Texans Eyeing Free Agent Running Backs?
After Dameon Pierce struggled during his sophomore campaign, the Texans could be in the market for a new starting running back. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there’s buzz around the NFL that the Texans could try to improve at the position as they look to take some of the load off quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Pierce appeared to be the team’s RB of the future following his standout rookie campaign. The 2022 fourth-round pick finished his first season in the NFL with 1,104 yards from scrimmage, the third-most among rookie RBs (behind Kenneth Walker and Tyler Allgeier).
However, Pierce couldn’t replicate that production in 2023. He didn’t top four yards-per-rush in any of his first seven starts, and following a three-game inactive streak, he was firmly behind Devin Singletary on the depth chart.
Over those final seven games, Pierce only garnered 36 carries, and he was limited to only six offensive snaps in the postseason. In total, Pierce finished this past season with 517 yards from scrimmage on 158 touches, good for an average of 3.3 yards per touch. Pro Football Focus ultimately graded him 47th among 59 qualifying RBs.
Singletary topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage for a third-straight season, but the veteran is set to hit free agency. While there’s a chance he could look to extend his stay in Houston beyond one season, there’s no guarantee he’ll be back. Dare Ogunbowale is also an impending free agent, so the Texans will need to add some depth at the position.
While the organization could look to reset the position at the draft, it sounds like they’re considering using a chunk of their $60MM-plus in cap space at the RB position. Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Tony Pollard, and Austin Ekeler lead the list of free agent RBs heading into the offseason.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/21/24
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: OL Dieter Eiselen, CB D’Angelo Ross
Minnesota Vikings
- Re-signed: S Theo Jackson
The Texans made sure to retain Ross, a special-teams gunner, and Eiselen, a special-teams blocker. In fact, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston passes along that Eiselen received a two-year deal from the Texans worth $2.095MM (including a $10K signing bonus).
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/21/24
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Kansas City Chiefs
Philadelphia Eagles
Patriots Notes: Covington, Brown, Wolf
Considering New England’s unconventional approach to their defensive coaching staff in recent years, it was uncertain how much control new defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington would have on Jerod Mayo‘s staff. It sounds like Covington will have full authority over his defense, as the coach revealed to reporters today that he’ll be the defensive play-caller this season (via Karen Guregian of MassLive).
It had been years since Bill Belichick employed a traditional DC, with Mayo and Steve Belichick most recently splitting the unofficial role. The younger Belichick was the one calling defensive plays, but he won’t be sticking around New England after taking the DC job at the University of Washington. Mayo himself could have been a candidate for the defensive play-caller role, but it sounds like he’ll be leaning on his DC during games.
This will be Covington’s first time serving in either of those two roles in the NFL. Following a one-season stint as Eastern Illinois’ DC, he’s served in a variety of roles on New England’s coaching staff.
On the other side of the ball, Troy Brown will be sticking around as the Patriots’ wide receivers coach (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). The long-time Patriots WR transitioned to coaching following his playing career, and he’s guided New England’s wideouts since the 2021 campaign. With Mayo revamping the coaching staff, it was uncertain if Brown would be retained in his current role.
Elsewhere in New England, there’s been a bit of confusion surrounding who’s actually leading the front office. Eliot Wolf is expected to control the 53-man roster for at least the time being, and it sounds like the executive had some extra responsibilities while Mayo filled his coaching staff. The new Patriots head coach told reporters that Wolf participated in all of the coaching interviews this offseason (via Kyed).
The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf, Eliot Wolf spent more than a decade with Green Bay before joining New England’s operation. His experience with the Packers has clearly been reflected on the coaching staff, as the team has brought in ex-Packers assistants like Alex Van Pelt, Ben McAdoo, Jerry Montgomery and Alonzo Highsmith.
Bears Discussed Pairing Justin Fields With Rookie QB; Falcons On Trade Radar?
When discussing the Bears’ upcoming draft plans, much of the discourse has surrounded two scenarios: they trade the No. 1 pick and continue building around Justin Fields or they trade Fields and select a rookie quarterback with the first-overall selection. There could now be a third scenario: the team keeps Fields and they still select a QB with the first pick.
[RELATED: Bears Seeking “Historic Haul” For No. 1 Pick]
As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, the idea of keeping Fields and selecting a rookie QB is “an intriguing idea that the team has discussed.” While this could simply be a smokescreen by the Bears as they look to pry a “historic haul” for the first-overall pick, there is some merit to the strategy.
As Breer notes, Fields is only due $3.2MM in cash for 2024. Couple that with the hypothetical number-one pick’s rookie salary, and the Bears would still be eyeing one of the least expensive QB corps in the NFL. Further, plenty of teams have redshirted their rookie quarterbacks as they learned the system.
Of course, this tactic has come with varying success, and most teams look to pair a rookie QB with a veteran. Fields, who will be 25 in March, just completed his third NFL season, and you could make an argument that his NFL future is just as bright as any of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft.
In other words, it would be a bit surprising if the Bears actively sought a QB competition, especially with the context of Fields’ next contract. In this scenario, the front office would surely lose leverage on both assets, and while they would technically control the process, the team wouldn’t have an infinite amount of time to draw out the process.
While there were some rumblings of a pro-Fields direction, the most recent reports point to the Bears keeping the first-overall pick and trading Fields. The team probably won’t lack for suitors, especially if they only manage to garner offers that are headlined by a Day 2 pick. One team that could emerge in the sweepstakes is the Falcons. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo note that Fields is a “name many around the NFL connect to Atlanta.”
The team’s Desmond Ridder experiment in 2023 likely cost Arthur Smith his job, and there’s a good chance Raheem Morris will look for a new face to lead his QB room. The Falcons could also be an option for a rookie QB, although they’d likely have to trade up from No. 8 if they hope to get any of the top prospects at the position.
Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa Hoping For Quick Negotiations
Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins are hoping to get an extension done as soon as possible. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo pass along, there’s been indications from both sides that they “would like to get a deal done quickly this offseason.”
[RELATED: Tagovailoa Expects To Remain With Dolphins Long-Term]
Both sides have previously expressed their interest in a long-term commitment, and it now bodes well for the impending negotiations that neither the Dolphins nor Tagovailoa’s camp are looking to draw out the process. As the NFL Network trio notes, both sides also want to avoid “a storyline that hangs over training camp or the regular season.”
Of course, settling on a new deal will be easier said than done. The fourth-year quarterback is coming off of a career year where he set career highs in passing yards (4,624), touchdowns (29), and completion percentage (69.3). Even more notably, Tagovailoa managed to get into all 17 games this past year, a huge accomplishment after he missed 14 games through his first three years due to injuries and concussions.
Tagovailoa showed a clear step forward under Mike McDaniel in 2022, but thanks to a series of concussions, it was reported that the Dolphins would table contract talks until after the 2022 campaign. While the gamble made sense, it didn’t end up working out for the Dolphins front office. As the salary cap continues to grow and QB contracts continue to climb, Tagovailoa could be eyeing a significantly larger pay day than he likely would have received last year.
It’s uncertain if Tagovailoa’s camp would push for a deal that’s approaching Joe Burrow‘s league-leading $55MM per year, but the former first-round pick will surely be eyeing a cap hit that’s much larger than his $23.17MM salary via the fifth-year option in 2024. The Dolphins do have the franchise tag in their back pocket, so not all would be lost if the two sides are unable to agree to a deal.
The Dolphins’ disappointing end to the 2023 campaign briefly put Tagovailoa’s future with Miami in doubt. Ultimately, it sounds like both sides are committed to hammering out a deal sooner than later.
Lions Sign DL Mathieu Betts To Reserve/Futures Deal
The Lions have signed a CFL standout to a reserve/futures deal. Justin Dunk of 3DownNation reports that Detroit has signed defensive lineman Mathieu Betts to a futures deal. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has confirmed the signing.
Betts won the Canadian Football League’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player award this past season while playing for the BC Lions. He finished the season with 44 tackles, three forced fumbles, and 18 sacks, with that latter mark being the most by a Canadian-born player in CFL history.
The 28-year-old defensive lineman has spent the past four seasons in the CFL, including a stint with Edmonton. He’s collected 27 sacks during his professional career, the majority of which have come over the past two years.
The Laval University product went undrafted in the 2019 draft. He caught on with the Bears for the preseason but was among Chicago’s final cuts.
Giants Block Cowboys’ Interview Request With Andre Patterson
The Giants have denied their defensive line coach an opportunity to interview with a division rival. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Giants denied the Cowboys’ request to interview defensive line coach Andre Patterson. The Cowboys were presumably looking to hire Patterson for the same role, and the Giants rejected the potential lateral move.
[RELATED: Cowboys To Hire Mike Zimmer As DC]
It’s not a huge surprise that new Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer tried to recruit Patterson to Dallas. The coaches worked alongside each other with the Vikings, where Patterson climbed his way up from defensive line coach to co-defensive coordinator. As ESPN’s Jordan Raanan points out, Zimmer and Patterson have a strong relationship, and the Cowboys wouldn’t have reached out unless the current Giants coach was at least entertaining the idea of a move.
On the flip side, there wouldn’t be much incentive for the Giants letting a respected coach walk to a division rival. Patterson has spent the past two seasons in New York, and despite an overhaul of the defensive coaching staff this offseason, the veteran coach was one of the few to stick around. In fact, the Giants made it clear to potential defensive coordinator candidates that they intended to keep Patterson on their next defensive staff (per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). During his time in New York, the DL coach has been credited with guiding Dexter Lawrence to two All-Pro nods.
Patterson has been coaching since the ’80s, spending time in both the NFL and college football. He often held the title of defensive line coach, including a three-year stint with the Cowboys in the early 2000s. Zimmer coaxed him out of the NCAA back in 2014, and Patterson has spent nearly the past decade coaching in the NFL.
As Art Stapleton of USA Today points out, the move could also be a bit of payback from the Giants organization. When Zimmer was in Minnesota, he denied the Giants’ request to interview Kevin Stefanski for an offensive coordinator job despite already having an offensive coordinator of his own (John DeFilippo).
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/13/24
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- OL Chandler Brewer, DB Tevaughn Campbell, DL D.J. Coleman, OLB De’Shaan Dixon, DB Erick Hallett II, LB Dequan Jackson, DB Amani Oruwariye, DL Esezi Otomewo, DB Ayo Oyelola, TE Josh Pederson, OL Keaton Sutherland, OL Darryl Williams, WR Seth Williams
Kansas City Chiefs
- DT Isaiah Buggs
San Francisco 49ers
- OL Sebastian Gutierrez, DB Kemon Hall, S Erik Harris, S Tayler Hawkins, WR Tay Martin, DL Sam Okuayinonu, LB Curtis Robinson, TE Jake Tonges, DL Spencer Waege
Oruwariye spent much of the 2023 season on the Jaguars practice squad, with the defensive back getting into just one game. The former fifth-round pick has more experience than your standard reserve/futures contract, as Oruwariye started 29 games for the Lions between 2020 and 2021. That latter season was one of his strongest, as he finished with 57 tackles, 11 passes defended, and six interceptions.
Cowboys To Hire Mike Zimmer As DC
FEBRUARY 12: Despite it being learned over the past two days that Ryan was still in the running for the job, the Cowboys have indeed gone with Zimmer for their DC post. The parties reached agreement on Monday, Pelissero reports. Zimmer will thus make his return to where his NFL coaching career began, and take on his first pro position since 2021. Ryan, meanwhile, is poised to spend another year out of the coaching ranks.
FEBRUARY 11: Gehlken reports the Cowboys-Zimmer agreement has still not been finalized, something echoed by Ryan on ESPN’s NFL Countdown (video link). The latter said he contacted head coach Mike McCarthy about the Dallas DC vacancy, which set up his interview with the team. While a long-awaited return to the coaching ranks on Ryan’s part would come as a surprise given last week’s reporting, Zimmer’s hire does not appear to be a lock at this point.
FEBRUARY 8: The Cowboys looked at a number of candidates to replace Dan Quinn at defensive coordinator, and they’ve finally settled on their choice. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Cowboys are expected to hire Mike Zimmer as their defensive coordinator. Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, there are some “logistics to [be] completed,” but Zimmer is the choice for the job.
Since he was fired as Vikings head coach following the 2021 campaign, Zimmer has been away from the NFL. He had a brief stint as a consultant at Jackson State in 2022, and it was assumed that the veteran coach would eventually look to return to the big leagues. Ultimately, he’ll land with the organization that gave him his first NFL gig back in 1994.
Zimmer started as a defensive assistant in Dallas, but it only took him a year before he earned a promotion to defensive backs coach. He earned a promotion to defensive coordinator when Dave Campo took over as head coach in 2000, and he stuck around the organization when the Cowboys pivoted to Bill Parcells in 2003. After more than a decade in Dallas, he had a one-year stint as the Falcons defensive coordinator before moving to the Bengals, where he’d serve as the DC for the next six years.
Thanks to his defensive track record, Zimmer was named the Vikings head coach in 2014. He ended up spending eight seasons in Minnesota, guiding the Vikings to three playoff appearances. This included a 2017 campaign where the Vikings went 13-3 in the regular season before falling to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
While the wheels never completely fell off in Minnesota, the Vikings went 15-18 between the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He was fired following that 2021 campaign, ending his Vikings tenure with a 72-56-1 record.
The Cowboys job was certainly an enticing opportunity for Zimmer as he looked to return to the NFL. Dallas finished in the top seven in scoring defense during each of Quinn’s three seasons calling plays, and the unit had perhaps their most productive season in 2023. The Cowboys defense finished this past season having allowed the fifth-fewest yards and fifth-fewest points in the NFL.
While Quinn turned down previous head coaching opportunities, he left the Cowboys for the Commanders earlier this month. The Cowboys quickly looked to replace their departed coach. The team considered a number of inside candidates for promotions, including defensive line coach Aden Durde, cornerbacks coach Al Harris, and defensive backs coach Joe Whitt, who ended up joining Quinn as the DC in Washington. In addition to Zimmer, the outside candidates included Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel, former Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, and former Jets head coach Rex Ryan.