Jaguars ST Coordinator Brian Schneider Stepping Away
Months after joining the Jaguars, special teams coordinator Brian Schneider is stepping away indefinitely. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the 50-year-old coach is taking time away from football for personal reasons.
Schneider announced back in September that he was leaving his position as Seahawks special teams coordinator for personal reasons. Following Urban Meyer’s hire in Jacksonville, Schneider agreed to resume coaching and join the Jaguars staff as ST coordinator back in January.
Schneider had been with the Seahawks since 2010. He was apart of nine playoff runs in Seattle, including a 2013 Super Bowl win that saw Percy Harvin return an 87-yard kickoff for a score. During his stint with the Seahawks, the special teams unit consistently ranked toward the top of the league in takeaways, blocked kicks, and touchdowns/safeties scored. He began his coaching career at Colorado State, where he worked with Meyer, and he later spent time with UCLA, Iowa State, USC, and the Raiders.
Former Chargers special teams ace Carlos Polk is currently the Jaguars assistant ST coach, and it’s easy to assume that he’ll step up in Schneider’s absence. Polk previous served as an assistant ST coach with the Chargers, Buccaneers, and Cowboys.
This Date In NFL Transactions History: Giants Acquire K Lawrence Tynes
On this date 14 years ago, the Giants and Chiefs pulled off a trade that probably would have been filed under one of our ‘Minor Transactions’ posts (had PFR existed at the time). While no one knew it at the time, the key player in the trade would ultimately play a major role in both of the Giants Super Bowl runs. On May 22, 2007, the Kansas City Chiefs traded kicker Lawrence Tynes to the Giants for a future seventh-round pick.
The 2001 undrafted free agent out of Troy had to spend a couple of years in the Canadian Football League before finally getting an opportunity with the Chiefs. He spent three years in Kansas City but didn’t do anything miraculous, converting only 78.2-percent of his field goals attempts. He also blew a field goal attempt in a playoff game against the Colts, drawing the ire of head coach Herm Edwards. The organization would later select UCLA’s Justin Medlock in the fifth-round of the draft, leading to Tynes departure.
The Giants seemed like a natural trade partner after losing Jay Feely in free agency, and they were looking for a veteran who could compete with former undrafted free agent Josh Huston. So, on May 22, 2007, the two teams pulled off the transaction, with Kansas City receiving a reported ‘undisclosed’ pick. We later learned that the mystery selection was a 2008 seventh-round pick (which ultimately turned into No. 239), which the Chiefs used on fullback Michael Merritt.
Tynes ended up winning the job for the Giants, and he proceeded to have a career year in 2007. He connected on a career-high 85.2-percent of his field goals, and he converted 40 of his 42 extra point tries. However, the kicker truly inserted himself into Giants lore with his performance in the 2007 postseason. At one point, Tynes was in the doghouse instead of the penthouse; in the NFC Championship Game, he missed a pair of fourth-quarter field goals (although one was on a bad snap), and the game ultimately went to overtime. However, Tynes redeemed himself by making a 47-yarder in overtime to send the Giants to the championship game. Tynes wasn’t the hero of the Super Bowl, but he still converted his one field goal attempt and two extra point attempts, earning himself his first ring.
Tynes missed most of the 2008 season with a knee injury, but he returned to the starting gig the following year. The kicker maintained his 83-percent(ish) field goal percentage in 2009 and 2010, but he started to show some cracks in 2011, missing five of his 24 field goal attempts. During the 2011 postseason, Tynes redeemed himself once again with playoff heroics. He kicked another game-winning field goal (this time against the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game), becoming the only player in NFL history to have a pair of postseason overtime/game-winning field goals. The Giants would again beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl, with the kicker making each of his field goal attempts in that game.
Tynes would spend one more season in New York, making a career-high 33 field goals. He signed with the Buccaneers the following offseason, but he missed the entire season thanks to a toe infection that ultimately led to a lawsuit against the team (if you’re curious, Google ‘Buccaners MRSA’). Tynes ultimately retired after getting released the following offseason.
When this trade was pulled off on May 22, 2007, it probably didn’t catch the attention of many fans. However, with the value of hindsight (and considering Tynes’ penchant for making dramatic overtime field goals in the playoffs), you could argue that this was one of the biggest transactions that influenced the Giants two Super Bowl runs.
RB Nyheim Hines Discusses Future With Colts
Nyheim Hines may be hitting free agency following the 2021 season, but the running back is making it clear that he wants to stay in Indy. Hines told Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star that he wants to play with the Colts for his entire career.
“I hope to play there my entire career, and I hope to establish a legacy where Indianapolis is always going to have that slasher, scat-back, that little fast guy who’s so versatile,” Hines said.
“Contract talks will come when they come. Whatever happens with that happens. My goal is to be the best leader for this team, to be the best player for this team that I can be. I feel like last year I established myself as a leader. Maybe not as much of a vocal leader, but I’m definitely a leader on that team.”
The 2018 fourth-round pick seemed to take a step back in 2019 following a solid rookie campaign. The running back bounced back in 2020, finishing with career-highs across the board, including 862 yards from scrimmage, seven touchdowns, and a team-leading 63 receptions.
The Colts are absolutely loaded at running back, with Hines joining 2020 second-rounder Jonathan Taylor, former 1,000-yard rusher Marlon Mack, and fourth-year pro Jordan Wilkins. While Hines will probably never lead the team in carries, he now understands his role, and that explains his career season in 2020.
“I think I’ve grown the most, just by my mindset,” Hines said. “Going out there, knowing that we have a lot of good players, not knowing when I’m going to touch the ball but just knowing I’m going to be ready. That’s really why I played a lot better last year, I think.”
PFR Poll: Who Will Julio Jones Be Playing For In 2021?
Julio Jones remains on the trade block. We learned earlier today that the star receiver is still available, and the Falcons would like to trade the future Hall of Famer.
While Jones missed a handful of games in 2020, these trade rumors aren’t based on his production…there are few wideouts in the NFL who can compare to Jones’ consistent receiving numbers. Rather, the Falcons are shopping the veteran for financial reasons. The front office is currently sitting with around only $500K in cap space, and they still need to sign their draft class. With Jones earning an AAV around $22MM on his last extension, he’s always seemed like the likeliest cap casualty. GM Terry Fontenot even acknowledged that the team has to consider trading the seven-timer Pro Bowler.
“We are in a difficult cap situation,” Fontenot said. “That’s just the circumstance…Our administration has done an excellent job up to this point getting us in position to be able to manage the cap. Yet, we still have more work to do.
“So, when teams call about any players, we have to listen, and we have to weigh it and we have to determine what’s best for the organization, and we have to handle everything with class. Obviously, that particular player [Jones] — we hold him in high regard. He’s special…but we have to consider [listening on] any player if it’s right for the team, because we have to do what’s right for the team.”
There are some hurdles with a trade, particularly Jones $15.3MM salary for 2021. At this point of the offseason, it’s going to be tough for teams to find the cap room to afford the receiver…and, similar to the Falcons, few teams will want to renegotiate with Jones and pile money onto the later seasons of his contract. As a result, the Falcons reportedly aren’t seeking a first-round pick for the 32-year-old.
So, considering Jones’ talent and the Falcons asking price, a long list of teams have been mentioned as potential suitors for the receiver. So, that leads us to today’s question: who will Jones be playing for come Week 1 of the 2021 season? We provided a handful of candidates below.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Jones ever since the wideout hit the block, and the connection makes plenty of sense. The team hasn’t really filled the hole on their depth chart left by Corey Davis, who signed with the Jets. If the Titans want to continue their postseason momentum, pairing A.J. Brown with Jones would make for one of the best receiver tandems in the league. Plus, new Falcons head coach Arthur Smith had spent the previous decade in Tennessee, so he’d certainly have some good words about the organization if Jones tries to control his own fate.
For what it’s worth, running back Derrick Henry made it abundantly clear on Twitter today that he’d welcome the future Hall-of-Fame receiver to Tennessee.
The downside? The Titans don’t have a whole lot of cap space, so it’d be tough to fit Jones’ massive contract on their books.
Las Vegas Raiders
Jon Gruden has been hunting for a big-name wide receiver since he joined the Raiders organization. He played a role in the infamous acquisition of Antonio Brown, and they used their 2020 first-round pick on Henry Ruggs III. In other words, the head coach would undoubtedly be a supporter of a Jones acquisition. Besides Gruden’s apparent attraction to top wideouts, the team also kind of needs help at the position; their top-three options are currently Ruggs, John Brown, and Hunter Renfrow.
The Raiders still have around $10MM in cap space, so while they’d have to overcome a few financial hurdles to acquire Jones, it certainly wouldn’t be impossible.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have made headlines for revamping their offense this offseason. The team added the two top free agent tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, they acquired Trent Brown to solidify the offensive line, and they drafted Mac Jones to compete with Cam Newton at quarterback. However, the team’s wide receivers are still a bit underwhelming. The team dished out some money on Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, but neither of those players really profile as top-end receivers.
Bill Belichick has seemingly had a love-hate relationship with receiver acquisitions over the years, as he often provided Tom Brady with too many receivers or not enough receivers. The Patriots currently have a clear need for a receiver, and Jones would certainly help their quest to return to the postseason. Plus, the Patriots are currently sitting with $15MM in cap space, which would be almost enough to acquire Jones without any funny cap machinations.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are clearly all-in on this current iteration of this team, as they’ve sacrificed their first-round picks through 2023 in order to snag Trey Lance with the third-overall pick. With that in mind, giving up a handful of non-firsts for a star receiver doesn’t seem like a huge risk when the cupboard is already a bit empty.
Plus, while it remains unseen if Lance or Jimmy Garoppolo will be under center for Week 1, the 49ers could use a player of Jones’ caliber. The team hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Anquan Boldin in 2014, and Jones would provide the starting quarterback with another Pro Bowl talent alongside tight end George Kittle.
The 49ers have more than $17MM in cap space, and they could carve out even more space if they decide to move on from Jimmy G. If any suitor has the financial flexibility to add Jones, it’s San Francisco.
Atlanta Falcons
Financial ramifications aside, keeping Jones in Atlanta also makes plenty of sense. The wideout has established himself as one of the top players in franchise history, he’s been incredibly productive throughout his career, and he’s only played in fewer than 10 games twice (of course, one of those seasons came in 2020). Plus, if the Falcons have any hope of returning to the Super Bowl with Matt Ryan as their starting quarterback, a loaded offense would certainly help. Jones would just be one of the many talented targets in Atlanta, along with former first-round receiver Calvin Ridley and the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft, tight end Kyle Pitts.
We could have listed at least a handful of other teams on this list: the Chargers, Ravens, Colts, and Packers have also been listed as potential suitors (by both pundits and bookies). But for the sake of a tidy poll, we’ll group each of those teams into the “other category.”
So, with all that said, who do you think Julio Jones will be playing with to begin the 2021 campaign? Vote in the accompanying poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
WR Julian Edelman Quiets Buccaneers Connection
Despite Julian Edelman announcing his retirement last month, rumors will continue to persist about a potential reunion with Tom Brady. This theory has always seemed unlikely, but it certainly isn’t impossible. After all, Brady managed to coax Rob Gronkowski out of retirement to join Tampa Bay, and he also recruited Antonio Brown despite the team already having Chris Godwin and Mike Evans on the roster.
So, would anyone really be shocked if Edelman ultimately joined the Buccaneers? Probably not. However, the long-time Patriots receiver did his best to quiet the rumblings during a recent appearance on the Michael Irvin Podcast, stating that he’s a “one-team guy.”
“My knees breaking down, I’m not gonna sit here, you know, I got everything I wanted,” Edelman explained (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “I got three rings, played in a magical dynasty, with an unbelievable franchise coach, best quarterback of all time, like, yo, I’m not a greedy guy. I played to win, I played to compete, I don’t need anything else to prove. I’m good with what I did, I left it all out on the field.”
Edelman was limited to only six games this past season as he dealt with a knee injury, so a potential return would obviously hang on the wideout’s health. Plus, as the 34-year-old noted, there’s not much more he can do to add to his resume; Edelman won three rings and a Super Bowl MVP, and he ranks second all-time in receiving yards and receptions. Assuming his career has come to an end, the former seventh-round pick finished his career with 36 regular-season touchdowns, all via Brady. The future Hall of Famer quarterback has tossed 581 touchdowns during his career, with Edelman ranking third among Brady’s all-time touchdown connections (behind Gronkowski and Randy Moss).
Considering those accolades, will Edelman eventually find him in the Hall of Fame? That’s not a concern to the retired receiver, who noted he’s focused on his new gig as a member of Inside the NFL.
“I’m not here to make a case, man,” Edelman said. “I didn’t play the game to be in the Hall. … It’s an honor to even be mentioned. You know and if something happens, something happens, you know I’m not gonna be worrying about that, I’mma be worrying about my new job here on Inside the NFL.”
Texans Sign WR Taywan Taylor
After signing another quarterback earlier this evening, the Texans continue to add to their offense. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that Houston is signing wide receiver Taywan Taylor to a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum.
[RELATED: Texans Sign QB Jeff Driskel]
The Titans’ 2017 third-round pick showed promise during his first two years in the NFL, including a sophomore season where he hauled in 37 receptions for 466 yards and one touchdown. However, since getting traded to Cleveland in 2019, he’s struggled to see the field. Over the past two years, Taylor has only seen time in six total games and 51 total offensive snaps.
The Texans have a crowded depth chart at wide receiver. The team was already rostering veterans like Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb, and they’ve spent the offseason adding more veterans (like Andre Roberts and Chris Conley) and rookies (including third-rounder Nico Collins). Taylor will be the 13th receiver on Houston’s roster, so it’s going to be an uphill battle for him to make the squad.
Taylor does have some experience on special teams, so he could find another spot to make the roster. He had five tackles for the Titans during his rookie season, and he returned three kickoffs for the Browns in 2019.
Texans Sign QB Jeff Driskel
The Texans QB room is starting to get a bit crowded. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the Texans are signing Jeff Driskel to a one-year deal worth $2.5MM.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the deal includes a $250K signing bonus and a $1MM base salary ($500K guaranteed). Driskel will also earn $30K for each game he’s active, and he has up to $750K in playing-time incentives.
The 2016 sixth-round pick didn’t even make it to the regular season with the 49ers, but he subsequently found a home in Cincinnati. He spent three-plus seasons with the Bengals organization, including a 2018 campaign where he threw six touchdowns vs. only two interceptions in nine games (five starts). He started three games filling in for Matthew Stafford in Detroit during the 2019 season, and he started one of his three games for Denver in 2020.
In total, the 28-year-old has seen time in 15 career games (nine starts), completing 58.6-percent of his passes for 2,120 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
While Driskel got a chunk of change from Houston, it’s not a foregone conclusion that he’ll even make the Texans roster. Following Deshaun Watson‘s trade request and subsequent legal issues, the organization has been busy adding to their uncertain depth chart. Free agent addition Tyrod Taylor is expected to start (assuming Watson is sidelined), and 2021 third-round pick Davis Mills will surely make the roster. This means Driskel will likely be competing with free agent addition (and former teammate) Ryan Finley for a spot on the roster.
This Date In Transactions History: Broncos, Panthers Swap Punters
It’s not everyday we get a punter trade; per ProFootballReference, there have been four trades involving punters since 1994. On May 19, 2005, we hit the jackpot of punter-centric trades, as a pair of punters were LITERALLY TRADED FOR EACH OTHER.
That’s right: on this date 16 years ago, the Panthers sent Todd Sauerbrun to the Broncos, with Denver sending Jason Baker and a future seventh-round pick to Carolina (a selection that eventually turned into defensive end Stanley McClover).
At the time, this move seemed like a clear win for Denver. Sauerbrun, a former second-round pick, earned three-straight All-Pro nods between 2001 and 2003, and he set a number of Panthers punting records during his four years with the organization. However, by 2005, the veteran had worn out his welcome in Carolina. During the 2004 campaign, he publicly complained about his contract’s weight-limit clauses, he was cited for driving under the influence, and he was investigated for allegedly receiving steroids. So, by May of 2005, it wasn’t some giant revelation that Sauerbrun was on the trade block; the team had even made it clear that they’d just cut the punter in June.
Considering the Broncos special teams struggles, they emerged as a clear suitor. However, in the days leading up to 5/19/2005, there was some doubts that a deal would get done. Sauerbrun requested that the Broncos convert some of his base salary into a signing bonus, something that stalled the trade negotiations between the two front offices. However, the two sides ultimately pulled off the transaction.
While the Broncos proceeded to go 13-3 in 2005, Sauerbrun didn’t necessarily provide the consistency they were seeking. The veteran’s 43.8 yards per punt and touch back percentage were among the worst of his career, although he somewhat redeemed himself in the postseason when he forced a fumble on an Ellis Hobbs‘ kickoff return. The punter didn’t see the field for Denver during the 2006 season, and following a two-game stint with New England, he rejoined Denver in 2007 before calling it a career.
While the Panthers let go of a Pro Bowler in the trade, they ended up acquiring a future standout in the process. After having spent time with five different teams during his first four seasons in the NFL, Baker would proceed to spend the next eight seasons in Carolina following the trade. During that time, Baker set a number of his own franchise records, including punts (570) and punting yards (25,064). Baker also briefly held the distinction of being the NFL’s highest-paid punter.
We know, we know: punters don’t elicit a whole lot of excitement. However, when it comes to punter trades (especially a punter-for-punter trade), this one is hard to bear.
Broncos Add Kelly Kleine, Roman Phifer To Front Office
The Broncos have been busy adding to their front office in recent days. Earlier this week, the organization announced that they’ve hired Kelly Kleine as Executive Director of Football Operations/Special Advisor to the General Manager and Roman Phifer as Senior Personnel Executive.
In her new role, Kleine is expected to be involved in every aspect of the organization’s day-to-day operations, especially in regards to pro and college scouting. She will also be “the primary liaison for the team’s football operations,” and she’ll oversee the video and equipment departments. As the team website notes, Kleine is believed to be the “highest ranking female in scouting in the history of the league.”
Kleine had spent the previous 10 years with the Vikings, including the past two as Manager of Player Personnel/College. Albert Breer of SI.com writes that Vikings GM Rick Spielman wanted to retain Kleine, but the opportunity was too good to reject. In Denver, she will report directly to George Paton, with the two having previously worked alongside each other during their stints in Minnesota. Tory Renck of Denver7 tweets that the GM had been looking to hire Klein since January.
Phifer won three Super Bowls during a 15-year NFL career. Following his retirement, he spent some time as a Broncos coach before joining UCLA as the football program’s director of player development. Phifer had been with the Detroit Lions since 2018, serving as the team’s West Coast Area Scout. In Denver, the 53-year-old is expected to split his time between Denver and the road.
Bears Sign LB Austin Calitro
Austin Calitro is heading to Chicago. The free agent linebacker is signing with the Bears, the organization announced this evening (via the team’s Twitter).
Calitro bounced around the NFL a bit to begin his career; the 2017 undrafted free agent out of Villanova spent his rookie campaign with four different teams (Jets, 49ers, Seahawks, and Browns). Seattle gave the linebacker another chance in 2018, and Calitro established himself as a legitimate NFL linebacker. He appeared in all 16 games during that 2018 season (with five starts), compiling 45 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and three tackles for loss.
He got into 13 games with the Jaguars in 2019, finishing with 40 tackles and one sack. He caught on with Denver for the 2020 season, and while he appeared in 13 total games, he finished with only three tackles while playing exclusively on special teams.
The Bears will likely turn to Calitro on special teams, but the 27-year-old also has an opportunity to play on defense. Roquan Smith, Danny Trevathan, and backup Christian Jones seem set atop the depth chart, but Calitro will compete with the likes of Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Josh Woods, and Caleb Johnson for backup reps.
To make room on the roster, the Bears waived wideout Reggie Davis (via the team’s website). The Georgia product spent most of the 2020 campaign on Chicago’s practice squad.