Richard Sherman Released From Jail
Following yesterday’s arrest, Richard Sherman was released from jail this evening without bail, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (via Twitter). Sherman doesn’t face any felony charges, but the judge still found probable cause on four offenses (via ESPN): “misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass in the second degree and malicious mischief in the third degree — both carrying domestic violence designations — and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and driving under the influence.”
The judge declined to set bail, describing Sherman as a “pillar of the community” while observing that this was the athlete’s first arrest. The judge set several conditions, including no contact with Sherman’s father-in-law, no use of alcohol or nonprescription drugs, and no possession of a weapon. Sherman’s next hearing is set for Friday.
As CBS Sports Legal Analyst Amy Dash notes on Twitter, Sherman is unlikely to see any additional jail time. As a result of the misdemeanor charges and the player’s lack of criminal history, it’s more likely that Sherman strikes a deal that sees him going on “probation with conditions, community service, and a program.”
The ESPN report provides a few more details on Wednesday morning’s arrest. Officers were reportedly “cautious about arresting Sherman because of his size, strength and belligerence,” and they ultimately released a police dog that caused a minor cut on the player’s ankle. Further, back in February, prosecutors ordered an “extreme risk protection order,” which prevented Sherman from possessing guns after it was determined the 33-year-old was a danger to himself and others. Sherman’s wife later told police that her husband had been using antidepressants and was receiving counseling.
An NFL spokesman previously confirmed that Sherman could face discipline from the league depending on the outcome of the case (Twitter link). Today’s developments would likely bode well for Sherman’s chances of avoiding a suspension.
Poll: Who Will Be First Head Coach To Lose Their Job?
We know, we know…it’s probably a bit early to speculate about the job security of NFL head coaches. However, let’s not forget Bum Phillips‘ famous (supposed) quote: “There’s two kinds of coaches, them that’s fired and them that’s gonna be fired.”
[RELATED: The Longest-Tenured Head Coaches In The NFL]
Even with the start of the NFL season more than a month away, a handful of head coaches already find themselves on the hot seat. Nowadays, it isn’t all that hard to determine which head coaches are at risk of losing their jobs. You can pretty much remove the 12 first- and second-year coaches, and you can definitely remove the successful, long-term coaches (the likes of Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, etc.).
That leaves about 15 coaches with at least two years of tenure but fewer than eight years of tenure (yes, we chose eight to shoehorn Andy Reid into the “definitively safe” section but not the likes of Mike Zimmer). Have those coaches had successful teams? You can remove them from the list. Have those coaches continually shown improvement? You can probably remove them from the list, too. Have those coaches’ teams disappointed or underwhelmed, especially recently? Ding ding ding…those are the coaches on the hot seat.
As we all know, those on the hot seat either redeem themselves and save their jobs or…ultimately get canned. So, that brings us to today’s question: which head coach will be fired first? We used Bovada’s top-three options below, but we’d like to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Matt Nagy, Bears
Following a 12-4 campaign to begin his coaching career, Nagy found his seat getting a bit warm following a disappointing 8-8 campaign in 2019. The former Chiefs offensive coordinator didn’t do a whole lot to inspire confidence in 2020. The team finished 8-8 for a second-straight season, and the former QB whisperer found his passing offense ranking in the bottom-half of the NFL in most categories.
The Bears finally bailed on Mitchell Trubisky this past offseason, and they added a pair of QBs to replace him: veteran Andy Dalton and first-round pick Justin Fields. With a solid defense that’s in win-now mode, Nagy will have to get something out of one of these signal-callers if he hopes to retain his job. Considering Dalton’s recent play and Fields’ inexperience, things are looking bleak.
Zac Taylor, Bengals
It’s easy to put an asterisk on the Bengals’ 2020 campaign following the season-ending injury to Joe Burrow, but there’s no denying that Taylor’s staff has now collected an ugly 6-25-1 record through two seasons. There’s really nowhere to go but up for the head coach, but even if the Bengals improve their record in 2021, the team would still have to pass the smell test. Specifically, we should expect the offensive guru to guide Burrow and the rest of the offense to at least an above-average performance, and it’d be encouraging if the defense was able to show some progress after finishing as one of the worst units in the league in 2020.
As we saw with Marvin Lewis, the Bengals organization values continuity. It’s hard to envision the team not giving Taylor at least another full season, but if the team is unable to show any improvement over 2020, then the 38-year-old could find himself without a job.
Vic Fangio, Broncos
There are a number of things working against Fangio and his future in Denver. For starters, he hasn’t done a whole lot during his two seasons at the helm, leading the team to a 12-20 record. Making it worse, the team took a clear step back in 2020, and with a questionable roster on paper, it’s hard to envision the Broncos getting a whole lot better in 2021.
Next, GM George Paton was only recently hired, so he surely won’t be feeling pressure throughout the 2021 season. However, a disappointing campaign could change things. In that hypothetical, you can bet the executive would be looking to right the ship immediately, and that would probably start with the head coach.
The final factor is the uncertain status of Broncos ownership. If the team is ultimately sold, the new owners would presumably be looking to clean house, at least from an on-field perspective. That means Fangio would surely be handed his walking papers, even if the team did show some progress in 2021.
For reference, the next four head coaches listed by Bovada are Jon Gruden (Raiders), Mike Zimmer (Vikings), Matt LaFleur (Packers), and Mike McCarthy (Cowboys). Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Latest On Damien Harris, Patriots RB Depth
Per usual, the Patriots running back room is getting a bit crowded. However, while Bill Belichick and co. will traditionally shake up their depth chart based on performance and opponents, ESPN’s Mike Reiss believes the hierarchy is already set heading into training camp. According to the writer, Damien Harris is the “surefire No. 1 option” at the moment
Harris, a 2019 third-round pick, barely played during his rookie campaign, but he took on more responsibility during the 2020 season. The Alabama product ended up finishing the campaign with 743 yards from scrimmage on only 142 carries. Best of all, the 5-foot-11 running back doesn’t appear to be a flash in the pan, as Belichick was quick to praise the 24-year-old last month.
“Damien works extremely hard at all phases — certainly his conditioning and training, running game, passing game, protection, route running, catching the ball,” Belichick said (via Reiss) “He’s got a lot of skill and he can contribute in a variety of ways, and he’s looking to upgrade where he is in every area.”
While Harris seems to have a firm hold on the starting gig, the rest of the depth chart is still a bit uncertain. As Reiss notes, the only other running back who’s (basically) guaranteed to make the roster is fourth-round rookie Rhamondre Stevenson. Elsewhere, pass-catching veteran James White will probably retain his role for at least another year, J.J. Taylor is inexpensive and should serve as a “spark plug,” and Brandon Bolden has established himself as a special teams ace. This means that former first-round pick Sony Michel could find himself on the outside looking in, especially if the Patriots decide to hang on to one of their younger, less expensive alternatives.
Latest On Future Of Broncos Ownership
The lawsuit filed by two of late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen‘s daughters has been dismissed, per Mike Klis of 9News.com. The trial was intended to clarify and finalize Bowlen’s estate, including the future ownership status of the Broncos organization.
[RELATED: Peyton Manning Discusses Potential Future Role With Broncos]
Following Pat Bowlen’s death, it was widely assumed that Brittany Bowlen would be the one of Bowlen’s seven children to take over ownership of the franchise. Brittany Bowlen seemingly had the support of the Pat Bowlen Trust, a group that includes Broncos CEO Joe Ellis. However, two of Pat’s daughters from an earlier marriage, Amie Klemmer and Beth Bowlen Wallace, filed a lawsuit challenging their father’s mental capacity to approve the Trust. The lawsuit specifically names Ellis, Broncos executive Rich Slivka, and attorney Mary Kelly as members of the Trust who influenced Pat Bowlen’s decision.
We learned recently that the trial had been vacated after both sides filed a joint motion. Today’s development was the natural next step, although we haven’t heard any word about a potential settlement. Klemmer and Wallace previously stated that selling the organization could be the only resolution; while there’s a chance that the dismissed trial means they’re effectively conceding that Brittany Bowler will take over ownership, it could also hint that a sale is imminent.
In a statement to 9News, Ellis didn’t seem to hint at one particular route, but he did seem to imply that the two sides are still working towards a resolution:
“Regarding the future of the Denver Broncos’ organization, our No. 1 priority remains a timely, responsible and orderly determination of ownership,” Klis said. “There are no changes with the operation of the team, which is completely focused on a successful 2021 season.”
Latest On Unsigned Third-Round Picks
A significant number of third-round picks have yet to ink their rookie contracts, and SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan has a potential explanation. The reporter tweets that these rookies’ agents are requesting a fully compensated four-year deal.
Specifically, agents want to max out base salaries (while adhering to the 25-percent limit). Front offices apparently aren’t giving in; there are currently 26 unsigned third-round picks (h/t to John Glennon of Broadway Sports on Twitter). For comparison’s sake, there are eight unsigned second-round picks and zero unsigned fourth-round picks.
This trend may have been inspired by Nico Collins. The Texans rookie wideout ended up inking the “fully compensated” four-year deal. The Michigan product was the 25th pick of the third round (No. 89 overall), so it’s easy to assume that most of the players taken before Collins are pushing for a similar contract.
That 25-percent rule is the true crux of the staring contests between teams and agents. Per NFL.com, the rule states that “[u]nless a player’s base salary is set at the minimum every year, no team can sign a player to a contract that would give him a raise of more than 25 percent annually. So, the second year of the contract can’t provide a salary more than 25 percent of the first year, and after that, each subsequent year can’t offer an increase of more than 25 percent of his previous year’s salary.” The difference between that aforementioned “minimum” third-round contract and the hypothetical “maximum” third-round contract is about $500K for the life of the contract, a significant sum at that point in the draft.
Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin Unlikely To Sign Long-Term Deal
There’s less than 24 hours to go until the deadline to sign franchised players, and it sounds like the Buccaneers and Chris Godwin won’t agree to a long-term pact. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the two sides are not expected to agree on a long-term deal before tomorrow. However, Rapoport clarifies that the organization still considers Godwin a “core player” and intends to re-sign him to a long-term deal next offseason.
This certainly isn’t the first time that the Buccaneers have found themselves in this scenario. As Rapoport tweets, the front office previously went through a similar situation with Shaq Barrett, who they finally ended up extending this past offseason. In other words, the lack of progress on an extension shouldn’t be a cause for concern regarding Godwin’s future in Tampa Bay.
There have been conflicting reports about negotiations since Godwin was slapped with the franchise tag earlier this offseason. In fact, we heard just last night that the two sides could still agree on a long-term pact prior to the deadline, but it sounds like that ultimately won’t be the case.
There have always been a few complications surrounding a Godwin extension. For starters, after dishing out a bunch of cash to retain their Super Bowl-winning core, the Buccaneers are a bit strapped for cash at the moment, making it tough to carve out the necessary space to sign Godwin. Kenny Golladay was able to earn $18MM this offseason from the Giants, a number that Godwin would presumably be pushing for. For what it’s worth, Godwin’s tag is worth $15.9MM.
The former third-round pick has just one 1,000-yard season on his resume, but the Bucs did not make him a full-time player until they traded DeSean Jackson after the 2018 season. Godwin blew up for 1,333 yards and nine touchdown receptions in 2019. Although he encountered multiple injuries last season, the Penn State product still surpassed 800 yards and remains an essential part of Tampa Bay’s loaded skill-position corps.
Peyton Manning Discusses Potential Future Role With Broncos
Despite spending only four seasons in Denver, Peyton Manning established himself as a Broncos legend, with the QB guiding the organization to four division titles, two Super Bowl appearances, and one Super Bowl championship.
Since Manning decided to retire following the 2015 campaign, the Hall of Famer has still maintained a consistent presence within the organization, leading some to wonder if he’d ultimately take a role in the Broncos’ front office. While Manning has yet to officially rejoin the organization, he told Mike Klis of 9News in Denver that he’d certainly be interested in an official reunion.
“I am as interested in what’s going to happen as anybody because I care about it,” Manning said.“…I’ve gone on a year-to-year basis in this 2nd chapter. I’m going to try to do this, this year. I don’t go past that because you try different things and maybe you like it, maybe you don’t. I will always be a part of the Broncos and Colts organizations in some way. But I’m interested in what’s going to happen. I haven’t said no to anything officially forever. I’ve just said no to some things each year. The next year, maybe things change. So, who knows what will happen in that.”
Specifically, Manning was referring to the current squabble in Denver regarding ownership. We heard recently that the trial between several of the children of late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen‘s is off, and it could ultimately result in a sale of the organization. Manning would presumably prefer to see how that ordeal is resolved before he commits to an official role, but it certainly sounds like he’s receptive to some kind of gig down the road.
“A Couple Of Teams” Interested In FA DB Michael Thomas
Veteran defensive back Michael Thomas was limited to only nine games in 2020 thanks to a pectoral injury, but the former Pro Bowler told Aaron Wilson that he’s been fully cleared by Dr. James Andrews.
“I feel amazing,” Thomas said (via Wilson on Twitter). “The pec is feeling good, my body feels healthy. Texans, whoever, come get me. My agent told me a couple of teams have been poking around. I would love to go back with the Texans. We’ll see.”
Thomas inked a one-year deal with Houston this past offseason, and he collected 16 tackles in nine games before suffering a torn pectoral in late November. The defensive back later underwent season-ending surgery, but it sounds like the 31-year-old is now fully recovered. Teams searching for secondary and/or special teams depth would surely consider adding the veteran to their depth chart.
The 2012 undrafted free agent out of Stanford has put together a very solid NFL career. Following a stint with the 49ers to kick off his professional career, Thomas ended up spending five seasons with the Dolphins, starting 25 of his 56 games. He got a two-year deal from the Giants prior to the 2018 campaign, and he earned his lone Pro Bowl nod that season after compiling 59 tackles, one sack, and two picks.
Latest On FA OL Russell Okung
Free agent offensive tackle Russell Okung continues to pursue a respectable contract offer. If that offer doesn’t materialize, Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com believes that veteran could sit out next season. As the reporter writes, Okung doesn’t appear to be ” so desperate to play in 2021 that he’ll sign a below-market deal.”
Back in May, Okung seemed to indicate that teams weren’t willing to pay him what he was seeking. In response to an ESPN article that floated the Steelers as a potential suitor, Okung tweeted that Pittsburgh “cannot afford” him. If the lineman continues to receive those (perceived) underwhelming offers, he could find himself at home for the entirety of the 2021 season.
Okung apparently mulled retirement last summer, but he still played with the Panthers in 2020. He was limited to only seven games, all of which he started at left tackle for Carolina, and he only played in six in 2019 with the Chargers. He’s appeared in 131 games since getting drafted by the Seahawks sixth overall back in 2010, and has started all of them. A two-time Pro Bowler, Okung is capable of being a very solid starter when healthy and at 32 should have something left in the tank physically. Blood clots in his lungs were what limited him in 2019, and his recent injury history is a bit concerning.
It’s been relatively quiet for the 32-year-old. We heard back in March that the Chiefs had checked in on the lineman.
Falcons GM Was Against Matt Ryan Restructuring
Back in March, the Falcons managed to carve out some cap space by restructuring the contract of Matt Ryan. However, it sounds like at least one member of the front office wasn’t a proponent of the move. According to Tori McElhaney of The Athletic, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot “didn’t really want to make” the move.
Fontenot was brought in as GM in January, and the organization needed some immediate breathing room to participate in the early parts of the offseason. While the Ryan restructuring reduced the quarterback’s cap number to $14MM, it also converted $21MM of Ryan’s $23MM upcoming base salary into future signing bonuses (spread out over the duration of his contract). The means Fontenot will have to once again deal with a muddled cap sheet next offseason, which was something he was presumably looking to avoid.
According to the writer, the recently hired GM ultimately “thought his hands were tied,” and he believed the team’s only solution to opening some necessary cap space was to either restructure Ryan or cut Deion Jones. Ultimately, the organization decided to rework Ryan’s contract, the fourth time the quarterback has restructured his mega-deal. Ryan will now have cap hits north of $40MM in 2022 and 2023.
The team (temporarily) committed to Ryan when they decided to not select a quarterback during this past year’s draft. Considering the money that’s owed to Ryan over the next few years, the team will likely be stuck with the veteran. Ryan hasn’t made a Pro Bowl since 2018, but he’s still completed 65.6-percent of his passes while averaging 26 touchdowns vs. 12.5 sacks over the past two years. Ryan won’t have one of his favorite targets with Julio Jones out of the picture, but the team still added tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 pick to pair with 2020 second-team All-Pro Calvin Ridley.