.
“We love the young man,” said owner Arthur Blank (via the team’s website). “He has had a great history in Atlanta. We’d love him to stay in Atlanta. Whether or not he wants to do that — he may decide that he wants a fresh start someplace else. We don’t know that. I don’t know that. I don’t have information to indicate that, but we’ll see how that plays out.
“We’ve been totally supportive in every way that we can be, both emotionally and financially in working with him as well as his agent. We’ll see, but I’m mostly concerned about him as a human being.”
The wideout announced in late October that he’d be stepping away from football to deal with his mental health. Nothing has really changed since that time, although we heard recently that Ridley hadn’t had a whole lot of communication with the Falcons. That report indicated that the receiver could be seeking a fresh start elsewhere, although there wasn’t a definitive trade request or anything.
The 2018 first-round pick emerged as one of the NFL’s top wideouts in 2020, finishing with 90 receptions for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns. This was going to be a pivotal year for the former first-round pick. The Falcons picked up his fully guaranteed fifth-year option but have not yet signed him to an extension.
Dolphins To Interview Falcons’ Charles London For OC
The Dolphins’ search for Mike McDaniel‘s top lieutenant on offense is underway. Falcons quarterbacks coach Charles London is the first candidate to surface.
Miami is set to interview the veteran position coach, Josh Kendall of The Athletic tweets. A running backs coach for much of his career, London has primarily worked with Bill O’Brien in the pros.
[RELATED: Dolphins Hire Mike McDaniel As HC]
London, 46, followed O’Brien to Penn State in 2012 and returned to the NFL on O’Brien’s first Texans staff in 2014. London coached Houston’s running backs from 2014-17 and joined Matt Nagy‘s Bears staff as running backs coach in 2018. The Falcons, who hired ex-Bears assistant Dave Ragone as offensive coordinator last year, brought London over to work with Matt Ryan and Co.
Miami’s OC position is almost certainly a non-play-calling role, with McDaniel on track to assume that responsibility after being a non-play-calling OC himself under Kyle Shanahan.
NFC Coaching Notes: Lions, Bears, Giants, Falcons, 49ers
Dan Campbell and the Lions will begin interviewing candidates for the offensive coordinator vacancy this week, reports Dave Birkett of Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). However, tight ends coach Ben Johnson remains the favorite for the job.
Campbell took over play-calling duties from the one-and-done Anthony Lynn midseason, but Johnson’s responsibilities expanded in Detroit, as well. The 35-year-old has spent the past two seasons as the Lions tight ends coach, playing a big role in Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson‘s ascension.
Previously, Johnson served as the Lions offensive quality control coach. He also had a seven-year stint on the Dolphins coaching staff.
More coaching notes out of the NFC…
- The Bears continue to add to their coaching staff. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Bears have hired Tyke Tolbert as their new wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. The 54-year-old coach had spent the previous three seasons as the Giants WRs coach. Tolbert has also had stints with the Broncos, Panthers, Bills, and Cardinals. Meanwhile, the Bears announced that they’ve hired Chris Morgan as their offensive line coach. The veteran coach was the assistant offensive line coach with the Steelers in 2021, and he had a stint as the Falcons OL coach from 2015 to 2020.
- Bobby Johnson will be joining Brian Daboll in New York. According to Michael Silver (on Twitter), the Bills offensive line coach will be joining the Giants coaching staff in the same role. Johnson ended up spending three seasons in Buffalo. Meanwhile, the Giants are hiring Laura Young as their director of coaching operations, reports ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter). This is believed to be the organization’s “first known woman hire on the coaching side.” Young previously served as the player services coordinator for the Bills.
- The Falcons have hired Michael Pitre as their new running backs coach, the team announced (on Twitter). Pitre held the same role with the Bears this past season. The Falcons have been searching for a new RB coach since Desmond Kitchings left Atlanta to be the OC at Virginia.
- Jon Embree won’t be back as the 49ers tight ends coach/assistant head coach next season, reports Matt Maiocco NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter). Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that Embree declined a pay cut to return to San Francisco. The coach had spent the previous five seasons with the 49ers and was often credited for George Kittle‘s development.
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
Championship Sunday has come and gone, and with it, we now know the matchup for Super Bowl LVI. The Rams’ win on Sunday guarantees that the Lions’ other first round pick will be in the bottom two, slightly devaluing it relative to if they had lost. Still, it is one of the bargaining chips they hold if they were to attempt to move up into the top spot, from their current position of second. As one of four teams with multiple picks in the opening round, Detroit will certainly be a squad to keep an eye on in April.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.
Here is the updated order after this weekend’s results:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-14
- Detroit Lions: 3-13-1
- Houston Texans: 4-13
- New York Jets: 4-13
- New York Giants: 4-13
- Carolina Panthers: 5-12
- New York Giants(via Bears)
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Denver Broncos: 7-10
- New York Jets (via Seahawks)
- Washington Football Team: 7-10
- Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
- Cleveland Browns: 8-9
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-9
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)
- Los Angeles Chargers: 9-8
- New Orleans Saints: 9-8
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-8
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7-1
- New England Patriots: 10-7
- Las Vegas Raiders: 10-7
- Arizona Cardinals: 11-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 11-6
- Tennessee Titans: 12-5
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-4
- Green Bay Packers: 13-4
- Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)
- Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5
- Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
* = Remaining playoff teams
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/28/22
Falcons TE Lee Smith Retires
Lee Smith managed to play tight end in the NFL for 11 seasons, despite none of those including 100 receiving yards. The well-regarded blocker announced his retirement Tuesday.
Smith spent his NFL days with the Bills, Raiders and Falcons, playing in Atlanta for one season. He will walk away after 16 games with the Falcons, having assisted in Cordarrelle Patterson‘s late-career running back breakout.
“I couldn’t feel more blessed that I get to step away on my terms,” Smith said, via AtlantaFalcons.com’s Scott Bair. “It just doesn’t happen that way very often. Yet here I am, a stiff-as-hell fifth-round draft pick who found himself a niche-y role and figured out a way to stay around.”
A 2011 Patriots draftee out of Marshall, Smith landed with the Bills via waiver claim that September. He signed a three-year, $9MM deal with the Raiders in 2015. In Oakland, Smith worked alongside a three-Pro Bowler offensive line to help Latavius Murray to a 1,000-yard season. The Raiders re-signed him in 2018, but Smith rejoined the Bills a year later — on another three-year deal worth $9MM — and was part of the team’s resurgence.
Buffalo traded Smith to Atlanta during the 2021 offseason. Although the Falcons rostered Hayden Hurst and top-five pick Kyle Pitts, Smith played 311 offensive snaps this season. Smith finished his career with 73 catches for 523 yards and 11 touchdowns.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/24/22
Here are Monday’s reserve/futures deals:
Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills
- DT Brandin Bryant, OL Jacob Capra, WR Tanner Gentry , LB Joe Giles-Harris, CB Olaijah Griffin (two-year deal), CB Tim Harris, WR Isaiah Hodgins , DE Mike Love, CB Nick McCloud, TE Quintin Morris, S Josh Thomas
New Orleans Saints
- RB Josh Adams, WR Kirk Merritt
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- K Jose Borregales, RB Kenjon Barner, TE Codey McElroy, G John Molchon, OLB Elijah Ponder, DL Benning Potoa’e, DL Willington Previlon, DL Kobe Smith, CB Rashard Robinson, S Troy Warner
Tennessee Titans
- S Jamal Carter, OL Christian DiLauro, TE Austin Fort, OL Derwin Gray, QB Kevin Hogan, WR Cody Hollister, LB Joe Jones, WR Mason Kinsey, OL Daniel Munyer, OL Jordan Roos, LB Tuzar Skipper
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
The Divisional Round has come to end, and after each game was decided on the final play, the season has come to a bitter end for another four teams. That brings the total number of squads locked into their first round draft position to 28. Interestingly, the Rams and 49ers are still standing after they each parted ways with top draft picks this past offseason. San Francisco’s first choice is currently slated to be 61st overall, while the Rams aren’t projected to be on the board until the 101st pick. For Los Angeles in particular, the decision is certainly paying off so far.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.
Here is the updated order after this weekend’s results:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-14
- Detroit Lions: 3-13-1
- Houston Texans: 4-13
- New York Jets: 4-13
- New York Giants: 4-13
- Carolina Panthers: 5-12
- New York Giants(via Bears)
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Denver Broncos: 7-10
- New York Jets (via Seahawks)
- Washington Football Team: 7-10
- Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
- Cleveland Browns: 8-9
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-9
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)
- Los Angeles Chargers: 9-8
- New Orleans Saints: 9-8
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-8
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7-1
- New England Patriots: 10-7
- Las Vegas Raiders: 10-7
- Arizona Cardinals: 11-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 11-6
- Tennessee Titans: 12-5
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-4
- Green Bay Packers: 13-4
- Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
- Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5*
* = Remaining playoff teams
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/20/22
Here are Thursday’s reserve/futures deals:
Atlanta Falcons
- TE Daniel Helm
Denver Broncos
Indianapolis Colts
- T Jordan Murray
Kansas City Chiefs
- CB Damon Arnette (story)
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
With the Wild Card round complete, another six positions in the 2022 NFL Draft have been confirmed.
One of the most interesting developments relates to the Philadelphia Eagles. After losing on Sunday, their own first round pick has been locked in at No. 19, having already known they would also own the 15th and 16th selections. What the team does with that much draft capital will be one of the most interesting storylines of the draft.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.
Here is the updated order after this weekend’s results:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-14
- Detroit Lions: 3-13-1
- Houston Texans: 4-13
- New York Jets: 4-13
- New York Giants: 4-13
- Carolina Panthers: 5-12
- New York Giants(via Bears)
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Denver Broncos: 7-10
- New York Jets (via Seahawks)
- Washington Football Team: 7-10
- Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
- Cleveland Browns: 8-9
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-9
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)
- Los Angeles Chargers: 9-8
- New Orleans Saints: 9-8
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-8
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7-1
- New England Patriots: 10-7
- Las Vegas Raiders: 10-7
- Arizona Cardinals: 11-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
- Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)
- Buffalo Bills: 11-6*
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5*
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-4*
- Tennessee Titans: 12-5*
- Green Bay Packers: 13-4*
* = Remaining playoff teams