Haason Reddick Unlikely To Re-Sign With Jets
In light of Haason Reddick’s holdout that extended into the regular season and the reasons for that holdout, it would be fair to expect the Jets’ edge defender and pending free agent to seek a new employer when the season ends. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler hears that Reddick – who made his Gang Green debut in Week 8 – will “get as many sacks as he can and get out” (subscription required).
One of the most-discussed players in PFR pages this year, Reddick was acquired by the Jets in an offseason trade with the Eagles. Entering the last season of the Philadelphia-constructed contract that he had outplayed, he was hoping for a lucrative extension, and he believed the Jets reneged on their pledge to conduct true extension talks with him during the offseason. The Jets, however, had maintained they were not willing to discuss a long-term deal before Reddick began work in their defense. This led to a months-long standoff, a saga that included Reddick being dropped by his former agency and subsequently signing with Drew Rosenhaus.
Rosenhaus was able to facilitate a resolution to get Reddick back on the field, though the two-time Pro Bowler has gotten off to something of a slow start (which is to be expected given his long layoff). Working in a rotational capacity over his first three games as a member of the Jets, Reddick has posted a half-sack and three total tackles.
The sample size is clearly much too small to draw any definitive conclusions about Reddick’s earning power, and he has seven more games to prove that he is still the same fearsome pass rusher that he has been in recent years. His market will be limited to a degree by his age (he is currently in his age-30 season), but even if he should struggle to generate the kind of production that he has become accustomed to over the remainder of the current campaign, he should still find a fairly healthy market in free agency.
After all, he is coming off four consecutive seasons of double-digit sacks and three straight seasons with a pass rush win rate over 20% (h/t Fowler’s ESPN colleague, Matt Bowen). While any team, including the Jets, would welcome that kind of talent on the edge, the relationship between Reddick and the Jets may be damaged beyond repair.
Plus, New York may be entering a rebuild – depending on how it proceeds with quarterback Aaron Rodgers – and while GM Joe Douglas and the other members of the current regime that were involved in the Reddick situation this year may not be retained, Reddick may not want to be part of a rebuilding operation anyway at this stage of his career.
Bears Will Not Bench QB Caleb Williams
The Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron partway through his first season in Chicago, but the team is not benching quarterback Caleb Williams. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the No. 1 overall pick of this year’s draft will remain the club’s QB1 moving forward.
Speculation to the contrary arose when it became clear that the possibility of a Williams demotion was discussed by Bears brass in advance of the Waldron dismissal. Rapoport says that while a benching was floated as a theoretical option as the team charted its best course of action moving forward, it was never truly considered.
The idea would have been to give Williams a “reset” like the one that the Panthers gave to 2023’s No. 1 overall draft choice, Bryce Young, earlier this year. Of course, Young started a full slate of games in his rookie season and two more to open the 2024 campaign before his “reset,” while Williams has just nine professional games under his belt. Between that and Williams’ off-the-charts prospect pedigree, even a temporary benching in favor of Tyson Bagent would have qualified as a major surprise.
Instead, interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown – who, coincidentally, was Young’s OC in Carolina last year – will make some changes to allow Williams a chance to thrive as he continues to adjust to the professional game by learning how to (for instance) check into the proper play at the line of scrimmage and identify protections. He did not have to do those things while he was starring as a collegiate passer, and growing pains in that regard were always expected.
Brown’s changes will not include adding new plays or schemes; as he learned from his time with Young, that might complicate an already steep learning curve. He will, however, ask Williams to focus on getting the ball out of his hand more quickly – the rookie signal-caller has been sacked a league-high 38 times this year – and he will utilize motion and shifts to create more open looks.
Williams has certainly flashed this year; in the Bears’ three-game winning streak from Weeks 4 to 6, he threw for seven touchdowns against just one interception and posted quarterback ratings of at least 106.6 in each contest. But the last three games (all losses) have been a struggle, as Chicago is averaging just nine points per game during that stretch, and Williams has failed to record a QB rating above 68.9 or a completion percentage above 53.7%.
By all accounts, Williams has done everything in his power to hone his craft, and as such, he has the support of his teammates.
As wideout D.J. Moore said, “you got to have support for him, no matter what. He’s going out there, busting his butt, trying to learn everything at once, and the defenses are throwing a lot at him. So, you can’t really be mad at him. You just got to still back him.”
As FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer details, Williams also impressed teammates by apologizing to them after Waldron’s dismissal, accepting the blame for an offense that had regressed to the point that a firing became necessary.
Dolphins’ Jevon Holland Expected To Land Contract Near Top Of Safety Market
Dolphins safety Jevon Holland may have priced himself out of Miami. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes in a subscribers-only piece, Holland is considered a top-five safety in the league, and the contract-year defender will be in high demand should he hit free agency in March. Miami is currently projected to be near the bottom of the pack in terms of cap space in 2025, so it is unclear if the club will have the wherewithal to keep him off the market.
Holland, 24, was selected by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2021 draft, and he has been an impact defender from the jump. In keeping with the league’s perception of his performance, Pro Football Focus graded Holland as a top-five safety in 2021 and 2023, and the Oregon product’s value is further bolstered by his versatility; he is capable of lining up as a free safety, in the box, or even in the slot.
He also boasts strong playmaking ability, as evidenced by the 23 passes defensed, five interceptions, five sacks, and five forced fumbles he has compiled in his career. He is still looking for his first interception in 2024 – he has missed one game due to a broken hand and another due to a knee injury – but the track record of splash plays he has established is a strong one.
The Dolphins were said to be interested in talking extension with Holland this offseason, though those discussions never gained much traction. The team prioritized new deals for some of the most notable names on its roster, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and Holland acknowledged back in May that his contract situation was not a top agenda item for the ‘Fins.
“I’m on the back burner,” Holland said at the time. “I don’t know much. I just work here. I just work here.”
Presumably, he will not be on the back burner for much longer. Although the safety market has stagnated at times in recent history, the lucrative deals that players like Antoine Winfield Jr. and Xavier McKinney signed this offseason prove that there is still an appetite to pay top dollar for true difference makers in the back end of the secondary. Indeed, Fowler expects Holland’s next contract to check in between McKinney’s four-year, $68MM deal and Winfield’s four-year, $84MM accord.
That assumes that the Dolphins will not place the franchise tag on Holland. The tag number for safeties is projected to be over $19MM in 2025, and Fowler’s sources have suggested that, like former Miami defensive tackle Christian Wilkins this offseason, Holland may be allowed to test the free agent waters, where he might find a market too robust for the Dolphins’ liking.
Saints GM Mickey Loomis Not On Hot Seat; Team Does Not Anticipate Rebuild
If he had his druthers, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis would not have fired head coach Dennis Allen. Owner Gayle Benson went around her longtime GM and handed Allen his walking papers last week, the second time this season that a team’s owner fired their head coach without input from their top personnel executive (Jets owner Woody Johnson fired Robert Saleh earlier this year and did not involve GM Joe Douglas in the decision).
That would ordinarily be a bad sign for the GM in question, and indeed, Douglas could be in his final days as a member of the Jets’ front office. However, Loomis is reportedly in no danger of losing his job, with Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writing that Loomis is “bulletproof” as far as Benson is concerned.
“Mickey is going to be able to do whatever he wants,” another team’s GM told La Canfora. “Nothing has changed there.”
Loomis has been in his post since 2002, and during that time, the Saints have compiled a 205-159 record and captured the first and only Super Bowl in franchise history. Of course, the team’s on-field success came with Drew Brees at quarterback, and while Loomis deserves credit for bringing the future Hall of Famer to New Orleans, the first three-plus seasons of the post-Brees era have not gone according to plan.
Now 3-7, the Saints are almost certainly going to miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, and Loomis will be tasked with finding a permanent head coach for just the third time during his tenure. He hired Sean Payton in 2006 and recently navigated Payton’s decision to step down/briefly retire by trading Payton’s rights to the Broncos in exchange for a package fronted by a 2023 first-round pick. Allen, who had served as Payton’s defensive coordinator from 2015-21, was promoted to the HC post following his former boss’ departure.
Interim head coach Darren Rizzi has a real chance to land the job on a full-time basis if the team shows life down the stretch, as La Canfora reports. Speculatively, Loomis may not have many options in that regard, as the team’s typically untenable cap situation and uncertain quarterback situation is unlikely to attract the top HC candidates in the upcoming cycle.
As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com details in an expansive piece that is well-worth a read for Saints fans in particular, New Orleans is projected to be about $63MM over the 2025 salary cap, $55MM worse than the next closest team. Due to Loomis’ extensive use of void years and restructures, there is no real relief to be found in releasing players, so it will be a challenge to become cap-compliant.
As even casual NFL observers know, this is a familiar refrain for the Saints, but while the team remained competitive amidst prior cap crunches due to Brees’ presence and the fact that Loomis hit on several draft classes, the general consensus is that the Saints’ immediate outlook is bleaker than it has been for some time.
In order to right the ship and usher in a new era of competitiveness, Fitzgerald proposes a series of maneuvers that begins with renegotiating QB Derek Carr’s current deal this offseason and then releasing the veteran signal-caller as a post-June 1 cut. While acknowledging that Carr’s future in New Orleans is unclear, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the Saints are not planning a full rebuild.
Per Rapoport, the club believes its competitive window is still open, and that the two blowout wins it enjoyed to start the 2024 season reflect the roster’s upside when it is at full strength. Plus, the Saints have seen how long and unpredictable true overhauls can be, which reinforces their belief that a retooling – in Rapoport’s words, “keeping good players, moving on from those with upside-down value, and getting more good players” – is the best course of action.
That is why, despite receiving trade inquiries on a number of prominent players on the roster, Loomis’ only move at this year’s deadline was to deal Marshon Lattimore to the Commanders, which led to a notable return of draft capital. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, meanwhile, agrees that a teardown would come as a shock.
The retooling strategy is based on the belief that Loomis & Co. will ace the 2025 and subsequent drafts. He has done it before, and all signs point to his being given ample opportunity to do it again.
Bucs WR Mike Evans Expected To Return In Week 12
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, who is missing his third straight game today due to a hamstring injury, is hoping to return to the field after Tampa Bay’s Week 11 bye, as ESPN’s Jenna Laine reports. That is in keeping with the club’s initial prognosis.
Evans, 31, was already dealing with the hamstring ailment when he entered the Bucs’ Week 7 contest against the Ravens, and he aggravated it during the game. That proved to be a brutal outing for Tampa Bay, which lost Evans for a time and his top running mate, Chris Godwin, for at least the remainder of the regular season.
The Bucs were 4-2 going into the Baltimore game, but they lost to the Ravens and are now in the midst of a three-game losing streak. They nonetheless have a reasonable chance of making the postseason – particularly if they knock off the 49ers today – and getting Evans back on the field would go a long way towards achieving that goal.
Prior to the opening of free agency in March, Evans re-signed with Tampa Bay, agreeing to a front-loaded two-year, $41MM deal. While Godwin was off to the better start to the 2024 season and was in second place in the league in terms of receiving yardage when he suffered his injury, Evans was also playing well. Last year’s receiving TDs leader, Evans recorded six scores though six-plus games this year while catching 26 balls for 335 yards.
Though tight end Cade Otton has stepped up in the absence of Evans and Godwin, quarterback Baker Mayfield has not yet developed a rapport with rookie wideout Jalen McMillan, and offseason acquisition Sterling Shepard has just 15 catches despite seeing a fairly significant snap share over the past six games. Second-year pro Trey Palmer has also failed to make much of an impact.
Knowing that there was a good chance Evans would be cleared after just three missed games and the Week 11 bye, Tampa Bay opted against placing him on injured reserve, which would have required him to miss the Week 12 matchup with the Giants as well. Evans, who has famously topped the 1,000-receiving yard mark in each of his first 10 professional seasons – which is a reflection of both his skill and durability – will be hard-pressed to make it 11 for 11. Still, his return should provide a lift to the Bucs’ offense.
Jets GM Joe Douglas On Future With Team, Robert Saleh Dismissal; Latest On Owner Woody Johnson
At his midseason press conference on Wednesday, which lasted less than 10 minutes (h/t Rich Cimini of ESPN.com), GM Joe Douglas offered a few terse, notable non-answers with respect to owner Woody Johnson’s decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh without Douglas’ input.
When asked whether he agreed with Johnson’s call, Douglas did not answer directly. He merely said that he had nothing more to add to the conversation and that, “I serve at the pleasure of the owner” (per Brian Costello of the New York Post, Douglas and Saleh enjoyed a close relationship, and Costello believes it unlikely that Douglas would have recommended Saleh’s dismissal).
In the immediate aftermath of Saleh’s ouster — which Cimini says upset some players — it was reported that Douglas would at least survive the current season. However, 2024 is the last year of his contract, and unless the 3-6 Jets surge to a playoff berth, it would be surprising if Douglas is retained for 2025. While he does have some highlights on his resume, the 30-62 record he has compiled over his five-plus seasons at the top of Gang Green’s front office and the abject failure of his Zach Wilson selection would likely be too much to overcome if New York does not qualify for the postseason.
That said, he indicated he is still hopeful that the Jets can make a playoff push, and he cited his club’s improved performance in a Halloween win over the Texans as reason for optimism. When asked about his own job security, he said, “I come in here every day, just do whatever I can to help this team reach its goals and get to its destination. Whatever happens, happens” (via Cimini).
In addition to the win-now acquisition of wide receiver Davante Adams — which, per Cimini, was done with an eye towards improving the locker room culture as well as the on-field product — Douglas followed through on a trade of fellow wideout Mike Williams, securing a fifth-round pick in a draft (2025) that he may not get to oversee. Douglas signed Williams to a one-year, $10MM deal this offseason, and he indicated during his presser that Williams’ inability to get on the field during spring work and for a portion of training camp undermined his Jets’ tenure.
“Not being part … of OTAs, not being able to be part of a majority of training camp, just could never really get that synched up,” Douglas said (via Costello). “This is a great opportunity for him to have a fresh start. It’s a move that we wouldn’t have made had we not felt good about the guys we have in the room. Us acquiring a player like Davante gives us the flexibility if a team wants to be aggressive to acquire a player like Mike, we can do that.”
When Saleh was hired, Johnson was serving as the ambassador to the United Kingdom for then-President Donald Trump. His brother, Christopher Johnson, worked with Douglas in running the HC search and bringing Saleh aboard.
Following Trump’s recent re-election, many believe Woody Johnson will again depart the team to return to the U.K. or to accept a different appointment, as Costello reports in a separate piece (a report that Ian Rapoport of NFL.com echoes). However, such an appointment would likely not happen until Johnson has had time to make a decision on Douglas’ future, set a budget, and hire the team’s next permanent head coach. Christopher Johnson would then step back in to oversee day-to-day operations.
Giants Start Evan Neal At RT
Evan Neal is back in the starting lineup. After playing a grand total of two snaps over the first nine games of the 2024 season, the Giants are deploying Neal at right tackle for today’s Week 10 bout against the Panthers, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com details. Jermaine Eluemunor will line up at left tackle.
New York selected Neal with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2022 draft, though his performance over his first two years in the pros did not align with his draft status. During that time, the Alabama product started 20 games and struggled mightily, finishing as the second-worst OT in the league in each season in the estimation of Pro Football Focus’ metrics.
In Week 9 of the 2023 campaign, Neal suffered what was initially believed to be a sprained ankle, but follow-up testing became necessary after he did not heal as expected. The additional examination revealed a broken foot that required surgery, and he spent the first several weeks of this year’s training camp on the PUP list. Eluemunor, who was initially signed to compete for guard duties, built some momentum for the starting RT gig in Neal’s absence, and since the Giants quickly abandoned the notion of having Neal line up at guard, the third-year blocker landed in a reserve role.
Even when left tackle Andrew Thomas was lost for the season due to a foot injury of his own, New York opted to keep Eluemunor on the right side while giving LT reps first to Joshua Ezeudu and then to recent signee Chris Hubbard (Neal has not been considered a legitimate option for game action on the blind side). But there is a reason Hubbard was available to be signed off the 49ers’ practice squad in October, and he did not play particularly well during his two-game audition with Big Blue. It therefore makes sense for a 2-7 Giants club to see if Neal can begin living up to his potential at RT. Indeed, the team did not consider trading Neal in advance of this year’s deadline.
Although Neal is eligible for a new contract at season’s end, even an outstanding performance down the stretch of the 2024 campaign would likely not be enough for the New York front office (regardless of who is leading it) to make such a move. However, a strong showing could at least encourage the club to exercise Neal’s fifth-year option.
Carolina, another 2-7 outfit, represented a logical opponent for Neal’s first extensive 2024 work, as the Panthers’ edge defenders are not a particularly imposing group.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence Could Miss Remainder Of Season
Earlier this week, it was reported that Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was likely to miss his club’s Week 10 matchup with the Vikings today. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that Lawrence will indeed be sidelined for the Minnesota contest, and it is possible that the former No. 1 overall pick will be out for the remainder of the season.
As Rapoport details, Lawrence has a significant AC joint sprain. The ailment is to his left (non-throwing) shoulder, though it can make throwing, and even basic functioning, difficult. While the current plan is for the Clemson product to simply rest and rehab the injury, surgery remains a distinct possibility.
Such a decision would naturally force Lawrence to miss the balance of the 2024 campaign. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the 25-year-old passer is still gathering information about his options, one of which includes a premature end to his season.
If Lawrence is unable to suit up again in 2024, it would likely not have too much of an impact on Jacksonville’s immediate fortunes. The 2-7 outfit has almost no chance of qualifying for the playoffs, and the Jags will therefore want to be extra cautious with their high-priced signal-caller, who signed a five-year, $275MM extension in June.
However, should the losses continue to pile up, it becomes even more likely that head coach Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke will be fired. Owner Shad Khan voiced his support for both men last month, but Khan also called this year’s roster the best in franchise history, and as the club has struggled even with its QB1 in the lineup, it would not be a surprise if Khan opted for an organizational overhaul.
Mac Jones, an offseason trade acquisition, will get the call in Lawrence’s absence. The former first-round pick of the Patriots, who finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, saw the early stages of his career undermined by New England’s coaching and schematic maneuvers the following season. With the Pats holding the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft and wanting to start afresh with a new coaching regime and a new quarterback, Jones was dealt to his native Jacksonville in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
Now 26, Jones did have to hold off C.J. Beathard for the Jags’ backup gig over the summer (Beathard is now back on the team after Jacksonville recently signed him from the Dolphins’ taxi squad in the wake of Lawrence’s injury). Jones has thrown just nine passes this season, but he is in a contract year, and he could have a real chance to build some momentum down the stretch as he tries to position himself for at least a shot at a starting gig somewhere in 2025.
Chiefs Among Teams Interested In Saints CB Marshon Lattimore; KC Also Targeting Another WR?
Trade rumors swirled around Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore this offseason, and with the trade deadline just two days away, those rumors are picking up again. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, multiple teams have called New Orleans about Lattimore, including the Chiefs.
Kansas City has already made two notable trades in the last couple of weeks, acquiring WR DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans and DE Josh Uche from the Patriots. However, both Schefter and Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) indicate that the defending champions may not be done, with Russini noting that another receiver and a “young, fast corner” are on the club’s wish list.
Lattimore, 28, may not fit the sports world’s definition of “young,” but he is a four-time Pro Bowler who is still playing at a high level. Through seven games in 2024, Lattimore has attained a 71.6 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, the 26th-highest mark in the league out of 110 qualifiers. He has also yielded a modest 69.1 rating to opposing quarterbacks.
The Saints entertained the possibility of dealing Lattimore this offseason before deciding to retain the No. 11 overall pick of the 2017 draft, and they do have him under club control through 2026. As such, it may take a premium package to convince GM Mickey Loomis to pull the trigger, and FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz says it is unclear how interested Loomis might be in a Lattimore trade.
Plus, as Schefter observes, Lattimore’s health could give would-be suitors pause. Lattimore will miss today’s matchup with the Panthers due to a hamstring ailment, which already forced him to miss the club’s Week 2 contest. He also dealt with a hip injury in training camp. So, while Schultz acknowledges that a loss to lowly Carolina – which would drop the Saints to 2-7 – could convince Loomis to make multiple moves, Lattimore may not be one of the players leaving New Orleans.
The Chiefs, for the second year in a row, are winning games with their defense, as star quarterback Patrick Mahomes has thrown just eight TDs against a league-worst nine interceptions. However, KC has lost starting CB Jaylen Watson for the season due to a fractured ankle, and adding Lattimore as a bookend to fellow boundary corner and First Team All-Pro performer Trent McDuffie would further strengthen DC Steve Spagnuolo’s already stout unit, which presently ranks fifth in the league in total defense.
The Chiefs’ WR corps was a weak spot for much of the 2023 campaign, and the club looked to solidify that group by selecting Xavier Worthy in the first round of this year’s draft and adding Marquise Brown in free agency. While Worthy has flashed at times, Brown suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in August, and Rashee Rice was lost for the year with a knee injury in Week 4. A late summer addition, JuJu Smith-Schuster, is battling a hamstring malady, and Skyy Moore recently landed on injured reserve with a core muscle injury. So, even with Hopkins now in the fold, it makes sense that the Chiefs would look for another pass-catcher to help Mahomes and the offense get back on track.
Jets Not Expected To Trade CB D.J. Reed
Jets cornerback D.J. Reed is a quality defender in the midst of a strong season who plays on a 3-6 club and who is on an expiring contract. He has also made it plain that he intends to test free agency in March, all of which makes him an obvious trade candidate.
[RELATED: Jets Will Not Trade WR Garrett Wilson]
New York has indeed received trade inquiries on Reed, but the team is not expected to move the Kansas State product, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required). With the soon-to-be 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and having already made a buyers’ trade for wide receiver Davante Adams, it stands to reason that the Jets would not make any sellers’ moves in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, despite their poor record.
GM Joe Douglas is also out of contract at season’s end, and while it appears he will finish out the year in his post, he obviously has plenty of incentive to retain the best players on the roster rather than ship them off for future draft picks. Though Rich Cimini of ESPN.com does not believe Douglas will make another splashy acquisition over the next several days, he does confirm that the Jets will not be sellers.
Douglas’ big misstep during his New York tenure was his decision to make quarterback Zach Wilson the No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 draft, but the Jets’ top exec does have some highlights on his resume. That includes signing Reed to a three-year, $33MM contract in March 2022, a deal that has yielded considerable return on investment.
Per Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Reed graded out as the 23rd-best corner out of 118 qualified players in his first year with the Jets, and PFF considered him the 16th-best CB out of 127 qualifiers last year. In 2024, he has taken his play to another level, with an excellent 81.8 PFF grade that represents the fourth-highest mark among 110 qualified cornerbacks. He has also surrendered an exceedingly low 57.7 QB rating, and his eight passes defensed put him on pace to set a new career-high in that category.
Reed’s platform-year performance has set him up nicely for another lucrative payday in the upcoming offseason. Whether that comes from the Jets – who may be under different leadership in 2025 and who will need to consider an extension for fellow boundary defender Sauce Gardner – remains to be seen. For now, though, Reed will try to help his current club make a postseason run.