Seahawks Hope To Keep O-Line In Tact
The Seahawks’ entire offensive line could wind up with a face lift in March. With several key linemen headed towards free agency, head coach Pete Carroll says he wants to keep the band together. 
[RELATED: Latest On Jadeveon Clowney]
“I hope we can keep our guys connected here,” Carroll said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson). “I think the whole group, it could be a really solid group coming back. I’d like to see the guys that have played for us stay with us.”
Carroll is aiming for continuity, because the unit “made good progress” in 2019. But, to keep the O-Line in tact, they’ll have to work out new deals with right tackle Germain Ifedi, left guard Mike Iupati, and backup left tackle George Fant, all of whom are set to be unrestricted free agents. Center Joey Hunt, meanwhile, will be a restricted free agent.
Seahawks coaches might have liked what they saw out of the offensive line, but the advanced metrics saw things differently. The Seahawks graded out 30th in pass blocking and 14th in run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus.
The individual rankings for the pending free agents weren’t so hot, either. Out of 214 qualified offensive linemen, PFF had Fant (No. 133), Iupati (No. 135), Ifedi (No. 150), and Hunt (No. 180) all positioned as below average players.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks have bigger fish to fry with six other key players headed towards the open market, including defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and defensive tackle Jarran Reed. On the plus side, they have upwards of $58MM in projected cap space this offseason, giving them the most flexibility they’ve had in seven years.
Patriots Notes: Brady, Collins, Thuney
The Patriots are projected to have roughly $30MM in cap space this offseason but, as ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss notes, they also have a litany of key free agents to consider. That list, of course, starts with superstar Tom Brady, who is planning to explore free agency for the first time in his career. It’s hard to imagine Brady leaving New England, but the Pats are notoriously opposed to sinking too many dollars into any one player. With countless suitors out there with more cash to burn than the Patriots, Reiss pegs his odds of returning at just 80%.
While you ponder the unthinkable, here’s more on the Pats:
- Among the free agents with less than 50% odds of returning, in Reiss’ estimation: linebacker Jamie Collins, wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, special teams ace Nate Ebner, linebacker/fullback Elandon Roberts, outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, and left guard Joe Thuney. Thuney isn’t the biggest name on the list, but he might land the biggest pay day of them all as a four-year starter who has never missed a game. Thuney also just turned 27 in November, which means that other clubs will be eager to sign him through his prime years. Given their history, the Patriots seem unlikely to match exorbitant offers for him.
- Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels missed out on the Browns head coaching gig and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter) sees that as a promising sign for Brady’s return. Regardless, Brady is still expected to test the waters in March.
- Earlier this week, New Hampshire prosecutors dropped their charges against Patriots safety Patrick Chung. Chung was arrested in 2019 when police found cocaine in his house.
Ravens Notes: Carr, Skura, Pierce
Here’s a look at the Ravens as they get set for the offseason ahead:
- Ravens defensive back Brandon Carr told reporters that the “ball is in [the Ravens’] court” when asked about his future (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley). Carr, 34 in May, is under contact for 2020, but the Ravens can create $6MM by releasing him. For his part, Carr wants to return – he called the 2019 season one of the “best rides” of his 12-year career. Carr has not missed a single game since 2008 and has started in every appearance. The durable veteran finished out 2019 with two sacks, 49 tackles, and six passes defensed.
- Ravens center Matt Skura, who is on crutches after knee surgery, said there is no timetable on his return (Twitter link via Hensley). After tearing his his ACL, PCL and MCL, he hopes to be back for training camp.
- Interior defensive lineman Michael Pierce is headed towards unrestricted free agency, but he hopes to return to the Ravens in 2020 (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). Pierce, 27, is due for a raise after starting in 14 games for Baltimore in 2019.
Antonio Gates Announces Retirement
Antonio Gates is calling it a career. On Tuesday, the Chargers legend announced his retirement from the NFL.
[RELATED: Chargers To Keep OC Shane Steichen]
“I never dreamed that I would play this game of football so long or how fortunate I would be to play it with just one organization,” the tight end said. “I want to thank the Chargers organization, the National Football League, Dean Spanos and the Spanos family for the opportunity to live out a dream and play the game I love.”
Gates, 39, did not suit up last year. Before that, he spent 16 straight seasons with the Chargers and built a reputation as one of the league’s most dangerous tight ends.
Between 2004 and 2011, Gates racked up eight straight Pro Bowl nods and three First-Team All-Pro selections. He topped 1,100 receiving yards twice (2005 and 2009) and flirted with the 1,000-yard mark in 2004, 2006, and 2007. He gave opposing defenses fits in his 30s, too. In 2013, in his age-33 season, he caught 77 passes for 872 yards.
Gates was a star on Kent State’s basketball team, but did not play football in college. When scouts told him he was too small to play power forward in the NBA, the 6’4″ athlete set his sights on the NFL. The Chargers signed him as as undrafted free agent in 2003 and he managed to go from third-stringer to starter as a rookie.
After tallying 955 receptions, 11,841 yards, and 116 touchdowns, Gates is walking away from the sport. He’ll become eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023 and, in all likelihood, enter Canton as a first-ballot nominee.
Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa Enters Draft
Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa is going pro. On Tuesday, the top pass rusher announced that he’ll skip his senior season and enter the 2020 NFL Draft. 
Epenesa is widely projected to be a first-round pick and could very well land in the Top 10. Ohio State’s Chase Young ranks as everyone’s top edge rusher, but after that, Epenesa figures to be the second defensive end taken in April.
Epenesa boasts serious power and block-shedding ability at 6’6″ and 280 pounds. This year, he notched 11.5 sacks and 15 tackles for a loss, cementing his status as one of the best at his position.
The Buccaneers, who pick at No. 14 overall, could represent Epenesa’s floor. Epenesa could help the Bucs replace Shaquil Barrett if he signs a lucrative free agent deal elsewhere. Or, better yet, the Bucs could retain Barrett and slot Epenesa in at the other bookend to bolster their pass rush.
Latest On Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown shared a disturbing video on social media this week that could be yet another barrier in his quest to return to the NFL. In the live broadcast (NSFW, profanity) Brown is seen yelling at the mother of one of his children and police, with kids present.
[RELATED: Interested Teams To Hold Off On Antonio Brown]
The Saints passed on signing Brown after working him out in late December. Later, Brown accused the Saints of auditioning him as a publicity stunt. It’s fair to say the Saints were not wild about the PR backlash of meeting with Brown, who came to the workout with a full camera crew in tow.
Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, continues to insist that teams are interested, though they are waiting for the NFL’s investigation to wrap before signing him. This latest social media outburst probably won’t speed up the process, nor will it garner sympathy from the league office.
Brown has caught 841 passes for 11,253 yards over the course of his ten-year career, which includes seven Pro Bowl appearances. At this rate, he might never add to that stat sheet again.
Giants Interview Mike Shula
New Giants head coach Joe Judge interviewed incumbent offensive coordinator Mike Shula for the same job on his staff, sources tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Shula was the Giants’ OC for the last two years under Pat Shurmur and he’ll have a chance to stick under Judge.
[Poll: Which NFL Team Made The Best HC Hire?]
Shula helped in the development of quarterback Daniel Jones, who showed promise at times in 2019. On the other hand, the Giants offense has struggled as a whole during Shula’s tenure and the club went 9-23 over the last two seasons.
Over the weekend, Judge hired Patrick Graham away from the Dolphins to serve as his defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. We also recently learned that Judge’s deal with the G-Men is for five years – they hope he’ll last the full length of the contract, since the Giants’ last couple of coaches only lasted two years.
Poll: Which NFL Team Made The Best Hire?
This year’s head coaching cycle came and went in a flash. The Redskins, Cowboys, Panthers, and Giants moved quickly to find their new sideline leaders and the Browns weren’t far behind as they filled their vacancy on January 11th. 
Now that the dust has settled, we want your take on the best hire of the bunch:
Ron Rivera, Redskins: The Panthers axed Rivera in early December, just before he could finish his ninth season at the helm. Quickly, the Redskins identified him as their top target to take over for interim head coach Bill Callahan, who had been holding down the fort since Jay Gruden‘s midseason dismissal. The Panthers struggled in 2019 without one-time MVP Cam Newton under center, but Rivera comes to D.C. with an impressive resume that includes four playoff appearances, three NFC South titles, and a Super Bowl appearance. The Redskins, meanwhile, haven’t been to the big game since their Super Bowl XXVI victory over the Bills following the 1991 season. Or, to put it another way – more than five years before quarterback Dwayne Haskins was born.
Mike McCarthy, Cowboys: During the season, many speculated that the Cowboys would make a splash by luring former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer out of retirement. Instead, once the Cowboys finally fired Jason Garrett, they restricted their search to experienced NFL head coaches. Only two candidates formally interviewed for the job and McCarthy got the nod over longtime Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. McCarthy clashed with Aaron Rodgers down the stretch in Green Bay, but he’s also credited with grooming him into one of the league’s top quarterbacks. The Cowboys are hopeful that McCarthy can have a similar impact on Dak Prescott’s development.
Matt Rhule, Panthers: The Panthers backed up a Brinks truck to hire former Baylor head coach Matt Rhule. Rhule is credited with turning around the Baylor program and, before that, the Temple program. Despite his lack of pro experience, teams have been eyeing him for the last couple of years. He was also hot during the last cycle, but a would-be deal with the Jets was nixed when Gang Green insisted on picking his assistants for him. This time around, Rhule had all the leverage he needed to get full control over his staff, and a lucrative contract that could pay him anywhere between $60 and $70MM.
Joe Judge, Giants: The Giants were infatuated with Rhule, but they were only willing to go so far. They were also blown away by Judge, who previously served as the Patriots’ special teams coach. Judge didn’t have the household name value of other candidates, but the Giants see him as someone who can handle the New York press and get the most out of young QB Daniel Jones.
Kevin Stefanski, Browns: Stefanski joined the Vikings in 2006 and climbed the ladder to become the team’s offensive coordinator midway through the 2018 season. In 2019, Stefanski’s first full season at the helm, the Vikings ranked as a top-10 offense in points while the the trio of Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, and Mike Boone cracked the top six in rushing yards and touchdowns. Meanwhile, Kirk Cousins turned in one of his best seasons yet. The Browns have one of the game’s most promising young QBs in Baker Mayfield and a talented backfield group, so they saw Stefanski as a perfect fit, even though the Vikings came up short in the round.
Cast your vote below (link for app users) and back up your choice in the comments.
Charges Dropped Against Patriots’ Patrick Chung
Patriots safety Patrick Chung has reached agreement with prosecutors to drop charges stemming from his 2019 arrest. The case will not go to trial, provided that Chung stays out of trouble over the next two years, participates in regular drug testing, and performs 40 hours of community service. 
In June, New Hampshire cops were called to Chung’s home in late June on “on a call for service.” While at his residence, police obtained evidence leading to a felony drug charge for cocaine possession. Chung submitted a plea of not guilty and, months later, appears set to put the incident behind him.
The Belknap County Attorney’s office cited Chung’s cooperation and lack of a prior record for their decision to settle. They also noted that police only found a small amount of cocaine at his house. Of course, Chung could still face league discipline in the form of a fine and/or suspension.
Last year, Chung appeared in 13 games and recorded 51 tackles, three passes defended, and one tackle for loss. In the Patriots’ Wild Card game against the Titans, Chung injured his ankle in the first quarter and was unable to return. The Pats went on to lose 20-13, eliminating them from the playoffs.
Texans Won’t Hire GM
The Texans’ offseason is underway and they won’t be hiring a new general manager to manage things. On Monday, head coach Bill O’Brien confirmed the team’s previously rumored plans to keep the current structure in place without the addition of a new GM (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). 
“I feel like where we are right now it stays the way it is,” O’Brien said of the team’s current front office. “We have a great group of people.”
The Texans have taken a committee approach to roster management since firing Brian Gaine back in June. Since then, executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby has run the football operations department with O’Brien having final say. Meanwhile, VP of Football Administration Chris Olsen handles contracts and salary cap matters with Matt Bazirgan running player personnel.
When Gaine was forced out, the Texans were denied the chance to hire top Patriots executive Nick Caserio to serve as their GM. After their plans were thwarted, the belief was that they would wait until after the 2020 draft, then hire Caserio away from New England. Apparently, that’s no longer the plan.
The Texans’ unorthodox setup has not prevented them from staying active. The Texans traded for running backs Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde, giving them the quality backfield that they sorely needed. They also swung a blockbuster deal for Laremy Tunsil and moved Jadeveon Clowney to the Seahawks for a third-rounder and two players. That third rounder later turned into former Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley.