Latest On Patriots’ Tackle Situation
Not re-signing Isaiah Wynn, the Patriots have some questions at their tackle posts. New England might boast some depth, should everyone stay healthy here, though the soundness of its strategy at this position can be debated.
Trent Brown is back in place as the Pats’ left tackle, but the ninth-year veteran struggled with fitness during minicamp. Weight clauses exist in Brown’s Patriots contract, just as they did when the team reacquired him from the Raiders and reworked his deal. Brown’s weight at various offseason points will trigger the bonuses. Given his minicamp form, it is worth wondering how many of those benchmarks the talented blocker will hit this year.
The team was connected to making a more concerted effort to upgrade at right tackle, but Riley Reiff is in place on a one-year, $5MM deal. The 34-year-old tackle signed for $4.15MM guaranteed and, as of now, is positioned to re-emerge as a Week 1 starter. The Bears stationed Reiff as a backup to open last season, but he closed the year as the 3-14 team’s right tackle starter. Reiff, however, took left tackle reps during the Patriots’ offseason program, per the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin.
Reiff has extensive experience on both sides, having been drafted in the 2012 first round by the Lions to play left tackle. He worked as Detroit’s full-time left-sider for three seasons and Minnesota’s for four. The Bengals used Reiff as their starting right tackle for much of their 2021 AFC championship season, but an injury ended his run before the playoffs. Reiff has made 149 career starts. Although Reiff’s profile did not present the intrigue Mike McGlinchey, Jawaan Taylor or Kaleb McGary‘s did at free agency’s outset, the Patriots passed on a big-ticket signing or a high draft choice for this role.
Reiff seeing left tackle time could point to Brown’s roster spot being uncertain. When healthy, Brown has played well during his two New England stints. He played 17 games last season but missed eight in 2021, which followed an absence-riddled Raiders tenure. Brown’s cap number ($12.25MM) sits third on this year’s Pats roster. The team would save $8MM by releasing the 6-foot-8 cog, who is going into his age-30 season.
Brown reporting to training camp in shape and staying healthy would be the best O-line outcome for the Patriots, but Reiff’s experience does provide some insurance. That said, questions also surround Reiff given his age. Reiff spent time with the backups during minicamp and has not started and finished a season as a first-stringer since 2020.
During the offseason program, the Patriots used ex-Broncos swing tackle Calvin Anderson on the left side and ex-Jet Conor McDermott on the right. Fourth-round pick Sidy Sow, who has impressed the team during his initial NFL offseason, is being viewed as a right tackle, Volin adds. Sow is attempting to convert from college guard to NFL tackle. Anderson and McDermott each have 12 career starts; the latter started six games for the Patriots last season, after being signed off the Jets’ practice squad.
Although the Pats boast an interesting five-man contingent at this position, its ceiling largely hinges on Brown’s status. Training camp figures to be important at this spot, with the team likely set on its interior O-line.
The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches
After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.
The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.
Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.
After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.
Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
- Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
- John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
- Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
- Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
- Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
- Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
- Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
- Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
- Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
- Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
- Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
- Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
- Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
- Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
- Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
- Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
- Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
- Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
- Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
- Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
- Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
- Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
- Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
- Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
- Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
- Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
- Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
- Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
- DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
- Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
- Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023
PFR Originals: Broncos, Bills, Queen, Fulton
Here are the recent originals produced by the PFR staff:
- We kicked off our 2023 Offseason In Review series with the Broncos, who took a big swing by trading for Sean Payton — after the 2022 Nathaniel Hackett hire led to a wildly disappointing season. Payton made major moves along the offensive line, and ex-Broncos HC Vance Joseph is back in Denver as defensive coordinator. But the season will center on whether Russell Wilson has truly run into a steep decline or if a host of other factors led to his struggles last year.
- The Titans passed on extending Adoree’ Jackson, and fellow first-round cornerback Caleb Farley has not shown much yet. The team has seen ex-second-rounder Kristian Fulton make progress, and Adam La Rose looked into his extension candidacy. Fulton is aiming for a new Tennessee deal.
- Staying on the extension front, I discussed the Jaguars-Evan Engram situation ahead of the July 17 franchise tag deadline. Engram joins three running backs (Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard) as tagged players this year, after Lamar Jackson and Daron Payne inked extensions. A former Giants first-rounder, Engram is coming off a season in which he set the Jaguars’ single-season tight end receiving yardage record with 766.
- The Ravens look to have made their intentions with Patrick Queen clear, giving Roquan Smith a record-setting ILB deal and drafting Clemson’s Trenton Simpson in Round 3. Through that lens, Ely Allen discussed the prospect of Baltimore fetching trade compensation for Queen. The Ravens breaking up their dynamic ILB pair would surprise, but with Smith bringing a nice haul for the Bears in his contract year, would Baltimore listen to offers for a player unlikely to be in its long-term plans?
- Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Ramsey are now in the AFC East, providing plenty of buzz for the Jets and Dolphins. But the Bills have won the AFC East three years running. In PFR’s latest poll, readers are not yet convinced Miami, New York or New England will overtake Buffalo in this division.
Poll: Who Will Win AFC East?
Offseason additions will make the AFC East perhaps the league’s most captivating divisional race. The Bills have won this division three years running, recovering from a 17-year playoff drought by advancing to five postseasons in six years of the Sean McDermott–Brandon Beane era. But the Jets and Dolphins took big swings to narrow the gap. And the Patriots present an annually high floor, having the most accomplished HC (by a rather wide margin) in the division.
Buffalo did not exactly stand pat this offseason, prioritizing a first-round trade-up for Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid. This year’s top tight end draftee is expected to play a regular role as a slot performer for the Bills, who will have Stefon Diggs (assuming he is on the same page with the organization), Gabe Davis and Dawson Knox back. Buffalo also beefed up its offensive line, signing Connor McGovern — to give the division both Connor McGoverns — to go with second-round guard O’Cyrus Torrence. Signed to a low-cost deal, ex-Rams starter David Edwards also has extensive starting experience. The Bills also added former Patriots starter Damien Harris, he of 15 rushing touchdowns in 2021, to just a one-year deal worth $1.77MM.
Defensively, the Bills’ top addition came via the June Leonard Floyd signing. Buffalo guaranteed the ex-Von Miller Los Angeles teammate $7MM to both help the team while Miller recovers from his second ACL tear — if the future Hall of Famer needs regular-season recovery time like Tre’Davious White did last year — and provide a high-end complementary edge presence to help Miller and a young edge-rushing crew. Floyd has racked up 29 sacks over the past three seasons.
Last year’s second-place finishers took aim at the Bills by adding two major defensive pieces. Miami made Vic Fangio the league’s highest-paid defensive coordinator, hiring the ex-Denver HC for more than $4.5MM per year to work with Mike McDaniel. DVOA rated the Dolphins’ defense 15th last season; the team now has Jalen Ramsey in place opposite Xavien Howard. The Dolphins pried Ramsey from the suddenly cost-conscious Rams for only a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long, though it took a contract adjustment as well. Ramsey earned first-team All-Pro honors in two of his three full seasons with the Rams.
The Dolphins let Mike Gesicki walk and have not made a notable tight end addition, and they re-signed their top three running backs from last season. In addition to re-upping Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, the Dolphins drafted Devon Achane in Round 3. They are also believed to be the clubhouse leaders to add Dalvin Cook as a hired gun of sorts. Cook is a Miami native who has mentioned the Dolphins as a “perfect fit.”
Most discussions of this division’s outlook will begin with the Jets’ top addition. It took far more than the Brett Favre trade required, but Gang Green landed Aaron Rodgers. It cost the team a first-round pick swap and a second-round choice this year, and the Packers will likely — barring injury — obtain the Jets’ 2024 first-rounder. But the upgrade the Jets will make in going from Zach Wilson to Rodgers is difficult to overstate. The four-time MVP attended the Jets’ OTA sessions, after skipping the Packers’ voluntary workouts in 2021 and ’22, and brought ex-Packers Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and tackle Billy Turner with him. The Jets are gambling that Nathaniel Hackett can shake off a woeful stay as the Broncos’ play-caller, and the team does have big questions at tackle, with both Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton coming off injuries.
Another ex-Packer, Adrian Amos, arrived in town to help the Jets cover for one of their other additions, Chuck Clark, tearing an ACL. First-round defensive end Will McDonald — believed to be, by most, an emergency option after the Steelers took Broderick Jones — also led off the Jets’ draft. Not many holes existed for Robert Saleh‘s vastly improved defense.
An assistant hire profiles as the Patriots’ top move. After a strange effort to give defensive coach Matt Patricia offensive play-calling duties predictably backfired, the Pats rehired Bill O’Brien as OC. The former Texans HC already has the offense headed in a better direction, and he is believed to be on the same page with free agent target DeAndre Hopkins despite pulling the trigger on the 2020 Houston-Arizona trade. The Pats also gave Mac Jones a weapon in J.J. Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs’ top 2022 wideout who will be tasked with replacing Jakobi Meyers.
The Patriots have failed to form a top-11 scoring defense exactly once in the past 15 years, and Bill Belichick‘s unit now has first- and second-round picks Christian Gonzalez and Keion White. The team re-signed Jonathan Jones and is prepared to move the secondary staple back inside, but a big question mark now looms with emerging boundary defender Jack Jones, who faces potential prison time for gun charges.
Have the Jets and Dolphins done enough to topple the Bills? Are the Patriots — a 2021 playoff team that took a big step back on offense under Patricia and Joe Judge — being slept on? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this division in the comments section.
Isaiah Wynn To Vie For Dolphins’ LG Job
The Dolphins have given 2021 second-round pick Liam Eichenberg two seasons to start on the offensive line. Although no major guard investment arrived via free agency or the draft this offseason, the third-year veteran is expected to see competition from a longtime left tackle.
Terron Armstead is going into the second season of a five-year, $75MM contract, and the Dolphins are planning to give 2020 first-round pick Austin Jackson a second chance at right tackle. This would relegate post-draft pickup Isaiah Wynn to a swing role, but the former Patriots first-rounder has extensive guard duty in his past. The Dolphins appear set to exploring that path. Wynn and Eichenberg will compete for the team’s starting left guard gig, Jim Ayello of The Athletic writes (subscription required).
Wynn spent most of his New England time as the Patriots’ starting left tackle; a short 2022 stretch at right tackle did not go especially well. Inconsistency and injury issues led to Wynn signing a one-year, $2.3MM deal. The Pats did give Wynn some time at guard, however, and the 27-year-old blocker worked as a Georgia starting guard during his sophomore and junior seasons (2015 and ’16). The Bulldogs switched Wynn to tackle during that junior year, and the 6-foot-2 blocker glided to a first-round perch after spending 2017 as the SEC program’s blindside starter. During Wynn’s time in trade rumors, some teams considered him a tackle-guard ‘tweener. The Dolphins used Wynn at multiple spots during their offseason program.
The Dolphins have a recent history of giving players extensive run at both guard and tackle. Jesse Davis was a regular at both positions during his versatile tenure in Miami, while right guard Robert Hunt came over from a rookie-year tackle role. The Dolphins also slid Jackson to guard to accommodate Eichenberg in 2021. Seeing as it is perhaps easier to list the tackles who have not been tried at guard in Miami in recent years, Wynn making his way back to his mid-2010s college position is not hard to envision.
Given Armstead and Jackson’s injury histories, Wynn and Eichenberg may be needed as starters. Armstead battled an assortment of maladies in his first Dolphins slate, seeing hip, foot, knee and pectoral setbacks limit him to 13 games last season. The ex-Saints Pro Bowler played through these ailments for much of the season, but he has missed 38 regular-season games since the start of the 2014 campaign. It would be a surprise if the soon-to-be 32-year-old blocker did not miss time in 2023. Jackson is coming off a season in which a September ankle injury caused him to miss 15 games. The Dolphins did not pick up the USC alum’s fifth-year option, but they are counting on him to bounce back. This marks Jackson’s first NFL instance of staying in the same position for a second straight year.
Eichenberg has not shown much to indicate he is a starter-caliber NFL O-lineman. The ex-Notre Dame left tackle started 16 games as a rookie, primarily playing left tackle; Pro Football Focus graded him as a bottom-five option at the position. During Eichenberg’s injury-plagued 10-start season at left guard last year, PFF graded as a bottom-three regular at that position. Eichenberg’s struggles to this point stand to both give Wynn an interesting opportunity and may require the Dolphins to keep exploring outside options up front.
The team was connected to UFA tackle George Fant earlier this offseason and hosted Cameron Fleming on a visit; Fleming has since re-signed with the Broncos. Low-cost signing Dan Feeney resides as an interior backup option. Journeyman Cedric Ogbuehi — whom the Jets cut this offseason — will try to make the team as a swing tackle.
Injury issues at tackle and the LG question mark surround a team with an injury-prone quarterback. Prior to Tua Tagovailoa‘s three-concussion (in all likelihood) 2022, the southpaw starter suffered two hand injuries and ended up on IR due to a 2021 rib fracture. The Alabama standout, of course, came into the NFL after a severe hip injury. Tagovailoa protection will go a long way toward determining the Dolphins’ viability as a contender, and the Dolphins are set to carry some questions into training camp.
Offseason In Review: Denver Broncos
While last season marked the Broncos’ sixth straight sub-.500 campaign, it was easily the most memorable letdown for the franchise during its post-Super Bowl 50 swoon. Denver’s attempt to pair blockbuster trade acquisition Russell Wilson and first-time head coach Nathaniel Hackett backfired spectacularly, with the latter joining Urban Meyer (2021) and Pete McCulley (49ers, 1978) as the only NFL head coaches to be fired before their first season ended. Hackett’s managerial struggles were noticeable early, and they played a role in Wilson slogging through a disastrous 11th season. As a result, the franchise is resetting once again.
The Broncos will attempt to pick up the pieces, putting Sean Payton behind the wheel. Despite the team’s descent to the NFL’s basement offensively, most of the starters from a top-10 DVOA defense remain in place. So do the wide receivers the Broncos have retained as they cycled through quarterbacks and play-callers over the past few years. Expectations are lower for the 2023 Broncos, given Wilson’s concerning 2022, but this looks like bounce-back candidate.
Trades:
- Sent No. 29 overall pick and a 2024 second-rounder to Saints for HC Sean Payton‘s rights and a 2024 third
- Dealt 2023 sixth-round pick to Saints for TE Adam Trautman and a seventh-round choice
Denver’s fourth coaching search since Super Bowl 50 ended with the franchise reeling in the biggest fish in its history. While Mike Shanahan put together a Hall of Fame-caliber résumé during his 14-year Denver HC tenure, Payton certainly brought a higher profile as a candidate. The 15-year Saints coach — responsible for nine of the franchise’s 10 postseason wins — brings a Super Bowl ring and a reputation as one of the game’s premier offensive minds. The Broncos have now hired back-to-back offensive coaches; Payton will double as a restorer-in-chief given the circumstances here.
Although the Broncos appeared ready to offer DeMeco Ryans their HC gig, Payton hovered on the radar from the start of the franchise’s search. The Rob Walton-led ownership group, which bought the team after the Hackett hire, conducted a search that had stalled by late January. Ryans preferred Houston, while Dan Quinn — a Broncos finalist in 2022 — bowed out. Interviewing for an NFL job for a second straight offseason, Jim Harbaugh stayed at Michigan. Harbaugh loomed as a 1-B option behind Payton, but as the latter interviewed for the Texans, Cardinals and Panthers’ positions, Broncos CEO Greg Penner flew to Ann Arbor for a second Harbaugh meeting. Just as Denver’s HC search teetered on collapse, this ownership group’s first such effort produced a well-received ending.
Payton, 59, held the leverage of spending a second year at FOX. Connected to interest in the Chargers and Cowboys’ jobs last year, the recent TV analyst could have waited for one of those to open up in 2024. (Then again, he seemed prepared to coach Tom Brady in 2022, leading to the Dolphins tampering punishment.) The Broncos needed to convince Payton to make his move in 2023, and doing so likely means a top-market coaching salary. Seeing as there is no coaching salary cap, the NFL’s wealthiest owner was presumably unconcerned about Payton’s financial price tag. But the Broncos also needed to part with major draft compensation for Payton, completing the biggest HC trade since the Buccaneers sent the Raiders two first-round picks and two seconds for Jon Gruden in 2002.
The Broncos’ decision to deal Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins at last year’s deadline proved crucial for Payton ammunition, as Denver sent the Miami-obtained pick to New Orleans as the centerpiece of the swap for the accomplished HC’s rights. The teams also exchanged 2024 Day 2 picks. From March 2022 to January 2023, the Broncos traded three first-round picks to secure a Wilson-Payton foundation. After untested candidates in Hackett and Vance Joseph sandwiched acclaimed defensive boss Vic Fangio, who was given three primary QB1s in three years, the Broncos probably needed to swing big.
Drew Brees morphed from inconsistent Charger to the league’s all-time passing kingpin under Payton, who elevated the Saints to the NFC championship game in his first season (2006), piloted them to a Super Bowl XLIV win and was a historically controversial pass interference non-call from coaching in Super Bowl LIII. Payton harnessed Brees’ talents, but the ex-San Diego draftee’s deadly accuracy drove the Saints’ offense for 15 years. Payton will be in charge of restoring Wilson, who once named the Saints as an acceptable 2021 trade destination before reportedly attempting to bring the coach to Seattle last year.
Under Hackett, Wilson was given significant input in the design of Denver’s offense. Wilson’s attempt to operate as a Brees-like pocket passer crash-landed, leading to relentless criticism of the perennial Pro Bowl QB. If Wilson is unable to rebound at 34 under Payton, his future in Denver — and perhaps his Hall of Fame status, which once seemed a safe bet after two Super Bowl starts and six original-ballot Pro Bowl nods — could potentially be in doubt. Even if Wilson may still have a good chance of reaching Canton regardless of his Denver tenure, a semblance of doubt creeping in creates a fascinating high-stakes backdrop for the Broncos’ 2023 season.
Wilson’s effort to shake off a career-worst QBR (36.7 — 27th) and completion percentage (60.5) figures will go a long way toward solidifying his future and the post-2023 Colorado future of GM George Paton. Hired during the Broncos’ period without a true owner, Paton has hit on some decisions — most notably the Patrick Surtain II pick during what looks like a fruitful 2021 draft for the team — but has now lost power after the Hackett and Wilson calls. While the Broncos’ Payton-Paton partnership (which should produce some good sentence challenges while it lasts) is a go for 2023, it is not hard to foresee the new HC bringing in one of his former Saints allies if Wilson has truly seen his prime conclude.
Free agency additions:
- Mike McGlinchey, T: Five years, $87.5MM ($35MM guaranteed)
- Zach Allen, DL: Three years, $45.75MM ($32.5MM guaranteed)
- Ben Powers, G: Four years, $52MM ($27MM guaranteed)
- Jarrett Stidham, QB: Two years, $10MM ($5MM guaranteed)
- Frank Clark, OLB: One year, $5.5MM ($5MM guaranteed)
- Samaje Perine, RB: Two years, $7.5MM ($3MM guaranteed)
- Chris Manhertz, TE: Two years, $6MM ($3.34MM guaranteed)
- Tremon Smith, CB: One year, $2.5MM ($2.5MM guaranteed)
- Riley Dixon, P: One year, $1.75MM ($1MM guaranteed)
- Michael Burton, FB: One year, $1.32MM ($1.1MM guaranteed)
- Marquez Callaway, WR: One year, $1.14MM ($303K guaranteed)
- Lil’Jordan Humphrey, WR: One year, $1.1MM
- Tyler Lancaster, DL: One year, $1.1MM
- Tony Jones Jr., RB: One year, $940K
- Ben DiNucci, QB: One year, $870K
- Elliott Fry, K: One year, $750K
Injuries up front tossed another piece of debris onto the Broncos’ path last season, and the team has made an annual ritual of changing right tackles. In the early hours of the legal tampering period, the Broncos paid up to solve this decade-long problem. McGlinchey, 28, is slated to become Denver’s 11th Week 1 right tackle starter in 11 years. After the Broncos skimped at the position in 2022, via low-cost deals for Billy Turner and Tom Compton, Payton greenlit a top-five right tackle contract that reminded of the deal he OK’d for Ryan Ramczyk in New Orleans. Four years after the Broncos’ 2019 Ja’Wuan James investment bombed, they will bet on another ex-first-rounder at this position.
The 49ers used McGlinchey as a five-year right tackle starter. While not viewed as an elite pass protector, McGlinchey aided Kyle Shanahan‘s offense in the run game. He wrapped his rookie-contract San Francisco run by ranking fifth in ESPN’s run block win rate among all tackles. After Turner missed half of last season and Compton was healthy for all of one game, the Broncos saw their O-line depth issues — compounded by Garett Bolles‘ Week 5 leg fracture — lead to Wilson taking a league-high 55 sacks. To help prevent a recurrence, the Broncos gave McGlinchey a contract that includes a practical guarantee of $52.5MM (via his 2025 base salary locking in by March 2024). This helped push the Bears to drop out of the pursuit.
Dating back to the Jahri Evans–Carl Nicks tandem, Payton has placed a premium on interior protection. This carried through to the Saints’ Andrus Peat–Erik McCoy–Cesar Ruiz trio. The Broncos have not seen Lloyd Cushenberry become an above-average center, but the team is well stocked at guard after prying Powers from the Ravens. Powers, 26, brings an interesting profile; he was battling for a starting job as recently as last year. Powers won Baltimore’s left guard job and parlayed that into a $13MM-per-year contract. ESPN’s pass block win rate metric ranked Powers in the top 10 at guard last year. Set to replace four-year starter Dalton Risner, Powers will pair with 2021 third-rounder Quinn Meinerz — a top-10 guard in 2022, per Pro Football Focus — to form a promising tandem.
Although the Payton-Paton power structure wanted to retain Dre’Mont Jones, one of new DC Vance Joseph‘s Cardinals charges will step in to replace him at a slightly lower rate. A 3-4 defensive end alongside J.J. Watt in Arizona, Allen led all D-linemen with eight pass deflections last season. Allen, who finished last season with career-high marks in sacks (5.5) and quarterback hits (20), spent each of his four Cardinals seasons in Joseph’s system. The 26-year-old D-lineman will team with 2022 free agency pickup D.J. Jones in Joseph’s 3-4 scheme. In McGlinchey, Allen and Powers, the Broncos signed three of PFR’s top 19 free agents.
In landing Perine during the tampering period, the Broncos took an unexpected route at running back. Despite the likes of Devin Singletary, Damien Harris and Kareem Hunt remaining on the board, the Broncos brought in Joe Mixon‘s longtime backup. Perine performed well in relief of Mixon over the past two years, and even with the ex-Mixon Oklahoma sidekick (and owner of a still-standing Division I-FBS single-game rushing record) heading into his age-28 season, he has taken just 401 handoffs over a six-year career. As teams shy away from late-20s running backs, the Broncos will bet on one that should have some notable mileage left.
The Perine addition may be impeding the Broncos re: Dalvin Cook, though the team is tentatively expecting starter Javonte Williams — who tore his ACL and LCL in Week 4 — to return by its regular-season opener. Payton’s Pierre Thomas–Reggie Bush/Alvin Kamara–Mark Ingram backfields point to Perine seeing extensive run. Perine last totaled more than 100 carries in a season in 2017.
At this point last year, the Broncos looked set to deploy a deep edge-rushing corps. But the team’s $14MM-per-year Randy Gregory investment took on some water after his early-season knee injury. After trading Malik Reed, the Broncos later dealt Chubb to the Dolphins. With Gregory coming off another injury-limited season and converted inside linebacker Baron Browning set to miss training camp time due to a summer knee surgery, Clark will be asked to step in.
Titans RB Hassan Haskins Arrested On Assault Charge
Titans running back Hassan Haskins was arrested on an assault charge Thursday, Caleb Wethington of WSMV reports. Metro Nashville Police booked the second-year back on an aggravated assault by strangulation charge.
Haskins was released on bond later Thursday, ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport adds. The Titans released a statement indicating they are aware of the arrest. Haskins, 23, is scheduled to appear in Davidson County Court July 10.
The Titans chose Haskins in the 2022 fourth round out of Michigan. The Eureka, Missouri, native shined in a breakout 2021 season with the Wolverines, rushing for 1,327 yards and totaling 20 touchdowns. He spent his rookie season as Derrick Henry‘s top backup. Haskins’ 25 carries were the second-most by a Tennessee running back last season.
In addition to potential legal punishment, this arrest puts Haskins on the radar for a suspension and a possible Titans exit. Haskins gained 93 yards on his 25 totes last season, adding 11 receptions. But the Titans have since changed general managers since selecting him 131st overall last year. Ran Carthon replaced Jon Robinson atop the team’s front office, and the team chose Tulane’s Tyjae Spears in this year’s third round. Spears is also a clear candidate to become Henry’s top backup.
Bengals, Joe Mixon Aiming For Near-Future Resolution On Contract
On the radar for several weeks, the Joe Mixon pay-cut situation still lingers for the Bengals. The seventh-year veteran went through Cincinnati’s minicamp in his usual starting role, but he is still not a lock to be on the team when it begins padded practices in August.
While vested veterans’ salaries do not become guaranteed until the Tuesday before Week 1, the Bengals and Mixon want this situation resolved “sooner rather than later,” Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Mixon, 27 in July, is tied to a $9.4MM base salary this year; the Bengals have long aimed to reduce that.
This probably is not going over well with Mixon, but his status has been an uncertainty since before the running back position began sustaining steady body blows. Bengals executive VP Duke Tobin said back at the Combine that Mixon’s status on the 2023 roster would be determined, and word of a pay-cut request emerged in mid-April.
As we wrap up June, Mixon remains tied to the four-year, $48MM contract he signed just before the 2020 season. The Bengals may be waiting to hammer out their Joe Burrow extension before addressing the Mixon matter, but no updates have come out on the quarterback’s negotiations in some time. With Burrow’s talks partially tied to how the Chargers proceed with Justin Herbert, the team may need to reach a Mixon agreement before Burrow signs.
This year has brought grim updates for the running back position. The Cowboys and Vikings shed two of the position’s top four deals from their respective payrolls, releasing Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook. Although Aaron Jones‘ restructure came with more 2023 security, the Packers back agreed to a $5MM pay cut. The Chargers refused to give Austin Ekeler, the NFL’s touchdown leader in each of the past two seasons, a raise; a minor incentive package became the solution instead. Miles Sanders‘ $6.35MM-per-year contract led the way for a deep free agency class this year. None of the three franchise-tagged backs — Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard — have extensions in place. Sanders said this week that “it sucks to be a running back right now.”
The developments of the past few months may point to the Bengals asking for a significant Mixon reduction — perhaps more than the Packers $5MM Jones trim. With the likes of Elliott, Cook, Leonard Fournette and Kareem Hunt unsigned, the Bengals still have outside options. But the team is unlikely to consider those UFAs until they drop their asking prices, Dehner adds. This creates an interesting scenario for the AFC power.
The Vikings were rumored to be seeking a Cook cut, but they are not believed to have offered a specific number before releasing their 2017 RB draftee. Coming off a down year, Mixon is seemingly short on options. But the Bengals did lose Samaje Perine to the Broncos in free agency. The Bengals are believed to have offered their veteran backup a deal similar to the two-year, $7.5MM terms the Broncos proposed. Cincinnati used a fifth-round pick on Illinois’ Chase Brown and has fifth-year player Trayveon Williams and third-year back Chris Evans rostered as well. None of the team’s other options profiles as a starter. Perine’s exit provides apparent Mixon leverage, but the cadre of accomplished free agents would stand to undercut it.
Mixon did earn a Pro Bowl nod after totaling 1,519 scrimmage yards and 16 touchdowns — both career-high marks — in 2021, helping the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI. This extension, like those given to Cook and Jones, has benefited the team. But the state of the market — and the contract statuses of Burrow, Tee Higgins and Logan Wilson — prompted the Bengals to make this play. Mixon’s response will either keep the Bengals’ stacked skill-position corps intact or add another big name to the free agent mix.
Top Second-Round Picks In Mix For Fully Guaranteed Contracts
Signing second-round picks continues to be a slow-moving process for many teams. Fourteen second-rounders remain unsigned. That accounts for almost half the unsigned draftees remaining from this year’s class.
No. 39 overall pick Jonathan Mingo receiving three fully guaranteed years and part of his 2026 season locked in has undoubtedly caused the gridlock for teams negotiating with players chosen shortly after the Panthers wide receiver. The Nos. 40-48 picks have not signed their rookie deals. But more clarity came earlier in the round; the Nos. 34-39 players have inked their respective rookie contracts. Three-year guarantees are now the standard in that slot range. But the two players chosen atop Round 2 are likely looking to further adjust the draft pay structure.
Neither Joey Porter Jr. (Steelers, No. 32 overall) nor Will Levis (Titans, No. 33) have signed. Agents for both players are likely aiming to land fully guaranteed deals for their clients, and GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer notes others in the agent community view full guarantees as in play for the two second-round leadoff picks. No second-rounder has secured a fully guaranteed deal since the 2011 CBA implemented the slot system.
The first round has featured fully guaranteed deals for just two years. Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, the No. 32 overall picks in 2020 and ’21, received partial fourth-year guarantees. But last year’s 32nd pick — Vikings safety Lewis Cine — effectively closed the book on the partial guarantee era for first-rounders, receiving all his money ($11.494MM) guaranteed. As such, this year’s final first-rounder — Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah — signed a fully guaranteed $11.818MM deal. The tide now appears to be rising toward Round 2, putting the onus on the Steelers and Titans to offer more player security.
Since the NFL stripped the Dolphins of their first-round choice, Porter has a clear case for a fully guaranteed pact. Had the Sean Payton–Tom Brady tampering matter not removed Miami’s slot from the equation, Porter’s draft slot would have arrived in Round 1. As a quarterback, Levis has some additional leverage as well. Levis securing a buttoned-up deal may be more notable going forward, due to his No. 33 slot, but he will probably need Porter’s help.
A drop-off in guaranteed cash took place after Cine in 2022; Buccaneers No. 33 overall selection Logan Hall only received $225K of his $1.98MM 2026 base salary guaranteed. This year’s 34th overall choice — Lions tight end Sam LaPorta — has already done better, securing $408K of his 2026 salary guaranteed. Porter and Levis look to be aiming to follow Cine in moving the bar forward for picks in this range, though the gap between Anudike-Uzomah’s guaranteed money and LaPorta’s overall guarantee ($9.47MM) does provide a reasonable bridge for the Pittsburgh and Tennessee rookies to cross.
This can be considered a fairly minor development; the 2011 CBA’s slot system removed much of the haggling and ensuing holdouts involving rookie contracts. But any second-rounder securing a fully guaranteed deal will represent a notable hurdle cleared, as the slot system has now been in place for 13 drafts. It will also be worth watching to see if the Steelers and Titans attempt to hold the line, thus bringing holdouts into play this year. Titans rookies report to camp July 22, with Steelers opening July 26.
Titans T Nicholas Petit-Frere Hit With Six-Game Gambling Suspension
Another name in the NFL’s gambling crosshairs has dropped. The league will hand a six-game suspension to Titans tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere for violating the gambling policy, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
A third-round Titans draftee last year, Petit-Frere became the team’s starting right tackle as a rookie. Petit-Frere said in a statement he did not gamble on NFL games but admitted to violating the betting policy. His betting on non-NFL games from a team facility will induce the six-game ban.
This comes a day after Schefter reported other players, in addition to Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, were targets in the league’s gambling probe. This is the first mention of Petit-Frere, however, in connection with gambling. Rodgers is set to draw a season-long ban for making bets on NFL games. Expanding what is becoming a widespread issue for the NFL, Petit-Frere is the seventh known player popped for a 2023 gambling violation.
This suspension is consistent with the bans handed to Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams and former Detroit wideout Stanley Berryhill. While other since-cut Lions — and Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney — were hit with indefinite suspensions for betting on NFL games, Williams and Berryhill were found to have bet on other sports from team grounds.
Chosen 69th overall out of Ohio State last year, Petit-Frere won the Titans’ starting tackle job in training camp. He started 16 games as a rookie, during a season in which Tennessee’s offensive line endured a rash of injuries. By season’s end, longtime starters Taylor Lewan, Ben Jones and Nate Davis were on IR; Petit-Frere and guard Aaron Brewer were the only first-string blockers left standing. The team has since cut Lewan and Jones; Davis signed with the Bears in free agency. Petit-Frere and Brewer are ticketed to stick as starters, but the Titans will need to make other plans at right tackle to start the season.
Pro Football Focus did not view Petit-Frere’s rookie year fondly, grading the former Big Ten blocker 74th among tackles last season. The Titans have also gone through some issues staffing their right tackle spot in recent years; this adds to a growing list.
Since the team passed on Jack Conklin‘s fifth-year option, it has not enjoyed continuity at the position. After Conklin left for Cleveland in 2020, the Titans drafted Isaiah Wilson in the first round. Wilson became a spectacular bust, playing all of four NFL plays, and lasted one season in Tennessee. The Titans then drafted North Dakota State’s Dillon Radunz in the 2021 second round. Radunz has been unable to win the right tackle job, losing the camp competition to Petit-Frere. Radunz could find himself back in the mix for the role, but the Titans’ offseason retooling effort up front now will include a right tackle change as well.
This move also could affect where the Titans station first-round pick Peter Skoronski. Viewed as a guard by most evaluators, the Northwestern prospect played only tackle while in college. He worked at both tackle and guard during the Titans’ offseason program. Sixth-rounder Jaelyn Duncan and swingman Jamarco Jones also loom a potential stopgap options, in case the Titans view Skoronski as a guard. The team also may look for a veteran. Dennis Kelly, who started for the team in 2020, is unattached. Though, George Fant, a three-year Jets starter, probably represents the top available option. Marcus Cannon, Ja’Wuan James and Chris Hubbard are also available.
Tennessee’s O-line will now roll out four new starters to open the season. Brewer is expected to shift to center to replace Jones, but new pieces will comprise the rest of the group. The Titans signed left tackle Andre Dillard in free agency, with ex-49ers exec-turned-GM Ran Carthon adding former San Francisco guard Daniel Brunskill as well. Another new blocker will now be in line to follow Dillard, Brunskill and Skoronski as a Titans starter — health permitting — in Week 1.