Seahawks Plan On Retaining Geno Smith?
The Seahawks’ QB situation faces plenty of uncertainty entering the 2024 league year. Geno Smith is set to pass an important checkpoint on the way to retaining his starter’s role, however. 
Smith was informed by the team on Thursday that he will remain on the roster through February 16, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That is important because Smith’s $12.7MM base salary will shift from an injury guarantee to being guaranteed in full tomorrow. As a result, today’s news greatens the chances of the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year staying in Seattle.
However, Smith also has a $9.6MM roster bonus which will not vest until March 18. The decision to retain Smith for the time being could therefore open up a window to explore a trade with an interested team before the new league year begins. As Schefter’s colleague Brady Henderson notes, Smith’s deal includes offset language which could allow the team to release him before March 18 if no trade partner is found. The 33-year-old’s future is thus still far from certain.
Smith enjoyed a career year in 2022, proving to be a bargain for Seattle and helping the tam reach the postseason. He parlayed that success into a three-year, $75MM deal which includes incentives and performance escalators. With $27.3MM guaranteed at signing, 2023 was still seen as a ‘prove-it’ season for him. Smith’s totals regressed, leading to speculation Seattle could move on from him and transition to Drew Lock under center. The latter has drawn praise from general manager John Schneider, who following the end of Pete Carroll‘s coaching tenure now has full say in roster decisions.
As Henderson notes, part of Schneider’s desire to trade Russell Wilson to the Broncos was the fact the Seahawks could acquire Lock as part of the return package. Lock is a pending UFA, however, and his play while filling in for an injured Smith during the season could help his chances of landing a more lucrative deal than the one-year, $4MM pact he played on last year and a starting gig in the process.
Neither Schneider nor new head coach Mike Macdonald have offered a firm endorsement of Smith or Lock. Still, today’s news points toward the former being in Seattle’s plans for the time being as he potentially moves closer to a third straight campaign in the starter’s role. Given his age and Lock’s contract status, though, it would come as little surprise if the Seahawks invested in a rookie passer this spring. The team currently holds three of the draft’s first 81 selections, including No. 16.
Bears Cut Cody Whitehair, Eddie Jackson
Cody Whitehair has been in Chicago since 2016, but his time with the Bears will come to an end this offseason. The veteran offensive lineman has been released, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since announced the move. Safety Eddie Jackson has also been let go. 
One year remained on Whitehair’s deal, but none of his $10.15MM salary was guaranteed. As a result, this move will yield $9.15MM in cap savings and a dead cap charge of $4.1MM. Today’s news come as little surprise, but it will give the 31-year-old a head start on free agency.
After arriving in Chicago in 2016, Whitehair saw immediate playing time at center. He remained at that position for much of his first three seasons with the team, starting every game and earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2018. Things began to change after that point, though, as the former second-rounder started splitting his time between center and left guard. He operated as the full-time LG in 2021 and ’22, and that was his primary spot this past season.
Whitehair’s PFF evaluations have seen a decline in recent years, and his 45 mark represents a career low. He was charged with three sacks and 22 pressures allowed in pass protection, and the Bears will now move forward with other options along the interior of their O-line. Chicago made a sizable free agent investment in Nate Davis last offseason, and after being drafted as a tackle, Teven Jenkins has shown promise at both guard spots. They, along with 2023 first-rounder Darnell Wright, will be key pieces up front for Chicago moving forward.
Jackson, too, had one year remaining on his current contract but faced the possibility of being let go. He recently indicated a cut would be coming, and the news is now official on that front. Jackson started each of his 100 games with Chicago, but injuries and declining production weighed heavily as factors working against him being retained for 2024 and beyond.
The 30-year-old was due over $14MM next season, but his release will save roughly $12.5MM in cap space. Given the financial benefits, Jackson’s release also comes as little surprise. The Bears were already slated to be in a better situation with respect to cap space than many teams, but these moves will add to their flexibility. Whitehair and Jackson will collectively account for just under $9.7MM in dead money in 2024.
Jaquan Brisker has established himself as a key contributor at the safety position in the present and the future for Chicago, but the other starting spot will need filling this offseason. The Bears have a number of relatively inexperienced incumbent options to choose from, along with the free agent and draft avenues to pursue a Jackson replacement. The two-time Pro Bowler last played a full season in 2020, and he has recorded one or fewer interceptions in three of the past four years.
Still, he and Whitehair will be able to sign with an interested team at any time (as opposed to having to wait for the start of the new league year in mid-March). It will be interesting to see how much of a market they will manage to generate, though deals worth much less than what they were originally due should be expected. Chicago will move forward with roughly $67MM in cap space, the third-highest total in the league as cost-cutting season picks up.
49ers LB Dre Greenlaw Suffers Achilles Tear
FEBRUARY 15: Greenlaw has already undergone surgery. The Pro Bowl defender went under the knife for what NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport calls a successful surgery Thursday. While this injury obviously occurred at a historically inopportune time for the 49ers, Greenlaw is expected to make a full recovery.
FEBRUARY 12: The 49ers lost Dre Greenlaw in unusual fashion midway through last night’s Super Bowl loss. As many feared upon witnessing the injury, the fifth-year linebacker now faces a lengthy recovery. 
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed after the game that Greenlaw suffered a torn Achilles on Sunday. After a 49ers punt, Greenlaw went down while making his way from the sidelines back onto the field. The non-contact injury left him in need of being carted off the field, and he was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the contest.
The 26-year-old missed the regular season finale with Achilles tendonitis, an ailment which lingered through the postseason. Coupled with the various other injuries he played through during the year, Greenlaw’s ability to simply dress for the Super Bowl drew praise. Given his health situation heading into the game, however, it comes as little surprise he was ultimately forced to leave.
Again partnering with Fred Warner as part of arguably the league’s top linebacker tandem, Greenlaw had a productive 2023 campaign while battling through injury. In 15 contests, he recorded 120 tackles, 1.5 sacks and four pass deflections. He remained a key playmaker in the postseason, recording a pair of interceptions (including a game-winner in the divisional round) en route to the Super Bowl. The former fifth-rounder registered three tackles on Sunday before suffering the injury.
Oren Burks filled in at linebacker the rest of the way, and he played a role on a San Francisco defense which kept Kansas City’s offense in check for much of the game. Greenlaw’s absence was no doubt acutely felt, however, down the stretch and in overtime in particular when the Chiefs pulled off the victory. Burks is a pending free agent, but Greenlaw is under contract for 2024 as a result of the extension he signed early in the 2022 campaign.
The latter will now turn his attention to a long recovery process in the hopes of being able to suit up by the start of next season. His ability to return to form when on the field will be a key factor in determining his value on another new contract with San Francisco (which has Warner on the books at a cap hit of $24MM-plus over the next three years) or an another team. His rehab process will be worth monitoring over the offseason.
Eagles Sign OLB Julian Okwara To Futures Deal
FEBRUARY 15: Okwara will earn up to $2.68MM on his one-year Eagles pact, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. While Philadelphia has a number of key decisions to make amongst the edge group in the near future, Okwara can be expected to remain with the team through at least training camp and the preseason.
FEBRUARY 14: The Eagles have made a depth addition to their edge rush group. The team announced on Wednesday that Julian Okwara has been signed to a reserve/futures contract. 
Okwara had previously spent his four-year career with the Lions, starting a total of four games across the past three seasons. His time in Detroit allowed him to pair with his brother Romeo Okwara, but he saw a limited role in 2023. Julian was waived last month to make room for James Houston‘s IR activation. He found himself on Detroit’s practice squad when the team’s postseason run came to an end, but he did not receive a futures deal.
As a result, Okwara was free to sign with any team, and he has joined the Eagles. Philadelphia’s edge rush situation is in a state of flux at the moment, in large part due to team’s decision to allow Haason Reddick to seek out a trade. The two-time Pro Bowler has made it clear he wants to extend his through-2024 Eagles contract, but it will be interesting to see if team and player can reach an agreement on that front.
Defensive end Brandon Graham, meanwhile, is set to reach free agency. The franchise’s games played leader – and a member of Philadelphia’s ‘Core Four’ – intends to play at least one more season. While he would likely only sign a deal with the Eagles if one can be worked out this spring, the team currently faces a number of question marks along the edge. Okwara will aim to carve out a depth role amongst the likes of Josh Sweat and 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith.
Okwara posted a career-high five sacks in 2021 while logging a 40% snap share. That pointed to notable potential as a situational edge rusher, but the 26-year-old has totaled only four sacks over the past two seasons. His playing time has dropped considerably in both years, and he made just nine appearances during the 2023 campaign. Over the course of the offseason, Okwara will attempt to land a 53-man roster spot on an Eagles team seeking clarity in the pass-rush department.
Giants CB Adoree’ Jackson Addresses Pending Free Agency
The Giants have a number of key free agent decisions to make with Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney set to hit the open market. The same is also true of cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who recently doubled down on his desire to remain in New York on a new deal. 
“The Giants are going to look for another corner and another team is going to look for a corner, which is me,” Jackson told Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “I want to be there, but this is our break period… If I come back, it’s all good. If I don’t, is it going to hurt? It will, but I know it’s a business.”
That stance mirrors what he said in December knowing he was on the verge of free agency for the second time in his career. In the first instance, Jackson landed a three-year, $39MM deal after his run with the Titans. He has served as a full-time starter during his Giants stint, racking up 23 pass deflections and a pair of interceptions along the way. Jackson earned solid PFF grades in his first two Giants campaigns, but things took a turn for the worse in 2023.
The former first-rounder began the season in the slot to accommodate rookie Tre Hawkins. The latter was later benched, though, allowing Jackson to return to his familiar perimeter duties. He drew a PFF coverage grade of just 45.9, by far the lowest of his career. Jackson allowed a passer rating of 95.5 (his second-highest mark) and a pair of touchdowns as the nearest defender in 2023.
As a result, it would come as little surprise if the Giants looked elsewhere via free agency or the draft to add at the cornerback spot. New York invested a first-round pick in last year’s draft by adding Deonte Banks, but a starting-caliber replacement will be needed if Jackson does indeed depart. The 28-year-old made it clear being a member of a contender will be a top priority while noting his confidence that the Giants could fit the bill.
“I want to win a Super Bowl, and I know the Giants are capable of winning because we saw [in 2022] that it was a possibility,” Jackson said. “It boils down to the pieces and the staff being on the same page and doing the right thing to help us get there.”
The Giants made a surprise run to the divisional round of the postseason that year, but the team took a major step back in 2023. Whether or not Jackson will be a part of New York’s efforts to rebound from a disappointing campaign will be worth watching closely in the build-up to free agency.
Latest On Seahawks’ Leonard Williams
Leonard Williams‘ Giants tenure came to an end at the 2023 trade deadline, and he had a productive audition period with the Seahawks to close out the campaign. That could result in a Seattle contract, something the veteran defensive lineman would be open to. 
“I definitely like being here,” Williams said when asked about his future, via Michael Shawn-Duggar of The Athletic (subscription required). “It’s been fun playing here. I feel like I’ve thrived in the system and this environment. I love the fans, love the stadium, love Seattle as a city. But, you know, you never know going forward, so I’m just going into it open-minded.”
Despite being a pending free agent, Williams was acquired for a second-round pick in this year’s draft along with a fifth-round selection in 2025. That price led to the expectation Seattle would move quickly in negotiating an extension, but no in-season talks took place on that front. Williams totaled 41 tackles, four sacks and 11 QB hits in 10 games with the Seahawks, demonstrating his potential on a long-term Seattle agreement.
The 29-year-old played on a $63MM pact over the past three years, and it will be worth monitoring to see how much of a market he generates if he reaches free agency. Age will be a factor taken into account by the Seahawks and other interested teams, but Williams made it clear he intends to keep playing for the foreseeable future.
“I’m obviously about to be in Year 10 next year, but I played 18 games this year, and I feel fresh,” the former first-rounder added. “I don’t think I’m feeling the years, honestly. I feel like I probably have five, six, seven more years in me, to be honest. I feel like I can play in this league for a long time.”
The Seahawks already have one major D-line investment in the form of Dre’Mont Jones. The former Bronco inked a three-year, $51MM deal last offseason, and he and Williams were part of a defensive front which struggled against the run. Improving in that department will be a top offseason priority for the team, and making a significant addition in free agency would prove especially challenging if Williams were to be retained. As free agency draws closer, it will be interesting to see how much progress is made between the two sides during contract talks.
Commanders Add David Blough, William Gay To Coaching Staff
The Commanders unveiled their first coaching staff under new head coach Dan Quinn on Thursday. Many of the additions have already been reported, but a pair of ex-players have found a spot on the staff. 
[RELATED: Commanders Add Lance Newmark As AGM, Reassign Mayhew, Hurney]
David Blough has elected to hang up his cleats to take on the role of assistant QBs coach. Blough entered the league as a UDFA with the Browns, but he was dealt to the Lions in 2019. He spent much of his playing career in Detroit, making seven of his starts and nine of his appearances with the team from 2019-21.
The Purdue alum found himself in Arizona for the 2022 campaign, and he made a pair of starts that year. Blough was among the Cardinals’ final roster cuts last summer, however, which led him back to the Lions. He resided on the team’s taxi squad, and made it clear he was eyeing a transition to coaching at some point. He will work alongside returnee Tavita Pritchard in overseeing the Commanders’ signal-callers, a group which could very well include a rookie added with the second overall pick in April’s draft.
Blough will make his first foray into coaching in 2024, and William Gay will likewise take on a full-time NFL sideline position for the first time in his career. The latter, a Steelers cornerback for 10 years with a one-year Cardinals stint in between, saw his final regular season and playoff action in 2017. He took a deal with the Giants in 2018, but he failed to make New York’s roster. The following year, Gay served as a Steelers coaching intern.
The former Super Bowl winner worked as a defensive backs coach at Missouri State in 2020, and he will take on the title of assistant DBs coach with the Commanders. Gay, 39, will pair with Tommy Donatell and Jason Simmons (defensive backs coach and pass-game coordinator, respectively) as the Commanders aim to improve on their league-worst finish against the pass in 2023.
Brian Johnson, added after his tenure as OC of the Eagles, will take on the post of assistant head coach. As Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes, though, Johnson will not have a direct play-calling role with respect to the team’s offense. He will instead take on a more general role with a potential future head coaching opportunity in mind.
Among the updates is the title for ex-Chargers and Raiders defensive coordinator John Pagano. He will work as a senior defensive assistant rather than serving as a position coach. Sarah Hogan, meanwhile, will leave the Falcons to work as coaching chief of staff during Quinn’s first season at the helm. He, new OC Kliff Kingsbury and DC Joe Whitt Jr. will be tasked with overseeing improvement from last year’s 4-13 campaign.
Jameis Winston Eyeing New Saints Deal
The Saints are set to have Derek Carr atop the quarterback depth chart for at least one more campaign, but retaining Jameis Winston as his backup remains an option for this offseason. If the latter has his way, the team will take that route. 
Winston is set to reach free agency next month with the expiration of his current contract. He took a pay cut last offseason, working out a revised one-year deal to avoid being designated a post-June 1 release. That contract has since been altered significantly as part of New Orleans’ annual cap gymnastics, leaving Winston’s future in question. He recently confirmed his desire to remain with the team, though.
“I would love to stay in NOLA forever,” the former No. 1 pick said in an interview with WDSU’s Margaret Orr during a Mari Gras parade (video link). “But whatever the Lord has planned for me, I’m going to go and do my best, wherever that is. Hopefully it’s here, because I love this, I love the energy, and I love this city.”
In the wake of his revised contract, Winston publicly stated his intention of competing for another starting role in the future. Given Carr’s continued presence, Winston’s latest comments are notable since the 2024 season would involve another campaign spent as a backup. The former has his $30MM salary guaranteed in full for the coming year, but New Orleans could move on with minimal cap penalties next offseason.
Even in the event that were to take place, Winston’s prospects for assuming QB1 duties would be questionable. The 30-year-old’s last full campaign as a starter took place during the 2019 season, his final one with the Buccaneers. He served as the Saints’ starter in 2021 for seven weeks before a promising year was cut short due to an ACL tear. Since then, Andy Dalton and now Carr have leapfrogged him on the depth chart, while Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill has also seen occasional usage as a quarterback.
Winston would be one of several veteran passers on the open market if he were to see his Saints deal expire. New Orleans has a number of difficult financial decisions to make in the near future, but the backup QB spot would become a notable roster hole if the team moved on from him. Winston’s future with his current team, or a new one, will thus be worth monitoring in the build-up to the new league year.
49ers Fire DC Steve Wilks
In the wake of San Francisco’s Super Bowl defeat, a major change has taken place on the sidelines. Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday that defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has been fired.
The decision had not been made until today, Shanahan said in a conference call. He added (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo) that Wilks’ system did not align with what the team had used with its previous DCs. As a result, Wilks is out after one campaign in the Bay Area. 
As expected, DeMeco Ryans was one of the top coaching candidates in the 2023 hiring cycle. His decision to take charge of the Texans created a vacancy at the defensive coordinator spot, as was the case previously when Robert Saleh was hired as head coach of the Jets. Wilks was brought in following his run as interim head coach of the Panthers, something which many viewed as being sufficient to earn him the full-time position.
Instead, Carolina went with Frank Reich for the job, leaving Wilks to search out a coordinator gig. Expectations were high when he joined the 49ers as Ryans’ replacement, given his experience as an NFL staffer including DC stints during his first Panthers tenure in 2017 and his time with the Browns in 2019. San Francisco’s defense – featuring one of the league’s most highly-regarded front sevens – managed to help bring the team to the Super Bowl, but the unit endured rough patches along the way.
In the regular season, the 49ers ranked in the top eight in both points and yards allowed. The team fared far better against the run than the pass, something which comes as little surprise given the injuries endured at the safety spot in particular. Things took a different turn in the postseason, however, when both the Packers and Lions put up strong numbers on the ground. The effort and attention to detail of Wilks’ unit was called into question leading up to the Super Bowl, including by the 54-year-old himself.
In Sunday’s title game, the Chiefs were held to just three points in the first half. San Francisco also registered an interception in the third quarter, but the team’s defense regressed in the late stages of the contest. On the final drive of regulation, a stop would have won the game, but Kansas City managed to kick the field goal which forced overtime. In the extra frame, the Chiefs’ first possession saw the team drive 75 yards for the winning touchdown. Kansas City finished the contest with 455 yards of offense.
Wilks interviewed for a pair of head coaching positions in this year’s cycle, but he did not emerge as a finalist for the Falcons’ or Chargers’ postings. A move to a new team as defensive coordinator is out of the question for 2024, as every DC spot has been filled in recent days and weeks. Wilks will move forward in search of a position coaching role or a return to the college ranks. He served as defensive coordinator at Missouri in 2021 before jumping back onto an NFL sideline the following year.
Shanahan noted (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) that he will consider both internal and external candidates to replace Wilks. After going outside the organization last year, it will be interesting if he elects to choose an option more familiar with the scheme used during Saleh and Ryans’ tenures in the position. In any case, the 49ers will have a major vacancy to fill as they begin their offseason.
Broncos Extend LB Jonas Griffith
Jonas Griffith missed the entire 2023 campaign due to an ACL tear, but he will receive an opportunity to continue his Broncos tenure next season. The veteran linebacker signed a one-year extension on Wednesday, per an announcement from his agency. 
Griffith was once again an exclusive rights free agent this year. Rather than tendering him later in the offseason, Denver has elected to ink him to a new deal prior to the start of free agency. As 9News’ Mike Klis notes, Griffith will earn $985K in 2024, the league minimum for players with two years’ experience but still a slight uptick from his one-year earnings in each of the past two seasons. A notable role could await him if he manages to remain healthy.
The Broncos have one starting LB spot accounted for with Alex Singleton. Fellow first-teamer Josey Jewell is a pending free agent, however. The same is also true of backups Justin Strnad and Ben Niemann, meaning a number of departures could take place at the position in the near future. 2023 third-rounder Drew Sanders, meanwhile, played at his best as an outside linebacker in his rookie year. Griffith has experience on special teams, but he could also push for a return to the workload he had in 2022.
That season, the former UDFA logged a 55% snap share on defense while starting eight of his nine games. His campaign was cut short due to a foot injury, though, something which compounded his absence throughout the 2023 season. Griffith had drawn rave reviews when on the field, leading to high expectations in the build-up to this past year.
The 27-year-old (who was acquired via trade in 2021) has made all 22 of his appearances with the Broncos. In that time, the former 49er and Colt has totaled 92 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery. He could be well-positioned to compete for defensive playing time depending on how the team proceeds this offseason with Jewell in particular. In any case, today’s move will pave the way for at least a solid special teams role provided Griffith manages to recover in full from his most recent season-ending injury.