PFR Originals: 3/12/17 – 3/19/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- The first wave of free agency is in the books, but there are still plenty of high-quality players left on the board. Zach Links took a look at the best players remaining on the offensive side of the ball, a list that includes Jay Cutler, Adrian Peterson, and Jamaal Charles, while I examined the unsigned players on defense, including Johnathan Hankins, Dwight Freeney, and Zach Brown.
- The Saints are reportedly working on contract terms for Patriots restricted free agent corner Malcolm Butler, leading Zach to outline all the scenarios that could come into play between the two teams. As Zach details, it seems unlikely New Orleans would sacrifice their No. 11 overall pick by signing Butler to an offer sheet, so a less-costly trade is probably the preferable way of getting Butler to the Saints.
- Coaching staff alterations are often forgotten by the time free agency rolls around, but those move shouldn’t be overlooked. As such, I put together a list of 2017’s major coaching changes which tracks all head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator adjustments.
Dolphins Still Expected To Cut Dion Jordan
Former third overall selection Dion Jordan has been expected to be released for some time, and though he’s currently still on the Dolphins roster, Miami still plans to cut ties with the mercurial defensive end at some point before the regular season begins, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
[RELATED: Dolphins Inquired On Johnathan Hankins]
Jordan, 27, has missed the entirety of the past two seasons due to suspension and injury, and has only started one game in his career. Drafted at No. 3 thanks to his impressive combination of size and speed, Jordan now weighs around 275 pounds (if he’s in shape), and as one Miami coach tells Salguero, simply can’t run anymore. Not only does Jordan lack “explosion,” but he’s dealing with some sort of non-football “issue” that the Dolphins staff won’t discuss in detail, per Salguero.
The Dolphins were expected to target defensive ends this offseason, and while they’ve re-signed Andre Branch and traded for William Hayes, Miami is still likely to spend a relatively high pick on an edge player, reports Salguero. That selection is “very likely” to come in the first round, per Salguero, meaning the Fins could target someone like Derek Barnett (Tennessee), T.J. Watt (Wisconsin), or Carl Lawson (Auburn) at pick No. 22.
If and when Jordan is cut, the Dolphins will save more than $3MM in cap space.
Saints Had Interest In CB A.J. Bouye
The Saints expressed interest in cornerback A.J. Bouye during the NFL’s two-day legal tampering period, according to Herbie Teope of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link). It’s unclear how aggressively New Orleans pursued Bouye after that stretch, and Bouye eventually agreed to a five-year deal with the Jaguars.
Despite ranking 29th in DVOA against the pass in 2016, the Saints haven’t yet added a corner in free agency, but given that the club targeted Bouye (and Marcus Cooper) last week, it’s clear New Oreans is attempting to augment its secondary. The Saints haven’t given up on bringing in new defensive back talent, as the team is currently engaged in discussions with Patriots restricted free agent corner Malcolm Butler.
While the Saints have been active this offseason by signing Nick Fairley, Larry Warford, Ted Ginn, A.J. Klein, and others, Bouye would have been a much more significant addition, as the former Texans cornerback landed $67.5MM and $26MM guaranteed from Jacksonville. New Orleans was reportedly interested in the top available corner in 2016, as well, as the club targeted Josh Norman after his franchise tag was rescinded.
North Notes: Vikes, Lions, Bengals, Packers
While the Vikings made contact with free agent Andre Holmes before he signed with the Bills, Minnesota “never got serious” about inking the veteran pass-catcher, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. The Lions had also been mentioned as a potential suitor for Holmes (and even had him in for a visit), but Detroit likely bowed out because Anquan Boldin may re-sign for the 2017 campaign, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
Here’s more from the NFC North:
- Boldin has already indicated he’ll return for a 15th NFL season, but he may not sign with a club until later this summer, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com details. After leading the Lions with eight receiving touchdowns in 2016, a return to Detroit seems likely. But given that he’s now 36 years old and prefers his own workout routine, Boldin will likely hold off on inking a new deal so he can bypass team-mandated training sessions, per Rothstein. Boldin ranks as PFR’s No. 4 free agent wide receiver, behind Kamar Aiken, Victor Cruz, and Brian Quick.
- Before the two sides came together on a deal, the Bengals and Kevin Minter debated what linebacker position he would play in Cincinnati’s 4-3 scheme, writes Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Minter seems likely to play both middle and strong-side ‘backer, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, who writes Cincinnati inked Minter with an eye towards retaining compensatory picks. As I hinted at in PFR’s post on the signing, Minter’s addition could ultimately lead to the release of veteran LB Rey Maualuga.
- New Packers cornerback Davon House agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.8MM, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. House, now in his second go-round with Green Bay, will earn $850K guaranteed (all signing bonus) and has a base salary of $1.5MM. Meanwhile, another $350K in per-game roster bonuses and $150K in workout bonuses are also available.
2017’s Major NFL Coaching Changes
Because most NFL coaching changes happen in January, those moves can often be overshadowed by the postseason and – subsequently – the major moves that teams makes in free agency. However, those coaching changes shouldn’t be overlooked.
A year ago, 13 of the league’s 32 teams made changes at at least one of their head coach, offensive coordinator, or defensive coordinator spots, and many of these hirings turned into major stories throughout the 2016 season. New head coaches Adam Gase and Ben McAdoo led the Dolphins and Giants, respectively, to the postseason in their first go-rounds in charge, while new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph leveraged his one-year stint as a play-caller to become the next Broncos head coach.
Which new coaches could make a similar impact this year? We may have to wait to find out, but there are certainly plenty of candidates. The full breakdown of 2017’s major coaching changes from around the league is below:
Head coaches:
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Sean McDermott to replace Rex Ryan / Anthony Lynn (interim).
- Denver Broncos: Hired Vance Joseph to replace Gary Kubiak.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Retained Doug Marrone (interim) to replace Gus Bradley.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Hired Anthony Lynn to replace Mike McCoy.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired Sean McVay to replace Jeff Fisher / John Fassel (interim).
- San Francisco 49ers: Hired Kyle Shanahan to replace Chip Kelly.
Offensive coordinators:
- Atlanta Falcons: Hired Steve Sarkisian to replace Kyle Shanahan.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Rick Dennison to replace Anthony Lynn.
- Denver Broncos: Hired Mike McCoy to replace Rick Dennison.
- Houston Texans: Head coach Bill O’Brien will call plays, replacing George Godsey.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Retained interim OC Nathaniel Hackett.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired Matt LaFleur to replace Rob Boras.
- Minnesota Vikings: Retained interim OC Pat Shurmur.
- New York Jets: Hired John Morton to replace Chan Gailey.
- Oakland Raiders: Promoted Todd Downing to replace Bill Musgrave.
- Washington Redskins: Promoted Matt Cavanaugh to replace Sean McVay.
Defensive coordinators:
- Atlanta Falcons: Promoted Marquand Manuel to replace Richard Smith.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Leslie Frazier to replace Dennis Thurman.
- Carolina Panthers: Promoted Steve Wilks to replace Sean McDermott.
- Cleveland Browns: Hired Gregg Williams to replace Ray Horton.
- Denver Broncos: Promoted Joe Woods to replace Wade Phillips.
- Houston Texans: Promoted Mike Vrabel to replace Romeo Crennel.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Hired Gus Bradley to replace John Pagano.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired Wade Phillips to replace Gregg Williams.
- Miami Dolphins: Promoted Matt Burke to replace Vance Joseph.
- San Francisco 49ers: Hired Robert Saleh to replace Jim O’Neil.
- Washington Redskins: Promoted Greg Manusky to replace Joe Barry.
Special teams coordinators:
- Denver Broncos: Hired Brock Olivo to replace Joe DeCamillis.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Hired Joe DeCamillis to replace Mike Mallory.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Hired George Stewart to replace Craig Aukerman.
- New Orleans Saints: Hired Brad Banta to replace Greg McMahon.
- San Francisco 49ers: Hired Richard Hightower to replace Derius Swinton.
Other 2016 OCs, DCs with new jobs:
- Baltimore Ravens: Hired former Bills OC Greg Roman as senior offensive assistant/tight ends coach.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired former Rams OC Rob Boras as tight ends coach.
- Denver Broncos: Hired former Raiders OC Bill Musgrave as quarterbacks coach.
- Detroit Lions: Hired former Texans OC George Godsey as defensive assistant/special projects.
- Houston Texans: Promoted former DC Romeo Crennel to assistant head coach/defense.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Hired former Falcons DC Richard Smith as linebackers coach.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired former Redskins DC Joe Barry as assistant head coach/linebackers.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired former Jaguars OC Greg Olson as quarterbacks coach.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired former Chargers DC John Pagano as assistant head coach/defense.
Bengals Sign Kevin Minter
The Bengals announced the signing of linebacker Kevin Minter on Monday morning. It’s a one-year deal worth roughly $4.5MM, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter links). While the Bengals were willing to give Minter a lengthier contract, Minter wants the opportunity to hit the 2018 free agent market, tweets Owczarski.
Searching for a linebacker to join the club’s incumbent crop after losing Karlos Dansby to the Cardinals, Cincinnati met with both Minter and fellow free agent Keenan Robinson over the past week. Minter, who now becomes the second external free agent signed by the Bengals (joining Andre Smith), will vie for playing time along with Vontaze Burfict, Vincent Rey, Nick Vigil, and — for now — Rey Maualuga.
Minter, 26, ranked as PFR’s No. 22 overall free agent, but didn’t quite see his market develop as expected. While Minter had expressed a desire to reunite with former Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles in New York, only the Colts and Bengals had invited Minter for a visit since the free agent period opened. In PFR’s most recent positional power rankings, Minter placed second at linebacker behind only Zach Brown.
Minter has started all 32 games over the past two seasons, and played the most snaps (1,003) of any Cardinals linebacker in 2016. In that time, he racked up 81 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and four passes defensed while grading as the league’s No. 25 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.
Latest On Jets’ Offer To Dont’a Hightower
The Jets offered linebacker Dont’a Hightower a deal with a maximum value of $62.5MM over five years, but grew reticent after seeing the results of Hightower’s physical, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
While New York didn’t officially drop out of the running for Hightower after the physical was concluded, it essentially ceded negotiations to the Patriots, who re-signed Hightower on a four-year pact worth $35.5MM. For what it’s worth, Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link) says the Jets did in fact pull their offer to Hightower after his examination.
The base value of the Jets’ proposal was $55MM, reports Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, while the max value could have only been attained had Hightower played in every game and made the Pro Bowl in every year of the duration of the deal. At present, it’s not clear exactly what details of Hightower’s physical bothered the Jets, but as Cimini details, Hightower has dealt with recent knee and shoulder injuries.
Ultimately, Hightower’s Patriots contract will pay him roughly $1.25MM less per year than would the Jets’ offer.
Jets To Host Josh McCown
The Jets will meet with free agent quarterback Josh McCown on Friday and Saturday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reported earlier this week Gang Green had reached out to McCown.
McCown is now entering his age-38 season and hasn’t been able to stay healthy in recent seasons, but he’d be able to give the Jets some level of competency at the quarterback position. Geno Smith, who may have been an option for New York, signed with the crosstown rival Giants earlier today. The Jets have also been linked to free agent Jay Cutler and a host of draft prospects as they seek to upgrade under center.
Appearing in five games (three starts) for the Browns in 2016, McCown completed 54.5% of his attempts for 1,100 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions. He’s also drawn interest from the Cowboys this offseason, and took a visit to Dallas earlier this month.
Bears To Sign John Jenkins
The Bears have agreed to sign free agent defensive tackle John Jenkins, his agent Sunny Shah tweets. It’s a one-year deal, according to ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson (on Twitter). 
Jenkins, 27, met with Chicago on Thursday and was scheduled to take a meeting with the Colts, as well, but the Bears got Jenkins under contract before he was able to leave for Indianapolis. At 6’4″, 346 pounds, Jenkins will play nose tackle in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio‘s 3-4 defense. He’ll presumably rotate with Eddie Goldman in that role, joining a defensive line that also includes Akiem Hicks, Mitch Unrein, Jonathan Bullard, Will Sutton, and Ego Ferguson.
After being waived by the Saints last season, Jenkins was claimed by the Seahawks and ultimately played in two regular season games and one postseason contest for the club. Although he’s bounced around in the past year, Jenkins was a 12-game starter for New Orleans as recently as 2015. A former third-round pick, Jenkins ranked as PFR’s No. 13 free agent interior defender still on the board.
Jets To Host TE Mychal Rivera
Free agent tight end Mychal Rivera will meet with the Jets on Monday, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link). New York will be Rivera’s first known free agent stop. 
The Jets have been in search of a tight end (and a quarterback and a handful of players at key positions) and Rivera could be their solution. As it stands, the Jets’ tight end depth chart consists of Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Eric Tomlinson, and Braedon Bowman. Seferian-Jenkins, by the way, will out of action for the first two games of the 2017 season thanks to a suspension stemming from a DUI.
Rivera started 13 games for Oakland between the 2013 and 2014 seasons. The ’14 campaign proved to be his best to date as he had 58 receptions, 534 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. In 2016, Clive Walford leapfrogged him on the depth chart. The Raiders are unlikely to bring him back.
As of today, the Jets officially have $22,717,504 in cap room to work with, though that number does not include the deals for offensive tackle Ben Ijalana, defensive tackle Mike Pennel, or cornerback Morris Claiborne (via SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano).