Commanders Claim DB Cameron Dantzler
After getting waived by the Vikings earlier this week, Cameron Dantzler has found a new home. The defensive back has been claimed off waivers by the Commanders, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
The 2020 third-round pick has a year remaining on his rookie contract. The cash-strapped Vikings created about $2.7MM by moving on from the defensive back, and Washington will inherit his $2.9MM cap hit.
Dantzler has found himself in and out of the starting lineup during his three seasons in Minnesota, starting 26 of his 35 appearances. Pro Football Focus graded Dantzler outside the top-60 at corner this past year, but the Vikings continued to rely on him despite the selection of Andrew Booth in the second round. Booth eventually suffered a season-ending injury, but he was unable to overtake Dantzler before the setback.
Dantzler also spent time on injured reserve last season with a high ankle sprain. His lack of production and Minnesota’s lack of cap flexibility ultimately made him a cap casualty, even with the Vikings losing a whole lot of depth at the position.
The Commanders will hope they can get more out of the defensive back during the 2023 season, and Dantzler will have one season to audition for his new squad before hitting free agency next offseason.
Steelers To Sign CB Patrick Peterson
Patrick Peterson is heading to the AFC. The veteran cornerback is signing with the Steelers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), Peterson will be inking a two-year pact with Pittsburgh. As the reporter notes, Peterson previously stated a desire to play two more seasons, meaning he’ll likely end his illustrious career with the Steelers.
The former All-Pro corner will score a two-year deal worth $14MM, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets, adding $5.85MM is guaranteed. Peterson, 32, had landed one-year pacts in each of the past two seasons. While the former top-five pick said he wanted to stay in Minnesota, the parties will break up after two seasons.
Peterson established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL during his 10 seasons with the Cardinals. The 2011 fifth-overall pick earned eight Pro Bowl nods and a pair of All-Pro recognitions during his time with the organization, culminating in him earning a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
The cornerback signed with the Vikings prior to the 2021 campaign. He was limited to only 13 games during his first season in Minnesota but rebounded by appearing in all 17 contests in 2022, finishing with 66 tackles, five interceptions, and 15 passes defended. He also finished as PFF’s 12th-best cornerback among 118 qualifiers, including one of the best coverage scores at his position. This was the first time Peterson finished in PFF’s top-10 at CB since the 2018 season.
The Steelers were especially in need of a cornerback after losing Cam Sutton to Detroit earlier today. The team also had to move on from William Jackson III earlier this offseason, necessitating at least one move at the position.
Buccaneers To Move On From Shaq Mason
Shaq Mason‘s stint with the Buccaneers will end after one season. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the Buccaneers plan to release the guard if they can’t work out a trade for him in the coming days.
Mason has one year left on the five-year, $50MM pact he signed with the Patriots back in 2018. He’s set to earn $8.5MM in 2023, and Tampa Bay could clear more than $4MM in cap space by letting him go.
The 29-year-old lineman was traded to Tampa Bay last offseason for a 2022 fifth-round pick, reuniting him with quarterback Tom Brady. Mason started all 17 games for the Buccaneers, finishing fourth at his position in snaps played. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked him 21st among 77 qualifying guards, the first time since 2015 that he didn’t finish in the top-10. Still, Mason showed that he’s clearly got something left in the tank entering his age-30 season, so it shouldn’t take long for him to find a new home.
The 2015 fourth-round pick made a name for himself in New England, where he won two rings during his seven seasons with the organization. He ranked in PFF’s top-five guards for four of those years, including a first-place ranking in 2018.
Latest On Cardinals Coaching Search
FEBRUARY 10: Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill confirmed that the team’s new head coach will not be unveiled until after the Super Bowl. He said, via team reporter Darren Urban, that he and the front office will “pause throughout the rest of the weekend” and resume the search on Monday.
“We’re excited about the great progress we have made,” Bidwill said. “Every bit of advice as been ‘take your time’ and we have. I’m sure there are some frustrations with some of our fans, but we want to make the right decision, not the fastest decision.”
With only two known candidates remaining, it comes as little surprise that Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds he expects Arizona’s search process to “accelerate” after the Super Bowl has completed (video link). Barring a surprising hire being announced this weekend, Arizona will join Indianapolis in not having their new bench boss in place until the offseason has begun league-wide.
FEBURARY 8: There haven’t been many updates on the Cardinals’ head coaching search…besides the organization learning that they missed out on one of their top finalists. We learned recently that Brian Flores had backed out of the heading coaching race and would join the Vikings as their new defensive coordinator. That left Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as Arizona’s final two candidates.
[RELATED: 2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Since the Giants and the Bengals are out of the playoffs, the Cardinals could sign either of the coaches immediately. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the organization isn’t expected to make a hire until after the Super Bowl. Cardinals reporter Mike Jurecki says “word on the street” is that the organization will hold a press conference announcing their new head coach next Tuesday.
The Cardinals may simply be taking their sweet time by delaying their inevitable hire of Kafka or Anarumo. However, the fact that they’re delaying the hiring until after the Super Bowl at least opens the door to them considering candidates from the Eagles and Chiefs coaching staffs. As our Head Coaching Tracker shows, the Cardinals haven’t interviewed any coaches from these two teams.
With new general manager Monti Ossenfort now running the front office, any of Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, or Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo could suddenly emerge as a serious candidate. However, unless the organization had some unreported meeting with any of these coaches, it seems unlikely that they’d complete an interview and a hiring with a new candidate in only a matter of days (assuming the Tuesday press conference is accurate).
While Arizona has yet to hire a head coach, they have made one addition to the coaching staff. According to Jurecki (on Twitter), the organization is expected to hire Brant Boyer. The 51-year-old coach has spent the past seven years as the Jets’ special teams coordinator, and he’d presumably be taking on the same role in Arizona. Jeff Rodgers has served as the Cardinals’ special teams coordinator since 2019.
Coaching Notes: Bills, Panthers, Dolphins, Saints, Lions, Packers
Another former member of the Panthers organization is heading to Buffalo. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), the Bills are hiring Al Holcomb as a senior defensive assistant. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets that the two sides have yet to officially finalize a deal but are heading in that direction.
After having previously spent five seasons as the Panthers linebackers coach, Holcomb returned to Carolina in 2020 as their defensive run game coordinator. When Steve Wilks became the Panthers interim head coach this past season, Holcomb was promoted to the team’s interim defensive coordinator/assistant head coach.
Holcomb worked under former Panthers defensive coordinator (and current Bills head coach) Sean McDermott in Carolina. He also worked alongside current Bills GM Brandon Beane, who previously served as Carolina’s director of football operations and assistant GM.
Speaking of the Panthers, they made their own coaching move today. The team announced that they’ve agreed to terms with linebackers coach Peter Hansen. The coach served in the same role with the Broncos last season, where he coached under new Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The 43-year-old Hansen was previously the defensive coordinator at UNLV.
More coaching notes from around the NFL…
- The Dolphins are hiring Butch Barry as their new offensive line coach, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Barry was recently canned by the Broncos after serving as their OL coach for one season, but now he’ll get another opportunity in Miami. The veteran coach will be replacing Matt Applebaum, who was let go after only one season with the Dolphins organization.
- The Saints have been busy adding to their coaching staff. Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson is heading to New Orleans, per Mike Jurecki (on Twitter). Robertson, who spent the past four years in Arizona, will presumably be serving in the same role with the Saints. Meanwhile, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets that the Saints are closing in on a deal with Clancy Barone to serve as their tight ends coach. The veteran coach most recently served in that same role with the Bears, and he previously worked alongside Saints head coach Dennis Allen when the two were with the Broncos and with Texas A&M. Finally, Underhill tweets the the Saints are retaining offensive assistant Kevin Petry. The young coach “was coveted for a position by Sean Payton” in Denver, per Underhill, but the Saints ultimately convinced him to stick in New Orleans.
- The Lions have made some changes to their coaching staff. Most notably, the team promoted J.T. Barrett to assistant quarterbacks coach and Shaun Dion Hamilton to assistant linebackers coach. Barrett, a former star at Ohio State, bounced around the NFL before joining the Lions coaching staff as an offensive assistant last offseason. Hamilton, a former sixth-round pick, spent a year on the Lions’ roster before joining their coaching staff last year. Per Tim Twentyman of the team’s website (on Twitter), the Lions also promoted Brian Duker to defensive backs coach, Tanner Engstrand to passing game coordinator, and Steve Oliver to assistant offensive line coach. The Lions have also added Dre Thompson as a defensive quality control coach.
- The Packers are hiring former Cardinals cornerbacks coach Greg Williams, according to Tom Silverstein of Packers News. It’s uncertain what role Williams will fill on Matt LaFleur’s staff, but Silverstein expects him to help fill the void left by defensive passing game coordinator Jerry Gray, who left Green Bay for the Falcons. Prior to his four-year stint in Arizona, Williams served as the Broncos and Colts defensive backs coach.
Buccaneers Interviewing Dave Canales For OC Job
After interviewing twice for the Ravens offensive coordinator gig, Dave Canales is getting a look in Tampa Bay. The Seahawks quarterbacks coach is interviewing for the Buccaneers offensive coordinator job, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter).
Canales has been on Pete Carroll’s staff in Seattle since the head coach joined the organization in 2010. Canales had an eight-year stint as wide receivers coach before taking on the roles of quarterbacks coach and, later, passing game coordinator. Following a two-year stint in that latter role, Canales reverted back to his QBs role in 2022.
During his time as receivers coach, Canales helped develop undrafted wideout Doug Baldwin into a 1,000-yard receiver. As QBs coach, Canales had plenty of success with Russell Wilson under center, but he really showed his skills in 2022 when he helped guide veteran Geno Smith to his first-career Pro Bowl nod.
Thanks to his success in Seattle, Canales emerged as a main candidate for Baltimore’s offensive coordinator gig. The 41-year-old was one of several candidates to move on to the second round of interviews, and he’s presumably still in the running for that job. In Tampa Bay, he’ll be joining a growing list of candidates that also includes:
- Jim Bob Cooter, passing-game coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed 1/26
- Ronald Curry, passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/31
- Klint Kubiak, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/26
- Keenan McCardell, wide receivers coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/26
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Georgia): Interviewed 1/31
- Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Extended by Bengals; Conducted second interview 2/8
- Shea Tierney, quarterbacks coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/31
The Buccaneers did make one coaching move today. The team signed 84-year-old Tom Moore to a contract extension, per NFL Network’s Peter Schrager (on Twitter). The four-time Super Bowl champion has served as an offensive consultant in Tampa Bay since 2019. Per Schrager, this was the 47th contract that Moore has signed during his illustrious career.
Commanders HC Ron Rivera Talks QB, Payne, Young
The Commanders continue to reiterate that Sam Howell will be their QB1 heading into training camp. During an appearance on PFT Live, head coach Ron Rivera reinforced Howell’s standing as the top quarterback, but he acknowledged the team may bring in a veteran to push him.
[RELATED: Commanders Committed To Sam Howell As QB1]
“The biggest thing we decided is he will start out as QB1,” Rivera said (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “He will most certainly get the first opportunity. We go into OTAs and minicamp, he’ll be QB1. He’ll fight for that position. We’ll give him every opportunity to earn it, and we’ll see what happens when we get into training camp and through it.”
Last year, the Commanders pursued QBs like Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, and Derek Carr. This time around, they’re not looking to make a big splash at the position, as Rivera dismissed the notion that the organization would pursue a big name.
“No. No,” Rivera said. “I think the biggest thing is we have to find a guy to come in that’s going to compete, but in terms of finding a guy you’re going to have to spend a lot of capital on, no. We’re not looking for a guy we’ve got to spend a lot of capital on. We’re looking for a guy that’s going to come in and compete first and foremost.”
Rivera expressed a similar sentiment to ESPN’s John Keim, noting that the front office will not spend “big capital” at the position (Twitter link). The team will save a significant chunk of cap when they inevitably cut Carson Wentz, but we previously heard that the organization liked the idea of starting a QB on a rookie contract and spending those savings elsewhere. Howell, a 2022 fifth-round pick, only got one start as a rookie, completing 11 of his 19 pass attempts for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception en route to a Week 18 win over the Cowboys.
Meanwhile, Rivera told Keim that the Commanders have reached out to defensive tackle Daron Payne‘s reps but have yet to talk money. The impending free agent had his best season in 2022, finishing with a career-high 11.5 sacks. Another important defensive line decision will surround former second-overall pick Chase Young; the Commanders will have to soon make a decision on his fifth-year option. Rivera told Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post that the team has yet to make a decision on Young, noting that they still need to evaluate his health and development (Twitter link). However, Rivera wasn’t too worried about the perception if the Commanders decline the player’s option, noting that the Commanders followed a similar path with Payne.
“No. Because that’s what we did with Daron,” Rivera explained. “It cost us. But it cost us in a good way, because the young man played, he did things the right way. He didn’t sit out, he didn’t withhold, he could have done that sit-in during training camp, but he didn’t. And because he didn’t, now we’re in that position where we have to find a way to say thank you, OK, you’ve earned it.”
Latest On Broncos, Sean Payton Hiring
The Broncos were connected to a number of head coaching candidates in the days leading up to their trade with the Saints, with some reports indicating that the organization was zeroing in on 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who ended up opting for the Texans job. However, owner Greg Penner made it clear today that the team had their sights on Sean Payton days before the deal was consummated.
“We locked in five to six days before got trade done, our focus was entirely on him and closing that deal,” Penner said during Payton’s introductory press conference today (via Troy Renck of Denver7 on Twitter).
On the day of the trade, it was reported that the Broncos had made a last-ditch offer to recruit Ryans to Denver. When he declined their overtures, the team pivoted to Payton, surrendering a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 second-round pick to acquire the head coach from New Orleans. The Broncos subsequently signed their new head coach to a five-year deal.
Payton, 59, was believed to be intrigued by both the new Broncos ownership contingent and the prospect of coaching Wilson. He acknowledged as much today, and he admitted that he was ready to return to television for another year if a suitable opportunity didn’t present itself (per Kyle Newman of the Denver Post on Twitter).
More notes out of Denver:
- Payton said he spoke with Russell Wilson before joining the Broncos, and he added that running back Latavius Murray helped recruit him to Denver (via Newman on Twitter). The veteran had a pair of productive seasons playing under Payton when the two were with the Saints, with Murray averaging 852 yards from scrimmage during his two years in New Orleans. Thanks to a number of RB injuries, Murray ended up starting seven of his 12 appearances for the Broncos last season, finishing with 827 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns.
- The head coach’s five-year contract was suggested to be in the range of $17MM to $21MM per season, but Peter King of Football Morning in America narrows down the number to “at least” $18MM. It sounds like Payton may have had to settle for that amount, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes that the coach was seeking a contract that would pay him around $23MM annually. However, “Denver wasn’t quite comfortable paying that” amount.
- As Dan Graziano points out in that same ESPN article, many assumed that Payton would want full control over player personnel like he had in New Orleans. This leads to natural questions about general manager George Paton‘s job security, and Fowler notes that there’s growing buzz that Payton wants to reunite with Saints vice president/assistant general manager Jeff Ireland. However, during his press conference today, Payton expressed optimism that he’ll mesh with his GM. “I feel like I’ve got good instincts, and I feel like there’s a demeanor with him that reminds me of Mickey (Loomis) in a good way,” he said (via Mike Klis of 9News on Twitter). “Very steady. I’ve always respected the teams that he’s been a part of…There’s this myth I’m this tyrant that has to come in and control everything. I’m like, ‘Where are you guys getting all this stuff from?’ I might be a tyrant once in a while but not a lot. Anyway, I really enjoy his company and it’s worked well so far.”
- King notes that Wilson was a proponent of adding Payton, and the quarterback is looking forward to being coached hard following a disappointing first season in Denver. King points out the height similarities between Wilson and Drew Brees, who had plenty of success under Payton when the two were in New Orleans. In fact, Wilson recently reached out to Brees “to get a preview of coming attractions.”
- In his FMIA article, King notes that Payton won’t be in a rush to find a coordinator and will look for a coach that’s a proper match. While there’s no clarity on additions, we’re getting word on who could be out in Denver. It sounds like tight ends coach Jake Moreland and assistant offensive line coach Ben Steele will not be back next season, per Klis (on Twitter).
Colts QB Matt Ryan Undecided On Future
Matt Ryan‘s first season outside of Atlanta was a disappointment. The Colts benched the veteran QB, and he finished the season with a career-low 14 passing touchdowns and a 2.8 interception percentage, the worst mark since his sophomore campaign. Considering his underwhelming performance and Indy’s ability to pivot to the future at the position, many have wondered if Ryan could decide to hang up his cleats.
During a conversation with ESPN’s Stephen Holder, the 37-year-old acknowledged that he’s undecided on his future, although he did hint that he could still have something left in the tank.
“I still love playing,” Ryan said. “I’m obviously not committed to anything. Got to see how it shakes out. But I still love playing and still feel like, honestly, there’s a lot of good football [left]. So, we’ll see.”
As Holder notes, Ryan’s decision isn’t entirely up to him. The Colts still have the veteran under contract for next season, with $12MM of Ryan’s $29MM compensation already guaranteed. The quarterback could walk away whenever he wants, but it’s in his best interest to see how the Colts proceed. It would be in the Colts’ best financial interest to cut Ryan, which would save them a significant chunk of money. In that scenario, Ryan could still collect his guaranteed money before calling it a career.
“I’m under contract, and until that changes, you kind of go to work,” he said. “There’s a lot that’s going to happen here in the next six, eight weeks, whatever it is. Let’s see.”
On the flip side, the Colts may value Ryan’s veteran presence on the roster, especially if they opt for a top prospect in the draft. After the season, general manager Chris Ballard seemed to reinforce the quarterback’s value to the roster while noting that Ryan wasn’t to blame for the team’s 4-12-1 record.
“[This season] is not an indictment on Matt Ryan,” Ballard said. “Matt Ryan is as professional a player that I’ve ever been around. I still think he’s got something left in his body to play. He’s smart, knows how to play the game.”
Colts Could Name HC After Super Bowl
Another day, another Colts interview. This time around, it’s Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, who is interviewing for Indy’s head coaching position today. The organization’s head coaching search may not be concluding any time soon, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes (on Twitter) that the Colts might not name a head coach until after the Super Bowl.
[RELATED: Poll: Who Will Become Next Colts HC?]
Considering the breadth of Indy’s head coaching search, it’s not a huge surprise that the process may take at least another week. The Colts initially interviewed a league-high 13 candidates for the position, and a good portion of those individuals ended up moving on to the second round. We heard earlier this week that the organization was considering a third round of interviews, although Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star says a third wave “is far from set in stone.” Erickson also points out that a team hasn’t conducted a third round of HC interviews in nearly four decades, meaning Indy’s search could be bordering on unprecedented.
“Be patient and take your time, and make sure we have a thorough interview with everybody,” GM Chris Ballard previously said of the search (via Erickson). “I don’t care if it takes until mid-February to hire the head coach. It’s about getting it right.”
It was assumed that the process was taking so long thanks in part to Jim Irsay‘s insertion into the second round of interviews; the team owner wasn’t involved in the initial wave of meetings. Albert Breer of TheMMQB tweets that Irsay has spent one-on-one time with the current candidates, and the current round has been described as “creative” and long, with some interviews lasting up to 12 hours.
As our 2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, there are currently 10 candidates who have either conducted a second interview or been mentioned as a finalist. This doesn’t include Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who has decided to stay in Dallas.
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/12; in finalist mix
- Rich Bisaccia, special teams coordinator (Packers): Completed second interview
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Conducted second interview 2/1
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Conducted second interview 1/26
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Completed second interview 2/2
- Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Conducted second interview 1/27
- Jeff Saturday, interim head coach (Colts): Conducted second interview 1/25
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): To conduct second interview 2/4
- Bubba Ventrone, special teams coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/11; in finalist mix