Raiders Part Ways With Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski‘s 18-year run with the Raiders has come to an end. On Wednesday, the Raiders informed the kicker that he will not be re-signed for the 2018 season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Last offseason, Janikowski initially balked when the Raiders asked him to take a pay cut, and that nearly marked the end of his tenure in Oakland. The kicker eventually acquiesced, but a preseason back injury kept him off of the field for the entire season.
Janikowski’s replacement, Giorgio Tavecchio, may have the inside track on the job, but new coach Jon Gruden could also open up a competition. Last year, the 27-year-old (28 in July), connected on 76.2% of his field goal tries and made 33 of 34 extra point attempts.
Before 2017, the 2000 first-round pick missed four games with the Raiders, and his 268 appearances are the most in franchise history. Despite his long-running history with team, the Raiders clearly had concerns about his age and possible decline. In 2016, Janikowski made 82.9% of his field goals and went 37-of-39 on extra point tries. He has not cleared the 83% mark on field goals since 2014. If not for the timing of the team announcing a move to Las Vegas, Janikowski might have been released before the 2017 season.
Janikowski turns 40 in March, but it seems likely that he’ll want to continue playing.
With Janikowski out of the picture in Oakland, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady stands as the only player from the 2000 NFL draft still with the team that drafted him.
Redskins S Su’a Cravens Reinstated By NFL
Redskins safety Su’a Cravens has been granted reinstatement by the NFL, a source tells ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). This marks a big step forward for his return, though it’s not a certainty that he’ll be welcomed back in D.C. 
Cravens shocked the Redskins in September when he said that he would be retiring from the league. Hours later, the NFL sophomore reversed his decision. The Redskins placed him on the NFI list while he sorted things out, but they shut the door on his season two weeks later when they moved him to the reserve/left squad list.
Cravens’ talent is undeniable, but it seems that the Redskins have lost patience with the former second-round pick and his teammates are not thrilled with him either. The Redskins could shop Cravens this offseason, but they might have to settle for a late draft selection in a trade.
As a rookie in 2016, Cravens played on 36.5% of Washington’s defensive snaps as both a safety and linebacker. In ten games (three starts), Cravens recorded 22 tackles, one sack, one interception, and five passes defensed while grading as the league’s No. 27 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus. In 2017, the Redskins planned to start Cravens at safety.
49ers, C Daniel Kilgore Agree To Extension
The 49ers announced they have signed center Daniel Kilgore to a three-year contract extension. The new deal will take him through the 2020 season. 
[RELATED: 49ers Likely To Re-Sign Brock Coyle]
Initially, it appeared that Kilgore would be riding the pine in San Francisco for the 2017 season. However, the Niners waived Jeremy Zuttah over the summer and Kilgore beat out free agent pickup Tim Barnes, allowing him to start all 16 games in the middle. The advanced metrics weren’t big on the 30-year-old (he ranked as just the 23rd-best center in the league, per Pro Football Focus), but the Niners were very high on his work.
Financial details of Kilgore’s deal are not yet known. If Kilgore’s contract is somewhere in the middle of the league’s centers, he could see an average annual value of around $4MM. Ben Jones is the 14th highest paid center in the NFL based on AAV and he earns $4.375MM/season on the four-year deal he signed with the Titans in 2016.
Coaching Rumors: Cowboys, Cards, Falcons
The Cowboys are expected to name Doug Nussmeier as tight ends coach, sources tell ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (on Twitter). Nussmeier has a lengthy resume, including stints as the offensive coordinator for Florida, Michigan, and Alabama. The former NFL backup quarterback also served as the Rams’ quarterbacks coach under Scott Linehan, the Cowboys’ current OC.
More from the coaching ranks:
- The Cardinals announced that they have promoted assistant receivers coach Kevin Garver to WR coach and inside linebackers coach Larry Foote to LB coach. The retention of Garver should be a plus for Larry Fitzgerald, Mike Jurecki of 98.7 FM tweets. The veteran is deliberating whether to play in 2018 or retire and the presence of Garver could push him towards continuing his career.
- The Falcons announced three additions to their coaching staff: running backs coach Bernie Parmalee, offensive assistant Chad Walker, and assistant special teams coach Mayur Chaudhari. Parmalee served as the Raiders’ running backs coach from 2015-17. While the running game wasn’t always great in Oakland during that time, the Raiders did average 120.1 yards on the ground in 2016, the sixth-most in the league. Parmalee is best known for his days as an NFL running back for the Dolphins and Jets.
- The Panthers hired former University of Michigan offensive graduate assistant coach Drew Terrell as an offensive quality control coach, per a team announcement. Terrell first made a name for himself as a wide receiver/punt returner at Stanford where he earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 as a returner three times.
NFC South Notes: Saints, Brees, Panthers
If Drew Brees decides to play hardball, he could take control of his contract negotiations with the Saints, Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune writes. But, so far, Brees has been a good solider, saying repeatedly that he wants to retire in New Orleans and indicating that he will not test the free agent market.
In theory, things can change between now and March 14. If the Saints try to lowball the 39-year-old, Brees could threaten to test the open waters to try and regain leverage. Despite his age, Brees would almost certainly garner offers of more than $30MM per year, putting him ahead of Jimmy Garoppolo and just behind the expected annual average value of Kirk Cousins‘ next contract.
Duncan figures that the floor for talks has to be $20MM per year, the average of the current deals for Tom Brady and Matt Ryan. If the ceiling for elite quarterbacks is ~$30MM, then the beat writer guesses that a two or three-year deal with a $25MM AAV and out clauses after each season makes sense for both sides.
While we wait to see how that plays out, here’s more from the NFC South:
- Former UFC owner Frank Fertitta is heading one of the groups looking to purchase the Panthers, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (on Twitter) hears. If Fertitta’s group winds up buying the team, he’ll have to divest his interest in Station Casinos. Fertitta was a major shareholder in Zuffa LLC, which recently sold the UFC for upwards of $4 billion.
- Despite rumblings that interim GM Marty Hurney is a shoe-in for the Panthers‘ permanent GM post, Fritz Pollard chairman John Wooten says he’s willing to allow the team’s interview process to play out before raising concerns with the NFL, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. The Panthers interviewed multiple minority candidates for the position and it has been reported that Bills assistant college scouting director Lake Dawson is a strong candidate. “They have interviewed three viable candidates. I know that they had one come back again for a second interview. So that’s where they are,” Wooten said. “I think our position is we will let the process as it relates to the investigation run its course, and see what goes from there.” The Panthers are currently in a holding pattern as Hurney is under league investigation for harassment accusations raised by his ex-wife.
- This week, PFR’s Dallas Robinson broke down the Buccaneers‘ top three offseason needs.
Chiefs To Keep Justin Houston
The Chiefs are parting ways with Derrick Johnson, but they won’t be casting fellow linebacker Justin Houston aside. Houston remains in the team’s plans for 2018, according to a source who spoke with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. 
Houston is slated to carry a cap number of $20.6MM in 2018, including a base salary of $14.75MM. That’s arguably too much money for a player who has seen his production dip in recent seasons, but the Chiefs would be left with $12.7MM if they were to trade or release him. Houston was still a major contributor in 2017, so it would make little sense for KC to eat that kind of money in order to move on.
Last year, Houston started in all 15 of his regular season appearances, plus the Chiefs’ first round playoff loss against the Titans. The 29-year-old amassed a team-high 9.5 sacks plus 59 total tackles and graded out as the 15th best edge defender in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. His 87.6 overall score was down from his best work from 2013-2015, but still nothing to sneeze at.
The Chiefs have been active early this offseason. Already, KC has traded Alex Smith to the Redskins and released Darrelle Revis. The Chiefs are expected to jettison other veterans, but Houston will not be among them.
Jets Notes: McCown, Cousins, Enunwa
The Jets will have decisions aplenty this offseason when it comes to which free agents they choose to retain, as Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes. That list starts with quarterback Josh McCown, 39, who is due to become an unrestricted free agent after starting 13 games last season. With quarterbacks such as Kirk Cousins on the market, along with the Jets holding the sixth overall pick in the draft, the team may part ways with the veteran.
One of McCown’s favorite targets last season, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, is also set to become an unrestricted free agent. The 25-year-old caught 50 passes and three touchdowns last season. On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Morris Claiborne will hit free agency after signing a one-year deal last offseason and linebacker Demario Davis, who was acquired from the Browns for Calvin Pryor, will hit the market as well. Davis led the Jets with 135 total tackles last year. Wesley Johnson, who started 15 games at center and Chandler Catanzaro, who hit 25 of 30 field goals, will also become unrestricted free agents. Wide receiver Quincy Enunwa is set to become a restricted free agent after missing all of last season with a neck injury.
- Connor Hughes of NJ Advanced Media explores the possibility of the Jets taking Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson with the sixth overall pick of the upcoming draft, considering the team has three picks within the first two rounds. Hughes notes that the Jets draft plans will hinge on other offseason moves, such as if the team is able to sign Cousins. Nelson (6’5″, 329 pounds) is rated by most draft experts as the top guard available, which Hughes runs through in his story.
- Big-time spending hasn’t necessarily resulted in big-time results for the Jets since Mike Maccagnan took over as general manager three seasons ago, ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes. In those three seasons, the Jets have spent $133MM in guaranteed money toward free agents, the sixth-most in the NFL during that timeframe. But the Jets have gone 20-28 in that span without a postseason appearance. Some of the notable signings that didn’t quite pan out for the Jets included a five-year, $70MM ($39MM guaranteed) to Darrelle Revis and a four-year $32MM ($7MM guaranteed) to Antonio Cromartie in 2015.
- The Jets are not planning to part ways with Robby Anderson, but they’re not about to offer him an extension either.
Ryan Posner contributed to this post.
Chiefs To Allow Derrick Johnson To Reach Free Agency
The Chiefs will allow Derrick Johnson to become a free agent this offseason, the club announced on Tuesday morning. A return is not explicitly ruled out, but it is heavily implied in the press release that the linebacker will not be back with the team in 2018.
“Few players in recent history have meant more to the Chiefs franchise and the Kansas City community than Derrick Johnson,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “His tireless work ethic and passion for the game made him one of the most productive defensive players to ever wear a Chiefs uniform and one of the most respected players both in our locker room and around the league. Over the last 13 seasons, Derrick represented himself and the Chiefs organization with integrity and class, and he will always be a part of our Chiefs family.”
Johnson, 35, is the franchise’s all-time leading tackler, with 1,262 career stops to his credit over 13 seasons with the Chiefs. Since entering the league as a first round pick in 2005, Johnson has appeared in 182 games with 169 starts. He’s also earned four Pro Bowl nods, plus a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2011.
“I’ve been blessed to be a part of the Kansas City Chiefs organization my entire career,” Johnson said. “I’d like to thank the Hunt family, my coaches, teammates and the staff for the tremendous amount of support I received over the years. I love Kansas City and this fan base, they’ve always had my back. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to spend 13 years in a place I love. I plan on playing for several more years because I love this game so much, but I look forward to retiring as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs when my career is over. I’ll miss my Chiefs teammates – we made a lot of big plays together over the years – and I wish them the best in bringing a championship home to the best and loudest fans in the NFL.”
Johnson’s deal was set to void when free agency opened up on March 14 as part of his restructured deal that he agreed to last offseason that dealt him a pay cut. The Chiefs will still owe Johnson $2.25 million in dead money after his contract is officially voided.
Last season, Johnson earned a 77.3 overall score from Pro Football Focus, which placed him as the 33rd best linebacker in the NFL. Johnson is no longer a world-beater, but he can still be a quality piece for a 3-4 team in need of veteran reinforcement. Johnson posted 48 tackles last season, the second-lowest mark for a season in which he’s appeared in at least 10 games.
Reggie Ragland played in 12 games at middle linebacker last season for the Chiefs. Kevin Pierre-Louis, who appeared in 14 games, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Seahawks’ Kam Chancellor Plans To Play
Kam Chancellor has hinted that he might retire on social media, but that’s apparently not in the cards just yet. The Seahawks safety plans to play in 2018 if he gains medical clearance, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Chancellor’s $6.8MM salary became fully guaranteed last week, so the Seahawks are intent on moving forward with him. It’s still not a slam dunk that Chancellor will get the green light from doctors, however. The veteran missed nearly half of 2017’s games with a neck injury and that comes with a greater risk than, say, a twisted ankle.
Back in January, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll hinted that Chancellor and defensive end Cliff Avril could be forced to hang ’em up. Despite his assessment, both players are still intent on playing. In January, Avril announced his intentions to continue, but it’s quite possible that the Seahawks will release him anyway in order to save $7.5MM against the cap.
Chancellor’s nine appearances last season marked a career low since the Seahawks took him in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech. Between 2011-14, the four-time Pro Bowler started at least 14 games and recorded at least 65 tackles within Seattle’s “Legion of Boom.” He’s missed 16 games over the last three seasons.
Seattle’s vaunted secondary may be disbanded before too long as Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas are both due to become unrestricted free agents next offseason. Chancellor isn’t set to become a free agent until after the 2020 season. Cornerback Byron Maxwell and safety Bradley McDougald will hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. The Seahawks allowed 209.2 yards per game through the air last season, which ranked sixth-best in the NFL.
Giants Hire Mike Shula As Offensive Coordinator
The Giants have hired Mike Shula as offensive coordinator, according to Kimberly Jones of NFL.com (on Twitter). An official announcement is expected later today. 
Shula spent seven seasons with the Panthers before he was fired in January. His longstanding relationship with former Panthers GM and current Giants GM Dave Gettleman helped him land a new OC gig in New York.
Last year, Carolina placed 19th in total offense (323.7), 17th in offensive DVOA, fourth in rushing offense (131.4), 28th in passing (192.3), and 12th in points (22.7). Ultimately, it wasn’t good enough as the Panthers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The Giants believe that Shula can deliver better results for them in 2018.
Along with his role as offensive coordinator, Shula is expected to assume the role as the Giants’ quarterbacks coach, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Shula, 52, the son of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, previously worked as the quarterbacks coach for the Jaguars and four seasons as the head coach at Alabama before landing his job with the Panthers. He’s also previously worked as the offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers (1996-1999).
The Giants ranked 21st in the NFL in total yards per game (314.2) under last season’s offensive coordinator, Mike Sullivan, who was given the chance to pursue other opportunities after the hiring of Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur and is now serving as the Broncos quarterbacks coach.
Three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham. was limited to just four games last season and Eli Manning was benched for a contest in favor of Geno Smith. Mike Shula will also be tasked with helping the Giants jumpstart their ground game as they ranked 26th in the league at 96.9 yards rushing per game.
Shurmur now has the offensive and defensive coordinators for his new staff, with the Giants agreeing to terms with former Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher in late January. The team was also looking to potentially hire Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator but were denied a request to interview him.