Bills, Bengals, Jets Interested In RB Jamaal Williams
Running back Jamaal Williams would like to return to the Lions, and the team would like to have him back. However, it appears that Detroit will have competition for Williams’ services.
Per Tyler Dunne of GoLongTD.com, the Bills, Bengals, and Jets are all interested in Williams, who will turn 28 in April and who is due to hit the free agent market on the heels of a 2022 campaign in which he led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns (Twitter link). His YPC rate of 4.1 was solid, if unspectacular, and he did not make much of an impact in the passing game (12 catches for 73 yards). Backfield mate D’Andre Swift is the more dynamic receiver, and the Lions utilized him accordingly.
Even if he is not an every-down player, Williams can be a quality addition to just about any rushing attack, particularly if he is deployed in conjunction with a shiftier, outside-the-tackles player. As Dunne observes (via Twitter), the Bills have invested a great deal of draft capital in the RB position in recent years, selecting Devin Singletary (third round, 2019), Zack Moss (third round, 2020), and James Cook (second round, 2022). Moss, though, was traded to the Colts in a deadline deal that brought fellow RB Nyheim Hines to Buffalo, and Singletary is, like Williams, days away from free agency.
After a promising rookie season, Cook could be poised to take on more of a workload in 2023, and the Bills should make more use of Hines, who saw just 66 offensive snaps in nine games with the club. Williams’ physical presence and abilities in short-yardage and goal-line situations would nicely complement the skillsets of Cook and Hines, but with limited cap space, Buffalo may not be able to afford a player like Williams that would represent more of a luxury than a need.
The Jets hope to have Breece Hall back at the top of their RB dept chart in 2023, and while Hall expects to be ready for Week 1 after his terrific debut campaign was cut short by an ACL tear, a proven performer like Williams would allow Gang Green to ease Hall back into action. New York does have 2022 UDFA Zonovan Knight and 2021 fourth-rounder Michael Carter under contract, though both players posted a disappointing 3.5 yards-per-carry average last season.
Meanwhile, the Bengals’ reported interest is notable in light of recent reports suggesting that Joe Mixon‘s days in Cincinnati could be numbered. Mixon has not been particularly impressive from a YPC standpoint since 2018, and the team could save over $7MM by releasing him. However, with the Bengals eyeing another deep postseason run in 2023, it is perhaps more likely that Williams would take over Samaje Perine‘s role as Mixon’s running mate should Cincinnati go that route.
Spotrac estimates that Williams can command a two-year contract worth a little over $4MM per year.
Ravens Strongly Considering Non-Exclusive Tag For QB Lamar Jackson
Last month, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that there is a very real possibility that the Ravens use the non-exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson. Today, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports that Baltimore has strongly considered that option, and several rival executives believe it makes the most sense for the club (subscription required).
The benefits of the non-exclusive tag are obvious. There is, of course, the considerable difference in price between the non-exclusive tag ($32.4MM) and exclusive tag ($45MM). Plus, player and team have been negotiating for a long time, and it is unclear whether any real progress has been made. By utilizing the non-exclusive tag, the Ravens would effectively be allowing other teams to do their negotiating for them, and they may feel confident that no other club is willing to give Jackson the fully-guaranteed contract he has been seeking. If they are correct in that regard, then they would be able to simply match an offer sheet and keep the 2019 MVP in the fold.
By the same token, allowing Jackson to speak with other clubs allows Baltimore to maintain neutrality should the two sides part ways, as Fowler posits. And, in the event that the Ravens choose not to match an offer sheet, they would obtain two first-round picks and would clear up a great deal of salary cap space to use on a different passer.
On the other hand, Baltimore may be able to fetch more than two first-round picks if it were to seek a Jackson trade, and using the lower tag may create additional tension at a time when the relationship between the parties may already be strained. One way or another, GM Eric DeCosta has a career-defining decision to make, and he must make it no later than March 7, the deadline to utilize a tag.
It seems unlikely that a long-term extension will be reached by that deadline, though the Ravens are still trying. Just yesterday, we learned that the club remains optimistic about the chances of such a deal coming to fruition, with one rumor indicating that Baltimore is willing to pay Jackson up to $50MM per year while guaranteeing 80% of the contract. Jackson’s teammate, veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell, also indicated that Jackson wants to remain in Baltimore.
Packers Rumors: Rodgers, Love, Lazard
We are now 10 days away from the start of the 2023 league year, and there is still no clarity on the Aaron Rodgers situation. In February, a report surfaced indicating that the Packers’ entire power structure is “done with Rodgers” and ready to turn the QB reins over to Jordan Love, while a subsequent report suggested that Green Bay would be amenable to a Rodgers return if the 10-time Pro Bowler is “fully bought in.”
Rodgers’ “darkness retreat,” in which he spent a few days in isolation to consider his future, concluded sometime in the middle of February, but at the end of the month, GM Brian Gutekunst said that he had not yet spoken with Rodgers aside from a few text messages (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com). And, as Demovsky noted, Gutekunst was noncommittal when asked who his 2023 QB1 will be, which is notable in light of his unequivocally stating in December that he wanted Rodgers back and then deferring to Rodgers’ four MVP honors when asked in January which of his top two passers gives the club the best chance to win.
As of now, the beginning of free agency on March 15 remains the soft deadline for Rodgers to make a decision as to whether he wants to retire, return to the Packers, or be traded, though Gutekunst is still not pushing the franchise icon to clarify his intentions.
Now for more from Titletown:
- In the same piece linked above, Gutekunst is quoted as saying that he has not had any specific trade talks concerning Rodgers. We did hear last month that the Jets had “inquired” on Rodgers’ availability, though technically speaking, such an inquiry may not qualify as “trade talks” if actual compensation was not discussed.
- Also in Demovsky’s piece, Gutekunst reiterated his belief that Love is ready to be a starting quarterback, and as Tyler Dunne of GoLongTD.com (subscription required) writes, many current Packers players believe the same, just as the team knew Rodgers was ready to take up the mantle from Brett Favre in 2008. All of the Rodgers-related reports that have surfaced in 2023 lend credence to the notion that, while Green Bay may be open to one more year with Rodgers at the helm, it may actually prefer to trade him and begin life with Love.
- Moving away from the Packers’ quarterbacks room, free agent-to-be WR Allen Lazard told SiriusXM NFL Radio last month that his agent has had some discussions with team brass about a new contract, but at this point, it sounds as if Lazard will have a chance to test his luck on the open market (audio link). With Davante Adams no longer in the picture, Lazard became more of a focal point of the Green Bay offense in 2022, setting career bests in targets (100), receptions (60), and yards (788). His 60% reception rate was a career low, though Rodgers has said, if he returns to the Packers in 2023, he would want the team to re-sign Lazard.
- Another of Rodgers’ favorite targets, WR Randall Cobb, recently underwent ankle surgery, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Cobb, 32, is out of contract, though if he chooses to play in 2023, he will be able to do so without pain.
- The Packers recently restructured the contracts of a few high-profile players for salary cap purposes. Per Rapoport, cornerback Jaire Alexander and edge defender Preston Smith both agreed to reworked deals that will open up a little more than $16MM of cap space (Twitter link). Demovsky passes along some details (Twitter links), pointing out that the team added a void year (2027) to the back end of both contracts.
- Likewise, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that the Packers converted roughly $13.8MM of DT Kenny Clark‘s 2023 pay into a signing bonus, thereby opening up a little over $11MM in cap room. Demovsky again offers a complete breakdown of the restructure (via Twitter).
D’Onta Foreman Would Be “Hot Commodity” In Free Agency
Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman is expected to be a “hot commodity” should he hit free agency later this month, as Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com reports. Foreman recently indicated that he wants to return to Carolina, and Wilson says the team will attempt to retain the Texas product.
After the Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey in October, Foreman became the club’s feature back, and he ended the 2022 season with 203 carries for 914 yards (4.5 YPC) and five touchdowns. That represented a continuation of the solid work he displayed with the Titans in 2021, when he carried the ball 133 times for 566 yards (4.3 YPC) as an injury replacement for Derrick Henry.
So it stands to reason that Foreman would generate interest in free agency, and we heard in December that outside clubs were monitoring his status. Obviously, having a number of teams involved will help Foreman’s cause, but there are also several factors that will limit his earning power. For one, running back is no longer considered a premium position, and Foreman is not an elite talent who will be paid like his Pro Bowl-caliber colleagues. Second, even though players like Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard will likely be kept off the market via the franchise tag, talents like Miles Sanders, David Montgomery, Kareem Hunt, and Devin Singletary could be available, and even Saquon Barkley could be there for the taking.
Plus, Foreman is a between-the-tackles runner who does not offer much in the passing game. In light of all of those considerations, Spotrac estimates that the soon-to-be 27-year-old merits a one-year contract worth $3.4MM. That would be a nice raise from the $2MM salary he earned in 2022, but it would not be a budget-busting sum that the Panthers would be unable to afford (particularly as the team’s other RBs, Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear, are on eminently affordable rookie deals).
In related news, new Carolina head coach Frank Reich has said that the team is prioritizing a new contract for center Bradley Bozeman, as David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. We heard in January that Bozeman is interested in remaining with the Panthers, so there is a good chance that the parties will strike an accord in short order.
Brandon Graham Generating Interest
Defensive end Brandon Graham will soon be a free agent, and though he will turn 35 next month, a number of teams are interested in his services, as Tim McManus of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). Graham, who has been a member of the Eagles since he was drafted by the club in the first round of the 2010 draft, would prefer to finish his career in Philadelphia but is willing to move on if he can land a larger contract elsewhere.
An Achilles tear limited Graham to just two games in 2021, which made his 2022 performance particularly remarkable. In his age-34 season, the Michigan product tallied a career-high 11 sacks as a key part of the Eagles’ league-best pass rush, and Pro Football Focus also assigned him a solid 69.7 overall grade for his efforts against the run. In all, PFF considered him the fifth-best edge defender among players with enough snaps to qualify.
Snap count, however, could be a factor in Graham’s negotiations with interested clubs. His performance in 2022 was doubtlessly aided by the fact that the Eagles could keep him fresh, having deployed him in only 43% of their defensive plays (as opposed to snap rates between 69% and 76% in each of his prior six healthy campaigns). It stands to reason that, at this stage of his career, Graham would be utilized as more of a rotational player, which is perhaps why Spotrac projects him to land a one-year deal worth a fairly modest $5.7MM.
Still, there is plenty of need for rotational defenders with the ability to get after opposing quarterbacks, and just about every team could use such a player if the price is right. Per McManus, the Browns are among the clubs with interest in Graham, which makes sense given the recent tension between Cleveland and Jadeveon Clowney, who is also set to hit the open market. The Browns may also be an attractive landing spot for Graham, who would have the opportunity to line up opposite two-time First Team All-Pro Myles Garrett.
Philadelphia came up just short in its quest for a second Lombardi Trophy, and the team has plenty of high-profile contributors eligible for free agency, including Javon Hargrave, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, James Bradberry, and Miles Sanders. GM Howie Roseman, who will also be navigating extension talks with QB Jalen Hurts, has acknowledged that he will simply be unable to retain all of his pending FAs (Twitter link via Zach Berman of The Athletic). One wonders if Roseman will prioritize another contract for an aging, albeit productive, player like Graham.
Seahawks HC Pete Carroll: Seattle Is “Totally Connected” To Collegiate QBs
Reports on contract talks between quarterback Geno Smith and the Seahawks have indicated that both sides are optimistic a deal will get done. However, the latest such report was a full month ago. With the March 7 deadline for teams to utilize a franchise or transition tag looming, it is unclear how much progress has been made in negotiations, or if Seattle will hit its breakout passer with a tag.
Deadlines can always spur action, so it would not be surprising to see a deal struck over the next 48 hours or so. The Seahawks, though, are carefully evaluating the top quarterbacks in this year’s class, and as they possess the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 draft due to last offseason’s Russell Wilson trade (along with their own No. 20 overall selection), the club is well-positioned to select a high-profile signal-caller if it so chooses.
At the scouting combine in Indianapolis last week, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Brady Henderson of ESPN.com, “[w]e are totally connected to the quarterbacks that are coming out. This is a really huge opportunity for us. It’s a rare opportunity. We’ve been drafting in the low 20s for such a long time; you just don’t get the chance with these guys. So we’re deeply involved with all that.”
When asked how much the Seahawks are studying this year’s quarterback class, GM John Schneider said, “a lot. Every year, honestly, we really look at it a lot. Like I said earlier, we haven’t picked fifth overall since we’ve been here. So yeah, I got out to see a lot of quarterbacks this year. It was pretty fun.”
As Carroll and Schneider indicated, the ‘Hawks have typically had a native pick late in the first round during their tenure in Seattle, and the most coveted collegiate passers generally do not fall that far. So while Schneider acknowledged that he looks closely at every year’s quarterback class, his 2023 draft capital gives him an opportunity he has rarely had.
Of course, as Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic posits, the comments made by Carroll and Schneider could be part of a ploy to get quarterback-needy teams to leapfrog the Seahawks in a trade-up maneuver, thereby increasing the chances that an elite non-QB like Alabama edge defender Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter falls to them (subscription required). But Dugar does not believe that is the case. Even when Wilson was piloting the club to division titles and playoff runs, Schneider attended the pro days of quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, and he has regretted not selecting more QBs over his 13 drafts as Seattle’s GM.
To be clear, even if Schneider is serious about nabbing one of this year’s prized quarterback prospects, it does not mean that he will allow Smith to walk. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times) projects that a fair contract for Smith would be a two-year pact worth between $55MM-$60MM, and given that the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year will turn 33 in October, a two- or three-year accord sounds about right. Which means that Schneider could draft a top-flight quarterback and groom him behind Smith for a couple of years before turning over the reins, just as mentor Ted Thompson did when, as general manager of the Packers in 2005, he selected Aaron Rodgers and had him sit behind Brett Favre for several seasons.
Schneider recently said that contract discussions with Smith have been “positive,” but he did not indicate that an agreement was particularly close. And as Henderson writes in a separate piece, Schneider may not be inclined to use a tag on Smith (as our own Sam Robinson suggested last month, and as ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote in a subscription-only piece today). If he doesn’t, and if no deal is reached by the time the legal tampering period opens on March 13, Smith would then be able to talk to other clubs, and the Seahawks would not have the right of first refusal.
Meanwhile, Seattle still wants to retain Drew Lock (ideally to reprise his 2022 role as Smith’s backup). Several experts that Henderson has consulted believe Lock will get no more than a one-year deal for the league minimum salary ($1.08MM), while others believe he will be able to command slightly more, but no higher than $3MM.
Cardinals Hire Drew Petzing As OC
The Cardinals are moving quickly to fill their coordinator positions. Shortly after he reported that Arizona was hiring 29-year-old Nick Rallis as its new DC, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network says that the club is hiring Browns quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing as its new OC (Twitter link).
Petzing, 35, landed his first NFL position when he became a football operations intern for Cleveland in 2013. Like Rallis and Gannon, Petzing spent a number of years working under former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer in Minnesota, serving on the Vikings’ offensive staff from 2014-2019 (Gannon was the Vikes’ assistant DBs coach from 2014-17, and Rallis was on the club’s defensive staff from 2018-20).
In 2020, Petzing returned to the Browns as the team’s tight ends coach, and he moved to the quarterbacks room last year, working with Jacoby Brissett and Deshaun Watson. Watson served an 11-game suspension to start the 2022 campaign, and when he returned to the field, he was clearly rusty. In six games, he compiled a 3-3 record, completed a meager 58.2% of his passes, and threw seven TDs against five interceptions. That amounted to a poor quarterback rating and QBR of 79.1 and 38.3, respectively.
On the other hand, Brissett delivered a solid performance as Watson’s placeholder for the first 11 games of the season, and it is clear that both Zimmer and Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski saw Petzing as a valuable offensive mind worth retaining. Of course, the relative youth and inexperience of Gannon, 40, and his new coordinators will be a major talking point in the desert, though Gannon has been quick to downplay the significance of such matters.
Noting that the Eagles enjoyed success with an inexperienced trio of Nick Sirianni at head coach, Shane Steichen at offensive coordinator, and himself at defensive coordinator, Gannon said, “You never really know until you do the job. Experience, yes, it’s a good thing, but if you’re convicted on somebody, you roll the dice and that’s what you go with” (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, who adds that Gannon and Petzing developed a strong friendship and working relationship during their time in Minnesota).
“We (the Eagles) had the youngest staff in the NFL,” Gannon added. “You need to hire the right people, not necessarily their resume. It’s what’s the right fit.”
Though Petzing will be calling offensive plays for the first time in his career, his most important duty will be getting quarterback Kyler Murray to return to form (when he is cleared to play, that is). After earning Pro Bowl acclaim in the 2020-21 campaigns, Murray regressed in all major passing categories last year, and he suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in December. That injury could keep him on the shelf until the halfway point of the 2023 season. Arizona might also part ways with star wideout DeAndre Hopkins in the coming months, adding another challenge for Petzing & Co. to overcome.
The Browns, meanwhile, could turn to receivers coach/passing game coordinator Chad O’Shea or tight ends coach T.C. McCartney to replace Petzing, as Cabot notes. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic suggests that Cleveland could also consider Ravens quarterbacks coach James Urban, who may be allowed to make a lateral move to a different organization since Baltimore has a new OC in Todd Monken on the staff (Twitter links).
49ers Unlikely To Exercise DT Javon Kinlaw’s Fifth-Year Option
The 49ers are unlikely to exercise DT Javon Kinlaw‘s fifth-year option, as Matt Barrows of The Athletic writes (subscription required). Given that Kinlaw has played in just 10 regular season games over the past two seasons, that should be a fairly easy call for GM John Lynch.
Drafted in 2020 with the No. 14 overall selection — the pick that the 49ers acquired from the Colts in the DeForest Buckner trade — Kinlaw has battled intermittent knee trouble since his college days. He appeared in 14 games (12 starts) in his rookie season, but he played in just four contests in 2021 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery (which was later reported to be an ACL reconstruction).
Kinlaw, 25, opened the 2022 campaign as a starting defensive tackle alongside Arik Armstead, but he played just three games before more knee problems landed him on IR. He returned for the final three games of the regular season and started all three of San Francisco’s playoff contests, though his performance left much to be desired. Pro Football Focus assigned him an abysmal 36.7 run defense grade, and he also failed to replicate the interior pass rush presence that D.J. Jones offered before he signed with the Broncos last offseason. All things considered, then, it makes sense that the club would decline the chance to lock Kinlaw into a fully-guaranteed $10.5MM salary for 2024.
Kinlaw will, at least, get one more chance to rebuild his stock before hitting the open market. 10 of the 14 defensive linemen who played a snap for the Niners in 2022 are currently out of contract, and cutting Kinlaw would not result in any cap relief. Still, the club will probably search for DT reinforcements, as Kinlaw was hardly a world-beater even when he was mostly available as a rookie. Legal issues aside, Lynch could look to re-sign Charles Omenihu, though he may be too expensive to retain — PFF estimates a contract featuring a $9MM AAV — and Barrows says the team may want more of a run-stuffer anyway when it comes to DT options.
Lynch may also be on the hunt for DE upgrades. With Nick Bosa on one side of the line, San Francisco reportedly feels as if it should have a more elite edge rush, so the team could look to move on from Samson Ebukam and target a player like Yannick Ngakoue or Marcus Davenport, or it could consider a trade. Of course, the team is presently without a first- or second-round pick in the 2023 draft and does not have a ton of salary cap space, so it will be difficult to make too many high-end acquisitions. The 49ers will also hope that 2022 second-rounder Drake Jackson, who flashed as a rookie despite being a healthy scratch in five of the last six games of the season, will take a step forward.
Lions CB Jeff Okudah Changes Agents
Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah has changed representation. As Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal reported earlier this month, Okudah, who was previously represented by Klutch Sports Group, has hired Kevin Conner of Universal Sports Management as his agent (Twitter link).
Okudah’s move is notable because, as a 2020 draft choice (No. 3 overall), he is now eligible for an extension. However, it seems unlikely that Detroit will engage in contract talks at this point, as it is not even clear if the club will exercise Okudah’s fifth-year option for 2024. That is despite the fact that the option would come with the lowest-possible salary for a 2020 first-round cornerback ($11.5MM), as Okudah has neither achieved Pro Bowl acclaim nor accrued enough playing time to put himself into a higher salary tier.
Even though the $11.5M salary would be fully-guaranteed, that figure would represent a bargain for a No. 1 corner, which the Lions’ previous Bob Quinn/Matt Patricia regime obviously hoped Okudah would be by this stage of his career. Unfortunately, he missed some time due to injury in his rookie campaign, and he played just one game in 2021 due to a torn Achilles.
The Ohio State product showed some promise in 2022, starting all 15 games in which he appeared and yielding a modest 59.7% completion percentage and 87.6 rating to opposing quarterbacks. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, though, were not particularly fond of his efforts. PFF assigned him a subpar 59.4 overall grade, with a strong run defense mark of 74.0 helping to cover up a poor 54.5 coverage mark. Plus, he was benched late in the year and missed the last game of the season due to an elbow ailment.
When asked in January about his plans for Okudah’s fifth-year option, GM Brad Holmes simply said that he would make that decision “at the appropriate time,” and that there were “some good and some not-so-good” aspects of Okudah’s 2022 performance (via Colton Pouncy of The Athletic (subscription required)). Pouncy believes that Holmes will not exercise the option and will allow Okudah to go into 2023 as a pending free agent.
Should the Lions ultimately elect to open extension discussions, though, Okudah will be represented by an agency that has had recent success in negotiating the contracts of defensive backs like Charvarius Ward, Tre’Davious White, and Jamal Adams.
Commanders’ Eric Bieniemy Hire Will Not Impact Sam Howell’s Status As QB1
The Commanders made a big splash when they landed Eric Bieniemy as their offensive coordinator several days ago. However, that hire will not change the club’s approach to its quarterback position, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
Back in January, we heard that Washington was telling potential OC candidates that 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell is expected to be the team’s QB1 when training camp begins. Although head coach Ron Rivera subsequently left the door open to a veteran addition, it was clear that such a player would be more of a backup type and would likely not be one of the high-profile passers on the free agent and trade markets.
Now, even with Bieniemy on board, Howell remains in the driver’s seat to open the 2023 campaign as the Commanders’ QB1, and that suits the newly-minted OC just fine. Bieniemy, like Washington’s other offensive coordinator targets, is high on Howell and much of the rest of the offensive roster, which includes strong skill position depth in running backs Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson and wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel. Because of generally substandard quarterback play, the club posted below-average marks in total offense and points per game in 2022 despite leading the league in time of possession. If Howell develops as the Commanders apparently believe he will, and if the team can bolster its O-line, it would be fair to expect a much more productive offense in 2023.
With Washington about to start a rookie-contract signal-caller and on the verge of cutting bait on Carson Wentz‘s contract — which will come with no dead money ramifications — it will be much easier to address the offensive line and other needs. Bieniemy could therefore be well-positioned to improve his head coaching stock, which has dropped in recent years despite the continued success of the Chiefs, his former employer.
Howell started just one game for the Commanders in his rookie season, a Week 18 win over the Cowboys. In that contest, he completed 11 of his 19 pass attempts for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added another 35 yards and a touchdown on five carries.