AFC Staff Rumors: Canada, Steelers, Shaw, Broncos, Chargers, Jaguars, Titans
The Steelers opted for an outside OC hire, adding Arthur Smith, but both halves of their interim setup from last season — Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan — remain with the team. Sullivan drew OC interest elsewhere, after calling the plays for a Mason Rudolph-led offense that ended up in the playoffs, but he is in place as a Steelers senior offensive assistant. Faulkner remains the team’s RBs coach. Smith should be considered likely to include the duo in his game plans, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, who adds ousted OC Matt Canada was not known for a collaborative approach. Canada did not receive input from staffers especially well, Kaboly notes, before becoming the historically rare Steelers assistant fired in-season.
Here is the latest from AFC coaching staffs and front offices:
- One of the Broncos‘ HC candidates in 2023, David Shaw is now in place to work remotely as a staffer under Sean Payton and George Paton. Shaw has coached with the former (on Ray Rhodes‘ 1997 Eagles staff) and began communicating with the GM more often since the January 2023 interview. Months after the longtime Stanford HC’s interview, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes he expressed an interest to Paton regarding work in NFL personnel. During the time between his Broncos connections, Shaw interviewed for the Chargers and Titans’ HC jobs. The Paton conversations, with likely help from the Stanford ties owners Greg Penner and Condoleezza Rice have, led to the longtime Stanford coach landing with the AFC West franchise.
- Elsewhere on the Broncos’ staff, InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton notes Ty Murphy has moved from scouting intern to pro scout. Murphy initially caught on with the team in July 2023.
- Four years ago, the Chargers were new on the analytics front. They hired Aditya Krishnan to lead that department in February 2020. Early in Jim Harbaugh‘s tenure, the Bolts are moving in a different direction. Krishnan, who held the title of football research and analytics director, is no longer with the team, according to ESPN.com’s Seth Walder. While new regimes shake up staffs, it will be interesting to see how Harbaugh goes about assembling an analytics department in Los Angeles.
- The Jaguars are also losing an experienced staffer. Brian Squeglia, who worked as an area scout for the past six years and spent eight seasons in Jacksonville, is leaving the team, per Stratton. Squeglia is set to remain in the industry but is not planning to work for another team presently.
- The Titans added two staffers recently, with Walder indicating they hired Erin Psajdl Davis and Alex Rogers as analysts. Psajdl Davis comes over from the Chiefs, having worked on the business side in Kansas City. She previously held a football-related role in Houston. Rogers interned for the Saints previously.
Broncos To Feature ‘Wide Open’ RB Competition; TE Lucas Krull’s Role To Expand
Javonte Williams‘ October 2022 ACL and LCL tears upended the Broncos’ running back plan. The ill-fated Melvin Gordon partnership ended weeks later, and although Williams returned in time for Week 1 last year, the former second-round pick did not deliver too many reminders of his promising rookie season. As a result, his starting role is no longer guaranteed.
The Broncos are set to feature a wide-open running back competition that will include the three holdovers from last season — Williams, Samaje Perine, Jaleel McLaughlin — along with fifth-round pick Audric Estime and UDFA Blake Watson, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel writes. Williams and Perine are going into contract years, with the former not acquired during Sean Payton‘s time with the team.
Payton being present for the other four RBs’ acquisitions creates an interesting outlook for Williams, a difficult tackling assignment but a player who averaged just 3.6 yards per carry behind a mostly healthy offensive line last season. Williams, who totaled 1,219 scrimmage yards as a rookie despite splitting time with Gordon, surpassed 50 rushing yards just twice over the 2023 season’s final eight games. Next Gen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric slotted Williams (minus-83) in the bottom 10.
Perine operated as a key passing-down presence for Russell Wilson, making important contributions during Denver’s midseason five-game win streak. He is tied to a two-year, $7.5MM deal. Neither Perine nor Williams has any guaranteed money remaining.
The Broncos saw some promise from Watson in this department during their offseason program. An Old Dominion recruit who transferred to Memphis in 2023, Watson amassed 480 receiving yards on 53 receptions during his final college season. While Watson could potentially clear waivers en route to the Broncos’ practice squad, McLaughlin is the latest reminder — following the likes of ex-Broncos Phillip Lindsay and C.J. Anderson — UDFA RBs can force their way onto 53-man rosters. The 5-foot-7 back averaged 5.4 yards per carry, totaling 410, as a rookie.
Payton making the decision to carry three running backs and fullback Michael Burton would also stand to put Williams and McLaughlin at risk, even though both have shown promise at points. Although Estime missed offseason time due to a knee injury, the rookie is expected back for training camp. Estime’s 4.71-second 40-yard dash time — the worst among RBs in Indianapolis — likely cost him in the draft. (Though, he clocked 4.58 seconds at Notre Dame’s pro day.) But the Fighting Irish product is coming off a 1,341-yard, 18-touchdown season.
During OTAs, The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider noted Williams, Perine and McLaughlin would face challenges to maintain their 2023 roles. With the Broncos potentially only keeping three RBs, this sets up an interesting competition.
Running back features more options than tight end in Denver, as the team is still counting on Greg Dulcich to shake his injury issues. Battling chronic hamstring trouble, the former third-round pick did not practice fully during the team’s offseason program. While Dulcich is expected to resurface during training camp, Payton alluded to a role expansion for former UDFA Lucas Krull.
“Someday soon, they’re going to know who No. 85 is,” Payton said (via Gabriel) of Krull. “He has good vertical speed. He’s young, so we think there is room to grow. That was one of the reasons we signed him.”
Not technically a Payton import from New Orleans, Krull did initially land in the NFL as a Saints UDFA. That arrival came in 2022, months after Payton’s departure, though the Saints’ coaching staff identifying the former Florida and Pitt tight end probably played a role in the Broncos adding him to their practice squad in August 2023. Krull did not make the Saints’ 53-man roster last year and joined Payton in Denver soon after.
Krull, who accumulated 451 receiving yards during his final college season, caught just eight passes for 95 yards in limited duty last year. He joins the re-signed Adam Trautman, a Payton draftee in New Orleans, and Dulcich as the Broncos’ top TEs. Denver looked into tight ends in free agency but did not add anyone, and after Trautman’s 204 yards led Broncos tight ends last season, this profiles as an area of concern. If Dulcich is unable to stay healthy, Krull stands to be an important part of the Broncos’ first Bo Nix-centered offense.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Vikings, Love
Last year, the Bears became the Eagles’ gateway to Jalen Carter by trading down one spot and picking up an additional fourth-rounder from the NFC East team. GM Ryan Poles referenced this transaction when contacting Falcons GM Terry Fontenot during Round 1 this year. The third-year Chicago front office boss called the fourth-year Atlanta decision-maker about a move from No. 9 to No. 8, via The33rdteam.com’s Ari Meirov, with the aim to lock down Rome Odunze draft real estate. With plans on selecting Odunze’s college QB at No. 8 — to the surprise of most — Fontentot declined Poles’ offer and chose Michael Penix Jr.
The Jets (at No. 10) were also interested in Odunze, shifting to the offensive line once the Bears chose the high-end WR prospect at 9, with Poles undoubtedly aware of the AFC East club’s aim of adding another Aaron Rodgers weapon. A pre-draft report also pointed to the Colts’ interest in trading up for a playmaker; GM Chris Ballard confirmed he made “big offers” to move up from 15. After a dominant final season at Washington, Odunze rounds out a promising Bears receiving corps that includes D.J. Moore and trade pickup Keenan Allen. The Bears, who experimented with Odunze as a punt returner during their offseason program (per ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin), could have the Pac-12 product on a rookie deal through 2028 via the fifth-year option.
Here is the latest from the NFC North:
- For a second straight offseason, Dalton Risner‘s market underwhelmed. This led to the sixth-year guard changing agents, per The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, as he sought an upper-echelon agreement only to see nothing close come his way. The Vikings blocker called this a “frustrating” offseason, noting (via KSTP’s Darren Wolfson) he was surprised how little interest came his way — during an offseason that featured five free agent guards sign for at least $10MM per year. This mirrored his 2023 offseason, which did not see a deal come together until September. Risner started four seasons in Denver and worked as an 11-game Minnesota starter, with the Vikes trading Ezra Cleveland to the Jaguars, last season. Risner, 29 next month, is attached to a one-year, $2.41MM deal that includes playing time-based incentives.
- While Risner will compete with Blake Brandel for Minnesota’s left guard job, Jordan Addison is a locked-in starter. Addison impressed despite Kirk Cousins‘ injury last season, and SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the former USC and Pitt wideout’s offseason growth has turned heads at the Vikings’ facility. During a season that featured an extended Justin Jefferson absence and the Vikes starting four QBs, Addison totaled 911 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. The 2023 first-rounder’s rookie deal will now pair with Jefferson’s market-setting extension, and Sam Darnold — before a likely baton pass to J.J. McCarthy — will have a promising WR duo to target this season.
- The Bears drafting Odunze meant a long wait for defensive help, and the team extended the wait after taking O-lineman Kiran Amegadjie in Round 3 and punter Tory Taylor in Round 4. Montez Sweat is in place as Chicago’s pass-rushing anchor, and Andrew Billings is poised to start once again. Beyond that, the Bears feature some question marks. A late-summer addition at DE and/or DT may be something the team will consider, per The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain, if they do not see enough early in training camp. A Yannick Ngakoue reunion could be on the table. Chicago has Gervon Dexter and veteran DeMarcus Walker on track for regular roles, with Fishbain adding veteran pickup Jacob Martin‘s fit will also determine whether the team needs to make another move.
- Although Jordan Love is expected to join the $50MM-per-year club, the Packers QB is only going into his second starter season. On that end, Matt LaFleur added 7-on-7 periods during practice to help his passer’s development, ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky notes. LaFleur has resisted implementing this common offseason drill due to the lack of a pass rush impacting decisions, noting an emphasis on Love’s footwork for dusting off the passing period.
CB Eric Stokes Has Path Back To Packers’ Starting Lineup
An inability to count on Eric Stokes led the Packers to decline the cornerback’s fifth-year option last month. The team has seen injuries sidetrack the 2021 draftee’s career, bringing about a contract year.
Stokes was not viewed as a starter going into training camp last year, despite having worked in that capacity — when healthy — for most of his first two seasons. The Packers had Rasul Douglas and Keisean Nixon working as their Jaire Alexander sidekicks at that point. Douglas is now in Buffalo, and Green Bay did not make a significant offseason addition to address its other boundary CB spot. This reopens the door for Stokes, provided he can stay healthy.
Injuries have defined Stokes’ NFL career, but he may well be the clubhouse leader to start opposite Alexander in Week 1. Stokes sits as the Packers’ current No. 2 cornerback starter, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, with ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky also noting the fourth-year defender is firmly in the mix to reclaim a starting job.
Stokes stayed healthy throughout the offseason program, Demovsky adds, though his past will undoubtedly make CB insurance important in Green Bay. The Georgia alum suffered a Lisfranc injury and sustained meniscus damage in November 2022, ending his second season and requiring multiple surgeries. Stokes attributed his persistent hamstring trouble — which led to two IR placements last season — to overcompensation following the foot injury.
Certainly eyeing a long-term Stokes run as a first-stringer when they drafted him 29th overall in 2021, the Packers used the 6-foot defender as a 23-game starter from 2021-22. Showcasing elite speed (via a 4.25-second 40-yard dash time) at the Combine, Stokes fared well in Alexander’s place. After Alexander’s season-altering shoulder injury moved Stokes into the lineup on a full-time basis, the younger CB allowed only a 49.5% completion rate and a 71.3 passer rating as the closest defender in 2021. Pro Football Focus slotted Stokes 45th among corners that year. PFF did not see Stokes flash the same form in 2022, ranking him 105th among CB regulars. Stokes’ three-game 2023 season can effectively be written off, but it did lead to relevant reps for the other player vying to land the CB2 role.
A 2023 seventh-round pick, Carrington Valentine started 12 games last season and was in Green Bay’s lineup during both playoff contests. PFF ranked Valentine 90th among cornerback regulars last year, however. Alexander also missed time due to injury last season, opening the door for a Valentine-Corey Ballentine combo. Ballentine, a 2019 Giants UDFA, remains on the Packers’ roster, though Schneidman adds a Stokes-Valentine competition will likely decide the starting job opposite Alexander. The loser will supply depth, with the Pack also using a seventh-round pick in a corner (Penn State’s Kalen King) this year.
The Packers shut down Alexander trade rumors after his inconsistent season, keeping his CB-record contract (four years, $84MM) on the payroll. Stokes looms as a bit of a wild card for the team, which has some long-term questions at the position. But he can enhance his value considerably with a solid 2024 season. The Packers hold exclusive negotiating rights with the now-extension-eligible cover man until March 2025.
Commanders Move Doug Williams Back To Personnel Role, Part Ways With Eugene Shen
Best known for his late-1980s run as Washington’s starting quarterback, Doug Williams remains with the organization. Though, the former Super Bowl XXII MVP’s role has changed a few times in recent years. Another adjustment will take place moving forward.
Moved out of the personnel picture early in Ron Rivera‘s tenure with the franchise, Williams is now back in the front office mix. The Commanders announced Tuesday the veteran exec will work as a senior advisor to GM Adam Peters. This will not be a foreign role for Williams, who was receiving Fritz Pollard Alliance recommendations for GM gigs in the late 2010s.
The first Black quarterback to start a Super Bowl — a Washington romp over Denver that ended with the QB throwing four touchdown passes — Williams previously worked as Washington’s senior VP of player personnel during a three-year stretch from 2017-19. Days into his tenure atop the club’s personnel hierarchy, Rivera shifted Williams to the title of senior VP of player development. The Bruce Allen-era staple, despite multiple GM changes since the team president’s exit, remains and will join Rivera-era hires Martin Mayhew and Marty Hurney as Peters lieutenants moving forward.
The Commanders also hired Texans director of player development Dylan Thompson, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Thompson, a former Lions character coach who spent three-plus years with Nick Caserio in Houston, to work as their senior director of team support and advancement. A former 49ers UDFA quarterback, Thompson did not overlap with Peters in San Francisco. But he will be part of the new Washington GM’s staff.
Washington is also moving on from senior VP of football strategy Eugene Shen, ESPN.com’s Seth Walder and John Keim report. Shen’s tenure lasted less than eight months, with Josh Harris having hired him in November. Coming to Washington after stints in Jacksonville, Baltimore and Miami, Shen was in place to provide more of an assessment rather than serve in a long-term capacity, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s JP Finlay.
Hurney remains in place after following Rivera to Washington, and fellow Rivera hire Rob Rogers will as well. Reported to be staying on at least through the draft, the ex-Panthers exec — hired in 2020 — is still with the club as VP of football administration. Carrying extensive negotiating experience, Rogers held this title for 11 years with the Panthers as well.
Additionally, the Commanders hired Doug Drewry as their manager of football research and development. Connor Nickel and Travis Ho are coming aboard as coaching analysts, while Matt Peterson is on the staff roster as the team’s football operations coordinator. Cyrus Daniels is in place as a football ops assistant. Dustin Regan is also now with the team as a college scout, being among the new scouting hires the now-Peters-led team has made this offseason. Charles Brensinger, Alberto de la Guardia, Mitch Sterner and Miles Turner are now scouting assistants with the NFC East team.
Lawrence Cager, Theo Johnson Vying For Giants’ Pass-Catching TE Role?
In between the Evan Engram and Darren Waller New York stays, Daniel Bellinger worked as the Giants’ primary tight end. During Waller’s latest time off the field due to a hamstring injury last season, the 2022 fourth-rounder returned to a role as the team’s top TE. It would, then, stand to reason the Giants would turn back to Bellinger following Waller’s retirement.
If that is to happen, the team is taking a roundabout route to that depth chart arrangement. The Giants’ offseason program featured Lawrence Cager and fourth-round rookie Theo Johnson splitting first-team reps, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. Bellinger missed time due to an unspecified injury, Brian Daboll said (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan), adding the injury occurred weeks ago.
[RELATED: Darren Waller Details Retirement Decision]
Teams do not have to disclose players’ offseason injuries, and Daboll noted the Giants are proceeding cautiously with the third-year tight end. The third-year HC expects Bellinger to “be fine,” though Schwartz adds the parties do not appear on the same page regarding the injury. Considering Bellinger’s extensive playing time over the past two seasons, his role during training camp and the preseason will be a topic to monitor as the Giants transition from Waller.
Despite the Giants trading a third-round pick for Waller in March 2023, they used Bellinger on a career-high 688 offensive snaps. The San Diego State product moved back into the top TE slot during Waller’s five-game absence midway through last season, though the Giants have not involved him heavily in the passing game. Bellinger, who started 11 of the 12 games he played as a rookie, has not eclipsed 275 receiving yards in a season. While Bellinger missed five games due to injury in 2022 and was behind Waller for much of 2023, he did not exceed 375 yards in a season with the Aztecs.
A converted wide receiver, Cager earned praise from Daboll at the conclusion of the offseason program. It should be expected Bellinger will remain a regular for the Giants, but ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes it appears Cager and Johnson are being groomed to take over receiving responsibilities at the position. Daboll referred to Cager as one of the team’s most improved players this offseason. Considering Cager’s past as a frequent practice squad stash, his move to regular duty would be a notable development for a Giants team again grappling with the loss of a productive tight end. In 17 Giants games since his 2022 arrival, Cager has just 17 receptions for 154 yards.
Although Waller continued to battle health issues in New York, he totaled 552 receiving yards in his 12-game Giants stint. Only Engram has topped that among Giants TEs since 2013. Waller’s summer exit leaves a gaping hole in the Giants’ skill-position corps.
The Giants did not add a receiving tight end in free agency but did use their first Day 3 pick on Johnson, who caught seven touchdown passes at Penn State last season. Johnson topped out at 341 yards in a Nittany Lions campaign, but he averaged 16.4 yards per catch as a junior in 2022. Johnson measured 6-foot-6 and ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.
Additionally, Duggan notes Chris Manhertz exited the offseason program ahead of the other UFA tight end the team added (Jack Stoll). The Broncos released Manhertz, a blocking tight end, this offseason. Manhertz making the roster would cut into the above-referenced trio’s work, as he would be of use to the Giants’ post-Saquon Barkley rushing attack, one still expected to feature the struggling Evan Neal at right tackle.
Cody Barton, Jonas Griffith Competing For Broncos ILB Job
The Broncos’ separations from Russell Wilson, Justin Simmons and Jerry Jeudy drew more attention this offseason, but the team also said goodbye to starting linebacker Josey Jewell. The six-year Denver defender left to rejoin Ejiro Evero with Carolina.
Alex Singleton remains tied to the three-year, $18MM contract he signed last year; the prolific tackler will enter training camp a surefire starter on Denver’s defensive second level. Jewell’s old post remains unfilled; a camp position battle will determine who will be Singleton’s ILB wingman to start this season.
[RELATED: Broncos Lose Drew Sanders To Achilles Tear]
Days after Jewell’s defection to the Panthers, the Broncos signed Cody Barton. The latter has been a starter in back-to-back seasons, working in that capacity with the Seahawks and Commanders. The team also re-signed Jonas Griffith, who has logged fill-in starter duty while maintaining a regular role on special teams. This shapes up as a head-to-head matchup for the other three-down LB role in Denver, ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold notes.
Griffth’s re-emergence reflects his progress with the current coaching staff, which was not in place when the Broncos traded for him in 2021, and from the ACL tear he sustained last summer. Griffith, who made eight starts for the Broncos in 2022, also suffered two significant injuries that limited him two seasons ago. Elbow and foot issues shelved the former UDFA in 2022, when he had played alongside Jewell and Singleton in base sets. The fifth-year defender, whom the Broncos re-signed to bypass the RFA tender process this offseason, has not played since that November 2022 foot flareup.
Given the keys to a three-down role after the Seahawks released Bobby Wagner in 2022, Barton has since seen Wagner circle back to replace him in Washington. Dan Quinn‘s run of reunions included Wagner, whom he coached as Seahawks DC from 2013-14. Wagner’s Washington commitment followed Frankie Luvu‘s. With former first-rounder Jamin Davis still on the roster, Barton saw the new Commanders regime move on during the first days of free agency. This preceded a one-year, $2.5MM Broncos agreement. That deal includes $2.33MM guaranteed; Griffith’s contract does not feature any guarantees.
Barton, 27, made 24 starts over the past two seasons, filling up the stat sheet in that time. The former third-round pick totaled 136 tackles, two interceptions and six passes defensed in 2022 while adding 121 stops and one pick last season. Pro Football Focus, however, viewed Barton as a liability against the run and ranked him as a bottom-10 LB regular last season. Griffith, 27, intercepted a pass during his injury-shortened 2022 season.
Singleton’s new sidekick will emerge as a low-cost solution after Jewell’s two-year, $11MM contract came off the books. With Wilson carrying a record-smashing dead money sum, the Broncos have needed to cut costs elsewhere. Linebacker will be one such place, with rookie deals (Justin Strnad, Drew Sanders) and a vet-minimum Andre Smith contract rounding out the position. Denver did not draft an inside linebacker this year.
Barton’s contract would indicate a slight edge, though Sean Payton said Griffith has shown himself to be a viable competitor for a starting post. After the Broncos’ Jewell talks did not produce a third contract agreement, he inked a three-year, $18.75MM Panthers pact. DC Vance Joseph, having lost the last two defenders left over from his HC stay (Simmons and Jewell), will need to select a less established replacement soon.
Rejected Rams Proposal Affected Panthers’ Extension Talks With Brian Burns
One of the bigger trade what-ifs during this NFL period occurred before the 2022 deadline, when the Panthers turned down a monster Rams offer for Brian Burns. While the Rams shifted into a retooling mode — with a greater interest on rookie contracts — as their Super Bowl LVI title defense skidded off track, the fallout from the failed pursuit affected the Panthers.
Serious Carolina-Burns extension talks did not commence until 2023, but the Pro Bowl edge rusher effectively held the failed trade against the Panthers, who turned down an offer that turned out to be much better than the one they ended up accepting from the Giants. Los Angeles offered two first-round picks and a third for Burns; Carolina ultimately accepted a second-rounder and a swap of fifths from New York.
[RELATED: Giants Impacted Panthers’ Trade-Up For RB Jonathon Brooks]
Once the Panthers rejected the Rams’ proposal in October 2022, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the tone of his talks with Carolina did not improve. While Burns would have followed Von Miller and Dante Fowler as edge pieces sent to L.A. at a trade deadline, the Carolina edge stood in a position to be extended. It is unclear if the Rams had a deal ready to go, however, and Burns’ asking price ended up too high for the Panthers. Miller was in his age-32 season when the Rams acquired him, and Fowler had not performed on Burns’ level; the Rams acquiring a 25-year-old Pro Bowler would have separated that prospective trade from the Miller and Fowler swaps.
Although the Panthers were believed to be preparing for a Burns extension during the 2022 offseason, talks did not pick up until June 2023. By the time discussions did move into high gear, then-GM Scott Fitterer — empowered after the October 2022 Matt Rhule firing — had both rejected the Rams’ offer and kept their top sack artist out of the March 2023 trade with the Bears that sent the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina.
Before pivoting to D.J. Moore, the Bears asked about Burns and Derrick Brown. The Bears’ immediate extension for Montez Sweat upon acquiring the Commanders defensive end at the 2023 deadline created another what-if for Burns, though his involvement in those trade talks ultimately proved beneficial.
Burns had sought a deal in the $30MM-per-year ballpark, with that number coming up before the 49ers’ $34MM-AAV Nick Bosa agreement. Considering the accomplishment gap between Bosa and Burns, it was understandable the Panthers balked at giving the Ron Rivera-era draftee a deal that would have topped T.J. Watt‘s then-OLB-record number. Teams asked about Burns at the 2023 trade deadline as well, but the offers were not viewed as especially close to where the Rams went.
The snag coming out of the failed Rams trade talks became the Giants’ gain, with new GM Dan Morgan and former coworker Joe Schoen linking up on a March trade. They acquired Burns for a package similar to the one they received for Leonard Williams and gave the franchise-tagged edge rusher a five-year, $141MM deal that came with $76MM guaranteed at signing. Burns, 26, ranks in the top four in AAV, total guarantees and full guarantees among edge defenders. His contract, for the time being, overlaps with Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s rookie deal.
Carolina has since extended Brown, but cornerstones Moore and Burns are now elsewhere. The team’s receiving corps underwhelmed in 2023, contributing to Bryce Young‘s poor rookie season, and the team patched its OLB corps together with free agency additions in Morgan’s first offseason as GM. Jadeveon Clowney, D.J. Wonnum and K’Lavon Chaisson are now in place in Charlotte. The team does not appear to have an OLB pillar presently, and Morgan will be tasked with finding one to replace Burns in the long term.
Titans P Ryan Stonehouse Aiming To Return By Week 1
Ryan Stonehouse broke an 82-year-old NFL record as a rookie and gave the Titans similar advantages in the punt game during his second season, but Year 2 ended abruptly due to major injuries sustained in December. The record-setting punter remains on the mend.
A game in which the Colts blocked two punts led to the firing of the Titans’ special teams coordinator, and the second of those blocks — by Indianapolis DB Tony Brown — resulted in Stonehouse being carried off the field. The talented specialist suffered ACL and MCL tears, along with a broken bone in his left leg, as a result of the second block, per veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. While these issues have affected his non-kicking leg, Stonehouse is uncertain to be ready during training camp.
“Too early to tell,” Titans HC Brian Callahan said (via TennesseeTitans.com’s Jim Wyatt) regarding a timetable. “I mean, the injury is obviously significant enough to where he’s still out at this point. He is rehabbing. He’s doing a great job in his rehab process. We’ll see where we get to when we report to training camp and where that’s at. His progress has been really good. He has been working, and it’s going to be a matter of when the doctors clear it when we get to training camp and then when he feels confident enough.”
A 2022 UDFA out of Colorado State, Stonehouse was a revelation as a rookie. He broke Sammy Baugh‘s single-season punting average mark, moving the NFL’s standard from 51.4 yards per boot (set in 1940) to 53.1. Stonehouse matched that average in 2023, though his season ended in Week 13. Stonehouse’s first two seasons sit atop the NFL’s single-season punt averages, with the Cowboys’ Bryan Anger matching Baugh’s mark last season. Only one other player — Shane Lechler (2009) — has surpassed 51 yards per punt in a season.
Stonehouse’s skills certainly make this a rehab effort to monitor. The injury occurred Dec. 3, putting Week 1 as a better aim for a Stonehouse return. The third-year punter said recently during a Sirius XM Radio interview a Week 1 return stands as his goal.
The Titans added Ty Zentner following Stonehouse’s injury; the fill-in option remains on Tennessee’s roster. Zentner, who also served as a Texans fill-in for Cameron Johnston last season, averaged 44.9 yards per punt as a rookie. The Titans will not need to determine if Stonehouse needs to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list, a designation that would sideline him for at least four games, until late August.
Falcons Sign Round 1 QB Michael Penix Jr.
The single-digit list of unsigned rookies dwindled again Friday. The Falcons reached an agreement with their first-round pick. Michael Penix Jr. has signed his four-year rookie deal, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets.
This news leaves Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels as the only QBs left unsigned from this class. Penix will be tied to a fully guaranteed contract featuring a fifth-year option. The Falcons do not need to decide on the option until May 2027. Their situation might not end up leaving too much evaluation time.
[RELATED: Prospect Profile: Michael Penix Jr.]
Atlanta surprised most by drafting Penix despite having signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180MM deal — one that features $100MM in practical guarantees — in March. Cousins was believed to be stunned by his new team’s first-round decision, which does not exactly have a close comp in modern NFL history. While the Packers had two first-round picks (Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love) sit for three seasons, they had not signed a free agent starter during the offseason they made those draft choices.
The Falcons informed Cousins of their decision to go with Penix at No. 8 overall minutes before the pick. Arthur Blank is believed to have played a key role in the decision as well, with Falcons scouting staffer Joel Collier providing the initial report on the Washington prospect that eventually led to the NFC South club’s decision to draft him. When Cousins was asked if he would still have signed with the Falcons had he known they would pick a quarterback in the first round, the high-priced veteran said he did not deal in hypotheticals.
Penix went through Atlanta’s offseason program receiving second- and third-team reps. Although Taylor Heinicke worked ahead of the rookie at points during the team’s OTAs and minicamp, Penix is expected to be Cousins’ top backup once the regular season begins. Heinicke, who primarily served as a backup to Desmond Ridder last year while replacing the ineffective starter on multiple occasions, took a pay cut to stay with the Falcons this offseason.
Finishing up his recovery from Achilles surgery, Cousins is expected to be ready for training camp. Thus far, no mystery exists regarding the Falcons’ starting quarterback. Until further notice, that is Cousins. Though, early speculation is already laying out a scenario in which the Falcons trade Cousins after one season. For guarantee purposes, the earliest the Falcons can escape the Cousins contract without taking on a massive dead money number would be in 2026.
While Penix is set to spend at least his age-24 season developing behind Cousins, he comes to Atlanta after a dominant 2023 season. The national championship game starter led Division I-FBS with 4,903 passing yards. The lefty threw 36 TD passes, teaming with Rome Odunze — whom the Bears selected one spot later — to pilot the Huskies to the CFP title game. Coaches were viewed as higher on the former Indiana recruit, who suffered four season-ending injuries, compared to scouts. Some among the latter contingent expressed concern about his mechanics and health history.
The Raiders were viewed as a team potentially ready to grab Penix at No. 13, but the Silver and Black were not aiming to trade up for a non-Daniels option. As such, Penix is in an unusual situation that could have him sitting until at least his age-26 season. It will be interesting to see if any rumblings about that timeline being sped up emerge during Cousins’ Atlanta stay.