Latest On Jon Gruden, Buccaneers
While Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht is expected to remain in place, the “current thinking” is that Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter will be fired, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Former Bucs head coach Jon Gruden is a candidate to return to Tampa Bay, per Florio, and many in league circles are “convinced” the Buccaneers will indeed make a run at Gruden, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.
Gruden, now an ESPN commentator, has been linked to a number of vacancies in recent seasons — including the Rams and Colts during the 2017 hiring cycle — but has always opted to return to the booth. However, Gruden didn’t rule out a return to coaching earlier this year, and has in fact been contacting former assistants regarding their availability, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link).
While Gruden hasn’t been on a sideline in nearly a decade, he’s still only 54 years old. He’s reportedly worked through any issues with the Buccaneers ownership group that would prevent a return to Tampa Bay, and while the club typically waits until after the season to finalize coaching hires, a Gruden addition could occur quickly, reports Pelissero.
In seven seasons with the Buccaneers, Gruden posted a 57-55 record and won a Super Bowl trophy. Prior to leading Tampa Bay, Gruden managed a 38-26 mark with the Raiders.
Latest On Panthers Sale, Jerry Richardson
The Panthers will soon be under new ownership, as incumbent owner Jerry Richardson announced plans to sell the team following the season after revelations surfaced regarding workplace misconduct. Richardson, who allegedly used inappropriate sexual comments and a racial slur, has already ceded day-to-day control of the club to new chief operating officer Tina Becker.
Let’s take a look at the latest on the sale of the Carolina franchise:
- The NFL wants the Panthers to remain in Carolina despite the impending change in ownership, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. “The franchise in Carolina is successful both on the field and from a business perspective as far as community impact,” said NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart. “So we think that it’s very important that franchises, particularly ones that have achieved the success of the Panthers, stay in the market where they’re playing.”
- The league did not pressure Richardson to put the Panthers up for sale, tweets Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal. While that may be the case, it’s difficult to see how any other outcome could have occurred provided the allegations are founded. Given the current climate regarding sexual harassment, Richardson would have likely been forced to give up the Panthers if an investigation proved his accusers are telling the truth.
- Despite the circumstances surrounding the Panthers sale, the NFL’s rules regarding team sales will all remain in effect, per John Kryk of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link). The new controlling owner must have individually own at least 30% of equity and must be approved by three-quarters of the league’s owners. Thus far, Sean “Diddy” Combs and former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo have been mentioned as possible buyers.
- Lockhart also commented on a slew of other issues regarding the Carolina situation, including the fact that the league was not previously aware of several settlements reached between Richardson and his accusers, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. Additionally, Lockhart says the NFL expects “full cooperation” from the Panthers during the sale process, and noted “failure to cooperate has its own set of consequences and potential discipline.”
Breer’s Latest: Texans, Raiders, Bengals
NFL teams searching for new general managers aren’t only looking for evaluators, as Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com writes. Instead, ownership groups want candidates who can not only spot talent, but communicate with staff, engage with each department within the team, and manage personalities. “This job, you can’t just watch tape all day,” an NFC GM told Breer. “You have the equipment guy reporting to you, the video guy reporting to you, you’re managing the roster, working with the cap guy, handling the owner. There’s a difference between being a personnel director and being a GM. They’re different jobs. … And I think with [ex-Panthers GM Dave] Gettleman and [ex-Chiefs/current Browns GM John] Dorsey, it was more, ‘I just wanna watch tape.’”
Let’s take a look at the highlights from the rest of Breer’s column:
- Although Texans head coach Bill O’Brien says he won’t resign his position, it appears “less and less likely” that Houston’s current power structure — which also includes GM Rick Smith — will return in 2018, per Breer. O’Brien is entering the final season of his five-year contract, and given that most head coaches prefer not to work as “lame ducks,” O’Brien’s situation could be resolved this offseason. If he were fired, O’Brien would instantly be attractive to a number of teams that will be looking for new head coaches, according to Breer.
- Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther‘s contract will expire following the 2017 campaign, meaning he’s likely to either replace Marvin Lewis as Cincinnati’s head coach or move to another club as DC, reports Breer. Confirming what Michael Lombardi of the Ringer mentioned earlier this month, Breer notes that Guenther could conceivably be hired by the Redskins, who employ former Bengals OC Jay Gruden as head coach. Cincinnati has finished 14th, 10th, and 17th in defensive DVOA in thee full seasons under Guenther, and currently rank 18th this year.
- Given that the Raiders were one of this season’s greatest disappointments, the club will likely make coaching staff alterations over the next few months, and one such change could be the removal of offensive line coach Mike Tice, per Breer. Tice, a longtime OL instructor and former head coach of the Vikings, is a close friend of Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio, but he’s also considered a “polarizing presence,” says Breer.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/21/17
Today’s workout updates, with all Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle and veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer:
Arizona Cardinals
- WRs Harvey Binford, Rashad Ross, Brandon Zylstra; DBs Jonathon Mincy, Kacy Rodgers (link)
Cincinnati Bengals
- OL Gabe Ikard, Max Rich, Austin Shepherd, Jerry Ugokwe (link)
Cleveland Browns
- RB Kelvin Taylor; DT Jimmy Staten; LB Max Bullough; CBs Makinton Dorleant, Demetrius McCray, Sheldon Price; DBs James Sample, Earl Wolff (link)
Dallas Cowboys
- WRs K.D. Cannon, Dezmin Lewis, Tevaun Smith; LBs Tyrell Adams, Arthur Miley; DBs Jeremy Boykins, Marcus Cromartie, Marqueston Huff, Ezra Robinson (link)
Denver Broncos
- TE Gavin Escobar; DTs Paul Boyette, Will Sutton; LBs Houston Bates, Jayrone Elliott, Connor Harris, Marcus Rush; DBs Rickey Jefferson, Jordan Moore, J.R. Nelson, D’Joun Smith, Malik Smith (link)
Detroit Lions
- CB Jarnor Jones (link via Balzer)
Houston Texans
- DE Kasim Edebali; DT Rickey Hatley; DB Tracy Howard (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- TE Marcus Lucas (link)
New Orleans Saints
- WR Diontae Spencer (link)
New York Giants
- QB Brandon Burge; WR Nick Demski; OL Freddie Burden; DBs Malik Golden, Ed Reynolds (link)
New York Jets
- G Greg Pyke (link via Balzer)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- RB James Summers (link)
San Francisco 49ers
- TE Brandon Barnes; OL Erik Austell; DT Euclid Cummings; LB Chris Casher; CB Shaq Richardson (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- RBs Kalif Phillips, Jalen Simmons (link)
Bears To Shut Down Quintin Demps
Although the Bears designated safety Quintin Demps to return from injured reserve three weeks ago, the club will instead shut down the veteran defensive back for the remainder of the season, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).
Demps suffered a broken arm during the Bears’ Week 3 victory over the Steelers, and was subsequently placed on IR. While the prevailing feeling at the time was that Demps would be a lock to be activated later in the year, he’s now dealing with nerve issues in his arm, per Biggs. Given that the 4-10 Bears aren’t fighting for a postseason berth, the club has evidently decided there’s no reason to further risk Demps’ health.
Demps, 32, inked a three-year, $13.5MM deal that included $4.5MM in the spring after spending the past two seasons with the Texans. Through an admittedly small sample of only two-plus games, Pro Football Focus had ranked Demps as just the 70th-best safety among 82 qualifiers. Given his age and his 2018 cap charge of $4.3MM, Demps could theoretically be a candidate for release this offseason, especially if Chicago attempts to get younger on defense.
Although Demps was designated to return from IR, he was never officially activated to the Bears’ 53-man roster. Therefore, Chicago will not be forced to make a corresponding transaction, as Demps will simply stay on injured reserve.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/17
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted to active roster: OL Kent Perkins
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: LB Deon King
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: G Adam Gettis, CB David Rivers
- Promoted to active roster: S Isaiah Johnson
Indiana WR Simmie Cobbs To Enter Draft
Indiana wide receiver Simmie Cobbs will forgo his fifth season of collegiate eligibility and enter the 2018 NFL draft, as Cobbs himself announced on Twitter earlier today.
Cobbs initially broke out for the Hoosiers during the 2015 campaign, when he posted 60 receptions and averaged 17.3 yards per catch. An ankle injury forced Cobb to take a medical redshirt in 2016, but he posted 841 yards and eight touchdowns during his most recent season while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Cobbs, who stands 6’4″, 200 pounds, is considered one of the more intriguing pass-catching prospects in the 2018 draft. As of November, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report ranked Cobbs as the draft’s fifth-best wide receiver, while USA Today’s Luke Easterling recently placed Cobbs 13th among wideouts. As such, Cobbs is expected to come off the board by the end of Day 2.
Giants To Interview Kevin Abrams On Friday
The Giants will interview interim general manager Kevin Abrams for the club’s full-time position on Friday, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Abrams will become the fourth candidate to interview for the job, joining ex-Panthers GM Dave Gettleman, Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross, and ESPN commentator Louis Riddick.
Abrams, who has spent 16 seasons as the Giants’ assistant general manager, has reportedly been endorsed by former New York GM Ernie Accorsi, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports. Accorsi, who is advising the Giants as they search for a Jerry Reese replacement, also has close ties with Gettleman, who is considered the frontrunner for the vacancy.
The Giants could conceivably retain Abrams as general manager and hire Gettleman with a “personnel chief” title, opines Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Although Garafolo appears to be speculating and not reporting, such an arrangement could make sense. Gettleman’s ouster from Carolina was reportedly tied to his communication issues and gruff style, so assigning more interpersonal issues to Abrams could be a perfect compromise.
Meanwhile, if Riddick is chosen as the Giants’ new GM, he’s expected to attempt to hire Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as the club’s head coach. Riddick and McDaniels were reportedly viewed as a “package deal” during the hiring cycle earlier this year.
Notable 2018 Pro Bowl Incentives/Escalators
The NFL announced the 2018 Pro Bowl rosters earlier tonight, and aside from determining which players will spend a week in Orlando early next year, the rosters also dictate several important bonuses and/or contract escalators for individual players. Former NFL agent and current CBSSports.com contributor Joel Corry has rounded up the notable incentives earned tonight, and we’ll pass those along below. As Corry notes (Twitter link), only first ballot Pro Bowlers who actually participate in the game (unless injured or playing in the Super Bowl) are in bonuses, which are typically paid out by the end of March.
Here are the notable Pro Bowl bonuses and escalators that were preliminarily netted this evening (all links to Corry’s Twitter):
Bonuses
- Ravens S Eric Weddle, $1MM; requires Baltimore in playoffs (link): Still playing like one of the league’s best coverage safeties at the age of 32, Weddle needs the Ravens to land one of the AFC Wild Card slots in order to earn his incentive. Baltimore appears to on course to do just that, as FiveThirtyEight gives the club an 87% of earning a postseason berth. That playoff appearance will be largely due to the Ravens’ defense, which ranks second only to Jacksonville in DVOA.
- Bills S Micah Hyde, $400K (link): Sean McDermott can coach defensive backs. After spending years finding gems at safety for the Eagles and Panthers, the Bills head coach has helped Hyde transform into a top-notch DB. Hyde, who inked a five-year, $30.5MM contract with Buffalo in the spring, ranked a respectable 53rd in Pro Football Focus‘ safety grades a year ago. This season? He’s ninth.
- Raiders G Kelechi Osemele, $300K (link): Under general manager Reggie McKenzie, the Raiders have employed what is often referred to as an “all cash” salary cap management system, wherein prorated signing bonuses are rarely used while base salary guarantees, roster bonuses, and — as evidenced by the number of Oakland players on this list — incentive clauses are heavily employed. Osemele, the league’s highest-paid interior offensive lineman, is signed through 2020 with cap charges north of $10MM in each season.
- Rams K Greg Zuerlein, $250K (link): While the Los Angeles offense garners the most headlines, the club’s special teams unit has maintained its dominance under coordinator John Fassel, who briefly took over as the Rams’ interim head coach in 2016. Fassel, Zuerlein, & Co. have managed a No. 2 ranking in special teams DVOA, while Zuerlein himself has been worth 15.1 points of field position (second in the NFL).
- Raiders T Donald Penn, $200K (link): Penn’s summer holdout lead to extra guarantees in the future, but didn’t end with a change to his 2017 salary, meaning this bonus part of his original deal. The 34-year-old Penn is currently on injured reserve, and will miss his first game since 2007 on Sunday. Still, his renegotiated contract now contains a $3MM guarantee for 2018, meaning he’s likely part of the Raiders’ plans.
- Patriots ST Matthew Slater, $150K (link): Slater has now earned a Pro Bowl berth in every season since 2011. At some point, it’s fair to wonder if Slater is skating by on reputation, as he played only a quarter of the Patriots’ special teams snaps this year. Slater missed more special teams tackles than he made prior to his 2016 berth, tweets Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus.
- Raiders C Rodney Hudson, $100K (link): For all of Oakland’s problems this season, the Raiders have continued to boast some of the NFL’s best pass-blocking offensive lineman. Hudson is the best pass-blocking center in the league by a wide margin, meaning he’s eminently affordable at $8.9MM annually.
Escalators
- Lions CB Darius Slay, $550K base salary increase in 2018 (link): As Corry reports, Slay had three ways to earn this heft escalator — post five or more interceptions (he sits at seven), play on 80% or more of Detroit’s defensive snaps (he’s at 97.6%), or earn a Pro Bowl berth. Slay managed all three in what has become the best season of an increasingly impressive five-year career.
- Eagles T Lane Johnson, $250K base salary increase each season from 2018-21 (link): Depending on Jason Peters‘ health and the Eagles’ plans, Johnson could very well be playing left tackle as soon as 2018. Even with his base salary set to increase, Johnson won’t have a cap charge north of $13.5MM over the life of his contract.
- Eagles G Brandon Brooks, $250K base salary increase each season from 2018-20 (link): General manager Howie Roseman zeroed in on Brooks at the outset of the 2016 free agent period, and the 28-year-old has quickly proved to be one of the best free agent signings in recent memory. Brooks will earn an $8.5MM base salary — the largest during his five-year deal — in 2018.
- Eagles TE Zach Ertz, $250K base salary increase from 2019-21 (link): Per Corry, Ertz also picked up a $100K bonus for 2017. Ertz has already set a career-high in touchdowns (eight) and has a shot to set new marks in receptions and yards even though he missed two games with injury. A former second-round pick, Ertz ranks among the top-five tight ends in catches, yards, and scores.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/19/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Chicago Bears
- WRs Corey Brown, Aaron Dobson, DeVier Posey (link via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM)
Cleveland Browns
- RB Devine Redding; WRs C.J. Board, Devin Lucien; TE Henry Krieger-Coble; CBs T.J. Lee, Jonathon Mincy; S Kenny Ladler (Twitter links)
Detroit Lions
- WRs James Wright, Brandon Zylstra (Twitter links)
Green Bay Packers
- QBs Garrett Fugate, Matt McGloin; WR Jake Kumerow; C Lucas Crowley; LB Jacob Lindsey; CB Manny Asprilla (link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
Indianapolis Colts
- TE Zach Conque; CB Dwayne Thomas (link)
Los Angeles Rams
- CBs Dexter McDougle, Taurean Nixon; S Trey Caldwell (link)
Philadelphia Eagles
- RB Ka’Deem Carey; DE Kasim Edebali; LB Ja’Gared Davis; DBs Lorenzo Jerome, Kenny Ladler, Stefan McClure (link)